Part 16 (2/2)

It took a lot of effort, but I managed to keep from cringing. If I had any food in my stomach it would have been hard to keep down. His skin was slightly warm, meaning he'd just fed.

”There are so many humans here,” I commented, stepping back slowly. A few more humans were socializing with and grinding on vampires in the s.p.a.cious room.

”Yes. Most of them are feeders and the others are servants. They stick around in hopes of becoming immortal.”

”And do they?”

”No.” Lucian chuckled. ”They're merely disposable help. The lot of them.”

I wanted to be mad at him for saying that, but I couldn't be. These humans chose to be here. They were either addicted to the bites or hoping to become immortal. It was stupidity at its finest.

”Ahh, Mr De Luca, just in time.” Lucian called, gesturing behind me.

I turned around and my mouth almost hit the floor. Eli was wearing a tuxedo. I'd never seen him so formal. I drank up his appearance as he crossed the room. His black jacket was unb.u.t.toned, revealing a collared, white s.h.i.+rt. His long black pants were tight, not too tight, but tight enough to make a fight more difficult for him. Usually he wore clothes he could maneuver and fight in. As he walked toward me, I forgot where I was, forgot that I was surrounded by dangerous monsters. It was just me and him.

”Did you get much rest?” he asked me as he adjusted his long black tie.

”Not really, no. Did you?”

”No.” The corner of his mouth twitched slightly and his eyes warmed as he looked at me. The electricity emanating off him was hard to ignore.

”Well, if you two are finished, I'd like to discuss the plans over dinner.” Lucian led us away from the room. I tried to relax. It was evident by now that Lucian wouldn't hurt me but I couldn't trust him, his word, or his cronies.

Lucian led us into a dining room. The floors were tiled a nice rusty-brown color and a long dark wooden table rested in the middle. Twenty big wooden chairs were s.p.a.ced evenly along the span of the table. I fell into step beside Eli, my eyes resting on the silver, unlit candelabra that decorated the table, and then onto the food. There were mountains and mountains of all kinds of foods. Chicken wings, mashed potatoes, salads, bread rolls, and vegetables. My stomach growled. I hadn't eaten since Eli and I had stopped off at the diner.

”Please sit.”

Lucian dashed over to the seat at the head of the table. It was bigger than the rest of them, like a throne. A servant took me by my arm and guided me to the opposite side of the table. Another servant sat Eli down across from me.

”The others aren't joining us?” I asked.

Lucian clicked his fingers and a short Middle Eastern woman poured him a gla.s.s of red... wine? Blood? I couldn't tell.

”I don't like to share the details of my plans with too many people.”

”But there's so much food,” I countered, barely meeting Eli's face over the salad.

”Eat what you can. The rest will be disposed of.”

I couldn't help but be a little sad. There was so much starvation in the world and yet here I sat with literal mountains of food in front of me.

”Shall we begin?”

As Lucian spoke, servants scooped piles of food onto our plates but I was past the point of hunger. Nausea was the most dominant feeling in my stomach now.

”As of tomorrow, you will start your training.”

”I don't need training.”

”You need training,” Eli interrupted. ”You're impulsive, uncertain, and scared. Not to mention you have no idea how to use the elements properly nor do you have any control over your Heelian side.”

”But I -”

”You need to train.”

Eli wasn't playing around, he was serious. His usual bright green eyes were dark and they narrowed in on me.

”Fine. I'll train.”

Lucian rubbed his index finger along his top lip, watching us intently. ”Good. It's settled, Ruby you will receive training and we just happen to have -”

”I'll train her.”

Lucian chuckled. ”No, that isn't going to happen.”

”I wasn't giving you an option.”

Lucian leapt from his chair in a blur too fast for my eyes but Eli was ready for him. Lucian came to a stop and they were inches apart. Vampires busted in through the surrounding doors, hissing and growling. Lucian raised his hand in a gesture for them to stop.

”I'm her guardian. I will decide what's best for her,” Eli warned him.

Then I saw the thick piece of wood pressing on Lucian's chest, directly above his heart. In the heat of it all, I hadn't realized I had risen from my seat as well.

”Eli can teach me how to defend myself and you can sort out who helps me with both my sides of magic. Deal?”

”That's fine with me,” Eli replied, not taking his eyes of Lucian.

”I suppose that would be okay.” Lucian grinned.

”Then let's continue, please?”

Lucian slowly backed toward his chair, not taking his eyes off Eli. Once he was seated, Eli dropped back into his own chair, concealing his stake in the sleeve of his jacket once again.

”Go,” Lucian ordered the vampires, and as quickly as they appeared, they disappeared.

I exhaled loudly and dropped back into my chair. ”What is your next request?”

”You s.h.i.+ft your time to vampire time. Meaning, you will sleep during the day and be awake during the night.”

We resumed our conversation under civil pretences but the tensions and anger in the room were obvious.

”I want to train during the day.”

Lucian clenched his jaw in frustration and exhaled loudly out his nose. ”Without supervision? Not a chance.”

”We're on a mountain, at least twenty-four hours from the nearest town. We aren't going anywhere.”

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