Blood from Stone, chapter 14

Chapter 14

Liliana was about to snap. Maverick leapt back, narrowly dodging a kick aimed at his ribs. As he moved to counter, she ducked low and drove forward, striking his midsection with her shoulder and taking them both to the ground in a heap. It drove the breath from his lungs with the sheer force of the impact, but he recovered quickly. He tried to throw her weight off him, but she wrapped her legs around his, gripping with every ounce of strength she could muster and pinning him to the mat. Not content with her victory, Liliana swung for his face with her gloved fists.

Maverick snaked both of his arms around her right, locking his fingers together and pinning her arm to her side. He thrust upward with his hips, tossing her weight up and to the side. She refused to release her grip with her legs, which made it even easier for him to roll their bodies and take the mount position. Liliana attempted to strike out with her elbow, and he knocked it aside with the flat of his palm. He immobilized it under the weight of his forearm. Her free fist swung for his throat and he caught it, both of them panting from exertion as he slammed it to the mat, his irritation growing.

“Liliana,” he said her voice firmly and she looked up into his eyes from a few mere inches away, his the pale blue of a winter sky, hers the darkening grey of thunder clouds heavy with rain. “What the fuck has gotten into you, this morning?”

“I’m fucking irritated, Maverick.”

“No shit. You almost took my head clean off at least three times, and I know I didn’t do shit to deserve that. Not today, at least. So, what’s going on?”

Liliana sighed heavily, turning her head to the side and looking away from him. “I’m pissed that it’s been almost three months and we still don’t have any answers.”

“If I let go of your arms, are you gonna swing at me again, or are we good?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep, cleansing inhalation. “We’re good.”

Releasing his hold on her, he sat back on his heels. “I get that there isn’t much I can do about the lack of progress, but I’m here to listen if you want to vent about it. You don’t need to try to decapitate me, next time.”

She propped herself up on her elbows, looking up at him from a position she’d been in more than a few times when they’d sparred. Sweat glistened on his bare arms, blue eyes bright and clear as they narrowed under her scrutiny. His ever present five o’clock shadow drew her attention with its barely perceptible reddish undertones. Her eyes shifted to his full lower lip, the dusky shade of pink enticing and inviting.

“Eyes up here, juice box. I’m supposed to be looking like I’m about to eat you, not the other way around.”

She pursed her lips and stared at him a moment before responding. “You’re either a perfect gentleman, or you’re not attracted to me in the slightest, are you?”

Maverick grinned a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I suppose it’s about time we had that conversation, huh?”

“You just not into women?”

He laughed and offered her a hand up, pulling her to her feet easily. They sat on a bench together and he handed her a bottle of water. “If it was just a matter of me being gay, I think Dad would have had less of an issue with it.”

Lily drained the entire bottle and crushed it in her fist, the plastic creaking loudly in protest, before twisting the cap back on to keep the hunk of plastic compact. “I take it your father is expecting you lot to carry on his lineage and bolster the numbers of the clan.”

“To say the least. We’re all a huge disappointment in that regard. But me… what I did was on par with spitting right in the face of that lineage. I’m honestly surprised he didn’t have me executed for it.”

She tilted her head to the side as she looked at him, brows raised high. “What the hell could you have done that was such an affront to the Winterbourne name that he’d consider killing you over it?”

Maverick looked down at his interlaced fingers in his lap, tapping the pads of his thumbs together. “I got a vasectomy about a decade ago. And I’m not really attracted to men or women.” He sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, I can acknowledge when someone’s beautiful. I’m not blind. But it just… It doesn’t do anything for me, ya know?”

“So you’re asexual, then.”

He shrugged. “I’d say closer to demisexual. If I had a really strong connection with someone, then maybe? Hasn’t happened yet, but I wouldn’t totally rule it out ever. I just knew I never wanted to put a woman at risk of being a victim, like my mother was.” His voice got quieter. “Every vampire on the planet should be sterilized so no woman has to go through that…”

Liliana settled her hand on top of his, giving his fingers a reassuring squeeze. “I’m glad you’re comfortable enough with me that you could share that, Maverick.” He smiled at her and she grinned crazily in return. “But really… I’m just stoked that you don’t think I’m ugly!” She stood, striking a dramatic pose. “For I am Liliana the Fair, and all men must fall prostrate at my feet and worship my beauty!” She laughed like a cartoon movie villainess for good measure.

Maverick frowned, chucking a balled-up towel at her, smacking her right in the stomach with it. “You are the wackiest juice box in the history of juice boxes, Lily.”

