Bloodshed

Chapter Thirty-One: Bittersweet (Lucius' POV)

Rain washed away most of the blood covering Audrey, Aiden, and Linc as they approached. The three of them looked practically dead on their feet, slow healing bruises and lacerations marred their damp skin, but Audrey looked the least haggard out of the trio. 

She had an arm underneath each man, supporting them as they all walked up to me, her small face set in sad determination. When they were close enough, I reached out for Aiden to help him into the back of the SUV Vanessa had procured for us. Then, I helped Linc inside before closing the door and turning to Audrey. 

"Alright, your highness, I need you to drive out of here." 

Audrey peered up at me, confused, then let out a little laugh. "Right. You probably don't know how to drive." 

I shook my head. "Oh, I know how to drive." 

"Then, why...?" Her voice trailed off, realization widening her beautiful hazel eyes. "You're not coming with us?"

"I am not." I whispered, smoothing the hair out of her face. "I can't."

Blood-tinged tears welled up in her eyes as she asked, "are you staying behind to help my mom?" 

I nodded, unable to tell her the whole truth, the entire reason why I couldn't go back to the Island where Gabriel was waiting. She would eventually learn of what Gabriel had done, but she didn't need to know it now. Too much was at stake for her to be at odds with him. We needed to be united against Master, and if Audrey found out about Gabriel killing Simone before we could bring Master down, it would ruin everything. 

I hated to keep this from her, but it was for the greater good. 

"I will do everything in my power to bring her back to you safely." I promised, dipping my head in a small bow. "But you three need to get back to the Island. Now." 

Blinking away her tears, Audrey wrapped her arms around the back of my neck and hugged me tightly. "Please, be safe." She rasped next to my ear. "And come back to me. Both of you."

 She suddenly froze, no doubt remembering how I had acted the last time she tried to touch me. 

I returned the embrace as she tried to pull back, lifting her off the ground to hold her flush against me. "I'm okay, Audrey." I barely spoke, too overcome with the love I held for her. "You can touch me, it's fine. I'm fine." And it was true. 

The first few days after Master assaulted my mind, I felt like I had been skinned alive. Any touch, even a slight breeze, hurt me down to the very bone, and brought me back to the torture he had inflicted upon me. But after Simone...that was a different kind of pain, one that nearly eclipsed the pain I had endured at Master's hands. 

I still hurt from Master's assault, still shivered at the thought of him being anywhere near me, but the absolute heartache of losing my progeny striped me bare of anything positive. And only Audrey's proximity soothed the ache in my soul. If only a little. 

Time ceased to exist in that moment, there was just us, holding onto each other as if our lives depended on it. I inhaled her scent like precious oxygen, not wanting to forget the smell of her. Even after she turned, her scent never changed. It held a bit of cold, a little death, but it never changed. Audrey still smelled like Audrey, she still smelled like home. 

And it hurt a thousand times worse than leaving home as I eventually stood her back on her feet. I pulled away slowly to hold her at arm's length, then leaned in to plant a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Be safe, my queen."

I began to pull away, but she reached out to take my hand in hers, tears spilling down her already wet cheeks. "You be safe."

"Always, my queen." And with that, I blurred away from her, heading straight for her mother.