Bite Me If You Can

by Lynsay Sands

Chapter Eleven

 

  Leigh slept through the night. She hadn't expected to. It was only afternoon when she'd lain down, but it was early dawn when she woke up. . . And she was starved. This time there was no mistaking which hunger. It was both. However, the minute she sat up in bed and saw the little refrigerator, the very thought of the bags inside made her teeth protrude.

  She opened the door, lifted one out, then grimaced before popping it to her teeth. The consumption of blood was the one thing she disliked about her new state. It was also the one thing she couldn't change, so she decided not to think about it as she sat waiting for the bag to drain. Determined to fill up and prevent anything like what had happened in the kitchen the day before, she had three bags in a row before crawling out of bed. She'd come far too close to biting that poor cleaning girl and didn't think she could live with that.

  Leigh dressed in the clothes she'd worn the day before. She would take a bath or shower later and change into clean clothes -- preferably Lissianna's this time -- but right then what she wanted more than anything in the world was something to drink. Well, really, she wanted food in her belly, but a cup of tea would have to do for now, she thought as she ran a brush through her hair.

  With no makeup to put on, she supposed she was ready and headed for the door. Her tongue ran over her teeth as she went. It would be lovely to be able to brush her teeth again. And soon she would, Leigh assured herself as she left her room. Today she'd be able to go shopping.

  Bastien had promised that her bag should show up today, and she was excited at the prospect of having it. It meant she would no longer be so dependent on Lucian and his family. She could make calls on her cell phone rather than run up the long distance charges on Marguerite's phone. She could buy clothes instead of borrow them. Purchase herself the shampoos she liked, some makeup, a toothbrush, toothpaste. . .

  Leigh almost shivered with excitement at the thought of once again having things that were her own. She could buy food too, she realized, an idea almost as attractive as having her own clothes. She'd never made those cookies she'd planned on yesterday, and hadn't eaten in. . . she wasn't even sure how long it had been. She suspected that might be part of the reason she was sleeping so much. From what she could tell, Lucian didn't seem to eat at all and did well enough, but she -- and her body -- were used to real food, not just liquid nourishment.

  Leigh didn't run into anyone on the way to the kitchen, but hearing the television as she passed the closed living room door, she supposed Lucian was in there. After filling the electric teakettle in the kitchen and turning it on, she wandered back to the living room, intending to say good morning.

  Lucian was seated on the couch, feet crossed on the coffee table and head hanging back. He was snoring up a storm. She smiled with amusement, then glanced at Julius, splayed out on the couch beside him. The mastiff was flat on his back with his paws up in the air, head shifting against Lucian's leg, making little whimpers of pleasure. He was obviously having doggy dreams.

  Chuckling softly, Leigh walked to the TV and shut it off. The lack of sound woke Lucian, and his head snapped up abruptly.

  He peered blearily around the room and said, "What?" in a confused voice, as if she'd spoken to him.

  "Sorry," Leigh said apologetically. "I just turned off the television. "

  For a moment Lucian just stared at her, expression blank and body unmoving. Even Julius only stirred himself enough to open one sleepy eye in her direction. Then Lucian forced himself upright on the couch and gave his head a groggy shake. Julius rolled off the couch to the floor as the man said, "That's okay, I wasn't sleeping. "

  "You weren't, huh?" Leigh said, not hiding her doubt.

  "No, I was just thinking with my eyes closed. "

  "Uh-huh," Leigh murmured, amusement tipping her lips. "Well, you go on and keep thinking. I was just going to make a grocery list. "

  He blinked with confusion. "A grocery list?"

  "For food," she said, then explained, "My purse is supposed to arrive today. I was hoping to go out shopping for clothes and groceries. If that's okay?" she added uncertainly. She didn't need him to take her shopping -- she could take a taxi -- but wasn't sure if he would think it a good idea for her to go out at all. As she'd learned yesterday, she might not be the safest person to be allowed around mortals at the moment.

  Much to her relief, he nodded, "Oh, I see. Yes, that's fine. I'll take you. "

  "I can take a taxi. You don't have to -- "

  "I'll take you," Lucian repeated firmly, and got to his feet. "I'll just -- Have you fed yet?"

