Lucius

25

Alpha Steven looks with disbelief at Quinlin, "You want me to call Lord Lucius, so that you can set up an appointment to meet with him? He barely tolerates you, Quinlin, do you have a death wish?"

Quinlin looks at his alpha pleadingly, "Please, Alpha. He won't accept my call if I call directly. Everyone knows that you have to go through a leader to get to him."

Alpha Steven sighs and looks at the agitated wolf in front of him, "What do you want to talk to him about?" Quinlin hasn't been the same since that party that was held in honor of Lucius and Faline. A party all of the alpha's and seethe leaders were nervous wrecks after. Many times it had been only timely intervention of one or the other that stopped any fights from breaking out.

"I can't tell you, Alpha, only Lucius can help me with this problem." Quinlin says quietly and with dignity, but there was pleading in his eyes.

"As your alpha I need to know of any problems." Steven says comfortingly.

Quinlin gives him a small smile, "Yes, alpha, I know and appreciate all you've done for me over the years, even though I've been a little shit."

Steven giving in sighs, "I'll call him, but you're going to have to convince him, especially since you won't tell me what the problem is."

As Steven reaches for the phone and starts calling Lucius, Quinlin says, "Thank you, Alpha Steven."

"Some advice Quinlin, be careful what you ask for, because you might just get it." Alpha tells him before he redirects his words to the phone.

"Lord Lucius, I have a wolf that would like to talk to you and schedule an appointment to see you." Steven tells the phone.

Quinlin can hear the irritated voice on the other end, "Who is it and what do they want to talk to me about?"

 Quinlin closes his eyes and swallows hard, Lucius sounds irritated, more so than normal.

"Before you get upset, please talk to him. It took a lot of courage to request this. It's Quinlin and he requests that he'll only tell you why. I'll be leaving the room once I hand the phone over to him."

Lucius pauses and takes time before he answers, "Quinlin. Faline's ex mate that attacked her like a coward?"

Quinlin looks down in shame. He doesn't think Lucius will talk to him now.

"That's the one." Steven doesn't dare complain about the description of the attack. It had been cowardly.

Lucius's voice is a mixture of cold and curious. "Put the pup on, I'll talk to him."

Quinlin looks up, hope coming back into his eyes. Steven hands Quinlin the phone then makes his way out of the room. "Thank you, sir, for at least doing this much. I know your time is precious and I know you don't owe me anything. I also know you'd prefer to never see or hear from me again."

"Then tell me, young wolf, why I should set aside even more of my precious time to see you?" Lucius is even then working on papers.

"I need to talk to you about your ex mate. Well, really, a favor to ask you and I know that you don't or aren't likely to grant it, but you are the only one that can help me."

Lucius had set aside his papers and Faline looks at Lucius intrigued. She's there learning basics of business management from Lucius. She's heard the entire conversation.

"What about my ex mate? How do you even know her? I don't even have a clue who she is." Lucius says softly and motions for Faline to go over to him. He feels a great need to hold her right in that minute.

"I met her at the party you were forced to go to. She had been watching you and Faline together and she couldn't interrupt you. She softly accepted your rejection and hid her pain. But I saw it. I talked to her for a bit then danced with her.

"My wolf has chosen her," Quinlin forces the words out of his mouth.

He couldn't have said anything else to make both Faline and Lucius so completely flabbergasted then what he just did.

"You will be permitted to come into the city and to my estate. Be here and if possible bring your mate. Make sure she understands that she is only permitted here as long as she is at your side. Be here no later than ten. If you come even a minute late I won't even hear your case." Lucius says after talking silently with Faline. He has to admit, he never thought the arrogant pup could attract the attention of one of the bitches.

The female vampires are attracted to wealth, the pup has none. He has little prospects of gaining any either.

"We'll be there, Lord Lucius. Thank you."

"Do you know how to get to my estate?" Lucius demands.

"No, but Alpha Steven will tell me how to get there." 

"Very well. What is the name of the vampiress, I'll need that to get you past the gates."

"Her name is Sharee Nastergal," Quinlin says and in his relief he misses the hiss of in drawn breath by Lucius.

They finish up rapidly and Lucius just sits staring at the papers in front of him. "The name seems to mean something to you, Lucius."

"Nastergal is the name of one of the families on the council." Lucius decided to hold off on his trip to the council and had Tina put a preservation spell on the vampire bits that Lucius has packed away.

Faline looks at Lucius with concern, "Will this cause problems?"

Lucius smirks, "Oh, yes, more than you can possibly imagine. There aren't many vampire/wolf pairings sanctioned by the council. Sharee is the heir to her house. It is expected for her to have children."

"Lucius, you promised you wouldn't hold things back from me anymore." Faline warns him growling lowly.

"Forgive me, Faline. I believe your ex and my ex will be asking me for sanctuary here in my territory. They are quite aware that the council holds no jurisdiction over me and I pretty much do whatever the hell I want. As long as I don't break the absolute rule they leave me alone and I leave them alone."

"Will this cause them to come against you, if you do offer them sanctuary?" Faline asks biting her lip.

Lucius's wicked side comes out as he bites back a laugh. "How could they take action against him without doing so against me?"

Faline relaxes a bit, "So will you give them sanctuary?" 

Lucius keeps the smirk on his lips and the unholy light in his eyes. "That, love will depend on the two of them entirely. I am more than a little inclined to accept them, but they will have to convince me. I will be allowing a vampire, a female one at that into my territory. That isn't something I'll do lightly."

Faline leans up and gives him a kiss. "You aren't nearly the monster you think yourself, love."

With her words, Lucius lets out the laughter that he'd been holding in. Once he is able to control it, "I am far worse than I've ever let you see. There is a reason the only supernaturals here work for me."

"If you were truly a monster you'd have killed that eight year old wolfling."

"Even evil monsters have some good in them," Lucius demurs.

Faline whispers in his ear, "Shit, I thought I was the evil one." Lucius tells her as she laughs and evades his arms as they try to hold her to him.

Faline laughs and mocks him as she leaves the room, "It's time to eat. I'll see you later."