Arturo came into the room with several of his staff. Luce vaguely noticed the movement in her peripheral vision as she concentrated on her scans. Luce looked up as she felt the atmosphere in the room drop. “We had twelve vamps try and take us tonight. They came for the house and those in it. These were seasoned warriors not newbie kids. They came over the wall at soft spots. Charlee and Pete, don’t ever let me ignore you again. We know this because Luce did us a solid and upgraded the systems enough to follow anyone, vamp or human without tagged ID and the sensors get triggered by vamp movement. It will automatically set off alarms and seal parts of the compound. Eventually, it will shut it all down. But tonight, Luce was monitoring it, saw it and punched the alarm. That gave us a head start and we knew where to track um.”
Regin came in and walked over to join him. Luce watched as he picked up her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. He turned back to the table. “They were all ash apart from two. We have Luce to thank for that too. She fried one with her Taser and put enough holes in the other, even without Regin’s mix to take him down long enough to put them in the meat freezer.” Several people turned around to look at her. So did Arturo. “Inspired.” He told her with a nod. Regin looked at her and grinned. “We so need a girl’s night out.” Luce grinned back at her.
“That was a desperate move on Marcus’s part.” Arturo continued. “We’ll know what they do by the time Pierre and John are finished with them. Charlee, Pete anything else?” Charlee spoke up. “Unless you want flood lit gardens and turrets, it’s impossible to cover every angle. They came in three areas that had security running past them in different rotations. But it would make no difference. If they are determined enough, they will get in. The new electronic eyes are great. Break the beam and we know about it. They run along all the walls and in grids throughout the gardens and cannot be seen by vamps, they are well hidden inside the compound. So can’t be hacked. The systems we put in place with Luce’s worked well tonight. We can tighten that some more and will by tomorrow.”
Luce stifled a yawn and checked the time on her lap top. Three am. She was feeling it. Her latest system check finished with a bleep. All’s good. Signing over control to security she closed her lap top. “Anyone have anything to add?” Luce looked round the table and all the people she had come to know. They had mixed expressions a lot of them angry and hard. No one spoke up. “I do.” She spoke. Arturo looked at her and gave her a sharp nod. “Their probing your weak spots like a virus, this has two functions, keep you looking over your shoulder, splitting your focus, fighting enemies you cannot see and probably aren’t there and looking for footholds, so you can expect it again. Security and lock down protocols for the humans when under attack. Not good enough. I expect better.” She told him directly. Arturo looked pointedly at her. She held his gaze. “Agreed. Pete work with John on that I want changes immediately. Good enough?” He asked her. “Good enough.” She told him. “Thank you Luce. House Arturo is indebted to you. Take off it’s late.” Luce didn’t need telling twice. She rose from her seat and headed out. She hardly noticed Bill and Ben move with her. She was on auto pilot as she exited the hall into the vestibule though the doors and into the waiting car.
“Thank you.” Alex told Arturo once Luce had left. “She was dead on her feet but she wouldn’t have left for me.” He told him. “Difficult?” Arturo asked him. Alex smiled. “You’ve no idea.” He told him. Arturo and several of his staff smiled at him. Then Arturo got down to business. “Right. I want to know where those fuckers came from, how they got through our lines and I want it followed up tonight. Luce is right. This was a probe. An annoyance to put us off our game. And they are likely to come again. So, I want it covered and I want options.” Several nods followed his conversation. Alex watched John and Pierre and several seconds come into the room. “What ya got?” Arturo asked them. “They came in the long way around since the pass was blown. Had one job. Take over the house. Take you and Regin. Take out everyone here.” Arturo nodded.
