Still, as reluctant as Sophia was to admit it, the most convincing reason to accept Lucifer’s service was Lucifer himself. Because he and Colin were both right. She needed a strong lieutenant to help her rule the territory, and Lucifer was one of the strongest around. Damn it.
“Is Aden aware of your defection?” she asked Lucifer, unable to stop herself from pricking his feelings.
“There is no defection, my lady,” he said slowly, eyeing her with dislike. “Lord Aden has always recognized the strength of my power, and encouraged its growth. He is sorry to lose me, but he understands my reasons.”
It was impressive, actually, the way he managed to keep his temper, despite all of her prodding and poking.
She drew a deep breath. She knew what had to be done. And, meu Deus, how she hated to admit it, even to herself. But she was a realist.
Dragging it out further wasn’t going to make it any more palatable, so she shoved up the long sleeve of her cashmere sweater, and held out a hand to Colin. He’d been with her long enough to understand what she wanted. He reached down and handed her the short combat knife he kept in his boot.
With her eyes meeting Lucifer’s gaze in clear challenge, she sliced open her vein. It was time for him to make good on his big words.
Lucifer’s pupils flared slightly. He glanced at Eleanor, cupped her cheek on one hand, and leaned over to touch his lips to hers. And then he slid to his knees, and with surprising gentleness took Sophia’s bloody arm in both of his big hands.
“Lucifer Scuderi,” she began, launching the formal words, “do you come to me of your own free will and desire?”
Lucifer’s eyes met hers, and she read a brief reluctance there, before his gaze cleared, and he said, “I do.”
“And is this what you truly desire?”
“It is my truest desire.”
“Then drink, Lucifer, and be mine.”
He held her eyes a moment longer before lowering his lips to her arm and drawing a single mouthful of blood. His head lifted and his throat worked as he swallowed it, and then he released her arm. He sat back on his heels briefly, and then stood and gave her a formal bow from the waist.
“My lady,” he said. “We’ll be leaving for Toronto tomorrow night, but I would like an hour of your time to discuss the territory before our plane departs. If that’s convenient?”
Sophia studied him silently. She hadn’t considered what it would cost him to break his connection to Aden in order to swear loyalty to her. She’d never had to make that choice. Lucifer’s extraordinary telepathic ability apparently included the ability to lock up his own thoughts tight as a drum. But his body language was that of a man trying to conceal some heavy emotion, like grief.
She nodded. “Check with my assistant. I’ll accommodate my schedule to your flight.”
He nodded his thanks, gave Colin one of those male chin lifts that could mean almost anything, and then glanced at Eleanor.
“Go ahead,” she said, reaching out to stroke his arm. “I want a moment with Lady Sophia. I’ll catch up before you leave the house.”
He gave a short, sharp nod, and strode from the room without a word.
Eleanor watched him go, worry written on her deceptively delicate face, before she turned back to Sophia. “He really does love me, you know. He always has.”
Sophia nodded. “I believe that. I can only hope it’s enough to secure his loyalty.”
Eleanor shook her head. “No, my lady. What will secure his loyalty is his oath to you. Lucifer is an honorable man. Whatever else you think of him, never doubt that.”
“He’s a dangerous vampire, Eleanor. And he will want a territory of his own someday.”
She grinned. “You’re right. But when that day comes, he won’t waste time sneaking behind your back. He’ll tell you to your face.”
Sophia laughed. “Oddly enough, I find that reassuring. Be happy, Eleanor.”
“I am. And I’ll see you tomorrow night. Someone has to stop you two from killing each other.”
LUCIFER HEARD ELEANOR’S thoughts before her footsteps tapped up behind him on the hardwood floor. He stopped and waited for her, turning just enough that he could watch her walking toward him, enough that he could see the love for him in her eyes. If he lived another thousand years, he’d never tire of that.
“Sorry,” she said, taking his hand.
“She’s important to you. I understand.”
Eleanor pulled him to a stop. “She is, but no one is more important to me than you. I need you to believe that.”
He cupped her face with his free hand, and kissed her. Soft and gentle, and full of love. A romantic kiss that spoke of devotion and promises that lasted forever. “I love you, Eleanor. Now tell me something . . . is there a decent hotel for vampires in this city? I’m sick to death of sleeping on an airplane.”
