by Alisha Basso
My eyes followed her as she circled me like an immature shark. She looked fragile, but I knew better. The energy coming off this little brat was setting off lots of alarm bells. I knew better than to underestimate anyone.
“You smell of him,” she said, bringing her head in close to sniff me. “But he did not take you?” She stood back, regarding me. The look on her face was pure disgust, as though she were examining me for lice. “Are you so unappetizing?”
Unappetizing? Me? How dare she? I left him, thank you very much. I folded my arms under my breasts and conjured my most haughty tone. “He let me go, not that it’s any of your damn business,” I said, as she began to circle me again. I was a little worried, though; he didn’t come running after me. Maybe because he knew there was no way out. Or, maybe he needed a minute to settle himself. Lord knows my hormones were still high on lust. I tried to look superior, and glared at my newest nemesis.
“Perhaps I should have a taste, and judge for myself?” She stopped circling and started to reach for me.
Now I was getting royally pissed. If I refused to donate blood to Seth, I sure as hell wasn’t donating any to Tinker Bell. I shot my hand out and grabbed her by the neck. Her eyes went wide; her surprise was kind of cute. I knew I had about a second, so I concentrated on the ring. I wished she would leave, rather than force me to launch her at the walls. I knew she could probably bench press my Nova, but still, she was so petite. Bloodying her up might make me feel guilty.
I was astounded to see her eyes glaze over, no one was home anymore. She stood there like a lifeless doll. It was freaky and I quickly dropped my hand, wiping it off on my slip as if the feeling were a solid thing. The moment I let her go, she turned and marched quickly to the other end of the large room. She stopped and lifted a delicate hand, then pushed on the wall. A sunken door slid out toward her. She pulled it open and quickly stepped through.
I gawked. It was amazing. With just a thought, she did exactly what I wanted her to do. I had better find out what else I was capable of, and what I wasn’t. No good to be unpleasantly surprised when it really mattered.
I was in shock for what felt like forever. My brain was apparently set to stupid, because I should have run for the door immediately. When I finally moved, I had to stop abruptly. Angry shouts were approaching fast. Damn it! It sounded as if several people were quickly heading in my direction. Oh great. She must have woken from her little daze and assembled an ass-kicking party. I really didn’t want to find out. I had to disappear fast, but, sadly, my time ran out and the door was thrown open.
I was right, it was my new best friend and she was fuming. Yelling orders, she commanded the two men with her. They were gorgeous. Naturally, who wanted to spend eternity with the homely? They were obviously twins. Their auburn hair hung in messy waves past their shoulders. They looked annoyed as they approached me. I stood my ground; what else could I do? I closed my eyes and braced myself for the attack.
It never came.
I opened one eye, then the other, discovering they ran right passed me. What the hell happened? I looked down and found my answer. My body was missing! I had to disappear and just like that, I did! But, my luck was sure to run out soon, no good to go tempting fate. It was time to take my transparent ass out the door as quickly as possible.
My body was shaking with nerves as I quietly ran out of the room. The marble floor was cold under my bare feet. I turned my head, listening for any signs of life. Satisfied that it was safe, I tiptoed to the large double doors and pulled one open. It was heavy and moved silently. I eased out shutting it quietly behind me.
The air was cold, damn, what I wouldn’t give for warmer clothes. Before I could finish the thought, I was instantly warmer. Snug, brown leather boots appeared on my frozen feet. Butter soft, brown leather leggings and a cream colored sweater wrapped me in warmth. I was reeling, this was crazy!
I wondered for a split second where the clothes had come from, but decided to worry about that later. I had no idea where I was or how I was supposed to get home. I also knew that someone inside that little fortress would eventually grow a brain and rush outside to look for me. No longer invisible, I had to act fast.
I made my way to the driveway, which was huge. The pale concrete meandered in an elegant pattern. It led beyond my sight past tall trees and enormous boulders. My shoes made little sound as I hurried along its length toward the cover of trees. I was almost sick with nerves. It was dark out, making the trek much more frightening.