“Can we expect more?” “I’d say so.” Spoke John. “They were confident of getting the job done, even after capture. What Luce achieved…. Remarkable. Both on the security and taking them down.” He spoke with some awe and wonder in his voice. Alex felt immense pride and his beast rose before he could hold it back, at the information that they had come to kill everyone in the house, Luce would have been one of them. “Watch the tone.” He bit out before realising he’d spoken in such a deadly tone gripping the sides of his chair, showing fang, that everyone at the table stilled. Quietly and purposely John answered him. “I meant no disrespect my Lord.” “Alex?” Arturo turned to him. Realising he needed to pull back on the emotions. He focused on his beast. She was safe. They had not succeeded. He gave a single nod. He was in control. Just.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Something disturbed her sleep. Her system waking. Her dream disturbing her leaving her cold. “Shush, sleep. Your safe.” She heard his whispered words and felt his hands pull her to him. She didn’t care if she was awake or still dreaming. Luce believed him and snuggled into the warmth.
The alarm was going off. Too early thought Luce. It couldn’t be time to get up already. She woke on her front snuggled into her pillow. Without opening her eyes, she reached out and patted her phone in the hope of catching the icon and turning it off. It did. She sighed. There was a god, thought Luce and snuggled back into her pillow. ‘Not getting up yet’ were her last thoughts as she drifted off again.
Alex watched Luce amused. She’d missed the phone, he watched her flapping about and turned it off for her. She didn’t know he was there and he would have to leave her soon. Too many things to do. People to kill. So fragile he thought gazing at her. She brought him such peace. Peace he had not realised he had not had for a very long time. His beast craved her, wanted the peace she brought. This surprised him. His beast had always been difficult to control, always first to rise for violence and destruction, for domination. His reputation was there for a reason. He was a killer. And no good for her. He realised that sadly. Taking one last look he walked away. He beast cried out and tried to rise. No. He would control this. He would. For her.
Luce woke to a light tapping on her bedroom door. She woke uncoordinated and a little confused. She focused on the noise and frowned and yawned as she turned over. Stretching her eyes open she looked around her. “My Lady it is 5pm. I have breakfast for you.” Luce instinctively replied. “Thank you, I’ll be out in a minute.” Hang on. Did she have staff? More confused than ever, she struggled to untangle herself from the sheets and pulled them off. Sitting on the edge of the bed she got her bearings and realised she was in her new apartment, everything looked the same. Stretching, moving her head from side to side Luce loosened her neck, then headed to the bathroom. Having toileted, cleaned and brushed up she grabbed the woolly robe on the back of the door and slipped it on. Yawned again and walked to her bedroom door. She opened it and headed to the sitting room. “Good morning mam. I took the liberty of getting you coffee it’s on the table, I will start your breakfast now.” Luce stood staring at the back of a middle-aged woman. “Thank you. I’m sorry, I’m Luce could I know your name and sorry, but what you’re doing here?” She asked as she took a seat at the table that was laid really nicely, she noted, grabbing her coffee for a sip. The woman laughed. “Not at all. I’m Jilly and I’m your new housekeeper.” She had a house keeper?
Leaning back in her chair holding her coffee cup Luce heard the front door open and several footsteps came in her direction. Seriously? Thought Luce. Not at all surprised to see Alex looking sex on legs, coming towards her with Craig and two others behind him. He was all business until he looked at her and a grin creped across his face. Luce narrowed her eyes at him. “What?” She asked him none too happy to be the butt of his pleasure. He’s smile got wider as he approached her. He leaned down and kept eye contact with her. “You are adorable and I have missed you.” He told her softly. Luce suppressed badly, a grin. He k
issed her and sat down.
He’s boys stood by the hallway. “Coffee My Lord?” Jilly appeared at the side of the table. “Yes thank you Jilly.” He was way too comfortable thought Luce. “Apparently, I have a housekeeper.” She told him. He continued to smile at her. “Yes, you do.” He told her taking the cup offered to him by Jilly who then put a coffee pot down in front of them. “Did you forget to mention that yesterday?” She asked him watching as he drank from his cup. Dam man could even drink sexily. “No. Yesterday we made do. Now we have Jilly.” Not really sure what was going on Luce left it and drank her coffee until Jilly placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her with French toast. “Thank you Jilly just what I needed.” She told her putting down her cup she picking up her knife and fork and tucked in. Alex was quiet, she didn’t mind that. Liked it in fact. He read the paper. Not on his tablet but an actually paper. She smiled stuffing another mouthful. He was so old.
