Until the Sun Falls From the Sky

Chapter Twenty-One The Attack

I turned the faucet off, wrung out the washcloth, smoothed it over the edge of the basin and looked into the mirror as I grabbed a towel to dry my hands.

Lucien and I had just made love and he’d fed. It was beautiful. As good as always. Ecstasy.

I’d cleaned up and was wearing nothing but a short, ivory silk nightie. In the mirror, I could see the angry pink wound at my neck morphing, fading, healing. It didn’t take long now, less than half an hour, then it would be gone.

I watched the wound grow fainter for long moments thinking that was wild and totally freaking cool.

I folded and returned the towel to its loop and looked back at my reflection the mirror.

It had been a week and a half since we had the visits from our families. I was surprised but definitely not displeased that Lucien spent that entire time with me. We made love. He fed. We cooked together. We ate together. We walked to the lake and swam together. Ditto in the pool. We lay in bed or on the couch in the comfy seating area off the kitchen and whispered to each other or napped, doing both holding each other close. Lucien took me out to dinner twice. He took me shopping once. I made him watch a movie with me snuggled on the couch. I learned about his life, his family and vampires. I also learned he knew most everything about me but still, he liked hearing me tell my stories anyway.

The outside world intruded, of course. Edwina was there, quietly taking care of the house, stocking the fridge, sometimes clucking around us like a mother hen but usually making herself scarce because she felt the mood. My mother called, Aunt Nadia too, Stephanie, my sister and a couple of my cousins. They were worried about the nightmares I assured them (truthfully) I was no longer having. But I made short work of allaying their fears so I could get back to Lucien.

He also received calls, mostly business which he would take with me close. Sometimes they were about other things. Those he would take elsewhere. I was curious and wanted to ask because I sensed they were about me. But I didn’t because if it was bad, I didn’t want to know. Not then. Not in that golden time I fell in love with a vampire.

I stared at myself in the mirror, smiling.

There it was. Proof.

I was demented. Totally.

I was in love with Lucien.

I couldn’t have him, not like I could one of my own, to take vows with, make children with and grow old with. I also couldn’t have him like in the time before The Revolution, to take vows with, not make children with but to spend eternity together.

And I didn’t care.

I had him now. I loved him now.

And I knew it was in a way that I would love him for my forever.

To put it simply, there were not many girls who got the chance to fall in love with a vampire. To have his attention, his protection, his body, his humor, his generosity, his gentleness. He could be bossy and annoying but that was just him and he was hot doing it so although we exchanged words because he was who he was and I was too, it never amounted to much. I had been right, as crazy as it sounded. He had all the good stuff down pat and was the best boyfriend ever.

I didn’t know how long it would last, what we had. And I no longer cared.

Because I had it now and I would have it for a while and even when it was gone, I’d always have the memories we were making. And the moments we shared that would make the memories of years to come were so much better than anything I’d ever experienced, anything any woman would ever experience, were enough for me.

I knew it down to my bones.

The Mighty Vampire Lucien was mine… for now. So I was going to do whatever I had to do to make really fucking great memories.

But even more important, I was his. And, just as he promised, me giving him me meant something to him. Not something small, something huge. Something meaningful. Something sweet.

I knew that down to my bones too.

He loved me. He couldn’t be the way he was with me and not feel what I was feeling. It was impossible.

The strictures of his culture meant we couldn’t have forever. But he was just as intent as me to take what he could from the now and make it sweet.

I knew it. I knew it.

Right to the heart of me.

And he had been right. What he could give me when I gave him myself was beautiful.

I looked away from the mirror still smiling and wandered into the bedroom. Today was the end of our long, romantic interlude. He had an important meeting to attend that morning. To spend time with me, he’d postponed it twice which, he told me, was two times too many. However, he assured me, once it was done, he’d be back.

Therefore, I was a little surprised when I hit the bedroom that he was still in bed since I knew he needed to leave soon. But there he was. The covers down to his waist, chest exposed, arms lifted, his head resting on his hands and he was staring at the ceiling.

The urge came over me and I didn’t even try to suppress it. I had memories to make.

So I took off running across the large room. I saw his head come up and I launched myself on the bed, my body landing full-length on his large one.

He grunted, his body cocking at the hips but his arms locking around me as we bounced.

“Jesus, Leah,” he muttered when we settled, his lips twitching.

