Vendetta | Kai Parker

Chapter 27

Lily seemed more comfortable with this new topic.

"It was October 31st, 1903," she said, reaching for a jar under the table, which had blood inside of it, and a small dropper on the lid. "I had just arrived in New York Harbor. The night sky was alive with this beautiful shimmering light. And, out of nowhere, a coven of witches attacked. When I woke, they were gone. Everyone was gone." She laughed nervously. "That night, the sky danced with colors again, and it's done so every night since."

"It's called 'prison,'" Damon cut in. "You must have pissed off a lot of people."

Lily was clearly uncomfortable. "That seems like forever ago."

Damon obviously had no inclinations to hear her side of the story anymore. He gestured to the jar of blood. "You on a diet?"

"Damon," said Stefan, giving him a hard look.

Lily seemed alright with answering this. "I depleted every slaughterhouse within walking distance, and every butcher's shop along the hellish trek from New York to Mystic Falls. This is the last of the blood here. Two drops a week, just to stay awake."

"That sounds awful," said Stefan gently.

"I manage," said Lily with a smile. "I heard you boys turned during the war." She started to sip her tea. "Your father must have been horrified."

"He was," said Damon. "And then, Stefan ripped his throat out."

"Damon!" hissed Stefan.

Lily apparently found this amusing, and giggled, which caused her to spit out her tea. "I apologize— it's cruel to laugh. But... good for you, Stefan. I truly hated that man."

"Oh, we know you did," said Damon coldly. "So much so that you left your kids with him, faked your own death, and went out to join the Ripper Coalition."

"Damon," said Bonnie more sternly. "Maybe now's not the time to be having this conversation."

Lily must have been thinking the same thing. "It's nice to see that you've grown into yourself, Damon," she said with a tight smile. "And look at you, Stefan. You two look more like brothers now that you're older."

"I have a question," said Stefan, biting his lip. "Did you... did you come to see us? After you turned? I have a vision from the night of your funeral... you appeared like an angel, promising me that everything was going to be okay."

Lily had a pained look in her eyes. "I had just turned and... I wanted to see my boys. But, when I leaned down to whisper in your ear, the hunger surged. All I could hear was the pulse in your veins, and all I could smell was the blood. So, I fled. For your sake. I was so new to the bloodlust, I was afraid I would hurt you and your brother. You weren't imagining it, Stefan."

"Why didn't you ever come back?" asked Stefan.

"Shame. Guilt. By the time I actually had my appetite under control, I was already in here."

"Well," said Damon, clapping his hands, not even touching his tea, despite everyone else at least taking a few sips. "Pack your bags. We're getting out of here."

"Aren't you going to introduce me to the others?" asked Lily. "I'm not quite sure my companions and I can trust this many unfamiliar people."

"We're not leaving right away," noted Stefan. "One of our other friends, Elena, is running an errand in here. She probably won't be back til tomorrow. It gives you all time to gather whatever you need." He gestured to the couch. "Well, that's Tyler, and that's Bonnie, the Bennett witch who's gonna let us out. Next to her is Vivianna, and that's Kai, from the Gemini Coven."