Lucius

15

Lucius is in an important meeting, near the end where he's just finishing up when he gets a phone call. "Lucius, I need you." Faline tells him. The pain in her voice tells him everything he needs to know.

"I'll be right there," Lucius hangs up and directs his cold gaze at the people in the room with him. "I have an emergency at home, gentlemen. I hope you will excuse me? My assistant will be more than able to answer any and all questions you might have."

Lucius leaves with that walking with his secretary and giving her instructions as he does so.

"Well, I guess this meeting wasn't that important after all." One of the men says as he puts his things together. "If home comes before business."

The assistant warns them before they leave. "I can count on one hand the number of times his foster daughter has called and still have fingers left over. She would never call in the middle of a meeting if it wasn't life threatening. But go ahead and mock him. Since each of you have put business ahead of family where has it gotten you? Each of you has gone through at least one divorce." The assistant turns to the owner of the company they held this meeting for in the first place.

"Your wife just filed. Your children want nothing to do with you," the assistant says.

The man now red faced, replies, "That's the price of doing business."

The assistant smoothly returns, "No, that is the price of making business more important than family. You leave this room and all offers Mr. Gabini has laid on the table for you are over. This meeting was merely a formality. We are poised for a hostile takeover should negotiations, meaning the offer Mr. Gabini offered, should fail. You already lost your family. Would you truly want to lose your only love as well, your company?"

The man stops abruptly, "You are bluffing."

"Am I?" The assistant narrows his eyes at the florid faced man before him. "Go ahead and check with those in your company that would know."

The assistant smiles nastily at the men and takes out his own phone preparing to make the one call that will seal that company's fate.

Slowly that man and his subordinates retake their seats. 

"The reason you are even having this chance is because of the very girl you're denigrating. She talked Mr. Gabini into allowing you this out. Otherwise this would already be done and over with. No, she's not a business person, but Mr. Gabini puts a lot of weight into her words. Now she must be really ill to take him out of this meeting.

"Now, getting back to the terms of the sale," The assistant says. The men listens and agree. They are too in shock to do aught else. They are completely blindsided by this whole thing.

They are fortunate that Lucius Gabini is willing to give them as much as he is.

The owner of the company that is being sold leaves the building feeling old. He has no business and now he has no family. What has his life been all about?

"Lucius," Faline pants out from her place on the floor. She doesn't remember ever feeling so much pain before in her life.

"Faline, what the fuck?" Lucius says gathering Faline into his arms.

"I didn't want to bother you, but I couldn't take the pain any longer. I'm sorry." Faline says crying.

Lucius's arms feel good around her. When his skin touches hers it brings relief all the rest of her body feels like a raging inferno inside.

"Hold on, Faline where does it hurt and how?"

"Feels like my body is a fire contained within my skin. It hurts so bad, Lucius." Faline cries.

"Your hands cool it down. Makes it feel better." She manages to pant out.

"My hands or my skin?"

"Don't know. Just the contact feels better."

Lucius hoping it's the skin contact takes off his shirt. "Does this help?"

"Yes," Faline says and does her best to take off her shirt as well. 

Lucius calms her when she gets frustrated when she can't take her top off as easily as she wants to. "Let me help you."

"Is that better?" Lucius asks pressing her to him.

"Yes," Faline whimpers. She still hurts though.

Lucius carries her to her bed and then strips down. Pulling her to him he just holds her. "Bite me if you hurt, I won't mind."

"I-I can't, Star says that if I do, I'll mark you as our mate. I won't do that to you, Lucius." Slowly the pain is easing away. It's not gone, not by a long shot, but it's now at bearable levels.

Lucius stills by her side, "Your mate?"

"Yes, she chose you as our mate. That's why she held back as long as she could. She wants you happy and she knew that her coming out and all it brings wouldn't make you happy. She doesn't want you to reject us. She's afraid."

"Faline, can I speak to Star please?"

"Lucius?" The voice that comes out of Faline's mouth is slightly different than what Faline normally has.

"Star?"

"Yes," Star whimpers. She thinks that Lucius is going to reject them now.

"Thank you," Lucius states simply. "Thank you for giving us this extra time. Thank you for the honor of choosing me as your mate."

Faline/Star just looks at him, not sure what to say.

"I could never reject her or you." Lucius tells the wolf in his arms. "Now will you let Faline return?"

Once Lucius is sure that Faline is the one in control, "Once we do this there is no backing out. Are you sure you want to cross that line? The council will stick their noses in our business all over again and might take steps against us. Are you ready for that?"

"What are you saying Lucius?" Although the fire has calmed down with him holding her it is still there and making it hard for her to think straight.

"I'm saying, if you are sure you are able to handle the backlash, go ahead and mark me."

Faline looks at Lucius in wonder. "You mean that?"

"I've never meant anything more." Lucius moves to cover her body with his and starts kissing her. He's been dreaming of doing this since he first saw her body and realized that she's no longer a child.

Faline's whimpers turn to moans of pleasure.

Pleasure that Lucius interrupts when he says, "Drink." He offers his wrist that he's bitten. "The first time always hurts. I wouldn't hurt you more than necessary."

Faline takes his wrist and drinks a few swallows and then Lucius continues on with his seduction. They mark each other as they ride their high.