CHAPTER FOUR
Lore made his way tothe library, fully rehabilitated by Vex’s reprimand. Well, not really. But without taking steps, there could be no meeting of this challenge put upon him. This required him to seek out the woman of his obsession and do something he wasn’t accustomed to doing, which was not use his gifts. Well, not use them on her. In a sexual capacity like he’d been fantasizing.
He pulled Harlow’s number up on his phone, deciding to go the direct route.
“King Lore,” Harlow answered.
“Dr. Harlow, I hope I’m not calling too late. But I had an inquiry regarding the Nuns.”
“Uh...hold on a second.”
Lore listened as he excused himself from female company. “Sorry, which of our lovely nuns can I help you with?”
Lore redirected his angle at encountering the favorable interest in his question. “Natasha,” he said, arranging a persuasive frequency in his voice. “Am I permitted to speak to her?”
“Depends on what about,” he said, mischief unmistakable in his tone.
“I ran into her and Celeste I believe. They were searching for...Handy.”
“Oh boy.”
“Is he lost?”
“No, he’s currently recovering from a growth spurt. The little shit managed to hi-jack the program that builds his body and input a growth sequence that allowed him to grow five years a day until he’s thirty-two.”
Wow. “Fascinating.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “He knew we were building his body so we could kill him, and he knew we wouldn’t kill a kid.”
“Clever.”
“So he thought. As irony has it, the program has to kill him at every growth sequence in order to fully complete each stage. Which means he’ll die four times before he reaches maturity.”
The absence of satisfaction in his tone had Lore curious. “That is... incredible.”
“So, you like Natasha?”
Lore paused, wondering how he knew that. He’d hidden it perfectly. “I do,” he said, sensing complete honesty with the doctor was his best route. “I would like to get to know her.”
“Well, they’re all promised to soldiers,” he warned. “And they’re pretty fucking fickle about keeping their promises. I have one I’m currently wooing.”
“Really,” Lore said, activating his gifts to obtain every detail. “How are you managing?”
Lore listened to the doctor tell him every detail and by the end of it, his arousal surpassed his fascination.
“You did all this with her,” he marveled quietly.
“I did,” he said, with zero remorse or regret. “And my guess is, Natasha will likely have a similar outlook regarding cheating on her soldier or cheating on her commitment to being with a soldier, so whatever tricks you have or gifts, you’ll want to incorporate them.”
“I have gifts but prefer she choose of her own volition.”
“Good call. Nobody wants a woman you gotta fuckin” manipulate to get. Lucy wants me but her convictions prevent her. So, I’m making it easier or impossible to not choose what she really wants. I don’t care how long it takes me, but when I’m done with her, she’ll never be able to bond with a soldier because I’ll own every part of her, even if she refuses to admit it. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll figure something else out. I even tried to become a soldier since that’s what she wanted, and you know what she said?”
“I do not.”
“That I couldn’t give up my soul for this.”
“Is that required?”
“No! I mean who’s an expert on what God deems is the soul? So, I’m navigating around her beliefs regarding all of it.”
“It’s all you can do,” Lore said, his thoughts back on Natasha. “I suppose I need to meet her and fish out her position on the matter.”
“Yep.”
“Do you know how I might...get her alone?”
He chuckled. “Well, you are speaking to the man who is in charge of our gaggle of angels. Allow me to make arrangements that will give you plenty of time to begin your seduction. When would you like to start?”
“As soon as possible.”
“Look for my text.”
“Thank you,” Lore said before the doctor hung up, leaving him smiling at the seduction term. Why did he like it so much? Maybe because he didn’t need to hide it with the doctor. Or because they shared the exact sentiment regarding the same class of female—an angelic, forbidden nun. This was clearly his cock’s favorite part. He could easily admit to himself that ninety percent of his excitement was being given the green light to do as he wished in procuring a relationship involving his brand-new fantasies. Slowly of course. And with her full consent. Well...her inner consent. As the good doctor said, she may say one thing with her mouth while denying her true desires. He could hardly wait to learn... no-no, not learn, to confirm that she was attracted to him the same way he was with her. If there was a sound for their brief connection, it would resemble the symphony of a galaxy splitting the fabric of the universe with its birth. And there was surely no reversing such a phenomenal event.
