So for anyone that missed it, I slightly changed the ending of the last chapter based off a suggestion I liked from an anonymous commentor on Lit. I've inserted the addition in the beginning of this chapter to prevent any confusion. Maria and Jason get a bit of air time on this chapter, and it's also extra long (almost twice as long as usual), so enjoy!
Also I want to send out a great big thank you to all my Lit readers that supported the last installment in spite of the first half being missing and taking several days to get fixed. I was incredibly and very pleasantly surprised and touched that you all continued to give me strong votes even though you only had half to judge. Thank you all so much!
Last but not least - thank you to aneonsky (who I have dedicated this chapter to) for the new book cover!
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Michael chuckled, admiring the bravery of the man, and accepted his handshake. Aaron smiled, giving them both some final parting words. "I like you for her Michael, and Luce, I like you for him too. I think you two will work very well together. Should be an interesting ride," he laughed, winked at them both, heading out to do his patrol.
"Oh, and Luce, don't forget about the music," Aaron called over his shoulder as he walked down the hall.
"Jerk," Lucienne muttered, blushing when she saw Michael's questioning look. "Trust me, you don't want to know."
He raised an eyebrow and gave her a teasing smile, "Somehow I suspect it is less a matter of me not wishing to know, and more a matter of you not wishing to explain."
"Doesn't matter cuz I'm not telling you, either way," she stated firmly, shutting the door.
"No? I might be willing to live with that..."
The next she knew, Lucienne was pinned against the door, Michael claiming her lips in a drugging kiss. She moaned and tangled her tongue with his while threading her fingers through his soft curly hair. Overwhelming need crashed through her and her knees went weak. If not for Michael's body pressing against her, she'd have fallen to the floor.
Several minutes later they broke apart, both panting slightly. Michael trapped her gaze his eyes like pools of molten gold. "I have been craving the touch of your lips since entering the building, but did not wish to behave in a way that might tarnish you before Aaron," he told her softly, his silvery voice slightly rough with desire.
She smiled at him, Sweet, sweet man, she thought, understanding that in his terms he was protecting her image. No, not my image, he's protecting my honor and trying to show his respect for me. She nearly melted into a puddle all over again at that realization and settled for kissing him deeply and tenderly, doing her best to show him how much his actions touched her.
"I have been wanting to do that almost since you left last night," she replied. His eyes flared brighter at her admission that she'd missed and wanted him, and flooded her with another wave of heat.
"This could get out of hand very quickly," he chuckled, touching his forehead to hers. A moment later he sighed and pulled away, clearly working to get himself back under control. "Do you have questions for me?" he asked drawing her back down to the couch with him. "We have some time before lunch, and some things may be difficult to answer around prying ears."
She leaned against him, loving how much he was trying to help her understand his world. She knew he was doing his best to ensure she didn't make any decisions or that things didn't get too far out of hand without her knowing what she was getting herself into. And I love him all the more for that, she mentally sighed to herself, startled to realize she'd accepted her feelings for him.
"Actually yes," she replied, leaving her thoughts about her feelings for another time. "Why were things so delicate between you two? It was much more than just about me, especially after Aaron said he wasn't all that worried after we spoke last night."
Michael chuckled, "I admire your patience and your perceptiveness. Yes, things were delicate as we were each evaluating the other for reasons beyond the relationship between you and I.
"I have monitored Aaron for many years. He first came to my attention when, at a bare step above rookie, he produced incontrovertible proof of a superior working with a mixed group of rogues. Additionally, he was instrumental in resolving that particular rogue problem faster than I, or anyone else had expected, reducing the bloodshed significantly.
"He impressed me which prompted my interest in him over the course of his career. He has long since earned my respect. Unfortunately his dedication has gained him some powerful enemies over the years. He is quite intelligent and skilled, but my intervention has already been required to protect him more than once, though he is unaware of my involvement. Allowing him to address me so familiarly will send a warning and halt the weaker attempts, thereby reducing the number of distractions."
Lucienne shook her head in amazement. "Glad I waited to ask. I'm also happy you're watching his back. He's one of two people I count as an actual friend," she told him, turning her head and placing a few light kisses along his jaw.
