Corinne launched herself at Lucian, propelling them both into the wall. The force of the impact caused one of the shelves to topple over. Lucian shoved Corinne back with as much force as she went flying into the couch. For a minute Olivia thought Corinne would go through the couch, but the couch toppled over as Corinne whacked her head on the floor. She instantly rose, bearing her sharp fangs at Lucian. She was about to attack Lucian again when Olivia grabbed her arms, hoping to immobilize her enraged friend. Corinne was older than Lucian, which gave her an edge in physical strength, but he could disable her with just a simple thought -- and that unique gift made Lucian lethal.
“Enough!” Olivia shouted. Corinne just stood there staring at Lucian as if she could kill him, but she made no move to do so. Julian and Lorenzo stormed into the room in full attack mode, searching for the cause of the disturbance. Before either of them could inquire further, Olivia asked them to leave and to give them a few moments. Lorenzo was reluctant to go, but after Lucian’s nod of agreement Lorenzo and Julian returned to Kaden’s cell.
Olivia needed to refocus this conversation soon before everything fell apart around her. There was no way to penetrate Lucian’s walls with Corinne there antagonizing him. She needed to talk to Lucian alone. “Cori, please go. I need to finish my conversation with Lucian. This is between him and me.”
“You really want me to leave you alone with that bastard?”
“Yes. I need you to leave me alone with him. Please, Cori.”
Corinne was still steaming. Despite her anger, she freed herself from Olivia’s hold and stormed out of the room, slamming the door with such force that it completely dislodged from the hinges.
Everything seemed to be spiraling out of control so fast. Tensions were dangerously high. Her body ached, mostly from the pain of craving the man standing in this room. Lucian’s gaze was so intense that she did not know if he wanted to strangle her or finish what they started. She hoped for the latter, but suspected the former.
“I’m sorry about Cori. She’s a loyal friend, and very protective of me and the boys.”
“Guilt drives her, not loyalty.”
Olivia was stunned by that comment. “What do you mean, guilt? Corinne has no reason to feel guilty.”
“Maybe, maybe not. She feels it regardless. I could see the guilt in her eyes when she fought so passionately to defend you. But that’s her problem, not mine. She has her cross to bear, but no right to take it out on me. If she attacks me again, then she will pay the consequences just like anyone else who attacks the Council.”
“I’ll keep her calm and under control.”
Lucian’s doubtful expression caused Olivia to unleash a wave of laugher. Lucian joined her as they marveled at the absurdity of her words. “Stop laughing at me, Lucian. I admit Cori is not exactly controllable, but she can be reasoned with if you approach her the right way.” Lucian just laughed even more until both of them had tears in their eyes.
“This has been the craziest day. I was dreading this day,” Lucian confessed. “I knew I would see you again and have all that pain rekindled. I didn’t expect to want you so badly and I certainly didn’t expect to pleasure you. Still coping with the shock of that, I get thrown into a wall by a woman in a miniskirt and heels. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry.”
“Laugh, Lucian. Keep laughing. Crying is just an endless river of tears.”
“Speaking from experience?”
Olivia did not answer. She picked up the couch and set it upright again. She plopped herself on it and reached for Lucian. He sat on the other side of the couch, maintaining a safe distance. His body still yearned for hers, but he wanted to retain some measure of control.
“I can’t focus on the past right now when so much of the future is threatened, Lucian. I beg you to work with us. I can understand why you’re so certain of Kaden’s guilt, but I know you wouldn’t want an innocent man to be condemned for a crime he didn’t commit. Wouldn’t you want to be sure – 100% sure -- before you convicted Kaden? I’m just asking for a little time. Please, Lucian. I may not deserve your mercy or kindness, but this is about a man’s life. You can hate me and Daughton, but don’t punish our son.”
