Page 54 of Lucas
Lucas staredat his reflection in the mirror. Their suite came with an array of clothes in several sizes, and he selected a dark-blue pinstripe suit with a silver-blue tie. He hadn’t worn anything so fine for the last two weeks, and he hadn’t realized how much he missed it. Or perhaps his good mood came from the fresh blood he’d received from one of the many donors Philipe housed at The Retreat. Another word for a safe house, though this was the grandest one he’d ever seen.
They’d been directed to their rooms as soon as they entered the manor and given an hour to clean up before returning to the foyer. They met with Iris, the female vampire who played the role of Fiona at the motel and was Philipe’s head of security, for a quick tour of the retreat. Besides the standard features of a grand estate, there was an outdoor swimming pool, two tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, and a twenty-seat movie theater.
Quaint cottages that housed the staff dotted the landscape. There were two stables that housed horses for riding, cows for milk, goats for cheese, and dozens of chickens for eggs. Meat and fish were brought in by House staff every couple of months under extremely rigorous security measures.
The most surprising of all, but perhaps not, considering the Family’s mission, wasn’t the massive library that took up a good portion of the first floor of the manor, but the library building that was connected to the manor by a glass-enclosed breezeway. It was a quarter the size of the manor and was filled with books, most of them memoirs from hundreds of vampire families. Ancient books and artifacts also graced the two-story building. The Renaud Family built annexes around the globe to house an ever-growing inventory, and it made sense that the most valuable might be housed outside of the mainstream libraries. Once the tour ended, they were sent back to their rooms for much-needed rest.
Lucas considered their fight at the motel while he fastened his cufflinks. It hadn’t been much of one. Neither he nor Rom wanted to hurt anyone when they assumed it was Fiona who’d come to their motel room. When they were swarmed by vampires wearing masks and black camo, they weren’t sure what they’d stepped into. It hadn’t taken long to deduce the vampires weren’t fighting to kill.
Once Rom understood the attackers’ hesitancy to draw blood, he dropped his sword, most likely suspecting Philipe had set his own trap. Who would have thought a bookworm was so savvy with battle techniques? Lucas chuckled. Who else but someone who’d had decades to study books on the topic? The Family’s security forces had trained in special combat techniques. Several of which Lucas would share with Devon and the cadre.
When he was satisfied that he was properly attired, he sat next to Ginger, who was dead to the world amid the satin sheets. Neither of them had had proper sleep since New York, and she deserved every moment she got. He kissed her forehead. She’d find him once she was up and dressed—whenever that might be.
The halls on the second floor were quiet, and he didn’t run into anyone until after he’d glanced inside several rooms on the first floor.
“You’ll find Philipe and Romero on the south patio,” Iris called from behind him after he’d peeked into an empty salon.
He turned and smiled. “I’m usually good at ferreting out my way in a new manor, but this one isn’t built like others.”
She returned his smile and led him down the long hall. “From what I’ve been told, Letitia Renaud, who came from the old country a couple hundred years ago, was the one who designed the estate. Of course, only a portion of it had been built back then, but she’d had architectural drawings rendered of her final dream. At the time, it wasn’t considered a safe house. She was an extremely old ancient and had tired of the world. She wanted to build a community of her own making, and her brother found it easier to buy her land, give her money, and not ask questions.
“She developed a blood disease and had been gone several decades before Philipe required a safe house. After Letitia, the manor was meant as a retreat for the immediate Family, though most were uncomfortable with the confinement so far from civilization.” She laughed. “Vampires are social animals. At least, the aristocrats seem to be.”
“I can’t argue your assessment. Even so, it must be difficult living in isolation for so long.”
“I originally had the same thoughts and believed I’d been demoted when the old man asked me to take this assignment. Turns out he knew me better than I knew myself. I can’t think of a better place to live. Every person here is allowed two weeks a year away from the estate as long as they’re willing to go someplace outside the States. A portion of our security staff does nothing but schedule vacations, locations, and security for everyvampire and human who lives here. Surprisingly, there are many who only leave every several years by their own choice.”
“It’s truly an amazing enterprise. I think I could probably spend months here just in the library alone.”
“Is that all?” she teased.
He bent low as if sharing a secret. “I was only speaking to the library in the manor. I think the library building would require a couple of years to just scratch the surface of books.”
She chuckled then walked through the solarium to a smaller sunroom where French doors led to a patio. “I’ll leave you to it. I’ll be sure the rest of your party finds their way once they’re up and about.” She nodded and sauntered off.
The patio looked out over the south end of the valley. Thousands of acres, all owned by the Renauds. Other than knowing they were still somewhere in the South, they were surrounded by mountains and thick forests. No doubt, a portion of that land was owned by the Renauds as well, to prevent development.
A long table that seated twenty was centered on the patio with two smaller tables on the far side and a comfortable lounge area on the right. The seating surrounded an outdoor fireplace where embers glowed, warding off the slight chill in the early-evening air.
Rom and Philipe were in deep conversation and only turned when Lucas stood next to them.
“Ah, Lucas Maynard. Welcome to my home.” Philipe stood and shook Lucas’s hand. “Sit, sit. I have many questions, but have a drink while we wait for the rest of your party. I see the clothing fits well.”
“Yes, thank you for that. I feel like a dignified vampire again.”
Philipe wrinkled his nose. “It’s not easy being on the run. Fiona and I experienced a few weeks of it before we found our way here, though that was decades ago.”
They spent the next hour laughing over tales of the old days. Rom and Lucas shared stories of when Lucas was part of the Rousseau Family. Philipe imparted his memories of a young, restless Rom, and his father’s lost wits at what to do with the cocky vampire.
Surprisingly, Ginger was the first of their group to arrive. She was dressed in a modest mid-calf dress in a bright floral design that hugged her frame. Her hair was pulled back to flow down the nape of her neck. In one word—she was delectable. Her stylish ankle boots clicked on the stone patio floor, and her smile could have lit the place had it been dark.
Philipe stood, took both her hands, and gave her the full European greeting, kissing both cheeks, which she returned without a hiccup. She squeezed Lucas’s hand when she took a seat next to him and winked at Rom.
“Iris was quite impressed with your fighting prowess.” Philipe poured her a glass of wine. “It’s not common to find a human, let alone female, with those skills.”
“Devon’s cadre taught me everything I know. Though I hadn’t planned to be tested quite so soon.”
“Yes, I heard about the trouble with Venizi.” Philipe refilled the other glasses. “That vampire has been a sword in our side toward progress for way too long.”
