Page 44

I liked this tradition. Hand-feeding meant absolute trust among his kind. The seemingly innocent exchange felt like the ultimate gesture of trust between lovers willing to die for each other.

I swallowed the bread. “Milly thinks the Mage was strangled to death. There wasn’t venom in his veins or around the bite—that’s why I asked earlier about the venom.

Also, your dental impressions didn’t align with the bite marks on the body, but she mentioned things that could’ve influenced the difference, so she’s not one hundred percent sure.

The bottom puncture holes were slanted downward, which was curious. ”

“A Chitah kills with four punctures. That’s enough venom to take out an ancient.

It doesn’t have to be from each canine. You can bite a Mage twice with your upper fangs and deliver the right dose.

” He touched the back of his head. “Upside down with the bottom teeth is weird. And a venomless Chitah would never get close enough to bite a Mage.”

“What do you think made it?”

He shrugged. “A Vampire’s one possibility. Can you ask the Relic to crush my dental impressions? If someone swiped those and sold them on the black market, they could pin a bunch of murders on me.”

“I’ll call her tonight. Autopsies aren’t her expertise, but she thinks a Mage could’ve done it.”

His eyes slanted to the side. “A Stealer. Is that what she’s thinking?”

I moved a spiral of hair away from my eyes. “There’s no way to know from examining the body. It’s guesswork. Assumptions. Theories.”

Lucian tossed the roll aside, reached through the bars, and clutched my leg. “I don’t want you alone with him. Whatever dealings you need to have with him, do it where there’re witnesses. Got it?”

I nodded.

“I mean it, Eden. Once you’re his mate, any issues you have with him might go to the Mageri, and they protect their own.

If he has close relationships with those officials…

Fuck .” Lucian pressed his forehead between the bars.

“Do me a favor and don’t go running to the altar tomorrow.

Stall the ceremony for as long as you can, the same way you stall in checkers. ”

A laugh sneaked out. “I don’t stall.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You do. When you know you’re going to lose, you drag it out.

It makes the game last longer, and that’s what you need to do right now.

Maybe you can give him a challenge. Tell him if he really wants to impress you, he can get me out of here.

Hightower isn’t a Chitah; he can’t scent your lies.

So lie your fucking ass off and set me free. ”

“Then what? You murder him, only to end up behind bars again? Two murders and they’ll take your head for sure. There’s nothing I’d be able to do about it. I’m not above the law.”

Lucian wrapped his fingers around the bars and studied me. “On my word as a Chitah, I won’t impulsively hunt Hightower down and kill him. If I get out of here, I’ll obey the laws.”

I put my hand over his and squeezed. “Stop starving yourself.”

“And foil my plan to get skinny enough to squeeze through the bars like Elastic Man?”

“You are a comedian.”

“And you are not going to marry that homicidal asshole.”

I kissed his knuckles. “I’m sorry you’re here. And I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do.”

“You can, Eden. Convince him to prove his power and get me out of here.”

“What are you scheming?”

“He might have more power and money, but I’m smarter. I’ll protect you, but I can’t do it from behind bars.”

“You realize I can’t reject his offer. We both might have to accept that fact.”

Amusement danced in his eyes. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

I glanced at my watch. “It’s late. I need to make sure your packmate didn’t give my father food poisoning.”

“What happens to your father if you mate that idiot?”

“I take him with me. It’s the only way I can make sure he’s safe. Besides, no one is splitting us apart.”

Lucian shook his head. “Hightower will use him against you. I’ll take him.”

“What?”

“He’ll live with us.”

I stood and put my shoes back on. “First of all, your Packmaster would never agree. Second, Henry would never agree.”

Lucian growled as he rose. “I don’t like it when you call him by his first name.”

I collected the sacks and faced him. “Mr. Hightower would never allow his betrothed to visit her father as long as he’s living with a man he considers an obstacle.

He’ll use that against me. I can’t shuttle my father somewhere across the country to protect him.

He’s not getting any younger, and every second with him is precious.

We’ve been through harder times than this, and we got through it.

” I growled quietly in frustration when I felt my eyes misting again.

“Does he know you’re a tiger?”

“I don’t think it matters to him. He probably built a cage in his basement to lock her in.”

Lucian’s eyes flashed with malice.

“Anyhow, my tiger would take his head before she let anyone put her in a cage. That’s the trouble.”

