Once more real life got in the way of posting up the final chapters of Hearts. I had to prioritise the rewrite of FTI to meet a publishing submission deadline that came up unexpectedly (Wish me luck LOL). It's all done now so here is the penultimate chapter of Hearts.
I will be submitting the final chapter this weekend so it should post up a few days after this one depending on the schedule of the current contest running which can delay postings.
My thanks to mikothebaby for her speedy turnaround on the chapters. I have tinkered with this one since receiving it back so any errors are my own.
Enjoy!
*
Halfway up the steps into the Council building, Caleb and Rhianna stopped at the same time, their eyes turning to the mountains in the distance. Long slow moments passed as scenes played out, fear and anguish, pain and suffering, and finally relief flowing through them.
Caleb turned narrowed eyes to his mate, watching her expressive face as she continued to stare off into the distance. He could feel her reaching out to the others, surrounding them with her love, as she was inclined to do. As he watched her, he felt a rage begin deep within at the events that had just played out.
Someone had come into his territory and hurt one of his own. A quarter of a century ago, he had issued an edict in this very same council building, letting everyone know in no uncertain terms, what the penalty would be for any attempt to harm those under his protection. Today, someone had done just that, and he would not countenance it. Ever!
"Liam's fine," Rhianna breathed quietly, relaxing as the danger passed. Her gaze turned to her mate's and she swallowed hard at the expression on his face. "Caleb." She placed a steadying hand on his arm but his expression didn't waver.
He gripped her upper arm and moved back down the steps towards his waiting car. "You said this wouldn't happen, Annie. You said there was no harm in allowing the female to come into my territory." His grip tightened painfully as he fought with the myriad of emotions crashing through him. He was livid on more than one level, not just at the woman who had hurt Liam, but also at his mate.
"Caleb." Rhianna tugged at her arm until he released her abruptly and she had to check herself from stumbling. Lavender eyes watched him warily. He very seldom lost his temper with her; it had been years since the last time. Looking into his face it was clear that he was angrier than he'd ever been with her before. She could understand that to a certain extent, but it still hurt deeply that he could look at her with such lack of faith. "No, I said she would heal three souls. I had no idea this would happen. I don't see the future, Caleb. I just sometimes know what needs to happen, and Thereasa coming here needed to happen."
He rounded on her, his eyes flashing amber in his fury. "She hurt Liam. She dies, end of subject. And don't argue semantics with me, Rhianna. I don't believe you didn't know the harm she would do. If she is supposed to heal three souls then she would have to have caused the harm in the first place. This is something Anakatrine would do. Not my Annie."
She felt her own anger rise, hurt at his condemnation and the fact he was calling her an outright liar to her face. She had never lied to him, not once in all their years together. He was allowing his rage to colour his judgement and failing to see the bigger picture. "You say that as if we are separate beings, Caleb. Anakatrine is part of me as Annie is part of her. I've managed to find a balance as best I can. I think your own lack of balance with Callain is what's prompting this rage within you."
Her eyes blazed with fire, hurt and anger dominating her emotions. "I have never lied to you, Caleb. Not once and I never will. I had no idea Thereasa would hurt Liam. I'm as angry about that happening as you are, but she cannot die. She still has three souls to save. That hasn't changed."
His expression turned thunderous. "This has nothing to do with Callain and everything to do with Anakatrine. Remember I know her well and know what she's capable of for the greater good. I know my Annie and she would never have allowed this to happen. She may never lie to me, but I'm not so certain Anakatrine wouldn't. If you're so balanced with her then what am I supposed to think?"
He moved closer to the car, pulling the door open and waiting until she got in. It was an effort not to slam the door shut and for a moment, he drifted back to a night so many years ago, the night of his very first argument with a petite redhead who was to become his world. So much had changed since then, so much good and some not so good. Somewhere along the way, both he and his Annie had changed until they stood now at a precipice and he didn't know what was going to happen.
