FORBIDDEN

8

Lily winces as she gently pokes the sides of her arms. They were a light purple now--bruises from her last encounter with Blade.

She sighs, sweeping back hair from her face as she looks at the unrecognizable reflection in the mirror.

That girl is fragile, bruised and reeked of defeat. She was the complete opposite of Lily, which now seemed like only an distant memory.

Disgusted at the reflection, she flicked off the lights and exited the bathroom.

It had been two hours since their last encounter and Lily was positive that Blade wasn't there anymore. Hesitantly, she unlocked the bedroom door and carefully walked out into the hallway. The broken picture frames and overturned furniture made it clear that he had been here.

Lily bit down a yelp as she quickly retreated her foot off the broken glass. Blood smeared the picture frame remnants while pain seared at her bottom foot.

Limping into the kitchen, she picked up a towel and held it onto the wound. This was her chance, she thought, as she tiredly look around the room. Blade wasn't here at the moment and this was her only chance to escape and contact her family. If she was going to escape, she had to do it now.

Lily washed off her wound and applied a band-aid. She threw on a sweater and jeans for the chilly weather and slipped into some sandals. Wincing as her injured foot made contact with the floor, she limped her way to the door.

Holding in her breath, she turned the knob and was pleasantly surprised that it was unlocked.

Thank the Gods.

Throwing one last wary look around the room, she opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Hurriedly, she walked into the elevator and pressed the main lobby button. The light flickered once inside the elevator, welcomed by thunder seconds later. Great, she thought. There had to be a storm outside.

What seemed like an eternity later, the doors finally opened. Her heart pounded rapidly as she made it outside, excited that she had managed to escape from that hell-hole. Despite being soaked from the pouring rain and the dirty looks she received from strangers, she was happy to be away from the place that will forever scar her--away from him.

Now, after overcoming one obstacle, she's faced with another, Lily realizes as she hurries to a bakery across the street. She is completely out of her trance as she's taking in her current situation.

She has no money.

No idea how to get back home.

Is completely foreign to any place
besides her home.

Being lost in a big city sucks for a person who has never stepped a foot outside of their home before.

"Can I get you anything?" The waitress hesitantly asked, taking in her soaked clothing.

"I'm fine, thank you." Lily muttered, making her way to the very back and sliding into the corner booth.

Lily looks out of the window, trying to think of a plan when her eyes were suddenly drawn to a figure from across the street. She gasped when her eyes locked with his familiar sharp blue ones. With each effortless stride he took, Lily followed his every movement, feeling nervous as he comes closer and closer.

The bell sounded as the cafe door opened. Every customer seemed to be astonished by the newcomer that was making his way towards Lily's booth.

His pale-blonde hair was now fully in view. Deimos sat right across from Lily, smirking at her frozen state.

"Pleasure to see you again, Lily."

"Why are you here?" Lily eyes the door, thinking of how to make a getaway.

He laughed, his eyes filling with amusement. "For you, my damsel in distress."

"I don't need your help."

Deimos skimmed her wet clothes as Lily squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze.

"I'm not the enemy here. I'm here to help you get away from him."

"And why would you do that?" Lily cautiously asked.

"Judging from your distressed appearance, you don't seem like you've been cuddling up to the old were'...and, I'm not too fond of him either. Therefore, is it odd that I want to help a lady with a common interest as I?"

"What do you have against him?" Lily asked.

Deimos' eyes flickered to an cold, dismissive look. "That, I'm afraid, is a story for another time." He spoke while rising to his feet.

With his hands outstretched towards Lily, he spoke,"Come with me. I can rid you of any wound and pain he may have inflicted."

Lily sat there with conflicted swirls of emotions rushing through her head.

Apart from him, there was no better way for her to get out of the city and back home.

Desperation calls, and Deimos was the one who answered. At a moment like this, Deimos seems instead like a blessing in disguise. And with that, Lily cautiously took Deimos' hand, unsure of what was to come.

Deimos smirked when Lily's body was suddenly thrown into his as she feels the all too familiar discomfort of her body being sped through space and time and, into another portal.

~

Blade searched around the room for her, turning the whole place upside down so that he didn't have to face the cold truth.

She escaped, and hours ago because the scent of vanilla--of hers, barely hung in the air.

He growled, the beast within him ready to unleash when he caught sight of an odd looking parchment located near the main entrance door.

His hands shook with rage as he picked up the yellow paper and read its contents.

It read,

"You are invited to the annual Autumn celebration.
Renaissance attire.

What you're looking for, may just be here.

Excited for our soon encounter,
Your old friend,
Deimos."

Attached to the invitation was a white rose full of thorns.

Blade's concern and anger from centuries ago are beginning to unravel.

There was a reason why the feud Blade has with Deimos had been dragged out for so long.

And now, Deimos had just proclaimed war.

This time, Blade was determined to finish it, once and for all, he thought, crumbling the rose and paper as trickles of blood dripped down his fists.