The Vampire and the Orphan

Chapter Eighteen

"How is this not working?" Lilith grew increasingly frustrated, which didn't bode well for Nathanial.

She had his heart clenched in her hand, again, bringing him to the brink of death, again. She'd also drained nearly all of his blood, he was not in a good way.

All he thought about was Lettie; she was safe. That's all that mattered, he was nearly depleted of blood and in more pain than he'd ever endured, but none of it mattered.

So long as she was safe.

She was safe, right? What if she wasn't? The fear, coupled with Lilith's firm grip on his heart nearly caused him to pass out.

"How has she not come for you yet? She must feel your pain."
Lilith snapped as she released his heart. "Where is she?"

"If you really knew about us, why didn't you come to get her days ago?" Nyx asked, causing Lilith to walk over to the large blonde vampire who was also strapped to a chair.

"I wanted her to come to me." Lilith shrugged.

"Then why didn't you ever stop us? Why continue letting us kill your street minions?" Nyx looked devastated at the idea of a mole in his rebellion and Nathanial couldn't blame him, he'd worked hard training them all.

"Population control." Lilith shrugged. "They get a little turn happy out there. You've done a wonderful job keeping my secrets by keeping the numbers at bay."

"You awful bitch," Nyx muttered, to which Lilith snapped his neck.

"I Liked it better when he didn't speak."

She looked at Nathanial again. "What do I do with you now? Maybe I should just kill you. This is useless. I can find other ways to get the hybrid."

"Go ahead."

It would prevent Lettie from ever feeling this, from coming here. He'd die for her. Gladly. Maybe that was what this was all for.

He only wished he could see her beautiful face one more time first. Kiss those lips once last time, and then he'd die a happy man.

I love her, he realized. How did it take him so long to figure it out?

She'd never even know... that was so wrong, she needed to know.

Lilith's face hardened, and her eyes narrowed in on Nathanial. She didn't make empty threats this was the end for him.

"Stop." A woman materialized from seemingly nowhere. Long golden hair fell down her back, she wore a long white gown and no shoes, and as she turned to look at Nathanial, he saw the purple eyes and knew instantly who she was.

"Lailah?"

"This is priceless! I thought I'd need your daughter to lure you here! You saved me an entire step." Lilith said gleefully as the angel took a step toward her.

"Leave him be. I'll take you to Jael."

"Why now?" Lilith raised a dubious eyebrow.

"I'm giving you what you want, and you question it?" Lailah countered.

"Something doesn't feel right," Lilith said slowly. "Where is your daughter?"

"Somewhere safe."

"If you don't trust me, bring Nathanial too," Lailah suggested.

Nathanial was close to passing out. His head kept dropping down; why was Lettie's mother here? Did she really have Lettie somewhere safe?

**