- 27 -
Sweat ran down Lilith's back in long drips that brought no relief. She had to fight for each breath but the hard won air only scorched her lungs. The human body wasn't meant to withstand the kind of heat pumped out by the massive furnaces that lined the ship's underbelly. Well, Lilith wasn't human, but did being a succubus make her more vulnerable to the heat? The shine glittering on Pandora's skin made her think otherwise. This place was simply unbearable for everyone. It was hard to believe men could work 12 hours days in here.
Lilith tightened her grip on Pandora's hand despite the growing moisture building between their palms. She clung to it the way a child might cling to a blanket or stuffed animal for safety. How ironic that she would find that comfort in the touch of a hunter. Someone who would kill her if she knew the truth. At least that was her assumption— That knowledge would equal death. Yet, she was still alive and well.
Lilith's suspicion that Pandora knew her secret seemed to fade with each passing moment. As she looked up all she could see was a kind woman who, for whatever reason, was protecting her. If only she had been born normal, that could be their real relationship.
Pandora noticed Lilith's staring and flashed a smile, then shouted over the roar of the fires, "You look like you're about to drown."
"And you look like you just lost a fight with a rain cloud."
Maybe it was the speed of the response but Pandora burst into laughter. The sound was drowned out by the ambiance, but the rolling of her chest made the action clear. Lilith knew it was improper to laugh at her own joke but she joined in anyway.
Pandora sifted through her bag and produced a length of cord, then cut it in half against her bayonet. "Maybe this will help."
A soft pressure traced across Lilith's neck; Pandora's fingers brushing against her skin as her long blond hair was gathered together. The rush of air to the freshly exposed skin gave Lilith a brief moment of relief. There was a gentle tug as the hunter tied the hair into place. When she reappeared in Lilith's vision, Pandora had also tied her hair up into a matching ponytail.
Allister grumbled from across the corridor. He was crouched beside the ladder to the catwalk, atop a pile of coal. The dust clung to his sweat, painting his brown skin even darker. "Pandora, are you even paying attention?"
"No."
Allister let out a heavy sigh. "Look, I know you don't want to be here; none of us do. It's hot as hell and hard to breathe."
"Don't forget loud," Lilith added, but he didn't acknowledge it.
"The sooner you look over everything the sooner we can move on."
"What exactly am I supposed to see? The area was cleaned up 3 days ago." Pandora's gaze lifted, eye focused far above her. "Well, most of it anyway. The bodies, the blood, the broken shovel all long gone."
"So you were listening after all," Allister grumbled.
Pandora waved the back of her hand at him. "I zoned out after that. You lost my interest because I already know what happened more or less."
Allister stood then folded his arms across his chest. Lilith recognized his facial expression; it was the same one her father would take on when she was due a scolding. When he said, "Go ahead then, run through it for me," the tone matched exactly. Even as he shouted over the fires he didn't sound angry, just disappointed.
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Anachronistic: Endless Masquerade
FantasíaThere's a simple hierarchy in the world; youkai exist to kill humans and hunters exist to kill youkai. As the daughter of a hunter Lilith knows this well, but she didn't expect her life to shatter at the revelation of a dark secret. She is a youkai...