Chapter 18 Past Bleeding Through
The armored vehicle pulled into the garage of Graves Tower just as the sun was coming up over the New York skyline. Iriss arms were sore from holding Lila for long but she did not want to let her go. Lila had finally fallen asleep against her chest, her thumb near her mouth like a kid. Lucien sat beside them one arm around Iriss shoulders the other arm on their daughters back. His shoulder was. Blood was still coming through the bandage. None of them said much during the part of the drive. It was hard to talk about everything they had been through.
There were teams waiting for them and they looked serious but professional. Iris carried Lila inside while Lucien walked beside her his hand on her back. Elias was already awake in the family suite standing between two guards with hopeful eyes. When he saw his sister, his face changed. He looked happy and surprised.
"Is that really her?" he whispered.
Iris knelt down. Elias touched Lilas hair gently like he was afraid she would disappear. Lila woke up. When she saw Elias, something changed in her eyes.
"Brother?" she asked softly.
Elias. Tears started coming out of his eyes. The two kids hugged each other tightly. Iris felt something break open inside her. She turned to Lucien. He put his arms around her. They stood there for a while crying and whispering to each other. It was like their family was finally together again.
The doctors wanted to check them out. Iris did not want to leave her kids alone. Lucien stayed with them too even though he was hurt. Lila was a little dehydrated. Had been anxious for a long time but she was okay. Elias was okay too. The doctor was worried about something called markers and they needed to check their blood.
Hours later when the kids were settled in a room with lights and people watching them Iris finally felt like she could breathe. She stood at the window looking at the city when Lucien came in. He had taken a shower. Changed into a black shirt and sweatpants and his shoulder was bandaged.
"You should rest " he said, his voice rough from being tired.
"I do not want to " Iris said. "I keep seeing Marcuss face on those screens. I hear Lila asking if we did not want her." She turned to Lucien. He could see the weight of the night on her shoulders. "What if those neural markers mean something ? What if he can still get to them?"
Lucien put his arms around her. "Then we will fight it. We will study it. We will protect them better than we protected ourselves." He looked at her his eyes searching hers. ". Right now I need you. I need to feel you alive and with me."
They. It started slow but then it got stronger. They had been afraid. Hurt for a long time and it all came out. They took off their clothes and Luciens mouth was on her breasts, sucking and kissing. Iris felt a pleasure and she arched into him. He laid her on the bed. Spread her thighs wide looking at her with dark eyes.
"You are beautiful " he said. " After everything."
He kissed down her body and when he reached her center he licked her slowly. Iris. Her hips lifted. He put his fingers inside her. She came quickly her thighs shaking around his head.
Lucien got on top of her. Entered her in one smooth move. They both groaned, feeling connected. He filled her completely. For a moment they just breathed together.
Then he started moving, powerful strokes that rocked the bed. Iris wrapped her legs around his waist meeting every thrust. Their bodies moved together with need skin sliding against skin sweat mixing. Luciens pace got faster his hips snapping harder. The sounds of their bodies and their moans filled the room.
"Look at me " he said softly.
Iris met his gaze. She saw love, obsession, fear and hope in his eyes. She came again clenching hard around him pulling him deeper. Lucien followed, burying himself inside her as he spilled out in waves.
They stayed together bodies tangled and trembling. Lucien brushed her hair away. Kissed her gently. "I love you Iris. Not just the obsession. The real kind that survives hell."
She traced the line of his jaw tears coming out again. "I know. I am still scared.. I love you too."
They slept for a while wrapped in each others arms. When Iris woke up the sun was higher. Lucien was already up looking at a tablet with a frown. She pulled the sheet around herself. Joined him.
"What is it?" she asked.
He turned the screen to her. It was security footage from the tower and a figure looked like Dr. Harlan Crowe but younger. It was impossible because Crowe was dead.. The timestamp was real.
"Marcus has been using doubles " Lucien said quietly. ". This one got into the childrens medical wing before we came back. He left something."
A new message appeared on the tablet. The markers in their blood are active. Lila and Elias will start having shared dreams of the past you lost. If you want the deactivation code come to the Vale family vault Iris. Midnight tomorrow. Bring no one.. Watch your children drown in memories they were never meant to carry.
Iris felt scared again like a hand around her throat. Lucien set the tablet aside. Pulled her close. "We will not let him win.. This feels personal now. He wants you specifically."
"Because I am the missing piece " Iris said. "My brain chemistry made his tech work. He needs me to perfect it or destroy it."
They spent the rest of the day with the kids. Elias and Lila played together building forts and asking questions. Watching them filled Iris with a joy that hurt. These moments were precious stolen from years of separation. Yet every laugh had an edge. The knowledge that Marcus could still reach them through their minds.
That night after the kids were asleep under guard Iris stood on the balcony looking at the city. Lucien joined her wrapping a blanket around them. The air was cool against her skin.
"What if the dreams start tonight?" she asked. "What if they see the crash? Or worse. What we did to survive it?"
Lucien rested his chin on her head. "Then we will be there when they wake up. We will explain. We will make it right."
His hands slipped under the blanket finding her skin. Desire stirred again slower this time born from comfort than desperation. They made love on the lounge chair under the stars movements slow. Lucien entered her from behind one arm around her waist the other between her legs stroking her clit as he thrust deep and slow. Iris moaned softly into the night pushing back against him. Their release came together quiet and intense bodies trembling in ecstasy.
Afterward they lay tangled under the blanket. Iris touched the stitches on his shoulder. "No more secrets, between us. Promise me."
"I promise " he said,. Iris heard something in his voice that made her look up. A flicker of hesitation.
Before she could ask him the tablet inside chimed again. Another message. This one had a video clip. Lila and Elias were sleeping peacefully in their room.. There were faint ghostly images of the crash scene. The kids were already starting to dream.
Marcuss voice was soft. "The past always bleeds through, niece. Tick tock."
Iriss blood ran cold. The childrens minds were being taken over. It was a really scary thing. They had just found each other again. Now they had to deal with this new and scary problem that they could not see. Lucien held Iris tight as they watched the video over and over looking for something that would help them fight back against the childrens minds being invaded. Lucien and Iris were watching the video. They were looking for any clue that might help them the childrens minds were being invaded and Lucien and Iris had to do something to stop it.