Chapter 31 Lucien
Lucien
“When you hear me in your head, try speaking back to me,” I tell her.
Cece nods, her brow furrowing in concentration.
I can feel her hearing me, my words threading through her thoughts, quiet but clear.
Then her eyes narrow, that determined little squint she gets when she’s trying too hard.
She’s pushing, trying to answer me, but nothing breaks through. Just static and silence.
Telepathy is always difficult. It took me the equivalent of months to get it right. Nearly a full solar cycle to feel natural with it. Expecting her to manage it in a few mortal days is asking too much, but I can’t tell her that without making her feel weaker.
“We’ve been at this all evening, Luc, and nothing,” she says, frustration rolling off her in waves.
“It won’t happen on your first try,” I remind her, keeping my voice calm even though I’m getting tired too. “You need to keep at it. Practice.”
She sighs, heavy and loud, her shoulders sinking. “Do we even know if I’ll ever be telepathic?”
That one hits. I don’t answer right away because I don’t have an answer. Truth is, this is uncharted territory. I don’t know what abilities she’ll develop, or if she’ll develop any at all.
“I don’t know.”
The sharpness in her fades, just a little. She softens, meeting my eyes with something quieter and more vulnerable. “I’m just feeling lost, that’s all.”
And I get it. I would be lost too if I were her. She’s been thrown into a world that shouldn’t even exist, pulled into a war she never asked for.
“I understand,” I tell her. “Well . . . maybe not fully. But I recognize how crazy this all is. And I do believe you’ll gain some of these abilities. And even if you don’t, it wouldn’t hurt to be ready. To protect yourself.”
She gives me a small, awkward smile and nods. “Yeah. You’re right.”
We start again. I walk her through the exercises, the same as before, coaching her through each attempt.
She’s stubborn, pushing herself even as her energy flags, and I don’t stop her.
She has to learn. Because when the Surgers return—and they will return—I need her to have at least some control over what’s waking inside her.
And maybe, if I’m being honest with myself, I need to believe she’s capable of more than she realizes.
“Okay, I’m officially done. I could use some food,” she says, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Before I can respond, Xan walks into the apartment. “You guys still training?”
“No!” Cece says at the exact moment I answer, “Yes.”
He smirks, low laughter rumbling in his chest. “Dinner time?” he asks, eyes moving between the two of us.
“Yes!” she blurts, too quick, too eager. Then, like she’s been saving the thought, she adds, “Can we go get a drink? It’s been a hell of a week. The pub down the street? It’s super cheap, and they have specials tonight.”
I look at her, then at Xan. His grin widens, traitor that he is. My eyes say what I don’t: Are you insane? She needs practice, not whiskey.
Then his voice is in my head, smooth and calm. She needs a break, brother. Take your girl out. Let her feel normal again for one evening.
And hell, he’s right.
“Okay,” I say out loud, shifting my gaze back to her. “The pub it is.”
Her face lights up like the sun breaking through a storm, and I feel a weight settle in my chest. I feel like an asshole for working her so hard.
“I’ll grab my jacket,” she calls out, already halfway to her room.
Good man, Xan murmurs in my head, smug and satisfied.
I don’t answer him, but I can’t fight the small, reluctant smile tugging at my mouth.
The pub is loud but warm, the type of noise that feels almost comforting. In the back, people shout over a game of darts, pool balls clack against each other, and the bar’s packed with regulars nursing their drinks, clearly familiar with the staff.
We’ve got a table near the corner, three beers sweating on the wood, half-empty baskets of fries between us while we wait for the real food.
Cece and I go simple: burgers and fries.
Easy and predictable. Xan, of course, treats ordering like it’s some life-or-death mission and ends up with two appetizers and shepherd’s pie.
I’ll never understand how he eats mortal food like that and still moves like a damn shadow.
We’re in the middle of what has to be the fourth story from our early training days in Pomerium, both of us exaggerating just enough to make Cece roll her eyes but still laugh. She humors us, but then I catch the shift as her attention drops to her phone. Quick typing. A flicker of nerves.
And then it rings.
“It’s Kate,” she says, almost too casually, before sliding out of her chair. She motions toward the back of the pub, where the noise dulls to a murmur, and disappears into the crowd.
When she comes back, I know before she says a word. I can’t miss the fear etched on her face.
“She’s coming here,” she blurts. Her voice trembles just enough to twist in my gut. “Kate . . . she’s on her way. She insisted, and I couldn’t keep dodging her or making excuses. I love her, Luc, and I don’t want to keep avoiding her.”
I find her eyes, the fight draining out of me. I know what Kate means to her—family in every way that counts. And I know what she’s risking by letting her in.
“I understand,” I tell her, my voice firm. “We’ll follow your lead.”
Her shoulders drop a little, and she nods. But the unease in her eyes doesn’t fade. Not one bit.
Within fifteen minutes, Kate’s striding across the pub, all warmth and confidence. She pulls Cece into a hug that nearly lifts her off the ground. Then her attention shifts, first to Xan, then to me as she sits down.
