[excerpt] (32 page)

Serina placed her hands on his shoulders. André mirrored her actions bracing himself for whatever happened.

“Ready?” Serina asked

With a solid, “Just do it,” André closed his eyes and waited.

Serina told him, “Count to ten
―
”

Lucian butted in. “He can’t count that high.”

“Imbecile,” André muttered. “Why do you want me to count?”

“The element of surprise.”

“One…”

Lucian snapped the arrow at the tip and pulled the arrow out backward with such speed André didn’t realize the arrow was out.

“Jeepers, Luce, I never felt a—how’d you—”

“Vampire!” Lucian’s impish grin took up his face. Then witnessing the way André looked at his wife, all misty-eyed, with a sappy infatuation, alarms began to chime. Lucian dragged her back to him.

“What is it, m’lord?” Serina asked.

Lucian’s cheeks flushed. “I am ashamed to admit I am jealous. I am sorry.”

Serina looked directly into his beautiful silvery eyes. “Never apologize to me, Lucian, for wanting me close to you. I want and need the same things. I’m not going anywhere, husband.” Serina tugged Lucian down to her height, and gently kissed him, not caring there were still others in the room with them.

Chyna watched them carry on as if she didn’t exist and from the looks of things she only had a short hour to go before she didn’t. Sunrise was well on its way and thanks to Chyna herself, the sun would shine directly through the hole she’d knocked in the train car’s wall. Frustrated, she tapped her twisted nail on the wall of her prison. She hated it when things backfired.

Serina pondered aloud, “Poetic justice is about to be served. Sun’s almost up. Let us leave her to her fate.”

Lucian headed for the door.

“Should we leave Chyna alone? What if something goes awry?” André asked. “Don’t take this wrong, Luce, but you’re a fledgling at the whole vamp business. It takes most of them a few hundred years to perfect some of their techniques, not a few days. The reverse vacuum being case in point, not that I’m bringing it up, mind you.”

“We’ve only got two stops left on this holiday from hell. As long as I’m breathing, she’s not going anywhere. And I’m finished making objects float, Ands, so if you end up in water I hope you can swim.” Lucian flashed a smile towards his brother. “Once we get Serina safely back to Raven and Molly, we can get fresh horses and retrieve our two boys. Hey, did any of you notice the resemblance between Duncan and Jonah? It doesn’t jump right out at you, but there are similarities between them that are rather obvious.”

“What? Similarities like identical cousins? You’d definitely be the first to take note of that,” Serina teased, then paid for it when Lucian gently paddled her behind. She just laughed and nudged her body closer to his.

“Luce, you know you’re right. Aren’t they ’bout the same age too?” André asked.

Chyna stood up, shook out her orange cloak with the large silver knife still wedged in her back. She moved onto her tiara and yanked it from her scalp, huffed on the dull gems and spit-shined them clean. When finished, she pushed the ends of the comb back into her scalp as one would a thumbtack into a wall. She didn’t even flinch as the prongs penetrated her flesh. She turned to them, both hands pressed on the see-through enclosure and pleaded for André to rescue her. Chyna did not want to die like this. Hell, she didn’t want to die period. But then she still believed she would be Queen some day soon.

Lucian tried to ignore her. “No. They’re eight years apart. Jonah graduated two years before Ray and I did.”

“I must go. I’ve seen more boogey-man, hocus-pocus than my brain can register, and I’m hungry. I’m going to the food car to make breakfast for whoever is left aboard.” Payton walked out.

Lucian leaned against the makeshift prison, his legs crossed at his ankles. He tapped back at Chyna. “Auntie, I believe farewells are in order. ’Tis that beautiful dawning when the sun kisses the night
adieu
. You however, shan’t be kissing anyone anymore and especially not Phillip. What an odd couple you made! André, I would think it best if you went with Payton and take my wife with you. Oh, before I forget, although I seriously doubt I’ll forget it any time to soon, please keep your nob in your trousers and try to keep your hands off my wife’s ass!”

