Dalakis Passion 2 - Lucian's Delight

Home > Romance > Dalakis Passion 2 - Lucian's Delight > Page 15
Dalakis Passion 2 - Lucian's Delight Page 15

by N. J. Walters


  around, he hauled a battered Chase to his feet and yanked the gag out of the boy's

  mouth. Chase stumbled as he was dragged towards Lucian, but managed to stay on his

  feet. From the bruises and swelling on his face, it was obvious that they had beaten the

  boy badly, but he still managed to glare at his captor.

  "You shouldn't have come." Chase spit the words at Lucian.

  Lucian ignored Chase, knowing he feared for his sister's life. Prince smiled cruelly

  as he backhanded Chase's already battered face. Chase bit back a cry as he fell

  sideways, striking his head on the floor as he landed. He lay there moaning, his eyes

  closed and his body still.

  "Enough." Lucian's softly spoken command cracked like a whip, causing all of

  them to freeze. The time had come to end this. He turned his attention to Prince,

  focusing all his energy on him. "Come to me."

  Prince looked surprised, then shocked before his face went lax and his gun hand

  dropped to his side. As if pulled by some unseen hand, he stumbled towards Lucian.

  Lucian could sense Smith's surprise and sent him a mental command to freeze.

  Everything was under control until the door to the office slammed open, causing

  him to lose concentration for a split second.

  "Chase!" Delight cried as she raced across the room.

  Lucian took it all in at a glance. Stefan burst through the door behind Delight,

  followed by a disheveled Detective Cassidy. Smith broke free of Lucian's thrall, raised

  his own weapon and turned it on Delight.

  Not wasting any time, Lucian grabbed Prince by the neck and gave it a violent

  twist, breaking it in one easy motion. He let the body drop to the floor, even as he was

  moving towards Smith. He knew he wouldn't make it.

  The gun went off just as Stefan reached Smith, wrapped one heavily muscled arm

  around his neck and snapped it like a twig.

  Lucian howled in anguish as he caught Delight's falling form in his arms, lowering

  her to the carpet. Her lifeblood was spilling through his finger and soaking his clothing.

  Stefan was by his side in a flash, shoving him aside and applying pressure to the

  wound.

  He could hear Cassidy in the background checking the bodies and untying Chase,

  but nothing mattered to Lucian but Delight. He could feel her slipping away from him

  and knew that his life was over.

  Chase scrambled to his side, his battered face white as he stared at Delight's still

  form. "Do something. She can't die. She can't." Grabbing the front of Lucian's shirt, he

  shook him hard. "Do something."

  Stefan continued to lean hard on the wound, but blood was still seeping from under

  his fingers. "You only have one choice, Lucian."

  Cassidy was on the phone calling for backup and requesting an ambulance, but

  they all knew that they'd never make it in time to save Delight.

  Lucian stared down at the woman he loved more than life itself and willed her to

  open her eyes. They fluttered and then finally opened. Pain and anguish shone from

  their pure depths and he could sense that most of her pain came from the thought of

  leaving him and her family behind.

  "I'm sorry, Lucian..." Her voice trailed off as a wave of pain racked her body.

  "Don't talk. Listen to me." He leaned down until his nose was almost touching hers.

  "There is one chance. I can try to change you so you become as I am. You would be

  vampire, but your life would be linked with mine. If I die, then you too will die. You

  would be susceptible to other dangers as well. But I would be by your side for eternity,

  and no man living or yet to be born will love you as I will. Your happiness and

  protection are my life's work and my life's joy."

  Ignoring the startled gasps from behind him, he focused all his concentration on

  Delight. "Choose."

  Her hand slowly raised and grazed his face before falling limply back to the floor.

  "You," she gasped. "Choose you." Lucian was moving as Delight's eyes fluttered shut.

  "I'm losing her." Stefan's voice seemed to come from far away, but Lucian heeded

  the warning.

  Kneeling on the floor amidst her spilled blood, Lucian pulled Delight into his arms.

  Bending his head, he sank his fangs into her neck and began to drink from her. She

  unconsciously arched her neck towards him.

  "What the hell is he doing?" He felt Cassidy's hand on his shoulder, but kept his

  concentration on Delight. He had to stay linked with her or he could lose her.

  "Leave him alone." Chase ripped Cassidy's hand away from Lucian. "I don't know

  what the hell he is, but he's her only chance."

  "But he's killing her."

  "No." Stefan stepped between Chase and Cassidy, momentarily taking his attention

  off his brother. "He is offering her a chance at life."

  Lucian felt the last of Delight's life start to slip away. Bringing his wrist to his

  mouth, he bit down hard. His fangs ripped through his skin and opened a vein.

  Cradling her head against his chest, he held his wrist to her mouth as his own blood

  seeped from his body and flowed over her parted lips. "Drink, my love. Stay with me."

  She lay totally unresponsive in his arms. Lucian looked up at his brother, anguish in

  his eyes. Stefan dropped to his knees, grabbed Delight's lifeless fingers in his own and

  began to chafe them. "Come, little sister. You must try."

