Under the Mask: A Multi-Genre Collection

by Monica Corwin

  Hannah thought for a moment when it came to her. "Sarah."

  "Has he ever told you how they met?"

  "He was working at the hotel, and she appeared 'like a vision from the heavens'." Hannah froze. "Wait, no." She glanced at the bedroom where the maid helped her that morning. "My maid...her name was Sarah." She shook her head. "It can't be."

  Hannah collapsed onto the chair next to the window.

  Lucian tossed the cigarette into the fire and came to her side. He knelt beside her. "I could not believe it either, had I not already been transported in the same manner."

  "How?" Hannah whispered.

  "Shortly after he started working for maintenance, he had been asked to fix the flue of that fireplace." Lucian glanced over his shoulder at the intricate structure. "One minute he was alone, and the next, Sarah stood before him."

  "Like she appeared from heaven." Hannah trembled. "He knew. All this time, he knew."

  Lucian took her hand. "There is more."

  "Oh, God, I don't think I can handle this." She stared at her hand cradled in his. The warmth flowed through her, giving her a little strength.

  "You said yourself, Andrew knows more about the history of this hotel than anyone else."

  Her gaze snapped up to meet his. "Are you saying he knew about us, about this before it all happened?"

  Lucian nodded. "I think in some strange way, he also ensured it would happen. As though fate bound us all together."

  "Oh, God," she said with a groan. "He's the one who got me the job at the hotel."

  "There is one more thing he told me last night," Lucian added.

  "What?" Hannah stared at him afraid of what words might come spilling from his mouth.

  "He instructed me on what to do in order to return to my own time," Lucian said.

  Hannah shot to her feet, nearly knocking Lucian over in the process. She sidestepped to get away from him but tripped over the hem of her gown and fell to the floor.

  "Goddamn it!" She struggled to climb to her feet but ended up in a mass of fabric and tears. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed.

  Lucian's touch on her wrist made her flinch. She slapped his hand away.

  "Don't you touch me!" She snapped and glared at him. "You tricked me. That's why I'm here. You seduced me and somehow dragged me back to the stone ages!" Anger flared inside of her.

  He grabbed her wrists and hauled her to her feet. She yelped when he lifted her in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him and threw her down onto the bed.

  Hannah stared up at him and wiped the tears from her cheeks with angry swipes of her hand. "If you think I'm anything like the women you have in this century, you're sadly mistaken. I sure as hell am not going to let you manhandle me!"

  Lucian loosened his cravat and pulled it off. He paced as he removed his jacket and unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt.

  She stared, trying to ignore the simmering tension between them. Hannah wanted him to fuck her more than she wanted anything in her life, but knowing that he'd tricked her into returning to his century infuriated her.

  When he rolled up his sleeves, her mouth watered. His forearms flexed as he rested his hands on his hips and stopped to look down at her splayed on his bed.

  "First of all, I would nevermark my wordsnever take advantage of a woman." His gaze roamed over her, and he grinned. "And secondly, if you are desperate to blame someone for our journey through time last evening, look no further than that mirror right there."

  Hannah shook her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

  He sighed. "According to Andrew, the fireplace is the portal that will transport a person through time."

  Hope sparked in her chest. "So I can go home?"

  He shook his head. "It doesn't work that way."

  Lucian ran his hand through his hair and then down across his face. "It seems it only works if your heart's desire aligns with fate."

  "How the hell do I know that?" Hannah tried to roll off the bed.

  Lucian offered his hand, which she took, and eased her to her feet. They stood facing each other. Hannah's heart raced. Lucian held her hand, interlacing his fingers with her own.

  "Andrew studied it for years, and there have only been a few times where he has seen it work."

  "The missing employees," Hannah mumbled.

  Lucian sighed. "He experienced it firsthand, and somehow, he knew you would meet me on the night of the hundred and twentieth anniversary masquerade ball."

  "So, you're telling me I can never go home?" Hannah asked.