She grabbed both ends of the towel and shook it out, winding it between her fingers. “Keep being smarmy and Liliana the Fair might just have to snap you with this towel.”

He looked at her levelly, humor falling from his expression and his voice dropping with it. “You might be a masochist, but I’m fairly certain you don’t want to die today, Liliana the Fair.”

She dropped the towel back onto the bench like it had burned her. “Your assumption would be correct, sir.” She sighed, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Wanna go grab lunch? I’ve got to go shopping later today to get a dress and all that jazz.”

Maverick stared at her. “The holiday gala, and your media debut with us, is in two weeks and you haven’t gotten your outfit for it yet?”

She winced and scrunched up her face a bit, tapping her fingertips together. “Dunno if you’ve noticed this about me, but I am not a fan of fancy clothes. I have no fashion sense, and I always feel like I’m putting on a costume instead of clothes.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, grabbing his phone off the bench beside him. He dialed a number and spoke into the phone. “Yes. Please send a driver around to the fitness building. Liliana and I need to pick up her attire for the gala.” He listened to their response, said his thanks, and hung up.

She blinked in confusion. “Just like that, we can up and leave? We’re not going to shower or anything first?”

“The places we’ll be shopping, nobody will bat an eye about it. This whole putting on airs bullshit is more important for our reputation than you probably realize.” He led the way to the entrance, and the car pulled up once they arrived at it. He held the door open for her, doing the same with the car.

He politely instructed the driver where they were headed, and they were off. “If I had known you weren’t already prepared for it, I’d have taken you weeks ago just to get some fresh air. I just assumed the others had you set up already.”

Liliana crossed her arms over her chest tightly, rubbing the backs of her arms to warm up. They’d left the gym covered in sweat and she’d barely had time to throw on her hooded sweatshirt. It was the dead of winter and snow covered the ground, the world outside the vehicle muffled and quiet in a way that gave her peace. As they drove past acres of evergreens, their branches heavily laden with copious amounts of snow, she looked for birds she recognized on the boughs.

She tapped Maverick’s arm excitedly when she spotted a flash of red perched upon a pine branch. “Ooh, look! It’s a male cardinal!” She pointed out her window and he leaned across her to look, a smile creasing the corners of his eyes at her happiness.

“I can’t get over how complex you are, Liliana.”

The bloddukke turned her attention away from the window and back to him. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged with a little laugh. “One minute you’re all ‘Fear me, I can kill a man twenty ways with just this thumb!’ And the next you’re fawning over a cute little red bird that sings a pretty song.”

“I like to think I’m not one dimensional. If I was, I’d probably just be the unstoppable badass type. But you lot knock me down a peg any time I get too cocky. Keeps me honest. Keeps me always trying to improve.” She smiled a little, her hands swallowed in the vastness of her oversized hoody as she rested her chin on one of them. “It’s refreshing to have room to grow, but not to be expected to accelerate so rapidly that you don’t have time to enjoy the journey. …if that makes sense.”

Maverick zipped up the front of his grey sweatshirt, leaning closer to her to siphon some heat from her as the car was still trying valiantly to warm up against the sub-zero temperatures just outside. “It makes perfect sense to me. It sounds a lot like my struggles between Rick and… Between the parts of myself. You didn’t try to make that protective part of me, occasionally murderous though it may be, disappear. You didn’t expect me to just ignore what I’ve been through, or how it affected me.”

He settled his hand on her knee, giving it an affectionate squeeze. “You were the first person in what felt like a lifetime to treat me like a whole person, Liliana. I know I’m not totally where I want to be yet, but I’m a hell of a lot closer because of you.”

She shook her arm to allow her hand to emerge from the warm depths of her sleeve, offering it to him palm up. He laced his fingers with hers, thankfully soaking up her warmth through his chilly palm. “Thank you, Liliana the Fair.”

Her eyes softened at the sincerity in his confession. “You won’t be thanking me after seeing how much of a nightmare I am to shop with. So don’t count your chicks before they’re hatched, Maverick.”

He snorted and rolled his eyes. “You can’t be any worse than trying to get Jaxon fitted. Trust me.”

“Oho? Do tell!”

They’d swapped stories for the lengthy drive from the secluded estate into the hustle and bustle of the city. Aside from the compound and the high school she’d attended, Liliana had never really been anywhere with this much activity. People, vehicles, shops, street performers, shoppers milling about everywhere. It was honestly a bit overwhelming for her.

