Chapter 21

Mark lay on his back. Lilith was on her side, facing him.

He started to turn his head toward her and then turned back.

“What are your first words to the known killer beside you in bed?” she asked.

Mark put his head back and ran his hands over his hair.

“Lilith ... Jesus!”

“I’m curious,” she said.

He thought for a moment and then looked at her.

“Was that true, what you told me about Julia?”

“Yes.”

“How did you find her?”

“The same way I found you,” she said. She leaned in close to his ear: “We put trackers in your phones when we snatched you,” she whispered Mark closed his eyes. “So you always knew exactly where we were.”

“You, I did, because you always kept your phone charged. Julia let her phone die. But she charged it up at some point. She was in a motel.”

“And what did you do?”

“I talked to her.”

“Why would she talk to you after what had just happened?”

“Why did you talk to me?”

Mark sat up. “Because you suddenly appeared in my fucking bed!”

“Okay, well I suddenly appeared in her fucking motel room.”

“How did you get in? Wait, why am I even asking that? Through the window.”

“Nope, through the door.”

“Why would she let you in? Did you force the door?”

“No. I brought a secret weapon.”

“And what was that?”

“Flowers and chocolate.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Scout’s honor — that’s how it went down. I handed her the flowers. She was just baffled. She looked at me like I was crazy, and I just walked in and started talking.”

“What did you say?”

“I started by telling her I was sorry. That the way we did it was wrongheaded and unkind. That she was a lovely person and I knew she was upset and should just have waited and talked to her before I did anything else, but that I was feeling rushed. And I reminded her that it had been was too late at that point for her not to complete the conversion, that she’d die and so forth, and it didn’t really matter whether they did it or we did it, and so forth. And then I told her pretty much what I told you about the Elysians and the Dacians, and the myths about Dacia and the traits, and so on.”

“How did she respond?”

“Well, it wasn’t hard to convince her that Charles and Vivian had fed her a pack of lies. The first thing she said when I mentioned their names was ‘those bastards.’ It became clear when we talked further that she couldn’t stand them.”

“I don’t get that but, anyway, what happened after that?”

“I ended up staying the night. At some point, she got sleepy and I put her to bed. When I told her I was leaving, she asked me not to go yet. So, I just sat on the bed beside her and stroked her hair until she fell asleep. Then I stretched out next to her. I had coffee ready for her when she woke up.”

Mark looked at her. “Why should I believe anything you’re telling me?”

“That’s up to you,” Lilith said.

“I want to see her.”

“I can arrange that, but it’s not going to make you very happy.”

“Why not?”

Lilith paused. “I don’t think she wants to see you, at least not now.”

“Why wouldn’t she?”

“Didn’t you have a little interaction after her conversion?”

“Yes,” Mark said, thinking back to that awful scene.

“I don’t think it’s going to be any different now, based on what she’s told me.”

Mark was silent.

“But I’m hardly an objective observer,” Lilith said. “If you want to see her, I’ll set it up.”

He didn’t respond.

“In fact, I want you to see her. Then you can decide for yourself.”

A long moment went by. Then he shook his head.

“It’s not always going to be this way, Mark. She’s still in a troubled mental state. I went through the same thing. But she’ll get better. And then that will be the time.”