Chapter 8

Disclaimer: read prologue

Barry. The fashion designer. The one who controlled the Light. The original, at least that's what Lily believed so far. She was relieved to see that he wasn't a part of them. He looked genuinely concerned for her well being. He couldn't stop staring at the injuries, mostly her face. Did she really look that bad?

"Sweetie, I am so - so sorry this happened to a pretty girl like you." He reached out for her hair, which she instinctively whipped back against the chair. Barry's face tensed, but his eyes slacked with sadness. He couldn't really blame her for seeing them as one monster.

"You're the guy who is supposed to control those personalities," Lily assumed, keeping a safe distance.

Barry nodded. His eyes closed in defeat and admission.

"I am..." he whispered. "I was. I made sure that Dennis and Patricia were out of harm's way. I was careful, until..."

"You didn't expect a boy like Hedwig stealing it," Lily hissed the word. She wanted to be angry. Why not the man who was supposed to be careful? Someone, who let Hedwig steal the special power. She wanted to scream and cry but didn't have the energy to do so. She was the captive, after all.

"I knew him to be clever, but I never thought him to be aligned with the Horde."

Lily would believe it. Children can be easily influenced by grown-ups. How else did Lily believe in Santa Clause until seventh grade? Teenagers were just as naive. She remembered hanging out with Claire, Marcia, and Becca from Chemistry class. They were chatting in the cafeteria at the King Prussia Mall. Right when they were discussing boys to take for homecoming, a stranger approached them with a camera, claiming to be a model agent. Claire and Lily knew this guy was a creepy, especially when he snapped a photo at them without consent. Marcia was flattered, answering questions while posing with Beca who was just as hesitant as the blondes. To think, people used to make stereotypical comments of blondes being dumb. The butterflies fluttered when the creep asked to take more photos at his apartment. Luckily, a gay couple overheard the conversation and stopped Marcia from saying anything else stupid. They threatened to call the police, scaring the 'agent' away. To think that they were close to getting kidnapped two years ago. The Lord spared them that day. Why didn't He spare them from this scenario?

Back to reality, the name questioned Lily. The Horde? Was that they were called? Crazy personalities joined together to kidnap teenagers and feed them to a beast?

"You must believe us," he pleaded. Out of his mind, he reached out to her again, placing a hand on her shoulder. This time she didn't retract. He was caressing her cheek in a gentle manner. Same way Benny used to touch her. This was simply out of comfort, not love. Benny loved Lily, not Barry or even Dennis.

"We are not bad. We never wanted this. Me and the others."

Lily still couldn't grasp the fact that there were twenty-three identities in that single body. Her stomach curled, wanting to puke out the paprika sandwiches. She covered her mouth to suppress the impulse.

"Listen." He forced her to look at him by grasping her head. "We don't have a lot of time. I have to warn her - we need to warn her."

"Who?" she asked.

"Dr. Fletcher. She is our therapist. She believed in us. She knows us. We have to tell her what happened."

Barry reached into his pocket for a cellphone - his Blackberry. Lily watched between the phone and his face. He was pressing buttons, while his facial muscles tensed. No doubt he was mentally battling for control.

"I have to... email her... Again."

"Again?" Lily questioned out loud. Did he try this during their captivity? If he did, why hadn't the police showed up?

He snapped his phone shut, slamming it on the desk. Lily instinctively jumped at the sudden bang.

"Why is the signal down here horrendous..." His eyes widened, looking at the shelves coat rack in deep thought. Lily waited for him to respond. Was he losing control? Was Dennis fighting back? Or was it Hedwig? Or Miss Patricia? The last thought sent shivers down her spine.

"Barry?"

He turned his head to face Lily. The girl held her breath, waiting for him to speak.

"D-Dennis?"

The man quickly shushed her and placed a single finger against her lips. Much to her relief, the personality remained awake.

"Here." Barry reached for her hand, forcing it to open. Lily inhaled sharply, watching the black object carefully placed on her hand before Barry curled her fingers tightly around it as if to make sure it wouldn't drop in her care. He was giving the phone to her?

