The hour was late and the lamps were turned down low at Lucien Mallorek?s townhouse. The barrister himself ran a finger through the knot of his tie as home came into view. He walked up the steps, unlocked the door and wearily stepped inside. A deep breath was let out as he leaned against the front door, shutting it and securing it. As soon as he did, a pair of arms wound around his waist, fingers fanning out over his stomach. Rebekah could be a remarkably patient woman, when she so desired; this, however, was not one of those nights. She?d been watching from one of the upstairs windows, waiting for him since sunlight loosed its grip on Rhydin?s black earth.
He stood there for a moment, resting his head on the door, rubbing his hand over hers, the other still holding onto his briefcase. ?I hope you know what you are asking for, Bekah.? His whispered words barely broke the hush laid over the old house.
?I want him,? she murmured against his spine, in a tone that had nothing at all to do with lust and seduction. ?He worked for her and handed me over like a game bird trussed for the roasting. He worked for her,? she repeated, quieter still. ?I want him to know what it feels like to be a pawn.? And smoothed her cheek against his back.
Lucien took hold of her hand and lifted it up to place a kiss to the palm of it, then laced his fingers with hers and turned to face her. She gave him room, stepping back as he did. The old-ivory oval of her face turned up. ?Do you think it unreasonable of me?? she asked him.
He shook his head in reply to her question, but didn't speak. The weary slope of his shoulders was a telling thing?she was demanding so much of him, she knew; and for all his glory in her sight, he was only a man. He held onto her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he walked into his office. She didn't often go into the room that housed his office. It was his haven, a private space into which she rarely intruded. But she did tonight, tethered by more than her hand in his. The briefcase was dropped onto his desk; he sank into his leather chair and pulled her toward him, his intention plain.
?Was it difficult?? She fit very well into his lap. That was something to be said, at least, in favor of cuddling up to little dead people.
Lucky clearly agreed. He slipped one arm around her waist, and with the other worked to undo the top button of his shirt. ?He agreed to the terms. I will file the petition requesting a dismissal of all charges on him, and failing that, petition for release on bail to my custody.?
?What will you do with him after that?? She wrinkled her nose at him. ?Can't have him stinking up the place about here, I reckon.?
?He will live and stay somewhere else in town. He is to report to me regularly.? He drew a deep breath?her lawyer-man was very fond of these sighs in reverse?and shifted under her to reach for his briefcase. ?I will take other precautions to insure to a certain extent that he...behaves.? The latches on the briefcase opened with a crisp snap.
?Oh?? A slender black brow winged upward. ?And that's not turning him into a human kickball and chaining him to your desk??
He removed a signed agreement and handed it to Bekah with a shake of his head, leaning back into the chair. ?No. Like you said, can't have him stinking up this place.?
She sat up a little straighter to read through it, blackened eyes obsidian-sharp. There was silence for a minute or two. One Judah Bishop agreed to be represented by Lucien Mallorek, and would cooperate and comply with said attorney. Once representation was no longer required, Bishop would repay the benefactor (unnamed) responsible for the representation in such a manner as said benefactor felt necessary to discharge the debt. At the end, she traced the mage?s loopy scrawl with a fingertip. And fixed those black-glass eyes on the barrister's handsome and weary face.
His own pale blue eyes were full of a complicated mix of reservation and warmth. Lucky had expressed his unease with her plan from the beginning; in response, she?d kept her explanations close and leaned on him to trust her. He had. ?Was that okay?? he asked, nodding to the document she held.
?Perfect.? She smiled like moonrise and sobered just as quickly. ?Promise me again that you can do this, Lucien,? she said earnestly, shading each word with concern. ?That I'm not asking too much of you.?
? I would rather see him rot in hell for eternity.? His voice heated with the admission, but he sighed it out and shook his head. ?No, Bekah. You aren't asking too much of me. This is what you want. And I'm glad I can do this for you. He only agreed to the terms if I could get someone free from Sal.?
?...oh?? Her eyes sprang wide with surprise. She settled her shoulder against his, tucking a tumble of curls behind her ear. ?Who? Why??
Lucien reached up and traced a finger across her brow, then dropped his hand to capture hers. ?It's a woman named Aoife Duggan.? A frown marred his brow, his gaze dropping to his hand. ?He said he needs her. And Riley O' Rourke and the Watch, I guess, struck a deal with Sal and set up an ambush to capture The Bastard...? Rebekah knew who he was referring to, ??and Sal grabbed the woman and kidnapped her.?
