well, id like to dedicate this chapter to mischiflover as a thankyou for always reading and reviewing. it means alot to me. so this is just a way for me to say thanks.
hope you enjoy!
xxx

Blood pounded in her ears as she made her way outside, furious with Tilly and Uriel but angrier that she had let them get to her. She tried to cool off as she walked but found that it had the opposite effect making her angrier as she ran over details of what had just happened.

"I'll turn him against you, just like last time."

Tilly's voice ran through her head un-digging memories Lillia had tried so hard to bury.

-

It had been several years ago when the first angelic army made residence at the Stoker manor, a minor battalion they had stayed for the best part of the summer. It was the first year Lillia's father had allowed her to meet clans of the council; usually she was to stay in the South wing of the manor studying hard with her private tutor. She remembered that day clearly; excitement buzzed through her blood, she was about to see if the stories her mother had told her as a young child were true if the angels did tower hundreds of feet above any normal person and if their beauty was as dazzling as she said.

When she had finally met them she remembered feeling foolish, they were not abnormally tall, but were unnaturally beautiful taking her breathe away as she saw them. Afra, the general had brought only two of his newly recruited soldiers; a young sub archangel with beautifully spun golden hair, his eyes catlike in their shape were a beautiful ocean blue and tanned skin, his name was Uriel and he smiled almost nervously at Lillia and her father. The other, a young gatekeeper called Nomad, he had a more mysterious persona leaving Lillia wondering what he was about where he was from.

Her father had spent most of that summer in meetings and Nefer had been sent away for his maturation quest; something that male vampires went through when they came of age Lillia never quite understood, nor was she particularly that interested. So she had spent most of her time with Uriel and Nomad, though he was never good company preferring to spent his time brooding moodily in the library reading vampiric history and questioning Lillia on her blood line, 'how were half breeds possible?' 'Why were there not more?' so many questions she found herself becoming easily irritable.

She remembered that day clearly; it was a particularly warm summer's afternoon that she and Uriel had spent together, walking through the manor grounds talking and laughing, their bond growing with every step. It was so warm that they had ended the day with a water fight that made her laugh until her sides hurt, and then as the sun fell from the sky they shared their first kiss, it was sweet and sensual leaving the taste of strawberries in her mouth.

Their love affair did not last though, that day she remembered too, sitting outside in the sun when the witch clan came; at its head was Sora east in the council of Powers and a young girl of 18 her frame willowy and long dirty blond hair that hung limply by her shoulders.

Lillia had felt an instant dislike for this girl, Tilly, smirking as she entered her house and smirking as Lillia walked in on her and Uriel embracing, in the moment she witnessed their embrace she felt her heart break, cracking under the weight of being trapped between day and night, the weight of being trapped and alone.

-

Lillia awoke from the memory, a trail of tears fresh on her pale cheeks. She wiped them away quickly cursing her weakness and looked around her surroundings. She found herself sat on a bale of hey by the stables, whinnying sounding softly behind her as she pulled her knees to her chest and stared out at the horizon sitting for what seemed like eternity.

"Lillia?" Reid approached cautiously unsure if he should. She looked up at him, her green eyes misted painfully making him want to reach out and touch her, "Is it ok if I sit?" he ventured, she nodded silently, surprised that anyone had missed her and he sat next to her, his hand touched her slightly sending a spark of heat jumping up her fingers and travelling through her arm, causing her heart to skip a beat. "You ok?" he studied her, genuine worry in his blue eyes.

"Mm." she nodded, still staring out at the clouds. The sound of a horse snorting made her glance at the wooden stable.

"You sure?" his little finger touched hers gently and subconsciously she wrapped hers around it, seeking the comfort and warmth from someone.

She bit her lip, willing herself not to wish for too much, to just be happy with all that life had given her. "I'm sorry about earlier." She whispered looking him in the eye and knowing that he deserved better than anything she could hope to offer and too scared to want more, too scared to go through the same torment she had with the angel.

This time Reid placed his hand over hers and held it tightly, "It doesn't matter, as long as you're ok." His voice was soft as he battled with himself and his urge to never let her go, to protect her from everything bad in the world and lover her. Lillia looked down at their entwined hands and back up at him, her eyes a sea of conflicting emotions.

"You deserve better." She whispered, looking away but not removing her hand from his, a feeling of total inadequacy washing over her. She could offer nothing to anyone.

"Lillia," he gently forced her to look at him by cupping her chin and searched her face, deciding that it was time for her to know. He breathed nervously, "All I want is you, there is nothing better than that." He pulled her close and wrapped her in a hug that they'd both secretly wanted since the beginning. She buried her head into his shoulder, taking in his scent and holding him tightly never wanting to let go. She wanted to stay like this forever.

They sat like that for a while; just holding each other until the sun fell below the horizon and stars twinkled knowingly in the sky. Reid released her slightly pushing a stray strand of chocolate hair behind her ear, "You're not alone Lillia," he whispered touching her cheek gently and rubbed her jaw line softly with his thumb.

She looked at him with a smile, wishing that this moment in time could be frozen, and nestled into him never wanting him to let her go. She closed her eyes feeling safe and protected; for once she didn't feel so alone. Her smile widened as she felt Reid kiss the top of her head tenderly,

"You have me."