Chapter 27 - The Dress

Damien received word from one of his spies in the palace that Alessandra and Luci were both there with the crown prince. He hadn't said anything to Nolan because he wasn't looking to start a war with the king.

He wanted to stop them from saying anything to King Malik, but it looked like they were too late. Not that it would make a difference because Damien had no intention of stopping what he was doing.

Their wounds had started healing, but not much. Damien refused to leave his house until there was no more evidence of the vampire acid on his face. He heard Nolan coming and quickly closed the email he was reading.

"Any news on where your family is? I'm getting tired of this. Two dumb broads and a prince shouldn't be this hard to find." Nolan sat in one of the chairs across from Damien and put his feet up on the desk.

"Get your damn feet off my desk, and don't talk about my family. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with them, but that's my choice, not yours. Your job is to keep our operation running. Now, when are you leaving to get the next shipment? We have buyers who are getting angry because we don't have the product."

Nolan slowly moved his feet off Damien's desk even though he felt like sending Damien and the desk flying across the room. He was biding his time until he could eliminate Damien and take over the whole operation himself.

"With everyone you have working for you, there has to be someone out there that has seen them, so either you know where they are, and you don't want to tell me, or you're not really looking for them as hard as you pretend. Which is it?" Nolan watched his expression, but Damien had been at this game for a long time. He didn't let anything show, and that infuriated Nolan even more.

"Listen here, you little prick. You will not question me about my actions. Your only job is to do as I say. Now get the fuck out of my office." Damien was almost to the point of ending Nolan's life, but he needed him until he could find someone to take his place. He always ensured Nolan's hands were dirty while his hands remained clean.

Nolan stomped out of the office and went to the room he was using while his face was healing. He pulled out his phone and called Silas. It was time to find Luci, Alessandra, and Xavier. Nolan was done playing games, and when he found them, he would kill them. After he broke the news to Damien, he would kill him too.

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Luci woke up feeling relaxed and satisfied. Xavier had made her feel like a queen for hours until they both fell asleep exhausted. She was happy that everything was going so well at the palace.

Her father and Nolan were never far from her mind. Luci still couldn't believe that her dad had been working with Nolan this whole time. She didn't understand how he could sell vampires and shifters for a profit. She didn't even want to think about what the people he was selling them to were doing with them.

"Hey, sweetheart, why are you so sad?" Xavier pulled Luci against him so he could spoon her. He couldn't see her face, but he could feel her sadness.

"I was thinking about my dad and Nolan. I can't fathom what could make them do what they're doing. Humans who know about us call us monsters, but most vampires and shifters are good people. Nolan and my dad are the exceptions. They are killing innocent humans, vampires, and shifters. How can they do that and act like it's normal?" Luci was crying as she thought of all the innocent lives lost at the hands of her father.

"I don't know why or how they can do it, but I promise you we'll put a stop to it. Trust me, my dad takes pride in catching those who hurt others, regardless of their species." Xavier rubbed his hand up and down her arm to comfort her and kissed the back of her head.

Luci turned over so she could see his face. He was so sexy, with his hair all disheveled, and her heart fluttered when she saw how much he loved her in his eyes.

"I love you. I'm sorry you got pulled into this mess. I just hope we can stop them so you and I can enjoy each other and not be surrounded by constant chaos. We haven't had the chance to enjoy being mates, and I know that's my fault because I ran from you at first. This would have never happened if I had just listened to you from the beginning." Luci looked down in shame, but Xavier raised her face to his.

"I told you never to apologize for the past. You had your own fears of mating, and I respect that. I don't blame you for this predicament. We would have never known about your dad and Nolan if you hadn't run. Now we have a chance to save a lot of people because of you, Luci. Are you ready to dress up and eat dinner with a bunch of snobs?" Xavier kissed her as she smiled up at him.

She loved that even in bad situations, Xavier always found the good. Luci knew everything would be okay as long as she was with him.

"Yes, I'm ready. Should my mother come too, or would it be better for her to eat in her room?" Luci didn't know how her mom would do around a bunch of non-vampires. She actually lived a pretty sheltered life.

"I'm going to get a shower. Why don't you go next door and ask her? You can let her decided." Xavier gave her one more kiss before heading to the bathroom.

Luci got out of bed and threw some clothes on quickly. She would shower and get dressed for dinner after she spoke to her mother.

She went next door and knocked. At first, she didn't hear anything, and she was worried that her mom had left the room, but then the door opened slightly. When Alessandra saw it was her daughter, she opened it all the way.

"I was worried you were one of those guards that don't seem to like us." Luci hugged her mom as they walked into her room. Her mother's room was exactly like hers and Xavier's, but the colors were dark blue and white.

"We've been invited to dinner with the king and queen. Would you like to join us? We can have something sent up here for you if you prefer." Luci sat in one of the chairs in the room, and Alessandra took the other one.

"I would rather eat here. I'm too drained after everything that happened yesterday and today. Do you think there's any chance I can get some blood?" It had been almost two days since she had some, and she needed it badly.

"I'll ask Xavier; I'm sure he can get some. I'll make sure some food is sent to you as well. I better go get ready." Luci hugged her mom before going back to her room. She needed some blood, too, but she was used to controlling it for longer periods of time.

When she returned to their room, Xavier was out of the shower and walking out of the bathroom with a towel around his hips. His blonde hair was still wet, making it look curly, and her heart skipped a beat. It should be a sin to look that good without even trying.

"What did your mom say?" Xavier knew he had to say something because the way Luci was looking at him, they would never make it to dinner.

"She's going to eat in her room. Do you think we can get some blood for us both?" She asked while wondering what she was going to wear. It wasn't as though she had packed anything.

"I'll have some here by the time dinner is over. You can get your shower. I have a dress being delivered for you as well." Luci kissed him quickly and then went in to get her shower.

When she was done, Luci carefully did her hair so it was in long waves down her back. She didn't have any makeup, but luckily, as a vampire, her skin was flawless, so she didn't necessarily need any. When she walked out of the bathroom, she stopped in her tracks.

There was a dress lying on the bed that was the most beautiful piece of clothing she had ever seen. It was floor-length shimmering gold, off-the-shoulder, with short sleeves. When she touched the fabric, it seemed soft as butter, so she knew it was silk.

"Do you like it?" Luci jumped at the voice behind her. She had been staring at the dress, not realizing she wasn't alone. When she turned around, Xavier was behind her, dressed in his royal uniform. It was black and red with gold decorations. He looked so handsome her mouth was watering.

"The dress is beautiful, but you look even better. How did you get this so quickly?" Luci turned back to the dress, carefully lifting it so she could put it on. It was so delicate she was afraid it would tear.

"Bexley made it. She likes to try her hand at designing clothes. When I told her you needed something for dinner, she said she had the perfect dress. From your expression, I think she was right." Xavier helped Luci put the dress on, and after she had adjusted it, he stepped back. The gold complemented her skin tone perfectly; she looked gorgeous.

"I've got to thank her. She's extremely talented." After slipping on the gold four-inch stilettos, Luci looked at herself in the mirror. Xavier came up next to her, and she felt like crying. She felt worthy of being on his arm for the first time since meeting him.