Nefri bent her head in agreement. “If there is a need.”
He glanced down at the woman who filled his heart with joy. “You will know where to find me.”
The great vampire gave a soft chuckle as Jocelyn blushed a fiery red. “Indeed, I do. May peace be with you.”
“And love,” Lucien murmured.
“And most certainly love,” Nefri repeated in benediction.
Chapter 14
The dawn had just brushed the sky with a shimmer of pale rose when Lucien silently slipped down the steps from his garret toward the bedchamber directly below his own.
It had been two days since they had fled the castle with Nefri. Two days when both Lucien and Jocelyn had been forced to battle the weariness of both mind and spirit that had haunted them. In near silence they had allowed the fretful Meg to pamper them with warm food and clucking concern. Neither desired to discuss the ghastly nightmare they had endured, instead simply sitting close one to the other and taking comfort in the fact that they were together.
This morning, however, Lucien had awakened with a refreshed sense of purpose. The dull ache had left his body, and his mind was clear and focused.
It was time to grasp the future in his hands.
A future that was entirely wrapped around Jocelyn Kingly.
With flowing steps he slipped toward the closed door and silently pressed it open. A soft glow from the window was banishing the shadows as he crossed the worn floorboards and perched upon the edge of the mattress. For a breathless moment he merely regarded Jocelyn’s soft profile that lay against the pillow.
In sleep the delicate features were relaxed and the long black lashes brushed her cheeks. She appeared young and utterly vulnerable, making his heart skip with tender emotion.
How utterly and deeply he loved this woman. She completed him in a manner that stilled his restless spirit and brought joy to his soul.
Slowly his gaze lowered, halting upon the full rosy lips.
Hot, glorious passion sy fdihiswept through him as he reached out to lightly stroke the sweet softness of that mouth. Surely he had been patient long enough. Was it not, at long last, the time to claim her as his own?
Beneath his touch she stirred, and rolling onto her back, she slowly lifted her lashes to regard him with a bemused gaze.
“Lucien.”
“Good morning, my sweet.”
With an effort she pulled herself to a seated position, unaware that the thin linen of her nightrail revealed a delectable outline of the lush form beneath. Lucien, on the other hand, was delightfully conscious of the lovely view. It was only with a stern effort that he managed to suppress the urge to toss off his brocade robe and join her beneath the covers.
She was a human, he grimly reminded himself, and bound by human morals. Until she was his wife she would not be able to give herself to him freely. She had endured enough shame in her life without him adding to her burden.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, her voice still thick with sleep.
He smiled as he lowered his hand to catch her fingers in a firm grip.
“I desired to discover if you are as beautiful in the morning as I imagined in my dreams,” he lightly teased. “After all, if I am to spend an eternity awakening with you in my arms, I do not wish to be unpleasantly surprised with the knowledge your teeth are false and your mood foul.”
The blue eyes abruptly sparkled at his words. It was a welcome change from the shadows that had lingered over the past few days.
“Indeed? And pray who mentioned anything of you spending the night in my bed?” she demanded.
His thumb stroked over her knuckles. “Is that not where your husband belongs?”
She stilled, her breath suddenly rasping in the quiet air. “Husband?”
Lucien regarded her closely, well aware this was the most important moment in his Immortal life.
“You said that you loved me.”
“Yes.”
“Is it not the custom for humans who care for each other to wed?”
“But . . . you are not human,” she pointed out in weak tones.
Lucien could not prevent his soft chuckle. “Yes, I know. Still, I intend to live as one and I wish to indulge in your rituals.”
There was a long, unnerving silence, and Lucien briefly feared that Jocelyn might have reconsidered over the past two days. It could not be easy to accept that he was not a mortal as she. That he was, indeed, a monster from ancient myth.
His fears were not appeased when her beautiful eyes abruptly filled with tears.
“Oh.”
His heart faltered as he leaned toward her with an anxious expression.
“What is it, Jocelyn?”
“I . . . After the scandal I presumed that I would never wed. After all, what gentleman would ever forgive my ruined reputation?” she at last said in choked tones. “Eventually I convinced myself that I no longer cared. What did I need with an overbearing husband? Or even children who could never take their place in society? I told myself that I was better off on my own.”
He gazed deep into her shimmering eyes. “And now? Do you wish to be my wife?”
“Oh, Lucien.” She reached up to cup his face in her hands. “With all my heart.”
He sucked in a ragged breath, relief surging through him with the heady potency of a fine brandy.
“Then it is settled.”
“Yes,” she murmured softly.
With exquisite care Lucien lowered his head to gently brush her lips. It was a kiss to seal their fate. A pledge of their future together. Lightly he tasted of her sweetness before reluctantly pulling back to absently toy with a dark curl that lay against her cheek.
“My wife,” he murmured softly.
Appearing flushed and utterly desirable, she regarded him with a quizzical smile.
“Lucien.”
“Yes, my dear?”
“You said that you wished to indulge in my rituals. Do vampires not wed?”
Lucien paused. There was nothing more he desired than to truly bond with this woman. To share the Immortal Kiss so that they were one. But Jocelyn was mortal. She could not possibly comprehend the sheer intimacy that would come of the sharing of blood.
