"they must already be here!" lilith cried and began to run off towards the chaos.

"stop!" cinnamon howled.

"what?" lilith asked.

"we need a weapon! take the guard's gun! then we have to find marcus!" cinnamon whined.

"the gun is a good idea," lilith said.

she retrieved the gun and placed it in the pocket of her skirt.

"where do you think they're at?" she asked.

"somewhere inside?" cinnamon suggested.

"we're right here," ginger called from behind them, "i knocked the fuck out of the guard! he thought he was going to have his way with me!"

"come on, let's go find them," she said.

lilith felt better now that she had a human companion with her. ginger was a witch and hopefully she was armed with spells that would knock a werewolf on its ass.

smoke filled lilith's nostrils, making it hard to breath.

chapter 10: lance

lance wasn't surprised to find that simon only offered to help them, because he wanted his father out of the way. it seemed that hunter's son had big ambitions that included being alpha of the lingston pack. simon claimed it was to ensure a peaceful life for his children, but lance wasn't quite sure that he believed him. he had plenty of time to think it over on the four hour drive back to the lingston estate. he weighed the evidence and it seemed possible, but old habits die hard and lance and simon were old enemies. lily would have never died if simon hadn't been so desperate to have her for his own.

even with his doubts lance couldn't deny that simon's help was proving to be useful. he had gathered more supporters than lance had thought possible, but then again he guessed no one liked hunter. the werewolves knew the estate well and were skilled assassins. neither richard nor himself had to raise a hand against the enemy thus far. usually, lance wouldn't mind keeping his hands clean, but he wanted in on some of the action himself.

"you're not here to kill them," lance reminded himself silently, "you're here to save lily."

"where in the hell are they?" lance demanded.

"i don't know!" simon snapped, "we'll find them! i'm a little busy at the moment."

lance knew that it was unfair to demand answers from a man that was fighting two opponents, but he never had much sympathy for simon. it wouldn't matter to lance if both hunter and simon were killed in the chaos.

a deathly silence fell upon the battle when hunter walked into the mass of fighters. all eyes were on the male alpha. uncertainty clung to the air and made lance's breath catch in his throat.

"enough!" hunter howled.

"i agree, father!" simon growled, "we've had enough of your feuding and warring! we have children that we want to see grow up! i won't lose another child to your mindless bloodshed! we are wolves! we hunt for food, not for sport. you're just as bad as the mortals you claim to hate!"

howls filled the air. some of them sounded angry, but others seemed to be cheering simon on.

"if it is a fight you want, simon, i fear it will be your last," hunter growled, "i'm tired of your childish petty games!"

"then so be it," simon growled.

the brothers retreated into the crowd as the two men shifted into wolves. to lance's surprise simon was nearly as large as his father. he watched intently as they circled one another growling. hunter struck first tackling simon to the ground.

"let's find the girls and get out of here," richard hissed in his ear, "if this ends badly and hunter lives, i don't want to be around."

lance watched as simon struggled under hunter's weight. it seemed that he was in over his head, but then suddenly flipped the older wolf onto his back. howls rose in the air rooting the fighters on.

"let's go, lance!" richard shouted.

"not yet, not yet!" lance shook his head, "i don't want to miss this!"

hunter growled and tried to kick at simon with his back feet, but the younger wolf didn't budge. each bit at the others muzzle, until finally simon seized an opportunity. his jaw landed just right against hunter's knocking out the wolf's canine tooth. simon's teeth locked around hunter's throat and ripped out the flesh. blood gushed through the air, spraying the crowd of onlookers.

"go!" richard said and shoved his brother away from the crowd, "this damn this is about to get even bloodier! let them fight it out!"

"lance!" lilith's voice reached his ears.

lance's heart skipped a beat! could that really be lilith or was he hearing things? did the werewolves have witches trying to enchant him? he turned on his heels and raced through the crowd. the opposing sects of the pack were already beginning to fight, but lance just pushed the werewolves out of his way. they would never again stand between him and his mate again!

when he finally reached lilith he pulled her into a deep passionate kiss. their tongues danced together as they clung to one another. lance held her so close that he could feel every curve of lilith's body pressing against his.

