Page 39 of Sweeter than Honey
The moment the doors close, I can sense Lily’s quickened pulse. She told me once that she doesn’t like elevators, so every time we’re in one together, I try to distract her.
“Are you enjoying your new accommodations?” I ask.
“Oh, very much,” she replies. “Thank you again, Ms. Espina.”
“I’m glad you’re settling in well. It’s just you and your son?”
“Yes, Eli. He’s five. Well, you met him.”
“Yes.” Curiosity strikes me. I don’t know much about Lily’s life, other than what I saw when I visited her at her apartment. I wonder if she has a partner. I didn’t see anyone else when I was there. It feels odd, to think of Lily with someone. “Is anyone else moving in with you?”
“Oh…no, it’s just the two of us,” she turns to me, a little pink flush across her cheeks.
Her heart begins to beat a little quicker. The pounding in her chest and the whoosh of blood rushing through her veins activates a hungry ache inside me. I swallow and look away from her.
I regret letting myself go so long without drinking. Usually I’m much better at keeping myself well-fed. Since Lily has been getting me donors, I’m not even used to experiencing bloodlust anymore.
But it will be fine. In just a moment, the elevator doors will open, and it will be easier to control my urges.
Then the elevator stops. Not on its intended floor. It stops abruptly, jolting Lily and I. She loses her balance and falls onto me so I catch her in my arms.
The touch of her warm, supple skin against mine is almost more than I can bear. The bloodlust makes my conscious mind hazy, and at the same time, it sharpens my physical senses. I’m suddenly acutely aware of Lily’s breathing, of the thumping rhythm of her heart, of the tendrils of ash-blond hair that fall across her face. I could count every eyelash, memorize the shade of her eyes…
Her gaze catches mine and she swallows. The skin around her neck is so tender…
I pull away, before I do something I’ll sorely regret.
“The elevator,” Lily says, a note of panic in her voice.
“It’s all right,” I tell her, pulling out my cellphone. “Sometimes the elevators stall. It will start to move again in a moment, you’ll see.”
“O…ok…” she hugs her arms around herself tightly. “Are you getting any bars?”
I hold up my phone, and my stomach drops. “No.” I put it back in my pocket and smash my finger into the security button on the elevator’s panel. “Hello?” I yell into the receiver. But there’s only a dial tone. “Is anyone there?”
Silence.
“Ms. Espina?” Lily says shakily. “I…I don’t like confined spaces…”
I can smell the fear radiating off of her skin. It awakens a carnal instinct inside me.
“Hold on,” I tell her. I move to the doors, and wedge the tops of my fingernails between them. It would be impossible for a normal human, but…
I press my fingers as hard as I can, and…
Nothing. I strain against the heavy metal doors, but they don’t budge. I can feel my weakness, the shakiness of my usually rock-hard muscles.
I hiss angrily, unable to contain my frustration.
“What…what are you doing?” she asks.
“I’m not strong enough,” I tell her, bitterly. “It’s my own fault, I should have fed…”
She shakes her head. “It’s not your…”
And the light goes out, plunging us both into pitch darkness.
Lily screams, and reaches out, clutching my arm fearfully. She’s shorter than me, her head only up to my shoulder. I can feel a tear run down her cheek as she presses it up against my skin. Her scent and the relentless, heavy pounding in her chest are overwhelming.