Lucca (30 page)

Lucca halted his steps as he entered the
back room. Juliet and Ryden were sitting next to each other and
carrying on a conversation. Lucca locked gazes with Eli. He came to
a decision, something he should have considered long before now.
Lucca gave Eli a quick nod to the side, indicating he wanted a word
with him.
Alone.

Eli leaned over and whispered in Ryden’s
ear. She patted his hand and he rose from his seat.

Lucca headed back outside and Eli followed
him. Lucca noticed a few patrons sitting in front of the Java Café,
enjoying their coffees and conversing. Soft music, an Elvis song he
believed, filtered over the airwaves from across the street at the
Mexican restaurant. The life size replica of the King stood on the
balcony.

“Did you want to speak to me or were we
going to admire the architecture?” Eli lifted one dark brow at
him.

“You said you wanted to trust me.”

Eli nodded.

“I want to trust you too. I have a favor to
ask you.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

“This is becoming a habit I have no wish to
pursue,” Blaize complained to Lucca as he materialized them in
front of the witch’s shop.

“Nor do I, but right now I need your help.
Since Sarice can’t seem to keep her fangs to herself and Zaiden
doesn’t care she’s sucking the life out of him, I must insist.”

Blaize grumbled obscenities under his
breath. “After this fiasco with the Archangels is finished, we need
to do an intervention. My sister’s relationship is hazardous not
only for her but for me as well. I have no wish to be your
indentured slave while she plays with her new toy.”

They both knew his threat of exposing Sarice
and Zaiden’s relationship didn’t hold credence anymore. The
friendship Blaize and he once forged had been renewed with their
escape from the Vault. It was as if centuries melted away and the
mistrust and grief never existed. Forgiveness proved powerful.
Lucca was beginning to realize that human emotions didn’t make them
weak. It made them stronger.

Blaize gripped Lucca’s forearm. “I will have
your word that you’ll help me in this matter.”

Lucca could care less what Zaiden and Sarice
did in their spare time, but they started a dangerous game, where
one of them could wind up dead.

Lucca nodded. “You have my word.” Zaiden
would put up a fight. He was not a male who would bow down to
anyone. Zaiden cared for Sarice, even if it was for the high she
gave him every time they blooded. They thought going up against
Archangels was tough. Wait until they had to contain a Guard of
Judgment who was addicted to blooding.

A dark green BMW pulled up to the curb and
Ryden opened the door, stepping out. She wore a cream colored
sweater and blue jeans. Her dark hair was pulled back away from her
face, sweeping down her back in a sleek ponytail. She gave them a
hesitant smile as she looked at Lucca then at Blaize.

The Darklin’s gaze landed on Ryden and his
mouth slid into a wide grin of appreciation.

“She’s Eli’s mate,” Lucca warned under his
breath.

The smile immediately disappeared.

Lucca wouldn’t have involved Ryden at all,
but Lana might be more receptive if the request came from her. As
Ryden reached them, Lucca made the introductions.

“Blaize meet Ryden. Ryden, Blaize.”

“Blaize Kayson?” Her mouth dropped open and
her eyes lit up.

For a moment Lucca wondered how she knew
him, but then he remembered Blaize posed as a rock star in the
human realm.

“I have all your CDs.” Her hand fluttered to
her chest in a nervous gesture.

Blaize ate up the attention, taking her hand
and raising it to his lips.

Lucca rolled his eyes. “Can you give the
star-struck groupie an autograph later
.
?
We have work to do.”

“Don’t mind, Lucca,” Blaize told her. “He’s
just jealous.”

He harrumphed as he pushed the glass door
open and walked into the witch’s lair, which posed as a new age
shop. Scented candles and incense fragranced the air.
Amy
Brown’s
pictures adorned one wall, while
Anne Stokes’
gothic flare beautified another.

Lana stood behind the counter, her golden
strands rich and full, her eyes blue pools of light. She stood five
foot nine or so, long and lean. Ryden and Lana differed in
coloring, but their long-legged sleekness spoke of a family
trait.

Lana spotted Ryden and came around the
counter with a warm smile. “Ryden, I’m so glad to see you.” She
hugged her cousin then pulled away to look at her. “Who are your
good looking friends and does Eli know you’re with them?” She
batted her eyes at Blaize. Obviously the Darklin’s dark good looks
drew her attention.

