Thrall (Daughters Of Lilith)

by Jennifer Quintenz

  Students started to collect in a group around Ms. Davies. Lucas and I stood rooted to the floor, facing one another. Questions pulsed through my thoughts. Before I could find the words to ask, Ms. Davies interrupted us.

  “Braedyn? And, I’m sorry, is it Lucas?” Ms. Davies gestured. “Come join us.”

  Lucas moved first. As he passed me, his expression became a little more guarded, his smile a little less personal. I followed him over to the group, but I couldn’t catch his attention for the rest of the period. It was like he’d become completely absorbed in Ms. Davies’ lecture.

  Royal slid up next to me with an appraising look. “Details. After class.”

  My head was still spinning as Royal and Cassie walked with me to English. Cassie danced in front of us, grinning.

  “So? What did you and Lucas talk about on the dance floor?” she asked.

  “Just... stuff,” I said.

  Royal arched an eyebrow. “You two had your heads together for a solid five minutes. Please tell me you at least made plans to go out for coffee or something.”

  “Coffee?” I asked.

  Royal turned to Cassie for backup. “Cassie? Help me. This is like remedial dating lesson one.”

  I looked at Royal and Cassie, suddenly getting what they were implying. “Dating? We just met this morning. I don’t even know if he’s interested in coffee.”

  Royal gave me a pointed look. “He’s interested.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “Braedyn, honey, he was eyeing you like a caffeine junkie eyes a hazelnut macchiato,” Royal said.

  Cassie looped her arm through mine. “Royal’s right, Braedyn. He’s into you.”

  When I hesitated, Royal rolled his eyes in exasperation. “He took on half the soccer team to defend your honor. Make it easy on the poor guy.” Royal opened the door to the humanities hall for us. “Ball’s in your court.”

  I walked into our English classroom turning this thought over in my mind. I replayed the day, remembering the amused twinkle in his eyes in front of his house this morning. The terrifying adrenaline-rush of the fight. The warmth of his hand on my back. And then the strangeness of our last conversation.

  When we took our usual seats near the front of the room, I was no closer to sorting out the jumble of feelings in my mind. Royal opened his book and started scanning the chapter.

  “Didn’t do the reading again, huh?” Cassie asked.

  Royal didn’t look up from the pages. “Concentrating.” Cassie shook her head, smiling.

  Amber, Ally, and Missy entered and took the seats directly behind us. They were mid-conversation.

  “I’m calling dibs,” Amber said.

  Ally scoffed, irritated. “What is this, elementary school? You can’t call dibs on a boy.”

  “I think I just did.”

  “What about Derek?” Missy’s voice was edged with concern.

  “What about him? He left me standing alone in the spotlight at Homecoming. He can go screw himself.”

  “Are you seriously interested? Or are you just looking to make Derek jealous?” Ally asked.

  “If Derek gets jealous that’s his problem,” Amber said. “Right now, all I’m looking for is some alone time with Lucas Mitchell.”

  “You’re so bad.” Ally laughed.

  I felt frozen.

  Mr. Young entered and started writing on the blackboard. “All right, welcome to the world of Jane Austen, people. I suspect you’ll find it has much in common with Coronado Prep. So, ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ First thoughts? Amber?”

  Amber straightened behind me. Mr. Young might have thought he’d caught her off guard, but Amber was a competitive student. She practically purred her answer, but I couldn’t focus on what she was saying. I’d overheard enough high school boys describing which limb they’d be willing to trade for a date with Amber to know I was outmatched. If she’d set her sights on Lucas, I didn’t stand a chance.

  Amber didn’t waste any time putting her plan into action. That day after school, I arrived at the edge of the parking lot where Cassie, Royal, and I usually met for the ride home. Royal was already there, twirling car keys around his finger absently.

  “Cassie had to go back for another math book,” he said.

  I heard Amber’s high laugh cutting through the afternoon. I turned. As soon as my eyes found Lucas, it felt like an icy balloon burst in my chest. Amber had her hands looped around his arm, hanging onto him, staking her claim. She said something to him and Lucas chuckled.

