I haven't done a disclaimer in a while. Shelly Crane owns the Significance series and her characters, I own my OC so do not copy me or I will hunt you down and I will kill you ;)

Okay, so the next three-ish chapters are going to be full on. Please review, it really helps me!

Enjoy :)

Chapter 10

I woke up to the sound of Luc's heartbeat. Hmm. I guessed that if I touched him for a while, his heartbeat would make its way into my chest, whilst he heard mine all the time. I saw that Luc was still asleep, with his arms wrapped tightly around me and I smiled at his sleeping form.

I tried to carefully disentangle myself from him, but he just pulled me tighter towards him and nuzzled his face into my neck, murmuring slightly. It was my name, and something else that sounded like "shtem". I froze, giving up and tried to keep myself breathing normally whilst his lips were pressed against my neck, almost on my pulse. My chest was doing funny bunny hops and my stomach was fluttering. It was amazing how I reacted to him, but more amazing that I knew that it was all me, not my body or my imprint.

I thought back to the previous evening, when all the imprinted couples met for an official clan meeting. This was obviously the first one that Luc had been to. The last couple to have imprinted was Luc's cousin Anne, 10 years ago, who had moved to Australia with her husband's clan, which meant that we were the only ones from the generation below their parents attending. Pascal took out the clan object, a small bronze coin that looked very old, and put it on the table. Luc explained that it passed down Champion to Champion and that it was used to call meetings. Pascal began, looking grave, Luc interpreting for me, as ever.

"We are here to discus what must be done about the threat from the Watsons. It is not good to assume that they are safe, even here in Paris. So, I think it's best if you two stay in the house or with ascended members of the clan as long as you're here…"
"What?!" Luc interrupted angrily. "But…"
"Luc! You know it's dangerous for both of you. Marcus and Sikes know you're imprinted, they know what clan you're from."

"Uncle Pascal! Do you think the Watsons would be stupid enough to try and attack us here, in the midst of a clan far more powerful than them and in our own city? Not to mention the Lapointe clan, right here in Paris as well! They'd have to be mad, and from what I know of Marcus and Sikes, they're cunning, not stupid."

Pascal sighed, running a hand over his face. Emily touched a hand on his neck to calm him, and when he spoke, it was with sadness.

"Luc, you know we can't take that risk, even if you believe it is safe. You know what happened with Maddie, and I know it was different," he held up a hand to stop the interruption which was about to come from Luc. What happened with Maddie? Pascal continued.

"I know what happened with Maddie was different, but we cannot risk any more lives, especially yours, not when we've hardly got you back."

He finished softly and I knew Luc hated to be reminded of his running away, but it seemed to have the desired effect. Luc closed his eyes, shaking his head. His hands were occupied gripping his head, so I brushed my fingers over the bottom of his back, just underneath his t-shirt. His head lifted and he looked troubled.

"Uncle Pascal," he sighed, "I know you need to protect us, so although I don't like it, we won't go out without protection," he finished. Everyone relaxed around us slightly and Pascal looked relieved.

"But," Luc continued, looking hard at Pascal, "we can't just hide away, we need to try to find them, or we'll always be living looking behind us for the enemy. We have to fight back." His eyes were blazing and his fists clenched and I could practically feel the anger rolling off him in waves.

And I saw that it was all for me- he was furious at the Watsons for coming after me, for trying to hurt his Significant. He was too angry though, practically shaking, so I put my hand on his back again and rubbed in small circles. His eyes flicked to mine and my stomach clenched at his expression. It was still a bit angry, but he was grateful and also wanted to kiss me right then and there, so I blinked and looked away, cheeks reddening. That was not going to happen in front of his whole family, including his parents. Oh and everyone had caught our little exchange and were smiling knowingly to their own Significants. Great. My cheeks got even redder as I saw Luc was still staring at me, the anger fading even more but replaced with an emotion that looked a lot like… love. I quickly cut off my mind from his when I realised that he might love me. If he didn't, it was quite possibly heading that way.

I froze as I realised what he had murmured this morning- "shtem" could quite easily have been… je t'aime. Now, that could mean 'I like you', but since the French didn't really use "je t'adore" for people, it could also be… I love you? I panicked slightly. I wasn't ready to say 'I love you' to Luc, although the way things were going… but I couldn't think about that now, I had to think about Marcus. Casting the thought of love out of my head, I opened my mind back up to Luc, who had a questioning look on his face, having felt me close my mind off and my heart accelerate.

Marcus, was the only reply I gave, and his face cleared. He gently took my hand off his back, his rueful smile telling me I couldn't do that in public because it would probably end up with him kissing me quite a lot. I grinned cheekily back at him and squeezed his hand, telling him I understood, but that it didn't mean I wasn't going to touch him in front of people. He gave me a look that told me I'd better not try being flirtatious in public; he knew where I was ticklish. I stuck my tongue out at him. It was like with me and Lillian- we could have entire conversations with facial expressions, not speaking a word. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, to know that we were that in tune with each other already.

He pulled me into his side and I snuggled against his shoulder as the adults argued about what to do and where to look for Marcus. Pascal could see long distances, so could spot Marcus if he tried to come near. Emily, who could run very fast, and one of the other aunts who could teleport, would catch Marcus if he tried to run. Arnaud and Fleur, who were the eldest there since Luc's grandfather and grandmother were both dead, could trap Marcus using their skills of manipulating ice and fog and another aunt and uncle, who could see hurt and heal physical injuries respectively, would be on the lookout for everyone. This family really complemented each other, but I had yet to find out what Luc's parents could do.

Maman can see memories, when she touches someone, and papa can sense people's emotions, if he can see them. He tells me people really do have an aura and different emotions show different colours.