  "Three bags," she said quietly.

  "Good, good. " He turned toward the door. "I'm going to grab a bag and make some calls in the library. Marguerite has a good selection of books if you find yourself bored. Otherwise, give me a shout when the courier arrives. "

  Leigh watched him go, then glanced down as Julius nudged her hand.

  "I bet you're hungry, too, huh boy?" she asked lightly, petting the dog before leading the way to the kitchen. She wasn't surprised to find his food dish empty. Lucian seemed forgetful when it came to things like food.

  She had opened a can of dog food and was just straightening from dumping it in Julius's bowl when the kitchen door opened and Lucian stuck his head in.

  "Are you hungry?"

  Leigh's eyebrows rose in surprise at the question, then she nodded. Her stomach had begun to growl the moment the scent of the dog food hit her nose, and if not for the fact that it was dog food, she might have given it a try.

  "Right. " He nodded. "I'll splash some water on my face, change, and we'll head out for breakfast. "

  "But the courier -- " Leigh began.

  "It's not even seven A. M. , Leigh. Deliveries don't start until at least eight. We'll be back by then. Just give me ten minutes. "

  Lucian backed out of the room, feeling guilty about the wide grateful grin that had claimed Leigh's mouth at his words. He wished he deserved it. Unfortunately, breakfast had been Bastien's idea. His nephew was the first call he'd made, catching him just as he'd headed off to bed. They'd spoken briefly, and just before hanging up, Bastien commented, "I don't suppose Mother has much food there for Leigh to eat?"

  When Lucian acknowledged there wasn't, Bastien pointed out that Leigh was used to eating and that he might consider taking her out for breakfast. Lucian hung up and decided to forgo the rest of his calls and take Leigh to a local restaurant. He just wished he'd thought of it himself.

  He'd have to work on his awareness, he decided as he entered the bathroom. He had to remember to consider more than himself. The needs of others was something he hadn't had to think about for a long, long time, and that lack had made him inconsiderate.

  Lucian grimaced as he caught sight of himself in the bathroom mirror. His hair was ruffled and even standing on end in some spots. He didn't want to take the time for a shower, but his head needed sticking under a tap. He'd also shave, he decided, running a hand over his scruffy face. The idea wasn't a cheerful one. He'd left everything in Kansas, including his duffel bag with his razor in it. Mortimer had apparently taken over his room when he learned he wouldn't be returning. He'd found his wallet, keys, and cell phone on the bedside table and sent them off right away by courier. They'd arrived late yesterday while Leigh was sleeping, but the man hadn't thought to send his duffel bag, too, which held both his phone charger and his shaving gear. It meant that for the moment his phone was useless and the only razor available to him was an old, used disposable he'd found in the drawer. It would have to do, he thought unhappily.

  "Wow! You're ready and with a minute to spare," Leigh greeted him as he rushed into the kitchen nine minutes later. She then blinked at the sight of him and shook her head. "You should have used the extra minute. "

  Snatching a tissue from a box on the table, she began breaking off little pieces as she approached, then dotted them over his cuts to stop the bleedi
ng. "Good Lord! What did you use to shave? A weed whacker?"

  "I only have the one blade at the moment. It's overused," Lucian said, trying for dignity but fearing he failed miserably. It was hard to be dignified with half a dozen bits of tissue dotting your face.

  "Right. Razors and stuff. I'd better add them to the grocery list so we don't forget. " She paused, then added, "I'm surprised the nicks weren't healed before you headed downstairs. Shouldn't the nanos be fixing this?"

  Lucian shrugged. "They're shallow cuts, not an emergency. The nanos are slower acting on such things. They'll probably be healed by the time you finish pasting me with your bits of tissue. "

  "Hmm. " Finished with her first aid efforts to his face, Leigh moved back to the table to take up a pad and pen she'd apparently been making a grocery list with while he was getting ready.

  "Razor blades," she said as she scribbled on the pad. "Is there anything else?"

  When Lucian didn't answer right away, she glanced at him, then muttered, "A hairbrush. "

  As she lowered her head to continue writing, Lucian raised a hand to his head and smoothed down his hair. He hadn't been able to find a comb, so had made do with finger-combing his hair. He gathered it showed.