I planted my hands on his shoulders and smiled into his beautiful face.

“Right, so, something to take with you to your meeting that we’ll celebrate when you get back with fillet mignon smothered in homemade béarnaise sauce,” I started. His lip twitch became a grin and my smile got bigger before I did what I needed to do to make one, huge, beautiful fucking memory and without further ado announced, “I’m in love with you, Mighty Vampire Lucien.”

His grin died instantly even as his arms spasmed around me.

I felt my stomach clench.

Oh God.

“Leah,” he whispered, his deep voice sounding funny, rough, tortured. Exactly like it did the morning after the first time he fed when he nearly killed me.

Oh God!

I thought he felt the same or, if not the same, then something. He had to. With how hard he worked to get it, everything we shared, he had to.

But looking at his face I knew he didn’t.

Oh God!

He didn’t.

I didn’t expect this. I never dreamed he didn’t feel the same as me. I could rejoice in the time we had, albeit short, if he returned my feelings.

I couldn’t bear it if he did not.

I didn’t know what to do.

But my body knew what to do and it prepared for escape.

Lucien felt it and in a nanosecond I was on my back with Lucien on top of me.

I knew I had no shot at getting away from him so I did the only thing I could do. I turned my head away and closed my eyes tight.

God. God.

My vampire didn’t love me.

“Sweetling, look at me,” Lucien urged softly.

“Please, get off me,” I whispered and my voice sounded funny too. Rough. Tortured.

His big hand slid between my cheek and the pillow and he whispered, “Leah, sweetheart, please, look at me.”

I didn’t look at him but I said quietly, “I shouldn’t have said it. Forget I said it.”

“Look at me.”

“It didn’t happen. Just wipe it from your mind. Go to your meeting. We’ll both forget it and everything will be okay,” I whispered desperately.

“Leah, please look at me.”

It was then it occurred to me that his hand was cupping my face but he wasn’t forcing me to do what he wished. And it was then I opened my eyes, turned my head and looked at him.

I shouldn’t have done it. His handsome face was gentle and God, God, more beautiful than ever. His eyes were warm and openly troubled and that looked good on him too.

“I must attend this meeting,” he said gently. “It’s important or I wouldn’t leave you. Not now. Not when it’s essential we talk about a variety of things.”

I didn’t want to talk about a variety of things. I wanted to curl up in a ball somewhere and remind myself to stop being my… fucking… self. Doing stupid shit. Getting myself in trouble. Breaking my own fucking heart.

“Leah, did you hear me?” he asked.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“I’ll make this meeting short. I’ll get home as soon as I can and we’ll talk.”

“Okay,” I agreed knowing I’d take the time he was gone trying to figure out how I could get out of that talk even knowing I’d never get out of that talk.

“We should have talked before,” he told me, his thumb sweeping the apple of my cheek. “I knew that. We didn’t because I was enjoying you and I didn’t want that to interfere.”

He was enjoying me.

God, how could I forget? I was his meal. His fuck buddy. His pet.

God! How could I forget?

I should have remembered. I should never have fucking forgot.

It took everything I had, everything, but I fought back the sting of tears in my eyes and the ball of fire burning in my throat.

When I accomplished this herculean task, I whispered, “Go to your meeting. We’ll talk when you get back.”

“Back home,” he returned immediately and I blinked.

“What?”

“When I get back home.”

I knew what he was saying and it felt like he’d plunged a knife in my gut.

Why did he persist in this? Expecting me to give everything while holding himself away.

“Yes, when you get back home,” I forced out.

His face dipped closer and I braced, every part of me. I knew he felt it. I knew he heard my heart stuttering, my breath coming uneven. I knew he felt my body tightening. I knew it because I knew he had those abilities. And I knew it when I saw his face get even gentler, his eyes warmer and more troubled.

God, why wouldn’t he just go away?

“I told you what we had would be beautiful,” he reminded me, twisting that knife he left in my gut, making me bleed. “And I knew even before you said what you said earlier that you finally understood what I was giving to you. Now, you must understand our future.”

He was wrong.

I already understood it. I always understood it.

I just chose to ignore it.

Stupidly, as usual. Stupid, stupid, stupidly.

“Okay,” I agreed quietly.

His eyes roamed over my face as his thumb moved over my cheek then he captured my gaze and whispered, “It will still be beautiful.”

