Part 4

Lucien was standing next to Lady Cerise's bed. Her bedchamber was quite dark; there was only couple of candles burning. That made no difference to Lucien, not anymore. He could see everything clearly. He could hear and smell everything. The sound of Lady Cerise's heartbeat, the sweet scent of her hair and skin, the beauty of her soft bosom rising and falling as she breathed…

She was more beautiful now than ever before. Now he could truly see all of her. He could smell the sweetest nectar under her flawless skin. She was an angel. A goddess. His goddess. After tonight she would be all his. The newborn beast in him purred with satisfaction. It had already fed, but now it wanted something else.

Mine.

Lucien bit his bottom lip as Lady Cerise sighed in her sleep. He had dreamt for this moment, but now when it was finally here, some part of him hesitated. No. He wasn't weak and pathetic anymore, never again. He was strong, fast, invincible. A god among pathetic humans. He could take whatever he wanted. He was finally worthy of his goddess.

Slowly he leaned towards her and touched her cheek. Her warm and soft cheek. He felt clumsy, concerned that his touch was too rough. Damaging such perfection would be an unforgivable sin. Unfortunately he couldn't yet control his new strength, not completely. He needed to be very careful with her. Perhaps he should wait, let Niklaus teach him first.

No. He had already waited long enough. Watched her from the distance. Looked for any opportunity to be near her. Hear her voice. See her smile. He wasn't going to wait any longer. Carefully he touched her hair and inhaled her scent. She sighed again as his thumb caressed her lips. He could tell that she was waking up. For a very brief moment he was the old Lucien again, nervous and pathetic. No, that Lucien was dead. He was a god now and he was going to have his goddess. She blinked her eyes sleepily and yawned.

"Paulette?" she murmured.

Her eyes widened in terror as she saw him and she would have screamed if he wouldn't have covered her mouth with his hand.

"Shh, shh," he hummed calmingly. "It's alright, my lady, no need to be afraid."

She stared at him; he could see the terror and the confusion in her eyes.

"Please, do not scream. Alright?"

It took a moment before she managed to nod. Slowly he lifted his hand.

"Lu-Lucien?" she gasped.

"Yes," he replied smiling.

"How… I… I heard that you are…dead."

"Not quite."

Her mouth floundered open and closed, clearly she was very confused.

"How… Are you…a ghost?"

"No, definitely not," he chuckled and touched her cheek. "I am very real."

She got into a sitting position, her beautiful eyes full of distress.

"You… You cannot be here. You must run, go as far away from here as you can. If Count de Martel or Lord Tristan finds out you are alive…"

"It does not matter," he cut in. "Not anymore." He paused and took her hand. "I am not weak anymore, no one can hurt me."

"I do not understand…"

She gasped as he suddenly cupped her face.

"Yes, I intend to leave here and I will take you with me."

Her eyes widened.

"What?"

He smiled and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

"You are all I want, my lady, and now I am finally worthy of you. I will take care of you, protect you and give you everything you want. I will give you the world."

She looked beyond confused.

"Lucien…"

"I am not weak anymore. Look."

She gasped when he moved away from the bed inhumanly fast and lifted a heavy wooden chest with one hand.

"Can you see now?" he asked smiling. "I am a god. And you are my goddess."

She flinched as he returned to the bed, he could sense her terror.

"Hey… It's alright, my lady, you have nothing to fear."

Her hands were shaking and she was breathing rapidly.

"What happened to you?" she asked quietly.

"Something wonderful. I am not weak and pathetic anymore, I am something much more."

"You were never pathetic," she replied. "You were a good man. A kind man."

"No, I was weak. But not anymore."

She looked at him insecurely.

"What… What do you want from me, Lucien?"

He frowned.

"I told you, I want to take care of you. Take you away from this place."

"To where?" she asked quietly.

"Anywhere, it does not matter."

"I am engaged…"

"Not for long," he cut in angrily. "I will kill Tristan and everyone else here if I have to…"

"No! Lucien, no. This is not you."

He smiled and touched her bottom lip.

"I will do what I have to do. For you. For us. You belong to me."

Her heart was beating faster, but she tried to look calm.

"What if I do not wish to leave with you?" she asked quietly.

He stared at her disbelievingly.

"Why would you possibly want to stay here? I have seen how unhappy you have been. You deserve so much better and I can give you that. I will treat you like you deserve to be treated. Like a goddess you are."

He cupped her chin and carefully tasted her lips. She tensed immediately and pushed him away.

"Lucien, no."

"Why not?"

She looked him in the eyes.

"Because you scare me."

"I told you, you have nothing to fear. I would never hurt you."

"Will you give me time then to think about this?"

He frowned; this wasn't going the way he had thought. He was a god; he could take whatever he wanted. She took his hand and smiled at him.

"Please?"

"Well… I suppose I can do that."

"Thank you," she replied and kissed his hand.

"How much time do you need?"

"I… I am not sure. You are asking me to leave everything I know."

The beast in him wanted to say that he wasn't asking, he was going to take her with him. Surely she would adjust after she would see how well he would treat her. After all, she had said it herself; he would make some woman very happy.