Awakening From Ashes

Chapter 7: The Art of Seduction

The next day had come by quickly and by the time Grace had called Lucas’ room to tell him that someone was downstairs waiting for him, he was ready. Lucas grabbed his bags and headed downstairs, ready to start his new day in the same house he was mistreated in. 

“Damien Knox?” The man downstairs asked Lucas as he reached the lobby.

“Yes. Did Mr. Tobias send you?” Lucas asked, eyeing the man up and down. 

“He did. Come with me.”

Lucas waved to Grace for the last time before following the man outside and getting into the car that was waiting for them outside the building. As per the man’s request, Lucas sat in the back seat of the car.

“There's bottled water and complimentary drinks in there if you want any. Courtesy of Mr. Graham.” The driver piped up, causing Lucas’ attention to turn towards the little snack box that sat in the middle of the SUV. He took one of the bottles, opened the cap and drank some water, feeling a bit refreshed after he did.

The car moved on, weaving through the small traffic and dodging large vehicles for about ten minutes before Lucas noticed that something was wrong.

“Why are we going the wrong way? The mansion is on 6th Street.” He asked the driver who looked at him through the rear-view mirror and shrugged. 

“The 6th is closed. Construction on the Maryland building.” The man explained.

Lucas took the explanation with a grain of salt but still leaned back in the seat and relaxed, trusting the man for the meantime. The car went on but still, Lucqas had a sinking feeling that the driver was hiding something. Just then the car took another wrong turn at the intersection.

You were meant to turn left.

”Lucas pointed out just as the car went right.

The driver said nothing and kept on driving, ignoring Lucas’ words. Lucas frowned, his hands instinctively going for the door handle of the car. He pulled at it, but the door didn’t budge. He was locked in with no way out. 

“Hey. Where are you taking me?” He questioned the man once more, feeling adrenaline rise up in his bloodstream.

“Just lay back and rest, Mr. Damien. It’ll kick in soon.” He said with a stoic face.

Lucas had had enough of the vague talk so he did what anyone in his position would do. He used his gifts. Water appeared out of thin air from Lucas’ fingers, and he sent them towards the driver as a means to restrain him so that he could pull over, stop the car, and he could escape, but before it could reach the man, the water fizzled out and disappeared.

“What the hell?” Lucas mumbled to himself before he tried it again, but this time, his gift didn’t even work. 

Lucas’ eyes went heavy and his throat closed up, making his head spin.

“What the hell is going on?” Lucas asked, his words slurred as if he was drunk on wine.

“Rest Mr. Damien. You’ll wake up soon.” The driver’s voice reached Lucas’ ears in a distorted tone. He glanced at the bottle of water and that’s when he had the realization of what was happening. They had drugged him with the water. Why would they do that?

Lucas fell back on the seat like he had no power, his mind going back to how Nicole had poisoned him the last time with a glass of wine. He regretted falling for the same trick again and, although he was sure that this wasn’t the same poison they had put in the water because he felt no pain, he was sure that they were up to something more sinister. In the end, Lucas succumbed to whatever the hell they had given him and closed his eyes, his mind drifting far away.

                                                                         

Lucas’ eyes opened and he groaned. His body ached but at least his vision wasn’t swimming anymore. The first thing he realized was that he was on something soft, like a bed. He got up from whatever it was he was lying on and took a look around in slight surprise. 

What he felt was right. He was in bed all right. A queen-sized bed no less. No restraints? He thought to himself, knowing fully well that if he really was kidnapped then they would have at least tried to keep him from escaping somehow. Unless there was something else at play.

Lucas glanced around the room, his brows furrowed in confusion when he realized that he was in no prison or dungeon. In fact, he was in a normal bedroom with bright lights. Just what the hell was going on here?

He had a question and just as quickly as he asked it, someone with the answer arrived. The door to the room opened and in walked Emilia Lockhart, or should I say Emilia Graham, with a small smile on her face. 

Lucas grimaced at the sight of her, having an inkling that she had already found him out before he even had the chance to have his revenge. He was about to speak first and maybe even use his fists on her if she attacked him first, when Emilia spoke up, changing his mind.

“Damien. You’re finally awake.” She said as she glided towards him with a glass of orange juice in her hands. The name she called Lucas alone was enough to tell him that he was in the clear with her. So, why was he in here with her?