  Finished with her list, they headed out.

  They found a restaurant pretty quick considering neither of them knew restaurants in the area. They chose it based on the fact that the parking lot was half full. For that hour in the morning, it was an encouraging sign. It was small, decorated in soothing light blues, and comprised of twelve tables and six booths that lined the front of the restaurant.

  Apparently, the booths were popular, Lucian noted as they slid into the last available one.

  A short, stick-thin waitress with short black hair was at the table almost immediately, a bright smile on her face and two menus in hand.

  "Can I get you coffee while you decide what you want?" she asked.

  "Yes, please," Leigh said, smiling widely. Lucian could only guess that the prospect of food pleased her, and kicked himself again for neglecting her needs.

  When the waitress glanced his way, he hesitated, then nodded. He had never tasted coffee, but it seemed a popular drink in the movies he saw and books he read.

  Leigh had her menu open before the girl turned away from the table. Lucian shrugged, then followed suit just to give himself something to do. His gaze slid over the words and images with curiosity. While he might not know that Alpo was a dog food brand rather than the name of a human food producer, he had heard of some of the dishes on the menu. Omelets, bacon, eggs, toast. . . He'd come across all of them at one time or another, though he'd never eaten them. He was still reading through the offerings when the waitress returned with their coffee.

  "Are you ready to order?" she asked, setting the coffees down.

  "Thank you," Leigh murmured, reaching for the cup. "Yes. I'll have the breakfast quiche, a side of sausage, and whole wheat toast, buttered, please. "

  The waitress didn't bat an eye at the large order. She simply wrote it down with a nod and glanced at Lucian. "And you, sir?"

  "I'm not eating," he said automatically.

  Nodding, she slid her pen behind her ear, took their menus, and headed away.

  "Have you ever had coffee?"

  Leigh's question drew his gaze back to her, then he glanced down at his cup. He shook his head.

  "Try it," she urged.

  Lucian hesitated, picked it up and took a cautious sip, which he promptly spit out with disgust. "This is what everyone is so desperate for first thing in the morning?"

  Leigh smiled faintly at his horror. "It tastes better with sugar and cream. Would you like me to doctor it for you?"

  Lucian nodded, then watched her fix both their coffees, adding a teaspoon of sugar and some cream to each before sliding his back to him.

  Lucian tried another sip. It was still bitter on his tongue, but not as bad as it had been the first time.

  "It will grow on you," Leigh said with amusement.

  Lucian made a face, wondering why he would want it to, then noticed her attention had turned toward the back of the restaurant and the kitchens. She was obviously hungry, one hand absently rubbing her stomach.

  "I'm sorry," he said with a frown. When she glanced his way in question, he added, "I meant to get you groceries yesterday, but forgot. I should have taken you out for a meal at least. "

  Leigh shrugged. "Groceries would have been nice, but going out probably wouldn't have been. I might have bit the waitress instead of tipping her. "

  Lucian smiled faintly. "I could have made sure you'd fed well first. "

  "Made sure I fed well before feeding?" she asked with amusement.

  He smiled wryly.

  "Here we are. "

  They both turned to find the waitress had returned with two plates of food, one with a good-sized quiche and sausages, the other smaller plate holding toast.

  "That was fast," Leigh commented, her eyes locked on the food being set before her.

  "You picked the right dish, honey. Our breakfast quiches are our most popular specialty. We cook a certain number ahead and keep them warm," she explained. "And the cook always has lots of sausage on the go. The only thing you had to wait for was the toast. Enjoy. "

  Leigh thanked the woman as she left, but it was an absent, distracted murmur. Her attention was wholly focused on the food as she reached for her knife and fork.

  Lucian was watching her dig in when the food's smell reached his nose. It was an enticing aroma and stirred his interest. He found himself leaning over the table, following his nose to the plate. . . until a fork gently poked him in the tip of the nose.

  Pausing, he blinked and his eyes shot up. Leigh's gaze was amused.

  She finished chewing the food in her mouth, swallowed, then said, "You looked like you were about to crawl into my plate. "

  Lucian straightened in his seat and cleared his throat, muttering, "Sorry, it smelled good. "

  Leigh tilted her head and considered him briefly. She'd gotten the distinct impression that food wasn't high on his priority list.