  "Only you know your heart's desire, my love." He brushed a lock of hair away from her face.

  She closed her eyes at the contact of his fingers against her skin. He'd called her my love before, but she'd assumed it was just a meaningless term of endearment. His touch mingled with those words made her weak.

  "If you wish to go home, I will not stop you." Lucian stepped away.

  Hannah stepped around him and went into the room where the fireplace dominated the far wall. She felt Lucian's presence behind her, but couldn't bear to look and risk seeing the disappointment in his eyes.

  When she approached the fireplace, Hannah braced herself. "Home is where your heart is, I guess." She leaned her hand against the mantle and closed her eyes.

  "Take me home," she whispered.

  The scent of wood smoke surrounded her. Her heart fluttered as a sense of calm settled deep in her soul.

  Hannah opened her eyes and stared at the mantle for a moment before turning.

  Lucian stood in the doorway, his hands clenched in fists. The look of disbelief on his face melted into one of joy. He grinned.

  "Welcome home, my love."

  Hannah ran across the room and threw herself into his arms.

  He held her close, burying his face in her hair.

  "Is this what you want, Lucian?"

  "Yes, without a doubt." He pulled back and took her face between his palms. "But I must confess something."

  She covered his hands with hers. "What is it?"

  "As I prepared for my masquerade last evening, I was to announce my proposal and engagement to a young woman I had just met." He dropped his hands to Hannah's waist when she tried to pull away from him. "Just listen, love."

  Hannah crossed her arms, waiting for his explanation.

  "It was to be a business deal, nothing more. I do not know her, and I certainly do not love her." Lucian sighed. "I was about to leave for the ball when I found myself in your presence."

  "I don't understand," Hannah said, a bit confused.

  "In a moment of childish impulse, I wished for a woman who would challenge me, who would satisfy not only my body but my mind as well." He reached up to brush his thumb across her jaw. "Then I saw you."

  Hannah sighed and wrapped her arms around him. After a moment, she asked him a question that nagged at the back of her mind.

  "Why did we return to your time? Did you know we would return?" She pulled back to look up at Lucian.

  "I merely followed Andrew's instructions. He told me to take you to this room and follow my heart." He smiled. "I think he knew exactly what would happen."

  "Damn it, Andrew," Hannah mumbled under her breath. "He set us up."

  "I believe you may be accurate in your assessment, my love." Lucian bent his head and kissed her.

  The sweet kiss developed into something deeper, desperate and more carnal. Hannah clung to Lucian. The passion consumed them just as it had before.

  Lucian pulled Hannah into the bedroom and shut the door. He turned to her and eyed the dress. Before she could say anything, he began to unlace and undress her. It took him much less time to strip her clothing off than it had for Sarah to put them all on.

  When he pulled the chemise over her head and tossed it to the ground behind them, she stood before him completely naked except for her stockings and shoes.

  Lucian stood back and admired her from every angle
before saying anything. "Put your right foot up on the chair, Hannah."

  She did as he instructed, feeling vulnerable and wicked, even as desire pulsed through her body, making her wet.

  He dropped to his knees before her.

  "Oh, God," Hannah murmured as he put his hands on her hips and brought his lips to her aching pussy. Lucian teased her with his tongue, pulling her lips into his mouth, running his tongue over her clit and then sucking on it until she fisted her hands in his hair.

  He gazed up at her, his eyes impossibly green, his mouth buried in her pussy. It was so fucking hot.

  His fingers trailed along the inside of her thigh and parted her folds. Hannah gasped as he slid them into her. He caressed her walls as he licked her. It seemed as though he knew exactly how to play her body to make it purr. She ran her hands through his hair, tugging gently when he hit just the right spot.

  "Oh, yes," she moaned. "Right there, yes." She licked her lips as she felt the oncoming storm of her orgasm.

