“Me, me!” Matt said, holding up his arms. James took a boy in each arm, gently swinging them around, much to their delight. It wasn’t long before all the children were lining up for their chance.
“Alright, alright,” Sandy said, walking up to them. “That’s enough for tonight. Time for you to head home or to bed,” she told the children. Whines and complaints are what she got back but Sandy stooded her ground… thankfully. James was about to surrender and beg for mercy. A. J. walked to him, holding up his arms. He grinned and made a last ditch effort to pick his son up.
“You ready for bed, A. J.?” He asked and got an enthusiastic no in return. “Of course not. What a dumb question. How about we go read a story instead,” he offered.
“Story!” the toddler yelled in agreement, making James wince.
“Alright, let’s go,” he said, carrying him to the house. He gave Lily a grin and a wink as he passed her, receiving an eye roll and a see you later in response.
Next thing James knew Lily was shaking him awake. He groaned before remembering A. J. was asleep. “What time is it,” he asked after a yawn cautiously sitting up.
“Nine in the morning. You have one hour before today’s meeting starts,” she told him with a smug grin on her face. Well damn, he thought surprised, glancing over to see A. J. was no longer next to him.
“Thanks Lily,” he said, getting up and stretching then remembered. “So I saw you met my mom,” he said and she nodded with an mhm and sticking her hands in her pockets. “So…” he said, dragging the word out.
“So what,” she asked back with a sly grin. She knew exactly what he wanted to know.
“What did you two talk about,” he asked and she smirked at him.
“You look worried James,” She teased him and he grinned at her, standing up.
“Not worried but curious,” he replied. Why would he have to worry besides the infamous tendencies of mother in laws and their son’s girl get along? Not that they were actually in laws yet.
“No you’re definitely worried,” she teased. “Worried that she’d tell me all the embarrassing stuff you did as a kid?” James scoffed as he ran his hand through his hair.
“Embarrassing stuff? I didn’t do anything embarrassing. I was the cool kid remember,” he told her with a cocky grin. Lily rolled her eyes at him with her own scoff.
“Oh well, I’d consider that whole helicopter thing pretty embarrassing but I guess that’s just me,” she said. James jaw dropped then snapped it shut a moment later. She didn’t… she wouldn’t… “Oh God, you’re actually blushing. James Lacrosse is actually blushing,” she said through hard laughter. “This is going to be black mail gold,” she continued.
“Lily,” he warned her and she grinned at him smugly.
“Blackmail gold,” she repeated then screamed as he lunged at her and ran out of the room laughing.
“Lily, don’t you dare,” he yelled, chasing her out of the room.
Lily opened and clenched her fists as she paced the kitchen. “It’s not working. Did you do it right?” Lily demanded and the doctor looked up at her with a sharp look. “Don’t look at me like that, sitting dork,” she snapped.
“Sitting Dork? Really? You taking a jab at my heritage when you’re almost as Native American as I am,” he replied. She just rolled her eyes at him. “I gave you every ingredient that you asked for Lily. You’re the chemist of the duo, you mixed it. You should be asking yourself why it didn’t work,” Doctor Litefoot told her.
“Are you saying I did it wrong?” She snapped but it came out as a hiss thanks to her elongated fangs.
“If the shoe fits,” he replied then held up his hands when she took a step towards him. “Okay sorry. No, I don’t think you did it wrong. What I think is that we both did our part and it’s not working so I’m thinking that the vampire lied to you about the ingredients.” Lily let out a growl, bitter betrayal making her stomach sour even more than it already was.
“So what do we do? I can’t eat normal food anymore and I am hungry,” she said, resuming her pace. The Aequivalere or what she thought was the Aequivalere had made and given her pills that suppressed the enzymes in her stomach that made her system reject food, leaving blood her only source of nourishment. She had only three left so she had been working with Doctor Litefoot to make their own.
“Sorry to interrupt but Tony just called. Today’s meeting finished so we’ll probably be getting some guests soon,” Sandy said, sticking her head into the room. Lily scowled then took a deep breath to attempt to calm herself down. Litefoot got up from the table, taking the failed pills with him.
“Can you get a donor? James, maybe?” He asked and she shook her head.
“No and no. I don’t want to drink from anyone, especially James,” she replied. The last time she drank from someone she had nearly killed him. Even though it was the vampire Bianca’s fault for pushing her to drink Lily still felt guilty about it.
“I can get some blood from the blood bank,” he offered and she wrinkled her nose.