Wrong again.

“I promise, Leah,” he continued softly.

Fucking liar.

“Okay,” I repeated.

His eyes again roamed my face before coming back to mine.

Then, in perfect Lucien style, he demanded, “Kiss your vampire before I go.”

His words sliced that knife up from my gut right through me, carving me open, laying me bare.

But I did what I was told. Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I lifted my head the inch it needed to press my lips against his. His opened as did mine.

That was when I kissed him hard, wet, long, giving him everything I had, showing him exactly how I felt, offering him everything that was me. And I did it because that was how I’d been kissing him since this began, at first against my will then gleefully.

But that was the last.

He’d never get that from me again.

Never.

When he tore his mouth from mine, he immediately shoved his face in my neck. His arms again locked around me, his weight heavy on me and he growled, “Fuck, Leah,” against my skin.

He felt it, I knew it. Whether he understood that was the last he’d ever get from me I didn’t know. I also didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything. Not anymore.

My life yawned before me. Years of being forced to live with a man I loved but didn’t love me back and I could never really have. Then years of bitter memories taunting me.

I knew this. From the beginning I knew this.

But did that stop me?

No!

Stupid, stupid Leah.

I forced my arms to squeeze him and my lips to whisper, “You need to go.”

He lifted his head and looked down at me. Then he dipped it, touched his mouth to mine, pulled back slightly and murmured, “I need to go.”

I drew in breath.

Then I was no longer in his arms. With vamp speed, he left the bed.

Numb, I lay still and listened to him brush his teeth, his short shower. Before I knew it, he was wearing one of his fantastic suits, looking gorgeous standing by the bed. Then I was mostly out of bed, my legs dangling, my feet brushing the covers, my torso held close to his with his arms tight around me.

I looked up at him and blinked away the disorientation his speed created.

“I’ll be home soon,” he whispered.

“Okay,” I replied, my hands drifting to rest on his broad shoulders.

He closed his eyes and dropped his forehead to mine.

I used everything in my reserves to stop myself from sobbing.

He lifted his head and opened his eyes.

“Thank you, sweetling, for giving that to me.” He was still whispering, his voice deeper, again rough but now with a different kind of feeling. In any other circumstance, I would think it was beyond beautiful.

Then, obviously, I didn’t. Because he was expressing gratitude for me giving my love and outside of a great house, fabulous clothes, beautiful shoes and unbelievable orgasms, that was the only thing he would ever give to me.

“You’re welcome,” I replied, my voice strange, void, dead.

He didn’t miss it.

“Sweetling –” he whispered.

“You need to go,” I reminded him.

His arms gave me a squeeze before he ordered, “Busy yourself. Don’t think of this while I’m gone. When we talk, Leah, I promise, you won’t feel the way you feel right now.”

He was full of it. He’d promised me a lot. And all of it was bullshit.

“Lucien, you have to go,” I told him.

“Busy yourself and don’t think of this,” he repeated.

“Okay, I’ll busy myself and not think of this,” I lied.

He held my eyes.

Then he whispered, “You’re lying.”

Whatever!

Jeez!

Why wouldn’t he just go?

I held his eyes right back.

Lucien sighed.

Then he reiterated, “I’ll be home soon.”

“And I’ll be here.”

His arms spasmed around me again as his eyes continued to hold mine captive.

Then, if you can freaking believe, the big, fat, vampire jerk’s lips tipped up.

His lips tipped up!

“Yes, pet, you will,” he whispered then touched his mouth to mine.

Then he was gone.

It happened after I made my plans and executed them.

I couldn’t get out of the talk, this I knew.

So I would be prepared for it.

I did not cry. I did not curl up and give my mind over to contemplating my bleak future. I didn’t open up the forgotten Why I Hate Lucien Vault, catalog its multitudes and nurse my fury. I didn’t immediately hit the kitchen and consume everything edible within reach.

I took a shower. I took forever doing my hair. I spent a great deal of time on my makeup. I studied my vast wardrobe selection and picked the perfect outfit. And I strapped on a pair of fabulous shoes.

I did this with only the aid of coffee supplied by Edwina who took one look at me and knew things were not right. And fortunately she also knew that I was in no mood to discuss them. So she brought me coffee but otherwise let me be.