"Take this phone and use it when the time is right. Contact Dr. Fletcher. She'll know what to do. The Horde can't know you have it."

"How? We're stuck down here! There's no signal! There's no telling how long until-"

"You will get out. Hedwig talked to me, more like gloating about making a new friend. It's you. He is planning to take you out of your room. Around that time, you must act, baby girl. Do you hear me? Act and don't hesitate."

Her thought process was acting slower than intended. Hedwig wanted to take her out? Not including Casey? She didn't want to be alone with him. Despite the adorable and maybe sweet tendencies, that nine-year-old was still in a thirty-something-year-old man's body. It was still creepy to think about. She needed Casey to keep the freak out level in check.

"You're here! Why not just let me out and get help? You have the chance to turn yourself in!"

"No! I don't have time left, and if they know we talked or I helped you..." He trailed off the obvious.

"It has to be you, Casey." He said with confidence. "You must help yourself and your friends out."

Lily widened her eyes at the mention of the girl in the corner. He thought her to be Casey? Hedwig wanted Casey? Why Casey Cooke? What was wrong with Lily? Why was Casey so special? Didn't Hedwig also mention Dennis's fascination with Lily? Why Casey Cooke?

Sure, Casey was smart and wasn't locked in a closet like Marcia and Claire. She was honored to be the alpha of the pack by Marcia and Lily herself, even when Casey cared no less. She swayed Hedwig to visit them and convinced him to sneak them in his room, next to the window.

Though the selfish part of Lily wanted to contribute, become the night monster. Lilith could be special. She and Casey were no different, despite the abuse, the girl in the corner endured at home. Lilith was smart, too, unlike the cowardly bud like Lily. She seduced Dennis into allowing Casey to stay, give her a pet, treat her wounds. She was close. She needed more time. There was no telling how long before Hedwig decided to take them to his room. They were running out of time. She could convince Dennis to take her outside before the Beast comes. They had one last chance.

She gasped at the grunts coming from her ally. His face contorted as if in pain. He was fighting for control. They won't have much time to call for help now. Barry did say that the signal was horrendous. She believed him for there was no wifi on the computer.

"You can do this. We all believe you."

"Why me?" she pleaded, shaking her head to quickly correct her mistake. "Why Casey? Why can't you go and get help?! Why can't you help us, Barry?! Take control! Get me the keys to the doors, please!"

No doubt the stupid questions reached deaf ears. Most were obvious to both Barry and Lily.

Barry's hooded eyes raised to meet hers. "You are the one who could save us."

"Barry," Lily cupped his face, forcing him to look into her pleading eyes. "Listen to me! Listen to me! Please, let me go! I just want to go home!"

"Baby girl, I'm sorry. If I could, I wo..."

Lily's face slackened to that Barry froze as if he was realizing something important again. This time, that wasn't the case. His eyebrows twitched. His eyes squeezed shut as well as the grip on her shoulders. His teeth snarled like a lion. Lily watched with dread, guessing who was taking control. She didn't realize that she had the phone until she squeezed her fists. Imagine Dennis or the Horde's face if he or she saw her with it. She couldn't lose her one last chance. She quickly tucked the phone inside her bra, praying that her captor wouldn't notice.

Just in the nick of time, Lily spotted a single arch of her brow. The face who she knew all too well.

"Dennis?" she asked in a whisper.

The man groaned, massaging the inner corners of his eyes. The mental fight must've taken a lot of him.

"Lillith?" the Boston accent uttered from his lips. She knew who it was. Ignoring the raging thoughts of her mind to run away, she was forced to do the opposite. She pulled the man into a comforting embrace, even when he had no acknowledgment to what's going on.

"Thank God, you're okay," she whispered. "You came back to me. Thank God." She was careful not to press her chest against his too hard, otherwise he would've felt the phone. She shouldn't have hugged him. She did it simply out of survival instinct, keeping her captor calm. That task was unsuccessful because he knew that he lost those five precious minutes. Why did he lose them was the question raveling in his head.

