Lucien either ignored it or didn’t notice it (likely the first). He led me to a back wall where there was an open doorway that led to a shadowed hall. What looked like an overdeveloped bouncer was standing just outside the doorway.
Without hesitation or even glancing at the bouncer, Lucien guided me in.
The hall was long and snaking, turning this way and that, not with corners but with curves. There were no doors which I thought was way weird. It was shadowed, creepy and strangely threatening and if I wasn’t with Lucien there was no way I’d have been there. The music and the hum slowly died as we moved forward and followed the snake.
Finally, with the club just a soft, nearly indistinct buzz behind us, we turned an actual corner.
And I was confronted with A Feast.
My first instinct was to look away.
But it was like a car crash and I couldn’t, no matter how much I wanted to.
It was different here, like night and day. The walls weren’t cement but painted a deep, rich red. The floor was covered in thick pile carpets and pillows. Some of pillows huge, the size of double beds. Some of them smaller. All of them covered in velvet in different rich shades, plum, scarlet, sapphire, ruby, forest green, wine and blood red. There were enormous mirrors on the wall framed in heavily carved, dark wood reflecting the activity on the pillows, against the walls, on the floor.
Feeding and lots of it.
On a double-bed-sized pillow was a woman so stunning she looked like a model, her alabaster skin exposed in a low-cut black dress. Three vampires were attached to her. One at her neck, one at her ankle and one whose mouth was at her cleavage suckling at the side of her breast.
My gaze floated, horrified at the raw, brutal sensuality of it. It was everywhere. I couldn’t escape it.
I tore my eyes free, trying to find a safe place but caught an image in a mirror, a vampire nearly as big as Lucien had a tiny woman pinned to the wall. Her head was lolling on her shoulder, her arms limp. He was holding her to his mouth with his hands under her armpits, her feet clean off the floor, legs dangling. Her face was a picture of ecstasy as blood dribbled down her neck, escaping his mouth.
With nowhere to put my eyes, I turned into Lucien and shoved my face in his massive chest. My hands lifting, fingers curling into his lapels, I pulled the fabric to my cheeks so no vision could penetrate even accidentally.
His arms came around me, a hand drifting up my naked spine, under my hair to rest warm on my neck. I felt his body bow so his mouth could be at the top of my head and my face and torso arched into his to keep the contact.
His voice was low when he asked quietly, “You don’t think it’s beautiful?”
Oh my God.
He thought this was beautiful?
A thought occurred to me and, panicked, my head snapped back and his jerked up to avoid a collision.
“Don’t feed from me here,” I blurted out my plea.
I felt his body jolt then saw his eyes narrow before he asked, “Pardon?”
“Please. I’ll do anything you say. Just don’t feed from me here.”
“Leah –”
I shook his lapels roughly and pressed closer, going up on my toes, so much in a state I didn’t measure my words. “Promise me, Lucien. What happened last night is something special, something that should be between us, not reflected in a fucking mirror for anyone to see.”
At my words, his face gentled, his fingers came to my hairline at the side of my head and slid in, stopping, curling and holding me there before he whispered, “Sweetheart –”
I was too rocked by what I just witnessed, knowing how it felt, seeing what was likely my ecstasy of last night on that woman’s face, I didn’t let his actions register. Or his tone. Or the endearment he’d used last night and this morning which I thought, regardless of the outcome of both events, was achingly sweet.
It was too humiliating by half. Or it would be if he did it to me.
“Please,” I begged on a frantic whisper.
“I won’t feed from you here,” he murmured and with his agreement my relief was so great, my body collapsed into his. My arms went tight around him and I pressed the side of my face to his chest.
He bent again, his words stirring the hair on top of my head. “Do you want me to take you away?”
I nodded, my cheek sliding against his chest and his hand, still in my hair at the other side of my head, tensed reassuringly then slid away.
He took my hand and we were away, leaving the scene behind us, quickly snaking back through the hall.
