Scarred

Chapter 9: Aaron

Look at that - Another chapter in less than a week :)

I also have a quick question for you all. Do you like hearing back from me when you comment? I feel like I want to acknowledge everyone who comments, even if it's only with a 'Thank you,' but I don't want it to be irritating either. So let me know your feelings on the matter, and I will adjust (or not) according to your feedback. :)

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It was Lucienne's turn to stand there poleaxed, her jaw hanging open. She'd never been much for poetry, but she liked Shakespeare. Hearing those words flow in Michael's liquid voice with sincerity shining through his golden eyes had her melting on the spot.

"Hey Luce, you okay?" A gruff masculine voice broke her out of her reverie. She looked up to see Aaron's worried brown eyes staring at her, the light from the hallway reflecting off the top of his shaved head.

She mentally shook herself realizing how strange she must look standing frozen in her open doorway. "Hey Aaron, I'm fine. Just wandered off for a moment there," she told him, smiling softly while she remembered the reason.

Aaron gave her a sharp look, "You sure? Nobody's been bothering you or anything right?"

Lucienne caught the look, and remembering what Michael said about him being a Hunter. She figured she may as well strike while the iron was hot. "No there's no problem, but do you want to come in for a moment? There's something I think we might want to talk about."

Both his pale eyebrows went up at that, and he simply walked in as an answer. She shut the door behind her, noting he was taking in the presence of two wine glasses before he looked back at her and sat down. His muscular frame was so bulky he overpowered the plush chair, almost making it look like children's furniture.

Funny, he's actually shorter than me, but he looks bigger than Michael when he sits there, she thought with interest before taking a seat on the couch. She was about to speak but before she could say anything Aaron began questioning her.

"Who's the guy you've started seeing, and how well do you know him?"

She smiled at him, not minding the slightly rude tone or direct questions. He knew her well enough not to beat around the bush. "He's the reason why I wanted to talk to you Aaron. I'm seeing Michael Reece," she said, noting his eyes widen at the name.

"As to how well I know him, that's a difficult question to answer. In some ways I feel like I've known him his entire life, in others we are strangers, but I think your real question is whether he told me he's a vampire?" she asked, suppressing her nerves to keep her voice steady. This was still very new, and she couldn't help her instinctual fear that he would think she was crazy.

"He's not just a vampire," Aaron almost growled out, "He's the freaking Vampire Lord for the entire flipping Northeast Quarter. Do you know how much territory that covers? Northern borders are Maine through Minnesota, Southern borders are Virginia through Missouri. Given the rest of the country's divided into five other territories, he's got the biggest in the US!"

Her eyebrows went up, "He left out the part about how big his territory was. Damn. That's going to be another set of conversations, especially around how it's all managed..." she trailed off lost in her thoughts.

Aaron gave her a strange look before sudden realization crossed his face. "Fuck, you're his Ruach, aren't you?"

"Apparently," she replied with a smile. "Don't worry he hasn't hurt or threatened me in any way. He's been very polite and respectful aside from the fact he's been coming through my window instead of my door," she told him with a laugh and then quickly reassured him when Aaron looked worried.