《The Beauty the Hunter and the Hunted》


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    Chapter One: Lilith


    ¡°Not a damn vampire in sight,¡± Lilith sighed, ¡°Hunter''s not going to like this.¡±


    Lilith and her Yorkshire Terrier, Cinnamon made their way home, the sound of crunching leaves soothed the psychic¡¯s nerves, which were rattled tonight by the lack of potential clients. Autumn had always been her favorite time of year, because the weather was cool enough to enjoy coffee, and the city began to crawl with new faces. The fall semester at the local university was underway, ensuring her a steady stream of income. To succeed in her line of work, networking with new people was a must, but today''s walk was a total flop.


    Undercover as a local pet groomer, Lilith had integrated herself into the city and knew many of the locals by name. She often handed out business cards for her cover business, but to her and Cinnamon, their evening walks were much more important than finding animal lovers who wanted their pets pampered. It was about paranormal pest control.


    Lilith had been grooming dogs for a few years, but she had worked for Hunter Lingston for nearly a decade now. She acted as his family¡¯s resident psychic, providing a unique and rare perspective. It was a career that had given her more money than she knew what to do with, but it came with its own unique set of moral scruples: Lilith had to be okay with accepting blood money.


    As a child, she often wondered how those employed in the pest control business slept at night, because after all not everything they killed were creepy crawlies. Customers would call them out for mice, possums, badgers, and even raccoons. Now two decades later Lilith knew how they dealt with it: They didn''t. It was that simple. She did her job and didn''t allow herself to think much about it anymore.


    Lilith and Cinnamon walked past a teenage girl asking for money.


    ¡°Can you help me?¡± The girl asked Lilith, ¡°I really want to go to the concert tonight, but I''m eight dollars short. They''re my favorite band, and I''d do just about anything to see them.¡±


    Lilith smiled at the girl, remembering what it was like to be a poor kid, trying to scheme her way into being able to enjoy life.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Lilith said winking at her.


    She reached into her purse and handed the girl a folded hundred dollar bill.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± The girl asked, wide-eyed.


    ¡°Go enjoy your show,¡± Lilith smiled, walking away.


    Lilith remembered when she was nothing more than an awkward gothic teenager, who had been cursed with what she considered to be the most boring psychic abilities known to mankind. She possessed a limited ability to communicate with animals, although she fared better with domestics, than wilds. The only other thing Lilith''s abilities allowed her to do was spot a non-human a mile away, not that anyone believed her. Her hard-working single mother believed she was lost to the world of the goth sub-culture, and making up her own reality to escape the poverty that surrounded them. Lilith didn''t blame her mother for thinking she was delusional; she had pondered her sanity many times, at least until she met Hunter Lingston.


    When Hunter Lingston had first approached her after school, Lilith fled from him. Her mother had taught her to be cautious of strangers, and Hunter looked intimidating in his starched Armani suit and tie. He had invited her to take a ride in his limo and talk about a business opportunity.


    ¡°Yea, not happening!¡± Lilith said as she backed away.


    Lilith had ran from him, fleeing the two miles to the safety of the cafe where her mother worked on foot, but Hunter had beat her there. She arrived to find him talking animatedly with her mother, who wore an unusual expression of happiness that made her cringe. Lilith felt helpless when her mother told her to make nice and take him to the staff room for a chat. Would her mother sink that low? Even if she would, Lilith had other plans for her future. This want-to-be pimp would just take his ''business opportunities'' somewhere else.


    ¡°Lilith, I have a business opportunity that you might be interested in,¡± Hunter said smiling at her.


    ¡°Uh-huh, I''m sure you do,¡± Lilith said rolling her eyes, ¡°Listen up, I have no interest in you or your business. I''m not a hooker, a street walker, a prostitute, or whatever they''re called these days, so bug off.¡±


    Hunter laughed, sending a bolt of anger through Lilith''s stomach. He wasn''t taking her serious.


    ¡°Not what I had in mind for you, Lilith. Not at all. My family is not in the business of flesh trade, not exactly anyway. You see, I''m really in need of a psychic¡¯s help,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Well, you better look somewhere else, if you want to know the winning lotto numbers or something like that. Because in case you haven''t noticed, my powers haven''t brought me or my mom any fame or fortune. Hang on a minute! What do you mean exactly?¡± Lilith asked, ¡°Better yet, how do you know I''m a psychic?¡±


    ¡°I know you''re a psychic, because I''ve worked with many of your kind during my life time, but I''ve only ever met one other that had your unique abilities,¡± Hunter told, ¡°You see, Lilith, my family and I have need of those abilities. There hasn''t been another born with your power for one hundred-fifty years. That''s a long time, Lilith, and our family has suffered many losses, since that young lady left our employment.¡±


    ¡°Left your employment?¡± she asked arching a brow, ¡°You''re not giving me many reasons to trust you are you big guy?¡±


    ¡°She passed away. It''s something humans have a terrible habit of doing,¡± Hunter said smiling


    ¡°What kind of hole in the wall marketing scheme are you trying to run here? I''ve been approached by other jackasses before, and I''m not buying it. I''m not going to help you rip anyone off, you''re wasting your time,¡± Lilith said and crossed her arms.


    ¡°It''s not like that at all. It''s not a marketing scheme or any type of scheme. We''re in the business of vampire hunting,¡± Hunter grinned at her.


    Lilith noticed how nice, straight, and white his teeth were, and decided he must be as well off as he looked, because only rich people could afford to keep their teeth looking that nice. After a few more moments of studying him, Lilith realized why she was weary of Hunter. He wasn''t human. Non-humans had always made her nervous. Hunter was a werewolf. Lilith was angry with herself for not noticing when he first approached her, because if she had she would have socked him in the nose. As a hard-nosed rule, Lilith avoided non-humans at all costs, because most of them knew instinctively that she was a psychic. After she had the experience of wasting an afternoon, because a faerie stole her back-pack, she decided nothing good came of mingling with them. She had to resign to the fact they existed, but she didn''t have to like it.


    ¡°And why do you hunt vampires? Are you trying to pull me into one of your bullshit territory wars? ¡± Lilith asked, pursing her lips.


    Growing up she had seen too many wars between different groups of non-humans. They would fight over anything, and nothing at all, but most of the time it was over territory.


    ¡°No, it''s not over territory. My family''s feud goes back generations, but it has never been over something as silly as territory. Vampires only bring misery to those unfortunate enough to encounter them,¡± he said, ¡°You may not believe that now, and I hope that you can keep your innocent mind set forever, but if you ever do encounter one you will experience the truth first hand.¡±


    Lilith rolled her eyes. In her experience it was contact with any non-human that caused that, not just vampires, but Hunter had stroked her curiosity. What the hell was he wanting her to do?


    ¡°Okay, so what would I be doing for you exactly, Mr...?¡± Lilith asked, and then realized she hadn''t asked his name, and he hadn''t offered it.


    ¡°Just call me Hunter, all my friends do, and I think we will be the best of friends in the future,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°All I would require you to do would be to keep your eyes open for me. If you come across a vampire, you just have to let me know. The more information that you can gather about them, the higher the pay will be of course. It''s easy enough and your hands will remain clean. My family prefers to handle the dirty work ourselves; in fact we take pleasure in it.¡±


    His personality made her queasy, but she needed the money. Lilith and her mother lived in the poorest part of town, and most of her meals consisted of school food and leftovers from the cafe. After all she wasn''t aligning herself with him; she was just using him to improve her own life. Wasn''t she? It wasn''t like she cared about the vampires, but she didn''t care about the werewolves either. She was a free agent and nothing more.


    ¡°I don''t really encounter very many vampires,¡± Lilith admitted, ¡°I''m a high-school kid, or haven''t you noticed?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but if you were able to go more places: the movies, the mall, maybe vacation at the beach in the next town over. If you were able to do those things I bet you would encounter more vampires than you think,¡± he said, giving Lilith a smile that looked too predatory for her liking.


    ¡°But I can''t,¡± Lilith said, ¡°I don''t have the luxury of any of that rich-kid-crap.¡±


    ¡°If you were on my payroll you could,¡± Hunter said tapping his large beefy fingers on the table.


    ¡°But I''d have to find you a vampire first, right?¡± She said with a sarcastic smile.


    ¡°No, Lilith, what I''m offering you is five grand a week, just to be on the lookout. Plus another twenty grand for every vampire you find. Thirty if you give me enough information to make their capture easy and of course once you move out on your own we can talk about a raise. I can add in extra money if it''s needed to convince your mother. I know how parents can be,¡± Hunter said trying to act as if he could relate to her situation.


    Hunter''s tone of voice reminded Lilith of those people who call you in the middle of dinner trying to sell you time share vacation homes in crappy locations. She studied him hard, and he looked pretty honest, for a werewolf that is. Hunter wasn''t trying to sugar coat the situation. He wanted her to find him vampires to kill. It was simple enough.


    ¡°Can''t you guys sniff out vampires? Aren''t werewolves supposed to have like a super sense of smell or something?¡± She asked.

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    ¡°Indeed, we do, Lilith, but we also have other more legal business matters to attend to, and think about it for a moment. How odd would we look walking around sniffing those we encountered?¡± Hunter asked.


    He admitted it was illegal.


    ¡°Fair enough, but why vampires? Why not faeries, gnomes, or like other weres?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Because the vampires are the only ones who have given my family a reason to loathe their existence,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Fair enough, I''ll bite. Show me the money. I want to see cash, not a check,¡± Lilith demanded.


    ¡°My type of lady,¡± Hunter said winking at her, ¡°I think you''ll do very well in our business.¡±


    Hunter placed his briefcase on the table and opened it. Not caring much what he thought, Lilith counted it out. He wasn''t lying. The briefcase contained exactly five thousand dollars. The money changed Lilith''s life forever. Her mother and she were able to move into a nicer apartment, and Lilith, now being able to do the normal activities of a teenager, found making friends was second nature to her, but none of those friendships had ever lasted. One time of having to help aid in the capture, torture, and murder of a friend''s relative was enough to bring Lilith back to reality, but it was too late. She was ass deep in werewolves, and quitting wasn''t an option, at least it wasn''t if she wanted to stay alive.


    Melissa and Lilith had taken to one another, as teenage girls with common interests are prone to do. They could have stayed good friends for many years, if Lilith had been able to look her in the eye after sentencing her step-father to his death. Lilith met him a few months after she began to hang out with Melissa. It had been a hard call for her to make, but her mother was behind on the car payments and they desperately needed the money. Lilith was learning that receiving an increase in their income quickly set them on the path of spending money they didn''t actually have yet. She traded her friendship for thirty grand, and the promise of her own car by Christmas, but Lilith still didn''t feel right about her decision. Hunter assured her that the first time was always the most difficult. It would become easier in time.


    ¡°Mom, I don''t want to work for Hunter anymore!¡± Lilith blurted out during dinner.


    ¡°Dear, it can''t be that hard. After all you''re just ease-dropping on animals for him,¡± her mother said frowning.


    ¡°Mom, I.. Can I be excused?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Sure, honey. Why don''t you go for a walk to see what the squirrels are chatting about,¡± her mother suggested.


    To protect the privacy of her employer, Lilith was forbidden to tell anyone, even her own mother, the true nature of her employment. Doing so would result in her immediate termination. Lilith often feared that it would be more than just her job that was terminated. Lilith discovered that Lingstons were not a family to mess with, and often found herself wishing she hadn''t been so naive. Nothing was free, and while the pay was great, the mental anguish wasn''t. She wasn''t using Hunter. He was exploiting her gifts. Most nights Lilith would wake screaming from dreams filled with bloody images of Melissa''s step-father''s murder.


    Lilith walked to the park close by their new home and flopped into a swing. Tears rolled down her cheeks and onto the ground. Since beginning to work for Hunter, Lilith felt increasingly isolated. There was not another living creature she could be herself around, and besides who would want to be friends with her if they knew she was an accessory to murder? She didn''t even like herself.


    Lilith was startled and had to grip the chains of the swing to stop herself from toppling off of it. Hunter appeared out of nowhere, like he did more often than not. His face was twisted into its usual unnatural grin, which made Lilith want to flee from his sight.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Lilith,¡± he said, ¡°I''ve brought you a present. I was walking by the pet store and couldn''t resist the temptation.¡±


    Lilith arched an eyebrow wondering if he planned to leash her or something just as insane. After all, Hunter seemed to believe that he owned her now.


    Her worries fell away when Hunter pulled a tiny cinnamon colored Yorkshire Terrier out of his coat.


    ¡°She looked like she could use a friend as much as you can,¡± he said putting the puppy in her arms.


    ¡°Thank you, Hunter!¡± Lilith said and gave her employer a quick hug.


    ¡°Hi!¡± Cinnamon said wagging her tail.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Lilith answered, ¡°What''s your name?¡±


    ¡°Name? What''s a name?¡± the puppy asked tilting it''s too big head to one side.


    ¡°A name is what you are called. I''m Lilith,¡± she explained.


    ¡°I don''t have one of those!¡± the little dog squeaked, ¡°Is that bad?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lilith laughed, ¡°I''ll give you one. How about I call you Cinnamon?¡±


    ¡°I like that!¡± the puppy said wagging her tail.


    As Cinnamon grew up, she and Lilith became inseparable. Every evening the pair went on a walk to look for vampires. Together they had become pretty observant, finding at least two a month. In their early days of scouring the town for vampires, Lilith and Cinnamon thought that surely the Lingstons would eventually kill off the whole species and they would be out of a job, they had underestimated just how many vampires the world was home to.


    Somehow Cinnamon''s company relaxed Lilith. Having someone to share her dirty secrets made her job easier to bear.


    After years of practice, Lilith could spot one without trying. In her early days of working for Hunter, her gift would kink up at times. Lilith always blamed it on her nerves. There had been a few vampires she wasn''t sure about so she never reported them to Hunter. She would have hated to sign the death warrant of an innocent person, and once she let a guilty person go.


    Lilith had stumbled upon a man and woman making out in an alley way. She walked by and immediately knew that he was a vampire, and the young woman was about to become his willing victim. She bared her throat to him and wrapped her legs around him. The scene had made Lilith blush, so she hurried away. Lilith was punching in Hunter''s number when the woman came chasing after her.


    ¡°Please don''t!¡± she begged, ¡°I''m a psychic, too. I know what you are. Please don''t. I love him! Damn to hell, I love Richard!¡±


    Lilith blinked at her, wondering if she was entranced or telling the truth, but after what she had eye witnessed in the alleyway, she figured the lady was most likely telling the truth. Lilith never understood vampire groupies, but she guessed that everyone had the right to be crazy in their own way.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Lilith said rolling her eyes, ¡°but if his little vampire cronies come after me, I''m turning over your description too.¡±


    ¡°They won''t, I promise!¡± the lady said and tried to hug Lilith.


    ¡°Don''t touch me!¡± Lilith warned and balled her fists.


    ¡°Okay, sorry,¡± the lady cried, ¡°Here take this, as a thank you.¡±


    She shoved a ring into Lilith''s hand and ran off. Lilith looked at the ring in her hand and was confused. At first she had feared it was a method of tracking her, but once a few months had passed without incident she wore it proudly. After all, she had given up quite a chunk of change by not turning that vampire over to Hunter.


    Lilith thought vampires were easily spotted in a crowd, because their beauty was unnatural. It radiated through the crowds, entrancing those around them. Lilith was grateful that she had never been affected by them the way most mortals were. Often she compared their beauty to that of large cats. Beautiful, breath taking, but always hungry and fickle in nature. Vampires tended to seduce and then kill, like a cat playing with its food. Over the years it had become her inside joke, and Cinnamon had come to enjoy chasing down cats with her. The pair was content with their simple, but sometimes exciting lives.


    Several of her clients had offered to introduce her to eligible men, and even Hunter had tried to match-make Lilith to his own relatives, but she always politely declined. The thought of marrying a werewolf made Lilith cringe, and Cinnamon''s teasing never helped.


    ¡°It would definitely be a furry experience!¡± Cinnamon howled in laughter.


    Lilith couldn''t imagine trying to find time for a relationship. Her two occupations kept her busy and sleepless most nights, but it was more than that.


    ¡°Any one I''m around with is in danger,¡± Lilith had told Cinnamon, ¡°Either from Hunter if they find out, or the vampires if they ever discover my identity.¡±


    ¡°We''ll never have puppies!¡± Cinnamon whined.


    ¡°Afraid not girl,¡± Lilith had told her.


    Cinnamon''s whines drew Lilith back into the present. Their evening walk had proven to be a failure. The pair had only encountered humans and one werewolf that Cinnamon swore Hunter had sent to spy on them, but neither of those species would increase Lilith''s net-worth.


    Sighing, Lilith asked, ¡°What do you think about going to the lake this weekend, Cinnamon? I bet we can make all sorts of new friends, maybe even some with cats that we can challenge to a game of chase?¡±


    To anyone else, she would sound just like any other pet-lover talking to their dog, and Cinnamon''s tail wagging response would be seen as her love for her owner. Though to Lilith, Cinnamon''s whines and body language told Lilith much more than any passerby could have imagined. It told Lilith that the lake would be colder than she liked, but this time of year it would be crawling with tourist. Where tourists are, vampires were always close by. They liked to vacation just like everyone else. Not to mention traveling around offered them a more varied diet. Lilith figured that vampires liked variety as much as humans did. She shrugged and they continued their walk home.


    Caught up in her conversation with her four-legged companion, Lilith almost walked into a very tall man carrying what looked to be a very heavy box. Only Cinnamon''s insistence that she stop saved Lilith from what could have been a very painful experience. Moments like this made Lilith grateful that she could understand animals.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± she said blushing at her clumsiness, ¡°I''m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Not a problem,¡± the man said, and sat the box down on the curb.

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    Lilith gave the man a quick once over. He had a lean muscular build, thick brown hair, green eyes, and a smile that made her weak in the knees.


    ¡°They don''t make ''em like this very often,¡± she thought to herself.


    She smiled at him and extended her free hand.


    ¡°I''m Lilith. Are you moving in?¡± she asked.


    Lilith immediately felt stupid for asking such a question. Why in the hell would he be hauling boxes inside if he wasn''t moving in?


    ¡°Lance,¡± he said and took her hand.


    Instead of shaking it, he brought it gently to his lips and kissed it. Lilith had to bite the side of her jaw to keep from giggling like a school girl. Lance''s lips felt warm against her skin and sent a wave of sexual tingles through her body.


    ¡°And yes, I''m moving in apartment 207,¡± he confirmed.


    ¡°Awesome!¡± she said grinning, ¡°I live in 208.¡±


    ¡°Cool, so we''re like right next door to one another, right?¡± He asked locking eyes with her.