I found my heart was beating wildly. Without my panic overcoming my being I felt it. In fact it was beating so hard I fancied I heard it.
Then I realized what I’d done and a new panic surged through me.
The panic was so strong I yanked at his hand, planted my feet and stopped.
Lucien stopped with me and looked back at me. “Leah –”
I cut him off yet again, saying, “I don’t want you to think I’m a miss priss.”
He didn’t respond. He just stared at me.
I continued, taking a step closer, tipping my head back to look at him. “It was beautiful. Those things always are. But they’re also raw. That, particularly, was raw. And revealing. And I don’t want anyone to see me that way.”
“Leah –” he started but I kept on talking.
“It’s private and it’s okay if they,” I looked behind me, throwing my arm toward the hallway we’d walked through for emphasis before I turned back to him, “want to give and share and… whatever… but, if you do it in front of others, you give it away and it’s not just yours anymore. And I’m yours, you said so yourself, and I don’t want anyone to have me, not even a little piece of me, not anyone, just you.”
I was so panicked, desperate to give him my explanation, not wanting him to think I was a prude, or worse, to offend him by casting aspersions on his culture, I didn’t even realize what I was saying.
And furthermore, I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did.
But it did.
And Lucien took it a certain way.
I knew this because one second I was standing with my hand in his.
The next second I was against the wall, his body was pressed to mine, his hand in my hair yanking my head back in an arc that was painful not only at my neck but in my hair, and his mouth was on mine.
This wasn’t like the kisses we’d shared before. This one was demanding, bruising, possessive, branding and undeniably savage.
And, it might make me a freak, but I loved every, fucking second of it.
His mouth tore from mine and before I could even take a breath, he asked, “You’re mine?”
I tried to salvage something, anything, “I didn’t mean –”
He cut me off with a growl. “You’re mine.”
Now what had I gotten myself into?
“Lucien –”
He had an arm around my waist and it coiled so tight, forcing me so deep against his body, it cut off my breath.
“All. Fucking. Mine,” he whispered fiercely.
I felt my legs go weak and I knew it was not only fear at his ferocious proclamation but also an unhinged desire that I did not want to feel.
“Lucien, I can’t breathe,” I wheezed in all truthfulness but I’d lost his attention.
His head shot to the side and his mouth got tight right before his hold dropped away. I nearly collapsed but his hand seized mine again and he started striding swiftly back toward the club. Not long after I saw a couple coming our way down the hall and I knew Lucien heard their approach.
As they got closer, I noted it was a man and a woman. They were both so gorgeous I had no idea which was the vampire or if they both were (or weren’t).
“Lucien,” the man called from several feet away.
“Jordan,” Lucien replied.
It was clear Lucien didn’t feel like conversing.
It was just as clear Jordan did for he stopped, halting the striking redhea
ded woman at his side.
Her gaze flickered nervously over Lucien right before she gave me the once-over and, to my shock, right in front of me, the haughty bitch let her lip curl.
I returned the favor but without the lip curl.
Instead, when Lucien stopped, I moved into him. That alone was going to make my point but Lucien went one better.
His arm slid around my shoulders, brushing my hair with it so it all fell to the front where he mindlessly grabbed a tendril and started twisting it on his finger. Even in the dim light, I saw her eyes focus on Lucien’s hand and her face went pale.
I just stopped myself from giving her a “so there” grin.
I looked up at Lucien and saw his eyes were on Jordan. I looked at Jordan and saw Jordan’s eyes were on me.
“So this is Leah,” Jordan noted.
What?
How did he know me?
“It is,” Lucien agreed.
Jordan’s eyes gave me a once-over too. When they did, the air in the hall went thick and the animosity rolling off Lucien was the cause of it.
The redhead took a step back, my body involuntarily braced and Jordan’s gaze swung to Lucien.
“Easy, Lucien,” Jordan said in a low, conciliatory voice.
