Black smiles as the wind rushes across his face. Riding is the only thing other then flying that makes him feel free. He looks to the position of the moon and realizes that he once again has spent far longer then he should have riding and he frowns realizing that Izy has been asleep for hours. He dismounts as he approaches the stables and lets cocoa into his stall. He hears soft breathing as he latches cocoa in for the night. He walks slowly towards the breathing and peers over the top of a stall and sees a little girl sleeping. He sees her clothing dirty and worn and figures she is probably hungry as well. He opens the stall and picks her up gently and carries her back to his castle. "I have no idea who you are sweetie but this is not a good spot for you to sleep."

A short time later he carries her up the stairs and into one of the spare bedrooms. He lays her down gently to the bed and covers her up with a blanket. He would normally pull the sheets away but he would rather the girl sleep then wake up terrified to be in a strange place. He smiles and walks over to a chair not far from the bed and pulls some jerky out of his satchel and waits for the child to wake. He realizes it will probably be hours but hes used to not sleeping anyway and he wants to make sure that she is cared for in case her parents are looking for her.

After sleeping for many long hours the childs eyes flutter a few times against the light and then open. She looks around the room and sees she is not in the stable she went to sleep in. Someone must have found her and brought her here till morning so they can turn her in. She slides her head under the covers and slides toward the side of the bed in hopes of sliping off the bed and under it to hide. She slides off the bed and thumps to the floor bumping her knee. A small tear falls down her face as she scrambles to hide under the bed as she hears footsteps.

"Daddy? Hello, dad?" Celia walks through the castle looking for Black. She carries a large bunch of mixed flowers with no poppies to be seen. Not finding him in the usual rooms she walks through the hall which contains bedrooms. As she walks past a guest room she sees the door is open. She steps in and looks around to see her father sitting in a chair watching the bed which seems to have a small creature beneath the blankets. She walks quietly over to him and whispers in his ear, "What is under those blankets?"

Black sees the girl hide under the bed and is about to say something when Celia comes in asking who it is. "I don't know who it is baby girl but its a she. I found her last night in the stables when I took cocoa back in from my midnight ride." He walks over and kneels down by the bed with his arms out.

"Come on out sweetie I won't hurt you . I just brought you in so you could get a good nights sleep. If your hungry we can get you some food too. Just come on out sweetie. My name is Black Magic and this is my castle. This is my daughter Celia. You are welcome to stay as long as you want."

The small girl looks to the man and girl who have found her. She knew she had been caught but was hoping she could get away. She quickly slides out the other side of the bed and stands up running outinto the hall. She runs down the hall and around a corner. The doors are all closed and she continues down one hall after another. She finds herself lost and afraid they will find her and turn her in. She sees a door open and walks in hoping to hide. She hides in the room to catch her breath and let her heartbeat slow down before her little chest explodes. She wipes her sweaty hands on her tattered and dirty dress. If only she didnt have to run, these people seem like they could be nice.

He follows her slowly reading her mind as he does. He senses her need to run but not why she feels the need to do so. He opens the door slowly and then reaches into his stachel and pulls out a Roast and Gravy Smamich he walks over and puts it on a a desk not far from where he knows she is hiding. He reaches into his satchel once more and pulls out a bottle of berry juice. He places it on the desk as well and then he smiles as he pulls out a piece of angel cake. Which he thinks is an appropriate name since it reminds him of the little girl who should never have to be as scared as she is now. He sends her a mind message

"Pumpkin I have no intentions of doing anything but trying to help you. If it will make you feel better you can lock the door behind me after i leave. I am Black Magic and this is my castle. No one can harm you here and you may stay as long as you want. "

Hearing the man's voice in her head startles her at first. Then she listens to what he says. She can tell he is sincere and hears the caring sound in his voice. She can see the food and is very hungry. She knows he is still in the room but is no longer threatend by him. She slowly comes out of hiding and walks toward the food. She takes a big drink of juice first and then she looks at the roast and gravy smamich wondering what exactly it is. Being so hungry she picks it up and takes a big bite. Her face brightens a bit finding it tasty. She continues to eat the sandwich with a drink of juice to wash it down. She then sees the cake and picks it up and chews on it hungrily. Her little teeth devouring the food quickly as if she hadnt eaten all her life. Once the food is gone she sits drinking the juice slowly.

Black stands half way across the room so that she knows he means her no harm and so that she has plenty of time to hide if she feels frightened again. "If your still hungry I have another smamich in my satchel and if thats not good enough I can go down and get you whatever you like. Just please eat you look as if its been awhile since you had a good meal. Just tell me what you need." He looks to her a little saddened because he can feel how afraid she is of something.

The child looks to Black and stands still for a few minutes. She feels she can trust him to help her. She looks down to her dress and shyly steps toward him.

"Excuse me sir, might you have a lilli size dress I can borrow. And maybe a brush and two hair ribbons? I am good at washing clothes and dishes. I can work in the garden too, to work for them."