André and Serina froze.

With a slow turn and a guilt-ridden expression, André started to explain, “Lucian—I’m—”

Serina cut him off. “Not here. Not now.” She pushed him out the cabin door toward Payton.

André opened his mouth to say something, closed it and turned back around. He shoved his way back into the cabin to face his brother. “Lucian, forgive Serina. She had nothing to do with what went on between us. Believe me when I tell you that the vampire had complete control of her. Her heart remained true to you. I have no excuse. I will leave the manor when we return if that is what you wish. I am no gentleman. If you knew, why wait until now to say something? Why didn’t you attempt to intervene on the mountain?”

“You don’t understand!” Lucian yelled his fists knotted tight to his side. “André, do you have any idea what it was like finding my wife in your arms and on my honeymoon no less? I wasn’t even cold and yet you wasted no time making a claim on my wife.” Lucian spun away from the two of them. “What you did was worse than what Jasper did to me. At least I saw him coming. Betrayed by my own brother.” Before anyone had a second to react, Lucian turned on André and pinned him to the door, his fist blowing past André’s face and punching a hole in the wall next to his head. He spit in his face, “I wanted you dead on that mountain that’s why I never interfered, because I wasn’t the only one. Jasper was in my head egging me on. You and I will talk much about this, André, but you will remain with us. Get out now!” Lucian dropped him to the floor and dismissed him. The scars carved into his soul would be there for some time to come.

“André, I need to speak with Lucian.” Serina showed André out of the car a second time, then she turned toward her husband. How did she tell her husband she’d almost had sex with her brother-in-law due to some vampire’s morose sense of humor, not out of lust. She loved Lucian with all her heart. His brother was just that, his brother. “Lucian—” Serina still couldn’t look him in his eyes, and she loved his eyes. She felt unworthy of his love. Of his trust. Tears welled up behind her closed eyes.

“M’lady, look at me. Please?” Lucian tickled her under her chin.

Serina’s bottom lip quivered, and she knew she was out of her element. She’d hurt Lucian, and she’d never intended to.

“Serina,” he whispered, “I love you. Please, my wild rose, look at me. I know you did none of that with André from desire.” He trailed kisses down her cheeks, chasing each teardrop with his lips. “I love you.”

He said it again. Maybe he really did mean it. Serina opened both eyes, her bottom lip still making her teeth chatter.

Lucian placed both hands on her cheeks to steady her jaw and then he did the only thing he knew how to do to stop the rattles. He flashed his fangs at her as he shifted his brows mischievously.

Serina unclenched her fists and hugged his waist. She pulled him to her, and kissed him while, trying to avoid the incisors that had sprouted in the past moments.

“Lucian—ah―”

Lucian put his fingers back over her mouth stilling her. “Please forgive me, Serina. André and I shall speak of this later.”

“You’re just like Raven you know,” she said. “Such compassion. If I never had that one random thought of André and you together nothing ever would have happened. And you try to ease my burden when ’tis I who should ease yours.”

“I appreciate your honesty.” He deliberately kissed her neck, thinking it was a safer area.

Not quite.

Serina looked up to Lucian with that one look he knew so well, that look in her eyes that begged him to take her.

“Do it.”

“What about,” Lucian nodded towards Chyna, “you know who?”

“Do it now.”

All right then. He wasted no time and did as he was asked. Passion, relief, power and trust flooded his injured soul. He felt what he was doing to her as she merged her mind with his. Her orgasm came fast and hard and left her breathless in his arms. Just once, he wanted her to bite him like this, instead of someone trying to rip out his throat, so he could experience the sensation first hand, although he thought this was pretty darn good.

He drank carefully, only taking a little from her then closed the wounds in her neck.

“Thank you. You’ve no idea how I fancy what you do to me.”

“Anytime.”

He faced Chyna when he noticed the sun inside the cabin.

Chyna watched horrified, as her shelter slowly evaporated into the light. Backed up as far as she could go, her screams fell silent.

