Free Lucian's Soul by Hazel Gower Page B

were hungry and eating like their father did. Gazing up at Balthazar, she looked to see if this was hurting him in any way. He didn’t look to be in pain. Actually, he didn’t have much of an expression. His mouth was opened and his eyes glazed over, but it was hard to tell if he was being hurt by what her children were doing to him.
    The black mass slowly stopped and Balthazar came gently to the ground. Contentment flowed through her and the hungry feeling was gone.
    “They were starved for too long.” His eyes narrowed on her and she could see the anger on his face. “You did not look after them. They will feed a lot to catch up from you starving them.”
    Shocked at the way Balthazar was talking to her, it took Tessa a moment to gather her wits and respond. “Who the hell are you to speak to me like that? I didn’t know what Lucian was and I didn’t have a clue that they would need to eat sin.” She straightened to her five-six height and poked Balthazar in the chest. “You don’t know me. You can’t even begin to imagine what I would do for these babies. For that matter, you are nobody to me. I don’t have to listen to your rude talk. You’re a wanker.” Jabbing him with her finger one last time, she moved around him and stormed towards the front door. She didn’t care where she was going to go but she needed a grand exit. With the front door in sight, Tessa charged to the exit, not caring that she had no shoes on.
    She walked outside, smiling up at the shining sun before gazing around at the forest that surrounded the house. Tessa wandered down the driveway. She had no idea of her destination; she had to get away from that jerk. What a wanker. There was no way she was staying in the house with someone who spoke to her like that.
    Strolling down the long, winding driveway, Tessa knew she was being childish running out like she had, but her anger was strong. Over the last couple of months she’d learned that she would never put up with being treated like shit again, or take crap from anyone. She found her backbone and wasn’t getting rid of it.
    At the end of the drive was a huge black gate. The gate had been open every other time she’d seen it. She touched it, feeling a zap before taking a step back. She walked along the gate, looking for a way to open it. Tessa soon figured out it was a code lock. Great, how was she supposed to get out? Looking around her, she saw the high fence with barbed wire at the top. She studied the box at the side of the gate, hoping it may have a button to open without typing in a code. 
    Rubbing her stomach, she sighed. “Do you think if I pressed the intercom I’d get the code to leave this joint?” Tessa knew she wouldn’t. “Let’s see if there are any weak points in this fence. A walk will be good, too.” If anyone could see her talking to herself she would look a little crazy, but she didn’t care. Tessa liked talking to her babies.
    Careful of her bare feet, she walked along the fence line. Tessa had forgotten how big the grounds were—after half an hour of walking her feet ached from rocks, sticks, and bindies. Walking to a large jacaranda tree, she tripped on the roots and fell, twisting her ankle. Groaning in pain, she hobbled to the base of the tree and sat down. Her throbbing ankle swelled, and she wished she’d never left the house. Massaging her sore feet, she winced when her ankle made itself known. Moaning as the ache settled in, Tessa closed her eyes, hoping that if she rested for a while she would feel better or at least have some energy to hobble back to the house.
    ****
    Lucian hadn’t wanted to leave Tessa, but the faulty humans needed help. The angels were becoming bolder and had killed another of Zane’s friends along with the two shifters who had been protecting the blind woman. Today, though, Lucian and Xore had fought a horde of angels, wraiths, and ogres as they attacked the humans and their shifter protectors at what the humans called a