A Slayer's Daughter

16

The next morning, I was surprised to find Lillian at the table. She looked lost in thought, but as I got closer I knew she was crying. I took a seat in front of her. She didn't want to look me in the eye. I had realized last night after Chris left that Lillian and John were really hitting it off, and wanted to be with each other.

"Lillian?"I kept my voice soft, she looked at me, "I'm sorry."

She looked surprised, as I took her hand in mine.

"For what, hon?"

"For being selfish."

"Oh, hon, you're not..."

"Yes, I have. You opened your home to me..your life and I tried to make it all about me. Not even taking into account what could change."

"Baby, but I wanted you to be part of that change and you have been. You gave me the push of courage to take a chance on a wonderful man, have been my support when I was ready to throw in the towel, but like you once told me. You don't need a man, you need a partner, someone that will help you fulfill your dreams. I haven't traveled the world or seen the dark side of it as you have, sweet heart, but I feel...Chris is a good man."

I wanted to tell her exactly what Chris had done in his life, but I agreed with her. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to hit rock bottom before realizing we need to make a change for the better.

"Lillian, what's going on with you and John?" I asked, even though I could guess what was happening.

"Um..John..he's claimed me, he wants me to move to the pack house with him."

"Is that why you've had your hair down?" I asked, teasing her. She turned bright red but laughed.

"Yes, but I can't leave you."

"What do you want to do with the house?" I asked all business like.

"I wish I could keep it but..."

"You still want to keep it?"

"Yes, it might not have started happily, but I lived here happily."

"What about the bakery?"

"I'm keeping that, I need my work!" she said proudly. I smiled at her.

"Okay, then let's make a deal. Chris is giving me a month to think and take things a little slow, before he takes me to live with him. I'll stay and clean things up. I was wondering though, could I keep Mateo's books?"

"I'm sorry about all of that, hon, I really..had no idea."

"It's fine, I guess I'll have to get used to the idea."

She gave me a grimace, and sat thinking for a minute.

"You can have the books, you use them more then I ever will, and you can stay here while you get things figured out."

"Thank you. And while we're still on the subject, is there anything else I need to know?"

There Lillian was a light pink, but she cleared her throat and looked at me.

"John wants to take me to Vegas for a weekend. After that, I'll be heading to the pack house."

"Oooo, so romantic!" I teased. She went bright red in the face, and playfully slapped my arm.

"Stop it, it's already bad enough. I feel so old..."

"Lillian, you're in your thirties."

"Almost forty, don't remind me!"

"How 'old' is John?"

She thought about it for a minute, and laughed.

"Okay, I see your point."

"So what weekend are you two leaving?"

"Next weekend, with the ball and all this weekend, he wanted to give me the chance to see you off."

So I had to leave with Chris yesterday. Well, I guess that didn't go as planned.

"That's fine, and um...go with no problem, I can look after the bakery.."

"Well, you don't even have to be there so often, with you training and working with the police, I hired another person. Remember the girl Dalton went to the ball with?"

"I saw her but didn't get the chance to meet her."

"Well, turns out, she just moved here. She was kicked out of her old pack, and well, Dalton seems to have taken to her. She's also very good as a manager."

"Really?" I asked, interested in how well it was working for Dalton. I was happy for him.

"What about Calista?"

"She's young, hon, it takes time."

That much was true.

"Well, I'll come by the bakery and hopefully get the chance to meet her."

"So you're okay with everything?"

"Yeah, but I still have no idea what you want to do with the house?"

"We'll see, you never know when you need a second house."

"True." I said, right as my stomach growled in hunger. We both got up and made breakfast.

After my talk with Lillian, I felt lighter for some reason. Monday came with a positive energy. I went to train with Jacelyn, who seemed to be a little harder on me than usual. By the time we got done, I was shaking so badly from the excessive use of my powers. I got back to the house, and showered and changed. Later I found Chris..or once I asked a simple question, I knew he was the servant.

"Can we talk?" he asked, a little unsure.

"Um..one condition, take his face off."

He sighed, as he walked in, his face changed to his own. His hair was curly and dark brown, his eyes were jet black. He gave the impression that he was weak, but I could see muscles. He also had scars. I could see them along his neck.

"What's your name?" I asked, leading the way into the kitchen. He followed. I was about to get a snack. I handed him a glass of juice. He downed it.

"I don't have a name. Was never given one."he said, not meeting my eye.

Shapeshifter of some kind. In most Native American stories, shapeshifters were dangerous. This one seemed tamed.

"Can I give you one?" I asked. He looked at me in surprise.

"You can do whatever you want, Miss...Alex..you are the master's mate after all."

"Why hasn't he given you a name?" I asked him. He just shrugged.