Lucian and Serina watched. Chyna tried to hover off the floor, as the morning sunbeams inched closer and closer to her, resembling the incoming tides of the ocean eating up the sand as it washed ashore.

Chapter Twenty-One

Serina had that nasty knot in her stomach again. A knot of guilt...the knot that would not allow Chyna to die this way, at the hand of her husband and she. For as much as she wanted Chyna a pile of ash, and she did, she knew this would not be the day. It was a horrible way to die. To slow and too smelly. People burning up—charred flesh...Ewh! It hit a little too close to home. Serina scrunched her nose at the very thought.

“Lucian—” Serina looked at Chyna. “We can’t do this. There must be an alternative.”

Chyna stopped her whining and stared at Serina as she hung in the far corner of her prison, her orange cloak pulled around her as a shield.

“I agree, luv. I will allow her access to her casket. Once in, we will bind her with chains and crosses and deliver her to the queen. Let her sister determine her fate. I’m so grateful you spoke up, Serina. I really wasn’t up for the show either.”

“You’d best expand her barriers before our good intentions go up in smoke, so to speak. She’s beginning to singe, Lucian. Hurry up.” Serina half screamed and half laughed.

Lucian closed his eyes as his fingers weaved through the air in methodical pattern. When he finished the two of them watched Chyna dart across the car to the safety of her bleak confines, the knife still protruding from her back. She thumped her back into the base of casket a few times until the blade pushed through to the other side of her chest. The hole in her chest healed as if it were a mere scratch.

After securing her coffin, Serina and Lucian headed out after André and Payton.

****

Once they gathered their belongings, Lucian stopped and sent a telegram to his aunt, the Queen, that read:

Dear Auntie Mattie,

Soon you will be receiving a large black box, a casket actually. To open it at night would be a fate far worse than opening Pandora’s box. ’Tis your last sister. We traveled with her for a night that was unforgettable and unrewarding by most standards. She does not travel lightly. Please, do not unlock the wholly evil that lay locked within this box, unless ’tis high noon. Keep her guarded at all times. It has been many years, give our cousins Deidre, Devona and Deba our best.

Lucian

Serina wasn’t happy with the way Lucian closed his note, thinking it sounded so informal and distant. She asked, “Why not sign it, With love, Lucian?”

“I have no love for the woman. Nor she me.”

“How about, sincerely?”

“There is nothing sincere about her. Or my feelings for her.”

“Best wishes, then?”

“Serina, the only wish I have for the woman is that it was she on the mountain with Jasper.”

Serina’s last attempt made Lucian smile. “Have a nice day,” but still he signed only his name.

****

The sight of the small church stole Serina’s breath. It was her home away from home for so many years, her refuge. It hit her then; she missed Father Butler more than her own mother. He always held a smile for her. And his hugs, they held a warmth that saturated her soul. Serina hopped out of the carriage and ran up the five steps to the church. She burst through the heavy wooden doors, acting like a child running home and happy to be there.

“Father Butler?” Serina’s voice echoed across the vacant room. “Lucian, maybe he’s at the rectory. It’s out the back door, come on.” Serina grabbed Lucian’s hand, and dragged him through the church. “See, m’lord, you’re not evil, not at all. The roof’s not come crashing down around us.” She winked and tugged a little harder on him.

Lucian tagged along, happy to be on the backside of his wife so he could enjoy the view.

“We’re in church you evil scoundrel. I got that thought.” She wiggled her backside quickly in a teasing manner.

“You just told me I wasn’t evil.” Lucian pinched her bottom.

“Lucian St. James, I’m appalled at your behavior.” She spun to him, a grin growing. “But I like it.”

“Me? Who just taunted me with that little dance?” He raised an eyebrow and quickly drew her to him for a small kiss.

Licking her lips she asked, “What if Father Butler saw you do that?”

“I’d say he’s a very lucky man to have such a beautiful wife.”

