Christine took a step back to let Lucian inside her apartment. She begged her heart to stop.
She didn't know why she invited him in the first place, and he was a complete stranger. "You can call me Christine."
Lucian followed her through the door, and Christine closed it. "You want me to call you by your first name then, Miss Parkins?"
Christine's knees turned to jelly, and his voice was so sexual. "Well, we are - a bit more acquainted, aren't we?"
Lucian turned around, looking her in the eyes. "We are, but isn't it a bit dangerous to invite a man you met a day ago to your apartment?"
Christine gulped, the look he gave her was piercing, and her lips parted slightly. If she had her way, he would be walking out of here satisfied. "Are you dangerous?"
Lucian took a step forward, Christine took a step back, and her back hit the door. Lucian placed his hands on either side of her head, pinning her in, his face came closer, and she could feel his breath. "What does your gut tell you, Miss Parkins?"
Christine couldn't think. She was already undressing him. Christine averted her gaze, and he removed this right hand, placing his fingers under her chin. He forced her face gently so that she was looking into his eyes.
"Do not look away from me. . .tell me what does your gut say?"
Christine gulped. "M... My gut says you are hiding behind a barrier - you are not dangerous to me."
Lucian smiled at her, and he moved his face an inch closer, their noses almost touching. "I am - a very. . .dangerous man, Miss Parkins. Your gut is wrong."
Christine's head was spinning. Then why did he ask me what my gut says if he will only brush it off? Before she could muster a retort, her cooking alarm went off.
"That would be lunch."
Lucian stepped away from her. Christine was flustered, and she moved around him quickly towards the kitchen. "Should I follow you, Miss Parkins?"
Christine looked back over her shoulder. "Well, if you want to sit down with me."
Lucian chuckled. He was in trouble, and his body trembled. . .his soul was calling to her. What would he give to kiss Gadrial again?
Lucian entered the kitchen, and Christine was already plating food. "Anything I can help you with?"
"No, I have everything covered. I hope you like chicken pasta a la king."
Christine didn't wait for him to answer. "Want some wine?"
Christine turned to Lucian. He was leaning against the door, his arms crossed. Why did he have to be so damn sexy?
"Yes, I'll join you for a drink."
Christine nodded at him, and she turned to the highest cabinet where her glasses were. She let out an inaudible sigh. She had always meant to move the glasses down a bit.
Christine stretched upwards. She stood on her toes now, and she felt a presence behind her. He stretched out his hand, touching hers and taking the glass down.
Christine didn't turn. Lucian's chest was pressing on her back. "Is this glass fine?"
Christine nodded her head slowly because she didn't trust her voice. Lucian bowed his head, whispering in her ear. "Use your words, love."
Christine shut her eyes. Lucian's breath was tickling her ear. "The glass is fine."
Lucian took a step back, and Christine instantly missed his presence from her back. It left her with a void.
"You should rather voice your opinions, love, than just nod your head. Or it will give the wrong impressions."
Christine turned around to face Lucian. He was calling her anything except her real name. "You have experience in this then?"
Lucian grinned. "Are you curious?"
Christine huffed. "Never mind."
She opened the oven, removed the chicken pasta, placed it on the table and opened another cabinet to get some plates. She was nervous and felt Lucian's eyes following her around. After getting the utensils, she sat down at the table with the wine bottle in the middle, and she grabbed for it - the same time Lucian was. . .their hands met - his skin was so soft to the touch.
Lucian lifted an eyebrow. "Do you mind?"
Christine gestured with her hand. "Go ahead."
Lucian poured them both wine, and he sat across from her. She took both plates, dividing the chicken between them. Christine picked up her fork and started eating, then she noticed Lucian looking at her with a puzzled expression.
"What?"
"You do not pray before eating?"
Christine quirked an eyebrow. What? Was he one of those? A religious man with a bad boy image?
"What does it matter to you?"
"It does not matter. I thought - the look of you that you might be a religious person."
Christine put her fork down, so it was one of those conversations. She didn't like these conversations, and there was always one who would force his beliefs down your throat.
"I am going to ask you first. Do you believe in God?"
Lucian smirked slightly. "I believe in the Creator."
"Call it what you will, so you are religious?"
Lucian folded his hands, resting his chin on them. This is going to be fun.
"I didn't say I am, I said I believe in the Creator, so I am more of a spiritual being than a man of God."
"Well, I am neither."
This piqued Lucian's interest, and it might lead to why Christine was not baptized.
"So you are an atheist, then?"
"I..." How was she going to put this, she grew up in a God-fearing family who tried to baptize her, but each time it failed.
Christine inhaled, relaxing her body. She didn't think Lucian would judge her, but it was always difficult to talk about something so personal.
"I tried my best to believe in God, but the more I went to church, no matter which church, these weird accidents happened."
"Accidents?"
Christine nodded. "Look, I grew up in a God-fearing family, and my mom said when she wanted to get me baptized. . .the priest's robes caught on fire."
Lucian leaned forward. "You don't say."
"If you are going to mock me, I'll stop talking."
Lucian winked at her. "I'll listen to love."
"So my mom decided I'll get baptized when I am older, even if it wasn't custom to do so. . .so when I was sixteen, we tried again."
"What happened?" Lucian's voice was full of intrigue.
"The most priests' crosses started burning, then he was engulfed in flames, and I got banned from putting my feet in a church again."
"So you are not baptized then?"
Christine shook her head. "No, I moved out from under my parent's roof, and here I am. Faithless."
Lucian picked up his fork and began eating - the food was delicious! "So you say if you stayed with your parents - you'd be a believer now?"
Christine decided to follow suit by eating her food. "I don't think so at all - it is just . . . why would someone create lesser beings than his angels who had no will but gave the humans the freedom to do anything?"
Lucian stopped chewing. He picked up his wine. "Care to elaborate?"
"I... it is just there is so much evil in this world, most people shrug it off as they're doing God's work, other people profit from it."
Lucian's eyes twinkled, and Gadrial's soul surfaced, but this was a bit different. . .all her previous incarnations were believers, yet this girl was an atheist; from the start.
"I see your point, Christine. What is your personal opinion? You are arguing what most people are."
Christine got a bit angry. "My opinion? There is no such thing as heaven, hell, angels or demons."
Lucian looked taken aback. "How could you say that?"
Christine stood up. "I am done with this conversation."
Lucian stood, pushing his chair back. "I am sorry I didn't mean to offend you."
"Please leave." Christine was angry, but Lucian walked toward her.
"I am sorry..."
"I asked you to leave." Christine tried to move away from him, but Lucian grabbed her arm.
"I can not leave."
Christine tried wrenching her grip free. "I said leave."
Lucian held on tighter, and he grabbed her other hand. She had no idea how he liked to see her angry, and he felt a great nostalgia. "I can not."
"Why?!"
Lucian pulled her forward in his arms and claimed her lips.