Somehow I suspect this kind of long view is a very small example of what Michael's mind is really capable of. I'm amazed that someone like him would find me interesting. Something of her thoughts must have shown on her face since he raised an eyebrow at her in query. "Remind me never to play chess with you," she replied with a quirk of her lips, making Michael laugh.
"So this business with Cooper? Do you think someone's using him to target Aaron, you or both?" she asked, and then continued at his look of surprise. "I thought it was pretty clear that this guy would only ever be the stooge or henchman, and never the mastermind."
"You are very astute, Lucienne," he complimented her, making her blush slightly. "You are quite right in that Cooper is merely a puppet. I am uncertain who may be pulling his strings, though I have several possibilities in mind. However, I am more concerned regarding the choice of Aaron as the messenger than I am about Cooper."
"You mean because they might have figured out you've been protecting him?"
"Yes. Additionally, it may indicate they have learned of my interest in you. If that is the case, then there is a watcher who has gone unnoticed. Such a possibility does not sit well with me."
Lucienne read between the lines and understood that this was almost unheard of for Michael. "I hate to say it and don't want to be paranoid, but is it possible one of your people has been giving information?"
He nodded, "Yes, the prospect of a traitor has occurred to me, and I do not consider you paranoid, but rather both intelligent and clever to consider all possibilities. After all, believing there to be an enemy hiding under every bush, does not mean they do not exist."
She laughed, "True. Also Michael, I won't fight you or be angry if you need to increase security on me, as long as they don't create a problem for me at work. I have some vacation and sick leave accumulated, too, so if things get hairy I can use it. Also, I can work from home a bit more than I have been if that's easier. Honestly the main reason I go in so much is so that I don't turn into a total recluse," she laughed.
He smiled at her and shook his head in amazement, leaning in to kiss her softly. "Thank you, Lucienne. Your flexibility on this matter means a great deal to me. While I do not wish you to make any changes to your schedule as of yet, so as not to provide proof of the degree of my interest, those options may become necessary in the future."
She smiled and brushed a stray lock of hair away from his eyes. "Just let me know what you need me to do. I have no real experience on something like this, and I trust you," she said, giving into her desire to claim his lips again. I don't think I'll ever get enough of this, she thought, briefly wondering if she should change her underwear before they left.
Several minutes later they broke apart, both needing a moment to calm down. Figuring the topic of Cooper and her security was finished for the time being, she switched gears. "So what's the Elder Council?" she asked.
He chuckled, amused by how quickly her mind went back to getting answers. He was finding himself inordinately pleased by her reactions as they would prove valuable when encountering some of the delicate politics she would see at his side. Given her direct nature, he had worried he would need to shield her a great deal, and instead found that she was capable of adapting, though he suspected her patience would be limited.
Of course this is only relevant if she doesn't reject me, the doubt resurfaced, almost making him frown before he caught himself. He covered his lapse by launching into an explanation instead.
"The Elder Council is formed of the chosen representatives of each type of nonhuman. Their purpose is primarily diplomacy or foreign relations between the different nonhuman groups. Needless to say it is a political hotbed."
"I can imagine," she replied. "Just the idea gives me a headache."
He nodded his agreement. "I feel much the same, though it has done some good. Vampires and shifters were at war with each other not that long ago. When peace was finally brokered, it was done through our representatives at the Elder Council, and they did a respectable job. Of course it helped when Elder Bowen, who was then Lord Bowen, of the vampires and Alpha Smythson for the shifters, were able to produce evidence that the war had been falsely manufactured."
"Crap. How long were you at war?"
"I was never at war," he replied with pride. "I abstained from the conflict, as did the shifter packs in this area. We were suspicious of the stated reasons and I maintain good relationships with the Alphas so this region became something of a Switzerland. The local Alphas and I instituted harsh penalties for conflicts within our territories. After I dealt with the first handful of infractions, most decided such action was no longer so appealing," Michael finished in a somewhat cold tone, the implications very clear. He carefully watched Lucienne's face, needing to see her reaction to this aspect of his life.