Serina’s heart skipped a beat. She knew that voice. Serina snapped her head around so fast her hair swished Lucian across the face.

“Father.” Serina dropped Lucian’s hand and backtracked across the church. She threw her arms around the portly little man, with huge blue eyes and squeezed him.

“Good graces, Serina, what’s gotten into you child? Not that this old man doesn’t love the affections!” Father Butler held onto her for dear life, hoping to ease her fears and his as well. Seeing her battered and bruised body he wanted to cry. “Serina, now don’t go setting a little bon-fire off when I say this, but you seem a tad bit insecure. Come on, show me my green eyes.” Father tilted her chin up to him and kissed the tip of her nose.

“Father, ’tis been the longest days of our lives, and I do suppose I’m just tickled to be home again with my husband.” Serina reached for Lucian as she talked with Father and they made their way to the garden.

Father Butler turned to Lucian. “You look well son, but I understand you’d nearly lost your life this week. Please tell me what happened. Raven told us bits and pieces, but then she was no longer able to communicate with you or Serina. She, we thought we’d lost you all. André too when we hadn’t heard from him.”

“If you’ve a few minutes first, Sir, I really need to see my little beauty. I can’t imagine the hell she must have been put through these past days, or she put you through as well. Then you and I shall have
the chat
.” Lucian’s grin widened. “Not quite the one you were thinking of, but…” Lucian’s voice trailed off.

Father blushed and made the sign of a cross saying, “This one’s for you son. If I had a sixpence every time I said that around Serina I’d be richer than your aunt.”

Serina nudged Lucian in the ribs as he spoke with Father.

“Boo!” Raven threw her arms around her brother’s neck and hung on for the ride of her life when he picked her up and swung her around in circles. “I knew you’d come back to me,” Raven said dizzy, her eyes filled with tears. “Put me down, you imbecile.” Raven clung to Serina for balance and said, “I knew you’d take care of him, Serrie. Do you like that nickname? Serrie, you’ve a colored eye. What happened to you? You’ve even cut up your face. Do you hurt?” Raven ran tender fingers over Serina’s cheeks as she inspected the damage.

Lucian threw his hands in the air. “What about me? I’m the one dying.”

“Imbecile. You look healthier than before you were married. And, Lucian St. James you’re never dying on me.”

So it seems, he thought.

Raven turned back to Serina. “You never answered me about your name.”

“I’ve never had a nickname before, other than the ones your brother calls me. I like it. As for my face, the train made a few unscheduled stops. The old mug will heal.” For now, Serina knew she could live with her avoidance of Raven’s questions until Lucian and André were ready to tell her all that happened. Serina hugged her husband, silently thanking each and every deity, she was able to do just that.

Enjoying being the topic of conversation between his two favorite women once more, Lucian decided it was true what he’d heard about vampires being vanity stricken. At the moment, he found no fault with it.

Raven put her worries behind her for the time being and flashed her brother her best smile.

Serina looked around and asked, “Where is Molly?”

“Over at the orphanage helping out with the younger children. It’s where we’ve been since you two disappeared on us. I think it was Father Butler’s way of getting two grown cry babies out of his hair. Serrie, do you want to come to the orphanage and meet the children? They’re amazing. I’d no idea how many poor children and babies had no homes. Lucian, we need to make this home a better environment for them. What good is our money if we can’t help people?”

“Actually Raven,” Father Butler added, “Serina has been coming here to our home for many years now. So many indeed I’ve lost count.”

“I was around four. I taught some of the children how to read and do mathematics and garden when I got older.”

“You were younger than that, Serina,” Father added. “I’d been bringing you here since the day you were born. I actually delivered you. Did you know that? Right up there on my alter.”

“I believe I’ve heard it once before.” Serina pat his shoulder gently. He told the story of her birth with pride every chance he got.