She felt his hands wrapped around her deltoid muscles. Instead of squeezing, he shoved her back to look at her. Her eyes widened, seeing his eyes narrowed, brows drew together, and an unamused frown. Her heart beat fast at the action. Did he notice the phone? She held her breath, mentally preparing for the worst.

He simply retracted one hand to handle his specs. Lily wished that he didn't put them on, he looked less intense without them. She had a feeling that she was going to be interrogated with questions as to what just happened. Her mind analyzed all the possibilities of what to say and especially what not to say. Two things she definitely wasn't going say was about the phone and who gave it to her.

"What happened?" he demanded. Just as Lily fear, his voice was cold steel like his eyes. It almost sounded like her father was talking when she did something wrong, or when she started going out with Benny.

"I... I don't know."

The man scoffed, opening his mouth to protest, but she interrupted.

"I swear!" Lily pleaded, once again, reaching for his collar wrist out of instinct. "One second you were going to turn off the computer, and the next, you were growling like you were in pain, then you..." She pleaded her mind to think of a lie. One simple lie that wouldn't throw Barry under the bus. She averted her gaze to his shirt, only for Dennis to quickly grasp her jaw for her to face him.

"What?" he pressed.

"Then you... you came to me..." she whispered, her voice warned her that the tears were coming soon, "all sweet and... nice... asking if I was hurt... and how many of my friends were here."

"Who was here?" he demanded almost in desperation, his clenching fist indicating his suppressing urge to grab her shoulder. She was lucky that he didn't crack a bone to her jaw. Her cheek was throbbing from its cool contact.

"Um... H-He didn't say." She forced herself to remain in contact with her captor, instead she curled her toes back and forth that were covered by her socks. "All-all he-he could say was sorry-sorry, and that he wasn't a part of the Horde - whatever that name means."

He closed his eyes and breathed out loudly. It showed the name offended him greatly. She made a mental note to never mention it in his presence again. Finally, the man released her jaw. She instinctively massaged the bone that would no doubt bruise later.

"I'm sorry. I really am." Lily apologized sweetly, not thinking of anything else to say except that. "I was scared. You were freaking me out. I was afraid that something happened to you. I thought you were having a heart attack or something!"

Something in his mind clicked to what she said. How did Lily know? Because his brows drew together, the crease in between softened slightly. The clenched of his jaw relaxed, allowing his lips to part. She fought the urge to lean back, only gulped as his body leaned close, his head level with hers. Butterflies were fluttering in her stomach, she could've easily puked at the man's dressed shoes.

"And why would you be afraid of that?" he challenged.

She panted heavily, the stuffy air stealing away her air supply. She was lucky that she wasn't dressed warmly unlike her captor with his long sleeved navy top. Did he have anything to wear other than navy? Sweat was glistening at the temple that gave his shaved head some shine by the low lights. His breathing nearly matched hers. He was just as hot as she was, but he was too drawn by her declaration. A dying man wouldn't die until he heard his lover's last goodbye. She didn't want to explain herself. She didn't want to push him too much for it might become obvious.

"What are you hiding?"

"My God," she whispered, reaching out for his chest. His strong build pecs. She couldn't help but imagine what could be hiding underneath it. She pressed her lips in a tight line, forcing the image out of her head and ignoring the curious eyes that lowered to Lily's touch. She must focus on the plan.

"It's stuffy in here!" Lily declared, continued to apply friction to his shirt. "You must be so uncomfortable, wearing this shirt for so long."

He leaned back, attempting to avoid the contact, only she stood and leaned against it.

"Remove your hand," he commanded. He didn't sound angry or offended. He said the words because he felt the need to say it. There were rules after all.

'He's not allowed to touch you'

Those simple rules went out the door the second that blonde bimbo made the first move. The sweet patronizing mouth that became too tempting to ignore.

"Can I get you a glass of water?" she offered.

She yelped at the sudden grip around her wrists, forcing her to look at him. The face should've shown impatience and annoyance. Instead, it remained curious and dumbfounded as if her set of words brought significance.

