Authors: Editor
“You had something else to tell me before I so rudely distracted you.” Purposely she swirled her tongue over his neck, working back up to his lower lip. Covering his lips with hers, she felt him smiling as she continued to seduce him, and oh, how it was working.
“If we want to finish this we’ll be needing a tad bit more privacy, m’lady. Do you think you can do this quietly?”
She shook her no while whispering, “Yes.” Hearing leaves and twigs cracking, both Serina and Lucian looked up.
“Oh my God, Lucian!” André pounced atop his brother crushing Serina beneath them both. “Duncan’s really not batty. You’re here, you’re alive.” He caught his breath and quickly asked, “You are alive, aren’t you?”
“Not for long with you smothering me.”
“Please, forgive me.” André stood and offered his hand to Lucian. “Serina? Oh, lord. I didn’t realize you were under the rubble. Oh, I’ll turn whilst you redress.”
“Obviously.” Her cheeks burned a deep shade of red. Serina stood, straightened her clothes and brushed off the dirt and pine needles that clung to her. Giving herself a quick glance over, she cringed seeing her blouse (Duncan’s actually) unbuttoned.
Nimble fingers, m’lord. I never even saw you undo them.
Vampire!
Lucian shifted his brows up and down.
André grabbed Lucian’s forearms and hung on. “Luce, what happened? Tell me everything. Have you killed anyone yet?”
“That’s random.” Lucian had to laugh, because if he didn’t there would be an endless stream of tears from the frustration beleaguering him. “No one’s dead—yet.”
Your future is very much up in the air, though
.
“I’ll tell you everything, I promise, but let me have some time with my bride. Wake no one. It shall be my surprise.” Lucian embraced André and with him that close all Lucian wanted was his blood. He shook off the first instinct to clamp down hard and fill himself on his warm, wife-stealing brother. When his second wave of need bashed him, he bit his lip and pushed André from him. “Go, Ands. We’ll talk soon.”
Serina paused when she realized something, something that seemed most urgent to her but evaded Lucian. “M’lord?” Serina stood with her head cocked almost in the same fashion Jonah had slept in, her hand on her hip. “That one thing...that one big thing you started to mention a while ago.”
Lucian winked at her. “You just took care of that.”
Serina walked over to her husband and looked into his serene, mesmerizing eyes and forgot what she’d started to say. Trapped. The man had trapped her mind.
Lucian pulled her close to him. “Don’t do that, m’lady. Don’t look me in the eye like that unless you want me to take over what’s in your head. I can do it. I’ve spent the last few days practicing on animals. Watch yourself around other vamps as well. They can take your thoughts and twist them to their advantages.”
Serina shook her head to clear it. “That enlightening vampire book you spoke of? Shouldn’t it say somewhere that you’re not, how shall I say this?” Serina yelled the rest loudly, so even people on the next mountain may have heard her. “―supposed to be able to walk about in the sun? Do I need to point out the obvious that ’tis daylight? That you’re up and basking in the sun and not broiling in it?” Annoyed, she brushed her hair from her face. “And I’m not under any spell you think you may be able to weave over me, you
eejit
.”
She indignantly stomped away from him, swaying her hips just a little more than usual. How dare he think her lesser than him and unable to handle herself around a vampire. He hadn’t been around when she sent old Jasper off all hot and bothered. Serina amused herself with that thought, and suddenly stopped walking. Two things occurred to her, neither of which made her insides all warm and fuzzy. Lucian was able to hold her mind, even briefly, but he did it. She wasn’t about to tell him that one little fact.
You just did, m’lady. If you’re going to censor your thoughts from me, you’ll need practice. Along with my funny fangs and the ability to walk in the daylight, I’ve acquired a few more things, you’ll find most interesting, but I’ll save those for later. And when did you start speaking broken Scottish calling me an idiot? Now, weren’t you in the middle of storming off back to the campsite?
Serina felt him laughing, not a taunting laugh that made her blood boil, but one that melted her heart. When she realized she wasn’t ready to face André yet, or any others he may have over-shared her indignant position with, she daintily plopped her bottom down in the middle of both places, between Lucian and the rest of the men. She wasn’t sure which fate was worse, being caught indisposed, or facing Lucian with his new lease on life. She didn’t have to choose.
Lucian sauntered to her graceful and silent as a great cat, strong, sinewy, and sleek; one she wanted to pet. God, she thought, he’s so beautiful. That one little thought made her smile.
Thank you. Your big kitty has some catnip you can play with later if you wish.
