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The dawn painted the sky in pale blues and pinks, a mirror to the sorrow that clung to Eloise's heart like morning mist. She entered the cemetery, the dew-laden grass clinging to her silk slippers, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of Lilith. Kneeling there, head bowed, amidst the dew-kissed headstones.
Eloise paused, the lilies she held onto suddenly felt heavy. She knelt beside Lilith, placing the bouquet at the foot of the headstone. "Amelia was blessed to have you" she whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears.
Lilith didn't reply. Instead she turned the other way, her shoulders shook, a silent sob escaping her lips.
Eloise watched her, her own heart mirroring the pain that radiated from the woman she loved. She wanted to reach out, to pull Lilith into her arms. But she couldn't.
She slowly rose from the ground, and turned, stepping away from the sorrowful area.
The wrought iron gate clanged shut behind her, the sound echoing in the stillness of the morning. Tears streamed down her face, blurring the dull buildings. She stumbled into her carriage, the cold wind whipping at her cloak, unable to outrun the grief that clawed at her throat.
Before the footman could close the door, Lilith stepped inside as well, mumbling a quiet thank you.
Once the door creaked shut, Lilith straddled Eloise, her frame a stark contrast to Eloise's trembling form.
"Lilith what are yo-" A blade pressed against her throat, silencing her. The cold metal sent a chill down her spine.
"Why did you leave lilies at my wife's grave?" Lilith whispered, pushing the blade closer to Eloise's neck.
Eloise couldn't speak, her throat constricted by fear of the unknown. "Lilies were Amelia's favorite flower" she finally choked out, her voice barely a tremor.
"How did you know that?" Lilith's eyes, usually dull and gloomy, were now hard and unforgiving.
"I... I listen to you" Eloise whispered, her gaze fixed on the dangerous gleam of the blade.
Lilith lowered the blade, a flicker of something akin to understanding crossing her face. She leaned down, her lips brushing against Eloise's ear, a cold breath sending shivers down her spine. Her slender hand moved down Eloise's stomach, tracing the curve of her ribs, the line of her hip.
"You are a good listener, Eloise" she breathed, her voice a husky murmur in Eloise's ear. "Aren't you?"
"Yes" Eloise whispered back. Her body trembled, not just with fear, but with a strange, burgeoning desire that she couldn't begin to understand.
"Yes?" Lilith repeated, her lips curling into a smirk. Her fingers, nimble and bold, slipped between Eloise's thighs, tracing the seam of her silken bloomers. The touch sent a wave of heat through Eloise, a feeling both terrifying and exhilarating. She nodded lazily, her eyes fluttering closed, unable to resist the pull of Lilith's touch.
Lilith, with a tenderness that belied the darkness in her eyes, kissed Eloise's forehead, a fleeting touch that held a promise of more.
"Goodbye, my little raven" she breathed, before stepping back and opening the carriage door. The world outside was a blur, the sounds of London muffled by the storm raging within her.
Lilith slipped away, leaving Eloise with a throbbing pulse, a bruised throat, and a heart both broken and strangely, desperately, alive.
