by T M Linville
"You have the most incredible blue eyes," she said. "They changed. They were really red, but now... wow!"
Shay moved closer, wrapped her hand around the back of Lily’s neck then up into her hair. Lily’s heart pounded in her chest and it felt like she was shaking all over. Their faces were inches apart.
"You are so beautiful," Shay whispered as she looked into Lily’s crystal blue eyes.
She thinks I’m beautiful? Lily thought then wondered if vampires could blush because suddenly, her face felt hot. She leaned closer and pulled Shay toward her. Lily could feel her breath on her face, the heat of her hand on the back of her head and her soft skin still under her clawed hand. Shay closed her eyes and their lips touched. This was exactly were Lily wanted to be, forever.
Should I tell her now how I feel about her or wait? Shay thought. How will I tell her that I’m in love with her? That I have been in love with her for weeks. When should I introduce her to my dad? How will he react to the news?
Lily was thinking about a million other things, too. Would Vincent accept her? I knew that Erica and Alexa would but what about Vincent? He had already been through this three times before. The others have only fallen in love with one person, but me, I've thought I was in love three times. And one was a human that Vincent changed. He will never believe that Shay is my one true love. I know she is because thinking about being without her now scares the hell out me. To never kiss her lips again, to never hold her in my arms... I had rather die.
Lily pulled her body closer to hers and circled her tongue with her own as they kissed deeper. Then Lily pulled away and looked into her eyes, hoping that she could see just how she felt. Lily opened her mouth to speak but didn't know what to say except I love you, but she didn't want to scare her away so she said nothing.
"What?" Shay asked. "You want to say something. Please just say it."
"You're taking all of this awfully well, considering," Lily said smiling.
"Well, it's kind of hard to argue with what I've seen with my own eyes. Not to mention what I've felt. You're real, no matter what I used to believe. And no, I probably would not have believed you if this had not just happened. But there’s no way to deny what I’ve just seen."
Lily leaned back, stood up and offered Shay a hand to help her up. She took it and stood up. The look on her face nearly broke Lily’s heart.
"Shay, what's wrong?" Lily asked.
"Did I say something wrong?" she said.
Lily couldn’t help but laugh a little.
"No," Lily whispered.
"Promise?" she whispered back, almost in tears.
Lily nodded then kissed her hand.
"What now?" Shay asked softly.
“I’d like to stay,” Lily answered.
“But you barely know me. I could be a horrible person.”
"But you're not a horrible person. You're quiet, you keep to yourself and you work too much. Where are your shirts? I’ll get you a clean one.”
Her pink dress shirt was covered in blood and most of the buttons had been ripped off.
Shay pointed to her dresser and Lily went to find her a clean shirt. Then Lily took her hand and led her to living room and sat down on the couch. After she sat down Lily took her hand, kissed it again and then held it.
“Why didn’t you want to see anymore?" Lily asked.
"I was just afraid that… That you don’t feel the same way about me as I feel about you."
"What?" Lily asked, confused, trying to wrap her head around what Shay just said.
“I’m just afraid that you don’t like me as much as I like you.”
“Why would you think that?” Lily asked.
It really didn’t matter. Lily loved Shay and that’s the only thing that mattered. If Shay loved her back…? Was it possible that Shay did feel the same way? Could that even be possible? She was taking the whole vampire thing in stride.
“I care about you. A lot,” Lily told her.
Shay exhaled as if she had been holding her breath.
“Really?”
“Really,” Lily affirmed.
Shay looked around the living room and after seeing the balcony doors hanging from hinges, remembered that she had been attacked. "You scared off my attacker?"
"No. He’s dead,” Lily confessed. “He saw the fangs and claws, I couldn't just let him leave. And I was pissed, I thought you were dead and he was the one that did it. Be thankful he’s not in pieces all over your living room."
“You could do that?” she asked.
Lily nodded.
“We’re very strong and our claws are very sharp,” Lily told her.
