The Grey Sight: An Erotic Novella (2 page)

“
It scared me. What would I do without you?”   Jess trailed her fingers through Lily’s messy morning hair. 

              Lily turned away.  Though she viewed Jess as a good friend, she was always aware that Jess wanted more from her, and that she was just waiting for Lily to wear down enough to let Jess pounce on her.  Jess was possessive of Lily at parties, and curious about what Lily was doing at all times.  She had caught Jess going through her journal, twice.  Not that there was anything interesting there, just notes detailing her graveyard etchings, sketches of an imaginary handsome stranger and poems that highlighted her own sexual yearnings.  The journal was pathetic really, but that didn’t mean she wanted Jess reading it. 

Other than that, Jess was a thoughtful friend and excellent pub companion, and so Lily forgave her jealousies.   She did worry, however, about when she met someone, and how Jess’s jealously would deal with that.

And she had
indeed met
someone
. Not someone.
Everyone.

Lily closed her eyes as she remembered the way th
e mist had curled around him,  almost as if he controlled it.  She remembered his strange black eyes, the way they had seen to the very core of her.  Her fingertips tingled, tracing the muscles that she had felt under his shirt.   More than his physical being – which was splendid! – it was the intimate way he knew her, in that moment, more than anyone had ever known her.  
Was he a fantasy?

In her mind, Lily thrust her hips against Chase’s hungry body as thoughts and fantasies swirled about. 
He was real. She knew it.
  And she had never known passion like she had in those few seconds with the man in the graveyard who had barely touched her.

Jess
stared at Lily in the morning light, her eyes tracing the outline of Lily’s pert breasts, resting just beneath her sheer tank top.

“Lily! Hello?  I’m still talking to you!  Where did you go?  Did
lightning strike twice?”

L
ily gave a weary nod and Jess leaned forward to rest her mouth against her temple, her hand running down Lily’s shoulder, and then to her collarbone.  “I’m so glad you are safe.” She whispered.

             
I wish you were Chase,
Lily thought. She gently pushed Jess away
.

“You can’t keep doing this.” she said to Jess,  working to catch her breath.  “We’re supposed to be roommates. You can’t keep hoping that one day I’ll be attracted to you. You are
gorgeous
, and there are lots of girls who would be lucky to have you. We’ve talked about this.” 

              Jess shrugged like it was no big deal as she settled back down to read the morning paper in her tiny nightgown.   “What can I say? I like your grey eyes, although I still think you should go to the hospital.  Also, I get horny in the mornings. As you know.”  Lily rolled her eyes.  “You’re like a man.”   Jess gave a satisfied smirk. “Better than one in the sack, probably.”  

             
Not better than Chase would be
, thought Lily.  Hesitantly, she gave Jess a quick peck on the cheek, snuck a sip of her tea and took her leave. 

“I’m taking a shower” she said over her
shoulder.

Jess’s
hungry green eyes lit up.  “Need a buddy?”

              Lily laughed.  “NO. But maybe when I’m done, you should take a cold one.” 

              Jess waved her away, distracted by the Arts and Culture page. 

In the shower, Lily lingered. The
warm water felt so good pouring over her, cleaning off all the dirt and grime from the graveyard and massaging her sore muscles.   Straddling the marble bench in their walk-in, Lily let the olive oil soap slide over her pale skin and slipped her fingers down between her inner folds, rubbing gently upwards between her legs as her thoughts lingered on Chase. Her pink nipples grew flush and swollen as she thought of his lips, and the way the curls of hair had fallen over his eyes.
Chase, unhooking her bra.  Chase, licking up her spine.  Chase, Chase, Chase, inside of her, all around her.
   Her climax was sudden and extreme, and her entire body shuddered in its aftermath, the shower water pouring down her shaking legs.   As Lily leaned her head back in the stream, the water tracing over her long lashes and coral lips, all she could think was:

Please be real.

Chapter Three

It was a dreary day to be outside.
 

Lily clasped her umbrella tightly to her chest as she locked the door to
Jess’s townhome.  Her work, The National Ancestry Database, was a twenty minute walk to the train station, and was pleasant on most days.  Today was not likely to be one of those days.  Gloomy clouds loomed overhead. 
Just what I need
, she thought,
more lightning
.    She cinched her black trench coat tightly around her waist, her red boots clicking on the damp pavement.

  Lily stopped in at her favorite bakery, grabbing a quick coffee and a turnover.   The warmth of the bakery enveloped her and she wished she could stay all morning.  Work sounded unbearable.
Life had lost its flavor a long time ago.  Ever since the graveyard incident a week ago, Lily had felt a bit out of touch with reality.
She was waiting for something, but what
?  

In Lily’s life, she
had always felt that there was something just beyond her understanding happening. It was more clear than ever now, but nothing had changed. It was frustrating.   After two bites of her pastry, she threw it in the trash.  What she was craving was not sugar.  It was him
. Chase
.  She took a long sip of coffee, the dark espresso roast pouring down her throat in a welcome rush of heat
.    It had all been a delusion
, she reasoned. 
Wishful thinking after a traumatic event.  I should be grateful to be alive, not thinking of some name on a tombstone.  And his black eyes.
   She continued walking.

 
              Lily felt a strange feeling creeping up her spine, the feeling of being watched.  She spun around.  There was no one.  She often felt like that these days.

The train station
finally appeared at the top of a hill, a long, low horn accompanying it as it pulled into the station. 
Shit.
She was late. Lily began running, her satchel bouncing against her hip.  Her grey eyes were focused intensely on the train, so much so that she ran straight into the first grey-walker.