Black smiles to the little girl and extends a finger as he opens a closet door. "This is the room I use as storage. I have to have a plce to put the clothes the kids outgrow. They are all like brand new but i cant let you pay for any of it because no one uses them and you are doing me a favor by not letting them go to waste. You can have whatever you want sweetie but please only take what you will use.

He reachs up to the top shelf and pulls down a box of ribbons, brushes, combs, soaps, ear rings and assorted girlie things. He hands them to her. "You take whatever you need sweetie and I meant it you can stay here as long as you need to. No one can hurt you here its a safe haven protected by Magic. All who enter here are safe from harm. I hope you will tell me what is bothering you and where your parents are but I will not push you."

He smiles to her thinking she is a pretty little angel and shes so perfect that she looks like something he would have helped create. Lilli walks over to the closet eyes wide. She smiles to Black and looks up at the clothes. She sees some pretty little dresses and points to a yellow one. Can I have that one? She looks in the box and pulls out two yellow ribbons and a small comb. She picks out a pair of shiny white shoes with litte flowers on them. She holds the shoes, comb and ribbon out toward Black. These would be pretty with that dress if you dont mind.

He looks to her with a big smile on her face. "Thats exactly what I would have picked out for you sweetie. Your going to look even prettier then you are now." He looks down to her knee and frowns a little. "You must have bumped your knee when you fell out of bed." He kneels down and takes a cloth out of his satchel and gently wipes away the blood, careful not to hurt her. He smiles when he is finished leans forward and kisses her knee. "There you go, its all better now."

Thank you berry muches mister. I need a bath before I can put on pretty new clothes. My mommy always used to give me a bath every night. She holds the ribbons and things and waits for black to get the dress that she can't reach. She wraps her tiny fingers around his index finger. "Lets go mister."

He reaches up and pulls the dress down that she pointed out to him and smiles as she says lets go mister. He leads her off to the bath and pours the cauldrons into the tubs. He is glad they aren't very hot for he doesn't wish to scald the child. This temperature is perfect for a child not to hot but hot enough to kill germs and help her to get clean. "There you go sweetie your bath is drawn for you."

Lilli slips out of her dress and hops in the warm water. She holds her hand out to black. "I need bubbles to wash up. You have bubbles mister?" She picks up a cloth that is next to the bathtub and wets it then waits for black to put the soap on it. He realizes that by bubbles she means soap to wash with. He puts the soap in her hand. Lilli then uses the soap on the cloth and gets it all soapy. She then starts to wash up with her face first and working down to her toes, leaving her hair for last. When she gets her toes she holds out the cloth to black, "Get my back mister?"

He takes the cloth from her and smiles to her. "I'll tell you what sweetie I'll help you under one condition. You stop calling me Mister. All of my friends call me Black." He leans down next to her and smiles to her. "You only use Mister with people mommy and daddy and other adults make you talk to. Surely your not talking to me because you think you have to."

Ok mister (sounds like misser) I will call you Black. My mom is bye bye and my daddy is in heaven. Can I tell you a secret? You wont get me in trouble will you?

He smiles hearing her call him mister and then calling him Black with her little accent. She is so adorable that its hard not to fall instantly in love with her. He puts bubbles on her back and starts to wash them away cleaning as he does. "You can tell me anything sweetie, I'm a good listener and no one else will ever know what we talk about because I'm even better with secrets."

He dips the cloth in the water and cleans her back some more rubbing in gentle circles so he won't irrate her tender skin."

Lilli talks in a soft quiet voice so she wont be heard by passers by. "Well mister (misser), I mean Black. The day my mommy disdidapeared, I found my daddy sleeping on the floor. I shaked him but him didnt waked up. I stayed with (wif) him till the man came to take him to heaven. Then some ladies taked me to a place with (wif) a lots of other kids. I heared the ladies telling someone that I hurted my daddy. When they all felled asleep I sneaked out and ran away. I can never go back there so please dont tell anyone where I am." She waits for his answer and asks him to wash her hair next.

He listens to her every word and senses every word she is speaking is the truth. He begins to piece things together in his own mind as she tells him of what has happened to her and he realizes the child has done nothing wrong accept eaves drop on old women who have nothing better to do then tell tall tales to pass their days away. "I know you didn't hurt your daddy sweetie."

He pours a little water over her hair careful not to get any in her eyes. He begins to realize that there is a really good chance that her mother is the one who killed her father and left the girl behind to take blame for her deed. He puts some oil in her hair and washes it gently so he won;t irratate her gentle scalp. He rinses the oil out realizing the girl has no real family at all and that she was in some sort of foster home. He kneels down to her eye level and smiles to her. "Your hair is all done sweetie. I don't know what your plans are hon but that room we just left is open and just a door down from my room. That door that was next to the closet leads right to my room. If you would like to stay here I could use a good. I could use someone to help me take care of my horses and last night you didn't spook a single one of them which means they like you. My horses don't usually like anyone and I have been unable to find anyone to take good care of them for me when I'm busy. I am a King and a Keeper of Ameris and I really need someone to take good care of my steed. Especially Cocoa hes my personal favorite. I'll tell you what in return for you helping me with my horses I will let you stay in the room free and I'll let you pick out any Horse other then Cocoa. What do you think?"