He remembered his latest revelation regarding his gifts, eager to try it on Zodak. He’d always been able to heal using frequency and vibration but to attain the exact measures was difficult. Well, not anymore. He could only attribute this to the bat bite since it was the single thing different. The knowledge was always there, but hidden from him. This was clear by how it manifested in its fullness. Like an entire city of knowledge discovered just above the ceiling in his mind. He could scarcely recall not knowing the means to obtain these necessary measures. All that was left was testing it.
His phone buzzed and he looked.
I’ve arranged for Natasha to take you on a tour of the entire castle tonight. She’s been given a map.
Tonight? Lore’s blooming fondness for Harlow quadrupled. And the laughing emoji he added to the end of his note brought his own grin. He was the perfect ally in his endeavors. And he had every intention of gleaning all that he could from his harmless deviances.
****
NATASHA’S PHONE BUZZEDon the carpet next to her sleeping mat. She quickly grabbed it, hoping poor Butterfly was okay.
Mr. Harlow?
She pressed his name.
Miss Sheridan, we have company here for a couple of days and one of them has need to map the castle for the acoustics I’m needing installed. I’m very pressed on time, and was hoping you would be an angel and see to this for me before their time here is up. I have included a map of the castle below in case you need it. You will be paid handsomely for your mercy.
You’ll be escorting a gentleman named Lore with the Creole Kings. He will meet you in the library in thirty minutes.
Eternally grateful,
Harlow King
Oh God. It was him!
She found Celeste’s number with shaking fingers and called her. “Sister,” she hissed when she answered. “I need to speak to you right away.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I can’t say here.”
“Well...I’m in my room.”
Natasha paused at hearing her sadness. “Any news about Handy?”
“Not yet.”
“Oh dear. I’m on my way.”
Natasha slid her phone in her gown pocket and informed the rest of the Sisters she was going to check on Celeste then discreetly hurried to her apartment at the end of the hall.
After the very first knock, the door opened to Celeste’s urgent, “What’s wrong?”
She showed her the text and Celeste took the phone while Natasha shut and locked the door.
“Oh my,” Celeste whispered as she turned.
“It’s him!”
“But... you said he was nice!” Celeste thought.
Oh God. “I lied!” she barely whispered, then closed her eyes. “Not...lied.” She made her way to the bed and sat at the foot of it. “He... scares me.”
“Then I’ll just go with you.”
Natasha sucked in a breath as she shot up. “Yes!” Then she stiffened.
“What?”
“I’ll need to dress. What do I wear?” she panicked.
“He didn’t say,” Celeste thought.
“He said it’s a paying job!”
Celeste’s brows furrowed. “Right. Uh...then you should dress the part,” she whispered.
“I don’t want the other sister’s knowing!”
Celeste grabbed her hand and hurried her to her closet. “You and I are the same size, you will wear something of mine. Nobody will know.”
Relief flooded her and she hugged Celeste. “Thank you,” she said. “And I promise we will find your Handy, okay?”
She nodded, her brows tugging in grief. “I feel as if my best friend has died, and I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
“Of course he didn’t die!” Natasha was sure that wasn’t even possible. She brightened. “Lucy’s got direct ties to Dr. Harlow. And he will know. After this job tonight, I now have a door I can use with Dr. Harlow to ask for you.”
Tears colored her eyes a warm caramel. “Would you?”
“Of course!” Natasha hugged her then pushed her away. “I have to hurry, he’ll be there in...” She looked at the phone. “Fifteen minutes!”
They decided on a semi-formal dress which was as fancy as a queen for them. “What about you?” Natasha wondered as Celeste zipped up the velvety forest green dress.
“Well...I’m chaperoning,” she considered. “I should wear my habit for that.”
“Lucy says Mr. Harlow is a strict employer. He could get angry if you come along when he only requested me.”
Celeste appeared concerned. “Then... we should ask him.”
Natasha looked down at her phone. “You suppose I can text him?”
“Well...he did text you about the job. It seems alright to text him with questions?”
She nodded, happy with that logic as she typed her message. Would it be okay for Celeste to chaperone? She showed her the text and got her nod of approval then sent it. While waiting for an answer, they prayed fervently until the phone buzzed.
