Tears streamed down her face. This was not what she did. She helped people, not killed them. Tears continued to run down onto her clothing. Luce didn’t notice. She was the bringer of death. Cheering erupted in the office. The boys clasped each other on the back and hugged Bits who was crying, jumping up and down, “Pierre was ok, I saw him, he made it.” She told no one in particular breathless, clearly overwhelmed knowing he’d made it. Luce tried to be happy for her. Luce guessed their own forces had lost many this night as well, at least she wasn’t responsible for that as well. Or was she? She’d hesitated several times before pressing the button. Had that cost more lives? Just how much death was she responsible for?
Luce got a double click on her coms, the ID said Arturo. “Luce, do you see this?” He asked her. Luce could hear the strain and exhaustion in his voice. She had to face this. It was her fault. “Yes sir I do. I …. added another protocol to my security software.” She told him sadly, cautiously. Watching him on camera she saw him raise his hand for quiet. Those around him had been animated seeing the destruction going on around them and stood still and waited. “What did you do Luce?” He asked her directly. Luce bit her lip, holding back more tears. “I … encrypted the security software with a new programme to run alongside the old one. The laser technology that scanned to alert the system if we had intruders, gained an upgrade, when activated it could be used to scan for vamps not known to us and provide a direct blast of UV to the heart. It was to disable but could be a deadly weapon for anyone not identified to it.” She whispered. “I hacked into the local CCTV to give us a heads up, to buy us some time, it wasn’t enough and this was supposed to be a last resort. I waited as long as I could. My people were getting hurt, I had to use it.” She trailed off. “I have annihilated a race this day, I am the bringer of death Arturo.” She quoted devastated.
Arturo looked up to Alex, it was clear the others had heard. Luce had found a way to take them all out at once. “A worthy mate indeed Alex.” Clavius told him. “I would not like to make her angry.” He told him looking around at the piles of ash. Arturo clicked his coms, “Open channel.” He called. Alex heard Cade open his coms to all his people. “We are victorious.” Arturo told them. “We have civilians on the premises, everyone back to their posts and resume normal activities until they have gone. Screen the damage where possible.” He told them.
Having heard that, Luce told her group, “Lift the house lockdown.” Luce didn’t want to be here. Getting up from her seat she closed her lap top and walked out the room and made her way to the kitchens. She felt dead inside. Alice was busy making more food and several staff were rushing around back and forth. Luce made her way over to the staff table and sat down. She needed normality for a moment. It was hard to reconcile what she was seeing now to what had just happened. If didn’t feel the same place and that’s what she needed. A milkshake appeared in front of her and someone patted her hand. Luce looked up. Alice stood there. “You did your job.” Alice told her. More tears came to Luce’s eyes. Alice patted her once more and went back to her stove. Luce sat there through her first and into her second. Her mind blank. Noise gradually came back to her and she looked up and stretched her neck. Alex was standing opposite her.
“May I sit?” He asked her. Luce nodded lifting her drink and taking a long pull on it and placing it back on the table. He said nothing just sat with her and that was ok by Luce. She wasn’t ready to talk yet. Eventually, Luce noticed that the room had emptied and quietened down. “What’s the time?” She asked him. “A little after 3. Arturo and Clavius would like to speak with you if you are ready?” He told her. Luce’s shoulders slumped, was she ready to talk about this? “I’m not sure I can.” She told him honestly. She felt numb. But her body responded to him. She had no right to do so. He gave her a little time. “It won’t take long.” Luce pushed her glass away. She sighed. “Right, ok.” Getting up from her seat she headed through the kitchen door, Alex tried to take her hand and she shook him off and walked down the corridor and up the stairs to Arturo’s office. “They’re in the parlour.” He told her gently. Luce carried on and knocked on the door. “Come in.” Arturo told her. Luce opened the door and walked in. “Come and sit Luce.” He told her. Luce walked over and took the seat offered. Alex by her side.