  "When's the last time you ate?" she asked. There was no food in the house, so she knew he hadn't eaten there since their arrival, but suspected it had been longer than that.

  Lucian tipped his head, his expression thoughtful, then said, "At the celebration of Alex and Roxane's marriage. "

  "Who are Alex and Roxane?" she asked with confusion.

  "Alexandros III Philippou Makedonon. They call him Alexander the Great now. He was a -- "

  "I know who Alexander the Great is," Leigh interrupted, eyes wide. "You're joking right?"

  "No. "

  "But that was two thousand years ago," she protested.

  "Two thousand, three hundred and something," Lucian corrected.

  "You haven't eaten in two thousand and three hundred years?" she asked carefully.

  "That's right. " He shrugged. "Actually, I only ate then because he was a good friend and it was a celebration. "

  Her gaze dropped to his stomach. "Do you even have a stomach anymore?"

  "Of course," he said with annoyance.

  Leigh nodded. "Of course. . . but does it work after all this time?"

  "Of course it does. " Lucian shifted, feeling suddenly self-conscious; like he'd sprouted a second nose out of his abdomen or something. Frowning, he reminded her, "The nanos keep us in peak condition and all that. They keep it in working order whether we use it or not. "

  "Right," Leigh said slowly, then shook her head and took another bite of quiche. She couldn't help noting the way Lucian's gaze moved from her mouth to her plate then away, only to follow the same circuit again.

  Leigh watched him warily as she ate. Despite the fact that he didn't eat, she saw definite lust in his eyes as they slid over her food. She was almost tempted to put her arm around her plate and growl like a dog to war
n him off.

  Realizing how rude she was being, she said reluctantly, "I suppose you don't want any. "

  Much to her alarm, he immediately sat forward.

  "Just a bite," Lucian said, and while his voice was nonchalant, his eyes were eager. "To try it. It smells interesting. "

  Wishing she'd kept her mouth shut, rude or not, Leigh began to cut a small piece of quiche.

  Lucian watched her with interest, then asked, "What's that?"

  "Quiche," she answered tersely, then raised the piece she'd cut to offer to him, only to blink in surprise when he looked horrified and sat back like a child refusing spinach. Frowning, she asked, "What? I thought you wanted to try. "

  "Real men don't eat quiche," Lucian informed her dryly.

  Leigh blinked in surprise at the old expression, then a laugh burst from her lips.

  "Nonsense. That was a stupid book title from way back in the eighties. The truth is real men don't feel threatened by quiche. "

  Realizing she was working to convince him to try it when in fact she had no desire to share the food, she shrugged. "Never mind. You don't have to try it. "

  She almost had the fork to her mouth when he suddenly said, "All right. "

  Leigh froze, the bite so close to her lips she could almost taste it, then her shoulders slumped and she held it out for him. She watched his mouth close over the food and pulled the fork free, silently praying he wouldn't like it. She was starved and didn't want to have to be polite and offer him more. With the fork free, Leigh quickly cut another bite for herself and slipped it into her mouth.

  "That's delicious. "

  Leigh stopped chewing, her eyes narrowing on his surprised expression. There was definite lust in his eyes now as he contemplated her plate, and that -- combined with his comment -- made her fear he might want more.

  "Is the sausage good, too?" he asked.

  Leigh scowled. "Yes. "

  "I'll have a bite of that, too," Lucian said, then frowned and corrected himself quickly, "I mean, can I try a bit of that, too?"

  Leigh's mouth tightened with displeasure. She'd feared as much. Now he wanted more. She wanted to snarl at him to order his own, but he was buying it for her, after all. She cut a piece of sausage and silently held it out, watching his lips again close over her fork, then their eyes met. For some reason in that moment, Leigh recalled her shower fantasy and felt a shiver run up her spine.

  Swallowing, she pulled her hand back and ducked her head to concentrate on her food.

  "That's good, too. " Lucian's voice had taken on something of a sexy growl, and Leigh felt another shiver run up her back. "Can I have another?"