She jerked it up. “He said yes!” Natasha showed her and they hugged then scrambled to finish getting dressed while Natasha prayed two different prayers—please, please, let it not be him, and please, please, let it be him.
Celeste ran alongside Natasha down the hall, braiding her mane on the way while the man from the night before broke through the steel door in her mind. She was staring again at the endless chiseled muscles adorned in dark ink and he was touching her again, his heat penetrating her hand, lips pressing on her skin, hot and silky with mysterious dark eyes boiling her alive.
“Natasha!”
Her breath rushed out at seeing she stood frozen in the hall, eyes wide with the shock of his memory.
She hurried on, inwardly shaking herself. How dare he touch her like that? How dare he break all the rules she’d ever learned in the most elite social circles? Wild and free, that’s what he’d been. And elite! Causing her to be allured and afraid.
At the door, they said one more prayer and Natasha called on those despised etiquette skills from her past she’d tenaciously buried.
She walked, in, controlling her pace as her eyes landed on the man who had haunted every second of the night and day since she’d met him. He faced away from her, wearing a suit now, his dark hair hanging loose and free again.
God give me self-control.
She still couldn’t believe he’d kissed her hand. How archaic and out of place and strange he was.
He suddenly turned and she reached her hand out as she approached with a smile. “Mr. Lore, it’s good to see you again. I was asked to give you a tour of the castle.” She remembered Celeste and turned a little. “I hope you don’t mind if Celeste joins us. Our vocation requires chaperones at all times with male company.”
Lord, she hoped he didn’t know her new vocation required no such thing.
“Natasha,” he greeted, his foreign accent riding his silky voice as his gaze moved slowly over her. “The pleasure is all mine. Celeste,” he said, nodding at her sister. “Happy to have your company. Did you find who you were searching for?”
Celeste curtsied and bowed and sputtered about. “I did not, Sir,” she finally managed.
“I spoke to Dr. Harlow about your predicament, and he ensured me he’d see to allowing you access to every inch of the castle to perform a complete search.”
Dear God, his voice was... edible of all things. Her mind tasted and felt every syllable as it exited his beautiful, luscious, mouth.
She held her breath when his gaze found her staring. “I realize it’s late,” he said, his lips tugging at the corner. “Are you ready to give me that tour?”
“Yes,” she hurried, remembering the map was on her phone and the phone was in a convenient dress pocket. Her hand flew into action, feeling along the folds of the material, searching. Searching. Oh please God! She let out a breath at finally locating it and fished it out so quickly it went sailing right at his face.
He caught it with one hand as her shame and relief gushed out on several breaths. “I am so sorry.”
He handed it to her, his fingers touching hers, turning them into melted butter that the phone slipped right through.
“I’ll get it!” Celeste chirped, dropping down and holding it up before Natasha’s boiling face.
“Thank you. I’m very clumsy.”
“You are not, you never drop things,” Celeste kindly chided before burying her further with, “Mother Superior always used her as the example we should all follow. She received training from a very early age in being graceful and mannered. She even knows ballet!”
“I have the map!” Natasha half yelled, holding up the phone. “We should hurry.”
“Oh, it’s my phone,” Celeste gasped, pulling hers from her habit pocket. “Mr. Harlow,” she whispered loudly to Natasha. “Sister Celeste speaking,” she answered quietly. Then sucked in a huge breath. “Really!” She turned huge eyes to Natasha. “Yes! Now?” Her mouth went wider. “Yes sir, I will. Oh, I will!”
Natasha watched her run to the library door and out of it. She stared at it for many seconds, then it suddenly blasted back open with Celeste staring at her in horror. “He said I can go right now to find Handy,” she announced. “But I’ll wait if—”
“No, no! Go!” Natasha cried, while dying inside.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m in good hands with Mr. Lore, he’s a...he’s a respectable gentleman.”
A smile lit Celeste’s face as she spun and practically peeled out with a squeal that echoed as she sprinted down the hall.
“I do hope she finds him.”
Natasha turned to the man next to her, his voice performing its magic on her again. “So do I,” she miraculously uttered.
She looked down, finding he offered his arm to take. The thought nearly crippled her with panic. She jerked her phone up before her. “I’ll need two hands to work this thing. But thank you.”