“It is rather a different sort of ceremony,” he offered in vague tones.
Predictably her curiosity was instantly aroused. “What do you mean?”
He gave a slow shake of his head. “I am uncertain that you are prepared, my sweet.”
“Why?”
Clearly she would not be satisfied until he had revealed all, Lucien acknowledged wryly. Thankfully he loved her as much for her stubborn spirit as for her kind heart.
“Because our bonding is not of pretty words and pledges but of our very souls,” he explained in low tones. “We become one with each other, sharing our hearts and emotions and even our thoughts. It can be far too intimate for mortals.”
She considered his words for a moment, and then astonishingly raised her hands to touch the amulet that glowed about her neck.
“But I am not just another mortal. I have the Medallion.”
Lucien briefly considered the powerful artifact. It was true that the Medallion was subtly changing the maiden. And Nefri had implied that her future would not be that of a mere human. Perhaps it would be possible.
“Yes,” he murmured.
She gazed deep into his eyes. “I want to be one with you, Lucien.”
“There is no turning back,” he warned.
“Good.” She reached out to touch his cheek. “Tell me how.”
“We must drink of each other’s blood.”
Despite her best intentions, Jocelyn could not entirely disguise her brief flare of shock.
“I see.”
Lucien smiled, covering her hand with his own. “Jocelyn, we will know when the time is proper. For now we have a wedding to plan.”
A hint of relief lightened her beautiful features. “Yes.”
“And swif
tly.” He deliberately allowed his gaze to lower toward the thin fabric of her gown. That ready heat flowed swiftly through his veins. Two centuries of suppressed passion were not easily ignored. “I grow weary of that cramped bed in the garret.”
A faint color stained her cheeks, but her own eyes darkened with a smoldering need. The air in the bedchamber was suddenly thick with awareness.
“So you are wedding me for a more comfortable bed?” she atbeda smoldertempted to tease.
“And what is in it,” he growled softly.
She shivered. “Lucien.”
He could take her. All he need do was pull her into his arms and she would readily give him all the pleasure his body ached to receive. One kiss, one touch, and she would forget all but the desire that blazed between them.
But even as the realization flared through his mind, his heart could feel the lingering hint of disquiet deep within her.
She had been branded a scarlet woman despite her innocence. And while she would never admit it, the scars still lingered. To give herself without the blessing of marriage would make her question the strength of her honor.
Swallowing a groan, Lucien was again struggling to restrain his unruly passions. Great Nefri, give me strength, he silently pleaded.
“But first there is something we must do,” he said in ragged tones.
She blinked, as if startled to discover she was not being thoroughly ravaged. And he hoped a trifle disappointed.
“Oh. And what is that?”
Lucien drew in a deep breath, knowing that he was about to destroy the magic of this moment. Unfortunate, of course. But after devoting hours to thinking of joining his life with this woman, he had realized that she was not yet prepared to put her past completely behind her.
He wanted her unburdened and able to concentrate upon their future together. A future with no barriers.
“We must speak with your parents.”
Her eyes widened as she abruptly sank back into the pillows. It was obvious that she was not overly delighted with the thought of confronting the mother and father who had turned their back upon her. Lucien did not blame her for her pained reluctance, but he could not waver. He did this for Jocelyn.
“My parents? Why?”
“My sweet, you cannot make peace with your future while you still harbor anger in your past,” he said softly. “It will haunt you until it has been resolved.”
Her lips flared at the truth she could not deny. “You desire me to beg for their forgiveness?”
“Certainly not. But neither do I desire you to continue hiding from those who shamed you.”
His heart faltered as her face became pale, and the eyes darkened with distress at his stern words.
“That is absurd.”
“Jocelyn.” His hand lifted, only to fall as she flinched from his touch. “It is one thing to willingly turn your back upon society, and even your parents. It is quite another to be forced away.”
“I have told you that it no longer matters.”
“It matters to you,” he said huskily. “You must confront them bravely and with your head lifted high. You must prove to yourself that you no longer fear them.”
She unconsciously wet her dry lips as she reluctantly considered his persuasive argument.
“Lucien . . .”
“Trust me in this, my dear,” he pleaded softly. “I shall be at your side.”
Their gazes tangled as she battled the inner dread of confronting those who had harmed her. Silently Lucien allowed her stormy emotions to wash through him and offered her back the strength of his unwavering love.
At last she heaved a small sigh. “Very well.”
>>span>
The tall, elegant town house built in the Palladian style was the largest and the most beautiful in the square.
It would have to be, Jocelyn wryly conceded, as she studied the Portland stone building standing proudly behind the wrought iron railing.
The Kinglys demanded the best in everything. From their outlandishly expensive French chef to Mrs. Kingly’s ivory and gold carriage to the imported Chinese roses that graced the conservatory, they would accept nothing that was not envied by others in society.
Especially their daughter.
Jocelyn had often wondered if it was her father’s lack of an aristocratic title that made them so compulsive in their need to appear superior among the ton. They often complained bitterly enough at being seated too far down the table at a dinner and forced to mix with encroaching mushrooms. And more than once her mother had refused to attend a society function when she suspected that her sister, who had married an earl, would be invited.
