Chapter 15
**“When you live in a world where you know other things exist, things that are not human, you become vigilant. You constantly look over your shoulder and peer into the shadows to see what lurks. Supernaturals rarely reveal themselves, however. Eventually, as time passes, you grow complacent and go back to living in your bubble, just like those who know nothing beyond what their eyes tell them. Then a single phone call, one you think is bringing good news, tears through the security you had built into your bubble. And now you’re exposed, no longer shielded, no longer safe.” ~Lilly**
Mona stood in the crowded airport, waiting for her prey to exit the plane. She loathed such a place, which was filled with the sound of human chatter and the stench that they carried with them. Even in their ignorance they picked up on the threat Mona represented – they picked up on her “otherness”, though it was likely subconscious. Like any predator, being in the midst of prey simply made her want to attack. She smiled to herself as she thought about the havoc she could wreak in this place where mortals scurried like little ants. She could crush them with a simple twist of her hand. But then, where would the fun in that be?
Turning her attention from those around her, she zeroed in on the exit sign above the hallway where Lilly Pierce should emerge at any moment. She had rehearsed being nice in the mirror. Now that was sad, she had told herself, actually having to practice being nice. Her smile looked more like a sneer and her laugh could curl the toes of even the toughest men. She would just have to hope that Lilly wasn’t easily intimidated. And if she was, then she would have to do something to keep her calm until she was able to deliver her to the warlock King.
Yes, she thought, this promises to be an interesting day.
***
Lilly gathered her belongings, moving as slowly as possible. She thought back to the day she received the phone call. She knew it wasn’t Alina on the other end of that line, which was why she was standing on a plane that had just landed in Romania. Something was wrong. It had been a while since the sixth sense, as she called it, had made an appearance. But she could feel deep inside her that something was going on. She had made the decision not to call Jacque or anyone else in the Romanian pack until she knew more information. Lilly could sense the “individual” she'd spoken with was extremely dangerous She didn’t want to call in the wolves before she knew if doing so would put Jacque in danger.
She had simply packed her things, arranged for her manager to take care of the store while she was gone, and driven herself to the airport. It had been a long flight, with her laboriously speculating about what could be wrong. She had sent a text to Jacque just to make sure she was okay, but didn’t mention that she was on her way to Romania.
Now here she was, stalling. The flight attendant stuck her head in and smiled.
“Everything alright?” she asked sweetly.
“Um, yeah, everything’s fine. I was just making sure that I had all of my things,” Lilly told her as she put her bag over her shoulder and headed for the exit. She followed the long corridor that attached the plane to the airport. She had been told that the lady picking her up would be “different”. Lilly wasn’t sure what to expect, but when she looked up as she exited the corridor, the woman waiting for her was definitely not it.
Tall, with long black hair that had a strip of white in the front, she had two different colored eyes, one blue and one green. She was beautiful in a very odd, but striking way. Her lips were full and red and when she broke into a smile it made Lilly’s skin crawl. The closer Lilly got to the woman, the more she realized that it was the evil emanating off of the woman that was causing her discomfort.
The woman was wearing a red cloak which was odd in and of itself, as it looked like something someone would have worn a very long time ago. The air around grew thin and, like an invisible barrier, people in the airport gave her a wide berth. They seemed to sense what Lilly did, that this was not one to be trifled with.
“Lilly?”
The woman’s voice raked over Lilly and it took everything in her not to take a step back. She pasted a smile on her face and nodded. “That’s correct. And you are?” she asked, trying to draw on her Southern upbringing to be cordial, no matter how badly she wanted to turn and run as far as she could from the evil standing in front of her.
“I’m Mona. Alina sent me to pick you up.”
Right, Lilly thought, and if I say Beetlejuice three times a creepy, albino dude with bad hair will show up.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you.” Lilly reached out her hand to shake Mona’s.
