Until the Sun Falls from the Sky (69 page)

It was over a month after he’d found Leah. He was in the ancient city of Speranza in a windowless, air-controlled, intensely secured room in the basement The Dominion’s international headquarters.

He lifted his head and looked across the table at Avery, Gregor and Rudolf.

“This does not make me happy,” he muttered his understatement.

He’d just seen The Prophesies or what they would allow him to see. He had no idea what else there was. However, they had shown him some of what referred to Leah and himself.

“That’s understandable,” Rudolf replied.

“Do you now understand why we’ve asked you to refrain from hunting your father?” Avery asked carefully.

“I understand it but I don’t like it,” Lucien answered tightly.

“As you can see from those documents, he is surely the general of the insurrectionists noted in them. If his death is precipitous, it could tip war and we’re not ready,” Rudolf explained.

“I did read that in the parchments, Rudolf,” Lucien muttered with irritation.

“You will have your time,” Avery assured him quietly.

He fucking well would.

Lucien nodded.

“She’s already exhibiting the abilities,” Gregor stated, looking at him closely.

Lucien briefly weighed the wisdom of answering, glanced at Avery who already knew and decided.

“She has exceptional powers of the mind. She can mark me. Track me. Sense my mood and, therefore, when she’s with me, sense danger when I do. She can speak to me with her mind and, as the days go by, this power increases significantly. Indeed, if I wished, I could call to her where she’s sitting at a café across the street and she’d hear me. She could do the same. We also have begun to share dreams, having them separately and, on occasion, simultaneously.” He gestured to the papers on the table before him. “However, she does not demonstrate uncommon speed or strength.”

“You are vampire, she is mortal, Lucien, would you know if she had uncommon speed or strength for a mortal?” Rudolf asked an excellent question.

Before he could answer, Gregor spoke.

“We would like to ask you to speak to her about submitting herself for testing.”

Lucien’s felt his body prepare for battle, his adrenalin releasing, his muscles expanding and he immediately replied, “Absolutely not.”

“Lucien –” Gregor began but Lucien leaned forward.

“You get near her without my permission, I’ll tear you apart and then you’ll burn,” Lucien vowed, his voice low and unmistakable.

Gregor gestured to the table. “You can see from what you’ve read that it’s important we understand we’re in the position to combat this threat.”

“My bride is not a mutant warrior in this war to be prodded and researched,” Lucien clipped. “There are yet two other lifemates to unite. We will allow matters to play out and as they do, she and I will decide how we will proceed.”

“We don’t have a great deal of time. Callum will mate with Sonia before Christmas this very year,” Gregor told him and Lucien held his eyes.

Callum was King of the Werewolves. Lucien knew him. Lucien respected him.

Sonia, he knew, was the name of Gregor’s mortal charge.

“Sonia?” Lucien asked.

“Yes, Sonia,” Gregor answered then clarified, talking quietly, “
My
Sonia.”

“So this is why you took her into your care,” Lucien surmised.

“That and I held deep regard for her parents prior to their deaths and affection for her prior to her losing them,” Gregor replied.

Lucien nodded but he did not share further words on the topic. The Prophesies were vague as Prophesies tended to be but it was not vague what would befall Sonia, the woman who would soon be the mortal Queen of the Werewolves. Gregor knew of this. And Gregor was hiding his despair at the knowledge.

Instead, he asked, “Does she know? Callum?”

Gregor shook his head. “No. And they won’t. As this was kept from you and Leah, it will also be kept from the other mates. As you read, it is essential that every immortal demonstrates his ability to make a crucial, selfless sacrifice for his mortal lifemate. And it is essential that every mortal demonstrate her generosity to or protection of immortals. To establish an eternity of peace between the species, The Three must personify that we can live together through diversity
and
in harmony.”

He’d read this in The Prophesies. It was annoying but it was understandable.

“And the third lifemates?” Lucien asked.

“They have not been located,” Rudolf answered. “We believe the male is living amongst mortals. Their story is vaguer in The Prophesies but we believe from studying the parchments that he knows who he is, what he’s capable of. He feeds from mortals, he morphs to wolf. But he does not know of the existence of others of his kind. He thinks he is an anomaly, hides his abilities and lives underground. Therefore, it is difficult to find him.”

“Perhaps he has not yet come into existence,” Lucien suggested.

“No,” Avery whispered, “Sonia’s destiny will play out shortly. The Noble War is nearly upon us. He’s out there as is she, whoever she may be.”

Lucien tipped up his chin then remarked, “If he thinks he’s an anomaly, he’s correct. Unless I’m mistaken, he would be the only vampire, werewolf hybrid in history.”

“In the years to come, many things will change, Lucien,” Avery replied. “
Many.
What was impossible will be exceptional but possible. Then it will become commonplace.”

As it always had been. As, he hoped to Christ, it always would be for a very long time.

Lucien moved on.

“I’ll be telling Leah of The Prophesies,” he announced and the three other men in the room tensed.

“This is unwise,” Gregor muttered.

“Why?” Lucien shot back and Gregor’s eyes slid to Avery. “It isn’t unwise,” Lucien stated and Gregor’s gaze came back. “You’re intent to keep your secrets from being revealed. But I can assure you she won’t speak of them.”

“Can you be certain?” Rudolf asked.

“She is mortal but there are many mortals who are far from stupid, Rudolf,” Lucien returned. “I’ll explain to her the importance of keeping the secret and she’ll understand it. I’ll also explain the consequences of not keeping it and she’ll definitely understand that.”

