Luxure_The Cardinal Brotherhood Book One Read online

  “I guess…”

  My mom appears. “And who is this strapping young man?”

  Lux stands to offer his hand. “Lux Zonder. A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Sovende.”

  “The pleasure is all mine.” She gives me a huge smile. Subtlety is not her forte.

  Thankfully, she turns her attention to my dad. “Why don’t we go pick out some Christmas gifts and let these two catch up? We can meet up later for dinner back at your place, Sirena.”

  “Please, don’t change your plans on my account.”

  “Nonsense. We have things to do. You two catch up. In fact, why don’t you come over for dinner with us later, and we can get to know you properly?”

  “I couldn’t impose on your family weekend.”

  I interrupt. “Mom! Don’t force him. He probably already has plans.”

  “Plans are made to be changed, sweetheart.”

  She turns to Lux. “Say you’ll come.” My dad is furious. It’s written all over his face.

  “I’ll try to change my plans and let Sirena know. Thank you so much for the offer.”

  My mom leans close to my ear and whispers, “Make sure that boy comes to dinner. He’s gorgeous and so polite.”

  “Now come on, dear. Let’s leave these two and go have some fun of our own.” As she drags him away, she turns her head and gives me a wink. She’s so funny, but she has no tact!

  I sit back down at the table embarrassed by my mom’s overenthusiasm and my dad’s obvious dislike for the man sitting across from me. “Sorry about them.” The sound of his laughter is music to my ears.

  “Your mom is awesome. Your dad hates my guts.”

  “Why would you say that?” It was clear as day, but what I want to know is why. There was something going on between the two of them.

  “He just understands your worth. You’re his angel, and he knows I’m not worthy of you.” I can feel the blush spreading across my cheeks.

  “Do you want to get out of here? We could go for a walk or a coffee somewhere else?”

  “A walk sounds good. Follow me, and I’ll show you my second favorite place in the city.” He grabs my hand and pulls me through the tables and out into the fresh air.

  “Second? Why not the first?”

  The sly grin on his face is quite delicious. “Maybe one day.”

  He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close to his side as if the past two weeks never happened. I must admit, it feels good. It feels amazing. The feminist inside of me is screaming for me to stand up for myself and demand answers if I’m going to give this guy a second chance, but I’m so tired of being that person all the time—the intelligent one that weighs and overthinks every decision. Men have always been a source of sexual pleasure for me—nothing more. And I’ve been happy with that, until now. I didn’t know any different. I didn’t think any man could break through my walls and affect me. Then, I met him, and everything I thought I knew about myself started to morph and change into something new. Not a weaker version of myself, but the exact opposite. I feel empowered when I’m around him. His mere presence sparks a fire inside of me that makes me believe I can do anything and be anything I want to be—no restrictions, no rules, and no expectations. I wrap my arm around his waist and fall into step as we weave through the crowded streets letting him take me wherever he wants to go.

  When we reach our destination, Lux slows down our pace taking his arm from my shoulder and placing his hand in mine. “We’re here.”

  I look around disconcerted by our surroundings. I didn’t realize we’d walked so far. I couldn’t even tell you what route we took to get here. I was so lost in the companionable silence and comfort of his arms to notice anyone or anything around us.

  The sight before me is simply breathtaking—the Japanese Tea Gardens. It’s almost completely deserted which is unusual, but I figure most people are over at the Christmas market today. The gentle trickle of water flowing over pebbles is a soothing balm to the nerves that have erupted in my stomach. Lux leads me into the center of the gardens to a bench with a stunning panoramic view of this most enchanting place. It’s not somewhere I’ve ever come to visit. I always say that I’ll make time, but work inevitably gets in the way.

  “Wow. This place is… wow.”

  My surroundings are only overshadowed by the smoldering grin directed at me right now. “I know. I’ve never found the right words to describe this place either.”

  “If this is your second favorite place in the city, what is number one? I can’t imagine anywhere being more beautiful than this.”

  “I’ll show you one day, but it will have to stay a surprise until then.”

  “Yet another mystery to add to my list.”