I was coiffed. I was made up. I was wearing a freaking great pair of dark, bootcut jeans that I paired with a fabulous dusky blue, somewhat see-through top that clung to my midriff and hips but had a deep scoop at the back. I had a white racerback tank under it. And my feet were in high-heeled, beige suede, wedge sandals that had a wide strap across the toe and a wide, sexy ankle strap. In this getup, mentally prepared for what lay ahead, I walked downstairs.

My stomach felt hollow but I wasn’t hungry. This was unusual. Usually, when I stupidly broke my own heart by picking the way wrong guy to give it to, I could and did eat everything in sight but only if it wasn’t good for me.

Now it felt like I’d never feel hungry again.

And the alarming thing was, now it felt like I’d never feel anything again.

That was how deeply Lucien wounded me.

No. That wasn’t correct.

That was how deeply I allowed Lucien to wound me.

He fought to get in and I let him get in. But he knew he’d never give himself to me. And I knew he never could.

I just chose to ignore it.

My foot hit the floor of the foyer, my mind shoving away these thoughts, forcing itself toward eating something.

I needed to keep my strength up. Lucien had been gone for nearly an hour. His office was half an hour away if you didn’t drive a Porsche. He drove a Porsche and did it fast considering he couldn’t die unless his crash was fiery. So he could drive it in twenty minutes and he did. Regularly. He said he’d make the meeting short but I didn’t know what that meant. I just knew there was a probability he could be home any minute.

When my foot hit the floor of the foyer was when it happened.

The front door flew straight off its hinges. It blew right by me through the foyer at least ten feet to crash to the floor and skid down the hall.

Every molecule in my body froze for an instant then I turned to flee up the stairs. My cell was on my dressing table in the wardrobe.

I needed to call Lucien.

I got one step up and heard Edwina scream. Sheer dread coursed through my body but I had no chance to react. No chance to do anything.

There was movement everywhere but nothing I could see. Solid things dashing through the house causing blurs. One of them cut me off on the stairs. I ran into it and before I could see what it was, I fell back the step I took, landing painfully on my ass in the foyer.

Then I was up, my body like a rag doll, bent double at the waist, held tight to someone’s side, my hair blowing in the breeze created by our movement down the hall. As suddenly as we were moving, we stopped, my frame swaying with the rapidity of us halting. I was swung up and around, my body jerking unnaturally with the speed and it was sheer luck my neck or spine didn’t snap. Then I was held, my back to the front of someone, iron arms clamped around me, holding me captive, my arms held tight to my sides, rendered useless.

But I didn’t try to move. This was because, in the comfy seating area, I saw Nestor, the vampire that had words with Stephanie at my Selection. And he was holding Edwina like whoever was holding me except he had one big hand over her mouth.

Her eyes were wide and filled with fear.

“Tape her to a chair in the dining room.” I heard from behind me and I knew that voice.

Lucien’s father.

Etienne.

Oh my God!

What was happening?

Nestor and Edwina were there one second and I felt the gust of wind they created when they sped by Etienne and me. Then they were gone.

I heard movement in the dining room but my attention was caught on something else.

My head jerking around I saw Katrina, Lucien’s ex or soon-to-be-ex mate and Marcello from the night The Council sent vampires to collect Lucien. Katrina was standing in my kitchen staring daggers at me. Marcello was moving with a mortal’s speed toward Etienne and me. My tight body got tighter but he stopped five feet away.

Then my tight body got so tight I thought it would snap in half when, his eyes burning into me with a light I did not like, he muttered heatedly, “God, I want to drain her while I fuck that fear.”

“She is still my son’s concubine,” Etienne stated and Marcello’s eyes jerked over my shoulder.

“He’s taken her as lover. All bets are off,” he growled.

“We court his wrath already and you know it,” Etienne shot back. “Don’t be foolish.”

“Agreed so it should be worth my while,” Marcello returned.

“My brother,” Etienne said quietly, “in the coming war, we will need your strength. I ask you to restrain your instincts. Soon, all mortals will again be prey and you can take what you wish. My son falls or fails to protect his meal, you will have what you desire.”

His son falls?

Oh my God!

What was happening?

I breathed hard as Marcello held Etienne’s eyes. I felt no relief and kept breathing hard when he took a step back.

“Now, Leah,” Etienne whispered, his mouth at my ear, “I’m going to let you go and we’re going to talk. If you do anything unwise, I will let Marcello have you. Are you going to do anything unwise?”