Lucian wrinkled his nose at her and held his hands out to help her. “You aren’t really upset at me are you, m’lady, for charming you just now?” Lucian bent and kissed her cheek. “I don’t ever want you angry with me.”
“Lucian, you charmed me the second I saw you in the carriage covered in blood and guts. I thought I lost you. You were gone. You died on me, you bastard! I saw your heart stop. I tried with everything I owned to keep you alive and yet you left me. I’ve never felt anything so profound or devastating.” Serina buried her face into his chest, not wanting him to see the fear in her eyes, or the tears but her body’s tremble betrayed her. The events of the past days finally caught up to her, and she couldn’t look back, her past was forever changed. Looking forward, hers—their future, teetered on shaky grounds. If he disappeared or died again, she die without him.
You won’t, m’lady.
Lucian strengthened his grip around her while she cried like he’d never seen her do before. His heart ached for the trauma she’d witnessed. God help him, he’d give her the world if it was possible, but the tears had to dry up.
I’m sorry. I’ve been a soggy mess since this happened
.
He slid his thumbs along her cheeks and wiped away the little beads of water. When that didn’t seem like enough, he covered her mouth with his. He whispered to her mind,
I love you,
over and over until the tremors stopped. Lucian sat on the ground and pulled Serina into his lap and rocked her as if she were a child after a nightmare in an effort to console her. “You need to get some rest, m’lady. You are withered.”
Serina started a protest of sorts, but stopped. She hadn’t really slept in days, and her mind and body felt like that frozen custard she’d left forgotten in her icebox. “Lucian, I’m sorry.”
“Do not apologize, Serina.”
“I am petrified.”
“Jasper made a claim on you, and until he is truly dead, he’ll have a part of your mind to control and play games with. Games you don’t want to play, nor have any chance at winning.”
“Together, Lucian, we can get rid of him. All of us together. André, Duncan, you and I, we can do it.” Serina knew it would be easier to wrangle an alligator out of his shoes than getting Lucian to give an inch, but conceding wasn’t her nature.
“M’lady, Duncan could not kill an ant. It is truth. He has the tenderest heart of us all.”
“You haven’t seen him the past days, Lucian. He’s become rather hostile, mostly toward Jonah and me.”
“And why is that?” Lucian knew the answer, but wanted to hear her version.
“Because I protected Jonah even after he tried to kill us on the mountain.”
“And why would you seek protection for this man after this act of violence against us?” Lucian dangled the bait and she ran with it: hook, line and sinker.
“Because he was under the compulsion of Jasper. He would not have tried to kill you otherwise. I know he wouldn’t have.”
“So, this evil vampire, unlike the beautiful vampire that holds you safely in his lap…”
“
Eejit!
” Serina sniffled and shoved at his chest of steel. “Stop reading all my thoughts. Let me have a few secrets.”
“Anyway, this evil vampire, as I was saying before I was assaulted for a second time―” he tugged her hair lightly, “―has the ability to capture minds, even those of a werewolf. He must be rather powerful and dangerous. I would think it would be in our best interest if you would let me take care of Jasper. And yes, before you run your little luscious lips at me, I will consider asking André to help. But you are not included, Serina. I will not place you in harm’s way.”
“I already am, Lucian. Look at my neck.” Serina stopped talking mid motion, and placed her hand gingerly over the marks Jasper gnawed into her. “Lucian, when Jasper bit me…” Serina lowered her head, ashamed to tell Lucian what Jasper’s bite did to her, but she had to tell him the truth. There would be no lies between them. She knew lies in a marriage were as evil as the vampire himself. And then came André! That conversation, she decided, would come at a later date. She needed time to think. Jasper was the ground-breaker. André would be the dirt atop her casket once she told Lucian.
“I am most aware of what that bastard did to you. Serina, listen to me—you are not what that creature made you feel. Without our love, he had nothing to work with. That is why he must be stopped. There will be no third party in our bed, unless we invite them.”
Serina snapped her head up at Lucian. “Who—what?”
“That piqued your interest!”
“I’m willing to try anything with you once.” Serina mustered up a smile for him. “How did you know what he did to me?”
“You’ve already accused me of sneaking into your mind just now, need I say more?”
Serina sighed, and nodded her head no. “Lucian, what do we do about Jonah? Do we trust him? Do we bring him home with us? We’ll end up looking like a band of merry misfits. One witch, one—possibly two werewolves, a sun-worshiping vampire, and three scruffy mortals. It’s the stuff Geoffrey Chaucer would have killed to write about.” Serina sent her hands back into her hair making it even more of a tangled nest.
