“Yes, but you must do it soon…” she hesitated and concern washed through her features as she finished, “before she lands.”
Lucien drew in breath.
Then he acquiesced, “I’ll make it a priority.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Lucien was done. He communicated this by tipping up his chin and moving toward the backdoor of the house.
As he moved he noted Avery sense his approach and Lucien watched through the windows as Avery rose and moved to the door.
His eyes went to Leah to see she’d noticed Avery’s departure. Her gaze then came to the window, caught his and she smiled and waved.
Hello, my pet, he called to her.
Hello, darling, she replied.
She meant it, calling him darling.
He smiled back.
Avery came through the door.
“A moment, Lucien.”
Lucien stopped, his eyes going to Avery, his control on his patience slipping.
“I’ll just head outside,” Kate murmured, slid past Avery and Lucien and out the door, closing it behind her.
Lucien leveled his gaze on Avery, warning, “I have very little time and less patience.”
“Only a moment,” Avery replied quickly.
“Then take your moment,” Lucien allowed.
“Gregor requests a meeting.”
Lucien held his eyes but didn’t expose his reaction.
Gregor was a member of The Council. Lucien had known him for years but, even so, he didn’t know him at all. He could be ally, he could be enemy.
Centuries ago, Gregor had shocked all vampires by denouncing his mortal mate during The Hunt. He was the only vampire to do this. Many didn’t understand Gregor’s actions, however Lucien did. If Maggie had lived, for her, he would have considered it. It was fortunately unfortunate that this decision never needed to be made.
Lucien, having had a mortal mate himself, could believe Gregor denounced his mate to give her a longer mortal life, even if they had to live the sudden brevity without each other.
This could mean that all these years, Gregor was holding resentment about the loss of his mate. This meaning he desired vampires to have their freedoms restored, to have what he lost, if only the taming. It could also mean that, having lost his, that resentment could have turned bitter and he wished no other vampire to mate with mortals, not even for a taming.
The only thing Lucien had to go on with Gregor was that he’d taken a young mortal into his care after her parents were assassinated. Lucien had never met the girl who now was a woman. However he had heard talk that Gregor was devoted to her in his way. The vampire was cold but Lucien sensed he wasn’t unfeeling. Further, Gregor’s son, Yuri was attached to his father’s ward, perhaps unhealthily. Or at least The Dominion would feel that way.
This could work in his favor if Gregor wished his son to be free to claim the mortal child he raised not only to keep her in the family but also to keep her alive for eternity.
“Arrange it,” he ordered Avery.
“With Stephanie and Cosmo,” Avery added and Lucien’s gaze sharpened on his face.
“Why would he wish Teffie and Cosmo to be there?”
“I’ve no idea. He just does.”