by Danica Avet
Kali’s security system would’ve registered their presence the moment they hit town and noted their allegiance, race, and background. Since they were in her garage, she was allowing them entrance, which meant they were very welcome guests. Reaching the back door of her shop, they knocked once and entered.
The room was packed with Veilerians. As suspected, Mortimer was there looking as suave as usual, his pale face a masculine version of Pagan’s. His black hair brushed back from a widow’s peak, and he was wearing some designer suit that apparently fit him well, if Marie’s reaction was anything to go by.
Savio, the hottest designer in the Veil, fluttered around the table piling food on his plate, proving that though fairies were more fragile than other Veilerians, they will eat you out of house and home. Savio was chatting with Ethan Mir, a vampire-weretiger Halfling, and Akorn and Weth, twin third level demons in supermodel persona and wearing Savio’s creations.
Stella and Henri Beauchamp, warmages who owned The Hourglass, were chatting with Father Ignacio, the resident angel. Persephone Foxgrove strode across the room towards him with a predatory smile, her succubus pheromones reaching out like a calling card.
“Lucian, cher,” she purred and kissed his cheek. “Have you heard the latest news?” she asked, her scarlet lips curving into a secret smile as she assessed Jackson from beneath her thick eyelashes.
Normally, no man, mortal or immortal, could ignore Persephone, but Lucian was at first distracted by the scent of jasmine in the air and then he spotted the Chieftain. Not only had he seen her, but she looked different and she was talking with another man. Namely Mortimer Fairchild.
He growled and Persephone blinked slowly. “Oh, my.” She looked between Lucian and the Chieftain. “Well,” she linked arms with Marie and Jackson. “Let’s get something to eat, my dears. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long evening.”
Chapter Nine
Lucian stalked over to Mortimer and the woman, who weren’t even paying any attention to him. She’d looked wonderful in jeans and a tank top. She looked stunning in a dress. They’d done something to her hair. It was shorter and smoother. It was also redder. He liked it because it showed off her long neck. A neck that displayed her tattoos and, in particular, one little circlet of wreath beckoning his mouth to taste her jugular.
Lucian’s incisors elongated and his mouth watered. The dress she wore was nice, though he didn’t like her wearing it in public. The ivory color only made her skin look silkier, and the material barely clung to her curves. It had two little straps holding it up and a deep V in the front that Mortimer was trying to look down. Her hands were encased in a pair of sexy scarlet silk fingerless gloves, probably to keep her from accidentally setting off her abilities.
She was also wearing a pair of heels that made her already long legs look like they went up to her neck. Her toes had been painted dark pink, which matched her lips and made him think of other things that might match and got him on a whole other track of thinking. But what flooded his body with desire was the lotus flower tattooed on her right shoulder.
Someone snapped their fingers in his face, and Lucian blinked, realizing Mortimer had been talking to him. “Are you okay?” his former friend asked him with a look of concern.
Lucian glared at Mortimer, someone he used to consider a friend. “As if you care,” he snarled and snagged the woman’s wrist, unable to resist getting her alone.
He was behaving like a barbarian, but he couldn’t help it. Across the room, he could see Jackson ogling the Chieftain and that pissed him off royally as well. She was displaying herself for every man to stare at, and he didn’t even know her name.
“Stop right now, you ass,” she hissed with a good solid punch to his stomach that made him catch his breath. “Who in the hell do you think you are?”
“Your name,” he demanded when he caught his breath, dragging her into the garage. He was about to go insane. Since the moment he’d seen her, he’d needed to know her name, needed to feel her against him, needed her to understand she was going to be his.
Stopping on the other side of the door, he shut it, pulling her against him, and purred in instant relief. Just feeling her curves against his body was a balm to his soul. She fit him perfectly, her heels putting her face almost on level with his.
“Your name,” he demanded again, softer this time, breathing in her scent. She attempted to push him away, but vampire strength was still more powerful than a Chieftain’s strength any day. He set his tongue against the curl of the tattoo that had teased him in the other room.