I was halfway to the trees when a tingle started at the nape of my neck. I stopped. Slowly, I turned to see Seth exiting the house at a run. He still looked yummy, beyond yummy, but I was no longer twitter pated. I looked at him, smiled, and hollered as loud as I could, “Lucian’s house!” I caught the look of rage on his face only a second before I popped into Lucian’s bedroom.
NINE
“Holy shit!”
Lucian scrambled, white covers went flying in all directions as he fumbled in a sleepy daze to stand on top of his bed. “Where the hell did you come from?” His chest was heaving with his rapid breaths. He was startled and deliciously disheveled.
I really scared him. I would have liked to feel bad about that, but I was too busy admiring his pajamas, or the lack thereof. Golden skin assaulted my eyes, and it struck me. The contrast between the two new men in my life. Lucian was as golden and good as Seth was dangerous and dark.
“Sorry, Lucian,” I stammered, heat rising to my cheeks as I tried to focus on his face. “But I just had a very disturbing run-in with our friendly neighborhood vampire.”
Lucian was suddenly very alert. He jumped off the bed and grabbed me in his arms. “My God Grace, are you alright?” He squeezed me, his warm body heat soaking through my clothing. “How did you get away? Did he hurt you?” he asked. He was running his hands all over my face and neck. I was touched at his concern. But I still had to bat his hands away.
“Stop, stop! I’m fine. See?” I showed him my left hand, now resplendent with my new prize.
“The ring? You got the ring!” his voice was high, “How?” He grabbed my hand, as if he didn’t believe it was real. “This is incredible, better than I could have hoped for. You got it back!”
I pulled my hand from his grasp. I was glad to see he was so relieved; it made me feel better to see how much he cared. “It’s a long story,” I said, “one I don’t really want to get into now.” I smiled at him. He looked so happy.
“Why did you come here? How did you get here?” His brows drew together in bewilderment. “Does the ring answer to you?”
“Yes, it does” I said soberly. “I need to know what I am capable of, Lucian. I need to know my limits.”
He sat on the edge of the bed, looking down. It seemed to take him a moment to realize he had nothing on below the waist. He yanked the sheet from the bed, and artfully wrapped it around himself. He stood, continuing our conversation without missing a beat. “I can tell you what I know, Grace, but for now, how about you just get some sleep?”
I was instantly tired. I had no idea how long my little adventure lasted, or the duration that I was knocked out for, but my body wanted sleep. A bed sounded great. I looked around, making sure I hadn’t conjured one by mistake. This was really going to take some getting used to.
“That sounds great, where do you want me?” I asked, suppressing a yawn.
His brows rose and a cocky smirk curved his lips.
I shook my head and said, “Sorry, Lucian, but I’ve had enough sexual innuendo for one evening. Can you save the flirting ‘til tomorrow? I promise I’ll be flattered and everything, I’m just too tired tonight.”
He looked angry all of a sudden. He turned toward me, “What do you mean you’ve had enough sexual innuendo?” he asked, eyes narrowing, “Did Seth…?”
I refused to let him finish. “No, don’t worry. I’m okay, it’s okay. Just go to bed. I’ll talk to you about it tomorrow. Now, does this place have a guest room or do you
get the couch?”
He smiled at me. “I really am glad to see that you’re safe.” He led me out of his room to the room across the hall.
He pushed the door open to reveal a small bedroom. It was lovely. The old-fashioned bed was piled with beautiful quilts. It looked soft and inviting. The simple side table was white with slender legs that curled at the bottom. A pretty, Victorian-style lamp stood on one side of the table and an old-fashioned wind-up alarm clock sat beside it. A white hope chest was placed at the foot of the bed, adorned with a pretty cushion made of lacy fabric. It was sweet and very feminine.
“Expecting someone?” I said with a smile.
“Yes … you.” He smiled again.
I felt a blush. I knew he wanted me to stay with him to keep me safe, but I was still flattered that he had gone to so much trouble.
“This doesn’t belong to your sister or some other relative, does it?” I asked.