Lucca glanced at Blaize who wore an
identical grin. Seems the attraction was mutual.

“Lana, these are … associates of Eli’s,”
Ryden said slowly for emphasis. Lana gaze’s skated over Blaize in a
slow appraisal before she gave Lucca a quick glance of welcome.

Lucca raised an eyebrow, knowing where he
rated here. Interesting. The female knew Eli was one of the
Watchers and now she knew Blaize and he were not human.

Lucca’s lips curved. “Yes, associates. Isn’t
it quaint?”

Lana chuckled as she took a closer look at
Lucca, minus the sexual charge she gave Blaize. “You’re here to see
me, big guy. Let’s keep the sarcasm down to a minimum, shall
we?”

A low growl escaped his lips, but he kept
his retort to himself. “We’re in need of a spell.”

“Are you looking for a love potion perhaps?”
Her hand went to the pretty bottle with pink ribbons.

“Now who’s being sarcastic?” Lucca didn’t
care to play games. He wanted to know straight up if Lana could
help them or not. If she couldn’t, they had only a day to find a
witch that could. “We’re looking for some real magic, witch. The
kind that requires drawing on the elements in a big way. You’re
playing with the big boys here.”

Lana’s gaze riveted to her cousin’s, her
eyes narrowing with suspicion. “Who did you say they were?”

Ryden’s hand rested on her forearm. “We need
your help. We’re looking for a protection spell and …” She looked
at Lucca and he nodded for her to give the details. “We need to
trap an Archangel.”

Her chuckle rang like a fine tuned bell, but
when no one else joined in, she sobered immediately, her hand
slipping from Ryden’s grasp as if she’d been burned. “You can’t be
serious.”

“Sweet Cakes, we couldn’t be more serious”
Blaize chimed in. “Archangels can be nasty buggers.”

“I knew this was a bad idea,” Lucca grumbled
under his breath. “She’s not powerful enough.”

Lana glared at him as she stood ramrod
straight, her chin raising a fraction of an inch. Lucca managed not
to smile. All witches were the same. They didn’t like to be told
they were lacking in the
abracadabra
department.

“Don’t be judging me so quick, big guy?” Her
gaze traveled over him and she frowned. “Have we met before?”

In another dimension of time—yes, they had.
He crashed her Halloween party in hopes of killing Eli. If the
elders hadn’t pulled Eli back to the Grigori Castle in the
Otherworldly realm when they did, his plan would have been a
success. Eli would have bled out from the knife wound he inflicted.
Who would have thought he’d one day be pleased Eli didn’t succumb
to his injuries.

However, in this plane of existence, today
would be Lana and his first meeting. He’d heard
de je vu
occurred when the other dimensions overlapped, but he never met a
human who experienced it until now, but there was no time to
explain to Lana the effects of time traveling between dimensions.
“No, we haven’t met before. Can you help us or not?”

“I’ve never attempted to trap an Archangel.
And I never thought of them as being…” Her gaze found Blaize’s.
“…nasty buggers.” She looked at Lucca again. “Why would you need to
trap one anyway?”

“We don’t have time for twenty questions,”
Lucca growled. “Can you help us or not?”

“You make time if you want my help,” Lana
snapped back, taking Lucca by surprise.

“Feisty witch,” he murmured under his breath
and he took a deep breath determined to win the female over. “The
Archangel is tracking two humans for extermination.” He paused for
dramatic effect, but Lana didn’t bat an eye.

“Go on.” She waived her hand in front of her
as if his tale of doom already bored her. Funny, he would have
thought she would want more details.

“We need to find a way to stop him.” Lucca
folded his arms against his chest as he waited for Lana to digest
what he threw at her.

Lana moved behind the counter. Her gaze
landing first on Blaize and then to him with anger so intense he
thought surely she could spit fire from her eyes. “I won’t help you
murder anyone.”

“You won’t help us murder anyone.” Lucca
sputtered. “Listen, witch, The Archangel in question is playing for
keeps. We either stop him or he’ll take out the humans in one blast
of blue flames. How would you suppose we stop him? Ask him nicely
to go away?”