She gasped. “Ruby! My name’s Ruby Fontenot-Blue, Ruby Blue of the Elkfire Line,” she whispered, her eyes falling closed, her neck turned to the side.
Ruby. It suited her, Lucian decided, and set his teeth to her delicate skin, not biting, but teasing. Her body tensed, her nipples hardened and pushed into his chest through the thin material of her dress and his T-shirt. He responded by growling in approval and slipping a large thigh between hers. He wanted her and he wanted her now.
“Lucian,” a voice said from far away. He ignored it. It wasn’t as important as imprinting his scent and touch upon this female. Instinct told him he needed to leave his mark on her now or she’d try to rebuff him later. Even if he couldn’t have her forever, nothing said he couldn’t have her for a little while. “Lucian, you have to let her go. The others are getting restless thinking you’re mauling her,” Kali said as she moved closer.
Ruby stiffened as the sensual haze he’d managed to cocoon her in began to unravel. She wedged her arms between them to give herself some distance. “You’re Lucian Ravenswaay,” she said hoarsely. “You’re the Oculum-se.”
Lucian nodded, his eyes heavy with desire as he studied her face up close. The symbols of her new lineage fit her bone structure as if they’d been tailor-made for her. Her lips were puffy from desire. Her tongue swept out and left a slight sheen on them. He growled.
“You were the one sent to capture me for Council?” she asked him, fear in her eyes.
For a moment, Lucian had no idea what she was talking about and then he remembered. The Councilors had decreed the only way to preserve the existence of the Lineage Chieftain was to lock away the last one. At the time, Lucian had just shrugged and done as he was told. But since this wasn’t so far from the plot he’d had concerning imprisoning Ruby on his estate, Lucian could see now how it had merit. He could keep her safe at his place and enjoy her body as long as he desired.
“I did not vote on that issue, Ruby,” he assured her, his thumb caressing her cheekbone. He was pleased by the approving light in her eyes. “I will insist upon keeping you on my estate instead. For your safety,” he added quickly when she looked upset.
* * * *
Ruby found the power to push Lucian away. She might’ve allowed him a few liberties because he was a sexy bastard, but no one was locking her up whether it was for her safety or not.
“I don’t think so, bubba,” she said with more authority than she felt. She straightened her dress and tried to ignore her hormones, which were urging her to crawl all over him. Those urges were against her nature, which made her trust them even less.
Damn, he was hot. He was wearing a black V-neck Cashmere T-shirt that caressed every inch of his impressive torso, stretching with everything it had to cover him. The black cargos he was wearing did something for his backside that should’ve been illegal. For being dressed down, he still managed to look elegant. His hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and a few strands had fallen to frame either side of his face.
It took all of her considerable will not to fan herself right then and there. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest because the girls were still excited to see him and his eyes were glued on them, which made it very hard to have a serious conversation.
“I’m not going to be locked up anywhere. I have several perfectly safe homes left to me by my predecessor. I’ll stay at one of them,” she said firmly.
; He smiled at her, his eyes soft and kind. He was surely about to piss her off. “Not even Julius stayed at any of his homes because they weren’t secure. You’re much better off on my estate, Ruby,” he said gently, stepping up and touching her hair, then tracing his callused hand over the tattoo on her face. “You will want for nothing with me,” he assured her, his eyelids heavy with sexual need and, oh boy, was her body responding.
If Kali hadn’t been watching, Ruby was afraid she might’ve lost her spine and caved in. Warmth pulsed from the mark on her shoulder. She had to choose wisely, she reminded herself. The weight of more than just her love life sat on her shoulders.
“No,” Ruby said firmly, turning her face away from his hand.
She saw the flare of anger in his green eyes. Oh, boy. She’d seen this guy in action, and he was a complete beast. In her heart, she knew he wouldn’t hurt her, but she also didn’t think he would let her just leave either.