“The trouble is you living under the same roof with him, sleeping in the same bed.”

I rubbed my forehead. “Maybe if I get rest, I’ll think of a way out of it.”

“Why did you agree?”

“Because he wouldn’t let me think on it! I couldn’t leave the room until…”

Lucian bent over with his hands on his knees. “I’m gonna flip my switch if you say he put his hands on you.”

“He knows better. You don’t go around pulling a tiger’s tail. But he made his point crystal clear. If I had walked out of that room without giving him an answer, he would’ve taken action against you.”

“So I’m the reason you’re mating him?”

“No. He made veiled threats about you, my father, and anyone else who stood between us.” I moved closer to the bars and extended my hand. “Come here, baby.”

Lucian straightened up and drifted toward me.

“Maybe we should’ve stayed chained together.” I smiled wistfully.

“It’s never too late. Have the guard come back in here with the cuffs.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

He put his hand around my side but couldn’t get his entire arm through the bars. “I missed your smell.”

When the door suddenly unlocked, I jolted back. Lucian retracted his arms and watched a heavyset man amble in.

“Is he giving you any trouble?” the guard asked.

“No. The prisoner agreed to eat, so the hunger strike is over. Give him a little extra tomorrow at breakfast.”

“Will do. I’m about to shut off the lights for the night. I’ll be in the next room.”

The guard headed to the secondary room, which was maximum security.

“I better go,” I said. “Don’t cause any trouble.”

“Only if you promise not to marry that jackass while I’m in here.”

After collecting the bags, I headed to the door, even more determined than ever to get Henry to pull whatever strings he had with the Mageri and release Lucian. “Do you need more pills for your head?”

“No,” he answered, too far away for me to see. “I’ll be fine.”

The way he said it cast uncertainty. I was still reeling after tonight, but it must have been a crushing blow for him to find out the man responsible for his imprisonment was my future husband.

If Lucian was set free, he would eventually realize getting involved with me was more trouble than it was worth.

His Packmaster would certainly keep him on the straight and narrow path.

Once in the hallway, I dialed Milly’s number and waited.

“Hello again, Miss Thompson. Did you forget something?”

“I was calling about Lucian’s dental impressions…”

“Put him over there!” she barked at someone. “And I don’t need all of you down here. Wait outside.”

“Did I call at a bad time?”

She heaved a sigh. “Someone beat the hell out of a young kid.”

“Who?”

“He’s an independent coyote. Just left his family from what I heard. Now this.”

I stopped in front of the door to the lobby. “Do you need me there?”

“He’s not talking. They found him unconscious on the road, laid out like a Christmas dinner.” Her voice traveled away from the phone. “No, not in there. Up the elevator and outside. Go on. He doesn’t need an audience.”

“How bad is it?” I asked. “Did he heal himself?”

“He won’t for some reason. Maybe he wants to keep the scars. You know how boys are.”

“Should I come over?”

“Not necessary. These men rarely talk when they get into a scuffle. They don’t want to be the town snitch. He’s lucky he wasn’t run over or killed. Pretty nasty contusions on his head though.”

“What’s his name? I’ll make out a simple report in case it happens again.”

“Rowdy, what’s your last name?”

My blood chilled. “Did you say Rowdy?”

“Yes, that’s him. He’s not talking now.”

“I know who he is. If he shares any details about the incident, let me know. Will you do that?”

“Sure, sure. I need to convince him to shift first.”

“Thanks, Milly.”

“You say you called about teeth impressions?”

“Yes, Lucian’s—can you destroy them?”

“Already done. I’ve been around long enough to know people dig through a Relic’s trash.”

“I’ll let you get back to your patient. Call me if he names anyone and wants to pursue legal restitution. He’ll have to come to us since he doesn’t have a leader.”

“I’ll do that. Bye-bye.”

I stared vacantly at the door. Rowdy was the young man who had bumped into me at the Rabbit Lounge earlier.

I thought about how Henry had seen the whole thing.

Maybe it was a coincidence. After all, I didn’t know much about that kid or if he was a troublemaker.

But he had only just arrived at the bar, so it didn’t make sense he would’ve left his party so soon after.

A sinking feeling came over me. If Henry was teaching him a lesson for an accident, that meant no one who offended him was safe. I needed to be mindful of my words and actions lest something trigger him again.

Never underestimate a psychopath.