The First Encounter

Lily stepped out of the elevator and made her way toward the receptionist's desk. She had never been to this part of the city before, and she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. The building was tall and imposing, with glass walls that reflected the sunlight and made her feel exposed.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked, looking up from her computer.

"Yes, I'm here to see Mr. Stone," Lily replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

The receptionist raised an eyebrow. "Do you have an appointment?"

Lily shook her head. "No, but he made a request for me to prepare a body for a private viewing."

The receptionist looked at her skeptically, but then typed something into her computer. "Alright, you can go up to the 20th floor. His office is the last one on the left."

Lily nodded her thanks and made her way to the elevator. She pressed the button for the 20th floor and waited as the doors closed.

As the elevator ascended, Lily couldn't help but wonder who this Mr. Stone was and why he had requested her specifically. She was a mortician, after all - it wasn't often that she got requests for private viewings.

When the elevator doors opened, Lily stepped out into a long hallway lined with closed doors. She walked to the end of the hallway and knocked on the last door on the left.

"Come in," a deep voice called out.

Lily took a deep breath and opened the door.

The office was a sight to behold. The walls were made of polished marble, and the floor was covered in a plush white carpet. The furniture was sleek and modern, with a large wooden desk in the center of the room. The desk was cluttered with papers and files, but there was a certain method to the madness.

On one side of the room, there was a small seating area with a comfortable-looking sofa and armchair. The walls were lined with large windows that looked out over the city skyline. The view was breathtaking, but it was clear that the office owner was more interested in his work than the scenery outside.

Lily couldn't help but notice that there were no personal photos or decorations anywhere in the room. It was as if the occupant was a machine, focused solely on his work and nothing else.

Despite the luxurious surroundings, there was something cold and sterile about the room. It was as if no one had ever really stayed in it, as if it was just a facade designed to impress visitors. Lily couldn't help but wonder what kind of person Mr. Stone was to have such an impersonal space as his workplace.

Speaking of Mr. Stone, he was sitting behind a large desk. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with jet-black hair that was slicked back. His eyes were a piercing blue-green, and they seemed to bore into her as she stepped into the room.

"Ah, you must be Lily," he said, standing up from his desk and walking towards her. "Thank you for coming."

Lily felt a shiver run down her spine as he approached her. There was something about him that was both captivating and unsettling.

"I'm Lucian Stone," he said, holding out his hand.

Lily hesitated for a moment, but then took his hand. His grip was strong, but his touch was cold.

"It's nice to meet you," she said, trying to ignore the chill that ran down her arm.

"I'm afraid I have a rather unusual request," Lucian said, leading her to a table where a body was laid out under a white sheet.

Lily frowned. "What kind of request?"

"I want you to prepare the body for the private viewing now," Lucian said, his eyes fixed on hers.

As Lily scanned the room again, she noticed something unusual in the corner. A narrow bed was pushed against the wall, and a white sheet was draped over something that looked like a body. Her heart raced as she realized what he just said.

Her eyes darted back to Lucian, who had taken his seat behind his desk and was now looking at her expectantly.

Lily tried to compose herself as she walked towards Lucian's desk. "I wasn't informed about it being done in an office. With an audience. "

Lucian nodded and gestured toward the covered figure in the corner. "Yes, I know, but I need it prepared for the private viewing now, and I was told that you have great skills that could be useful in this situation."

Lily's eyes flickered toward the covered body again, and she couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. She had dealt with dead bodies before, but never in such an unusual setting. She wondered what kind of person Lucian was to have a corpse in his office.

Despite her unease, Lily forced herself to maintain a professional demeanor. "I will start with the preparations then."

Lucian nodded again, his expression unreadable. "Good. I'll be here if you need anything".

Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as she walked to the covered body. She knew that this was going to be a challenging task, but she had no idea just how difficult it was going to be with someone like Lucian to watch.

Lily pulled back the sheet and gasped. The body was covered in bite marks, and there were two puncture wounds on the neck.

"What happened to him?" she asked, her heart racing.

Lucian looked at her with a calm expression. "He was attacked by an animal. We want to make sure he looks presentable for the viewing."

Lily swallowed hard. There was something about Lucian's demeanor that made her uneasy, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"All right," she said, picking up her tools and starting to work on the body.

As she worked, she felt that Lucian was watching her intently. She tried to focus on her task, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something strange about this man and the body she was preparing.

She couldn't help but steal glances at Lucian. He was both alluring and unnerving. His sharp features were accentuated by the dim light of the room, and his piercing blue-green eyes seemed to follow her every move.

She wondered how a man like him could be involved in something so gruesome. His demeanor was cool and collected, almost as if he was used to dealing with death.

