Seared by Desire (23 page)

She shook her head, no. “Look at them Lucian. They’ve never
seen the sun before; it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. Look at
how happy they are. I can keep going for a little longer. Tell them
to enjoy themselves while they can, the same applies to
you.”

She was right, his people looked overjoyed and those that
knew exactly what she meant to him were finally looking at her as
though she were worthy of him, of leading at his side. His dark
eyes returned to her. “I’m enjoying myself exactly where I am. I
don’t want to go anywhere but Sara…”

“
Yes Lucian.”

“
Don’t exhaust yourself like you did yesterday.”
I want you at my side when we meet William. I
want to show my bride off.

“
Don’t worry Lucian, I’m getting better at understanding my
limits. It won’t happen again.”

“
Be sure it doesn’t.”
You’re putting
undue strain on my heart.

It was exhausting work being the sole power source for a sun
and within minutes Sara felt her energy levels drop dangerously
low. If she kept going she was going to pass out just like she had
the night before. Her hands fell to her sides, her shoulders
slumping in resigned defeat and the light faded, the world around
them gradually turning dark again.

Her eyes locked with Lucian's, a silent apology flowing from
the cerulean depths even before she started talking. “I’m sorry
Lucian, so sorry.”

He pulled her towards him wishing that he could hold her
properly but all too aware of the enemy in their midst, an enemy
that had just seen how powerful Sara was and would relate that
information back to his leader if given the chance, not that Lucian
intended to let him out of his sight until the talks were over.
Even though the contact between them was limited to a seemingly
platonic touch, he was relieved that he could finally touch her
again. He hadn’t quite realised just how much he loved touching his
little bride until he couldn’t do it anymore. “What do you have to
be sorry for? You’ve given me and my people an irreplaceable gift,
I don’t know how to thank you.”

“
A kiss would be nice,” she chuckled, leaning into his body
hopefully.

Her red lips called to him, encouraging him to sample the
wonderful taste of her mouth. A low, frustrated groan slipped past
his lips, he could feel a pair of watchful eyes at his back
watching his every move. To kiss her would be to bring trouble to
their door. William was ruthless and he would do his utmost to use
Sara against him. For all his words of peace William was still the
enemy, still the man he’d been warring against for over a century
and that fact wasn’t going to change just because he said he was
different now. He pulled Sara as close as he could without it
seeming too improper and whispered heatedly against her ear,
“Later.”

Her body trembled slightly in response, swaying when he
released her arms from his grip. She stumbled as she made her way
back to Lance though she never fell with Lucian's steady and
reassuring presence beside her. With a horse as well trained and
loyal as Lance it was easy enough for her to climb into the saddle
and she rode back towards the vampires with Lucian easily keeping
pace beside her. Loud cheering and applause greeted her when she
was once again in their midst. The sight of so many faces pleased
to see her slightly disconcerting to Sara, so used was she to
scowls and curses. Some were even looking at her as though she were
the sun, adoration clear and apparent in their expressions, it
dawned on her that to these people she was.
At least temporarily,
she
sighed.
Well Seraphina, it seems that
you’re actually good for something. You’ve given these people,
given Lucian, something they’d never have had otherwise…thank
you.

The spirit grunted but made no other comment, content and
lazy now that it’s flame had burned so brightly.

Lucian's voice pulled her from her internal musings and she
realised that in the short time she’d been wandering about in her
head, he’d mounted his horse, calmed his people and was preparing
to move on to New Malden. He never ceased to amaze her and she
smiled understanding that he never would.

“
Come,” Lucian ordered, hoping he wasn’t revealing just how
difficult it was to re-orientate himself to the dark after the
brightness of Sara’s sun. If the light was having such an effect on
him he dreaded to think of the effect it was having on his people
who had no natural defences against Sara’s powers. Closing his
eyes, he took a deep steadying breath before spurring his horse
into action. Groggily, his people followed, their movements
becoming increasingly steady as time passed. He noted with pleasure
that Sara was being surrounded on all sides by trusted warriors all
of whom looked concerned by the fatigue she was clearly showing.
She was riding the horse half blind, her level of awareness clearly
fluctuating. She night not realise it but she had earned the life
long loyalty of all the vampires who’d witnessed her extraordinary
display of power, even those who were unaware that she was his
bride were protecting her as though she were their princess. He’d
never been so proud of another person in his life.

He forced himself not to smile at the endearing picture she
made, her head gently lolling as the horse carefully moved along
with the group. His mind wandered to William and then he wasn’t
aware of anything outside of what he would say to the Malachite
leader in their upcoming meeting. He hadn’t seen William in decades
and the last time they’d spoken he’d vowed to see Lucian dead no
matter the cost. In the interim years William had kept his word,
striking out at Lucian whenever an opportunity had presented
itself. He hadn’t managed to kill him but Lucian didn’t think that
was for a lack of trying. Peace had always seemed like such a
foreign concept to William, centuries of killing mortals had made
him a violent man. No matter what way he looked at it, William’s
desire to meet him and talk peace was odd.

Lucian was so embroiled in his mental debate that he failed
to see time ticking away, wasn’t aware that with every second that
passed his party was getting closer and closer to New Malden. When
he managed to pull himself from his thoughts, they were already in
front of the city gates. His eyes wandered over the towering gates
before them hoping that the messenger hadn’t noticed his
momentarily daze expression. Though it was dark, he could easily
make out the guards patrolling along the stone wall that ringed the
city, the first line of defence against attack. He could faintly
make out the noisy sounds of city life that awaited them behind the
gates.

