Until the Sun Falls From the Sky

Chapter Eleven The Betrayal

Lucien’s eyes scanned the heaving dance floor and he saw her.

Although he didn’t often attend this particular Feast, he’d seen her before. Each time she’d enticed him, long, dark blonde hair, blue eyes, curvy body, alluring scent.

Tonight, she did especially as she was wearing a black dress almost like the one Leah had worn last night. Not the same quality but close enough.

Everything about her was not the same quality but close enough.

He knew she captured his attention because she reminded him of Leah. It had been the reason he’d never taken her. He was anticipating the real thing, not an oft-used imitation.

But tonight, she’d do.

Her eyes caught his and she smiled beguilingly, an open and eager invitation. It was clear she was his to do with as he wished and this Feast, as he wished, had very few boundaries.

He looked away, allowing his aversion to show.

Eager and willing were not what he wanted. Spirit, personality, passion, defiance, fear, challenge, those were what he wanted.

After centuries he finally had all of that, a great deal of it. It was just that he was finding it maddening to an extreme.

And excruciatingly frustrating.

Lucien attended Feasts often, even if he particularly liked the taste of his concubine and, it went without saying, he particularly liked the taste of Leah. He was a vampire with a healthy appetite and Feasts allowed him diversity in that appetite.

However, over the last several centuries, he’d grown weary of them.

All the mortals who attended Feasts were registered with The Council. They were safe, healthy, willing, well-bred, from well-to-do families and their time was limited. They had two years to attend Feasts, any Feast they wanted, as many as they could attend before they were retired.

Fallen concubines were a different story. They came to Feasts and, out of respect for their legacy families, they were reluctantly allowed to attend but they weren’t registered. However The Council tracked them and after a few years the fallen concubines were eventually banned.

There were times when vampires had a taste at A Feast that they exceptionally enjoyed, one they didn’t wish to share. If this was the case, they could petition The Council. If The Council found the mortal suitable, the family would be approached for recruitment. If accepted, that mortal could become the vampire’s concubine. But also that new concubine’s line would forever be in the life.

The mortal never refused. Every mortal there hoped to be claimed into the life, ensuring their own continued feeding and their line’s future.

It rarely happened that a vampire made this petition but it was encouraged by The Council. More choice at Selections meant happier vampires.

The concubine lines detested it when this happened, more choice meant less opportunity for their own line to be chosen.

Surveying the crush of bodies in the room, Lucien couldn’t imagine petitioning for such a mortal. Although he enjoyed Feasts on a variety of levels, most especially being with his brethren in a place where they could be who they were without hiding, without secrets, he didn’t enjoy the mortals they drew. They were, for all practical purposes, whores without any money changing hands. He fed from them, naturally, but he’d never chosen from a line recruited from A Feast. The very idea of entering an Arrangement with such a mortal was repugnant to Lucien.

This attitude, Stephanie told him, was alarmingly superior but he didn’t give a fuck.

To take his mind off the woman on the dance floor and his thoughts, he started to sip his martini and noticed the glass was drained. He turned away from his position facing the room to the bar, caught the bartender’s attention and jerked up his chin. The bartender acknowledged his order and started to work on another martini, leaving the drinks he was preparing sitting on the counter unfinished.

Lucien looked at the three women whose drinks had gone wanting. Mortals. All looking at him. All smiling at him. All smiling the same smile the blonde had tossed him.

His eyes raked over them in revulsion and their smiles wavered, one went pale and turned away. Lucien did as well.

And his thoughts went instantly to Leah.

It had been difficult to shut her from his mind but he had succeeded in doing so the last ten hours, mainly with work.

There were many vampires who amassed their fortunes and happily lived their eternities managing them and living off the interest.

Lucien was not such a vampire.

Unlike everything else in his life, his business never ceased to be a challenge. There was always a new mountain to be tried, tested and conquered. New inventions, new technologies, new strategies and more and more money to earn. If it hadn’t been for that, he would have gone mad ages ago.

