Butterfly Uncocooned
Blurb:
In hiding, cocooned to prevent detection, Lilly has lived the last twenty plus years as someone else, now with no choice, she returns home and unknowingly assumes her true identity. There she will make her stand against those who have killed her mother and seek to kill her for a relic they were never meant to possess.
One week with Lilly and Alex was forever in love with a woman who vanished without a single word. Five years later, Alex finds Lilly in a diner, dirty and scared. There is only one thing to do. Help her. However, Alex is unaware that Lilly possesses a dangerous relic that could infect the world with pestilence.
With only one goal in mind, Alex takes Lilly home with her only to learn that Lilly is a hunted woman and a pestilence waiting to infect the world.
One week with Lilly and Alex was forever in love with a woman who vanished without a single word. Five years later, Alex finds Lilly in a diner, dirty and scared. There is only one thing to do. Help her. However, Alex is unaware that Lilly possesses a dangerous relic that could infect the world with pestilence.
With only one goal in mind, Alex takes Lilly home with her only to learn that Lilly is a hunted woman and a pestilence waiting to infect the world.
Excerpt: This excerpt is from Chapter 2 when Alex and Aylee meet.
“Hey. Mind if I sit?”
The voice was low and warm honey, making her body react unexpectedly.
She recognized the voice and looked up. Her eyes widened and her breath caught. The short dark brown hair had a wave, and the chocolate eyes were as warm as they’d been that first time. Still as fit as before, with darkly tanned skin set off against the black of her sweater that was paired with khakis, she looked every bit the sexy tall drink of water she had that night.
Aylee exhaled softly, heart fluttering, skin heating as both surprise and hope coursed through her.
“You guys ready to order?” a waitress asked.
“What would you like angel?” the woman asked. Her brown eyes were warm and for a moment Aylee was caught in an old scene.
A lesbian bar, a rainy night, and a bad band.
She hadn’t been looking for any company just…just the perk of not being alone and thinking about the nightmare her life had suddenly become.
“What’s a pretty girl like you doing alone?”
She gave the stranger a smile. “Just hanging out. What about you?”
She shrugged shoulders covered with a black button-down, the top button left open revealing a thin gold chain. The fall of ear length dark brown hair had reddish highlights and a wave.
“Same. Buy you another?”
Aylee shrugged. “I’m not really that thirsty.” No, she was here thinking about the turn her life had taken and what she could do about it.
“Then, how about a dance?” the stranger asked. “The band sucks but this tune isn’t so bad.”
She laughed. “Sure.”
That night had ended up being magic that had turned into an entire week. At the end of it, Aylee had made a decision and taken off in the dead of night hoping to put the past behind her.
That had been at the start of the nightmare when she’d first been trying to decide how to handle what she’d learned.
When she had still been someone else.
“Just—I’m not hungry,” she said and almost winced. She was starving, but she wouldn’t make the mistake again of prioritizing her stomach right now.
“Can we get a couple of blts for the road and some tea?”
“Sure thing,” the waitress said and strode away.
“You look a little road-weary,” she said. “Are you okay?”
She had that southern twang that had at first made Aylee smile, but she had thought it was one of the sexiest accents she’d ever heard.
“I’ve been traveling,” Aylee said. “What about you?” Her name was Alex. She’d never gotten her last name.
“Same. I was up visiting my mom,” Alex replied conversationally. “I had hoped to see you, but I haven’t in five years. Were you just passing through?”
Surprise, shock, hope washed over. Those brown eyes were intense in their gaze as they caressed her face. And it was that day, that evening she was supposed to meet her for dinner, and… and then cold water trickled down her spine as reality hit her like a fist.
“No. I—you were looking for me?” Aylee asked carefully. This could be that moment she’d dreaded for the past five years.
“Course,” she said, her voice dropping to a low sexy timbre. “I enjoyed that week we spent together, and you just vanished without a word, no number.”
This could be a trick.
She’d heard them talking about hiring some woman to seduce her. This could have been that woman.
She averted her gaze, but something inside her rejected the notion that this woman was a hired seductress. There was something about her that drew part of Aylee, had from the moment she’d locked eyes with her.
Even now as her rational mind wanted to run, some other part, a part that was more dominant right now, didn’t listen. In fact, an odd sound almost one of wings fluttering filled her ears and the skin of her back itched a little just like it had that night they’d first met.
A soft scent at odds with the smell of meat on the grill and other diner delights drifted on the air.
A sound she’d never heard before but seemed to recognize drew her gaze back to the woman across from her. Her eyes flashed green for a moment, and Aylee blinked.
What?
She was tired. Too tired and hungry. She was going to make a mistake soon, and she knew it.
“I swung down to pay my brother a visit too. Now, I’m heading on back home. Need a ride someplace?”
“Umm depends where you’re going,” she said. This could get her out of the public eye for a bit. On the other hand, it could be the mistake she was afraid of making.”
“I can take you wherever you need a ride. I’m flexible.” She smiled.
Aylee laughed lightly. “That sounds like a come on,” she said softly.
“It’s not a loaded gun, it’s merely an offer of help,” Alex murmured. “You look a little down on your luck sweetheart and believe me I’ve seen a few people in need.”
She lowered her gaze. “I’m—”
“Here’s your sandwiches and tea,” the waitress said coming back to their table with a bag and two bottles of tea.
