Page 70 of Lucien

Luc felt a wash of coldness run through his core, his stomach heavy with the sensation. Was Jamie really offering that right now? The love Luc felt for his bold, courageous mate in that moment was overwhelming…but so was the fear. All Luc could see was a future where he crushed his beautiful flower under the weight of his brutality. Jamie—lovely, bright Jamie—slowly growing to hate him over the years, faced with Luc’s undeniable malevolence.

Because Jamiewouldhate him one day, wouldn’t he?

Given enough time, everyone did.

“No,” Luc found himself saying, panic tightening his chest in a viselike grip. “Not that.”

Jamie turned to him with shock in his eyes. “No?” he asked Luc in disbelief.

“No.” Luc tried to keep his voice firm, not wanting his panic revealed in front of all these witnesses. “Not yet. Not—not now.”

The hurt flashing across Jamie’s face was unmistakable, as was the anger that followed seconds after. His jaw clenched, and when he spoke, his voice was choked, raw. “Figure out your own vampire drama, then. Thishumanis going to bed.” He turned to the twins. “You two can let yourselves out, right?”

Luc swallowed through a new thickness in his throat as he watched his mate stomp down the hallway, his bedroom door slamming a moment later. He turned helplessly back to the vampires in the room.

Danny was giving him a pitying look. “You fucked up.”

Luc already knew he had. He felt it, his monster raging within him for denying them what they both wanted. WhatJamiewanted.

Fox turned to his twin, clearly exasperated by this turn of events. “How are we actually mixed up inrelationshipdrama right now? Fucking fated mates. Every single time.”

seventeen

Jamie

Jamiewrappedtheblanketstighter around himself at the sounds of footsteps approaching his bedroom. There was only one person who would have come to look for him after his little tantrum earlier, and if Jamie could hear him coming, it meant Luc wanted him to. Giving him fair warning or something like that. Those vampires could be absurdly quiet moving around when they wanted to be.

How chivalrous, Jamie thought, with more than just a touch of bitterness. But he was cranky, okay? He ignored the knock on the door, curling tighter into a ball when the sound of the door opening followed a moment later.

Footsteps approached the bed. “You’re very angry with me, aren’t you, ma fleur?”

Oh, Luc was breaking out the French. Dumb vampire must know he fucked up.

Jamie felt the bed sink with the weight of Luc sitting down next to his huddled form, the dip in the mattress causing him to roll closer than he’d like. But he still didn’t speak.

He could swear on everything holy he’d never pouted a day in his life before, but he was just…overwhelmed right now. Awash with disappointment.

And on top of that… Fear. Because what if Luc never wanted him to turn?

Danny had said he’d thought Luc would turn his mate the moment he found him. But Luc had been hesitating from their very first meeting.

Jamie had thought Luc was waiting because hecared, because he needed to know that Jamie would be able to stay with the people he loved. But they knew now. They’d had their questions answered. And still, Luc hesitated.

Was Jamie just not good enough?

He’d thought they were so solid. It was fate. It was fuckingdestiny.

“You really covet eternal life so fiercely?” Luc’s gruff voice sounded from above Jamie’s blanket cocoon.

Thatbullshit dragged some words out of Jamie’s throat. “Fuck you if you that’s what you think this is about.”

Luc chuckled—he actuallychuckled—at Jamie’s outburst, the absolute asshat. “Would you like to tell me what itisabout?”

Don’t mind if I do.Jamie sat up in a rush, flinging the covers down around his hips. “Are you ever going to be ready?” he asked, shoving an accusing finger into Luc’s hard chest. “I’m here. I’m willing. I’m your fuckingmate. And now we know. We know Danny and Gabebothdid fine with the transition.”

Luc allowed himself to be harassed, not making a move to remove Jamie’s stabbing finger. “We do know that, yes.”

Jamie poked him again for good measure. “You turned Danny for, like, shits and giggles. He’s not even your mate. You had no connection to him. And youstillturned him.” If Jamie’s voice broke a little on the last word, he wasn’t admitting it to anyone. His throat was just dry or something.

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