They tumbled to the ground together
.  Robust arms wrapped around her waist.   Lily, confused, found herself pressed uncomfortably against a stiff white collared shirt. 

“Sir, I’m so sorry,
excuse me, I wasn’t watching…”  Lily pulled her head back. “I was trying to make the train, I was…”

 
              She stopped short.  His eyes were black.
Black like Chase’s had been
.  Black like the sea at night, black and hungry.  He stared at her, his mouth open in shock.  He was an older gentleman, in his mid-60’s perhaps, with salt and pepper hair.   He was a little portly, but friendly looking, like a grandfather.    He was wearing a light khaki suit, something that would have been the height of fashion in the 20’s.   He looked normal…except for the grey light that emitted from his body, shimmering and changing with each breath
. He’s one of them, she thought. I wasn’t imagining it.
 

“Ma’am, are you okay?”  he asked. 
“What did you trip over? Are you okay?” 

              “I’m fine.” She mumbled.  Lily stared down into the man’s shadowy eyes. 

Ask him
, she thought,
ask him where he is
. 

Her pink mouth had formed the word
“Chase” when the man’s hand thrust out, closing around her throat, his grip like iron. 
What is happening?, s
he thought, her shock turning into panic. He was
strangling
her. Lily clawed at his hands, gasping for breath.   His black eyes widened, the pleasure of his own blood lust turning the corners of his mouth.  Lily tried to scream, but her voice vanished into his cold hands.
He was so strong, much stronger than a normal person.
 

The man in the khaki
suit pulled Lily close to his face.  His breath smelled like wind. 

“I’ve waiting a long time for this. 
House Fury will once again allow me into their good graces.”  He licked his lips.  “What a pretty grey-sight you are.  Shame to waste it.”

             
What??
Black stars were exploding in her vision when Lily reached into her purse for her keys.  Her other hand clawed at the air, reaching, reaching…
I cannot die like this, not when I understand so little, not before I’ve seen him again.
She slammed her keys down against his face.  The man gave a roar as black blood poured down his cheeks.  His grip released, if only for a second. It was enough.   Lily kicked off his chest, her red boot heel plunging into his stomach.  

“You
GREY BITCH! I’ll kill you!” he screamed. Lily didn’t wait to hear any more. 

Suddenly she
was running, plunging into the dark tunnel that led to the train station.   People stared at her as she flew by them, her lungs contracting as she pushed her legs.  The sun peeked through the light at the end of the tunnel.  A cramp tangled in her abdomen
.   I really should run with Jess
, she thought,
why don’t I ever run with her
?    Lily finally emerged from the darkness into the sunlight.   Crowds of people were waiting for the train, but she wasn’t safe. There were more.  She felt like crying. Towards the front of the station, a woman and man glowing a pale grey turned their heads simultaneously to stare at her.  The huge, thuggish man was dressed in a tweed coat and fedora, the woman in a scandalous red dress. 

She saw
them whisper to another and suddenly they were following her.  She walked quickly towards the train. 
Policemen, or a group of men, I just need to find a someone to help me, she
thought.  A pessimistic voice inside her head answered back.  
They can’t see them!  How you protect someone from something you can’t see?
Lily whipped her blond ponytail around.  The couple was following her, running now, the man’s coat flapping in the wind.  The woman was holding a dagger. 
Oh God.

 
              The train gave a loud squeal, its door opening with a hiss. Lily jumped onto the train, hoping they wouldn’t follow.   They did.  She ran down the aisle, tripping over luggage and purses.  The train had mostly cleared out, and Lily prayed that she could make it to the end.  She ran through one car, and then another.  The couple raced after her, moving faster than any mortal should.  Their black eyes and glowing grey light filled her with terror, like an icicle plunging into her heart.  She was sprinting now, the cars flying by her, one after another. The door to the caboose was open slightly, and Lily cried out in relief.  She threw herself through the opening, and slammed the door shut behind her.   The man in the tweed slammed his hand down on the glass, but it didn’t shatter.  She looked into his eyes. Hungrily they glared back at her, a fury written across his face that he couldn’t read.  Lily stared back, her grey eyes wide and terrified.  The man gave her a sinister smile and walked away, the black woman in red following dutifully behind him.  Before he exited the train, the man sent a pile of papers on someone’s tray flying into the air.   They fluttered up and down like snow, and Lily’s fellow humans looked around bewildered. They couldn’t see him. The couple gave one look back before jumping off the moving train. 

Finally, s
he was safe. 

Lily felt a
hand close around her mouth.  “You think you can hide from me pretty?”  Lily was wrenched around and lifted off the ground.  The man in the khaki suit held her by her throat, her feet dangling inches above the ground.

“I thought I lost you
, little grey one, but I’m quicker than you.”

His hand tightened
.  I’m going to die here
, she thought,
in the back of this train.

  “Do you know the reward tha
t’s going these days for a grey-sight?  The great houses offer lands, money and women.  Although…”  He slipped his free hand up her skirt.

  “
I might take a little pleasure first.  I haven’t had a mortal woman in some time, and they taste so much sweeter when they are alive.”

There was a sound in darkness and something hit the man from the side, sweeping him from her view.     Lily dropped swiftly to the ground, the train giving a lurch underneath her.

Whatever it was that
had collided with the man was moving faster than anything she’d ever seen.   In the dark corner of the train came the muffled sounds of struggle, and man’s pleading whine.  “We can share her, we can…we can split the bounty, but after we have her. I’ll share her with you.”