She couldn’t look at anyone. She wanted to crumble. After a moment Arturo spoke to her. “Today was a difficult day.” He told her. She nodded. “It was.” She whispered feeling disheartened. Her work had been her refuge and peace, her right against wrong. Now she was the wrong she tried to right. Everything was backwards and any solace she found in her work, no longer appealed. She was numb. She felt lost. Who was she? She was disgusted with herself. She’d been weak and frightened and sort solutions that were barbaric and inhuman. It made no difference that the people killed were vamps. She had created something that killed. Not saved and protected.
“You are torn by what you did this day.” Clavius told her. Luce nodded sadly. “I am.” Clavius placed his hands together over his lap. He appeared to contemplate what to say before answering. “The vampire way is to dominate and kill without mercy, without thought of those that threaten us. We rarely consider the consequences and in time gone by, we would be ruthless, deadly and our beast would rule us. We would lay waste to any and all and there are many, including those that came after us this day, that would still, do just that. What you did today, was not done in anger or vengeance, it was not to be ruthless or to dominate. It was done out of the desperation to save those that are dear to you. Still, it was not an easy decision to make and from what the others tell us, you considered long and hard before making that choice. But be assured Lady Luce, had you not done so, all our houses may have been in ruins this day and everyone in them dead. Including you.”
Luce nodded and struggled to answer. “I did not do this for myself. I know this My Lord in here.” Luce pointed to her head. “But in here,” she told him pointing to her heart, “it feels wrong. Empty. I did not mean to do this. Even with seeing my people being brought down and the fear of the outcome for us with their greater forces, the fear of losing Alex and his people and being desperate to save them, I did hesitate, I don’t know if that cost more lives, but in the end, I genuinely felt the last resort had arrived and that I had no choice but to do it. I know it. I understand it but the reality of that, is crippling and I cannot think passed it. It is not who I am. Does the outcome justify the means? I do not know. A life no matter what, is still a life and I am responsible for hundreds that are gone this day.” Luce looked up at Clavius, her struggle clear in her eyes and voice. “How do I live with that? I’m not sure I can.” She told him broken.
He was shocked to hear her talk. Why were her feelings telling her she had done something wrong? That she couldn’t live with her actions. That couldn’t be. Alex watched his vibrant, confident woman shrink before his eyes, her spark and prickly nature missing. Her spirit leave her. She was so overwhelmed with what she had done, she was unable to rationalise that she had acted to save those she loved. He realised he was in danger of losing her. She could very easily turn away from all of them or worse, allow it to prevent her from living. Luce tended to run when she couldn’t face something. And her fear might make her run from them, from him. She had no idea what she had done for them. How much they realised what she had sacrificed to ensure they were safe. A vampire would absorbed that as obligation and move on, but a human, would dwell on the action and responsibility and consequences. Morality and conscience would get in her way and if they were not careful, she would get lost to it. He would not allow that to happen. Luce was vibrant, alive, she was sparky, independent, and needed a reminder of what her sacrifice meant to those she loved, he would make sure she got it. They could love her back to them.
“It will take time child.” Clavius continued. “And, with your house and husband to remind you of what you have sacrificed here today for their future, you will in time, come to understand, you did the only thing th
at mattered.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The guests were long gone. It had been a successful PR move if nothing else and a dam good party by all accounts. Well, Arturo got what he needed from it. She didn’t want to be here. She needed to get away from all the reminders. She’d showered and stood before the windows in her robe. So many lives could have been lost tonight. It could have all been very different. The outcome devastating for them all. Who knew who would have survived if the challenge had gone a different way. Her mind kept going over and over what had happened. She had a feeling, Clavius was right, they would have cleaned house the vampire way. They’d all be dead or worse. She shuddered. This life was not easy. She’d chosen it not really knowing what she was getting into. Who does that she questioned. What was she thinking? She was smart. But that was the point. She hadn’t been thinking had she. Not with her head. She didn’t belong here. The choices this life offered were too extreme. Did she love enough for this? Alex didn’t need her, none of them did.
