Blood Lilly

Chapter 15

I peeked through the curtains of my apartment; again there was nothing there but that didn't stop me from feeling as though I was being watched. I had felt the presence at the same time every morning and evening these last few days and it was making me nervous. When I was at work I felt safe, but here alone, I wondered just who might be watching me.

With a deep breath I once more crawled in between the covers of my bed. Snuggling deep down with a second hand book all of which I had purchased at the store across the road from the gym. It had been my first pay day, something I was very proud of and even though Mike didn't have to, he paid me double what I was meant to get. Somehow I had scored myself a full time job there. Cleaner morning and night while receptionist during the day. Though the evenings were my favorite, Pa was teaching me how to fight, his skills were vital.

Yesterday he had taught me blocking, something which had left me with a few nice bruises. I was sore, but today was Sunday, my first day off since I had started. I didn't have much planned; lounging around in bed for a while, cut some coupons so I could start saving and maybe, if I ended up finishing this book I would go out and buy another. Though, Pa had told me I needed to do a better job dying my hair before Monday. I had laughed at his suggestion only to find myself on the receiving end of the evil eye. But my hair could wait until tonight. Right now all I wanted to do was lie in bed. I was tired. The long days followed by training sessions were enough to drain any champ, I thought to myself as I reached for a banana. Pa was a dictator, you did things his way or you went home. Mostly, that was fine but his way tended to be the hard, oh-my-god-I-will-never-see-the-light-of-day-again way.

The watched feeling had subsided as I closed my eyes hoping for some rest. The red haze filled my dream, though this time I was not afraid. I knew it would happen sooner or later. Cayn was never one to stay away and it had been awhile. I waited for the show to begin, snakes slithering around my feet. I wasn't sure if they were real or not but it didn't matter, they wouldn't harm me or at least that's what I thought.

"What's this? No cussing, shouts of abuse or demanding to leave...Do I have the right Lilly Vale?" he asked stepping out of the shadows and haze.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Cayn but you just don't scare me anymore." There was a glint of something, much like admiration, that sparkled in his eyes for a brief second. I resisted temptation to slap him, instead yawning as though he was keeping me up.

"Is it late where you are?"

"It's—" I stopped myself before I had given him a time. As far as I knew Cayn had no clue where I was, so telling him the time or giving him a time zone would allow him a search area. "It doesn't matter, why are you here Cayn?"

"I thought you'd want to know how Jude was, after all he was your best friend."

"I figured you'd killed him by now. Wasn't that what you wanted me to think or maybe you were trying to set a trap. Either way I wasn't going to play your games."

Cayn shook his head in amazement. "Oh Lilly, you'll break that poor boy's heart, you will. Clearly I underestimated you, thinking you'd come back to save your friend. You have matured Lilly, much more than a silly human girl would have. Of course I wanted you to come home where you'd be safe. I can't protect you from everything out there Lilly."

"I don't need protecting. Not from you. Not from anyone. I can do it myself," I snapped wondering if I should show him a move or two that I had learnt.

"Very well, but you still haven't asked me about Jude. Is he all but forgotten, to you?"

"Fine." I folded my arms across my chest. "Cayn how is your prisoner Jude doing?" I mocked feeling rather bitchy.