Dalakis Passion 2 - Lucian's Delight (4 page)

Like tonight.
She'd been
almost out the door when James had decided that they needed a full inventory of the
liquor and wine stocks.
Swallowing her anger, she had gone off to the wine cellar to count bottles, taking
care to lock the door behind her. She wasn't stupid and wasn't about to chance being
caught unaware by her groping boss.
But now she was finished her last shift for the week and more than ready to go
home. Rolling her shoulders to release the tension, she strolled back to the employee's
locker room and gathered up her belongings. Tugging her light cotton sweater over her
crisp white blouse, she looped her small purse over her head and shoulder and went in
search of her boss. She wasn't even sure if he was still here, but she'd check with Chuck,
the night janitor, before she called a cab to take her home.
It had been a good night at work and she had fifty dollars in tips tucked in her
pants pockets. She hurried down the corridor, relieved to hear voices in the distance.
Etienne's was usually a bustling establishment filled with music, chatter and laughter.
But this late at night, it was quiet, kind of creepy and covered in shadows.
Delight slowed as she approached the main dining area. From the sound of the
voices, it was obvious that someone was having a fight and the last thing she wanted
was to get caught in the middle of some dispute. Creeping down to the end of the
hallway, she peeked around the corner.
Two big men flanked her boss while another stood in front of him. At first glance it
looked to be no more than four men having a heated conversation. Then one of the men
shifted and Delight noticed the gun.
"I can pay. I just need more time." Sweat rolled down James Brenner's face as he
pleaded for his life.
"You've had time." The man with the gun shook his head regretfully.
James tried to pull away, but the two goons on either side of him held him in place.
"I'll pay more."
Delight was frozen in place, not knowing what to do. She was afraid to move, not
wanting their attention turned on her, but she had to do something to help. She glanced
towards the bar and almost cried out. A pair of legs stuck out from behind a table with
a mop lying next to them. Chuck. It had to be Chuck, and she couldn't tell if he was
dead or alive. Her head snapped back to the scene in front of her. The fear in James'
voice grew as he pleaded with the man who seemed to be in charge.
"If only it was just the money, James." The man with the gun was speaking. With
his stylish hair and fashionable clothing he looked more like a banker than a killer, but
there was a cruel look on his face that said he was enjoying James' fear.
Shivering, Delight pulled back deeper into the shadows. She would sneak back to
the office and call the police. "You should have kept your mouth shut about Mr.
Prince's business."
"I didn't say anything." James fell to his knees in front of the man. "I didn't talk."
He was crying now. She could see the tears falling freely down his face. Her knees were
shaking as she moved a step back towards the office, her eyes never leaving the scene in
front of her.
"That's not what Mr. Prince heard." The man raised the gun and fired it once. James
swayed for a moment before falling facedown on the floor with a heavy thud.
Delight gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth to stop the sound. But it was too
late. Three pairs of hostile eyes snapped in her direction and then the man with the gun
smiled. It was a truly dreadful smile. One that said he had enjoyed what he had just
done and was looking forward to dealing with her.
"What have we here?"
The sound of his voice snapped her out of her trance. Turning, she raced down the
hallway and into the kitchen. Reaching out her hand, she slapped off light switches as
she went. She could hear the men swearing and banging into things as they chased her,
but she didn't dare look back. She ran straight through the kitchen and out the back
emergency.
The alarm sounded the moment she opened the door, and she could only pray that
help would come and that it wouldn't be too late for her and Chuck. There was no hope
for James Brenner. He was dead.
She turned the corner of the alleyway just as she heard the restaurant door slam
open behind her. "Come back here, you little bitch!"
Delight continued running. She wasn't long-legged, but she was fast. And she was
running for her life. Ignoring the pain in her side and chest, she gasped for air. Her
lungs were burning, her body starved for oxygen, but she never faltered.
Usually there were people on the streets all hours of the day and night, but for some
reason they seemed almost bare. She raced past a drunk passed out against a building.
