"No," Zander said, looking angry and scared in equal measure. It seemed the kid had some sense in his head after all.
"Tsk, tsk, stop right there," Thompson said, giving Tristen's hair a sharp tug.
Lily's lip curled with fury. He was going to regret doing that, she vowed.
"Like you're going to hurt her," Zander said with a scoff, trying to act all badass again, but Xavier was too good for that.
"I will if I'm forced," the doctor told him, just as Lily expected he would. Xavier was too good for bullshit. With him, you had to go big or go home.
Zander held up his hands and backed up a few steps, obviously realizing the same. Seeing it as the best moment, Lily walked out into the yard and said, "I thought I had killed you already, Xavier."
Xavier's eyes widen at the sight of her, and she swore he almost looked afraid of her. Good, she thought with a smug smirk. Thompson must have realized she'd seen him as he shoved Tristen away from her and ran a hand through his dark hair. He smiled at her as if he didn't have a care in the world. "You nearly did, but alas, obviously you failed," he said smugly.
"How?" Lily demanded, needing to know how he managed to survive, and wave the teens a wave of her fingers to get away while she had Xavier's attention.
They started to get up when Xavier's gaze slid to them. "Run if you like, Tristen. You won't escape me. No one has, not really and if I can't get to you I can always use Philip," he replied.
Philip? Lily wondered then her eyes widened as she remembered. That was Tristen's brother. He was just a kid, like four years younger than Tristen. That was low, so low! Lily growled at him angrily. As expected, Tristen stopped and shook her head.
"What? Tristen, don't listen to him," Zander pleaded, giving her hand a tug
"Tristen, go," Lily demanded, hoping she wouldn't fall into his trap. He'd say anything to get her to stay. "He's not going to touch you or your brother, ever again because tonight I'm going to make sure he dies," she tried to reassure him.
The doctor started to laugh that cold, uncaring laugh of his. "Are you willing to bet the life of your brother on that Tristen?" He asked, then held out his hand. "Come here to me and I swear I won't touch a single hair on his little head."
Damn it, Lily swore, knowing that there was no way the girl would leave him now. Sure enough, she pulled away from Zander. "I'm sorry," Tristen told him as she pulled her hand from his.
"No Tristen," Zander said as he reached for her.
"Good girl," the doctor said, sounding extremely pleased as he pulled her against him once more. James jaw clenched tightly as he watched Xavier cling to the girl like a lifeline. The doctor wasn't an idiot. He had to know Lily would rip him apart as soon as she could get her hands on him and that didn't mean good things for Tristen. He'd never let her go like this.
"How are you still alive, damn it! I killed you," Lily spat, her voice growing deeper and rougher in a sign of her anger. "I cut your ass into pieces, you son of a bitch!"
Xavier gave her a smug grin. "Well obviously not enough," he said with a mocking tone. "And you left before the job was done which allowed Vincent to stabilize me enough until he brought me that bitch, Hazar. You remember her don't you," he sneered.
"You killed Queen Hazar?" Lily said, sounding horrified.
While they never met personally, James knew enough of the vampire queen to not like her. She'd encouraged Lily to go off on her own the first time they were hunting Xavier, and it apparently hadn't gone well for them. However, James knew that Hazar was one of the few Lily trusted and called her friend. Hazar's death would hit her hard, and he was tired of seeing Lily get hit hard.
"It was the only way," Xavier said with nonchalance. "Vincent wasn't strong enough to turn me. Only one of the really old ones could do that. With your blood as the blueprints and all of Hazar's blood at my disposal... well you're not the only hybrid anymore," he finished, winking at her with a smirk.
James jaw dropped as he stared at Xavier. It couldn't be... but it would explain everything. He swore then rested a hand on Lily's shoulder in an attempt to show her his support. Whatever happened now, James would be at her side. She glanced over at him, looking just as scared as she was angry. Xavier wouldn't be easy to deal with now, and they both knew it.
Still looking at James Lily said, "You're not going to get away with this shit any longer, Thompson! Not this time! You may be holding on to Tristen like a lifeboat, but you're surrounded. You can't just run away now!" As she spoke, she turned to face him, and whatever it was on her face it made Vincent quail.
"Doctor, we need to get out of here. They've got one of the elder council with them! We can't let them take us! Come on," Vincent said, taking a few steps towards the woods but stopped when Xavier wasn't following him.
"It's too late to run," Lord Etienne said, coming from the tree line and Vincent took a few more steps towards the trees.
"In that, I do agree," Xavier said, looking downright smug for some reason. "Lord Etienne, it's an honor to finally meet you."
The European vampire gave him a stiff nod as he walked to stand by Lily. "And you, I've heard so much about the lycan who trying so hard to change the natural order of the world," he replied.
Something about the way the vampire said it made James more than a little nervous.
"So I am," Xavier admitted. "You have me trapped, yes, but death need not be the only outcome, Lord Etienne. I've got grand ambitions, ones the lycans don't share with me. They are so blind by their top dog mentality. I know much, and I'm willing to share with the vampires if they keep me alive and without me, no one will understand my research."
"What?" Vincent exclaimed, staring at the doctor with the bitterness of betrayal in his face. "You said we'd take down the old ones, just like we'd take down the alphas! You said we were going to change everything. Why would you deal with them?"
"Because that's who he is," Lily told him snidely. "Thompson always bites the hand that feeds him. You were stupid to trust him!" She narrowed her eyes at the doctor. "There are no deals here Xavier. No one is going to buy into your bullshit anymore. There is only one thing that's going to happen here - your death and this time I'll make sure the job gets done!"
Xavier chuckled again. "I don't think you speak for the vampires in Europe, Lily dear," he replied.
James looked over at Lord Etienne, and he almost groaned at the look on the vampires face. He was considering a deal with Xavier. It couldn't be real. Not after everything! God, he hated vampires!
"I am willing to entertain this," Lord Etienne said, looking thoughtful and ignoring Lily's look of betrayal. "However you must agree to Lily back her sister, and swear that no harm will come to Lily, her sister, or the girl's family ever."
Xavier grinned with triumph. "Done!"
"No, not done," Lily shouted, looking more and angrier. So much so that her face started to shift. "Not, this time, Xavier! You are not weaseling your way out of this again!"
The vampire lord made a soft sigh. "What do you prefer Lily? Your revenge or that your sister is going to live to see the sunrise tomorrow?"
"If you take one step towards me, Lily, I swear I'll break her neck," Xavier said viciously, his hand wrapping around Tristen's throat, causing her to make a fearful whimper as tears filled her eyes. "Then I'll see to it that her brother dies slowly while her parents watch!"
Damn it, James swore silently. He had no doubt that Xavier would do it. There was a mean glint in the man's eyes he'd never seen until today. His changing had made him crueler it seems. Just what we needed, James thought sourly. He glanced over towards Lily, her body stiff with anger and dread chilled him. The look of hate on her face was so intense, James was afraid she might say screw it and go after Xavier anyway.