Author's note: Ok, it has been a while since last update, and I have been writing this story like mad! And am just now getting a chance to upload what all I have written. I'll be gone to Florida for a week for New Year's, going to visit my grandparents, but when I get back I'll probably have a few more chapters done. And I'll also address my reviews. But tonight, too tired to do anything except thank you all for reviewing and please, keep on doing so even if you have a complaint or criticism, just do not flame please!! And also, Lucian and Sonja have been heavily influenced by the script and novelization, which had much more of each of them before her death. That is where I get the basis of the very different Lucian in this story as well as Sonja. And also, this chapter has some (probably fairly obvious) symbolism in it. Hope you all enjoy and as always please review!!

Disclaimer: I own basically nothing, except Rendor, Adewale, and a few other original characters, which are the ones that were not mentioned in any of Underworld's many incarnations: the movie, script, novelization, or graphic novel adaptation. Please do not sue me. Savvy?

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CHAPTER EIGHT: TILOS

MOON PHASE - WANING GIBEOUS

Sonja sighed as she stared out at the surrounding forest, the wind blowing softly. Her father was out there, somewhere. Far beyond that forest, far beyond the Carpathian mountains most likely. She wondered what it was like, seeing different lands, different cultures. She almost wished she could have gone with him. But now she had something to make her want to stay.

Lucian.

One night had passed since the kiss they had shared, one day had gone by without any sleep from her. She had gone to see if he had been with the horses again, but no luck. She wondered if he had been put back on watch. She wondered if he had been as haunted by that kiss as she had been.

He must have felt it, that night, she stated silently. He must have felt the rush, the bond. How could he not?

Sonja decided she would take a walk. She could not stay locked in her room a moment longer with nothing to do but think about the lycan guard. Not when she could be looking for him as well.

***

Lucian silently sneaked into the library, making sure no vampires were around or inside. When he was certain the coast was clear, he crept into the room, heading towards the back as he looked for the book had been reading whenever he had a chance to come to the library.

He had come again tonight, but this time for something other than mere reading. He had come to get Sonja off his thoughts. He had not been able to stop thinking of her, of their kiss since it had taken place. He kept thinking of her in his arms, his mouth pressed against hers, their arms holding each other.

He shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts as he walked to the back of the library. He really did not need to let his mind drift while he was in the library. He could not let his guard down, for lycans were not actually allowed in the library. But Lucian had always enjoyed reading, and he needed the distraction badly now.

Smiling when he found the book, he sat down on the window ledge, the filtered light from the moon enough to illuminate the pages for him. Lycans did have excellent eyesight after all. He flipped to the last page he had been reading and resumed the pastime he was so fond of.

But he had forgotten how swept up he could become while reading, and did not hear the silent entrance of another until the other was close enough for Lucian to hear their breathing.

Startled, Lucian looked up, quickly putting the book down. His eyes widened when he saw the intruder was his princess. He stared at her, silent and caught yet again. He remembered the last time she had come upon him, he remembered what it had led to.

"I never knew you liked to read," she said softly, her lovely voice sounding delicate almost. She slowly approached, eyeing the book in his hands. "What are you reading now?" she asked, her emerald eyes meeting his again, and they were all he saw.

Everything seemed to turn emerald when he met her eyes, and he did not mind at all.

"Just a book on of myths," he replied, his voice soft as well. But that was due largely to the fact that he was barely able to speak at the moment, with her so close yet again. He stood up, now looking down at her again. "Greek myths, they're quite interesting sometimes," he continued, gaining more courage.

Sonja smiled at him, nodding. "Yes, my parents used to tell me some of them when I was younger," she told him. "Lucian, isn't it?" she asked, though he could tell she already knew she was right.

He smiled. She knew his name, she had actually remembered his name all these years. He came closer to her, her scent making it impossible for him to stay away. "Yes, it is, Princess," he confirmed.

"Sonja," she corrected, her voice barely audible as she breathed in sharply when he came closer to her. "Call me Sonja."

Lucian stared down at her for several moments, saying nothing, simply watching her breath, taking in her scent. He told himself to run, run far and fast, as his resolve was rapidly leaving him and he needed to get it back. But when he moved, it was to lean down and claim her mouth again, not to leave the library and head back for the safety of the lycan quarters.

Sonja immediately returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Lucian smiled against her lips, elated that she would give him this boon. She moaned against him, pressing herself closer. Lucian agreed, they were not close enough, never could be in his mind.

Lucian felt her hands sliding down his back, making him groan into her mouth as they kissed. He suddenly broke away, able to tear himself away from her only by the desire to hide his scars. He had no idea how he would explain them, nor did he want to.

She looked at him, confused, as he lifted a hand to cup her cheek.