The bartender served his martini. Lucien paid for it, turning back unseeing to the room and allowing his thoughts to travel to Leah.

His fury had cooled considerably since their confrontation. Although, the thought of her declaration of him “disgusting” her still made him clench his teeth.

However Lucien had to admit that she didn’t know male and female vampires were vastly different from her kind. Females were just as strong and skilled as males, many more so. For instance, Stephanie, who was known to be a fierce and cunning fighter.

He further had to admit there was no way for Leah to know the way of vampire mates. This would not even have been covered in Vampire Studies had she managed not to be expelled.

She had no way of knowing that, because of the matched strength and the way of their culture, vampires, especially mates, did not settle arguments by having heartfelt chats or seeking counseling.

They challenged then they battled physically with no rules and no holds barred.

This had the benefit of settling the order of vampires, who was strongest, quickest, sharpest and smartest.

In the case of mates, this had the additional benefit that, more often than not, physical duels led to something vastly more pleasurable.

He also had to admit that there was no way of Leah knowing his history with Katrina. Her frequent and misguided jealous rages. Her phone calls, sometimes a dozen a day. To check in, she said. To check up, she meant. Her constant suspicion, rifling through his things, listening into phone calls.

And then there were the times, infrequent though they were, they happened far too often for Lucien’s liking, when she would appear at A Feast that Lucien was attending. She’d done this twice. Then he’d had to break her of this habit which he’d done by more than bloodying her nose. He’d also broken her femur and five ribs, all of which healed within an hour and, obviously, it had not led to something more pleasurable. This happened after she’d entered his private chamber and appeared at his side when he was actually feeding. Suggesting, during those times, with false sensuality, that they share the mortal morsel. That such an activity would bring them closer together.

Katrina knew he didn’t like to share.

During these two times, she had also infiltrated his privacy, something he required even at A Feast. He meant it when he told Leah he “danced” privately. He didn’t simply not share the mortal on whom he was feeding, he didn’t share the experience. Therefore he always took a private room, leaving the group feeding to others. He disliked the idea of other mortals, or vampires for that matter, getting off on watching him with his meal.

And they would, he’d be the center of attention. He always was.

It wasn’t that he thought it was a private activity. He too enjoyed watching others feed. He also meant it when he told Leah he thought it was beautiful.

It was just his nature.

Even if for only one feeding, that mortal was his and his alone and, in any way the word could be defined, he didn’t share.

And lastly, Leah didn’t know what he was risking for her. To have her in every way meant he was challenging his culture, his people’s way of life and hers and putting his own life at risk.

Even though he had to admit all those things, the simple fact of the matter was, she hadn’t asked.

Not a single question.

She instantly thought the worst of him, judging him through the acceptable behaviors of her own culture, never considering there might be a difference in his.

Not only that, he had saved her from Katrina’s attack, which would have been deadly.

He had also, very blatantly, shown his preference for Leah over his own mate. This was not something she could know was completely unheard of in the vampire realm but any woman of his experience would have had a vastly different reaction to Leah’s.

Not to mention, with all of this, in addition to his clothes in her closet, his body in her bed, the rather luxurious roof over her head and opulent wardrobe he had provided her, he had made it abundantly clear she had his continued protection, his undivided attention and his profuse generosity.

None of which, considering her reaction, seemed to penetrate that obstinate fucking brain of hers.

It was high time, Lucien decided, that Leah learn these important lessons.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Cosmo said, appearing at his side, smiling at Lucien and taking him from his thoughts.

“I could say the same,” Lucien replied. “This isn’t normally your scene.”

Cosmo murmured, “Vodka, rocks,” to the bartender and turned his attention back to Lucien. “It isn’t yours either.” Then he looked around while asking, “Where’s Leah? Is she in the restroom?”

“She’s home,” Lucien answered and Cosmo’s head swung to him.

“Home?” he repeated.

“Home,” Lucien stated firmly. “She’s having some difficulty adjusting to her new life. I’m giving her space to sort herself out.”

