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Lilith

I watch silently as Tyler and his father slide into seats two booths down from me and oh how love having enhanced senses for once.

"Ty, how many times have I told you that though they-"

"Though they are friendly, and many of them are nice and good people, it only takes one of them to have a temper tantrum and Jericho could burn under their wrath." Tyler monotonously finishes for his father, the sarcastic note going unheard by no one. "I get it."

"Do you?" The sheriff demands but there's a pleading not to his voice. "Do you understand how dangerous some of them are?"

"I understand that it's their choice whether to be good or bad. The same way humans choose. They are no different to us in their choices."

"No but what they can choose to do is far different from what we can do."

The problem is that I agree with everything the sheriff is saying. We can be unpredictable and dangerous but that is why we have places like Nevermore to ensure we learn control. Not to mention the recent governmental differences between our people are causing friction, each legal power fighting for dominance over the other as they try to maintain the peace.

Not to mention the Hikers found. I can't blame the sheriff for trying to protect his son, even if there is something off with Tyler himself. He smells too much like an Agnostos to be a normie, a secret girlfriend perhaps.

"Are they saying anything interesting?" Bianca drawls as she slides into the seat opposite me with a curious head tilt. "I can't imagine normies having any useful insights but they do surprise me on occasions."

I roll my eyes.

"Be nice Sjor." I admonish, but I know she can see the amusement in my eye but Bianca's eyebrows rise curiously.

"It's been a long time since I've heard that name." She comments, watching me with a predatory gaze.

"Maybe because Eldi is the only one who can pronounce the names correctly?" Xavier answers as he settles into the seat beside me, sliding a slice of chocolate brownie to me that he must have bought. "Thought we could all do with a snack."

Bianca rolls her eyes but accepts the paninis Xav also brought with him.

"You do an admirable job with your pronunciation of Dreka Tungu." I compliment before turning to Bianca who is mouthing my words in mockery. "You butcher my mother tongue."

"Well excuse me for not speaking lizard."

"Of course, then excuse me for not speaking fish."

"At least my langue is lyrical and musical and-"

"Whiny? Irritating? Madness inducing?"

"Oh and your harsh vowels and sharp tones are any better. Every word sounds like a threat."

"Maybe they were meant that way."

"Can we just have a peaceful lunch for once." Xavier rubs at the bridge between his eyes. "Please? I really should have invite Ajax."

"Why? He doesn't even know who Lilith is, not to mention the shit he was spreading about her."

"And I assume you're the reason he stopped doing that." Xavier asks tensely and Bianca gives him a hurt look but quickly covers it with an eyeroll.

"I just reminded him of his place. Beside, he's always making moon calf eyes at the wolf girl or was it the vamp?" Bianca and I share a look.

"Enid? The pastels girl, roomies with my sister?"

"Maybe. Could have been Yoko, they're always together - hard to tell which one he's looking at."

"At least we always know who's looked at him."

"That was a terrible burn."

"I mean it wasn't my worst- wait, hey!"

"Ladies!" Xavier huffs and Bianca rolls her eyes, taking a bite of her tuna panini and I mimic her movements. Seven Kingdoms, this is damn good meat lover.

"Please stop moaning like that, Eldi." Xavier sounds breathy beside me and I quickly freeze. I forget I tend to go a little animalistic at times, grunts, growls, ground and apparently moans. Bianca grins at the blush I can feel rising to my cheeks as I awkwardly finish my panini. "I mean, if all I had to do to get you moaning like that was to bring you food then imagine-"

"Xavier!" Bianca snaps and I choke on my food.

"Careful now, remember to swallow-"

"Huga!" There's a threatening lilt to Bianca's voice and I hear her pendant hum with sound as it controls her slip up. Mercifully, Xavier doesn't notice but Bianca's gaze drops away from my questioning one in shame when she notices my attention. A flicker of guilt has me straightening up searching for a compliment to restore my confident friend.

"At least your pronunciation was better this time." I settled on, not my best but human interaction is still foreign thanks to my heritage and living with the Addams.

"I saw a familiar plant hidden by the bee hives." Xavier breaks the silence, giving me a questioning look. Right, the Drekabani "How did you manage to move it?"

"Wednesday moved it for me, but that's no doubt going to bite me later." I grumble and he frowns slightly. "The hikers found dead along with a torn apart wolf. If I get questioned I would at least like to be able to plead insanity."