She looked at him with clear understanding in her beautiful gray eyes and simply nodded her head in acceptance. He stared at her, not quite able to believe the absence of horror or revulsion. "If you're waiting for me to freak out, then you've got a very long wait," she commented with a quirk of her lips when the silence went on a bit too long.
He shook his head and decided he'd do better to simply continue. "The war went on for over a century causing high losses to both sides. Smythson and Bowen emerged the least damaged, though they were unable to avoid entering the war due to political pressures. They kept fighting to a minimum and I am certain they had a private agreement to that effect. Even so, they are still repairing the damage, though I recently heard there was an incident that forged strong ties between her vampires and Smythson's pack."
Lucienne listened with fascination. "Are there any books or anything on all of this? It seems there's a lot for me to learn, and I know you have enough to do without spending hours tutoring me."
Michael chuckled and feathered light kisses along her neck, once again impressed. "There are resources, yes," he spoke softly against her ear, making her shiver, "and I will be happy to lend you them. My plan was to assign a tutor, but I wished to wait till you were certain whether you intended to accept the bond."
"Michael," she said, turning to meet his golden gaze and cupping his cheek in her hand. "Everything I have learned about you only increases my admiration and my desire for you," she told him, blushing slightly at the admission. "I still feel that we need to learn more about each other, but I think the only thing that would make me reject you was if I felt I couldn't trust you. From what you told me last night, we wouldn't be able to bond under those conditions anyway, since it would guarantee failure."
He nodded to confirm her assessment, his expression filled with uncertainty. She grabbed his face and stared deeply into his golden eyes. "You have been nothing but honest with me from the very first moment. I find you intelligent, fascinating and sexiest man I've ever seen," she said and attacked his lips with her own, doing her best to show him how much she wanted him.
Several minutes later she drew back to catch her breath, and widened her eyes in surprise when she realized she was straddling his hips while a noticeable bulge pressed into her. Thank goodness this is a flared skirt, or I wouldn't be leaving anything to the imagination right now, she thought to herself, feeling her cheeks heating up, and knowing her face was turning red.
Michael smiled at her in amusement, "I fear we will be a few minutes late to lunch. I am not very presentable for stepping into public at the moment."
She giggled and then clenched her jaw when he hissed in reaction to her movement. "Sorry," she said moving off of him. "I guess I got a little over enthusiastic there," she commented with a rueful smile, focusing to keep her attention on his face and not let her gaze drift down.
He sat up and softly captured her lips between his teeth making her moan. Drawing back before things became too heated he smiled, reaching up to play with a strand of her hair. "You need never apologize for making me desire you. The cost of a few minutes time is more than worth it."
*********************
"So you know I'm not that much of a hiker, right?" Maria gasped out as she followed Jason up a steep section of trail.
"I know, but I promise it's worth it," he replied, reaching a hand out to help her which she ignored in favor of sitting on a nearby rock to rest for a moment. "If you want I'd be more than happy to carry you," he offered smiling appreciatively at her.
She snorted, "Who are you, Thor? You want to carry me on top of whatever you've got in that back pack that I know weighs a freaking ton?! Yeah, I don't think so. Just tell me it isn't that much further."
"Thor huh? You'd be surprised," he muttered under his breath before speaking loud enough for her to hear. "I hate to tell you, Angel, but you don't exactly have a large frame. Trust me, I can carry you the rest of the way easily."
"Are you calling me short?!" she replied, pretending to be angry. She was nothing if not realistic about her height, but he didn't know that, and she couldn't resist the opportunity to tease him.
"You said it not me," he told her with a chuckle, dodging her attempt to smack his arm. She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him speculatively. Suddenly she smiled big, "Okay then, Thor, go ahead and carry me the rest of the way."
He gave her a predatory smile and scooped her up in his arms, making her laugh. "So if I carry you the rest of the way, and don't drop you," he said, deliberately letting her drop an inch to illustrate, "what will be my reward?"
"Gee, I don't know," she said tapping her chin. "How does a not pissed off girlfriend sound?"
He laughed and kissed her nose. "That sounds awesome!" he replied, spinning her around and making her wrap her arms around his neck.
"How about a not sick girlfriend, too?" she gasped out when he paused.
He looked down at her, all his mirth changing immediately to concern, "I'm sorry Angel, I didn't know you got motion sick."
