“No, it’s not! The charm wasn’t enough,” she said quietly and lifted her head. James started when she looked at him. Her eyes were that reddish-brown color they were when Silvano had bitten her but this time they were a little redder than before. He also noticed that she was paler and her scent had changed slightly. A cold chill ran through him as he noticed that she was more vampire now.
“I nearly gave in. Part of me wanted to go to him, to taste him again and feel the power of him and his blood through me,” she told him, looking disgusted and defeated. “I… I …” she stammered but when Dorin walked into the room, she fell silent and let her head fall back into her arms.
Dorin’s shirt was ripped and James could see sluggish dark blood oozed from scratches on his shoulder. His lip was busted in a dark nasty jagged tear. The vampire looked around the room and then to them. With an air of disappointment, the vampire slowly moved his head side to side in James unasked question. Silvano and Bianca had managed to escape. “Is she alright, did he take blood from her?” Dorin asked, walking into James’s home a little more.
“No he didn’t get a drop,” James told him. “She’s just a bit shaken up that’s all,” he added as Dorin looked at her with a hint of concern. As if on cue Lily shook her head in agreement with him. She started to stand with a slight tremble still in her limbs. James jumped in to help her up, hoping the gesture would hide the tremble and simply appear like one of moral support.
James guided a rather complaint Lily into his bathroom as the other members of the Aequivalere team came into his apartment, all with varying levels of injuries but none of them seemed life threatening. “Here sit down,” he told her as he helped her sit on the edge of the bathtub. He frowned as she did as he told her without a word. He filled a small Dixie cup of water and handed it to her.
She took it and took a sip, her gaze seemed unfocused and she seemed to be lost in her head. “Lily,” he started and waited for her to focus at least somewhat on him. “I want you to stay here alright. Gather yourself until you feel ready to come out, okay?” he asked her, not wanting the Aequivalere to see her like this. He was worried how they might react. She’d be fine, he told himself. She just needed time to get herself under control, he thought as he got up.
“Did she drink from him,” Jessie demanded as he left the bathroom, closing the door behind him. She seemed to relax when he told her that Lily didn’t drink but only a little. “How about her control? Does he have her under his influence?” She asked her tone guarded and James knew that his concern was justified. They wouldn’t react well to knowing that Silvano’s persuasion had pulled Lily’s vampire closer to the surface.
“She’s fine and she told him to leave, several times,” he demanded, but she didn’t look fully convinced. James straightened and gave her a challenging look, happy as he heard the shower turn on from behind him and knowing that Lily was gathering herself.
“Lacrosse, have you ever seen a newborn vampire?” She asked, resting her hands on the butt of the guns hanging at her hips. The others stopped or slowed what they were doing and turned their attention to Jessie and him. Seeing the answer in his eyes she continued. “They are vicious creatures, all they know is the blood lust. They won’t recognize a friend, family or lovers” she told him and James lifted his chin.
“Well then it’s a good thing Lily isn’t a newborn vampire,” he demanded and the human narrowed her eyes at him. “She is just shaken up! She just went up against a vampire king for God’s sake! Do you really expect her to go through that and not be a bit frazzled?” He shouted at her, feeling angry. Lily was fine, he told himself. She had to be! Jessie glared at him for a little while longer then he saw her posture ease ever so slightly.
“Your funeral,” she stated bitterly and turned to the others. “Alright, we may have lost him but it’s not all lost. He didn’t further the bond and he only barely escaped tonight. We’ve shaken him up and he’ll be more likely to make a mistake. We’re going to be there when he does,” she told them. James tuned her out as she discussed her plans with the others, standing by the door of the bathroom as if on guard.
After nearly an hour of discussion, James finally managed to get the Aequivalere out of his house, ignoring Jessie and Dorin’s insistence to talk with Lily. He threatened to literally throw them all out if they didn’t leave and that they would be able to talk to her tomorrow. Now he stood, making coffee as the silence seemed to settle in, almost unnerving him until he heard Lily finally come out of the bathroom.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, sitting down at the table. She poked the now cold chili with her fork and James turned to glance at her. She was still pale and he guessed her eyes would still be the same as well.
“You’re welcome,” he told her back. “I’m making coffee if you’d like some,” he added and she simply sighed in reply, looking totally defeated. He stopped and came to sit down next to her. “Lily,” he started, taking her hand lightly in his. “It’s going to be alright.” She slowly looked at him with her red eyes looking sadly disheartened.
“No James, it’s not. Didn’t you hear me before? I nearly gave in. He’s already got power over me. He was able to bring out my vampire just by his presence. Jessie is right,” Lily told him, her flat tone holding a hint of panic in it.
“Jessie doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” James told her and he believed it without a doubt but with a small shake of her head doubt showered over her face.
“She does, Jessie is like an encyclopedia of all things that go bump into the night. If she says that there is a good chance I could go baby vamp then there is a good chance,” she insisted then wrapped her arms around herself, looking almost fragile to James and it irritated him to no end. What happened to the Lily that was ready to take on the world even if it meant she was going to lose?
“So that’s it?” He demanded, moving to stand in front of her, hoping he could snap her out of her pity party. “Silvano has influence over your vamp so you’re just going to roll over and call it quits?” Lily’s head shot up as she glared at him. James felt a small smile starting but covered it as he noticed her pale complexion was darkening with her anger and her eyes were losing their redness.
“What else am I supposed to do James? I’m almost completely vampire and I can’t change back! I’m dangerous and possibly unstable. He’s got power over me and has halfway won already! All I can do is try and minimize the damage,” she argued, her arms unwrapped from her sides, her hands balling into fists.
“That’s bullshit and you know it, Lily,” he shot back, trying to keep her angry. Her anger was bringing her vampire side back into balance. “Yes, he’s got some sway over you but that doesn’t mean he’s won. It’s just means we’ve got to fight back harder,” he told her, resting his hands on her shoulders. She growled at him, knocking his hands off of her.
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one having to fight!” she snapped rabidly, giving him a shove. “And there is no we, James Lacrosse,” she finished, turning to leave but he grabbed her arms and pulled her back in front of him. He smiled as he looked her over, she was back to normal.
“There’s the rabid little hybrid I know, Welcome back Lily,” he said, continuing to grin at her as she looked at him as if he’d grown a second head. “Go look at yourself in the mirror,” he told her with a laugh. She dashed into the bathroom.
He could hear her gasp of surprise from the kitchen. “Oh God, I’m back to normal,” she practically shouted. “You were goading me into getting mad?” She asked as she returned and he nodded. “But how did you know getting me mad would work?”
“I didn’t. I just didn’t want to see you ready to give up but I noticed as soon as you started to get angry that you started to change back so I kept poking you until you were back to normal,” he explained with a shrug. Lily gave him a brilliant smile that made his world stop.
“Thank you, James,” she said and surprised him by hugging him. “I really mean it thank you so much!” Her cheeks flared slightly as she let him go and he pretended not to see it as he leaned back on the table. “It’s good to know that… uhmm… someone has my back,” she said, sounding almost shyly.