His silence unnerved her even more despite the fact that she was used to working on dead bodies alone in her private mortuary. "I'm just uncomfortable that he's here", she thought as she denied that his strong presence and attractiveness were affecting her so much.

Lily reached for her bag, and her fingers brushed against Lucian's hand when he was about to move the bag closer to her. She felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body, and she pulled her hand back quickly. She didn't even notice him move close to her.

"Sorry," she murmured, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks.

Lucian's lips quirked into a small smile. "No need to apologize."

Lily's heart fluttered in her chest as she opened the bag and began to examine its contents. All the while, Lucian's eyes never left her hot face.

Despite her nerves, Lily found herself drawn to his intense gaze. She couldn't help but feel a magnetic attraction to him, even though he was clearly dangerous and unpredictable.

Then, she noticed a strange marking on Lucian's hand. It looked like a symbol of some kind, etched into his flesh. She tried not to stare, but she couldn't help but feel drawn to it.

Lucian seemed to notice her staring, and he quickly pulled his hand away from her sight. "Is everything all right?" he asked, his voice as smooth as silk.

Lily looked away, feeling embarrassed. "Yes, everything's fine. I was just curious about the symbol on your hand."

Lucian's expression darkened for a moment, but then he gave her a small smile. "It's a family symbol. Nothing of importance."

Lily nodded, not wanting to push the issue any further. She continued to work on the body, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in her gut.

As Lily worked on the body, Lucian leaned against the wall, watching her intently.

"So, Lily," he began, breaking the silence. "Tell me about yourself."

Lily looked up from her work, surprised by his sudden interest. "There's not much to tell," she replied, continuing her work. "I work as a mortician, and I take care of my sick grandmother."

"That's admirable," Lucian said, his eyes locked on hers. "And what about your dreams? What do you aspire to be?"

Lily paused, considering his question. "I've always wanted to travel," she said, a wistful tone in her voice. "See the world and experience new things."

"I can relate to that," Lucian said, a hint of longing in his voice. "I've been alive for a very long time, Lily. I've seen more of the world than most people could ever dream of, and yet there's still so much I haven't experienced."

Lily couldn't help but be drawn in by his words. There was something about the way he said that he had been alive for a very long time. However, she didn't ask about it.

"Maybe we could travel together someday," she said, surprising herself with her boldness.

Lucian's eyes sparked with amusement. "I think we might have to work on a few things before that happens, Lily," he said, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "But I like the way you think."

Lily couldn't help but smile back at him, feeling the magnetic attraction between them growing stronger with each passing moment. She knew that she should stay away from Lucian. She didn't know him and he might be dangerous, but for some reason, she couldn't resist him.

As she finished her work, Lucian walked over to her and inspected her work. She turned to face him and she found that he was standing directly behind her. She could almost feel his body on her back even if there was some distance between them, and she couldn't help but inhale deeply, taking in his musky scent.

Lucian reached out and touched her shoulder gently, causing her to shiver with pleasure. "You've done a good job," he murmured, his voice low and husky.

Lily turned to face him, her heart racing in her chest. She could feel the magnetic pull between them growing stronger by the second, and she knew that she was in danger of losing herself completely to him.

Lily felt her heart skip a beat as he leaned in closer to her. She could feel his cold breath on her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

"Thank you, Mr. Stone," she said, trying to distance herself from him.

Lucian straightened up, his eyes darkening. "Please, call me Lucian," he said.

Lily couldn't deny the attraction she felt toward him. There was something about him that made her feel alive and desired, despite his cold and distant demeanor.

"I have a job offer," Lucian said. "I'm in need of a personal mortician to take care of my...personal affairs. And I think you would be the perfect candidate."

Lily was taken aback by his offer. She had never heard of a personal mortician before. "What does the job entail?" she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"It means taking care of my affairs like this," Lucian said, his eyes piercing hers as he gestured toward the dead body behind her. "And ensuring that their...condition remains concealed."

Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at his words. "What condition?" she asked, her curiosity turned to fear.

Lucian hesitated for a moment, as if considering whether to tell her. "Unusual ones," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lily's eyes widened a little. "Unusual?" she repeated, her mind struggling to process the information.

"Yes," Lucian said, taking a step closer to her. "And I need someone I can trust to take care of these unusual affairs."

Lily could feel the magnetic attraction between them growing stronger by the second. Then, she tried to focus on his offer. She felt a little fear and hesitation but she thought about her grandmother and her failing funeral business. "I'll do it," she said finally, her voice steady.

Lucian's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I had a feeling you would," he said, reaching out to touch her hand. "Welcome to my world, Lily."

Despite her hesitation, she took his hand and shook it. It was as if her world was spinning so fast and she couldn't slow it down like what was happening now.

Looking into his eyes, she wondered if she just made a big mistake when she accepted the job.