Not What She Seems

chapter 13



The smell of fresh pancakes roused Sylvia from her deep sleep early the next afternoon. Her hands felt the mattress next to her, seeking Keith’s warm body but of course he was not there. She smiled to herself as she got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen.

“Hey,” he greeted her.

“Good morning.” She headed straight for the Keurig and was delighted to find he had already set it up for her. She turned it on and stepped away from it to come up behind Keith and wrap her arms around him, so that her hands were resting on his washboard abs.

He let out an exaggerated groan as he shooed her away. “Damn it, woman, can’t a man get any peace around here? Are you starting that stuff up again?” Unable to resist, he turned and kissed her briefly, breaking free of the kiss before it became more passionate. “You really enjoy testing my limits, don’t you?”

She shrugged. “I’m not used to being turned down. It’s bad for my fragile ego, you know.”

He rolled his eyes in mock exasperation as he turned back to flipping pancakes. “If you can stand to keep your clothes on, could you please set the table? These are almost done.”

She prepared the table and poured her coffee and his juice while he prepared their plates. They ate in amicable silence, both happy and relaxed in each other’s company. Sylvia noted that he looked exhausted.

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t want the Hunter breaking in while we were asleep.”

“But you can’t stay up all night, all of the time!”

“Nope.” He took another bite of his pancake. “That’s why an alarm company is coming shortly to wire this place up. In just a few hours no one gets in without tripping the alarms. I’ll sleep after it’s all set up.”

Something clicked into place in Sylvia’s head. If the alarm company took enough time to set up, and he slept long enough afterwards, she might have a chance to sneak out to her date with Mason unnoticed.

“What are you grinning about?” he asked her suspiciously.

“You,” she giggled. “I think you’re the first man in history to insist I put my shirt back on.”

“Well, I didn’t want you to, but I’ve been told there’d be no hanky-panky.”

“Sorry about that. I didn’t realize you were such a tease.”

He rolled his eyes at her again as he finished his breakfast. “I almost forgot! Lilith wants you to call her today.”

It was Sylvia’s turn to roll her eyes in genuine annoyance. “You told her I was okay, right?”

“Yes, but she said she had something important to tell you and wanted you to call today as soon as you were up.”

“All right, I’ll do it when I’m done eating.”

Just then the buzzer announced the arrival of the alarm company downstairs. Keith confirmed it was them and buzzed them up to the apartment. He was waiting for them at the door when they arrived on Sylvia’s floor.

The two workmen looked at her with great interest and she flashed them a polite smile before returning to her breakfast.

“You’re a lucky guy.” She heard one of them exclaim to Keith as he showed them to her bedroom to begin their work.

“You have no idea.” Keith’s reply floated down the hallway.

She smiled to herself. Last night had been awkward, when he rejected her advances, but now that she understood the reasoning behind it she felt at peace with the situation. It wasn’t settled yet, this thing between them, but she truly believed he had changed and there might be hope for them after all.

After cleaning up their breakfast mess while Keith oversaw the workmen installing the alarm system, Sylvia read a book out in the living room until they moved to work there. She then retreated to her bedroom, already feeling safer knowing the alarm system would be up and running shortly.

She sat cross-legged on her bed and decided it was time to just get it out of the way. Time to call Lilith. She didn’t know what she wanted, but she imagined it couldn’t be good.

Deborah put her through to Lilith’s line right away.

“Hi. Keith said you wanted me to call you?”

“Yes. I heard about last night. Everything’s fine now?” Lilith sounded like she asked because it was expected of her, not because she had much genuine concern.

“I’m fine. There’s a company putting in an alarm system right now, so that won’t happen again.” Sylvia paused, fully aware that wasn’t the point of Lilith’s contact.

As expected, she wasted no time getting right down to business. “I just wanted to let you know- Elora’s found an Innocent. One of my incubi reported he saw her with him last night, though she hasn’t been in, so I’m sure nothing significant has happened yet.”

Sylvia’s stomach dropped. It had seemed like a sure thing she would win the Challenge, when Elora was so flustered at the thought of finding an Innocent and she already had one she was working on. Now the race was back on, and either of them could win rights to the territory. It all just depended on who bedded their Innocent first.

“Thanks for letting me know,” she replied swiftly, unwilling to share the news that she had found an Innocent as well.

“I just thought it prudent you know, so you could work a little harder to get going on that. I’m surprised she found one so quickly. That girl is apparently very resourceful!”

“I have to go,” Sylvia said lamely. “I think the alarm system’s almost done.” She was anxious to get off the phone lest she slip up and show her hand in the game. If Lilith was willing to let her know Elora had an Innocent, she felt certain she wouldn’t hesitate to let Elora know she had one as well. Better to let Elora think she had the upper hand.

“One more thing, before you go- how is everything with Keith, or should I say, Karl?”

“Fine, we’re getting along fine. I’m glad he’s here, last night was pretty scary.”

