by T M Linville
“Or you?” Erica said almost too low to hear. “Could Eric have done this?”
“No!” Lily gasped, dismissing the idea. “Do you think he was that mad that I missed finals at Ellen’s?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him, sweetheart. Look out for him from now on. You know what he’s capable of.”
“Yeah I do.”
Lily finished telling Erica the story about what happened the day before.
“She likes me, too!” Lily practically yelled. “She kissed me then the clothes came off and…”
“Whoa,” laughed Erica. “I don’t need details.”
Lily laughed. She told Erica all about the day’s events and how much she loved LaShay. Erica believed that Lily was in love, but only time would tell if it were her one true love. Vincent was going to need a lot more than Lily’s word. He was going to need proof. Lots of it.
Erica told Vincent about the incident and he called for Parker, the coven’s computer genius. Vincent told him to search the cameras for any clue that Eric was at Shay’s apartment. Parker searched through hours of video before he finally found what Vincent was afraid of. Eric had been at Shay’s apartment today. The video clearly showed him walking in and walking out behind, who Vince assumed was Shay. He thanked Parker for his time and went to Alexa.
“What are you going to do about your son?” Vincent asked sternly.
“What has he done now?” she answered, looking up from the papers she was shuffling through.
“He attacked a human. Lily’s human. And from what I hear from Jack, would have been fatal if Lily had not been close by.”
“LaShay?”
“Yes,” Vince confirmed.
“What am I going to do with that boy?” Alexa asked rhetorically.
“I have a few ideas,” Vince said under his breath.
“Well, he hasn’t been at the coven in weeks. Maybe he has found another place to live? If he gets in trouble again, I will personally turn him over to the Guardians.”
“If you can catch him,” Vince spat.
Alexa took a deep breath and stood up.
“Does Lily know that it was Eric?” Alexa asked him.
Vincent shook his head.
“And she is not to be told, yet,” he told her.
“She deserves to know, Vince!”
“To what end? You know she’ll go after him if she knows.”
“So let them fight,” Alexa suggested. “At the Underground fights. It’s a controlled environment and it might teach Eric a lesson. Lily is faster and stronger and under the right circumstances, maybe she’ll kick his ass.”
“Even if she does, it won’t stop him from going after LaShay again. And, to be honest, it would probably make matters worse if Lily beat him in the ring. He’d never live that down,” Vincent confessed.
“You’re right,” Alexa admitted.
They stared at each other for a moment and thought.
“We can bring LaShay here,” Alexa suggested. “Just take her in and make sure she’s always surrounded by vampires and people that we trust. Let me talk to Lily.”
Alexa called Lily and asked that she come to the penthouse. Lily didn’t even ask why, she just left her apartment immediately, and went to the seventy fifth floor.
“Lily,” Alexa began. “We have reason to believe that LaShay may be in danger.”
“From what?” Lily questioned. “Was it Eric?”
“We believe that it is a possibility.”
“That son-of…” Lily stopped there. “Why would he do that?”
“Why does he do anything that he does?” Alexa replied.
“Why don’t you turn him over the Guardians?” Lily asked.
Alexa dropped her head and then looked back at Lily, “Because they’ll kill him.”
“Maybe that’s what he needs! He’s never going to play by the rules. We had to leave Nashville and Atlanta because of him. That means that another coven had to move to some hole in the wall coven just because Vincent is an Elder. Whatever he says goes. So what does Vince have to say about Eric?”
“You know how Vince feels about Eric.”
“Yeah, it’s mutual,” Lily mumbled.
“Would you talk to LaShay about moving into the coven?” Alexa asked.
“Move here?” Lily asked.
“That’s the only solution we could come to that was safe for you both.”
“Yeah, sure. Anything to keep Eric a free vampire,” Lily spat.
Shay wouldn’t be home from work for another two hours. Lily left early and this time she took Onyx. If Shay didn’t want to move to the coven, she would leave Onyx with her when she couldn’t be with there to protect her. That is if Shay would allow Onyx to stay. Lily had only taken Onyx to LaShay’s a few times. He liked her, which was unusual for him. Everyone thought that the only person, or vampire, he liked was Lily.
