Finding Lily

by Emma Shade

  “Is that so?” muscleman asked.

  “Try me, asshole,” I taunted, sitting up from my horizontal position.

  The enormous man reached for my arm, most likely to yank me from the trunk, and I snatched his arm with one of my hands. Eyes wide, he seized and quaked as the electricity coursed from my skin and in to his.

  The other goon went to help his buddy and positioned his hand on the metal of the car. Grasping for the nearby exposed area of the vehicle with my free hand, energy to flooded through the metal frame. The smell of singed wires permeated the air as I blew the computer system and stereo of the car. The guy went down like a sack of potatoes, twitching like he’d been struck with a Taser.

  I boosted out of the trunk, and for good measure, kicked the man who punched me. Taking off down the road full bore, I sprinted down the alley and sputtered to a stop near a highway. Unsure of my location, I flagged down a taxi, jumped in, and instructed the driver to Lily’s hotel.

  *****

  The casino and hotel that Paige and Lily roomed in was surrounded by flashing lights. Police cars lined the place as though a major drug bust commenced. Or a murder. Emergency personnel strolled back to their ambulances, and several firemen in uniform exited the sliding doors.

  Tourists gawked at the spectacle and snapped pictures as though they thought it was their own personal crime show.

  Weaving through the vacationers, I ventured towards the entrance, unsure if I’d be allowed past the doors.

  A tall, skinny officer with gray hair stopped me with an outstretched arm. “I can’t let you go in there.”

  “What’s going on?” I asked, pretending to be oblivious to what happened inside.

  “Sorry, sir, this is an open investigation,” he stated. “Are you a guest of the hotel?”

  If I said yes, they’d ask for a room card. Instead, I shook my head in defeat.

  “If you’ll stand over there....” the officer began, but I noticed somebody in the distance and my heart soared.

  Ashton sauntered down the sidewalk, his pace clipped but swift. His eyes swerved in my direction, most likely detecting me.

  I’d been so determined and petrified for Lily that I left my mind wide open, and by ingesting his blood, he located me without an ounce of effort. Right now it hadn’t felt like a curse, but a blessing. He was my last hope to find out if Lily was okay.

  Even if that was the case, I slammed down the barrier before he figured out too many of my secrets so fresh on my mind. Especially my status when it came to conjurers. Sure, the conjurers high up on the hierarchy knew who I was, but vampires didn’t. I wanted to keep it that way.

  Nodding to the officer, I met Ashton at the edge of the hotel. “Is Lily...?”

  “She’s fine,” he interjected. “I snuck Sam through the alleyway and back to our hotel. He was doused in blood from the struggle and was a little peckish.” His unusual blue eyes took in the officers and emergency personnel. “Although, I’m not sure if they got out before the police arrived.”

  I sighed in relief that they lived. Thank God. Being arrested was better than the alternative.

  “Now, how to get back in the place is another story altogether. The room was a total bloodbath. The Enforcers lost a bunch of men today. They are not going to be pleased,” Ashton said, eyebrow raised. “Speaking of the attack, where were you?”

  “I was detained by said Enforcers.”

  Ashton, eyes narrowed, asked, “Are you going to enlighten me on the specifics?”

  “Nope.” I replied, heading towards the back of the casino to find another entrance. Ashton followed.

  Discovering a back entrance with an electronic lock, I craned my neck around to look for onlookers, and when no one was spotted, I palmed the key card scanner. Chills from supernatural power filtered down my spine. The scanner sizzled and the fragrance of burnt wires filled the doorway.

  With a grunt, Ashton cautioned, “You know secrets don’t stay buried forever, Blake.”

  As the security device clicked, I swung it open and gestured for Ashton to go first.

  “Yeah, yeah. You’d know, wouldn’t you?” I countered.

  Even though I tried to ignore him with a witty retort, his words generated an inward shudder. That was my biggest fear. It hung over my head like a dark cloud that trailed everywhere I went.