"I don't usually," she said, "but we've hiked miles mostly uphill. Lots of exertion means I get nauseous kind of easy."
"Sorry, Angel. I promise I won't spin you again."
"Don't worry about it Jase, but really, how much further is it?"
He chuckled, "It's just over the top of the ridge, so only few hundred more feet."
She smacked his shoulder, "No wonder you offered to carry me, you knew we were almost there."
He grinned, "Now what was that you said about a not pissed off girlfriend?"
"Well you haven't gotten me there yet, buddy boy, so I'm still free to be as pissed as I want."
"I guess I'll just have to fix that, then," he said before he started jogging up the hill.
Maria's eyes widened. Jason wasn't even breathing hard. Damn he's fit.
"We're almost at the top. Close your eyes till I tell you to open them. I want to surprise you with the view," he said softly.
She smiled and did as he asked. She even buried her face in his shoulder so he'd know she wasn't peaking, besides, she liked his scent of earth and pine. A moment later he stopped and set her down, turning her around and wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Okay, open your eyes," he said from behind.
She gasped, her mouth hanging down in awe. Spread before her was a green valley full of the most dazzling wildflowers. A gorgeous little stream snaked through, with a small waterfall capping the top and trees framing the whole thing like some sort of painting. "Jason it's so beautiful. You're right, it was totally worth the hike," she said softly.
He smiled and rested his chin on her head. "It's my favorite place to come when I need to get away," he rumbled softly, before they both lapsed into silence, letting the beauty of the land do all the talking.
Several minutes later Maria's stomach rumbled, making them both laugh. "Let's feed the monster, shall we?" Jason teased, taking her hand and leading her down to the stream bank.
*********************
"Jase, that was amazing," Maria sighed in contentment after finishing the picnic lunch he'd packed. She lay back on the blanket and pillowed her head on her interlaced hands. "Seriously, you should thank whoever taught you to cook like that, because it's certainly the way to MY heart!"
He laughed and toyed with her hair, leaning over to look into her eyes. "My mom taught me. I wouldn't stop bugging her when she was in the kitchen so she put me to work."
"Smart woman," Maria giggled.
"Yeah, though fair warning, she can be annoying and controlling, too. Every time I visit, she tries to fix me up with girls that she knows I don't want," Jason almost growled out, his irritation with his mother very apparent.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you didn't want them, but how does she know? Have you really met every girl your mom knows?" Maria asked, trying to understand the anger in his tone.
"Well the community is small, but... Maria," Jason began, uncertainty in his tone. He'd been looking for an opportunity to tell her, and had taken her here with that in mind. Now that the moment had arrived he found himself twisted in knots, but knew he needed to get it over with. He sighed and pushed forward. "Maria, to answer that, there's something about me I need to tell you."
She frowned, knowing whatever was going on was big since he hadn't called her 'Angel.' She reached up and cupped his cheek, "It's not that you're married or have another girlfriend is it?"
He barked out a laugh, "No, nothing like that!"
She smiled, "Well then, spill!"
He took a deep breath, "You know, the world is full of a lot of strange things," he started, almost taking a teaching tone, much to Maria's confusion, but she figured he had a reason so waited for him to get to the point. "Some things that seem harmless are incredibly dangerous, and some things that seem scary and dangerous are the most loyal protection you could ever have..." he trailed off for a moment before looking her in the eye again.
"This is going to sound crazy, but I can and will prove it if you want me to. Maria, I'm not human, I'm a shifter, sometimes called a were."
"What, you mean like werewolf?" she said in disbelief.
"Yeah, but I don't shift into a wolf. My beast is quite... unusual. Extinct, in fact."
"So what, you're some kind of were-dino?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
He chuckled, "No, my beast is a mammal. He's something called an American Lion, and I should probably warn you, my animal form is huge. The original animal was roughly the size of a modern bear, and shifter animals are usually bigger than the original. My beast is actually taller than you. I'll show you if you want, but please don't run. My beast won't hurt you, but he would chase." Jason got all of this out rather fast, but not so quick that she didn't follow his words.