When Lily got to Shay’s building she scanned her hand and the door clicked open. She went to the elevator and waited. Onyx went over to the chair by the wall and sniffed the seat. He could smell Eric’s scent on the cloth chair. He made a mental note. But should he tell Lily? If Lily was sure that it was Eric that had Shay attacked, Lily would surely not take it well. She would do everything in her power to make sure Eric never hurt Shay again. Lily would kill him without hesitation. Or at least she’d give it her best shot, every chance she got. But Eric would retaliate, too. What would he stoop to to hurt Lily or Shay? There was no limit to his cruelty and it wouldn’t be beyond him to have Lily attacked by his Underground friends.
Onyx decided that he wasn’t going to be the one to break the news to Lily. He’d let Vincent or Alexa tell her.
The elevator dinged and the two rode to the twelfth floor. Lily knew that Shay wasn’t home but she had given Lily a remote to the apartment, just as Lily had programmed Shay into the scanner of her apartment. Shay could also scan into the front door of the Crown Building. Shay was all smiles when she told Shane that she had access. He pretended not to care.
Lily let herself and Onyx in and he walked through the apartment to check it for any intruders. It was after all his job to protect Lily, and now LaShay.
Lily vs Eric
Lily sat in her living room staring at the television. Sarah was in the kitchen filling a cup for Lily's evening meal. She picked up the cup, her wrist still draped across it, and carried it to the living room. Lily cut her finger on her teeth, then wiped the blood gently across Sarah's wrist. Lily took the cup and sat it on the table then picked up her cell phone.
Sarah stayed for a minute and talked to Lily. Small talk about her wanting to leave the coven and experience life outside the protected walls. After Lily drank the blood Sarah walked to the front door.
Lily typed 'flower delivery' into a search screen on her phone then pressed the phone number for the closest florist.
Sarah lingered at the doorway, listening to where and when the flowers would be delivered. When Lily hung up, Sarah silently pulled the front door closed. She went straight to Eric and told him that Lily was sending flowers to Shay but more importantly, she gave him the exact time they would be delivered.
He smiled an evil grin.
"What are you going to do?" Sarah asked.
"Well, if Lily won't fight for rank anymore, let's see if she'll fight for the one she loves."
"Won't she know it's you?" Sarah asked.
"Who cares?” He said smugly.
Eric was waiting outside Shay's building when the florist arrived. He followed the florist into the building and up the elevator. Pretending to live across the hall, he fumbled around in his pocket for his remote in front of the door across from LaShay's.
The florist knocked on Shay’s door, waited a few seconds, then sat the vase of two dozen red roses in front of the door.
After the florist was gone, Eric replaced the card. He went back downstairs, let in five of his vampire and werewolf friends and then went to the roof. Eric explained what he wanted them to do then they waite
d.
The new card read, “Meet me on the roof, L”. Eric knew that LaShay wouldn’t question the instructions.
Shay was all smiles when she stepped out of the taxi. Eric watched from the roof as Shay walked into the building. When she arrived at her door, she did just as Eric had hoped, she read the card, opened the door, sat her purse and remote inside and headed to the roof. She was still smiling when she stepped out the door. The sun blinded her as she opened the heavy metal door to the roof. It was still hours before sunset and the sun lingered high above the horizon. She let the door close behind her as she shielded her eyes and searched the empty rooftop. As the door clicked shut she felt a sting across her left cheek. Before she could turn to see what had hit her, she was hit again. Her vision became blurry for a moment as she tried to stay on her feet. She was hit once again across the cheek and she began to feel weak in the knees.
“Lily!” Shay screamed as loud as she could then yelled, “What do you want?!"
Her cheek throbbed. She looked around and saw two hooded men. One was holding a nine iron in his hand. A second later, everything went black.
