CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
On the other side of the country, a woman who looked to be in her mid forties with beautiful Russet colored hair and gunmetal blue eyes, sold flowers to her customers.
There was a beautiful smile on her face that was warm and welcoming. But as soon as the customers left the smile on her face fell as it was replaced with a frown.
Lilith had a sickening feeling at the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong and she could feel it. Closing up shop earlier than usual, she picked up a small box wrapped in colorful papers and a ribbon on top of it, Lilith decided to go home for the day.
The worry in her heart only intensified as none of her calls nor texts where being returned back by Leah, which was unusual.
"Leah darling…please call me back the moment you get this message…" Lilith left yet another voice note for her as she hurried down from the cab that brought her home and as usual, there was no response.
"damn it…" she cussed as she fumbled to unlock the front door.
"Lilith?" a voice called her from behind, making her heart hitch. She turned around and her heart calmed down seeing the familiar face.
"xerxes? What are you doing here…" she was quick to pick up on the subtle frown and worry on his face. This was enough to trigger her further, what was even stranger was the fact that he was alone.
"…Leah…she…" he started, but found it difficult to bring the words out of his mouth.
Actually, now that he's seeing her, he didn't know where to start from. Not too long ago, he had given her his words on keeping Leah safe and now…here he was, running back to her with such shameful news.
"Xerxes, where's Leah…" Lilith had her suspicions, but she hoped they were false and xerxes was here for a different matter. Deciding the matter might be a little more serious because of the dire look on his face; she invited him into the house and shut the door behind them.
As if sensing his presence in the house, the house cat named storm ambushed him. She made herself comfortable in his arms.
"Tell me…" Lilith urged him to speak as her eyes briefly glanced over at the cat and then back at the boy who sat across her.
"…she…they took her…" said xerxes, his fist clenched tight on either sides of his body, his body quivered from the amount of anger that coursed through his veins. He could barely look Lilith in the eye, as the moment of Leah being taken away from them replayed in his head.
"what…?" Lilith was stunned beyond belief. The gift she held in her hand slipped and fell to the ground and the lid popped open, xerxes was able to take a peek at what was inside.
He felt a knot tighten up in his throat and his heart hitched. It was two tickets to Leah's favorite band
But that couldn't be! She didn't get any information from her informants about them making a move on Leah.
"are you sure?" Lilith had a deep frown on her face as she crushed the tickets in her grasp. She was mad, for the very first time in three years she could feel the bloodlust rise within her, but she needed to be certain of his words.
"yes!! we were all together when the S ranked villains stormed the school grounds…they, they took her…not just her! Charlie too…everything was perfectly fine, we even threw her a party to celebrate her birthday…but…" xerxes explained everything that happened that day. Even then, he felt guilty and it was written plainly on his face. "I'm sorry…I watched them take her and…I couldn't do anything to stop it…" he apologized; his shoulders slightly slouched in disappointment.
The lack of response from Lilith only made him feel that guiltier. This was something she hadn't expected; she was furious and wanted to burst through the doors of Darius and dig his face deep into the ground with her foot while draining the blood from his system and use it to repaint her rose petals. But that was irrational thinking, she would need to come up with a plan first…
"don't be…we both knew sooner or later he would come for her…but I never imagined he would send the S ranked to come after her and that would explain why I didn't get anything from my informant…you know, Leah begged me to get her these tickets, I wanted it to be a surprise for her" Lilith placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, pondering over his words.
Xerxes relaxed his shoulders a bit as he listened to her words, but not just that, he was also impressed at how calm she still managed to remain, even if she did lose her cool for a moment; she still managed to find a leveled ground.
At least, that's how she looked on the surface, deep down she was a wreck. Leah was her only child…Darius couldn't have her, she wouldn't let him.
"I'll get her back…I promise, your friend too…I'll get both of them back…" Lilith reassured him as she retrieved her hand back to her side.
The problem here was how exactly she was going to pull something like that off. The estate had tripled its security and not to mention the fact that all the Lamont children have already been brainwashed by him to be cold blooded killing machine who he had total control over to do his bidding.
"That's why I came…let's team up and get them back…" xerxes suggested, but Lilith was both appalled and skeptical by his request.
"No…I couldn't possibly drag you into this mess…you're still a child…"
"So is Leah…but that didn't change the fact that she was snatched right under our noses…" there was a deep crease in his brows as he spoke. He continued.
"…I won't be able to live with myself if I don't do this. I made a promise to keep her safe and that's what I intend to do…please don't turn me down again and even if you did…I still won't leave…and if you say no, I'll go find her myself" his resolves was as strong as ever, the determination burned bright and fierce in those crimson red eyes of his. The boy was brash and stubborn and it reminded her of her younger self.
"…still…it won't be easy, are you certain you can do this…I can grant you a certain amount of cover but I can't also promise you the entirety of your safety…"
"I won't be the one needing protection…"
There was a sinister glow in his eyes as he said that, the atmosphere around him turned cold, sending slight shivers down Lilith's spine. Who exactly was this kid, there was something about him that she couldn't quite figure, but the raw power and bloodlust he transmitted was something off the charts.
The boy was a stubborn one and it was clear as the night sky that there was nothing she would say that could possibly change his mind.
"fine…but even then, it's a big operation for just two people to carry out…" she maintained a cool font as she expressed her worries.
"it'll be fine…." Xerxes declared in confidence. He had never lost a battle, not a single one and he sure wasn't about to start now by shying away from villains just because they were S classed.
-ding-dong- the door bell suddenly sounded, drawing the two's attention towards the front door.
"were you expecting anyone??..." xerxes asked, his brows creased lightly.
Lilith was about to ask him the same question as well…looked like someone had come uninvited to her home.
Sensing the tension, storm found her way up xerxes shoulder and curled her fluffy salt and pepper body around his neck.
"wait here…" she murmured underneath her breath as she got up and made her way to the door, she pulled her floral dress up to her thigh and took out a silver lined blade which was saddled in the holster in case of an emergency.
Xerxes activated his powers and moved to a blind spot in case it was a threat and needed to give her cover.
The doorbell continued to ding followed by a couple of voices Lilith didn't recognize, they sounded unsure as they whispered amongst themselves.
"are you certain this is the house?" a male voice asked from the other side…
"off course im sure…" another voice replied to the first, a bit nervous.
Her movements were careful and light as a feather, the moment she pulled the door open, the tip of the knife was only a few inches away from the persons neck.
But they weren't villains, these were students from P.S.A from the looks of their uniforms, even then, she still didn't pull the knife back.