Mona looked at the offered hand and Lilly saw a look of disgust quickly pass over the woman’s face before it was masked with what could only be described as mild dislike. She took Lilly’s hand, grasping it lightly as if she might catch something from the mere touch. After a single shake she quickly pulled her hand away. Lilly discreetly wiped her palm on her jeans, trying to rid herself of the cold wrongness of Mona’s touch.
“Shall we?” Mona motioned in the direction she wanted Lilly to follow. “The pack is waiting for you and I know Jacque will be surprised that you are here.”
“I bet she will.” Lilly smiled as she followed Mona. “Shocked out of her ever-loving mind is more like it,” she muttered under her breath.
It was clear by the way that Mona walked briskly through the airport that she already knew where she was going. Lilly nearly had to run to keep up with the long legs of the woman in front of her. And as they walked, she was amazed as she watched people move quickly out of Mona’s way. She walked straight, never having to walk around someone. People just moved, like the parting of the Red Sea before her. Lilly wanted to be impressed, but frankly, it was a little more than creepy.
The pair finally made it to the entrance of the airport. When they exited, Lilly saw that there was a black car waiting. Why is the car always black when you're being abducted? She thought grimly. How cliché.
A driver briskly walked around the car and opened the back door. Mona entered the car first and Lilly climbed in after. Before she knew it, they were off. The windows were tinted so darkly that Lilly could barely make out the landscape around her. She was pulled from her attempt to see where they were going when Mona spoke.
“How was your flight?”
“It was good. Long, but good.” Lilly smiled.
The smile Mona returned looked like it could double as the mask used in the Scream movies.
“So how are Jacque and the others?” Lilly asked, looking for any crack in the persona that Mona seemed to have adopted.
“They are doing well,” was the only answer Mona gave. The tight look on her face told Lilly that any further questions would be ignored. They continued the drive in silence, with Mona looking out her passenger window and Lilly mirroring her on the other side.
Finally, the car turned onto a dirt road, which soon began to wind up a mountain. Trees grew over the road, their branches stretching, reaching for each other across the expanse. Darkness had begun to descend as they continued higher into the mountains. Lilly was about to ask how much longer it was going to be when a large house came into view. The driver turned into the long driveway.
They stopped in the circle drive in front of what Lilly could now see wasn’t a large house, but rather a small mansion. She climbed out of the car and looked up, and up, and up, to the very top of the house, which was at least three stories high, if not more.
She watched as Mona climbed out of the car. This time the smile on Lilly’s face was the wolfish one.
“Now would be a good time to cut the crap, don’t you think? We both know you aren’t a member of the Romanian pack. You didn’t bring me here to see my daughter and you could give a rat’s ass how my flight was. So, who are you and what do you want?”
Mona threw her head back and let out a loud laugh.
“Oh, man, I can see where Jacque gets her spunk. You are definitely going to give him a run for his money.”
“Give who a run for his money?” Lilly asked, not hiding the impatience she was feeling.
“Personally, I don’t make it a habit to stand out in the fresh air. Call me what you will, but I like my air stale and stagnate.” Mona motioned to the steps that lead to the double door entry. “Why don’t we go in and I will explain everything to you.”
Lilly decided things would move along a little more quickly if she didn’t argue at this point. There would be plenty of time for that later. She walked up the steps with Mona right behind her. The door opened before they reached it. Lilly stepped back and made it clear that she wanted Mona to enter first. She followed Mona over the threshold of the door and, as she did, she felt a shift in the air and a shift inside her. Her life had just changed and would never be the same.
The feeling was exacerbated by a tall figure that stepped out of the shadows. The first thing she noticed was his height; he was very tall and very built, and he had very pointed ears.
That’s a new one, Lilly thought. His eyes glowed yellow like a cat's and he had a sharp straight nose and thin lips. Even with his obviously inhuman qualities, he was more than handsome. Lilly felt herself drawn to the stranger, and something in her told her that her future had always had him in it.
“King Cypher.” Mona stepped out of the way and pulled Lilly forward. “I have brought her just as I said I would – your mate.”