The driver had dropped them at the entrance to a high-end department store. Liliana stared across the vast expanse of space filled with racks and racks of clothing. “Good lord… I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“Lucky for you, there’s a solution for that. It’s called asking for help.” With that, he motioned to a sales associate nearby, who scurried over to assist them.

“Mister Winterbourne! So good to see you again. How can I help you, today?” She was cheery in a way that was infectious.

Maverick smiled brightly at her. He must have always been on Mav’s best behavior in public for a clerk to greet him so fondly, without even a dash of fear. Or maybe she, and the rest of his brothers, had completely misunderstood the part of his personality they referred to as Rick.

“And you, as well. I’m doing alright. My lady friend here needs a gown for this big holiday thing we’ve got coming up. Preferably some shoes to go with it, but a pair of shoes that can go with more than just one outfit. And maybe a handbag. But we’ll see.”

The clerk turned to her, ecstatic to be of service. “Come with me, miss! We’ll get you measured and see what we can find for you.” She glanced back at Maverick briefly, who’d taken a seat in one of the plush armchairs outside the fitting rooms. “Any color preferences, Mister Winterbourne?”

He shrugged broad shoulders, accentuated by his hands stuffed into his pockets. “It is a holiday event, but the color choice is really up to her. Whatever resonates with the lady will be fine.”

She nodded and let Liliana inside, having her step into a small room that was surrounded by mirrors. She took off her sweatshirt and set it on the square vegan leather stool off to the side. The associate took her measurements with surprising efficiency, not making any comments about her state of uncleanliness or her musculature.

“Do you have any color preferences, miss?”

“You can call me Lily. And I’m partial to black, red, and blue.”

The clerk nodded. “Light or dark blue, Lily?”

“Dark blue. More like a sapphire than a robin’s egg blue.”

“Hmm. Give me a few minutes. I think I know of a few things that might work for you.”

Liliana waited patiently, taking a seat on the stool and removing her shoes. When the clerk knocked on the fitting room door a few minutes later, Liliana was surprised to see that she’d brought ten different dresses for her to try on. The hues were primarily red and black, but there were also a few in the shade of blue she’d asked for.

“Most of these are pretty easy to get in to, or out of.” She tilted her head toward where Maverick waited outside and gave the bloddukke a wink. Liliana couldn’t help but laugh at the irony. “But if you need any help, or a different size, or a certain style in another color, just holler for me. My name’s Jody, by the way.”

Liliana couldn’t help smiling at the other woman’s cheery disposition. “Sure thing, Jody. And thanks!”

“You bet!”

She left and Lily resisted the urge to jump to the red dresses. She’d go through them and try them on in the order they were on the hooks. Otherwise, she knew she wouldn’t even give the other gowns a fighting chance.

The first dress was a bit tacky, but she put it on anyway. She stepped out of the fitting room and wiggled her eyebrows at Maverick, and he looked up at her from under the hood of his grey sweatshirt. He snickered at the knee length black bodycon dress with a large white bow in the center of the chest.

“Allow me to grace you with the words of my brothers, since they’re not here.” He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees and giving her a come-hither nod. “‘Hey, baby. You want me to unwrap that with my teeth for you? I’ve got a package for you, right here.’”

Liliana clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from squealing with laughter. “Holy shit,” she chuckled. “Good to know we’re in agreement that this one is a no. Next!”

Dress number two was an off the shoulder sapphire blue number that she liked, but there was something about it that seemed a bit too juvenile to her. The skirt was full and hit her mid-shin. Maverick shook his head. “I like that color on you, but that looks like a prom dress. And not in a good way.”

“That’s what I couldn’t pinpoint about it.”

“Yep. You look like jailbait. So nope.”

“Agreed. Next!”

Dresses three and four were similar enough that Liliana had to double check she hadn’t accidentally put the same dress on twice. Both were black chiffon, draping beautifully on her. They struck her as more of a summertime little black dress than something classy to wear to a big media circus.

Dress five was another blue, but immensely more modest. It had sheer sleeves that buttoned at her wrists, the shift style of it fitting her comfortably. It nearly dragged the floor in back.

Maverick shook his head when she emerged in it. “That looks like a robe you’d put on after you got out of a long bubble bath, which you stayed in so long that you read an entire romance novel. Nuh uh.”

She sighed, letting her head drop back and she looked up at the ceiling, feeling defeated and praying for a miracle. “Are you sure I have to get dressed up for this thing? This is exactly why I’ve put this off so long, you know.”