He is saddened by the fact that she has basically been left by her mother and her father is dead. He knows he would do anything for this little girl but he knows she is more likely to respond to his offer then anything else at this point. He also realizes that he is going to take care of her and he smiles at having a child to raise even if it isn't his flesh and blood. No one would ever know since she is as beautiful as any of the children he has sired himself.

Lilli turned and threw her wet arms around Black. "I love horsies and I will take bery good care of them. Can I name my horsey too or do they have names allready? Hey mister Black, can I stay here for a very long time? I dont ever wanna go back to the place they kept me in" She held up her arms to be helped out of the bathtub. She was clean and her tummy full, and about to put on fresh clothes. She just met this man but allready she like him a lot. He will be her new bestest friend.

He reaches down and picks her up his hands around a towels so that she is picked up and drying at the same time. He picks up another towel and sits down in a chair and begins to dry her hair. "You can stay forever if you wish sweetie and the horsey is yours so you get to name it whatever you want." He finishes drying her hair and then stands up and puts her standing on the chair and drys her off. She pushes out her legs and arms as if she knows what he is thinking before he has to say a word. When he is finished he picks her up and the clother they carried in and takes her back to her room. He puts her on the floor when they are back to the carpeting he didn't want her to walk barefoot on the cold tiles in the bathroom or the cold parquet floor in the halls.

lilli feels happy again being cared for. She enjoys knowing that someone is there to help her when she cant do things alone. She hears him say she can stay forever. She begins to talk to him while he helps her get dressed.

"If I stay forever, will you be my daddy? I dont have one you know. I want you to be my daddy, and I will change my name so nobody will find me and make me go away. I will be Lillian and not Lilliamber. Will you keep me?"

He pulls the dress over her head as she lifts her arms up. Once it slides down he goes to the back and puts the buttons through the holes so it will stay attached.

"There we go pumpkin. Well I don't believe I have ever called anyone that before so I guess your stuck with it. I'll tell you what if you want me to be your daddy then we can get it done legally so no one will ever bother you again. I'll go to my mother Ayanna and she'll make it all legal so that I can be your daddy. "

He reaches into his satchel and turns his back quickly. There is a flash of light and then he turns to her with a smile on his face. "Are you sure you want me to be your daddy?"

Lilli's eyes light up when he tells her it will all be legal and no one will ever take her away. She sees the flash of light and looks at him curiously. "Yes I want you to be my daddy, if you want to. What was that light?"

"Oh that was just me making you a present." He kneels down once more and shows her the bracelet she will wear forever. He shows her the Magic trademark on the front and then flips it and shows her the engraved word Lillian on the back. "This will tell anyone who sees it that you are a Magic and that you are my daughter. This means your a Magic and a Princess now."

He smiles to her as he sets it upon her wrist and then casts a spell on it that will make it adjust as she grows. "There we go pumpkin you are now Lillian Magic and I am your father. Tomorrow we will go see your grandma Ayanna and get some paper work as well but its really legal now either way." He kisses her cheek and helps her put some stockings on under neath her dress.

Lilli smiles happily at the bracelet. She stares at it as it shines in the light. "It is very pretty daddy, thank you berry muches. I love it and I will wear it forever. When can I meet my grammy?"

"I'll take you first thing in the morning pumpkin. Lets go get you some real food though. You didnt eat near enough and I can't have my baby girl starving on me now can I? Whats your favorite food in the whole wide world Pumpkin?"

Lilli looks up to Black and thinks hard. She tries to remember the things her mommy made for her. "I cant member what my favorite food is. Mommy used to make me all kinds of yummy foods. Only thing I can member eating is berries and things in the forest and bread sometimes when... if I could find some. I had a boose berry pie one time that someone lefted on the window sill. I was berry hungry and it was warm and yummy.

"Well I'm sure we will find something that you will like downstairs in the kitchen." He scopps her up into his arms and carries her down the stairs and into the kitchen. He begins to open up cabinets and lift her up to shelves showing her all the different types of food that there is. "Ok I think thats everything now. SO tell me what you want and I'll make sure its prepared right now."

Lilli looked at all the yummilicious food and grabed out a jar. "Can I have pancakes with(wif) this on it. Booseberry Jam is my favorite." She looks to Black with her innocent little baby face. Her eyes sparkle with the excitement at the thought of pancakes and blueberry jam.

He smiles to her and kisses her cheek as he spoons out some of the stuff he likes on the pan cakes. "I told you , you can have you anything you want pumpkin."

Lillian walks into the room where Black is. She walks up to him holding her stomach and looks up at him. "Daddy, my tummy is sad" Her face is very pale and her eyes are wet with tears that have yet to fall down her face. Her round little cheeks are bright red and she looks exhausted. She lifts her dress up to show him her sad tummy. She points to her bare tummy and says "Can you fix it daddy?"

Black hops out of bed and walks over to her. He kneels down and kisses her tummy. "DId you eat to much princess? How long has it been hurting?"