"lance, i thought i'd never see you again!" she sobbed.

"i love you, lily! i love you!" he shouted over the fighting.

"don't you ever lie to me again!" she said pulling away from him, "we all could have died!"

"but we didn't!" lance grinned.

"come on, lovebirds," richard said, "we need to get out of here. this is their business, not ours, and i can't stand the smell of wet dog any longer!"

chapter 11: lilith

lilith couldn't stop crying for most of the drive to the motel. heavy sobs shook her body and stained lance's shirt with tears. she was so relieved to be alive and away from the lingstons, that she couldn't put the emotion into words. the group had decided against driving back to ginger's house tonight, and from what she heard about the attack lilith was grateful for that. she didn't think she could handle seeing a house full of dead bodies. it might have been selfish, but lilith was glad she had been asleep when the attack happened. that way she didn't have to relive the scenes of the murders again and again.

there was only one place in town that allowed pets, so they didn't have much to choose. fortunately, the motel was a nice one that offered room service. the group ate dinner in silence, but lilith didn't have much of an appetite. lilith noticed that even cinnamon was nosing at her steak more than she was eating it.

lilith's body ached from the events of the day, but she wasn't ready to sleep. she feared that her dreams would be hellish nightmares and she wasn't quite ready to face them. instead she opted to join lance in the shower. since their reunion she hadn't let the vampire out of her sight. lilith worried that the moment she did, he'd go off on another suicide mission. he hadn't invited her to join him, but lilith knew he wouldn't mind.

since waking from the ceremony lilith didn't doubt that reincarnation was real or that she had indeed been married to lance in her previous life. although she may have been different back then, she was still the same in many ways. her gift had followed her from one life to the next and she still had fallen for lance. she was still unsure about her career possibilities, but lilith was just happy to be alive and with lance. she was never going to let him go again!

lance wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. he leaned in to kiss her neck, but she squirmed away,

"uh-huh!" she teased and pulled away.

lance looked confused, but then he laughed too.

"don't you laugh," lilith mocked, "you're the one who lied to me. you broke your promise!"

"i had to, lily," lance frowned, "i had to make sure you were going to be safe. i had to secure our future."

"and while you were gone i was kidnapped!" lilith said.

"i'm sorry, lily," he said pulling her close to him.

"don't do it again," lilith said.

"i'm sorry," lance frowned.

"i'm teasing you, lance," lilith said, "i've seen a lot while i was asleep, too much, maybe, or at least more than i would have liked to see. i know why you had to go. i understand and i forgive you."

"thank you," he said and kissed the top of her head.

she rested her head against his chest for a moment and took a deep breath. lilith wasn't actually angry with lance. she understood why he felt he had to go after hunter, and she had to admit now that he was out of the picture, she did feel safer.

lilith was exhausted, but she needed to relax and forget about the events of the past few days. she looked up into lance's green eyes and grinned. lilith sank her teeth into his nipple and he jerked away shocked.

"you're not the only one who can't bite," she teased.

"i can bite harder!" lance grinned.

"you wouldn't dare!" she laughed.

"yes, i would," he said pulling her close to him.

lilith drew in a sharp breath as lance's fingers captured her clit and began to massage it. she felt herself rapidly becoming wet, but she bit his nipple again. this time she didn't bite him as hard, but captured it in her mouth and flicked her tongue back and forth over its tip.

lance moaned and twisted her clit gently. lilith drew in a sharp breath and released his nipple. her mouth met his and their tongues danced together. lilith sank down to her knees, pulling him with her.

"make me forget any of this ever happened," she said looking into his eyes.

he renewed the kiss and lilith allowed herself to relax under his touch. his hands trailed over her body and his fingers probed her sex and massaged her g-spot. lilith clung to him, reveling in the pleasure that was shooting through out her body.

"drink from me," she whispered.

lance's fangs sank into her shoulder and lilith drew in a sharp breath. even though she was expecting it, the bite still stung. she arched her body towards him and moaned as her perky nipples brushed against his chest. lance's hands cupped her breasts and held them as he drank from her. pain and pleasure mingled freeing lilith from thoughts of the past and fears of the future. she sank into lance and allowed him to clear her mind and free her heart.