Loving Lucius (Werescape) (6 page)

Violet twisted to face them. "Father always said the only way people can work together is to trust each other. These men are here to help us."

"You little fool," Red growled.

Maybe not. "Healers as in herbs and teas? The aliens are after you because you know which plants to collect and how to use them?"

Sherry slammed a hand over Violet's mouth. "Enough. If you don't want to help us, fine. Leave. But no more questions."

Interesting response. "I'm in charge. You will answer my questions until I'm happy with the answers." I slid my gaze to Violet. "Let her go."

Sherry's hand didn't budge.

I glared up at the determined tick in her jaw. "Do as I say."

She stared for another heartbeat before her hand slipped away and fell to her side.

I'd work on the little one. "Now, Violet, help me trust you."

Violet's mouth curled into a smile. "We don't need herbs to heal."

Sherry sighed loudly.

Not loud enough to make the discussion end. "Can you explain?"

"Just touch. We heal through touch."

Elise couldn't even bring herself to open her eyes.

"Well, that's just perfect, Violet," Red growled and paced away from us toward the shadows along the far wall. "Now, we've got to worry about the fucking aliens and strange Shifters."

Elise whipped her nose toward her angry sister. "Blame our spineless father who kicked us out of his home. Violet isn't responsible."

So true. Children didn't know any better.

Red's focus jerked to the left, beyond the horses. She pointed a finger. "Stay away from me."

Tacitus. Slowly walking by the view I had of his combat boots and bloused camouflage pants beneath the mares' bellies.

Fine then. He could have the mouthy female. Keep her out of my hair.

Everyone watched as he leisurely stepped along then halted.

A wide mass. Blocking her view of us. Probably of Violet. I turned back to Elise.

She studied me. "What are you going to do to us, Lucius?"

Why would Elise doubt Shifters who protected females--the most valuable commodity on the planet? I rose to tower over her pounding heart and Violet's stare.

This one, Elise, had nothing to fear of warriors who would die to possess the chance to immortalize themselves through her gift of bearing their children. They'd protect her against the aliens. But the aliens want these females. These healers who heal by touch. Why? My sire will want to know more, to learn more about the females' connection to the aliens. "You're going to my sire's outpost. Nothing's changed. But now we know the aliens are after you. Maybe not your sire. But he doesn't matter anymore. Let's go. We'd be foolish to waste time."

****

That's all the Shifters would do in reacting to our psychic powers of healing? To believe Lucius' curiosity was satisfied and all would proceed as he initially planned would be unwise. But I must play along. At least, until I know Violet's safe. Then I can decide how to proceed. I helped Violet climb into the saddle and took my seat behind her slender form.

Tacitus followed Sherry to the other mare with a clipping stare.

Obviously determined to see her silent and mounted by his focus. At least, these Guardians hadn't hogtied us and thrown us over a saddle. Strange, because they knew about our gifts, and Normals didn't handle the information well. Like the first time Sherry touched someone. Father refused to allow us to go anywhere unescorted. By Shifters afterward. Yes. Our
Guardians
. But, they were Shifters specially chosen individually by Father. Shifters held in high esteem. Gone now. All of them killed when the extraterrestrials used their extermination beam to eradicate all organic material from New Boston.

Lucius yanked his gelding around and swept us all with his gaze.

An unnerving sort of look that caught me, paused, shooting deep into my soul, squeezing my heart into silence, then moving on to whoever rode to my left. Commanding. Powerful. Frighteningly real. Accusatory. The appealing square line to his jaw stole my breath away though. Knocked my heart into a freefall that bottomed out low in my belly. Talk about an expression that made me want to be as far from him as possible or lying beneath him. No man had ever made me think such a contradiction before.

Why? Because of his strength?

"We ride fast. Hard. If there's a problem, let me know."

How can there be a problem when Lucius took care of things? What I'd give for him to look at me. Over here. Focus this way again.

I'm losing my mind. How can a person act beyond the fear of letting go and allowing a man to notice her when the woman had my deadly alien gift that marked her as non-human. When just one touch is all it would take to accidentally reveal she isn't
normal
?

Because notice leads to touch. My enemy. The path to my demise. The only thing I can't have. Father knew--forbade any encounters I'd have with males. He saved me and my sisters. I think. What's life to a woman without the touch of a man? A life hidden beneath a thick long-sleeved shirt, sweating in the heat of the summer for fear of a touch. Alone. Miserable. Contemplating touch from a male who couldn't possibly reciprocate the interest…

Chapter Three

Between galloping and walking the horses, the Shifters guided us to a lake by noon. It's hard to believe anything dangerous other than wild animals lurked out here among the peaceful trees and blue sky mirrored in the water's mercurial surface. But our Guardians would have laughed if I spoke my thoughts. So, I led Violet to a boulder beside the glimmering water and sat down with a tin of crackers and venison jerky.

Violet studied the lapping song of the lake and chewed on some salty meat.