Common sense told her to run into the first open business and get help, but a small
voice inside her head told her that the men chasing her would kill whoever helped her.
It was just like her dream except for one major difference. This was real. Her boss
had just been murdered in front of her, three men were chasing her, and when they
caught her, they were going to kill her. Instinct had her racing towards St. Louis No. 1
Cemetery. It was close to home and fairly familiar to her. If she could lose them there,
among the maze of tombstones and mausoleums, she could slip back out, run home and
call the police.
She only wished that the stranger from her dream were here. She could use a knight
in shining armor about now. Mentally, Delight sent out a plea for help and was shocked
when a voice in her head replied. "Where are you?"
The lack of oxygen and fear must be causing her to hallucinate. It was the only
explanation she could come up with. Sucking air into her lungs, she continued to run.
Her shoes pounded the pavement, and her breathing was ragged. It was hard to
hear over the pounding of her heart, but she knew that the men were right behind her.
She could feel their evil stalking her.
"Where are you?" The voice was more demanding now.
Male, annoyed, and
authoritative.
Before Delight could even think to reply, she heard a shout behind her.
"There she is."
Glancing over her shoulder, she could see them getting closer to her. Her legs were
shaking and threatening to collapse, but she forged onward. The cemetery was still too
far away, so she ducked behind a building, clinging to the shadows.
She stumbled over something in the darkness and fell to her hands and knees.
Biting her lip, she swallowed back her cry of pain and pushed herself to her feet.
Ignoring the stinging in her palms and knees, she limped further down the alley.
The hand came out of nowhere, spinning her around and flinging her to the
ground. Pain shot through her entire body as she landed hard, skidding across the rocks
and dirt. She struggled to breathe as she rolled to her side. A large male shoe planted
itself in the middle of her chest and pushed her flat on her back.
"I've got her."
Delight could just make out one of the two large goons who'd held James captive at
the restaurant. Gripping his ankle, she tried to push his foot off her chest, but he just
laughed and ground his heel deeper, making her cry out in pain.
More cruel laughter echoed in the dark as the other two men joined them. "Well,
well. What do we have here?" The man with the cruel face and the banker's clothing
moved closer to her, circling her supine body as he taunted her. "Not very pretty, but
still, not bad I suppose."
He glanced at his watch and sighed. "I don't have time for you.
Pity."
Leaning
down, he gripped her cheeks between his fingers, squeezing tight. "The boys won't be
too rough with you. And if you don't fight, it will all be over soon." Turning, he walked
away. "Finish her and meet me back at the Club. I've got a meeting with the boss." He
never looked back as he tossed her death sentence casually over his shoulder.
The man with his huge shoe buried in her chest just smiled. Tipping her head back,
she tried to scream, but nothing came out of her mouth except a low moan. Between the
pressure on her chest and fear, she could barely breathe.
Then the weight was gone. She gasped, desperately trying to drag air into her
starving lungs. The strap of her purse was pulled tight across her neck making it harder
to breathe. Large, hurtful hands grabbed her shirt, ripping it open. The buttons pinged
off the wall next to her as her attacker tore the cloth easily. His fingers dug into her
breasts as he grunted. "Not much to her, but her tits are nice and big."
"Just fuck the little
cunt
so I can have my turn." The other man spoke from the
shadows, sounding both impatient and excited.
Delight closed her eyes and gathered her remaining strength. She would fight until
there was no breath left in her body. She sent her love to Chase and Miss Nadine,
knowing that she would never see them again. Tears seeped from the corners of her
eyes as she sprawled in the dirt and waited for an opportunity to fight.
He leaned closer and licked the side of her face. "Fight me." He squeezed her
breasts hard. "I like it when they fight."
The air became like a vacuum with all noise absorbed. Menace filled the alley and
the man on top of her raised his head to listen. Then he was gone.
Plucked from on top
of her by an unseen force.
Delight heard the cracking of bones and a scream of absolute
terror. Then silence.
Just like my dream
, she thought, as she drifted in a haze of pain. Then warm, strong
arms wrapped themselves around her, lifted her off the hard, dirty ground.
