KING OF THE UNDERWORLD: Lucien and Scarlett (Earthbound Series Book 1)

by V L Peters

  I watched as he tried to appease her. Watching her closely it crossed my mind that she could have ‘Witches’ blood in her. I couldn’t sense any, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t conceal it. It wouldn’t shock me if she did, I had briefly met a couple of Pure Witches and she was kind of acting the way they had. I could sense the demon in her. Was it possible she had Pure Witches blood in her?

  If she did.

  I was in a heap load of trouble!!

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  LUCIEN

  The fire inside me has been well and truly lit, burning deep within my belly. I’m explosive with raging anger and being around her right now, has me incensed with a violent rage. I must get a grip of the situation that was developing around me, I hadn’t wanted Aria to come with me to meet Scarlett. I had this need deep inside me to protect her and I hated the way she was bringing these feelings forth.

  I wished it were to do with the demon inside me. I knew it wasn’t. Aria had insisted that I take her with me. The more she’d insisted, the more my anger had started to rise. Scarlett had dared me by sticking her head out of that fucking window and shouting down to me. In doing so, she had sealed her fate. She’d sent me a dare; I wouldn’t back down on. I’d wanted to fuck and punish her at the same time. I had felt Aria’s excitement on seeing her, it had pulsated from her in waves, and I now know without any doubt, that Aria had known about her being here. The minute she opened her mouth, I had bloody known. I had to play my part and calm Aria down, even if it meant I had to touch her and to give into her demands. To act as if I gave a shit about her. My stomach rolled at the thought of having to touch her. I’ve never had these feelings before, and it was messing with my head. My demon, the big shit. He was bloody over the moon, fucking thrilled about it in fact.

  It was just a shame that I wasn’t.

  ◆◆◆

  SCARLETT

  I watched with relief as he took control of the situation, it was obvious that he knew how to calm her down. The thing I couldn’t understand is, that if he knew she was so unstable, why on earth he brought her with him, to have this discussion with me.

  I didn’t want her going ballistic again, I wanted her far away from me as humanly possible. ‘’I’m not carrying on having this conversation with you, until she’s gone,’’ I told him, nodding towards the woman standing beside him. The sooner she left, the better I’d feel. I didn’t trust her. I still didn’t trust Lucien, why would I, but he was the only one who could help me and if at any time I felt threatened, I was gone.

  I couldn’t stay here for much longer, I had to get back to my family and let them know what had been going on. It would not surprise me if they arrived at Lucien’s door at some point, demanding to see me to find out what had happened and why I hadn’t been in contact with them. I could see him really losing his shit. Having a group of witches at his door would send him crazy. Fucking hell, this was a mess, I could see everything we had planned, blowing up in our faces. I watched as he bent down whispering in her ear and placing his large hands on her hips, watching as he dug his fingertips into her flesh. Bringing their bodies flush tight against each other. If I’d knew him better, I would swear that he was angry, enraged would be a better way of describing the way he seemed to be trying to hold himself back and trying his hardest to control whatever rage that seemed to be building inside. I had to be wrong. I mean I couldn’t be right, could I? If I hadn’t been observing him so closely, I would have missed the flash in his eyes. The flare of red came so abruptly and was so fleeting that if you weren’t watching him, it would have been missed. I knew then, without a doubt, that I’d just witnessed his Demon coming forth. What shocked me in that moment was the fact I didn’t feel any sort of fear.

  Whatever he was saying seemed to calm her down, though she still wasn’t entirely happy. No matter how much she tried to hide her reaction. I watched as he escorted her out of the room, his arm now wrapped around her waist. I didn’t miss the look in her eyes as she left the room. Promising retribution. I knew I had made an enemy. I don’t know what he had promised her, and I didn’t want to know, but it seemed to appease her. For how long through was another thing. I had a sinking feeling that she would, at some point seek me out. I had no doubt I could hold my own against her, but it was something I wasn’t looking forward to and no matter what I thought I had just seen, I didn’t think he’d be over the moon if I beat the crap out of his lover.

