“One day Lily I am going to make you to tell me why you don’t like me so much but for now I’ve come to help you,” he replied grabbing her book out of her hands.
“Uh, excuse me I was reading that,” she complained heatedly.
“Well take a break because I’m going to offer you some help to control the beast,” he told her as he stood up from the bed.
“I don’t want your help James,” Lily barked with irritation.
“Oh I have no doubt about that one,” James commented with a smirk as he grabbed her hands and easily pulled her off the bed, ignoring her protests once more. “But Lily you need it. Andrew has been telling me about this King Silvano. It won’t take much to make him order your execution,” James told her seriously and she went cold at the mention of the vampires. “Now let’s sit on the floor, I am going to show you a breathing technique to help calm yourself when you feel like you’re getting out of control,” he continued indicating for her to sit.
With a sigh she sat down and crossed her legs. “Straighten your back,” he said pushing her spine and forcing her to sit up straight causing her skin to warm and tingle where he touched her. “It may seem uncomfortable at first but good posture really helps,” he told her then placed his hands on her shoulders making her tense up as memories of what happened in the woods flashed through her mind. “Relax your shoulders, just let them loose,” he told her, noticing how tense she was.
“Well if you could keep your hands to yourself then maybe I could relax better,” she growled at him and he started to laugh.
“Sorry I didn’t know my touch affected you so much,” he replied with clear smug arrogance and she scolded herself allowing him to know how much his closeness affected her. Don’t add fuel to the fire Lily, she told herself. James walked around and sat in front of her and adopting the same pose as her.
“Let your hands rest on your legs or between them, whatever posture that legs them hang relaxed,” he continued and she did as he told her. “Now I want you to close your eyes, breathe in for five seconds and out for three. Try to keep your mind empty or think of some placing relaxing and positive,” he continued and Lily nodded. She tried to empty her mind but found it impossible so she thought of a positive place.
Her mind immediately jumped to the old tree house Tony, Lacy, and her use to play at when they were just kids. She imagined herself sitting there on one of those perfect summer days. After a few minutes Lily honestly felt more relaxed than she had felt since this whole mess had started. “Now Lily I want you to slowly give over control to the beast, just until you feel as if you’re about to shift. Your skin will tingle as if electric shocks are running across your body. Once you feel like it’s almost painful then take back the control so you don’t shift,” James told her.
Lily nodded and searched for the beast inside her. It was odd to have something inside her that wasn’t her at all. Slowly she connected with the beast and she wasn’t sure how it worked but it felt like as if she was underwater, pulling something towards the surface of the water. Needless to say it was a weird feeling. At first contact she noticed the tingle; she had felt it before when she started to get angry or when James got too close. The more she pulled at the beast the stronger the tingle grew.
When the sensation started become painful she started to take back the control. Her muscles flinched involuntarily as the beast didn’t want to lose the control she had given it and Lily wanted to panic but forced herself to remain calm. No, this is my body and I’m boss, she commanded mentally and pushed at the beast. After few moments of them both pushing, the beast seemed to submit and go back to where it was. “Very good Lily,” James told her when she opened her eyes and completely in control again.
She allowed herself a small victory smile. “I wonder if I can do the same with the vampire,” Lily stated eagerly but James looked doubtful.
“I don’t think that would be possible. Werewolves are always a dual force, man and the wolf. Vampires aren’t, they are always like that. They don’t ever become more human and less vampire or vice versa,” he explained.
“Well I want to try it anyways,” Lily replied tartly, closing her eyes once again and breathing like James had told her too. After a few minutes Lily was able to detect something else inside her. This something, which she assumed was the vampire side of her, was more murky and undistinguishable. With much more effort, she repeated the pull process. Lily felt her small fangs extended and her heart slow down. However the right side of her face and her arm started to grow warm and then suddenly burst into a searing burning pain.
Lily shrieked and screamed trying to flee the unknown cause of the pain. James jumped to his feet and ran to the window, slamming the curtains shut. Oddly enough once the room was dark the pain peaked and didn’t get any more intense. James came back to her and took her in his arms and cupped her face forcing her to look at him. “Lily take back control push back the vampire and give it to the beast, she’ll help you heal. Remember to breathe five in and three out,” he demanded.
She swallowed with difficulty trying to do as he told but it was hard to think of anything but the pain. She started to panic when she couldn’t inhale or exhale. She felt herself losing control as felt the beastly wolf inside her try to claw to the surface. Not sure what to do Lily started to count since for some reason she couldn’t breathe, she pushed the murky dark force away and the beast jumped to the surface causing her to almost shift but somehow she stopped the creature in time.
Lily suddenly took sharp intake of breath and the pain quickly receded. Exhaling slowly, she started to calm down. She suddenly became aware of a really, really nice smell, it was almost intoxicating. She opened her eyes slowly and realized it was coming from James. Did he always smell this good? She wondered as she rested her hand on his chest feeling the hard muscles under his shirt. She looked up at his beautifully perfect face and felt the crushing urge to kiss him. She moved her hand up his chest and to the back of his neck and kissed him.
Her heart raced as he returned the kiss and she felt drunk on his taste. She opened her mouth and enticed him to do the same. The kiss deepened and she pulled him closer. She couldn’t believe how good he tasted. It’s all yours, she heard a little voice say and a sense of possession washed over her. This amazing smell and delicious taste is all yours! This perfect man is all yours! He’s your mate, the voice told her. Lily froze at the words “her mate.”
Her mate? Her mate! Her anger rose as she became aware of the fact that it was the beast telling her these things and making her kiss him! Lily pushed the beast back down deep inside her as quickly as she could then reached up and grabbed James hair. She pulled his hair and pulled his backwards, breaking their kiss. “God damn you two,” Lily cursed. She stood up and mentally chastised the animal within her.
“Well at least one of you likes me,” James replied, laughing and rubbing where she had pulled his hair. Lily narrowed her eyes at him and walked over to the mirror looking at her arm and face that were completely healed with no sign she had ever been burn the first place.
“It’s curious though,” he began sitting back on her bed. “It appears you’re not exactly a hybrid or my conception of hybrids isn’t correct.”
“What do you mean?” Lily asked with a slight irritation, turning and leaning on her dresser.
“Well I always assumed it would be like hereditary genetics honestly, you know dad’s eyes with mom’s ears. Werewolf healing with vamp fangs that type of deal” he replied and she looked at him skeptically.
“What would you know about hereditary genetics?” she shot back and he gave her a cold look.
“You’re not the only one that’s gone to college you know,” James shot back and frowned at her as she gave him an unconvinced look. “I studied biology and genetics for a couple of years, I thought if I knew more about it I could understand more about what happened to myself,” he explained and she shrugged passively.
“I guess it makes sense. So what has made you so curious?” She asked sticking her hands in her pockets.