Those pleading eyes staring back at him were too much to resist. Part of him still believed that she seduced him to obedience, but deep down he knew he was as guilty as she of surrendering to their mutual desire. In spite of his anger a moment ago at Corinne, his heart could not help but soften a little for Olivia. Even though his head wanted nothing to do with her, his heart still craved her and so did his body. He still yearned to please her. Still wanted to see that smile on her face that brightened his darkest moods. He feared he would never be able to escape his feelings for Olivia.
“Three days. That’s all I can do. I’ll work with you to uncover as much evidence as possible, but at the end of that time, Kaden will be judged based on whatever evidence we have. If I’m not convinced of his innocence, he will return with me to Sorrento to be judged by the entire Council.”
Three days was not much time, but Olivia knew she was in no position to complain. “Thank you, Lucian.”
“There are conditions, Livy. Kaden must remain imprisoned, and not here. I’m not sure I trust Julian’s prison. I’ll have my men transport him to a private location where he will be kept, unharmed, until the three days expire. If he makes any attempt to flee, he’ll be duly punished. Also, I will lead this investigation. You withhold anything from me and this three-day grace period will come to an abrupt end. There’ll be no second chances.”
Olivia could not help but wonder if he was also referring to their relationship. She knew there was no point dwelling on that. Too much time had passed and too much pain still lingered. They might still be mated, but there was no love in those eyes. Not anymore.
Although his terms were fairly reasonable, getting Kaden to agree would be another challenge. She had yet to start the investigation, yet she was overcome with one obstacle after another. Her body was weakening along with her heart and spirit. She had to stay strong in order to help Kaden, but three days with Lucian might permanently break her.
IV
“Tell me the truth. Who is he, and why does he have such a hold over you?”
Olivia knew that Kaden would never let this go. Once he wrapped his mind around something, he was relentless. This was a conversation she was not ready to have. Neither of her sons knew the truth about Lucian. Telling Kaden would be the hardest. He was already suffocating from years of guilt that he did not deserve to shoulder. All he had ever done was protect his mother from the pain he felt he caused her by being. No matter how hard she tried to convince him otherwise, he always believed that his birth led to her death -- the death of her spirit, her joy, her heart. She hated that he tortured himself with this belief, but she was helpless to change it.
If he knew the truth about Lucian, it would add fuel to the fires of guilt already plaguing him. Yet to lie to him would hurt him more. He would learn the truth regardless of the words she tried to avoid, and he would surmise from her silence that he was responsible for the loss of her mate. Kaden would make the connection on his own. It did not take a genius to recognize the bonds she shared with Lucian. Kaden knew her too well not to detect the changes in her when Lucian was present.
The truth was the only choice. She would have to try to convince him that he was not to blame for the fate that befell her and Lucian. Despite their mating bond, they were not meant to be. Kaden bore no responsibility for what obstacles the fates threw their way, nor was Kaden the reason their love was not strong enough to overcome them.
She paced around his cell trying to find the right words. She could not be weak in this moment. She had to be strong for Kaden. He would not believe her words of reassurance if she wilted like a dying flower.
“Before we talk about this, I need you to know that Lucian has agreed to work with us to investigate the murders, but he wants you to remain under custody guarded by his men. He
assured me you would not be harmed in any way. He’s making the arrangements to have you transported to a place nearby. It’s not very far from here and it’s secure. It’s only for three days.”
Three days? Kaden knew that would not be enough time, and he also did not trust Lucian or his men. He hated that name. Something about that man made his skin crawl. Maybe it was the power he seemed to have over his mother. His father had such power over her as well, but it was different. Lucian was clearly the greater threat. He could hurt her in ways Daughton never could, because she obviously cared for him, or maybe even loved him. He could see it in her eyes. She looked at him the way she never had looked at her father or any other man. Lucian could easily destroy what was left of his mother. Kaden was prepared to do whatever was necessary to save her. He would kill Lucian with his bare hands before he allowed him to hurt Olivia. He could not erase the pain she had endured because of his birth, but he would be damned if he allowed anyone to cause her more.