    Their conversation seemed light, but the looks passing between them were anything but. His intense gaze sent a chill down Lilith''s spine, making her want to rub her thighs together, to soothe her throbbing clit. She had never been this attracted to anyone, but just talking to Lance was making her wet.


    ¡°Yea, we''ll have to get together some time and hang out,¡± Lilith said with confidence that hadn''t always come easily to her.


    Even now, Lilith would usually go out of her way to avoid talking to men, because it always ended awkwardly at the point they asked about her career. She had never felt right about lying to a potential suitor; it was bad for a relationship. If she couldn''t be honest with her lover, then she didn''t need one.


    ¡°I''d like that,¡± Lance said as he bent down to pet Cinnamon.


    ¡°A man that likes dogs, this could be promising,¡± Lilith thought to herself.


    The Yorkie wagged her tail and licked at his hand in a friendly gesture, but Lilith noticed she looked more intense than usual. Cinnamon didn''t like strangers touching her, but she wasn''t so wide-eyed.


    ¡°She''s a friendly girl,¡± he smiled at Lilith.


    ¡°Yea, Cinnamon loves to meet new people,¡± Lilith said, thankful that Cinnamon was playing nice, even if she were uncomfortable.


    Most of the time Cinnamon wasn''t pleasant to anyone but her, unless it was work related. Maybe it was a sign from the gods. Maybe Mr. Green Eyes could be ''the one.'' Lilith mentally scolded herself for even having the thought. When a girl was in the business of killing, she didn''t have the luxury of finding ''the one.''


    Cinnamon turned to Lilith and jumped up on her leg wagging her tail.


    ¡°My show is going to be on soon,¡± she whined.


    Lilith laughed silently swearing that she had to have the only dog in the world that liked to watch television. If Cinnamon missed one of her shows she would be irritable for days.


    ¡°Well, I better finish getting this stuff up stairs,¡± Lance said and bent down to retrieve his box.


    ¡°Do you need any help?¡± Lilith offered, much to Cinnamon''s annoyance.


    ¡°No, but thank you. I only have a few more boxes,¡± Lance said as he walked away into the building and pressed the button for the elevator.


    Lilith and Cinnamon took the stairs as they always did. They were an active pair that enjoyed the exercise, and in their line of business they had to stay fit. More than once they had been forced to out-distance a vampire that they had wandered too close to, or even worse, a feeding vampire. Lilith hated when that happened. One had tried to bite off her arm when she happened upon him in the alley, feeding from a woman.


    Once they were inside, Lilith turned on the television to the Animal Channel, which was the only channel Cinnamon watched.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Cinnamon exclaimed with a whine jumping onto the sofa. ¡°No freezing our tails off at the lake this weekend! We can stay home and watch tv!¡±


    ¡°What? You think I''m going to cancel our business trip because Mr. Kissed My Hand is moving in next door? He''ll be here when we get back,¡± Lilith said laughing, ¡°and besides, he''s cute, too cute. I bet he has a girlfriend, or is a major player.¡±


    Lance was definitely attractive, but he wasn''t worth losing money for. She and Cinnamon had grown accustomed to their life style, and keeping it depended on finding vampires for the Lingstons to slay. Lilith had accepted the fact that she turned over innocent vampires for money, but was any vampire really innocent?


    ¡°Lilith! Have you lost your mind? He''s a cat! Lance is a cat! Are you blind, human?¡± Cinnamon barked.


    ¡°No!¡± she shook her head, ¡°No way! That''s impossible!¡±


    Cat was their code word for vampire. It was impossible that she had overlooked a detail like that! Even if he made her panties wet, she would have noticed that he wasn''t human. Cinnamon was just teasing her again. Lilith had encountered many vampires and had not been attracted to a single one of them.


    Lilith sprinted to the window and looked out. Lance was carrying his last box inside the building. Lilith glanced at him and knew instantly that Cinnamon was correct. She sank down to the floor holding her stomach in fear she was going to throw-up.


    ¡°I must really be off my game,¡± Lilith sighed, ¡°but that''s just my luck. It always sucks.¡±


    ¡°See, he''s a cat! We don''t have to go anywhere! There''s a special on giraffes on this weekend I want to watch, anyway,¡± Cinnamon said jumping into her lap, ¡°It''s easy money. All you have to do is call Hunter and we''ll be having steak this weekend.¡±


    ¡°The vet said you were eating too much people food,¡± Lilith reminded her.


    ¡°And your vet said you were drinking too much coffee, but I don''t nag you about it,¡± Cinnamon said and trotted off to the sofa as her show began.


    Lilith sighed and headed towards the shower. She should have been thrilled. A vampire moving in next door was an incredible stroke of luck for her and Cinnamon! It was going to be the easiest commission she ever made. Lilith would be able to give the Lingstons his exact location at this very moment. Hunter could send people out to pick him up tonight. That''s what would happen if she reported him anyway, but Lilith wasn''t sure if she was going to.


    ¡°Big cat,¡± She said to herself as she turned on the shower, ¡°Big cats are always beautiful, but they kill just as easily as they purr.¡±


    Lilith allowed the hot water to ease her sore muscles and tried to relax, but the wetness between her legs made it difficult. Her nipples became erect under the water and she sighed in pleasure. It had been too long since she had been laid. Maybe she would head to the bar this weekend while Cinnamon watched her shows, or maybe she''d just slip next door.


    ¡°Stop it, Lilith!¡± she snapped at herself, ¡°Stop it right now. Just masturbate and get it over with! You can call Hunter when you''re done. The only way to beat temptation is to remove it from your sight.¡±


    Lilith''s hands trailed over her body and her thoughts returned to Lance, and she knew she wasn''t going to report him to Hunter. She allowed the taboo of her attraction to stimulate her in ways she had never imagined, as her fingers worked over her hungry clit.


    What would it be like to share a bed with such an unnatural beauty? To revel in the painful pleasure of his fangs piercing her skin, as his manhood penetrated deep into her body?


    Chapter 2: Lance


    ¡°She doesn''t remember anything,¡± Lance said into his cellphone.


    ¡°I told you,¡± his brother, Richard, said from the other end.


    ¡°I know!¡± Lance snapped and balled his free hand into a fist.


    ¡°Death is a fountain that washes away all memories, Lance, and that is the truth of human existence,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°But sometimes psychics are different,¡± Lance retorted.


    ¡°Maybe Lily doesn''t want to remember. Or would have forgotten on purpose,¡± Richard laughed.


    ¡°Asshole!¡± Lance said and ended the call.


    He threw the phone across the room and it landed on the sofa with a soft thud. Lance hadn''t expected Lilith to remember everything, but it stung that she didn''t remember him. It was obvious that she was still attracted to him, which was nice, but he would have liked it if she could have at least remembered him.


    He wasn''t angry at Lilith. No, he wasn''t that selfish, but Lance was angry at those mangy mutts that had taken her from him so long ago. The Lingstons had not only murdered her, but spent the next century trying to track her down. To most people, that would sound insane. After all how hard can it be to track down a dead woman? Very, if you knew the person had been reincarnated.


    Lance had to fight back his urge to punch the wall. It wouldn''t do any good, and it would reveal too much about him. If the vampire had punched the wall he would find himself in the uncomfortable situation of having to explain to the authorities where he had hid the wrecking ball.


    ¡°Why didn''t I search harder?¡± He yelled and balled both fists at his sides.


    Lance knew that he and his family had put every resource at their disposal into finding Lilith, but it hadn''t been enough. Somehow the Lingston hounds had still found her first. They might have never found her at all if Lilith hadn''t stumbled upon Richard and his witch girlfriend, Ginger, in that alleyway. Ginger had returned the black sapphire ring to her, at least. Although, it was only a stroke of luck that Lance had loaned it to her for scrying purposes. At least the fates had been on his side that day.


    Lance knew that he was risking his very existence if things didn''t go well with Lilith. At this very moment she could be on the phone with Hunter, calling down the wrath of the Lingston Hounds, but Lance had family too. In fact, Lance Ragatti had a lot more than just family. He had a large extended family, many of whom had powerful friends.


    Lance busied himself with unpacking his apartment. He didn''t plan on staying long, but he had to make it look as if he was nothing more than another mortal trying to settle into a new home. He unpacked his belongings, which were all new and bought just for the mission. The only thing that was truly his was the painted portrait of Lilith from over a century ago. Even now her appearance hadn''t changed much. Her long hair cascaded in loopy curls down her back, and her blue eyes shined bright with laughter and lust for life.

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    Lance put aside the painting and sighed. He could smell Lilith from here. The sounds of running water let him know that she was taking a shower. He imagined how her nude body would look under the water, as she ran her hands over her inner-most folds. Her desire called to him and stirred his loins, but he couldn''t go yet. There was still much to do.


    Lance stood up trying to ignore his now hard cock as he opened the last box. It was smaller than the others, but it held some of the most important tools of his mission. Lilith didn''t remember, but he hoped the small goblets in the box would help her memories to surface. He ran his fingers around the soft gold edges and closed his eyes. They were adorned with black sapphires, which were Lilith''s favorite, and the official gem of the Ragatti family. The crest of his family had been etched into the bottom of the goblets, but had faded away during the time the glasses spent in storage. Where the dagger and leopard with its teeth barred, resembling a vampires fangs had once been, were only small abstract marks. Time had faded away and took another great thing with it. Lance made a mental note to get the goblets refurbished once the mission was over.


    He sat the goblets on the table and leaned back on the sofa, considering if it was still too early in the day to pull out the blood wine. The specialty wine usually wasn''t allowed out of his family house in Germany, but his father had made a special allowance for this mission. When vampires traveled, they usually fed on the locals, but as part of his marriage oath, Lance had vowed to never drink from another. Since Lilith''s death, his own source of the vital nutrients his body needed had been the blood wine.


    The wine was made from a vineyard that had been planted over the last battle of the nine-decade war, the Ragattis had fought against the Lingston Hounds. The blood of both vampire and wolf had soaked into the ground, making it more fertile. Decades later when the vineyard first began to produce, the Ragattis found that the blood nutrients were transferred to the grapes, which was a good thing for Lance. He would have starved to death otherwise, because Lance would not break the eternal vow he made to his wife.


    Lance heard the shower turn off and listened to the soft sounds of Lilith drying her body. His nostrils flared as he inhaled her scent. His love had come, but was still aroused. The scent of her longing caused a grin to play at Lance''s lips. It was time to make his move, but not before a shower to take the edge off his own needs.


    After washing, Lanced dressed in his favorite cotton pajama pants. Their black fabric, was a stunning contrast to his pale skin. He ran his fingers through his hair and headed out onto the balcony. At first he wasn''t sure why he went that way, but the sight of Lilith in a short cotton gown, her lap covered with a knitted throw, was the only answer he needed. His instincts still led to her.


    He watched her for a moment taking in the graceful way she puffed on her cigarette. Centuries ago a woman who would dare to indulge in a man''s past time would have been looked down upon, but even then Lilith had enjoyed it. His family couldn''t fathom what attracted him to Lilith, but they didn''t have to understand. Lilith had always followed her own desires, and as a creature of the senses, it had drawn Lance to her since the first time he laid eyes on her. Now, he was only separated by the distance between his balcony and hers, but it might as well be miles.


    Lilith''s eyes looked distant and Lance longed to know what she was thinking about. Was she daydreaming about him, or merely trying to come to terms with turning him over. He knew that Lilith hadn''t called Hunter yet, or all hell would have descended upon him by now.


    Lilith''s body tensed under his gazed and Lance knew she had sensed him.


    ¡°Hello neighbor,¡± her friendly voice called out to him.


    ¡°Good evening, Lilith,¡± Lance said, remembering how much she hated to be called Lily.


    She had eventually resigned herself to the nickname, but Lance didn''t want to take the chance of offending her tonight. If she became angry at him it would mean he had wasted the years he spent searching for her.


    ¡°Aren''t you cold?¡± Lilith asked, looking at his bare chest.


    Lance grinned and shook his head, ¡°No, it''s a lot colder where I come from.¡±


    ¡°Did you move out here to escape the cold?¡± she giggled.


    ¡°No, I don''t mind the weather. Everything has its season. The cold, the sun, the stars and even the moon. Everything begins and must eventually come to an end, only.. ¡± Lance said.


    ¡°The love of the forbidden survives eternity,¡± Lilith finished the line of old poetry.


    ¡°You''ve heard it before?¡± he asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°I must have,¡± Lilith shrugged, ¡°although, I don''t remember where.¡±


    ¡°Somewhere deep in your history?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Do I look that old?¡± Lilith asked looking slighted.


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Lance said quickly trying to control the damage he might have inflicted, ¡°We all have histories. Every soul has lived countless lives. I only meant maybe you had heard it in another life time.¡±


    ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± she asked.


    Lance could tell that Lilith was trying not to laugh. She had forgotten much, even the basic tenets that all beings should know. He held back a sigh and answered her question.


    ¡°I do,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°This may sound rude, but I have to ask you something,¡± Lilith said and stood up.


    Lance watched as the knitted throw fell to the ground and Lilith walked to the edge of the balcony. She leaned on the railing waiting on permission to ask what she considered an intrusive question.


    ¡°I''m not easily offended,¡± Lance laughed, ¡°so ask me what you may.¡±


    ¡°Why do you believe in that stuff? I mean I''ve known people who''ve died. They don''t magically reappear,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Magic doesn''t have anything to do with reincarnation. It is the natural journey of the soul,¡± he tried to explain, but found himself at a loss for words.


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± she asked and tilted her head to the side.


    The light of the setting sun danced through her eyelashes, taking away Lance''s breath. Lilith had always loved to debate, and would often disagree with him just to get him worked up. Lance wondered if this was one of those times. He hoped it was.


    ¡°I believe it, because I''ve seen the truth with my own eyes,¡± he told her.


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked.


    Lance could hear the disbelief in her voice and to a lesser man it might have sounded discouraging, but to Lance Ragatti it was a challenge. Talking to Lilith had renewed his passion for life, and his determination to reclaim her as his own.


    ¡°Really,¡± he grinned.


    ¡°Then tell me about it?¡± she asked playfully.


    ¡°How about we sit down over a glass of wine and I''ll indulge you with the details?¡± Lance suggested.


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Lilith laughed.


    ¡°I''ll be right back with the wine,¡± Lance said and turned to go inside.


    ¡°I''ll meet you at the door,¡± Lilith answered.


    ¡°No, need,¡± Lance chuckled.


    Once inside he grabbed the goblets and the bottle of blood wine he had been chilling on ice. Lance hoped that the wine would spark her memories, as it had done for others. Lance sprinted back to the balcony and climbed on the railing. He looked up when he heard Lilith gasp.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± she cried, ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a little,¡± Lance chuckled.


    He jumped across the six foot gap between the balcony and landed with cat-like reflexes in front of Lilith.


    ¡°Are you trying to give me a heart attack?¡± she asked, still holding a hand to her chest.


    ¡°I guess where you come from, men don''t do much to impress the ladies, do they?¡± Lance said as he sat the goblets and wine on the small table, that was situated on the far side of the balcony.


    ¡°I wouldn''t know much about that. I usually don''t stick around long enough for men to try to impress me,¡± Lilith retorted.


    Lance laughed as he uncorked the bottle, using his long well kept nails. He didn''t usually show off in front of mortals, but Lilith had always been able to discern his kind from the average mortal, so there was no need to hide his true self.


    He filled the goblet and handed one to Lilith. Lance took a drink and watched as Lilith inspected the goblet.


    ¡°These are really nice! I love these stones!¡± she said smiling.


    ¡°They match your ring,¡± he said and motioned towards the ring on her finger.


    ¡°They do. I''ve always loved black sapphires,¡± she said admiring the ring next to the goblet, ¡°but I''ve got to ask. Do you always drink from glasses like this?¡±


    ¡°No, only on special occasions,¡± Lance said and leaned back against the rail.


    ¡°Oh, really, and what is your special occasion tonight?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Meeting you,¡± Lance grinned.


    ¡°Cocky,¡± Lilith said.


    She rolled her eyes at Lance, but he could tell it was intended to be a playful gesture.


    ¡°So you can tell I''m a psychic?¡± she asked and sat back down.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lance admitted, ¡°We all can. It''s not hard.¡±


    ¡°How do you guys do that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I don''t really know,¡± he shrugged, ¡°and to be fair how do you do what you do?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, I guess,¡± Lilith sighed, ¡°Can you tell what I do?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can,¡± Lance nodded.


    ¡°How?¡± she asked, ¡°All of you guys know I''m a psychic, but not many people know my abilities?¡±


    ¡°You remind me of someone I used to know,¡± Lance told her, ¡°She had similar abilities, except the animal thing.¡±


    ¡°You know, you''re the second person to tell me that,¡± Lilith laughed.


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Lance said, ¡°The other was Hunter Lingston?¡±


    Lilith tensed and Lance could smell her fear.


    ¡°I do know what you do for a living, Lilith, but I don''t hold it against you,¡± Lance said stepping closer to her.

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    Lilith closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Lance could hear the dog running towards them.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Because the Lingston Hounds have a way of brainwashing, the most innocent of flowers,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°I''m not a flower,¡± Lilith shook her head, ¡°and I''m not innocent.¡±


    ¡°Are any of us?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°I guess not,¡± Lilith said.


    Lance watched as she brought the goblet up to her red lips and took a long slow sip of the wine.


    ¡°This is good stuff,¡± Lilith said sitting the goblet down.


    ¡°I only drink the finest,¡± Lance nodded.


    ¡°So is that why you believe in reincarnation? You think I''m her?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I do. Would you tell me what you know about her?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°Nothing really,¡± Lilith said, ¡°Hunter doesn''t talk about her much. All I know is that she used to work for him.¡±


    ¡°That''s a lie,¡± Lance snapped.


    He winced as Lilith stood and fled towards her apartment. The dog growled a warning at him, but he followed her anyway.


    ¡°Go away!¡± She yelled.


    Lilith was holding up her cellphone, as if it were a cross. Although, it was more of a threat than a cross could ever be, since religious symbols had no effect on vampires.


    ¡°Lilith, I didn''t mean to scare you,¡± Lance said softly.


    ¡°Just get out of my apartment, Lance!¡± she shouted, ¡°Just go away! Don''t make me call him!¡±


    ¡°Lilith, calm down, you''re going to cause a scene,¡± Lance said stepping closer.


    The dog growled again and grabbed onto his pants leg.


    ¡°Please, it was Hunter I was angry at not you,¡± he said.


    Lance ignored the dog and took another step towards Lilith.