“Don’t tell me easy, Jordan,” Lucien returned in a low, anything but conciliatory voice.
“You’re amongst friends,” Jordan noted and I might have been wrong but it seemed there was deeper meaning to his words than the one that seemed obvious to me.
“That might be put to the test,” Lucien retorted.
“I’ll pass or I’ll burn,” Jordan replied.
They locked eyes and the redhead and I were powerless to do anything but look on and hope they didn’t tear each other limb from limb.
Jordan broke the macho vampire staring contest and he looked again at me. I didn’t think this was a good idea but I couldn’t tell him that.
“I can see she’s worth it,” he muttered, his eyes going back to Lucien even as his words made the redhead’s face twist into a pout that I wish I could say wasn’t pretty but it made her look damnably cute as a button.
What I wanted to know, but didn’t ask, was what I was worth.
It was like they were talking code!
Lucien didn’t respond to Jordan. Instead he looked at the redhead.
“Cecile,” he murmured.
“Lucien,” she whispered in a breathy voice.
“Now, Lucien, you released her, remember?” Jordan said and his tone was lighthearted but his words felt like a kick to my gut. The redhead looked like she felt the same and this look was not cute as a button at all. It was anguished.
She recovered before I did, damn the woman.
“I remember.” She spoke up.
Jordan turned to me. “He always gets the best ones. Luckily, sometimes the rest of us can pick up the scraps.”
Everyone tensed then.
Me in an all of a sudden feeling of camaraderie for my female brethren.
Lucien because he could be a jerk but I suspected he was a gentleman.
Cecile because his insult wasn’t veiled, not in the slightest.
“Perhaps you should be on your way,” Lucien suggested from between clenched teeth.
Jordan, clearly a new kind of vampire to me, the demented kind, grinned in the face of certain peril (namely Lucien). “Perhaps I should.” His eyes came again to me. “Leah, it was a pleasure.”
I didn’t know what to do so I simply lifted my chin. This made his grin widen to a smile, he nodded to Lucien and he took Cecile’s arm and moved to pass us.
Lucien moved too. Keeping me to his side with his arm around my shoulders, he shifted us around and his hand shot out and wrapped around Cecile’s upper arm.
Jordan and Cecile stopped.
“Cecile’s going home,” Lucien declared and I felt my mouth drop open as Jordan’s eyes narrowed on Lucien’s hand then on Lucien.
We were almost home free and now foiled by Lucien who was also obviously of the demented vampire sort.
“I beg your pardon?” Jordan asked Lucien.
“It’s okay, Lucien,” Cecile whispered.
“Don’t do this,” Lucien clipped to Cecile.
“It’s okay,” she repeated.
Lucien dropped his hand but he didn’t admit defeat. “Your family won’t agree.”
I watched as her face paled again.
“I’m not sure this is your business,” Jordan butted in, coming closer to the threesome that included Lucien, Cecile and me.
“I’ve selected three of her line, not including her, it’s my business,” Lucien returned.
“You released her just over a week ago,” Jordan snapped. “You had your fill, you’re out.”
My eyes turned to Cecile. This was Lucien’s last concubine.
I didn’t want to meet any of Lucien’s concubines but definitely not the gorgeous, willowy redhead that was his last concubine.
Why did my life suck so much?
Why?
However at that moment I suspected Cecile’s life sucked more which made my heart go out to her, regardless of the earlier lip curl.
Lucien ignored Jordan and kept focus on Cecile. “You know what you lose if you walk down that hall.”
“Lucien –” she started.
He cut her off. “I’ll take it from you.”
Her eyes fell to the floor and she whispered, “I know.”
“Go home,” Lucien ordered.
Her eyes lifted and they were pleading when she repeated, “Lucien.”
“Go home.”
Her gaze flitted to me then back to Lucien and she pulled her arm free of Jordan.
“I miss it,” she whispered.
