His cheeks flushed. “You're welcome. Hey, anytime.”

Lily gave him a little finger wave and took a seat on a bench. The taxi pulled up some thirty minutes later. She got into the back seat and gave him the address.

The driver was young and dark-skinned, and super cute. “You sure you wanna go there? I heard that's the place with that...demon-man from the news.”

Lily nodded, and he shook his head with disappointment. Over the past year, Telal had been on the news' stations more and more with his message about the rift. Both human and supernatural media groups had taken to the story like flies on sugar. Telal made it clear that the rift needed to be open so that his people, the shahoulin demons, could be free to roam the earth again. Instead they were trapped below with violent demons like the idummi and jaheera.

Though the debates have been getting hotter and heavier as other supernaturals have come out to speak against it. Many said that the shahoulin demons were no less violent and that there's a solid reason why they were forced under the rift in the first place.

They pulled in front of the giant skyscraper a little while later. The building went up at least forty stories, easily towering over the small skyscrapers around it. The sign on the front read: Demuzi Manufacturing Inc. Cameras moved and watched every possible angle around the building, and two armed guards stood at the front doors.

Lily paid her fare and got out but was stopped at the doors. “Do you have an appointment?”

“Yes,” she lied and ducked inside. Even more guards waited inside the polished building. Bright fluorescent lights lit the room like a tanning bed. Unlike other office buildings that might have a couple of fake plants and cheesy paintings on the wall, this one had none of that. A wide arched desk sat on the left with computer monitors and two guards behind it; opposite that were elevators and a stairwell.

Lily kept her chin held high and marched towards the elevators. She didn't make it far. Three guards intercepted her. They wore full military-looking clothing with rifles and handcuffs—the only thing they were missing were helmets.

“Do you have an appointment, ma'am?”

“Something like that,” she said, giving the vaguest answer she could think of. She tried to walk past them, but the guards cornered her in, standing shoulder to shoulder. The camera in the corner of the room turned to lock in on her. Her heart started to pound as uneasiness built inside her.

“Unless you have an appointment, we can't let you see Mr. Demuzi.”

“He's expecting me.” Sort of. “Just call and tell him Lily Bellum is here.”

The guard in the middle shook his head. “Can't do that. Appointments are arranged in advanced. Please allow me to escort you back outside. You can make an appointment and come back another time.”

Shit. Lily quickly surveyed the guards in front of her and the distance to the elevator. Nothing was going as she'd planned today, but that wasn't going to stop her. It was as if the gods knew she wanted to see Telal but were doing everything in their power to keep her from doing so. Well, screw all that.

Pulling out her last card she said, “I'm Telal's woman. You might want to think twice about that.”

She'd obviously startled the guards. They each shared a surprised look and then the one on the right with a full head of blonde hair chuckled. He said, “Telal never has a woman.”

Keeping that little bit of info as food for thought later, she insisted, “I am his woman. His lilit as he likes to call me. Call and check but I'm not going to wait here any longer.”

“If you're his woman then why haven't we seen you here before?”

Damn. She was about to make up a lie but then a guard from behind the desk came forward, nodding his head. “She's been here before, though only once. I recognize her.” Lily smiled at the guard and his brilliant observation because it reminded her that she had come here before with Chloe and Tyrian. How could she have forgotten that? Must be because of the blow to the head she'd taken. She needed to make some calming tea and relax; her nerves were getting the better of her.

“See? I told you. Now take me up to see him before I tell him how much of a hassle you've put me through. He'll be pissed. Do you really want him mad at you?”

Each of the guard's frowned. Finally the middle guard nodded at her to follow him and took up in the elevator.

“If you're lying you'll be thrown out of here and never allowed back in,” he said.

Lily rolled her eyes then turned to flash him a bright smile. “He's my Protector, so I don't really think there will be a problem.”

The doors to the elevator dinged as they opened. The guard grabbed her at the elbow and started pulling her down the hallway. With a vicious yank, she pulled her elbow back. He moved to grab her again but she took off running for the two massive doors at the end of the hall.

He cursed and the sound of hard booted steps bounded after her. Heart racing like a stampede, she reached the doors just as the guard’s hand snagged her jacket. She lurched forward to dislodge his hand and finally came into his office.

A man, tall with short reddish hair gave her a hard look.

“Get her!” yelled the guard behind her.

The man lifted the rifle strapped around his shoulder. Lily panicked, eyes darting around the room looking for him. He wasn't here! The side door was her only hope, and she rushed for it. Then the hard blunt end of a rifle slammed into the back of her skull.

She cried out as her brain ricocheted around in her skull like a bullet. Not again, was all she could think as she collapsed like a sack of potatoes on the floor. Her nose smashed into the ground and instant tears. Her vision darkened quickly and blurred as tears came. Her nose pounded an angry painful beat and the back of her head hammered with burning violent heat. Everything hurt, from the top of her head down to her toes. It throbbed and pulsated and screamed at her for help.

She blinked her wet lashes, trying to rid the tears away so she could see, but it didn't help much because she knew she was seconds away from passing out—again. The door in front of her opened. Shiny black shoes and black pant followed.

She sucked in an airy breath through her mouth as those feet came closer. She tried to speak but nothing came out but air. All she could think as consciousness left her was “I swear I looked hot when I woke up.” And then she exhaled a shaky breath and went to sleep to make the pain go away.

CHAPTER 4

“Wake up!”

The hard voice jolted Lily from her happy sleep time. She blinked several times then squinted as the bright light try to sear off a layer from her eyeballs.

“Turn off the lights.”

“No,” said a hard, accented voice.

She knew that voice. Excitement fluttered through her. Lily slowly sat up and found herself on top of a massive bed. Her head pounded like someone had taken a jackhammer to it and she moaned. She touched the sore spot at the back of her head and winced.

“Dammit. That was not necessary.”

After her eyes adjusted to the blazing light she blinked, looking around the room for him. Telal sat at a desk, furiously writing like he was signing her death warrant. Awkwardness at the situation threatened to creep in, but she pushed it away and stood.

She swayed hard and her stomach felt like she was rushing downhill on a rollercoaster. She gasped, panting, and held tight to the bed post. What a day, she thought.

“What are you doing here?”

When she finally got her knees to lock and keep her upright without falling on her face again she ambled over to him. “You know why.”

He gave her one hard look, then returned to writing. “I do not. Even if I were to tag along with this whole 'Protector' nonsense, which I assure you I am not, you are still an entire month early. You will not be twenty-nine until next month.”