She was bone tired. Being so weary was frightening. She just couldn’t face anymore. Luce wasn’t sure she’d be able to sleep and if she did, what would see she? She rubbed at her eyes. Would she see the death and destruction over and over again? Relive her part in it? Hell, it had been a long night. So much could have gone wrong and did. So much could have been lost. She needed to short circuit her brain. Have it shut down. Stop thinking. Have someone stop the merry go round so she could get off. She felt dead inside. Numb. This wasn’t the life she wanted. Nothing was worth this. She couldn’t go on. How do you explain this to someone? Luce stood in front of the full-length windows in what were still hers and Alex’s apartment. She needed the semblance of space. Needed to be still, quiet, alone. The UV protection gave it a silvered look reflecting some of the room back at her. The night peaceful. Empty. You would never guess what had happened here looking at it. She could see if she tried, the odd member of security from time to time roaming the gardens and the party lights reflected around the building. If she didn’t feel like shit, like nothing, she would have thought it pretty. She had nothing here to hold her.
Trouble was she realised, she’d do it all over again. Alex had got under her skin. He got her. Understood what she needed, who she was. She hadn’t wanted to be without him and that fear. It had rode her emotions and sent her in directions she never thought possible. Her fears had created that software. The pain of that thought was like a strangle hold on her heart. She had to get out of here. She couldn’t be at the mercy of her emotions. She and they, would be better off, if she was alone and gone. A sob slipped from her lips.
As if thinking of him brought him forth, Alex opened the door and walked in. Luce followed his path from the reflection of the glass back into the room. Alex stopped behind her and looked at her in the glass. “Thank you for saving my people.” He told her. “My people too Alex.” She told him emotionally holding back more tears. Alex gazed at her and leaned forward brushing his lips by her ear. “You are the love of my life and we will get through this. If I had not found you, my house, my life would be gone now. I, we, owe you much.” He slid his arms around her waist and held her to his body. Luce held onto his arms and pulled him closer. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him. The peace and connection with him surrounding her. “I’m not sure I can do this anymore Alex.” She told him shaking. Taking her hands, Alex placed them on the window in front of her and started to pull the tie on her robe open. Luce shuddered her body betraying her with anticipation. “Stop thinking Luce. Let us love you and show you how we need you.” He whispered running his hands inside her now open robe, his rough hands skimming over her breasts and pebbled nipples, his thumbs stroking over them. Luce moaned in pleasure. “Yes, I need that.”
Alex ran his hands up her torso to her shoulders and slipped the robe off them. It was caught by her upper arms being braced on the window, Luce went to turn and pull away from the window. “No. Keep your hands on the window and look at me through it. Look who’s giving you this pleasure.” Luce looked into his eyes in the mirrored glass. “Someone will see.” She whispered exposed in the window. Alex bent and nibbled and kissed her neck where it meets her shoulder and ran his hands back up to the globes of her breasts. Squeezing and grazing the nipples with his fingers, he held them and pulled them forward slipping through his fingers until the nipples were left between his finger and thumb. He squeezed. Luce cried out and arched back into him, exposing her body more to the window.
Alex grabbed the sides of the robe and pulled it back, fully exposing her body to him and the window. “Only our people are out there Luce and should they see us, it will be their Lord with their Lady, enjoying the pleasure of their bodies and they will envy us.” He told her kissing along her shoulder. “Let them see us Luce. Let them see the pleasure we bring each other. How much love there is, what we would sacrifice for it.” He told her as he ran his hands from her breasts down to her pussy and explored her. Luce moaned heavily and started to pant. Alex stripped out of his shirt and removed his dress trousers, pants, shoes and socks and stood naked behind her. He ran his hand back across her stomach and down to her neither lips. He cupped her and slid two fingers inside her. She was wet. His other hand reached around and continued to stroke her breast and nipple, teasing it, flicking it, dragging his nail over it and he continued to circled her clit with his other thumb and ride her body with his fingers.
