A Dark Truth
Chapter 1: The Secret
The Full Moon Ritual was over, and the student filed out of the Rec Hall. Lily watched as Damien, Jack, and the Twins left. Erik was officially an adult vampyre now, and Neferet had taken him to anointing. Whatever that meant. Loren shot her a look, and left. She shivered and the Rec Hall became empty and eerie. Lily shivered again and trudged over to the yoga mats. She plopped down on the top mat and began to cry her heart out.
What had happened to her earlier before the Ritual brought back memories she had wanted to keep buried.
"Knock, knock." said Lily. She opened the door to the Poet's Loft and stepped inside his room. "Loren? You there?" she called. She looked around at the furniture and whatnot.
"Ah. There you are my sweet." his voice came from behind her. Lily jumped and he wrapped his arms around her. "Sshh. Its okay." he kissed her neck and his arms tightened.
"No, Loren. Let go of me." She pushed him away. He stepped back in surprise. She parted her hair down the middle, and pushed it around her shoulders.
"What's wrong, love?" he asked her, and turned her around to face him.
"What you ask of me... It's already been taken." Lily shrugged his arms off. "Where is it?"
"Where's what?" Loren said coolly.
"My paper. My project from class, where is it?" she said, becoming anxious. Loren's laugh seemed harsh.
"You honestly think I told you to come here for that? Seriously?" she flinched. "You couldn't be that naive." he sneered. She inched backwards, towards the bathroom door, since he was blocking the door. Lily looked around herself.
How could I be so naive? She was here because of her project. Loren told her what he had wanted. He had done it before, and he was sure to do it again. Moreover, she could not tell a soul.
Lily ran for the door, seeing as how Loren wasn't near it anymore. She was at least a foot away when she felt a sharp pain in her right cheek. She cried in pain and fell to the floor. Loren stood over her, looking down at her with an evil gleam in his eye. Lily looked up at him, hand on her face, and tears in her eyes.
Loren smiled. She flinched and looked away. He grabbed her shoulders and picked her up.
"Ssshh. Ssshh. I'm sorry." he whispered softly to her. She knew he wasn't, or at least it sound very much like an apology. "I'm sorry. Lorie didn't mean it." he kissed her burning cheek. Lily held her breathe; she knew what would happen next, and pushed away again. He grabbed her wrist and yanked on her arm. Lily cried in pain, and saw that Loren's hand was already raised. He backhanded her across the face with hard force.
She crumpled to the floor with a scream.
"I told you this would happen. And you didn't..." he yanked her up from the floor and pushed her against the wall. "You didn't listen to me," he growled.
"You can't do this." said Lily.
"Shut up! You decided to come here. You knew this would happen. From the start! You know how much I love you." he pinned her against the wall with his body. Lily whimpered as he kissed her neck.
"I never wanted this," she breathed. Loren's hand slammed the wall next to her face and she screamed.
"Well, you have it now." He said with menacing voice. His hands worked fast at pulling up her skirt.
"No! Nooo!" she screamed. Lily hit his chest with her fists. Nothing really did any damage, so she slapped him as hard as she could. Loren had cut her dress open, from her bodice to her navel.
He hit the floor, and Lily ran. Loren got up, and reached for her leg. She stepped away before he could touch her and ran for the window.
"Get back here you little…" Loren didn't finish his command. Lily hadn't seen the footstool, and she stumbled over it. She cried out as she hit the floor with a thud. As Loren stalked over and dragged her to him, Lily screamed and tried to grab or hold onto anything, but nothing was within reach.
"Nooo! Nooo! Let me go!"
"SHUT UP!" he shouted at her. He pulled her up from the floor, stalked to the bed, and dropped her on the mattress. She grabbed pillows and chucked them at him. He snarled as she did, and threw them all over the room.
"Get away from me!" He wrapped his hands around her ankles, and she started to cry and he pulled her to him. Her hands grabbed at the sheets, but her efforts were futile.
"You can't run from me!" Loren told her. He grabbed her waist and pulled her to him. She cried out as he crawled on top of her and flipped her onto her back. Loren held on to her wrists and squeezed them. Lily looked up at him.
"Loren, get off of me. You don't need to do this." Her voice was a whisper.
"No. You need to know how much I love you, and I don't want things to change between us. I don't want them to be different."
"Things couldn't be more different!" she cried. "I have a husband! This isn't right, Loren, and you know it!"
"That doesn't matter to me! Why can't you see things my way? I love you and that's all that matters."
"No, you don't love me; you just love the taste of my blood. And I didn't even give it to you voluntarily!" He grabbed her face and turned in towards the door. She tried to fight him again, but she gave up. "Loren, please…" she said, her heart racing. She looked at him with misty gray eyes, and Loren's eyes softened. His hands intertwined with hers as he gripped the sheets.
"Don't worry, love," he told her softly. "It'll be over soon." He looked down at her. Loren could feel her pulse; her heart was beating rapidly. Loren moved his index finger swiftly across the side of her neck. At first glance, there was nothing there. Then a scarlet line appeared, and a tear of Lily's blood ran onto the sheets.