  “Can’t be as long as my list.”

  “What do you want to know? I’m an open book.”

  He looks me up and down, carefully choosing his words. “How did you know it was me at Eden today?”

  “Really? You’re going to waste a question on that?”

  “Humor me.”

  “Okay… because I have eyes. You’re pretty distinctive, Lux. I’m not sure anyone who sets eyes on you could forget who you are.” He looks shocked by my admission. “Don’t tell me you don’t know how hot you are? Because I wouldn’t believe you. You can’t be that clueless.”

  He takes a moment to process as if my words are a foreign language—something he’s never heard before. “What do I look like to you?”

  “Seriously? How big is your ego? You need me to massage it for you some more?”

  He looks embarrassed. “No. That’s not it at all. I don’t know how to explain. Do you remember what happened the first time you said my name at the gallery?”

  “It was right before I had my seizure.”

  “And do you remember how you felt before you even knew I was there at your office?”

  How does he know that? “It was as if I could sense you. I knew you were coming. I get the same feeling every time I’m near you.”

  I’m about to ask him how he knew that, but he throws another question my way, and it completely throws me. “Do you know what happened to your eyes in the gallery? And when we kissed two weeks ago?”

  “My eyes? It was your eyes that concerned me.”

  He takes my hands, his gaze entreating me to listen carefully. “I’m not asking this out of ego, but I need you to tell me what I look like through your eyes. Please.”

  He seems so earnest with no hint of narcissism in his voice, and I find myself eager to ease his anguish. “You look like you’re carved from the finest marble. Handcrafted by the Gods.”

  “I’m flattered, but I mean specifics. What color is my hair? Stuff like that.”

  This is flat out the strangest conversation I’ve had with any man. His sense of urgency unsettles me. “You have dirty blond hair styled in a way that makes every woman who sees you want to run her fingers through it. A ‘just fucked’ look that is beyond sexy.” I see a hint of a smile on his face as I continue. “You are easily the tallest man I’ve ever seen, and yet you’re so well-proportioned that it doesn’t come across as your defining feature.”

  “How tall am I?”

  “I don’t know. Shouldn’t you be able to answer that question yourself? I would guess around six-foot-seven inches.” He can’t hide the shock on his face. I don’t understand anything that’s going on right now, but I continue anyway. “You have the body of a God sculpted to perfection under that t-shirt. You have the sexiest forearms and hands of any man I’ve ever know.”

  “Hands? Seriously?”

  “God, yes! Every time I look at your hands I think so many dirty thoughts of what you could do to my body with them. How you could make it sing.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Now it’s me that’s smiling. “Your jaw is chiseled but not too big, and the scruff covering it is lickable.”

  “You’re making me hard. Stick to the facts.”

  I’ve never been chasti
sed for turning a guy on before. “Sorry for blowing smoke up your ass! Okay… well, I guess your major defining feature, the thing about you that is most unique… is your eyes.”

  “My eyes?”

  He’s fishing now. He looks worried. “They’re the most stunning color I’ve ever seen… violet.”

  He jumps back. “Holy fuck!”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “You can see that my eyes are violet?”

  “Yes. They are so gorgeous. I could get lost in them. Do you wear contacts or is that your real color?”

  “Real.” He seems flustered.

  “Lux. What’s going on? You’re starting to scare me. And when we kissed…”

  “What?”

  “This is going to sound crazy, but your eyes started to glow.”

  “Holy fucking shit!”

  I step toward him gently placing my hand on his shoulder. “What’s wrong? I don’t understand what’s happening between us.”

  He spins around grabbing me with both hands. “Neither do I. I’ve never met anyone who affects me the way you do.”

  “I feel the same way.” He looks like he’s in pain at the sound of my words. “Talk to me, Lux. What’s going on? Why all these questions? Why do I feel your presence before I know you’re there? Why do your eyes glow when we kiss?”

  “Sirena…” He snaps his head to the entrance of the gardens, his eyes wide, his body tense as if readying himself for a fight. “We need to go… now.”

  “What?”