In the last hours she’d spend with Kali and Savio, Ruby had learned a lot about this world. She’d learned that vampires have almost as much pride as the angels do. She’d learned that the nymphs were jealous of the succubi because they could have more sexual partners. Demons from the lower ranks were childlike in their thought processes and could be easily swayed by either side, so they were rarely let out without a guardian. But there were still so many things for her to learn, and she didn’t want to get bogged down with rules her first week in.
Kali had warned her that was something she most likely wouldn’t be able to avoid. “They’re going to want to watch you like a hawk. You’re the last of your kind until you can begin to apprentice more Chieftains. That takes centuries, Ruby.”
“I’m sure we can come up with a compromise,” Ruby had said confidently as she’d had her hair cut and colored.
Kali had looked skeptical but hadn’t said anything else. Ruby was beginning to realize maybe she shouldn’t have been so arrogant to think she could come in and change hundreds, maybe even thousands, of years of tradition overnight.
Ruby watched Lucian’s face and saw he was plotting something, but he stepped away from her. Strangely enough, she felt the immediate loss of his warmth. Pull yourself together, woman, she told herself sternly.
“As you wish,” he said curtly, bowing to her as she walked back to the shop.
He kept pace with her and she knew he watched her. The sensation made her stomach clench and the hair on the back of her neck stand straight up. When they entered the room again, the two people Lucian had arrived with looked entirely too interested in them.
One was the blonde woman whom she’d followed to the hotel and the other was a man Ruby had never seen before. He was handsome in a craggy way with his fair hair and dark eyes. He winked at her, which caused Lucian to growl for some reason.
Really, he was one of the most unfriendly men she’d ever met. Well, unfriendly to everyone but her, she amended. He stuck close to her as she returned to Mortimer’s side.
“Is everything okay?” Mortimer asked her, his gaze flicking to her neck.
Ruby frowned darkly. Had Lucian given her a hickey? She shot him a fierce look, which he countered with a smug expression. She growled at Lucian, which in turn made Mortimer choke on his gin and tonic.
Smiling sweetly at the handsome vampire, she cooed, “Everything is just fine. Now, what was it you were saying about tonight’s charity?” Ruby might’ve even fluttered her eyelashes, but she wasn’t certain. She was feeling a little insane at this point.
Lucian looked sour and gulped down the scotch his friend pressed into his hand while standing guard over her. The succubus, Persephone, came by a few times to talk with him although all he did was snarl at her, which seemed to cause her endless amusement.
“The charity is to benefit the Guardian Elite Widow’s fund,” Mortimer answered her, his charming smile like candy for the soul. Really, these guys were so handsome a girl could lose her head. She only admired him as one would a pretty picture, but if it tweaked Lucian’s nose at the same time, so be it. “The fund was set up by my family when the first Guardian fell in the line of duty, leaving his mate and family with no means to support them. We auction paintings, designer gowns made by our very own Savio, and dates with some of the Veil’s most eligible bachelors and bachelorettes.”
“What is the Guardian Elite?” Ruby asked, intrigued. It sounded like a police force.
All conversation in the room stopped abruptly as everyone stared at her. With the exception of Kali, who knew her origins, everyone had assumed she was one of them.
Akorn, one of the supermodel demons, sidled closer, looking intrigued, scandalized, and confused. “How come you’ve never heard of the Guardian Elite? I mean, like, everyone’s heard of them,” she said in her high, breathy voice.
Weth nodded her agreement, her eyes glued to Ruby as though watching a soap opera.
Ruby nibbled on her bottom lip, ignoring Lucian’s tortured groan. Kali looked impassive, as though she were urging Ruby to make her own decision on how to handle the situation. Stella was watching her carefully, seeming to weigh just how much she should trust her.
Deciding that truth was stranger than fiction, Ruby decided to go with that. “Up until the day I met Julius Blue, I was a hermit,” she said quietly. Everyone went “aah,” as though that explained everything. “A human hermit,” she added.