Lily whimpered and Loren put finger to her lips.
"Please…"
"Hush, little one." he whispered softly. He had let had let her sit up a little and watched as the blood ran down her neck and onto her left breast. After a minute, Loren slowly licked the blood from her skin, lingering for a moment or two on her breast. "You'll like this." His voice was full of lust and power.
Lily was silent. She did not say anything, just breathed heavily. She pushed against his chest, her eyes turning misty-gray. Loren noticed what she was about to do. He turned her face away and she used her power of air to push against him. He latched onto her neck, making her cry out in fear. Loren clung to her, making sure she didn't move that much.
Her back arched and she closed her eyes. She held on tightly to the short sleeve of Loren's shirt. His arm wrapped tightly around her waist, and sensation spread through her body like a wildfire. She had a hard time breathing, but that didn't seem to matter. Lily moaned, her face burning with a hot blush. She couldn't do anything if she wanted to. Loren was forcing this on her, and she was helpless, lost in a sea of fog and pleasure.
Loren's hands were at her dress. She opened her eyes; they turned from misty-gray to a bright, invigorating electric blue. He sat up, his lips attached to her neck. Her head feel back and slightly to the side; she straddled him, her leg hitched to his hip. The pleasure was unbearable for her and she bit her lip.
"Loren…" she moaned and whispered. He tore off his shirt, pressing his body against her. Her skin felt hot against his, and her blood made him want for more.
"Lyliaena…" he breathed. He let her go, grabbing her dress. As she feel back onto the bed, he tore the rest of her dress open. Her bra and panties (like always) matched what dress she wore. They were a cream color.
"Wow." was all Loren managed. Her skin glowed from the full moon, which was shining pearl light through the balcony window. Loren trailed his hands down her body, one on each side, from her cheeks to her bust to her legs and thighs.
"Please," her chest heaved. Loren smiled down at her.
"'Please', what?" he said.
"Don't…" she seemed like she was in a daze. Her eyes turned silver, although her never noticed. They were half-mast, but his dark eyes trailed her body.
"'Please, don't' what? Stop?" he kissed her neck. "I wasn't planning on it." the whisper in her ear was meant to be seductive and sensual.
"No… Loren… please no…" she trailed off and slowly turned to the window. Loren rolled his eyes dramatically and continued kissing her neck. Lily looked at the window. She could see a silhouette of a man. She could see his glowing red eyes in the darkness. The man simply opened the window and walked in without making a sound.
"Ahem." He cleared his throat to announce his arrival. Loren looked up.
"I'm kind of busy here." He moved out of the way, so he could see Lily. The man coughed and seemed like he was choking. Loren looked to her, then the clock on his dresser. He made a frustrated sigh. 11:00 p.m.
"Lily?" he said. She looked like she was asleep. She's probably exhausted from my sucking her blood. he thought. Loren could feel the Imprint on her. It was very unfamiliar to him, but he did feel something. It just wasn't with him. She was tired, but the Full Moon Ritual was in an hour and he didn't want Zoey and her stupid friends coming to look for Lily here. Loren smiled at her. She seemed at peace, or at least on the surface. The man stared at her.
"What is she doing here?" he said in a blunt voice.
"What do you think?" Loren replied in an annoyed tone. He kissed her cheek and shook her gently. She made a whined and curled up. Apparently, she hadn't gotten any good sleep for a while, and with good reason.
The man scoffed.
"This is how you do it." He leaned in closely to her ear. "This might hurt, love."
He bit down on her neck. She immediately screamed and started kicking her legs.
"AAAAAAAHHHH! Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" she screamed. "Aaaaahh! Aaahhmmmmmm!" the man covered her mouth.
"Burns, doesn't it?" Blood dripped from his teeth, Loren noticed. Lily had cried out, gasping her air ((Like Bella, only louder)). Her chest heaved, she kicked her legs. Lily's hands flew to her neck; the blood welled from the bite. The man hissed as Loren pulled the girl into his lap. Her breathing was irregular and he held her against his body.
"Ssshh." he told her, moving the hair from her face. "I know it hurts. I know." he said as she whimpered. Her head and her heart throbbed. Loren could felt sympathetic and could hear the pain in her breathing.
"Beautiful sound, her heartbeat. Well, not for long anyway. she shouldn't have survived the first time." snickered the man.
"What did you do to her?" Loren asked. The man lifted Lily's chin, and trailed a finger across her neck. Loren saw bite marks. They weren't there before!
"See that?" I did that. She screamed her head off and I thought for sure she was dead." he told his proudly. "Hey, hun. Remember me, kitten?" he spoke to her.
"No... Can't be..." she whispered. He smiled. "Ben... Benjamin...Ben." she repeated.
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty. How's it going?"
"No.. you're dead."
"I've been dead for at least five years now. What I want to know is, why is your heart still beating? Hm?"
What the hell is wrong with you?" Loren said. Lily felt a surge of anger. She looked from Ben to Loren and back again.
"Benjamin." she snarled. He looked at her.
