Page 103

Lucien

B eautiful. Lovely. Precious.

Rip his hand off. Snap his neck. Drain him dry.

Luc rubbed at the bridge of his nose before downing another swallow of whiskey. Holy fuck, he was getting a headache.

His monster was bouncing back and forth between puppylike adoration and serial killer menace. The latter wasn’t directed at Jamie, of course, but rather at the other patrons who kept making eyes at Luc’s pretty human while he tended bar.

Like the grabby fuck with his hand on Jamie’s arm at that very moment. Luc was barely containing a violent outburst at the offensive sight. Wasn’t there some policy against drunk patrons manhandling the staff? There sure as fuck should be.

Luc settled for clearing his throat noisily, taking immense pleasure in watching the blood drain from the man’s face as he looked over to where Luc sat at the bar, fangs glinting in the dim lights.

Take him out back. Drain him. Kill him.

Luc ignored his monster. All this humanity around was making it bloodthirsty beyond belief. Apparently its new sweet and obedient disposition only went so far, especially if their mate wasn’t giving them enough attention.

At least the man was backing off now, retreating into the corner with his unfortunate companions, looking rattled but not exactly pissing his pants in fear.

Jamie had been right before: no one out there was looking for vampires to be real, so no one believed when they saw one right in front of them.

They might think Luc was creepy, sure—and they weren’t wrong about that—but they didn’t think of him as supernatural.

Luc turned his gaze from the man with a death wish to the much more appealing sight of his mate mixing up cocktails on the other side of the bar, black T-shirt tucked into tight black jeans, green hair pulled up into a messy half ponytail.

So pretty, his flower.

Jamie had explained that while he didn’t technically work for Monique, he helped her out occasionally when she was short on staff and he was between projects. And he’d apparently promised himself to her tonight.

“When do you do your actual work?” Luc had asked.

Jamie had shrugged. “I take projects as they come. Sometimes I travel out of town to meet with potential clients. I was in Colorado just a few months ago. Lucky for you, I’m between engagements right now.”

Lucky for Luc except now he had to share his human with all these drunk…plebeians.

Luc reluctantly tore his gaze off Jamie—who’d moved on to popping tabs off beers for a rowdy group of frat boys—as Monique appeared in front of Luc with a bottle of whiskey.

“Jamie said part of his payment tonight was keeping you topped off,” she explained as she poured a generous amount of the amber liquid into his glass. “Said you could handle your liquor.”

True enough. It would take about that entire bottle for Luc to feel even a buzz from the liquor. If he drank from one of the intoxicated patrons, however…

“How generous,” he murmured, tipping his chin in thanks.

“Isn’t it though?” Monique placed the bottle in its place on the shelf, then turned back to him, planting a hand on one hip. “Now seems like a good time to ask you about your intentions toward my best guy.”

Luc smirked. How adorable, that she thought she could protect Jamie from him. “I have all the intentions when it comes to Jamie, I assure you.”

“Mm.” Monique shot him a skeptical look, then gestured to his eyes with her hand. “Always in costume, I see. You’re a real method actor.”

“Why, yes.” Luc took a sip of his drink before leaning closer over the bar. “Shall I show you the other ways I remain in character?”

“Behave.” Jamie’s soft, teasing voice was a balm compared to the din of the bar. As was his delicious scent. Luc breathed him in greedily, his monster immensely pleased to have their mate’s focus back on them.

Beautiful mate. Precious and perfect and just for us.

Luc narrowed his eyes at Jamie as Monique sauntered off. “You have my monster positively mooning over you. It’s very annoying.”

“Aww, how sweet.” Jamie leaned in close, resting his forearms on the bar. “I feel the same way, monster.”

Luc’s beast preened inside of him. Jesus fuck.

“And how are you feeling about me, hm, Lucien?” Jamie teased, cocking his head to the side playfully.

“Like I want to bend you over that bar and fuck you senseless.”

Well. Maybe Luc had consumed more of that whiskey than he’d thought.

Jamie’s dark eyes widened even as his lips curled up. “Damn. I thought we weren’t at the fucking stage yet, Mr. It Will Be a Claiming .” He deepened his voice at the end in a sorry imitation of Luc’s rough growl.

Luc swirled his whiskey thoughtfully, raking his eyes over his mate. “I might be changing my mind.”