    ¡°Okay, it was a lie,¡± Lilith nodded breathless, ¡°How is it a lie?¡±


    ¡°She never worked for him, Lilith,¡± he said, ¡°She would have never done that. He wanted her to, but she wouldn''t. Search your heart. You know the truth, Lilith.¡±


    ¡°No, I don''t!¡± she yelled, ¡°I''m not her, Lance. I''m me. You and Hunter both want me to be her, but I''m not. I''ll never be her.¡±


    ¡°But you are, Lilith,¡± Lance said.


    As they talked he had covered the space between them, and they now stood inches apart.


    ¡°No, I''m not,¡± Lilith said.


    Tears were forming in her eyes and the pained look she wore tore at Lance''s heart.


    ¡°Shh..¡± he said gently touching her face, causing the dog to bite into his ankle.


    Lance bit his jaw and fought back the urge to kick the mutt across the room. He had never been much of a dog person.


    ¡°It''s okay, Lilith, it''ll be okay. I''m not going to hurt you,¡± he tried to soothe her.


    Lance leaned in to kiss her but stopped just short of her lips, giving her the choice.


    Lilith rose to her tiptoes and met his lips. Her arms wrapped around his neck as his mouth conquered hers. Lance''s tongue darted between her warm lips and swirled around hers. His body reacted to her touch, causing his cock to become hard.


    Lilith arched her hips against him and he deepened the kiss. Lance longed to sink his fangs into her flesh, but decided against it. It was too soon. The situation too fragile.


    When the kiss broke he looked down into Lilith''s deep blue eyes and wiped away a tear.


    ¡°Search your heart,¡± he said and turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Lilith called grabbing his hand.


    ¡°I must go for now,¡± he said pulling away.


    Lance sprinted to the balcony and jumped down. He knew he shouldn''t leave the goblets in public sight, but he didn''t care. He needed to get away and clear his mind, before his blood lust ruined the progress he made.


    Chapter 3: Lilith


    Lilith sprinted out to the balcony, but Lance was nowhere in sight. Her head spun from the wine and exhaustion, but she didn''t think she would be able to sleep. Her life had gone from mildly weird, to freak show in under two hours. Lilith''s hand was still wrapped around her cell, but she wasn''t going to call Hunter. Not at least until she had answers. Why did both of these men insist on comparing her to a woman who died over a century ago? Why did she feel so attracted to Lance?


    Then of course there was the kiss. Lance had tasted warm and familiar, and made the wetness return between her legs. She hadn''t wanted him to leave, but now that he was gone, Lilith realized how careless she had been. She would have to be more careful.


    ¡°You have lost your mind, human!¡± Cinnamon whined at her, ¡°You''re trying to get us both eaten! I''m too young to die!¡±


    ¡°Quit being so dramatic!¡± Lilith sighed, sitting down.


    ¡°I''m not! Lilith, you can''t go around kissing vampires!¡± Cinnamon barked and jumped up into her lap.


    ¡°I know, girl, I know,¡± she cooed to the dog, ¡°I just need answers.¡±


    ¡°The answer is call Hunter,¡± Cinnamon said.


    Lilith smiled. That was the obvious answer. She needed someone she could trust. Tomorrow morning she would call Hunter. She wouldn''t turn Lance in just yet, but she could still ask him about this dead woman everyone seemed to think she was. Lilith didn''t understand how she hadn''t thought of it before.


    ¡°I will, girl,¡± Lilith promised, ¡°in the morning. I''m too tired tonight.¡±


    ¡°Is Lance going to come back and eat us?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, I don''t think he wants to eat us,¡± Lilith laughed.


    ¡°What else would he want to do with us?¡± Cinnamon asked.


    ¡°Well, he might want to kick you off the balcony, after the bite you delivered to his ankle,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°You wouldn''t let him do that to me, would you, Lilith?¡± Cinnamon asked looking frightened.


    ¡°No, girl, I wouldn''t,¡± she grinned, ¡°Why don''t you go finish watching your shows?¡±


    ¡°Okay, come inside soon though,¡± Cinnamon said and trotted off.


    Lilith picked her goblet up and drained the remaining wine. She was already tipsy, but needed the liquid courage to face the night. Despite what she told Cinnamon, she feared that Lance would come back for her blood. He was a vampire after all.


    She gathered the empty goblets and the wine bottle and went inside. Cinnamon had already fallen asleep on the sofa. Lilith put the wine in the refrigerator. Next she very carefully rinsed the goblets. Once they were clean she flicked one, testing it.


    ¡°Real gold to drink from,¡± Lilith sighed, ¡°Richer than I am.


    Alone she felt free to get a better look at the set. She had wanted to earlier, but felt it would have been rude. Lilith studied the black sapphire closely. A fog was quickly consuming her brain. Lilith blinked trying to clear her mind, but it only made the visions more vivid.


    She was at a long table full of vampires of both genders. The women wore elaborate clothes, but then again so did the men. Lilith looked to her left and studied the laughing Lance. His face seemed younger, as if the lines of worry hadn''t set in on him yet. She touched his cheek and he pulled her into his lap for a long kiss. Their tongues swirled together, and his fangs brushed against her bottom lip, drawing blood. The air barely had time to make the small wound sting, before Lance sucked her lip into his mouth. She could feel her blood draining into his mouth. Lilith cried out in pleasure and ground her hips against the bulge that was quickly forming in Lance''s trousers. Frustration at the layers of skirts that separated their bodies consumed her.


    ¡°You better get her to the bedroom, Lance, before she eats you alive,¡± someone teased.


    Lilith searched the room for the owner of the voice, finding it to be a vampire, who had a striking resemblance to Lance.


    ¡°You might be right, Rich,¡± Lanced laughed, breaking the kiss.


    Lance lifted her up and she wrapped her long legs around his waist. His lips recaptured hers as his hands squeezed her ass cheeks. Lilith was in awe of the vampire''s graceful movements as he navigated the crowd, not once breaking the kiss. Their tongues moved together and Lilith ran her hands through Lance''s thick hair, tugging on it. He let out a throaty growl, which made her clit throb.


    ¡°Hurry,¡± she whispered against his lips.


    Lilith''s sex was aching and she knew she wouldn''t be sated until Lance''s thick manhood was buried deeply between her legs. Her body arched against his, trying to urge him on.


    Once inside the bedroom Lance kicked the door closed and locked it with one had. He then lowered Lilith to the bed and tore away her layers of skirts. Lilith''s hands shook with desire as she helped move the useless fabric out of his way. He knelt between her legs and spread the lips of her sex. She gasped in pleasure, as he blew his warm breath over her sensitive folds. Her hips arched against his face and Lance laughed.


    His laughter vibrated through her, touching not only her body but her heart and soul, as well. Lilith had never thought she would love a man so much, but Lance had won her heart, by embracing her free-spirited nature.


    She moaned loudly as Lance moved his tongue over her swollen clit. Her long fingers tugged at his hair, pushing his face into her pussy. His skin felt delicious against her sensitive skin, and his tongue worked her clit until she thought she might explode. Her logical mind faded away and Lilith found herself writhing in pleasure. Lance''s tongue probed into her opening and her body constricted around it, longing for it to be his manhood.


    ¡°Please, Lance!¡± she moaned, ¡°Take me, Lance! Oh! Please take me!¡±


    Lance laughed again and she felt him slide two fingers into her body brushing against her g-spot. Lilith arched her hips and tried to pull away. It was beginning to feel too good. Lance''s free arm wrapped around her waist and held her in place.


    ¡°Lance!¡± she called again.


    His nimble fingers continued to work her body, brushing against not only her g-spot, but every spot of pleasure that her inner folds hide. Lilith bit her lip as the heat in her belly exploded, sending her over the edge. Her climax washed over her and her nails dug into Lance''s shoulders.

 Page 6

    He looked up at her lustfully and smiled.


    ¡°The night is still young, my Lily,¡± he said and kissed her stomach.


    Lilith was lost to the pleasure of her body and could do nothing more than nod. Her skin was moist from sweat and her heart pounded against her chest. Lance kissed up her stomach and chest, undoing her corset to reveal her ample breasts. Lilith drew in a sharp breath when his fingers twisted her perky nipples. Her hips arched up, but found that her lover was still dressed. Lance licked her cleavage, before turning his attention back to her nipples. He squeezed one between his thumb and forefinger, while sucking the other into his mouth.


    Lilith moaned loudly as his fangs sank into the sensitive flesh around her nipple. He suckled her breast, flicking his tongue back and forth across her sensitive little peak, as he drank her blood. Her sex ached for him, but she knew he''d make her wait. Lance always did. He loved to watch her squirm in desire, but she often turned the tables on him.


    Lilith managed to get her hand between their bodies and undo his fly. Lance''s hard cock sprang free from its bounds and brushed against her stomach. She wrapped her long fingers around his powerful organ and squeezed and grinned when Lance moaned in pleasure. He was hard and throbbing against her palm.


    She tried to guide him towards her body, but he pulled away.


    ¡°Not yet, my love,¡± he panted.


    ¡°Damn you, Lance!¡± Lilith laughed.


    ¡°Tonight, it''s good to be damned!¡± Lance chuckled.


    His attention turned to her other nipple and his tongue flicked across it. Lilith moaned again and recaptured Lance''s manhood. She stroked him slowly, gently scraping her nails across his flesh. He drew in a sharp breath, and Lilith knew she was slowly getting her way.


    She loved the game of cat and mouse, they played. It made her rub her thighs together in pleasure and always kept both of them wanting more. Lilith squeezed him hard and felt pre-cum seep onto her fingers. She guided him to her pussy again, but this time Lance didn''t pull away.


    His fangs sank into her throat and his head began to work into her sex. Lilith arched her hips to help guide him in. Her need was fierce and urgent, her hungry pussy wanted to consume every inch of Lance''s throbbing hard-on.


    Lilith woke on the kitchen floor. A loud noise had pulled her from her dream.


    ¡°LILITH!¡± Cinnamon barked.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lilith asked opening her eyes.


    ¡°You fell over!¡± she said stating the obvious.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± Cinnamon whined, ¡°I was asleep. Loud BOOM! I ran here.¡±


    Lilith couldn''t make much sense of the dog''s words. It frightened her for a moment, but then she remembered why she didn''t drink. Alcohol always screwed with her gifts.


    ¡°I don''t know what you''re saying,¡± Lilith said and sat up, ¡°I''m drunk and I need to go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Go then,¡± Cinnamon whined.


    Lilith tried to stand, but the room spun again. She sighed and resigned to the fact that she wasn¡¯t walking to bed tonight, she was going to have to crawl. Lilith only managed to make it into the living room, before she became too dizzy to move much farther. She managed to hoist herself onto the sofa before passing out again.


    Her dreams were different this time. The mood was darker and made Lilith feel desperate for escape. A man grabbed her wrist and she tried to pull away.


    ¡°Lilith,¡± he shouted and turned her head so she was forced to look at him.


    ¡°Let go of me Simon!¡± she shouted and tried to shove him away.


    ¡°Lilith!¡± Simon shouted again, ¡°I love you! You will be my bride!¡±


    ¡°Simon, I''m not going to marry you!¡± Lilith cried out, ¡°Not now, not ever! Not in any lifetime! You and your whole family can go straight to the belly of hell!¡±


    ¡°I may go to hell, Lilith, you''re right about that,¡± he said lowering his voice, ¡°but you and your precious vampire lover will sit with me at that table in the afterlife!¡±


    Lilith tugged again and Simon lost his grip on her wrist. She ran before he had the chance to recover his wits.


    The first rays of the morning sun woke Lilith. Panting, she jumped to her feet ready to defend herself. Once she realized that she was only dreaming she sat back down with her head in her hands. Her temples throbbed, letting her know she was going to be down for the day. She didn''t know what was in the wine that Lance had given her, but she never wanted to drink it again.


    First, it scrambled her powers, limiting her communication with Cinnamon. Then it gave her the strangest dreams. The first one made sense to Lilith, sort of anyway. It was her subconscious mind trying to wrap itself around her attraction to Lance. It had thrown in the vampire she had spared as an extra ingredient. The second one was just insane. Simon was Hunter''s eldest son, but he never had shown an interest in her. He was happily married and the alpha male of his own pack, but none-the-less the dream put Lilith on edge.


    ¡°Oh my,¡± she cried laying back down, ¡°what if those are memories?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Cinnamon asked without opening her eyes.


    Lilith sighed in relief. The alcohol must have worked its way out of her system, because she could understand Cinnamon again.


    ¡°I think Lance may have been right,¡± Lilith groaned.


    ¡°About what?¡± Cinnamon asked and sat up, ¡°Lilith, he''s a cat. Okay, a vampire. They''re evil, and only good for money. They are never right! Listen to me, Lilith! NEVER RIGHT!¡±


    ¡°Cinnamon, go back to sleep,¡± Lilith sighed.


    ¡°Not until you call Hunter!¡± she retorted.


    ¡°I''m not going to call, Hunter,¡± Lilith said.


    She rolled over and faced the back of the sofa trying to end the conversation, but Cinnamon wouldn''t allow it. The Yorkie jumped up onto Lilith''s side and nudged her with her nose.


    ¡°You need to call Hunter!¡± she whined.


    ¡°Cinnamon, go away!¡± Lilith said and rolled onto her back.


    ¡°No, not until you call him!¡± Cinnamon barked.


    Sighing Lilith picked the Yorkie up and carried her to the bathroom.


    ¡°You can just stay in here until my hangover goes away!¡± Lilith said and slammed the door.


    ¡°Oh! You''re hung over are you?¡± she howled, ¡°I can make noise! Howwwllll! Hoowwlll!¡±


    Lilith rolled her eyes and walked to her bedroom. She flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.


    ¡°What am I going to do?¡± she asked herself, ¡°I''m so messed up that I don''t even know who or what to believe!¡±


    Lilith stared at the ceiling until she fell back asleep. She had hoped for a restful sleep, but her subconscious had other plans.


    ¡°Lilith!¡± Hunter''s voice called to her.


    She turned and frowned at him.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lilith demanded.


    ¡°I need to talk to you!¡± Hunter called back with a grin.


    ¡°I''m not going to work for you, Hunter, and I''m not going to marry your son!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°We need to talk, because I believe you''ll agree that it is to your advantage to reconsider my offer,¡± Hunter grinned.


    ¡°Don''t you threaten me Hunter Lingston!¡± she yelled, ¡°I''ll have you strung up, drawn and quartered, I will!¡±


    ¡°So be it, Lilith,¡± Hunter nodded, ¡°but know this is your last chance.¡±


    Lilith woke in a cold sweat! Her instincts told her to get Lance and run, but even thinking about it felt ridiculous. It was just a dream after all. She curled into a ball and rested her head on her knees.


    ¡°I''ve got to shake this,¡± she whispered, ¡°but I can''t call Hunter just yet.¡±


    Chapter 4: Lance


    Lance woke up sometime during the afternoon. He hadn''t owned a watch, nor a clock, in over fifty years, so he wasn''t sure what time it was. Lance had thrown out every device that kept time, because too often he found himself watching the seconds tick by. He would sit there and wonder about Lilith.


    He stretched and took note of his condition. The lust still lurked in the shadows of his mind, but it was no longer like a beast looking for a throat to rip into. He was hungry though.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± he said when he stretched his arms farther than his skin liked.


    ¡°Not again!¡± Lance sighed.


    He studied his skin and sure enough he was sun burnt. Sleeping with the blinds open had burnt his skin. Vampires usually fared pretty well in the sun, as long as they kept most of their skin covered and didn''t fall asleep on the beach.


    ¡°Guess, that will teach me not to forget to close the blinds,¡± he chuckled as he walked into the kitchen.


    He fried eggs and made toast. The painting of Lilith sat on the table and he admired it while he ate. Lance prayed that the wine had worked and that any minute now Lilith would come running into his arms. The hours passed and nothing changed. He could smell that Lilith and her dog were awake.


    ¡°Why isn''t she coming?¡± he sighed, ¡°Didn''t it work?¡±


    It was then that Lance remembered the goblets that he had left on Lilith''s balcony. He prayed that none of the Lingston Hounds had seen them. Come to think of it, he hoped they weren''t spying on him and Lilith last night. He had let his emotions get in the way of their safety.


    ¡°Damn it, to hell!¡± he muttered and sprinted on to the balcony.


    Lilith''s balcony seemed to be empty of all the artifacts from the night before. He leaped onto the other balcony just to make sure. Had Lilith taken them inside or had the mutts stolen their wedding goblets?


    Lance knocked gently on the glass. He had learned as a young child that he had to be careful with his strength. What he considered a light touch could easily break most things and people.


    The blinds parted and Lilith peaked out.


    ¡°Go away!¡± she said and turned away.


    ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°I don''t care!¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°My glasses?¡± he asked.


    He heard footsteps move away from the balcony door and then return. The blinds moved, and the door opened. Lilith thrust he goblets into his hands and tried to shut the glass, but Lanced stopped it from closing.

 Page 7

    ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± he said again.


    ¡°You need to go away,¡± Lilith said crossing her arms.


    ¡°Can I come in please?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No!¡± Lilith rolled her eyes.


    Lance sighed and walked inside.


    ¡°Time is growing short,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°What the hell do you mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hunter Lingston has people watching you,¡± he lied.


    Lance didn''t consider it a lie, because he suspected that her employer had people watching her. He hadn''t seen the evidence, but he knew his old foe.


    ¡°Not true!¡± Lilith said, ¡°Now, you sound like Cinnamon.¡±


    ¡°I sound like the dog?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, she''s paranoid too,¡± Lilith laughed, ¡°Maybe I''ll lock you in the bathroom with her.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lance asked, feeling confused.


    ¡°Never mind, just leave, Lance,¡± she said.


    ¡°No!¡± Lance retorted, ¡°Not until we talk.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lilith sighed and flopped down on the sofa.


    ¡°Have you had any weird dreams?¡± Lance asked her.


    ¡°How do you know about that?¡± Lilith demanded and stood back up, ¡°You tranced me, didn''t you, you bastard?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lance asked, ¡°Lilith, you know good and damn well I can''t put you in a trance! No vampire can! None ever could!¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Lilith demanded inching away from him.


    ¡°Because I''m married to you, Lilith!¡± Lance said.


    ¡°No, you''re not,¡± Lilith said shaking her head.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Lance retorted, ¡°I was married to you.¡±


    ¡°And when was this?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°In your previous life, Lilith,¡± Lance sighed, ¡°Why is this so hard for you to believe?¡±


    Lilith balled her fists at her side and pulled away when Lance tried to take her hand.


    ¡°You want to know why I don''t believe it?¡± she asked, ¡°You really want to know?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Lance said and crossed his arms.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Lilith sighed, ¡°I don''t believe it because if it''s true it complicates everything. My life is simple and I want it to stay that way!¡±


    ¡°How would it complicate everything?¡± Lance asked, ¡°It changes nothing. It''s always been true!¡±


    ¡°Well, ignorance is bliss, or haven''t you heard?¡± Lilith asked.


