Fueled by Lust: Lucien (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Celeste Prater

  Tana leaned forward and patted him on the arm. “God, this is so sad, Kallon. I’ll apologize up front if I start to cry. The battle was essentially over and we were all going to meet up at the Athenian. Lucien and I arrived and found that Basilius had thrown himself in front of a knife meant for Ulixes. I guess it freaked Ulixes out so much he practically tore the Dar Kan apart. Basilius sacrificed himself to save the guy. Just before he died, he made his apologies and then told Ulixes that he loved him. It was the saddest damn thing I’ve ever…hey, are you okay? You went totally pale just now. Here, you need some water?”

  Kallon grabbed her hand to stop her from rising from the chair. “No. No. I’m okay. It just surprised me, that’s all.”

  Tana knew he wasn’t okay. He was staring at the wall behind her and his eyes were darting back and forth. The saddest look passed over his face and Tana squeezed his hand when everything clicked into place.

  “You love him, don’t you?”

  His head bobbed up and down and she saw a tear slip from one of his beautiful green eyes.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry, Kallon. I didn’t know. Don’t worry, sweetie. Ulixes didn’t say it back. In fact, he jumped up very quickly and left him there. He was just a little freaked out by the whole thing. To see your sworn enemy do something like that has to be mindboggling. He’ll be okay. He’s just working his way through it. That’s all.”

  Kallon quickly wiped the tear away and gave a half-strangled laugh before he popped up from the chair. “Sure, that’s it. It makes sense now. You’re right. Forgive me for losing it just now. I’ve just been so worried.”

  Tana leapt up and couldn’t help her impulsive move. She wrapped her arms around the shaken doctor’s waist and squeezed him tight. She felt his muscles stiffen and she almost stepped back, but he suddenly relaxed and clamped his arms around her. She felt him bury his face against her hair as they rocked each other. His words were muffled, but she understood them.

  “Thank you, Tana. I can see why Lucien’s in love with you. Your heart is as big as the universe. I needed this.”

  “Geez, Kallon. Not you, too. He doesn’t love me. He’s just being his overprotective and overbearing self, that’s all.”

  Kallon laughed and pulled back. He grasped her chin with his fingers. “Oh, sweetness. We have so got to get our shit together on what’s right in front of us. You have someone that loves you and I have someone that doesn’t. It is what it is.”

  Tana grinned up at him. “I don’t know how he couldn’t love you, Kallon. You’re absolutely adorable.”

  He popped her on the end of her nose with his index finger and said, “Ditto.”

  Tana gasped and stared at him with wide eyes. “You have to be freaking kidding me. You know that movie?”

  “Like the back of my hand. I watch it until I have no more tears in my body.”

  “We’re going to get along so well, Kallon. Tell you what, let’s give Maxim a scare. Want to walk me to the galley? I’m starving. I’m sure he’ll find us eventually.”

  “Nothing would please me more than to get one over on that crazy bastard. Let’s do it.”

  Laughing, Kallon followed her to the door. It slid open and she ran right into Lucien’s big chest.

  Chapter 28

  Tana stared up into Lucien’s face and got stuck for a few beats. His eyes were frantically searching her features, for what, she couldn’t name. She blinked a few times and allowed Kallon to pull her back into the room. She watched as Lucien followed their progress and gradually swiveled his head toward the doctor when Kallon spoke.

  “Emperor. So nice to see you. What can I do for you?”

  Lucien appeared to snap out of whatever mind-burning internal discussion he was having and moved further into the room. “I need you to check a visitor that’s just arrived.”

  Tana tore her gaze from his when she saw movement in the doorway. She immediately lost the ability to breathe. She knew full well her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn’t seem to do a damn thing about it.

  An exceptionally stunning man, the same height and build as Lucien, walked in and glanced her way. He froze at the threshold, then seemed to gather his wits. He had the same deep black hair as Lucien, but it fell further down on his massive chest. They looked nothing alike, but he carried the same commanding presence. She briefly caught a glint of a small earring in his left ear. Her mouth parted when she spotted another small jewel attached to his right nostril. He was a bad boy, through and through.

