Half-Blood Curse

24 - We are One

Lucas heard a pained groan and wanted to tell whoever it was to shut up, since the noise was making his headache worse, but then he realized it was him making that sound. His eyes blinked open and then slammed shut again with a wince. The light was too bright, and everything hurt.

He took stock of himself. He was on a bed, he felt sore, but alive. And... he felt... different. His skin felt taut, as if pulled over more surface area all of a sudden. He felt denser, more substantial, and more solid. He felt like more.

What's going on? But based on the fact that Lucas could smell that he was in Gabriel's room, which was not something he could do before, he would guess it all had something to do with his beast. His beast, which he'd actually been able to experience without blacking out. They'd... shared. They'd worked together for a common goal.

Lucas remembered how he and his beast had somehow made a blood rune in an instant that had burned onto the beast's back like a ward, protecting him from spikes. It was as if he'd taken blood magic and turned it into an instant spell, like a wizard power word. Was it because his beast was helping him? Was that connection permanent now?

"Lucas?"

The unexpected voice gave Lucas enough motivation to try and see again. He peeled his eyes open. His nose was right; he was on Gabriel's big bed, in Gabriel's safe and comfortable apartment. The curtains were drawn open, letting in some natural light, and his mother was sitting at his bedside staring at him with watery eyes.

"M-om?" Lucas's voice cracked and he coughed. She quickly pushed a cup of water to his lips and tipped it a little too fast, but Lucas was so thirsty he didn't care that she was spilling cold water down his chest. Something inside him felt bottomless, like he was in desperate need of calories and hydration, and he gulped the water down to try and quench it. It helped. When he'd finished the glass, she hesitantly put it on the bedside table.

"What happened?" Lucas asked, needing to know. "I remember... I remember helping Gabriel off the spike, and killing Midas and Seven, then Six dying... nothing else."

"Y-you killed Midas?" Caroline's lower lip was quivering and Lucas realized his mom was on the brink of sobs.

"Yeah," Lucas wanted to reach out and put his hand over hers, but he didn't think the touch would be welcome. "Or at least, I helped. I wasn't much use on my own. He was... very clever. His traps were difficult to get out of."

"I should have been there," she whispered, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands nervously. "But I'm weak. Karlisle thought I would be a liability."

That bastard. Lucas felt a zing of annoyance, followed by a begrudging acceptance. In a way, Karlisle might have saved her life, because seeing the battle himself, Lucas knew it was no place for her. She was a shifter - even if only a halfer - and she should be welcome in a pack, but she could have been hurt.

"I'm glad you weren't there, mom. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

Caroline surprised him by leaning forward and giving him an awkward hug. She leaned back quickly, but Lucas was stunned.

"You've turned out to be a very strong man," she murmured, not looking at him, as if she was too embarrassed. "Despite me. Despite everything. You've turned out to be impressive and powerful. An alpha in your own right."

"Thanks-" Lucas had to blink to stop his tears, but the talk of alphas had jogged his aching head back to his earlier questions. "What happened to Gabriel? And Sonia? Her coven? Where is everyone? Is there still fighting?"

Lucas glanced at the digital clock and realized it was reading just after four in the afternoon, which meant he'd slept a whole night and most of the day.