“Yes, Raven, the children are amazing. They are all so different and all carry strengths and weaknesses in different ways. A complete mishmash of personalities live here. Some of the children are drowning for attention; others cower at the slightest touch. Every one of them different. Have you met Avery and Sydney yet? They are comical and so beautiful. I hope that when someone adopts them, they find a home together, because to separate them would be tragic. They remind me of you two. Avery is an overbearing older brother who wants his sister to do as she is told without question, and Sydney knows she’s holding Avery wrapped securely around her finger. “

“I am not overbearing, am I Ray?”

“Not in the least bit, my handsome knight.” Raven turned away from Lucian and winked at Serina. “Come on. Let’s go see Molly. Where are Ands, Duncan and Payton?” Raven grabbed both Serina and Lucian’s hands and tugged.

“They had to drop off a package to the castle.”

Raven gave her brother a look that held a giant question mark. “The castle, as in our aunt’s humble abode?”

“It’s a long story, Ray, and I’m only explaining it once.” Lucian sighed. “I’m waiting for André and Payton, then we’ll talk.”

“But you didn’t say Duncan. Where is he?” Raven’s voice changed dramatically to that of a whisper.

“He’s alive, Raven.”
Shite! Why did I phrase it like that?
“We just need to go pick him up at another train station. He jumped ship so to speak on us. He departed two stops short of our station. That’s all.”

“Yeah, but your tone Luce, you didn’t say he was well.”

Damn, when did Raven get so intuitive?
“Let me rephrase myself. Duncan is well and we will be picking him up at the next train stop.”

“Why didn’t he just get back on the train when he’d realized he got off at the wrong stop? Out with it, Luce. What are you hiding?” Raven stood on tiptoes and looked him squarely into his eyes.

“Ah, bloody hell. Forgive me, Father.” Lucian gave Father Butler a quick bow from the hip. “Can you please wait until Payton and André return? They’ll be along shortly. Please, Ray?” Lucian attempted to smooth the worry lines away from her face. “I promise the last time we saw Duncan and Jonah they were fine, a little soggy, but fine.” Lucian wondered why women were so difficult?

“Jonah? Jonah is with Duncan? Isn’t he the werewolf from the mountain? What in bloody blazes is going on?” Raven’s voice filled the church each time she said Jonah’s name. Grabbing her brother’s shirt collar, she dragged him back to her eye level. “Out with it. Now.”

The moment Molly walked in with André and Payton, Raven ran to André.

“André, you’ll tell me what’s going on here, won’t you? Lucian is evading me, and rudely I might add.” She hugged André, and flashed Lucian a snippy grin, her nose in the air.

“Hello, little one. I see absence makes the heart grow fonder,” André teased with a hint of sarcasm. He planted kiss on the top of her head.

“Luce, the package has been delivered, and is safely tucked away.” André peered over the top of Raven’s head to his brother.
You haven’t told her yet?

“Raven and I were just about to have a conversation of our trip to the mountain and our ride home.”

“Where’s Duncan?” Molly asked.

Raven pointed her index finger at Lucian. “I asked the same thing, Molly.” She gave Lucian one more look that he recognized as trouble for him.

Lucian scratched at his beard. “Father, have you a place we can all sit and talk privately?”

“Follow me. What is said within these walls, stays within these walls. House rules. It’s been this way for centuries.” Father Butler led them all to his favorite room within the church, a glass atrium which overlooked his garden off the back of the church. A play-yard surrounded by a small moat filled with lush white sand had a little drawbridge to get to the miniature castle.

Father Butler excused himself for a few minutes and returned with a tray full of fruit, cheese, bread and wine.

As the food and wine disappeared, Lucian told every detail of his greatest tale to date. Silence hung in the balances.

Raven moved in very close to Lucian, her gaze locked on his. She’d heard so many stories about vampires and now twice one had bitten him as well. And here he sat, her beloved brother, telling her that he was a mutated version of one.

“Open up.” It was an order. No please or would you, just “open up.” Raven moved her fingers to Lucian’s mouth ready to pry open his lips if need be.