"What do you mean by that sentence, Mirabel?" Lillian quickly questioned.
"Uh... Erm... I also don't know. I just said it maybe because you have strangers in the castle when we know you have no close friends at all that will come for a housewarming party. So make it make sense." Mirabel folded her arms, waiting for Lillian's reply. All the while, Shawn was staring at Mirabel with an impressed look on his face.
"They are my bodyguards, okay? Now, get out," Lillian replied with command in her voice.
"You hired bodyguards that totally look like models? I mean, the pretty and handsome faces are not what I call good bodyguard material. We only see those kinds of bodyguards in movies, and mind you, only the main bodyguards are pretty or handsome."
"So? What are you getting at?" Lillian settled into one of the couches.
"I am saying I don't believe you. Even if I do, why would you suddenly need a bodyguard?" Mirabel answered with another question.
"Mira, it's my choice. It's none of your business," Lillian answered in a frustrated tone.
"What moves can they do? I want them to show me whether they are real bodyguards or not," Mirabel inquired.
"Okay. Someone, show her a karate move." Lillian commanded, but no one moved. "No one knows karate? Seriously?" She asked, frowning.
As Mirabel looked at them one more time, her eyes met Shawn's. Everyone noticed them staring at each other as if it came straight out of a movie.
"Oh my God, is this really happening?" Diana asked, disgust written over her face.
"Somebody snap him out of it," Lillian instructed, but the guys just laughed at Shawn.
"Mira!" Lillian called out, startling Mirabel as if she had been lost in thought. "I hate to break your connection, but what exactly did you come here for? 'Cause I'm pretty sure you didn't miss me."
"I wanted to see how the castle looks. I can't believe this was what you were excited over." Mirabel looked at her with a mocking face.
"And you've seen enough. Now get out!" Lillian commanded angrily.
"I will leave when I deem fit, so don't act like you own me," Mirabel spoke confidently.
"Well, this is my house, and I will let anyone of my choice in." Lillian lowered her voice but stared straight into Mirabel's eyes.
"Did you hire bodyguards so that people will be wondering why you suddenly hired them? Why are you trying so hard to be the center of attention?" Mirabel asked, looking at Lillian with pity.
Lillian gave a sniffy smile and stood up. She walked slowly toward Mirabel until she was just an inch away. "You keep forgetting that I don't need to try because I am already the center of attention," Lillian countered in a low tone.
She raised her right hand, and Mira instinctively moved her head with eyes closed, thinking Lillian wanted to slap her. Lillian gently stroked Mira's hair, and when she relaxed, thinking she wasn't going to be hit, Lillian yanked her hair aside. Mira yelped. Shawn wanted to intervene, but Luna held him back.
"Don't try me," Lillian threatened and released her hair. They stared at each other aggressively until Lillian decided to sit.
Mira squinted furiously and left the castle.
"Why did you do that?" Shawn asked, his voice almost loud.
Lillian looked in his direction for a moment, then looked away. "I was annoyed and wanted to pick a fight. She's the only daughter of my benefactor, Mr. Hudson, and Miles' half-sister. She hates my guts because of what her mother tells her. And I love picking a fight with her because it makes me kinda happy. I don't know why, but it's fun."
Lillian turned to the group. "What are your names?"
They all mentioned their names, and after they were done, Lillian nodded.
"Protect me with everything you've got, okay?" Lillian said. They nodded in affirmation. She left them and went upstairs.
"And we will be going now too," Luna said.
"Before I forget, your luggage is outside," Tyler said as they walked toward the door.
---
Meanwhile, in a windowless building across the city, a meeting was underway. It was dark because the vampires and were-panthers were having an emergency meeting.
"When will what you programmed begin to work, Herakim? We want her dead without the werewolves knowing about it." Drake, standing by the right side of a man sitting on a huge silver throne, referred to the man as the Herakim for the vampires.
"She just needs to sleep in that room tonight. The voices will be waiting for her, and in days she'll be dead." An old man with a pale face answered, his tone filled with wickedness.
"The voices? Did you make the voices?" the man on the throne asked curiously.
"No. The voices are from other supernatural creatures. The moment she was declared the werewolves' Savior with special blood, the scent of her blood reached them, and now they want to taste it. Nobody will be there to help her because the Herakim for the werewolves doesn't even know that something like this could happen," Herakim answered, confident in his work.
"Then they will help us kill her faster?" the man on the throne asked.
Herakim nodded with a wide grin.
---
At midnight, Blaine woke to the sound of Lillian's heartbeat beating abnormally loud and fast. He quickly stood up, ran out of his room, and rushed upstairs. He opened the door and went to Lillian's bedside.
Lillian was sweating profusely, trembling.
"Lillian, you have to wake up. Lillian!" Blaine called out, but Lillian didn't open her eyes. He kept shaking her, but she was trapped in a nightmare.
In Lillian's dream, she was running from something. Shadows rose from the earth, and she stopped. Then a woman dressed in white appeared from nowhere and started screaming. Lillian covered her ears. The shadows began calling her name, coming closer and closer until they surrounded her. She fell to the floor and curled up, hands still pressed to her ears.
Blaine wanted to carry her to a nearby hospital, but he feared they might be attacked by were-panthers and vampires again.
---
Meanwhile, Herakim of the werewolves was meditating when he suddenly found himself in the woods. He looked around and saw Lillian walking toward him, looking pale. Her hair was stuck to her face from profuse sweating.
"Voices..." she said wearily and paused. "Save me," she pleaded with a tired voice, then fell to her knees and collapsed.
Herakim opened his eyes in shock.
---
Do you think Lillian will wake up from the nightmare? Please, give a powerstone if you want to know more.