06

“Are you feeling Romanian yet?” Ruby’s voice teased from the other line.

Lily smiled as she gripped the receiver, “Not exactly-I’m feeling a bit alienesque.”

“That bad, huh?”

She stood in the center of her all-porcelain made bathroom and sank onto the edge of her colossal tub. “It’s a whole different world here and I’ve only been here for twenty minutes, how am I to survive a whole week?”

“What’s your room like?”

Lily released a short laugh as she peered around, “You could swim in my tub.”

Ruby whistled into the phone, “Sounds expensive.”

Lily sighed, “I wouldn’t know.” She fell silent.

“Are you alright?’ Ruby asked, all hint of sarcasm gone.

Lily plucked at a wayward string disentangling itself from its seam on her sweater. “I don’t know what I was thinking coming here. He shows no sign of regret or guilt-he’s almost, impassive.”

“You want to come home?”

Lily had given that thought much favor since she first agreed to this trip, but she was already here, in a world so unlike her run-of-the-mill life; a part of her yearned for something out of the ordinary of serving steak and eggs to the everyday regulars.

She cleared her throat, “Nah, besides, it would be rude of me to not take advantage of all this porcelain goodness?”

Ruby laughed, “Agreed.”

“Say hello to everyone for me?”

“Save for a high-and-mighty manager who’s been on his high-horse since you left.” Ruby exclaimed, breathing an angry huff into the phone.

Lily laughed, “Go easy on Jackson, will you? He’s not so bad.”

“Hah! I’ll remember that next time when he scolds you on being a fraction of a minute late!”

“Bye Rube.” She said with a smile.

“Bye Lil.”

She set her phone aside and walked to the mirror and gaped at her reflection.

There wasn’t much hope for her hair. She managed to restrain the wiry waves but even now rebellious strands slipped loose to frame her face.

Her eyes were large pools of blue peering back at her, beneath a set of fully-fringed lashes. Her nose was too small, her mouth too full, and her face shaped almost heart-like.

She wondered if she appeared so much like her mother that her father would shun her. It seemed most likely.

She left her room and started in search of some food. At that thought, her stomach growled noisily and she waved Louis down as he came around the corner.

He smiled charmingly at her, “Yes, ma’am?”

“What’s good to eat around here?” she cringed on the inside, realizing how very out-of-place she must seem to the boy.

As if sensing her thoughts, he laughed, “Follow me, I’ll show you to our restaurant.”

She inclined a brow at him, “You have a restaurant in your hotel?”

“Yes, the Poem Restaurant, ma’am.”

“How very-tasteful.” She stopped him in the hall, “Actually I was looking for something more around the lines of PB and J?”

Louis chuckled, “Sounds more ideal to me. I’ll have room service bring you one up, do you require as to anything else?”

She smiled, “No, thank you.”

She was eager to return to her room. As she waited for her sandwich, her thoughts shifted to Ward and the large group of men who had accompanied them on the plane. Why would he need so many men to retrieve research?

A knock sounded at her door and she jumped from her bed. She was surprised to see Ward standing on the other side.

“May I come in?” he asked in that steely tone.

She stepped aside and gestured him by.

She closed her door and turned to survey him. He studied her room as if sizing it up, standing all regal like in his gray suit, with those same unnatural blue eyes, only his were darker and brooding.

“Do you like the room?”

She crossed her arms against her chest and shrugged a careless shrug. “It’s alright for a five-star hotel.”

He gave her a sideways glance, “You don’t seem pleased.”

She sighed and pushed away from the door, “I’m sorry, yes, the room and the hotel, it’s all very beautiful.”

“But?”

She turned around to look at him, “Why don’t you just tell me what we’re here for?”

He gave her a curt nod. “Since you insist-“ he paused and began wandering the room, aimlessly picking at the porcelain décor. “There are rumors of an unheard-“ he fell silent, as if selecting the appropriate word for his next thought, “-animal, roaming the mountains near this area.”

She frowned, “An animal? What sort of animal?”

He turned and she was slightly taken aback by the avid gleam in his eye. “That is what I’m here to find out.”

“And you asked me to come along because?”

His arms stretched wide, almost in a condescending manner, “I thought you’d like to experience my world, be apart of science.” And than, as if sensing her inward thought, he added, “I’m trying here, Lilith, give me some credit, won’t you?”

Breathing a sigh through her nose, “How can I possibly help?”

He grinned suddenly; startling her, for a grin altered his face completely, almost giving him a fatherly bearing. “In due time.” He started towards the door and turned half-way to her, “We set out tomorrow evening.”

Her brows furrowed together, “Evening, why not in the morning?”

“This particular animal resides in darkness.” She was chilled by the statement and when he left her room, she had a slight suspicion of fear.

Well into the night, unable to sleep, she put together a comfy spread of pillows and blankets along the floor, with a little smorgasbord of chocolate-covered strawberries, what was left of a second PB and J, and a bottle of sherry.

She was indulging, she knew that much, but she couldn’t seem to find a plausible reason for her sudden thirst for wine and decided it was best not to try.

She skimmed through aimless channels on the flat-screen and paused on a late showing of Law & Order.

She sipped at her wine and popped a strawberry in her mouth. She did this repeatedly until her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep there on her makeshift bed.

She moved hazily, becoming instantly aware of the shadow in the room. She sat up and released a sharp breath for the man was suddenly standing above her.

“Do not fear.”

He was breathtaking. How strange, she thought, that a man could take your breath away. What was more peculiar, were his eyes, so dark, they appeared almost black, and unworldly beautiful. She seemed immobile to move as he stood above her. Beneath his hooded stare, her skin tingled; her heart skipped a beat or two.

He knelt down and she felt inclined to lean back. The scent that wafted her senses smelled of wild and masculine.

She trembled, not of fear, but of yearning.

He tilted his head and his black hair fell forward, fanning his face. She lifted a hand to touch a strand, reveling in how soft it felt in her hand.

He spread arms as big as tree-branches on either side of her and still, she wasn’t afraid. It was only a dream, her dream. If she willed it, nothing would hurt her.

Strange yet, she knew this man was unimaginably strong, she felt the strength in his fingers as they whisked over her, not touching, just grazing her clothes.

She grew breathless, unsure as to why, for he had yet to touch her.

His dark eyes caught hers, “Turn your head.”

Did his voice sound rough, almost in pain? Even as the thought whispered in her mind, she did as he bid, turning her head, exposing the length of her neck.

He leaned down and her chest rose with exhilaration. She felt his breath on her neck, she felt a tendril of his hair caress her cheek and-

She arched against him as a prickling of pain forced a startled cry past her lips and than, as his lengthy forearm slipped under her, bracing her weight, she felt suddenly dreamy.

Dreamy within a dream?

He was kissing her neck, or so she thought, but she couldn’t simply think anymore. Strange and wonderful things were happening to her. His wild scent filled her nose and she closed her eyes, giving herself without heed to danger, because, it was only a dream.

When he reared back, she opened her eyes, and screamed, for in the dark, his eyes shimmered red.

**********