The sun woke me up and it made me ever sadder than I was when I went to bed.
I rolled around in the gigantic bed, trying to look for the edge, and planted my feet on the soft carpet.
Rubbing my eyes with a sigh, I remembered just what had happened down last night. To make a long story short, I basically screwed up any chance I had with Lucien.
And I know what you’re thinking; you thought that I hated him; that I was going to make his life miserable. Well, the one good thing that came out of this mess was that my wolf finally (and literally) pulled herself together and last night she ripped into me, letting me know how much I messed this up.
Remember when I said that my wolf wasn’t the kind to speak? Well she apparently learned how to do that and was voicing her opinion.
After Lucien left me last night, I crumpled to the ground, feeling absolutely numb. My mind was reeling and I was utterly confused as to what I was feeling.
No wonder Lucien left me; if I was him, I would have left me too! What he said was 100% true. He could deal with me loving him or hating him, but my indecision was too much to handle. It was too much for me to handle! So I could totally see how he felt.
I guess in my despair, my wolf decided that it was time she was heard. She let me know that I loved (well, at least cared for him slightly) the bloodsucker and that we were mates.
Lucien was also right (looks like I’m the one who’s always wrong in the relationship) when he said I was sheltered. Because I really didn’t know much about other species, or even werewolves for that matter!
All I knew about mates was what I saw with my parents. And as I thought about it now, I definitely wanted what my parents had. I wanted a guy to look at me like my dad looked at my mom. And I wanted to feel safe and secure when a guy hugged me like my mom said she felt when my dad hugged her.
I sighed and got out of bed, feeling totally depressed. I managed to take a shower without drowning myself, and also managed to brush my teeth without trying to drink my mouthwash as to get drunk from the slight traces of alcohol in it.
I know. I don’t do sad very well.
I walked into the closet, picked out something to wear and walked back into the bedroom to see the huge bed with rumpled sheets on only one side.
I sighed to myself thinking that if I hadn’t been such a jackass that Lucien would be laying on the other side of the bed looking adorable as he slept.
Not that I knew what he looked like asleep, but I only assumed he’d look cute sleeping. Lord knows he looks damn sexy doing everything else.
Digging deep into my memory from yesterday, I made my way downstairs and into the dining room area.
When I pushed the swinging doors open, I almost wanted to slink back through them. The reason was because Lucien, in all his early-morning glory, was sitting at the dining table reading a newspaper.
There was a half-eaten plate of eggs and bacon on his plate and mug of steaming coffee. He didn’t seem to have noticed me coming in and I tried to slip back through the doors when Anita came through another set of doors; which I saw led into the kitchen.
“Oh your Highness, please, sit. I will bring out a plate for you too,” she said and dashed back into the kitchen.
I sighed and sat across the table from Lucien but down a few seats, so he sat at an angle from me.
If he hadn’t noticed me before, he certainly did now as he lowered his newspaper and greeted me, “Good morning, Paige.”
I nodded to him and replied back softly, “Good morning.”
He eyed me for a second longer then went back on to eating his breakfast. I tried to not to stare at him, but I’d never seen a vampire eat before. I wanted to ask him so many questions on what a vampire/human hybrid could do but then I remembered that we were supposed to be mad at each other.
Well hell! I didn’t want to be mad at him, and I no longer wanted him to be mad at me. Honestly, (and my wolf said the first step to winning Lucien back was being completely honest with him and myself) all I wanted right now was for him to hold me.
He didn’t even have to kiss me (although I wouldn’t object if he did), I just wanted to snuggle into his chest and breathe in his scent.
I opened my mouth to try and resolve this issue with him when Anita bustled back into the room. She reminded me of a tornado; she came, did her damage, and was gone before you even noticed.
If I hadn’t known previously that she was human, I would have thought she was vampire at which the speed she set down my steaming plates of food.
I smiled my thanks at her and she beamed back at me then swept back out of the room.
I started to eat, deciding that if I had a full stomach that I would have more courage to say what I wanted to Lucien.
But that was part of the problem; I had no idea what I wanted to say. All I knew was that I wanted us to make up and put all this behind us, and maybe start on trying to figure out our weird relationship.
I decided to start at the beginning. Why was Lucien upset with me? Because I was indecisive with my feelings.
Well, what were my feelings now? I… I liked him. I more than liked him; as far as attraction went it was a 10, at least on my end. I mean, I don’t really know him personally, given we’ve only really known each other for two weeks.
But that fact that he and my mom are friends, and that my dad trusts him enough to let me marry him (and be the father of his grandchild) made me believe that he can’t be that bad; because who wouldn’t trust their parents’ judgment?
As the saying goes, ‘Momma knows best’. And so does my dad.
