Lillian Rayne Trilogy: Book 1, Page 5

  I rolled my eyes. “You know I want what they want.”

  He scoffed as he moved closer to me. “You do not,” he whispered in my ear.

  I looked at him, a little startled. “How would you know that?” I asked softly.

  He was so close to me I was sure everyone thought I had lost my mind. I was letting a vampire close enough to kill me. I didn’t know why I’d let him so close. There was just something different about him. He’d had a chance to kill me before, and he didn’t.

  “You don’t hide your emotions as well as you think,” he whispered. He brushed my lips with his in a playful, chaste kiss; then he was gone.

  “What is going on, Rayne?” Kai asked, puzzled.

  I looked at him, not sure what to say. “I don’t know. He is difficult,” I said, annoyed, then walked toward the door. I hated how he just disappeared whenever he felt like it.

  “Lily, wait! How do you know Aubrey? Do you have any idea how dangerous he is?” Luca growled as he followed me.

  “No Luca, I have no clue what a vampire can do,” I said dryly.

  “Why are you letting him so close?” he persisted, as he continued to follow me outside.

  I turned on him and glared. “It is none of your business. I will get him to sign the truce, and that is all you have to worry about.” I could tell I’d stunned him a little; he stopped in his tracks and closed his mouth. I stormed off before he could speak. I couldn’t answer his questions. I didn’t know the answers myself.

  ***

  I stood in the alley, watching the door of the bar. I knew that was where Aubrey stayed. I needed to speak to him. I really didn’t want to run into the same trouble I had last time. I cussed and walked to the door. I stepped inside the bar, and like the last time, the patrons all looked at me.

  The same male vampire, Gerard, approached me. I could see the fury in his eyes, and I regretted my decision to come. He caught me by my throat. “What the fuck are you doing here?” he hissed.

  My hands went to his. His grip on my throat was painful. “I am trying to find Aubrey,” I growled.

  “Gerard, Aubrey will kill you over the little bitch,” the female vampire said, sounding worried.

  Gerard looked from her to me, then he released me and stepped back. “He isn’t here. Leave,” he ordered, as he turned away from me.

  “I don’t believe you,” I countered.

  He quickly turned back toward me and smacked me, sending me into a table. I really wanted to whip his ass, but I was trying to keep the peace for some stupid reason. I remained siting on the floor. I just glared up at Gerard.

  “What is going on now?” Aubrey growled as he stepped into view. Before anyone could speak, his eyes fell on me. Fury crossed his face. He moved so quickly I could barely see it. Gerard stumbled backwards. I tried to keep the horror off my face when I saw Aubrey was holding Gerard’s heart. Gerard turned to ash in front of me. His heart disintegrated in Aubrey’s hand. “No one is to touch her!” Aubrey yelled angrily. A murmur went over the bar. Aubrey turned his gaze on me. “Why do you insist on coming here?”

  “Why do you keep disappearing?” I countered, as I climbed to my feet.

  He smiled. “I had to go. What do you want?”

  “You know what I want,” I said, scowling.

  He sighed, like I was annoying him. “You don’t want a truce,” he said as he started walking toward the back of the bar.

  I followed him, trying to hold onto the small amount of patience I had. “I do. I want it because they want it. Obviously, you don’t want to fight us.” I was following him deeper into the house, and he didn’t seem to be stopping.

  He stopped and turned toward me. I nearly ran into him, he stopped so suddenly. “You’re right. I don’t want to fight you, but I don’t want to agree to follow your rules, either.”

  “Then what do you want?” I asked, irritated.

  He quickly stepped forward and pressed his lips to mine. I was a little startled, but I quickly relaxed and he deepened the kiss. He suddenly broke the kiss and smiled. “I would love for you to join me in my bed chamber,” he said playfully.

  I stepped away from him. I could tolerate a kiss or two, maybe even enjoy it, but that was it. I couldn’t have sex with a vampire; that was crossing the line. “You know I can’t do that,” I said softly.