  “We’re being followed.” Okay, now I’m freaking out.

  “Why would someone be following us? Who are you?”

  “Do you trust me, Sirena? Think about it. I know you don’t know me that well, but in your heart, do you trust me?”

  I don’t need time to think. I already know the answer. Unequivocally. “Yes.”

  “I promise you I will explain everything, but we need to go.” He scoops me into his arms as if I weigh nothing, my body vibrating at the contact. “Hold on tight.” I wrap my arms up around his neck and bury my face against his chest instinctively closing my eyes.

  I can’t describe how I feel. There’s no noise. The soothing sounds of the Japanese waterfalls have disappeared. I can no longer feel the cool bite in the air around me or hear the leaves dancing in the wind. There is an absence of everything except him. With my head firmly against his chest, I realize I don’t hear his heart beating. Panic starts to rise in my chest. I have no idea what is going on, and for the first time in my life, I feel real tangible fear.

  “You can open your eyes now, Sirena.”

  I’m scared. The new sounds and smells around me are nothing like the Japanese gardens of only moments ago. I reluctantly open my eyes slowly, terror building inside of me as I take in my new surroundings. How can this be? This goes against everything I believe in, or don’t believe in. I immediately try to struggle fighting to get out of his arms.

  “Calm down, Sirena. You’re safe here.” Is he fucking kidding me?

  “Let me go!”

  He tightens his hold on me. “Please calm down. I told you I’ll explain everything.”

  “Put me down right fucking now!” He does as I ask, his movements slow and precise as if I’m a lame animal, fragile and skittish.

  “Sirena. Take a deep breath.” Is he serious?

  “A DEEP BREATH? A FUCKING DEEP BREATH? How are you going to explain this, Lux? This is impossible. IMPOSSIBLE!”

  “I know this is hard, but please give me a chance.”

  “No! Not hearing from you for weeks I can handle. Weird questions I can handle. Strange glowing eyes and sensing you from afar, I can almost get my head around. BUT THIS? THIS is fucked up. Who the hell are you? WHAT are you?” He takes a step toward me. “Stay back.”

  “Sirena, please. I won’t hurt you.”

  “Stay the fuck away from me.”

  I look around for an exit, a way to get the hell out of here. My whole body is shaking with fear and disbelief. We were in the Japanese gardens thirty seconds ago… and now… we’re across town in an apartment overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.

  8

  LUXURE

  This is not how I wanted to tell her who I am, but time isn’t on my side. The Vollstrecker are closing in, and they will vastly outnumber the Guardians. I had no choice. That’s what I’m telling myself as I take in the horrified look on Sirena’s face. She’s shouting and screaming at me, hitting my chest in a mixture of anger and confusion. I can feel her pain, as I’m sure she can feel mine. I want more than anything to calm her in the only way I’ve ever known how, but she’s too erratic for me to get a read on her reactions.

  “Please sit down, Sirena. I’ll explain everything. But first, I can assure you that I only did this to ensure your safety. If there had been any other way, I would have done it.”

  “My safety? What are you keeping me safe from? Where I’m standing, it seems I need to be protected from you. Who the hell are you?” I reach for her hand, sure that this small contact will remind her of the intense connection we share and reassure her that I would never hurt her. “Don’t fucking touch me! You don’t get to touch me.”

  She paces the room running her elegant fingers through her fiery red hair trying to make sense of what’s just happened—her whole body shaking uncontrollably. I can’t begin to imagine what she must be feeling after such a shock. “You just… you just… transported me from one side of town to the other.” She starts rubbing her temples. “That’s a physical impossibility, Lux. The laws of physics don’t allow for us to be in one place and instantaneously appear somewhere different.”

  “I know this is a lot to take in.”

  Her nervous laughter at my statement unsettles me. If she’s not coping with this one small aspect of my existence, I don’t know how she’ll react when I tell her everything. Fuck! How will she respond when I tell her that she’s half-angel? I don’t want to cause her this much pain, but I don’t see any other way. I can’t protect her if she doesn’t know what we’re dealing with.