"I ate some berries after dinner. Celia brought them from the forest. She said I could have some daddy, I didnt eat too many. I had about this many," Lilly holds up one hand with the fingers all standing up. "Daddy I dont like it and im scared. Will my tummy quit working?"

Black smiles and then kisses her little tummy. "Kiss the boo boo. Nope precious you will be fine soon. Your tummy just didn't like the berries is all. Just to be on the safe side though, I think you should sleep with daddy tonight. That way I don't have to get up a million times to check on you. Just don't tell your brothers and sisters. We don't need them to get jealous you slept with daddy and they couldn't."

"He picks her up giving her a big hug as he carries her to the bed. He pulls open the covers and then tucks her in and moves the hair out of her eyes. Walks over to the other side of the bed and then slips in himself.

Lilly lays in bed next to her daddy and curls up in a ball. Her little body hot with fever and her hair wet with sweat from the heat. She finally fell asleep after rolling around for a few hours. She had her arm flopped over black and her legs were laying across his stomach. Her hot, red cheek was laying against his shoulder and she was breathing shallowly.

A few hours had passed and the little girl woke up crying. She was holding her tummy and she sat up with her knees to her chest. Before she could warn her daddy she was throwing up on the sheets.

Black wakes up as he hears her crying. He goes to comfort her when she vomits all over him. "Its ok princess."

He stands up and doesn't even shake the vomit off of him. He wraps a blanket around her and flies off the balcony towards silent Llens house with Lilly close to him. He lands kncoking on the door of her cottage hoping she is home. Silent wakes hearing a knock at the door. She quickly climbs out of bed and wraps a silk robe around her naked form. She hurries to the door and opens it seeing Black standing there holding Lilly. She steps back opening the door wide to let him in.

"What happened Black, it must be important for you to be here at this time." She looked at the child who was flushed and breathing shallowly. She stood watching the child for a moment her arms crossed over her midsection to hold the robe shut.

Black rushes inside as Silent opens the door and walks past her looking for the first place he can set Lilly down at. He lays her down on Silents bed. He touches her head which is now quite hot. Her temperature has risen even more since they left the castle. "She was complaining of a tummy ache earlier but she seemed ok. She woke up a few minutes ago saying her tummy was still hurting. She threw up all over me and the bed and she has an extremely high fever. I didn't know where else to bring her. I don't have any idea whats wrong with her."

Silent moved to the opposite side of the bed from black and put her wrist to Lilly's forehead. "She has an extremely high fever we have to get it to break or it could cause serious problems. Just outside the back door is an ice chest. Will you go and get some ice and in the kitchen cabinet are towels. We will need a few towels and a lot of ice."

Silent slips Lilly's dress off and leaves her laying in her undergarments. She puts her ear to the girls chest to hear her heart. She then closes her eyes and places her hands over the girls chest. She feels a deep pain within the girl and it is such a large vibration. She opens her eyes and begins to check the girl over for a wound. She looks over her small arms and hands and finding nothing she then looks over her legs and feet. Still no sign of broken skin. She looks over the girls face and neck and then turns her gently to her side. On the back of Lilly's slip she sees a red stain. Gently she sits the girl up to slip the undergarment over her head. Silent see's a wound on her right shoulder blade. Suddenly silent feels angry realizing what is causing the childs fever and pain.

Black does as Silent says he walks into the kitchen and first gets some towels from the cabinet. He flips them over his shoulder and then looks at the ice chest not remembering how much ice she said to get so he picks the entire chest up and carries in to her. He sees SIlent looking over and pull off her undergarments. He sets the ice chest down and hands her the towels.

"What next Silent and what did you find?"

Silent looks to Black with an angry and worried expression. She turns the girl slightly showing Black the two puncture wounds on the girls shoulder. She takes the towels and opens the ice chest. She lays a layer of towels over the ice within the chest and lays the little girl on top of the towels.

"Black you know as well as I do what this is. Who would have done this to her? There are only two things we can do unfortunately only one is a sure bet. First we can keep her fever down and I can treat her for infections in the wound and then give her a transfusion of uninfected blood. This method will keep her from turning, but wont guarentee that she lives. The second option is to turn her yourself, giving her your blood."

She looks to Black sadly, "I am sorry this happened, it is a terrible choice to have to make. She is so young still."

He sees the marks and his eyes begin to glow a deep red. He is reminded of how the old lady found him lying along the bank of Magic lake.*

"This isn't fair Silent." He sits down upon the bed and moves the matted hair out of her eyes. "How do I make this choice? How do I decide whether I take the chance with her life and possible lose her forever or take away her childhood and the right to grow up like everyone else? How do I make that decision?"

He rubs his temple with his fingers and his eyes change from red to a listless black color. "If I turn her I don't know how things will work for her. You forget I am a hybrid mix Silent. The mixture of God, Keeper, Vampire, shape shifter, and Storm elemental Pegasus may bring her death as well if she can't handle my blood in her veins. What if my blood reaks havoc on her and cuases her great pain or turns her into some undead hybrid creature that will only make her life worse then being dead? What would you do silent knowing she will never grow older, possibly never marry , possibly never be able to have a child? What would you do ?"