Blaize approached the counter with his
dazzling performance-smile in place. “What my boy means is—”

“I’m not your boy,” Lucca cut in.

Blaize’s eyelids fluttered with impatience.
He inhaled deeply before he faced Lana again. “We want to protect
the humans. We don’t stand a chance against Archangel fire. We just
want to even out the odds so we can negotiate.”

Lana looked at Lucca with a long assessing
gaze before turning her attention back to Blaize. “Why didn’t
all tall and brooding
just say so then?”

Lucca snorted in disbelief.

Blaize’s lips spread into a full grin as he
lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “His communication skills aren’t the
best.”

“Will you help us?” Ryden moved closer to
the counter, her eyes beseeching her cousin to comply.

Lana nodded. “I’ve seen a binding spell
before, but I’ll have to search for it. I never thought Archangels
were real until recently.”

“Just like how most people don’t believe
witches are real either,” Lucca smirked, winning him another
dagger-like glare.

Lana turned to go into the back room, but
Blaize gripped her arm. When the witch glared at him, he dropped
his hand, raising his palms in mock surrender. “I just wanted to
remind you to make sure the spell doesn’t bind Darklins.”

She frowned. “A Darklin?”

“Half demon and half angel,” Lucca piped up.
“One of the Dark Angels who sided with the Fallen.” This was a lot
of information dumped on the witch, but she needed to be brought up
to speed. She could no longer dwell in the land of ignorance when
they needed her.

“Hmm…” she looked Blaize over, obviously the
fact that Blaize didn’t possess one drop of human blood didn’t faze
her at all as being a bad thing. Matter of fact, she looked overly
pleased. “Why don’t you help me look through the books?”

“It would be my pleasure.” Blaize bowed.
“Lead the way, my lady.”

Ryden walked over to Lucca as the two
disappeared in the back, her brows creased with worry. “You’re
frowning. Do you think Lana’s safe with him?”

He smoothed his features. “I thought you
adored Blaize. You have all his CDs,” his hand went to his chest
and his voice took on a high pitch quality as he mocked her.

She narrowed her gaze at him. “That was
before I knew he wasn’t…”

“Human,” he finished for her. “Eli isn’t
human either or did you forget?”

“He’s half human.”

“He’s Nephilim. We may have human
attributes, but let me assure you the angel blood is stronger.” He
glanced at her arm. “How’s the wound healing?”

Her hand swept up to the injured limb.
“Fine.”

“As in healed—completely?”

She nodded.

“Interesting. If you don’t mind me asking,
what do the elders think?”

She sighed. “They are at a loss. As far as
anyone knows, Eli and I are the only known soul mates. It could
mean our… uh… mating is like the legend. You know the tale of an
angel and human falling in love.”

“Enlighten me.” He didn’t know it. He never
cared to, but it seemed in the last week his interests had suddenly
changed.

“A brush of an angel’s wing is a blessing, a
binding of their love. Her life will be his and his will be hers,
forevermore.”

“A fairytale,” he scoffed with a wave of his
hand. He was looking for something more concrete.

“Is it?” She tilted her head as she eyed
him, her gaze making him uncomfortable. “Do you believe Juliet is
your soul mate?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He ran his hand
through his hair, flipping the long strands away from his face. He
wasn’t ready to announce he found his soul mate. Besides, their
relationship couldn’t be. His wings bit into his back as if to mock
him and call him a liar.

“Do you recognize her scent?” Ryden
persisted. “Are you drawn to her for no other reason than to be
near her?”

He stepped away from her as if her words
were a curse. “Stop.”

“Stop?” She chuckled. “Really, Lucca, are
you so afraid you might be in love with a human?”

Hell yes.
He swallowed the lump in
his throat that threatened to choke off his oxygen supply. “Even if
I were in love with Juliet, and I’m not saying I am,” he hurried to
explain.

“Of course.” She agreed, but he knew she
only said the words to placate him.

“My wings are bound.”

Her eyebrows drew together over her nose.
“I’m not following you.”

“Of course not. Very well, I shall spell it
out for you. If your silly fairytale is the real deal, I cannot
complete the binding. A brush of an angel’s wing is impossible in
my case.” He lifted his brows for emphasis. Just speaking about
Juliet, soul mates, and mating with her caused his wings to flutter
against the binds holding them.