* * * * *
Lucien strode into the guest house on the annoying errand of claiming his concubine to take her back to meet his family. The annoying part of this errand was the last part.
The minute he entered, he saw her through the windows at the back of the house, sitting out on the deck in the sun, drinking coffee with her mother, aunts and Avery. Seeing her sitting there, smiling, the sun kissing her skin, glinting in her long, thick hair, he wondered if he would ever grow accustomed to her beauty. Drinking it in, he decided he would not.
He stopped only steps into the unit’s living room because he caught a familiar scent and heard a heart beating.
He turned his head to the side and waited. It took only a moment for Kate to walk into the living room from the small kitchen.
She’d been waiting for him. He knew this by the way she held her body and the expectant look on her face.
“Kate,” he greeted and he heard her heartbeat escalate as he smelled her fear.
She had something to say. Something she didn’t want to say. Something that was important enough for her to power through her fears to say it. And lastly, something that would take time.
This was a nuisance. All of it. Leah’s family being there, his as well. He’d been waiting for Leah for twenty years. And he’d had one day, the length of which he was away, and one night of her being tamed. Being his. And it was far better than he expected it would be. He wanted their families gone and his attention focused on nothing but Leah with hers on nothing but him. And he didn’t want this for the day. He didn’t even want it for the next week.
He wanted it for as long as he could keep hold of it.
“Lucien, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like a word,” Kate spoke quietly.
He minded. But seeing as this was Kate Buchanan, the matriarch of the Buchanan concubines, and Leah’s aunt, Lucien did what he did not wish to do. He lifted his chin to indicate assent.
Then he watched the indomitable Kate Buchanan press her lips together.
Fucking hell, she was nervous.
He didn’t have time for this.
“Kate, please begin,” he ordered.
“Leah is in fine spirits this morning,” Kate noted and Lucien’s head turned to the windows. Through them he saw Leah smiling at Nadia, her manner relaxed, her beautiful face aglow, warmth emanating from her. Even if their family dynamic was strange, it was clear she adored them and he liked that. But more, the taming was complete. She was not holding back, not hiding, not on guard.
She was just Leah.
His Leah.
Finally.
“She’s told us your family is at her house,” Kate went on and Lucien’s eyes went to her.
“They are indeed,” he confirmed and her head tilted to the side.
“Etienne?” she asked quietly and Lucien sighed with irritation.
“You have nothing to fear, Kate. She’s safe under my protection,” he assured her of something which she should not need assurances. Even if Leah was not who she was to him, she was his concubine and he was Lucien. He’d never allow anything to harm her.
“She feels that way,” Kate bizarrely replied.
“Pardon?” Lucien asked.
“She feels that way. Safe. Your family is at her home, there’s a possibility she’ll be meeting them and she’s not anxious in the slightest,” Kate explained. “In fact, she’s quite content and even…” she paused, “cheery.”
Lucien thought that was excellent. Mainly he thought this because he knew it was he who made her that way. But Leah in a relaxed, cheerful mood feeling safe under his care would aid greatly in her impending meeting with his family.
Kate kept talking. “She has no idea she should be nervous with Etienne there. Even so, they are your family and you two have a…” she hesitated then finished, “special relationship. In normal circumstances, that is to say, amongst mortals who are starting a relationship, meeting each other’s families is a significant thing.”
Lucien turned fully to her and crossed his arms on his chest. “Please,” he invited, “stop beating around the bush and explain what’s on your mind.”
“My grandmother knew Sasha,” Kate said softly and swiftly.
Lucien tensed.
Kate continued, “This is, as you undoubtedly know, a story passed through the concubines now for decades. Only cautionary, of course, but nevertheless it is well-known. But we Buchanans, as my grandmother was confidant to Sasha, know even more. Except Leah who, for obvious reasons, we kept this from. And Leah feels safe with you, as she would.” She hurried to say the last. “But Etienne, he’s… she’s… well, we both know Leah and –”
He knew what she was saying.
Sasha, his father’s concubine some decades ago, was a legend and not in a good way. She was one of the rare concubines who had demanded to be released from her contract. And she was one of the very few who did so on the grounds of extreme cruelty. It was investigated and The Dominion found that Etienne regularly and often fed from his concubine without anesthetizing her, getting off on the agonizing pain he inflicted.
Obviously, she was released. She was also endowed with a fortune, this commanded by The Dominion to be provided upon her by Etienne. He was infuriated but he did it. He also never again treated a concubine in this manner. However he often engaged in this pastime elsewhere.
It was the first such occurrence for over two hundred years and the last of its kind since then.
It was not a secret the vampire Etienne held no regard for mortals and this was only one incidence of proof of that fact.
It was also not lost on Kate that Leah was spirited and rarely showed him the respect he was due. If pushed, she could earn Etienne’s ire and his attention neither of which would be advantageous. Especially not now.
However, with his children and mother in attendance and Leah tamed, he had matters in hand.
Therefore, Lucien interrupted her. “Do not concern yourself with this.”
She leaned into him and whispered, “Lucien, you know I say this respectfully, but there is no way I can not concern myself with this. What you’re doing with Leah… what you’ve already done. Etienne –”
“Kate,” Lucien cut her off, “I’ll repeat this only once. This is not your concern. It’s mine. I am aware of it and I’ll keep Leah safe.”
“She’s dreaming of The Sentence,” Kate reminded him.
“I’m more aware of the meaning of that than you,” Lucien clipped, losing patience.