  His clothing was completely black and fit snugly to his body. He was muscular and extremely virile in the way he held himself and moved. Winged brows, long straight nose, sculpted lips, a light dusting of black facial hair scattered along his strong jaw, and the most mesmerizing light gray eyes she’d ever seen held her in a catatonic state. The same question kept looping in her brain. Why do they have to keep being so god damn good looking? They stared at each other for what seemed like several long minutes before Lucien’s deep voice broke the connection. He sounded angry.

  “Maxim. Take Tana back to her quarters.”

  Tana swallowed hard and watched the stranger take a step forward before he reached to the side and held Maxim back with one arm. His voice was just as intriguing as the man.

  “Non. Does this fascinating creature belong to you, Emperor?”

  Tana cut her eyes over to Lucien and raised her brows. She could see he was weighing a thousand possible responses before he would ever let the words slip from his mouth. She spoke for him.

  “I belong to no one.” Looking to Maxim, she nodded. “I’m ready to go back.”

  The stranger took another step forward and made her pause.

  “Please, stay.” Turning on his heel, he pulled himself to his full height and addressed Lucien.

  “Emperor, what I said earlier about my return to Protonecis? I have changed my position. I will go without resistance as long as this beautiful female accompanies me. That is my only concession.”

  Tana swallowed on a hard gulp and felt like the walls were crashing around her. This was Bellator, cousin to Basilius, and a king.

  Looking to Kallon, who was now standing with his mouth open in shock, Tana rolled her eyes.

  “Can you believe this? What the hell did I ever do to deserve this shit?” She scampered behind Bellator’s back and squeezed Maxim’s arm. “Come with me, or not. Either way, I’m getting the hell out of here.”

  Tana lit out the door at a dead run, but not before she heard loud shouting coming from the clinic. She heard Maxim’s heavy boots striking the corridor floor and hoped he would stop anyone from pursuing them. Moments later, she slammed up against her door panel and frantically punched at the pad until it slid open. Whirling around, she watched Maxim stop and bend at the waist as he held on to his knees to catch his breath. He started laughing and she flipped him off. That only set him off more. She shook her head as the panel slid closed.

  * * * *

  Lucien slammed his body into his chair and gripped the edge of the table just to keep from wrapping his fingers around Bellator’s neck. He’d been in the meeting room with the big bastard for over an hour and hadn’t made a dent in the asshole’s “position.” He’d hauled his ass in here after he’d caught him slipping the guard and striding down Tana’s corridor like a conquering gladiator. The bastard had cornered her in the galley on more than one occasion and if not for Maxim, may have actually carried her away if he’d had the chance.

  The guy was positively smitten. It pissed him off knowing how easily that could occur. It wasn’t so long ago he’d been in the same pursuit mode. At least the other warriors had enough sense to keep away from her. Tana always appeared to be scared out of her skull at the amorous attention, which settled well in his flipping belly.

  The object of his irritation was leaning against the wall and staring out of the wide port viewer, but he wasn’t enjoying the scenery before him. He had Tana on the brain and Lucien swore he was going to crack his
teeth if he didn’t stop imagining what images of Tana were floating around in Bellator’s head.

  “Ah, Lucien. You don’t mind if I call you Lucien, do you? We are but two males discussing a beautiful female. No need for titles, eh? Did you see that fiery hair? I’ve never seen such a beautiful color before. I was lucky enough to touch a strand and it felt like silk against my fingers. And her eyes, what can I say? Those big pools of green look like the emeralds I discovered on Messor. Such lush, sweet curves to her body. She is gorgeous. I heard she is an extremely brave female. The stories of what she accomplished on that planet are astounding. There is nothing sexier than a strong female. How can you possibly resist?”

  Lucien growled when the bastard turned around and planted his hands on the table. His words were like nails driving into his forehead.

  “And when she spoke that first time? I near fell to my knees and begged her to never stop. So husky and sensuous. I must have her for my own.”

