Lucien led me through the Cullen house like it was a museum and I was the only guest on the private tour. He didn't need to touch me to make his presence known he hovered close enough that the air between us felt charged, like static before a storm. Sometimes he was a step ahead, guiding me with an easy turn of his head, other times a half-step behind, his gaze a quiet weight at the back of my neck. Either way, I was acutely aware of him, every second.
"This way," he murmured, voice a low, velvety thread that tugged me forward before my feet even moved. His amber eyes flicked to mine briefly, as if checking if I was still with him. Spoiler: I was. Barely.
We passed a hallway, his hand lifting casually an elegant, silent wave that seemed to say not for mortal eyes. Bedrooms, I guessed. Private spaces. Secrets. The thought made my curiosity itch, but before I could ask, he was already leading me somewhere else.
He stopped in front of double doors and pushed them open, revealing a wide, airy room filled with light. At the center stood a grand piano, polished so thoroughly it looked like it could swallow sunlight.
"Edward's," Lucien said, his voice carrying a soft note of pride, like he was describing a family heirloom. His fingers brushed over the lid with reverence. "He plays beautifully. The whole house listens when he does."
I nodded, swallowing against the sudden lump in my throat. Of course Edward would have a dramatic piano room. If there was ever a contest for brooding aesthetic, he'd win without trying. What's next? A violin closet?
Lucien chuckled, low and amused, and the sound made heat bloom in my chest. My thought hadn't been spoken out loud. At least, I didn't think it had.
Then he tilted his head, his smile lazy and knowing. "And mine," he said simply, turning toward another door.
He opened it, and my breath caught.
His room was not what I expected. Instead of sleek modernism or cold minimalism, it was warm. Earthy browns, natural textures, sunlight pouring in through large windows that seemed to welcome the forest inside. It smelled faintly of cedar, like the woods after rain. But what immediately caught my eye wasn't the cozy palette or the generous space it was the bed. A large, plush looking bed, the kind you could lose hours in.
Thank God. Relief sighed through me. At least he has a bed. For a second, I thought he'd go full Edward and show me a couch. Crisis averted.
"You look relieved," Lucien teased, his tone laced with quiet amusement as he stepped inside. He leaned casually against the bedpost, like he belonged there, like the whole room was built around him. "Did you expect a dungeon?"
I raised a brow, lips twitching. "Honestly? I thought you'd pull the whole no-furniture minimalist act. Maybe a coffin in the corner. Just to stay on brand."
That earned me a laugh smooth, rich, warm in a way that shouldn't have made my knees feel weak, but did. His laughter wasn't mocking. It wrapped around me, intimate, like he'd let me in on some secret.
"A coffin," he repeated, shaking his head slowly. His eyes glinted, sharp and golden, but softened when they met mine. "I'll keep the coffin in storage, then. Wouldn't want to scare you off too soon."
There it was again. That subtle edge to his words half playful half serious. Always a little flirty, but never careless. He spoke like he had all the time in the world like he could wait for me to catch up, but he wasn't hiding that he wanted me to.
And standing there, in his room filled with light and warmth and a bed that was far too inviting, I realized something unsettling:
Lucien wasn't just showing me the house.
He was showing me his world.
By the time Lucien and I circled back downstairs, the dining table was already set, a warm spread laid out like something from a glossy magazine. Bella sat stiffly in her chair, posture awkward, like someone had pressed her into the seat and told her not to move.
Esme's smile was immediate, radiant and maternal as she spotted us. "There you are," she said, her tone kind enough to melt some of my tension. "I was just about to send Alice to fetch you. Please, sit. I hope you're hungry."
Hungry didn't even begin to cover it. My stomach gave an embarrassingly loud growl as if it had been waiting for permission. Bella glanced at me, her lips twitching like she wanted to laugh, and we both slid into our seats.
I couldn't help but notice how pristine everyone else's plates were untouched, perfectly staged. Too perfect. I raised a brow, my fork hovering. "You're… not eating?"