  ◆◆◆

  LUCIEN & SCARLETT

  ‘’I have found out that as well as your sister, a number of humans and naturals have been going missing in the last four weeks,’’ Lucien told me as he walked back into the room, alone. Closing the door with a slight click, as if nothing had happened, ‘’their families have reported them missing. The human police and my people haven’t found any new leads,’’

  ‘’So, Megan isn’t the only one to go missing? How are they being taken? How many have gone missing and where are they being taken to?’’ I whispered to myself, trying to take in what he had just told me. This wasn’t good, someone was taking humans and supernatural’s, but why? It didn’t make sense. Who would have that amount of power? They would have to have somewhere to hold them. Somewhere that was secure and out of the way. If he heard me muttering to myself like some loon, he didn’t remark on it.

  ‘’That’s what I’m trying to find out,’’ he told me as if I’d asked him the questions, I’d just muttered out aloud, ‘’as I have already told you, I now know who took your sister, but he’s in the wind. I expect he’s either working on his own or in a group,’’ he informed me.

  And running shit scared, I kept the thought to myself, I knew that if the person had found out that Lucien was involved in trying to find out who was taking people off the streets, they would try to disappear. I watched as he eased his large frame onto the large green leather chair that stood there in front of me, as he indicated with a movement of his head that I sit on the one opposite. He leaned back into the seat, causing it to creak from the weight of his muscular body. I watch as he loosens the navy-blue jacket that was buttoned up, causing it to fall open, my eyes strayed to his hard chest, watching the muscles flex. I didn’t miss the smirk that formed across his firm lips as he caught on that I was staring, with some reluctance I complied to his gesture ‘’I expect a group. This particular Soul Keeper wouldn’t have the resources to do what he’s been doing and I expect he’s only a little spec in a larger picture,’’ he paused, deep in thought as if he was wondering how much information to give away, ‘’We don’t know where they are being taken,’’ he told me as he leaned slightly forward to grab the crystal decanter, that was sitting on the corner of the desk, it held a golden liquid inside, he pulled off the glass lip pouring some out into a glass, indicating towards me. I shook my head. I wasn’t a drinker, ‘’I’ve got to catch someone in the act of taking someone, either human or a natural and question them,’’ he told me, swirling the drink around the glass, before he brought it up to his firm lips, never once taking those black his eyes off of me. He took a long savouring sip into his mouth; I watched his throat as he swallowed the drink down, before placing it back down onto the desk. Just watching him, made me quiver. Causing shivers to run down my spine. A dark heat settled between my thighs.

  ‘’How are you going to do that and who really is going to be willing enough to be put out as bait?’’ I questioned, trying my hardest to drag my eyes away from the temptation in front of me. I was still very much aware of the other person in the room with us. I hadn’t forgotten that he was there. I also wanted to know how Lucien was going to find out where Megan and the others had been taken. All those poor people missing, their loved ones worried and wondering when or if they were ever going to come home. It was just terrible.

  ‘’Let’s just say I have my ……. ways. You don’t become one of the most feared men, living in existence and not gaining the reputation to go with it,’’ I wasn’t bragging, I needed Scarlett to unders
tand what kind of person I was. I was not a kind man, neither parts of me were. The part of me she thought might be deep inside of me, was beaten out of me a hell of a long time ago. A beating that had changed me forever and one I had learnt to accept so long ago. This is how my world worked, and while I allowed her or her siblings to be here. They like her, would have no choice, but to live under my rules for their own safety... If I had to use force to gain any information I needed, then I would use it. I wasn’t the type who got off on it, but it was something that sometimes needed to be done, no matter how someone else might find it sicking. They would have to learn that, in my world, it was kill or be killed. If someone betrayed me, I wouldn’t be able to put it to one side, if they crossed me then they would have to be taught a painful lesson. I did my own dirty work when necessary, I wasn’t the type to leave the dirty work in the hands of my men. I wouldn’t apologize to anyone for who I was. No matter who they were.