"You want to get me a glass of water?" Despite the tensed face, as usual, curiosity softened his eyes. His pupils dilated, warming the cool color around it.

"Can I do that for you?" she pleaded in a whisper. She bit her lip, tasting the blood of its wound. She waited for him to either deny or accept her request. There was a ninety-nine percent chance that her offer would be denied. The man had severe OCD. She remembered him wiping the so-called evidence after her cleaning on the wall. It wouldn't be a surprise if he sneaked inside a hotel room to re-do a maid's job, making sure everything was perfect.

~000~000~000~

There was a one percent chance that he indeed accepted her request.

Dennis led her to the kitchen, instructing her how he would fix his own drink. She thought saran wrap was used to protect food from bacteria. In the Underworld, She used the wrap on the plastic cup for fingerprint and germ proofing, even when she cleaned the cup with a clean paper towel. She had to carry the cup from the bottom and the same towel around it, setting on the middle of the placemat. He did the final adjustment before he was satisfied, allowing her to undo the wrap without touching the cup. That was a challenge that had been repeated four times. She was surprised he gained the patience to let her try again.

Lily watched him across the table, fiddling her fingers under it. Elbows were not allowed on the table. If he was her cotillion teacher, she would've been a goner.

"Do you feel better?" she asked.

Dennis forced her to wait a moment for gulping down each drop. If she had to wait until the cup was completely clean, Casey wouldn't be the only sane one to lose it.

"I'm fine," his voice hoarse, having to clear his throat to regain it. He placed the empty cup back to its precise place in the middle placemat.

"So... What time is it?" she asked.

With a dramatic huff, he checked his watch, declaring that it was indeed after midnight.

"Is the moon out?"

"Possibly. I never gave the sky much thought."

Lily could picture it now at her farm. She found her five-year-old self at the soft floral cushion of her window seat, gazing up at the full moon and stars. So far away, and yet so beautiful. She could almost hear the cows mooing, frogs croaking, and dogs barking. Years later, she lost sight of its perspective, too busy with people and animals to fully appreciate its beauty until now. What she would give to have that one night to sightsee? She knew what to give her captor. She just wasn't ready to picture her boyfriend's reaction of him finding out. She had already gone too far to worry about her boyfriend's feelings. This was survival. She was doing this to get back with him. He might understand... eventually. Benny loved her, Dennis didn't.

"What I would give to go outside one last time."

Lily didn't realize she was lost in her fantasy until the cool hand of her king rested upon her shoulder. She couldn't help but jump at his narrowed eyes and the bang of the first aid kit resting upon the table. Maybe this was his original intention for bringing her out the room. She allowed him to fix her up with more eyedrops, Neosporin, Tylenol, and worst of all, the stinging sensation of peroxide.

"Can you see well through the injured eye?" he asked.

Lily shrugged. "Barely. I am lucky to have my right wide open, otherwise, I might be one of those three blind mice." She forced a smile, attempting to bring light in her situation while there was barely any left.

The man remained still cold.

"Y-You know the three blind mice like - like the rhyme?"

The man's gaze lowered to the ground, closing the cap of the Neosporin. "I don't know the rhyme. His mother never taught him."

Lily blinked in confusion. Barry's mother didn't? It's clear that Dennis wasn't the original. She knew that.

"Okay... Do you know the Wheels on the Bus? Hickory Dickory Dock? The Muffin Man?"

"No," he spat the one syllable with little patience. He didn't sound angry, more annoyed. "I don't know any of that nuisance."

"Surely, you heard some from preschool... at least-"

"Kevin didn't go to school. He was homeschooled, and his mother didn't teach him anything other than perfection and hate."

Lily blinked, realizing that the snarl of his confession. She was nearly tempted to slap herself to make sure this was her reality. Instead, she settled with a single pinch on her thigh.

Kevin.

She remembered the name on the computer. She thought Barry was the original. His mother. Kevin's mother... Did she teach him nothing but perfection and hate? Was Lily meeting another Casey Cooke?

She opened her mouth to spill her sympathy, but the older man refused to hear it.

