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He straightened and fished in his pocket for something, that silver dagger, and tried to hand it to me. I didn’t take it. He stuffed it in my pocket anyway and took my hand as we pushed through another door.

FORTY-SEVEN

LACHLAN

She slipped her hand into mine and my breath caught. All thoughts flitted out of my head. The speech I had been rehearsing - gone. Pointless, wasn’t it?

I had seen it in movies, the mortal couple moving through the world hand in hand. I had never felt the urge before. Not even with Saint. Her hand was soft, warm, strong, calluses on her fingertips from writing, I suspected. I felt more grounded, safe, touching her. It was madness, really.

The closer we got to Ruelle, the more I needed to feel Tiffany against me.

Over and over, I shot the idea down of just getting in a car and driving to the mountains. I knew of a house bordering on a shifter pack’s territory, further north than most of Veronica’s holdings. Veronica wouldn’t lower herself to associate with shifters. It would be secluded, removed from all the sensory experiences Tiffany found distressful. She could heal and we could…

I shook away the mental images of her naked body, being with her, being in her. Not fucking her was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. No. I’m not going to fuck her. Make love…

She stumbled on the last step up, caught a shoe on the tread. Wasn’t paying attention.

I had to focus. I dropped her hand as we moved through a narrow part of the tunnel. I tensed immediately, felt unwell. Was this anxiety? She put her hand on my back to steady herself over the rough floor. I could take a deep breath again.

We would walk in, I’d tell Veronica we were going to the country, revive her tradition of summering upstate. It wasn’t uncommon to escape the city to start a love affair. It was the main reason she kept so many houses. Then we’d leave. As Legate, I didn’t have to ask for her permission to move about, like a minor family member.

And Juliet wouldn’t be here. I had asked Aurora to create some kind of diversion, get Veronica’s attack dog out of the club, preferably out of the neighborhood. Aurora said she’d find some excuse. Veronica never did her own dirty work.

FORTY-EIGHT

TIFFANY

“Don’t leave my side. If something happens…”

I felt the outlines of the dagger in my pocket. What did he think? I was going to kill people?

“I… We need to be fast. We’ll go in. I’ll tell Veronica… We just need to get out of there fast.”

“OK.” My voice was softer and had less confidence than I wanted it too. I was still unsure of the plan. Lachlan had rushed me into some borrowed clothes while trying to explain the ins and outs of vampire lore. Apparently, if he made a public declaration, we could make a clean break, maybe even get out of the city and be on our own.

He took my hand in his and seemed to gather himself before pushing a section of the wall aside. On impulse, I brought his hand to my lips and kissed the back of it. Lachlan turned and looked at me, his blue eyes shining with their own light in the gloom. He cupped my face in his free hand and traced my bottom lip. He kissed me, with his eyes open, like he wanted to capture a last vision.

We pushed into a dank basement hallway with a flickering florescent light. I had to shade my eyes, it was way too bright after the tunnels. He pulled me along. I concentrated on my feet through squinted eyes that began to tear. In the stairwell leading up, things got loud. Our steps thundered with a tinny reverb. It sounded like planes were roaring right over our heads. He pushed the exit bar on a heavy steel door and we stepped on to the street.

It was deafening. I had to cover my ear with my free hand. The plane roar rattled my teeth. And the pounding. Like a thousand big drums, all beating out of rhythm. The street lamps stabbed right into my eyes, making them water. Scents bombarded me, garbage, cologne, other things. I wavered on my feet, following the tug on my arm. It was too much. I didn’t know if I should cry or throw up.

I snatched my hand back to cover my ears as I doubled over. My mouth went dry, my stomach cramped with pain like that dagger was trying to find its way in.

I crumpled and was caught. Limp, Lachlan held me up with a solid grip around my upper arms.

“Tiffany.” His voice seemed muffled, but clear as a bell at the same time. “Fuck. Look at me.” He gave me a little shake. “Focus on one thing.” His voice was urgent, pounding, ringing in my head. He squeezed my hand so hard it tingled.

“Not so loud.” I winced at the sound of my own voice.

He pulled my hand to his chest. “Listen. Do you hear it?” The thousand drum beats narrowed to one, the rest dimmed to the background.

“Are those heartbeats?” I felt like I was shouting, but I knew barely a whisper was coming out. I pressed into his chest, my hands feeling the pounding and trying to get my ears to sync up to that. I squeezed my eyes shut. He put his lips to my ear. His slow breaths covered the roaring sound all around me. We hung there in that moment, me clinging to Lachlan, reaching with all my senses for the constant and steady presence of his heart beat.

FORTY-NINE

TIFFANY

There was a boom of sound, like a soft explosion and a sharp click. Lachlan curled his body around me, shielding me from the sound waves. Somewhere, my brain identified it as a car door, but I didn’t hear it, I felt it with my whole body. I snuggled into his chest, hoping to insulate myself.