  I hadn’t wanted to be known for who I’d been, but who I had become instead. If this secret came out about my status of royalty, and my role behind countless vampire slayings in the past, I’m not sure I’d ever be welcome back amongst my friends. Things changed when I met Ashton so long ago and he saved my life, but I couldn’t change my past. No matter how much I regretted it. It was my cross to bear.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  LILY

  While Alistair was in the shower, Paige combed her wet hair with her fingers, sitting on the bed next to me. Silence hung in the air between us.

  Blake had yet to make an appearance. Before hopping in the shower, Alistair called Ashton to make sure he knew where to find us. That was an hour ago.

  I removed myself from the bed and paced across the soft carpet floor of the room. Back and forth I went, a million thoughts scattered at once.

  Ashton had shown compassion for Sam’s internal struggle after the fight. He was a great guy. Sure, jealousy and pride got in his way from time to time. He loved me, even after my smartass attitude aimed at him. Ashton would offer me anything I’d ever wanted, a loving husband who’d never stop romancing me.

  I could say the same for Blake in regards to jealousy, his snarky comments used as a defense mechanism. But, Blake had never lied to me. He’d nothing but straight forward from the beginning. His friendship and true to heart nature was part of his appeal. He offered a family and his heart on a platter.

  Either man would make me happy. But currently the scales hadn’t tipped in either direction. I wasn’t too sure they ever would.

  “Will you stop your incessant pacing?” Paige asked, irritation blasting from her.

  I stopped in my tracks and shot daggers at her. “What’s your deal?”

  “My deal?” she huffed. “My deal is your constant effing walking back and forth.”

  “Bullshit,” I countered. “You’ve been in a mood since we got to Alistair’s room.”

  “Maybe my ‘mood’ is because you won’t leave me alone.”

  I opened my mouth to smart something off, but a fist pounded on the door. After our last encounter, we both scrutinized the door and expected the shit to hit the fan. Paige separated herself from the bed and drew her gun out of the nightstand drawer.

  Alistair, only wearing a white towel around his waist, dashed out of the bathroom. Water droplets collected on his skin like dew on a summer morning. His short hair, wet from the shower, beaded droplets down his back.

  Paige inhaled sharply beside me, jaw slack as she took in his muscular physic. If Sam were here, he would’ve asked if her panties were drenched and I almost opened my mouth to ask just that, but it hadn’t seemed appropriate considering our situation.

  Alistair edged toward the peephole, slow and calculating like a predator stalking his prey. His head cocked to the side, as if listening for sounds through the metal door.

  I slowed my breathing, expecting the worst.

  Paige on the other hand, increased her breathing while she gazed at Alistair as though he was a piece of cake and she a dieting woman. I’d almost bet she’d jump at the chance to lick the water droplets off with her tongue.

  Alistair’s laugh caught us both off guard. Both of us stared at him like he’d lost his mind. He tugged open the door and shifted to the side to display Ashton and Blake in the hallway.

  My heart soared in my chest. Relief shot through me at seeing them both unharmed. A smile broke out on my face as they strolled inside.

  “How’s Sam?” I asked, a little disappointed that he wasn’t with them.

  “He chugged down a couple bags of blood, scarfed down
a huge steak from room service, and fell asleep. He’ll be out for a while,” Ashton said, smiling at me in return.

  As soon as they entered the room, I slapped Blake on the arm. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!”

  “Ow! What did I do?” he questioned, rubbing his arm.

  “That woman threatened that if I didn’t surrender, you’d die. Okay, she said that if I surrendered it was the only way to assure we’d both live.”

  Surprised plastered on his face. He cleared his throat. “Woman?”

  “Yeah, the bitch that was with the enforcers,” Paige blurted. “About Lily’s height, highlighted hair, pretty, and a really bad attitude.”

  “Her name is Leslie,” Alistair admitted. “I knew her way back in the day. Nevertheless, I wish I hadn’t met the bitch. She’s a dreadful, harsh woman.”

  Blake’s face went pale, deathly pale. Regarding Alistair in puzzlement, he swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, and he closed his eyes. “I know her.”

  “What? How?” Alistair asked, disbelief filtering through his chiseled features.

  Eyes the color of steel met mine. Guilt shone from their depths as Blake said, “She’s my sister.”