He chuckled. “No, Grace. I have no living family; they passed many years ago. This room belongs to you alone.”
I felt warm as I stepped inside. Turning, I stood on tip-toe and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
“Thank you, it’s perfect,” I whispered.
“I’m glad you approve,” he grazed soft knuckles across my cheek. “Sleep tight,” he said. I smiled at his back and shut the door.
The bed was as soft as it looked. I folded down the quilts and the crisp white cotton sheet and looked around the room. It was small. There were two doors on the far wall. I crossed the room to open them. The first was a closet. Inside were a couple of very sweet white dresses and three white cotton nightgowns with little cap sleeves. I took a nightgown off the hanger; it made me smile. It was so different from the slip of sin Seth had picked out for me. This one was as sweet as the room, almost virginal. The neckline was very modest with a tiny pink ribbon threaded around the collar. It ended in a small bow at the center. At the bottom was a little ruffle that would undoubtedly hit the floor.
The second door opened to a bathroom. Cream colored walls and a soft pink light greeted me. I set the nightgown on the sink and turned the shower on. The tub was deep and welcoming, but I just wanted to get clean.
I opened the medicine cabinet and found a brand new toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. How considerate, I thought as I continued exploring. I opened one of the drawers under the sink and found a brush still in the package along with hair ties, bobby pins and no-tangle rubber bands. My curiosity was definitely piqued. I opened another drawer and found two books. One was about the joys of raising horses, and the other was a romance novel. The cupboard was brimming with goodies as well. I scanned the contents and had to stifle a laugh. Next to the extra toilet paper rolls and shampoo were feminine napkins! I guess he figured I’d be here for a while and wouldn’t have time to pack. Man, he was a dream. I’ve never had a man buy anything so personal for me without a huge struggle or a bribe.
The room was getting steamy. I stripped and stepped into the hot stream. My neck felt tense. I rolled my head around and massaged my shoulders a little. I shampooed my long hair and poured a few handfuls of conditioner onto my head and let it soak in while I washed my body. I rinsed and stepped out of the shower, dried off and pulled the brush from the drawer and the new toothbrush from the cabinet. I ripped the packages off and tossed them into the trash. I didn’t notice a hair dryer so I brushed my hair out and braided it so it wouldn’t tangle during the night.
Not surprisingly I forgot to get clean panties. I stepped from the steamy room with my cute little gown in hand and walked to the dresser. Sure enough, the first drawer held new panties. They smelled like fabric softener. He must have washed the newness out for me. Was he for real? I was surprised they fit. They were white, covered my belly button and went up only slightly high on the sides. I was beginning to think that Lucian spent a little too much time in that church.
I usually slept in nothing but panties, but that was at home. In a man’s house, I was all for modesty. I pulled the matronly gown over my head. It hit me at the ankles. Turning to the full-length mirror, I examined my reflection. Yep, I looked as frumpy as I imagined I would. With no slippers on my feet and my miserable wet head, I was getting cold. I climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. My wet head was very uncomfortable and it was a safe bet that it was going to chill me all night long. I really wanted to sleep. I mentally pouted. Then, remembering my wonderful new prize, I focused on my hair. Almost instantly, my head was warm and dry. Twisting the ring on my finger, I smiled to myself and drifted off to sleep.
TEN
My chest was constricted. It felt like a small child was napping on my lungs. I opened my eyes slowly to find a pair of yellow slanted orbs staring down at me. They belonged to a beautiful black cat. He was content judging by the sound of the V8-engine in his chest. I sat up slowly, careful not to knock him off the bed. I wondered how he had gotten into the room. Looking at the door. I noticed it was cracked open slightly.
I slid out of bed, my feet freezing the moment they hit the ground. Shivering, I crossed the room. I pushed the door closed again, but I didn’t hear it click. I could easily open it without twisting the handle. That was something I would have to remedy, but first, I had some phone calls to make.
The house was larger than I thought it would be. My room opened to the hall and Lucian’s room was directly across, I knew that much. There were two other doors along the long corridor. They were closed and I had to walk quickly past them to stifle my curiosity.