That was what frightened him the most, what lurked behind the rage. As each event unfolded, he sensed Anakatrine take more of a hold on his Annie. While Callain had loved Anakatrine in a past life, he was more prominently Caleb now, and it was Annie who was his soul, not the vampire queen. She was slowly taking over until one day he would wake and his precious Annie would be gone forever.
Climbing into the car and heading off into the traffic, Caleb took a deep breath refusing to look at his mate. His voice was cold and detached when he spoke. "Here me now, Rhianna. When we reach the Praetorian compound, justice will be carried out. Do not get in my way on this or you will not like the consequences."
His words sent a chill of fear through Rhianna as she blinked back tears and stared straight ahead. The chasm between them was so wide she didn't know how to breach it. Caleb was intent on one course of action and she couldn't allow him to do what he intended. She would have to side against him and if she did...she had no idea what that would mean for them.
*****
Mackenzie tenderly set Lily to her feet in the bathroom of the retreat high up in the mountains. His heart was still struggling to resume a normal beat and he was loathe to release his precious bundle.
"Mac, I'm fine." Lily was feeling better, the nausea starting to recede. She knew she was probably a sight covered in blood, but all her injuries had healed and her wolf assured her their child was safe. She wanted to take the anxious expression from his face.
"I almost lost you!" Mac's hands shook as he cradled her face reverently, his fingers tracing each perfect feature he loved so much. His voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned his forehead against hers. "It was worse than coming home all those centuries ago, Lily. I didn't think anything could ever be worse than that, but it was." His voice broke and he felt tears well up as the horror of the day's events replayed in his mind. He couldn't lose his Lily...ever. It would destroy him.
"Mac..." Lily wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding him as he shook silently. His tears broke her heart and she wanted to fix this, but didn't know how. All she could do was hold him until he worked through the emotions of the past, and what had just transpired.
He was crushing her so tightly to his chest that had she been fragile she would have broken, but she was strong and could withstand the force of his hold. Lily held her mate and wept with him, not for herself, but for the pain he was experiencing. Pain she had caused.
"I heard that," Mac finally said, raising his head and staring into her chocolate brown eyes so full of remorse it hurt his heart to witness it. He could see self-loathing in Lily's eyes and it wasn't an expression he ever wanted to see on her face again. "Don't, Lily. Kallum was right. If we'd both talked rather than try to guess how the other would react then none of this would have happened. This isn't one person's fault, it's just part of learning to know each other. We'll do better the next time."
Her expression clouded further, guilt predominant in her eyes. "I shouldn't have panicked. I should have stayed and talked with you, trusted in you. Instead, I ran and nearly killed our baby and myself. I could hear them, Mac, everyone screaming inside my head." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I could hear you begging me to live, over and over again. Your voice...oh Mac...your voice." She broke off, unable to continue, more tears welling up and flowing down her cheeks.
It broke his heart to see her weep like that, to hear her voice full of disgust at herself. This wasn't his Lily, this wasn't his strong, feisty mate who'd rocked into his life like an explosion of dynamite and turned everything topsy-turvy. She had dragged him out of the pit of despair, healed his grief, and taught him to love again. He wanted his Lily back, her eyes full of joy, her spirit strong and boundless. He had to reach through her melancholy and he knew only one way to do that.
Mackenzie slowly dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around the small of Lily's back and resting his cheek against her abdomen. He took in a deep breath, scenting the precious life they had conceived together, another beautiful daughter. He brought one hand around to rest on the gentle swell of her stomach.
"She has your scent," he breathed softly, wonder in his voice as the delicate bouquet of lilacs washed over him. He knew some of that related to Lily's own scent but he could tell the subtle difference that made up their child. His daughter. He was certain of that. His actions had the desired effect. Lily's sharp intake of breath sounded loudly in the bathroom, her hand trembling as it came to rest over his.
"Really, Mac? She's a girl?" Lily's voice quivered through her tears but there was the sweet sound of joy in her words, which made Mac's heart soar. He glanced up to see uncertainty on her face along with the first glimmer of hope.