    Lance took her hand and this time she didn''t pull away.


    ¡°Look, I love you,¡± Lance said, ¡°I''ve loved you since the first time I''ve laid eyes on you woman! We''ve been apart a century and I haven''t broken not one of my wedding vows! Do you know how hard that is?¡±


    ¡°Don''t you know that wedding vows say ''til death do us part''?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not vampyric vows,¡± Lance said shaking his head.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Lilith said, ¡°Let''s say I believe you, what does it mean? Sure, I''m attracted to you, but I don''t love you! Hell, Lance, I don''t even know you.¡±


    ¡°That''s okay, for now,¡± Lance said and stepped closer to her, ¡°I have a friend, actually she''s my sister-in-law now, finally, but anyway, she can help you remember. She''s a psychic like you, but she''s also a witch.¡±


    ¡°So now you want me to agree to let a witch put a spell on me?¡± Lilith asked and pulled away from him.


    ¡°No! It''s not like that!¡± Lance said and grabbed her hand again.


    Lilith tore from his grip and sprinted across the room. She picked up her cellphone and began to punch in Hunter''s number, but Lance snatched it away from her before she could hit the ''call'' button.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, ¡°Do you want to see me dead? Is that what you''re getting at?¡±


    He studied her for a moment, willing his anger to subside. Lance knew that Lilith didn''t understand the full consequences of calling Hunter, or at least he hoped she didn''t.


    ¡°No,¡± Lilith said and turned her back to him.


    ¡°Then why the hell are you trying to call that mutt?¡± Lance demanded.


    ¡°Because, damn it, Lance, I need answers! I don''t know if I can trust you!¡± Lilith cried.


    ¡°And you think Hunter is going to tell you the truth? The man''s occupation is murderer, Lilith! Think about that for a damn minute!¡± Lance yelled.


    His blood was boiling and he was on the edge of losing control. Why was she making this difficult? Lance wondered what exactly Lilith had dreamed about.


    ¡°And how do I know that you''re telling me the truth?¡± Lilith asked, turning to face him.


    ¡°Because I love you, Lilith!¡± He said.


    Lance gently put a hand on either side of her face and looked into her eyes.


    ¡°If you believe nothing else, believe that please,¡± Lance said feeling desperate.


    ¡°I want to, Lance, I really do, but this all seems so impossible!¡± Lilith cried.


    ¡°Then let me take you to see Ginger, my witch friend. She will let you see it with your own eyes, Lilith!¡± Lance plead.


    ¡°Eyes can be tricked! Spells can weave lies, Lance! I''m not stupid!¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°What do you think Hunter and the others will do if they find us here together, Lilith?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We''d be as good as dead,¡± Lilith admitted.


    ¡°Yes, and have I hurt you? Have I tried to hurt you, or anyone else for that matter?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°No, but..¡± Lilith cried.


    Not sure how else to convince her, Lance captured her mouth with his own. He sighed in relief when her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck. This time it was her tongue that darted into his mouth. He gently placed his hands on her waist and allowed her to take control. His urge had been building too long and he feared that he would move too quickly or passionately, and cause harm to come to his lady.


    Lance sighed into the kiss when Lilith ran her fingers through his hair. Their tips brushed against his scalp and gave him goosebumps.


    ¡°Woman, do you know the affect you have on me?¡± he murmured.


    ¡°Vaguely,¡± Lilith whispered into the kiss, ¡°only what I seen in the dream.¡±


    ¡°And what was that?¡± Lance asked.


    Lance chuckled when Lilith blushed.


    ¡°You''re blushing,¡± he teased.


    ¡°I am not,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± Lance insisted.


    ¡°Shut up and kiss me, Lance,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Yes, m''lady,¡± Lance said,


    He pulled Lilith closer to him, so that their bodies were pressed tightly together. The passion in his soul stirred and he felt himself begin to harden. His hands squeezed Lilith''s ass, causing her to moan against his lips. The scent of her arousal danced on the air and made Lance hungry for her body and her blood.


    Chapter 5: Lilith


    Lilith''s heart thumped against her chest, but she didn''t want it to stop. Fear and anxiety mingled with memories of love and pleasure as her logical mind tried to comprehend what was happening. Her brain yelled for the kiss to end, but her body longed for more. She deepened the kiss and nibbled on Lance''s lower lip.


    Her eyes swirled images of a life that didn''t belong to her, but it evoked feelings that she had tried to suppress. Love and fear mingled in her belly. The hair on the back of her neck was standing up, making all of her senses more alert. Lilith could feel danger thick in the air. Her instincts told her to run, but her heart and body urged her on. Her nipples stood erect pushing against the fabric of her night gown. Lance''s hands cupped her breasts and she sighed into the kiss, arching her body against his touch, as she had done a thousand times before.


    Her body felt alive and every touch sent a bolt of pleasure through her. Lilith rubbed her thighs together stimulating her aching clit. She guided Lance''s hand to the hungry place between her thighs. His fingers teased her through the fabric of her cotton panties and she moaned. Her wetness seeped through her panties as he kissed her neck. Lilith''s heart pounded against her chest as she anticipated the bite, but it didn''t come.


    Lance''s tongue traced along her throat over her pulse points. Lilith panted with anticipation and desire. She arched her hips against his hand, rubbing her swollen clit against him. His hand cupped her sex through the thin fabric for a few seconds before dropping to his knees.


    Lance stuck his thumbs in the waist band of her panties and pulled them down slowly. The cool air danced across her skin and gave her goose bumps. Lilith drew in a sharp breath when Lance pushed apart the lips of her sex, exposing her throbbing clit and hungry opening. Her fingers ran through his thick hair and he locked eyes with her for a moment before burying his face into her crotch. His tongue flicked across her clit, swirling around the swollen little nub. Lance''s teeth scraped across her sensitive flesh and her knees threatened to buckle. She held tight to his shoulders and dug her long fingernails into his flesh. Blood pooled their tips in a stark contrast against Lance''s pale skin. Lilith''s tongue flicked across her lips.


    ¡°Lance!¡± she called out.


    His fingers probed into her hungry crevice and brushed against her g-spot. Her pussy contracted around his digits. Lance had to hold onto her hip with his free hand to keep her from falling backwards.


    ¡°We better move to the bedroom before someone gets hurt,¡± Lance chuckled.


    ¡°Yea, because I have a feeling that someone would be me,¡± Lilith nodded.


    His fingers withdraw from her sex just as quickly as it had entered. Lance scooped her up into his arms and Lilith giggled. Their lips met in a hungry kiss as the vampire made his way towards the bedroom.


    Lilith could hear Cinnamon barking threats from the bathroom, but she ignored them. She was too aroused to turn back now. Lance lowered her to the bed and kissed her neck tenderly. Lilith''s body ached against his. She could feel that his cock was already hard and throbbing. Reaching between their bodies she undid his fly and freed it. Her long fingers wrapped around his powerful shaft and reveled in the idea of how it would feel inside of her hungry pussy. She squeezed it, making Lance moan.

 Page 8

    Lilith wiggled out from under him and flipped him to his back. She knew that he allowed her to do so, because vampires were always stronger than humans, but she wasn''t going to let that stop her from reveling in the power of teasing his cock. It didn''t matter how powerful or strong a man was, once his manhood was at the mercy of a woman all of that was stripped away.


    She stroked his manhood and played with her hungry clit with her other hand. Her motions synced together and their moans filled the air. Lilith leaned down and licked the head of Lance''s manhood. Her tongue moved up and down his shaft until he was bucking into the air.


    Lilith locked eyes with him and smiled. She straddled over his hips, but kept her pussy just out of his reach. Her insides ached with desire, but she wanted their lovemaking to be on her terms. She wanted him to ask for it.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± she asked.


    Her fingers trailed over her mound and spread her lips revealing her pink inner folds to him. She caressed her body and moaned. The sound bounced around the room and echoed through her mind. Lilith couldn''t remember the last time something had felt this good.


    ¡°I want all of you, Lilith,¡± Lance said breathlessly, ¡°Every inch, every moment, every laugh and sigh, every last drop of your pleasure.¡±


    Lilith''s heart thumped against her chest and it became hard to breathe. Her eyes met Lance''s green ones and it felt as if he was peering into her soul, and it looked back at him with familiar affection.


    Lance touched her cheek gently and she leaned into his hand. Her head was spinning with questions, but the needs of her body were too urgent so they were going to have to wait. Lilith wrapped her hand around Lance''s cock and began to guide it towards her body.


    Lance''s eyes looked hungry and she knew it was for more than her body. Her hands shook as fear and desire mingled.


    ¡°I love you, Lilith,¡± Lance said.


    He pulled her down into a passionate kiss. Lilith moaned as Lance''s tongue pushed past her parted lips and his hands traveled her body. His fingertips traced over her sides and back, over her ass and thighs. She knew that vampires had super-human speed, but she wondered if Lance had an extra set of hands that he was hiding somewhere. No man could touch you everywhere at once, surely, not even a vampire.


    Lilith ground her pussy against Lance''s hard-on and sighed in pleasure.


    ¡°I want to feel you inside of me, Lance!¡± she said.


    Lance''s fangs pressed against her neck, but didn''t break the skin. Lilith could tell that he was holding back. She pressed the head of Lance''s cock against her body and slid down onto it. Lilith consumed him slowly, inch by inch, reveling in the reunion with her long lost and nearly forgotten lover. His manhood brushed against all the little places of pleasures that her body hid from her. She bit her lip and squeezed him with her soft crevice.


    Lilith felt Lance''s eyelids flutter against her cheek and his fangs pierced her flesh. She drew in a sharp breath and tried to stay calm. She had spent the last decade sentencing vampires to their deaths, but now she was making love to one. The pet psychic of the Lingstons was feeding a vampire.


    Her body tensed around his organ as his fangs slowly penetrated deeper into her flesh. Lilith could feel her blood beginning to flow from the punctures. She wiggled her hips over his, stimulating her hungry crevice. Pain mingled with pleasure and she began to ride him.


    Her pussy locked around his hardness as she moved up and down. Lance''s hands held her hips tightly and his tongue licked across her neck drawing her blood into his mouth. The bite stung but the pain faded away as the heat from her loins spread throughout her body.


    Lance''s mouth moved from her neck, kissing down her throat and collarbone. Chills traveled up and down Lilith''s body as his warm, heavy breath played on her skin. They were both beginning to sweat from the friction of their lovemaking. Lance sucked her nipple into his mouth and Lilith called out in pleasure.


    ¡°Oh! Mmm...¡±


    Reality was fading away and Lilith didn''t try to stop it. She had spent her entire life trying to find sanctuary from the harsh circumstances that surrounded her, and she had finally discovered it. Lance was that sanctuary, that safe place where she could hide from everything demon that chased her.


    Her nails dug into his muscular chest as her pace quickened. She slid up and down Lance''s shaft again and again. Every time she encountered his hilt a small noise of pleasure escaped her mouth. She threw her head back and arched her breasts into Lance''s face. Her fingers tugged at his hair and her other hand frantically massaged her clit as she moved over him.


    Lance''s fangs scraped against the sensitive flesh of her breast drawing blood. Lilith moaned and brought her body down hard against his. He felt long, thick, and delicious inside of her hungry crevice and Lilith never wanted to let go of him.


    Her face was flush with passion, she was sweating, and her muscles ached from exhaustion, but Lilith kept riding him. His hands moved to her ass to support her weight. Lance squeezed her ass cheeks urging her on.


    His mouth abandoned her breast and drew her into a deep kiss. Lilith sighed against his lips as she tasted him. He tasted of her juices of desire and blood. The metallic taste clung to her tongue and filled her nostrils, sending a chill down her spine.


    The heat in Lilith''s belly exploded sending new waves of pleasure through her body. Her limbs threatened to go limp, but kept moving up and down Lance''s thick shaft trying to bring him to the edge. The vampire''s fingers played at her clit drawing out her climax.


    Lilith heard Lance groan under her and his manhood twitch inside of her. She moaned in pleasure as she felt his hot sticky seed explode inside of her. Panting, she collapsed onto him and rested her head on his chest.


    Lance''s fingers stroked Lilith''s hair as she drifted off to sleep with him still inside of her body. Lilith''s dreams were a mass of confusion and upon waking she remembered none of them. She sat up and pulled herself away from the still sleeping vampire.


    ¡°I''ve fucked this up,¡± Lilith said as she stumbled into the bathroom.


    Cinnamon''s barks echoed through her head until she thought her skull might explode.


    ¡°Will you shut up?¡± Lilith cried and sank to her knees.


    ¡°No!¡± the Yorkie retorted, ¡°What the hell did you do, Lilith? You fed him didn''t you? You''re all bloody! Quick get into the shower! The big dogs are close by! I can smell them!¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± Lilith said running back into the bedroom.


    Cinnamon followed her.


    ¡°No! Don''t wake him! Wash and tell the big dogs to come get the sleeping cat! Lilith! Lilith! DON''T!¡± Cinnamon begged.


    ¡°Lance,¡± Lilith said gently, ¡°I need you to wake up. Cinnamon thinks she smells Hunter and them. I don''t know what to do. I''m confused!¡±


    Lance''s eyes sprung open and his fingers entwined with hers.


    ¡°Get dressed, we have to get out of here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Lance, I can''t leave everything. What about Cinnamon?¡± she asked.


    ¡°She can come along,¡± he grinned.


    ¡°I can''t, Lance! I can''t!¡± she cried.


    ¡°You''re going to make me do this the hard way aren''t you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lilith demanded and tried to pull away from him.


    Lance stood up pulling her with him and threw Lilith over his shoulder.


    ¡°I''m not going to lose you again,¡± he sighed as he headed for the balcony.


    ¡°Lance! Put me down! Put me down, right fucking now! Help! Cinnamon!¡± Lilith yelled.


    Cinnamon grabbed onto his pants leg and tried to stop him, but the little dog was no match for the vampire''s strength.


    ¡°Stop it, you damn cat!¡± Cinnamon growled in vain, ¡°Stop it this instant! Put my psychic down or I''ll eat you!¡±


    Lance paused for a second and looked down at her.


    ¡°I may not be able to understand you, but I know you can understand me. The way I see it you have two choices, come with us or stay here and get eaten by the mutts,¡± Lance said, ¡°What''s her answer, Lily?¡±


    Lilith sank her teeth into Lance''s back and he nearly dropped her. Cinnamon took advantage of the distraction and bit into the vampire''s ankle. Lance lost his grip on Lilith and she scrambled to the floor with Cinnamon running to her aid.


    ¡°Damn it to hell!¡± Lance swore turning to face the pair.


    A loud crash sounded from the other side of the living room and Lilith''s eyes grew huge as she watched her front door break apart and then fall to the floor. When the rubble cleared a man whom she had never seen before stood holding a gun. The gun wasn''t aimed at Lance. It was aimed at her.


    Lilith snatched up Cinnamon as her instincts took over. She scrambled to her feet and began to dash towards the balcony, but Lance once again threw her over his shoulder. She squeaked in surprise and nearly lost her grip on Cinnamon.


    ¡°Don''t drop me!¡± Cinnamon howled.


    ¡°I''m trying not to!¡± Lilith snapped.


    ¡°He smells like Hunter,¡± Cinnamon informed her, ¡°He''s the big dog I was smelling earlier.¡±


    ¡°I don''t care who he is right now, Cinnamon! Just shut up!¡± Lilith yelled.


    Lance climbed to the edge of the balcony and leaped off. Lilith''s and Cinnamon''s cries of fear filled the air. The vampire landed on his feet and ran around the building. Lilith could hear the sounds of footsteps chasing after them. Her heart pounded against her chest as Lance placed her on her feet.


    She could feel her fight or flight instincts taking over and Cinnamon was shouting for her to run. Lilith turned on her heels, but Lance grabbed her arm and shoved her into the front seat of his car. Cinnamon slipped from her grip and landed on the ground, but quickly scurried into the car.


    ¡°My paw hurts!¡± she whined as she settled herself into Lilith''s lap.


    She was nearly knocked to the floorboard as Lance fastened Lilith''s seat belt. The pair barely had time to register what he was doing before he appeared in the driver''s seat and started the engine.


    Lilith was examining Cinnamon''s paw, ensuring herself and the Yorkie that it was only bruised, not broken. She glanced at Lance who was talking rapidly into his cellphone. He was talking in a foreign language she couldn''t understand.

 Page 9

    ¡°What''s he saying?¡± Cinnamon asked.


    ¡°I don''t know, girl,¡± Lilith said stroking her fur.


    Distracted by his conversation Lance nearly drove his car into the side of a building, but turned at the last second.


    ¡°Are you trying to kill us?¡± Lilith demanded.


    ¡°No, darling, I''m trying to arrange for our trip out of here,¡± Lance said as the car turned another sharp corner.


    In the rear-view mirror Lilith could see two black sports cars chasing after them. She sank low in the seat and prayed that bullets didn''t start flying. Lance hung up the phone and shoved it in his pocket.


    ¡°My brother will be waiting for us at the airport,¡± Lance said.


    Lilith closed her eyes not wanting to watch the city blur by her head. She heard a shot and sank lower in the seat. The bullet struck a mailbox and kept going until it collided with the side of a building.


    ¡°Looks like the hounds don''t know how to aim,¡± Lance chuckled.


    His laughter was cut short when a bullet struck his taillight shattering the case.


    ¡°I take that back,¡± he said and stepped on the gas harder.


    ¡°We''re going to die!¡± Cinnamon howled.


    Another bullet shattered the back window. Lilith yelled in fear. Lance quickly released her seat belt and shoved her and Cinnamon onto the floorboard.


    ¡°Stay down!¡± he ordered.


    Lilith didn''t need to be told twice. She got as close to the floor as she could and squeezed her eyes shut. Lilith concentrated on trying to hear the communications of any animals that were close by, hoping they could be her eyes and ears.


    ¡°Don''t go left!¡± Cinnamon screeched.


    Lilith repeated her words so that Lance would understand them. She feared that he might ask questions, but he took the advice and swirled the car down an alleyway to the right.


    ¡°A poodle said that werewolves were hunting down that street,¡± Cinnamon barked.


    ¡°That''s my girl,¡± Lilith said managing a grin.


    Another gunshot sounded in the distance, but Lilith couldn''t make out where it landed. She prayed that no one was going to die for the sake of her escape.


    A rain of bullets hit the bumper of the car and propelled them forward. Lilith cried out again and covered her ears. Cinnamon howled her displeasure at the loud noise cursing the werewolves and Lance.


