"No problem," Bastien assured him. "I'll store it in my basement until Etienne can bring himself to part with it. I'll just tell my housekeeper not to bother cleaning down there for a while."
Lucern shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. He supposed he should invite his brother in for a drink or something, but he really didn't feel like talking much right now. His mother had come by that morning to see how he was doing. Apparently, Etienne had mentioned that Kate had come by. Marguerite had made him tell her what had happened between them, then had left him to his own devices. He suspected that Bastien's coming by to pick up the coffin had just been an excuse to check on him again, and he fully expected that Etienne and Lissianna would find their way to his home sooner or later to check as well. He supposed he should be grateful for the distraction they offered. He had been driving himself nuts pacing his home, waiting for Kate to make up her mind.
"Well, I should…" Bastien paused and glanced up the driveway as a car pulled up. "That's Mom's limo."
"Yeah." Lucern sighed, thinking he would have to put a good face on and pretend that he wasn't slowly going bonkers. On the other hand, he had never bothered putting a good face on things before. Why bother now?
"Hmm. Well, I'd better get going."
Lucern glanced at his brother with surprise. For a moment, he thought Bastien was trying to avoid their mother, but then he glanced toward the limo and saw a blonde getting out of the car.
"Kate," he breathed. He just stood there as his brother got in his van. The limo backed out of the driveway, leaving Kate behind; then Bastien's van followed. Still, he and Kate just stood there, staring at each other. It wasn't until both vehicles were long gone that Kate moved forward. Lucern found his feet carrying him closer as well.
Meeting halfway, they stood staring into each other's eyes. Then Kate said, "Can we go inside?"
"Oh." Lucern blinked. Those hadn't been the first words he'd hoped for. But they were better than a kick in the ass. Last time she was there, she hadn't been willing to go into the house. This had to be a good sign. But he was impatient to hear her decision, so he snatched her arm, turned on his heel and rushed her up his sidewalk.
Entering the house, Lucern closed the door behind them with a thud, leaned back against it and ate Kate up with his eyes. Would she make him the happiest man on God's earth or the most miserable man that ever existed? He was hoping for the happy option.
"I love you."
That was a good start, Lucern decided.
"And, yes, I will marry you and spend my life with you."
Lucern started to reach for her, then caught himself. "What about your family?"
"I can't entirely give them up, Luc," she admitted apologetically. "I love them. But I will stop seeing them and only write them when it becomes obvious I'm not aging."
Lucern pushed himself away from the door and gathered her in his arms. Her solution was wonderful. He kissed her with all the relief, love and gratitude that he was feeling, then swept her up in his arms and ascended the stairs, heading for his bedroom.
"I love you, Kate. I'll make you happy. You won't regret this," he assured her between kisses on her face.
"I know I won't," she said softly, her arms around his neck. "And we'll make ourselves happy." They were nearly to his room before she cleared her throat and asked, "Umm, Luc?"
"Yes, love?" he asked as he pushed through the door. She finally saw his room. Any thoughts she'd had that he might sleep in a coffin immediately slid from her mind. There was no doubt in the world that this was Luc's room. Like the man himself, it was a masterful mix of black, silver and alabaster. The windows and the bed were covered with black drapes that would block any sunlight from entering.
It wasn't until Lucern had laid her in the center of the bed and come down on top of her that she recalled what she had wanted to ask. Putting her hand to his shoulder to keep him from kissing her, she asked, "Is it going to hurt?"
Lucern paused, his eyebrows raising. "The turning?"
Kate nodded.
"Well." He frowned. "I'm not sure. I've never turned anyone before." He hesitated, then started to sit up. "I'll call my mother and ask her. She should know."
"No." Sitting up, Kate hugged his shoulders and pressed her face to his back, then finished, "No. It doesn't matter if it hurts. I'd go through the fires of hell for you."
She felt his back vibrate with a laugh; then he said, "And rob a blood bank and offer yourself up for me to feed on."
He turned on the bed and framed her face with his hands, then added, "And even eventually give up personal contact with your family." He bent his head to press a soft, reverent kiss to her lips. "I am a very lucky man."
Kate nodded solemnly. Then her lips curved mischievously and she said, "Let's hope you're still saying that a hundred years from now, when I'm nagging you to take out the garbage and change the baby's diaper."