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"So that's what I did."
And that was how Lysander ended up being given the grand tour of what his princess proudly claimed as the world's first anti-vampire defense laboratory. The underground state-of-the-art facility had been built within the secret chambers of an abandoned mine. It was also 100% Fae-owned and its current value was expected to grow exponentially once it went public.
Questions raced in his mind, and Lysander shifted out of Ammon's form in order to speak to the twins directly. "Are there people still investigating the kidnapping attempt on my wife?"
It took Aluin more than a second to reply, having been slightly thrown off by the prince's sudden change of subject. "It's still an open case with local authorities and the FBI, and our own men are looking into it as well."
"I...see.' It was the prince's turn to answer in a similarly delayed fashion. Shrill, internal squealing had commenced the moment he referred to Estrella as his wife, and not only did it hurt his ears like hell, but all the high-pitched noise also had him struggling to hear Aluin's words.
Open case...FBI...local authorities...our own men...
Lysander's face hardened. It was exactly as he expected, but the knowledge that he was right didn't please him at all.
Alain noticed the suddenly harsh expression on the prince's face. "Your Highness?"
"This laboratory." Lysander's tone was abrupt. "Who else knows of it?"
"Outside the people in this room and a few other soldiers with the highest security clearance, the ony ones else aware of it are the immediate members of the princess' Lyccan family."
Shit. This was exactly as he feared as well.
Estrella was starting to feel nervous. "Why are you asking these questions?"
"Because this lab is no longer as hidden as you all think. We either have a mole in our midst or one of us has had his cover blown." Lysander's tone hardened. "This is the reason why none of our investigations into the kidnapping have wielded results. All of us were looking at the wrong direction. The goal of the abduction wasn't to gain Estrella's hand in marriage and become her co-ruler. They wanted to kidnap Estrella in order to find the laboratory—-"
Estrella could feel herself paling as she realized what Lysander was saying. "They wanted to destroy the laboratory," she whispered sickly. Because the ones pulling the strings were the creatures the laboratory had been designed to kill.
Vampires.
Chapter Twelve
Lysander still wasn't back yet. He had excused himself after dinner, saying he needed to shift and look around the property to see how secure it was. The words seemed plausible enough, but she just wasn't buying it, even with the tender way he had placed a kiss on the top of her head before leaving, and not even when the gesture had the twins shaking their heads with disbelief.
It just shows how cold and reserved the prince used to be, Aluin had remarked dryly, that soul fusing with an ancient beast actually made him more human.
And maybe that was true, but...she just couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more to it. After all, if it were up to the beast inside him, Lysander would be glued to her side day and night. So him choosing to be alone...something was definitely up. Her wifely intuition-—
*insert internal squealing*
You'll have me deaf before the year ends, ma belle etoile.
Lysander's murmur in her mind had Estrella gasping and she whirled around just in time to see his beastly form climb up the balcony before shifting mid-walk as he strode inside the bedroom.
Estrella still couldn't help fanning herself as her husband stood naked in front of her. He had already been impossibly gorgeous and sexy when she first met him, but now he was a thousand times hotter, and it wasn't just because he had grown stronger and more powerful. In the past, his grief and bitterness over his family's demise had created a vein of vulnerability inside of him, and his attempt to bury it under his stiff pride had only served to weaken and isolate him.
But now...he was different.
It was as if all those days he had spent battling against Ammon had brought him to his knees, humbled him to the point that he was forced to accept all his flaws - and claw past it. Even though she and the twins hadn't spoken about it, Estrella knew the two men had also noticed the changes in him. The old Lysander would have very much minded that the world knew Estrella to be the ruler of Faes now, not him. The old Lysander would have felt insulted that the twins wished more time to test his hold on his beast, and the old Lysander would have certainly baulked when the twins also suggested that he keep a low profile for the time being.
But most importantly of all, the old Lysander would have still been hung up over Misty...