“
Who goes there?” A loud, booming voice called from
overhead.

Lucian's horse pranced nervously on the spot at the
unexpected sound. “Lord Lucian of the Vampires,” he answered
easily.

The gates immediately began to open and this time Lucian
couldn’t help but smile. When he’d started this war he would have
been shot at if he’d openly declared himself a vampire, things were
different now and all of that was thanks to him. His efforts had
paid off, there was only William and the Malachites left and then
vampires would be free to roam the world freely without fear of
anything but the sunlight. The thought spurred him into action and
he turned back to the messenger, his expression one of grim
determination. He’d initially been planning on resting for the day
and then going to see William the next night but he wanted this
over with. One way or another he was going to find out what he
wanted to know tonight. He wanted peace; he wanted the war to be
over and most importantly he wanted his lush little
bride.

“
Where is William?” he demanded, the tone of his voice warning
the younger man to answer honestly or face the horrifying
consequences. “Where is your leader?” Lucian asked again, moving
his horse a little closer to the messenger’s.

“
He’s staying at the King’s Head tavern,” he
gulped.

How appropriate,
Lucian
mused.

Just as Lucian was the Lord of his people, William was the
Lord of the Malachites. The vampires had no King and only when they
were united under one leader would they ever have one. The battle
was almost entirely in Lucian's favour, most vampires had already
submitted to his superior strength, only the Malachites were left
and once William was either defeated or agreed to peace Lucian
would be King of the vampires. It was a sobering
thought.

“
Take me to him.”

The messenger’s already pale face whitened even further at
the promised violence in Lucian's voice and he moved towards the
front of the group, leading Lucian's large party into the opening
gates of New Malden. Like any other city, New Malden was busy even
at this time of night, drunkards lay hunched over on street
corners, the acrid smell of vomit and drying ale filling the air
while the sound of scantily dressed women calling to them rushed to
meet their ears. The houses were crammed together, thatched roofs
clearly worn away in some places, dim light flickering from inside.
As they moved further into the city the squalor began to fade, the
buildings becoming sturdier, the streets cleaner and the air
quieter. Their party progressed quickly through the emptying
streets, Lucian's dark gaze never once leaving the messenger’s
back. He was confident that the warriors around him were scanning
their surroundings searching for the faintest hint of
treachery.

His spine stiffened when he saw the sign for the King’s Head,
his body thrumming with nervous energy, nevertheless he rode
seemingly undaunted towards it. The tavern was clean, inviting, the
sound of joyous laughter pouring from the open door. Lucian
dismounted from his horse wanting nothing more than to get this
meeting over with. Others were quick to follow his lead, his reins
were taken from him and he moved to the messenger, pulling him from
his horse. “Take me to William,” he growled.

Fear wafted from the man’s skin in waves and he quickly
rushed to the tavern’s doors, holding them open wide for Lucian to
enter. His dark eyes momentarily landed on Sara and he sighed in
relief when she dismounted Lance with no outside assistance. She
was slowly but surely regaining her bearings, becoming increasingly
aware of the world around her as her energy levels rose. She was
walking towards him, men surrounding her protectively on all sides,
but she was walking unassisted, she was getting better. The thought
lifted his sour mood as he walked into the tavern, his steps slow
as he tried to keep Sara within his line of sight.

The tavern was filled with Malachites and Lucian felt the
hairs on the back of his neck rise in warning. Being surrounded by
the enemy was never a good idea particularly when you were
accompanied by your currently vulnerable bride. He wanted
this
meeting
over
with.

William was tall and wide in both the shoulders and chest, a
true warrior’s physique. He looked more than capable of wielding a
cumbersome broadsword with both hands to cleave a man’s head from
his shoulders. He wore his long blonde hair down around his neck
and that along with his thick beard made him seem almost leonine in
appearance. He might even have once been called handsome but his
face was now heavily scarred, his grey eyes alive with madness. He
stood as soon as he saw Lucian enter the tavern, the change in
position making those around him aware of Lucian's arrival. He
smiled, spreading his arms wide in invitation. “Lucian,” he boomed.
“I wasn’t sure that you would come.”

Lucian approached William his stride confident though he was
mentally cataloguing every possible means of escape, his mind
running through all possible treacherous scenarios. “You knew I
would come or send someone in my place. No one wants this war to be
over more than me.”

William nodded thoughtfully, a quick glance sending those sat
around the table scurrying. Now that there were seats available, he
waved to one of the chairs around the circular table. “Please come,
sit down so that we can talk properly.”

“
This is not the place to discuss matters of peace
William.”

“
What better way is there to discuss peace than over a pint of
ale?”

“
Treaties should not be made on a drunken leader’s
whim.”

William sighed realising Lucian's implacable resolve on the
matter. “Fine,” he sighed. “We shall just talk tonight, reacquaint
ourselves with one another. It has been a long time since we last
spoke.”

It would be in his best interests to see if William’s
character had changed. Already he could tell the man was half
drunk, apparently his fondness for ale hadn’t faded in the decades
they’d been apart. He sat down, pleased to note that Gareth and
Russell had been quick to flank him, sitting down on either side of
him to protect him from any potential attack. A gently swaying Sara
was quickly forced to sit down at the table. The distance that
separated them was an annoyance but Lucian forced himself to squash
any and all personal feelings and turn his attention back to the
task at hand.

“
So William, you wanted to talk…talk.”

William laughed loudly at Lucian's curt words. “You haven’t
changed a bit Lucian. You’re just as blunt and to the point as you
ever were.”