“Tell me about him,” Kaden growled.
“Did you hear what I said about the transport and the investigation?” Olivia asked. Kaden seemed distracted. She was expecting him to protest Lucian’s plan, but he had no reaction. It was like he hadn’t heard her. He had that menacing look in his eyes that always meant trouble.
“I heard. Now answer my question.”
Clearly, Kaden was not interested in any conversation that did not answer his question about Lucian. Olivia was not expecting him to let the subject go, but she had hoped to delay the inevitable discussion a little longer.
“Lucian is the head of the Council. His father preceded him. He’s one of the most powerful vampires. He’s not much older than I, but he has some special gifts. His eyes could disable you without even touching you.” Olivia thought about those stunning azure eyes of Lucian’s that held the power to destroy, but also the power to give life. Every time he looked at her, she felt more alive than any vampire deserved to feel.
“That’s nice, but that’s not what I want to know.”
“I know. It’s a long story, so I will give you the shortened version, at least for now. We don’t have too much time.” Olivia grabbed a chair and seated herself in front of Kaden’s cell. He reached for a chair and positioned himself in front of her. She took a deep breath and smiled at Kaden, trying to ease her nerves and help him remain calm.
Her relationship with Lucian was beyond complicated, and she did not totally understand how things fell apart so abysmally. All she knew was that she was left with a gnawing feeling of regret that has consumed her ever since the day she let him go.
“You know that I was born a slave. The vampire aristocracy believed strongly in classes. Lucian was among the elite, the wealthiest vamps, while I was the daughter of peasants who had agreed to serve Lucian’s family for the remainder of their lives. Technically, we were like indentured servants rather than true slaves, but it all felt the same.
“Lucian and I grew up together, although I was ordered by my parents to stay away from him. He was the noble son of a nobleman and I was nothing. I tried to avoid him to please my parents. Lucian wouldn’t allow it and I wasn’t strong enough to deny him. There was something that always compelled us together and we were powerless to stop it. Rather than fight it, we gave in to it in secret. We spent as much of our childhood together as possible. We remained together as we grew up and once we became full vampires it was clear that this force that would not allow us to exist apart was our bond. We were mates. I knew in my heart he was my mate when I was a child, but part of me thought that maybe it was just wishful thinking. Mates were so rare for our kind, but I felt like I needed Lucian to breathe. I know it sounds clichéd but I felt empty, voided, dead without him. As soon as he would appear, I was whole.”
Mates. Kaden was aware of the concept, but he did not believe in it. Well, he believed, but feared it. He hated the idea of belonging so completely to one another. He was glad mates were a rarity among vampires. He hoped there was no mate for him.
From what little knowledge he had about mates, he knew that the bond grew stronger the longer they were together and that separation was painful. If Olivia and Lucian were mates, then how could she have ended up with Daughton Gaspard?
“If you guys are mates, then how could you have managed all these years apart? I thought you had to be together. How could you have married that bastard if you belonged to another?”
“It’s complicated. I know that’s not a great answer, but it’s the truth. The reality is that we can exist apart, but for me it was a constant state of misery in the beginning, and then I felt nothing. A constant numbness engulfed my essence. It was truly a living death. My heart, mind, and soul belonged to Lucian, but my body was not my own to give to him. I was forced to marry Daughton and abandon the bond I shared with Lucian. Doing so caused us both considerable pain. That’s why he hates me, and I can’t blame him. I hate myself even more, but it doesn’t matter now. The past can’t be undone and I have to accept and live with the choices I made.”
“You still share a bond with him?”
“Yes. It has weakened, and never became as strong as it should have because we did not complete the mating ritual. We shared the words, but not our blood nor our bodies after the ritual to complete the bond. We didn’t fully become one, so we’re two incomplete halves.”
“Why? Why didn’t you complete the bond?”
“We weren’t allowed to. We were forced apart and we remained apart. Eventually I ended up with Daughton.”
