“What do you know of other immortals? Werewolves? Wraiths?”
“Oh my God,” she whispered.
Lucien shook her and he didn’t do it gently. “Tell me, damn it!”
“I don’t know!” she gasped. “I mean, Avery…”
She stopped speaking, her eyes dropping to his jaw as it went rigid.
Between clenched teeth, he gritted, “I’m going to f**king kill him.”
“Lucien?” Her tone was uncertain and very frightened.
He gaze bore into hers. “Don’t tell anyone you know of the existence of other immortals, Leah. Not a single soul. Not your family, not Stephanie, not Edwina –”
“Edwina knows,” she admitted softly. “She was there when Avery –”
He closed his eyes and ground out, “Fucking hell.”
“He didn’t say anything, Lucien. Not anything,” Leah defended hurriedly and he opened his eyes to glare at her. “He just said he was immortal but he wasn’t a vampire. He didn’t tell me what he was. He didn’t tell me what other immortals there were. He said if he said anything it would mean his death. Earlier I was just guessing.”
“I’ll wager, my pet, he didn’t tell you that if anyone found out you knew then you’d face certain death.”
She pulled in a sharp breath.
“Yes,” Lucien clipped. “So no one is in on this secret. No one. I’ll have a word with Edwina and I’ll have several with Avery.”
Her hand came to his neck, fingers curling there and he could feel the slight tremor.
“Please don’t be angry with him. He was trying to be kind,” Leah whispered.
“Putting your life in danger is far from kind,” Lucien returned, his anger not abating, the nightmare too fresh as was this new danger.
Pain slashed through her face before she went on, her voice gentle, “Maybe he’s tired of hiding, Lucien. Maybe he felt he was among friends. Maybe he knew I’d accept him. Maybe he trusted me. That isn’t something to be angry about. That’s an honor he bestowed on me.”
“Letting me break you one day doesn’t make you friend and protector of all immortals the next, Leah.” His tone was sharp and derisive because her words had no effect.
He was still angry.
And troubled.
The Council was considering his request. They owed him and he had friends on The Council, friends who he had no doubt would become allies if things didn’t go his way. Therefore friends who would do all in their considerable power to make things go his way. No one wanted war.
Those who were not friends, those who wished to defy change because they feared it or because they hated him were using Rafe’s behavior as grounds to deny Lucien’s request.
Rafe had not yet taken Lana as a lover but he’d told Lucien he wanted to and he was now spending the night with her, this being the reason why The Council finally called him in. Rafe had not joined with her because he feared for her safety.
Lucien approved of Rafe’s intentions and when speaking to him encouraged them.
As he would encourage any vampire who wished to bloody well behave like a f**king vampire.
If this was known, this would not sway The Council in his favor, even his friends might demur. Allowing Lucien a boon was one thing, allowing rampant and widespread change to centuries of tradition was another.
However, if it was known that Leah held the knowledge that other cultures existed, he’d not get his request granted for she’d be executed.
No, she’d be hunted then she’d be executed.
They had enough to worry about, most of it she didn’t even know, they didn’t f**king need this.