Mine, Bitten

Chapter Twenty-Two

    Varian

  The moment night settled, Varian burst from his bed of darkness into the infiltrated night. His senses gathered, picking up on every intricate sound permeated of nightfall.

            He needed little guidance in seeking Lily, she was a part of him, construed specifically for him; however, he had detected another scent, one in particular that drew a nasty snarl from his throat.

            Jackson.

            He should have severed the bastard when he had the chance.

            He could feel her fear; it tingled down his spine in a way that made even a vampire like himself, cringe.

            Her scent drew him to a pay phone where the phone dangled precariously by the cord.

            He felt a vicious growl working its way up his throat, the intriguing vision of ripping the Scientist's throat coming to mind almost appeasing his sudden rage.

            He would shred lives to save Lily.

            He closed off his mind, his senses pulling together to narrow in on their trail. It wouldn't be difficult to find them, but retrieving what belonged to him, was another tale entirely.

            "Sniffing out your plaything?"

            Varian groaned inwardly and opened his eyes to Marguerite strolling towards him.

            He bared his fangs in a manner that portrayed his dark mood.

            She brushed past him, "No need to scowl."

            His hand lashed out and seized her arm, "Where are you going?" he demanded.

            Her red lips peeled away into a grin, "To feed."

            He shook his head, "No, you're going to do something for me."

            Her face furrowed into a frown, "I'm famished, Varian. I don't have the time to chase after your blond ninny."

            The fingers around her arm tightened, forcing her to wince, "I wasn't asking."

            Marguerite sighed, "What than?"

            "Trail the perimeter of her apartment; let me know what you find."

            Marguerite wrenched from his grip, "I'll do your little ransack task, but just know your interfering with my breakfast."

Lily

            Lily awoke with a slight humming in her head and a sensation of being very tired. Immediately, the door across the room drew her attention and she pushed herself off the beige couch and crossed the carpet to the door.

            She wasn't surprised to find it locked.

            She felt a panic working its way to the surface and she moved away from the door to settle back on the couch.

            She wouldn't panic.

            She didn't know how long she sat there, trying to convince herself of that, until she heard the lock click back, and the door opened, producing her statuesque of a father.

            She felt compelled to stand, somehow finding the thought of sitting with him towering above her, unsettling.

            "What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded, "Is it that easy for you to drop money to random strangers to have me delivered to your doorstep?"

            He held up a hand as if to silence her and she stiffened angrily, "I can explain-"

            "You had me abducted and smothered with chloroform-"

            "Lilith." He growled, his patience waning, "I have little tolerance for complaints. I'll be as blunt with you as possible." He cleared his throat, "I have severed my fatherly ties with you for these reasons; I cannot have my emotions getting in the way of what's important."

            Her heart tightened at how easily he spoke the hurtful words, "What's important?" she muttered.

            What was more important than a love shared between a father and daughter? She had never truly developed that particular kind of relationship with Ward, nor did she plan too, but somehow, it still hurt.

            Ward was beyond redeeming himself. She wasn't about to look for any doting fatherly affections from this man.

            She raised her chin to glare a little more directly into his stoic leer. "What is so important that you have continuously drugged and dragged me across continents?"

            He startled her with the unexpected, producing a grin that pulled his thin mouth wide, revealing straight, white teeth. "Immortality."

Ruby

            Ruby shoved open Lily's apartment door and went still, startled, as she surveyed the debris that lay dispersed along the floor.

            Her heart stopped.

            What on earth had occurred here? She knew Lily had sounded a smidge frantic on the phone, but she hadn't anticipated this.

            With one booted-foot, she kicked a path through the mess. "Charlie?" she peered around than lifted a throw pillow from the couch, "Come on, fluff. Where are you?"

            Making a nightly stop at Lil's apartment had not been on the agenda, but she would do anything for Lil, she was family-even the little fur ball, wherever he may be.

            "I have catnip, okay maybe not, but I promise if you show your whiskered-face, I'll be true to my word, sound promising?"
            She heard a noise and turned around surprised to see the front door open. Frowning, she moved toward it, thinking maybe the mischief kitten had wandered outside.

            As she stepped over the threshold into the night, she came face to face with a gossamer beauty whose thin, red lips widened, revealing a fierce looking set of fangs.

            "Mm, you'll quench my thirst just fine."

**********