Unbidden, unwanted but undeniable anguish scorched through me, hot and biting.
He bent forward, brushing my cheek with his lips. “Have a good day, pet, and sleep well.”
Oh my God!
He wasn’t even coming home.
Even though my mind screamed, my mouth nor body moved.
He did. In an instant, he was gone.
I hate you, my brain whispered.
I heard you, sweetheart, he whispered back.
His endearment burned into me like a brand.
I know, I told him.
Stubborn, he told me.
I turned off my mind, turned my face in my pillow and put every effort into making absolutely certain I didn’t cry.
After a long struggle, at last, I finally succeeded at something.
It was an empty victory.
Chapter Eleven
The Betrayal
Lucien’s eyes scanned the heaving dance floor and he saw her.
Although he didn’t often attend this particular Feast, he’d seen her before. Each time she’d enticed him, long, dark blonde hair, blue eyes, curvy body, alluring scent.
Tonight, she did especially as she was wearing a black dress almost like the one Leah had worn last night. Not the same quality but close enough.
Everything about her was not the same quality but close enough.
He knew she captured his attention because she reminded him of Leah. It had been the reason he’d never taken her. He was anticipating the real thing, not an oft-used imitation.
But tonight, she’d do.
Her eyes caught his and she smiled beguilingly, an open and eager invitation. It was clear she was his to do with as he wished and this Feast, as he wished, had very few boundaries.
He looked away, allowing his aversion to show.
Eager and willing were not what he wanted. Spirit, personality, passion, defiance, fear, challenge, those were what he wanted.
After centuries he finally had all of that, a great deal of it. It was just that he was finding it maddening to an extreme.
And excruciatingly frustrating.
Lucien attended Feasts often, even if he particularly liked the taste of his concubine and, it went without saying, he particularly liked the taste of Leah. He was a vampire with a healthy appetite and Feasts allowed him diversity in that appetite.
However, over the last several centuries, he’d grown weary of them.
All the mortals who attended Feasts were registered with The Council. They were safe, healthy, willing, well-bred, from well-to-do families and their time was limited. They had two years to attend Feasts, any Feast they wanted, as many as they could attend before they were retired.