Page 38 of Lucy

Marcus swept me off my feet, leaving Sven where he lay silent and lifeless. The shouts from around the castle were growing distant, or perhaps my consciousness was fading. He carried me over to the bed, peering into my face with a worried expression.

“What?” I said groggily.

But there were more loud crashes and glass breaking. Marcus picked me up once again and moved to the fireplace. In a move that belonged to another era, he pushed the second candlestick backward and a door popped open in the paneling.

We slipped inside the passageway just as more people entered Henry’s room.

“What is going on here?” A woman ranted angrily. “Ugh, this is what comes from trusting a Draven.”

“You are all charm, Margaret, as usual. It looks like my brother has gotten himself killed again. How many times does he expect to be raised from the dead?”

The woman with him grunted. I wasn’t certain if it was in agreement or disgust.

“There is no sign of the girl or Evangelina or of Eileen,” Margaret hissed at whom I could only think to be Malcolm, the Duke of Draven. “Pick up Sven, and let’s be done with this.”

I tensed in Marcus’ arms. If they did raise Sven, he would tell them about our whereabouts. They were sure to catch us despite the fact that we were in a secret tunnel.

“Something is wrong!”

The frustration in Malcolm’s voice caused my panic to escalate.

“What do you mean?” Margaret snapped.

“I mean that his body just fucking disintegrated into ash. I can’t pick him up. This has never happened before.”

“We need to get out of here, Malcolm,” Margaret warned. “Bring him back or leave him for dead, I don’t give a damn.”

“I can’t leave him,” Malcolm snapped at her.

“Do you have a baggie to toss him in, and a broom to sweep him up?”

Margaret sounded like a mean bitch, but I had to laugh at her suggestions. I thankfully was able to do so without them hearing.

I felt sorry for Viv’s mate Brendon, who had grown up with the woman as his mother.

“Fine, I will scoop up what I can in my pockets.”

“That’s disgusting,” Margaret said with disdain.

In the next few moments there was some scurrying and then silence.

I opened my mouth to ask if we could check things out, but Marcus shook his head, silencing me.

I felt more like myself and wanted to be let down. I tried to shove out of his arms, but Marcus held me closer still. I felt his hot breath on my ear as he whispered to me.

“You will be punished for not obeying me, Lucy.”

Why is it that I didn’t respond with dread or fear by his threats? Instead, I felt a warmth in the pool of my belly and heat returning to my core. He had to smell my arousal at his words because he cursed softly under his breath.

“You will not know what hit you, kitten.”

I couldn’t wait to find out what he had in store for me.

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