Mikhal had been walking across the room to give the women some privacy, when Alliana’s feelings of jealousy hit him full force. He turned, shocked, wondering at its cause, then saw his wife’s eyes fixated on the claim mark on Natalya’s neck. So the little minx was feeling a twinge of possessiveness for him was she? It was probably entirely due to their being mates, but he could hope in his heart of hearts that his absence had made her soften towards him just a bit.
Knowing he had to rectify the situation, not wanting Alliana to harbor angry feelings towards her friend, and sensing that her feelings of jealousy were very disturbing to her, Mikhal went back across the room to where Alliana and Natalya sat. Both turned to look at him, Alliana, with eyes that held a hint of hurt, Natalya’s full of questioning. She had no idea why Alliana had become suddenly silent.
“Alliana, I want you to know that I had to mark Natalya for her own protection. It was done quickly. Not... Not like you and I do at all. She will be safe here now. None of the minions will dare to touch her. I claimed her as mine.”
Mikhal felt instant relief fill Alliana at his words and it again amazed him that she had felt jealously at all. The relief was then replaced by doubt and then anger, and he looked at her questioningly before composing himself. She didn’t know he could read her feelings after all, and being so open was a sure way to be found out. He didn’t have to hide for long though, because her features became stormy once more.
“You say she will be safe, that none will harm her, but your mark of claim didn’t save me. You branded me like a piece of livestock and yet your demented sister was able to beat me senseless. Forgive me if I doubt the sincerity of your words.”
Alliana’s expression had turned hard as stone and her eyes cold as ice at her words. She didn’t blame Lucian for what had happen to her, oh no, she blamed the monster who had imprisoned her here in the first place. If he had not taken her from her family, locked her up then left her while she was ill in bed, Marishka never would have been able to beat her like she had.
Mikhal stared at his wife, questions filling him at her words. Marishka had beaten her? When? How? Then he knew. It must have been the night he had taken Natalya. The beating was what had sparked such pain and terror in her when he was away.
Mikhal turned from his wife and strode across the room posthaste to where his first in command stood, Mikhal the Merciless taking control as his features slipped from that of a man to one of a beast. His eyes glowed and a snarl tore through the room as he grabbed Lucian around the throat once more and shook him, roaring, furious, ready to kill.
“What is the meaning of this? You were told to protect my mate and instead I find out my sister beat her? Where were you when this was going on? Where were you?
“I take full responsibility for my indiscretion, Sire. I...”
Another roar of fury cut off Lucian’s words. “Indiscretion? You call my pregnant wife being beaten an indiscretion? You have never known such pain as you shall experience now to repay you for you indiscretion, Lucian.”
“Mikhal, no, he was only doing as I asked. I wanted some time to myself. It had been a tiring day and I needed some peace. He was abiding by my wishes.”
“Your wishes or not dear wife, his actions went against my orders.”
“Mikhal, Lucian did nothing wrong, and in the end he saved me. If you must torture or kill someone, let it be that witch Enid or your dear sweet sister. They are the ones who caused me to almost lose your son.”
Her words both upset him further and saved Lucian’s life. Stunned by her revelation, Mikhal instantly let go of Lucian; just moments before he actually tore the vampire’s head off, and rushed back to her side. Mikhal pushed back the bed coverings and placed his hand once more on her belly, shaking his head and looking into her eyes.
“He is fine now? He’ll live?”
“You felt him moving yourself. He is a healthy strong boy, My Lord. I swear to you.”
“And you, you are well now?” Mikhal caressed her cheek and brushed back her hair, and Alliana had to steel herself not to cringe from his touch. He had put on the facade of a man once more, but the rage that had been there only seconds ago, the face of the killer that lay beneath, was still vivid in her mind.
Alliana nodded and grabbed his wrist, tugging it away from her face, unable to stop her revulsion, thrusting a blade deep into Mikhal’s heart in the process. He forced back his pain, making himself be content with the fact that both his wife and child were now safe. “Truly?”
“I’m fine now. It’s over, and Lucian doesn’t deserve to be punished for what happened. If you must seek vengeance, then please kill that old witch who calls herself a midwife. It was she who left me when Marishka was whipping me with a strap, and then hunt down your sister and kill her as well.”
The icy venom in Alliana’s tone surprised Mikhal, and he could feel the hate rolling from her soul like waves. She had been wounded deeply, both in body and in her heart, and she wanted revenge as much as he did. It was clear whom she blamed, and Lucian wasn’t one of the people. He would have to investigate the matter further and get to the bottom of it. Whatever had happened, anyone who had been involved in even the smallest of ways would be brought to justice.
“You are sure the babe is well? Our son is not in danger?”
“Not any longer. Enid was able to stop the bleeding and keep him from coming early. I do not wish for her to tend me any longer though. Natalya has delivered babies and has watched my godmother deliver even more. She is midwife for our clan, and Natalya can be mine.”
“You have become too demanding, wife, and in this I cannot concede. Your friend may know of babies and how to deliver them, but until that time, Enid will also see you. Our son is a child of magick, he needs a special midwife.”
“Natalya is one who has learned magick as well.”