"It would imply affection, affection he doesn't feel towards a servant."

"Nicholas, Nick for short." I said. He smiled, but nodded.

"I will come when you call me, Miss." I nodded, also giving him a small smile.

"So is he chapping at the bit?" I smiled and Nick laughed but nodded.

"The master isn't accustomed to waiting, he's a very impatient man. He wished me to come and see if I could convince you of otherwise."

"I had a talk with my aunt, and she's been claimed by the Alpha, she will be leaving this weekend, and has let me keep. Some personal items, I wish to move to the..house."

"So you'll be moving this week?"

"I don't see why I have to wait for so long, if I'm here alone."

He gave me a small bow.

"I will see to giving the master the message, and make room for your items."

"Thank you, Nick, I appreciate it."

"Now about what I did.."

"Yes, so I was told...was there a particular reason? Or was it an order?"

He looked at me directly, as if offended slightly. Then he looked down at his hands.

"I..um..I've always had freedom to lie with women, I so chose to, not ever having to account for it. When the master saw you that first time, he just told me to keep an eye on you. I never thought...you were off limits, until he told me who you were. After I had already..tried to take you for myself. Every woman was so different, but you...you've seen so much yet, your blood is so innocent, clean."

"That's what drew you to me?"

"I can't love, Miss, or I wouldn't know what it felt like. I can imagine that what you make me feel would be the closest thing I will have."

"That's called caring for others, like you care for Chris, you don't want to disappoint him?"

"I fear the master, and yes, I wish to keep him happy with me, if nothing else."

"Well, what more can I say? Thank you, Nicholas."

He smiled at his new name, gave me a small headbow, got to his feet and headed out.

The whole week was just filled with surprises. I went to the bakery, and Lillian introduced me to Cara. Dalton's new mate and the new manager. She looked African American but her accent told me Dominican, Spanish speaker. She was taller than me, about Dalton's height, maybe an inch or two shorter.

"Cara this is my niece, Alex this is Cara."

"Nice to meet you." I said, I could tell she forced a smile, and almost broke my hand.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I still can't control my strength." she played coy with everyone, but gave me a dirty look. b***h!

Calista soon came over to me.

"She doesn't like me either, but Dalton is over the moon."

"Is she really his mate?"

"Yeah, Dalton was struck dumb when he saw her."

"I thought that was his normal expression," I said as he turned to look at me. Calista and I waved, he gave us a sarcastic grin.

"You think he heard us?"

"Pretty sure he did." I laughed. That's when I noticed a man standing outside. After a car passed, he was gone.

"Hey, you think I could stay with you while Dad and Lillian are gone? I can't stand my new sister-in-law."

"Sure, we can have a sleep over."

"Okay, I'll be there Friday afternoon."

"Sure." I said, walking out and heading in the direction where the man had been standing. I focused on his energy, but he hadn't been standing long, because I couldn't pick up anything. I tried seeing him, but nothing happened.

"Alex?" I jumped and turned to find Chris behind me. The sun was covered by clouds.

I then realized I was right in the parking space and a few cars had passed but had wanted to get in the space. I walked onto the sidewalk again.

"Hey.." I said, feeling my face going red.

"What were you doing?"

"I..you know never mind, just had a moment of..thought."

"I see."

"Where are you headed?"

"I was coming to check on you, my servant told me you named him."

"Everyone deserves a name, even a servant."

"Nicholas, really?"

"What!? It's a nice name!"

He tried to hide a smile. I kept looking around for the guy I caught sight of earlier.

"You surprise me." He said, his eyes on me.

"Why's that?"

"Even after everything, you have a kind heart."

"Yeah, well, just because life has been very unfair to me,doesn't mean I have to be with others."

Chris let that sink in for a second.

"Have you eaten today?"

"No." then my stomach growled. I blushed a little as he chuckled.

"Then let me invite you to lunch."

"That would be nice but.."

"What?"

"You don't eat." I finished lamely.

"And?"

"Which means I'd be the only one eating."

His laugh was so sudden I jumped a little.

"You hate being watched while you eat?"

"No, it's more..how much I eat."

"Hmm, a woman with an appetite.. I like that."

"Okay, just don't let me buy up the whole place, okay?"

"I'll stop you when I have to call a crane to get you out of the place."

This time I laughed but nodded. He offered his arm, and I took it. He drove us to the diner, and I ordered the biggest thing they had. To Chris's surprise, I ate it all, slowly, but I ate it.

"That's impressive, I'll have to tell Janice to stock up."

"I thought you only had one servant?"

"I have a maid, and...Nicholas is my..."

"Doppelganger?"

"That's one way to look at it, and to a degree he is."

"Why?"

He smiled, asked for the check, and we left the diner.