  “A lot to take in? That’s the understatement of the century. What happened? Did you drug me? Did I pass out and now have no memory of the journey here?” I can sense her anxiety emanating off of her in waves. “I was right about you when I thought I was joking. You’re some sort of psycho stalker, and I just ate it up offering myself to you no questions asked. Fucking hell!”

  “That’s not it at all, and deep down you know it.” I can see the cogs turning, she’s grappling for anything that would make sense to her in the world she understands.

  “I had another seizure, didn’t I? That must be it. That’s the only explanation that makes sense, that explains my loss of time.”

  I can’t take it anymore. I have to touch her. I wrap my arms around her front pulling her back tight against my chest. Her heart is racing, her breathing labored. I’m not proud, but I have to use the talents in my arsenal to calm her down. I dip my head down to her ear as she struggles against me kicking and shouting for me to let her go. “Shhh.” My voice is barely a whisper. “Listen to the sound of my voice, Sirena. Let your heartbeat slow down. You’re safe with me. You can feel it in the deepest parts of yourself. You and I have a bond that you can’t ignore. Don’t fight it, angel. Let me in. Let me soothe you.” My breath is soft on her skin, and as her body goes limp in my arms, all fight and fear are gone.

  “What… how are you doing that?” She sounds almost dreamlike as she speaks—relaxed, content, and aroused. She has an inner strength that still fights against my abilities to influence her. “I should be running from you as fast as I can, but all I want to do is stay here in your arms. I feel completely safe all of a sudden. What did you do to me?”

  “I can influence people’s emotions. Calm them, anger them, turn them on. You are particularly susceptible to me. Usually, I have to be looking into someone’s eyes, but just the sound of my voice seems to affect you.”

  “I don’t understand
any of this. I’m afraid.”

  “I know, angel. You’re special. You react in ways I’ve never witnessed before. You cause me to react in ways that I’ve never experienced before.”

  “What does it mean?”

  “I don’t know, but if you let me, we can find out together.” I listen to the sound of her heartbeat slowing and evening out to a steady rhythm. “Good girl. Your heart has calmed.”

  I seem to trigger a memory for her with my words. She turns in my arms and places her hand on my chest where my heart should be beating. My skin burns under her palm. “You don’t have a heartbeat.” Her eyes dart up to meet mine. “You don’t have a heartbeat, Lux… how is that possible?”

  I place my hand over hers. “Nothing I’m about to tell you will seem plausible, but it’s all true.”

  “Are you dead? Are you a vampire or zombie? Even hearing myself say the words, I sound ridiculous. How can you NOT have a heartbeat?”

  “If only it were that simple.”

  “Being a vampire would be simple?”

  I run my thumb down the side of her cheek, her skin shuddering at my touch. “It would be simpler than the situation we’re in now.”

  “Shit! Back in the gardens, you said we were being followed. Who was following us?”

  “You’re not going to like this.”

  “I don’t like any of it. Just tell me.”

  “Your father.” I hate that I’m about to tear her world apart even more than I already have.

  “My father? Why would my dad be following us? And why would that put us in danger? He’s a missionary for crying out loud.”

  “There are things you don’t know about him… about yourself.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous. My dad and I are close. I know everything about him. And I’m certainly clued up on myself.”

  “Okay. I need you to sit down, and I’ll start at the beginning. I’ll tell you who you are and who I am.”

  She slips out of my arms and over to the couch, her demeanor completely altered by my whispered words of reassurance. I’m dumbstruck once again by just how intensely she reacts to me. “Who am I, Lux? At this point, I’m beginning to wonder if I know myself anymore.”

  I sit down resting my hand on her leg to keep her relaxed and open to what I’m about to say. “Firstly, to explain who you are, I need to explain who your dad is.” I take a long shaky breath readying myself for the backlash. “Your dad used to be an angel, Sirena. He’s not human.” She doesn’t speak, she doesn’t react, she doesn’t move a muscle, so I continue. “I don’t know all the facts at this point but what I’m certain of is that he is a fallen angel.”