Page 12 of Haunted Hearts

The wind bit at his face but he didn’t care. He needed to clear his head. Having his mother back in his life was jarring. He wasn’t sure just how to handle this. She’d made such a mess of things before she left, and he’d only just started to feel as if he had hope again. Now, he felt like he was the one who wanted to leave, just so he didn’t have to deal with the rumors that the witch was back. He knew what would follow. Everyone would be calling him a warlock again soon.

Blaze found himself back at the cemetery without realizing where he was headed. The little graveyard was just outside St. Basil’s church. It wasn’t a very large church, but still a good size for the surroundings. It was situated between his home and Lillith’s. It was a place that he and she used to ride to years ago when they were children, pretending they were going there to be wed.

He spotted Huntley riding away from the graveyard and Lillith was on her horse right behind him. They were headed in the direction of Alderwood Castle. Lillith’s home. This made him curious as to why Lillith had returned to her father’s burial place so soon. Blaze followed them but kept just out of sight. He’d been thinking about Lillith and then she suddenly appeared. God’s eyes, he wondered if he’d done this. After all, his mother had just been telling him that he created his own luck, plus other such things.

Blaze rode in silence, watching Lillith’s elegance atop her horse. She sat sidesaddle as was proper of a lady. Her blue gown was covered by a long dark blue cloak that hung over the sides of her horse. With her back straight and her composure elite, she rode with her head held high. She looked straight forward, never even seeing him following in the shadows. Her loose, black hair fell in a soft cascade of waves over her shoulders making him wonder if it still smelled like lilies of the valley or if it was still as soft as silk. He smiled to himself remembering how he used to tease her, telling her she was his little lily flower. She’d never liked the name Lillith, but when he’d called her Lilly it had seemed to please her.

They stopped near the creek. Huntley took the horses to the water to drink while Lillith sat down on a rock and fixed her shoe. Blaze rode up quietly behind her, just meaning to watch from the brush, but she heard him.

“Who goes there?” she blurted out, jumping up with her dagger in hand. Her eyes squinted and she looked directly in his direction. If he wasn’t mistaken, she sounded scared. It was dusk now and at first she didn’t recognize him as he rode forward to make his presence known. But when his raven swooped down from the sky and landed on the pommel of his saddle, she had no doubt as to his identity.

“Ebony?” she said, looking at the raven, calling it by name. Lillith loved animals, and always seemed to have a connection with his pet. Then she stepped backwards and gasped. “Blaze,” she said in a breathy whisper, her big blue eyes opening wide in surprise. Seeing her this close made him realize just how much she’d grown into a woman in the past five years, and just how much he’d missed her. Her body had all the right curves now, although she still held that sparkle of innocence about her. Just hearing her voice again after all this time was music to his ears. It sent a surge of excitement flowing through him.

“Hello, Lilly,” he answered with a nod, sliding off his horse and slowly walking over to meet her.

“What are you doing here? Are you following me?” She took another step backward as if he scared her, stumbling on the rock she’d sat on earlier. Blaze shot forward and grabbed on to her arm, pulling her closer to him to keep her from falling.

For one magical moment he felt like it was five years earlier and that there had never been any trouble between their families at all. He stared deeply into her eyes, able to read all her emotions just like always. As she stared back at him, he felt her caution and realized she still grasped her dagger behind her back. She didn’t trust him. He also read the feeling of despair mixed with a curious nature to be in his arms again.

For a second she almost seemed happy. Then, the scared look returned and her eyes became dark and angry. Lillith lifted her chin high in the air, in an unspoken challenge.

“What do you want?” she demanded to know. Now, her back stiffened and her entire appearance changed. The sparkling innocence and kindness he’d witnessed was gone. In its place was a cold stare from squinted eyes that sent a shiver to replace the warmth of excitement he’d felt a moment ago just from being near her.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, Lilly. You are even more beautiful than when we last parted.”

One eyebrow raised as she perused him from head to foot. He’d almost expected her to return the compliment, but she didn’t. Instead, she spoke to him through clenched teeth.

“I said, what do you want?”

“Why are you out here alone at dusk and without an escort?” His eyes scanned the area, but Huntley was still down at the creek. If he were a bandit, he could have easily robbed her or even abducted her by now.

“I’m not alone. I have Huntley with me.”

“Really,” he said with a chuckle.

Her eyes flashed toward the creek and then back to him. She pulled out of his embrace, making distance between them and yanked the dagger out from behind her back pointing the blade toward him. “I can protect myself,” she told him as the dagger in her hand shook.

“You have an undertaker with you who left you unguarded, but no guards from the castle?” He raised a brow. “I find that curious, sweetheart.”

She waved her dagger closer to him as she answered. “Why would I need guards?”

“For protection, Lilly Bee.”

“Don’t call me that!” Her eyes opened wide again. “My name is Lillith, and you know it.”

“I also know you don’t like being called Lillith, but you adore it when I call you my little Lilly.”

“Stop it. It’s over between us,” she said, sounding like she meant it.

He could have kicked himself for using his pet name for her now. Or at least the Bee part after the Lilly. The girl’s middle name was Beatrice, so he’d made up an endearment for her that she used to love. Now, it only seemed to infuriate her.

“Why did you come back to the graveyard?” he asked.

“Why did you?” came her tart reply. “Did you have something to do with my father’s death?” she asked him bluntly.

This surprised Blaze and his heart dropped. So, it seemed that Milo knew he’d been the one bending over her father’s dead body after all. Damn. He had been hoping that the boy didn’t know.

“Is that what you really think?” he asked her. “That I could kill someone like your father?” He moved closer and she moved farther away.