Claudia D. Christian

Estimated reading time: 4 – 6 minutes

Julian looked up, chin resting on her bloodied knee. Lily resisted the urge to dig her fingers into his eyes. Seeing her tiny and insignificant reflection made Lily’s spine curl forward. “If I cut you open will I find my heart in there?”

Julian bent his head and licked her flesh with delicate care.

Lily shuddered. She knew he could smell the musky notes which sang of her lust for him. Each lap brought Julian closer to her insides, to everything that made Lily a fucked up beautiful mess.

“Douglas?”

“Mmm?” He already disliked the perversity which made Lily call him by his surname but he accepted it as proof of his growing hold over her.

“How do I taste?”

“Lovely.” His voice, thick with gluttony, pared her to the crux of what was really being asked. “Take off your clothes.”

“No.”

“Take off your clothes, Lily.”

Lily’s heart squeezed. “I’m not going to do what you tell me to do. I do want I want…and only what I want.”

A devil’s smile possessed Julian. “I know, little brat. This is what you want. I’m just taking away the guilt, darling. Blame it on the bully vampire.”

“There’s another girl out there right now in your bed.”

“Yes. I know.”

“I’m not taking off my clothes or doing anything with you as long as she exists.”

Julian shoved his face next to hers. “You know what you’re asking with that statement.”

Lily bit back a whine. Fear, a common emotion in circumstances like these, didn’t inspire the embarrassing sound. The fangs peeking out from behind Julian’s lips did. They encouraged her to let go of morality, guilt, and pride. They taunted her to become someone else.

Someone she had always been.

“I’m not asking. I’m telling.”

His inhuman gaze searched hers for many, many moments. “Yes. I realize. I just wonder what will happen to this little girl when she finally gets what she thinks she wants.” He nuzzled her shoulder with his nose one final time. “Very well. Call me when you’re done changing.”

Lily watched him leave the room and wondered if she had made another mistake. She fumbled with the zipper before sliding it down. Lily removed her dress, taking reverent care in folding it over her arm. She stared at the fabric and spoke to the woman who had originally owned it.

Grandma, what am I doing here? You understand more than I do, don’t you? Can you help me?

Lily’s grandmother had been the mistress of a very powerful god. Marriage was forbidden between them which may have been why Dahlia Walker had loathed him on sight. He had made her suffer for that emotion. Severely. In turn, she hated him even more. Out of that hate sprung her father, which nearly got her branch of the Walker family exterminated.

You sacrificed so much so we could live, Grandma. I wonder if you would think we were worth it if you could see what happened after you died.

Eventually, Dahlia had come to love him but it could never stamp out the origins of their beginnings. Lily liked to think her grandmother had exaggerated her dislike for Grandpa Ante but now she wasn’t so sure.

Too bad Grandpa can’t dish out divine justice on my behalf. Damn Nephilim interventions…it’d be a lot easier to ask for Grandpa’s advice but considering I haven’t seen him since Grandma died…oh, screw this. I’ve wasted too much time here as it is.

Lily set the dress down to slip on Julian’s shirt. She made short work of the torn stockings and stepped back into her heels. Satisfied with the hideousness of her appearance, Lily draped the gown over her arm and walked into the bedroom.

“I thought I told you to call for me.”

“I thought I told you I only do what I want.” She delivered her answer without pause, striding past the bloodletting without censure. Julian dropped Nicole’s wrist in pique.

“Lily, your disobedience will come to an end.”

She stopped at the door. Her gaze found the polished wood infinitely fascinating. “You’re not my master, my lover, husband, or even friend. Therefore, I cannot disobey. Even if you were, I probably still wouldn’t obey. So what are you gonna do?”

Julian patted his mouth with a handkerchief. “You’re awfully cheeky. I leave you alone for a minute and already you’re soul-searching. Guilt weighing you down, hmm?”

“Hardly.”

“Really, then why won’t you look at me?”

“I already told you—I’m not into girls.”

“She’s decent. I covered her.”

“Well, good for you.”

“Lily, look at me.”

“Why do you want me to look so badly?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Julian slinked off the bed and approached her.

“You want to see if I’m jealous.”

“Are you?”

“Being food? No.”

“She’s not just food.”

Lily turned to him and pushed her dress into his arms. “This can’t be ruined, Julian. If your cleaners don’t think they can get the stains out, don’t let them try. Just bring it back, okay?”

“Yes, my queen. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

She acknowledged his sarcasm with a regal dip of her head. “Yes. Tell me about what’s happened to me tonight on the way home.”

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