  My gasp broke the silence of the room. Blake’s sister was in with the Enforcers? How was that possible? I hadn’t known what it meant, but it changed things. That much I knew.

  “Your sister!? What was your sister doing with the Enforcers? What the hell, Blake!” I exclaimed, anger finally thrusting above all the rest of my emotions.

  At the same time as my outburst, Alistair had exclaimed out, “Your sister? Holy fuck!”

  But Blake disregarded him and focused solely on me. “Let me explain. Yes, she’s my sister. But I haven’t seen to her in a very, very long time. When she showed up tonight, I tried to stop her, but two of her Enforcers detained me and threw me in their trunk. That’s why I wasn’t here to help fight them off.”

  Finally noticing the slight bruise on his temple, I felt a twinge of remorse for his situation.

  I darted my eyes between the remainder of the people in the room. Alistair unlike his normal stony composure, gaped like a fish, inhaling sharp gusts of air as though he were hyperventilating. Ashton watched my reaction like a hawk, anger aimed at Blake’s for his announcement. Paige, still eyeing Alistair, narrowed her eyes in distrust.

  Me? I wasn’t sure what to think. Where was Sam when I needed his advice or humorous banter? Apparently passed out in a blood induced coma. I was on my own to sort through this new information.

  “And did you know she’d come after me, Blake? Did she know who I was before the letter from Con? Have you been in contact with her before today?” I asked in rapid fire progression, dreading the answer.

  He swallowed again, and the shame in his eyes were answer enough. But he said, “Yes.”

  Blake, for as long as I’d known him, was brutally honest. Never held anything from me. This...this was a blow that splintered the perfect picture of Blake Moore.

  The weird private phone calls, ignoring his cellphone, and the argument he had with someone the moment I was returned to Revive after my kidnapping. They’d all been his sister. This whole time Blake had known the Enforcers might strike, but didn’t warn any of us. Why?

  Ashton growled, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest, wrapped his fingers around Blake’s neck, and crashed Blake against the wall.

  Leaning close to his face, Ashton hissed, “Tell me you had nothing to do with them finding her.”

  Blake croaked through his fingers enclosed around his neck, “No. Never. How my sister found me? I think she had my phone tracked.”

  “Where’s your phone?” Ashton demanded through gritted teeth.

  “The Enforcers smashed it when they took me,” he rasped back.

  Fangs bared, Ashton hissed in Blake’s face, ready to strike or snap his neck. Neither was ideal.

  “Wait!” I called out. “Ashton, the Enforcers were here way before you guys even arrived in Las Vegas.”

  “She’s right,” Paige insisted. “We saw them following us around and watching over us like creepy stalkers. They didn’t attack until the night of the masquerade ball.”

  “You’re lucky the girls are right. Tell me, Blake,” Ashton growled, “why didn’t you warn us that they knew about Lily?”

  Clawing at Ashton’s fingers around his throat, Blake wheezed, “Because I thought I had it under control.”

  Ashton pitched Blake on the floor as though he were a used tissue. Looming over him, Ashton sneered, “Apparently you didn’t. What did I tell you about secrets, Blake?”

  Rubbing his throat, Blake retorted, “I get it, okay? But, trust me, I never thought they’d actually find her. Hell, it was dumb luck that we did.”

  Alistair finally piped in, “Blake’s right. They’ve been staying here under aliases, their phone is registered under a different city and name, and if it wasn’t for Sam coming here, you’d still be looking for her. Well, that and Jamison’s interference. But the fact of the matter is, Con’s letter may have exposed Lily, but in no way shape or form would it know her location.”

  Ashton grunted, spanning his arms over his chest. He clearly wasn’t happy.

  “Yeah, and the creepy bastards followed her to Indigo and lingered from outside of our hotel. Something doesn’t add up,” Paige said.

  “Exactly,” Blake agreed, massaging his throat. “My arrival in Las Vegas doesn’t have anything to do with the Enforcers being here.” His eyes found mine, curiosity evident in his expression. “What was your alias, Lily?”

  Paige cackled. “Oh, man. This should be good.” She teased, “Tell them, Lily. It’s a fabulous name.”

