Lucius

27

Lucius stares at the two before him. Sharee's words just opened up a world of possibilities. It takes a nudge from Faline to bring him back to the present and he sees the terrified look of the two and apologizes. "Forgive me. Lord Darin and I have  unsettled scores to deal with."

Lucius now looks over to Quinlin and pins him with his gaze, "You requested this meeting with a specific end in mind. What is it you wish from me?"

Quinlin has to resist the urge to fidget in his seat. "I wish to be with my mate. With her father wishing her to marry Lord Darin there is no way he'd allow this. I am asking asylum here for myself and Sharee."

"Sharee, you are willing to give up all the prestige of you position? Willing to give up all your standing in the vampire world and live as a common person? Your name will be stricken from the family rolls and you will be considered an outcast. You are prepared to do that rather than accept the role your father has chosen for you?" The two before him can't tell but Lucius is willing her to have the strength to say yes.

"Yes, Lord Lucius, I will give that all up. I have tried talking to my father but he refuses to hear my words. My mother has never cared as long as she has money to spend and power over others. She barely tolerates my father, theirs wasn't a marriage of mates, but an arranged one for power and money. I think the only reason I was born was because that was part of the marriage contract." Sharee has no idea just how telling her bitter words are to Lucius.

"Yet, that is how most vampiresses are and are expected to be. I'll be frank with you, had I known you were my mate, I would have rejected you even sooner. Your father was the first to sign my parents death warrant. I want nothing to do with him.

"Other than spiking his plans with that bastard, Lord Darin, what do you have to offer me?"

He'd pretty much decided that he'll take them, but he does need to know the answer to that question.

"I'm a genius at computer and cyber security. There isn't a law enforcement or spy network that I haven't hacked. It was a little more difficult getting into the secured buildings than it was for me to get into the computers themselves. I offer my services in that area to be used however you will." Her words make Lucius smile a dark and deadly smile.

"Very well, you have given me a reason to offer you sanctuary." Lucius turns to the wolf at her side.

"Now that your mate has shown her worthiness to receive sanctuary, tell me Quinlin, why the hell should I give it to you? You practically tormented and bullied Faline any time she went to the pack to train. You attacked her unprovoked like a coward the last time she was there."

Quinlin hangs his head in shame. "You are correct. Those actions haunt me. I have no doubt they will continue to haunt me even should you both forgive me and give me sanctuary as well.

"To you Faline, I offer my sincerest apologies. I let my jealousy and bitterness control me. I allowed my father's prejudice to influence me and I was more than wrong. I cannot take back those actions and there is nothing that I wish I could do more.

"As for all that you asked of Sharee, my standing in the pack is already rocky due to my actions. I have no current ranking and even my father's ranking is no longer sure due to his actions against the Lady Faline. My mother barely talks to me and my father would never accept a vampire as a daughter. I would rather have Sharee than him.

"I would accept being ostracized if I could be with her. Although, I don't think Alpha Steven would go as extreme as the vampires would."

Lucius is more than a little impressed with the wolf. It takes guts to accept responsibility for one's own actions.