  I had no need to question Lucien. I didn’t want the details. I didn’t need to know. It wouldn’t be anything pleasant. I wasn’t the kind of female who would enjoy hearing about how he would deal with someone who had betrayed or lied to him. Some women would, I wasn’t one of those. If someone I loved or cared about was hurt by someone else, I would retaliate. Wanting to hurt the one who’d hurt them. I know sometimes you had to play dirty, after all, it was the way of the world we now lived in. I just liked to have peace and quiet in my life. I was faithful up to a certain point. If they were untruthful to me. That it cut me to the bone, then I it was unlikely I gave them another chance and I always felt that if I could be faithful to the person I would end up with, then I expected the same in return. I knew that once I found my true mate, the other half of me, then there would not be anyone else.

  ‘’I want to know the minute you think you’ve found my sister or when you question someone,’’ I tell him. I had every right to know.

  He laughed at hearing my words. It wasn’t one of those belly laughs you sometimes hear. It was as if I’d told him a crap joke, one that he thought he had to laugh at. To make the other person feel better in themselves. I didn’t think I’d said anything funny; I was dead serious, and I didn’t intend to stay here. He must realise that I needed to leave, at some point. That I couldn’t stay for much longer. I had no doubt in my mind that he had the means, the resources, to find me if he needed to. I was not that stupid to believe otherwise.

  ‘’As you’re going to be staying here, I don’t see there being a problem,’’ there was that arrogance I knew he had inside of him. As he told me what I was going to do. There was no asking, no please, just telling me what I was going to do. It was as if he knew I would defy him.

  I shook my head at him, is he for real? I thought with a roll of my eyes Oh come on, surely, I must be imagining what he was saying, and he knew that I had to leave. I had a life outside of these walls. A life that I was happy with. Then there was my family. I needed to make sure they were alright and to show that I wasn’t harmed in anyway, and he’d agreed to help find Megan. ‘’I’m not staying here,’’ I told him with determination in my voice. The thought he would want me staying here hadn’t even entered my head. It’s a stupid idea, come on, I couldn’t stay here. I didn’t care what he thought the wisdom was to it. It was just completely stupid ‘’we have come to an agreement between us and that wasn’t part of it. I know for a fact that a man of your means wouldn’t have any trouble finding me if that need arose,’’

  At hearing my words, the air seemed to stop around us. Even if I hadn’t been looking at him full on, I’d have known that my words pissed him off. He was a man who liked complete control and it was clear that he didn’t like to be disobeyed and needed things to go his way. Well, this time it wasn’t going to happen, no matter how much he tried to pressure me into staying.

  I didn’t like the sound coming from his mouth, I couldn’t say it was a laughter of joy or happiness. It was too mocking to put it in that bracket ‘You’re not going anywhere,’ he told me with a twist to his lips, brushing down his suit jacket, as if flicking away a peace of fluff ‘’We have an agreement. One that you haven’t fulfilled yet, or did you forget?’ He questioned, with an arched brow meeting my gaze. No, I hadn’t forgotten, I had hoped he bloody well had. Wrong!! I inwardly groaned, how I could bloody forget, it was hanging over my head like a black cloud. I was still waiting to find out what his payment would be, it was obvious he was playing with me and getting off on it, the bastard, and he was making it blatantly obvious that he was.

  I rolled my eyes at him ‘’No I didn’t forget, but I’m not going to sit here on my backside any longer, waiting around until you decided you want to tell me what’s going on. I have a life to live and a home to go to. Not only that, I need to see my family,’’ I paused watching his reaction. I didn’t want piss him off, though I must admit the thought was tempting. Not only that, I had to go back to work. I might work for myself, but I still had to work. His response surprised me and left me wondering what kind of game he was playing.