After the Attack
McGoo knocked on the door. He brought everything he needed to dispose of the body in Shay’s bathtub; from plastic to cover the carpet, to an electric saw to cut it into pieces.
First, Jack examined the scene and determined that they would dispose of the body without removing it from the apartment.
Lily left Shay to help Jack. They cut the body into small enough pieces that would fit down the disposal. Garbage had grown to be such a burden to the planet that science had to create an alternative to disposal trash. Garbage dumps were no longer in use and everything that could not be recycled was biodegradable and suitable for composting. Therefore, garbage disposals had been designed to pulverize or liquefy everything from mashed potatoes to steak bones in lieu of garbage pickup. The waste from the disposals was stored in containers that would be used as compost. Lily made trip after trip to the kitchen, stuffing pieces of flesh and bone down the kitchen sink disposal.
After nearly two and half hours, Lily and Jack were coming back from the bathroom with the last of the pieces when LaShay stopped them on the way to the kitchen.
“Is that what’s left?” she asked, curling her nose.
Lily nodded.
“Are you ok?” Lily asked.
She lifted her hand to her head and gave a weak smile then nodded.
“We’re almost finished,” Lily said.
Shay stepped aside and allowed them to take the rest of the body to the kitchen. She followed. Jack shoved the last of the body into the disposal. Shay watched Lily closely, not really paying much attention to Jack, who in Lily’s opinion was a stranger looking character than herself. With his sandy blond hair and mustache, he would seem to have been a lot more out of place in that day and age than Lily. But she watched her.
After they had shoved the last of the evidence down the drain, cleaned up all the blood and bleached everything, McGoo told Lily to go talk to Shay and he would clean the rest.
Lily thanked him and walked over to the couch to sit with LaShay.
“Would you like to stand or do you mind if we sit?” Lily asked.
“We can sit,” Shay answered.
“Now, what would you like to know?” Lily asked.
Lily’s feelings for Shay had only gotten stronger and there was no way she was going to walk away from her again. Shay deserved to know what she had done and how she had done it. Lily wasn’t thinking of the safety or confidentiality of the coven.
She looked into LaShay’s mesmerizing eyes, took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.
“Where do you want to start?” Lily began.
Shay smiled and leaned over to Lily. She put her hand on Lily’s face and leaned in closer. Their lips met and Shay couldn’t help but smile.
“Sorry,” Shay mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Shay leaned in and they kissed deeply. It was a long, sultry, opened mouth kiss. Shay wrapped her hands around the sides of Lily’s neck and pulled her even closer. Lily ran her hands through Shay’s hair and across the back of her neck. They made out for about fifteen minutes until Jack came back into the living room. He had all the supplies in his arms.
“I’ll have someone come to clean the carpet and replace the door,” Jack told Shay.
“Uh, ok. Thank you,” Shay replied.
&nb
sp; Lily walked over and opened the door for Jack.
“Thank you.” She told him as he left.
“Be home by midnight,” Jack laughed.
“Uh, I doubt it,” Lily smiled then looked at Shay. “He’s kidding.”
Lily walked back to Shay and sat down next to her.
“So what do you want to know?” Lily asked.
“Why the Crown Building?” Shay asked.
“It was built for the vampires and their feeders over a century ago.”
“Feeders?”
“Yeah, feeders are humans that live with the vampires to give them blood. It sounds a lot worse than it is.” Lily smiled and continued. “The feeders are given vampire blood periodically so they won’t age but not enough that will change them to vampires. So the feeders stay with us. They are allowed to leave and work and do whatever they want outside the coven, as long as they are at their feeding times and they keep the vampire’s secret. Most of our feeders are over ninety years old.”
“So does every vampire have a feeder?”
“They have a few, but one main feeder.”
“So you drink blood? But I’ve seen you eat. You’ve eaten here before.”
“I’m not like the others,” Lily said. “I’m half human. So I can live on blood or food.”