  I glared at her. “Miya.”

  “Miya what?” Paige asked, cracking up again.

  All eyes on me, I muttered, “Butreaks.”

  Blake’s face split into a grin, dimples popping out. “Miya Butreaks. Seriously?”

  “Yep!” Paige answered, still laughing. “Isn’t it fucking awesome? I picked it out myself!”

  “What on God’s green earth persuaded you to let Paige pick out your name?” Alistair questioned.

  “I didn’t think I had a choice,” I grumbled, glowering at Paige and shaking my head in disbelieve.

  “Let’s chalk that up to a learning experience. Don’t ever allow her to pick out your name,” he warned, a small smile playing on his lips.

  Paige cackled again. “I picked Ashton’s alias once. The best thing was that he didn’t find out his name until he got to his assignment. It was freaking hilarious!”

  Snickering at Alistair, I said, “Please, do tell.”

  “It was Jack Cass,” Alistair said with an exhale.

  As we all chuckled about Paige’s choice of aliases, the tension in the room lifted. All wasn’t forgiven with Blake, far from it actually, but for a moment, it was nice to just laugh and relax. To be normal for the few fleeting moments we had. The only person absent was Sam, and he was going be pissed that he missed out on all the drama.

  *****

  The next morning, I woke with the sense that somebody watched me. I kept my eyes closed, even though I was awake, and strained to figure out if Paige was being a creeper or if somebody had broken in to our room.

  Late in the night, Alistair and Jamison had helped us settle in to a new room at Indigo. Which I figured out was Jamison’s hotel and Casino. I should’ve known.

  Ashton and Blake went their separate ways, tension between them so thick you could cut it with a knife.

  Unnerved, a person or persons observed me while I slept. It wigged me out. Slowing my breathing, I shuffled in the bed to my side so I could peep through barely open eyes. Leaning over me was a tall man, shadowed by the light from the window. I screamed and shot out of the bed, ready to attack. My fist cocked back...

  “Lily!” Sam squealed, jumped back, and held his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Jesus, girl. You terrified the
crap out of me.”

  “You?” I cried. “You were the one leaning over me like some crazy stalker!”

  Paige shot out of bed, most likely from the yelling, and whipped her gun in the direction of Sam.

  “Woah, woah, woah!!” he exclaimed with wide eyes. “Good God almighty!”

  Her hand fell to her thigh, gun pointing towards the ground, and she narrowed her eyes. “Sam. I could’ve shot a hole right fucking through you!”

  Hand on his hip, Sam sassed, “You know, for a guy bringing you girls breakfast, you’re awfully testy.”

  “You brought us breakfast?” Paige asked, sniffing the air.

  Sam indicated a white cake box placed on the dresser with a flourish. “And coffee. The good kind too. Somebody in this room can’t go without her coffee, or her heads starts to spin. Linda Blair style.”

  Paige busted out laughing. “Oh, Sam. You aren’t kidding.”

  “Hey!” I chided, frowning at the two of them. “I do not act like I’m possessed if I don’t get coffee.”

  “Bestie, you act possessed and could go on a murderous rampage if you don’t get your coffee,” Sam teased, and ruffled my hair, “but I love you anyway.”

  “I love you too, Sam. But I’m not that bad,” I grumbled, grabbed a one of the cardboard cups, and took a donut from the box. “So what’s the plan for today?”

  “We’re flying back home,” he said with a shrug.

  My hackles went up. “Says who?”

  “Says me,” Alistair stated from the entrance.

  “Does every Tom, Dick, and Harry have a key to this freakin room?” Paige muttered, taking a bite of her donut.

  I chewed my cinnamon yeast donut and glared at Alistair. Sure, we spoke about the possibility that the Enforcers were too dangerous to continue to hunt for our man. But I hadn’t made the decision to leave. Not yet anyway. It meant being alone with Ashton and Blake.

  “Now wait just a damn minute!” Paige hissed. “We aren’t done with our assignment. We can’t just leave.”

  Alistair’s gaze swerved to Paige. “We can and we will. End of discussion. I’m the equivalent of a sergeant and what I say goes.”