Cypher flinched at the sarcasm in her words. He couldn’t deny any of her accusations, but he wouldn’t give her up either.

“I’ve had one of the helpers here prepare breakfast. I would like for you to join me.”

Lilly swung her legs over the side of the bed, not caring that all she was in shorts and a tank top.

“All right, but let me get cleaned up and dressed, please.”

He gave a formal bow and closed the door behind him.

Lilly walked over to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.

“What on earth have you gotten yourself in to?”

She sighed. She was going to have to ask Cypher if there was a phone she could use. Somehow the wicked witch of the west had fried hers, the sneaky bitch. Jacque would have chastised her for that, but frankly the witch was a bitch. And now she was making rhymes. If she kept at it, she could give Dr. Seuss a run for his money.

She washed her face and combed through her hair, then went ahead and brushed her teeth even though she would be eating. Who likes to walk around with morning breath?

Once she had changed clothes she once again stood in front of the mirror. She was wearing jeans, a long-sleeved fitted tee, and her New Balance running shoes, not that she did any running. But seeing as how the last couple of days had gone, she figured she might be taking up the sport of running just to get away from the things that went bump in the night.

“That’s as good as it’s going to get, kid,” she told the image in the mirror. “Time to face the music, or in this case, the tall and handsome warlock King.” She paused. “I've got to stop calling him that.”

Once Lilly was down the stairs she followed her nose. It smelled of bacon and her stomach growled. Mentally she told her stomach to take a chill pill because she was going to try to get in touch with her daughter before she did anything else.

When she rounded the corner and found the kitchen, she stopped abruptly. Cypher was standing in front of a large window. The morning light was shining in, caressing his tall form, and his pitch black hair glistened and shone. He truly was breathtaking. She quickly snapped her mouth shut when he turned to look at her.

“Good morning, Lilly,” he told her with a quirk of his lips that told her he had caught her drooling over him.

Lilly decided the best defense was a good offense. “I need to use your phone,” she told him, without acknowledging his smirk.

His eyes seemed to dance with humor. He knew the effect he was having on her and it was sort of ticking her off.

“I need to check on my daughter. If you will allow me this I promise to cooperate.”

Cypher let out a loud laugh.

“Might I ask what your idea of not cooperating would look like, little one?”

Lilly ignored the lurch to her heart that the endearment seemed to cause.

“Let’s just say it’s not pretty.”She gave him her best glare. It usually worked on her employees – not so much on a warlock King.

Cypher pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and held it out.

She raised a single eyebrow, “You have a cell phone?” she asked incredulously.

He chuckled. “Even warlock Kings have to keep up with the times,” he told her with a wink.

Lilly took the phone from him and dialed Jacque’s phone number. When there was no answer, she told herself not to panic and called Vasile. Long ago she had made sure to memorize Vasile, Alina, and Fane’s cell numbers.

On the fourth ring the call was answered.

“Vasile,” his voice came through loud and clear.

“Vasile, it’s Lilly Pierce.”

Vasile was quiet for a minute. “Lilly, I do not recognize this number, but I do know it is not an American number. Where are you?”

Lilly had decided that if Jacque was alright she wasn’t going to let them know just then what she had gotten herself into.

“Is Jacque alright?” she asked, skirting around his question.

Again he was silent. Blasted man knows how to make someone squirm, she thought to herself.

“Jacque is fine.”

Lilly could tell there was something off in his voice, something he didn’t want to tell her.

“You’re sure, Vasile? She is safe?” she asked, careful not to provoke him.

“I am sure. My real concern is, are you safe?”

Lilly could practically see Vasile trying to use his Alpha mojo on her. Thankfully, she was human.

“I’m great, but I gotta run. I will call to check on Jacque again, alright?”

“Alright, Lilly. Please know that if you need us, we are here for you. Please call if you are caught in any sort of trouble.”

Lilly did not miss the play on words. She didn’t want to get them involved if she didn’t have to. Now, she wasn’t sure what Mona the witch had up her sleeve, but Lilly wasn’t stupid. If she had brought her, the mother of a mated female, all the way to Romania, then the wolves were definitely involved. She just needed to figure out how they fit into the puzzle.

“I hear ya loud and clear, Vasile. I can’t talk just now, but I will call again.” Before he could say anything more she ended the call.

“Everything alright?” Cypher asked, much closer behind her than he had been when she started the call.

She turned around to find him less than a foot away from her. Her breath caught and she found herself drowning in his beautiful, warm, yellow eyes.

Lilly closed her eyes and shook herself, trying to clear her head.

“Yeah, Jacque is fine,” she said out loud and then thought to herself, That’s one thing off my mind. Now I just need to eat and then find out why you are hell bent on keeping me.