Good. She didn't notice Tacitus led Sherry off to sit behind bushes at my back. Why is Sherry in isolation? After the commanding way Lucius looked earlier when seated upon his gelding, I'd be crazy to question the purpose behind keeping Sherry from having another irrational outburst around us. Lucius obviously kept her away from Violet to keep everything under control. He probably wanted to lure more information out of my little sister. Damning information. That seemed a more likely plan of a leader like him.

The warrior walked back and forth between the shore and the horses.

Mindlessly parading his exceptional body before me with a small bag of food in hand. Oh, those long legs. Legs that could comfort a woman the way I'd been told a protective lover cared for his female. What would a man like Lucius do with a woman as naïve about men as I am though? I'd never permitted a man to touch me beyond accepting help from the Guardians Father had paid to protect me. And those were older mated warriors. But touching them hadn't mattered. Now, I could stare at Lucius' narrow waist. At his perky ass. As long as he wasn't paying attention. And finally feel free to enjoy the view. Maybe even guilty.

He isn't interested in me though. But looking can't hurt beyond self-inflicted torment. I could handle that private disgrace. And Lucius is too preoccupied to take note of my interest.

"What's your name?" Violet asked.

Lord. I'm staring at a man instead of monitoring Violet's friendly nature. I shook off the trance Lucius lured me into and found Violet speaking with Marcus.

Now, he's almost as handsome as Lucius with brown expressive eyebrows that moved while he spoke to Violet. Nobody could miss how his was a good soul. One that took the time to speak carefully and answer her childish questions.

"I'm here with my brothers." Marcus pointed over his shoulder at Hadrian and Lucius.

"I never had any brothers." Violet smiled.

Violet talked far too much. But nobody knew what Father told me. That the aliens only fathered psychic female hybrids through mating Normal females and artificial insemination. Although, the three of us aren't Father's children, he'd defend us to the death as if we were his flesh and blood. Langston loved us that much even though each of Mother's pregnancies had been changed with artificial insemination by the alien doctors from the spaceships. What a terrifying reality. A secret I had vowed to take to my grave because Father told no one else.

Lucius descended at Marcus' side and locked a stoic gaze upon me. "How much longer can you and your sisters ride fast?"

The motion jarred Violet to the point I feared she'd topple off the saddle she currently sat upon like a stool. She probably couldn't ride the rest of the day. I can force myself to. But not her. Pointing out she was young and weak would only hurt her feelings though. But Lucius had to hear my concerns. I stared into his assessing stare. "May I speak with you alone?"

He nodded, rose, and led me toward our mounts.

Behind that high tight ass and slightly bowed legs, a woman could forget her fears, caught up in the mesmerizing motion of his body's fluid movement. Especially the way his long legs slightly bowed with each of his footsteps.

He turned to face me.

With a softened look on his face. Why? What is he up to?
God, no touching
. Can the others hear me if I scream? And, shit, do I want to scream if he took the time to attempt to touch me? Dare I allow such a foolish action or truly want to be touched?

Those deep water-blue eyes stared.

Waiting. I sucked in a deep breath.

Air and the sight of him. What does a girl do sitting right under his nose? What a combination. If only I could reach out and touch him. Just a brief brush against his skin. Skin that had to be as warm and soft as a tanned deer hide. And firm. Solid. With just enough give to make him feel alive. He couldn't possibly be ill as healthy as he looked. No illness meant he'd never notice a thing…

"You wanted to speak with me?" he finally asked.

Yes. Shit. Yes. He must have gotten tired of me standing here looking stupid. I threw my shoulders back.

What was I going to ask? Dammit. But since I have him here. "I want to know what my father offered you before I walked in on your discussion."

He blinked and snaked his arms across the broadest chest.

Like I asked the one question I shouldn't have.

"You don't want to know, Elise."

My soul cringed.

Not that I'm half alien. Father wouldn't have admitted that if someone tied him to a wall and slowly peeled his skin off, inch by inch. Deep breath. "No. Please tell me. I need to know what he was up to. Why he sent us away."

He sucked down his own deep inhalation then exhaled long and slowly.

As if easing his way into how I needed to die. To prevent my DNA from ruining the human gene pool. Because Father really did inform him that I'm a hybrid.

"Your sire--"

My heart froze.

"Offered," his voice lowered, "to give me either you or Sherry as a mate in exchange for taking you into hiding."

Not the confession I expected. But one that could end in touching his amazing flesh.

My heart kicked into action.

He studied me with a sympathetic mask.

Staring into his unwavering gaze only reiterated how much I could respect him instead of ogling him with my gaze and daydreaming silly fantasies about touching. Only wish there were more behind his careful way of wording things and approaching subjects. It's obvious there's nothing more than respect in the way he lowers his voice to keep our discussion private. Most likely to prevent my sisters who didn't have heightened hearing from overhearing something that would upset them. Yes. Respect. He's all about respecting others. A strong leader in his actions.

"You have nothing to say?" he asked.

"What else can I say aside from the obvious? My father was desperate." And I'm not offended. Shocked but not offended when the Shifter who would have possessed me looked and behaved like Lucius because he chose not to accept me in the bargain with Father. As if I'm unacceptable. Okay. I can deal with that for now to survive this trip. I think.