Each word was resonant under her shoulder. She kicked her crossed feet back and forth, back and forth like a cat twitching its tail. ?I don't recognize the name. Do you know her??
He traced his thumb over hers. ?I've seen her around in the Inn a few times. I can recognize her, but I don't know her.?
Her brow furrowed. ?Needs her for what?? Riley, whoever she was, and the Watch were dismissed with a single headshake.
?He said?? his own brows knitted into a deeper furrow as he tried to recall. ?I think it comes down to her being kind to him and?? He shook his head. ?I think maybe he cares for her.?
?Hm.? Her eyes narrowed, gaining an almost sleepy expression, smug and satisfied. A leverage point. How delightful! ?Well, well, well. And Salvador kidnapped her? I wonder why.?
He closed his eyes and rested his head against the tall back of the chair. ?Who knows what motivates that Spanish F**ker??
?Perhaps I ought to find out.?
?If he'll tell you. Bekah?? When she looked up from the Lucky-finger she was about to start noshing on, he asked, ?What are you going to do with him??
?He worked for her,? she repeated herself, and clarified, ?the lord.? Which explained absolutely nothing, but that suited her. She truly, truly did not want to explain her deal with Veighn to him. She started working up possible distractions.
He nodded and traced the palm of her hand with his thumb. ?What are you going to do with him?? he asked again in the same quiet, steady tone.
Uh-oh. Lucien had decided to shift to bulldog mode. ?Use him.? She admitted, finally. That seemed safe. ?Did you want to kill him again, afterward, my love?? Perhaps if she dangled that before his nose?
He let out another deep breath. Yes, her barrister was very tired. ?What possible use could you have of the Bastard??
Double uh-oh. Now was a perfect time to kiss him. So she did, eating his mouth and his question. The tense set of his shoulders eased a bit as she threw her back into the kiss, so to speak, winding her arms around his neck and rubbing herself against him like a cat. Poor darling barrister. His own arms wound around her waist and he fell deeper into her?but she felt the precise instant when he remembered that he?d been pressing her for answers. Hellfire.
?Bekah?? he murmured into her mouth.
?Mm?? She rubbed her nose against his, slanted a wicked grin his way.
?Tell me,? he bade her in a whisper.
She sighed at that, eyes closing, winging a quick prayer up to an unheeding Allah. Then she opened them again. And said, ?I'm going to kill the lord, and I need all the help I can get.?
There came all his tension, returned in a rush of blood she could hear thundering in his veins. He pulled his head back. His eyes found hers, silence settling between them. He stared. She stared back. Nobody moved. A myriad of emotions flickered across his features and were reflected in his eyes. Was that fear there among them? ?What...? he licked his lips, swallowed, and tried again, ??what makes you think he will agree to help you?? She heard the strain in his voice, felt it in his hands on her. ?What if he betrays you again? He's done it once before.?
?Well...? she traced a finger along the intersection of his collar and his throat, watching his pulse beat so compellingly there, ??we need to bind him. I don't trust his word, 'ey?? Black eyes lifted to his; she waved her hand at the agreement on the desk, then licked her fingertip as if tasting the essence of his heartbeat on it. ?I'll need something more.?
He drew a deep breath and regarded her. His brow knitted to that furrow which was becoming a more permanent feature upon his mien, poor man. ?You want me to bind him? Like a blood bond??
She wrinkled her nose. Making a ghoul of him was a last resort. ?Well, what about this girl??
A brow quirked. There was a definite hesitation in his voice. ?Girl??
?Aoife Duggan.?
His frown returned tenfold at the suggestion. ?No.? His tone was quiet, and very, very sure.
And at his response, her own brows lofted. ?No? Why not??
?I don't know what her involvement with the Bastard is, but no,? he reiterated. ?I will bind him to myself if need be.?
?Mm.? They slowly drifted down again as she surveyed his expression, sifted through tone and words for meaning. ?An innocent, you think. Would you rather I left her alone entirely, ducks?? She began walking her fingers idly up and down his shirtfront.
