Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

don’t even know if returning Phoenix would mean killing me. I could survive …’ I said, even though we both knew that was unlikely. I had no control over my powers when Phoenix chose to reinstate the wounds that Onyx had given me that night at Hades and Lincoln’s healing powers were simply not strong enough on their own.
    Lincoln was silent and I thought he wasn’t going to answer so I opened my mouth to start argument number two, but he beat me to it.
    ‘I can’tdo it,’ he said. ‘I know that you want me to step up to this, but I can’t. I won’t.’
    My heart tightened at his words. They were enticingly dangerous. But we were Grigori and that meant other things came before us.
    ‘Okay,’ I said, the word sticking in my throat. ‘Under one condition.’
    ‘Which is?’
    ‘You’ll never put me before an innocent life. If it comes down to a choice, and Phoenix is a danger to others, you need to promise me you won’t hesitate.’ I looked at him, forcing his gaze up until it met mine. ‘Promise.’
    His shoulders dropped, deflated as he said, ‘Jesus, Vi. Jesus.’ He sighed. ‘Okay.’

    After arguing for over an hour, I managed to talk Lincoln into letting me call Steph on the disposable phone. I didn’t mention I’d already given it a go earlier.
    ‘One minute and I’ll be timing you,’ he said.
    The argument and his bossiness on the subject had put me into a stubborn mood, so I turned my back to him as I dialled. Steph, Salvatore, Dapper and Onyx were still on their crusade and time between talks for Steph and me had been the longest we’d ever gone since first becoming friends. I waited nervously and almost jumped for joy when I heard her answer the phone with a cautious, ‘Hello?’
    ‘Steph!’ Iyelled in my excitement. ‘It’s me!’
    ‘Vi!’ she squealed back. ‘Oh my God, we’ve been so worried. Griffin filled us in. Where are you?’
    ‘I can’t … I have to be really careful what I say in case your phones are being tapped. And I only have a minute to talk before Lincoln hangs up,’ I said.
    ‘Sounds like trouble in paradise.’
    ‘How are you guys?’ I asked, quickly, wanting to know as much as possible.
    Steph didn’t delay. ‘Okay. Salvatore has been amazing. He barely sleeps, patrolling all the time. But he saved us big-time in Cairo when a couple of exiles spotted Onyx and recognised him. Apparently he’s pissed off people and exiles all around the world.’
    ‘No big surprise,’ I said. ‘Is he behaving otherwise?’
    ‘Amazingly, yes. He’s even used a few old connections to get us around and it looks like he found a source for the twelfth earthly ingredient for the Qeres. We go looking for it tomorrow and if we find it, we’ll be heading in your direction by tomorrow night.’
    ‘That’s great!’
    ‘I heard about your testing and for the record, Josephine is an evil bitch. When I get there I plan on having ugly words with her and her damn Assembly!’
    I swallowed hard at the memory. ‘It’s okay. I don’t care,’ I said, then added quickly, ‘How’s Dapper?’
    ‘Same as always. He’s led us to all of the other ingredients. He is seriously connected and most people are scared shitless of him as well. They drop to their knees and all but hand over their first-born to him. I’m not sure if they worship him or fear him.’
    Hmm.
    ‘Oh,’ Steph continued, ‘Griffin said if I spoke to you to tell you your dad’s doing fine. He’s up and talking and confirmed that Evelyn had been waiting for Lilith to make her move.’
    Lincoln tapped my shoulder, pointing to his watch.
    ‘Damn. Steph, I have to go. Did Dapper have any success figuring out what the thirteenth ingredient is?’ I asked quickly, even as I felt a tug on my memory. I couldn’t fight the feeling that I was missing something here.
    ‘Yeah, but I don’t know anything about it. He’s being very secretive, says he needs to talk to some elder first, but that it’s definitely from the angel realm. Something to do with life-force, I don’t know.’
    Lincoln tapped me again.
    ‘I miss you,’ I told her, glum.
    ‘I miss you too, babe. I’ll see you soon so please don’t get dead before I get there. I bought you a T-shirt with a bling pyramid on it!’

    Still feeling sad from my conversation with Steph, I moved back out to the rocking chair, selecting my one and leaving Lincoln’s free.
    Lincoln disappeared for a while and returned with two instant coffees.
    Not