AN: Minor changes to what I had posted before. Another short chapter leading up to the next two, which I promise will be longer, and more Daniel and Cam centered. Thank you to everyone who has added this story to their favorites and put it on alerts, even through it's slight neglect.
Daniel landed gracefully in an alley a few streets over from where he was drawn to Luce. He wished this pull would be severed, release him from their curse so he could try and live this new life. Her aura radiated a soothing blanket of blues and greens, which guided his feet straight for her, and Cam.
Pulling the black baseball cap lower over his golden locks, he heard the hesitation in her voice as he rounded the corner, "I don't want to be here tonight. Can you just take me home?"
"I told you this was important Luce and your presence here could shift things into my favor," Cam hissed. "Don't fuck this up for me."
It took everything in Daniel not to lunge at Cam, for the second time tonight, for speaking to her like that. There was no love in that relationship, what did Luce see in him? She was a trophy to him, something to dangle over everyone, to make him seem like the bigger man for finally swaying her to his side and bed.
Before she spoke, Daniel knew she was going to comply with Cam's wishes, for her own safety. Her forced smile influenced her reply, "Oh, I won't be fucking anything tonight, that's a promise." He was a few feet behind them when Luce yanked her arm from Cam's grasp and stopped.
"What are you doing? Stop acting like a child Lucinda," Cam reached for her once more but she shook her head.
"I can't do this right now. I'll be in there soon, okay?" She stepped forward to kiss his cheek but hesitated and began walking back the way they had just came, right into Daniel's path.
He stood still in her way, placing his hands behind his back right before she walked straight into him, "I'm sorry, I wasn't –" He heard her breath catch once their eyes met. Cam had already entered the bar, so it was safe, for now. Instinctively she melted into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and finding his cupped hands. "What are you doing here?"
She already knew the answer to that question, but she still needed to hear it come from the lips of her destiny, to know that he still cared, curse or no curse. Daniel would never lie to her about how he felt for her. He'd done it long enough in the past but only for Luce's safety. "I couldn't help myself. I've tried to stay out of your life as you asked," His hands found their way to Luce's face, his fingertips tracing the hollow of her cheeks, "It kills me to see the way he treats you." The quiet laughter filled Luce's ears. It wasn't joyful, but almost a reminiscing laugh.
"The way I treat Lucinda is none of your concern, Grigori."
In the blink of an eye, Luce had recoiled from Daniel, as if her life depended on it. "Cam, I-I'm sorry. It's not what it looks like," She spoke softly, head hanging forward, like a scared dog. "I was going to go for a walk when I ran into him, literally." The glow from a cigarette cherry was the only sign there was someone standing in the alley and that the two were not talking to the air. Daniel watched Luce's head follow the arch of the cigarette in the air, before it sizzled out in a puddle to her immediate left.
"Get inside now. It's not a request this time, it's an order."
"Cam, can we –" But Cam cut Daniel and Luce's synchronized pleas off quickly. "I said now."
Without a moment's hesitation, Luce turned her head, looking at Daniel for a final time. A look of shame was clearly seen shining in her eyes. All the fire was gone, it was as if she'd lost who she once was. Daniel wasn't used to her being so submissive, taking orders from someone when it came to him. He stepped forward, reaching out to grab hold of her arm, but was instead grabbing onto Cam's clenched fist. "Not right now, I'm entertaining some very important guests and your presence certainly would put a damper on this celebration. Leave. We'll discuss this at the right time."
Daniel's wings were burning to be released. How dare Cam speak to him this way, like he were a higher power, not his equal. Silently, he released Cam's hand, nodding once. "I'll be waiting. You know where." Satisfied with his answer, Cam rolled his head between his shoulders before turning around without saying another word to Daniel. He didn't even wait around to insure Daniel had truly left, but he knew what was at stake tonight, and had some planning of his own to do.