  Anticipating her body's reaction, Lucian suckled harder and fucked her with his fingers until she trembled and the damn burst. She came hard, all over his hand and mouth, her body shaking from the force of it. The pleasure bursts rocked through her until he finally rose to his feet before her.

  He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and licked her juices still clinging to his fingers.

  Hannah fanned herself at the action. How could something so vulgar be so fucking hot?

  Lucian took her hand and placed it on his chest. "Take my clothes off."

  She put both feet firmly on the ground before unbuttoning his shirt and removing it. Her hands moved across his body, slowly removing every article of clothing, including his shoes, until he stood completely nude before her.

  Hannah didn't even try to hide her appreciative gaze as she stepped back. He was all hard angles and defined, lean muscle. His cock stood at attention, begging for her touch. She rested her hand against his chest and met his gaze.

  As she trailed her hand lower, Hannah watched his reaction. He swallowed hard as she brushed his abdomen. When she wrapped her hand around his cock, his eyes closed, and he growled. She stroked his length a few times before he moaned and put his hand on hers, stopping her.

  Lucian shook his head. He put his hand on her hip and backed her toward the bed.

  She collapsed against the soft mattress and blankets. He climbed on top of her. She backed farther up the bed. He followed her, stalking her.

  Finally he pinned her, grinding his hips against hers.

  "Mine," he said in a guttural, gravelly voice.

  "Yours," Hannah replied before kissing him.

  Their tongues danced. She savored his taste and his strength. This was where she wanted to be, with Lucian. It didn't matter what century, as long as she was with him.

  He nudged her legs apart and slid between her thighs. Hannah whimpered as he brushed the head of his cock against her entrance. She reached down and grabbed two handfuls of his ass.

  Lucian thrust into her, filling the ache and the need. He kissed her hard while he drove into her, over and over. Hannah didn't want it slow; she wanted him to fuck her.

  "Harder, Lucian," she whispered in his ear. "I want you to fuck me until I can't walk."

  He chuckled and gave her what she wanted. "If you talk like that in public, I may have to punish you."

  "Promises," she moaned as he increased his tempo. "You make me want to be bad."

  Lucian rolled onto his back, pulling her on top. She stared down at him, surprised by the action.

  "You wish to speak like a whore," he said with a shrug, "then I will treat you like one."

  She caught the glimmer of mischief in his eyes. He tried to bait her. She grinned and ground her hips against his, riding his cock.

  He gripped her hips and bit his lip. His gaze lingered on her breasts as they bounced from her movements.

  Hannah rode him to a blissful high before reaching down and brushing her fingers over her clit. Her mind shattered when she came, a string of curse words falling from her lips. She continued to fuck him until he tensed beneath her and found his own release. His warmth radiated through her.

  She collapsed against his chest and they lay there, still joined, in silence for a few moments.

  Lucian stroked her hair. The action nearly put her to sleep. She lay contented and sated in his arms.

  The thought of being trapped in another century didn't terrify her as much as she thought it would, especially not when she had Lucian to guide her.

  "People are going to ask questions," Hannah said, giving voice to her wandering thoughts.

  "They will," he agreed.

  "What will we tell them?" She propped herself up and met his gaze.

  "Nothing." He held her tight. "Except that you are mine, and I am yours. That should suffice."

  "There will be rumors, you know this." She wiggled against him.

  He groaned. "Let them speculate."

  "What about the woman you were supposed to marry?"

  "Do not worry." Lucian rose up and kissed her softly. "I shall speak to her and her father this evening."

  She sighed at the brush of his lips, the taste of him. Her tongue darted across his mouth, begging entrance. When he opened and took possession, his cock hardened deep inside of her.

  Hannah pressed her hand against his chest and pulled away from the intense kiss. "If we start again, I may never let you out of this bed."

  Lucian sighed. "As much as I would enjoy that, I have some things to attend to which cannot be delayed any longer."

  He kissed the tip of her nose and rolled her off to the side.