Silent looks to Black her eyes filled with the pain and anger of such a question even having to be asked. She takes Black's hand and looks into his eyes. "I have no idea what to tell you Black. I dont know how I would handle it if it was my own child. You are right about the blood mixture. With her fragile condition it may very well cause her whole system to shut down. I guess what I would suggest is that we treat her for the wound and get her some uninfected blood. Then we watch her day and night. If she worsens or gets too bad then as a last resort...."

She trails off as he already knows the answer. She sighs heavily and sadly. she wipes the girls hair from her eyes and kisses her forehead.

"she is such a sweet girl and to be going through so much. I want to know who did this to her, what kind of monster would feed from a child."

"I will concern myself with all of that after my daughter is ok. May some other Keeper have mercy on this monsters soul after i find them."

He knows the blood transfusion has little if no chance of working but will go through the motions until he sees she is not getting any better or begins to get sicker and fade before his eyes.

"Then get your untatinted blood. I'm not going anywhere."

Silent stands and kisses blacks cheek* I will do everything I can for her. If she gets worse while I'm gone... Well I will hurry.

She ties her cloak around her shoulders and hurries out the door. She is gone for little over an hour and returns with bottles of blood in her pouch. She walks into the cottage and sets her pouch down careful not to break the bottles. She then unties her cloak and lays it over the table. She picks up the first bottle of fresh blood and makes her way to the side of the bed. She then lifts her athame and makes a small slice in the girls arm just above the elbow. She places a hollow tube into the incision and then begins to slowly pour the blood into the tube letting the childs body pump the fresh blood into her veins.

Black watches silent as he holds lilly's other hand in his own. A tear falls down his face, something that has happened maybe a half dozen times since he has been alive. He looks to Silent the tear already having disappeared not really caring if she saw it or not for she was very special to him and probably the only person who will ever see him cry unless something horrible happens to one of his children or Silent or someone else he loves dearly.*

"If I lose my baby girl I fear for everyone. I have never fed off of anyone no matter how many times i have been tempted. Its not right to feed off of someone unwilling. It can be a gift but most of the time its a curse. I would rather die myself then hurt someone else like they hurt my baby girl."

He knows that despite their efforts it will come down to wether or not Lilly can handle his blood."

Silent continues with the next vile of blood hoping that against all odds, this will make the child better. Silent stops once the vileis completely emptied into her arm. She then rubs the girls arm helping the blood flow easily. She looks to black hearing his comments and her eyes drop again. She knows that Black knows she is vampire and she hopes that he wont hate her for being such after this. She knows that even though she has never fed off a child that she has mostly likely fed from someone innocent and possitively unwilling. She knew she had to save this child not only because the child deserves a full life, but because Black would be heartbroken otherwise. Something Silent never wanted to see.

"I will wait a while before adding more blood. I dont want to over tax her heart and cause it to shut down."

"I'm sorry my words didn't come out right. I have had the urge to feed and i would off someone willing but never a child. I am sure I am very lucky because of my make up that I don't have to feed and i am not downgrading those who have to but there is a difference between feeding on those who have lived and a child or those who are scum and deserve to die anyway or to feed from one in the throws of passion. I know a full vampire has to feed but there should still be limits when its possible."

"I didn't mean to down grade you Silent in anyway. You have and always will be one of the people I look up to most."

"Im sorry Im just frustrated and Im lible to say anything right now out of anger. You know I love you so don't take it like that. Your the only person I could think of to even come to with her." He kisses Lillys forehead as he just holds her hand waiting.

"I didnt take offence I was just worried that my nature would offend. I would never dream of harming an innocent child, or any child for that matter. I... I only do what I have to, to survive. I'm sorry for what happened to Lilly and I will find who did this. This is an outrage."

She reaches to another vile of blood opening it and pouring it slowly into the tube. She slowly empties each of the remaining viles of blood into the girls arm, until her heart no longer draws it in. Silent puts the remaining blood into the small ice box in her kitchen. She removes the tube from Lilly's arm and bends her arm up to close the wound. careful not to let the girls arm drop she turns and reaches for bandages. "Well the blood is pumping in her veins now, all we have to do is wait and try to keep the fever and infection away."

She bandages the girls arm and then kisses her forehead. She looks to Black. "I am going to go out and wash my hands I will be back in a moment." She goes outside to wash the blood from her hands, she cant help but feel partly responsible for the girls poor condition, as it was brought on by one of her kind.

Silent returned to the room as Black sat back in the chair next to the bed. He offers a hand to her and she takes his and he pulls her down til she is sitting on his lap and he just puts his chin on her shoulder and remains eerily silent. His mind mixed with emotions of love for Silent and guilt as to not having been there to protect his baby girl. He begins to wonder if it happened when he was away in Tyrant or if even it was in his own home and he was so preoccupied that he missed the intruder and never sensed them in his own land. Either way this happening is his fault and there is nothing he can do now except hope she will be ok although he knows this is far from over with and he sighs knowing it only takes blood 20 minutes to completely circulate through the body and its been hours now. He tightens his grip around silents waist and gently kisses her neck knowing if she was not here he would be at a total loss right now. She has been his rock and knowing she loves him as well has made this at least a little more bearable and he will need her strength if if things turn into the unacceptable. the things he refuses to think of. The silence continues to be thick and deafening, heard above all else.

