Seventh Meeting
1815 Words
Lucian’s mouth became tense and she realised that she might have gone too far with her curiosity this time. It was one of the boldest questions she had ever asked him.
“I am sorry, I should not have asked.”
“I will answer your question when we are in a less public place,” he informed her in a light tone. “Did you want to order the more standard French food?”
Their conversation turned back to standard subjects again. When the food came it was delicious and she was enjoying the change in cuisine a lot.
“Did you want dessert?” he asked after the first two courses had been served.
Genevieve felt her waist and decided she had more space.
“What would you recommend?”
“The Strawberry Ice,” he answered after having a look at the menu. “It’s nice and light.”
Lucian’s suggestion turned out to be well advised. She enjoyed it thoroughly.
“Thank you for everything,” she told him after finishing the bowl.
“It is my pleasure,” he said and held out his arm.
They walked back to the cabin in a pleasant silence. The night was beautiful with a wide moon in the sky and a handful of twinkling stars.
When they arrived back at the cabin Lucian led her to the sofa and she knew he had decided to really answer her question.
“Have you wondered where the other demons are?” he enquired.
“Just a few times,” she admitted.
During the times she had been very curious about the demon species and he wouldn’t answer her subtle questions, she would come up with theories that he was the only one left of his species. It wasn’t like she had met another demon.
“There are actually a large amount of demons around; they are just not in the same society circles we frequent. They tend to be found in the underbelly of cities. In Paris, they are more like me.”
“As respectable Lords,” she summarised.
Lucian gave her an approving nod and she inwardly beamed.
“That is right. I spent a while in Paris in the last century and they were everywhere and I do not think that has changed. Paris does seem to be the fashionable place for demons.”
That gave her a mental image of demons strolling around the fashionable streets of Paris in the latest haute couture which felt odd.
“Is that why you didn’t want to go again?”
Lucian pointed at her.
“You are why I didn’t go.”
“The contact?” she guessed.
She didn’t know how to feel about that one. Should she feel hurt that she had been preventing him from visiting a place fashionable with his kind?
“Correct again. Most demons don’t stay contracted with someone long. They will think something is odd about me.”
She nodded slowly. That did make sense.
“I do actually prefer England, that is why I have nearly always stayed there for long periods of time. Paris was wearing on me the longer I stayed there.”
Lucian came to sit down next to her.
“There is another problem as well.”
“What is that?” Genevieve wanted to know.
He sighed. “Demons are not the only creatures roaming around. There is also our enemy species.”
Genevieve’s mind felt like it was spinning from all the new information. Whilst she had a year of pent up curiosity, it was still a lot of information to take in.
“What are they?”
“The Grim Reapers,” he said sternly. “They hate everything we do.”
“Could you explain further?” she requested.
Lucian rose and picked up the nearest book.
“Each human generates a book like this. These books are held by the Grim Reapers. The book tells them what happened in their life and how it ended. Demons making contracts contradict what happens in the books which is why they do not like us. Their main job is to collect souls and make sure they are released at the right time to start new lives when the books dictate it. That’s why they hate demons- we consume souls which depletes the available souls. New souls are made, but not at the rate they would want.”
Genevieve put that all together in her mind to understand the current circumstances of the demon species and now this Grim Reaper species that she had just learnt of.
“I think I understand now. So there will be some in Paris as lots of demons gather there.”
“That is correct,” Lucian replied. “There will be a lot there.”
“Are you notorious to them?” she asked curiously.
If he had a reputation like an urban legend that even her servants knew, he must be known to the Grim Reapers.
“I have not exactly asked them,” Lucian said vaguely. “In any case, I have let you know quite a lot tonight. Let’s do something more calming and then you can go to bed.”
His tone indicated the subject was closed and Genevieve sat on the sofa for another hour with a book and his hand for warmth and sickness easing.
Her eyes started to close and Lucian nudged her.
“You should go to sleep. I will leave so you can get changed.”
Genevieve remembered her dress situation and caught his hand.
“Can you undo the back of my dress?”
Again Lucian looked off guard and a little embarrassed.
“I will.”
She stood up and his hand touched her back again and undid the fastenings quickly and surely.
“I will leave now,” he said quietly. “Let me know when I can come back in.”
Genevieve changed into her nightgown and called him back in. She should choose a dress with a less complicated back for the next evening so they both wouldn’t have to go through such embarrassment.
She settled into bed and felt her stomach quiver again. That meant she would need to have contact with Lucian so she could fall asleep again.
“...Can you hold my hand until I fall asleep?” she requested.
He came over and sat on top of the bedsheets and gripped her hand. She closed her eyes and instead of feeling relaxed she felt self conscious. Was it because of what had happened earlier?
She eventually fell asleep with an unsteady heart.
Lucian let go of her hand when he felt she had fallen deeply enough asleep. He tucked her arm under the bedsheets and slipped off the bed as quietly as possible. He wasn’t sure what had happened earlier.
Maybe he was too hungry and had become less guarded over the secrets of his species.
Lucian was actually very well-known to the Grim Reapers. His fast style of doing contracts had made him very notorious and hated as he had messed up a lot of lifespans.
He hadn’t wanted her to know that for some reason. He used to be proud of that reputation.
What had Genevieve done to him?
***
The next week on the steamer passed by much the same. They would have breakfast, go out on the deck with Lucian keeping her warm, have morning tea, visit the library and walk around the boat, have lunch and dinner later.
Genevieve always picked out her simpler evening dresses so there would not be a repeat of the first evening.
Now it was the final day left on the steamer before they arrived in Paris.
Genevieve looked out over the waves again and felt the breeze go through her hair in contentment. She would miss this part mainly because she felt like she could do anything at this moment.
Of course that wasn’t true as she was actually being hugged from behind by a demon so she wouldn’t freeze.
“Are you going to miss this part of the morning?” Lucian asked innocently as she stepped away from the rail.
“It is nice to feel the wind and see the waves,” she answered.
“No, I meant being held by me,” Lucian teased.
Genevieve scoffed and pushed away from him lightly.
“You knew I was never going to answer that,” she retorted.
Lucian grinned.
“That’s right. We know each other quite well now.”
He held out his hand to her.
“Let’s go.”
The day followed their usual pattern until it came to the evening meal. It was a full scale event with dancing instead of just a formal dinner.
“There will be dancing this time,” she said as she was looking over her evening gowns.
As a married couple, they had been to lots of social events that had a portion where everyone was expected to dance. When her parents had been alive, she had spent most of the time dancing. With Lucian, she had never danced. He was reluctant to step anywhere near the dancing.
“Is that so?” he said.
“Why do you never want to dance with anyone let alone me?” she asked.
“Because I am too eye catching when I do it,” he answered.
She squinted at him with obvious skepticism. He definitely had graceful movements and was pleasant to look at, but that was a very bold statement even coming from him.
“I am telling the truth,” he promised. “I will dance with you tonight and I will bet you that all eyes will be on us.”
Lucian made good on his promise that night. When the dancing started he took her hand and then her waist with his other hand and started twirling her around. Genevieve had trouble keeping up with his speed and elegant turns.
She looked around at the surrounding couples. Lucian was right, nearly everyone in the ballroom was staring at them.
“Do you understand now?” he asked softly at the end of the dance.
Genevieve nodded numbly. She was feeling lightheaded from all the turns and the euphoric feeling of having close contact with Lucian.
“Why are you being so honest with me now?” she enquired after spending the next dance sitting at a table.
Lucian didn’t answer her immediately.
“Because I think we’re quite close now,” he said eventually. “You deserve honesty.”
- Writer