Lucas raised a brow at her words and stood up straight.

“You brought me here?” He asked her.

Emilia smiled and dropped the glass in her hand on the nightstand before turning her attention back to him.

“I did. Forgive my crude manners, but I didn’t want Tobias to know about this little meeting. I hope you can understand that?” She explained.

“You drugged me and brought me here against my will,” Lucas shot back, rightfully pissed off about his current situation.

Emilia rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her waist.

“I’m sure Tobias warned you to stay away from me already. If that’s the case, would you have come here if I called for you, knowing that my son would most likely rip your head off if he found out?” She asked him, curious to know his answer.

Lucas hesitated to give her one and instead replied to her with a question of his own.

“Why did you bring me here then?”

“What do you think?” Emilia retorted as she walked closer to him, her hands resting on his chest when she reached him. 

Lucas stood in place with multiple emotions going through his mind at the moment. Confusion, disgust and anger to name a few. Why the hell was she touching him? He pulled her hand off of him and took a step back from her.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.” He said, wanting to be respectful and at the same time set up some boundaries between them. He was not ready to start a relationship with the woman who most likely sent out the order to have him and his mother executed. Plus, he couldn’t jeopardize his place in the mansion when he had already gotten so close.

Emilia chuckled and matched his pace, taking another step closer to him with a sly smile.

“I kind of like it when you play coy.” She teased him, but Lucas just stared at her, genuinely not getting at what she was saying. It was obvious that she wanted more than just a boss and bodyguard relationship with him, but he didn’t know where she got the idea from that he would also be into it. 

Emilia frowned.

“You looked at me during the last examination. You stared at me with want. Is this not what you wanted?” She asked him, her voice giving off a bit of anger and frustration as she seemed to be lashing out. Lucas raised his hands in a form of surrender as he spoke up.

“There must have been some misunderstanding, Mrs. Graham. I only looked at you because you were stunning, and you reminded me of my dead mother.” What he said was far from the truth, but it was the only thing he could think of to explain why he was staring at her so intently yesterday.

Emilia paused and straightened her shoulders. 

“Aside from the dreary fact that you said I remind you of your mother, you mentioned that I’m stunning.”  She said, moving closer to Lucas with a predatory look in her eye. 

Lucas stood still as she put her hands on him and trailed her finger on his jaw line.

“You know, I could make you a very rich man, Damien. All you have to do is be mine.” She told him, her voice sultry and soft. 

Lucas stayed calm and fought the urge to vomit as he gave her an answer.

“I’ll lose my job because of this.”

“So? You can still be my play toy. Plus, I’ll make sure that you have everything you need. You needn’t work anymore.” Emilia purred into his ear. 

Lucas shivered, wondering if this was how Emilia seduced his father before they usurped his mother as the woman of the house. 

“I’m sorry Mrs. Graham. I can’t.” Lucas told her shortly. 

Emilia pulled away from him and pouted, her face turning red at the fact that Lucas was still turning her down.

“Do you know the extent of what I just offered you? A life without having to worry about money or a roof over your head. I am offering you the world, and you turn it down like it’s worthless. Like it’s nothing.” She shouted at him, evidently fuming.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot accept it,” Lucas mentioned with his head turned to the ground and his hands balled up into fists.

He heard footsteps before he felt Emilia’s hands on his chin, lifting his head up to meet hers. Her once soft eyes were icy and harsh, showing that she was pissed off.

“Tobias may have hired you to work for him, but know that from today henceforth you will have no peace in that mansion  for what you’ve done here today. Mark my words. I will get you fired.” Emilia threatened him in one breath before she turned around and stormed out of the room.

When she disappeared behind the door, Lucas finally let out the breath he was holding. Not only had he been drugged and kidnapped on his first day of work, but he had also been offered money for sexual favors by his boss’s mother. His skin crawled. He knew that it wasn’t going to be easy to work for them, but he didn’t expect it to be this crazy. How dysfunctional were these people? And in addition to that, Emilia hating him now would pose future problems. He wasn't sure how he was going to get around them, but anything else was a good alternative than giving her what she wanted.

Lucas looked around the room once more and frowned. Now that he was there alone with no idea where he was, how was he going to get out and find his way back to the mansion? This was a horrible start to his day.