Chapter 43
“Lucie, I don’t want you doing anything that could be dangerous.” Jasper held his hand up as Lucie walked toward him. She reached forward and grasped his hand, holding onto it gently and looking into his eyes.
“Jasper …” Lucie smiled at him. “Do you have faith in me?”
“That’s a cheap shot, Luce. You know I do, but this isn’t the same thing.”
“Yes it is. Either you always believe in me or you only sometimes do. I’m confident in myself.”
“He would never allow this,” Jasper said, shaking his head.
“Well, he isn’t here. Besides, I’m my own boss. He can’t control me and my actions. So just be quiet and let me concentrate,” Lucie said, furrowing her brows.
“Don’t worry, Jasper. I’m right here. I’ll keep her safe.” Aedan walked over to Lucie’s side, just in case. He would be ready to act if he needed to.
“She isn’t going to need any help. She can handle the djinn.” Abaas chuckled. Things had changed so much since he died. Now he was the one believing in the fairy princess.
“Before you continue, though, I want to say one thing. Your kind may not like the idea of you being a master over a soul. It’s a little dark for fairy culture.” Abaas watched a smile curl over Lucie’s lips.
“Good thing I don’t plan on being the fairy princess forever, right?
I’m going to be the vampire queen, and …
” Lucie looked over at the banshee and back to Abaas.
“Having various servants seems to be their thing. I don’t think any of them would think twice about me being your master, especially since the vampires already claimed your soul as theirs. ”
“Grandma and Aunt Reiya might not like it, though.” Aedan watched as Lucie shrugged.
“I’m not saying they have to accept him as their family.
They’ll just need to understand the situation for what it is.
I understand there’s a history there, one that I didn’t live.
But I’m going to judge the person by who they are now and not by the past. I can only go by what I know.
And right now, he is offering a way for me to help Jasper by tying himself to me.
Besides … Grandma and Aunt Reiya have kind natures.
It’s Grandpa Asher I’m most concerned about. ” Lucie smiled.
“It’s funny, thinking about that alpha as a grandfather now. You know he almost killed me once …” Abaas rubbed the back of his neck.
“Yes, that was mentioned to us before,” Aedan said, looking over at Abaas. “I don’t really know what to think about you. But if you try anything against my family, I won’t hesitate to destroy your soul.”
“I expect nothing less.” Abaas smirked and leaned back on his heels. “So are you going to deal with this djinn or not?”
“Well, if everyone is done talking now …” Lucie closed her eyes and tried focusing on Jasper again. But she couldn’t connect to the djinn inside of him. It was like it was dormant. She was going to have to aggravate it again.
“So earlier, when I was sitting at the table with those other women … well, one of them said something really upsetting,” Lucie whispered. “It’s the reason I left. I didn’t know how to handle the situation. I still don’t know.”
She watched as the green energy swirled from Jasper again. This time, before she could get interrupted, she latched onto it, taking it firmly in her hands. The energy bit at her, scalding her hands with its heat. A green fog entered her mind as her consciousness faded inwardly.
Lucie stared at the green smoke that wafted in a thick ball in front of her. A burnt smell stung her nose as she tried to think what she needed to do next.
“Future Queen of the Vampires … what is it that you want?” A deep bass voice echoed in her mind.
“I do not wish for you to be attached to Jasper or his bloodline anymore.”
The green smoke swirled around in front of her. “This arrangement was made in order to protect the vampire line, so that no descendant of royal blood can claim the throne by betrayal.”
“But it doesn’t just work this way. Your anger makes them lose their self-control, and they kill when they don’t want to. I trust Jasper, and he shouldn’t have to carry this burden. I ask that you make a deal with me.”
The green smoke glowed brightly, pulsating with its light. “I can choose to make a deal with the royal line, which will include you as their future. You wish to create a new master-servant relationship, then you must have a new host in mind.”
“As long as I am alive, the new host won’t lose control, right?
” Lucie was cautious of the demon in front of her.
His aura seemed different, though. The djinn was more like a creature that depended on a host to live, so it formed master-servant relationships and had a fierce loyalty to its master.
She knew there was more to it, but for now, she had the basics.
“This is true. But can you handle the bond? Are you someone who can be a good master to your servant?”
This took Lucie back slightly. Was she someone who would be a good master?
So it mattered to the djinn how their master treated them.
This made sense. The djinn would protect her and serve her through the host. He would want to at least be treated fairly.
In this case, the host would be Abaas. She could be civil with him.
Almost as if sensing what she was thinking, he continued.
“Can you love your servant and care for him as a valued family member? Derrick loves Jasper, and Alaric loves Jester. This is what keeps the master-servant relationship strong and non-severable. It can only be as strong as your relationship with the servant.”
“Well, I don’t … I don’t really feel anything for the host now. But I will treat him well as long as he doesn’t give me a reason not to. I can’t promise anything more than that.”
The green smoke quit pulsating and moved from side to side. “Know that my strength can’t come through completely until the bond is strong enough. But I will acknowledge you, the future queen. I will agree to your request. The rest is up to you.”
“Wait,” Lucie asked, watching the smoke in front of her. “What happens if I can’t form a bond with him? Then what?”
