“I’ll stay with Lucie too, until you get back.” Justice felt extra anxious and protective after what happened last time.
Lucie watched as Derrick reluctantly walked one way with his parents while she went the other.
“Lucie, I’m so happy you’re back with us.” Myra said as she guided Lucie into the bedroom.
“Thank you. It’ll be nice to take some time to acquaint myself with this place as my new home.” Lucie looked up to Justice, who nodded his head. This was Justice’s home now too, and he also needed to get familiar and comfortable with the place.
“Well, if you two don’t mind, I’ll be getting a much-appreciated shower. No more sponge baths for me.” Lucie cheered.
“Well, unless it’s part of your foreplay, right?” Justice chuckled, and Lucie tossed a pillow at him from the couch.
“Do you wish for me to accompany you in the bathroom, Lucie?” Myra asked.
“No, thank you. I think I’m perfectly safe getting a shower.” Lucie giggled at the banshee’s protectiveness. But she guessed she had more reason to be on edge after what happened. A member of the royal family had been taken from under her nose. Something the royal guard dog was not used to. It had never happened before.
Lucie enjoyed a long hot shower, thoroughly cleansing herself before she dried off and put on fresh, clean clothes. She walked out into the room to see Abe was back, sitting withJustice and Myra. When he saw her, he immediately stood up, holding a bag in his hands.
“What is that?” Lucie asked with a curious smile.
“This is what your mother asked me to bring to you. She said you would know what it is and why,” Abe said, handing the black leather bag to Lucie.
Lucie smiled and took the bag over to the table, setting it down and opening it up to see what her mother had sent her. Silently she stared at the bag, looking at its contents. Hot tears began to stream down her face and she clutched the bag tightly against her chest. She closed her eyes tight and began sobbing quietly. Everything hit her at that moment, and it felt like she was being crushed with another heavy blow.
CHAPTER 67
Abe vanished from the room instantly and Justice walked up to Lucie’s side. He knew Abe was going for Derrick. Lucie lowered the bag back down on the table and sifted through the contents, tears streaming down her face.
Justice looked into the bag and pursed his lips together. He placed his hand on Lucie’s back and rubbed it gently. “It’s okay, Lucie. You’re allowed to grieve what you’ve lost.”
Lucie turned into Justice, her soft sobs and hiccups muffled in his shirt. What her mother had sent her wasn’t supposed to make her feel sad, but it was a message telling her she was still strong. It was an outfit fit for a huntress, complete with daggers, silver stakes, throwing knives, and black combat boots. But it made Lucie realize what she had sacrificed. She had always trained with all her skills, but now it came down to only the skills her mother had taught her. She had witch and fairy magic too, but when it came to physical combat, she could no longer fightas a lycan. It would all come down to her hand-to-hand combat training.
The past events hit her all at once. The abduction, her lips and body being touched by someone other than Derrick, giving up a part of herself. And it hurt. Like crashing into a wall. She thought she was okay with everything. But her mental wall had been hit hard, and it was all finally sinking in.
“Okay, everyone. I’ll take it from here.”
Lucie was spun around and wrapped tightly in Derrick’s arms. She heard the others leave, the door shutting behind them.
“Oh, Lucie.” Derrick’s voice was soft and soothing. He rubbed her back gently and breathed in slowly as he felt her emotions. Her pain was his pain.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m so emotional over all of this.”
“Baby, you’ve been through a lot, and you’re trying to be strong through it all. Lean on me, okay? Let it out. Let me feel it, too. Don’t close it off inside you like you did before.” He kissed the top of her head as his fingers traced lightly across her back.
Lucie wept into his chest. Her quiet sobs filled the room while Derrick continued to hold her and soothe her with his voice. She could feel him comforting her both on the outside and inside with his positive thoughts and emotions. He was there for her, and he ached for her too. She gripped his shirt, leaning her forehead against him. It was so nice to have a soulmate. She didn’t need to explain anything to him. He just knew. And he knew exactly what she needed. She loved him, missed him … and desired him.
“Lucie, baby, let’s wait.”
“No.” Lucie looked up at his face with her damp eyes and smiled. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him down to her, and crashed her lips into his, greedy and desperate.She needed him to make her body his. To erase all the unwanted touches with his own. And she simply needed to feel connected to him like this. It had been weeks since they were first mated. Far too long. They both needed this.
She thrust her tongue into his mouth and listened as he growled in approval. She sucked on it gently and nipped at his bottom lip. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him. Her hands tangled in his hair as the kiss became more frantic and urgent.
She could feel his emotions and knew exactly where his thoughts were. In the back of his mind, he was still worried about doing this now.
She forced her mouth away from his and continued to hold his hair in her hands. “Derrick. I need you. This is what needs to be healed right now. I’m not blocking anything from you. You can feel my emotions.” She nudged her nose into his cheek and peppered him with light kisses, working her way down. She licked over the mark on his neck and teased it with her teeth, biting at it and remembering the taste of his blood.
When she had marked him, it was as both her vampire and lycan self. Establishing the mark wasn’t necessary, but she wanted to taste him again. The memories of the party came into her mind and she couldn’t stop herself. She sank her teeth into his neck and he moaned with pleasure. Liquid desire and want filled her as her body heated up, needing more.
“Mmmm, Lucie,” Derrick moaned raspily and collapsed on top of her on his bed. A wave of pleasure rippled through him as she withdrew her fangs. He reached out and quickly tore her clothing off before discarding his own carelessly. It was now his turn. He also desired to taste his mate. A primal growl sounded from his throat as he extended his fangs and sank them into her neck. His hand wandered over the warm flesh beneath him as he drank the ecstasy from her. She rolled her hips into himand against his arousal. He lifted his head up slowly, licking her neck carefully for any escaped droplets before crashing his lips into hers, frantically moving against her. He slowly slid his hand down and cupped one of her mounds.