He should not have joined her for breakfast but he couldn’t help it. As soon as he had been told that she was up all he could think about was spending some time in her company as their day started. He enjoyed watching her eat. There was something primal about feeding your woman. He liked watching her expressions as she enjoyed her food. Just being with her was enough. It was comfortable. Comforting. Reading the latest news, he couldn’t help but share anything of interest with her. When she queried something, he knew she was enjoying it too.
Alex refilled her cup. Luce put her knife and fork down having taken her fill. “Do you have to go anywhere today?” He asked her. “No. Not really. I could do with taking the feed from last night to my guys for analysis but it can wait. I have what I need from the scans.” She told him. “I’d like to bring your team on board. Are you interested in doing that?” He asked her putting down the paper. Luce looked at him side on leading back in her chair. “Not my decision to make Alex. They can make up their own minds. Like I said, I’d have to ask them. There’s a reason they’re off the grid.” He nodded. “If we could get them, would you want that?” He asked her. She picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. “I love my team, they’re the best. Working together full time? it would either be a disaster or a dream team. But, I will not allow you to influence them one way or another to make a decision like this. If they come in, they come free and clear.” She told him all spitfire. Alex looked at her, all tussled and rosy from sleep. His heart clenched. “Making demands Luce?” He asked her. “Every dam day Alex.” She fired back holding his stare. He liked that. “Make the offer.” He told her. “Ok. What are you offering exactly?” She countered. “Whatever it takes.” He told her leaning in to kiss her and teasing her lip with his tongue, rising from his seat. “Pick you up at 7. Arturo is expecting us at the house.” Luce nodded “Ok. I’ll be ready.”
Luce watched him leave. His men left with him. Guess they were heading out to where ever he was off too. “Would you like some more My Lady?” Luce turned to Jilly. “No thank you. I’ll do a bit of work then head into the shower.” She told her. “If you need anything let me know.” She could get used to this thought Luce. “Jilly, why do you keep calling me ‘My Lady?” Jilly looked down at her in surprise. “Master Alex. He was a Prince in his time and as his consort, you are his lady and ours.” She told her kindly then walked back to the kitchen. Luce watched her go holding her breath. That bloody delicious man. Something else he forgot to mention. Shit. She couldn’t be a ‘lady’ if her life depended on it she mused. This was way messed up. What had she got herself into. Walking over to the desk where her lap top rested she took a seat. Opening it up she signed in to her email and sent off four. Then checked her mail and the completed scans of her software from the night before and got to work. Sometime later a coffee appeared next to her. “It is 6.15 mam, if you are going to make your meeting.” Luce looked up. “Thank you.” She closed her lap top, grabbed the coffee and headed to her bedroom.
She was waiting for him when he opened the door and came in. She was standing by the table just grabbing her lap top and bag as he came towards her. Luce put her lap top in its case and popped it into her holdall with several other items including her workout clothes and shoes and slung it over her shoulder. He took her in his arms and held her. Several moments passed. “Ready?” He asked her. “Yes, let’s go.” She told him pulling from his arms. Taking her hand he led her passed his men, out the door to the elevator. Luce didn’t feel uncomfortable, it felt right. She liked the feel of him in her hand. They descended quickly and entered the reception area. As they crossed the tiled floor several people bowed to Alex. He gave a nod and kept going. The boom that blew in the doors, sending debris and the revolving doors flying along with brick work, concrete and steel, threw Luce out of Alex’s hand and against the wall, she hit with such force that she couldn’t move. She was bombarded by the noise, alarms, and the screaming. As it started to dim she wondered if Alex was ok and everything went black.
Alex had been blown back by the force of the explosion. So had his men. “Men here now.” He shouted out as he picked himself up. He knew the alarm would have been enough. His guards came to him and moved to intercede. He saw Luce against the wall he badly wanted to go to her but the forces pouring into his building prevented him from doing so. His beast rose and emotion exploded around him. He became the deadly force that had not existed in centuries. Raw bestial power emanated from him as he went on the attack. “Protect her.” He called out as he rushed into the fray.
