“What are you doing?” he asked as he followed her to the kitchen. She was untying a piece of what looked like rope from around her wrist then took a knife and split it in into two equal parts lengthwise.
“I really hope I didn’t just break it,” she said quietly then walked over to him, grabbing his wrist and started to wrap one of the pieces of rope around it.
“Lily, what are you doing?” he demanded a little louder, letting her tie off the piece of rope.
“Here, tie this one around my wrist, like I did yours,” she demanded then answered him as he took the rope and tied it around hers. “You know Chris’s mate Qin Xuan right?” she asked and he nodded. “She’s a witch and a good one at that. This is a charm to protect me from Silvano’s persuasion,” she explained then looked a little sheepish. “Or it was… I’m not sure if I broke the charm when I cut it,” she finished and his head shot up to her.
“What? Why did you cut it then?” He demanded and once he was finished with the piece of rope around her wrist she seemed to relax a little but still the fear was noticeable in her scent and anxiety in her posture.
“You don’t have anything to protect yourself,” Lily replied, going back into the living room and facing the door. “It doesn’t do me any good to be protected if you aren’t,” she continued as he followed. “Don’t think for a minute you can resist Silvano’s persuasion. Bianca was getting to you tonight, I could tell. Silvano is like twenty times stronger than her.
“Hell by the time I realized what Silvano was doing it was too late and I’m the most stubbornly willful person I know,” she went on with a small smile then turned to him. “If he gets you under his control it would be really bad James. Silvano could make you attack me, stall the Aequivalere or worse persuade you to let him feed on you or just outright kill you.” James couldn’t help a small smile that she was concerned for his safety.
James couldn’t help but call her out on it but a loud crash stopped him before he could get a word out. The front door broke open slamming against the wall and swinging back, spraying splinters all over the room. Silvano pushed the broken door open with one finger a look of irritation on his pale face. The vampire turned and looked around the room then his eyes fell on James causing his skin to crawl.
“Ah the beast, how… expected,” Silvano sneered and James glared at him with a quiet growl but said nothing more. The vampire king turned his gaze to Lily and clicked his tongue a couple of times as he slowly shook his head side to side. “I don’t appreciate you making me come here in search of you, my pet.”
“That’s your problem, not mine,” Lily snapped back up, straightening up defiance. “This is done Silvano, I’m not your pet nor will I be your blood bound. It’s done. Go now or the Aequivalere will seal you away forever this time!” The vampire gave her a cold hard smile as he took a few steps inside James’s apartment.
“I do admire your persistence Lily but as always you’re mistaken. We’re not done, not by far. The Aequivalere or this pup won’t be able to keep you from you. You’re mine my pet,” he said sounding almost affectionate towards her.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” James growled at him, feeling his body tingle with anticipation and the possibility of shifting. The cool gaze of the vampire gaze slid over to James with irritation and disdain in it. “Lily is my mate so she is mine,” he told him, hoping the vampire would respect the mate bond that hopefully the vampire didn’t know no longer existed or that Lily would for once wouldn’t get offended by the claim and keep silent.
The vampire smirked at him and Lily thankfully stayed silent, but James could see her stiffen. “Really and how is it she doesn’t have your mark,” The vampire asked, a cold smile spread on his lips and James faltered for a moment but simply smirked back at him.
“That’s none of your business, vamp,” he snapped. “All you need to know is that Lily is mine and I won’t allow you to force her into this blood bond. So get out of my house” he demanded, taking a step towards Silvano in a challenge.
Silvano made and exaggerated sigh and glanced up at the ceiling for a moment before lowering his gaze back down at them. “How quaint but I tire of this. Lily come to me, now!” Lily suddenly jolted a step forward as if she had been pushed. James glanced at her worried as she grit her teeth together. He was trying to persuade her to him and James grew even more worried. Had the charm broke?
Lily growled, throwing her chin up in another sign of defiance. “No,” she snarled at him and held up her wrist in front of her, showing off the piece of rope. The vampire made a soft hissing sound in response. “I said we’re done!” The vampire king narrowed his eyes and once more demanded her to come causing her to take another forced step towards him. Worry crossed her face for an instant and James felt his stomach drop.
The charm was either broken or not enough to stop Silvano from controlling her and the vampire knew it as his chilling laughter filled the room. “You can’t stop me Lily,” he told her, taking a step towards her. “You’re mine and none can stop me! Your power is mine!” Silvano told her and with his index finger told her to come to him. Lily made a small panicked sound as she took another step, almost in Silvano’s reach now.
James glanced around the room, looking for something he could use to stop the vampire. Seeing one of his dining chairs he burst into motion. Grabbing the chair he snapped off the leg and leaped towards Silvano. The vampire king started in surprise, must having forgotten about James while his will fought with Lily’s. With a loud roar he tackled the vampire king to the ground and impaled the chair leg in the vampire’s shoulder missing his aim of the heart.
James slammed his fist into the vampire’s face repeatedly. “You will not touch her leech!” He roared at the vampire who attempted to throw James off but with his right side paralyzed by the piece of wood stuck in his shoulder, the vampire was at a disadvantage.
“James watch out!” Lily cried and suddenly his head burst into a painful burst of white color as someone kicked him in a side kick to the temple. Silvano threw him off of him and stood. James groaned and shook his head, getting to his knees. His vision was a little blurry, but he could see the vampire rip the piece of wood from his should and toss it to the side. Bianca was by his side now. She must have been the one who kicked him.
Silvano started towards Lily with determination and James struggled to get to his feet, his head still foggy from the kick. “No, my king!” Bianca cried to him, her hands gripping the vampire’s arm with a panicked and pleading look on her pale features. “The Aequivalere are arriving. They will be here any minute now!” Silvano paused, not taking his eyes off of Lily and he curled his lip with a hiss.
“This isn’t over Lily! You’ve taken my blood. There is nowhere you can hide that I can’t follow! You will be mine,” he demanded then sneered as he looked to James. “And I’ll let you see how much my little pet will want to please me.” Bianca tugged on his arm once more with a pleading look but earned a backhanded slap from him. “Control yourself,” he snapped smoothing his clothes before leaving.
The two vampires left the apartment and James started after them but the sound of Lily falling to the floor stopped him. She was sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her arms were resting on her knees and her head resting on them as her shoulders rose and fell with quick breaths. He walked over to her, dropping to one knee and resting a hand on her shoulder. “Lily are you alright?” She made a dry laugh. “Okay, that was a dumb question I admit it,” he said as an afterthought.
She kept her head lowered as she continued to breathe in ragged breaths. He could feel her tremble slightly under his hand on her shoulder. James tilted his head slightly as he could hear the sounds of fighting down the hall, Jessie and the Aequivalere must have arrived to deal with Silvano. He leaned a little to the left to look down the hall, but he couldn’t see the fight from where he was.
Refusing to leave Lily in the state she was in, he sat down next to her and rubbed her back in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. “The Aequivalere are here Lily, it’s going to be alright,” he told her softly. She shook her head and he heard her take a deep breath.