Maria stared at him in silence, carefully studying his green eyes for any hint of deception. Finally she nodded, realizing that he was either crazy and absolutely believed what he was saying, or... he was telling the truth. After witnessing Lucienne's odd way of knowing things for so many years, she was inclined to at least entertain the idea he might not be human. "Okay, I do want you to prove it, but could you maybe give me some space before changing into the beast? If he's as big as you say, a bit of distance would be helpful."
Surprise and hope filled his eyes at her calm reaction, and he nodded, immediately scrambling up and moving away. He started stripping down, and grinned when he heard Maria mutter "Of course he needs to strip. At least it's a nice view."
He turned and met her dark eyes, hoping that if he could hold her gaze, she wouldn't be afraid. "Maria, I love you," he said before letting his beast come forward.
Maria gasped and froze, unable to process both that he'd said he loved her and the massive animal now in front of her. Don't run, don't run, don't run, was all she could focus on when her instincts all screamed to get away from the giant predator that could probably kill her in about three seconds.
"Let me have control," his beast growled at him in agitation. Jason had shifted, but was using every last bit of his will power to keep control of his body, afraid of what his beast might do. "She's our mate, I won't harm or scare her. Let me have control before you fuck this up for both of us!"
"Fine, but if you do anything..."
"She's our fucking MATE!" his beast mentally roared at him. "I would impale myself on the horns of my prey before harming a single hair on her head, now move aside!"
Jason finally gave in, letting his beast have control, but staying primed to take over if he thought anything was going wrong. His beast's mind rushed forward with satisfaction, and much to Jason's surprise, calmed immediately.
Maria watched as something shifted in the green eyes of the enormous feline, and the next thing she knew he sat down and yawned before throwing himself down in the grass to lay on his side. He yawned again, still staring at her, and she'd swear he was smiling now, while his tail thumped a regular rhythm against the ground. He made a sort of growly huffy sound and then the next thing she knew, he was rolling over in the grass, all four paws up in the air, almost like he was swatting at an invisible butterfly. She couldn't help but laugh at his antics, and took a cautious step forward.
He made another sort of yowly sound this time, and wriggled around like he was trying to scratch his back. It made her laugh again, and that seemed to free her from the last of her fear. She took a deep breath and slowly approached him. She stopped when she was touching distance, unsure what to do next. He solved her problem for her by reaching out one of his enormous paws and very gently swatting her arm in a playful gesture.
She laughed again, and caught hold of his leg, touching his paws and feeling the tips of the hidden retractable claws. Suddenly he swiped his leg sideways, knocking her off her feet while bringing her into his body against his belly. She was shocked when she realized she was now being hugged by a cat that was bigger than a grizzly bear. She scratched his belly, deciding to treat him a like she would her sister's dog, and at that moment the entire situation caught up with her and she started to laugh.
"Well, there's no doubt about me believing you Jason," she finally said, "and you can rest easy, I'm not afraid. At least not anymore. Thanks for being silly for me."
He gave an odd sort of growly contented sound and rolled to his side, keeping her trapped under his paw while he gently nuzzled her hair. "Do you want a back scratch?" she asked. "You looked kind of itchy before."
He growled again, and nodded his massive head, letting her up from under his paw before rolling to his stomach. She climbed up on top of him, straddling him like a horse since his back was so high, and buried her fingers into his thick fur, rubbing and scratching him to his obvious pleasure.
"Told you to let me handle this," his beast growled at him in smug satisfaction while their mate groomed him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, you're amazing, yaddah yaddah," Jason replied with a mental roll of his eyes. "How was I to know you could actually behave yourself. Usually you enjoy the fact that people are afraid of you, and sometimes go out of your way to scare them."
"I only go out of my way with the irritating ones like most of the Alphas, and a healthy dose of fear is good for most people. She, however, is our mate. If you think I would be that stupid with her, then you have even less brains than I thought."
"I suppose she does provide good motivation to behave," Jason laughed.
"And good motivation not to behave," his beast chuckled. "As much as I'm loving this, she's gonna have lots of questions, and if you want to answer them and still hike back in daylight, you'll need to take over again," he said before ceding control back to Jason.
Maria yelped when she was suddenly straddling a very naked Jason instead of the massive lion. At least he's laying tummy down, she thought jumping off of him.