That was pretty awesome. For the second time that day, I couldn't wait to find out what we would be able to do.

Eventually, despite Luc's scepticism that Marcus would even come to France, let alone Paris, it was sorted out that each couple would take turns to patrol and search the city. Taking a deep breath, Luc offered to help them, finding a map of Paris and pointing out various places where his family needed to check thoroughly. I realised that this probably stirred up bad memories for him and squeezed his hand for support. He squeezed mine back in thanks and gave me a brief smile, but I saw his eyes were still haunted.

It was late once all of the plans were made and we had gone upstairs as soon as we were no longer needed as we were both tired from the early start that morning. Now, as I reflected on the events of last night, I mused that Luc was probably right about Marcus not coming to Paris, but it was best to make sure. Our relationship had begun to progress at a much faster pace than before- I was completely comfortable in his presence and couldn't get enough of his touch. I had pretty much spent 24 hours clutching at his hand, or him clutching mine, and whilst to a normal person that would completely be overkill, Luc's family treated it as normal- it was normal, for them. I never thought I would go from the girl who would be embarrassed to hold her boyfriend's hand in public to someone who readily snuggled with him in front of complete strangers and slept in the same bed as him with his family's complete knowledge and consent.

I jumped when a voice murmured sleepily in my ear before I realised it was Luc.

"Since you've never been to Paris, how would you like to go and see 'la cité d'amour… chaperoned, of course?"

And so we did. Luckily, our chaperone was Emily, who kept a discrete distance throughout and I barely noticed she was there. Actually, a lot could've passed me by that day and I wouldn't have noticed- I was too wrapped up in Luc. He took me to the sites, the EiffelTower and the Arc de Triomphe obviously, but also places only a native Parisian would know; places like the café that sold the most delicious cream tea in Paris, and at half the price of the touristy ones and the smallest and oldest bridge in the city, the 'Petit Pont'.

We also visited the 'Pont des Arts' which was a bridge covered with locks. There was a romantic legend where a couple would inscribe their names onto a padlock and lock it to a bridge, throwing the key into the river to symbolise their love. Luc led me over to a corner where he told me every couple in his family had engraved their names and locked a padlock. They were all different shapes and sizes, but they were somewhat separate from the rest, creating a family corner. Closing off my mind to Luc for a second, I swore to myself that, when I was ready, mine and Luc's names would be inscribed on a lock on that bridge. But not yet.

It had been agreed that we would stay in Paris until the whole family went off for the Reunification, so we were to stay for nine more days, which I fully expected would be filled with Luc and getting to know Luc's family. Every day, we became closer, more in tune, and we both opened up to each other. I was so happy and I saw Luc's father Jerome couldn't help but smile every time he saw us because he could literally see my joy. Luc's broken relationship with his family, although it was mostly healed already, became practically non-existent, which he insisted was due to me, a statement which I repeatedly denied. I couldn't make his family like me, nor could I make him like his family, but we were both stubborn, so no agreement was reached.

Since I was English, and English people are cynical and pessimistic, of course, I should have known it couldn't last, that somehow, the bliss I was currently living in would be shattered by just two words.

"Hello Anna."

He had found me. He strolled forward, fingers trailing along the locks on the bridge. His mouth lifted in a mocking smile.

"Touching, isn't it?" he sneered. "True love never fails, unlike locks, right?" His hand found a lock with two names on it. Maddie and Jacob. My heart froze. It was with the Renou locks. Was that… the Maddie who had died? But Luc had told me the last person to imprint had been over 10 years ago, and Maddie had been 19 when she died, which meant… what?

Marcus' wandering hand found another lock. It was a small, simple brass lock, with two names I could just about read inscribed on it. Anna and Luc. But we hadn't…

"Figured it out yet?" Marcus mocked. I gasped- I was dreaming! Marcus was right in front of me and I was suddenly murderously angry. I was not giving up without a fight, not this time. When he reached out to grab me, I did something I had never dreamed of doing; I punched Marcus in the face.

Unfortunately, I was not strong enough to draw blood, something that seemed to happen easily in films, and he was barely fazed. He slapped my face, then grabbed my hair, pulling and trying to injure me as much as he could, hissing when his skin touched mine, but holding on. He hit me, and again. His hands grabbed at my arms, my legs. I tried to run, but he grabbed my waist and swung me round, letting go quickly as it burned him. I tried to run again, but he grabbed both ankles and I fell hard, jarring my wrists and grazing my hands. Wildly, I looked along the narrow bridge. No-one. The city was silent except for my yells and Marcus' grunts as I tried to fight him off. There was no-one. I was alone. But wait, not completely alone, no, there was one person who had sworn to never leave me, not even if I left him.

Luc!

I screamed with every fibre in my being, both out loud and in my head.

Laughing, Marcus slapped my face, grabbed my arms then wrapped his hands around my throat. His face was set in a vicious snarl.

"Lover boy's gone and left you. He won't save you. And, or so I've heard, you can be killed, even in a dream. I doubt he'll care since he left you to me."

"NO! LUC!" I choked. I couldn't die. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if I died, Luc would die too. I had met him two and a half weeks ago and had known him for less time than that, but I knew that if Luc died, I would not be able to carry on living, and the same was true of him. I was losing consciousness, my vision blurring out. I fought more weakly now, feebly pushing at his hands on my neck. Luc.

ANNA!

Okay, so I'm evil, I'm sorry. But I'm secretly cackling. Is it sadistic that I enjoy the action chapters? Um, yes, yes it is... oops. I'll probably post chapter 11 on Monday or maybe you'll have to wait till next Saturday. I'm currently on a roll and have it written in advance (go me) so, depending on the reception of this chapter, I will see you on Monday or Saturday.

Until next time... :)