Fateful Signs (Ballad of the Seer, Book Three)

Chapter 2 - The Thing You Miss Most

A pair of large wooden doors, carved with strange harsh designs, stood fifteen feet high in front of Lily. She reached out her hand - vaguely noticing that her nails were painted the crimson red color of blood - to twist the heavy metal handle. A shiver shot through her, from head to toe; a sense of anticipation, propelling her forward. The room was pitch black, so she snapped her fingers to light the candles that she knew were spread out around the room. The candles - there must have been a hundred - cast a soft, warm glow on everything.

Lily unbuckled the belt at her waist, tossing it away. The two sides of the shift dress that she wore fell open and she shrugged it off, letting it drop to the wood floor at her feet. She checked her reflection in the full-length mirror that stood in the corner, beside the enormous canopy bed. She shook her hair back off her shoulders and removed her necklace. She placed it in the jewelry box that sat atop the mahogany table next to her.

There was something wrong with her reflection, but she was distracted before she could figure out what. She turned to face the door, opened to reveal the silhouette of a man. She felt a smile come on, knowing exactly who he was. Sebastian. He closed the door behind him and crossed the floor to take her in his arms. He looked more cleaned up than the last time Lily saw him. His black hair was slicked back and he was clean-shaven; the clothes he wore were perfectly pressed.

Sebastian's thin lips curled into a half smile before he leaned in, kissing her deeply, as if he hadn't seen her in weeks, when in reality it had only been a few short hours.

When Sebastian pulled back, his gray eyes raked over her body, taking in the new lacy, black lingerie that she had just bought. She knew that he would appreciate it as soon as she saw it in the shop window. "I love you, mia bella." Sebastian whispered, his lips brushing against her collar bone. He kissed a line up her neck and jaw, nibbling on her ear.

Why was she dreaming about Sebastian again, she wondered. She thought that was all over after he pulled his dark magic out of her to create his creepy girlfriend.

"How did it go?" she asked, raking her fingers through his hair. "Has Camilla found Lily yet?"

That's odd, Lily thought. That was a strange thing to ask, even if it was just a dream.

"No," he mumbled, distractedly.

She rolled her eyes. "I swear that old cow is incompetent."

"I can't disagree." Sebastian's hands searched her body as he moved to kiss her lips again. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue met hers. Lily didn't understand what was going on. She found herself enjoying Sebastian's touch; his sharp, smoky scent; the acrid metallic taste of blood that accompanied his kisses. It was overwhelming and thoroughly confusing.

Sebastian grabbed her up and carried her to the bed, laying her down on the silk sheets. She twitched her finger and the buttons on his shirt exploded in every direction. She reached up to lay her hands on his pale skin, slipping them around to his back to pull him down closer to her, so she could kiss him again.

He pulled back to discard his shirt. "If she doesn't get results soon we can always just kill her." he said as she removed his belt, pulling it free from the loops. He flashed her a wicked grin, the dimple appearing in his cheek.

"That's enough talking." she said, reaching to unfasten his pants.

Lily jerked awake, glad to be out of whatever sick kind of vision that was. And just in the nick of time, too. She was still clutching Duncan's arm against her chest. She did a quick check over her shoulder to make sure that she hadn't awakened him. She hadn't. She took measured breaths until her heart stopped pounding so hard.