Comforting
her.
Protecting her.
"I've got you, little one." His voice enveloped her in its warmth,
cocooning her from the pain.
But there was something important she had to tell him. Her forehead wrinkled as
she tried to remember. As he carried her away, she glimpsed the bodies of her two
tormentors. There was no doubt that they were both dead. After all, no one could live
with a broken neck.
Funny how she wasn't afraid with this man.
She recognized him from her dreams.
Trusted him to keep her safe.
There was something she had to tell him. Something
important, but the pain kept distracting her.
An image popped in her mind and she closed her eyes and swallowed hard to keep
the bile from rising from her stomach. "They killed him." Her voice shook and her teeth
began to chatter. She was so cold.
"Don't try and talk." His lips grazed her forehead, soothing her slightly. "Give me
your memories."
Delight wasn't quite sure what he meant by that. But she felt a slight push in her
mind as if someone were trying to come into her brain. Mentally, she opened the door
and felt him drift into her senses. Memories of the evening played in her mind like a
motion picture and then it was over.
"Sleep now." His voice washed over her as he cradled her carefully in his arms. "I
will take care of everything. You belong to me now."
"But who are you?" It was becoming almost impossible to stay awake. The
darkness of unconsciousness loomed in front of her, luring her to its forgetfulness.
She felt the deep rumble in his chest and cuddled closer to his warmth. "I am
Lucian
Dalakis
. And I am your destiny."
Delight was too tired to debate the issue. Her eyes closed, but she fought sleep.
"Chase..." She tried to convey her worry about her brother, but talking was becoming
way too difficult.
"Trust me, Delight. All will be taken care of." His arms tightened around her even
as his voice lulled her.
It was foolish to put all her trust in a man that she didn't even know, but it was as
natural to her as breathing. She didn't even question how he knew her name. As if his
word was all she needed, she gave herself over to his healing power and slept.
Chapter Five
Lucian strode away from the alley without a backwards glance. Delight shivered in
his arms and he clutched her tighter. Anger rolled through him. It was like a growing
tidal wave that grew with every step he took. He almost wished that the men lying
dead in the dirt were alive again, just so he could kill them again. That they would lay
their filthy hands on his Delight and harm her was beyond his comprehension. They
were lucky he killed them quickly and cleanly when what he'd really wanted to do was
rend them limb by limb.
Delight's moan pierced his heart like a knife. He wanted to hear her moan, but in
pleasure, not in pain or fear. Quickly, he raced through the Quarter towards his home.
Her weight was nothing to him and his speed was faster than the human eye could see.
Lucian knew he wouldn't be content until he had her safely locked behind the walls of
his home where he could protect her.
The door swung open as he approached.
Every muscle in his body clenched, battle-
ready.
His fangs lengthened and he growled a warning.
Stefan barely glanced at him. His eyes were glued on Delight. Lucian held her even
tighter in his embrace, possessive as he'd never been in his life.
"Your room is ready." Stefan ignored Lucian's threatening demeanor. "I drew a hot
bath. I didn't know if she'd need it or not."
Drawing a deep breath, Lucian slowly released it. This was his brother, whom he
trusted above all others. Still, it was hard to release the fury of his emotions. No one
would take Delight from him and live.
As if sensing his unsettled emotions, Stefan stepped back, giving him plenty of
room. Lucian felt his brother scanning his mind, silently asking for details. All of it
came flooding back to Lucian.
The anger and then the fear that he wouldn't be in time
to save her from harm.
Then the unholy satisfaction when he'd killed her tormentors
and fed on their blood.
Stefan took it all in and then headed for the front door. "Take care of your
woman,
I'll dispose of the bodies."
"Thank you." His words were softly spoken, but he knew that his brother heard
him. With one hand on the doorknob, Stefan stopped and turned.
"It is no more or less than you would do for me." Again, Stefan stared at Delight
with a deep yearning in his eyes. "Hold her tight and kill all who would threaten her. If