"For-forget it!" He seemed shocked to actually admit it out loud. It wasn't on purpose. She was getting under her skin. He could've slapped her, but what good would that do? Her friend did the job for him.

"Forget what I said. What happened, happened. It's over and done."

He rested himself back on the chair across from her, running his fingers through his head. If she got a confession out of him, then she must be close to reeling him in. She thought Hedwig's story was sad. The idea of being stuck in a mother's home, relentlessly beating a boy all through pre-K through twelfth grade. As cruel as it sounded, she had to remember her mission. First, she needed to smooth things over before she could do anything else. After all, she did get under his skin with unnecessary questions.

She reached out for his wrist that only earned a twitch from underneath. His pulse was beating wildly on the posterior part of the hand. He wasn't warming up to touch or denying it, which was a good sign so far.

"You know..." she began softly, speaking the words that were carefully considered from her head. "When we were in the office... you blacked out like that... I was scared."

His watery eyes meeting hers nearly sent a dagger to her heart. This man was really in pain. She wanted nothing more than to hug him, despite Patricia's stupid rule.

"Getting used to being with you... I don't want anything bad happened to you." She felt the familiar burning sensation on her eyes threatening to well up tears. Her nose was clogging up mucus about to run down her nose. With her free hand, she wiped her nostrils with the used paper towel.

She didn't know what scared her most - Dennis or her believable acting. It almost made herself believe the lie she cooked up. Maybe this wasn't a lie. Maybe the feelings were genuine. Maybe she didn't have the mindset to wish her captors dead. Maybe? Yes. She honestly couldn't have the heart to wish anybody dead or look the other way when someone admitted to being abused, especially by a relative. She wasn't heartless. Casey was wrong about one thing. Lily wasn't fake. Her so-called feelings for her captor may be fake, but not her sympathy towards him.

"I honestly wished we met in better circumstances. I figured maybe... maybe we could've been friends."

The man's eyes remain glistened. Her words showed great significance to him. He was debating whether it was a lie or the truth. She was getting to him. She could feel him turning his hand upright to grasp her wrist.

He inhaled through his nose sharply, puffing up with pride. He adverted her smiling gaze and gentle touch. He stood abruptly, taking the cup from the table. She looked up at him with the same innocence, questioning his rejection. In reality, she was worried that she had gone too far, again.

"Thank you for the water," he spoke. "I'll take it from here."

"Dennis?"

He ignored her. She didn't need to turn to see the water running and fast-pace scrubbing. She waited for him to finish until she heard the quiet bang of the shutting cabinet door to make her move.

Placing both hands on the table, she pushed herself off from her chair. She found her captor putting on some gloves to dispose of the used paper towel full of boogers.

"Dennis?" Lily questioned him again in a quieter demanding tone. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Wash your hands," he commanded, no longer seemed vulnerable. He returned to the cold, disciplined man she knew.

"Dennis, I'm sorry-"

"Enough," he commanded. His narrowed daggers nearly had her tumbling to her knees. "I don't need your sympathy or compassion." He firmly pressed his lips, breathing heavily at the sight of her tears. "We don't pity the impures. We don't need your kind's pity. You are nothing to us. You are nothing but sacred food. You should feel honored to be in that position."

"How long?" she asked, wincing at the multiple stings from her scratched eye. She reached her hand up to dab the waterworks away, only to have snatched away by Dennis's grip.

"Miss Patricia and I wished to wait until your horrific face heals, but the Beast... he is impatient. He insisted on having the ceremony sooner."

Lily held her breath, fighting the urge to gasp and cry once more. Soon?

"How soon?"

"He didn't say," he admitted. "Either three days time or maybe less."

She was right about one thing. They were running out of time.

"I hope you are excited because you will soon be in the presence of something greater."

The way he spoke of him - the Beast - almost like he was proud of what monstrous things he could do to that body. Her frown was completely opposite of Dennis's words. How could anyone be happy about getting eaten?

She felt the heat on the side of her face. His narrowed gaze analyzing her mouth. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bear to smile. She expected him to question her mood.