Lucian grabbed her hand and steadied her as only he knew how. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed each knuckle gently. As he slid his tongue over each scrape, the saliva acted as a soothing agent, healing her.
Dazzled, Serina watched him. How did he learn these things so fast? Did all vampires have the ability to heal, besides the viler one, to destroy? A little flustered, she tried to shake her hand free, but somebody had them in his mouth sucking on them. “Lucian, stop.”
“What?” he sheepishly asked, one finger still between his lips.
She gave him a slight shrug of shoulders and tried again to yank her hand free. “Jonah, what to do with him?”
“I was enjoying that.”
“Yes, well so was I, but I cannot concentrate when your lips are on me.”
“We’ll bring him home with us. It’ll give Duncan something to do while André and I are gone. And as long as he doesn’t turn rabid, it’ll give you and Raven some extra security at home.”
“He’ll drive Duncan mad. ’Tis cruelty. How can you be so forgiving of Jonah?”
“Because I also read his mind. He’s an absolute mess. He needs us more than we need him. Being around you, Raven and Payton may help him. Also, if Payton does turn in three weeks? Never mind, I can’t think that far ahead. Serina, we won’t have all the answers this day, but for now rest.”
“Will you be there when I wake?” She cuddled in closer.
“You’ve my word.” Lucian kissed Serina one more time before she relaxed enough to close her eyes. With Serina tucked in his arms, he relaxed as well.
For now, she was safe.
Chapter Seventeen
With leaps and bounds, Payton approached Lucian throwing caution to the wind. Duncan kept his distance.
“So much for my surprise, Ands.” Lucian feigned disappointment.
Palms to the sky, André asked, “Have you ever known me to keep a secret?”
Payton scratched at his whiskers. “I’m not certain whether you’re a ghost or a true miracle.”
“That makes two of us, Payton. Glad to see you’re well.”
“As well as can be.” Payton shrugged his shoulders. “Do you want blood or tea or me?”
Lucian almost fell over with laughter. “I’ll have your blood later,” he answered. “I asked Raven the exact same thing after she was attacked.” He noticed Duncan standoffish and quiet. In a calm tone, Lucian told him, “Duncan, I’m fine. I have not turned into what you witnessed that evening in the carriage. I’ve got some ambiguous issues that I need to address, but you and I are fine. My solemn word, I won’t hurt anyone.”
Duncan placed his hand on top of Lucian’s then choked out, “Bloody right!” He managed to flash him a brilliant smile, but it faded fast when he realized what he’d said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up
that
word. Luce, are you truly one of them?”
“Duncan, like I said, I’ve got a few things to resolve.” He smiled for everyone showing off his new set of choppers.
Duncan stepped back and turned fast. He suggested, “Let’s get out of these woods for now, and we’ll talk once we arrive home.”
****
“André reserved two coaches for the ride home. Lucian and Serina have a private coach and the rest of us get to squeeze into the other one. Should be most pleasant,” Duncan grumbled. He gave Jonah a venomous glare. “I don’t understand why he’s coming with us. I just don’t understand why we would invite the devil’s advocate into our home.”
“Play nice, boys,” Lucian shouted over his shoulder as he carried Serina over the threshold to their cabin. Lucian regretted leaving them with the issues they had concerning Jonah, but he was quickly persuaded to let them figure out how to deal with each other when he felt his wife’s lips attached to his neck.
Lucian tossed Serina onto the tiny mattress and watched her bounce. He plunked down beside her, and that sent her body back into the air from his weight landing on the bed. Once settled his mood changed to somber. “Serina, do we start over? I’m so worried what our future holds. What happens if this is permanent? Or what happens if I drop dead tonight? Or if I go ballistic and kill all of you from bloodlust or something.” He stared into her eyes in hopes she’d have all his answers.
“Not start over, m’lord.” Serina stroked his curls from his face, tucking them behind his ear. “Just pick up where we left off before our lives were so rudely interrupted.” Serina placed Lucian’s hand against her heart. “If this situation is permanent then we have time on our side to figure out how to live with it. And I’d worry more about me going ballistic and killing people. You missed my little temper tantrums between Jasper and Jonah, and then again when I saw André.” As Serina spoke, the color literally drained from his face. “You look wearied. What can I do for you?” In a seductive manner, Serina undid the buttons on her new sweater, edging it open to expose the part her breast where he’d left his mark. She gave him her sultriest smile. “Anything at all?” She brushed her fingers across her bosom drawing his attention to her soft curves.
