Abe nodded and turned to leave.
Derrick took in a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open. Freja was sitting near a bed, while Hunter had a hand resting against the wall, his forehead pressed against it. Lita wasfinishing wrapping a bandage around Lucie when she raised her gaze to him. He walked in closer and his eyes landed on Lucie.
Her eyes were closed. Her lip was cut, and she had a red, swollen mark across her face. Her lower body was covered with a sheet, but her arms had bruises of all different shades, from old to fresh. The dress he last saw her in lay shredded on the side of the bed. He turned his eyes away from it and walked closer to the bed. Lita immediately got up to make room for him to be closer.
“She has four broken ribs and needs to stay still until she can be healed. When she wakes, you’ll be able to see what happened through her thoughts. Instead of us talking to her about it, you can come out and tell us later. It’ll be less stressful for her this way.” Lita watched as Derrick sat on the bed next to her.
“Hunter, Freja … why don’t you come back with me? Let’s have some tea. You two need to rest as well. There’s nothing more to be done here. Let’s leave the rest to Derrick. He’ll come and talk to us when he can.” Lita understood the soulmate bond. Derrick would know everything, and he would know exactly what Lucie needed. They couldn’t help her more than he could.
Hunter looked at Lucie, his gaze full of pain. He was also struggling with not being strong enough to rescue his own daughter. It made all of them realize that no matter how powerful they were, there was another level of strength above them. He felt Freja’s warm hand intertwine with his, and she nodded in understanding. Slowly he allowed her to lead him out of the room.
The door closed quietly, leaving Derrick alone with Lucie. He shifted carefully in the bed so he could lie next to her. He just laid there, staring at her. He missed her so much. His sweet, precious little mate. He felt his eyes burning as tears began to seep from them. They kept coming as he looked at her. Deep down, he was terrified he would never see her again. Seeing herbroke something in him, and weeks of worry were spilling out of him.
He smoothed her hair back from her face, his fingers brushing against her skin ever so slightly, and he felt the surging tingles rush through him from the contact. Lucie felt it too, because her eyes fluttered open.
Green stared into amber. No words. Just silence. Their lives, their hurt, their pain … everything flashed between them. She knew his pain and his worries. He knew hers. He saw her memories, how she was beaten. How she fought and how Erebus forced his kisses on her. But that was all he’d forced on her. He didn’t take her completely. And yet, he could feel how Lucie still felt tainted because of it. Instantly, they knew it all. And they knew how the other felt about it. Absurdity from both ends. Lucie didn’t blame Derrick and he didn’t think any less of her. They both wanted the other completely.
“I love you, my little mate.” Derrick brushed his thumb against her cheek. “Everyone’s here. They’re all worried about you.”
Lucie reached up and covered his hand with hers. Their fingers tangled together and she closed her eyes, enjoying the touch of her mate. “I didn’t know if I would ever see you again.”
Derrick squeezed her hand and breathed in deeply. He understood her feelings. He’d also felt them.
“I would kill for a shower,” Lucie said with a chuckle.
“Sorry, baby. I’ll get a washcloth and wash you, but you need to stay still. You have four broken ribs.” Derrick’s heart stung. His sweet Lucie had endured so much. A smirk played across his lips as Lucie’s thoughts entered his mind. “Don’t even, you little temptress. Strictly a pure, wholesome sponge bath. That’s it. But once you’re healed, I plan to mark every single part of your body and leave my scent on every inch of your skin.”
She closed her eyes and rested quietly. He scooted closer, leaning his forehead against hers, still holding her hand. This was enough. They both just needed to be near the other. All their worries and concerns instantly vanished. They needed this quiet moment together, just to breathe the other’s scent and feel the other’s touch. Something so simple and yet so powerful.
Derrick brushed his lips over her forehead before leaning back to watch her face. He felt her drift into unconsciousness. His eyes watered as the floodgates released. All his emotions flowed out of him as he watched over her. And for the first time since Lucie had been taken, he also relaxed. He’d been tirelessly fighting and hardly sleeping. With his head against hers, their fingers intertwined, they both slept. Two halved souls, finally reunited.
CHAPTER 60
Derrick opened his eyes to see Lucie still resting peacefully. His eyes wandered over her swollen face, and his chest tightened. She had endured so much. He wished there was a way he could take it on himself. Take the pain and the wounds. If only the soulmate bond would allow such a thing. He would do it in a heartbeat.
He stayed there watching her for a few more minutes before he eased himself away, crept to the door, and shut it quietly behind him.
“Abe,” Derrick said quietly.
“I’m here,” Abe said as he materialized in front of him.
“I want you to watch over her in case she wakes up. I’m going to go and talk with her family. I’m sure they’re anxiously waiting to hear how she is. If she wakes, come and get me immediately.” Derrick watched Abe nod his head. “Thank you, Abe … for going above and beyond trying to locate her.” He smiled at Abe andwalked past him, patting the man on the shoulder. A simple gesture, but it spoke volumes.
Derrick made his way down the winding stairs and back to the main floor. His eyes widened in surprise, shocked to see all of her family sitting there, waiting. The younger generation took to the floor on bean bags and blankets while chairs were brought in for everyone else. Everyone was waiting for him to tell them about Lucie. They didn’t even want to leave the lower door because of their concern for Lucie. A smile crept over his face. They all loved his little mate so much.
Jasper jumped to his feet, followed by Aedan and Justice. Hunter and Freja also stood up and stepped closer to Derrick. Everyone was quiet, waiting anxiously to hear his report.
“She’s resting again,” Derrick said softly. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He’d seen Lucie’s memories, and it made him nauseous having to recall them. Better him than Lucie, though.
“He’d been forcing her to ingest a magic blocker. And when she fought against him or was disobedient, he punished her. His punishments mainly consisted of hitting her and choking her. He was trying to condition her. He did force his lips on her as well …” Derrick shook his head as he breathed out angrily. “But thankfully, he was so conceited that he didn’t force more than that. He expected her to want him and was waiting for that. She stayed defiant and spirited though, all the way up to the moment Ken rescued her.”
Derrick watched as Alexa’s lips quivered, and she turned into Raine. Her mate had saved Lucie. He risked his own self to save her cousin, and all because he knew Alexa was hurting. Lucie had endured everything just for her, too. Derrick was sure this was emotional for Alexa in more ways than one, especially since Ken had stressed again that he was going to continue to avoid her.
“She’s okay, though. Besides her physical wounds, surprisingly, her mental state seems much better. In fact, it felt the same, at least for now. The moment everything flowed between us, she was okay. She’s strong … stronger than me,” Derrick said with a quiet sob.
To see everything she went through and to know he couldn’t have done a thing about it was killing him. Even if he was there, he wasn’t strong enough to save her. The punishment his sweet mate endured was senseless and cruel, and seeing the memories of what she went through hurt him. Now that he was away from Lucie, he was able to release some of that pain.
Jasper walked up to Derrick and clutched the back of his head. He leaned his forehead against his, and they stood there quietly not needing to say anything.
