Chapter 2

Eight Months Later

Lilah moved through the school library hurriedly. She didn't have much time to grab the book that she wanted before she was questioned by the dragon lady that called herself a librarian. The woman was a dragon in almost every sense of the word. Hoarding these books like they were her own personal treasure but those she deigned worthy, of course, could pass.

She gave a quick look and dashed down the aisle with the books on languages. She grabbed the one that she was looking for but then got caught up in looking at the selection before her. She felt steps coming up behind her and was about ready to bolt while giving her excuses but she was grabbed and pulled into a hidden area. A big hand was covering her mouth to cut off her curse that was bubbling from her lips.

When she finally was turned to face the person she smirked into his hand that he still kept over her mouth as he mimed to be quiet. He kept her like that for a minute and she found out why when Mrs. Juniper, Dragon Lady Librarian extraordinaire, stalked by as if she was hunting something down. She probably was hunting someone down. Herself to be exact.

When the coast was clear he finally removed his hand from her mouth but didn't back away from her. He shouldn't be doing this but he hadn't been able to stop himself from following her when he saw her whizzing by the aisle he was in. He knew immediately she was going to be getting a book she wasn't supposed to have and had gone on alert.

Mrs. Juniper had some kind of sick fucking sixth sense about intruders in her domain. She would have been on Lilah in a second.

"Eric." Lilah greeted him with a smile, amusement dancing in her eyes.

It had been eight months since their first encounter. She hadn't talked to him again but she did see him often in school. In the hallways, the library or in the cafeteria. She found it amazing she hadn't noticed him or seen him before that day. Now he was always there but also so far away. It had been better that way for the both of them. She knew he couldn't be seen with her and she couldn't be seen with him.

The children of two bitter enemies in this city and from different factions. It was not smart to be forming attachments. It was also already too late. She watched for him as much as she suspected he did her. Their eyes met in the halls or the cafeteria often. In those times, a thousand words could be spoken in the span of seconds and yet none of them would ever be spoken aloud.

He lets his eyes move over her as he smiled. "Lilah."

This was as close as he had allowed himself to be to her since that day. It didn't stop him from watching her often. Following her after school or even watching as her friends would sneak her into Erudite. He ran interference where he could, observed everything and felt a growing discomfort at how much he thought about her.

"How have you been?" She asked with her head tilted and taking in how much he had already changed in these months.

He was already getting so tall and broad. Not that he hadn't already been there before, just now he was filling it out more. By the time choosing rolled around he was going to be a very dominating figure. She was tempted to reach up and run her hand through those close cropped curls in his dark blonde hair. In fact she had to clench her hands together just to keep from doing that. He must have noticed because he started smirking at her.

"I have been keeping out of trouble as much as I could. How about you Lilah? Not the trouble part. I think that might be your middle name. How have things been at home?" He couldn't resist asking or touching her like she was doing in keeping herself from touching him.

So he reached up to cup her face and felt tension release in his body at the contact. It also released at the fact that she didn't pull away or push him away. In fact she sighed and leaned into his hand, her eyes closed for a minute before he stroked her cheek and willed her to open them again. He needed to see those eyes again, to get lost in them for as long as he could.

Lilah smiled and looked to Eric again. He smiled slightly but she could see the worry in the way his forehead scrunched up and the intensity of those grey eyes. "They are as good as can be expected Eric."

She replies truthfully but not fully. They were about as good as could be expected. She willingly bore the brunt of the punishments. Not all physical. Sometimes it was labor or a verbal spewing of hate and a litany of words meant to tear her down. Sometimes she did things on purpose to bring down on herself so that he would leave Tobias alone. Sometimes she would get it no matter what.

Just her existing was enough for her father's wrath. Tobias hated that she kept pulling attention to herself and had started to become more irascible and rebellious to try and counteract her own acts. He wouldn't do those things to protect himself but for her he would.

She loved the dumbass even more for that but it just made her have to go even further in her own behavior. She had promised her mother she would look out for him and she meant to keep that promise. Even when she knew the truth that their own mother hadn't been willing or able to do that herself.

But that was another secret she buried deep within herself to lock away forever. It would destroy her brother if he ever found out.

Eric's face turned dark and he closed his eyes as he tried to breath and get his temper under control. The thought of that fucker…..

He felt Lilah's hand against his cheek and he mimicked her movement of leaning into her hand. "Eric look at me." She commanded him softly.

Eric gave a small quiet huff of laughter and opened his eyes. "Ma'am." He drawled as if addressing a superior.

She smirked at him and it just made him long to kiss her. At sixteen those urges were almost ruling his body lately. His temper, his urges for physical gratification, his need for extreme physical activity and even adrenaline based activities….they all seemed to be taking over him lately.

"You can't stop it. I can't stop it but I can and will strike when the time is right." She said this quietly, fiercely and firmly. Somehow she knew he would get it and understand. That he would even approve.

"If I could kill him Lil's…." He trailed off and blushed a little when he said the nickname he had for her in his mind.

She blushed but also smiled in pleasure. "I know Eric but I have to fight my own battles. Otherwise they will always haunt me."

They didn't kiss but he did press his forehead to hers. He noticed that she had gotten taller in the months that he had last been close to her. She was starting to develop too and he could tell that just from the little that showed when she would change into the Erudite or Amity clothes her group wore on their excursions. He was pleased by her height for some reason. It seemed like maybe she was just made for him the way they meshed already.

"If you ever need me Lilah...I don't care what it is for...find me and I will help you even if it is to…"

She stopped him by shaking her head and putting fingers to his mouth. "Don't." She willed him not to speak it because she feared that somehow it would get back to her father or Jeanine. She sighed. "If I need you and if you need me." She agreed. Eric nodded but pressed his lips to the fingers that were still on his mouth in a soft kiss. They both shivered at that contact and closed their eyes for a few seconds before he took her hand in his and sighed then opened his eyes again.

"I don't know when I will be able to talk to you again like this Lilah. I have to go but give me five minutes and I will lead Mrs. Juniper to the philosophy section." Eric pulled away and looked for her agreement.

"Thank you Eric." She said with a smile and nod.

"Anything Lil's." He pushed away but then stopped and frowned. "Lilah, since you are in the section….pick up a book on french. I always liked that language." He smirked at her with a wink then laughed at her blush before he looked around and then darted away to find his target.

Lilah was biting her lip and blushing as she waited. Then she moved quickly but didn't forget to stop and get the book Eric had suggested. Tucking it away in her bag she made her escape quickly without looking back.