Their overweening pride was all-important, and nothing was allowed to tarnish the Kingly name.
Whatever the cause, Jocelyn knew they would not readily welcome home their scandal-tainted daughter. And only the steady warmth of the gentleman at her side kept her from bolting down the quiet Mayfair street.
“I am here,” he whispered softly as the door to the house was opened, and a starched butler regarded her with barely concealed amazement.
Drawing in a deep breath, she forced herself to climb the stairs to enter the marble foyer.
She had lived among the most desperate thieves and murderers in all of London. She had walked paths at night that the Watch would not dare tread. She had been stalked by a crazed vampire and managed to kill him.
Surely to goodness she could face her parents.
Unconsciously squaring her shoulders, she turned to face the servant she had known since she was a child.
“Good afternoon, Scowly. I trust you are well?”
Although harshly trained by Mrs. Kingly, the butler allowed a faint smile to curve his lips. He had always been fond of Jocelyn when she was young and had often slipped her treats that were forbidden by her parents.
“Quite well. It is good to see you again, Miss Kingly.”
“Thank you.” She glanced toward the ponderous staircase that boasted a finely carved balustrade. “Are my parents at home?”
The silver-haired butler gave a slight nod. “Yes, they are in the front salon.”
The rather cowardly hope that her parents were dashing about London with their usual need to see and be seen was abruptly crushed. Thankfully, however, her smile never faltered as she felt Lucien place his hand on the small of her back.
She would not be facing her parents alone.
This wonderful, glorious man was at her side.
For an eternity.
“I will show myself in, Scowly,” she managed to say in firm tones.
“I . . .” A gleam of approval entered the old servant’s gaze. “Very good.”
With her head held as high as Lucien had commanded, Jocelyn swept her way up the stairs, rather absurdly relieved that she had allowed her fiancé to convince her to purchase a new gown in a lovely shade of pale blue. It would be difficulld up t enough to confront her parents without concerning herself that she appeared a ragamuffin.
Reaching the open landing that offered a stunning view of the foyer below and the landing above, Jocelyn turned to enter the front salon.
As was her mother’s custom, the long, narrow chamber was entirely decorated in ivory. Along the walls were numerous niches that supported large Greek statues that regarded visitors with frozen disapproval. And from above, a painting of Zeus floated arrogantly in clouds. Even the furnishings were in an ivory satin with a collection of rare Greek urns upon the various tables.
It was a lovely, elegant room but cold and utterly impersonal.
Much like her own parents, she acknowledged wryly.
Stepping forward, she nearly faltered as the tall handsome gentleman with silver hair and piercing, blue eyes rose to his feet. At his side a dark-haired woman still beautiful in an aloof fashion also rose.
There was no missing their matching expressions of shocked disdain as they realized that their daughter had dared to defy their stern command never to return.
&nb
sp; Then once again Lucien reached out to touch her softly, filling her with the warmth of his love.
“Good afternoon, Father. Mother.”
There was a sharp silence before Mr. Kingly stepped forward. “Jocelyn,” he rasped. “What are you doing here?”
She smiled wryly. It was obvious that the years had not softened her father’s icy anger.
“Do not fear, this is only a passing visit. I wished you to know that I am soon to wed Mr. Valin.”
“Wed?” her mother demanded in shrill shock. Together the older couple turned their attention to the tall, handsome gentleman standing at Jocelyn’s side. In silence they considered the expensive cut of his bottle-green coat and luster of his Hessians. There could be no doubt that he was a gentleman of both means and consequence. It was in the set of his broad shoulders and upon the proud countenance. Then her father’s eyes abruptly widened in amazement. “Mr. Valin? But . . . I know you. You are a cousin to Mr. Ravel.”
Lucien offered a faint bow of his golden head. “Yes.”
“Well. Well, I say. What a remarkable thing.” Pondering the astonishing fact that a gentleman of Mr. Valin’s standing would consider marrying the tainted daughter whom he had evicted from his home, Mr. Kingly glanced toward his wife. “Did you hear, Mrs. Kingly? Our daughter is to wed Mr. Valin.”
The cold expression faded as Mrs. Kingly swiftly considered the meaning of such a marriage. Clearly deciding that her lofty place in society could only be enhanced by such a fortunate connection, she determinedly forced a smile to her lips as she turned toward Jocelyn.
“Why, you sly minx, what an extraordinary thing,” she twittered in playful tones. “However did you manage to capture such an eligible bachelor?”
Jocelyn smiled wryly, reaching out to allow Lucien to engulf her cold fingers in his own.
“Luck, I suppose.”
“No,” Lucien denied, lifting her hand to boldly brush her fingers with his lips. “The luck was all mine. Your daughter is quite simply the most amazing woman it has ever been my privilege to know.”
Mrs. Kingly widened her eyes at the open display of affection. An affection that was quite foreign to her cold heart.
“Ah . . . yes,” she muttered.
My Lord Eternity (Immortal Rogues) Page 18