“Hello again, fellas,” she says, that teasing lilt in her voice unmistakable. She gestures between the three of us. “So, it’s always you three, huh? Should I be suspicious? Something kinky going on here?” A smirk tugs at her lips.
Cece rolls her eyes, but there’s a nervous edge to it. Xan, meanwhile, looks like he’s seconds from proposing. And Kate?
She locks her gaze on me. Sharp. Curious.
“So, where are you from, Lucien?”
I glance at Cece, silently asking if she wants me to keep playing the mortal realm game or risk a sliver of truth. Her expression tells me nothing.
Great.
“Oh, you know . . . around,” I say lightly. Then, with a raised brow, “How about you?”
“Connecticut,” she deadpans, unflinching. “See how that works? You asked, I answered.”
I suppress the urge to sigh. This is not going to be easy.
“Kate,” Cece cuts in quickly, her voice careful, calming. “Let’s just keep it light tonight, okay? It’s been . . . a crazy week. I just want to have a good time.”
That softens her. The sharpness in Kate’s gaze fades, replaced by something warmer, genuine care coming through. “Okay, babe,” she mumbles, and just like that, the tension at the table eases. For now.
She shifts the conversation to Cece’s project at work, and the two of them dive deep into it, talking timelines, team drama, and even the politics of the office kitchen.
Honestly, the kitchen stuff is surprisingly entertaining.
Then Cece turns it around and asks Kate about her newly minted boyfriend Ethan.
She lights up and launches into a string of stories.
Dates around Manhattan. Awkward dinners with his coworkers.
That’s when she glances between Cece and me, her smile turning curious. “So, what about you two?” she says. “What’s going on here?”
I glance at Cece for a second, then back at Kate. There’s no point in dodging it.
“I’m crazy about her,” I say, more sure of it as the words leave my mouth. “We haven’t known each other that long, but . . . I don’t know. It feels right. I want to be with her.”
Kate’s eyes go wide, clearly not expecting that level of honesty. Her expression flickers, first surprise, then something warmer, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“Well, wow,” she says, letting out a breathy laugh. “That’s so sweet. I mean, I’m happy for you both. Truly. It’s just . . .” Her voice trails off, and she tilts her head. “Things moved pretty fast, huh?”
Before I can respond, Xan cuts in from the other end of the table, his voice casual. “They’re good together, though. You can just tell.”
Kate turns to him, her smile faltering. “Wait, so I’m the only one who’s been kept completely in the dark on this new development?”
She’s trying to play it off with a laugh, but there’s a hint of hurt beneath it.
I open my mouth to speak. Something light. Something to ease the tension. But her voice crashes through my thoughts.
No, Luc. Don’t say any more. You’ll just make it worse.
But she didn’t say it out loud.
My breath catches. That voice. Cece’s voice. In my mind.
My gaze snaps to her. She looks completely unaware of what she’s just done, but my pulse is thundering like war drums in my ears.
Telepathy.
She reached out to me with her mind.
I blink, stunned, then reply telepathically. I heard you. You spoke to me. It worked. Cece, this means your emotions are deeply connected to your powers. They surface when you’re sad, scared, or under pressure. It’s good information to have, and something we can work on during your training.
Her eyes widen as the realization takes root, and a smile spreads across her face. She’s so beautiful when she’s proud of herself.
But the moment is fleeting.
Her smile fades almost immediately, and I follow her gaze to Kate, whose face is a confused tangle of suspicion and disbelief.
We must look like lunatics.
Cece straightens, slipping into damage control. Her voice is level, though her fingers tremble at her side. “No, it’s not what you think. Luc and Xan have been helping me with something. That’s why we’ve been together so much lately. It’s not . . . it’s not all personal. It’s more work-related.”
But Kate’s expression doesn’t shift. Her brows knit tighter, her lips part as if to speak, then close again. She doesn’t believe us. I can see the doubt swirling in her mind like a storm cloud. Cece’s searching for the right words. I can feel her panic tugging at the edges of her energy.
Before she can speak again, Xan steps in.
Of course he does.
“I’ll be real with you, Kate,” he says, tone casual but firm. “Luc and I, we’re not from here. Another realm. Or a different world, if that helps it land better. Luc saved Cece’s life. And now there are beings, dangerous beings, looking for her. We’re here to protect her.”
Then he shrugs, as if this were all perfectly normal.
“So no, this hasn’t been a social hangout,” Xan says, casually digging into his shepherd’s pie.
“It’s been us trying to keep your friend alive.
I mean, she didn’t want to tell you any of this because of the way you’re looking at us right now.
Like we’ve sprouted horns and a second head.
But I’m not about to lie to you. That’s not how I roll, beautiful. ”
He looks up, catches her eye, and throws in a wink for good measure.
Cece and I both turn to him slowly.
What. The actual. Fuck.
I don’t need telepathy to feel the silent scream vibrating off Cece. My jaw clenches. She looks like she might kill him. And honestly, if she doesn’t, I just might.