Cosmo threw his head back and burst out laughing. Lucien watched his friend thinking that not the first damn thing was funny. Cosmo’s laughter became chuckling as he paid for his drink and took a sip.

“You’re losing your touch, my friend,” Cosmo noted, his eyes scanning the crowd also unseeing, his attention was on the conversation. “It’s been a whole week. Back in the day, within a week, you’d have them gagging for it.”

“Perhaps, considering it’s been centuries, I’m out of practice.”

“Perhaps?” Cosmo was still smiling broadly. “Or perhaps you’ve met your match.”

“She’ll break,” Lucien said low, meaning every word and taking a sip from his drink.

And she would.

After he’d heard her weeping and later discovering the shredded lingerie, he had thought she already had, albeit briefly.

Having it confirmed that day that only her game plan had changed had not only been invigorating, it had been a relief.

Indeed, the sense of relief was so strong it was vaguely alarming. It was as if he didn’t want her to break. As if he didn’t want the taming. As if he didn’t want her to submit to his control, instantly acquiesce to his demands, all of which would be for her own good or her pleasure, even though she didn’t understand this. As if he didn’t want to show her that her life, entrusted in his care, would blossom beyond her imagining.

It was as if he wanted things to remain as they were; the constant battles, contests of will and bickering interspersed with her quirky sweetness and immense humor.

Which was absurd.

“Well, how long do you think it’ll take?” Cosmo asked. “Maybe Stephanie and I can place bets. It would be amusing.”

Lucien leaned back against the bar and didn’t answer.

Cosmo was undeterred. “It took you three weeks with Maggie. Do you think Leah will break Maggie’s record?”

“At the rate she’s going,” Lucien drawled, “it’ll be the next century before either you or Stephanie see a return on your bet.”

Cosmo again burst out laughing but Lucien’s mind turned to something about their conversation that was unsettling.

Cosmo had mentioned Maggie and for the first time in hundreds of years, the mention of her name had not felt like a knife twisted in his gut.

He scanned his memories, all of which, over eight hundred years of them, stayed sharp in his mind.

He remembered Maggie’s taming. It had been the sweetest moment in his life, both up until that point and since. The submission, the gift of her trust, the laying of her life in his hands for his safekeeping. He’d rewarded her and she’d flourished immediately. He could still feel her underneath him, her legs opening of their own accord, her welcoming of his body in hers, the taste of her blood in his mouth, the scent of her filling his nostrils.

He could also see her smile, hear her laughter, taste her skin and feel her warm body pressed against him in sleep.

Every second with Maggie was burned on his brain, none of it was forgotten nor was it any less sweet.

It was just that the familiar pain of the memory which fused with the memory of her loss had vanished.

“Lucien?” Cosmo called and Lucien focused on his friend. “Maggie,” Cosmo murmured, his face grew concerned and he continued in a soft voice, “Sorry, that’s twice I’ve –”

“Don’t worry about it,” Lucien cut him off, not about to share his revelation.

Cosmo nodded, taking another sip, his eyes on the crowd, letting the matter drop as he had learned to do with a good deal of practice over the years.

“I hear Katrina is causing troubles,” Cosmo noted and Lucien sighed.

“I filed Severance,” Lucien shared.

“I know. Everyone knows. I’m pretty certain her phone is fused to her ear, she’s been so fucking busy.”

This didn’t surprise Lucien. It annoyed him but it didn’t surprise him.

“She tried to attack Leah today,” Lucien disclosed. He heard Cosmo’s sharp intake of breath and felt Cosmo’s eyes turn to him.

“Please tell me you’re joking,” Cosmo whispered.

“I’m not.”

Cosmo continued to stare at him. “How did that happen?” Cosmo asked, still sounding shocked as he would be.

It was not done to go visiting a mate’s concubine, no matter what you might suspect was happening.

Concubines were sacrosanct. They were under the protection of their vampire and only allowed in the company of other vampires with their vampire’s permission. To arrive on one’s doorstep with or without the intent to harm was not only not done, it was against the law. To attempt to harm the concubine was warrant for deadly retribution.

