CHAPTER 40

Each day that passed felt like a noose being wrapped tighter and tighter around her neck until the bristly rope cut into her skin, cutting her. Anytime she tried to speak to Telal about letting her go, he simply changed the subject, usually by kissing her senseless. Her skin felt itchy everywhere, she couldn't stop scratching it, and this time it had nothing to do with the juice. God, the juice. She didn't even miss it now. Okay, she did miss it. If she had some of that in her system, she wouldn't be pacing back and forth across the living room while her stomach felt like insects were crawling inside.

Two more days. She had him for two more days. She wanted to scream; she wanted to cry. Most of all, she wanted to go with him. Not just because of him but because her mother was down there in that dank and dirty cell. What if something happened to him? Then how could she free her?

Oh god, oh god. Tears did fall from her eyes and she brushed them away hard, hurting her eyes in the process. It didn't matter. The little sting of pain helped to take out the heavy weight over her heart.

“Lily?” said a soft voice.

Lily turned to find Willow and Chloe at the door to the living area. They both wore expressions of understanding. Lily shook her head. She didn’t need to see them now. Not now. They couldn't help her. Telal had already made his plans. He was taking Kearnyn, Tyrian, Lyonis, Draven, Rayn, Henry, and Jackie and Thane. Everyone had been ported in. Now they all just sat like sitting ducks for the day to come. Her stomach squeezed tight and she wished she could still eat food just so she could throw up to try to ease it.

“Hey, hey. Come on now. Everything will be fine.” Chloe wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she wanted to throw it away, push her away. She didn't want to stop pacing; had to keep moving.

He loves me. I love him. We're supposed to live together like Chloe and Willow have gotten to do.

“You know we understand what you're feeling.”

Lily snapped. “Oh really, Willow? And how's that?”

To give Willow some credit she didn't flinch, didn't even cock a brow. But she did flip her off. She actually chuckled at that. So characteristic of her sister. “Did you forget that we have mates, too, who are going down in that demon hell? Like I want him going there. I've been in the rift.”

True. “But that was different. You were in a sub-layer. Where he's from is...pretty. The sky a hazy pink and orange. Everything looks more vivid there. The grass is greener. Thing smell different. Not bad, just different.”

“That's all fine and dandy but it still doesn't make us feel better,” Willow said.

“I get it. I do.” Lily walked to a window. Chloe'd made Tyrian put bars over them to keep anyone from accidently falling out. He'd done it without hesitating. “I love him.”

“I know.” Her sisters both said it at the same time and shared a little laugh.

“How does he feel about you? It's so hard to tell with him,” said Chloe.

Lily sighed. “He loves me, but I don't think he'd admit it.”

“Then he and Tyrian have that in common. Tyrian was so adamant about not feeling anything for me. Yeah, that didn't last long.”

Lily nibbled her lip. She'd been thinking about this ever since he announced his plans. She was going to go with him. She didn't have much magic, but she'd made half a dozen potions when he wasn’t around. She couldn't test them out but Rosa assured her they'd work. They'd both enspelled the potions, really nothing more than small vials of foul-smelling liquid, to freeze the target in place. It should last anywhere up to thirty minutes. They'd run out of supplies so she'd only been able to make six. She'd have to use them wisely. She also had Rosa get several of the daggers she'd enchanted with electricity. If she had to use one, she would.

Could she tell her sisters about her plan? Or would they run off and warn Telal. “Can I trust you guys with something?”

They nodded. Lily sat on the floor in front of them so she could whisper. She didn't need any prying ears to pick up on this. “I'm going to the rift with Telal. I'm going to have Rosa make another potion and take us there. This time since we're leaving from the same place as Telal we'll arrive in the same place in the rift, too.”

“Are you sure about this?” Willow didn't tell her no, didn't condemn her for what she wanted to do. Lily supposed she was surprised because she'd always felt like the odd man out with her sisters being fraternal twins.

“I'm sure.”

“Have you had any visions to think you could help?” Chloe's brow pinched forward in consternation.

“No. I haven't had dreams in a while.” She left out the part that the juice she made helped to assuage them. And, that the last dreams she'd had were of a black man with evil energy around him. Alrik Demuzi. She'd stay away from him in the rift. She'd free her mother, help out if she can, then get out. If luck prevailed she might not even have to see Telal and he'd never know. Well, until he realized her mother was in their bedroom.

“Why not?”

Lily ignored Chloe's probing stare. “I don't know; they just dropped off. I'm going to bring mother back.”

The sisters stiffened but nodded almost in unison like they'd choreographed it. “How...damaged is she?”

Lily frowned, the image of her mother rocking and shaking in her cell coming to mind. “Very.” She didn't know what else to say so she left it at that.

Her sisters hugged her one at a time. Lily squeezed them back, her heart swelling in her chest. “Take care and be alert,” said Willow.

“Be careful,” Chloe said, giving her one last squeeze before leaving.

Lily started to leave but stopped. She felt better. The tension and worry in her had been alleviated; it wasn't completely gone, the worry still sat there but not like it had been. She afforded her first smile of the day and went in search of Telal. If she only had two days before he left for the rift and she snuck in behind them, then she wanted to spend the days with him.

She found him in the bowels of the castle, deep under it where a staircase seemed to never end. Strong, tall, strapping warriors moved around corridors glancing her way as she passed them. In a room at the end of the hall she found Telal sitting inside on a padded floor that looked like it was used for sparring or wrestling. He wore a white t-shirt which looked glorious across his golden skin and muscled body and a pair of loose fitting white pants.

She knocked softly then entered. He didn't turn to look at her. “Telal?”

No response so she crept forward and laid a hand on his shoulder. Suddenly he grabbed her waist and slammed her to the mat, his lips catching hers. She laughed against his mouth, feeling winded. The move didn't hurt her but she felt stunned, shocked. His lips slid over hers creating a stir of feelings that warmed her.

He pulled back something close to a smile on his lips. “What are you doing here, lilit?”

“The name's Lily not lilit. I came to find you. I missed you.”

He did smile now, and when this demon smiled she felt like she'd just been granted some kind of unique gift. The smile lit up his whole face, softened his eyes, and made them brighter.

“I know your name...Lily,” he said softly. He closed in on her then caught her lips in a caress she barely felt, then he nipped at her, tugged on her lip, and traced it with his tongue. “So you came to play?”

Her heart kicked up several beats. “No, well, sure, but no.” God, what was she saying?

His smile disappeared, turning his look into something dark and wicked. He stared into her eyes, simply looking at her until she started to squirm.

“You are beautiful.”

She pursed her lips as a blush came over her. She hated blushing; it was her job to make others blush. “Thank you.” He kissed her again, his lips consuming her, making her thoughts fog and derail like a runaway train.