Bound by Danger (The Alliance #6) - Brenda K. Davies Page 0,91
was mostly healed. She still bore the bruises that piece of shit inflicted on her, but they would vanish within the next few days. He couldn’t wait for that to happen.
Starting the vehicle, he pulled out of the drive.
“You were right,” she said, her voice already sounding much better. “We shouldn’t have come back here.”
“No, I wasn’t. You should have your things. You’ve given up so much already; you shouldn’t have to give it all up. You deserve better, and I’ll make sure you have it.”
“I want to join you,” she said. “And after I do, I’m going to keep training so I can go into the field with you and help against the Savages and stop people like Carter.”
“Callie—”
“I know you don’t want me there, but I’m going to be there. I know it will take time and a lot of training to get me to where I can help in the battle, but I’m going to fight. I won’t ever let anyone do to me, or someone else, what Carter did. I am going to help others.”
Lucien’s knuckles turned white, but he’d always known she wouldn’t stay locked away. She was no meek hunter woman, and even they weren’t so meek anymore. She was a human who enjoyed her freedom and wouldn’t easily give it up. He couldn’t cage her.
“It will take a lot of training,” Lucien said.
“I know, and I’m ready to do it.”
“Okay.”
It was the last thing he wanted, but he would give it to her.
“Where are we going now?” she asked.
“We’ll take a few days to return home so we can make sure no one is following us.”
“Okay.” Callie settled back in the seat to watch as her neighborhood vanished. “What did they do with Carter’s body?”
“It’s still in the SUV with Asher, Logan, and Saber. We’ll dispose of it when we get the chance.”
Callie shuddered at the idea of driving around with that thing’s body in the back of their SUV. She was happy Carter wasn’t with them.
The rest of the day faded away, and night descended as their tires hummed over asphalt. They pulled into the parking lot of a motel, and Willow and Declan went to get rooms. They waited outside with Killean and Simone.
When Declan handed Lucien the key, Callie trudged beside him to their hotel room while Saber, Logan, and Asher went to dispose of Carter’s body. Callie removed her clothes with jerky movements before collapsing onto the bed. She listened to Lucien moving around the room before exhaustion won and sleep claimed her.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
They spent the next couple of days traveling through different states and circling back around. They took highways and back roads and stayed as far off the radar as possible. Callie woke the morning after Carter’s attack to discover the fingerprints still on her neck, but the bruises were almost gone.
Lucien gave her more blood, and she happily gave him more of hers before leaving the motel. Since then, Carter’s marks had almost completely disappeared from her.
They were on a back road heading from New Hampshire into Massachusetts, and the plan was to return home tomorrow. Callie was ready to be back at the compound and out of the SUV.
She was ready to enter the next phase of her life, which meant ending her mortal existence and embracing an entirely new one. She’d assumed the loss of everything she’d always known would frighten her more, but she was excited to begin her new life with Lucien.
She slid her fingers into his as the sun touched the horizon. The vast array of vibrant colors spreading across the sky stole her breath.
“This world is so beautiful,” she whispered.
Lucien looked over as she leaned forward to peer up at the sky. Her eyes closed, and she tilted her head to take in more of the sun’s rays.
“Not as beautiful as you,” he said.
A radiant smile lit her face as she turned toward him. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”
She rested her hand on his thigh and slid it up toward his groin. Lucien shifted when his body instantly reacted to her touch.
Callie smiled at the hardness evident against the front of his jeans. “What do they call it… road head?”
“I think I’ve heard of that.”
“Have you ever tried it?” she asked as she clasped his cock through his jeans.
“That is one thing I’ve never tried.”
“It’s on my bucket list.”
“Don’t let me be the one to stop you from crossing it off.”
Callie grinned as she undid his button and slid the