  ‘’You’re not leaving,’’ he replied, shaking his head, those black eyes flicking over me ‘’our agreement still stands and when I decide to call it in. I want you, near me and when I find out more information on your sister, it be so much easier telling you what’s going on with you here,’’

  I knew I was coming across as a bastard, I didn’t give a shit. I had no intention of letting Scarlett leave. The selfish bastard that I was, wanted her as close to me as possible, and for more than one reason. I hated to admit to myself that I couldn’t trust Aria, she had been completely hysterical after I’d accompanied her out of the room. I didn’t think that I’d ever be able to calm her down. She was getting more and more unstable and more of my men were beginning to notice. I still had my own agenda for Scarlett. I wanted to sink myself balls deep in her and I had no doubt I would, it was just a matter of time. I didn’t know when I had started to feel slightly different towards her, but somewhere my feelings had started to change. My first thought, it was due to my demon. After all he was part of me. I didn’t want to analyse it too closely and now I knew that Aria definitely knew about Scarlett. I knew that Aria would do everything in her power to get to her. That wasn’t something I could let happen, if anyone were going to lay a hand on her, it was going to be me. Then there was my Demon, he wasn’t at all happy with the way Aria had acted. He had wanted to tear Aria apart limb from limb. It had taken all my strength to hold him down.

  I wasn’t happy that Aria was hiding something, and I had to find out what it was. My gut told me I wasn’t going to be happy about it when I did eventually find out. Yes, I was a sick fucker and loved being that way and had no intentions of changing, but I still had boundaries ‘’You’re staying here,’’ I instructed her, not listening to any shit excuses she might want to bring up, ‘’You can get in contact with your family. I’ll even let them come and visit while you’re here. I have no problem with that. Of course, you could go home. I would need to know where you live and of course I can always pay you a visit,’’

  I scoffed, thinking of their reaction on hearing that bit of news. Oh, they’d love that. So Lucien wanted to get all the witches in his clasp. This was all bullshit, he had something up his sleeve. He had to. He didn’t like witches full stop, so why let them visit, and I was going to be at his beck and call. I had this feeling that he’d try to get my family to agree to everything he said. I didn’t trust him, but we needed his help. We couldn’t let Megan down. I knew he wouldn’t have a lot of trouble in finding out where we lived. He had more resources than any of us. It would be effortless for him to do. I could do my work from here or any place I called home, it wasn’t a big problem, if I had my laptop with me. I was good to go. There wasn’t a real reason why I couldn’t stay here, except for the fact I didn’t trust him and his crazy ass girlfriend.

  The mere thought of Aria caused me to shiver. The feeling wasn’t pleasant. If she tried anything, I’d have no choice, b
ut to retaliate. If I did, our secret would be out or part of it. If I had to hurt Aria to protect myself, then I would have no choice, no matter the outcome. I had no intensions of my family visiting me while I was here. I didn’t want him turning up at my home either. It would freak everyone out, to have the most feared man who ruled this city and the surrounding area, turning up on our doorstep. It wasn’t a great idea. I realised the more I thought about it and with a sinking feeling developing deep within my stomach. That it was looking more and more likely that I had no choice, I’d have to take him up on his offer and stay here. Bloody hell my family where going to go mental when they heard.

  ‘’Fine. I’ll stay here,’’ I told him, gritting my teeth, there was no way I wanted my family here, I made sure that the tone in my voice told him I was anything, but pleased about his stupid demands or my decision. That I was doing so out of duress ‘’As long as you keep me up to date and you keep your girlfriend away from me,’’ I told him.

  ‘’I’ll do everything in my power to keep Aria away from you,’’ he promised me with a look of satisfaction on his face, as if he’d gotten everything he’d ever wanted ‘’you will have my protection while you’re in my care. You must do your part and make sure you don’t run into her when she’s here,’’

  ‘’Err I don’t intend to seek her out, so you have nothing to worry about that side of things,’’ I tell him, with a wrinkle to my nose. Did he really think I’d go looking for her? Please, what was this guy on for heaven’s sake? I sat there watching him. I honestly didn’t think he was taking me seriously enough, ‘’if she attempts to attack me don’t think I’m going to just sit there and take it because I won’t. I will have no choice, but retaliate,’’ I warn him.