Chapter 38
“You touch her neck with those lips and I will kill you myself,” Jasper said in a low growl. He walked to the bathroom and came back with two rags, handing one to Lucie and one to Ryan. “Here. Spit on these.”
“This is gross.” Lucie frowned as Aedan chuckled beside her.
“You can’t be upsetting the vampires, Lucie.
” Aedan then looked up at Ryan and Jasper.
“I know vampires are big on scents like wolves are.” He watched them both nod.
“Well, some of us wolves can tell … after a wolf … you know …” He looked over at Lucie and watched her eyes widen.
“So I’m assuming you guys can tell that too, right? ”
“Not until after the marriage would it become questionable. Vampires can be very traditional in a sense, especially because some of them have been around for a very very long time. It isn’t something we have to worry about right now.
But even back then, a heavy makeout session would not have been avoided, especially after two lovers were reunited again after being apart for a long period of time.
” Jasper looked at Lucie apologetically.
“Well, if I hurry and take a shower right now …”
“And be late for dinner? Ha! No no no, you can’t be doing that, princess.
” Ryan chuckled. “It’s not like I want to wear your spit either, especially if it’s getting transferred by a rag.
Where’s the fun in that?” He listened to Jasper and Aedan’s growl and held his hands up.
“I’m just joking and having some fun. Come on. I value my life too much.”
“Will the rag work, though?” Aedan asked with a frown. “I mean, the scent of a wet cloth mixed with spit is what I smell from your cloth, Ryan.”
Jasper frowned. “Shit, you’re right.”
“Can’t we just say he isn’t the real Derrick?” Lucie laughed nervously as all eyes rested on her.
“Derrick is going to kill me. Wait, I can lick my hand and rub it on her. That’ll work, right? Please … if my tongue touches her skin, Derrick’ll chop it off. I know he will. And I’m going to need this tongue to show the ladies my magic.”
“Ryan, stop talking. Yes. The hand should work.” Jasper looked at Aedan, who also nodded. “Lucie?”
“Gosh, this is just gross.” Lucie licked her hand and walked up to Ryan. He lowered himself down and smiled at Lucie.
“Claim me, Lucie.” Ryan chuckled.
She rolled her eyes. Another man-boy for the list.
“Brush it on his neck and cheeks on both sides, and lightly around his lips,” Jasper instructed.
“What? It’s the scent you need, right? Why do I have to have an exact location?” Lucie asked but could see a weird look in Jasper’s eyes.
“Just do it, Lucie.” Jasper instructed.
“Sorry about this.” Lucie did as she was told.
“Well that was good for me. Was it good for you?” Ryan said with a chuckle. “Okay, your turn.”
“Just her neck and cheeks, Ryan,” Jasper said, fixing his eyes on Ryan. “Lucie is right, we don’t really need the spit around the mouth.”
Ryan chuckled and shook his head. He watched as Lucie closed her eyes tight.
“Sorry, Lucie.” He knew she wasn’t going to like this.
And despite how he’d treated her, how he’d acted cold before, he actually liked her a lot.
She was his future queen and he wanted to be on good terms with her.
He licked his fingers and brushed some of his saliva over her neck and cheeks, then pulled her deep into his embrace.
He felt her body tense as he gripped her head, pulling her against his body.
“Again, sorry for this. I just need to make sure my scent is all over you.” He then pulled her back from him and stepped away. “Well?” He looked at Aedan and Jasper.
“Once more, but make sure you rub your arms on her, and Lucie, do the same to him.”
Lucie sighed and did as Jasper said.
“I know it’ll be hard to think of another man after touching this body, but you’ll have to try to resist,” Ryan teased and looked up at Aedan and Jasper. “Good now?”
“Yes, that’s enough. If I didn’t know any better and came in as an outsider, I would immediately assume you two were hooking up.
” Aedan looked over at Jasper who nodded in agreement.
Lucie and Aedan had an intense sense of smell.
While other werewolves would need to get close to smell another’s scent, they could pick it up from several feet away, sometimes even from across the room.
Some vampires were like this as well, like Jasper.
And of course, there would be others with a strong sense of smell. It was best to be thorough.
“Alright, ready for showtime?” Ryan smiled at Lucie and held his arm out for her to walk into.
It went against her instincts. Her whole body screamed to get his scent off of her. But she was doing this for Derrick and his people … her people. She could do it. She just needed to think of Derrick. She walked into Ryan’s arm and he pulled her into his side, walking her out the door.
Ryan tightened his grip around Lucie as they neared the dining room. He glanced back at Jasper with what was almost a scowl. Lucie didn’t know what was wrong, but she could tell they were mentally communicating about something.
“Lucie, after this, I’ll have to give you a tour of my bathroom. It has a wonderful spa in there where I can help you freshen up after dinner.” Ryan winked down at Lucie as they walked into the room.
Lucie wanted to hide as all eyes were on her, and with their vampire hearing, they’d all heard what Ryan had just said.
She knew this was the point, but it wasn’t any less embarrassing.
Some people chuckled, some eyed her curiously, while another seemed to be studying her openly.
Then there were two women who seemed to be shooting daggers at her with their eyes. Camille and Pamala, she presumed.
“Everyone, this is my precious fiancée, Lucie. She will be staying with us through the welcoming ceremony and shortly after will be moving in as my beautiful bride.” Ryan tugged her lovingly into him more and brushed his lips over her head.
Even though Lucie wanted to rip his lips off his body, she instead tilted her head toward him and smiled, looking at him with fake adoration. He winked down at her, pleased with her reaction before turning his attention to Aedan behind them.
“This is the Prince of the Werewolves, Aedan. He is here as our honored guest and as an escort to his sister. I expect everyone to treat him with the respect you would treat me. And of course, you all know Jasper.” Ryan motioned for Aedan and Jasper to each take their seats while Ryan led Lucie toward two empty spots next to the king and queen.
