“Lucien –”
He had an arm around my waist and it coiled so tight, forcing me so deep against his body, it cut off my breath.
“All. Fucking. Mine,” he whispered fiercely.
I felt my legs go weak and I knew it was not only fear at his ferocious proclamation but also an unhinged desire that I did not want to feel.
“Lucien, I can’t breathe,” I wheezed in all truthfulness but I’d lost his attention.
His head shot to the side and his mouth got tight right before his hold dropped away. I nearly collapsed but his hand seized mine again and he started striding swiftly back toward the club. Not long after I saw a couple coming our way down the hall and I knew Lucien heard their approach.
As they got closer, I noted it was a man and a woman. They were both so gorgeous I had no idea which was the vampire or if they both were (or weren’t).
“Lucien,” the man called from several feet away.
“Jordan,” Lucien replied.
It was clear Lucien didn’t feel like conversing.
It was just as clear Jordan did for he stopped, halting the striking redheaded woman at his side.
Her gaze flickered nervously over Lucien right before she gave me the once-over and, to my shock, right in front of me, the haughty bitch let her lip curl.
I returned the favor but without the lip curl.
Instead, when Lucien stopped, I moved into him. That alone was going to make my point but Lucien went one better.
His arm slid around my shoulders, brushing my hair with it so it all fell to the front where he mindlessly grabbed a tendril and started twisting it on his finger. Even in the dim light, I saw her eyes focus on Lucien’s hand and her face went pale.
I just stopped myself from giving her a “so there” grin.
I looked up at Lucien and saw his eyes were on Jordan. I looked at Jordan and saw Jordan’s eyes were on me.
“So this is Leah,” Jordan noted.
What?
How did he know me?
“It is,” Lucien agreed.
Jordan’s eyes gave me a once-over too. When they did, the air in the hall went thick and the animosity rolling off Lucien was the cause of it.
The redhead took a step back, my body involuntarily braced and Jordan’s gaze swung to Lucien.
“Easy, Lucien,” Jordan said in a low, conciliatory voice.
“Don’t tell me easy, Jordan,” Lucien returned in a low, anything but conciliatory voice.
“You’re amongst friends,” Jordan noted and I might have been wrong but it seemed there was deeper meaning to his words than the one that seemed obvious to me.
“That might be put to the test,” Lucien retorted.
“I’ll pass or I’ll burn,” Jordan replied.
They locked eyes and the redhead and I were powerless to do anything but look on and hope they didn’t tear each other limb from limb.
Jordan broke the macho vampire staring contest and he looked again at me. I didn’t think this was a good idea but I couldn’t tell him that.