Chapter Fifty-Eight

Serena followed closely behind Lucian. He plowed his way through the knee-high snow, making his way toward the trap they had set before the blizzard set in.

"You okay back there?" He shouted over his shoulder. The wind muffled his voice, but Serena caught the end of it.

She nodded and shuffled closer to him.

They entered the snow-encased haven. It glittered like silver below the sunshine. The glass-like snowflakes reflected the sun's rays in a dazzling display of shine. The dark green needles protruded from some of the small mounds of snow, creating a dark contrast to the perfectly white atmosphere. Serena stopped, her breath caught in her throat from the sheer beauty of the scene before her. It was straight out of a fantasy, pure creation.

Lucian stopped when he could no longer hear her soft crunches behind him. He turned to see her staring up into the clouds high above, a bright smile on her face. Her eyes were glittering emeralds, beautiful to him. He sighed and trudged back toward her. He grabbed her mittened hand and tugged her gently.

She jumped at his touch, startled by the sudden movement and contact, but instantly gave into his direction.

Lucian pulled her behind him until they reached the trap.

He flopped into the snow. A small puff of the flakes poofed around his knees as he sat. The cloud dissipated, leaving the rabbit on display for the two of them to see.

It swung gently in the wind and was as stiff as a board. Its grey fur was coated in the white morning frost and matted against the wind.

Serena frowned and turned up her nose, disgusted by the creature that was dead before her. Lucian pulled off his gloves and set to work on the twine.

"Did we have to kill it?" She wined, crossing her arms over her chest and turning her head away from the poor creature.

"Yes, we did," Lucian replied calmly, as though he knew the question was bound to pop up eventually.

"Did it suffer?" Serena closed her eyes tightly.

Lucian sighed and firmly set his hands in his lap.

He knew the answer but was unsure if he should give the honest answer or the one that would make her feel better.

"No. It did not." He turned to her and pressed his cold fingertips against her frost-nipped cheeks. She shuddered as his fingers touched her skin. "Feel better now?"

She nodded but refused to look at the animal.

Lucian sighed once more before turning back to his work.

The fire crackled in the wood stove. Embers sparked out of the little slits in the door, skidding to a halt on the tiled floor. Lucian hopped out of the way as each glowing red particle escaped its captivity.

"Don't be such a baby." Serena chided half teasingly. A playful smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Lucian turned to her, shocked at her comment.

"Me? A baby?"

"Yes, you. It's just a few embers. They're hardly going to make a mark or even hurt you if they touch your skin." Serena waved a large wooden spoon at the man. He remained there, completely shocked while his mind processed the new proceedings.

"I can't believe this." He ran his fingers through his hair and turned toward Serena again, still completely baffled.

"You can't bear seeing a dead animal right after it dies, but you can cook it and eat it?"

Serena turned to him and sighed, a hand planted firmly on her hip.

"Absolutely."

Her face was completely serious, and her eyes never wavered from his gaze. Lucian rolled his eyes and slapped a hand to his face.

"You women are hopeless."

Serena stormed over to him, her footsteps vibrating the floor with each planting, and slapped him with the spoon. Lucian flinched and rubbed his arm, the sharp pain disappearing as he rubbed. He jut out his bottom lip slightly and shot Serena a perfect puppy dog face.

Serena repressed the smile and laughter that came as she saw Lucian's hysterical face. A short laugh bubbled its way out of Lucian's pursed lips, soon followed by one from Serena. Soon the two were doubling over in laughter on the kitchen floor. Serena's legs kicked against Lucian's side while he frantically tried to grab them. He managed to grab an ankle and tug it toward him sharply.

Sher resited, clawing her way along the floor, only to be pulled back toward him. She relented and allowed herself to be embraced.

Lucian's laughter died first. He chuckled slightly as Serena continued to wipe tears from her eyes.

"Serena?" Lucian proded, nudging her arm slightly.

She wiped one last tear and looked up at Lucian, a smile still wide on her face.

"What?" She stuttered out amidst the laughter.

"I-" He paused and bit his lip. "I'm glad to have met you."

She smiled at him, her eyes crinkling in happiness.

"I'm happy to have met you too!"

Lucian sighed and mentally slapped himself. That was not at all what he had wanted to say, but the pressure had gotten to him. The beautiful woman in his lap was a curse. A curse that he had never had to deal with before. Every other woman had fallen at his feet. Now, he had no understanding of how she worked or what her past was. Her past. She had avoided it before. No matter how many times he had asked, the only thing he had gotten out of her was her story with Silas. She was an intriguing woman, full of secrets. He wanted to know, he had to know.

"Tell me about yourself." He nodded toward her.

Serena furrowed her brows and leaned forward.

"Right now?"

"Yes. Right now. I am curious about the person I've been sharing the house with. Tell me about yourself, your history."

Serena leaned her head back and stared up at the ceiling.

"What did you want to know?"

"Everything," Lucian replied without hesitation. His eyes were hungry for knowledge and more.

Serena chuckled, then met his intense gaze.

"Oh, you're serious." She held a hand to her lips.

He cocked his head.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"People say they want to get to know each other, but once they find out something they don't like, they immediately regret that decision. They retreat from that friend and make excuses, leaving that person completely lost as to why they no longer have a friend. When things get complicated, people back out."

Serena slid off his lap and continued cooking at the stove. Lucian stood up and slid a hand around her waist. She froze, unsure of how to feel about his affection.

"I live here now, with you. I want to know about you. You seem like a complex and layered person, and I would like to peel back those layers. I hope you feel the same way about me."

He ran his hand through her loose curls once before exiting the kitchen.

Serena stood, stunned, at the stove for a long time. Unsure if she should abandon their meal and go after him, or wait for him to return. He needed time. Eventually, he would come to realize that she is not what he needs.