01

Lily

Lily. It called to her ; a deep velvety voice that slipped over her body like a sensual quilt. The darkness cradled her, like the hands of the beast that mastered it. She felt its breath at her neck and turned around to find only darkness.

Come to me.

Her heart sounded in her ears, drawing the beast forth ; evoking its hunger. She felt a tingling caress along the length of her arm and spun around to find a wisp of air.

A small breath lodged tightly in her throat as an unseen force lifted the hair from her shoulders, slipped around her waist, stroking her like lean, masculine fingers.

Then there were screams ; as violent and dark as the night was silent and black, and just as abruptly, all fell still.

She turned and suddenly the darkness shifted, revealing a man with feral, dark eyes.

You are mine !

Lilith McDermott woke to screams and clutching a quilt to her chest, realized the screams were her own. Clamping her mouth shut, she stared groggily around the room and its wayward remnants, realizing it had been nothing more than a childish nightmare.

Drawing in a steady breath, she dropped her head in her palms and tried shaking off a nagging fear.

She was perfectly safe in her little, cluttered apartment. She laughed under her breath as she stared at its disheveled state.

Ring ! Ring !

She jumped and pressed a hand to her heart as her cell on the side table jolted against the smooth oak surface.

She snatched it before it could topple to the floor and flipped it open.

« Hello ? » she asked a bit sharply, brushing tendrils of blonde from her face.

« Lil, its Rube, where are you ? »

She gasped as her cell dropped from her hand to land soundly in her lap as she leaned over and glanced at her alarm which blinked inaccurately around noon.

« Shoot ! » she seized her phone and flung the covers aside as she rushed to her feet. « How late am I ? »

« Fifteen minutes. »

« Can you stall for another ten, Rube ? »

« No problem but you better get here before Jackson does. »

Lily smiled, « Thanks Rube, you’re the best. » Shutting her cell, she tossed it lightly on the bed and grabbed her work clothes.

‘Red Brick Grill’ was a favorite in the town of Oyster Bay and thankfully it was in walking distance of her apartment.

After taking a few minutes to dress and make do with the mass of blonde waves that crowded her face, she locked up and started into a run.

When she reached work, the restaurant was already thriving with customers and it was barely noon, despite what her alarm clock read.

She slowed to a steady pace to catch her breath and gasped when a body stepped out in front of her.

« Jackson ! » she yelped, « You startled me. » She managed a half-smile but knew judging by the grimace on his face that he was not pleased to see her strolling in a half an hour late for her shift.

Standing a good height above her, despite being an average five-foot-six, he glowered down at his flashy Rolex and tapped its glassy surface. « Where you been, Lil ? »

« I’m sorry, Jack, it won’t happen again-« 

« That’s what you said last time, McDermott. I can’t keep letting you slide every time your electric decides to wan on you. »

« It’s just a minor glitch-« 

He wagged a finger at her and she stiffened, « I don’t want to cut your pay, Lil, but if you insist on being fifteen minutes late, you leave me no choice. »

He turned away from her and sauntered into the restaurant.

« Wait ! »

Jackson turned and if Lily were not mistaken, she sensed he was gloating beneath his hardened expression. « You’re going to cut my pay ? » she asked worriedly.

« This is your final warning, McDermott. If you’re late again-«  he let the warning fall silent. He proceeded inside and Lily followed.

Lily caught eyes with Ruby but said nothing until Jackson was well out of sight.

« Are you alright ? » Ruby asked, coming up to grasp Lily’s shoulders.

Lily smiled, « I’m fine. »

« What did he say ? »

Lily glanced at the closed office door and shrugged her shoulders. « Just the usual, that he’ll cut my pay. »

Ruby’s mouth fell open, « Why that chauvinistic, ass-« 

« Ruby Carmichael ! » Lily clamped her hand over her best friend’s mouth before any further degrading words of their biased boss fell on listening ears.

Ruby’s dark green eyes glinted amusingly above Lily’s hand. « What ? » she asked muffled.

Lily eyed her suspiciously with a smile before letting her hand fall. « You shouldn’t say such things. » She said as she strolled around the bar and began to refill two empty napkin containers.

Ruby peered at her with a raised brow as she fell into a bar stool. « Please, that man deserves all my bantering if not more. »

Lily ignored her, « Jackson has been very lenient with my being late. »

« Hah ! » Ruby tossed her dark head back and laughed. « Please, Lil, that man is sweet on you. »

Lily jerked her head upward in disbelief. « Rube-« 

Ruby threw up her hand to silence her, « Lil, observe the obvious, you have been late how many times ? Veronica and Elsa were late once and he cut their pay. «  she paused and smirked. « He wants you. »

Lily’s eyes widened, « Ruby ! » she leaned across the bar, « I’m not looking for a relationship, especially with my boss. »

Ruby’s laughter carried throughout the restaurant, drawing some curious stares. « Hey, I never said the man was boyfriend material-«  her face furrowed, « -however, his fine, lean physique does catch my wandering eye, if not for his narrow-mindedness, I think he’d be a good tumble in the sheets. »

Lily moaned and rolled her eyes.

« Lily ! » Jackson called from the office.

She spun around, « Yes ? »

« You have a phone call. »

Lily set down her napkin containers and ignored Ruby’s knowing stare and waggish grin.

She followed Jackson into his office and tried ignoring some of what Ruby had just expressed but couldn’t help but glance at Jackson with curiosity.

He handed her the office phone and she eagerly accepted it. « Hello ? »

« Lilith. »

Her heart stopped.

« Father ? »