by C. M. Steele
“She does not belong to you. If you want to live, I suggest you turn around and walk out,” I warned him with steely tone in my voice. My mate was inches from me in a public place. She was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. It must be why it took so long to find her. That much perfection was centuries in the making.
"Falcon, it's not that serious that he missed the meeting with us. He’s just lost out on a lucrative deal," Draco said. He was trying to save me from making a public scene. Not that we didn’t already stir up enough attention. At any moment, I expected mall security to enter the place and escort us all out. Draco was right. In an instant, I’d forgotten again that I was in a movie theatre. Shaking off my foolish need for domination, I relaxed my body and stood straighter, which made me look more menacing, especially in the dark theatre. This was not how a vampire of my ranking would act and that was something I had to remember. With a calmness washing over me, Draco let go of his grip on me and I walked up to her. I stepped in between them to increase the distance between the two.
"I'm Falcon Lombardi," I said, taking her hand in mine. The pleasure of just touching her soft flesh felt incredible and so right. I pulled her hand to my lips and placed a kiss on the back of her small hand. The intense feel of her skin against my lips was a soothing balm to my ire. Her pulse raced with my touch, faster than a marathon runner. I smiled and placed another kiss for good measure before slowly straightening up with my gaze focused on her, but she wasn’t looking up at me.
There she was standing there looking nervously down at the hand I had kissed and still holding onto, enjoying my touch. My cock was insanely stiff. I hadn’t realized how thick or long it was going to be, but if it was any lighter in here everyone would see what she was doing to me. When we got home, I don’t know how I was going to keep off her.
There was so much to explain and for her to accept before we could mate. Four hundred years and just the thought of a few hours that it would take felt like an eternity. I took a breath, forgetting that her scent would be ten times more potent. Shaking it off, I had to think of something else. The wait was almost over. I had to focus on that.
"I'm Leonora Dulles,” she said with a soft sigh. I could hear her heart pounding and the vein in her neck throbbing. Her voice was a sound that I wanted to dance to. My eyes stayed with hers, ignoring anything and everything around us. Dulles? That was why she gasped. Her father was William Dulles. The woman who owned my soul was the daughter of a man I couldn’t trust, but none of that mattered any way.
"Come sit with me, Leonora.” I didn’t let go of her hand, pulling her toward me. “Draco has some business to discuss with Mr. Miller." I nodded over to Draco and he knew what to do.
Draco already had his hand on the back of Miller's neck, leading him out of the theatre, knowing that my patience with Miller was at a negative balance. Thoughts about what would have happened if I didn’t come or had left infuriated me, visualizing him with his hands all over her as they watched the movie in the dark.
"He's not going to hurt him, is he?" she asked, looking at me anxiously. I clutched her hand tighter and pulled her hard so she was against my body. I wanted her to feel the heat and know that I wasn’t too pleased with her reaction to him. I grasped her chin and lifted her gaze to mine.
"I hate that you even care,” I muttered, emotion making my eyes even brighter. I ran my hand along her cheek, wanting to be as close as I could get in public.
Without breaking my stare, she said, "I don’t care for him. I just don't want anyone to be hurt because of me."
"Cara mia, if you do not wish it, he will be well. Draco will not harm him unless I give him reason to do so. Come, please sit. We are distracting the others from the movie,” I whispered, pointing my head to the several people in the theatre looking at us. It wasn’t that I could see it, but I could hear their thoughts. All of which were full of annoyance.
She looked around the room to the several gapers who hadn’t taken their eyes from us, then she looked back up at me. "I don't want to watch the movie anymore." That was music to my ears. I smiled down at her, running my thumb along her knuckles.
“Very well. Let us go and have lunch.” Even in the darkened theatre, I could see her skin flush. “Come now, pretty Leonora.” I wanted to take her home, but I knew that she was hungry. I could hear the rumbling in her belly. She was mine for eternity. I had to take care of her. There was also that little thing of getting her to agree to be mine. She had a choice. It wasn’t something I cared for, but it was the way it was. It did not matter, by nightfall we would mate.
We left the movie theatre and stepped out into the lobby. My eyes already trained to Draco, who was still talking to Miller. Did he not understand that I was beyond disgusted with Miller? The leach turned to the sound of our footsteps and his eyes went to our interlocked fingers then moved up to her face. I wanted to bite his head off as he looked at Leonora. His eyes spoke volumes. He wanted her the way I wanted her, but that wasn't going to happen. No one will touch her but me. I could feel my face heat in anger.
“Why are you so mad at him?” she asked, giving my forearm a squeeze.
“Because he dared to touch you,” I bit out. My possessive jealousy ripped through my lips. Miller was forever going to be my enemy, either that or he'd be dead. I took her by the waist, feeling the smallness that was mine. She was little compared to me. I towered over her so much so that her head only went to the middle of my chest. My fragile, sweet human mate. They were right; the Earth felt like it was shifting under me and all I longed for was to be one with her. My heart was pounding faster than it ever could and my blood was burning with need. She looked up at me, worried about what I do, but in truth all I wanted to do was take her home and worship her repeatedly.
