by Brianna West
A phone began to ring in the other room.
My head jerked towards the sound. “Victor?”
Gustave suddenly lost all his gusto. Adan stood then, taking only a few large steps to close the distance between us. “Lucas has been calling all night,” he stated grimly.
“Lucas,” I whispered his name with feeling.
“Adan,” Cecile warned.
He ignored her and continued, “He has demanded that Victor leave you in his hands once more.”
Adan's eyes expressed the extent of his loyalty to Lucas; he obviously thought the world of him, though I was sure the man himself would never say so.
Looks like Spanish also had a little thing for Lucas.
“All night? That's some kind of stubborn.” But despite that, my stomach had begun to flutter.
Lucas was notorious for being a hound dog when it came to what he wanted. It actually made me a little flattered to know that he had yielded to me quite a few times in the past.
“He fears for you,” Spanish proclaimed righteously.
Definitely a Lucas crush.
My stomach fluttered again, but I ignored it.
I had left for a reason; at least I initially thought so. But it was becoming nearly impossible not to demand they take me back to Lucas.
I missed his smell and the way his body felt near mine. I missed his impossibly fathomless eyes and the way they watched me, tempted me. Surprisingly, I even missed the way he argued with me on any and every point, as if the man was incapable of settling matters without his unrivaled superiority complex. I missed his mothering. Not that Victor wasn't doing a good enough job, but Lucas had a way of mothering that gave me my best fighting spirit.
Victor strolled into the room, his body language oddly reminding me of a cat leisurely scoping out the room it entered. His eyes captured my own before he was saying, “Lucas will be –”
His voice was immediately interrupted by the door to the house jolting open with the sound of metal hitting the tile and wood splintering.
His body entered the frame of it, as imposing as I had remembered. Stalking forward, Lucas pulled me bodily into him, encircling his arms around me, and breathing me in deeply. “Izzy.”
I guess even Victor couldn't hold out long when it came to that infamous Lucas obstinance.
My eyes shuttered closed despite the unease I felt knowing that this could only lead us down another path of destruction.
So instead, I focused on the way he smelled—mint mixed with his natural musk. It was incredible to finally breathe him in. I missed it so dearly.
The arms around me held me so securely that nothing could possibly break the hold. I wasn't going to try. I returned the embrace, reaching as much around him as I could with my less than eclipsing arms.
He was so damn wide! Was he part bear or something?
Lucas pressed a kiss to the top of my head before releasing me.
I was suddenly struck with the urge to cling to him. I didn't want him to leave me. This had all been my doing, but I was afraid, unbelievably terrified that if I let him go, Lucas would disappear.
“Lucas,” Victor greeted cheerily. “You look well.”
The resulting growl was carnal, resonating within the room. Coupled with heaviness of his intimidating appearance, it created a permeating feeling of darkness.
“You should have let me come sooner. She,” he emphasized with a pointed stare towards me, “does not look well at all. You assured me that this was her decision and what was best.” He was growling each word, emphasizing every syllable with an increasing rage. “She looks sickly, Victor. Her eyes are sullen, and her complexion is unhealthy.”
Well, when you put it that way, I sounded godawful.
I got my glare back as I sent it towards Lucas. He didn't bother to look at me, however. He was focused solely on Victor and the other three. His eyes and body, tense and rigid like an animal posed for an attack, expressed his disgust and increasing fury.
I needed to do something and quickly.
Looks like I was going to add beast tamer to my ever-growing resume.
I wedged myself into the space separating them, which was quickly closing thanks to Lucas’ large steps.
I eyed him carefully before saying, “I did choose this. I just...I wasn't prepared for how I would deal with it. They've done nothing wrong.”
Lucas' eyes faltered, and then he stopped entirely, gazing at me in a way that had my breath catching and heart fluttering madly. He looked so gentle.
His hand came to my face, softly tracing the line of my cheekbone before falling away. I closed my eyes to the emotion welling up in my chest. The touch was fleeting, but it expressed the magnitude of Lucas' feelings. This week had been just as hard on him.
“Return with me,” his voice demand, though the undertone was beseeching.
“Izzy,” I heard Victor say. “This is your decision.”
Only the hard ones ever were.
Sighing, I gazed up into those sapphire eyes I adored so much. This week had been hell. Within only minutes of Lucas' presence, the void inside of me was filling.
I bit my lower lip, battling the contradicting emotions inside me. I wanted to protect him as much as he wanted to protect me. I knew that our being together would more than likely end in tragedy, but I wanted to be with him. I wanted to be with him so badly that it had nearly killed me not to be.
“Okay,” I finally conceded.
–
Hesitantly, I reentered the house I had been first exposed to and gave it a look about. I was startled at what I found. The usually impeccably kept house was nearly destroyed. Newspapers, books, and other reading materials scattered across every surface. There was a staleness about the air that insinuated that none of the windows had been opened the entire time I had been gone.