“Yes. You’re not going to a holiday gala dressed like combat fucking Barbie when all the rest of us will be in suits. You get to suffer right along with us, Lily.”

“Ugh… Fine.” She shut the fitting room door behind her, popping her head back out briefly to ask, “Can we get something to eat once I find one that works? We never did get lunch.”

Maverick nodded. “I’m starting to get hungry, too. So, hurry up with the rest of the fashion show.”

“Got it!”

The next dress on the rack was surprisingly heavy when she lifted it. It was a rich, deep garnet red, and there was a lot of extra fabric held up on the hanger. “Hmm…” She unclipped it and the full length unfurled to meet the floor. “Oh!”

She stepped into it, sliding the zipper up in the back. Gazing at the full view in the mirrors around her, she couldn’t resist a smile. Looping the elastic from the bottom of the skirt over her wrist, she walked out of the fitting room and stood before Maverick. Her stomach was full of butterflies, and she wasn’t quite sure why.

Liliana folded her hands together over her stomach, fingertips tapping against the light-weight corset that forced her posture to be flawless. Maverick whistled softly, the look in his eyes giving her all the answer she needed. From the waist down, the entirety of the satin gown was covered in layers of diaphanous red sheer fabric. The same light mesh wrapped around her upper arms. The loop around her wrist was attached to a lengthy train that would trail behind her for photographs.

“I’d say this is the one, huh? Give us a twirl, doll.” She spun in a slow circle, the fabric swishing and crinkling in a satisfying way. “You’re the one that’s gotta wear it, not me. What do you think?”

“I’m not much of a girly girl, but… I fucking love it!” She reached under her arm to grab the tag.

Maverick moved with inhuman speed, yanking the tag free and concealing it in his hand. “Nope. You just admitted to enjoying something feminine. I’ll be damned if I let you ruin your joy by worrying about the price of this thing. This thing that you wouldn’t even need in the first place, if we didn’t have to drag you into the spotlight with us.”

“But..!”

He took her hand in his, pressing a tender kiss to her perpetually bruised knuckles. Maverick looked down into her eyes, one eye blue and one eye brown in a way that was becoming more and more common for him. “Let me take care of this for you, Lily. Please. Because you deserve to smile.”

His sincerity broke something inside of her, but in the best of ways. She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. She threw her arms around him suddenly, crushing her face into his neck and shoulder so he couldn’t see her expression. “Asshole,” she murmured.

A warm chuckle rumbled his chest against her, the sensation rolling shivers down her spine, and he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Love you too, Juice Box.”

Liliana's heart skipped a beat. She felt like someone was squeezing her chest, as if her ribcage was gradually collapsing inward, crushing everything inside of it, her heart racing as though trying to escape her to survive the inevitable. Her fist tightened around a handful of the back of his sweatshirt. "You really mean that, don't you?" she asked, her words tight, reedy.

Maverick stroked her hair, stepping back from her just enough to make eye contact. "You and I both know the answer to that question, Liliana."

She gazed up into his eyes, silent for a moment as she tried to find the words that hid just behind her tongue. Instead, she covered by commenting on his eyes being dichromatic again. Maverick smirked, one corner of his lips turning upward ever so slightly. "What can I say? I'd kill for you in a heartbeat, Lily. But I don't want to kill you. I want to be the sincere gentleness that I think you need. That I know you appreciate. I can crush a skull with my bare hands, but still hold you close with those same hands--with these same hands," he cradled her face in his rough, calloused fingers. "And not transfer an ounce of that pain to you.  I love your smile. I love your goofy laugh when you drop a pun that's so horrible it makes me want to roll my eyes and groan from the agony. I love you when you're hurting and you think nobody else knows. When the things that have been done to you cast storm clouds in those pretty grey eyes of yours, and all I want to do is chase the clouds away so the sun can shine in them again. Your smile can light up a whole room, Lily, even when the darkness in my own mind gets so heavy that I don't feel like I can bear the weight of it anymore."

Liliana gnawed the corner of her lower lip, a single tear sliding down her cheek. After everything that had been going on with Draven, she wasn't sure how to respond at first. She wrapped her hands around his wrists, hands trembling as she closed her eyes. "I want to punch you and kiss you all at the same time," her voice was a bit firmer.

"You've been punching me all morning. A kiss would be a welcome change."

Liliana laughed. "Pussy," she said with a grin.

He pulled her close again, peppering her neck with playful kisses, his stubble scratching against her skin. Liliana squirmed and squealed with laughter from the dual sensation of his soft lips and the roughness of his stubble. "At least one of us knows how to be soft, you fucking gremlin."