At this statement Mikhal looked at Natalya. He had known the Gypsy woman had been able to sense him, known she was hiding something. He would question her about Alliana future talents. “Be that as it may, Enid will still tend you.”
“Enid should die for what she has done. Her spite almost killed our child.”
“Enid will be punished, that I promise you Alliana, but she must also see to you. At least until I know more about Natalya’s abilities. That is my decision and it is final. Now, you are to stay in bed. You and your friend can talk and do whatever it is you women do, I’ll send Thalia up in case you require anything. I’ll also find a servant girl for Natalya. She is to live as a lady here and will be given anything she desires.”
Alliana wanted to scream that her friend desired her freedom but held her tongue. Enough had been said for now. She and Mikhal would speak later about the terrible thing he had done. It would be best to let him resolve the matter of punishing Marishka first. Besides, she had a request.
“I have one in mind, My Lord. She is a sweet girl and I feel she would do well in serving Natalya. She has been altering my gowns for me almost daily poor girl, as my belly continues to grow, and I’d like for her to help Natalya adjust to her new life here. Her name is Hannah.”
“Very well, you, servant.” Mikhal motioned for Thalia. “Find this Hannah and make certain she knows what is to be done. Lucian, you are to come with me. I wish to hear every detail of my wife’s assault, and then and only then will I decide who shall be punished for what.”
“I...” Alliana once again tried to defend the vampire who had become a friend of sorts, but Mikhal would have none of it. He had no wish to hear words of praise from his wife’s tongue for the man who he’d just caught with his hands all over her. Their explanation had been sound and their feelings portrayed no guilt, but still, the fierce jealousy he had experienced over the scene and the rage he now felt because Alliana had been abused, overrode any feelings of tenderness her pleas stirred deep inside him.
“Silence, wife. This is for me to decide. I won’t hear another word about it from your lips. Come Lucian.”
&nb
sp; Alliana crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a pout that could have melted butter, and he felt her anger as she flung it at him like daggers, but Mikhal resisted her. This was serious business.
He motioned for Lucian and headed for the door. Lucian followed at once, but not before sparing a quick glance back at the new arrival. Their eyes met; hers steely and bold, his hooded and brooding, raking quickly over the red headed woman who had been brought to Arcos Castle. He stared at Natalya for just a moment; any opinion about her forming in his mind carefully guarded, and then looked away, his curiosity piqued. Then dreading his Master’s inquisition, wondering just what was in store when Lord Arcos found out that Marishka and Andor had managed to flee the castle, he turned back to Mikhal. Lucian knew Mikhal the Merciless would be furious over that bit of information, but he for one had been happy to be rid of the pair. He hoped in fact that the sun has found his Lordship’s demented sister days ago and that she was but a pile of dust blowing in the breeze.
Chapter Thirty-two
Alliana sat watching as Lucian and Natalya appraised each other, taking in the vampire’s all too familiar, insolent gazes as it raked over her friend. What was Lucian thinking now? Was he sickened by the thought of yet another human living in the castle? He had been very polite to her, even kind, but Natalya was probably a different matter altogether. Natalya wasn’t the Master’s wife; she was a nobody. Humans weren’t as a whole, tolerated well within these walls, and her husband had just ensconced yet another Gypsy into their midst. Would the courtly Lucian extend his courtesies to Natalya or would he go back to being the moody sullen man he had been before Marishka had attacked her?
The vampire who had been left to watch over her had held many mysteries behind his eyes but over the last few days he had offered her just a glimpse of himself. She had been bold enough to ask him about his past one night when he had joined her for dinner, and what he’d told her hadn’t surprised her in the least. He had been the son of a Duke, born and bred with the highest of qualities, attending court when the mood struck him in Wallachia, wintering at the manor home, chasing the maids, drinking and spending too much like most men of privilege in his day, paying no mind to the future.
He had been considered quite the catch, handsome, rich, refined, and was always set upon at the palace, by both courtesans and debutantes alike, but he preferred his single status. He much preferred to dally with a different woman each night than to take a mistress. He couldn’t be bothered with their clingy possessiveness and pouting, and cared not for buying little baubles to keep them happy. His lack of devotion to any one woman just seemed to stir the fires around him though, making him more attractive to those trying to find a good catch, rather than making them shy away.
His reputation as a rake was known far and wide by the beauties who vied for his attentions, and that just added to his aura of desirability. He never went to court in search of a proper bride, oh no, it was simply to take a look at the seasons latest crop of eager young things. He loved to gaze at them, they were so fresh, so romantic, so lovely, and most of them were as yet unspoiled in temperament. He couldn’t resist charming them. It was one of his favorite pastimes, and as a result, more than a few hearts lay in pieces when he always returned to his home without speaking his intentions for any one girl.
His parents urged him time and again to find a girl to carry on the family name, but he hadn’t been ready. Life had been too good, too thrilling, too full, to consider settling down. A wife and babes meant staying at the manor. It meant overseeing the property, taking on the full time responsibility of being heir to a duke. No, instead, he would dance and flirt outrageously, bed the more experienced women who offered, and chastely kiss the innocent ones, then send them on their way, never wishing to have someone’s father insist upon a marriage for some impropriety. No, life had been perfect, he’d had all he could ask for; he had no need for a wife. Then, disaster struck.