  Cassie joined us, clutching a pile of books to her chest. She’d noticed Amber and Lucas, too. I saw her eyes dart quickly to my face, checking to see if I was okay.

  But then Lucas spotted us. He extricated himself quickly from Amber’s grasp and left her standing on the sidewalk as he headed toward us. Her mouth fell open with outraged surprise.

  Lucas’ eyes gleamed, more gold than green in the afternoon light. His smile thawed the ache in my chest, warming me from the inside.

  “Hey guys,” he said. “I was hoping I could get a ride home with you.”

  Royal grinned. “Done and done,” he said. “Let’s roll.” Royal led the way to his car and we followed. I snuck a glance at Lucas. He seemed at ease again. I couldn’t detect any trace of the confusion or tension I’d seen in him at the end of gym. We reached Royal’s car and Cassie gave me an encouraging smile. She took the front passenger seat wordlessly.

  “After you,” Lucas said, offering a hand to help me into the back seat.

  “Thanks,” I said, taking it. His skin was warm and soft. It was hard to let his hand go as I settled into my seat.

  Once we’d all buckled in, Royal pulled out of the parking lot. I stole another sidelong glance at Lucas. The wind was toying with his hair. He sensed me watching and I dropped my eyes quickly.

  “Listen,” he said, facing me. “I didn’t mean to come on so strong in gym class.”

  “No apology necessary,” I said. “I just hope we’ll get to finish that conversation at some point.” I’d meant it to sound teasing, but Lucas grew solemn.

  “Yeah.”

  I could have kicked myself. We spent the rest of the ride home in uneasy silence. Royal caught my gaze in the review mirror, urging me to make a move with his eyes. I shook my head pointedly, warning him to back off. When we finally pulled up in front of my house, Cassie turned around to face me.

  “I’m going to need you for a fitting session soon,” she said. Cassie had made a tradition of sewing my birthday presents. Every year she topped herself. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d come up with next.

  “You just say the word and I’m there,” I said.

  Royal caught my hand as Lucas and I climbed out of the back seat. “Remember,” he said. “Easy does it. You don’t want him making a decision about the Raven tonight. Just plant a few seeds; it’s a safe place, no alcohol allowed, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Call me if you need advice. These negotiations can be delicate.”

  “Got it.”

  Cassie crossed her fingers. “The club would be so cool. But even if we end up watching Kurosawa movies in your living room, it will still be an awesome party.”

  “We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it,” Royal said. “In the meantime, think positive.” He shifted into reverse and pulled back onto the street. Cassie waved goodbye as they disappeared down the street. Suddenly, Lucas and I were alone together for the very first time. Neither of us spoke for a moment.

  “So,” Lucas started. “I guess I’ll see you...”

  Before he had a change to say goodbye, I blurted, “Do you like coffee?”

  “Coffee?” He looked a little startled at the question.

  “I thought... maybe we could get some sometime.”

  “You like coffee?”

  “Sure?” I lied. If it meant getting to know Lucas a little better, I could learn to like it.

  The door to my house opened and Dad walked onto the portico. “Braedyn?” he called. �
�Hey. I thought I heard Royal’s car.”

  “Yeah.” I waved him off, stalling for a few moments of time. “That’s my dad,” I said to Lucas. “He’s got this talk planned, so I should probably go.”

  “Coffee would be nice,” Lucas said. To my surprise, he walked with me up the flagstone path. “Mr. Murphy,” he said, offering a hand to my dad. “It’s an honor to finally meet you, sir.”

  I grinned at Lucas. “Finally? You moved in like twelve hours ago.” I expected some kind of reaction from Dad, but he wasn’t smiling.

  “Why don’t you head home, Lucas?” Dad said. “Braedyn and I have to talk.”

  I felt the skin on the back of my neck prickle. I hadn’t introduced them. “You know him?” Dad and Lucas traded a strange look. I was suddenly aware that I was out of the loop. My stomach gave a sickening lurch and I turned back to Lucas. “You... what you said earlier...?” My eyes flicked to Dad’s face.

  Dad glanced at Lucas, suddenly intent. “What did he say?”

  Lucas straightened. “I’m sorry, sir. I thought she...”