  Leigh's gaze shot up. The resentment that had plagued her over the first two requests was now gone. Instead, she was a mass of confusion. Something had changed in his eyes, the silver had become more prominent, almost molten.

  Forcing herself to look away, Leigh cleared her throat and cut another piece of sausage. Her hand was trembling now as she reached across the table to offer it to him. The piece of meat fell off halfway across the table and they both stared at it blankly, then Leigh instinctively reached for it, picking it up between thumb and forefinger to set it on the side of her plate and cut him another piece. However, before she could, Lucian's fingers closed around her wrist and slowly drew her hand to him. Her mouth parted slightly, heat rippling through her stomach as his lips closed around her fingers and slowly drew down, pulling the sausage from her grasp.

  Hoping to calm the confusion suddenly rife within her, Leigh closed her eyes. However, the moment she did, images flashed through her brain, quick disjointed pictures of Lucian kissing her, his hand tangled in her hair, his body firm against hers. . . his mouth suckling at her breast, tugging gently but insistently at one excited nipple. . . their naked bodies like entwined marble on black satin sheets. . . cold tile against her back as he drove into her. . . then Lucian suddenly rose up out of his seat, swept the table clear of food and dishes, and lifted her onto it.

  "I brought you another fork since it looks like you're going to share. "

  Leigh's eyes snapped open and she stared at their waitress as she set the fork in front of Lucian. A glance at the table showed that their cups and plates were all still there. It took a moment for her mind to recover enough for her to offer a weak smile.

  "Thank you," she murmured.

  "Would you like more coffee?" the woman asked.

  "Yes," Lucian answered when Leigh just stared, unable to process the question, then he added, "And two more orders of what she has. "

  Leigh blinked in surprise as much at the husky growl evident in his voice as at the request itself. His eyes, she noted, were sleepy looking and still swirling hot silver, but then he smiled and said, "That way I won't have to steal yours and fear you stabbing me with a fork for my impertinence. "

  A slow smile spread her lips as the waitress moved off with a chuckle, then Leigh gestured to the extra fork the woman had brought them. "You may as well help me with this. "

  Lucian smiled and picked up the fork as Leigh shifted her plate to the center of the table and they set to work demolishing it.

  They ate in companionable silence, Leigh thinking about the strange experience moments earlier. The images had seemed as real as when she'd fantasized in the shower. In fact, she shouldn't really call them images at all. It was more like flashbacks to that waking wet dream. . . except for the flash of them entwined on black satin sheets. That hadn't been in her shower experience, but had seemed just as real as the rest of it.

  She had no idea what happened, but -- since she'd never experienced anything like it before Morgan bit her -- supposed it must be a result of the nanos. Perhaps senses weren't the only thing changed, they might alter her brain somehow as well.

  They had just finished off the breakfast Leigh had ordered when the waitress arrived with the two fresh servings. She took away the empty plates they'd cleaned up and went away.

  Now that they no longer had to hunch forward in their seats to reach the plate in the center of the table, Leigh and Lucian both relaxed back in their seats and their moods became more relaxed as well. They'd already eaten half a breakfast each, so were able now to eat at a more leisurely pace, interspersing conversation between bites.

  "So, is hunting rogues a paid job or do you have another one?" Leigh asked between bites. The question was both out of curiosity and the concern that he was neglecting his work to look after her.

  "Rogue hunters are our enforcers and most of them are paid," Lucian said a tad stiffly. "I'm also on the council. "

  Leigh blinked at this announcement, her attention turned. "The council? You've mentioned that before. What exactly is the council?"

  "The governing body for immortals," he explained. "We act as lawmakers, judges, and basically oversee anything that affects immortals. "

  "All of them?" Leigh asked, eyes growing wide. It seemed she'd landed herself with a powerful person amongst the immortals. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

  "There aren't that many, really. We've kept our population relatively low. "

  She peered at him curiously. He was answering questions more easily this morning. It made her wonder how much of his earlier exasperation had been due to sleep deprivation. "How many people are there on the council?"

  Lucian shrugged. "It fluctuates. We try to keep at least six on the council, but members serve for a while, then leave as they desire. "

  "Are Etienne and Rachel on it, too?" she asked curiously.