"You don't have to stop, you know. I enjoy massage as much as my beast does," he told her, turning his head and giving her a pitiful expression.
She laughed and shook her head at him, "Tell you what, put your pants back on and promise to answer my questions, and I'll keep rubbing your back."
"Deal!" he shouted, eagerly scrambling up to find his clothes.
*********************
Lucienne sat back in contentment, having just finished an extremely delicious meal. Michael had booked a table in a private room that came complete with its own entrance. He'd told her that the restaurant had a couple private rooms like this, since they served both nonhuman and a celebrity clientele who occasionally wished to dine out in peace. She was just happy Michael was more relaxed, especially when he'd given her an intense look and produced a single red rose from somewhere.
She was no expert, but she was fully aware of the meaning behind that, especially since she had no doubt the man came from a time when the language of flowers was in full use. A single red rose was an expression of deep love, and her eyes had watered even as her heart soared. She found she no longer cared how quickly things had escalated between them, every fiber of her being, physically, mentally and emotionally wanted him. The words 'Mine and yours,' drifted through her thoughts, and she made a note to ask him about that later.
She'd taken the rose and kissed him, loving how he'd pulled her against his body with one hand, while caressing her neck and scalp with the other. I bet he could give an awesome head massage, she thought to herself, her body trembling slightly with anticipation.
She noticed he seemed to go back and forth between feeling confident with her and withdrawing like he expected rejection. She assumed it had to do with the scarring that she knew continued down his body, and hoped he would tell her how he got them later when they talked.
I'm sure he's had a history of women rejecting him because of them. Add that to the problem anyone with power and money has finding someone that's genuinely interested in them... well, I think we'll have lots to talk about. Not that we don't already, she thought, her lips lifting in a contented smile.
She'd enjoyed their conversation through lunch immensely. By unspoken agreement they'd avoided any topics too personal, saving those for later. Instead they'd wandered through projects he was working on, to things like taste in books and movies. She'd been surprised when he said he listened to very little music, but saw the pain in his eyes so decided to leave the question alone for the time being.
She'd also tasted a couple of the drinks he'd ordered, curious to learn what flavors he enjoyed. He did caution her that they'd taste different to a human palette than a vampire one, but that didn't matter to her. The first two weren't bad, one tasting a bit like parmesan cheese, and the other a bit like balsamic vinegar. She'd stopped tasting them when the third one was like dirt, though Michael told her for him the flavor was similar to stew and the first two olives and lemon.
"Here you go. Coffee for two," the waiter said with a smile as he entered the room and approached the table carrying a white porcelain tray with a French press and two mugs. Her eyes widened when she got a closer look at the mugs and her questioning gaze shot to Michael.
"They're for you. I saw them shortly after we spoke for the first time," he told her, an almost sheepish tone present in his fluid voice. "They reminded me of you."
She smiled sweetly at him, touched by the pair of mugs, one with Mickey and the other with Minnie Mouse, each leaning to kiss the other. They were the perfect reference to the first night they'd spoken when she'd served coffee in Disney mugs. The added piece of Minnie and Mickey about to kiss was just the cherry on top, as far as she was concerned. Lucienne threaded her fingers through his and squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Michael," she said in a shaky voice. "They're absolutely perfect and I love them."
Happiness lit up his eyes at her reply, and a small smile played about his lips. The waiter quickly finished pouring, beaming at them before bustling off again. Lucienne poured cream into the Mickey mug and handed it to him with a smile before turning to pour cream and a half teaspoon of sugar into hers.
Michael found himself inordinately pleased by both her reaction to the mugs and the fact that she'd remembered how he took his coffee. He'd berated himself for purchasing the mugs at the time. After all, he had never had a particular attachment to Disney, though he respected the company and its accomplishments. Now he was beyond happy that he had followed the impulse.
They finished their coffee, neither of them feeling a need to speak. Michael reached out to play with a stray lock of her honey hair, and she smiled at him, leaning closer. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her into an embrace, enjoying the feel of her against him.
"Would you accompany me to my home?" he asked, quietly breaking the silence. "It would offer us more privacy, and... I would like to show it to you as well," he finished, the slight hesitation in his voice letting her know he felt vulnerable admitting that.