Two sets of large, hairy hands grabbed each arm and pulled her toward the edge of the roof. They stood facing the door. Three vampires waited against the wall beside the roof door.
Eric had arranged for Lily to be late to see Shay and made sure Onyx stayed home. Sarah was late and stopped by to see Lily about half an hour before Lily usually left for Shay’s. Eric had timed it perfectly. Sarah rambled on about how she was going to leave the coven for a while to experience life outside the sheltered walls of where she grew up. It was all lies, but Sarah made sure that Lily wouldn’t be there to greet Shay when she got home. When Sarah finally stopped talking, Lily just grabbed an oversized hoodie and she didn’t bother putting on sunscreen since she’d be mostly in the shadows of the buildings anyway. She ran downstairs and the twelve blocks to Shay's building. She let herself into the front door and waited for the elevator. She was surprised that she could still smell Onyx in the hallway. When she stepped into the elevator, the smell was even stronger. She wondered why a werewolf would be in Shay's building. When she stepped off the elevator and saw the roses still sitting outside, she wondered if Shay had worked late. She checked the door and it was unlocked. Then she heard Shay scream. Lily’s teeth and claws were out before she even opened the door. She tripped over Shay's purse laying with her remote inside the door.
The lights are still out and her purse and remote are here. Did it come from the parking garage or roof? She thought as she stepped onto the balcony.
The fire escape was faster than waiting for the elevator so Lily ran to the bedroom window and out onto the fire escape.
Two sets of hands grabbed Shay and pulled her toward the edge of the roof. The two vampires holding her turned her around to face the door. Her face was red and bleeding and the bruising had already begun to show. Shay fought to stay on her feet. The fourth blow was four claws across the face. She felt the blood pour from the gashes but when she saw the werewolves, she realized that it was a set-up and was determined not to scream again. She had rather die than give anyone the satisfaction of luring Lily out into the sunlight.
Eric had counted on Lily rushing out without sun protection. He and two more vampires stood against the wall behind the roof door. He was betting on the fact that Lily would come to save Shay, but what he wasn’t betting on was Lily coming up the fire escape.
Lily couldn’t tell where the scream had come from, the street or the roof. She looked down toward the street then up. She saw movement at the edge of the roof and could smell Shay’s blood.
Roof, Lily thought.
It only took Lily three strides and in a flash Lily was on the roof. The werewolves weren't expecting an attack from behind. With lightning speed Lily attacked one of the werewolves holding Shay. She lunged and as she came down he turned toward her. Claws ripped through his face and chest. A quick swipe with the other hand and he was down. He fell to the rooftop, holding the severed arteries in his neck. She took a step and attacked the second. He dodged the first blow but she connected on the second. As he fell he let go of Shay. She caught Shay’s head just before it hit the ground.
“Shay!” Lily yelled as she gently shook her shoulders.
The first werewolf was about to climb down the fire escape when Onyx was climbing up. Still in his half human form, Onyx grabbed him and threw him to the landing. He jumped on top of him, changing as he was in the air and with one quick, powerful bite, the werewolf’s head was detached from his body before he could even make a sound. But the loud thud onto the landing hadn’t gone unnoticed.
The vampires ran over, grabbed Lily by the arms and dragged her to the center of the roof.
“Lily?” Shay said groggily. “What’s hap…”
Lily continued to kick and twist but she refused to scream. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.
Two vampires held Lily as she kicked and twisted to get free. Then Eric ripped the hoodie into shreds. His claws ripped through Lily’s skin and shirt then through her legs and the light blue jeans. Lily was being held in the middle of the sun exposed roof with no protection.
Shay never even saw Lily, but knew that she was in trouble. She crawled to the fire escape ladder and climbed down just as fast as her swimming head would allow without falling. With her head spinning, Shay finally fell to her knees onto the fire escape landing. She looked down at her blood covered shirt and reached up to feel the gash in the back of her head. She felt her head get lighter and lighter then everything went black.