So at least having my emotions in check (and my wolf behind me all the way) I took a deep breath and tried to resolve this problem.
“Lucien,” I said. Okay, this was a good start. I had said his name, gotten his attention and now he was staring at me expectantly.
And that’s when I turned into a yellow-bellied coward.
“I- I um- you and I- I mean, we…” I stuttered. Well damn it! Why do things sound much better in your head then when you try to say it, it comes out all garbled?
He still had that raised eyebrow, looking as if he wondered why he agreed to marry this crazy woman.
“Spit it out, Paige,” he said to me. I was looking down at my hands at the time, so I didn’t see his facial expression, but the way he said it was mixed with irritation, impatience and slight amusement. I don’t know how he pulled off all three, but he did.
I took a deep, cleansing breath, hoping it would help me. And thank my lucky stars, it did.
“I’m sorry,” I said. Okay, that didn’t solve everything, but it was a good start.
His other eyebrow went up, “You’re sorry?”
I took another breath, confidence and courage building within me. “Yes, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for pushing you away. I guess I was just scared and confused and I apologize for taking it out on you when you’ve been nothing but a gentleman.
I mean, I could have been stuck with much worse guys than you. But that fact that you’re trying to make this work, proves to me that I’m not going to be some trophy wife or your personal punching bag.”
His eyes widened, and he almost looked offended that I’d imply he’d hit me.
I held my hands up, backpedaling, “No, I didn’t mean it like that!” I sighed, ready to give up, “I’m making a mess of things, aren’t I?”
Lucien then got up and walked around the table to my side. He came over to where I was sitting and squatted down beside me. I turned my head and looked down at him with surprise when he clutched my hand in his.
“Paige, I am not asking for your undying love. All I am asking for is a chance, and little cooperation,” he said then a grin split his face, “Then I want your undying love.”
Man, he was even sexier when he smiled. I blinked, “You actually want to love me?”
He rolled his eyes, which was such a modern thing to do it seemed strange coming from him, “Of course I would. As much of a bastard my father was, he still loved my mother and I want that for myself as well. And since we are in this for life, you are my only option.”
I frowned at that, “You’re saying you have no other choice but to love me. I don’t need your pity affection, Lucien.”
Lucien gave his martyred sigh and said, “Paige, if I didn’t want to marry you, I wouldn’t have.”
“But what about the war?”
“Screw the war,” he said and he squeezed my hand. “I like you and I think you’re beautiful and full of fire and you give me something to live for. Living for so many centuries alone makes life boring. I used to wonder why some vampires never make it to a millennia; it’s because, if they’re alone, they can’t bear to spend another thousand years by themselves. But I have you, so I would love to live centuries with you.”
I blinked back that tears and I told myself over and over that I wasn’t going to cry.
This was so crazy! I had been married to the guy for one day (barely twenty-four hours) and I was head over heels in love with him.
My wolf nudged me and said that’s just how mates are. You fall in love before you even knew it.
Well, young or not, my wolf knew what she was talking about. She’d never led me wrong before so (ignoring my self-preservation in protecting my heart so it didn’t get shattered) I allowed myself to grin at him, hoping to let my undying love shine through.
I don’t know if he got what I was trying to portray but he smiled back at me and I did something bold.
I leaned down and planted my lips on his. This was the first time that we’d kissed. And I mean really kissed. The one we shared after the pastor did the whole ‘You may kiss the bride!’ spiel wasn’t anything like this.
I still hated Lucien’s guts at that time, but now I had a complete change of heart and was in love with the leech. So I grabbed his face between my hands and laid one on him.
He didn’t seem to mind my aggressiveness (which was one thing I liked about him, I didn’t have to be some meek mouse with him) and allowed me to have my way with his mouth.
When I was done molesting him and pulled away, he stared at me with his shining crystal eyes and said, “I definitely made the right choice.”
I blinked rapidly again, there was no way in hell I was crying! I was a strong, independent woman and I would not subject myself to becoming a blubbering…
Lucien wiped a tear from my cheek, “Why are you crying?” he asked with so much concern in his voice a few more escaped my control.
Well so much for being strong and independent…
“I’m just happy is all,” I replied to him, all choked up.
He widened his eyes, “Does that mean that Paige Hunter actually likes me? She does not want to throw me out in the sun and watch me burn before her eyes?”
I chuckled, “First of all, you don’t burn in the sun. Secondly, if I wanted to torture you do death; I would do it much slower than just letting you roast. And thirdly, my name just now happens to be Paige Arceneau.”
He grinned at me and kissed me again, this time taking his sweet time. Allowing me to bask in all that was Lucien. I sighed when he pulled away.
“If I thought it would have been this easy to win you over, I would have done it sooner,” he said.