Oh, snap, Lilly thought. Didn’t see that one coming.
Cypher watched the reaction of the human female who stood next to the witch. He was taken aback by her beauty. She was petite compared to his 6-foot 4-inch frame. Her hair was a deep brown and looked so soft that he itched to run his fingers through it. When her eyes met his, he felt it in his soul. She had eyes the color of butterscotch and every emotion she was feeling was written in those rich, golden eyes. She licked her lips and he followed the motion like an addict would follow a drug held in the palm of a dealer. He took several steps toward them but stopped when he was an arm’s length away.
“What is your name?” he asked her in his deep voice. He smiled and had to give her credit when she didn’t flinch under his scrutiny.
“Lilly,” she answered confidently. “And you are a king? King of who, or should I say what?”
Cypher laughed. “You have spirit, little one,” he said. “Yes, I am a king, King of the warlocks.”
Lilly coughed and sputtered, then swallowed. “I’m sorry,” she started, having to clear her throat again before she could go on. “Did you just say warlocks?”
Mona rolled her eyes at the human. “Please tell me you didn’t think the only thing not human in this world were werewolves.”
Lilly ignored Mona, continuing to watch Cypher.
“So, it’s King Cypher, correct?” she asked him, regaining her composure.
Cypher nodded once.
“Okay, just a small question here, but why would you want me to be your mate? You don’t know me from Eve.”
Cypher cocked his head to the side and his brow furrowed. “Who is Eve?”
Lilly and Mona both let out a snort at the same time, then both stopped to glare at the other.
“It’s just a saying.” Lilly waved him off. “The important part of the question is ‘why me?’”
“I didn’t pick you, Lilly.” Cypher watched as her lips tightened and her forehead wrinkled in thought. “Desdemona brought you to me.”
“Who is Desdemona?”
Mona bowed dramatically. “Allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Desdemona, the last witch in this world. My power is beyond anything you can comprehend and Cypher has information I need. We made a deal, a mate for him and the information for me. It’s just an added bonus that you are who you are.”
Cypher looked at Mona, trying to decipher what her words meant. Who was Lilly to her? What did she know about Lilly?
He looked at Mona and his face became a blank slate.
“Two days,” he told her.
“Yes, yes, as we agreed. You have two days with her. Then I want you ready to go to the Veil.”
“Wait!” Lilly yelled as Mona turned to go. “What about my daughter?”
Mona shrugged. “I don’t know anything about your daughter.”
“Why do I get the feeling you are lying?” Lilly asked through pursed lips.
Mona’s smile turned sly. “I have no idea, Lilly Pierce. I would never be dishonest.”
Lilly snorted. “Right, and any second now you are going to bust out in Mary Poppins’ ‘these are a few of my favorite things’.” She let out an exasperated breath. “Can you at least tell me if she is safe?”
“As much as I would love to give you some heart-breaking news about your flesh and blood, the truth – and it nauseates me to even think that word – is that I don’t know what she is up to at the moment. The last time I saw her she was furry and running on a battle field.”
Lilly’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
“Hey, I’m just calling it like I see it. She was furry and ripping through my army. As far as I know, she lived through it. So that’s a plus, right?”
Lilly stared speechless at the witch and then in the blink of an eye the witch was gone.
She looked around as if Mona was going to pop up and yell “boo”.
Cypher let out a deep breath. “She can be very dramatic at times.”
His voice drew Lilly’s attention back to him.
Cypher stood and stared at her, unblinking and unashamedly. It had been a very long time since he had spent any quality time with a female and he couldn’t remember if he had ever been with a female of such beauty.
Lilly cleared her throat, trying to not worry about Jacque because she knew that there was nothing she could do about it at the moment. She could only deal with the situation before her.
“So, are you going to throw me in a dungeon or something?” she asked the tall, handsome king. She really wished she hadn’t thought of that last adjective, but truth be told, he was a looker. Jacque would call him eye candy and Lilly would agree.