“Wicked little witch!” Unable to resist, he bent over, and kissed her breast over the exact site he’d bitten previously. Quick little flicks of his tongue brought hot, wanton sensations traipsing through her body. “I can’t do this to you again so soon, Serina. I just bit you last night. I know I need more, but I won’t endanger you. There’s no way of telling what the outcome will be if I take your blood. You may end up tied to me for centuries.”
Serina lifted her ring finger into view. “Marriage ring any bells, luv? Lucian, I gave you more the night you were attacked, along with Raven, and I fared well.”
“Yes, Doctor, I do remember. You passed out in my lap that night and threw up all over me the next morning. Quite the first impression.”
Serina wrinkled her nose at that. “It was sort of like a dog marking her territory.”
“Serina, can you see me going about town biting poor, innocent, unsuspecting people, or better yet, asking them if they wouldn’t mind donating for a worthy cause, with me standing there looking like some deject that escaped Charitable Guy’s Asylum? What am I going to do? I’m not vampire material. I don’t even make your cross flare. I can see it now, I’ll be the last vampire picked for all the blood games, not scary enough, not mean enough, not dead enough, too much bronzed to perfection skin tone.”
“Vampire vanity has arrived.”
Lucian buried his face in Serina’s chest and lay motionless while he listened to the ebb and flow of her pulse. This was pushing the envelope. “The thought of tasting anyone’s blood other than yours revolts me. I feel like a giant mosquito.” He was serious, but he was laughing.
“Lucian, what am I going to do with you?” Serina kissed the top of his head, and then worked her way down his face to his eyelids, then the tip of his nose. “You know André and Raven would give you whatever you want or need without asking. So would Duncan. You’ve got four willing donors at your beck and call. We can all take turns and then there will be no endangering any of us. Now, do as I say and bite me you big bug before I swat you away.” Serina kissed him. “I don’t want to sound desperate, but what you made me feel last night overwhelmed me. I’m more than willing to be your sole donor. You said you’d never make me ask.” She pulled his head up and looked him straight in his lost eyes, then kissed him as gently as she could, knowing he treaded thin ice. He was not a vicious killer and even turning into a vampire wouldn’t change that. “I believe you hold the key to our future. To bite...or not to bite...that is the question.” Serina slid the rest of the shirt off her shoulders, leaving herself bare for her husband to admire, to fondle, to tease and have his way with, if only…
Lucian leaned back, a small curve perched on the corner of his lips. Seemed the flirting worked. The teeth lengthened and without further ado, he dipped his head back to her invitation. His fangs disappeared deep beneath her flesh.
Intense pleasure pervaded her. Warm tremors tickled her insides educing urgent demands from her body, lower, right between the thighs. She lay beside Lucian joined, the connection and bond between them growing stronger with every drop of her blood he took. She closed her eyes in the midst of pure ecstasy and one hell of an orgasm, as he ravaged her.
“Ugh! More, Lucian. Whew! Take your trousers—”
Lucian jammed his fingers into her mouth in hopes this would keep her voice busy, but it was not meant to be.
“Ooh! Sweet!” she hollered. Her nails dug deep in his arms, holding him for her anchor. “I wish I could suck on you this way.”
So did he!
On the verge of abandonment, he voraciously drank Serina’s life essence. He hung onto her body as her excitement mounted again and her eyes rolled back into her head. The only thing that snapped him back to reality was the loud pounding on their cabin wall from their boys next door.
“Lucian, Serina, knock it off. These walls are paper thin!” André yelled, choking with laughter. “Luce, you’ve a queue waiting for their turn after you’re finished with Serina, although none of us can hit the high pitch she just did, well maybe Duncan can.”
Duncan slugged André.
“Ouch, old man! You hit like a girl.”
Duncan slugged him a second time. André laughed harder. “A little girl.”
Lucian lifted his chin and kissed her breast where he’d bitten her to stop the bleeding. He was totally in awe of his newfound powers and that he was able to coagulate the blood flow. “Aren’t I just a little walking science project? Wonder if ’tis vampire powers or because I now carry my wife’s blood? Hum!” Only the faintest purple trace remained. Aloud he exclaimed, “I like the private tattoo I’ve marked you with, wife.”