Carlisle offered a practiced, polite smile, the kind only doctors and saints seemed to manage. "We already had something earlier."
Internally, my brain chimed in helpfully: Yeah, sure. Something with a pulse.
I cleared my throat and stabbed at the roast like I was in a food commercial. "Well..more for me then," I said brightly, digging in before my brain could remind me how awkward this was.
Bella followed my lead, picking delicately at her food, and within minutes I found myself gushing like some overeager restaurant critic.
"This is amazing," I said around a mouthful, probably breaking ten etiquette rules in one sentence. "Seriously, Esme, you could open a restaurant. Like a Michelin star one. Do they even have those in Forks?"
Esme's eyes softened with pleasure, her smile brightening as if I'd just handed her the world. "Thank you, dear. I'm so glad you like it."
Her warmth filled the room, making me feel… strangely at home, despite the whole vampire family watching me chew thing.
Alice joined in with her usual sparkle, chattering away about little things colors she thought would suit me, random snippets of school gossip. Jasper's voice was quieter, his southern lilt soothing, like background music designed to ease nerves. Every so often, Lucien slipped in a comment, low and steady, and each time it sent a little ripple down my spine if I wasn't careful.
Emmett and Rosalie were conspicuously absent, and honestly? Probably for the best. I didn't think I had the energy to endure Rosalie's glare a second time tonight.
The meal lingered pleasantly until Bella, looking more anxious by the second, finally set her fork down and cleared her throat. "We should probably get going. Charlie'll be waiting."
Reluctantly, I nodded, pushing back my chair. "Yeah. Good idea." My nerves were practically clocking out for the night, begging for pajamas and a lock on my bedroom door.
But when I stood, I caught Lucien's expression subtle, but unmistakable. His lips curved politely, but his eyes… his eyes said he wasn't ready for me to leave just yet. The weight of his gaze made me falter for a second before grabbing my bag.
Outside, the whole thing turned into a formal procession. Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, and Lucien escorted us like we were royalty being seen off, their figures framed in the porch light. The night air was cool, brushing over my skin, and the woods surrounding the house seemed even darker now quiet and endless.
Bella slipped quickly into the passenger seat, relief flickering across her face. I was halfway into my own seat when Lucien's voice cut through the night.
"Wait."
The single word froze me in place. I turned slowly, heart skipping that inconvenient, traitorous beat.
Lucien stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets like he had all the time in the world, but his gaze stayed locked on mine. "Your number." He said it casually almost offhand but there was a weight to it, like it wasn't really a request.
I blinked, fumbling with my phone, suddenly all thumbs. We exchanged digits, the soft glow of my screen the only light between us. When it was done, he smiled slow, deliberate, knowing.
"Goodnight, Amara," he said, his voice wrapping around my name like it belonged to him already.
"Yeah," I breathed, sliding into my seat before I could combust. "Goodnight."
Bella and I both gave a quick wave as I started the car. The Cullens stood there, lined up like a glossy farewell committee, their elegant silhouettes framed in the golden porch light.
The drive back was quieter, the night pressing in with a kind of weight the radio couldn't quite push back. The trees loomed on either side, shadows pooling like ink, and for a moment I could swear the woods were watching us.
Finally, Bella broke the silence, her voice hesitant. "Alice showed me some clothes." She still sounded baffled, like she wasn't sure if she'd dreamed it.
Clothes. Of course. Totally normal. Nothing to see here.
Funny, I thought, my eyes on the winding road. I didn't see those graduation caps from the movies anywhere. Probably shoved into storage the second they realized humans were coming. Sneaky.
"Clothes, huh?" I said lightly, turning the radio up just enough to drown the silence. "Better than being locked in a dungeon."
Bella shot me a sidelong look, but didn't argue. We let the radio fill the car, a steady hum of voices and music carrying us the rest of the way home.
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