It was late in the fall of the year 1387 when it happened. Lucian had just returned home from court to help his father oversee the last of the harvests on their lands. It was time to make sure the serfs had given his father the agreed upon portions of their crops, assess things to see if everyone had what they needed for the coming winter, and then settle down with a lovely kitchen maid or two to warm his bed through the long cold nights.
He’d been in the village all day, tending to collections, settling disputes, stopping at all the tiny farms spread out across their land, when he was set upon by the very man who had Sired his current Master. The vampire came at him in the dark, out of nowhere, with the intent of giving Lucian a good beating before draining him dry, but it hadn’t worked out that way. They had fought, Lucian tooth and nail against his unbelievably strong opponent, and held his ground. In the end his Sire had been impressed with his tenaciousness and his fighting skills, and had turned him instead, believing Lucian had something to contribute to his clan. He’d never set eyes on his family again.
He had been a mere minion, like most of the rest, but for some reason his Sire had a bit of respect for the fledgling he’d just turned, and Lucian was treated better than most. When after two years they came upon Castle Arcos, Lucian had a prominent position in his Sire’s army. It wasn’t one with the utmost importance or authority, which was fine with Lucian because the outright cruelty of his Sire was at times hard to stomach, but it was enough so that he was left alone. He did what he had to, to survive and fit in, making sure small details were attended to in order to please his Sire, yet always felt like he was on the outside.
The others, including his Sire, sensed he was different and most left him alone because of it. A few had challenged him early on and had received severe beatings because of their bullying, and so the rest learned quickly that he wasn’t one to trifle with. He knew he was different but didn’t know why really. For some reason unknown to him, his turning hadn’t stripped away his breeding like it had done to all the others. There were other noblemen among them, but they now all acted like unmannered beasts, but not Lucian.
He retained his gentility though he murdered just as the rest did, and found little thrill in the act of rape, preferring to seduce instead. He no longer had to worry about irate fathers, so anyone was fair game, and he was handsome enough to mesmerize any woman he desired. While his Sire was alive he stayed with his own kind, if humans were bedded, it was expected that violence would be involved, and rape left a vile taste in his mouth. After his current Master killed his Sire, most of his lovers had been human, because Marishka had staked all the female ones, wishing to eliminate the competition around her, and the act hadn’t truly bothered him in the least.
To him, the other vampires, both male and female, were uncouth, dirty and disgusting. The women all had been lowly whores, spitting, fiery, and wild, but cold to the touch, and the men vile louts. He found them almost revolting and preferred his own company most of the time. It was in fact his desire for solitude that saved him the night his current Master managed to slay his Sire.
He didn’t know much of the battle between them, his Master not having spoke of it since then, and he not daring to ask, going only by what was told of the now legendary fight. What he did know was that Lord Arcos had brutally regained control of the castle after he had dusted their Sire, going through the ranks and slaughtering any and all who opposed him, fighting like a maniac, being especially violent with any who had participated in the rape of his sister. The sun had found many a minion impaled upon poles in the courtyard, awaiting the killing sun. Lucian though, was in his quarters when it all began to happen, as was his wont, and Mikhal never even came upon him until most of his rage was spent.
The two had confronted each other, fists flying, when Mikhal revealed what he had done. Lucian had fought valiantly on principle, but bowed down to Mikhal in the end, acceding him the victory, showing him respect, admitting in all honesty that he had never cared for their Sire, so it matter naught that he was dead.
Lord Ar
cos looked him over then, searching his memory for any bit of injustice that Lucian might have heaped upon him or Marishka, any small tidbit that would warrant the other’s death, but found none. While it was true he hadn’t shown great loyalty to his Sire, the vampire had fought to some extent and Mikhal certainly couldn’t blame Lucian for his dislike of their maker.
Instead of slaying him that night when more than half of the others had been slaughtered, the two talked, and Mikhal discovered that he too saw some type of spark in Lucian that set him above the rest. The man had an aura that spoke of honesty, and that was a trait not found in their kind. He was also strong and full of courage, and it was on that very night that Mikhal had chosen him to be his first in command.
And so it had gone from there, Mikhal as the Master Vampire, Lucian always by his side to follow his commands and sees that everything ran smoothly. Lucian had told Alliana all this as they sat over a long dinner one evening in her chambers, much to her surprise. She hadn’t honestly expected an answer at all when she asked him of his past, and certainly hadn’t expected any personal details.
Oh, he hadn’t filled in all those little tidbits about his flirting and dalliances in the palace court of course, but as he described the beautiful settings and the women in their dresses for her, she could just image him among them, eyes hooded, looking mysterious, breaking hearts. He’d had a gleam in his eyes as well that spoke of many satisfying sexual conquests. She’d been intrigued by him, and still was, and agreed with her husband that he did possess an aura of respectability, even though he had a demon within, but now, as she watched him look at her friend, she just had to wonder what was going through his mind. How would he react to Natalya? Only time would tell, but she didn’t fear for her friend’s life. Alliana knew Lucian would never harm Natalya in any way.
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