  His expression darkened. “I think it’s interesting that you ask me to sign a piece of paper that gives you everything you want, but then you deny me everything I want.”

  I was a little startled. I didn’t understand why he wanted me. He could have had any woman he wanted. “I have been as amicable as I can be. I normally don’t let a vampire anywhere near me.”

  He scoffed. “And I don’t let hunters in my home. You should go,” he growled as he walked away.

  I watched him until he disappeared into a room. I could have gone after him and given him exactly what he wanted, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. There was only so far I could go for a vampire. I turned and walked back the way I had come. I was going to leave the politics up to Luca. I obviously wasn’t up for the challenge.

  ***

  I stood outside my uncle’s door. I knew everyone was waiting for me to return. I would have loved to go in and give them the news they wanted to hear, but I didn’t have it. I took a deep breath and opened the door. As I suspected, everyone was waiting for me.

  “What happened?” Luca asked as he came towards me.

  “He won’t agree to the truce, but he doesn’t want to fight. I don’t know what else can be done,” I said softly.

  “Why won’t he agree? Our terms are not that demanding,” Kate asked, looking a little upset.

  “Look, I don’t know. Just keep the hunters at bay until he decides to sign,” I said quietly. I walked toward the stairs hoping to get away from them.

  “Lillian, you have to help us convince him. He has obviously developed a relationship with you,” my uncle said firmly.

  I groaned in annoyance and looked at him. “There is no relationship. He is a botched hunting attempt,” I growled.

  “You tried to kill him?” Luca said angrily.

  “Before I knew about the truce. It was the night Tanner found me. Aubrey was the vampire I was fighting. It was all a big fucking mistake,” I muttered, as I started up the stairs.

  “He likes you, Rayne; you can use that to our advantage,” Colin said as I passed him.

  I hesitated and looked at him. “I don’t want to mislead him anymore then I already have. I can’t have a relationship with a vampire.” I didn’t know why I felt bad saying it to Colin. It felt like I was being cruel, but it was how I felt. He didn’t speak, so I continued up the stairs.

  I considered going to my room, but I couldn’t stand the thought of just sitting around with my thoughts. I decided to go to the training room.

  Punching the bag always helped me focus. I had so many thoughts running through my mind; it was overwhelming. I didn’t understand why I even cared about the truce. I really didn’t understand why I was even thinking about Aubrey as much as I was. There was no way I could take a relationship with him seriously. I didn’t see how he could take one with me seriously. It was ridiculous.

  “That bag would be in serious trouble if it were a person,” my uncle said, smiling as he walked into the room.

  “Maybe,” I said, as I hit the bag again. I really didn’t feel like one of my uncle’s talks, but I knew he wasn’t going to give me a choice.

  He took a seat on a bench not far from me. “You could help us make this truce happen, Lillian. I don’t know what your relationship is with Aubrey, but he likes you, and you can use that.”

  I glanced at him; then quickly looked back at my target. “Maybe, but I don’t want to pretend I am okay with being friends with vampires. I’m not.”

  He sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. “Lillian, things are changing. Power is shifting. We can no longer fight them. We have to come to an agreement wit
h them.”

  I scowled and faced him. “Why? Why can’t it stay how it has been for years? It doesn’t make any sense.”

  “The war has to stop at some point. We have to evolve past this, Lillian. We can all live together in peace. Your parents wanted this as much as I do,” he said softly.

  I felt rage burn just below the surface when he mentioned my parents. “My parents are dead because they were stupid enough to walk around with your ideals. I refuse to be as blind as they were.”

  I turned and stormed out of the room. I was so angry I was shaking. I didn’t understand how he could act like everything would be fine once there was a truce. The truth was, it wouldn’t be. Vampires couldn’t be trusted, not even vampires that seemed different, like Aubrey. He wasn’t different, he was just better at hiding his true self.