“Good. Just try to keep your pants on. With Elora’s news it’s probably best you don’t lose focus like some silly young girl.” Sylvia heard the gloating in her tone, like she couldn’t resist rubbing in how foolishly she had acted in the past with Keith.

“No problem, pants on,” she joked, trying to sound casual about it. At least she was being honest. No one had taken their pants off in that sense- yet. If she had been lying Lilith would have picked up on it right away. She had that uncanny ability.

“Keep me posted. I’ll let you know if I hear anything new about the Hunter.” Lilith signed off.

Silence surrounded Sylvia and she realized the alarm company’s work must have been finished. When she went out in the living room to check, Keith was waiting for her. He showed her how to work the alarm, and gave her a hand held unit that would summon the police at the touch of a button.

“It only works in the apartment, but I want you to keep it with you at all times.”

“But why, if the alarm’s set? If someone breaks in the alarm will just get help here anyway.”

“Please, just humor me,” he pleaded. “I just want you safe, okay?”

“Okay.” She was again touched that he cared so much.

“I’ve got to go get some sleep; I’m beat. You’ll be okay?”

“Of course I will be,” she nodded as she settled back down on the couch with her book again while he headed off to bed. She noticed he went to lie down in the guest room instead of to her room, where they shared the night before and she didn’t know what to make of it. Would he stay in ‘his’ room again, now that the apartment had a security system? Nothing to do but wait to find out later that night.

At the thought of the approaching evening, Sylvia checked her watch. It was already 5:00. Between sleeping late and dealing with the alarm company the day had flown by. Moving quietly so as not to disturb Keith, she crept down the hall to her room and into her closet, to look for something to wear that evening for her date with Mason. With any luck Keith would sleep right through her departure. She’d leave him a note, she decided, so he wouldn’t panic when he awoke to find her gone.

Studying her formal wear she eventually settled on an emerald green sleeveless gown, cut modestly on top but with a long side slit on one side to show off her shapely legs. It was classy enough for a black tie event and would show off her flawless figure without being scandalous. Within a few moments she had selected the perfect delicate Miu Miu peep toe high heels and a beaded Dolce & Gabbana clutch to complete her high class look.

In the shower her mind played out all the ways she could think of to get Mason into bed with her that night. It would surprise her if he slept with her so soon, but that didn’t mean it was an impossibility. He was an Innocent but she planned to make herself hard to resist. It occurred to her that she might not have as much time to seduce him as she originally thought, with Elora hot on her heels in the Challenge.

Her stomach soured as an unbidden thought flooded her mind. What if Mason was the Innocent Elora had been seen with? Innocents were so rare in Boston that Sylvia had a hard time believing she had found a different one, and so quickly. The pressure on her to seduce Mason had increased infinitely with the mere thought of it. That bitch wouldn’t have him, if she had any say in it. She wouldn’t allow Elora to take her territory, or her Innocent.

She dried off and layered herself with various high end beauty products to ensure she emitted a light, feminine scent. Her hair needed to set in its rollers for a while, and she used the time to select some sexy underthings to wear under her gown, just in case. A lacy black thong and matching strapless bra seemed like a good choice for an Innocent since they were classically sexy but not over-the-top. Sylvia grinned to herself as she tried to imagine how the Innocent Mr. Kent might react if he discovered her in a cut out bra and crotchless, tear away bottoms. It might all be too much for him. Classic black and elegant would match the night’s theme. After slipping on her gown she unrolled her hair and brushed it out so it hung in gorgeous waves. She took her time methodically applying her makeup, and when she had finished she went to look in the full length mirror.

“Just try to resist me, Mason Kent,” she murmured to herself as she admired her reflection. She looked stunning, even more beautiful than usual. She would be the envy of every woman there no doubt, and Mason the envy of every man, with her on his arm. A glance at her alarm clock revealed it was time to get moving. Her careful preparations for the evening had taken longer than she had realized. At least she wasn’t late.

Heels and clutch in hand, she tiptoed down the hallway, past the sound of Keith’s gentle snores. Once in the kitchen she dug a notepad and pen out of one of the drawers to leave him a note. Guilt for sneaking out on him consumed her, but she couldn’t have him messing up her progress with her Innocent.

Keith, she wrote in her feminine hand, I’m sorry to duck out on you like this but I have something I have to do tonight. I’m safe, I promise! I’ll be home late, please don’t wait up for me, go out yourself if you like, I’m FINE. I’ll see you tomorrow. Forgive me?

She hoped the little heart she drew next to her name would help soften Keith’s anger when he read the note, but she doubted it. He would be extremely angry with her, but she’d deal with that later. She knew she would be safe with Mason. He was an Innocent, so it would be impossible for him to be the Hunter. Keith would just have to trust her judgement tonight.

Once she put on her mink stole, she slipped out of the apartment and closed the door softly behind her. She was more afraid of Keith bursting out of the apartment, demanding to know where she was going without him, than she was of the Hunter at that moment. Her elevator reached the ground floor and she stepped out into the lobby just as her ride drove up.