Fuck no. These were vampires. No way I was going to do anything unwise.

I shook my head.

“Excellent,” he murmured then let me go.

I took two quick steps away then turned my back toward the hall and moved back two steps more. But it was there I stopped because I had three vampires’ eyes on me and I felt Nestor come out of the dining room behind me.

I looked amongst them, feeling my chest rise and fall, my fingers tingling, my legs quaking but I kept my shoulders straight and stood tall.

Then I moved my eyes to Etienne.

“What’s going on?” I asked and was pleased beyond reason my voice didn’t shake.

“We’ve decided it’s time you knew a few things,” Etienne answered.

I didn’t want to know a few things, of this I was certain. I also was certain I had no choice.

“What things?” I asked.

“Things about our culture. Things about your culture. Things about my son. And things about this world and your place in it,” Etienne replied.

That was a lot. Some of which I knew or thought I did.

Though, not their versions of it.

“Okay,” I whispered.

“Now be a good girl, Leah, and let your superior speak. I’ll tell you when and if you’re allowed to ask questions,” Etienne stated and I swallowed.

God, seriously. He was such a dick.

Still, with no other choice, I nodded.

“Very good,” he leaned in, his eyes lighting, creepy, amused and terrifying, before he finished, “pet.”

Oh God.

“Did you know,” he started, “that for five hundred years, it has been strictly forbidden for a vampire to take concubine as lover?”

I couldn’t help it. I wanted to but I couldn’t. My midsection swayed back like he’d struck me.

Etienne grinned.

I opened my mouth to say no but remembered his order and instead shook my head.

“I didn’t think so,” he muttered then spoke louder when he informed me, “But it’s true. No vampire has taken anything but blood from their concubine for centuries. Centuries. But my son had your contract altered. He did this without the knowledge or the assent of The Dominion. They’ve since found out and they are not happy.”

The rule he broke.

The not insignificant rule he broke.

And he broke it to have me.

Please tell me this wasn’t happening.

I stayed silent.

Etienne kept speaking.

“Vampires do not live with their concubines. They don’t kiss them at Feasts. And seeing as he’s obviously fucking you, he’s done whatever the fuck he wished to do prior to receiving permission from The Council. They will not take to this kindly.”

I pressed my lips together and nodded so he knew I heard him.

He went on.

“Whether willfully or coincidentally, this has made other vampires question this law. We,” he flung his arm out to indicate Marcello, Katrina and Nestor, “welcome this. Because this means war. And we are ready.”

Okay. Right.

This wasn’t just not good.

This was not good!

“It has been a long time coming,” Etienne whispered. “Vampires hunt. Vampires feed. Immortals should rule this planet not be ruled by rules.”

I fought it but I couldn’t stop myself from trembling.

Etienne was far from done.

“We do not wish to take your kind as mates.” He spat out the last word and if I didn’t already have a fair inkling about how he felt about “my kind” I knew by the way he spat that word. “We simply wish to take your kind whatever way we like, whenever we like. And this is how it will be.”

Yes.

Not good.

I pressed my lips together.

Etienne kept going.

“Lucien, either wittingly or unwittingly, began that process. Everyone within our culture is positioning. Vampires who do not wish change and are willing to fight for status quo. Concubines who desire to keep their place as the parasites of our culture. Vampires who wish to be free to find their mates whatever form they take. And my brethren,” again with the sweep of his arm, “wishing simply to be free to be vampires.”

Well, one thing I could say about that. That was pure Lucien, doing what he wanted to do and damn the consequences.

When he stopped and didn’t start again, even though I didn’t want him to continue, I nodded anyway.

So he continued.

“Do not fool yourself into thinking my son cares about you. He wants you to believe this, of course, it is the way with a taming. But it is not real.”

Another body sway when the impact of his words slammed into me and he smiled. He was loving every second of this.

The bastard.

He went on but this time he did it quietly, slowly, savoring the pain he knew he was going to cause.

“He had his mortal mate. The delectable Maggie.”

God. God! God!

“Maggie was captured, tortured and killed during The Revolution.”

Oh no.

Oh God.

God. God! God!