He let out another breath and closed his eyes for the moment. ?I don't care what you do to the Bastard. He betrayed you, and he can burn in hell for eternity.? Opening his eyes, he watched her fingers walk up and down his shirt as if it were happening to someone else. The adrenaline response she?d heard in him was already abating; she could hear his heart growing sluggish with weariness. ?But she didn't have anything to do with that...? The question lingered as he lifted his attention up to her face. ?Right??
She drew a circle over his heart. ?No.? The corruption in her led her to a small moue of disappointment (oh, to have had a new toy,) but? ?You are right.?
The barrister?s compelling gaze missed none of it, of that she was certain. ?Sal's taken her for what, who knows. The Watch and Rhydin's Minister of Justice...? a short, sharp, humorless laugh sounded, ?...are after her, and who knows what their collective illogical reason is. And finally...the Bastard could be using her himself. Her one crime? She is stupid enough to be involved with the likes of him.? He reached up to take of her hand that drew the circle over his heart. ?Okay??
Warm fingers curled over his. She nodded. ?Okay.? Her lips pursed. ?Still, I reckon I'd like to know what manner of woman she is, that she'd involve herself with someone like that rotter.?
He lifted her hand up and pressed a kiss to each fingertip. ?I don't know.? He shook his head. ?And if Sal doesn't let her out? We may never know.?
?So, first to Sal.? This said through the smile his tenderness provoked. Who knew that such a stern man hid such adoration behind that beard? ?And you'll bind him. How? What will be the consequences for him, for you? And,? she drew the word out, ?how will you explain it to him??
?I don't know,? he murmured quietly. Reaching past her, he withdrew another document from the open briefcase and handed it to her. ?I have to get him out, first.?
She accepted it with fingers still tingling from his kisses and read it over, biting back laughter at a point or two. ?Mm. And he's died three times, and returned as himself each time. I wonder...? She shook her head, passed the sheet back to him.
The petition was tossed back into the briefcase. ?Wonder what, Bekah??
?...well, he was only ever a man, 'ey? Human, a mage, like you. Wherever did he get this reset button??
He looked pensively at her for a moment, then said slowly, ?I?don't know if anyone else can bind him,? and frowned like a headache was coming on.
?What d'you mean??
?I was told that the Bastard is already bound to?? he bowed his head, scowled at the desk, ??eternally bound to...The Gray-Haired One...whoever that is.?
She thought about that, her feet flipping back and forth again as she did. ?If he is, and you tried to bind him atop that, what would happen? Nothing? Or would it put you in danger??
?I don't know.? His head sank into the chair?s back once more.
?Shan't risk you for his sorry arse,? she said decisively. ?I'll find another way.?
?What if there isn't another way?? he asked her insistently. ?What then? I am with you. I don't trust the Bastard.?
She was still more than a little amazed that he'd accepted her declaration so calmly, but she was determined not to bring it up again. She found a way around it. ?I'll speak with Salvador, and this woman, perhaps. That's a bit tricky...I'll finesse it. I want to know what else he's been getting up to.?
Even through his weariness, a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth at her reply. ?How, pray tell, do you plan to finesse it with him??
?To talk to this Aoife without tipping them off that I'm his ?benefactor.?? That word required quote marks sketched in the air. ?As for how...I'm not sure, really. I can be charming when I need to be.? She slanted a charming smile down at him, for emphasis.
He chuckled. ?Yes, you can be.? He framed her smile with a kiss. ?Very charming, and very persuasive.? The words said as loud as a shout that he knew she was dodging him again, and had chosen to accept it. Damned clever man. ?You are absolutely sure about this, Bekah?? he queried again.
?I'm sure.? She could hear the rattle of the dice in her own words, spilling out of the cup. ?If it turns out to've been a mistake, we can always just kill him until he stays dead.?
?That's if we find out it's a mistake early enough, Bekah,? he countered. ?And what happens if, as you said...he gets reset again??
?Reckon we'll bind him one way or another before it gets to that point. Blackmail, magic...something.?
?You seem pretty certain about this.?
?He worked for the lord. I need that knowledge if I'm to kill her, and I want the pound of flesh nearest his heart.?
Silence settled between for a breath. Then he asked the next logical question, the one that her dead heart shied from answering. ?How do you intend to do that, Bekah? Do you even know how to find her??
?Not yet.? She put every ounce of her being into sounding serenely confident, but Lucien didn?t look comforted by it, not in the least.
(Adapted from live play with Lucien Mallorek, with thanks.)
