“Hmm?”
I inhaled deeply. “The… tattoos were more unsettling.” I watched him closely. His reaction would tel me if I was crazy or something.
Aiden came to a complete stop. “What?”
Oh man, I was crazy.
He came down a step. “What tattoos, Alex?”
I swal owed hard at the sharp look in his eyes. “I thought I saw some markings on him. They weren’t there at first, but then they were. I… guess I’m seeing things.”
Aiden exhaled slowly, his eyes on my face. He reached out, smoothing back a strand of my hair that had come loose. His hand lingered against my cheek, and in that moment, there was nothing more important than him touching me. In a daze, I stared up at him.
Al too quickly, his hand dropped to his side and his eyes met mine. I could see there were several things he wanted to say, but for whatever reason, he couldn’t. “We have to get going. Marcus is waiting. Alex, try to be as nice as you can be, okay?”
He started back up the stairs, and I hurried to catch up with him. “So, was I seeing things?”
Aiden sent the Guards at the end of the hal a meaningful glance. “I don’t know. We’l talk about it later.”
Frustrated, I fol owed him to Marcus’s office. Lucian hadn’t arrived yet and Marcus sat behind his big, old desk.
He looked as he had in the lobby, but minus the suit jacket.
“Come. Have a seat.” He motioned me forward.
I trudged across the office, relieved Aiden wasn’t leaving me alone. He didn’t take the seat next to me but remained along the wal in the same spot he’d stood the first time I’d found myself across from Marcus.
The whole scenario didn’t bode wel , but I didn’t have a lot of time to dwel on it. Even with my back to the door, I knew when Lucian’s group approached the office, but he wasn’t causing the smal hairs on my arms to stand up. The moment the Apol yon entered the room with my stepfather, al the oxygen evaporated.
Fighting my body’s almost overpowering need to turn around, I clenched the arms of the chair. I didn’t want to acknowledge Lucian, and I didn’t want to look at the Apol yon.
Aiden cleared his throat, and my head snapped up.
Marcus stared down at me with narrowed eyes. Oh… crap.
My legs felt oddly numb as I forced myself to stand.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Seth take up position alongside Aiden. He gave the pure-blood a curt nod, which Aiden returned. Because I didn’t see those tattoos, I al owed myself to lift my head.
Instantly, our eyes met. His gaze wasn’t a flattering one.
He was checking me out, but not the way most guys did.
Instead he studied me. As close as we were, I realized he was young. I hadn’t expected that. With al that power and reputation, I’d expected someone older, but he had to be close to my age.
And he real y was… beautiful. Wel , as beautiful as a guy could be. But his beauty was cold and hard, like he’d been pieced together to look a certain way, but the gods had forgotten to give him a touch of humanity—of life.
I felt the other stares, and when I looked at Aiden, he wore a perplexed expression as he watched me and Seth.
Marcus… wel , he looked expectant, as if he were waiting for something to happen.
“Alexandria.” He nodded toward Lucian.
I suppressed the impulse to groan loudly and lifted my hand, wriggling my fingers at the Minister of Council. “Hi.”
Someone—either Aiden or Seth—sounded like they swal owed a laugh. But then the unreasonable happened.
Lucian stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me.
I froze, my arms stuck awkwardly at my sides as the smel of herbs and incense assaulted my senses.
“Oh, Alexandria, it is so good to see you. After al the years, and through al the fear and worry, you’re standing here. The gods have answered our prayers.” Lucian pul ed back, but he kept his hands planted on my shoulders. His dark eyes scanned every inch of my face. “By the gods…
you look so much like Rachel e.”
I had no idea what to do. Of al the reactions I’d expected, this hadn’t been a possibility. Whenever I’d been around Lucian in the past, he’d always looked at me with such cool disdain. This bizarre display of affection knocked me speechless.
“The moment Marcus notified me that you were found safe, I rejoiced. I told Marcus I had a place in my home for you.” Lucian’s eyes settled back on mine, and there was something I didn’t trust in that warm gaze. “I would have come sooner, but I was attending to Council business, you see? But your old room… from when you stayed with us is stil intact. I want you to come home, Alexandria. You do not need to stay here.”
My mouth dropped open at that point and I wondered if he had been replaced by a nicer pure-blood in the last three years. “What?”
“I’m sure Alexandria is just overcome by her happiness,”
Marcus commented blandly.
There was that choked sound again, and I began to suspect that Seth was the culprit. Aiden was too wel trained to slip up twice. I stared at Lucian. “I’m… just confused.”
“Confused? I can imagine. After al that you have been through.” Lucian released my shoulders, but then he grabbed my hand. I tried not to let my cringe show. “You’re far too young to suffer as you have. The tag… it wil never go away, wil it, dear?”
My free hand went to my neck self-consciously. “No.”
He nodded sympathetical y, and then led me to the chairs. He let go of my hand, readjusting his robes as he took a seat. I slumped into the other chair.
“You must come home.” Lucian’s eyes bored into mine.