10 - Blood in Sight
Lucas stared at the calendar on the wall of his office. He spent his free time just gazing at it, speaking to no one, his eyes never straying from the date when the blood moon eclipse would occur. The sight of it made his chest tighten.
How could he stay calm when he had already dragged Grace into his affairs? Even Duke himself would come for her—dead or alive—because Grace was the owner of the holy blood that had been sought after for so long.
"What are you looking at?" someone whispered right into Lucas's ear.
"The calendar," Lucas replied, not the least bit startled by Grace's sudden whisper.
Grace was stunned. It was as if Lucas had eyes in the back of his head—he showed no surprise at her sudden appearance.
"Your jokes are so old-fashioned, Lucas," Grace commented quietly.
"I'm not joking. I am looking at the calendar," he answered, making Grace roll her eyes, unsure what else to say.
Besides, she regretted trying to joke with a creature who had lived for centuries. They didn't understand the kinds of lighthearted jokes people used these days to break the ice after acting like strangers, even though only a few days ago, they had been close.
Yes, it was happening again. Lucas hadn't spoken to Grace unless she was the one to start the conversation, and even then, only about work, ever since he had returned to the office.
"Did something happen between you and Eric, Lucas?" Grace asked suddenly.
Lucas turned to her, frowning. "No," he replied.
"After I left your house, did Eric come and hit you? I mean, he's not the type to talk before hitting." Grace was still convinced something had happened between the two of them, judging by how strange they had both been acting.
"Does Eric have the right to control everything you do?" Lucas asked, still curious about Grace's closeness to Eric.
"Not really."
Lucas nodded in understanding, then walked off without a word, intending to spend the rest of his lunch break in the cafeteria. Even though he hadn't invited her, Grace followed slowly behind him.
"Stop stalking!" Ezra appeared, grabbing the back of Grace's collar.
"You're messing up my clothes, Ezra!" Grace protested.
Ezra let go but then took her hand, walking quickly toward the cafeteria ahead of Lucas. Right now, Lucas was too dangerous for Grace, and Ezra would keep her away from him as much as possible.
Grace's attraction to Lucas was obvious, and Ezra couldn't force her to stop feeling that way, especially since he didn't know exactly what had happened between them before. But if Ezra could gradually put distance between them, it would reduce Lucas's chances of handing Grace over to Duke.
"Ezra, are you trying to keep me away from Lucas?" Grace asked bluntly as they picked out their lunch.
"Is that what you think?" Ezra replied.
"Yes. Because you always take me home, have lunch with me, and even waited for me yesterday when I was working late with Lucas. And you always start talking before I can speak to him," Grace said, clearly irritated by his behaviour.
They looked for an empty seat in the cafeteria. Lucas was already sitting alone at one table, and when Grace started toward him, Ezra immediately pulled her toward another seat so she wouldn't sit with him.
"Can't you hide your interest in Lucas just a little?" Ezra teased.
"I don't like him!" Grace denied.
"But you always want to get close to him."
"That's because he's so gloomy. I feel sorry for him."
Ezra sighed quietly. Grace wasn't the type of woman who easily fell for men. She had never been swayed, even by men who had pursued her for years. But somehow, that didn't apply to Lucas, making Ezra sure that Lucas was using his hypnotic abilities.
It was true that Lucas had spared Ezra's life the night Ezra attacked him. But that didn't mean Ezra would submit to him.
After hearing Duke order Lucas to bring Grace before him, Ezra was convinced Lucas was planning a way to trap her when Ezra's guard was down. A vampire was still a vampire. They didn't have hearts—only a burning thirst for blood.
"Being too kind to someone isn't always good for you, Grace," Ezra warned, without giving a reason.
"Isn't kindness a good thing?"
"The problem isn't you—it's the person you're being kind to. They might not be good."
"I don't understand what you mean."
Ezra tapped his forehead lightly. "Fine, I'll make it clear. Lucas is a vampire, and you know it. No matter how kind he seems, vampires weren't made with hearts capable of human compassion."
Grace nodded slightly, beginning to understand.
"They crave blood," Ezra added, making his point clear.
His words silenced Grace. She ate, lost in thought, wondering what Lucas might do to her if he were one of the vampires with ill intent—and if she was his target.
Ezra stood to buy her favorite drink, something that might calm her.
Grace's eyes went to Lucas, who hadn't touched his food at all. He just stared at it, lightly tapping his spoon on the table, his expression as unreadable as ever.
But suddenly, the food in Grace's mouth seemed to change taste, becoming strange. She spat it into her hand, only to find not food, but the dried red petals of a rose.
Her eyes widened. She looked immediately toward Lucas, who was already watching her with a faint smile on his lips.
That beautiful smile shifted into something terrifying when, for the briefest moment, Lucas's eyes glowed red like blood.