Now that I thought about it, Lucas was unusually unkempt when he first arrived at the house in New York City. His hair had been a tangled mess, his beard a peculiar sight for me as it was grown over the week, which was unlike Lucas who was always preened to perfection and perfectly shaven. His face was sullen as well, a shadowed hollowness that suggest he had probably refused to eat again.
Stubborn bastard.
I bee-lined for the kitchen, grabbing a blood bag and thrusting it towards Lucas. “Eat,” I ordered before starting to clean the thrashed household.
My greatest fear had come to life: I was becoming domesticated. Scowling, I bitterly ignored the sudden comprehension for why women wore aprons in all those Japanese and Korean films I watched.
However, I was determined not to have another situation that had first led to my leaving. Since I had made the decision to come back, I was determined to not have any reason to regret it.
To my surprise, Lucas had drank down several bags before coming into the living room and immediately helping me with the precariously piled case folders.
He had been researching all of the reports from recent and previous years that had any connection to Tristan. I read through one briefly, finding the material tedious, and immediately discarded it back into the pile.
Holy hell.
How he read so many when it just droned on about every miniscule detail was a serious marvel to me. I would no doubt find myself dead asleep, drooling onto the damn thing after only twenty minutes.
I had the sudden urge to spruce up the details and recovered the case file I had previously discarded. “Groodin Veesle immediately fled southbound before discarding his scarf,” I read aloud.
Hm, so people actually wore scarves—and recently? That very find was pure gold; it immediately caused me to giggle.
“Groodin Veesle,” I started as I piled up another few case files, “fled, his legs kicking his ass the entire way, heading south until he decided to lighten his load and discarded his unbelievably ugly scarf in hopes of gaining even a scant second of speed.”
I should just rewrite the whole damn thing. These guys had no sense of humor.
“You afraid? That's an even scarier thought,” I joked as I lugged the large pile and took it over to the empty box it had come from.
Lucas took the pile with ease, despite my warning glare, and folded the files neatly into the box. “Hardly.”
We were smiling and laughing together for the next few minutes before we finished our task. It was as if nothing had happened, as if we hadn't spent an entire week away from each other, as if we weren't edging towards disaster with every step we took.
“That should be the last of it,” I breathed, leaning back onto my hands and kicking out my legs.
The position was hardly ladylike, but I could care less since I had just done menial labor and was tired as hell.
I had no idea how heavy files could get; books made sense but files? It was baffling.
“How the hell did it get so thrashed in here?” I demanded with a pointed gaze towards Lucas.
The guy was over seven hundred years old and also part vampire, cleaning up was hardly difficult.
Lucas stood up, his eyes never straying from my own, and appeared every bit as tall as he was. My neck angled backwards to accommodate the new height of him.
Was he always this imposing?
The subtle hum of desire flowed through me, and I had to hold back the urge to crawl towards him and up his body. I was crap at seduction, so I'm sure it would look ridiculous even if I did.
“Why did you leave?” he questioned finally.
I was suddenly very uncomfortable. My eyes skittered away, concentrating on the wall at the side of me. It was so very interesting. I mean, whoever decorated this place certainly knew their stuff.
“Izzy,” he demanded in a low, powerful timber.
My shoulders stiffened when I registered the warning; the warning that I wasn't going to redirect this one with my inappropriate humor. He needed an answer and would wait, if need be, to get it.
Dammit.
Why did I have to fall in love with the incredibly stubborn one?
Sighing, shoulders going lax and eyes finding their way back to Lucas, I finally admitted, “It was for the best.”
“How was it for the best, Izzy? Explain it so that I might understand,” he questioned forcefully.
Dear lord, this man was incredibly intimidating when angry. It reminded me of the first time he questioned me—and gave me my first real head bashing.
Ah, memories.
I licked my lips and swallowed my anxiety. “You got hurt. You got hurt because you were desperate to protect me. Then, that injury led to you becoming something that you hate. You fed from me, and I knew if I stayed, I was going to only make you continue to become someone that wasn't you...” I fought the trembling in my voice as my emotions started to get the better of me. “I don't want to be the reason that you become someone you hate, Lucas. You deserve...”—better. Better than me. I trailed off and didn't voice the remaining words verbally.
“Izzy,” he called as he knelt down and pulled me into his strong embrace. “You have changed me. You have forced me to reject my previous misconceived notions of love. I could not possibly dislike the person you have molded me into being because it is better. So much better. You have given me reason to anticipate the future; you have made me anxious for what the next day will bring. I want you. Only you.” His face was now inches from mine, seeking out the answer in my eyes, and I was sure to be giving it as the tears trailed shamelessly down my face. “Stay with me. Let me protect you.”
Ah, hell.
I pressed my lips firmly into his, deciding that words weren't enough of an answer. I put every ounce of emotion I held for Lucas into the kiss and hoped that we could achieve our happy ending. If not, I was going to die trying.
–
Hot make-up sex was unfortunately not part of our particular relationship it would seem.
Lucas had departed to the kitchen after that to continue his research. He mentioned that he was chasing a lead that might give way to some evidence.