Cypher smiled and it transformed his hard features. “I don’t have any plans to throw you in a dungeon. I thought you would prefer a room with a bed and human amenities.”
“Huh,” Lilly said, lifting a single eyebrow. “Well, that does sound better than a dungeon.”
“I know you must have questions, and I’m willing to answer them. But I would really like to take care of your immediate needs. Are you hungry?”
Lilly nodded. “But first, can I use the ladies' room?”
Cypher pointed down the hall. “Third door on the right. I’ll just wait here for you.”
Lilly walked to the bathroom, only looking over her shoulder once. Cypher was still watching.
Lilly stepped into the restroom, finding the light on the wall and flicking it on. She closed the door and turned the lock. Letting out a deep breath, she looked in the mirror over the sink. Her face was pale and haggard. She turned on the water and splashed her face with it. A towel hung on a hook and she used it to pat her face and hands dry. She hung the towel back up, laughing at herself for being so cordial in her captor’s house. She shrugged. Might as well be neat.
She closed her eyes and sighed, knowing she had to stay calm, no matter how badly she wanted to scream for someone to show her where Jacque was. From what she could tell so far, she didn’t think this King Cypher meant her any harm, but Mona had called Lilly his mate. The way she understood “mate” meant a long-term relationship, as in the rest of your life long time. So, at this point she needed to assume that Cypher had no plans to let her go. He didn’t seem evil, but then again, he was working with Mona, and she was most definitely evil.
She jumped when there was a soft knock on the door.
“Lilly,” she heard his voice speak through the door, and the way her name rolled off his tongue sent shivers down her spine.
That’s just rich, Lilly. You are crushing on your warlock captor. Nice one.
“Is everything alright? I know you must be distressed and I will explain all that I can if you will please just trust me when I say I don’t mean you any harm.”
Lilly unlocked the door and pulled it open slowly. She looked up at the towering man – well, not man, but male. His face said he was maybe in his late thirties or early forties, but his eyes said he had seen centuries and centuries. What stories he must be able to tell.
“I would definitely like you to explain.”
He held his hand out to her, a silent request of trust. She stared at it a moment before she finally placed her smaller hand in his. His hand was much larger, and warm. So very warm that she felt heat move up her arm. She wanted so badly to not feel that warmth, and even more she wanted so badly not to enjoy it. But it had been so long since she had felt any warmth from, well, a man’s touch. And though the term man applied loosely to the King, he was all male. And all that maleness was focused on her.
Cypher took her hand and led her to the smallest sitting room in the large mansion. He didn’t want to give her the opportunity to put too much space in between them. He was struggling with what to tell her. He had been excited at the idea of having a mate, but, truthfully, he hadn’t expected to be so attracted to the female that Mona had promised to bring him. Not just attracted to her appearance, but to her spirit as well. She filled up a room when she entered it. The fire in her eyes was enough to stop a male in his tracks. It had sure stopped him.
There was something about her that was so good, so real and so fresh. He hated to dirty that with the truth of what was to come. Maybe he could just give her an overview.
“Desdemona is a powerful witch,” he started. “She came to me with a proposition, and when she mentioned that she could bring me a mate, I couldn’t turn her down.”
Lilly stared up at Cypher as he spoke and watched the way his unusual eyes never left hers, nor did he ever blink. It was a little unnerving.
“Forgive me if I seem a little confused, but why would she have to come all the way to the United States to get you a mate? I mean, it’s not like you are hard on the eyes. Surely, she could find you someone closer to home. And why don’t you find a mate that is a warlock like you?”
“You think I’m handsome?” Cypher asked her, pleased.
Lilly rolled her eyes. “Out of all that, that’s all you got? That I think you are good looking?”
“It’s been a long time since I have been with a woman. You will have to forgive me if I do not know the protocol,” he replied stiffly.
“Protocol?” Lilly repeated incredulously. “So, you have protocol for having a witch abduct a woman to be your mate? Man, this ought to be good. Please do tell, what exactly is the protocol for such a thing?”