Silent takes his hand and sits on his lap. She leans back against him a bit as he puts his chin on her shoulder. Her heart sinks as she watches Lilly laying there barely breathing still. Her face a little less pale as the blood is circulating through her system. Silent takes a deep breath and sighs. She knows that it is a long shot but she hopes with all she has, that this will help her to get better. Even though it would be a long healing process it would be far better than having to turn her. Besides the mixture of Blacks blood, Silent realizes they dont know anything about the childs origin. She apears to be a human child but it is hard to say what she could have within her. Black knows more than anyone what it is like to barely know yourself. Again she sighs as she watches the child. She sees Lilly's eyes fluttering a bit and she stands up next to the bed. She leans close to listen to the child's breathing and watch her eyes. Something was happening, she just wasnt sure if it was bad or good. She put a hand on the childs forehead and could tell her fever was no better or worse. But the child was stiring and she hoped it was a good sign. At first he thought Silent was breathing heavy but then realized it was Lillly. He knew it was to early to get excited or upset and just watched as Silent the healer went to work.

Lilly's little body begins to tremble. Her eyes flutter and roll around under the lids. Her fingers twitch lightly almost as if she were counting on them. A small barely audible groan comes from her throat. She turns her head to the side and her mouth drops open. A small trickle of blood runs out and down her cheek.

Silent feels the child trembling. She watches as the childs fingers twitch and her eyes flutter. She decides to remove the ice and wrap Lilly in a dry blanket. before she can wrap her up Silent sees the blood coming from her mouth. "Oh no, she must have some internal trauma also. Does it have to keep getting worse?"

Silent wipes the blood from Lilly's face with her sleeve. She then lays her hand on the childs forehead and the other on her stomach. She closes her eyes and concentrates on the path from which the blood came that trickled out of the girls mouth. Her hands begin to glow a soft white as silent searches for the cause of the bleeding. She begins to chant lightly as she finds the injury. The child has a broken rib that has punctured a lung. Silent chants louder as her hands glow an ice blue color. The light grows around her hands and begins to enter the childs body. After nearly twenty minutes Lilly's entire body is glowing with the ice blue light eminating from Silent. Silent continues to chant with her eyes closed. Her body begins to sway lightly with the chants and after about fourty five minutes of this she slows her chant and stops. She opens her eyes and looks to Lilly. Suddenly she feels weak and her legs give out from under her. She knocks over the table next to the bed as she falls to the floor. She sits up holding her head

"That took a lot of energy. Black please watch Lilly closely. If anything happens let me know, I can barely move right now."

Black gets worried and walks over to Silent kisses her on the forehead reaches into his satchel and hands her a coveted Shantner award. You definaltey have earned this with that.

Silent takes the award and lays it in her lap. "When I get my strength back I will put this on my mantle and keep it forever"

Black kneels down and scoops her into his arms. He sighs knowing both the women he loves are now in horrible shape and that he can't even heal Silent for if he does and Lilly gets worse she will die for he will not be able to turn her as she will need. He lays Silent on the bed next to Lilly and just sits there feeling helpless wishing his sister joli was not away on business.

Silent sits up next to lilly and watches her. She loosk to Black and smiles. "Thanks Black, but I will be fine in a while. Just need to rest up. Dont worry about me just watch Lilly. If anything happens to her I wouldn't forgive myself"

She can see that lilly's body has stoped shaking and her eyes are still again. Her breath is a little more calmed but still labored. Black sits there as Silent says she is fine and just needed to rest a second. She closes her eyes and is instantly out. She has exerted herself more then she thought she did. Black picks up Lilly and sits down on the bed she is laying back in his arms in a sitting position now. Her temperature has not gone down and she is shaking again uncontrollably. He sighs and knows what must be done. He sees Silent begin to stir a little as if waking up once more. He opens Lillys mouth a little and then puts his arm in front of her. He pulls out a dagger and then slices his wrist deeply and places it against her lips so that the blood drips into her mouth. At first nothing, she just sat there then suddenly her little tongue danced upon his wrist and then finally her hunger hit her and she was sucking sinking her little teeth into his wrist itself. The suction was ferocious and her grip was strong her little eyes opened and were looking right at him as she continued to suck the blood from his wrist.He began to worry about how his blood flowing through her would effect her and he soon began to close his eyes as she continued to drink from him. If this would have been anyone else this would have been very erotic to him. FInally she quit sucking and fell back lying against him in the sitting position once more. His eyes closed completely and he was unable to move. He hoped that Silent would wake and be able to help her . This was his last thought when the dreams took him over.