"We cannot. This, it is forbidden," he whispered. His heart felt as though it were breaking as he stared at her, longing to be in her embrace yet again. "I want this, I want you," he confessed.

"Damn the Covenant!" she whispered fiercely. "I am in charge now, with my father away," she told him, coming closer so that her body was pressed once more against his own. "I could command you to take me, I could command you to kiss me again," she continued.

Her words made Lucian shudder and he knelt before her, his eyes never breaking away from hers. "Then order me to or order me to leave, because if I stay near you much longer I will not be able to hold back," he breathed huskily.

Sonja knelt as well her hands reaching out to hold his. "I order you to kiss me," she whispered.

And Lucian did. He kissed her as if there was no tomorrow, knowing that if they were caught, for him there most likely wouldn't be. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her as tightly as he could without hurting her.

Sonja moaned, responding instantly as before, her hands grabbing his shoulders. She ran her hands through his hair, down his back, up it again, causing him to shiver slightly.

All thought of hiding his scars from her left him, all that mattered was her. All that mattered was she wanted this, she had ordered him to do this. She did not even have to be in command to have this power, had she simply asked he would have given in, he knew. He let his hands wander to her neck, cradling it as he moved down to kiss her jaw line.

"Lucian," Sonja breathed, shuddering in his arms as he trailed his mouth down her neck. She moved her hands down, her fingers wandering under his shirt. She started when she felt the scars, pulling away.

Lucian looked down, something he was used to doing. He did not want to see pity, not from her, never from her. He felt slender, delicate fingers stroke his cheek before her hands moved his face up, forcing him to meet her eyes.

"What are they for?" she asked him softly, her emerald eyes almost pained, breaking his heart as only she could.

"One cannot stare at the sun without being burnt, Princess," he replied. "One cannot look at that which is divine without paying a price." He reached up, his hands placed on top of hers now. "I gazed at something forbidden to me, and I paid the price for it gladly," he told her.

"This, is because of me?" she asked him softly. "My father, he must have noticed when we glanced in the hall," she said, looking away as she figured out what had happened. She looked back up at him. "Let me see," she requested. "I want to see."

Like an obedient dog, Lucian nodded and did as she asked, turning so that his back was to her. He lifted his shirt, taking it off and exposing the scars to her gaze. He felt her fingers trace the lines down his back, and he bit back a groan. Her fingers were cold and soft and caressing, something he did not deserve, no being deserved as far as he was concerned. He trembled slightly under her fingers, unable to hold back a groan anymore.

"Did I hurt you?" Sonja asked, concerned.

"No, the pain of them left me yesterday," he assured her. He groaned again when he felt her wrap her arms around him from behind, holding him close to her.

"I will never, ever let them hurt you again," she declared softly. She kissed his shoulder. "I do not care if we broke the Covenant, I do not care about any of those stupid laws! You did nothing to deserve this, nothing."

Lucian smiled dryly. "Oh, but I did, Princess, I did. I looked at something so precious no soul should look at it without paying the price." He pried her arms off so that he could turn to face her again. "This," he gestured at her arms now wrapping around him again, "this is what I do not deserve, what no being deserves."

Sonja shook her head, about to protest he could tell, when they both heard approaching voices and footsteps. Lucian swiftly put his shirt back on, while Sonja rushed to the door to the library. She peaked out, then closed the door, her expression worried.

"Death Dealers," she whispered. She motioned for Lucian to hide behind some of the taller bookshelves. "You can't be seen in here," she said, though Lucian already knew that. He was more concerned about being caught near her. He knew they would never harm her, but his brother, or another lycan, that he was not so sure of.

But the Dealers merely passed by, uninterested in the room filled with books and stories. Lucian and Sonja both let out a sigh of relief.

Lucian knew he had to leave, he could not take this great a risk. He could not do this to her. If he stayed, he might not be able to stop. He walked over to her, kissing her quickly. "I cannot stay, Princess, lovely, Sonja," he told her. "This is dangerous, and we cannot continue. We cannot, you know this."

"I care not," she told him fiercely. "I care not."

"It will be sunrise within the hour. I have work to do," he told her. "I cannot be missing." He turned and walked to the door, wanting so badly to stay. He almost turned back to look at her one last time, but he knew if he did, he would go right back to her again.

"Go," she told him. "Go." He did as she told, gone before he could he her whisper, "I will find you again tomorrow night."

***

She leaned against one of the bookshelves, closing her eyes and breathing Lucian's scent as it still lingered in the room. Sonja could still feel him, hear him, see him. She still burned inside, on her skin. She still remembered his flesh beneath her fingertips, could feel the rough scars running down his backside.