"Couldn't your dad just pull some strings?" Bianca asks, frowning in thought as she picks at the brownie in font of me.

I swat at her hand, "Gomez isn't exactly powerful-"

"No, I mean your dad-dad. You know Azazel Drake, leader of the great reclaim crusade, government official-"

"Yeah, I know." I huff, the movement feeling more animalistic than human as I poke at the brownie in front of me. "It would be a political scandal that he would no doubt seek to avoid."

"Or your mother perhaps." Xavier asks with a worried look. "She works with Morticia in the great tower of fire."

He looks so concerned, his brows furrowed in irritation as he tries to think of as many contingency plans as possible.

"We can always go back and get the plant." Bianca adds on in an attempt to reassure Xav of my safety rather than me. "I could keep it in my room, hide it among the corals and kelps."

Ah yes, the infamous aquarium rooms. The Sirens tend to dorm together as their rooms were adapted with extension charms to house small rock pools connected to the lake. Hence why they reside in the dungeons. Underwater caves are apparently a thing here.

"I'm sure it will be fine." I reassure them but I can see their hesitance, they're scared to lose me again. It warms something in my scaled heart.

Xavier still looks like he's deep in thought. It's obvious now that he blames himself for what happened between us. For us drifting apart.

"Huga," I murmur, gently placing a hand on his arm. "It's fine. There's no suspicion as of yet. We are just being cautious."

"After what happened last year-" He breaks off with a shake of his head. "I can't go through that again."

Bia has turned to window, texting away to give us some semblance of privacy.

"It won't-"

"But you can't know that." Xavier whispers harshly, fear bright in his eyes as he turns to me. "The hunters are ruthless. You know this. We can't risk it and I won't have your sister putting us at risk again.

"Us?" I whisper and Xavier gives me a look.

"Do you really think that they wouldn't have to take me down to get to you."

I don't bother to hide my blush but I can't help but look away in embarrassment before glancing back at Xavier as he stares at me with a warm smile.

"I've missed you, my fire." He whisper, eyes shining with unshed tears. "I thought I would never see you again."

"You seemed to move on just fine, my solace." I don't bother to hide the slight bitterness in my tone and Xav looks down with a little nod as his expression drops.

"Funny thing is that we bonded over the loss of you." Xavier huffs out a disbelieving laugh as he straightens up but refuses to look at me. "I couldn't stop thinking of you, and then with the talks about Sebastian."

My throat feels thick when I try to explain, to tell him what happened to our somewhat mutual friend.

"I mean, he was a decent guy from what I knew. A dracobani like you, it seemed like the perfect match for you and I- '' He clears his throat and it's my turn to look away.

We never defined what we were. In fact, dragons never define what their relationships are until they choose their mate. It's unnecessary to claim another until trust and loyalty is earned. There's an understanding among my people of equal respect and honour, there's no hidden cheating or betrayals. If we wish to have a relationship with more than one person at a time, to play the field as Bia tells me it's called, then we tell that to those we are interested in. If they don't feel the same way we respect that.

It's very strange in this human world, the Addams I understood as their family holds the same beliefs as us in that regard. But for a teenager to swear loyalty to another while wishing to experiment is unheard of. We do not even choose if we have a preferred gender until we have tried all. This society has far too many rules and social niceties for my tastes.

Xavier and I made it clear we were interested in each other but neither of us was ready to swimwear loyalty due to the fact we were both 16 at the time. Children in most modern day societies' eyes

But Sebastian. Sebastian was a political request. We have those in our culture, it was once common among the various dragon clans to form alliances through marriage but only ever with willing parties. And even then they didn't have to swear fealty as mates to one another as they didn't necessarily chose each other in the first place.

But Xavier isn't a dragon. He plays by this society's rules and a courtship with Sebastian until I came to a decision regarding my heart and politics was a step too far for him.

"Where did you go." He murmurs and I watch silently as Xavier traces a thumb over the inside of my wrist as he holds my hand. Scent marking. Something I taught him, something he grew to love.

It broke my heart when I saw him unconsciously do it with Bia as more than friends.

"Just thinking about last year." I whisper, eyes tracing the movements of his hand. Watching the veins twist with each move. It feels so impersonal now. When I know that at one point we had more. "It's getting late. We should head back to Nevermore."

A/N: What would you like to see between Xavier and Bianca?