"I would love to see your home, Michael," she replied, smiling and giving him a quick kiss. "I'm no expert on your work, but the pictures I've seen were impressive. Besides, I couldn't pass up the chance to be one of the few people that gets to see what Michael Reece designed for himself. I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone complain about your standard reply of 'If you wish to know my work then tour my public buildings or examine my public proposals,'" she teased him gently.
He chuckled softly, "I value my privacy and prefer to limit access to my private quarters to those I trust."
Lucienne's eyes widened slightly, realizing the greater meaning of him inviting her over. "I don't blame you in the slightest," she replied, kissing him again. Lord, I can't get enough of the man, she thought to herself, half lidding her eyes in pleasure. She trailed her lips down his jaw, nuzzling her face into the join between his neck and shoulder and inhaling his clean, spicy scent.
He pressed his face into her hair while wrapping his arms around her. "You smell absolutely wonderful," he said, inhaling deeply and making her shiver slightly.
She smiled at him, "What do I smell like?" she asked, curious. She was allergic to most fragrance, so didn't use scented anything. Whatever he was smelling was the way she herself smelled, and she was surprised how much she really wanted to know.
"Sandalwood and vanilla," he told her. "It's heavenly and it is the reason you caught me the first night I entered your apartment. I was too lost taking it in to pay attention to you waking up," he said with a soft chuckle before trailing light kisses down her neck in return.
"Michael," she half moaned when he hit a particularly sensitive spot, making him growl and trail his hands up from her waist, stopping just below her breasts. "Michael," she moaned again, before suddenly realizing where they were. She placed her hands over his, struggling to speak through the pleasure. "We really need to stop," she managed to get out in a strangled voice. "We're in a restaurant."
"True," he sighed, moving away from her just as their waiter came back in to pick up the mugs and clear the table.
The young man smiled again, "Sir, Callie says the mugs will be cleaned and she'll deliver them herself this evening."
"Very good. Please let her know the front gate box will be unlocked, and she may leave them there."
"Yes sir. Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked politely.
"No, that will be all, thank you."
"Yes sir, ma'am. Have a great day!" he said cheerily before leaving them again.
Lucienne gave him a questioning look when he rose. "They have my card on file along with my instructions regarding a generous gratuity for the wait staff," he told her with a smile while extending a hand to help her up. "I conduct business meetings here on a regular basis, and it is more efficient than waiting for the check."
"Makes sense," she replied, realizing how much the arrangement would smooth the proceedings. She gave him a speculative look, her mind wandering again to more questions. "So what is it like when you bite someone?" she asked as they began to walk out.
Michael looked at her with a startled but heated smile, and escorted her to the car before he finally spoke. "I apologize for not replying immediately," he told her as he opened the door and once again extended his hand to help her in. "The staff was ready to enter and clean the room, and I did not wish to be overheard," he finished before getting behind the wheel.
"Sorry, I didn't realize. I probably should have waited to ask."
"Lucienne, there is no need to apologize," he waved her off while he pulled out of the garage. "As to your question, it is typically quite pleasurable unless a vampire works to make it otherwise. When we bite, we release a venom that creates a sense of euphoria. Over time we develop finer control on the quantity we release, so as not to send people into a catatonic state every time we feed. Most other vampires combine feeding with more intimate activities."
She did not miss the implication that he did not use sex to feed, and wondered if it was due to his scars. "Do the people you feed from know what you're doing?" she asked, her face full of curiosity.
"Occasionally," he replied in a slightly hesitant tone. "It largely depends on the vampire. I prefer a challenge so I frequently choose those who would prey on others. I suppose you could say I hunt predators. Keeping them unaware of my feeding while I... deal with them, increases the difficulty level exponentially. Of course, should I fail I am capable of making them forget."
"Yeah, Aaron mentioned you were known for your ability to alter the mind, but it doesn't seem to work on me?" she asked, making him chuckle.
"Yes that is one of my abilities, and yes you are immune. You are the first I have encountered where that was the case, though there are accounts of other individuals with immunity to mental intrusion. We would need to test you to find the full range."