“Maggie was my son’s one and only true love, as sickening as that may be, it is the truth. Maggie’s death was the reason Lucien was unstoppable during that conflict. Maggie’s death was the reason he was unstoppable in hunting his own who would plot to resurrect the conflict. Maggie was everything to him. Maggie was his reason for being. Without Maggie, he exists. He does it well, he enjoys his life and the fruits of his endeavors, but it is simply existence. Nothing more. You, delicious Leah, he is using. Our lives are long, we must have our challenges and even if you’re simply breathing, you must find diversions to break up the monotony. That is what you are, Leah. A diversion. An enjoyable one, a succulent one, but simply a diversion.”

Love is a blanket that keeps you warm.

Lucien knew that to be true because of Maggie.

We’d talked a lot. He’d spent time educating me. He’d told me stories of his family.

But he’d never mentioned Maggie.

I fought the tears that filled my eyes.

I didn’t succeed.

And I hated it when Etienne grinned a triumphant, creepy grin when he saw them slide down my cheeks.

“I will educate you about our taming,” he said with false gentleness. “We have been forbidden to do this as well but we all yearn for it. We all enjoy it. But once a taming is complete, we will take pleasure in the spoils of our victory and then we will retreat. Move onto the next taming, the next meal, the next diversion that makes a vampire’s life sweet.”

Every word, every single word he said was killing me.

Lucien had lied. He’d not only broken promises, he’d flat out lied.

From the beginning. The very beginning.

He’d played with me like a toy.

Like his pet.

He’d played with me.

The tears kept coming.

“You are nothing, Leah,” he whispered, his eyes boring into me. “A plaything now and always a parasite. But in the end, in the course of a vampire’s life, a few years spent enjoying a morsel, we release you and in no time at all, we don’t remember how you taste, what you look like, even your name.”

More tears. That was all I had to give to what he was saying to me so that was all he got.

But he loved each salty drop.

“And now you understand your place, do you have any questions?” he asked.

“Is Edwina all right?” I asked in return and his eyes shifted behind me. Nestor must have made some nonverbal reply because they shifted back and he nodded.

I nodded back.

“That’s all you wish to know?” he prompted when I said no more.

“I think you’ve been thorough,” I whispered and heard Nestor’s chuckle from behind my back but I didn’t turn.

I kept my eyes on Etienne.

“I’m pleased you think so,” Etienne muttered, grinning his sadistic grin at me. “Now, we will be leaving.”

I blinked.

Was he high?

Break into the Mighty Lucien’s house and then just leave?

One could say I was thrilled beyond belief they were going but Lucien was going to lose his mind!

He must have read my face for he carried on.

“You can tell him what you wish. We’re prepared for his response.”

Oh shit. That didn’t sound good either.

“Yes, Leah, we are prepared. You can tell my son that too,” Etienne whispered menacingly.

I swallowed again.

He kept going.

“And tell your aunts, your cousin, your friends to enjoy their lives as they are to their fullest. The days when a concubine could provide us nourishment for a spell then suck from us for the rest of their days are numbered. Do you understand me?”

Oh yes. I understood him. Totally.

He didn’t like mortals. But he really didn’t like concubines.

Boy, I understood him all right.

I nodded.

“Good girl,” he murmured patronizingly and bile slid up my throat.

He studied me. I stood still and let him, just happy that I’d quit crying.

“You know,” he whispered thoughtfully, “it’s almost sad, you mortals handing your hearts to vampires. It has been a long time since I’ve seen that look on a mortal’s face after she learned of a vampire’s true nature.” He cocked his head to the side, his lips twitched and he finished, “Thank you, delicious Leah, for giving that back to me.”

And I knew it then. He’d played with many women, scores of them, maybe hundreds of them. All of them just like his son had played me.

God, I hated him.

Hated him.

More than I hated his son and that was saying something.

He jerked up his chin, my body swayed and my hair flew back when they all sped by me.

I stood solid and staring at nothing then it hit me.

Edwina.

I turned on my foot and ran to the dining room. I halted on a skid in the door when I saw her duct taped to a chair, more tape on her mouth, tears sliding down her cheeks, terror stamped on her features.

I shook myself out of my horror and dashed to her.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Edwina,” I whispered. “In the movies they do this fast. I’m going to do it fast. Get it over with. Please, forgive me.”

Then I tore the tape off her mouth. She cried out in pain and the sound cut through me.

