Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (The Three #1)(97)

And I couldn’t fight it. I wanted to. My brain screamed at me to especially after the spanking which, during it, even though his strikes caused little pain to anything but my pride, I’d felt something break in me. Something integral to all that was me, Leah Buchanan, one in the centuries-old line of strong, independent concubines (if Lucien’s word was anything to go by). And there was something in the way that it broke I knew that it could never be mended.

The weird thing was, I didn’t mind. Not in the slightest. It was as if it was meant to be.

It was as if it had been built solely for the purpose of it existing for when Lucien would break it.

Now how blinkety blank freaky was that?

But I couldn’t think of any of that now.

Not now when danger was at the door.

Bad danger. The worst.

So much the worst it wasn’t danger, it was menace.

I felt it crawling, disquieting, threatening, evil, through the very air. To say it made me uneasy was a humongous understatement.

I didn’t know how I understood this. I didn’t even know what I understood. I just knew I understood it.

And what I understood was, if this didn’t go well, my life would be over.

And I also understood that the only thing standing between me and that menace was Lucien.

He’d keep me safe. Regardless of and contradictory to the scene I’d just endured at his hands, I knew to the depth of my soul that he’d do everything in his substantial power to stand between me and whatever was at the door.

Or he would die trying.

This shook me worst of all.

But I didn’t hesitate. I put on pajamas and for good measure my robe, yanking the belt tightly. Then I turned to him, seeing he was waiting for me with his pajama bottoms on.

The doorbell rang again.

My heart raced.

Settle, sweetling. His voice sounded in my head as he lifted his hand toward me.

Without hesitation, I walked to him, sliding my hand in his, his eyes keeping mine captive while I did this.

The moment his long fingers closed around my hand dwarfing it, I felt my heart settle and I saw his face gentle.

That’s it. His voice, edged with pride, sounded encouragingly in my mind.

We walked together slowly, hand-in-hand to the front door. The bell sounded again as we walked.

He positioned me, his eyes caught mine in the dark and he placed his hand on my cheek not letting go of my other one.

Your cues come from me, yes? he asked, I nodded and he gave me a reassuring smile coupled with a squeeze of my hand.

Then he let me go and moved away to switch on the light. Then he opened the door and stood strong in its frame, barring the way to whoever was out there.

I was behind the door. I couldn’t see who was there and they couldn’t see me. Lucien spoke and he did it in a way that provided me with the information I needed without letting on to our visitors he was doing so.

“Rudolf, Cristiano, Marcello,” he drawled, his voice sounding amused. “They sent three of you?”

“My profound apologies, Lucien,” a heavily accented, definitely uncomfortable voice replied. “I know it’s very late but unfortunately we’re here to ask you to come with us.”

What?

Why?

I held my breath.

“This can’t wait until morning?” Lucien returned.

“No.” Another accented voice, not uncomfortable but hostile, now sounded. “The Council waited for you to come to them. Now, matters have arisen and they will wait no longer.”

Lucien was silent, considering this.

“Please, Lucien, don’t make this difficult. It shouldn’t take long.” The first voice urged.

All amusement was gone when Lucien spoke again. “This does not make me happy, Rudolf.”

“Don’t tell us. Tell The Council,” the hostile voice retorted.

Lucien’s body changed like it did when Katrina came to visit. The muscles stood out, defined, deadly. I didn’t take this as a good sign.

“Marcello,” a third voice, also accented, said the name as a warning.

There seemed to be some kind of standoff happening. I could only see Lucien’s half of it but I felt it and it scared the freaking heck out of me.

Finally, Lucien’s body relaxed, he stepped back, opening the door wider, his voice now courteous. “Wait inside. I’ll be a moment.”

His eyes cut to me. I read his intent and moved to him. His arm curled around my waist, shifting us back so the three, large vampires could fill the foyer. Two were dark, both looking Latin or Italian or something. One was fair. All were gorgeous.

My heart skipped a beat.

The fair one closed the door then turned which meant all of them were staring at me. I pressed into Lucien’s side.

“Leah, this is Rudolf, Marcello and Cristiano,” Lucien introduced, indicating each with his hand. Rudolf was the fair one.

I nodded and gave a lame wave.

Cristiano and Rudolf smiled. Marcello scowled.

“It’s a long awaited pleasure, Leah,” Rudolf murmured, his eyes calm and gentle on me. I suspected his words held greater meaning because Marcello’s scowl deepened. At the same time Cristiano’s smile widened.

“Thank you.” My voice was soft and breathy and something changed in the room when I spoke. It was powerful, electric, weirdly both dangerous and seductive and it was emanating from all three.