Lily was held in the middle of the roof, fully exposed to the afternoon sun for almost forty five minutes. The vampires, protected with hoodies and heavy sunscreen, cringed as they watched her skin burn. The skin peeled away in burnt cinders as the muscle beneath slowly began to burn, too.
“Go get Shay,” Eric ordered. “She won’t be far.”
With her feet, Lily clawed at the legs of her attackers. She got one arm free and managed to get in a few good licks before she landed a lucky swipe across Eric’s chest. He looked down at his ripped shirt then his accomplices held Lily as he stood and stared at her for what seemed forever as she struggled to get free. She was beginning to lose the battle with the sun. She forced the strength to sweep the legs out from under one of the vampires holding her. Before he had time to regain his footing, Lily stomped down on his chest, crushing his sternum. He gasped for air but was able to roll out of the way of the second blow. He struggled to get to his feet.
The door to the roof swung open and Shay, fighting to stay conscious, fell into the sunlight.
Onyx leaped over her and landed squarely on the chest of the struggling vampire. Eric wrapped his claws around Onyx’s neck and threw him off. Onyx had barely even hit the ground before he was coming back at Eric.
Lily was beginning to fade, fast. Her skin had begun to fall away as she was held, unprotected from the sun. Onyx tried to get to her but was pushed off of the roof. He bounced onto Shay’s balcony and was quickly running back through Shay’s apartment to get back upstairs.
Lily was burning now. Her hair was fizzling up into matted clumps on her head. She gave another jerk and a tug then swept her foot under her attacker’s legs. He fell flat on his back and this time, Onyx was there to make sure he didn’t get up. Onyx’s front paws landed squarely on his chest and the crunch from inside stopped his heart. A well placed bite and the heart along with a few ribs, were no longer viable. Three down, two to go.
Lily had stopped struggling and had fallen to her knees, then onto her stomach. Onyx leaped at the remaining vampire but before he reached him the vampire darted out of the way. He ran for the door just as Erica was about to walk through. Without warning, the vampire entered the building just long enough for Onyx to pounce. Erica jumped to the side. The vampire crashed into the floor head first and soon, he too was dead.
Lily’s eyes were clouded and distant as she still tried to
fight Eric. Her charred skin had begun to peel from the muscle and the muscle was now burning. She still hadn’t noticed that Shay was laying in the doorway to the roof. Lily mustered everything she had and made it to her feet.
“Shay!” Lily gasped but barely even made a sound.
Unable to stay on her feet, Lily crawled over to LaShay and rolled Shay over so her head was in Lily’s lap. Right away Lily cut her already skinless wrist to heal Shay’s wounds. Lily was fading in and out of consciousness and she thought she heard Erica.
“Erica?” she said weakly.
“Lily? Oh my god!” Erica said as she stepped onto the doorway.
Eric disappeared down the fire escape before Erica saw him. Erica scooped up Lily and carried her downstairs. Onyx, knowing he could hurt her more if he carried her as a wolf, changed into werewolf form, carefully picked up LaShay and carried her to her apartment.
Erica brought Lily down to Shay’s apartment. Erica thought she was dead as she laid her gently onto the sofa. She didn’t move or make a sound. She stood over her and stared as tears began to well in her eyes. Lily was in horrible shape. She was burned almost beyond recognition.
Onyx put Shay on her bed and then quickly changed back into a wolf. He was, after all, naked. Erica went to check on Shay. Shay’s face was bloody and red. Her eye was swollen shut and her lip was deep red and swollen three times its size. Erica cut her finger with her teeth and spread the dark red liquid across her eye, then her lip and then her cheek. She cut her wrist and placed it over her open mouth. She jerked her head away and tried pushing Erica with her hands.
“Drink,” she said softly as she lifted Shay’s head.
In a matter of minutes the bruises began to fade. The gash in her cheek slowly closed and all of the swelling went down.
“Where’s Lily,” she asked as soon as she could talk again.
The look on Erica’s face said it all.
“No!” Shay screamed.
“Shay, there was nothing you could’ve done,” she soothed.