"If the Beast is insistent on having the ceremony, I doubt he'll show care to the damages on your face... I wish he did, though. Flawless and perfection are everything."

"Do I really look that bad?" she finally asked quietly, finally found the courage to look straight in the eye for an honest answer.

His lips pursed and eyes softened at her question.

"You mean you haven't seen yourself?"

"You didn't give us a mirror."

The man sighed tiredly, realizing the stupidity of his question. He didn't bring in a mirror for one reason only. Mirrors were made out of glass, and glass shatter and cut skin. Some may have attempted to commit suicide with it to avoid the ceremony. How many boys and girls had the Horde took so far? Did it matter asking?

Debating whether to show her by removing the glasses to massage his temples. After a moment of thinking, he finally made a decision. He put on his specs and used his yellow rag to clean off the dust of a nearby toaster and its cord on the kitchen counter. He unplugged it and carried the toaster from the bottom where the cloth lied under. His hands holding it weren't shaky from its weight. He was strong. Casey did say that she watched him carry Claire as if she weighed nothing.

She turned away from the reflection, arms folded across her chest as it approached closer. What was she going to see? She was almost afraid to see the ugly.

"Look," he commanded softly.

Her eyes slowly crossed to her left. It was all a blur due to loss contact in her injured eye. She had to tilt her head to get a better visual on her right.

A soft gasp escaped her to see the damage.

Her face flushed bright pink, dark purple bruise on her cheek and puffy eye, her former pink lips were colored red from the split up lip that dried. She didn't see her happy self anymore.

For a split second, she thought she saw herself in that same condition one night, only the room was dark, and she was in tears. The girl who was broken but was in denial. It forced Lily to look the opposite and shoved the toaster away.

She never thought of Casey and her bottled feelings. All those years in the hands of that filthy man, forced to keep it a secret, all that steam blew up by beating up Lily's face. Lily may not have known what's going on through the girl in the corner's mind, but it didn't excuse her for crossing a line. What could Lily possibly gain by insulting her forced ally? Maybe Casey was right all along. Maybe Lily was a mean farm girl at school.

"I really considering to separate you two."

She could hear Dennis placing the toaster back in its original spot.

"Don't," Lily begged, shaking her head and squeezing her eyes to keep the tears away. "Please. She-she didn't mean it."

"Why? Why do insist on keeping her? Why are you so protective of the ones who hurt you? Can you not see what she did?" His tone intensified by every question.

The girl merely shrugged, hiding the flinch from his raising voice, not giving away a proper answer. She didn't feel like explaining herself to a stranger she was just starting to get to know.

"I can't have you two bickering or injuring yourselves again."

"It won't happen again."

"Just how do you know that?" he challenged.

"We'll be good." She smiled sweetly. The role resumed she was forced to play for the past week. "If Beast did know of our dispute and was insistent on having the ceremony..." She hadn't realized her hand entwining with his. Her thumb caressing the back of his hand. "I'm sure he won't care if my face got any bluer."

"I don't want your face blue."

Lily jolted at the cool contact over her fingers. His free dry but soft hand covering her delicate one. It seemed that she wasn't the only one accustomed to this sort of touchy feel. She bestowed the forbidden habit on him. She forced him to bend the rules. Just how many more was he willing to break to satisfy his prisoner? A king making his enslaved queen happy. Hades and Persephone. Dennis and Lily.

"It's bad enough for that witch of an impure to tamper you."

Impure. Someone who wasn't perfect? Someone who took things for granted. Someone who lived an abnormal life? Someone who gave her virginity away before her wedding night? Someone like the four girls the Horde had stolen?

Taking a deep breath, she completed the lover's lock with her other hand, ensuring that he won't break it this time.

"If I am to die tomorrow... If the Beast is going to eat me as you said..."

"You should feel honored... to be chosen."

The frizzy blonde tilted her head at the questionably soft tone of voice. It was almost a hidden meaning to that sworn statement. It seemed like he was reminding the fact himself for the first time, almost couldn't believe it was happening too soon.