“Which do you prefer?” Shay asked.
Lily shrugged.
“Blood is easier than cooking,” Lily smiled.
Shay leaned her head sideways and looked at Lily for a moment. “Could you feed on me?”
“No,” answered Lily. “We’re not allowed to feed outside the coven and should never feed on…”
Lily wasn’t sure how to tell Shay that they were not allowed to feed on their true love, even inside the coven. It’s a rule that has been in effect for centuries. Lily didn’t know the exact story, but it had something to do with a vampire killing their love by accident.
“We can’t feed on boyfriends or girlfriends,” Lily finally answered.
Shay smiled. “Boyfriends or girlfriends. So does that make me your girlfriend?”
“I guess that’s up to you,” Lily smiled back.
The time had come to tell each other how they really felt. Lily was under the impression that Shay was straight until only a few hours ago when Shay kissed her. Shay had no idea if Lily was gay or not. But she had kissed her back when they kissed.
“This is all really new to me,” Shay began. “I’ve dated guys my whole life and it never occurred to me that I was gay, until I met you. I’m not quite sure what to do, or how to act or anything.”
“Me either. I’ve never been with a woman before either. But I knew you were the one the first time I laid eyes on you. It wasn’t a complete accident that we met at Baldwin’s.”
“How did you even know who I was?” Shay questioned.
Lily laughed. “Yeah, that would be a good question, wouldn’t it? I hang out on the roof across the street from you.”
“So today, you really were already close?”
“Yes, I was on the roof across the street, checking up on you, when the attack happened today. I saw you from the roof when you were cycling on the balcony one day. I knew then that I wanted to know you.”
Shay wasn’t sure what to say. “So this is new for both of us?”
“Yes. So we can learn together.”
“Can we practice the kissing part some more?” Shay grinned as she ran the back of her fingers down Lily’s cheek.
They kissed for a while and before Lily knew what was going on, Shay reached down to Lily’s waist and lifted her shirt. Lily put her arms up and let her take it off. Shay’s tee shirt was off next and they continued to kiss. Lily pushed Shay onto her back then Shay started to slide her pants off. Lily raised up and slid them the rest of the way off. Lily’s pants came off next. After a few minutes they were both naked on the couch.
Lily kissed down Shay’s cheek to her neck. Then kissed across her collar bone to her shoulder and then back. She kissed her neck and down her chest. Shay ran her hands through Lily’s hair as Lily stopped at a breast. She took the nipple in her mouth and sucked until she got a response. Shay grabbed a handful of Lily’s hair and pulled her into her chest. Lily sucked the erect nipple harder then went to the other. Shay moaned softly when Lily began to kiss down her stomach.
Lily put her hands between Shay’s thighs and pushed them apart. Lily began kissing up Shay’s thigh. Shay reached above her head and grabbed the arm of the couch when Lily reached the warm, wet spot. Lily slid a finger inside and placed her mouth over Shay’s clit. Shay moaned louder as Lily sucked gently. Two fingers slid in next and Lily sucked harder as she slid her tongue over little bundle of nerves. It didn’t take long before Shay was writhing on the couch. Lily wrapped her arms around Shay’s legs and licked harder.
Shay’s back arched up and she clutched the arm of the couch. She called out Lily’s name as she climaxed but Lily didn’t stop. She kept at it and after only a few minutes a second wave washed over Shay. After Shay calmed Lily kissed up Shay’s stomach to a breast. She lingered there a minute then moved up to Shay’s neck. Shay grabbed a handful of Lily’s hair and pulled her to her lips. They kissed long and hard until Shay pushed Lily back.
“You’re turn,” Shay grinned.
They made love for hours.
Afterward, they were spooning on the couch. Shay was laying behind Lily. Shay ran her fingers over the tear shaped scars on Lily’s shoulder and the half-moon scars on Lily’s side.
