Page 24 of Wicked Savior
A second later, she rests her hands on the bed and hangs her head. “With a few more treatments, I’ll be able to get rid of the cancer completely. It’s a tricky disease, though. Healing her now won’t prevent it from returning.”
I tentatively reach out and lay a hand on Arden’s shoulder. “Thank you. She came here looking for a microscopic chance, and you gave that to her. And to Becca.”
Arden looks over at the young woman asleep in the chair across from her and nods. “I’m glad. It’s sad. They only have each other in this world.” She links her arm in mine. “Come on, let’s go tell Lucifer the good news. He’ll be incredibly relieved to hear Aurora will make it.”
I tilt my head. “Why does he care so much about Aurora?” It’s puzzled me ever since Arden arrived, but I was so grateful, I pushed it aside.
“My guess is she reminds him of Danica. Something about her. Maybe her coloring or her personality. He loved his daughter very much,” she replies with a thoughtful look.
“He said something at the cottage about his wife and daughter passing away,” I admit to her. “I didn’t realize she had been young when she died.”
Arden stops walking and turns to me in disbelief. “He took you to the cottage? The one by the lake?”
She’s been there, too? He acted like he never brought anyone there. A twinge of disappointment hits me. “It wasn’t a romantic rendezvous. I needed a temporary place to hide. We didn’t stay long.” Why am I trying to reassure her?
Arden eyes me with a puzzled look on her face before suddenly laughing. “Lucifer and I are not together. We’re family. I’ll let him explain, though. He can be a bit touchy on the subject.”
She hesitates for a second. “For a long, long time, he grieved for his wife and daughter. To escape it, he concentrated on making the Underworld a safe place for his people. This is the first spark I’ve seen in him. Keep up whatever you’re doing.”
Dismay fills me. What am I doing? Lying to him. Hiding who I am. Unable to say anything reassuring in return, I paste a smile on my face.
Her phone rings, and she pulls it out and looks at the screen. “Oops, got to go. Promised I’d be back by now. Give Lucifer the update on Aurora, and I’ll return later.”
They’re family. The thought brings a real smile to my face. The tingling at the back of my neck warns me I’m being watched. I scan the space and find Lucifer’s intense blue eyes on me. He’s standing by the front door talking to one of his demons, but his attention is on me.
Flustered, I turn away and walk over to my lab to find something to do. The vials of blood I drew earlier are waiting on the counter for my analysis. Relieved to have something to occupy my mind, I snatch them up and start running tests.
Hours later, the results are in. The cancer markers are considerably lower, a promising indication that the experiment is working. John, the young man, might have a chance.
My primary goal is to get rid of the cancer, but I’m also looking for some sign of magic. I run new tests to check for any other changes to the blood. Nothing shows up. Some of my earlier excitement deflates a little.
Reaching up, I rub circles at the base of my neck to alleviate some of the tension.
Strong hands come down on top of mine and I freeze.
“Let me.”
I hesitate for a brief second, but when he doesn’t move, I remove my hand and drop my head forward. Fingers dig into the knots in my shoulder, and a small moan of relief escapes.
“Thanks, I needed this.”
“You need to rest,” he replies firmly. His hands move across to massage my shoulders. “Relax. All you have done since we arrived is work. Stop thinking for a few minutes.”
Ignoring the words, I update him on the latest. “It appears to be working. The cancer is receding. Whether we can get it in full remission, I don’t know, but this is the first positive results I’ve seen since I started these experiments.”
His hands pause, and he leans down to murmur in my ear. “Stop thinking. For a few minutes. Breathe.” Fingers press down on the sides of my spine. “This would be easier if you were lying down.”
The words tumble through my brain, and I can’t help but imagine myself on a bed with him leaning over me. Strong hands working their way slowly down my bare back to the base of my spine. The massage changing in tone to something more sensual.
His power crackles over my skin like static electricity, driving me from a relaxed state to the edge of desire. I jump up and rotate my shoulders. “Feels so much better. Thank you. I’m going to go upstairs and relax for a bit. Get away from the lab.”
My mother and the experiments. That’s it. There isn’t time for anything else. Or anyone else.
Focus, Evren.
Blue eyes crease with amusement, and he grabs my hand. “Come meet General Ishkova first, then I’ll go up with you.”
He drags me over to the blue-haired demon I noticed earlier. “Evren, this is General Ishkova, my third-in-command.” The man dips his chin in respect. “He and his men are going to stand watch tonight. Hopefully, knowing it’s safe, you can get some rest.”