  “Enough!” Lucien leapt from the chair and rounded the table. He had Bellator up against the wall and was growling in his face before he realized what he was doing.

  “She’s mine. Never think of her in this way again.” Pushing away, he watched a smile cross Bellator’s handsome face while he straightened his tunic.

  “Why, Lucien. You look positively feral. However, I believe you are confused. The lady said she belongs to no one. That is something I intend to rectify. If you feel that she is yours, then by all means, you have just as much opportunity to convince her otherwise. I can play fairly in this game of love as long as you do the same.”

  Lucien snorted. “You don’t have any more chance with her than I do. She’ll not settle for a life in court. It’s not in her nature. Save yourself the trouble and leave her be.”

  Bellator’s brow rose and Lucien realized his slip.

  “So, she has spurned you, then. I see. Perhaps I can convince her of the exciting adventures that await a beloved queen. Something that you have obviously failed to do. So be it. Enter the game or not. It does not worry me one way or the other. You must play fair, however. Your constant thwarting of my attempts to speak with her is quite disturbing.”

  Lowering his voice in an attempt to calm his own nerves, Lucien shook his head.

  “This is not a game, Bellator. She’s a very special female and should be treated as such. Leave her alone. She’ll want to return to her home world. That’s where she belongs, not in the middle of the political maneuvering and drama of the court. You’ll break her spirit and that would be unforgiveable.”

  Bellator studied him for several moments, then leaned forward as if to share a secret. “This is where your failure lies, Lucien. You perceive her destruction before you ever believe she could succeed. You show her disrespect in your assumptions. It is no wonder she has turned you away.” He swiveled on his boot heel and approached the door. As it slid open, he threw the last volley over his wide shoulder.

  “I pity you for your lack of vision, Lucien. I had heard great things about you. You do not deserve her.” Then he was gone.

  Lucien fell to his knees as if the very words had sliced him open from stem to stern. In truth, they had. Bellator was right, and the realization burned like acid in his brain. This was his failure and he would suffer it for the rest of his life. Pulling himself up, Lucien held tight to the table and watched Insedivertus grow larger in the window. He’d run out of time to fix this.

  * * * *

  “Oh, my. This is beautiful. I had no idea.” Tana glanced over when Ulixes spoke.

  “Yes. I’ve seen it many times, but it’s still spectacular to look at on each visit. My prior home had only one.”

  They’d just descended down the huge, rolling walkway leading out of the Prometheus, and if Ulixes hadn’t caught her elbow she would’ve flipped to the ground. Three large purple moons were prominently displayed in the twilit sky, and she couldn’t take her eyes away from them. The sky shimmered with varying shades of light green, turquoise, and yellow bands. The mountain range was spectacular and the yellow trees with the long swaying branches were still freaking her out. The branches danced about as if waving to her. Ulixes pulled her further away from the walkway as the mass of Insedi warriors departed. She glanced down when subtle vibrations teased through the soles of her boots.

  “Ulixes! The grass is magenta!” His deep chuckle made her happy. He’d finally came out of his room yesterday looking a bit haggard, but at least he’d shaved and changed clothes. He was still somewhat quiet, but appeared to be rebounding. So much so that he offered to escort her from the ship when Maxim had been called away. Kallon still seemed quite sad, so perhaps their much-needed conversation hadn’t occurred yet—or maybe it had. Between Bellator’s relentless pursuit and her attempts to avoid Lucien, she’d decided her room was the safest part of the ship. Quick food grabs hadn’t allowed her time to visit Kallon to see if anything had changed for him.

  Ulixes bent and ran his hands across the ground covering and brought her attention back to the present.

  “Feel the blades. They’re full of energy.”

  Tana gasped when the vibrations tingled up her arm. “This is fascinating.” She felt a light tap to her arm.

  “Yes, but look there. That is even more so.”

  Standing, Tana could only stare in amazement at the sight before her. It appeared as if every Insedi on board was lying prone on the ground. Hundreds and hundreds of bodies lay on their backs as still as statues. The euphoric look on their faces made her envy whatever was happening to them.