“You don't even know me.” Her voice was soft but harsh.
I turned her to look at me, caressed her face, and stared into her beautiful eyes. “I waited forever for you. Know this now. No one will love you or want you as much as I do.”
She stared back at me like she was trying to understand something. It took her a moment to say something, her mouth just opened and closed as she thought of what to say. “As crazy as that sounds, something in me tells me that you believe that. I don't know if I should be running scared or following your lead,” she said, her eyes staring at me in wonder. Leonora was using her human logic that would normally keep her safe, but that wasn’t going to work with me.
“Following my lead, or you will be,” I answered. “You’re mine, Leonora. You have no idea what your existence means to me.”
“This is ridiculous. I’ve never felt this way before. How is it possible to feel this insane need for your touch?”
She couldn’t even remotely comprehend what pleasure I got from touching her soft skin. I wondered how perfect she’d feel with her pussy wrapped around my cock.
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" she asked me randomly, shaking me out of my lurid fantasy.
I gave a chuckle because we were supposed to be in the office, but thankfully, we decided to say fuck it all and play hooky. "Yes, but we were having a terrible day because we were going to have to meet with Miller. Since he cancelled, we decided to head to the movies. It was the best decision I've made in centuries."
"Thanks for saving me," she said. A low rumble came from my chest as Draco turned to us at the same time.
"Saved you?" I asked, holding back the fangs that were fighting to break free. I closed my mouth tight. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw my anger and looked at me in surprise as I stared at Miller. Then she smiled at me and shook her head at the same time. She was confusing me. What the hell was she smiling for? Bloody hell, I wish I could hear her thoughts. Once we mated, I would be able to, but for now I had to guess.
"From a bad date..." she remarked. Her lovely eyes expressed a sense of playfulness. I mistook her meaning initially. Having been dealing with killers all my life, I automatically assumed the worst.
&nb
sp; "Why would you go out with him?" My mate still smelled purely of herself, so he had not taken what belonged to me, but the fact that she had been alone with Miller had bothered me.
"Mr. Lombardi..." I stopped her right there. She wouldn't call me that again. I wanted to hear my name from her glossy pink lips. I pressed my finger to her soft mouth. That simple touch of her tender lips went straight into my heart, leaving a permanent etching on it.
“Call me Falcon,” I commanded, tilting her chin to look at me.
“Falcon,” she said softly, pausing as she looked up into my eyes. “Your eyes are beautiful.” The blood crept up her face again and mine went straight to my cock. The tightness in my jeans hadn’t eased, and now I regretted wearing the material. I was certain that if she chose to look down she’d know exactly the true effect she had on me.
“You’re perfect. Now why would you be with someone like that when you belong to me?” She hadn’t answered my question, and if she thought I was going to forget, that wasn’t possible. The lonely heart in me felt like she betrayed me even though we didn’t meet until now.
“I don’t belong to you,” she argued, but there was very little fight in her voice. I pulled her against me, letting her feel the evidence that she more than belonged to me. My mate didn’t know it yet, but she was bound to me. She was my other half, the missing piece I’ve waited many lifetimes for.
Chapter Eleven—Leonora
I looked up into his big blue eyes that seemed to brighten every time they made contact with mine. The way he stared at me felt so inexplicably right. My body was doing things my mind wouldn’t have considered if it wasn’t for the man in front of me. Falcon Lombardi was an amazement to me. Brilliant, handsome, and completely interested in me, personally. He was right, I felt like I belonged to him. This pull was a two-sided affair. With my body pressed to his, I could feel his need on my stomach and I wantonly craved it to be inside of me. My breasts were aching for his touch like I already knew the pleasure it would bring. What was going on with me? This was insane.
I pushed away from him, and he reluctantly let go of his hold. This man was a mystery, a complete stranger, and yet I was ready to let him own me. This wasn’t normal and I wasn’t okay with the feelings I had about him. They were out of control, coursing through me like a wave of heated lust.
I could see why there were no pictures of him anywhere. If a man looked this good he would be stalked by the press and every beautiful woman and would never get any work done. Reports said his laboratory was one of the most innovative in the country, but the company remained extremely private.
“This is crazy, Dr. Lombardi.” I’d never been interested in a man before this moment. They weren’t on my radar. Even when I was pursued in college by every available guy, I had no desire or this strange tingling between my thighs. All of the sudden that changed; I was a stick mess from just staring at this tall, handsome doctor.
He looked down at me and let out a growl deeper than the one in the theatre. “It’s Falcon, Leonora.”
“Well, this is crazy, Falcon, and you know it. I met you like three seconds ago and you’ve decided I belonged to you.”
“Fate has you bound to me, my sweet love,” he said with a sweet smile on his face. It was surprising because it felt like it was true. This warming sensation washed over me with every word from his mouth.
“Okay…Now I see why no one knows anything about you two. You’re fit for a nut house. Excuse me, I need some air.” I started to pull away when his big, strong hand wrapped around my waist.
“No. You and I need to talk and we will. I’ve waited for you and I can’t let you go,” he muttered against my ear, his warm breath washing over me, but I didn’t let it stop me. Had he been stalking me?