“This doesn’t make sense. You’re leaving out a lot of details. Are you trying to protect me? Of course you are, as always. You don’t want me to know that it’s because of me that you had to stay with Daughton. He forced himself on you, forced me in you, and forced Lucian out of your life forever. He raped and impregnated you right away to keep you with him. Once you conceived me, you were stuck in hell with him. You lost everything for me, didn’t you?” Smoke was clouding the cell as Kaden tightly grasped the cell bars. He was a powder keg of emotion waiting to explode from the realization of all that he had stolen from his mother from the moment of his existence.
“Don’t do this, Kaden!” Olivia grabbed Kaden’s hand and the flames began to subside. “Don’t blame yourself for this. You have to stop blaming yourself for what your father has done and for the mistakes I made.”
“Yet I am one of those mistakes.”
“As I have always told you, you were never a mistake. You were a blessing. A gift to me.”
Kaden could not believe her. “A child of violence whose birth cost you your life, is a gift?” Kaden asked in amazement. “This is one gift you should have returned or burned. I’m the gift that keeps on giving—more and more pain. What did you do to deserve this hellish prize?”
“Kaden, please. Stop this. I wish you could understand the love a mother feels for her son. I wish I could show you exactly how much you mean to me in a way that you would believe the sincerity of emotions. Out of the darkest moment of my life, you were the light. I wanted to die, but it was your face, your green eyes, your tiny hands and feet that inspired me to live. The moment I held you in my arms, I started to feel again. You gave me the strength and desire to live for you. Then I was blessed with Julian and I had two miracles to love. My precious boys. You taught me that something good can come from the worst of evils. It has been my honor watching you and Julian grow up. I wish I could have done a better job mothering you both. I’m sorry for that, but I’ll never be sorry for having you.”
Kaden could never handle his emotions, and now he felt gutted. This was more than he could handle at this moment. He wanted to reach out and tell his mother how much he loved her and how sorry he was, but he feared letting go of that much feeling might cause him to break. Mentally, he was more fragile than anyone in this house realized. The strain of these murders weighed on him, as did being here with his family reliving all these painful memories he spent his life trying to escape. As much as he want
ed to walk away from this conversation, he still needed a few more answers to solve this puzzle.
“Did Daughton know you were mated to Lucian?”
Olivia did not expect the question, but she quickly recovered to respond. “Yes. He knew. I think that’s why he wanted me as his wife. He was so jealous of Lucian. He wanted what was Lucian’s, but all he could take from him was me.”
“How? If you were with Lucian, how could he take you away from him?”
“He bought me.”
Kaden froze. He could not believe that his mother was sold to a monster like Daughton. What kind of crazy world did they live in where one being could be sold to another despite their wishes and desires? “How could they sell you? How could Lucian let that happen? Why didn’t he take you away, complete the bond, and leave that fucked-up world behind? He didn’t protect you.”
“Kaden, it was a very different time, and the aristocracy in Italy behaved in ways that defied everything we believe in now. All you need to know is that I ultimately agreed to the sale for reasons that I cannot discuss with you. Do not blame Lucian. He was a victim in this and he has suffered considerably for it. If anyone deserves blame, it’s me.”
Kaden could see the pain in his mother’s face and knew that he should not press this issue further. They were both reeling from the revelations of this evening. He still had plenty of questions, but he was too tired to ask and she was too drained to answer. “I don’t believe that this is your fault, but I won’t argue with you about this right now. You’re determined to protect me and now Lucian, but never yourself. Well, I’ll protect you now. The first thing I will do is stop badgering you about your past. I know it must hurt you greatly, and talking about it with me probably doesn’t help.”
“Thank you. Can I push my luck and ask for another favor?”
“You really are pushing it,” Kaden teased.
“Will you do as Lucian says for now?”
Lover's Betrayal: Misfits of the Lore Series Page 10