The silence was so profound Ruby could hear the blood rushing through her arteries and she was certain the vampires were hearing the same thing. She had to hand it to the Veilerians, they played their cards close to their chest. There were no sudden exclamations of shock, no grunts, and no sudden flares of temper, nothing to show that anyone was surprised. If anything, Lucian looked like a kid who’d missed out on Christmas and his friend, Jackson, looked amused.
“Well, this is a refreshing change,” Persephone declared from the other side of the room. She came forward, her allure preceding her. “I knew Julius for—well, I’d rather not say how long I knew him—but, I always thought the Chieftains would have been better off with new traditions.” She stopped in front of Ruby, looking up at her from her even five foot height. “I think you are a wonderful addition to our world, Ruby Blue.”
With that said, Persephone raised two fingers to her mouth and then her forehead in what appeared to be a formal salute. Ruby looked at Kali in confusion. Kali imitated Persephone, so Ruby did the same. Persephone beamed, opening her arms wide.
When Ruby leaned over to hug the succubus, Persephone whispered in her ear, “You must come to my home and meet my daughters. They would love to meet the next Chieftain, especially if she was once human.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ruby whispered back.
“Please! Call me Persephone, or Mama Seph. I always wanted an even six daughters,” she said impishly and brushed the hair out of Ruby’s eyes. “Now, show these people you mean business.”
Her heart warmed by the support, Ruby stood tall and proud. Through Kali, Persephone, and yes, even Julius, she was coming out of her shell and becoming the strong woman she’d always wanted to be.
“This is spectacular,” Mortimer said, his eyes roaming over Ruby. “Would you have dinner with me?” he asked earnestly.
She eyed him warily. “Um.”
He looked abashed. “I have to know what happened during the transference of power.” He stepped forward, eager and far more animated than he was before. There was a light in his eyes that hadn’t been there when they discussed other topics. Having those passionate violet eyes trained on her did strange things to her stomach.
“Tell her the truth, Mortie. You’re a nerd,” Jackson said as he came up next to them. He, too, was looking Ruby over curiously.
Never having been the target of so much male attention at once, Ruby could feel a blush creep up her body starting at her toes. Naturally, all the men studying her so carefully would be vampires and could tell by smell that the blood was traveling up her body. Lucian, Mortimer, and Jackson all wa
tched her with rapt attention and she cursed her tendency to blush.
“Fascinating,”
“Utterly.”
“Mine,” Lucian growled.
“Shut up, Luc,” the men said in unison.
“So, anyway, most mortals who become immortal do so through blood transfusion, spells, or bites. Your case is different, I just know it, and I’d like to discuss it with you,” Mortimer said, his violet eyes almost begging her for the dinner. “I can promise you that I won’t do anything but ask you delicate questions and maybe, if you were comfortable with it, take a blood sample.“
Lucian clubbed him on the back of the head with his fist. “She’s not going to dinner with you or giving you a blood sample. She’s not going to a pleasure house with Persephone, and she isn’t going to be moving into Julius’ houses. She’s going with me!” Lucian roared at the top of his lungs, his eyes bleeding to red, and his fangs elongating.
“Holy shit, he’s going native,” Father Ignacio whispered to Henri and Stella, who both nodded.
Ruby planted her hands on her hips. It was about time this vampire realized she wasn’t scared of him and she sure as hell didn’t belong to him. “Look here, Lucian. You’re cute.” He smiled. “But you’re not going to tell me where I can go, what I can do, and whom I can do it with.” He stopped smiling and glared. “I might be new at this whole Chieftain thing, but I am not an idiot. I know I need to be careful, and I promise I will be.” He grunted. “Next, this whole thing about me belonging to you? What friggin’ cave did you crawl out of? Kali assured me all the prehistoric vampires are dead already, and here you are proving her wrong.” His eyes were getting redder by the moment, and she would’ve been scared if she hadn’t been so furious.