  “I know what you thought. Go home.” Dad turned to me, softening his tone. “Inside. I’ll explain everything.” He held the door open for me. I walked inside, scared. Behind me, I heard Dad address Lucas one more time. “Tell Hale I need a minute.”

  Lucas’ voice wavered. “I don’t really tell Hale things so much as...” but Dad closed the door on Lucas, ending the discussion.

  I stood in the foyer, afraid to follow Dad into the living room. I had this strange sensation, like I was standing in quicksand. I’d lived here my whole life, but all of a sudden it felt different. My eyes landed on the staircase, and memories flooded into my head. I used to play hide and seek with my dad. My favorite hiding place was the closet under the stairs. The door was camouflaged by wainscoting - it looked just like part of the wall. When I was a kid I thought this was the coolest thing in the world. I probably ended up hiding there eighty percent of the time. Of course, Dad always knew where I was, but he acted like he couldn’t find the door. It made me feel safe and clever.

  “Come and sit down,” Dad said. I entered the living room and lowered myself onto the couch. “I have to explain something that’s going to be hard to wrap your head around, but I need you to hear me out.” He took a deep breath, steeling himself. “Honey. I’m not your biological father.”

  I felt my breath catch. The room seemed to tilt and I gripped the arm of the chair. My life, everything I thought I knew, was sliding away. Deep down, I’d suspected this talk was serious, but I wasn’t prepared for this. I looked at him and saw a stranger for the first time. Things started falling into place. He knew almost nothing about my mother. That’s why we didn’t have any pictures of her. Of course I didn’t look anything like Alan Murphy; we didn’t share any biological connections. This special talk he wanted to have... It was so obvious. I was growing up. It was time for me to know the truth about my real parents.

  “If you’re not my father,” I said, my voice shaking, “Who are you?” My head started to throb dully.

  “Your father and I were soldiers together,” he said. “Friends.” Dad pulled a photograph out of his wallet and handed it to me.

  The photo depicted two men, sitting on a muddy jeep. I recognized my dad... Murphy. He must have been in his early twenties at the time. He had the same barrel chest as he did today, the same warm brown eyes and close-cropped hair. He wore a cocky smile as he lounged against the jeep with easy confidence. The other man stared straight out of the photo at me, composed and thoughtful. He was equally fit, but smaller, trimmer. His hair was a lighter brown, and his eyes were blue. I’d never seen this man before, but there was something familiar about him. The line of his nose. The arch of his eyebrows. I saw these features everyday - every time I looked into a mirror. “That’s him,” I said. “That’s my father, isn’t it?”

  “Paul Kells,” Dad said, nodding. “He was one of the best men I’ve ever known. Smart. Brave. And his sense of humor...” He smiled in memory, but the smile didn’t last. “You have a lot of him in you. So many times I’ve wanted to tell you about him.”

  “Why didn’t you?” I asked.

  Dad started to say something, but stopped himself. Before he could gather his thoughts, his phone rang. He checked the caller ID, frowned, and turned the phone off.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about my real father?” I pressed.

  “It’s complicated,” he said.

  I looked back at the picture, studying the stranger who shared so many of my features. I swallowed a surge of emotion and looked up. “So I’m adopted,” I said quietly. “That’s why you wanted to have the big talk?”

  “No,” Dad said, his eyes crinkling anxiously. “I mean, yes, you’re adopted. But no, that’s... that’s not what we need to talk about.”

  I stared at him, processing this. “You’re telling me you’re not my dad, but that’s not the big news?” Dad shook his head no. I felt a strange tingling in my head, like the onset of a fever. When I spoke, the words came out in a whisper. “What do we need to talk about?”

  “Paul, your father, he died just before you were born.” But here Dad stopped and lifted a hand to rub his temples. He was struggling with something, something he didn’t want to tell me.

  “What happened to him?” I asked faintly.

  “He was killed.”

  I felt my mouth go dry. “Killed... by who?” I asked.

  “It’s... He was killed by a Lilitu, Braedyn.” Dad watched me closely, gauging my reaction. But I barely had one; that word meant nothing to me at all.