“Of course but she is also in the life. Her family is in the life. What is to come, her part in it, she may be moved to warn them,” Rudolf replied.

“She won’t speak of The Prophesies,” Lucien repeated.

“It’s essential she doesn’t,” Gregor pressed,

Lucien looked to Avery then back to Gregor and impatiently reiterated, “She will not speak of them.”

Gregor took in a breath. Then he nodded.

Lucien wanted to get back to Leah so he demanded in the form of a request, “I wish to speak to Avery alone.”

Glances were exchanged but Rudolf and Gregor assented, said their farewells and moved to leave the room.

Gregor, however, stopped at the door.

“The Council wishes you to know that the access provided you to these documents means our debt is paid.”

“Servicing The Dominion by hunting my own and taking them to their deaths for fifty years is hardly paid by providing me access to documents that describe, however vaguely, that myself and my bride face mortal perils in a Noble War,” Lucien returned. “That is surely my due and I regard it as such. Tell The Council I consider that I still hold the marker and I will call it when I need to use it.”

Gregor held his eyes. Then he sighed. Then he tipped up his chin and left the room.

Lucien didn’t speak until he sensed they were well out of hearing distance. Then his eyes moved through the room. Not finding what he was looking for, he turned his gaze to Avery.

“Is this room monitored?” he asked.

“No,” Avery answered.

“What I wish to discuss, it would be foolish to lie,” Lucien stated quietly.

“As has been explained, very few know of The Prophesies, Lucien. This is a humidity, air and temperature controlled room that holds nothing but The Prophesies. Access to it is strictly limited. Security is state of the art. However, it does not include cameras or microphones. It wouldn’t do for security guards to be able to catch a glimpse of the parchments or hear those allowed in this room discussing them.”

Lucien nodded once.

Then he crossed his arms on his chest and stated quietly, “You’re an Ancient.”

Avery slowly closed his eyes.

He was.

Fucking hell.

“Do you know our origin?” Lucien asked and Avery opened his eyes.

“I vow to you, Lucien, that this is also a mystery to me,” Avery answered.

“Are there others older than you?” Lucien queried.

“I cannot say,” Avery demurred.

“But there are other Ancients,” Lucien went on.

“I cannot say,” Avery repeated.

“How many people know that Ancients still exist?” Lucien pushed.

“One,” Avery answered. “You.”

That was what he was looking for. An indication of trust. And he had it. This secret was more crucial to guard than The Prophesies.

Lucien took a moment.

Then he reminded him quietly, “My future bride and I risk much for this world.”

Avery studied him.

Then he whispered, “You do. And therefore I will give you another vow. There will be those who will do everything in their considerable power to keep The Sacred Triumvirate safe. But right now, this is all I can give you.”

“I have children and The Prophesies state that I will have four more. For reasons that, if The Prophesies are true, are no longer accurate, Leah and I do not use protection. If this Noble War means my bride and I will perish and our children will live without parents or worse, die themselves, I need to know what you know and take precautions.”

“You must find out along with me,” Avery replied.

“You know no more?” Lucien pressed.

Avery extended a hand to the papers on the table. “I wrote those parchments. I wrote everything I knew, Lucien, everything that came to me. If I knew more, I would gladly tell you. I don’t. Therefore, you must find out along with me.”

Lucien held his gaze and read nothing. And he knew from this that when Avery gave away the knowledge he was indeed an Ancient, this was his intention.

He tried once more by reminding him, “I lived eight hundred and twenty-two years waiting for the woman who was destined for me.”

“And we’re counting, very much, on your desire to keep hold of that destiny,” Avery returned.

“If that’s true, Avery, then you are very lucky,” Lucien whispered.

At that, Avery smiled.

Lucien didn’t smile back. He lifted his hand in a brief gesture of farewell and left the room to make his way to his mate.

* * * * *

“Okay, seriously, this is
awesome!
” Leah exclaimed.

She was sitting astride him. Lucien was on his back in their bed in their hotel room in Speranza, Leah straddling his hips. She was wearing a black, silk nightie adorned with thick edges of cream lace. They’d just made love and her hair was a wild tumble around her shoulders.

Prior to their making love, he’d given her an emerald cut, black diamond engagement ring. After, he told her of The Prophesies.

As was her way, her reaction surprised him.

“My pet, we’re talking about war,” he reminded her quietly.

She leaned into him, putting her hands to his chest, her face getting close to his. Hers was still excited.

“Yes, and you, me and the other four are going to
kick ass,
” she declared then lurched back to sitting and cried, “I can’t wait to get superhuman abilities!”

Lucien shook his head, finding he couldn’t stop himself from grinning.

Then he sat up, his grin died and he wrapped his arms around her loosely.

“My love,” he started to caution, “anything can happen in war.”

She wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders and tipped her head to the side.

Then she asked, “Darling, are you the Mighty Vampire Lucien?”

His lips twitched but he didn’t answer.

“You are,” she whispered, her arms getting tighter. “You’re unstoppable. And you’re giving me your abilities. So
we’ll
be unstoppable.” Her expression grew serious as she pressed closer. “Before you get all mature vampire and impart wisdom on me, I’ll tell you, I get it. I’ve never been in a war but everyone knows wars are to be avoided. And I hate to remind you of something that upsets you but Edwina and I were attacked by four vampires. I had no power in that situation and I was terrified out of my mind. So it may be that my powers won’t be akin to a vampires’. But at least I’ll have a fighting chance.”

She was right. She’d reminded him of something that upset him.

Greatly.

Lucien didn’t share this and Leah wasn’t done.