As Ariana blinked in astonishment, her power gave a shocked roil all around her.
And as Quinn’s stirred deeply also, alive with vicious wrath as it flared with red-gold fire, Ariana knew they had just entered a shitstorm.
CHAPTER 4 – DATE
As Ariana’s power flooded out in a tirade at Lucca’s words and Quinn’s magic simmered even more darkly around that, Prince Lucca watched them from his place at the table. Quinn wore a thoughtful frown now after his initial shock at Lucca’s statement – that the Summer Fae King wanted his son to seduce Ariana so the King could use her to solidify his rule. Stretching his long legs out before him and crossing his boots, Lucca regarded them both carefully as he cradled his wineglass. But his statement had dredged up far more than political machinations between the three of them now as they sat around the table.
And Ariana sipped her wine – avoiding both men’s gazes as a hot blush flamed her cheeks.
“Tell us about this seduction.” Quinn spoke at last, as if they were all having an entirely normal conversation though it was anything but. “What precisely would your father like to see happen between you and Ariana, Lucca?”
“Yeah, because that’ssogoing to fly right after Quinn and I just got bound by his Master’s Kiss.” Ariana snorted into her wine as she felt an intense energy careen around the table.
“Would you not like it to?” Quinn looked at her calmly now, though his dark aura swirled. “Or are you telling me Lucca does not hold your fascination as much as I do, Ariana?”
“Ohmigod. Ok, so we all just went there.” Ariana’s cheeks flushed so hot she wanted to crawl right under the table and stay there as she took another gulp of wine. It didn’t make things any better as her energy roared – raging around both men avidly now.
Her power knew what it wanted; and though Ariana knew to her bones it was true, it was utterly embarrassing to admit even to herself, much less admit it to Quinn and Lucca with both of them staring at her now, waiting for her answer. Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes. But Quinn stared her down, a far more ancient understanding about sex and lust in him than Ariana could ever hope to fathom. Though she was blushing to beat the band, Lucca waited calmly also.
As if he and Quinn had known far stranger arrangements in their six hundred years of life.
“Are you seriously insinuating that I should… date you both?” Ariana was finally able to ask.
“If you are to understand both the Vampire and Fae sides of your power, it is perhaps not a bad idea, Ariana.” Quinn spoke quietly now as he watched her. “If being bonded to me is bringing out your Vampire powers strongly… then perhaps spending some time around the Fae, especially one as strong as Lucca, could help bring out your Fae power more.”
As Quinn glanced to Lucca, a bristling energy passed between both men, though it was also strangely calm. It was a far cry from how Quinn had been deeply jealous of Lucca three weeks ago; and though Ariana could still feel that jealousy simmer between both men, she felt something else in their quiet regard of each other now.
Like a subtle flow of power in the night.
“Are you certain your father wants you to seduce me, Lucca? Did he say as much?” Ariana asked, feeling like there was more to this than just the crazy tension going on between the three of them. Draining her wine, she set it aside – only to get it refilled by Quinn with a knowing look.
“Not in so many words, no. But after six hundred years, I can anticipate my father’s asks fairly well, Ariana.” Lucca spoke with a wry smile as he sipped his wine, his gaze flicking to Quinn before it returned to her. “You have to understand some context. When the War of Rome happened, my father was somehow personally offended by the Forbidden Lineages, though I don’t know the details. In his vindictive way, he decimated them as much as possible over the next few centuries. But there have been those here and there that he saw might aid him, whom he pursued to try and convince to join him.”
“Convince how?” Ariana asked, wary as she sipped her wine.
“Numerous ways, any of which might apply to you.” Lucca spoke with a direct look. “The first possibility is that he called this meeting tomorrow because he wishes to discover your weaknesses, then hit them hard to break you. Two is that he wants to find out Quinn’s weaknesses and break Quinn to break you; which is less likely, since Quinn is an expert at hardening his heart.” Ariana didn’t miss Lucca’s wry snort as he glanced at Quinn, who sat still as marble. “A third possibility is that my father wants to try and trap you and Quinn again, though this is unlikely, as Quinn has ways of getting out of traps and your power is showing spontaneous brilliance at self-protection. And one last option is that Archivolio wants to try and seduce you personally, though he is generally terrible at seduction since his power contains so much anger. Which leaves the option I believe will occur, as far as I can figure out.”
“You seducing me.” Ariana answered, lifting an eyebrow at Lucca.
“Bingo.” Lucca spoke plainly back, a dark look in his eyes now. “My father favors this option because he already knows your power affects me, and that I’ll do rash things for you. He knows you feel safe with me and that something is already happening between us. And he knows I’ve seduced people in the past for him, to get back in his good graces. By seducing you, I would discover all your dirty little secrets, then be a good son and pass them on so he can manipulate you into coming to heel.”
“But isn’t that plan doomed to fail?” Ariana asked, intrigued though she was also confused. “I mean, he already knows you’re rebellious against him around me, so why try?”
“Because as of three weeks ago, my father has removed me from heading up his armies, Ariana.” Lucca said as he stared her down with an angry heat in his blue eyes now. “Because I am on house-arrest in the palace, even restricted in which chambers I may enter, such as not going anywhere I can be publicly seen unless I am in his golden manacles. Because slanderous rumors abound right now about me being bewitched by the Dark Fae, and if I do not do his bidding, he will rake my name through the mud via the Summer Fae rumor mill until I have no support left for my rebellion. No Summer Fae dares to follow a heinously defamed Princeling who cares only about his own obsessions. Only a strongpublicone, who can demonstrate that he has his countrymen’s best interests at heart. Reputation is all among our kind.”
“And right now, your father’s trashing yours. Typical.” Quinn snorted into his wine now, in a callous way Ariana had never heard from him.
But Quinn did not explain his comment as he and Lucca shared a long look. As Lucca took a decisive drink of wine, staring Ariana down next, she saw the problem he was facing. If his father kept defaming him and didn’t allow Lucca to be out and about publicly to counter it, then Lucca’s support for his eventual rebellion would gradually trickle out until it was gone altogether. And then things would never change for the Summer Fae, and Lucca’s own stubbornness would cost him his rebellion. It was a catch-22; but if his father wanted Lucca to seduce Ariana, Lucca could get his way and perhaps turn it all to his advantage – and hers.
“You already have a plan, if your father asks you to seduce Ariana.” Quinn spoke abruptly as his dark eyes pinned Lucca.
“I do.” Lucca spoke cleverly now, lifting one straight blond eyebrow at Quinn. “I believe I have a way of convincing my father that I’m getting valuable information out of Ariana – while in the meantime, using her truth-rousing talents to influence the Fae rumor mill to build my rebellion. If she and I are allowed to spend time together in public where Summer Fae can listen to our conversations, I very much believe we could spin this little ditty to all our best aims, Quinn – you, me, and her.”
Sitting back, Ariana blinked, realizing suddenly that Lucca’s plan had already begun. “You snuck out tonight to convince your father that you’re falling for me, didn’t you? You’re staying too long already so the guards on your room can discover you’ve been gone and will catch you when you get back and find out where you went. You’re playing besotted… to convince your father that using you to seduce me is his best option.”
“Good, yes?” Lucca spoke with a sly wink, though he soon sobered. As Ariana stared at him, she felt a deep curl of power move between him and her; and she knew that though Lucca was being glib, something very real was happening between them. It was not a sham as she stared into his beautiful blue eyes and felt their magics subtly twine together. Her breath caught as her lips fell open, and she felt Lucca inhale slowly as his blue eyes burned.
Before looking back to Quinn.
