Chapter 22

Faith

Lily lay in her bed at Azheda's and just thought, about everything. After she broke down on the strip Azheda had carried her to his limo and then into the house, she hadn't been able to control herself and had just cried through the night, ignoring Azheda and his efforts to comfort her.

She hadn't left her room since then; she hadn't eaten, slept, or had any blood since that night a week ago. Now she just lay in bed wondering where her life went wrong.

Everything had been so easy once, she went to school, partied with her friends, and did things teenage girls were supposed to do; now everything was so complicated, so hard, she just wanted to give up.

"Lily you have to eat something," Azheda said as he burst into her room with a tray of human food, it amused her somewhat to see him carrying it. He had been trying so hard, brought her humans in a trance and docile almost every day, now he didn't care what she eat as long as she did.

Lily turned away from him and just looked out the window.

"Damn it, if I have to force the food down your throat I will," he growled. He walked to the bed and turned her to face him. "Just eat, please."

"Why?" She whispered after a while.

"Because I want you alive."

"So I can stay your prisoner, living in this damned house, never seeing my family or friends again and watching as the world ends?"

"Because if you die then I will be left alone again," he cried, laying the tray down on the big, four poster bed.

"So I should live for you, but not for myself," she whispered as he turned to leave.

"Live for you Lily, when your well again you may do as you wish." Azheda turned and left the room before she could say anything else. She sat there shocked, watching where he had just been. He had given her freedom, something she thought she would never have again.

Leaning forward she pulled the tray onto her lap and began to eat, she could leave soon and, hopefully, never have to come back.

Lily refused to drink blood, even after she decided to eat; she couldn't stomach the thought of it. So it took her another two weeks to recover what should have only been a day. She didn't mind though, Azheda had promised her freedom and that was enough to keep her going while she got better.

She hadn't seen Azheda since he made his promise, but she could feel him not far away. Sometimes she thought he would burst into her room and renege on his promise, other times she had the vague feeling that he was crying, but no matter what she felt of him she never saw him.

Lily had declared the night before that she was quite well enough now and she was leaving in the morning. She didn't have anything to pack, everything belonged to Azheda, so she was just walking out the door when he stopped her.

"Lily," he whispered. She closed the door and turned to look at him, this man that she loved deeply, and hated as much as she loved.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Are you certain that this is what you want?"

"Yes."

He walked to her and took her in his arms, she tried not to respond but couldn't help it.

"Try to remember in the time to come that I do love you," he whispered as his lips moved to meet hers. He kissed her then, and she felt his grief, his pain, and his love as she kissed him back, it was transparent when they were connected like this. He felt her joy and happiness at leaving and being reunited with Kenny, it was then that she felt his heart break.

She had to remind herself he was a bloodthirsty monster to let him go and walk away. Lily opened the door and looked back at Azheda, watching him for a moment.

"I love you too," she whispered, then closed the door on him and walked away. It was the most difficult thing she had ever done, but she couldn't be like him, she didn't like death and destruction, she didn't even like blood truth be told, she had to be with the man that understood her best, the one that agreed with her thoughts, Kenny.

Once she reached the street Lily took a moment to gather her bearings, she had to walk to Thierry's, or at least to a phone where she could call him. She began walking through the dark morning, past the dark houses that were filled with people still sleeping, or those that had already left for work. It seemed odd that people should be so immersed in money or sleep that they would miss the beautiful colors of the sunrise.

The sun was just passing the horizon when a man stepped out of an alleyway and knocked her over. She looked up, the words of an apology on her lips when she felt a psychic blast hit her, trying to put her into a trance and make her sleep.

Without thinking she began to laugh, the vampire looked down at her in annoyance and tried again without, to his displeasure, success. Lily just laughed harder.

"I'm sorry but you'll have to find your meal somewhere else," she said as she stood up.

"Who are you?" He asked. His eyes were roving over her body in a way that made her want to slap him.

"That's none of your concern, now if you will excuse me." She moved to walk around him when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him.

"I don't care who you are, I'm hungry." It was then that she realized she hadn't fed in over a month, she didn't have her strength. She was still strong, but nothing compared to the vampire who was pulling her closer.

"You fool," she growled, stopping her struggles and allowing him to pull her close.