  “What are they doing? Is it some type of ritual for returning warriors?”

  “Somewhat. They are reenergizing with the planet. They’ve been under tremendous stress and away from the home world, so they must replenish.”

  “Replenish?”

  “Yes. The Insedi core energy requires stabilization. If they don’t replace what has been used, they could die. Three months is the longest they can go without it.”

  “Goodness. Are they this connected with other planets?”

  “No, only this one.”

  Tana frowned. “Well, how do they maintain their energy if they’re not here? What if they can’t get back?” She felt her heart fluttering in anticipation of the answer.

  Ulixes’s chuckle lowered her anxiety level a bit. “The Insedi are rather ingenious. They discovered that sensual desire is equivalent to the energy here. Since they have to reside on Earth for long periods of time in order to find their mates, they established businesses that have an abundance of this energy.”

  The anxiety was now past the boiling point. Tana swallowed hard and tried to make her voice less tremulous. “How interesting. What type of business?”

  “Male revue, escort, and dating services.”

  “Oh, my. Okay…uh…let me think…yes. So, they have to bring their Earth mates back here afterward? Surely, they wouldn’t continue to work in those businesses. I know I’d be jealous.”

  “The mate stabilizes them. The energy doesn’t fluctuate after that. If any of these warriors were mated, they’d just be receiving a boost to the existing core…wait. The emperor hasn’t told you this?”

  “Not quite. Why would he?”

  “As your mate…” He stopped when her hand raised.

  “Please, don’t say it. No. I’m not. Oh, look. There’s Bellator. I wonder how he slipped by his guards? Geez, you think it might be because they’re all plopped on the ground getting juiced? They certainly can’t suck me dry, can they? Nope. Lucien wouldn’t want to share his battery charger with anyone else.”

  “Tana. I’m sorry. I had no idea. Please forgive me.”

  Squeezing her eyes shut, Tana turned and grabbed Ulixes’s shaking hands. She felt like a total bitch for shooting the messenger.

  “No. I’m sorry, Ulixes. This is my problem. I shouldn’t have gone off on you like that. Can you forgive me?”

  She felt him squeeze her hands and she opened her eyes. He had such love
ly golden-brown eyes. They were so very wise and comforted her.

  “No damage done. We all have things we need to work out in our minds. I wish I could release my angst as quickly as you. It appears cathartic. I envy you.”

  Tana smiled at him. “You’re so damn sweet. No wonder Kallon loves you.” Those kind eyes promptly peeled wide and Tana raised her brows.

  “Okay, well I guess that’s not news anymore. Hell, it’s not like he swore me to secrecy. Shit. Promise you won’t rat me out? I’m usually good at keeping my trap shut.”

  Ulixes smiled and she actually felt it was a genuine expression of what he was feeling. He lifted her hands and kissed the knuckles.

  “Never. Promise not to tell the emperor that I spilled my guts either, and we shall be in a very tight alliance.”

  “Deal.”

  “Tana.”

  Gasping at the sound of her name so close to her ear, Tana glanced up. Bellator was standing right next to them and they hadn’t been aware. He was very light on his feet. He smiled at her and she couldn’t help but return it. She’d figured out days ago that he wasn’t as scary as she’d first thought. He was a total romantic and she just happened to catch his eye. Well, she figured that wasn’t so hard to do since she was the only damn woman on the entirety of the ship. It didn’t help her ego knowing that’s what it had taken to become popular.

  “Bellator.”

  He smiled brightly and glanced to Ulixes.

  “Ulixes. Nice to see that you have joined the living. Are you feeling better now? I heard that you were sick.”

  Tana watched as Ulixes’s eyes traveled quickly around Bellator’s features. She wondered if he was trying to find similarities to Basilius. Other than the gray eyes and dark hair, there weren’t any that she could see.

  “I’m fine, thank you. Where are your guards, Bellator?”

  He chuckled and Tana had to admit it was a pleasant sound. “As soon as we landed, their eyes glazed over and I just walked away. Very disturbing.” He glanced over his shoulder and came back with a small grin.