  "Good Lord, no. " He looked appalled at the very idea. "They're far too young. Only the oldest immortals can sit on the council. "

  Leigh's eyebrows arched. "I see ageism is alive and well amongst immortals, too. "

  He chuckled at her dry tone, but explained, "Older immortals have seen and experienced more. Besides, council members aren't paid, and younger immortals are generally more concerned wit
h making a living and can't give the position the time and attention it deserves. "

  "And you don't?" she asked dryly, one eyebrow arched.

  Lucian shook his head. "I am in the fortunate position of being half-owner of Argeneau Enterprises. "

  "What's that?" she asked.

  "It's a company my brother and I started. . . when was it? The sixteenth century or the seventeenth?" he said thoughtfully, then glanced at her with surprise when she burst out laughing.

  "Sorry," Leigh said. "It's just rather odd to hear someone ponder which century they -- Never mind. So, okay, you and your brother started a company centuries ago. You both had a half?"

  Lucian nodded. "His half was split between his children and Marguerite when Jean Claude died. "

  "Jean Claude is your brother?"

  "My twin brother. "

  Leigh's eyebrows rose, her gaze sliding over him as she pondered the fact that there had once been two such handsome, powerful men in the world.

  "Jean Claude and I ran the company at first, but Bastien took it over some time ago and runs it with the help of a board. "

  "It's hard to believe that I haven't heard of a four-or five-hundred-year-old company," Leigh commented.

  "Not at all," Lucian assured her. "It's changed names a couple of times and we don't sell anything that the common person would buy in a store. "

  "What do you sell?"

  "Argeneaus is very diversified. We have a branch that manufactures parts, another handles investments, another buys and sells real estate, and another branch is into medical things," he said vaguely.

  "Medical things like what?" Leigh asked curiously.

  "Research and development, blood banks and specialized bars. "

  Leigh blinked. The last part just seemed odd trailing after the first two, and she echoed, "Specialized bars? Why would the branch that handles 'medical things,' as you call it, deal with specialized bars?"

  Lucian smiled at her expression. "They're blood bars. "

  "Blood bars?" Leigh repeated slowly, then her eyes widened. "You mean. . . ?"

  "For our people," he acknowledged.

  "There are places you can just go in and order a -- " She caught herself when he raised a hand, and she realized her voice had risen with her amazement. They weren't supposed to draw attention to themselves, and squealing about blood bars would have done that.

  "They have specialty drinks," Lucian said quietly. "Bloody Mary's, Sweet Tooths, Fiery Redheads, Bloody Bibbos, and so on. "

  Leigh listened, fascinated. She owned a restaurant bar, so this was of interest to her. Before she could ask more, he changed the subject. "You said your parents died when you were ten. How did they die?"

  Leigh was silent for a while as her mind shifted gears, then explained, "My parents went out to dinner with my aunt and uncle to celebrate their anniversary. Their car was hit by a drunk driver on the way back. All four of them died. "

  "And your grandfather took you in," Lucian murmured. "He lived in Kansas City?"

  "No. " She shook her head. "I was born and raised in McKeesport. It's a small town outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I lived there until I went away to Harvard. "

  "Which is when your grandfather died," Lucian murmured.

  Leigh nodded, her mouth turning down. "I was away at Harvard when he died. I knew his health was failing and wanted to go to school closer to home, but he wouldn't hear of it. "

  "Yesterday, you mentioned being married. "

  Leigh shifted uncomfortably. The subject was taking a turn she didn't care for. She didn't like to think of that time in her life. She'd been weak and pathetic then, to her critical mind. She'd been so dependent emotionally on Kenny that she'd allowed herself to become a victim. She never wanted to be in that position again.

  Before she could come up with a way to change the subject, he said, "You suggested your husband was abusive. "

  A short, harsh laugh slipped from her lips at the understatement, then Leigh shook her head. "It was my own fault. " She saw him stiffen and said quickly, "Not his being abusive. That was all him. I'm not that stupid," she added wryly.

  "Then what was your fault?"