“You could lose your control. The host can claim control of their own existence.”
Was this Abaas’ angle? Was he banking on the fact that Lucie could never accept him so that he could be free?
Was this another trap of his? He was clever.
But maybe he didn’t know about this. It didn’t seem like the banshee knew about this either, or she wouldn’t have suggested it.
She was extremely loyal to the royal vampires.
“I don’t know what I can offer. But as long as I don’t mistreat him, will we remain bound?”
“As long as the bond can grow, it will not unfasten. And when the bond grows, so will the servant’s power. Do you still wish to form a new agreement?”
Lucie watched the green smoke as it drifted in front of her.
She would chance it, because Jasper’s freedom was worth the risk.
She understood why the previous king did what he did, but it wasn’t right.
Because of that, Jester left his brother’s side for a long time.
She wouldn’t risk the same thing happening with Jasper, and she wouldn’t rebind him to her to control his anger.
She wanted him and his bloodline free of the djinn.
This was a burden they shouldn’t carry. She trusted Abaas. For Jasper, she would take this risk.
“Yes,” Lucie said in a resounding, clear voice.
“Then choose,” the deep bass voice boomed.
The darkness faded and she could see everyone around her clearly. The green fog came into existence as well. She turned to Abaas and inhaled deeply.
“I choose him.” Once again, her voice rang clear.
The green engulfed Abaas instantly, absorbing into his body until the green was no longer seen.
The moment this happened, Lucie felt an invisible rope form around her, pulling her toward Abaas, connecting her to him.
It was a strange feeling. It was like having a new pack member.
She looked into his eyes … the eyes of her new servant. They seemed happy, but his face looked a bit strained, as if he was in pain.
“Are you okay?” Lucie asked as she watched a smile spread over his lips and he nodded his head. She turned her attention to Jasper. His brown eyes looked so clear, and overall, he looked relieved. As if a heavy burden was lifted off of him. “How do you feel?”
“It’s not heavy anymore. The pressure is gone.” Jasper smiled widely. “I was always worried about what I might do. It’s gone, Lucie. I don’t have to worry anymore. Thank you.”
She watched his eyes begin to water, and she wrapped her arms around him.
“Maybe we should test it?” Ryan asked.
“Yes, tell me what bothered you earlier.” This was definitely something Jasper needed to know. If someone disrespected her, he would deal with them, even without the djinn guiding him.
“Well, when I was sitting at the table earlier …” She turned back to look at Abaas.
She wanted to make sure he was still good.
Now that he was connected to her as a servant, how was he feeling?
She frowned slightly at his very pale face.
He stood there, stoic and unmoving, but he looked exhausted and drained.
“Abaas … Myra mentioned that this would be draining for you, and it looks like it’s taking its toll.
Please go and take the time you need to recover.
I’ll be leaving soon to go to the dragon kingdom, but you can stay here and rest. I will see you when I return. ”
“You wish for me to stay apart from you during that time?”
She watched as a frown formed on his face.
He looked hurt as well. “You will need time to recover, right? It’s hard to say because of you being a soul, but I’m sure you still need to recuperate.
I should be back when you’re finished recovering.
Just stay here and rest. I’ll have Jasper notify the king and queen that your arrangement with them has changed. ”
“Not completely. You are my master now, but I am still secondly the royal’s servant. The original agreement will stay for now, until you reign as queen, but you are of higher importance and priority.”
“Well, they at least need to know you are out of commission for now, while you recover. Please go … and thank you.” It was only right to thank him for taking the djinn on, regardless of his reasons. She wouldn’t worry about it. If she had to, she would handle it.
Abaas bowed his head slightly, then raised it to look into Lucie’s green eyes. “I’ll wait for your return.”
With that, he vanished. Lucie turned her attention back to the others. “As I was saying—”
“Wow, Lucie … you were really considerate with him. I’m actually surprised,” Ryan said.
“Abaas is part of me now. He has taken a burden on that he didn’t have to.
I can at least show him the respect he deserves for that.
For now, we will take our relationship one day at a time.
” She looked back at Jasper. “The girl, Stella, Sabrina’s cousin.
” Lucie watched Jasper nod his head, knowing who she was talking about.
“Well, she has pictures on her phone of her and … Ryan. Of my Ryan. Selfies of the two of them together. She is also claiming they are a couple.” She watched Jasper’s eyes darken, but not like before.
Jasper shook his head harshly. “No. It isn’t true. I promise you.” His eyes met with Aedan’s and then Lucie’s. “There is no one else. No one. Please don’t think that—”
“Jasper.” Lucie smiled. “I trust him. But you do realize this is another problem, right? And how should it get handled without …” She looked at Ryan then.
How was it supposed to be handled without revealing the guy she calls Ryan is actually Derrick?
And how many people are going to think that the real Derrick has been playing around with Stella undercover?
Jasper ran his hand through his hair. “He’s going to be so pissed. Thank goodness you have faith in him. This could have been a disaster.”
“Well, how do you want to proceed?” Lucie asked with a small frown.
They needed to start damage control immediately, but how exactly would they do that?
One thing was for sure … she was not going to have his name dragged down.
When he returned as Derrick, the rumors would be all over the place. They needed to get it cleaned up now.