“I didn’t think vampires would be able to get scars,” Shay asked softly.
“I was really young when I was attacked. Eric had set me up. He sent me into town with one of the feeders and had tried to have me killed. He very nearly succeeded. He’s hated me since the very beginning and tried to have me killed only a few days after I arrived at the coven. I’m not even sure who saved me that night. It might have been Vincent, I don’t know, I was too busy running away to notice. Only another vampire’s claws can cut through our skin. So can the Guardian Wolves. And in my case, it took longer to heal since I was still growing causing the scars to form.”
“Eric? Eric is Erica’s twin brother, right?” Shay questioned. “Erica is the one that raised you?”
“Correct,” Lily said and turned over to face Shay.
“And Vincent is your grandfather and runs the Crown Building, right?”
“Right,” Lily answered.
Lily ran her fingertips down Shay’s arm and she felt goosebumps rise.
“Ah, the response you cannot hide,” Lily smiled and kissed Shay.
After finally making it to the bedroom, they fell asleep in each other’s arms. They woke a few hours later to a knock on the front door. Shay wrapped a robe around herself and answered.
“I’m here to replace the door,” said a man in blue button up shirt and khakis.
“Already?” Shay asked under her breath.
She let the man in and pointed to the balcony where the doors still hung on the top hinges and glass covered the floor.
“Thank you,” she said before going back to her room and closing the door. “You’re awake.”
“Barely,” Lily grinned.
“The repair man is already here to fix the door,” Shay told Lily.
“Yeah, McGoo probably sent the super for the Crown. He can fix anything.”
“Ma’am?” he called from the living room. “I’ll be back.”
He had taken the measurements of the doors as was going to get the replacements.
“I really need to go into work. It is after all, Wednesday,” Shay whined. “I don’t want to go in, but my father will come here to check on me if I don’t show up.”
“That’s fine,” Lily said. “I need to go home and tell Erica what happened. I’m sure she’s worried about me.”
“OK.”
“I can meet you here or you… can… come to my place,” Lily said hesitantly.
“Your place? Will I get to meet Erica
and Steven and Vincent and Alexa?”
“If you want,” Lily answered.
Shay smiled, bent down and kissed her. Lily grabbed her, rolled her over onto her back and kissed her back.
“This is not helping me get to work,” Shay laughed. “Ten more minutes.”
Lily kissed Shay goodbye and the elevator door closed. Lily stood there for a minute, staring at the metal door.
Shay ran her fingers across her lips and smiled all the way to the lobby.
Hiding his face behind a magazine, Eric sat in a chair against the wall. Shay paid no attention at all. Not that she would recognize him if she did see him. Eric stood and followed Shay out of the building. He watched as she stepped into a cab.
Eric was long gone when Lily left Shay’s building. She had waited for the doors to be fixed and the carpets to be cleaned. Lily walked into the Crown Building and waved at the doorman. The scanner was turned off since the doorman was there watching with his wolf. She rode the elevator to the seventy second floor to see Erica.
“Are you ok?” Erica asked as soon as she opened the door and saw Lily.
“I’m great!” Lily grinned from ear to ear.
“Come in. Tell me what happened.”
Lily sat on the Victorian couch in Erica’s living room. Erica went to the liquor cabinet and poured them each a glass of scotch. Erica sat down across from Lily in the chair that matched the couch. The furniture was probably one hundred and twenty years old, but well taken care of. Erica took a sip of scotch and sat the glass on the table between them.
“She was attacked Erica. Someone broke into her apartment and tried to kill her. Why would someone want to hurt Shay? She doesn’t bother anyone. She goes to work and then goes home.”
“Has anyone at the bar been acting strange lately? I know you two go there on the weekends a lot.”
Lily thought as hard as she could about anyone out of place at the bar but couldn’t think of any.
“No, I don’t remember seeing any new faces and all the familiar faces seemed to be minding their own business. Not interested in Shay or me.”