    ¡°I just wanted a nice weekend of watching television! I didn''t want to die! I''m too young to die! Now our friends are trying to kill us!¡± Cinnamon howled.


    Lilith didn''t try to comfort her, because she knew the Yorkie was right. The Lingstons didn''t use guns to bring down vampires. They had more high-tech equipment for that job. They only used guns on their human enemies. Hunter had sent one of his pack-mates to kill her. Tears threatened to fall, but she pushed them back. There wasn''t time to cry.


    Lilith didn''t like the idea, but she knew that she and Cinnamon had to trust Lance to get them to safety. She still wasn''t convinced that she and Lance had been married in a past life, but that didn''t matter. What mattered right now was staying alive. She felt something for the vampire, but was it more than lust?


    Another rain of bullets hit the side of the car jarring Lilith from her thoughts.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± she heard Lance swear, ¡°come on, baby, come on, you can do it! Just a little farther!¡±


    ¡°Is he talking to the car?¡± Cinnamon asked.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Lilith said not opening her eyes.


    ¡°He''s crazy!¡± Cinnamon barked.


    ¡°Not as crazy as the mutts with the guns,¡± Lilith screamed.


    Another set of bullets hit into the back of the car. Lilith was sure at any moment the car was going to die or explode.


    ¡°Maybe we should start talking to the car,¡± Lilith cried.


    ¡°Come on you lug, you can do it,¡± Cinnamon barked.


    ¡°We''re almost to the airport,¡± Lance said quickly, ¡°When I say go, get out of the car and run. There''s only one plane on the strip, head towards it. Don''t look back, Lilith! Run! I''ll be right behind you, but I have to hold these guys back! If they damage the plane, we''re fucked, love.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the reassurance,¡± Lilith said rolling her eyes.


    ¡°Any time, love, any time,¡± Lance chuckled.


    ¡°Do I run, or are you going to carry me?¡± Cinnamon asked.


    ¡°You run, you''re faster than me,¡± Lilith smiled at Cinnamon, ¡°Get to the plane, regardless of what happens. If the plane gets damaged go hide. I want you safe.¡±


    Lilith''s hands trembled as she climbed back into the seat trying to stay low. She felt weak in the knees, but adrenaline was still surging through her veins. It urged her on, giving her the faith she needed to at least fight for her life. She wasn''t sure she''d succeed, but Lilith wasn''t planning on going down without a fight.


    ¡°Get ready,¡± Lance warned, ¡°Now!¡±


    She opened the door before the car stopped and Cinnamon sprung out of the car first. Lilith hesitated a moment, but Lance''s hand on her shoulder urged her on. She sprinted out of the car towards the plane. Cinnamon was already nearing it and Lilith prayed she made it there safe. Bullets sounded from behind her and a large man tackled her to the ground.


    ¡°I''m Lance''s brother, Richard,¡± he said before Lilith kicked him in the balls.


    ¡°Prove it,¡± Lilith said still tense.


    He pulled her to her feet and flashed his fangs.


    ¡°Good enough,¡± Lilith said and continued running.


    She was nearly to the plane before she realized that Richard was the vampire she had crossed in the alleyway with the woman who had given her the black sapphire ring. He was Lance''s brother? Maybe Lance had been looking for her for a long time, but why didn''t he make his move sooner? Nothing made sense.


    ¡°Love, you''re moving too slow,¡± Lance''s voice growled in her ear.


    The vampire scooped her into his arms without missing a step. Lilith squeaked in surprise, but was grateful for the break. Her muscles ached and her adrenaline was fading away. Panting, she tried to slow her racing heart, but it was no use.


    She could see the werewolves gaining on them, but there was nothing she could do to defend herself. The shock of the situation had finally worn on her. She watched Cinnamon run up the boarding ramp and onto the plane. A smile played at her lips and she passed out.


    Chapter 6: Lance


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Lance asked Ginger.


    ¡°She will be,¡± the woman said, ¡°She''s just exhausted, Lance.¡±


    ¡°Can you get the dog some water?¡± he asked, ¡°If she thinks we mistreated her, she''ll have our heads.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ginger said and left to go find a dish for Cinnamon who trotted along behind her.


    ¡°Where did it hit you?¡± Richard asked once they were alone.


    ¡°My shin,¡± Lance answered.


    ¡°I thought so,¡± Richard grimaced, ¡°Let''s get the shell out before the skin heals over it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lance said biting his lip in pain.


    ¡°This is going to hurt,¡± Richard said after looking at the wound.


    ¡°No shit, you think?¡± Lance snapped, ¡°Just get it the fuck out of there before Lily wakes up.¡± Lance hissed in pain, but his brother paid him no mind. The skin was already beginning to heal over the bullet, which could lead to blood poisoning and for a vampire, that was a serious illness.


    Lance dug his fingernails into the seat as his brother reopened the wound and pried the bullet out. After the bullet was out Lance panted in agony as his body worked quickly to repair the damage. Lance didn''t know what hurt worse, getting injured or having his body heal the wound so rapidly.


    ¡°You need to feed,¡± Richard told him.


    ¡°I hope you have wine on hand then,¡± Lance said pulling his sock back up.


    ¡°She still doesn''t remember, does she?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Lance answered.


    ¡°Maybe you can get Ginger to do the ritual while she''s asleep?¡± Richard offered.


    ¡°No,¡± Lance shook his head.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Richard asked, ¡°You said it yourself, Lance. You know this is Lily. We all know this is Lily, and once she remembers all of our lives will be much easier, not to mention safer.¡±


    ¡°I can''t do that to her,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Do what to her, Lance?¡± Richard asked, ¡°Help her remember?¡±


    ¡°It would be wrong and you know it,¡± Lance sighed.


    ¡°You''re right, but I''m just trying to help,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°I know, but that''s not the way to go about it,¡± Lance said, ¡°and besides we have more important things to deal with.¡±


    ¡°Did I hear you correctly, brother?¡± Richard asked in mock shock, ¡°Something is more important that helping Lily to remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and shut up. It''s never been about getting her to remember. It''s been about finding her to ensure her safety,¡± Lance said, even though it wasn''t the whole truth.


    Lance had wanted to find Lilith for a number of reasons, but most of all he just wanted her back in his arms. His life was empty of meaning without her presence. He knew that Lilith would have been safer if he had just stayed away, but his heart wouldn''t let him. On the day that Lily was taken from him, Lance had sworn to find her again, to take revenge against the hounds that had killed her.


    ¡°She was a lot safer before she met you,¡± Richard chuckled.


    ¡°Maybe, but you know Lily, eventually she would have wanted to quit her job. She''s a good person and her conscience would have caught up with her,¡± Lance said, ¡°Then she would have been in just as much danger.¡±


    ¡°You know we can''t take her to our family?¡± Richard asked, ¡°At least not until she swears loyalty to us again. We can''t take Hunter''s lapdog into the coven-stead.¡±


    ¡°Lily is not a lapdog!¡± Lance snapped, ¡°Think about it Richard, she couldn''t go back to the Lingstons if she wanted to. Hunter sent that mutt to kill her. If I hadn''t of been there she would most likely be dead by now.¡±

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    ¡°Or she would have been fine if you left her alone!¡± Richard retorted.


    ¡°What if it had been Ginger?¡± Lance demanded, ¡°Would you have been able to leave her alone?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, but the way I see it, we''re all in danger now, even Ginger,¡± Richard said and crossed his arms.


    ¡°I didn''t ask for your help, Richard! You decided to follow me to the States,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°What was I supposed to do? Let you die?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Why are you so sure about that?¡± Lance demanded.


    ¡°Because Ginger seen it,¡± Richard snapped.


    ¡°When? What?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°She has seen your death many a times, brother,¡± Richard said, ¡°and every time we have helped you avoid it.¡±


    ¡°So what''s different this time?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°It is Lily''s death she has seen,¡± Richard frowned.


    ¡°How?¡± Lance demanded.


    ¡°What the hell do you mean how?¡± Richard asked, ¡°The Lingstons, of course! Ole'' Simon himself.¡±


    ¡°I''ll kill him first,¡± Lance said.


    His hands balled at his sides and he had to work hard to keep his voice down. He didn''t want Lilith to wake up and hear their conversation.


    ¡°We need a better plan than that, brother,¡± Richard sighed.


    ¡°We''re going to have to spy on them,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± his brother confirmed.


    ¡°Who are we going to spy on?¡± Lilith''s voice called from the other side of the room.


    ¡°No one, love,¡± Lance answered and dashed across the room to Lilith''s side.


    ¡°But you just said..¡± she said.


    ¡°It was a joke,¡± Lance lied.


    ¡°Don''t lie to me, Lance,¡± she sighed.


    Lance frowned and shook his head. Lily had always been able to tell when he was lying and at times, he found it very annoying. He had failed to protect her once, and he would not allow that to happen again, even if he had to keep her in the dark on some things for now.


    Chapter 7: Lilith


    Lilith woke to the sound of Lance and his brother talking in quiet voices. Her ears strained to hear the conversation, but very little of it made sense. They were going to spy on the Lingston''s but that didn''t make sense to her. Why didn''t they just leave it alone? Couldn''t they just go someplace where they wouldn''t be found?


    ¡°You''re lying to me, Lance,¡± she said sitting up.


    Lilith blushed when she realized the only garb she had on was her thin cotton nightgown. She hadn''t even had time to slip her panties back on before the shit hit the fan. Lilith flopped back against the pillows and sighed.


    ¡°I''m not lying to you, Lily,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Yes, you are, and don''t call me that! I¡±m not a flower,¡± Lilith retorted.


    ¡°You are the most beautiful flower I''ve ever seen, Lilith,¡± Lance said trying to distract her,


    ¡°Oh! Lance, you are so full of it!¡± she said and rolled her eyes, ¡°You truly are! Why in the hell do you want to go spying on them? Don''t you know how dangerous they are?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Lance nodded, ¡°and that''s exactly why we have to know what they''re up to.¡±


    ¡°I''m just going to leave you two alone to argue this out,¡± Richard chuckled and left the room.


    ¡°Thanks a lot, brother,¡± Lance sighed.


    ¡°Any time,¡± Richard called back.


    Lilith''s heart thumped against her chest and she felt light headed. It had already been a rough day and it wasn''t even noon yet. She was on a plane with two vampires and their groupies, dressed in only her nightgown, and felt hung-over. Although Lilith remembered seeing Cinnamon board the plane, the Yorkie was nowhere in sight. She wanted to ask Lance where she was, but first she had to convince him that his idea was stupid! No, it was more than that. It was a suicide mission.


    ¡°Are you insane?¡± Lilith demanded.


    ¡°No, I¡±m quiet sane,¡± Lance began.


    ¡°No, you''re not!¡± Lilith cut him off, ¡°Sane people don''t go about spying on werewolves! That''s a suicide mission and you know it, Lance!¡±


    The thought of Lance dying felt like a stab to Lilith''s soul. She may be angry at him, but she didn''t want to see him dead. She may not be the dream girl from his past, but she was beginning to care about him.


    ¡°You''re going to be the death of me,¡± Lilith sighed.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Lance asked, ¡°I''m going to be the death of you?¡±


    Lilith felt a pang of guilt as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Lance hid his emotions well, but his green eyes betrayed him, by letting her know that her words had struck a chord.


    ¡°My life was pretty normal until you came along,¡± Lilith continued even though the words stung her heart too.


    ¡°Normal?¡± Lance laughed, ¡°Lily, your life was never normal! Not your last one and certainly not this one! You were hunting vampires for a living!¡±


    ¡°I was not hunting vampires for a living!¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Yes, you were!¡± Lance said.


    ¡°No, I was locating vampires for a living,¡± Lilith said crossing her arms.


    Her blood began to boil and she wanted to slap the arrogant blood sucker that sat next to her. She had worked hard to come to terms with what her career entailed, but he was tearing away her layers and knocking down her walls. Tears were forming in her eyes, but Lilith brushed them away with the back of her hand. She wasn''t going to cry over her choices. It was her life and she had the right to live it the way she chose.


    ¡°And what the hell do you think the Lingstons did to the vampires you located?¡± Lance yelled.


    Lilith flinched away from his raised voice and pulled the sheet up to her chin. She didn''t want to think about it, but she did know what happened. She had heard about it in too much detail. Melissa had cried in her arms after her step-father had been taken by the werewolves she worked for.


    ¡°Do you?¡± Lance asked again.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± Lilith yelled.


    ¡°No, Lilith, I won''t! This isn''t like you! You don''t take blood money! You don''t get innocent people killed just to line your pockets! Open your eyes!¡± Lance shouted.


    ¡°Lance, you don''t know me! You think I''m some woman you knew, but I''m not, because she''s dead Lance! I''m alive! I can''t be this dead woman! You don''t know me at all!¡± Lilith yelled.


    ¡°You know what?¡± Lance shouted, ¡°Maybe you''re right, maybe I don''t know you at all! Maybe, you''re not my Lily!¡±


    His words felt like a slap to the face. Lilith bit her lip to stifle the sob that threatens to escape her throat. It was an unexpected pain, but it hurts like hell. She felt as if she had been rejected, although in reality Lance had finally accepted her point.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Lilith said and crossed her arms, ¡°If you''re so sure I''m your ''Lily'', prove it!¡±


    ¡°What other proof do you need, woman?¡± Lance asked, ¡°You''ve seen the goblets, you''ve had visions of our life together, you''ve felt for me. I''ve seen it in your eyes. I''ve felt it in your touch.¡±


    Lilith pulled away as he tried to touch her face.


    ¡°Yes, I''m attracted to you, Lance, but I''ve been attracted to plenty of people! That doesn''t prove anything! Okay, the goblets match my ring, but it isn''t even my ring. Not to begin with. The woman who gave it to me was with your brother in an alley way! I had those dreams because I was drunk and confused!¡± Lilith protested.


    ¡°It''s more than lust and you know it!¡± Lance retorted, ¡°Ginger only had your ring that day, because I allowed her to use it to scry for you! It matches your ring because it''s a family heirloom! A heirloom from my family!¡±


    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean to me, Lance?¡± she asked.


    ¡°A lot, because I gave it to you when I asked you to be my life mate,¡± Lance sighed.


    Lilith took a deep breath. This argument wasn''t getting them anywhere, but angry and frustrated. Her pulse was racing and her knees felt weak from fatigue and anger, but she wasn''t willing to accept the facts. It didn''t provide proof. She didn''t believe in reincarnation, and if he expected her to change her mind she was going to need some hard solid proof.


    ¡°I''m not your life mate. I''ve never been married to you,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°Yes, you were, but I''m through arguing,¡± Lance said standing up.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lilith demanded.


    ¡°To save your ass again,¡± Lance said and slammed the door behind him.


    ¡°We''re on a plane!¡± Lilith yelled and followed behind him, ¡°You can''t leave right now!¡±


    ¡°No, but Richard and I can figure out how the hell we''re going to do this!¡± he shouted back.


    ¡°Don''t!¡± Lilith said, ¡°Please, don''t, Lance.¡±


    Tears fell from Lilith''s eyes as she chased after the vampire. She cared about him more than she wanted to admit, but couldn''t find a way to tell him. Lilith didn''t want him to love her because she reminded him of someone. She wanted Lance to love her for who she was now.


    ¡°Why shouldn''t I?¡± he asked, ¡°It''s not like you give a damn!¡±


    The anger that had been brewing in Lilith''s belly boiled over and before she could contain the heat of the emotion, she slapped Lance. Her hand met his cheek in a swift motion. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed around the plane''s corridor and throughout its body.


    ¡°It''s the truth isn''t it?¡± Lance asked holding his hand to his face, ¡°I''m just another vampire! Better for me to be dead than to inflict the world with my existence, isn''t it?¡±


    ¡°You are insufferable!¡± Lilith shouted.


    Hot angry tears fell from her eyes and landed on the carpet. Her hands were shaking like she had never experienced. Lilith couldn''t recall a time in her life where she had been so angry, so outraged!

 Page 11

    ¡°I''m the insufferable one?¡± Lance asked, ¡°You''re the murderer, but I''m the insufferable one?¡±


    ¡°Don''t make me slap you again!¡± she cried, ¡°I''ve never met a man who has made me feel.. So..¡±


    ¡°Alive?¡± Lance offered with a grin.


    ¡°Ooooh!¡± she cried out, ¡°No, angry!¡±


    ¡°At least you''re feeling something now!¡± Lance said and crossed his arms.


    ¡°You think I don''t have emotions?¡± Lilith shouted.


    ¡°I think you have them, you just keep them in the nightstand next to the condoms,¡± Lance chuckled.


    ¡°You think this is funny don''t you?¡± Lilith asked, ¡°To you it''s just one big game!¡±


    Lilith stomped her foot and had to fight back the urge to punch the wall.


    ¡°No, I don''t think life''s a game, but you do, don''t you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, you kill for sport,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°I do not,¡± Lilith said.


    She slid down onto the floor and banged her head against the wall in an attempt to relieve some of the frustration she was feeling.


    ¡°If it bothers you so much, love, I think it''s time to rethink your career,¡± Lance said as he sat down next to her.


    ¡°Yea,okay,¡± she rolled her eyes, ¡°What am I supposed to do to make money?¡±


    ¡°Groom dogs?¡± Lance teased.


    ¡°Do you know how much money I make?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Do you know how many vampires you''ve helped to murder in the last ten years?¡± Lance asked, ¡°Let me clue you, just in case you''ve lost count. Two-hundred-fifty lives, Lilith!¡± Lance said.


    Lilith felt the blood drain from her face. She swallowed hard trying to clear her throat, but was still unable to speak. For a moment she sat with her head in her hands and cried. She knew what she had been doing, but she also knew there wasn''t a way out of it, at least, not if she wanted to live.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± she managed to squeak after a few minutes of crying, ¡°but what was I supposed to do? If Hunter is as bad as you say, wouldn''t he have killed me if I refused to work for him? If I had to decide to quit wouldn''t he have killed me? Killed me dead, just like he tried to do today?¡±


    Lilith searched the vampire''s green eyes for answers, but found none. There was understanding and compassion, but no answers.


    ¡°But you don''t have to do it anymore, Lily,¡± Lance said and wiped away a tear that was on her cheek.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do then?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We''ll figure that out, but for now just stay with me,¡± Lance said and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.


    ¡°But what if I''m not her?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°You are,¡± Lance grinned, ¡°I''d know your soul anywhere, Lily,¡±


    ¡°How can we be sure?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°There''s always Ginger''s ritual,¡± Lance shrugged.


    ¡°What''s that like?¡± she asked.


    ¡°To be honest, I don''t really know,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°If I do the ritual, will you promise not to go chasing after them?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lance nodded.