  Chapter 7

  I lay in bed looking at the ceiling, tossing a ball and catching it. I had been trying to sleep for the past three hours, and I was still wide awake. The sun’s rays were starting to trickle in through the cracks of my curtains. Everyone would be asleep by now. I grumbled and sat up as I tossed the ball aside. I hadn’t been outside in the sunlight in a long time. I was always so consumed with hunting. I never took the time to go out during the day. Vampires weren’t out during the day.

  I walked downstairs, and left through the front door. I walked along the sidewalk into the main part of downtown. The place was alive with activity. People were everywhere, going in and out of businesses - it was so much different than the activity at night. At night, all that was open were the clubs. I slowly walked through the street, enjoying all the sights and sounds. I’d never really enjoyed the city; I was too worried about the creatures that went bump in the night.

  I hesitated when I spotted Aubrey. He was sitting outside a small café. He was reading a newspaper, and he looked completely normal. If I didn’t know better I never would have guessed he was a vampire. Vampires normally didn’t like the sunlight, but they could go out in it if they wanted to. The older the vampire, the less the sun bothered him or her. He looked up, and his brilliant turquoise eyes immediately met mine. I had the urge to go to him, but I fought it and turned away. He appeared in front of me, and I froze.

  “You’re not even going to say hi?” he asked softly, as he watched me.

  “Hunters don’t say hi to vampires,” I said quietly.

  “Oh yes, the whole hunter/vampire divide. You are so determined to keep it that way, aren’t you?” he asked, sounding amused.

  “It’s the way it is supposed to be,” I countered.

  “Says who? Some long-dead hunter who held a grudge like you? If you’d notice, your kind is dying out and mine is only thriving. Don’t you think it is time to put the weapons away, Lillian?” he asked dryly.

  “It’s Rayne, and I will put my weapons away when I’m dead,” I growled, and started to walk past him.

  He blocked me with his arm, then stepped in close to me. “I am not your enemy, Rayne. You do not have to fight me.”

  “You say that as if I have a choice. You are the one who will not sign the truce,” I countered.

  “The truce is just a piece of paper. Why would I sign a piece of paper promising something that is not mine to give? It is up to each individual vampire to follow the truce, not just me, and I refuse to run around and enforce it. All I can do is say what I will and will not do. I cannot promise anything else,” he said softly.

  “You are their master,” I said, confused.

  He scoffed. “I am a master vampire. I am not their master. There is a big difference. I have followers, and I am respected, but that does not mean everyone will do as I ask. There will always be opponents. You can no longer judge us as a whole. It is not all or nothing anymore, Rayne. There are some who want peace and there are others who will do whatever it takes to start a war.”

  I looked at him for a few minutes. I wasn’t sure what to say. “You should discuss this with my uncle, or Kate. Make them understand; I don’t care.” I walked past him back toward my uncle’s house. I was a little surprised he didn’t follow and argue. I was also a little disappointed.

  ***

  I lay in bed listening to the din of noise coming from downstairs. It was obvious they were having another get together. I didn’t understand how they stood so many social occasions. I could barely make it through one. I sighed and sat up. I was already dressed. I never went to bed after my encounter with Aubrey. My brain wouldn’t turn off.

  I walked down the stairs. As I suspected, the place was packed with people. I hesitated when I saw Aubrey standing across the room. He was talking to Kate. I could feel the jealousy start to unfurl inside me. I pushed the feeling away, and continued down the stairs. I couldn’t be jealous over him if I wasn’t seeing him. I wasn’t going to stay and be social. I’d told Aubrey to go to Kate and my uncle, and that was obviously what he was doing. I made it through the main room without being stopped. My plan was to get out of the house. I wasn’t even sure where I was going; I just knew I didn’t want to stay here.

  I stepped out onto the sidewalk and a red corvette pulled up next to me. The window rolled down and Colin looked up at me. “Get in,” he said, watching me.

  I debated arguing, but I had nothing better to do, so I climbed in the passenger seat. He took off down the street like he was in a hurry. “Do you want to tell me where we are going?” I asked, as I watched downtown disappear.

  “If I told you, you would argue. I prefer it be a surprise,” he said, amused.

  I sighed and sat back in my seat. “Why aren’t you at the house, enjoying the festivities?”