I narrowed my eyes at him, “Just because I happen to like you now doesn’t mean that I’m not going to give you a hard time. I will argue with you and I will win and I will always be right,” I said while wagging a finger in his face.
“Hm, you smell delicious,” he murmured.
“Where you not listening to me? And what do you mean I smell deli- Lucien! What are you- Oh…”
Well, let me explain what just happened there. Apparently, I was teasing him with my blood by waving my wrist underneath his nose. I later pointed out to him that I was waving my finger at him, not my wrist.
He countered with the observation that my finger was attached to my hand which was attached to my wrist. So the bloodsucker thought, since I happened to like him now, it would be nice to nibble on me.
So, lightning-quick, Lucien grabbed my forearm, gave me a quick kiss on my wrist before he plunged his fangs into my arm.
Well, maybe I shouldn’t say he plunged; it was more like he nicked my wrist. And instead of incredible pain, I was flooded with such ecstasy it was as if I’d taken a Viagra pill for women.
I don’t know how he got any blood out of me because it seemed all of my red stuff was rushing south. I moaned as I watched his dark head bend over my arm. And I squirmed in my chair as the pleasure became almost too much to bear.
When I thought I would explode, if Lucien didn’t take me from behind over the dining room table, he pulled away and licked where he bit me.
He looked up at me uncertainly, as if he thought I would be mad. And I would have been (after all he just sank his teeth into me; he gave no warning, didn’t even ask!) if it hadn’t felt so damn good. And now I was as horny as a teenage boy looking at his first Playboy.
Seeing that I wasn’t angry, Lucien relaxed and kissed my wrist, where there was no longer a mark. My healing abilities took care of that.
“Just as I thought,” he said more to himself than to me but then he looked up at me, “You’re the one.”
My eyes were still a little glazed over from the intense pleasure I’d just experienced, “What do you mean, ‘I’m the one’? One what?”
“You’re my life mate,” he replied simply.
“You’re what?” I asked incredulously.
“My life mate; the one person in the entire world who was made for me. Kind of like how werewolves have mates. You’re my mate.”
I blinked, “And you could tell this from my blood how?”
“You’re sweeter than anything I’ve ever tasted. It was like all this time I’d been drinking water and you’re my first sip of the finest wine in the world.”
Well, if I said I wasn’t flattered I’d be lying. I stroked his cheek, I had wanted to keep this to myself until I at least got to know him a little better, but there was no point in me keeping it from him now.
“Well isn’t that convenient, considering you’re my mate.”
He didn’t look shocked or anything, like I expected him to be, he just nodded. “I thought so.”
“What do you mean, ‘You thought so’?”
He shrugged, “If you’re my life mate then it would only make sense that I am your mate.”
Well logic wins again.
“So what does this mean for us?” I asked.
Then he looked at me so intently, I could have sworn that lightening could have struck the chair beside me and I wouldn’t have noticed.
“It means that we take this as slow or as fast as you want it. We still do not know each other well, but since we are already married and we are mates, it’s not like we will be getting rid of each other.”
“It’s like knowing how a book’s going to end but you still read it anyway just for the sake of knowing the plot,” I said, proud of my analogy; and Lucien rewarded me for it with a steamy kiss. If I wore glasses, they’d be fogged up right now.
“You are absolutely right, my beautiful lupine,” he said with a smile.
God, I loved it when he smiled. His eyes lit up and he flashed me a little fang. Thank goodness I was sitting down because that man could make a woman swoon! And I wasn’t the swooning type, I was strong, independent… yeah, you get the point.
“Now you’ve gotta answer some questions for me. Like how come your fangs don’t retract, or how you can eat food or what happened to your mom?…”
He put a finger to my lips, interrupting me, “I will answer all that in time,” he said then he scooped me up out of my seat and carried me out of the dining room, “But for right now, I would like to get to know your mouth better.”
I shivered in his arms, and resisted mauling him in front of the fireplace like in all my fantasies.
He sat down on one of the sofas in the living room with me in my lap and was leaning in to kiss me when I stopped him.
He made a face, as if I took away his favorite toy. It was the closest to pouting I think he’d ever get and I’d be damned if he didn’t look cute doing it.
“Open up, I wanna try something,” I said to him.
Confused and curious, he opened his mouth so that I could examine his fangs. They looked to be extensions of his canines and I ran a finger down one of them.
And just like I thought he would, he shivered and let out a groan. I grinned, “You like that don’t you?”
“Fangs are sensitive,” he explained with a lust-filled voice.
“I thought so, they need to be so you can feel the pulse and know where to bite.”
“Smart girl, but now is not the time for us to discuss my anatomy. Now is the time for me to explore yours.”
And with a hand up my shirt and the other gripping the hair at the nape of my neck, Lucien then started to become very friendly with my mouth.