Luce couldn’t believe she was standing in the window, naked for all the world to see and enjoying it beyond reason. Her brain had shut off its worry and reasoning. Alex’s touch was magnetic and alluring. She needed it. The exposure delicious, wanton, lustful, she never considered herself an exhibitionist she liked her privacy but this, this was another level altogether. Not able to stop her body she rode his fingers. She wanted to touch him and tried to remove her hands from the glass. “No Luce, leave them on the glass. This is your pleasure. A reminder of our love. Not mine, yours.” He told her. And it was. The most deliciously naughty thing she had ever done. She wanted more.
Alex slowly pulled her slightly back towards him. He needed a bit more angle to fuck her. Taking his cock in hand he stroked himself in time with his hand riding her body. As Luce began to ride him he withdrew his fingers and positioned his cock at her entrance. And slid in ramming up into her body. Luce arched up panted hard. He stood straight behind her, her hands still on the window, her body exposed to the night and he started to fuck her slowly. Bring his hands up to her breasts, he caressed them in time with his pace, pulling on the teats and tweaking the nipples over and over again. The muscles of Luce’s lining telling him she was close. They strained and pulsed along his cock, Alex leaned forward and bit down on her shoulder and drank deeply. Luce exploded with the pleasure of the bite. Alex held her as he continued to fuck her slowly.
Alex withdrew his teeth and left the bite open, “I love you and need you never forget that.” He told her. Luce’s blood seeped down her shoulder onto her body. She looked glorious. Alex ripped open his wrist and placed it over her mouth. “Take it.” He told her riding her. Luce placed her mouth over the open wound and drank. Exhilarated, by the vision of her and her blood and the pull on his wrist, Alex increased his pace a little and bit her again. Luce cried out with the pleasure rolling through her body. Alex saw their door open as he fucked her and Steven walk in. He gave him eye contact in the reflective glass and Steven walked in removing his jacket and shirt. Alex removed his teeth leaving that wound open too. He lifted his hands to caress her breast, twisting her nipples as Luce came back from her orgasm overload. He felt the moment her eyes cleared and she saw Steven standing behind them half naked. “Steven is here to show his thanks and devotion. It is his choice and wish.” He told her not letting up on the pace he’d created. “He wants to worship your body with me and I want him to. Do you Luce? He wants to show you his devotion, his thanks.” He asked her stroking into her deeply.
Luce could barely think clearly. The fucking, e
xposure and now Steven was sending her further than she had ever been before. “You want to pass me to someone else?” She asked incredibly. “Never. This,” and he cupped her again, “is mine. Will always be mine. I am not passing you to anyone ever. But, I am willing to sacrifice my need for yours. I want you to experience the ultimate pleasure I can give you and Steven can aid us in this. He will not be bonded to us, we will not be a threesome, this is a onetime deal. Unless, you want it again.” He told her kissing down the other side of her neck. “He will fuck you and lick you and suck on you till I tell him to stop. Do you want that Luce?” Did she want a second male making love to her? It scandalised and tantalised every element within her and took her breath away. She loved Alex. There was no love between her and Steven. He was a stranger. Could she let a stranger fuck her while Alex was with her? It felt wrong but …. Her body became so hot she could not think any more.
“Do you want him with us Luce? Decide.” He told her riding her body. Luce watched as Steven gazed at their fucking in the mirrored reflection. She struggled to make a decision but did not reject it. “Steven, worship your Lady.” Alex told him. Steven came forward and removed his shoes, socks and trousers. He stood naked beside her. Alex ran his hand along her arm nearest him and removed her hand from the window. She went to remove the other one, “leave it.” He told her and turned her slightly towards Steven. She was still very much on show in the window. Steven leaned forward and latched onto her breast and sucked and played with her. Luce moaned loudly and brought her free arm up and around the back of her neck to hold onto Alex’s head. It pushed her chest out into Stevens waiting hands and mouth. All the while Alex continued to fuck her.
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