At the end of the hall was a very large living room. It was super masculine, and woodsy. I inhaled deeply. Leather and the smell of a wood fire burning made the room warm and inviting.
At the other end of the room stood a set of double doors. I headed that way, hoping to find Lucian. Pushing through the heavy doors, I entered the kitchen, which was impressive. Long counters stretched halfway around the large space. They were covered in rich marble. A huge center island, complete with cooktops and a sink made me shiver with envy. A lovely stainless steel stove occupied the closest wall, and at it, was the most beautiful chef I had ever seen.
He turned, smiling at me as an amazing smell drifted my way.
“You’re awake,” he said in a cheerful voice, “I was hoping to serve you breakfast in bed.”
He flipped something in the pan and turned the fire off.
“You were, huh? Do you always give your guests the royal treatment?” My stomach rumbled. I was starving. My poor body had only seen bad yogurt and two bags of popcorn in the last couple of days. This food would be a gift from heaven.
He grabbed two plates and arranged them on the island. He pulled some orange juice from the fridge and filled a pair of tall glasses. He then spooned the plates full with a veritable feast of cheese omelets, thick slices of bacon and beautiful pale chunks of cantaloupe.
He finished filling the plates and looked at me. “I don’t normally have guests,” he said honestly, “but if I did, I think you would still be special. Please, have a seat, I hope you like it.”
I sat on one of the tall stools. The smell coming from the food was wonderful. I took a bite of the eggs and my eyes rolled back into my head. The gooey cheese stretched without breaking. It was better than I could have hoped. The bacon was crisp and the melon sweet, bursting with sugary juice.
I ate like I hadn’t eaten in a week, which in reality, I pretty much hadn’t, at least not like this. He watched me, a smile on his face. He seemed to enjoy watching me gorge myself. I smiled back, swallowing the last bite.
“That was delicious,” I said, wiping my mouth with the cloth napkin. “Thank you.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s not every day a man gets to see a woman truly eat like she should, not fussing over organic eggs or non-dairy cheese.”
He finished his food slowly. I sipped my juice and watched him. He was relaxed in his home. The dark shadow of worry was no longer clouding his features as it had at the church. I watched h
is throat work as he swallowed the last bit of his breakfast. He took the plates to the sink and rinsed them off, then placed them into the dishwasher. I chugged my juice and placed the glass beside his in the dishwasher. I was not going to be a poor guest. That thought made me pause. I turned to him, my hand on his arm.
“Thank you,” I said. “I know it was very sudden, my popping into your bedroom last night. I left you in that church like an ass and I treated you like you were crazy. I was wrong. Then I just barge into your home as if I’m entitled to your help. I’m very sorry that I didn’t knock, or call. I intruded on your privacy. I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you have done for me. You didn’t have to help me, but you did, you are,” I corrected.
He looked startled. “You don’t have to thank me or apologize.” He shrugged, “I’m the one who invaded your life. I knew what was going to happen and I panicked. I didn’t think you would accept the truth so I tried to convince you without giving you a good enough reason. Hell I would have thought I was crazy too.” He shrugged, “I had no idea you could handle yourself so well. In hindsight, you really didn’t need me at all.” He frowned; he really believed that line of dung. God, he should get an A plus in broody.
“Lucian, if you hadn’t told me about the ring, I would never have gotten away from them in the first place. You helped me get the ring and escape. If I hadn’t known I was able to use it, then Seth’s plans to exploit me would have succeeded. You were the reason they failed.”
He smiled then. “Thanks, Grace. That means a lot. I wanted so much to help you. I’m glad I could, however indirectly.”
If that was all he was offering, I’d take it. I remembered the phone calls I needed to make and changed the subject quickly.
“I don’t have my phone. Can I use yours? I have to work tonight, but under the circumstances, I think that may be a bad idea.” I tried to calm my voice as another thought hit me. “I also want to touch base with Ann. I left her a panicked message the night you called me and I haven’t heard from her since.”