“You’ll find someone to give it back to you but not here,” Lucien replied. “Go home.”
“I don’t believe this shit,” Jordan hissed.
Lucien’s eyes cut to Jordan. “Janette’s at the feeding. If I’m remembering correctly, she’s your taste.”
“I’ve had her,” Jordan returned.
“Have her again,” Lucien clipped back.
Another macho vampire staring contest ensued and this one was far, far, far more dangerous and definitely scarier than the first.
“Um…” I butted in proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was indeed deranged as all eyes swung to me and all six of them (including Lucien’s) were incredulous. “Can I just say,” my gaze went to Cecile, I swallowed and sallied forth. “You’re beautiful. Gorgeous. Change can suck. Trust me, I know. But, honest to God, you’ll find someone the minute you start looking. All you’ll have to do is snap your fingers. Sure, he won’t be able to move at the speed of light and he won’t feed on human blood but there are always problems in a relationship. Am I right?”
For a second there was complete and total silence and I thought maybe I might have stepped over a line I should never, ever, ever, ever have crossed.
I really should have paid attention in Vampire Studies. I was seeing the error of my ways now.
Then I was curled forcefully into Lucien’s body, his hand in my hair shoving my face in his chest, a chest that was moving, rocking deeply, weirdly, until I figured it out. And I figured it out right before he let out a shout of amused laughter.
I relaxed into him and peeked over my shoulder at Cecile and Jordan.
Cecile had lost her haughty disdain and was watching me with a look that was astonished at the same time it was sad and confused.
Jordan was watching me too, a grin playing on his lips and also, to my shock, he looked amused.
Cecile turned to Jordan and asked quietly, “Will you be angry if I go home?”
Jordan sighed. “It’ll be a loss, dearest, but by all means, scurry home and save your reputation.”
Her look became grateful. It swung to Lucien then even to me before she turned and swanned down the hall.
My eyes moved to Jordan when he spoke and I realized he was speaking to me.<
br />
“I hope to see you at another Feast. The next time, heading in the other direction.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath,” Lucien remarked dryly.
Jordan didn’t take his eyes from me when he asked, “She didn’t fancy it?”
“Not even a little bit,” Lucien answered.
“Shame,” Jordan muttered. I shivered, Lucien’s arm tightened and Jordan lifted a hand and then he was gone.
Just like that.
Whoosh.
One second there, the next second he disappeared.
Lucien uncurled me from his body and walked me down the hall. This time he didn’t take my hand but kept his arm around my shoulders.
At the top of the stairs when Breed opened the door for us, Lucien slipped him a bill. I tried to see what it was but didn’t succeed.
Wats was standing sentry by the car right where we left it.
“Everything’s fine, Master, no one even looked at it,” he panted, bowing and holding the keys out to Lucien who held his hand up and Wats dropped the keys in.
Lucien held the door for me and Wats scampered out of the way for him to do so.
After Lucien closed my door, I spied the one hundred dollar bill Lucien slid into Wats’s waiting hand. I also saw the shiver of excitement that shook Wats’s body and I had the feeling it had nothing to do with the fact that Lucien just made him the highest paid car watcher in history but because Lucien had almost, but not quite, touched him.
We were well away, Lucien’s hand back on my thigh after he’d pulled the material away, but this time no stroking, just proprietary resting.
After a while, I couldn’t help myself, I requested, “May I ask a question?”
“Of course,” Lucien replied instantly.
I pulled in a breath and before I could lose my courage, I asked, “You said to Cecile you’d take it away from her. What would you take away?”
Again he answered without hesitation. “Her house, her car, her money, everything I give her to keep her. Everything I’ll keep giving her until she dies. If she falls, which, you should know Leah, any concubine does if they attend A Feast after they’re released, I’m within my rights to cease her keeping.”
“You’d do that?” I whispered.
“In a second,” he answered. “My concubines, current or past, don’t participate in Feasts.”