“Lily, this situation may spiral out of control. Once the circle…”
“Why does it have to spiral out of control?” she demanded. “You’re acting like I’ve done something horrendous. All I did was kick Micah, and you know what? I’d do it again.”
He arched a brow. “That’s nice, Lily. That’s why I must forbid you from leaving the Sanctuary without my permission.” He held up his hand the moment she opened her mouth. “You will not disappear for an entire day and expect Luke to cover for you. Each night I expect you back in the Sanctuary.”
She flew out of her seat. “You have to be kidding. You can’t do that!”
He stared back, eyes like hard stone. “Damn straight, I can! Do I need to remind you who is boss here?”
He was treating her like she was twelve! There was no way she could stand for this. She knew the circle would see what she did as a travesty of unheard proportions, but to limit her freedom like she was a prisoner was outrageous.
He turned away. “You may go to your chamber.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You have no right to forbid me to leave here.”
Nathaniel whirled, crossing the distance between them in one second. “I damn well can!”
“Nowhere in my Contract does it give you or any of them power like that. You’re acting like…you’re my father or something. You’re just my boss, Nathaniel. You just hold my Contract. You can’t stop me!”
“Stop you from what?” His arms tensed like he wanted to shake her, or worse. “Stop you from getting yourself killed or getting another Nephilim killed? Stop you from seeing Julian? Is that what this is all about? You will disobey me for him?”
Lily stood her ground. “Don’t make me choose.”
Nathaniel faltered, staring at her. Shock flickered in his eyes, and then a cold mask settled over his handsome face. “If you think there is a choice, then you’re sadly mistaken. There is no choice, Lily. It’s only your duty to the Sanctuary. Do what you will. You’re correct. I cannot stop you.”
She let out a ragged breath. There is no choice. It’s only your duty to the Sanctuary. Those words burned through her. Without saying another word, she headed for the door. Nathaniel stopped her.
“If you ever go after another Nephilim again because of him, or put any of them in jeopardy due to your misguided faith, I will end this,” he advised coolly. “And you will be punished, Lily. I will dissolve your Contract.”
Chapter Twenty-two
The sharp slice of Nathaniel’s words haunted Lily long after she stormed out of the Sanctuary. She sucked in air sharply as she perched beside a stone gargoyle. Antsy and still energized by anger, she dropped to the ledge below and then to the alley. The first minion she came across she cut down without so much as a word. The second, she toyed with. The third minion had tried to run, but she had brought it down in cold malice.
She continued into the wee hours of the morning. Anger shifting into guilt, guilt back to fury, pity to self-righteousness, and finally by the last kill she decided that she might be bipolar.
No amount of flying from building to building assuaged the turmoil of emotions in her. At some point, she recognized the bulk of her anger was directed at herself. She had done wrong. No matter how much she saw the good in Julian, others would never see what she saw, and she shouldn’t expect them to.
When Julian met up with her, it wasn’t at their usual spot. She’d avoided the Hilton, unsure if she could face him right now. But he found her anyway, deep within Rock Creek Park.
He stalked toward her, head low. Strands of hair obscured most of his face, shielding his eyes.
Her insides tightened. Excitement and anxiety swirled. She raised an unsteady arm. “I…I can’t do this right now.”
“I told you I didn’t want you going back there.” He didn’t even miss a beat.
How had he known how badly it went? She wasn’t sure, but when he stopped in front of her, every muscle in her body locked up. Then she whirled, taking off. She couldn’t deal with him right now or what he made her feel. Hell, she couldn’t even deal with herself.
She didn’t make it very far.
Julian snagged her from behind and flipped her around, pressing her until her back hit rough tree bark. Catching her wrists in one hand, he pinned them above her head. “Why do you run from me?” he growled. “I’m not the enemy.”
If he wasn’t the enemy, then who was? The Sanctuary? Her?
As he stared down at her, a look of fierce possessiveness shot across his face. She shuddered. And when he pulled her against him, she expected him to take her right there.
But he didn’t.
Julian cradled her against him, wrapping one arm around her tightly and sinking his other deep into her hair. And she was desperate to be closer to him. She nuzzled against him, spreading her hands across his back. With him, she was just Lily—not tethered to the Sanctuary or to anything—and she could only be that with Julian.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Why are you apologizing?” He lowered his head, kissing where her neck met her shoulder. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Don’t apologize for them. I can’t—I won’t leave you.”
Lily squeezed her eyes shut. “I don’t want you to.”
He was silent for a very long time, holding her to him. “You think to keep us both?”
Tipping her head back, she met his stare. “I do.”
A small smile pulled at his lips as he smoothed his hand over her head. “It won’t be easy, Lily.”
Nothing was easy, but that didn’t mean she was going to just give up. She could deal with this. And she would. There was no other choice, unless she wanted to lose everything—including Julian.
…
Michael landed hard on his back for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last hour. However, he was a bit smarter this time. He immediately blocked Rafe’s booted heel from connecting with his throat.
Remy chuckled from the other side of the mat. “He’s catching on.”
“Finally,” muttered Rafe, removing the pressure.
He wanted to tell them where they could shove it, but he had tried that already. And it had not ended well. He’d probably be pissing blood for the next week. Climbing slowly to his feet, he stretched the kink out of his back. “One more time.”
One more time—just one more time until Michael got it.
Rafe nodded, and pride shone in his eyes before he attacked. He moved with a series of fast jabs and leg swipes Michael was able to dodge and then kicks. The kicks were always what got him. No man should be able to kick that fast and hard.
“Slow it down. It’s not about how fast you can move, but how well you can anticipate his next move.”
Startled by the soft advice, Michael wasn’t able to block the crescent kick Rafe delivered, and on the floor he went.
Lily hadn’t spoken since she’d arrived this morning to watch him train. She came in, lifted her chin curtly at them, and then sat down on the mats. Every so often he had glanced over at her. She watched them intently, but he could never read her expression. The only thing he could tell was that she looked exhausted. Faint shadows blossomed under her green eyes, and there was a weary pull to her lips.
Remy bent down to her, several thick dreads obscuring whatever it was he whispered in her ear.
Michael picked himself up. “One more time,” he gritted.
Lily pushed herself up from the mat. Her long hair was pulled up in a messy knot, and she wore loose-fitting sweats. Even rumpled and exhausted, he knew he shouldn’t underestimate whatever she was up to.
Rafe turned to her. “Wanna give it a try?”
She nodded as he stepped aside. “You move too fast. In hand-to-hand combat, simply moving faster than your opponent is only a benefit when you’re the attacker.” Her hand snaked out, slamming into his chest. He staggered back with a scowl. “However, defending yourself is simply anticipating the next move. He will tell you where he strikes next without words.”