"Maybe when I get as ancient as you, I'll learn that too, old-timer." She softened the blow of her words by giving him the very thing he'd asked for. Lily pressed her lips to Maverick's, her pulse pounding with nervousness as she did so.

He didn't push for anything more than that, resting his forehead against hers before gazing down into her eyes once more. "That's what I thought."

"Shut up!" she shrilled, her cheeks burning crimson.

"Come on, Juice Box. Get outta that thing so we can grab you some shoes and go get lunch." His soft smile spoke volumes.

"You had me at food!" She popped back into the fitting room to put her workout clothes back on.

Finding shoes was a much easier endeavor. She settled for a pair of plain black boots with a low heel, all the hardware a brilliant silver. Something that looked dressy but was still comfortable enough that she was sure she could kick some ass in them. She grabbed a plain black purse just big enough for a wallet, her phone, and some lip balm. The purse had a long strap so she could wear it across her body and free up her hands, if needed.

"You're just all about that tactical life, huh?" Maverick asked with a knowing smirk.

"You said I can't go as combat Barbie, so this is my compromise. I'd rather wear cargo pants with enough pockets to have ten weapons on me. But... here we are. Sacrificing safety for fashion."

"No amount of knives could make you as safe as you will be with the seven of us around you at this thing, Lily. I promise."

They ordered lunch and sat in the food court, the bustle of regular human activity around them both unsettling and comforting to her. She hadn't been around a large group of people in what felt like forever. She couldn't decide if it made her more on edge, or more at ease to not be the only human in the room.

"Confession time?" Liliana asked, dragging a curly fry through some molten liquid cheese before stuffing it in her mouth.

"Sure, Juice Box. Hit me with it."

"Aww. Thought you had enough of me hitting you earlier this morning." He gave her a look that shut down any further snark she might have had for him.

“You’re stalling,” Maverick said, tipping his container of fries into his open mouth and tapping the bottom to get the last crunchy dregs from it.

Taking a long slurp of her chocolate milkshake, eyes cast down at the table, Lily said quietly, "I'm nervous about this gala thing."

Maverick was about to say something sarcastic, but he looked up from his food, seeing the pinched look between her eyes. Her anxiety was almost palpable. His tone was gentler than he expected, and he leaned forward, steepling his fingers together under his chin. “What part of it are you nervous about? I get the impression that your physical safety, and ours, isn’t what’s got you all twisted up inside. Talk to me, Goose.”

“Top Gun jokes now, huh? Think you can get away with that just because of your name?” She stuck her tongue out, then sighed heavily, resting her cheek on her fist and swirling her straw in her milkshake with the other hand.

“I just… High society functions are something I know nothing about. I don’t know how to navigate them. I never studied for this, I never planned on having to do this. I was expecting to be on guard duty and being a walking snack machine. My wardrobe, wherein I only have maybe two shirts that have necks and sleeves should be evidence of that.

“Having to get all fancied up and parade around for a bunch of cameras and media vultures… I’m afraid I’m going to do say or do something that’s going to damage the reputation of the Winterbourne clan.”

Maverick covered her hand with his, the warmth still a strange but welcome comfort. “Other vampires hate us anyway. You’ll actually get to meet the other two American clans, and maybe a few from Europe, at this thing. Humans tend to treat us like rockstars, or like the Kardashians.” He sighed, giving her hand a squeeze. “You are not required to talk to any paparazzi or any news people. You don’t even need to respond to any questions they fling your way with a ‘no comment’. You’ll be with us. Ignore them or answer them, if you’re comfortable. It’s up to you.”

She smiled and he continued. “Besides, I know you’re gonna be uncomfortable as fuck in that dress and heels, even though you look amazing in them. Why would we want to ramp up your discomfort?”

“Cortisol taints the blood, right?”

Maverick snorted. “It does, but since none of us get to feed on you naturally, there’s always a sour twinge to it anyway. Because you’re not a fan of needles, and understandably so.”

“Wait… what?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Maverick sighed, crushing the empty fry box and tossing it into the bag. “You do know that if you were just food to us, we wouldn’t give a good God damn about how much it hurts you when we bite you, right?” She nodded. “But you’re still mentally hung up on the things that were done to you growing up, so even when the truth is slapping you in the face, you have a hard time seeing it.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles again. “I’m not going to try to force you to see reason, but I will say this, Liliana. When you’re ready to trust us enough to fall, we’ll be ready and waiting with open arms.”