She felt his breath on her neck, and wiggled as he licked her throat. She couldn't wait any longer, she made her teeth elongate and pulled out of his grasp, making him gasp in shock, and then she struck before he could get a good grip on her again.

"What the hell," the vampire shouted as her teeth broke the skin and she began to drink his blood.

"I said you were a fool," her mind voice whispered in his head as she drank. After a moment she released him and watched as he dropped onto the ground. His blood was moving through her veins, invigorating her and making her stronger.

It was something she had realized when Lane and Patty had kidnapped her, she could get what she needed from vampire blood, but only when she was in human form.

"What are you," the vampire yelled, cowering on the ground.

"I am Lily Ambrose, and the next time you go to attack a helpless girl remember this, not all that seem weak are." She turned from him then as the blood pounded through her. She was a vampire again. Lily set her sights on home and began to run.

It didn't take her long once she began to run; she remembered exactly where Thierry's house was and made it there without any further delays.

She saw the house and stopped running, seeming to materialize if anyone had been watching though they weren't. After dusting herself off she walked up to the door and rang the bell, expecting Nilson to answer.

It took a moment, but finally she detected movement behind the door and smiled as it opened.

"Hello," a boy she had never seen before said. Her senses screamed at her, telling her he was not what she knew.

She looked him over for a moment, noting his straight, black hair that glimmered blue in the light, and his handsome face. "Hello, is Thierry or Hannah in this morning?"

"Thierry is here, who can I say is calling?" The boy asked an almost feral smile on his lips as he looked her over.

"Lily," she said. He stepped aside, opening the door further and she brushed past him inside.

"Well Lily, why don't you come with me? My name is Damon, by the way." She nodded and followed him as he led her to Thierry's study.

The first thing she noticed when she entered was another boy with hair almost exactly like Damon's, only a little wavier, and a slight, pretty girl with long white blond hair sitting in a couple chairs in front of Thierry's desk. The next thing she noticed was Thierry himself, sitting at the desk. He was staring at her with his mouth slightly open and a wondering look in his eyes.

"Lily?" He asked, standing from his chair.

"Hi," she smiled. She was surprised when he came around the desk and grabbed her in a hug that would have crushed her had she been human.

"How did you escape?" He asked after a few moments, still hugging her tightly.

"He let me go, it's a long story."

The boy with wavy black hair cleared his throat and Thierry stepped back from her, looking around the room as if just realizing other people were there.

"I'm sorry, how rude of me," Thierry mumbled. "Lily this is Stephen, Damon, and Elena. We were just discussing things across the country. It seems these three have had an interesting adventure, but that can wait. Your mother and father will be waiting to hear from you, as will Ash and Kenny."

"Ash," she whispered horrified, "are his sisters…" she couldn't finish the question.

"They are perfectly fine; it seems Josh came out of the spell before he could kill them." Lily breathed a sigh of relief. "Also, I think you will be happy to know, all of them are on their way here now. Should be arriving tomorrow I believe."

"Really?" She asked, her excitement bubbling over.

Thierry laughed, "yes really, why don't you go on to your room and get some rest, you can have the same one you used last time, I'll finish my meeting up and make some calls. Lily nodded and left the room, feeling Damon's eyes on her as she did.

She wondered, vaguely, where everyone was. Normally there were hundreds of people at Thierry's, running back and forth, making food, doing any number of things that needed done, but now there was no one, it was empty except those in the study and a few people throughout the house or in the kitchen.

She made her way quickly to her room and sighed in relief, the clothed she had left there half a year ago were still there, put away tidily in the drawers and closet.

She couldn't sleep though, she was much to excited for that, so she decided she would take a bath. She was happy just to be here though, even as empty as it was, it felt like home.

So Damon and Stephen have made their way into the story, the explanation will be in the next chapter Evil grin I just had to put them in here. Kisses and hugs for my one reviewer Natalie, thank you so much for reviewing, it makes me happy. Now I just need everyone else that read it to review it, I noticed that I had 14 hits on this chapter and only ONE! Reviewer… what it up with that? If you read my work you are obligated to review it, I review every chapter of a story I read, I expect people to do the same.

Hope you guys enjoyed this!