And Ariana saw it then, the love and the wrath as both men stared each other down in the night – furious, proud, and full of heartbreak.
CHAPTER 5 – LOVERS
Something wretched moved in Ariana as she watched Quinn and Lucca across the dining table. Time stretched as she felt the weight of history, misery, and anger flowing through them as they took each other in beneath the chandeliers and starlight. It was like witnessing the most beautiful, terrible love lost as she saw Lucca’s gaze burn white-hot upon Quinn, and Quinn’s seared fire-dark back. But Lucca did not refute Ariana’s discovery that he and Quinn had once been lovers. Inhaling, he rose, giving Quinn a regal nod.
“I should go. May I have a moment with Ariana?”
“Of course.” Standing graciously, Quinn inclined his head also, though Ariana could feel emotions roil in him through their bond. It made his nimbus of power churn like a slow sea around the table as he hesitated, like he might say one last thing to Lucca. But with a wry smile, Quinn shut his mouth. Giving a small bow, he retreated through the living area to a vaulted doorway that regressed to his study.
Shutting the tall ebony doors.
Suddenly alone with Lucca, shock moved through Ariana as she realized the gravity of their situation. It wasn’t that her power was now bringing together two estranged friends to satisfy their agenda – it was that Quinn and Lucca had been deeply in love once, before it had all gone to shit from their quest to become Dark Fae. Ariana could still feel the tension roil through the room after Quinn left; as Lucca sipped his wine, she saw how dark his summer-blue eyes were now beneath the chandeliers. Seeing that darkness in him, something tense inside Ariana flowed wide open.
And she rose from the table, coming to stand before him.
Lucca’s eyes shone brighter as Ariana came to him. As he smiled wryly, she saw his masculine beauty come out in full. Like an Adonis of the sky, his straight ash-blond brows lifted in amusement at her reaction to his pain. His full lips twisted, his jaw regal as he smiled. As his eyes flashed white-gold, his lovely tenor voice was as heartbreaking as angels.
“Were you about to throw yourself into my arms, Ariana Summers, to heal my ancient pain from Quindici DaPonti?”
“Maybe.” Ariana bantered back softly, reaching out and stroking the charcoal silk wrap over his chest before she could stop herself. “But maybe I was about to toss myself into your arms to see how fast you could catch me.”
“Well, perhaps I’d like you to toss yourself into my arms. Though, we’ll need to teach you how to fly with your magics before tossing youoffanything. Like waterfalls.” Lucca chuckled with wit now.
But his reference brought back memories from three weeks ago, when he and Quinn had saved Ariana after she plummeted into a raging river. It had been a strangely tender night between the three of them, before they had been disastrously interrupted by the Summer Fae King and his Darkwatch. Seeing Lucca before her now, when the last time Ariana had seen him was getting clapped in manacles as she was dying, she shook her head.
“How the hell are you all right with all of this, Lucca?” She asked, churning with her own darkness now as she thought about everything they were up against – not the least of which were internal tensions that needed serious attention before they could move forward.
“I’m not all right with it, Ariana.” Lucca smiled wryly, his blue gaze dark with shadows now as he gazed down at her. “I’m upset. But I’m trying to see reason, and what is the most reasonable option right now is for me to try and play nice with Quinn. So that’s what I’m doing.”
“Are you upset that Quinn gave me his Master’s Kiss?” Ariana asked.
“Partly.” Lucca answered with a wry smile as he reached up, brushing a lock of her red hair back. “Quinn saved your life when I could not – twice. I owe him and cannot be upset at your bond now; but seeing it tonight, feeling it get shoved in my face has made me more upset than I realized. But my upset about you joining the Vampires is only part of the issue.”
“The other part is Quinn.” Ariana pressed, digging for the truth.
“Yes. Valerio Incendari has always been the deepest part of my upsets in life.” With a hard sigh as he referred to Quinn by his old Fae name, Lucca’s fingers fell from Ariana’s cheek. She felt his loss as his blue eyes darkened again. Reaching up, she set a hand to his cheek; he brightened sadly as his long golden eyelashes fluttered closed and he sighed, leaning into her touch. Stealing up around her, Lucca’s hands cradled her waist. Ariana felt their bodies pull quietly together.
As their auras curled around each other for solace in the night.
“Quinn will always be the deepest part of my woes, Ariana.” Lucca spoke quietly as they stood together. “And though I realize we all need to work together right now… I can’t change how I feel.”
As his fingers slipped up her hips now, stroking her low back, Ariana felt him brighten more. As if simply standing together enhanced both his and her Light, Ariana felt a rush of heat and luminosity flow through her also now at Lucca’s touch, humming with power.
As her breath caught, Lucca’s caught also. As his summer-blue eyes opened, they were bright yet lusciously dark, like drowning in vivid blue sapphires. As Ariana reveled in him, he inhaled, drawing slowly back. His going was like a physical pain inside her; a vivid brightness dimming as he eased back, only holding her hand now.
“Shall we go up? I should depart soon.” He said, nodding to the stairs.
“Sure.” Ariana moved towards the spiral staircase, knowing he had to go; but as she ascended, she didn’t miss Lucca’s hand still lingering at her waist. As they reached the top and pushed out through the glass hatch, back on top of the world, Ariana’s lips quirked to see his big tawny owl had fluffed down upon one rail, gazing out over the city. It looked around as they emerged, hooting softly with a sound like a cat’s purr before ignoring them and watching the night once more.
“Your transport?” Ariana glanced at Lucca, smiling.
“Yes. Altenni is my helper when I’m on house-arrest.” He chuckled. “I raised her from a chick after her parents were killed by poachers. I can’t use my magic to fly when father’s got me on lockdown; he has ways of tracking it. Ancient Darkwatch bindings done when I was in my teens, and I’ve still found no way to break them. So Altenni it is.”
“So all your rebellious moves have to be done when he’s not got you locked down.” Ariana noted, frowning but not surprised.
“Bingo.” Lucca spoke back, even as he moved towards his owl. But as he glanced to Ariana, he stopped. Stepping back with a frown, he hesitated – then reached out, sliding his hands around her waist again.
As he touched her, Ariana felt their magics suddenly entwine so hard in the night that it stole her breath. She saw it affect Lucca too, as he stared down at her like a man waking from a centuries-old sleep. Shadows and rainbows simmered around them upon the roof as Lucca brushed Ariana’s cheek with his knuckles. As their magics entwined, she felt how his sky-bright power curled around her like protective wings, stroking her with a thousand caresses as his blue eyes burned. Easing open to his decadent touch, Ariana’s own magic blossomed as she fell into him, curling around Lucca as her dark rainbows shimmered in the air.