"If I am..." She squeezed her eyes shut, blinking away the tears that stung her cheek. She lowered her face down, hoping that her captor won't see. Luckily, he didn't remove his hands to force her head or comanded her with words to look at him. "At least give me one moment outside."

The broke the seal between them. The man huffed, running his fingers over his shaved head, pacing back and forth the room.

"What?" she asked innocently, knowing fully well the reason of Dennis's reaction.

"Are you serious?" He chuckled, shaking his head, not looking at her yet. "You can't be serious."

"I am," Lily insisted. "I took the outside world for granted, and I want to have my last dying wish to feel the air. Just to see the sunset and moon rise. It's not that difficult-"

"You can't be trusted that's what's difficult." He snapped, sending daggers her way. "We have rules that must be followed. You are ours to command. You belong to the Beast... You..." He scoffed. His eyes adverted, showing the slight glisten to the white inside. It took a few moments for him to regain composure and address the trembling girl before him. This tempting flower in a camisole and towel just silently begging him to taste its honey lips.

"You really think I'll break my word with the Beast and Miss Patricia - all for you?"

Lily bit her lip, wincing at the slight tear and resuming taste of blood on her tongue. She figured he would be hesitant. However, he had a weakness just like any other horny man and woman alike. The green tea on her lips was proof enough to know what he truly wanted. She wanted - no, needed to go out. She needed the signal for the phone.

She was going to regret this. Maybe she would regret if her Benny found out. Benny loved her, Dennis didn't. What's going on between her and Dennis wasn't love, even though Lily somewhat pretended throughout their conversation and touches. Wasn't that what Stockholm Syndrome was all about? A captive showing sympathy for their captor? It may have worked in Sweeden, but this time Lilith will play her captor. Dennis will become her captive, and there was one way to do that.

"You will if I give you what you want."

He raised a tense brow, folding his arms across his chest, narrowing his eyes at her in a challenging manner.

"And what is that?"

She answered his question in one swift fashion. With shaky hands, she reached up to the tuck that wrapped her towel close, shielding the secrets within. She forced her eyes on Dennis as she tugged the edge that undid the skirt. Claire's black granny panties exposed to the thirsty king.

Dennis blinked at the action. His throat dried and lips parted in utter disbelief. What was she doing? He wondered.

"A dance."

The sweet voice deepened into something neither one would expect. This wasn't Lily the cowardly bud, the messy daughter, the innocent maiden - Kore. The once happy farm girl was no longer groveling at the man's feet.

She was Lilith the night monster, the seductress, the crowned queen - Persephone. She had bloomed and had awakened from her deep slumber, ready to show her selfish king what he could have for himself instead of that hungry beast hiding within the dark chamber walls.

A/N: In the spirit of Glass coming to theaters, tomorrow I proposed another chapter for this story. I hope you readers are satisfied with the Barry scene, even though it was brief, but what could Barry do? The Horde has the control now. I also hope you guys liked the Dennis/Lily bonding. There will be a major one coming in the next chapter. You will all soon witness Lily's dark side. I'm sorry for leaving a cliffhanger, but I wanted to get this chapter done and uploaded before I go to work. I don't want to wait another day, even if tomorrow is a special day.

I can't wait to see Glass tomorrow. Screw the 35% Rotton Tomato critics! I bought the tickets and seats through Fandango, and currently counting down the hours. What better way to watch the movie on IMAX other than going with my awesome dad?! He loved the Unbreakable movie, and I loved Split. Now we are going to see Glass together! As I said, I can't wait! PS: If anyone leaves a spoiler for the movie in the comments, I will be furious. Some didn't have the decency to think before leaving a comment on youtube under the Glass clip videos. When I read one comment that said ending, I immediately exited the screen. So I am begging you readers, please no spoilers.

Readers, thank you for your patience and taking the time to read and/or added this story to your reading list.

Thank you - QuirkyKim, Jenga-Tree, theoriginalsrizzlesouat1D, CandyRose, ItzIzziieMonsta, abhoffman, AAAH, CamiStark13, Jezabelle31415926, and harleyquinn87 for reviewing.

You guys rock!