  “What’s a Lilitu?” I asked.

  Dad ran a hand through his hair, changing tack. “What you need to understand-- we’re in a war that most people can’t even see. The battles are hidden, the enemy wears a near-perfect disguise. They look human. That’s what makes them so dangerous.”

  “What’s a Lilitu,” I asked again.

  Dad took a deep breath and let it out. “A demon.”

  I thought I’d misheard him. “Sorry, what?” I asked. Dad just watched me, worried. “Did you say...?”

  “Yes. Lilitu are demons.”

  “Demons. Just... walking around.” My voice sounded strange in my ears. Too far away. Somewhere in the back of my mind I wondered if this was what it felt like to be in shock - like a big fuzzy blanket was wrapped around an alarm inside my head, and even though the alarm was blaring its heart out, I could barely hear it. I could barely think.

  “No. Not just walking around. They’re on a mission, Braedyn. If we don’t stop them, they’ll make the earth their home. Trust me, that’s not going to work out so well for humankind.”

  I forced a sick smile. “You’re joking, right?”

  Dad shook his head wearily. “No. No, Honey.” He reached for my hand, but I jerked it out of his reach. I was starting to get angry.

  “So my father is some stranger I’ve never heard of before, and now you’re telling me you think a demon killed him?” My voice was growing shrill.

  “I know,” Dad said. “I know you must think I’m nuts. This sounds insane. But it’s real, Braedyn. I’m dead serious. Lilitu... they can look human when they need to. They can be quite beautiful, actually. And they use that beauty to seduce people. They... they need to forge a connection with their victim in order to feed. Physical intimacy... it gives them access to a person’s essence. Their soul.” He looked me straight in the eye. “Do you understand what I’m telling you, Braedyn?”

  I shook my head.

  “A Lilitu’s embrace can be fatal. Paul... Your father...” He struggled for the words. “By the time I figured out what was happening to him, it was already too late to stop it. The thing is, Braedyn...”

  The front door opened without ceremony, and the man I’d seen that morning on Lucas’ porch walked in.

  Dad stood, startled. “Hale.”

  Hale was in his early thirties. His face was free of wrinkles, except where they po
oled at the corners of his eyes. He exuded intense, unconscious authority. He was wearing a dark t-shirt, which stretched over a broad chest and strong arms. A thin scar divided one eyebrow and kicked down onto his cheek below. The scar drew attention to his crisp gray eyes, alive with intelligence. He moved with the same kind of focus as Dad. I knew that look instantly. Another soldier.

  “You turned your phone off. Let’s go, Murphy. Gretchen’s waiting for us.”

  “I need a minute with Braedyn,” Dad said.

  “We can’t spare it. Gretchen’s tracking one right now. She thinks it attacked a high school kid.”

  Dad’s jaw tightened with concern. “She’s sure about that?”

  Hale gave Dad a wry smile. “You want to question her, be my guest.”

  Dad looked at me, torn. “I know this is terrible timing,” he said. “I promise we’ll finish this when I get home. But I have to take care of something first.”

  “You’re leaving me?” A rising panic made my voice sound shrill.

  “I want to help,” Lucas said, stepping into the foyer.

  Hale nodded. “Good. You can stay with Braedyn. Fill her in.”

  “But I’m ready to fight,” Lucas said.

  “I know,” Hale said. He clapped Lucas on the shoulder as he headed for the door. “You’ll get your chance, Lucas. Just not today.” Hale walked out of the house.

  Lucas frowned. “That’s what you keep saying,” he muttered to himself.

  “Lucas,” Dad said quietly. “Keep her out of trouble.” He followed Hale out the door. I watched him leave, shell-shocked. Lucas eyed me. The silence stretched for a long moment.

  “I really thought you knew,” he said. When I didn’t respond, Lucas sighed. “I know it’s hard to accept. When I found out...”

  I spun on Lucas, interrupting. “Do I look stupid? I don’t believe in demons. Just, please, go home. I want to be alone.” I walked toward the stairs, but as I passed him Lucas caught my hand and held it firmly. I tried to pull free but Lucas wouldn’t let me go.