    ¡°I want to hear the words,¡± Lilith said locking eyes with him, ¡°I want to hear you say that you promise me you won''t chase after those damn werewolves.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± Lance grinned.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Why don''t you take a hot bath to relax and I''ll go tell the others what we''ve decided,¡± Lance suggested.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lilith said and kissed him on the cheek.


    Lilith knew that it was silly, but she made Lance leave the bathroom before she undressed. She had never met a man that made her feel sexy, shy, and powerful all in the same breath.


    Lilith sank into the hot water and sighed. Her body ached from running for her life, but the water soothed more than her sore muscles. Lance had added strange herbs and oils to her bath and the scent soothed her worries and fears. She caught herself grinning like fool, on more than one occasion. Her laughter filled the bathroom and bounced around the room. It had been a long time since she had laughed for no reason.


    A knock on the door startled her and she nearly slipped all the way under the water.


    ¡°It''s just me,¡± a female voice called from the other side of the door.


    ¡°Whose me?¡± Lilith called back.


    ¡°Ginger, we''ve met once before,¡± the woman replied.


    Realizing it was Richard''s girlfriend, the woman who had given her the ring that was still on her finger, Lilith sighed.


    ¡°I''m a little busy right now,¡± Lilith answered.


    ¡°I know that, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute,¡± Ginger said, ¡°and Cinnamon''s demanding to see you. She doesn''t believe me that Lance didn''t eat you.¡±


    ¡°You can understand her?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Only from what the gems tell me, but they''re usually pretty reliable. Can I come in?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Hang on a second,¡± she sighed.


    Lilith sank under the bubbles until her breasts were hidden and took a deep breath. She knew most women wouldn''t be so modest around others of their genders, but Lilith had been raised to respect and honor her body.


    ¡°You can come in now,¡± she said.


    Ginger walked into the room and sat down in the arm chair next to the far wall.


    ¡°I wanted to talk to you alone, while the men aren''t around,¡± she grinned.


    Lilith arched an eyebrow and motioned for her to continue. She wasn''t sure what to talk about with the witch, because she had never thought much of most magics.


    ¡°I know you think that Richard brainwashed me, but he didn''t. I promise you,¡± Ginger said, ¡°I was with him long ago, even before you met Lance. I died giving birth to our son and only found him again in this life time. I dreamed about Richard from a very young age. My mother thought I was crazy and she was a witch too. I''ll admit that I must have sounded a little crazy when I told her that I had to leave home to look for my vampyric life mate. Most witches avoid vampires, because they seem to have a taste for our blood. My mother didn''t approve, but she gave me her blessing. She was a good woman. When I finally found Richard it took some time to convince him that I was indeed Charlene. It doesn''t happen often like it did for you, having the same name in two lives, but I guess you''re lucky that way.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Because I want to share my experience with you. I want you to know that you''re not the first person to experience this. It''s scary, but it can work,¡± Ginger said,


    ¡°What about the ritual?¡± Lilith asked, ¡°How does that work?¡±


    ¡°I remembered my past lives so easily because I was born with the blessing of being able to communicate with gems, stones, and such. They hold memories. A rock never forgets. I''ve helped the mortal police solve crimes even. I helped investigate my own mother''s murder,¡± Ginger told her.


    ¡°Your mother was murdered?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Yes, she was,¡± Ginger nodded sadly, ¡°by your previous employer in fact.¡±


    ¡°But she wasn''t a vampire?¡± Lilith arched a brow.


    ¡°No, my mother was a healer. She worked with a lot of the other kinds and one night she found a vampire nearly dead after a Lingston attack. Witches don''t usually donate to vampires, but my mother made an exception, because the man had a family waiting on him. When the Lingstons found out they killed her,¡± Ginger said, ¡°The mortals wouldn''t do anything about it, because Lingston runs most of the city.¡±


    ¡°I''m so sorry,¡± Lilith said.


    She had spent many years protecting her mother, but in the end had lost her to breast cancer.


    ¡°It''s not your fault, Lilith,¡± Ginger smiled softly, ¡°It''s the fault of the wolves and of course the cowardly mortals.¡±


    ¡°Why do you refer to other mortals that way?¡± Lilith asked, ¡°Like they''re a different species or something. They''re not any different from you or I, genetically speaking.¡±


    ¡°But, dear, they are,¡± Ginger said, ¡°Once you become a life mate to a vampire your DNA changes.¡±


    ¡°Because of that decision?¡± Lilith asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes and no,¡± Ginger laughed, ¡°Once you accept a vampire as your life mate, you become their donor. Their venom extends the normal mortal life to an unusual degree. It becomes more difficult to kill us, we don''t get ill the way others do, and many other things. The venom repairs the very cells of our being, and after living so much longer than those around us we do become different.¡±


    ¡°Weird,¡± Lilith nodded.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Ginger grinned, ¡°most of your new life will be weird. The ceremony or ritual as you call it will allow memories of your past life to surface to your conscious mind. It is a very emotional ordeal. Most take off weeks from their jobs or switch careers all together after the experience.¡±


    ¡°I''ve always been told that we should leave past lives, well in the past, and focus on the one we¡¯re living presently,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°I thought you didn''t believe in reincarnation?¡± Ginger asked.


    ¡°I don''t,¡± Lilith admitted, ¡°but I like to eves-drop.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough on both accounts, but for some of us, especially those of us with vampyric life mates the past has a way of catching up with us,¡± Ginger told her.


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Lilith nodded.


    The more she listened to Ginger speak the more believable the situation became. She wondered if it had something to do with the witch''s magic or the herbs and oils that were soaking into her skin, but she didn''t care either way. Lilith wanted to find out for herself if she had indeed made a wedding vow to Lance.


    ¡°So what''s the ceremony like?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°You''ll see,¡± Ginger smiled.

 Page 12

    ¡°I hope I don''t need to wear something fancy, because I don''t have anything with me,¡± Lilith laughed.


    ¡°Wear your wedding ring and a smile,¡± Ginger grinned and stood up, ¡°I''ll tell Cinnamon she can come and see you before the ceremony.¡±


    Lilith blinked at the other woman''s answer.


    ¡°My wedding ring and a smile, huh?¡± she said shaking her head, ¡°This day couldn''t get any crazier.¡±


    The bathroom door opened again and Cinnamon trotted full speed into the room.


    ¡°The vampire didn''t eat you!¡± she howled.


    ¡°No, Lance didn''t eat me,¡± Lilith laughed.


    Cinnamon jumped up onto the side of the tub and licked Lilith''s face.


    ¡°What happened to you? You fell asleep and I couldn''t get you to wake up!¡± Cinnamon whined.


    ¡°I passed out,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Well, don''t do that again,¡± Cinnamon barked.


    ¡°I don''t plan on it,¡± Lilith assured her.


    ¡°Good!¡± the Yorkie said, ¡°What''s all this talk about a ceremony? Are you going to marry the vampire? You''re not are you? Please, Lilith, tell me you''re not?¡±


    ¡°No, it''s not a wedding ceremony,¡± Lilith giggled, ¡°I''m going to find out about my past life. I want to find out if Lance is telling me the truth?¡±


    ¡°And if he is?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I like him a lot,¡± Lilith admitted.


    ¡°But he''s a vampire! A cat! Hunter is going to eat us!¡± Cinnamon whined.


    ¡°No, we''re not going to be working for Hunter Lingston any longer,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°What are we going to do then?¡± she demanded, ¡°You''re going to have to wash a lot of dogs to buy my steaks!¡±


    ¡°We''ll figure it out later,¡± Lilith laughed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Cinnamon sighed.


    There was another knock on the door and the startled Yorkie nearly fell into the water.


    ¡°We''re going to be landing soon, you may want to be out of the bath by then,¡± Ginger said.


    ¡°Okay, thanks for letting me know,¡± Lilith said and stood up.


    ¡°I almost forgot to tell you, Ginger has a poodle named, Marcus,¡± Cinnamon said springing into the air.


    ¡°Really,¡± Lilith teased, ¡°Is he fixed?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Cinnamon cheered.


    ¡°You''re going to have funny looking puppies!¡± Lilith laughed.


    ¡°Not really, crossing our genetics will make our puppies designer dogs!¡± Cinnamon barked.


    Lilith toweled off and slipped into a robe that hung on the wall. She walked slowly back to join the rest of the group. Things were moving quickly and the situation seemed surreal. Lilith half wondered if she was going to wake up and find that it all was one very strange dream.


    She sat down in the seat next to Ginger and Lance quickly fastened her seat belt.


    ¡°I could have done that myself,¡± Lilith frowned.


    ¡°You''ll get used to it,¡± Ginger told her, ¡°Vampire life mates are a little over protective.¡±


    After the plane had landed Ginger gave Lilith a sundress to wear while they were traveling. The neckline was a little too revealing for her taste, but face with the alternative of her stinky sweat drenched nightgown, she wore it gratefully. They left the plane surrounded by vampire security. Lilith had seen many of them in passing around the city, but hadn''t been able to recognize them for what they were, and that worried her. Were there ways around her sight? She made a mental note to ask Ginger later.


    Lance held tight to her hand as they walked to the car. The men that surrounded them all stood a foot or more taller than Lilith, making her feel small and puny. When they arrived at the car Lance lifted Lilith into her seat and fastened her in.


    ¡°I''m not a child!¡± she protested.


    ¡°I know that,¡± he said appearing on the other side of her, ¡°but we''re a little short of time, love. We want to make it inside before someone spots us.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn''t we have a little less security then?¡± she asked.


    ¡°If we are spotted, I wanted to ensure your safety,¡± Lance chuckled.


    The tent on the windows was so dark that Lilith couldn''t see through them. She felt blind and it made her uneasy.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I''ll tell you later,¡± Lance said.


    Lilith studied him for a moment and realized he was wearing a security headset. She sighed in frustration, but was quiet and let him listen to the voices that must have been talking rapidly in his ear.


    She sighed in relief once they were inside of what looked to be a residential house. It was comforting to be away from the gaggle of vampires and back with their small groups. Cinnamon''s fur was still standing on end when Lilith plopped down onto the sofa.


    ¡°Shh,¡± she said scratching behind the Yorkie''s ear.


    ¡°Okay, so since we''re short on time, and we can''t make a decision until after the ceremony, let''s say we get it started,¡± Ginger suggested.


    ¡°I''m ready,¡± Lance said taking her hand.


    ¡°Umm.. If I''m going to be..¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Don''t worry, you can use the guest room,¡± Ginger smiled.


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Lilith said looking around.


    The walls were full of photos of Ginger at various stages of her childhood.


    ¡°This is your childhood home,¡± she finished.


    ¡°That it is,¡± Ginger smiled, ¡°but I beg you to make yourself comfortable. We are family after all,¡±


    Lance took her hand and led Lilith to the guest room.


    ¡°Do you know how to do this?¡± Lilith asked once they were alone.


    ¡°It seemed pretty simple when Ginger told me about it,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°So, do you wanna clue me in on the grand mystery?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You''ll see,¡± Lance chuckled, ¡°but first we need to undress.¡±


    Lilith watched as he removed his shirt. Her heart skipped a beat when her eyes fell upon his well sculpted chest and abs. Sure, she had seen him shirtless before, but his beauty never ceased to amaze her. Her breath caught in her throat and she found herself unable to move.


    It occurred to her maybe it was the beauty of a vampire that could entrance a crowd. Perhaps it had nothing to do with any mystical power they possessed.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she nodded.


    Her eyes followed Lance''s hands as they moved to unfasten his belt. Lilith bit her lip as she waited anxiously for him to unzip his fly. Memories of their lovemaking danced through her mind making her wet. She rubbed her thighs together and sighed.


    Lilith knew that Lance was drawing it out on purpose, but she didn''t mind. His sex appeal was intoxicating. He undid his pants and took them off. Lilith''s eyes locked to his long thick manhood, which was already beginning to harden. Her tongue flicked over her lips lustfully.


    ¡°It''s your turn,¡± Lance chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, yea, the dress,¡± Lilith said and pulled it off unceremoniously, ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°We drink,¡± Lance said.


    Lilith studied the goblets that he held up and then looked down at her ring. No memories from past lives surfaced, but she did remember the first day she had met Lance. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered how she hadn''t realized that he was a vampire at first.


    Lilith sat on the edge of the bed and watched Lance pour the wine. Her hands shook, but she wasn''t nervous about the sex that was sure to follow the wine. No, Lilith was worried about what she might remember, or even worse, that she wouldn''t remember anything at all.


    ¡°Breathe,¡± Lance teased.


    ¡°I am,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Didn''t look like it to me,¡± he said.


    Her amusement turned to horror when Lance pulled a dagger out from under the bed.


    ¡°What, it''s just an athame?¡± Lance chuckled.


    ¡°No, that''s a big ass knife,¡± Lilith blinked,


    ¡°It''s a ceremonial dagger, hence the definition of athame,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°And what do you plan to do with it?¡± Lilith asked, although she wasn''t sure if she wanted to know.


    ¡°You''ll see,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Why do I have a feeling that I''m not going to like it?¡± Lilith sighed.


    Lilith drew in sharp breath as she watched the vampire bring the blade down hard against his palm and slash it. She winced and turned her head.


    ¡°It''s just blood,¡± Lance chuckled.


    ¡°Doesn''t that hurt?¡± Lilith asked not daring to look.


    ¡°Not as much as some things,¡± Lance shrugged.


    Lilith glanced in Lances direction and grimaced in disgust when she seen that he was mixing his blood into one of the goblets.


    ¡°I''m so not drinking that,¡± she shook her head, ¡°I''m not going to be a vampire,¡±


    ¡°Myth!¡± Lance laughed.


    ¡°What?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Drinking a vampire''s blood will not make you a vampire. In fact, the only way one can be a vampire is to be born as such,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°I''m still not drinking that,¡± Lilith shook her head.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°Because I''m not a vampire!¡± she said.


    ¡°You won''t even taste it,¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°Why do I have to drink that?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Because my blood holds the memories of our previous time together,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lilith shrugged.


    ¡°And the exchanging of blood is part of the life mate ceremony,¡± he told her.


    ¡°I''m not marrying you,¡± she said.


    ¡°You don''t have to, you already did,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Let''s just get this over with,¡± she sighed.


    Lance handed her the goblet and she hesitantly sniffed it. The last time she had drank this wine she ended up with the hangover from hell, and wasn''t too keen on the idea of repeating the experience.


    ¡°Cheers,¡± she said toasting him.

 Page 13

    Lilith closed her eyes and tested the wine. It tasted just as good as she remembered, and Lance hadn''t lied, she couldn''t taste the blood. Lance moved closer to her and began to massage her shoulders. His hands felt strong and warm against her sore muscles.


    She sighed as the wine began to take effect. Her body felt warm and her mind spacey. Lilith turned to face Lance and their lips met in a passionate kiss. His tongue danced into her mouth, swirling and engaging her own. Her hands rested against his chest, which allowed her to revel in the feeling of his heart beating against her palm.


    His hands cupped her face and Lilith realized that his self-inflicted wound was already healed. Lance sat the goblets aside and Lilith lay back on the bed. Her legs were spread wide, inviting him to enter her. Lance lay next to her and kissed her neck. His tongue flicked across her pulse point and she drew in a sharp breath.


    Lilith moved her long locks out of the way and bared her throat to him. Her hands shook, but she trusted him. His mouth captured hers again and she felt his fangs scrape across her bottom lip. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth and coated her taste buds. She drew in a sharp breath of pleasure when Lance trailed his fingers down her spine to her tailbone.


    Her pussy was wet and longing for attention. She slipped her hand between her thighs and massaged her swollen clit.


    ¡°Allow me,¡± Lance grinned.


    Lilith watched intently as he kissed down her stomach and moved between her thighs. He trailed his fingernails over the sensitive flesh that led to her pleasure mound. Lance cupped her sex in his hand and squeezed gently, trapping her aching clit between her folds.


    Lilith moaned and bit her bottom lip. Her hips arched towards Lance as she played with her nipples. She squeezed the perky peaks between her finger and thumb, adding to the feeling of pleasure that Lance was evoking between her thighs.


    Lance squeezed again and Lilith''s eyes rolled back into her head. The fire in her belly was already lit, but Lance was going to make her wait for release. His finger darted between her lips and brushed against her clit, gently at first, slowly adding more pressure. Lilith''s toes curled into the bed as she relaxed into his touch.


    Any thought of ceremonies or magic faded away as Lilith''s attention was drawn to the sensations washing over her body. Lance slipped two fingers into her making her squirm. Her body squeezed at his digits trying to draw them deeper into her.


    Lance worked his fingers in and out of her slippery sex, brushing against her


    g-spot again and again. Lilith arched her body, rubbing her swollen little nub against his hand.


    Lilith felt the heat from her belly and loins spread through the rest of her body and reality ceased to exist. None of it mattered. Not her job or her ex-employer, or even the fact that Lance was a vampire. Her body was experiencing bliss and pulling her mind along for the ride.


    Lance leaned in and flicked his tongue across her slippery, swollen clit. Lilith''s fingernails dug into the sheets and her pussy arched towards Lance''s face. Her hands moved quickly to the back of his head and held it in place.


    Lance lapped at her sex, drinking in her juices of desire, the same way he would drink her blood. His tongue traveled over her folds again and again making her writhe in pleasure.


    ¡°Lance,¡± she moaned.


    Lance moved away from her sex and looked down into her eyes. Lilith sighed and pulled him into a kiss. As their tongues danced together the taste of her sex and blood mingled between them.


    Lilith arched her hips towards Lance letting him know that she was ready. She moaned loudly as Lance slipped his manhood into her wet pussy. The feeling of fullness and friction sent Lilith over the edge before Lance even began to thrust, but her body was still hungry for more of him.


    Her climax washed over her hungry body, making her nipples and clit ache for Lance''s affection. Lilith wrapped her arms around the vampire¡¯s neck and her legs around his waist. She wanted to feel her lover deep inside of her, brushing against every inch of her soft crevice.


    Lance moved slowly at first, but his pace soon quickened causing Lilith to moan at the height of every thrust. She could feel him gliding over her folds, stimulating her sex and the pleasure spread throughout her being.


    ¡°I want to feel you deeper, Lance! Harder!¡± she cried.


    Lance pulled out of her and flipped Lilith over onto her stomach. She instinctively got to her hands and knees, pushing her sex and ass high in the air. Lilith could feel her wetness dripping onto her thighs.


    She gasped in shocked pleasure when Lance quickly slid his manhood back into her hungry body. Lilith squeezed him, forcing him to move slowly so that she could revel the feeling of him sliding against every inch of her sex.