"Oh. Hey, Lilypa-" she screeched and launched herself at him. Lily hit him, scratching and kicking. She wasn't really herself, but she knew what she was doing.
Lily slammed Ben's head into Loren's dresser. He shrieked and threw her into Loren. Ben stood up, his crimson eyes pouring into her, his stone-cracked face repairing itself.
"You bitch!" Ben said. Loren grabbed her arms and held her back. She jerked and screamed. "The venom didn't spread yet." Ben commented.
"How do I get it out?" Loren looked at him. He may have abused her, but he didn't want to see her die.
Lily screamed at the top of her lungs. "Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" The sound was shrill and nerve-wrecking. Ben smiled.
"Bite the bitch." Ben commanded. Lily was about to scream again, but Loren cut her neck and sucked on it. Ben held out a cup that was on the dresser, and Loren reluctantly spit it into the cup. Lily cried out again. He put his lips to her neck and she groaned in response. Lily'd lost a lot of blood. She was almost unconscious when he'd finished. Her face was pale, and she looked wan.
"11:330. Go to the kitchens, and get some blood bags. It's in the huge fridge off the Dining Hall." Ben scoffed and left. He came back 5 minutes later.
"Here. Give her this." He tossed a bag to Loren.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I don't want it. I'm only doing this for her. And the kids. I don't know what would happen to them if she died again. She's a good mom, I can tell. That mutt isn't qualified to take care of my kids." he said, looking at Lily. Loren stared at him in bewilderment.
Ben growled, yanked the bag out of his hand, and tore off a tiny bit of one of the bottom corners. He used his teeth to make a bigger hole and put it to Lily's mouth. She whimpered annoyingly and shrank into the sheets. Ben put a hand behind her neck and lifted her head up.
She felt too weak to protest.
"Sssh, love. Don't worry. You're with Lorie. I won't hurt you." Loren kissed her cheek; she whimpered again. Ben put the bag to her mouth again and she moaned at the smell of it. Ben smiled, and looked at Loren. Lily closed her eyes and lifted a hand to hold the bag.
Loren couldn't take his eyes off of her because her skin started to glow. She opened her eyes; a red mist flowed through them.
"Oh wow. That hasn't happned before," whispered Ben. She kept looking from him to Loren; the bag was almost empty.
"God, where is she?" said Embry. He'd waited for her outside the girl's dorm, with his brothers.
"Is she here yet?" Darius spoke. Erik shook his head. He didn't want to tell them about what he had seen. He didn't want to. But I have to. Erik sighed.
"Um... Embry, I gotta talk to you." he said. Both Embry and Jacob looked at him. He looked like he always had, only he had a hard time keeping his emotions from being seen through his eyes.
"What is it, Erik?" asked Embry. He furrowed his brow at his friend. Erik looked him dead in the eyes.
"Um... I-I saw..." he took a deep breath, then started over. " I saw Li-"
"There you guys are!" Lily came around the corner with Claire. The she-wolf padded with a happy grin. Erik's eyes widened with shock. Lily smiled, looking as beautiful as she ever had. The dress she wore hugged her tightly.
"Hey. You look..." Embry shook his head, at a loss for words. Lily spun around, beaming. He held his arms open and she hugged him.
"We can think of the word later." she smiled, whispering in his ear. She kissed his cheek and took his hand. "Come on." Her fingers intertwined with his; he put his arm around her waist. Erik tried not to look her in the eye as they trekked to the Rec Hall, trying to forget about what he had seen.
She looks happy, he thought. What happened to her?
"So why are going?" Quil demanded.
"Zoey invited us," Dawn reminded him.
"Plus, it'll be cool." Lily told them. She smiled as she took Dawn's hand and the two girls sprang ahead of them. They squeezed in between two passing Sons of Erebus and flew around the corner.
"She's a lively one," one of them noted.
"Who?" the other asked.
"Why, Lady Airym, of course."
"I think Lady Rush is the livelier of the two."
"I think they are both beautiful. And lively." Darius appeared. Seth and Embry both nodded. Dawn poked her head from around the corner.
"Setthias, hurry up!" she called to him. "So slow. Embryn, put your light out."
"Huh? Aah!" Embry hit his arm at least three times before the mini-flame could go out on his sleeve.
"We-ird." said Jared. They turned the corner and watched as Dawn and Lily opened the door.
Lily walked up the steps first, and a man turned around.
"Li-" Dawn started.
"What? Gah!" she yelped as she walked into him. Lily lost her footing and slipped. The man reached out and grabbed her shoulders. He stepped down, and as he turned, his face was lit up by the gaslight.
Loren.
Lily's eyes widened and began to swirl. He wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled.
"Nice to see you again," he said in her ear. He then looked at Embry and the boys. "Ah. Hello boys." he smiled.
"Master Blake," said the Sons.
"Professor Blake," the boys spoke. Loren stood Lily upright. She looked into Embry's eyes, and hers were a misty-gray. He furrowed his brow, knowing the emotion that accompanied the color. Fear.
Lily didn't look at him again as she hurried inside the Rec Hall.