Katrina had likely come to confront Lucien and Leah had gotten in the way of her rage.

It mattered not that Lucien was flying in the face of the laws that ruled all vampires. It was Leah’s safety that mattered. Katrina’s behavior had been condemnable and even though Lucien was breaking the law on his own and flaunting it, he was within his rights, even if she was his mate, to hunt her and make her burn.

“She arrived on our doorstep this morning spoiling for a fight,” Lucien answered his friend’s question.

“And she attacked Leah?”

“She tried, yes. Twice.”

Cosmo let out a low whistle before enquiring, “Good Christ, what are you going to do?”

“If she continues to be just a nuisance, I’ll let her burn out her temper and move on, which is what I’m expecting she’ll do. If she ever gets near Leah again, I’ll see she burns a different way,” Lucien answered calmly but with deadly seriousness.

“You know The Council has heard all of this. Not only from Katrina but from Nestor, who was there last night when you kissed Leah,” Cosmo told him.

Lucien was not surprised about this either mainly because he’d seen Nestor watching them.

“I’m prepared to talk to The Council,” Lucien stated.

Cosmo turned fully to his friend, putting his drink on the bar and leaning closer.

In an effort not to be overheard, using his mind to communicate, a capacity that Cosmo had as well, he asked, And what will you say to them?

They owe me, they’ll allow me Leah, Lucien replied.

Yes, I believe they will. The debt has gone unpaid too long and they’re uncomfortable with it. However, they won’t like it or the idea it may give to others. It’ll be the only such dispensation since the Agreement was signed. And they only will if you intend to feed and to fuck. They’ll have a problem with you taking her as your mate, Cosmo returned and Lucien’s head snapped around to look in surprise at his friend.

What makes you think I intend to take her as a mate?

Everyone thinks that’s your intention.

It fucking well isn’t, Lucien clipped.

And it wasn’t. However, Lucien thought wryly, it might take eternity to break her which would be the same thing.

I hope to God you’re serious, Lucien. Cosmo cut into his thoughts. Because you attempt something like that, it won’t only mean war, it’ll mean hunting. They’ll torture you, which you’ve endured, but they’ll also torture Leah…

Involuntarily, at the thought of Leah under torture, hot brands held against her smooth skin, her fingernails ripped out at the roots, acid dripped on her beautiful body, Lucien’s midsection rocked back violently as if he’d been kicked in the gut.

His burning black eyes locked with Cosmo’s green ones. I mean to feed and to fuck. I mean to indulge in a taming. And I mean to have her how I want her, however long it lasts after the taming. Not as mates, not for eternity, Lucien stated clearly and went on. Cosmo, hear me. You set straight anyone who says otherwise. If The Council intends to investigate, they investigate me not Leah.

Cosmo studied his friend and nodded.

“Did Katrina start that rumor?” Lucien asked out loud deciding, if she did, he’d hunt her that night, not wait for her to do something else immensely stupid.

“I’ve no idea where it started,” Cosmo muttered, shaken, not at Lucien’s denial of the rumor but at his unconcealed reaction to any harm coming to Leah.

First, because Lucien did not have open reactions, unless he was in a position of complete trust with the person with whom he was talking and all those around him. Which would mean not under the hundreds of watching eyes at A Feast.

Second, because his reaction betrayed his feeling for his concubine which went beyond a desire for a simple taming.

This was familiar. Cosmo had experienced this emotion from Lucien once before. When Lucien took Maggie as his mate, expecting to live the rest of eternity with her only to have her captured by their enemies during The Revolution, tortured then executed.

They had not known it at the time but this, for Lucien, had been a boon. He and Maggie both would have died during The Hunt. Neither would denounce the other, Cosmo knew it to the depths of his soul. Further, Maggie’s murder had inflamed Lucien to the point where he was an unstoppable killing machine during the war, albeit controlled and strategic, but nevertheless immensely successful and exceptionally deadly. Avenging Maggie’s murder had made him a hero of The Revolution to such an extent, with his added mesmerizing abilities and his unparalleled wealth, centuries later he was now an idol.

