Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (The Three #1)(85)

But he had to admit, he was intrigued by the words and the intensity with which she spoke them.

Even if he felt somehow tortured by them.

It was the dream, and the soufflé, that made him think she’d never be able to continue her latest game.

However, the last two weeks, except for when she had the dreams or when he was feeding and even then she seemed to hold herself back, all that was Leah had vanished. It appeared not to be a struggle in the slightest.

None of his Leah came shining through even for a moment.

She was like every concubine he’d had for five hundred years. Perhaps not as worshipful as some or as obviously greedy for the feeding as others but mostly just the same.

He missed her.

He actually missed their verbal tussles, her comical one-liners delivered when she was angry, her strength of will, her stubbornness, her curiosity, her spirit which filled the house.

All that was gone, including his anticipation of coming home to see what she’d be up to next.

“Lucien? Luce? Helloooo, Luce! Are you in there?” Stephanie called and Lucien’s gaze moved to her.

“Sorry,” he muttered and Stephanie’s eyes narrowed on his face.

“Something’s not right in Lucien and Leah Land,” Stephanie noted.

Lucien took a sip from his drink before saying, “Everything’s fine.”

“Doesn’t seem fine to me,” Stephanie shot back. “Leah looks like Leah, gorgeous as ever. And she smells like Leah. And she walks like Leah. And talks somewhat like Leah. But she’s not Leah.”

Finally Lucien’s eyes focused on his friend. “This isn’t any of your business, Teffie.”

Stephanie was one of the very few (in fact, there were only two, her and Cosmo) who would look at Lucien’s face at that moment and issue a challenge.

And that was what she did.

“Well, I beg to differ. Leah’s become my friend and I’m worried. I’ve been over there twice this week. It’s like I drove into Stepford and it’s eerie. I don’t like it and Edwina is none too happy either.”

“Everything will be fine,” Lucien said, turning to look back toward the hall.

“I hope so, Luce, and I hope you make it soon. Because there is no way a woman like that can hold back that much without exploding and I’m not certain even you will want to be around when she lets it all out.”

Lucien sliced a glance at her, the tone of his voice making his words crystal clear. “We’re done talking about this.”

Stephanie held his gaze for long moments then changed the subject to one that was only slightly less annoying.

“Rumors are flying,” she informed him.

“Rumors always fly,” Lucien returned dismissively.

“Not rumors like this,” she retorted. “Heard word that The Council is going to open an investigation tomorrow into what you’re doing with Leah.”

Lucien glanced back at the hall with unconcern. “I’ve heard that too.”

“Well, I bet you haven’t heard that Rafe told Dante who told Hamish who told me that he’s considering moving in with Lana Buchanan.”

Lucien’s narrowed eyes sliced back to Stephanie.

“Thought that’d get your attention,” she muttered.

“Tell me you’re joking,” he demanded.

She shook her head.

“What’s he thinking?” Lucien ground out.

“I’m guessing the same thing as you. He wants more than Lana’s blood. The Buchanans are a tasty lot. I had one myself years ago, I know. You boys like different smells though and you want to get yourselves some of that.”

Lucien’s body moved, turning toward Stephanie in a way that made her tense.

“Are you bored, Teffie? Do you want me to challenge you?”

“I’m saying it like it is,” she returned.

“If all I wanted was a piece of ass, I would have seduced Leah twenty years ago.”

“Oh right,” Stephanie scoffed, “you want the taming.”

Lucien, who, these days with Leah behaving the way she was, had little patience, lost the little he had.

“What are you driving at?” he clipped.

“What I’m driving at, Lucien, is I’m all for this. Vampires being vampires. These ridiculous rules being shattered to smithereens. I want the hunt, just like we all do. I miss it. I yearn for it. The problem I have, right now, with you, is that you’ve gone off target. You’re messing with Leah and things are obviously not right.”

“Stay out of it, Teffie,” he warned.

“She’s changed,” Stephanie shot back.

“She’s changed before. You know how it is, how they fight it. She’ll change again.”

“I suspect she will but are you prepared for when she does?”

For the first time in days, Lucien smiled. Stephanie growled.

Then she hissed, “You don’t get it, do you?”

Lucien’s smile grew arrogant. “Not right now but I’m going to.”

Stephanie leaned in. “What, exactly, do you think she’s working so damned hard to protect herself from, Lucien? Have you ever thought of that? You’ve tamed many mortals, what happened with the one who gave you the toughest fight?”