Alex leaned to one side and tugged her wallet from her back pocket and produced a bill. “Keep the change.”
The waitress took it, and her eyes went wide. “Are you sure?”
Alex looked up at her, smiling. “I’m positive.”
“You just made my night. Thanks. Enjoy your evening.”
“You too,” Alex said and turned her gaze back on her. “Let’s ride. You can tell me where you’re heading in the truck.”
She made a conscious decision and got to her feet and grabbed her bag from the chair. Aylee followed Alex from the diner and into the cold night, the scent of her as much a lure as the hope of a nap with someone who had never hurt her.
The voice was low and warm honey, making her body react unexpectedly.
She recognized the voice and looked up. Her eyes widened and her breath caught. The short dark brown hair had a wave, and the chocolate eyes were as warm as they’d been that first time. Still as fit as before, with darkly tanned skin set off against the black of her sweater that was paired with khakis, she looked every bit the sexy tall drink of water she had that night.
Aylee exhaled softly, heart fluttering, skin heating as both surprise and hope coursed through her.
“You guys ready to order?” a waitress asked.
“What would you like angel?” the woman asked. Her brown eyes were warm and for a moment Aylee was caught in an old scene.
A lesbian bar, a rainy night, and a bad band.
She hadn’t been looking for any company just…just the perk of not being alone and thinking about the nightmare her life had suddenly become.
“What’s a pretty girl like you doing alone?”
She gave the stranger a smile. “Just hanging out. What about you?”
She shrugged shoulders covered with a black button-down, the top button left open revealing a thin gold chain. The fall of ear length dark brown hair had reddish highlights and a wave.
“Same. Buy you another?”
Aylee shrugged. “I’m not really that thirsty.” No, she was here thinking about the turn her life had taken and what she could do about it.
“Then, how about a dance?” the stranger asked. “The band sucks but this tune isn’t so bad.”
She laughed. “Sure.”
That night had ended up being magic that had turned into an entire week. At the end of it, Aylee had made a decision and taken off in the dead of night hoping to put the past behind her.
That had been at the start of the nightmare when she’d first been trying to decide how to handle what she’d learned.
When she had still been someone else.
“Just—I’m not hungry,” she said and almost winced. She was starving, but she wouldn’t make the mistake again of prioritizing her stomach right now.
“Can we get a couple of blts for the road and some tea?”
“Sure thing,” the waitress said and strode away.
“You look a little road-weary,” she said. “Are you okay?”
She had that southern twang that had at first made Aylee smile, but she had thought it was one of the sexiest accents she’d ever heard.
“I’ve been traveling,” Aylee said. “What about you?” Her name was Alex. She’d never gotten her last name.
“Same. I was up visiting my mom,” Alex replied conversationally. “I had hoped to see you, but I haven’t in five years. Were you just passing through?”
Surprise, shock, hope washed over. Those brown eyes were intense in their gaze as they caressed her face. And it was that day, that evening she was supposed to meet her for dinner, and… and then cold water trickled down her spine as reality hit her like a fist.
“No. I—you were looking for me?” Aylee asked carefully. This could be that moment she’d dreaded for the past five years.
“Course,” she said, her voice dropping to a low sexy timbre. “I enjoyed that week we spent together, and you just vanished without a word, no number.”
This could be a trick.
She’d heard them talking about hiring some woman to seduce her. This could have been that woman.
She averted her gaze, but something inside her rejected the notion that this woman was a hired seductress. There was something about her that drew part of Aylee, had from the moment she’d locked eyes with her.
Even now as her rational mind wanted to run, some other part, a part that was more dominant right now, didn’t listen. In fact, an odd sound almost one of wings fluttering filled her ears and the skin of her back itched a little just like it had that night they’d first met.
A soft scent at odds with the smell of meat on the grill and other diner delights drifted on the air.
A sound she’d never heard before but seemed to recognize drew her gaze back to the woman across from her. Her eyes flashed green for a moment, and Aylee blinked.
What?
She was tired. Too tired and hungry. She was going to make a mistake soon, and she knew it.
“I swung down to pay my brother a visit too. Now, I’m heading on back home. Need a ride someplace?”
“Umm depends where you’re going,” she said. This could get her out of the public eye for a bit. On the other hand, it could be the mistake she was afraid of making.”
“I can take you wherever you need a ride. I’m flexible.” She smiled.
Aylee laughed lightly. “That sounds like a come on,” she said softly.
“It’s not a loaded gun, it’s merely an offer of help,” Alex murmured. “You look a little down on your luck sweetheart and believe me I’ve seen a few people in need.”
She lowered her gaze. “I’m—”
“Here’s your sandwiches and tea,” the waitress said coming back to their table with a bag and two bottles of tea.
Alex leaned to one side and tugged her wallet from her back pocket and produced a bill. “Keep the change.”
The waitress took it, and her eyes went wide. “Are you sure?”
Alex looked up at her, smiling. “I’m positive.”
“You just made my night. Thanks. Enjoy your evening.”
“You too,” Alex said and turned her gaze back on her. “Let’s ride. You can tell me where you’re heading in the truck.”
She made a conscious decision and got to her feet and grabbed her bag from the chair. Aylee followed Alex from the diner and into the cold night, the scent of her as much a lure as the hope of a nap with someone who had never hurt her.
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