If she had lived to see it, Maggie would have laughed.

Back then, Lucien had been content with modest wealth (for a vampire, for a mortal, he was fabulously wealthy).

And he had been more than content with Maggie.

Being a hero, and definitely an idol, would not have been something he would have sought, although he didn’t. It also wasn’t something he would have allowed, although he had no choice.

He would have found a way to return them to their simple life, just the two of them, for eternity. No hopes for children but no disease, no death, just Maggie’s oft-used dry wit, excellent cooking skills, flashing gray eyes and Lucien’s complete devotion.

Not for the first time, nor likely the last, sorrow for his friend and his loss gentled Cosmo’s tone.

“Maybe you should feed,” Cosmo suggested.

Lucien didn’t hesitate. “Excellent idea,” he murmured his reply.

Lucien’s eyes moved to the blonde on the dance floor. His mind sought hers and he called to her.

Come to me.

She had her back to him and he watched her body twitch then she whirled around, her eyes seeking his.

She looked surprised, even anxious. It wasn’t something that happened, hearing someone else’s voice in your head.

Then her anxiety melted and she smiled smugly. Without hesitation, she moved toward him, slithering adeptly through the crowd.

As he watched her move, Lucien made a decision. He didn’t make her come to him, he moved with the intent to meet her at the doorway to the maze that led into The Den.

He wanted to be done with this and get home to Leah.

He had intended to return tomorrow evening for a feeding and another attempt at her taming. However, he decided he’d talk to her, not instruction, but explanation. And he also decided to do it without delay.

Perhaps that would hold some sway or at least enough for her to beg him to take her.

All day his body had reminded him of his own unfulfilled need to be buried inside Leah’s silken, wet, warmth. It had been an error of judgment to give his cock even the hint of a feel of her. It had taken a supreme effort of will to set those thoughts aside during the day. No matter how little he had of her, what he had had been exquisite.

“Lucien,” the blonde breathed when she made it to his side.

He didn’t greet her nor did he touch her.

He walked into the hallway, knowing she’d follow.

She did.

This hallway didn’t snake to The Den, or feeding room, of this Feast. Instead, it was a maze, the center of which held The Den. Every vampire knew the layout, none of the mortals did. A mortal could only go to The Den in the company of a vampire at his or her invitation. If they wandered back in hopes of melting into the feedings, at this particular Feast, they could be lost for hours, even days.

Lucien moved swiftly, surely, feeling her struggling to keep up, not allowing her to get her bearings and within minutes they were in The Den.

Lucien’s eyes went immediately to the steward who noticed him and jerked his head toward another door. Lucien wended his way through the bodies on the floor, feeling her behind him, smelling her scent which was no here near as delicious as Leah’s.

Most definitely lemonade. And not good lemonade.

“Master Lucien,” the steward murmured as he inserted a key and opened one of a half dozen doors leading off The Den.

“Clive,” Lucien returned the greeting and walked into the small room.

It was much like any Den, decorated in rich colors, the furniture comfortable and inviting, meant for lounging, covered in soft, plush fabrics.

Lucien had intended to lead Leah to a room off The Den they visited last night, not to feed, to indulge in other pleasurable activities. However, her extreme reaction stopped him from doing that. He’d been disappointed but only until she’d explained. Then he’d been elated.

The door closed behind them and Lucien turned to the woman.

“I’m Kitty,” she said in her breathy voice.

Lucien regarded her for a moment then he gave his honest, dispassionate opinion. “What a perfectly ridiculous name.”

She blinked both in surprise and, he noted instantly, stupidity. She had no idea if he was being serious or teasing and with the way the wheels churned behind her blue eyes, it would take far longer than he intended to spend with her to figure it out.

“Come here,” he ordered and she stopped the taxing effort of thinking and moved forward.

When she was inches away, she leaned in, going up on her toes. “You should know I’ll do anything you want.” She hesitated and gave him her slightly effective but obviously practiced alluring look before stressing, “Anything.”