“Wow, have you been following me? Is that why I got the interview?” I screeched, turning in his arms and trying to get away.
“I don’t know what interview you’re talking about, but if I knew you were around there would have been no stalking. It would be just as it is now. Except I wouldn’t have the urge to rip Miller’s throat out.”
“Mr…Falcon. I don’t know what to say. This is well beyond my comfort zone.”
“I feel the same way but not for the same reason.”
I caught the moment when Mr. Romano left Miller and walked up to us. “Falcon, Ms. Dulles, let me drive you home.” I examined Mr. Romano’s appearance. He was slightly taller than Falcon, but instead of bright blue eyes, he had a vibrant shade of green and his hair was darker, completely black with a goatee to match. The man was broader than Falcon, but only by a little. I turned my head away because that was all I needed to know. My eyes went back to the large framed Falcon who towered over me with a stare and smile that turned sour in a moment.
Falcon gave him a very disapproving look after seeing Miller still standing there. “Very well. Come, Leonora.” It wasn’t like he gave me a choice because he held me tightly to him.
“Ms. Dulles, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Mr. Romano said, his face bright with a large smile that was overly happy. I arched my brow wondering if these two did drugs before coming to the movies. You never know about people.
“Well, we would have met tomorrow.”
“Why would we have met? I had no plans after work.”
“I have an interview with your company tomorrow.”
“No, you do not. In fact, we were discussing your father and I mentioned your name to Falcon this morning. That you just graduated with a Master’s degree in molecular biology.”
“Yes, I did.” I ducked my head in defeat. My parents fucking hoodwinked me. Damn, did I hate them even more.
“Calm yourself, Falcon,” Draco whispered just above a hush and not loud enough for Falcon to hear, but I felt Falcon’s grip loosen on my waist.
“I am trying, Draco. It’s most taxing to stay calm at this moment. She exists.”
“And if you hold her any tighter, she won’t.”
“Oh no, my dearest. Am I holding you too roughly?”
“Not too much, but I’m capable of walking on my own.”
“Yes, you’re capable, however, my friend here is not.”
I walked with them to a large black sedan. Falcon opened the door for me and I entered. I should be running, but they were too very powerful men and several people saw me with them in a public place.
“Did you get the surveillance footage, Draco?” He asked Draco, who had taken the driver’s seat yet Falcon hadn’t taken his deep blue eyes off me.
“I did not. I believed it to be unnecessary since you found her.” Draco seemed a bit nervous and it was rubbing off on me.
With his eyes piercing through me, he said calmly, “I still wish to have it.”
“I will get to it.” I got the feeling that Lombardi and Romano weren’t an equal partnership. There was a sense that Falcon was the boss and Romano perhaps his right-hand man. Falcon resumed his hold on me, not letting go, and I didn’t push him away. As wary as I should be, my body told me I was safe in his embrace.
“Ms. Dulles,” Draco said before being cut off by my touchy companion.
“Draco, please do not call her that.” His temper was confusing me. It was like I had a caveman trying to control anything that had to do with me. I liked the feeling and I didn’t.
“What do you wish for me to call her?” Was I not sitting here?
I’d had enough and was speaking for myself. “My name is Leonora, but my friends call me Nora.”
“Call her Leonora, Draco.”
“Leonora, so why did you believe that you had an interview? I conduct every interview, and I know you’re not scheduled.”
“That was supposedly the deal for the date my parents set up. They lied to me it seems.”
“That’s why you were with that sniveling, perverse, piece of vile muck?” Falcon addressed me, tightening his grip on me my waist a little stronger. It wasn’t hurting at all, but I could feel his anger in his words.
His expressions varied from a taut angry jaw to a softening of his facial features. “Do you not feel it?” I heard a crack in his voice as though he felt it was unfathomable to not be aching with possessiveness. Strangely, I did feel that sense of longing as well, but I wasn’t quite ready to join the insanity just yet. Damn, where was Charlie when I needed someone on my side to fight off these feelings and use my head?
“Yes, I am attracted to you, Falcon. I thought that was evident, but this…you are more intense.”
“What if I looked out the window and admired any woman walking down the street right now?” My eyes bugged out at him. That beautiful look he gave me shouldn’t be shared. That would be atrocious and evil to me. I closed my eyes because, suddenly, I was angry at him.
“Let me go.” I was feeling a range of emotions. The first one being rage, followed by an unbelievable amount of hurt.
He tipped my chin, forcing me to look in his unwavering stare and with conviction in his breath, he said, “Never. And I would never admire any other woman but you.”
“I’m supposed to believe that, Falcon?” I really wished to believe it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find someone who was so perfect and utterly devoted to me?
“Trust me when I say that’s the easiest thing you’ll come to believe,” Draco said without turning around, and both he and Falcon had a private laugh at my ignorance. I scoffed and pulled my face away from his. “We are not laughing at you, Leonora.”
“Oh no, forgive me for being so rude. Once you understand the truth, you will understand that my devotion to you is the easiest thing to believe.”
“Draco, I will not be in the office for a few days. Can you manage?”