He had been so warm, so wonderful. So adoring. She remembered her dream, after seeing him with the horses. She remembered how he had made her feel so much more alive when it was really him, not just a dream, a fantasy she should not have had.

Though she was far from upset about having it.

Nor did she feel guilty about breaking the Covenant only moments ago. As she had said to Lucian earlier, damn the Covenant when she loved him. He was hers, she knew it, she knew from that first kiss, she knew from their encounter in this very room.

He knew it too, he must have felt it. She knew he felt it long before they kissed. He had been glancing at her many times, he had been whipped because of their exchange around her father, and still he came to her.

She left the room, seeking the solitude of her chambers. She knew the vampires were having some sort of ceremony tomorrow night. She would of course have to attend, now that her father was away. But afterwards, afterwards she would find Lucian.

***

Lucian ran as much as he could without being seen, ran back to the lycan quarters. He still had nearly an hour before sunrise, nearly an hour before going to the stables to wash the rest of the horses, then take any other chores the Dealers gave him.

He still had nearly an hour to try to recover from her.

For once Lucian was thankful Rendor was down in the tunnels so late, as he did not want to run into his brother at the moment. All he wanted was to get inside his room, shut the door, and try to gain control over himself again.

Fortunately none of the other lycans stopped him as he made his way towards his private room, ignoring any glances thrown his way. Once inside his room, his door locked, he sighed, relieved to be alone with his thoughts. Yet incredibly frightened as well.

She had kissed him! Touched him! Held him! She had wrapped her slender arms around his waits, had traced the scars on his back, had kissed his shoulder and kissed his lips. She had accepted his warmth with her frozen, perfect form.

He smiled. Lord Viktor had been wrong. She did feel something for him. She felt something strong, something that might not be love, but it was so much more than pity, than natural kindness. He knew, he knew she was his mate. She would love him soon enough.

That kiss, their first kiss, he had felt it. The moment his lips had brushed against hers, he had felt the jolt, the rush, the bonding. He knew she was is mate, maybe even his Life Mate. She was his, and that was all that mattered.

Covenant be damned, just as she had said. He did not care any more. They would be careful, they would take every precaution. But they would be together. He knew he would go insane if they were not. He knew she wanted it just as badly.

Oh, what he would give to feel her fingers running over his skin yet again, feel her in his arms, her mouth pressed against his. He wanted her more, wanted her so badly it hurt. He could have taken her, right there, if she had asked him. Perhaps even if she had not, if he knew she would let him.

He would find her again, come tomorrow night. He vaguely remembered something about some ceremony for one of the servants being accepted into the Death Dealers. She would have to attend. But he would wait for her, he would go to her afterwards. He had to.

He had to.

***

Lucian left for the stables early enough so that he was able to avoid Rendor. He did not need his brother's advice and warnings right now, nor did he want Rendor to even know what had happened. And if his brother came around him, he would know something had happened.

The sun had just risen over the tops of the mountains when he reached the stables, the morning rays practically blinding as they illuminated the stalls. Lucian shielded his eyes at first, quickly growing accustomed to the bright light. He smiled as the horses whickered in greeting.

"Good morning to you all as well," he replied quietly. "Now, who is hungry?" he asked as he began to gather up the feed for the horses. Grinning at the whinnies he received from that question, Lucian fed them, whispering to them softly as he did.

He stopped when he heard someone coming, and grew slightly worried when it was a Death Dealer entering the stable. Do not show fear, do not show him you have something to hide. He is probably just here to give you the rest of you tasks for the day. Lucian bowed his head in respect, repeating that mantra over and over in his head.

The Dealer, whom he recognized vaguely, approached, his expression impatient and he looked as though this were the last place he would like to be. "When you are done with the horses, you are to go immediately to the roof and keep watch. You are not to be idle during the day," he informed Lucian, and the lycan knew quite well why.

Lucian nodded. "Yes, sir," he replied, bowing his head again. He waited until the Death Dealer had left, ignoring the grumbled insults, before raising his head again and returning to his work. It hardly mattered to him what he did during the day. As long as he was free during the night.

***

Rendor smiled when he heard Lucian sit down beside him. He glanced at his brother for a moment, smiling at the impatient expression on the younger lycan's face.

"You look like you'd rather be somewhere else," Rendor said teasingly. "Have you not missed your old post?"

Lucian glared at Rendor for a moment. "Actually, no. I did not miss this. Not much at least," Lucian replied. "I simply wish for it to be night and to have some time for reading," he explained, but Rendor could tell there was more to it.

"What is going on, Lucian?" he questioned. "I thought something was off when I never saw you this morning, and now this? You are never impatient for reading, no matter how much you love it."

Lucian turned to him, his eyes blank. "Do not ask me again, for I will tell you and I do not want you to have any knowledge of this. But I will not lie to you."