“Lucie dear, so good to see you again,” Queen Willa said with a friendly smile. “I’m glad you’ll be staying with us for a little bit. It will help make the adjustment easier.”
“I’m excited to be here as well. Derrick has promised to show me around too, and I’m excited about that.” Lucie batted her eyelashes at Ryan with a sweet smile.
“Whatever my Lucie wants, she gets.” Ryan wrapped his arm around Lucie’s shoulders.
“Lucie.” She heard a sweet-sounding, delicate voice from a few seats down, across the table.
Lucie felt Ryan’s grip on her tighten as he glared at the girl with lethal eyes. She could tell there was some history there that she didn’t know about. This girl even met Ryan’s gaze defiantly.
“It must have been hard this whole time, being away from your betrothed. I’m sure this isn’t the most ideal situation for you.”
Lucie met her brown eyes and smiled. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t know your name.”
“Amanda,” the girl replied, smiling.
“Amanda, yes, being away from Derrick is very hard. He’s my person after all.
What wasn’t ideal was having to live apart this long.
After all, who wants to live apart from the person you love?
” Lucie could see the girl’s eyes almost bulge open.
Meanwhile, there were soft murmurs of awe and people nodding their heads in approval of what Lucie had said.
Ryan rubbed her shoulder and smiled down at her.
She must have answered appropriately. But she answered honestly, so it was easy.
She was talking about her Derrick, not imposter Derrick.
“Oh wow. I didn’t realize … I mean, I just thought it was a marriage of convenience, so who could have hoped for love? That’s … amazing. Almost too good to be true.” Amanda’s voice sounded almost poisonous, her eyes darkening as she looked at Ryan.
“No, what’s too good to be true is that Lucie and Derrick are fated mates.” Jasper spoke up loud and clear and took a sip of his drink. The people around the table began to quietly discuss this shocking news that they hadn’t heard before.
Amanda’s eyes darted between Lucie and Ryan. So did another young lady who was sitting further down, holding a glass in her hand and gripping it tightly, apparently shocked by the news of them being fated mates. Too tight, since the glass shattered in her hands, making everyone turn to look at her.
“Camille, are you alright?” her mother Pamala asked.
“Sorry, I’m a bit clumsy. I was going to propose a toast to our new, fated couple.” Camille smiled sheepishly, trying to recover. Everyone seemed to nod their heads in understanding.
After that incident, the food arrived and everyone ate fairly quietly, with only a few whispers here and there, normal gossip. Anything juicy would have been mindlinked, not wanting to offend the royal family.
After dinner, Lucie was surrounded by a group of women, including Camille and Amanda. Ryan was talking with a group of men on the other side of the room with Aedan and Jasper, while the king and queen were chatting with some other prominent guests.
“So, you must have had other boyfriends. How do they compare with the prince?” Amanda asked with her venomous smile.
Okay, Lucie was getting mad jealousy vibes from this girl. She wondered what her deal was? Did she have a crush on Ryan, or was she also after his position?
“No. I’ve been betrothed since birth. There was never anyone else but Derrick.” Lucie watched as Amanda’s eyes flickered slightly.
“Oh wow. That’s amazing. Well, as long as you don’t hold it against our prince for maybe having a fling here and there.
I mean, after all, he is a young male vampire, and those urges are hard to control.
” Amanda’s lips curled up maliciously. Her toxic smile stayed on her face as she batted her eyelashes.
Lucie could see she was trying to allude to Ryan having partners. Like she cared. She honestly didn’t care who Ryan saw, since he was not her Derrick. But how should she respond here? She remembered the idea of a mistress wasn’t completely unheard of, so she needed to at least squash that now.
“What matters to me now is that Derrick is mine. And I don’t share what is mine, even if it is his idea.
The penalty for cheating on me is death.
” Lucie raised her eyebrows and smiled. “I can’t go and kill the prince, so any woman who touches him will face this punishment.
I hope the women here are smart enough to stay away from him, or the population will soon be dwindling.
” She smirked slightly as she watched Camille’s mouth drop open in shock.
So much for her thinking she could be a mistress.
She soon felt arms slide around her waist, and she had to force herself to relax into his touch.
Ryan pulled Lucie against his chest and leaned his head down into her neck, inhaling her scent. He let his nose drag over the side of her face before he left a small kiss on the top of her head.
“It’s only you, Lucie. There will never be anyone in the royal chambers but you,” Ryan said, glancing up to the woman in front of them. He could see Amanda’s face getting red from how intimate he was acting with Lucie, so he nuzzled his nose into her head once more.
Lucie tilted her head up and smiled at him.
“Of course it will be only me in there. After all … just because I can’t kill the prince doesn’t mean I wouldn’t make him suffer in the most excruciating ways possible.
” She batted her eyes innocently at him as his lips curled upward in a Cheshire cat grin.
“See, this is why you’re perfect.” Ryan chuckled. Amanda snorted air out from her nose, drawing the attention of those around her. Ryan’s eyes darkened as he glared at her.
“Oh forgive me. I’m just shocked is all. I’ve never heard his highness speak like this about his fiancée before. I never knew he felt this way about you.” Amanda’s sickening sweet smile curled upward as she batted her own eyelashes at Ryan.
This Amanda wasn’t being subtle at all, and she wasn’t trying.
She was trying to let Lucie know that ‘Derrick’ had been talking and hanging around her.
Enough that they had talked on a personal and most likely intimate level.
But it wasn’t her Derrick … it was Ryan.
Still, she was annoyed at Ryan because he was responsible for maintaining Derrick’s image.
Lucie narrowed her dark gaze at the girl.
This had to get shut down before rumors spread.