  Lucian could feel his brother's energy combine with his and was shocked at the

  extent of Stefan's power. It was enormous and gave him renewed hope. Focusing all his

  love on Delight, he begged, pleaded, scolded, and commanded her to live. Rubbing his

  wrist over her lips and coating them in his blood, he silently urged her to drink.

  "This is sick," Cassidy muttered in the background, but he made no move to stop

  them. The scent of blood and power was strong in the air as they all waited and hoped.

  "Come on, Delight," Chase encouraged as he reached out and stroked the back of

  her head, pushing it closer to Lucian.

  She jerked slightly in his arms and her lips moved ever so slightly. "Drink. I'm

  ordering you to drink, damn it." Lucian's voice rose with every word he spoke until he

  was screaming at her.

  Delight stiffened and then her mouth latched onto his wrist and she began to suck.

  Lucian could feel the tears welling in his eyes as he closed them and tipped back his

  head. "Thank you." His words were like a whispered prayer in the silence of the room.

  As Delight drank, her wound began to close and the bleeding slowed until it finally

  stopped. Lucian knew that after several days' rest, there wouldn't even be a mark left

  on her skin. When he felt she'd had enough, he eased her mouth away from him. She

  gazed up at him and smiled before closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep.

  Raising his wrist to his mouth, he traced the open wound with his tongue. The skin

  closed over and the bleeding stopped. Bending down he licked the traces of blood that

  still clung to her lips.

  "How the hell am I gonna explain this?" Cassidy's outburst shattered the silence.

  "You're not." Stefan stood and walked towards the detective, pure menace in every

  step. "We were never here. No one ever saw us. This is obviously a falling out among

  criminals."

  Cassidy smirked at Stefan. "That's going to be a little di
fficult to pull off."

  Stefan's eyes were blazing as they locked on Cassidy. "No, it isn't. Lucian and I will

  take Chase and Delight to our home. By the time I finish with the guards, none of them

  will remember seeing us. One of the guards will say he asked you to come up and

  investigate when he found the two dead bodies."

  "Is that right?" The detective crossed his arms over his chest and glared back at

  Stefan. "And how are you going to explain the blood on the carpet?"

  "I will take care of that."

  "Enough, you two." Lucian stood with Delight cradled in his arms and motioned to

  Chase who had passed out and was lying unconscious on the floor. He faced Cassidy,

  noting the lack of fear in the man's eyes. This man could be a powerful ally and right

  now they needed help. "I will give you all the answers you seek later, but for now you

  must believe what Stefan has said will happen."

  Cassidy's gaze went to Delight's limp form and his face softened. "I don't know

  what the hell I believe anymore." He raised his eyes to meet Lucian's straight on. "But I

  do know that she was as good as dead a few minutes ago and now she isn't."

  As the sounds of sirens filled the air, Stefan bent down and deftly rolled the thick

  blood-stained carpet into a bundle, making sure that not a drop of blood remained

  behind on the floor. Tossing it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing, he scooped up

  Chase and strode from the room without a backwards glance. Lucian waited to see

  what Cassidy would do. He knew he could alter the other man's memories, but he was

  loath to do so. There was something about the man he liked.

  "Go on." Cassidy motioned him towards the door. "I'll clean up the mess here."

  Lucian was almost out the door when Cassidy's parting words reached his ears.

  "But you can bet your ass, I'll be coming to get some answers when this is all over."

  Joining Stefan at a back door, they stepped out into the night just as the police were

  racing through the club and up the stairs to the office. Lucian knew that his brother had

  already taken care of the guards, planting the appropriate memories in their minds.

  None of them would remember seeing anyone but the police detective. For now, they

  were all safe.

  He could hear Cassidy identifying himself as a police detective and taking over the

  investigation. Stefan shifted beside him, adjusting the large carpet that was still draped

  over his shoulder, while easily retaining his hold on Chase. They would dispose of the

  carpet later. Satisfied that everything was under control, they started for home, each of

  them carrying a precious burden in their arms.

  "Race you." Stefan's words were barely out of his mouth before he disappeared.

  Laughing, Lucian tightened his grip around Delight and raced after his brother.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Delight's head was pounding when she awoke. She'd swear she had a hangover

  except she wasn't much of a drinker. The sound of someone moaning made her head

  hurt even more and she wished they'd shut up. Ever so carefully, she moved her hands

  to her ears to shut out the sound, but she could still hear it. She felt pity for whoever

  was in such pain, but she still wished they'd shut up.

  "Shh," a voice whispered near her. "I know it hurts, but this will help." Her hands

  were pushed away from her face and a cool cloth was placed upon her forehead.

  Delight sighed with relief and was surprised to discover that the moaning had stopped.

  It took her befuddled mind a few seconds to realize that it had been her who was

  making the ungodly noise.

  She tried to focus her thoughts. There was something important that she was

  supposed to remember, but she just couldn't think what it was. Her brother's face

  suddenly popped into her mind and the memories and fear came flooding back.

