My lips parted, and he slipped his hand through the bars and fed me.When my teeth sank into the roll, Lucian growled deep in his chest, and it sounded like a large cat waking from a deep slumber.
Something indefinable shifted in him, altering his confident posture, the way he moved, and even the way he watched me—as if he were secretly holding the key to his freedom.
I liked this tradition.Hand-feeding meant absolute trust among his kind.The seemingly innocent exchange felt like the ultimate gesture of trust between lovers willing to die for each other.
I swallowed the bread.“Milly thinks the Mage was strangled to death.There wasn’t venom in his veins or around the bite—that’s why I asked earlier about the venom.Also, your dental impressions didn’t align with the bite marks on the body, but she mentioned things that could’ve influenced the difference, so she’s not one hundred percent sure.The bottom puncture holes were slanted downward, which was curious.”
“A Chitah kills with four punctures.That’s enough venom to take out an ancient.It doesn’t have to be from each canine.You can bite a Mage twice with your upper fangs and deliver the right dose.”He touched the back of his head.“Upside down with the bottom teeth is weird.And a venomless Chitah would never get close enough to bite a Mage.”
“What do you think made it?”
He shrugged.“A Vampire’s one possibility.Can you ask the Relic to crush my dental impressions?If someone swiped those and sold them on the black market, they could pin a bunch of murders on me.”
“I’ll call her tonight.Autopsies aren’t her expertise, but she thinks a Mage could’ve done it.”
His eyes slanted to the side.“A Stealer.Is that what she’s thinking?”
I moved a spiral of hair away from my eyes.“There’s no way to know from examining the body.It’s guesswork.Assumptions.Theories.”
Lucian tossed the roll aside, reached through the bars, and clutched my leg.“I don’t want you alone with him.Whatever dealings you need to have with him, do it where there’re witnesses.Got it?”
I nodded.
“I mean it, Eden.Once you’re his mate, any issues you have with him might go to the Mageri, and they protect their own.If he has close relationships with those officials…Fuck.”Lucian pressed his forehead between the bars.“Do me a favor and don’t go running to the altar tomorrow.Stall the ceremony for as long as you can, the same way you stall in checkers.”
A laugh sneaked out.“I don’t stall.”
He arched an eyebrow.“You do.When you know you’re going to lose, you drag it out.It makes the game last longer, and that’s what you need to do right now.Maybe you can give him a challenge.Tell him if he really wants to impress you, he can get me out of here.Hightower isn’t a Chitah; he can’t scent your lies.So lie your fucking ass off and set me free.”
“Then what?You murder him, only to end up behind bars again?Two murders and they’ll take your head for sure.There’s nothing I’d be able to do about it.I’m not above the law.”
Lucian wrapped his fingers around the bars and studied me.“On my word as a Chitah, I won’t impulsively hunt Hightower down and kill him.If I get out of here, I’ll obey the laws.”
I put my hand over his and squeezed.“Stop starving yourself.”
“And foil my plan to get skinny enough to squeeze through the bars like Elastic Man?”
“You are a comedian.”
“And you are not going to marry that homicidal asshole.”
I kissed his knuckles.“I’m sorry you’re here.And I’m sorry there’s nothing I can do.”
“You can, Eden.Convince him to prove his power and get me out of here.”
“What are you scheming?”
“He might have more power and money, but I’m smarter.I’ll protect you, but I can’t do it from behind bars.”
“You realize I can’t reject his offer.We both might have to accept that fact.”
Amusement danced in his eyes.“You don’t have anything to worry about.”
I glanced at my watch.“It’s late.I need to make sure your packmate didn’t give my father food poisoning.”
“What happens to your father if you mate that idiot?”
“I take him with me.It’s the only way I can make sure he’s safe.Besides, no one is splitting us apart.”