  "Marrying him," she answered, and explained, "We'd only been dating six weeks. I shouldn't have agreed when he asked, but Gramps had just died, and he was supportive and comforting through it all. . . "

  Leigh frowned and toyed with her coffee cup, then said, "We were on a trip to Vegas with a bunch of other students. I'd dropped out of school to take care of my grandfather's funeral and grieve, but the trip had been paid for and all the reservations made and Kenny convinced me to go. "

  "Kenny was your husband?"

  The disgust he put in pronouncing the name made her smile faintly. "Yes. He became my husband that weekend. We were there in Vegas, he asked, I said yes. . . " She shrugged. "The die was cast. "

  "You were lonely, suddenly alone in the world, and he took advantage," Lucian said quietly.

  Leigh blinked sudden tears away and shook her head. "I was an adult. I should have known better, should have got to know him better. " She frowned and shook her head with confusion. She didn't think Kenny had set out to take advantage of her. "We were both young and foolish. "

  "Even young predators are very good at picking prey. "

  Leigh stiffened at the quiet comment. "You mean the weak. "

  "No. I mean those who are vulnerable. Everyone is vulnerable at one time or another. "

  "When's the last time you were vulnerable?" she asked doubtfully.

  Lucian was silent for a long time, then quietly said, "You would be surprised. "

  Leigh stared, wondering what he meant by that, then he continued, "They say it takes a year to grieve. How long after your grandfather's death did he ask you to marry him?"

  "Three weeks. "

  "Ahhh," he said with a nod. "You see? Even an idiot would know you were still grieving and not thinking clearly. "

  Leigh shrugged. She'd like to claim Kenny hadn't been all that bright, but it wasn't true. They didn't let idiots into Harvard, and that's where they'd met.

  "He never hit you before the wedding?"

  "Good God, no! I never would have married him. "

  Lucian nodded. "It started with verbal abuse. "

  Leigh grimaced. "Yes. I was stupid, fat, and so on. "

  "Hitting on your weak points. "

  "You say it like it's obvious those would be my weaknesses," she said dryly.

  Lucian shrugged. "You said you'd left school when your grandfather died. That means you lost your identity as a student, would be feeling insecure about your abilities. "

  "And the fat?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

  Lucian looked amused. "Every mortal female thinks she's fat, even if she's stick thin. I had a maid once who thought she was fat. Her husband encouraged it. She was so thin her hips stuck out, and still he told her she had a fat ass, and she believed him. "

  He shook his head, obviously finding it difficult to understand. Leigh smiled faintly, but said, "You say all mortal women think they're fat. Immortal women don't?"

  "How could they?" he asked. "Nanos keep us at our peak health and shape. It's what they do. So every immortal is their perfect shape. " He grinned. "Rachel was disappointed that she didn't suddenly turn stick thin, but she wasn't meant to be. Now she is secure in the knowledge that she's a perfect Rachel. "

  Lucian suddenly grimaced and muttered, "Well, mostly perfect. The nanos don't affect personality, unfortunately. "

  Leigh chuckled at his words. "I did get the feeling that Rachel isn't overly fond of you. "

  "I do what I have to do to protect my family, my people. " There was steel in his voice. "Sometimes that doesn't make me popular. "

  Leigh nodded slowly. "I can understand. As the owner of Coco's there are things I have to do that I don't like. "

  "Owner?" Lucian stiffened. "I thought you wor
ked the bar there? Bricker and Mortimer -- "

  "I do work the bar sometimes at night when someone's sick, but I own the place, too," Leigh said, and explained, "Donny didn't show up all week so I filled in. That's why I was working the bar when Morty and Bricker came in. " She tipped her head, curious. "They still eat, obviously? At least Bricker does. Mortimer seemed mostly to pick at his food. "

  "He was just there to keep Bricker company. Bricker's younger and still eats food. "

  "So do you," Leigh pointed out with amusement as he finished off the sausage she'd been too full to eat and he'd snatched from her plate.

  Lucian's chewing slowed and an odd expression crossed his face. Before she could ask about it, the waitress was at their table.

  "Are we all set? Or can I get you anything else?" the woman asked cheerfully.

  "We're done," Lucian answered, then glanced at Leigh and added, "We should get back. It's after eight and the couriers start delivering at eight-thirty. "

  Leigh's eyes brightened with excitement. "Then we can go shopping. "