Well, that was great and all, but my thoughts were elsewhere and wishing for a bit more skin. I guess I shouldn't be surprised though. I doubt that Lucas would want our first time together to be hot, angry, ridiculously awesome make up sex.
My expectations were a little less complicated though. I couldn't care less how it happened as long as it did. I needed me some lovin' of the hunk variety. My hands itched to touch well-sculpted muscles and sun-kissed flesh.
I pressed myself back into the couch, counting the seconds to calm my pounding heart and quickened pulse.
After seven hundred years of repressed sexuality, I wondered if Lucas was uninterested in sex. I would be absolutely crestfallen, but it would explain a lot. Did he no longer crave sex?
I, on the other hand, could hardly get my mind out of the gutter long enough to function. It was seriously becoming a problem.
I needed to focus on finding evidence so that we could—literally—save Pavel's ass and lock up the real culprit. But the real culprit was elusive enough to disguise himself amongst friends, so it was really no surprise that it was easier said than done.
My thoughts wandered back to Pavel. I wondered how he was doing.
Was he eating? Did he strut around the compound like some sort of Russian god and wave his ass at all the Dark prisoners, tempting them to come at him and then immediately subdue them into blubbering idiots when they tried? That caused me to chuckle.
Dammit, I missed the bastard.
Everything about it didn't feel right. Pavel's intentions towards me felt so genuine. How was he able to betray us with good intentions?
I dialed Victor, ignoring that I could probably call out to him in my mind and have a conversation that way. I felt like a crazy person when I talked to him in my head; well, crazier than someone who can manipulate the world around them with just a bit of focus.
He answered on the first ring. “Hello, Izzy.”
“I want to speak with Pavel.”
Victor sighed, “I know. Have you spoken with Lucas?”
I scoffed. Victor knew the answer. I answered him anyway. “No.”
“Speak with Lucas,” Victor responded smoothly, “and if he gives his consent, I will allow you to speak with Pavel.”
Damn.
“Yeah, okay.” My eyes trailed over to the kitchen doorway.
Double damn.
Lucas was sitting at the table, his eyes focused on his laptop as he pounded on the keyboard relentlessly. How that keyboard held up to his brutish care, I would never know. I readied myself a cup of coffee, rehearsing what I would say to him, and then came to sit beside Lucas.
“Hey,” I started. His eyes stayed on the screen as he continued his brutish typing. He grunted, obviously caught up in whatever he was doing. I tried again, “So, I spoke with Victor. I think it might be best to speak with Pavel face to face and hear the story for myself.” Lucas' fingers ceased instantly on the keyboard. He jerked towards me with a question in his eyes. “I don't think he could hide his intentions the way Tristan can. If there is any ill-intention towards me, I will be able to feel it with the slightest touch.”
Lucas' jaw tighten.
No!
I scrambled. “I mean you would be with me...and I doubt he could do anything now that he's being watched by the council.”
“Yes, the council would be watching,” Lucas agreed angrily. “The very person whom we suspect would be watching and wondering our reason for seeking out Pavel for answers. Do you not think that he would find our questioning intriguing considering that the council deliberated that he was the only one involved? Do you not think it would seem unusual that we show up to question him further?”
Damn Lucas and his logical brain.
I nodded but continued, “Of course. However, I would intend to come off as a jilted woman, betrayed by a man that she thought was her friend, and discover
his intentions through my own diversion.”
That sounded smart enough. I folded my arms with a smug expression.
“I have my doubts that you could actually enact such a strategy,” Lucas admitted gravely.
Bastard.
I happened to think I portrayed an especially convincing jilted woman. Hell, I only had to pull from all those infuriatingly times that Lucas had gave the expression that he was giving me currently.
“I could do it,” I said confidently.
You would be my muse, you insufferably arrogant jerk.
“You do realize, Izzy, that you would have to convince Pavel foremost in order to convince whomever he had reported to,” Lucas pointed out simply.
Oh god.
I would have to make Pavel believe that I really hated him for what he had done. I was suddenly not so sure I could pull that off. I wanted answers, but not at the expense of Pavel's feelings.
Lucas seemed to pick up on my hesitation as I sat with my eyes to the table, deliberating on how I could possibly hurt someone I cared about.
“He would figure it out,” Lucas added, “if he were smart, and he is, you could lead him with your questions to that understanding.”
So...
“You're going to let me?” I asked, hopeful.
I'm pretty sure if I had a tail, it would be wagging.
“On the condition that you follow my instructions explicitly,” Lucas finally responded after he leaned back and sighed, obviously put out by my persistence. Score! “You are not to leave my side, Izzy. I am not entirely confident who may be the real culprit in all of this, despite our theories, so no one is to be trusted.”
“You mean...” I trailed in confusion.
“No one.” His arms folded in front of him. “Not even those we held in the highest confidence.”
There was a spark in his eyes that had made my thoughts scatter out and my mouth go dry.
No one. I watched him silently. Meaning any of the Guardians, meaning the very people he had entrusted to cover his back in a battle. He couldn't even trust them?