Silent's eyes flutter and open. She sees Black beside her and Lilly on his lap. As her eyes focus she realizes that Lilly's little mouth is tight against Black's wrist. Just as Silent opens her mouth to speak Lilly lays back against Black. Silents eyes are wide and worried, she speaks softly to Black, "What have you done...." she looks to Lilly whos face is regaining color and her body is now calm and not shaking. Her hair that had been soaked with sweat and matted to her forehead was now shiny and fresh again. "Dear god Black, you let her drink until she was full. That kind of power all at once, it is going to flood her sences." She then realizes that Black's eyes have closed and he is now sleeping. Something that he doesnt do unless he is totally drained. Silent reaches over and touches Lilly's face and feels that she is much cooler now with the fever gone. The child's face was nearly perfect, almost porcelin and even more beautiful. She was the perfect child, but a child she would remain for eternity.

Silent stood carefully and walked around the bed and scooped up Lilly. She smiled at the child who was now looking directly at her. She speaks in a whisper barely audible. "Lilly, you may not understand this, but you have just gone through a serious change. Your life will be very different and for now you need to stay right here with me. Things may seem strange and even scary at first but dont worry nothing is going to harm you now." She kisses the childs forehead and holds her close keeping her calm knowing that her sences are going to be extremely sensitive for a while.

Lilly looks at Silent as she speaks softly. The sound of Silent's voice pounds in her ears and through her head like thunder. She winces gently and then smiles as Silent kisses her forehead. "Thank you mommy, I love you." She then lays her head down on Silent's shoulder and closes her eyes trying to keep out the blinding light of the candle siting on the night stand across the room.

Black lays there his eyes unable to open despite his urging them to do so. He is neither awake nor asleep but in an induced coma brought on by his constant healing as of late plus his sheer lack of taking care of himself. He thinks he hears Silent but in this state he is not sure whats real nor just a hallucination brought on by his weakened condition.

Silent puts her hand on the back of lilly's head and holds her close. She hears Lilly call her mommy and her heart stops a moment. She kisses the girls head and hugs her. "Oh Lilly, I love you sweetie." She then looks over to Black and she thinks she sees him move a bit but shes not sure. She stands and walks to the bed and slips onto the bed next to Black. She lifts his head gently laying it on her lap. She strokes his hair gently as he sleeps and rubs Lilly's back gently with her other hand. What a mess this was, but soon her little family would be well again. She smiled thinking again of Lilly calling her mommy. Yes, she would be Lilly's mother for she really liked the child, and she knew that Lilly would need a mother. She smiled at Black and brushed her fingers over his cheek lightly, "I love you Black Magic, with all my heart"

he began to come to after hearing a conversation he was sure he imagined. He had heard Lilly call Silent mom and then hear Silent in her mind say they were a family. He had smiled and then felt his head being moved and then fingers running through his hair. He heard Silents voice tell him she loved him. His eyes finally opened and he just looked up to her holding them both and said "I love you to Silent Magic."

Silent carefully leans down to kiss Black, careful not to drop Lilly. It has been a while since she has had a small child to care for. It would be nice to have a child around. She smiles and looks at Lilly again. She was awake but laying against Silent's shoulder still. Silent moves her hair out of her eyes and kisses her forehead carefully not to iritate her skin. Lilly's lips curled slightly into a smile as she continued to stare at seemingly nothing. She whispered in a voice so low a human would not be able to hear, "Lilly are you ok sweetie?"

Lilly looks at Silent as she speaks. Her voice still sounds loud to lilly even though she knows Silent is speaking very quietly. She smiles up at her and touches Silent's hair.

"it's so pretty, the lights coming from your hair. The colors are so bright and extra pretty."

Black is beginning to wake up and he is now hearing the thoughts of both the ladies but he is drawn to Silents inner thoughts and desires. He hears both her desire to be a mother once more as well as be Lillys mother. He heard Lilly call her mother earlier and would ask her later if this is what she wants. He also meant to make it a point to find out if Silent wanted more children. If so he would talk to either Kalia or his mother Ayanna. He smiled and began to regain his strength. He sat up a little and just looked at them both the smile getting bigger upon his face by the second. He was a lucky man indeed.*

Silent caresses Lilly's hair as she rests against her. She knew that Lilly would need to feed again soon but wanted her to be as rested as possible first. She began to humm low enough that it wouldnt hurt Lilly's ears and loud enough to calm her. It was a few hours later and the night was growing old. She knew that they would have to feed soon before daylight breaks. She carefully sliped off the bed and sat Lilly back down on the bed. Her cloak hung in the kitchen over a chair and she walked out to get it. Before returning to Lilly she looked in a closet of old clothes that had belonged to her children. She pulled out a small black cloak and returned to the bedroom. She laid her cloak on the bed and then draped the small cloak around Lilly's shoulders. She ties the cloak in the front and kisses Lilly's forehead then puts the hood up over her head to hide her features. She then lifts her cloak and swings it around her back and over her shoulders. She ties the front and raises her hood then looks to Black. "Are you strong enough to come with us. We are going to feed and I figure Tyrant is the perfect place. The prey in Tyrant are stupid and slow, easy to pick off being still a bit weak myself." She grined to Black and picked up Lilly. Holding Lilly on her right hip she held her left hand out to Black, "Come Love the night is ours and its Lilly's maiden voyage."