“I’ll get these off,” I muttered, shaking the piece of tape away from my fingers and going to work on the tape at her wrists. “Are you okay?”

“I’m… no,” she answered shakily.

No. Of course not. She wouldn’t be.

“I’ll just… I’ll…” I stopped talking and my hands stopped moving.

You are nothing, Leah… a plaything… we don’t remember how you taste, what you look like, even your name.

My eyes moved to Edwina’s wet ones.

She read mine immediately.

“Leah, I heard him. Every word,” she whispered.

Do not fool yourself into thinking my son cares about you. He wants you to believe this, of course, it is the way with a taming. But it is not real.

“Leah, listen to me. Don’t believe what he says,” Edwina urged, her voice insistent.

That is what you are, Leah. A diversion. An enjoyable one, a succulent one, but simply a diversion.

“Those vampires with him, they are few,” Edwina kept whispering urgently. “Everyone knows of Etienne, no one respects him. Katrina was only here because she’s angry. A week, a month, she’ll rethink and she’ll retreat. Nestor, Marcello, they have been enemies to Lucien for years. Jealous of his fame, his abilities, his fortune. They have allied with Etienne for no other reasons then to make Lucien suffer. Don’t believe what he says, Leah. Not a word of it.”

I didn’t hear anything she said.

I heard Lucien telling me, It will still be beautiful.

I told him he had my love and he didn’t return it. Still, he thought he could talk me into continuing to service him by convincing me the emptiness he could give me was fucking beautiful.

He had the love of his life. It sucked she was tortured and killed but at least he had her.

I didn’t have anything.

Nothing.

Everything had been taken from me.

Everything I had, everything I owned, everything I was.

Taken by Lucien.

I focused on Edwina’s face.

“Please, someday, understand what I’m going to do now and forgive me,” I whispered.

Then I straightened away from her and ran out of the dining room on my high-heeled, kickass wedges.

“No!” she cried. “Leah! No! Don’t listen to him. Unbind me! We must call Lucien immediately!”

I ran to the phones first. Each one I grabbed and ripped free from the wall. Each one I ran to the pool and threw it in. Then I ran to the key hooks by the backdoor, grabbed Edwina’s keys, went to her purse, snatched out her cell and I took those to the pool too and threw them in.

I didn’t have much time.

I had to hurry.

I ran upstairs and found the two suitcases I brought with me stored in the hall closet. I dragged them to the wardrobe. Quickly but carefully I packed. Not the things Lucien bought for me (except my undies and nighties since I’d thrown all my old ones away seeing as the ones Lucien gave me were much nicer). Makeup. Shampoo. Lotion. Jewelry. Everything that was mine that I could see.

I shoved my phone in my bag, ran to the desk in the bedroom and grabbed my passport.

Then I dragged the bags down the stairs and didn’t look into the dining room as I rolled them right past.

“Leah! Don’t! Please call Lucien! Don’t leave! If nothing else, it isn’t safe!” Edwina called after me.

I felt like a bitch. Worse than a bitch, leaving her tied there. That was mean. It was selfish. It was ugly.

But I had no choice.

I had to get away.

I had to escape.

And Lucien could be home any minute.

Edwina was a nice lady so I hoped to God one day she’d forgive me.

I went out to the Cayenne and loaded up my bags. I got in and hit the garage door opener. I buckled my seatbelt and noticed belatedly my hands were trembling.

This wasn’t the only thing trembling. My whole body was.

As were the tears in my eyes.

I forced my thoughts on what was next. Bank, drain the accounts where Lucien deposited my concubine plaything money. Find an ATM and take a maximum withdrawal from my account at home. Get out of Dragon Lake. Stop at the nearest used car dealership, ditch the Cayenne and get another car.

I made my plans then I executed them. Bank. Thank God, no line. ATM at the same place. Easy.

And as I drove out of Dragon Lake, I grabbed my cell and dialed 911.

“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?” they answered.

“There’s been a break in…” I told them the address where to find Edwina. Then I whispered, “Hurry.”

I disconnected the call, hit the button to roll down my window and threw my cell phone out.

I didn’t know how it worked but on TV they could track you with phones.

Not mine.

Not anymore.

Lucien would hunt me and he was within his rights to kill me.

I knew I’d see him again. I knew when I did he’d be infuriated. I knew it would be done, one way or another.

Done.

Over.

And I would be free.