A few crackling noises were followed by his fangs retracting. That one sound he could do without as it reverberated inside his head. It reminded him of a tooth extraction. “Serina? You’re awfully quiet. Are you all right?” Lucian cradled her head in his arm, and with the back of his fingers stroked her cheeks.
“Oh indeed, m’lord.” Serina’s words slurred as if she had a mouth of marbles. “Could you make love to me, Lucian.”
“No, not now!” That came from someone in the cabin next to them.
Lucian laughed, both from embarrassment and frustration. Serina never noticed and kept talking.
“This feeling within me is overwhelming. I’m not sure what you just did to me, but whew, don’t stop!” She tried to raise her hand and run her fingers through her hair, but her fingers got tangled in her mane. “I seem to be stuck.” She giggled as Lucian set her free.
“Little one, this one time I can’t. I love you, but I’m not up for the occasion…”
“Awe, too bad,” came from someone who Lucian would have bet the farm was Duncan.
Lucian laughed even more knowing his entire life was being monitored. He played it just a bit, and raised his voice. “Let me rephrase that, Serina, I am definitely up for the occasion.” More grumbling seeped through the walls from the boys next door. In a serious tone, he lowered his voice. “My control is in serious jeopardy now. I could hurt you. And then there is the issue of all the extra ears.” Lucian inclined his head toward the wall behind him. “In a few days we’ll do this again when we can have some privacy, but for now let me just hold you until you fall asleep. Drink some water. I was a tad bit greedy, and you’ll most likely feel it when you try to walk. My apologies.”
Languorous, Serina reached up and kissed Lucian, and with a gentle whisper in his ear, told him, “I’m holding you to your word.” It took more effort than she had realized and her head thumped backward into Lucian’s waiting arms.
Lucian shook her once. “Little one, wake up. Come on. Please don’t tell me I hurt you.” Fear spiked when she didn’t stir. “Oh Christ, Serina—wake up!” He shook her again, tapped her cheeks, shook her once more and then panicked as he tried to figure out a way to get her to come around. He silently prayed he hadn’t done to her, what Jasper did to him—bleed him to death. His mind went back in time to a book he’d read when he was but a child,
La Belle au Bois Dormant
(Sleeping Beauty
), by Charles Perrault.
Kiss her Lucian
, a small voice screamed. “It can’t possibly be that simple,” he whispered. “Can it?”
Kiss her and save her
.
And so he did because he didn’t have any other tricks up his sleeve. When her lips met his in a passion-filled, hungry kiss, he burst into tears. He proclaimed, “I must really be Prince Charming.” He watched Serina eye him oddly, and he laughed more. “I am going to go get some food and more water for you. Do not attempt to leave the cabin, fair enough?”
“Fair enough. Lucian, I can’t even lift my head. What just happened?”
“You passed out on me again. I won’t be long.” About to walk out the sensation of being smothered in maggots squirmed up his spine. Someone had to have boarded the train with them at the last stop, and that new someone was not so friendly, nor alive.
André how is everyone?
Payton and Duncan finally fell asleep after you two quieted down.
André snickered.
Jonah has the appearance of a caged rat. He’s a barrel of laughs. Why?
Have you spoken with him? Has he said anything?
He started getting restless when you and your
wife…
I get the point. Do you think a walk would do him some good? Would you sit with Serina while we go?
What’s going on, Luce?
I think something’s on the train with us. Maybe Jonah feels it too.
****
“Jonah?” André nudged him with his elbow.
Jonah jumped as if he’d had a bucket of ice dumped down his back.
“Sorry,” André added.
“What?” Jonah faced André.
“Lucian wants you to take a walk with him. You up for it? Stretch your legs a bit?”
Jonah gave him his full attention. With his hands on his knees, he bent forward and asked, “Why? Is he going to throw me off the train?” Jonah actually tried to smile, but his face twitched instead. “André, I know you’ve no reason to trust me, or believe me, but you must listen to me now. Something dead just boarded this train. I can feel it all over me, like bugs crawling all over my body with little pinchers digging into me. Trust me, I know the feeling.” The attacks of the beetles on the mountain were going to stay with Jonah for a long while to come.
“Thank you for painting such a clear, unforgettable picture, really.” Andre rubbed his legs and arms.
“It’s not Jasper. I’d feel it if it were, and so would Serina and your brother, but it is dead, and it travels with a sentinel.”
André’s interest piqued. “How do you know this?”
“Animals can sense things humans can’t. With the mix of both bloods, I don’t miss much. André move, I’m not feeling so well.” Jonah doubled over.