    Her fingernails dug into the sheets and Lilith bit the pillow as Lance began to thrust. His movements were quick and hard, penetrating her body deeply. His hands held tight to her hips as he moved in and out of her. Lilith moved against him and massaged her clit to feed her hunger and need for another release.


    The heat in her belly was searing and spreading through her body like a wild fire. She felt raw and alive and knew she was nearing orgasm, but this time it was more intense. Her eyes rolled back in her head as Lance¡¯s thrusting sent her over the edge.


    Lilith''s body quivered with pleasure as she called out her pleasure into the pillow. She squeezed Lance''s manhood drawing out her pleasure and taking him closer to the edge.


    Lance''s thrusts became more shallow, but quicker and harder. Lilith bit her lip as every thrust sent a new wave of pleasure washing over her exhausted body. She felt Lance''s cock twitch inside of her and then his warm seed exploded. Lilith sighed in pleasure as she collapsed onto the bed. Lance lay on top of her panting for air, but still holding her close.


    Questions came to her mind, but Lilith was too tired to think, much less talk. She drifted off to sleep with him still inside of her body.


    Chapter 8: Lance


    Lance hadn''t felt so alive in centuries. His heart pounded as if it might beat right out of his chest. He held tight to Lilith until he was sure she was asleep. The vampire didn''t want to get up. He didn''t want to go and face the world, but Lance knew he had to. There was too much at stake for him to just remain and enjoy the bliss that had engulfed him.


    He allowed himself another moment of laying in silence with the sleeping Lilith before forcing himself to rise. Lance moved carefully, even though he was pretty sure that Lilith was in ceremonial sleep and nothing short of the end of the world would wake her.


    The vampire stood at the edge of the bed watching his lover sleep and sighed.


    ¡°I''m sorry I''m going to break my promise, Lily, but I have to end this feud once and for all. I love you, remember that no matter what happens,¡± he said even though he knew she couldn''t hear him.


    Lance dressed and glanced at Lilith one last time. He was about to leave when he paused to pull the blankets over her.


    ¡°Lance,¡± she murmured.


    He kissed her on the forehead and left, shutting the door behind him. The others were eating dinner, but Lance didn''t have an appetite. He was too consumed with thoughts of Lilith and their future to worry about food.


    ¡°If you two are planning what I think you are, Lance, you need to eat something before you go running off,¡± Ginger said setting a steak in front of him.


    He sighed and resigned himself to eating. It was a surreal feeling to be partaking in such a normal activity while so much was at risk. Lance ate, but didn''t taste his food. His mind distracted him again and again with paranoia and worry.


    ¡°Get it together,¡± he told himself, ¡°Lance, you''ve got to get your head in the game, man!¡±


    After dinner, Ginger took Cinnamon out to the backyard leaving Lance and his brother alone.


    ¡°Did it work?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°We won''t know until she wakes up,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Richard nodded.


    ¡°Any news?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°Actually, yes,¡± Richard grinned, ¡°Hunter himself is making the drive here as we speak.¡±


    ¡°How long until he arrives?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°A few hours,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°Location?¡± Lance asked.


    ¡°Anywhere he expects us to be, but my sources tell me he and his pack will be staying at the Plaza Hotel,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°That''s a good place as any to start then,¡± Lance said walking away.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°To take a shower,¡± Lance grinned.


    Lance showered quickly as he had always done. He didn''t like the way a lot of people in the modern era wasted water by standing under the shower head staring at the wall. If you wanted to soak, take a bath. If you wanted to clean, take a shower, but don''t stand there and daydream.


    He dried and dressed in his active gear. Lance looked at himself in the mirror and grinned. For decades the vampire had not recognized his own reflection, but today the man that looked back at him, he knew well. His green eyes looked lively, determined, and always full of mischief. He grinned without thinking about it, and feeding from Lily had made him feel more alive than ever.


    ¡°Hunter, tonight is the night you meet the big mutt in the sky, you bastard!¡± he said grinning.


    Lance paced the hallway and watched the clock. They wanted to be in position before the Lingstons arrived, but not so early to make things look suspicious. Richard was buddies with a guy who worked maintenance at the hotel so they would have access to the ventilation system, and that would provide them adequate coverage to spy on Hunter and the other werewolves.


    ¡°It''s time,¡± Lance called to Richard.


    There was silence and he knew his brother was saying goodbye to Ginger. They had both accepted long ago that they both could very well die before their mission was ever achieved, but it was a matter of love and honor. Before the idea of death never seemed real to Lance, because he felt he had nothing to live for. Now, with Lilith''s return, life and death seemed more solid, and he was determined to keep them all alive.


    Lance waited in the car for Richard. He didn''t want to seem impatient and ruin their time together. For many years he had envied his brother''s relationship with Ginger, because if he, himself wasn''t happy, why did anyone else deserve to be? He knew it was a selfish notion, one that Lily would have scolded him for, so he was eventually able to overcome it.

 Page 14

    Richard joined him in the car and waved to Ginger. Lance put on his sunglasses to keep the glare of the setting sun from blinding him and pulled out of the driveway. He was thankful that Richard let him drive, even though it was his car. Lance never liked to be in the passenger''s seat, because he felt he needed to be in control if disaster struck.


    The drive to the Plaza Hotel took less than twenty minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to Lance. Every second brought him closer to his revenge and the end of the century¡¯s long feud. He pulled the car into the parking lot and pulled to a stop. The valet took the keys and a bellhop offered to escort them in, but the brothers waited and watched. Lance didn''t like to use the valet service, but when he did he made sure he knew where the hell they put his car. He had never understood why anyone would want to be potentially trapped, because they couldn''t locate their own vehicle.


    Lance took his sunglasses off and looked around the lobby. Nothing looked out of place, yet. They registered and were shown to their room. The brothers each carried a small suitcase full of supplies they might need, but it was more for looks than luggage.


    Once inside, Lance quickly located the vent behind the dresser. He easily shoved the dresser out of the way and tore the cover off.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Richard cautioned, ¡°we don''t even know what room they''re going to be in.¡±


    ¡°I''m just getting everything ready,¡± Lance retorted.


    ¡°Don''t be in a hurry, Lance, when guys rush they fuck up,¡± Richard cautioned.


    ¡°I know that, Rich,¡± Lance sighed.


    The vampire popped his knuckles and began to gear up. He had smuggled in his own personal arsenal of werewolf killing weapons. He had a machete that would cut a head clear of the spine, and a cross bow that was equipped with arrows that were laced with a sedative that could knock out an elephant, or kill a werewolf in a pinch.


    A knock on the door made his senses grew even more alert. He sniffed the air.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Richard said, ¡°It''s just Gary. You know the man with info.¡±


    Lance stood watching out the window while Richard answered the door. The parade of black vehicles pulling into the parking lot let Lance know that they were behind schedule.


    ¡°The Florence Sweet is where the mutts will be having their meeting,¡± he heard Gary say, ¡°This is the floor plan of the vent system and how you can get there. You''re lucky, because it''s one of the few rooms that have a vent large enough to drop down through. Good luck and if you''re caught, you stole these on your own,¡±


    Richard nodded and Gary left without another word.


    ¡°Time to move out, the hounds are here,¡± Lance said and snatched the layout from his brother, ¡°Looks simple enough, let''s get it started.¡±


    Adrenaline raced through Lance''s veins as he entered through the vent shaft. It was time like this that Lance was reminded that he was a predator. Most vampires no longer hunted for their dinner, taking the more noble route of finding willing donors, but that didn''t change their nature. At the core of his being, Lance was a predator, wild and dangerous, and these hounds had hurt his mate. He suppressed a growl before it had the chance to echo through the ventilation system.


    He had memorized the map, but it had been a waste of time. The smell of dog filled his nostrils even from across the hotel. Lance followed his nose to his prey. The voice of Hunter Lingston echoed through the shaft.


    ¡°We''re close enough to hear,¡± Richard whispered, ¡°We can stop here.¡±


    Lance nodded and listened. Hunter was rallying his packs morale and planning their deaths. Anger threatened to overcome the vampire, but like any good predator he decided to bid his time. He would deliver his deadly strike at the exact moment of perfection.


    ¡°I need to get closer,¡± Lance whispered.


    ¡°This is recon, not war,¡± Richard frowned.


    ¡°It''s always been a war, brother,¡± Lance said.


    He crawled silently towards the sound of Hunter''s voice. Through the slits in the shaft, Lance could see the mutts gathered around their alpha. Bile threatened to rise in his throat as he looked down upon them in disgust.


    Hunter''s laughter exploded through the room and Lance could no longer hold back his anger. It flooded through his body as if it had just broken down some invisible dam. He slid the arrow of his crossbow through one of the slits and took aim between Hunter''s broad shoulder blades. With a silent cry of triumphant he released the arrow and watched with satisfaction as it soared through the air and hit its mark.


    Everyone looked towards the shaft, but Lance was already out of view. He wanted to stick around and watch Hunter writhe in agony as he died, but Lance knew they had to get the hell away from the pack. The others would follow them, but they were ready. Scores of vampires, Ragatti and otherwise had waited for this moment for centuries. The time of the hounds was coming to an end and a new era would rise. The other kin would see an old powerhouse return, the Ragatti''s would reclaim their honor!


    Lance and Richard followed the ventilation system to the nearest outside exit and headed for the car. Richard followed behind him silently. Lance knew that his brother didn''t agree with his actions, but he didn''t care. Nothing could ruin his moment of victory. He had waited too long to let one disbeliever stand in his way.


    Once back on the road Lance dared a glance at his brother.


    ¡°Are you fucking insane?¡± Richard demanded.


    ¡°No,¡± Lance grinned, ¡°I''m just me. The bastard had it coming!¡±


    ¡°Lance, you''re losing sight of what''s important!¡± Richard scowled, ¡°I understood wanting to find Lily and wanting to keep her safe,¡±


    ¡°This is keeping her safe and Ginger too,¡± Lance said pulling onto the highway.


    ¡°I don''t think anything good will comes of this. The feud between our family and the Lingstons has been at a standstill for centuries, but now it will be a blood bath. Is that what you want?¡± Richard asked, ¡°Do you think that will keep Lily safe or will it end like it did last time?¡±


    Lance didn''t answer his brother, because he feared he was correct. His anger had gotten away from him, but he knew they would never live in peace as long as Hunter was alpha to the Lingston Pack. There were other werewolves that he could see doing a good job, but Hunter would never leave them in peace.


    ¡°Let''s just get home and do damage control,¡± Richard sighed.


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Lance nodded.


    The hair on the back of Lance''s neck stood on end when they pulled into the driveway. He didn''t see their snipers where they should have been. His hands balled at his sides as he exchanged a worried look with his brother.


    He popped his neck and opened the door. For a moment both of them stood tense waiting for the ambush, but it didn''t come. Lance ran through the house and the smell of blood filled his nostrils. He ignored the carnage of the situation and ran to the room where Lily should have been.


    Lance kicked open the door and kicked again upon finding the room empty. There was no blood and no sign of a struggle. Lily must have still been asleep when they took her.


    ¡°Is anyone here alive?¡± he called down to Richard.


    ¡°No,¡± Richard answered.


    ¡°How the fuck could they wipe out everyone?¡± Lance demanded.


    He punched the wall hard, breaking through its layers to the other side.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Richard said and crossed his arms, ¡°This blood doesn''t belong to the girls.¡±


    ¡°They have them!¡± Lance said and kicked the wall.


    ¡°We''ll get them back,¡± Richard said walking towards the door.


    Lance followed behind him silently. The carnage before him caused his anger to boil over again and he let out a primal cry. The bodies that surrounded him were of his friends and brothers-in-arms, the Lingston Hounds would pay for their deaths.


    Outside they encountered one werewolf waiting for them by the car.


    ¡°You''re going to need someone who knows the inside,¡± he said.


    ¡°I''m going to fucking kill you, Simon,¡± Lance shouted and drew back his fist.


    Richard grabbed his arm.


    ¡°What do you know, Simon?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I know that my father has your mates,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°That''s pretty obvious,¡± Richard said.


    ¡°Do you know your father is a dead dog?¡± Lance growled.


    ¡°No, Lance, that was my uncle,¡± Simon crossed his arms.


    ¡°How do we know we can trust you?¡± Richard asked


    ¡°I''m married with children, I don''t want a war, man!¡± Simon said shaking his head, ¡°My youngest one just started kindergarten last week. I remember how it was and I don''t want that.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Richard nodded.


    ¡°I don''t trust him,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Well, you don''t really have a choice do you, blood sucker?¡± Simon smirked.


    Chapter 9: Lilith


    Lance kissed her hand and they ran from the altar. They were supposed to stay for the party and dancing, but the newlyweds just wanted time alone. There would be plenty of time for dancing later. Lilith''s face was flushed from the excitement and tears of joy that seemed to be never ending. Her wedding had been a grand one; even her skeptical father had been in attendance to walk her down the aisle.


    Lilith watched as Lance untied the horse from its post. Her hands shook with anticipation of the night ahead of them. They had been together before, but this time would be different. Tonight marked their first night together as life mates and the beginning of their eternity together.


    Lance''s strong hands lifted her onto the horse''s back and then slid behind her. One of his muscular arms wrapped around her waist. She leaned back against enjoying the warmth of his body against hers.


    ¡°I love you, Lance,¡± she said softly looking up at him.


    ¡°I love you too, Lily,¡± Lance said and kissed her neck, ¡°and I always will.¡±


    ¡°I hope so, you just vowed to,¡± she teased him.


    Lance stopped the horse and got down. He lifted her from the saddle and stood her in front of him.

 Page 15

    ¡°I meant every word of it, Lily Prescott,¡± Lance said cupping her chin in his hand, ¡°For now and forever. Nothing changes that.¡±


    Lilith still felt overwhelmed with emotions, but she believes Lance. He had never given her reason not to. Their relationship had gotten off to a dramatic start due to no fault of their own, but because a werewolf had taken a romantic interest in her. Simon was harmless enough, more bark than bite, so to speak, but his father frightened her.


    Lance''s mouth captured hers and he pulled her close to his body. Lilith could feel that his thick manhood was already hard in his trousers.


    ¡°We''re not going to make it until we get home,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°No, were not,¡± Lance agreed.


    She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. Lance''s strong arms effortlessly supported her weight. His hands groped her ass as she ground her hips against the bulge in his trousers. Their tongues danced together from mouth to mouth, probing deep and passionately.


    Lilith was quickly becoming wet between her thighs. She could feel her juices of desire pooling within her folds. Lance slid his hand under her skirt and slipped a finger into her body. Lilith moaned loudly, her carefree spirit, not caring who was around to hear or watch. She ground her sex hard against his hand as his finger thrust in and out of her tight body. Her muscles contracted around the digit, willing it deeper.


    ¡°I''m going to lay you out right here,¡± he growled in her ear, ¡°I''m going to lift the layers of your skirt and lick you until you¡¯re screaming your pleasure into the night.¡±


    Lilith''s hands trembled in anticipation as Lance lowered her to the ground. Her new husband wasted no time in pushing aside her skirts to expose her fruit of pleasure that lay between her thighs. The night air was cool against her sensitive flesh and gave her goose bumps.


    Lance buried his face between her thighs and nibble at her swollen little nub. She arched her hips against his face and tugged at his hair. Her moans quickly filled the air as Lance''s tongue probed into her opening. She instinctively squeezed at the warm wet intruder as if it was her husband''s manhood.


    The cool night air felt delightful in contrast to her moist skin as Lance brought her closer and closer to cumming. Lilith ripped open her bodice and massaged her large breasts. She squeezed them as her orgasm approached. It hit her like a warm summer breeze, but soon turned into a storm of pleasure. Her whole body felt lit ablaze with wanton pleasure.


    Lance continued to lap at her clit as she called out into the night. When her climax finally passed, she lay panting in the grass with Lance resting his head against her sex. She stroked his hair as she enjoyed the afterglow of the moment.


    Lilith squeaked in surprise when Lance stood and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist instinctively as he carried her deeper into the woods. Their mouths met in a hungry kiss and Lilith knew that Lance desired more than her body tonight. Her clit twitched when she thought about the last time her husband''s fangs had penetrated her flesh. The thought sent a chill down her spine.


    Lance put Lilith up against a tree and undid his fly. She reached between their bodies and stroked him, squeezing. Lance deepened the kiss until his lips lingered down her neck. Lilith swung her hair out of the way and waited for the bite. She squeezed Lance again and he moaned against her throat.


    Lilith guided his throbbing manhood into her body. As he slid into her, Lance sank his fangs slowly into her flesh. Lilith bit her lip and then called out in pleasure. She loved being with Lance in every way.


    She felt her warm life blood flowing into his hungry mouth as his manhood thrust in and out of her body. Lilith leaned against the tree for support and moved in time with him. She liked positions that allowed her to consume his whole length.


    As their lovemaking continued Lilith watched storm clouds moving in. The rain washed over their bodies, making their clothes cling to their flesh, but it didn''t stop them. Nor did it quench the fire that was burning inside of Lilith. She was so close to the edge that she could taste it. Her body moved frantically over Lance''s manhood again and again, driving herself down harder every time until she achieved the bliss she longed for.


    Her fingernails dug into Lance''s flesh as she cried out her second orgasm of the night. Lilith''s limbs went limp and only Lance''s strong arms kept her from sliding to the ground. Lance continued to thrust up into her until both his energy and seed was spent.


    Lilith stirred in herself and thought she was near waking, but the scene was merely changing. The room they were in was dark and smelled of dirt. Her whole body shook in fear, because she knew despite Lance''s reassurances they were trapped. She huddled in the corner while Lance searched the cellar for any means of escape.


    Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him let out a triumphant cry that was followed by several loud thuds.


    ¡°I''ve found you a way out, Lily,¡± he said pulling her into his embrace.


    ¡°You''ve got to come with me, Lance, I can''t live without you,¡± she sobbed.


    ¡°Go into the woods!¡± he insisted, ¡°When it''s safe I''ll find you. Go to our cave!¡±


    ¡°Lance, I can''t without you! Please, just come with me,¡± Lilith begged.


    ¡°I have to hold them off,¡± Lance told her, ¡°I''ll be okay! Just go!¡±


    The sound of footfalls on the cellar steps told her she had to go now. She pulled Lance down into a passionate kiss, which she prayed wouldn''t be their last. Tears fell from her eyes onto both of their faces. Lance broke the kiss and shoved her towards the makeshift exit as the door crashed open.


    Lilith gave Lance one last kiss and ran. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to listen to the violence that was breaking out behind her. Lilith knew the path to the woods so she let her feet guide her. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears and she couldn''t hear herself think.


    The nerves were on edge, but she paid them no mind.


    ¡°Run, Lily, run,¡± echoed around her skull as her feet moved against the moist ground.


