Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (The Three #1)(144)

When my foot hit the floor of the foyer was when it happened.

The front door flew straight off its hinges. It blew right by me through the foyer at least ten feet to crash to the floor and skid down the hall.

Every molecule in my body froze for an instant then I turned to flee up the stairs. My cell was on my dressing table in the wardrobe.

I needed to call Lucien.

I got one step up and heard Edwina scream. Sheer dread coursed through my body but I had no chance to react. No chance to do anything.

There was movement everywhere but nothing I could see. Solid things dashing through the house causing blurs. One of them cut me off on the stairs. I ran into it and before I could see what it was, I fell back the step I took, landing painfully on my ass in the foyer.

Then I was up, my body like a rag doll, bent double at the waist, held tight to someone’s side, my hair blowing in the breeze created by our movement down the hall. As suddenly as we were moving, we stopped, my frame swaying with the rapidity of us halting. I was swung up and around, my body jerking unnaturally with the speed and it was sheer luck my neck or spine didn’t snap. Then I was held, my back to the front of someone, iron arms clamped around me, holding me captive, my arms held tight to my sides, rendered useless.

But I didn’t try to move. This was because, in the comfy seating area, I saw Nestor, the vampire that had words with Stephanie at my Selection. And he was holding Edwina like whoever was holding me except he had one big hand over her mouth.

Her eyes were wide and filled with fear.

“Tape her to a chair in the dining room.” I heard from behind me and I knew that voice.

Lucien’s father.

Etienne.

Oh my God!

What was happening?

Nestor and Edwina were there one second and I felt the gust of wind they created when they sped by Etienne and me. Then they were gone.

I heard movement in the dining room but my attention was caught on something else.

My head jerking around I saw Katrina, Lucien’s ex or soon-to-be-ex mate and Marcello from the night The Council sent vampires to collect Lucien. Katrina was standing in my kitchen staring daggers at me. Marcello was moving with a mortal’s speed toward Etienne and me. My tight body got tighter but he stopped five feet away.

Then my tight body got so tight I thought it would snap in half when, his eyes burning into me with a light I did not like, he muttered heatedly, “God, I want to drain her while I f**k that fear.”

“She is still my son’s concubine,” Etienne stated and Marcello’s eyes jerked over my shoulder.

“He’s taken her as lover. All bets are off,” he growled.

“We court his wrath already and you know it,” Etienne shot back. “Don’t be foolish.”

“Agreed so it should be worth my while,” Marcello returned.

“My brother,” Etienne said quietly, “in the coming war, we will need your strength. I ask you to restrain your instincts. Soon, all mortals will again be prey and you can take what you wish. My son falls or fails to protect his meal, you will have what you desire.”

His son falls?

Oh my God!

What was happening?

I breathed hard as Marcello held Etienne’s eyes. I felt no relief and kept breathing hard when he took a step back.

“Now, Leah,” Etienne whispered, his mouth at my ear, “I’m going to let you go and we’re going to talk. If you do anything unwise, I will let Marcello have you. Are you going to do anything unwise?”

Fuck no. These were vampires. No way I was going to do anything unwise.

I shook my head.

“Excellent,” he murmured then let me go.

I took two quick steps away then turned my back toward the hall and moved back two steps more. But it was there I stopped because I had three vampires’ eyes on me and I felt Nestor come out of the dining room behind me.

I looked amongst them, feeling my chest rise and fall, my fingers tingling, my legs quaking but I kept my shoulders straight and stood tall.

Then I moved my eyes to Etienne.

“What’s going on?” I asked and was pleased beyond reason my voice didn’t shake.

“We’ve decided it’s time you knew a few things,” Etienne answered.

I didn’t want to know a few things, of this I was certain. I also was certain I had no choice.

“What things?” I asked.

“Things about our culture. Things about your culture. Things about my son. And things about this world and your place in it,” Etienne replied.

That was a lot. Some of which I knew or thought I did.

Though, not their versions of it.

“Okay,” I whispered.

“Now be a good girl, Leah, and let your superior speak. I’ll tell you when and if you’re allowed to ask questions,” Etienne stated and I swallowed.

God, seriously. He was such a dick.

Still, with no other choice, I nodded.

“Very good,” he leaned in, his eyes lighting, creepy, amused and terrifying, before he finished, “pet.”

Oh God.

“Did you know,” he started, “that for five hundred years, it has been strictly forbidden for a vampire to take concubine as lover?”

I couldn’t help it. I wanted to but I couldn’t. My midsection swayed back like he’d struck me.