“If you’ll give me anything then please do me the favor of not speaking.” He gave her an altogether different highly effective look before stressing, “At all.”

She blinked again, confusion filling her face and Lucien was through.

In less than a second, he had her in his arms, his tongue lashed her neck and he pulled her head back roughly by her long hair. Then he tore into her, her blood spurting into his mouth.

He smelled her excitement immediately.

Neither assuaged the ache in his belly or the throbbing he felt in his cock.

Her head rolled back, giving him better access and further tearing open her own wound, something which he was certain was also practiced.

Her arms started to steal around him and he lifted his head without stroking her wound with his tongue to stop the bleeding. The blood poured down her throat, staining her gown.

“Don’t touch me,” he growled. Her eyes caught his and he saw uncertainty before his mouth went back to the wound.

He fed beyond what would have been healthy for Leah this early in their Arrangement but where he knew he could take this woman. She’d regenerate by the time she wandered into The Den, once invited, open to feeding by anyone.

Then he swept his tongue along the wound, the bleeding stopped and the skin started knitting together. His arms fell away from her, she sagged to her knees in front of him and he made to move to the door.

“Is that it?” she whispered, her hands shooting out to hold him at his hips, her head tilted back, her eyes beseeching, her desperate need to service Lucien in more than just feeding written all over her face.

His eyes dropped to her cleavage and his body responded in spite of his thoughts.

He’d misused her. Even with the mortals at A Feast he had better manners. Hell, even with Wats and Breed he had better manners.

It was Leah and his frustration with her that he was taking out on this creature and it was inexcusable.

Therefore, his tone gentled when he asked, “And what would you like, pet?”

Her eyes flicked to his trousers then back to his. “Anything you want to give me,” she breathed.

Lucien thought of Leah, her stubbornness and the likely weeks of torture ahead for them both.

Lucien was a vampire. Vampires weren’t even expected to be faithful to their mates, another frustration Lucien had with Katrina, certainly not their mule-headed concubines.

Then he shrugged off his jacket.

“Stand up and take off your dress,” he commanded.

At once, she did as she was told and Lucien was far later getting back to Leah than he’d recently decided he would be.

It was an hour away from dawn when he arrived home.

Upon entering the kitchen, he heard the television and saw the flashing lights coming from the family room.

He moved in that direction, entering the room, seeing a late night movie playing, the volume turned low.

Leah was asleep on the couch on her side, her hands in prayer position tucked under her cheek. She was wearing a pair of drawstring pajama bottoms in a paisley of muted colors intermingled with bright pastels with a tight-fitting camisole in robin’s egg blue, one of the colors in the pants.

She looked innocent and adorable, the latter of which she was some of the time, the former, only in her sleep.

Laid out on the coffee table with some of it escaping onto the floor were the remains of what had been an eating orgy. Microwave popcorn, open chip bags, cookies, candy wrappers and a small tub of ice cream, half eaten and now fully melted.

Lucien was not one to partake in junk food, except, as tonight, at A Feast.

A delicious, finely-crafted dessert, definitely.

An orgy of chemically saturated savories and diabetic coma-inducing sweets, never.

He decided he’d have a word with her later about this, if he found the right time, which would likely be in the next decade.

He lifted her and, as had happened last night, she didn’t wake. She simply settled into him, her temple on his shoulder, her forehead pressed into his neck.

He walked with a mortal’s slowness, taking the time to savor her scent. His eyes moving over her profile, his arms curling her soft body closer, enjoying everything that was her after having his fill, several times, of her poor relation tonight. This enjoyment strengthened his resolve to be far more patient while he made her understand and brought about her taming.

Carefully, he pulled back the covers and put her in bed. Swiftly disrobing, he joined her there.

Then he did what he’d decided to do in the car on the way home. It would, he thought, make Leah infinitely more agreeable.

Not delaying, his hands sought her, one at her breast, the other went straight into her pajama bottoms. His mouth went to the skin on her neck below her ear and he tasted her with his tongue.