Cypher cleared his throat and considered her response to him. He had obviously upset her.
“I didn’t mean protocol for Mona taking you. I meant for talking to a woman, for being a gentleman.”
“Well, for starters, you don’t kidnap her.” Lilly shook her head in exasperation. “Just saying.”
Cypher let out a low growl as he stood abruptly. Lilly flinched at the quick movement.
“My people are dwindling. We have no females. The magic in this world is failing because the Fae have locked themselves behind their Veil and refuse to be bothered. It is the only hope of my race. I’m their King. A King with no Queen, and no heirs. I need you. I will not harm you. You will want for nothing. Those things I can promise you.” Cypher was breathless, his nerves on edge because he didn’t understand the feelings he was having toward a human woman he had just met.
“What about my daughter?” Lilly raised a single eyebrow at him. “What can you promise me about her?”
“Who is your daughter?” Cypher asked cautiously. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like the answer.
“She is the mate to Fane Lupei, the son of the Romanian wolves' Alpha.”
Cypher let out what sounded like a hiss.
“Vasile.” He whispered the name like an accusation.
“That’s correct,” Lilly confirmed, not picking up on the rage that had begun to cloak Cypher.
Desdemona had not bothered to tell him that the woman she'd singled out to be his mate was the mother of the Alpha’s daughter in-law. This was not good.
“I don’t know anything about your daughter,” he told her truthfully. “I know who Vasile is, and I met him once, many, many years ago. How does Mona know of your daughter?”
Lilly shrugged as she stood and began to walk around the room, looking at her surroundings. “When Mona called me, she was pretending to be Alina,” she glanced over her shoulder at Cypher, “Vasile’s mate. She told me that they wanted to surprise Jacque and bring me to see her here in Romania. I knew something was off, but I played along anyway.”
“Wait,” he interrupted. “What do you mean you knew something was off? You knew she possibly meant you harm and you came with her anyway?” Cypher knew his voice had taken on a rough quality, but it angered him to think that Lilly had knowingly placed herself in danger.
“I will do whatever I have to in order to protect my daughter. If that means getting on a plane because a witch pretends to be inviting me to see her, then I will fly on the damn plane if I need to.”
Cypher didn’t respond. He simply watched as she continued to look around the room. He was lost in thought, finally realizing exactly what Mona had gotten him into. He did not want to be on the bad side of an Alpha, especially not one as powerful as Vasile. Cypher himself was powerful, there was no question about that, and if it was just Vasile against him, that might be an equal battle, but add Vasile’s wolves into the mix and the scales tipped. Besides, Cypher had nothing against the wolves, he just wanted a mate. He hadn’t planned for the two to intersect.
He knew that Mona wanted him to open the Veil to let out the hoard of demons and he had planned to help her do just that, but there was something deep inside him that was telling him he wouldn’t follow through. Oh, he may appear to be doing what she asked, but he could find some way to foil her plan. Now, seeing Lilly in his house, seeing such goodness left in the world, he knew he wouldn’t help Mona. If he could convince Lilly to stay with him, to maybe one day love him, he would move heaven and earth.
“It’s late,” he told her in a soft, deep voice. “Let me show you to your room so you can get some rest. I need to think.”
Lilly followed him without a word. He led her up a flight of stairs and turned right down a hall. They passed three doors until he finally stopped at one on the right. He opened the door for her and turned on the light.
“There is a bathroom inside that should have everything you need. Your bag is in here as well.” Cypher turned to leave her for the night but stopped when she placed a small hand on his large arm. He looked down at the hand on his arm and then into the whiskey-colored eyes of its owner.
“You don’t seem evil to me,” she said softly. “Why are you working with Desdemona? What could she possibly offer you that would be worth it?”
Cypher turned so that his body was flush with hers. He took a step closer and took a deep breath, taking in her delicate scent.
His eyes locked meaningfully with hers when he spoke.
“You,” he told her. “She offered me you.”