    A sudden force knocked the air out of her as it tackled her to the ground. She cried out and opened her eyes.


    ¡°No!¡± Lilith begged trying to force the large wolf away from her.


    The wolf snarled and put its bloodstained muzzled to her throat. Lilith punched the wolf in the head again and again, but it was useless. She was powerless against the beast. It locked its blue eyes to hers and she felt its powerful canines pierce her flesh.


    Lilith woke screaming.


    ¡°NO, HUNTER! NO!¡± she cried out.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cinnamon''s timid whines reached her ears through the darkness.


    Lilith groped through the darkness searching for the Yorkie trying to assure herself that she was awake and safe.


    ¡°Lance wasn''t lying!¡± she sobbed into the dog''s fur, ¡°Hunter tore me to pieces! I would know his eyes anywhere, Cinnamon! Oh, Cinnamon! Where''s Lance? LANCE?¡±


    ¡°He''s not here,¡± Cinnamon whined, ¡°He and the other vampire left to go spy on the wolves! Then they came! They killed so many people! They shoved me and Marcus into a cage and then carried Ginger out kicking and screaming! She stabbed one of the wolves, Lilith! She stabbed him in the belly! She fought like a wild cat!¡±


    ¡°Is she okay?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°I don''t know where she is, or Marcus,¡± Cinnamon whined.


    ¡°Do you know where we are?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°We''re at Hunter''s. He said he didn''t want to hurt you or me. He even insisted that I be put down here with you, Lilith,¡± Cinnamon told her.


    ¡°But Lance wasn''t there when they came?¡± Lilith sobbed.


    ¡°No, he and his brother had already left,¡± Cinnamon said.


    ¡°They''re using us as bait, girl, this isn''t good,¡± Lilith cried.


    ¡°I don''t think there is anything we can do about it,¡± Cinnamon said.


    ¡°We aren''t going to let Lance die!¡± Lilith snapped.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cinnamon winced away, ¡°Don''t be angry at me! I tried to fight! One of the men kicked me until Hunter threatened to kill him!¡±


    ¡°Why would he do that?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Because I need you alive and well if you''re going to be adequate bait, Lilith,¡± Hunter''s voice said from somewhere in the shadows.


    ¡°Stay away from me, you son of a bitch!¡± Lilith shouted, ¡°I''ll kill you, I''ll tear you to shreds!¡±


    Her anger was making her sound braver than she felt.


    ¡°Calm down, your death will be swift and painless, Lilith, I promise,¡± Hunter said.


    ¡°Go fuck yourself!¡± she shouted back.


    ¡°Temper, temper,¡± Hunter warned.


    He said something else, but Lilith couldn''t hear it over the loud crash that sounded somewhere else on the large estate.


    ¡°I''ll deal with you later,¡± he said and stomped off.


    Lilith tried the door, but found it was locked.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± she said fighting the urge to punch the wall.


    ¡°Lilith, there''s a window over here,¡± Cinnamon barked.


    It was too easy of an escape. Surely, Hunter would have guards posted waiting to kill her, just like he had done before.


    ¡°We can''t,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Yes, we can!¡± Cinnamon barked, ¡°It''s the perfect time. All the guards left their posts! I can''t smell them anymore.¡±


    ¡°I guess we really don''t have a choice,¡± Lilith sighed.


    ¡°You have to break it though, it won''t open!¡± Cinnamon said leaning against it.


    Lilith realized that she was dressed in a floor length gown and anger boiled in her stomach. Someone had not only carried her out of the bed nude, but dressed her. She ripped the fabric of her shirt and wrapped it around her hand. After taking a deep breath and a running start Lilith punched the glass. It shattered sending pieces across the grass. She cleared it away the best she could and lifted Cinnamon out.


    ¡°All clear!¡± the Yorkie called back to her.


    Lilith gathered her courage and boosted herself out of the window. In the distance Lilith could hear fighting, but only one guard remained by the window and he was dead.

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    ¡°They must already be here!¡± Lilith cried and began to run off towards the chaos.


    ¡°STOP!¡± Cinnamon howled.


    ¡°What?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°We need a weapon! Take the guard''s gun! Then we have to find Marcus!¡± Cinnamon whined.


    ¡°The gun is a good idea,¡± Lilith said.


    She retrieved the gun and placed it in the pocket of her skirt.


    ¡°Where do you think they''re at?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Somewhere inside?¡± Cinnamon suggested.


    ¡°We''re right here,¡± Ginger called from behind them, ¡°I knocked the fuck out of the guard! He thought he was going to have his way with me!¡±


    ¡°Come on, let''s go find them,¡± she said.


    Lilith felt better now that she had a human companion with her. Ginger was a witch and hopefully she was armed with spells that would knock a werewolf on its ass.


    Smoke filled Lilith''s nostrils, making it hard to breath.


    Chapter 10: Lance


    Lance wasn''t surprised to find that Simon only offered to help them, because he wanted his father out of the way. It seemed that Hunter''s son had big ambitions that included being alpha of the Lingston Pack. Simon claimed it was to ensure a peaceful life for his children, but Lance wasn''t quite sure that he believed him. He had plenty of time to think it over on the four hour drive back to the Lingston estate. He weighed the evidence and it seemed possible, but old habits die hard and Lance and Simon were old enemies. Lily would have never died if Simon hadn''t been so desperate to have her for his own.


    Even with his doubts Lance couldn''t deny that Simon''s help was proving to be useful. He had gathered more supporters than Lance had thought possible, but then again he guessed no one liked Hunter. The werewolves knew the estate well and were skilled assassins. Neither Richard nor himself had to raise a hand against the enemy thus far. Usually, Lance wouldn''t mind keeping his hands clean, but he wanted in on some of the action himself.


    ¡°You''re not here to kill them,¡± Lance reminded himself silently, ¡°You''re here to save Lily.¡±


    ¡°Where in the hell are they?¡± Lance demanded.


    ¡°I don''t know!¡± Simon snapped, ¡°We''ll find them! I''m a little busy at the moment.¡±


    Lance knew that it was unfair to demand answers from a man that was fighting two opponents, but he never had much sympathy for Simon. It wouldn''t matter to Lance if both Hunter and Simon were killed in the chaos.


    A deathly silence fell upon the battle when Hunter walked into the mass of fighters. All eyes were on the male alpha. Uncertainty clung to the air and made Lance''s breath catch in his throat.


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Hunter howled.


    ¡°I agree, father!¡± Simon growled, ¡°We''ve had enough of your feuding and warring! We have children that we want to see grow up! I won''t lose another child to your mindless bloodshed! We are wolves! We hunt for food, not for sport. You''re just as bad as the mortals you claim to hate!¡±


    Howls filled the air. Some of them sounded angry, but others seemed to be cheering Simon on.


    ¡°If it is a fight you want, Simon, I fear it will be your last,¡± Hunter growled, ¡°I''m tired of your childish petty games!¡±


    ¡°Then so be it,¡± Simon growled.


    The brothers retreated into the crowd as the two men shifted into wolves. To Lance''s surprise Simon was nearly as large as his father. He watched intently as they circled one another growling. Hunter struck first tackling Simon to the ground.


    ¡°Let''s find the girls and get out of here,¡± Richard hissed in his ear, ¡°If this ends badly and Hunter lives, I don''t want to be around.¡±


    Lance watched as Simon struggled under Hunter''s weight. It seemed that he was in over his head, but then suddenly flipped the older wolf onto his back. Howls rose in the air rooting the fighters on.


    ¡°Let''s go, Lance!¡± Richard shouted.


    ¡°Not yet, not yet!¡± Lance shook his head, ¡°I don''t want to miss this!¡±


    Hunter growled and tried to kick at Simon with his back feet, but the younger wolf didn''t budge. Each bit at the others muzzle, until finally Simon seized an opportunity. His jaw landed just right against Hunter''s knocking out the wolf''s canine tooth. Simon''s teeth locked around Hunter''s throat and ripped out the flesh. Blood gushed through the air, spraying the crowd of onlookers.


    ¡°GO!¡± Richard said and shoved his brother away from the crowd, ¡°This damn this is about to get even bloodier! Let them fight it out!¡±


    ¡°LANCE!¡± Lilith''s voice reached his ears.


    Lance''s heart skipped a beat! Could that really be Lilith or was he hearing things? Did the werewolves have witches trying to enchant him? He turned on his heels and raced through the crowd. The opposing sects of the pack were already beginning to fight, but Lance just pushed the werewolves out of his way. They would never again stand between him and his mate again!


    When he finally reached Lilith he pulled her into a deep passionate kiss. Their tongues danced together as they clung to one another. Lance held her so close that he could feel every curve of Lilith''s body pressing against his.


    ¡°Lance, I thought I''d never see you again!¡± she sobbed.


    ¡°I love you, Lily! I love you!¡± he shouted over the fighting.


    ¡°Don''t you ever lie to me again!¡± she said pulling away from him, ¡°We all could have died!¡±


    ¡°But we didn''t!¡± Lance grinned.


    ¡°Come on, lovebirds,¡± Richard said, ¡°We need to get out of here. This is their business, not ours, and I can''t stand the smell of wet dog any longer!¡±


    Chapter 11: Lilith


    Lilith couldn''t stop crying for most of the drive to the motel. Heavy sobs shook her body and stained Lance''s shirt with tears. She was so relieved to be alive and away from the Lingstons, that she couldn''t put the emotion into words. The group had decided against driving back to Ginger''s house tonight, and from what she heard about the attack Lilith was grateful for that. She didn''t think she could handle seeing a house full of dead bodies. It might have been selfish, but Lilith was glad she had been asleep when the attack happened. That way she didn''t have to relive the scenes of the murders again and again.


    There was only one place in town that allowed pets, so they didn''t have much to choose. Fortunately, the motel was a nice one that offered room service. The group ate dinner in silence, but Lilith didn''t have much of an appetite. Lilith noticed that even Cinnamon was nosing at her steak more than she was eating it.


    Lilith''s body ached from the events of the day, but she wasn''t ready to sleep. She feared that her dreams would be hellish nightmares and she wasn''t quite ready to face them. Instead she opted to join Lance in the shower. Since their reunion she hadn''t let the vampire out of her sight. Lilith worried that the moment she did, he''d go off on another suicide mission. He hadn''t invited her to join him, but Lilith knew he wouldn''t mind.


    Since waking from the ceremony Lilith didn''t doubt that reincarnation was real or that she had indeed been married to Lance in her previous life. Although she may have been different back then, she was still the same in many ways. Her gift had followed her from one life to the next and she still had fallen for Lance. She was still unsure about her career possibilities, but Lilith was just happy to be alive and with Lance. She was never going to let him go again!


    Lance wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. He leaned in to kiss her neck, but she squirmed away,


    ¡°Uh-huh!¡± she teased and pulled away.


    Lance looked confused, but then he laughed too.


    ¡°Don''t you laugh,¡± Lilith mocked, ¡°You''re the one who lied to me. You broke your promise!¡±


    ¡°I had to, Lily,¡± Lance frowned, ¡°I had to make sure you were going to be safe. I had to secure our future.¡±


    ¡°And while you were gone I was kidnapped!¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Lily,¡± he said pulling her close to him.


    ¡°Don''t do it again,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± Lance frowned.


    ¡°I''m teasing you, Lance,¡± Lilith said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot while I was asleep, too much, maybe, or at least more than I would have liked to see. I know why you had to go. I understand and I forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said and kissed the top of her head.


    She rested her head against his chest for a moment and took a deep breath. Lilith wasn''t actually angry with Lance. She understood why he felt he had to go after Hunter, and she had to admit now that he was out of the picture, she did feel safer.


    Lilith was exhausted, but she needed to relax and forget about the events of the past few days. She looked up into Lance''s green eyes and grinned. Lilith sank her teeth into his nipple and he jerked away shocked.


    ¡°You''re not the only one who can''t bite,¡± she teased.


    ¡°I can bite harder!¡± Lance grinned.


    ¡°You wouldn''t dare!¡± she laughed.


    ¡°Yes, I would,¡± he said pulling her close to him.


    Lilith drew in a sharp breath as Lance''s fingers captured her clit and began to massage it. She felt herself rapidly becoming wet, but she bit his nipple again. This time she didn''t bite him as hard, but captured it in her mouth and flicked her tongue back and forth over its tip.


    Lance moaned and twisted her clit gently. Lilith drew in a sharp breath and released his nipple. Her mouth met his and their tongues danced together. Lilith sank down to her knees, pulling him with her.


    ¡°Make me forget any of this ever happened,¡± she said looking into his eyes.


    He renewed the kiss and Lilith allowed herself to relax under his touch. His hands trailed over her body and his fingers probed her sex and massaged her g-spot. Lilith clung to him, reveling in the pleasure that was shooting through out her body.


    ¡°Drink from me,¡± she whispered.


    Lance''s fangs sank into her shoulder and Lilith drew in a sharp breath. Even though she was expecting it, the bite still stung. She arched her body towards him and moaned as her perky nipples brushed against his chest. Lance''s hands cupped her breasts and held them as he drank from her. Pain and pleasure mingled freeing Lilith from thoughts of the past and fears of the future. She sank into Lance and allowed him to clear her mind and free her heart.

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    Lilith remained as she was in his intimate embrace until he had drank his feel. She squeaked in surprise when Lance picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. He lay her down gently on the bed and lay next to her.


    ¡°You look so exhausted,¡± he whispered in her ear.


    ¡°I am,¡± she smiled, ¡°but I want you.¡±


    ¡°I want you too,¡± he grinned.


    ¡°I know you do,¡± Lilith laughed, ¡°I can feel your need pressing against my thigh.¡±


    ¡°I''ll still be here in the morning,¡± Lance said and kissed her forehead.


    ¡°I know that, but we''ll never have tonight back,¡± she whispered, ¡°We may be together lifetime after lifetime, but there is only one today, one tonight.¡±


    Lance ran his fingers tenderly over her cheek and brushed his lips against hers. Lilith wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. She wasn''t willing to not show him her affection, to not show him just how much she loved him, because what if tomorrow didn''t come? The world had become a scary place and all she had in it was a crazy dog that liked to watch television way too much and Lance. She didn''t need much more, but she was going to enjoy every second of her life.


    Lance moved over her and kissed her forehead and then her nose, making her laugh. He then kissed her neck and stomach, before turning his attention to her breasts. Lance licked over her nipples and kissed her cleavage.


    Lilith watched as he worshiped her body. She locked eyes with him for a moment and touched his face. After spending more than a decade alone, Lilith never hoped to be as happy as she was right now. She clung to him as tears of joy threatened to fall once again.


    ¡°I love you, Lance,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I love you too, Lily,¡± Lance said smiling at her.


    Lilith slipped her hand between them and wrapped her fingers around his throbbing organ. She allowed herself a moment to revel in its strength before guiding him into her body.


    Her hips moved in time with Lance''s thrusts, keeping their rhythm slow and steady. The fire in her belly was already blazing, but Lilith wanted to enjoy herself before going over the edge. The journey, not the destination is what she wanted.


    Lilith trailed her fingernails over Lance''s back and butt, giving him goosebumps and causing him to thrust harder. She moaned and curled her toes into the sheets.


    She became lost in the rhythm of their lovemaking. In and out, in and out, squeeze, thrust, in and out. Lilith''s mind was blank except for the pleasure her body was experiencing, because she found it impossible to focus on anything else.


    Her orgasm came slowly and washed over her gently causing her to call out her pleasure.


    ¡°Oh! Lance! Oh, Lance! I love you, Lance!¡± she called out over and over.


    Lilith sighed in pleasure when she felt Lance release his seed. She fell asleep before she could even tell him goodnight. Despite her fears Lilith had a dreamless sleep that allowed her to wake up feeling well rested and refreshed.


    For most of the morning she and Lance lay in bed together kissing and cuddling. They talked about their future and Lance told her about some of the places he had been while searching for her.


    ¡°You would have loved that cafe,¡± he said finishing a story,


    ¡°There''s something I wanted to ask you, but I forgot until now,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lance chuckled.


    ¡°Can Ginger make amulets or something that keep people from realizing they''re vampires? Like that could block my powers?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not exactly, she can make them to keep werewolves from picking up our scents, but she couldn''t block your power,¡± Lance explained.


    ¡°But then why didn''t I know they were vampires?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Who are you talking about, Lily?¡± he asked.


    She paused for a second and took a deep breath after realizing some of the people she was asking about were now dead.


    ¡°Some of the security team,¡± Lilith frowned.


    ¡°No, they didn''t wear anything to prevent you from recognizing their species,¡± Lance said, ¡°You may not have looked closely at them because you knew them.¡±


    ¡°But I didn''t know any of them. I mean I had seen them and talked to them about my grooming business, but...¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°I meant you knew them from before. Magic doesn''t like to exert energy when it doesn''t have to. It even took you awhile to realize I was a vampire,¡± Lance said.


    ¡°Oh, that makes sense,¡± Lilith nodded.


    She rested her head against Lance''s chest and sighed. It seemed that even her gift had the ability to lie to her, not that it mattered now. Lance kissed her neck and the fire in her belly stirred causing her to rub her thighs together.


    A knock on the door startled Lilith and nearly sent her under the bed. She could hear Cinnamon howling from the balcony.


    ¡°They''re back!¡± she howled, ¡°Help! Help! Someone help! Werewolves are attacking! Ginger get your knife ready!¡±


    ¡°It''s them,¡± Lilith told Lance.


    ¡°Maybe it''s good news?¡± he shrugged.


    They put on their robes and Lance answered the door. Simon stood with a little boy clinging to his leg.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he grinned, ¡°I just wanted to let you know that the little problem was solved.¡±


    Lilith arched a brow, but when she seen his son she understood why he was talking around the issue.


    ¡°That''s good to hear,¡± Lance grinned.


    ¡°I don''t think we''ll be having any more problems. I know you''ll have to talk it over with your family, but I would like to propose an alliance,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°We''ll think about it,¡± Lance nodded.


    Simon shook Lance''s hand and then nodded to Lilith.


    After the door was shut Lilith asked Lance if he thought Simon was serious about forming a treaty.


    ¡°I don''t really know,¡± Lance shrugged, ¡°He could be. I''ll have to talk to Richard and the others about it.¡±


    ¡°Can we trust him?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well, he did help us find you girls,¡± Lance grinned.


    ¡°He might have brought you there, but we found you guys,¡± Lilith laughed.


    Lance pulled Lilith into a passionate kiss and slid her robe off her shoulders. He kissed down her neck and licked over her pulse point. Lilith''s knees went weak as Lance slowly sank his fangs into her flesh.


    ¡°Mm..¡± she moaned softly as he carried her back to the bed.