  He scoffed. “Aubrey may have agreed to the truce, but that only means more problems.”

  I looked at him skeptically. “What do you mean? I thought his agreement meant the end of the war.”

  He gave me a look that suggested I was an idiot. Maybe I was. I knew nothing about the politics of my people. “Aubrey agreeing to a truce with the hunters goes against the entire vampire council. They’ll send the death marshals after him if they get wind of it, and I know they will. The question is when.”

  “Does Aubrey know this?” I asked, horrified. I had no clue Aubrey was going to end up in the hands of the death marshals. No one went against the death marshals, not even the vampires. The death marshals were the worst of the worst when it came to vampires. Hunters normally didn’t have to worry about them as long as they weren’t involved in vampire affairs.

  “Of course he knows. Why do you think he was hesitant to sign? He gave himself an automatic death sentence by signing. I wouldn’t have signed, not for anyone,” he said firmly.

  I didn’t speak as we entered the warehouse district. I felt horrible. I had a terrible feeling he signed because of me. I was the one that had pressured him to sign. I had no clue it would end up possibly costing him his life. I never would have pushed him if I’d known that. “Why would he sign, then?”

  Colin looked at me skeptically. “I have an idea,” he said dryly.

  I rolled my eyes. He was right; Aubrey signed because I wanted him to. “What are we going to do about it?”

  He smiled. “I brought you here specifically for that reason.” He came to a stop in front of a huge warehouse and got out.

  I climbed out after him and looked around. The area was pretty sketchy, and I wasn’t sure if I liked being in a place like this with Colin. “What is this place?” I asked as I followed him toward the door.

  “This place is a headquarters of sorts. Come inside and you’ll find out,” he said, chuckling as he held the door for me.

  I wasn’t sure if I should go inside. I’d trusted Colin when he was a hunter. I wasn’t so sure if I trusted him now as a vampire.

  I put my feelings aside and stepped into the warehouse. The warehouse was full of people. They were training. Some were hunters, some were vampires, and some were lycanthropes. “What the hell is this?” I asked Colin. I was on guard now. I didn’t know any of
these people.

  “These are people who want to be free, and they want you to lead them,” he said as he closed the door and stepped up next to me.

  “That doesn’t make sense. They are all free, and I am not a leader,” I said, confused. I didn’t understand what Colin was trying to do.

  “They aren’t free, Lillian. The hunters are ruled by your uncle and his council, the vampires are ruled by the vampire council and the death marshals, and lycanthropes are ruled by their councils. They all have to do what they are told, even if it does not make sense. You can change that,” Colin said firmly. I didn’t see his point. I wasn’t a leader. I really wasn’t a leader to vampires and lycanthropes. I couldn’t get past my own hate for vampires to lead.

  I glared at Colin. Everyone was watching us now and I was getting irritated. “Listen, Colin. I don’t know what happened to you, but obviously you aren’t thinking straight. I am not going to lead these people. They have leaders.”

  “They have bosses. Please, Lillian, we all believe in you. We know what you have done and what you can do. We know you are honorable and fair,” he pleaded.

  I looked around at all of them. They were looking at me, hoping I would agree. I didn’t understand it. “I’m sorry Colin,” I said softly, then turned to leave.

  “Aubrey will die if you don’t do something. If you don’t care about us, maybe you care about him. The death marshals will come, and he will surrender. No one will do anything but watch him die. We can change that; we can fight,” he argued.

  I was standing with my hand on the doorknob. Every scenario was racing through my mind. I didn’t know what I was thinking even considering it. I knew Colin was right. Aubrey would die if they came for him, and it would be all my fault. I turned back toward Colin and the group behind him. They were all eagerly anticipating my decision. I didn’t speak I didn’t know what to say.

  Colin shrugged his jacket off and slid the sleeve of his tee shirt up. I looked at him a little startled when I saw my tattoo on his arm. The white lily with the small raindrops. It was identical to my tattoo. “How did you get that?” I asked quietly. I could barely form the words.