Something about watching Jamie among all these people, that lovely smile being handed out to the masses, had Luc positively itching to stake his claim. He wished he hadn’t had to heal Jamie’s bite mark. He wished there were bruised, bloody prints of his teeth on Jamie’s neck for everyone to see.

Something to say, Mine. Back the fuck off.

Jamie flashed that lovely smile at him now. “Hearing that makes it almost worth all the customers you’re scaring off with that fearsome glower, monster.”

Luc glanced around the bar. “Is it hurting business, my being here?”

Not that Luc cared about Monique’s business. But Jamie clearly did. And Luc would protect whatever Jamie cared for. He would do anything for more of that smile, that easy joy.

Jamie shrugged one careless shoulder. “Not really. I think it’s evened out by everyone who’s staying to ogle you, too intimidated to shoot their shot.” He blew Luc a kiss and sidled back down the bar as another patron signaled for him.

Luc grimaced at the thought. Once, they wouldn’t have been so intimidated, back when Luc could still hold his human face. His paramours had always loved his green eyes.

Jamie likes us just as we are , his monster argued.

It was becoming increasingly clear how true that was. After all, his human had melted so prettily at Luc’s seduction. It had made Luc feel like his old self again, able to touch and taste and bite without fear.

And then afterward…

You know you don’t get to pick and choose what parts of yourself to keep, right?

His young human had a point. Luc had been angry for as long as he could remember.

At his family for disregarding him from the moment of birth.

At his maker for turning him into this bloodthirsty creature only to leave him.

At Victoria for toying with him. And at Roman.

For so long he’d been angry at Roman.

For his supposed betrayal, yes. But mostly for his having finally seen the real Lucien—the violence, the pettiness, the rage—only to run away. For continuing to run away. Abandoning their brotherhood because of one little…misunderstanding.

You tried to kill him . This from the tiniest, faintest voice of reason in Luc’s brain. But what were a few attempts at murder between two of their kind?

Child’s play, really.

But Jamie already knew of Luc’s rage, of his pettiness.

He’d told Luc he’d already seen him feed—seen him kill—in his visions.

And he seemed not to mind. Was he naive?

Jamie didn’t come across as such. But maybe that was how it worked.

He was Luc’s destined mate, so he was hardwired not to mind a little bit of psychotic tendencies.

Luc smirked into his whiskey at the thought. He never could have imagined fate dealing him such a perfect hand as his pretty flower.

He watched as Jamie worked his way down the bar, his movements always surprisingly graceful for one so tall and slender. Now if only Luc could take Jamie away from all these cretins, lock him away to have Jamie all to himself.

He’d feast on him for endless days.

Except…Jamie clearly thrived on humanity. He enjoyed charming others, wasn’t bothered by interacting with the unwashed masses. Luc had been similar, once. He’d enjoyed smoky, crowded bars and the customary dances of flirtation.

He could be like that again. For Jamie.

The only issue with this particular city’s unwashed masses…

“Do you know a pair of vampire twins? Dudes with red hair?” Jamie had asked him that morning.

Luc hadn’t known what to say other than, “In passing. Not well.”

He couldn’t bring himself to lie outright, but he also couldn’t bring himself to give the full story about the twins’ threats and orders for Luc to leave.

Too much bad news for the beginnings of a courtship.

Luc had already had to give Jamie dire warnings the night before—that Jamie may have to leave his family and hometown for good, if he turned.

And, for that matter, if they were leaving anyway, what was the point of telling Jamie about the identical menaces? Luc hadn’t wanted to bother Jamie with anything else, especially something that was really only a mild inconvenience.

Luc wasn’t going to kill anyone. The twins would have no reason to hunt him down.

Jamie had accepted his response easily enough.

But Luc had been left feeling uneasy. What did it mean that Jamie had seen the twins in his vision?

Did Jamie only see visions of significant events?

Dangers ahead? Or perhaps Jamie saw glimpses of little things around him as well. Inconsequential sightings.

Luc hadn’t wanted to delve into Jamie’s visions at the time.

To do so would interrupt the peace and sweetness of their morning (or afternoon, given how late Jamie slept).

Jamie with his green hair even more mussed than usual, lazily licking into Luc’s mouth while Luc brought them both to completion with his hand once again. It had been too perfect to mar.

Still, Luc should handle it.