He stands up and his mind is flooded with vagueness. He is getting a partial memory. He can't make it out but he thinks he once fed off of Danietta during a passionate moment. His memory is not clear and he thinks he needs to find out. He hears Silent and smirks a little at the thought of a trip to Tyrant and both Lilly and Silent feeding off of them. "The blood of those nasty people will not harm you will it? You both are a much higher class then those there."

He chuckles at hearing Tyrant's inhabitants are slow and stupid. "Love I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Silent takes Black's hand and they begin the trip toward Tyrant. Moments later they arrive outside the pub in the land of Tyrant. The journey took them but a few moments when it was easily days away by foot for mortals. They stood behind a large tree about five feet from the door to the pub. Silent watched as a drunk stumbled out from the pub and fell over into the bushes as he tried to relieve himself. He lay there a few minutes trying unsuccessfully to get up, before a woman came out to look for him. She was young and had she been groomed and wearing clean garments she could even be pretty. But much like those who lived in this place she was filthy, her hair was matted and dirty. Her dress was torn and had grass stains along the hem and dirt and other stains over the rest of it. Her feet where bare and bruised. Silent would have prefered someone a little cleaner but at this point she could deal with it. She handed Lilly to Black and then whispered to her in a voice so quiet the mortals couldnt hear her, "Watch me now sweetie, and one day you will do this on your own." She then turned and moved quickly behind the girl. She placed her hands on the girls head and snaped her neck without hesitation. The girl slumped over onto the drunk she had been trying to help. Silent lifted the girl over her shoulder and carried her to the place where Black and Lilly were waiting. She lay the girl down and pulled out a cloth and a bottle from her satchel. She poured some disinfectant on the cloth and wiped the dirt and any germs off from the girls neck. Once the girls neck was clean Silent leaned down and punctured the skin with her fangs. When the blood hit her tongue she pulled back and held her hands out for Lilly. She brought Lilly to her lap directly next to the girl. Whispering to Lilly she encouraged her to drink, "Go ahead Lilly, its time to drink. Don't worry she can't feel a thing. It will make you feel better."

Lilly climbs closer to the dead girls body carefully. She leans in to the girls neck and at first just nurses from the wound started for her. When she gets a full taste of the girls blood she opens her jaw and sinks her teeth into the flesh. Her tiny little fangs puncture the flesh again and she pulls deeply drawing blood from the wound. Her pudgy little hands press against the girl's neck and her hair falls over her face as she continues to feed. A very low growl comes from the childs body as she continues to feed for her first time. She continues to pull as if nursing on mothers milk. She felt her stomach filling up and finally she stoped and retracted her fangs. She lifted her head and wiped her mouth off with the back of her hand smearing blood across her hand and cheek. She then looks over to Silent and Black with her hair hanging in her eyes, blood on her cheek, and a smile across her lips. "I'm full daddy, you want?"

Black smiles and leans down and kisses Lillys cheek, "No princess but thank you. If you will excuse me I have something else in mind for your mother."

He slams open the doors to Erythells pub and walks in looking around to see whats hanging around there this evening. He chuckles seeing the usual arrangements of the losers of Tyrant. The so called hierarchy of course is pregnant. Gods, godesses, Kings, and Queens alike. HE chuckles knowing the truth and how they are no longer anything to him but mere weaklings. Not only is he a god now but he is a keeper as well making him more powerful then anyone in this land. He walks in and hops up to the balcony where the gods and goddesses of Tyrant are seated. "Well now what do we have hear? Gaea , the goddess of love and Orisus the god of death? "

He chuckles seeing the look of shock upon their faces. "Oh whats wrong? I told you you were powerless to stop me." Orisus stands up and threatens Black and he just laughs at him and bitch slaps him across the table behind him.

"Shut up bitch!"

He picks the unconcious Orisus up and and throws him over his shoulder. Gaea tries to run away and Black grabs her by the hair. "Oh nooo you don't. You can just follow me too." He keeps hold of her hair and pulls her behind him as he goes down the stairs. Her head thumps agaisnt each step and she groans as she goes. He proceeds out the front door to where Lilly and Silent are and smiles to them.

"Love I have brought you a present. I'm sure you remember the goddess of love and the god of death here in Tyrant? Gaea here is the one that said Mystic and I are true loves and Orisus is the fool who tried to kill me when I was coming back home to you and Lilly not so long ago. I'll tell you what love. You can feed off of one and the other will be yours and Lillys servant."

Silent smiles as she hears him tell her who the two are that he brought with him. "Well that is a very tough decision. Do I kill the one who told you that Mystic was your true love, or do I take the life of the one who tried to take you away from me. I think we will keep the woman alive so she can see what real love is. And that fool who tried to kill you will hardly be a meal but he will bring up my energy and for now that is all I need, besides you of course." Silent leans in close and kisses Black softly.