His fingers worked and she woke on a soft, low moan.

“Lucien?” she whispered, her voice sleepy and sweet and entirely unguarded.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

She drew in a breath, her body stilled then it bucked as if to get away.

He expected this, kept her where she was and continued to work her.

“Lucien!” she snapped, an edge to her voice he hadn’t heard before.

His hand at her breast moved up to her jaw, twisting her head as he lifted his own. He took her mouth in a kiss, his tongue sliding inside as his finger slid inside her.

God, she felt and tasted magnificent.

On that thought he decided, no matter the frustration, he’d not take another meal, or anything, outside of Leah for some time.

Maybe years.

To his surprise, her head reared back into the pillows in order to break their kiss.

It was rare she’d break a kiss. Very rare. She was usually as hungry as he was for that connection. Even more.

Her lips parted, her eyes were wide and he watched them flare with an intensity he’d never seen before from her which was also surprising. She didn’t mask her reactions and she was extraordinarily passionate.

“You’ve –” she started and he withdrew his finger, found her, exerted pressure and circled.

She stopped speaking, her face softened and her eyes grew dazed.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” he murmured, his mouth capturing hers, her head reared back again but she pushed her hips into his hand. He gave up on the kiss, opting for something more intimate. He moved his lips to her throat, sweeping his tongue against her skin then biting her there, a small wound opened but the blood didn’t flow.

He had to suck. Which he did.

She liked it as he knew she would.

He heard her moan and her body melted back into his. He drew the blood out of the small wound, heightening her arousal in measured, controlled increments. His hand went back to her breast, fingers rolling her nipple and her head fell back to his shoulder.

He knew she was his when she started bucking her hips, riding his hand.

He felt his cock grow hard at her movements, his mind filled with visions of her riding him and, alternately and no less enjoyable, visions of him riding her.

He carefully opened the wound further and drew more deeply at her blood.

She gasped, her body tightening, he slid a finger inside then another one, both of them stroking deeply all the while his thumb circling her. Her hips were now moving in desperation, her breath coming in pants.

His tongue swathed her wound and he lifted his head to watch her face. He wanted to see her climax.

It didn’t disappoint.

Her neck arched gracefully, her face flushed gorgeously, her eyes slowly closed and her lips parted in a silent moan as her hot, wet sheath closed around his fingers deep inside her.

God, she wasn’t just magnificent. She was so stunning he stopped breathing, feeling it in his gut, lungs and cock, watching her come.

He pushed her orgasm further with his thumb. Her fingers circled his wrist in protest then imprisoned it as she drew in another breath and the shudder tore through her.

He ceased his movements, cupping her breast in one hand, stopping his thumb but allowing himself to keep his fingers inside her with the other. She trembled once, again, then again, before she stilled, spent, her body leaning heavily against his.

He held her close, his face in the hair at the back of her head, listening to her racing heart as it settled and breathing her scent, letting it consume his senses.

After a while, his hand left her breast and curled around her stomach, pulling her closer as his fingers slowly slid out of her and he cupped her between her legs.

He lifted his head and touched his lips to the now-pink wound.

“How are you feeling, pet?” he murmured there.

She didn’t move or speak.

He lifted his head to look at her profile. Her eyes were closed, her head tilted slightly forward.

“Leah? Are you asleep?”

When she spoke, she didn’t open her eyes and her voice was both very quiet and completely dead.

“You did that to me and I can smell her perfume on your skin.” His body froze and she kept talking. “And when you kissed me, I could taste her blood in my mouth.”

“Leah –”

She cut him off. “You forced me out of my home and my life. You’ve made me leave my friends and my job. During my initiation you caused me more pain than I’ve ever felt in my life. You’ve controlled my mind and my body. You’ve humiliated me. Today, you betrayed my trust. Tonight, you betrayed me.”

“Leah –”

“You win,” she whispered in her dead voice. “I can’t fight you, Lucien. You win.”