  "Chase?" Even though it hurt, she tried to sit up in bed. A strong hand steadied her

  and lowered her back to the pillows.

  "Don't try and move, love." The covers were tucked around her shoulders. "Chase

  is fine and sleeping comfortably in another room. The doctor has been here and gone."

  A large hand cupped the side of her face and Delight snuggled closer to its warmth. "I

  won't lie. He was beaten badly, but surprisingly nothing is broken. He's got a few

  cracked ribs, a sprained wrist, some minor cuts, and a hell of a lot of bruises. It'll take a

  while, but he'll be fine."

  She licked her dry lips and tried to speak, but it came out more of a croak. "What

  happened?"

  "Drink this." A straw was placed near her mouth and she sipped a small amount of

  water, easing some of the dryness in her mouth.

  "What's wrong with me?"

  Delight sensed Lucian's reluctance to talk to her. That surprised her as he hadn't

  flinched from the raw truth since their first meeting. A huge knot formed in her

  stomach and she could feel her palms get sweaty. His silence was scaring her.

  Pushing the damp cloth off her face, she cautiously opened her eyes, sighing in

  relief at the darkness of the room. Only a dim lamp was lit in the far corner of the

  bedroom. Delight immediately recognized Lucian's room and a soothing comfort

  enveloped her.

  Blinking several times to steady her vision, she turned her head towards Lucian,

  but most of him was lost in the shadows. "Lucian?" Her voice shook and her hand

  trembled as she reached out to him. He seemed further away from her than he'd ever

  been, even though he was sitting right next to her.

  Lucian heaved a deep sigh, gently clasped her hand in his and moved closer to her.

  The moment the light hit him, Delight almost cried out in pain again. He looked

  ravaged. His skin was pulled taut against his face, his green eyes were cold and his thin

  lips were clamped together. He looked hard and unforgiving as he stared down at her.

  She felt very small and fragile in that moment. There was a remoteness to Lucian that

  made her feel incredibly cold inside. It was if he was distancing himself from her.

  "What have I done?" The question was torn from her lips before she could stop it.

  She pulled her hand away from him and slapped it over her mouth, but it was too late

  to stop the words from spilling out. As a strong, independent woman, Delight was

  appalled at her question, but as a woman in love, she needed to understand what had

  come between her and Lucian.

  A look of horror and pain flickered on his face before the hard, cold mask

  descended once again. "You have done nothing wrong. What do you remember?"

  Delight thought hard. The memories were a jumble in her head. "I tricked Stefan

  and snuck out of the house." Lucian's scowl deepened. "Chase is my brother and I had

  every right to try and help him. Besides," she mumbled. "I did call Detective Cassidy."

  "You did not trust me." Pain echoed in each word he spoke.

  "I did trust you. I do trust you." Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and tugged

  him closer. Although his expression didn't change, he allowed her to tug him down

  onto the bed until he was seated next to her.

  She had to find a way to make him understand. "I didn't trust Prince and his men. I

  couldn't bear it if anything happened to you or Chase. I thought if I was there that I

  could help you in some way." She watched his face, searching
for any reaction at all,

  even a flicker that he understood and could forgive her for interfering. "I couldn't let

  you face them alone."

  The reaction she got almost made her wish that his cool mask was back in place.

  Fury radiated from every pore of his body. Every muscle in his body tensed, his hands

  clenched into fists as he pulled away from her, his eyes blazed pure fire, and his lips

  curved up into a cruel smile. His fangs gleamed a pearly white in the faint light as he

  gave a bark of laughter.

  "Do you have any idea what you have done?" His words fell on her like hot coals.

  There was no mistaking the fact that she had angered him and she didn't think he

  would get over it any time soon.

  Delight felt an icy cloak envelop her from the inside out. She welcomed the

  numbness as it helped block out the pain of his withdrawal from her. Her actions

  seemed to be unforgivable to him and she could stay here no longer.

  Home. She needed to go home where she could be alone and nurse her broken

  heart as well as her brother. Right now, she didn't know how she'd survive it, but she

  would.

  Turning away from Lucian was the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life.

  Throwing back the covers, she edged to the end of the bed and carefully stood.

  "Where in the hell do you think you're going?"

  Delight could no longer feel his anger. In fact, she could feel nothing. It was if she

  no longer inhabited her own body. Not bothering to look back, she began to make her

  way towards the door. It really wasn't that far from the bed, but the way she felt

  physically, mentally and emotionally, it looked as if it was miles away. Each step was

  excruciating as it took her further away from Lucian. Ripping out her own heart would

  hurt less.

  "Delight?" His guttural tone stopped in her tracks, but she didn't turn to face him.

  She just didn't have the strength. It was easier just to let him have his say and then

  leave.

  Swaying on her feet, she waited for him to speak. Time had no meaning and she

  waited with a detached patience.

  "Don't leave me."

  She frowned and felt the first crack in the ice that surrounded her. That couldn't

  happen. She needed it to protect her, but the pain in his voice was more than she could

  bear.

  "I had no choice. You left me none." His voice was angry now, almost accusing.

 

‹ Prev