  Hannah sprawled across the blankets, arching her body with a delighted groan. She watched him dress. The way his muscles pulled and contracted as he drew on every article of clothing. Who knew watching a man dress would be so erotic?

  Once he'd dressed, Lucian walked over to the desk at the far end of the room and opened the drawer. He returned to her side, placing an envelope in her hand.

  "Andrew asked me to give you this." He smoothed back his hair and straightened his cravat. "I shall return in a few hours. If you need anything, ring the servant's bell by the door. Sarah will come attend you."

  He leaned down to kiss her again before leaving her alone in his bedroom.

  Hannah stared down at the envelope in her hands. She climbed from the bed and pulled on a silk robe hanging from the hook behind the door. After securing the knot, she picked up the letter and ventured into the adjoining room. The large wingback chair nestled in front of the fireplace called to her. She curled up on it and turned the envelope over in her hands.

  Hannah was written on the front in cursive. She carefully opened it. Several sheets of paper were tucked inside. Holding her breath, she withdrew them.

  My dear Hannah,

  I knew this day would come. And while I'm very glad it has, it breaks my heart all the same. You deserve answers, and I apologize I'm not there to give them to you in person.

  Would you have believed me? It wasn't until I saw you with Lucian this evening that I truly believed what I'd known for years. That you and he were destined to be together.

  Let me tell you one last story, my dear.

  I've done many odd jobs over the years, but one in particular put me on a journey sixty-nine years in the making. Although I hadn't known it then. As a young man, my first position as a bellhop also put me in the position of errand boy.

  One afternoon, I'd been tasked to sort through the archived records. They needed photographs to hang in the newly renovated lobby and gallery. Specifically, they requested I find a photograph of Lucian Lachlan.

  As I searched, I found myself lost in the history of the building and the owner. Alas, I only uncovered one photograph of Lucian, which was later hung in the lobby. But it sparked a curiosity in me. So I began my journey as a historian of the Grand Lachlan Hotel.

  It wasn't until I met my wife, Sarah, who appea
red to me exactly as Lucian appeared to you in the Founder's Suite, that I realized the unique qualities the hotel possessed.

  Sarah told me of her life and her service to Lucian and his family. I loved her with all my heart, but I found it hard to believe she had traveled through time. As the years passed, I noticed the disappearances of employees, and the strange stories surrounding the hotel mirrored my wife's tale.

  I delved deeper.

  Sarah helped me find information and photographs of Lucian and his family. Even several with him and his wife at the annual masquerade balls over the years. I researched him until it nearly became an unhealthy obsession.

  When Sarah passed, my heart shattered, but I realized I could no longer obsess over the hotel's founder. So I retired and became the hotel's official historian.

  Your parents trusted I would care for you as though you were my own child. And I did my very best to ensure I lived up to their expectations.

  I remember the moment it all fell into place. I'd been sorting the hotel research I'd accumulated over the years, when I found a photograph of Lucian Lachlan with his wife, standing beside the hotel fountain in their finery.

  You walked in at that moment, and the resemblance was eerie. I turned the photograph over to glance at the name and date. Lucian Lachlan and wife, Hannah, December 1899.

  How could my then nineteen-year-old Hannah be in this photograph with Lucian?

  I realized Sarah had told me the truth. And all the times she spoke of Lucian's Hannah, she was speaking about you. My heart ached, because I knew I would lose you, although I had no idea when.

  Then I found something Sarah had hidden away in her trunk. An item I never touched, not until ten years after her death when I realized the truth.

  Hannah Lachlan's journal. In it, I saw how you lived. A contemporary woman in the Victorian age. Even more important, it told me how long I had until you were whisked back in time.

  Forgive me for not telling you. For keeping those last years to myself. I was selfish, but it would have been more selfish to keep you from your destiny.

  I'm sure by now Lucian has explained the fireplace, and you've realized you can no longer return to your time. But I know that you are home.

  Lucian will take good care of you, and I know you will care for him as well.