Remembering his oath to be patient with her, he rolled her to her back and got up on an elbow to get a better look at her.

“You don’t understand the way of my people, pet –”

He stopped speaking when she closed her eyes slowly in a gesture of defeat that seemed foul when done by Leah.

“Please give me one thing. Just one.” She opened her eyes and he was alarmed to see they were dead too. “Don’t call me pet and please, never, ever again call me sweetheart.”

“Leah –”

“May I go back to sleep?” she asked with genuine, not false, consideration.

In spite of his earlier vow, his temper was rising and with it the feeling he’d had when he saw her discarded lingerie.

“Leah, I’m within my rights to attend A Feast.”

She turned her head and looked over his shoulder. “I know you are. Of course you are,” she said wearily. “You’re within your rights to do anything.”

He decided to try a different tactic and his hand moved to cup her jaw.

Gently, he said, “I wanted to give you something tonight, sweetheart.”

When he uttered his endearment, she winced, her head jerking as if he’d struck her.

At this reaction, the strange, vile feeling was overtaking his temper and he didn’t like it. It felt like pain. Twisting, burning pain and it was magnifying quickly.

He lost hold of his patience but held tight to the anger. If he didn’t the pain would begin to be unbearable.

“Leah, goddamn it, look at me.”

Without hesitation she did.

“We need to talk about this,” he went on.

She shook her head and asked, “Why? I promise to be good, do as you say. Anything you want, I’ll do I. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

No, it wasn’t what he fucking wanted.

He wanted her trust, her acceptance of his power, his dominance, not to wield it against her, but to use it to keep her safe, protected, nurtured, thriving.

“You don’t understand,” he told her.

“Do you want me to understand?” she asked.

“Yes, I fucking do.”

Her eyes locked on his, hers were still lifeless. “Then of course I’ll listen. Whatever you want, Lucien.”

Blinding rage wrenched through him. At that moment, he didn’t know if he was furious at Leah or himself. This mingled with the bizarre, twisting pain and it took every effort not tear the room apart.

He watched her waiting expectantly and pulled in breath through his nose.

He knew he didn’t have the control to deal with this tonight. He needed to seek calm and deal with this rationally not when he wanted to throw the lounge through the window.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

She nodded and asked, “Do you mind if I go back to sleep?”

He drew another breath into his nostrils, attempting to keep a tight rein on his temper, which, fortunately worked.

“You don’t have to ask me to sleep.”

She nodded again, whispered, “Okay,” then rolled to her side, tucking her hands under her cheek again and closing her eyes. “Goodnight, Lucien,” she told her pillow.

His hold on his temper slipped and he growled. Her eyes snapped open and her head started to twist to look at him but he buried his face in her neck as his arms wrapped tight around her.

“You undo me, pet,” he muttered there, seeking solace in her warm, soft body, anything that might subdue that twisting pain.

He felt her grow still before she relaxed then, softly, she admitted, “I don’t know if I can redo you.”

Her words were so absurd, in spite of his anger, his smiled into her neck.

She kept talking. “But I think to redo you, I’d have to figure out how to redo me and that ship has finally sailed.”

His smile died and her head tilted forward, not to refuse him access to her neck but settling into sleep.

“It’s for the best,” she whispered as he lifted his head to watch her tired face. “I was always driving everyone crazy with my personality defects. Aunt Kate’s going to be thrilled.”

Her words made the burning pain intensify considerably.

“Leah, stop talking,” Lucien ordered.

“Okay,” she said then her eyes flew open and to the side and she said, “That’s speaking. Sorry. No, I mean… sorry!” Then she pressed her lips together and turned her face into the pillow.

Lucien didn’t know whether to laugh or to shout.

What he did know was that Kitty was a very bad idea.

He settled behind her, pulling her deeper into his body, something she didn’t resist, and pressing his face into her thick, soft hair.

He had thought Leah had been broken before and he’d been wrong. He took in a deep breath deciding that he’d see what tomorrow might bring.

When he knew she was asleep, he carefully pulled away so as not to wake her and took a shower.