A slight tapping on her face woke her. “Luce can you hear me?” The tapping continued. Jesus what a hangover. “Come on girl, give me something.” Pete was speaking to her. He seemed on edge. Worried. Luce moaned. “Stop tapping me.” She told him slowly. “Head hurts.” “She’s alive and awake. Do you hear that Alex. She’s awake.” Luce went to lift her hand to her head, it hurt. “Hurts.” She whispered. A primal roar seemed to permeate the building around her. “It’s ok do you remember what happened?” He asked her. Luce tried to concentrate but her body was coming alive and she was in so much pain.
She tried to move her leg and screamed. She could hear fighting. “Look at me.” Pete told her. She lifted her eyes to him. She couldn’t focus. “Luce control your pain, the doctor is coming ok. Your pain is causing Alex to lose control. He cannot control his beast, he’s fighting us. Its bad Luce. Try ok.” She nodded and bit back another scream. “Do you remember what happened?” He asked her again. “Bomb.” She said between pants of pain. “That’s right a bomb went off in front of the building, They waited until they saw Alex and you we think then triggered it.” Luce let out a hiss. Another raw cry came across the floor towards her. “Fuckers.” She whimpered. “Anyone hurt?” She asked him. “The vamps are all good.” She tried to nod but it hurt and she stopped. “My boys?” She asked. Pete looked confused at her. “My ….. security.” She whispered. He took her hand. “They are all ok.” Luce tried to smile not sure if she succeeded. “Will kill someone if they have damaged my lap top.” She told him. Pete chuckled. “I’ll help you.” “Tired now Pete.” She told him struggling to hold on. He appeared to get sober real quick. “I know baby girl but you gotta stay with me ok. Alex needs you.” Luce tried to smile again and failed. “I know. He’s too bossy without me giving him…shit.” She forced out.
Suddenly Pete moved and a new face swam into view. “Luce, is it. I’m Dr Griffin I’m here to help ok. Can you tell me where your pain is?” She pulled in a breath, it was shaky. “Right hand and leg. Head.” She told him. “Ok I’m going to feel your left side ok tell me if anything hurts.” She felt him run his arm down her body nothing major hurt. “Ok that good.” He told her. “I’m going to run a portable X ray over your right side and then I’ll give you some pain relief ok.” “Pain relief sounds wonderful doc.” She gritted out, struggling to hold on. “Ok we are going to give you some pain relief then we are going to move you ok.” “Ok.” She told him. A cold feeling started up her good arm and started to spread throughout her body. It numbed some of
the worst pain. “We’re going to move you now Luce ok.” Very quickly they moved her body onto a flat platform. Luce couldn’t hold back the scream. And into an ambulance.
“Alex.” She called out. Pete moved in next to her. “Sorry baby girl he’s not in control. Arturo is dealing with him. He’ll be by as soon as he can, you know that.” Luce let out a breath. “Tell him …. to stop being ….. an ass. I don’t need ….. his shit. I need him.” Pete looked wary. “Not sure I can baby girl he is out of control already that might top him over the edge.” He told her. “No …..Pete. You ……. do …….. not ……… understand. He needs me …….. to kick him …… back to reality.” She told him sleepily. “Tell ……. him.” Lights out came very quickly.
Luce came too groggily. Her eyes had trouble focusing. She had a wonderful buzz going on. The room was dark with a lamp on. Moving her head she could see round the room. This wasn’t her apartment or a hospital. Looked more like the mansion. She thought. It then registered that she had a bandage on her wrist and on her leg. She was sure she’d broken them. Shouldn’t she have a caste? She turned her wrist over. An ache but no real pain. “They were broken badly.” A voice told her. “Alex?” She asked. He sounded weird and leaned forward into the light. “The only way to fix them quickly was to give you blood. We were not able to ask your permission Luce. I’m sorry.” He told her.
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