She nodded, processing the information for a few minutes before moving on to another question. "So what are your other abilities, and do all vampires have abilities?"
He smiled briefly, "I was rather wondering when you would choose to ask me that. All vampires do have some level of mental power, but the degree and expression varies considerably. I am unusual in that I have all the powers to some degree. My stronger abilities are the detection and altering of memories, command voice in which I wish to train you if you are willing?" he paused and smiled when she nodded her acceptance. "I am also able to speak mind to mind, and the final one that I have worked to keep very quiet is the ability to kill with a thought."
She gasped in surprise, "Oh Michael, how did you find out about that one?"
"Do not worry," he told her with a small smile. "My Maker was a cautious man, and prevented tragedy from occurring."
She breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness for that. I can't imagine what it would be like for you to discover an ability like that by accident."
"Once again you have a surprisingly quick and accurate grasp of the situation," he told her with a pleased nod. "This also brings up an issue I wish to discuss. You have mentioned several times that you have no control over this ability of yours to know things about people. I believe I may know someone capable of training you so it no longer runs wild."
"You know someone that could help me?! Oh, I'd love that, thank you!" she almost shouted as hope and relief came crashing over her.
"It is no trouble, and brings me some sense of relief. Training and control will prevent problems should you choose to turn as such abilities are typically enhanced when one becomes a vampire. Should you choose to remain human, you will be capable of directing your ability more clearly, making you better able to protect yourself. Both outcomes are positive."
"You have no idea how much I've tried to figure this out. I've spent more money on useless new age books and classes with people that turned out to know almost nothing, than I really want to think about. I am very excited knowing that someone could help me with this!" she said, bouncing slightly in her seat, the biggest grin Michael had ever seen lighting up her entire face.
He smiled, beyond happy that she not only would not fight him on getting training, but was looking forward to receiving that training. She went silent for several moments, her mind clearly at work, and he simply concentrated on the road, leaving her to settle her thoughts.
"So what is actually required to become Ruach? What is the process?"
Her sudden question startled him slightly, and he flicked his eyes to her before focusing on the road again, a slight smile playing about his lips. "Typically, bonding is done while... enjoying each other in a very physical manner," he said, his beautiful voice gaining a darker tone and making her flush. "The intimacy and pleasure experienced during such activities relaxes emotional and mental boundaries and establishes greater trust between both partners."
She felt a rush of heat pool in her belly and core with his phrasing and tone. Once again, she found herself clenching her jaw against an involuntary moan. If this keeps up, I'm going to need to visit the dentist to repair cracked teeth, she thought to herself with a mental chuckle.
"Sounds like more fun that way, too," Lucienne replied with a teasing smile.
"Yes, that is most definitely an added benefit," Michael growled, giving her a heated look before turning his attention back to the road. Her body heated up making her redirect one of the car's A/C vents to hit her more directly.
His lips twitched in amusement at her action, but he continued with his explanation. "Fiction has the next part somewhat correct," he continued, his voice showing the slightest bit of strain. "An exchange of blood is required, but there is also an opening and meeting of mind and heart that must occur at the same time. For the blood I would simply bite you. If you were turned before this, you would bite me as well. However, if you chose to remain human, I would recommend you either use a knife or that you allow me to cut myself."
"I wouldn't do that," she told him, "remain human, I mean. If we're going to bond, then I will do it right and I won't condemn you to a human lifespan," she laughed when she saw his surprised expression. "I didn't forget the part about the only way to break a Ruach bond being death, nor did I miss the subtext that, at the very least, it would be extremely damaging to one partner should the other die. Besides, it feels like if I didn't have you turn me, I would be rejecting your vampire side which wouldn't be right either."
"Lucienne," he said, his voice tight with emotion, "I do not wish you to change just for me. Becoming a vampire is not something that suits every person, and for you to carry the burden when you would not otherwise choose to be so, is not appropriate either."
She smiled, "You are amazingly sweet and considerate, Michael, and that is why I would choose to become a vampire. It would be no burden with you around."
"You astound me," he said after a moment of shock, still trying to fully process her words. "There is much more to discuss about turning but I suggest we wait for another time as we have arrived at my home."