She grinned against his mouth, and said, “I think we can work something out.”
“Forever and ever, bella,” he murmured. “Forever and ever.”
Epilogue
Chicago, Illinois, USA—two months later
ADEN WELCOMED EACH of his fellow lords as they arrived in the big conference room, exchanging careful greetings with most of them. They were all allies, but they were still vampire lords, with egos the size of Willis Tower. It was always best to assume the worst, and be polite.
On the other hand, his exchange with Lucas was downright friendly, since the two of them had shut down more than a few bars and whorehouses together in their day. Their “day” being before they both settled down and took mates. Lucas slapped Aden’s shoulder, then walked over to torment Raphael. He was the only one who could get away with that shit.
Sophia was the last to arrive, and it was an effort to keep up that polite thing. He was still pissed about Lucifer leaving him to become her lieutenant, although he understood the younger vampire’s reasons. He’d have done far worse than switching liege lords for his mate. Sidonie had him wrapped about her delicate little finger, and he loved it.
But this meeting was for Council members and their lieutenants only, so Sidonie and all of the other mates were out having fun somewhere, while he was stuck playing the dutiful host.
Lucifer had arrived with Sophia, of course, so he and Aden shook hands, then turned it into a friendly shoulder bump, and that in turn became a test of strength. It was idiotic, but they couldn’t help it. They were vampires, damn it. Competition was in their blood. They both laughed.
“How’s fucking Canada?” Aden asked him.
“Nearly as cold as Chicago,” Lucifer said, grinning. “How the hell this nice Sicilian boy ended up in a place where snow is measured in God damned meters, I don’t know.”
“Maybe because you were never nice,” Bastien chimed in, stepping up and going through the whole shoulder bump ritual himself. “How’s Eleanor?”
“Beautiful and happy, just the way I like her.”
Bastien grinned, then turned to Aden. “Everyone’s arrived, my lord. We can start.”
Aden had his back to the room, so no one but Lucifer and Bastien saw the Lord of the Midwest roll his eyes in disgust.
Lucifer snorted a laugh, and moved on into the room to sit next to Sophia, with Rajmund’s lieutenant, Emelie, on his other side. Two women in the whole damn room, and Lucifer managed to sit next to both of them. He might be settled down with Eleanor, but some things never changed.
Aden walked over and sat at the head of the table, while Bastien closed the conference room door. Once Bastien took his seat, Aden nodded at Raphael, who was sitting at the opposite end. One could argue that Raphael was at the head, and Aden at the opposite end, but it was a fine point, and not worth arguing over. Aden didn’t give a fuck who sat where. This was Raphael’s party. Aden just happened to draw the short straw as host.
“Gentlemen,” Raphael said. “And ladies,” he amended, and then looked around the room, drawing the attention of every lord and lieutenant, before continuing. “Fuck this,” he said sharply. “No more waiting for the next invader from Europe. It’s time for us to take the war to them.”
To be continued …
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About the Author
D. B. Reynolds arrived in sunny Southern California at an early age, having made the trek across the country from the Midwest in a station wagon with her parents, her many siblings and the family dog. And while she has many (okay, some) fond memories of Midwestern farm life, she quickly discovered that L.A. was her kind of town and grew up happily sunning on the beaches of the South Bay.
D. B. holds graduate degrees in international relations and history from UCLA (go Bruins!) and was headed for a career in academia, but in a moment of clarity she left behind the politics of the hallowed halls for the better paying politics of Hollywood, where she worked as a sound editor for several years, receiving two Emmy nominations, an MPSE Golden Reel, and multiple MPSE nominations for her work in television sound.
Book One of her Vampires in America series, RAPHAEL, launched her career as a writer in 2009, while JABRIL, Vampires in America Book Two, was awarded the RT Reviewers Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance (Small Press) in 2010. ADEN, Vampires in America Book Seven, was her first release under the new ImaJinn imprint at BelleBooks, Inc., and won EPIC’s 2015 e-book award for Paranormal Romance.
D. B. currently lives in a flammable canyon near the Malibu coast with her husband of many years, and when she’s not writing her own books, she can usually be found reading someone else’s. You can visit D. B. at her website www.dbreynolds.com for information on her latest books, contests and giveaways.
Lucifer (Vampires in America: The Vampire Wars Book 11) Page 34