Defender's Blood Alex's Destiny (An Urban Fantasy) (11 page)

“
Where?” she asked Zach and he said there were a couple of shops that sold clothes and a grocery store, hardware store, a couple of diners, a bar – where the dance was going to be held – and a library. There was also a laundry which Zach said he used a lot. With him being away a lot working he just didn’t have the time to do his own, even though he had a washer dryer in the utility room. She had no idea that these things were on site and begged him to take her. Of course he did, he didn’t think he could say no to her, ever.

They were due to go first thing in the morning, however, a lesson or two got in the way and it was nearly lunchtime before they managed to get out of the bedroom. She wasn’t complaining, her lessons always left her feeling amazing and she thought her face would burst from the size of her smile. She was still sure that anyone who saw them would know just what they had been getting up to.

Zach didn’t tell her that both Vampires and Wolves had a VERY good sense of smell and, yes, they probably did know exactly what they had been getting up to. He kept telling himself that he wasn’t lying to Alexina. He just was not telling her something. He wanted her to feel totally at ease here before he told her, she would probably not go outside if she knew.

As it was a lot later than they had originally decided to go out, Zach said they could go for lunch in the diner before going shopping. Alex thought this was a great idea, she was starving, all that exercise meant she had to keep her strength up.

On the drive there she took the opportunity to ask Zach about something. “Zach, will I always have marks? You know where you bite me? The one on my neck is quite big now and I was wondering if it would always be there?”

Zach looked over and wondered how to put it into words. She didn’t know their ways so he would have to try.

“Well no, not always. In fact if you don’t like it I can make sure it’s not marked again. It’s just something that we do when we bond. At first the mark is there to ensure everyone else knows so no other Vampire or Wolf would approach you in that way. Once everyone is aware that you are mine, then I would make sure you were not marked.”

Alex thought on what he had said. “So it’s sorta like an engagement ring in the human world?”

Zach’s tone was serious as he replied “No Alexina, not an engagement ring – the mark denotes a wedding ring.”

Alex’s stomach did the butterflies thing again as she thought on his answer. She was happy, ecstatically so, and she replied in a tone that showed her feelings. “Oh, well …. uhm... in that case you can keep marking me. Though don’t think that’s going to get you out of buying me a proper ring Mr Vampire!”

He smiled over and decided he’d better start looking for a ring.

As they went into the diner she looked around, it was lovely. It actually looked like a little café that would be on the waterfront of a myriad of holiday destinations. It also had tables and chairs outside for anyone wishing to have their lunch in the sun. They decided to eat inside and once Alexina had a good look round, Zach took her hand and led her to a booth in the back.

As they were walking past one booth Alex stopped, there was Thadius and Tatiana having lunch together. They looked extremely relaxed and at ease with each other? Mmm they look good together, she thought.

Tatiana finally realised that Alex was standing there and smiled. “Hello honey, how are you? I hope that Zach is not tiring you out?” The fairy said this with a very large smirk on her face and Alex blushed scarlet. Tatiana laughed and Zach was chuckling behind her.

She couldn’t understand the blasé way these people insinuated about things such as sex. “No, of course he isn’t, he is the perfect gentleman,” Alex retorted – and at that Thadius, Tatiana AND Zach burst out laughing.

“
If that’s what you want people to believe then you better start wearing a scarf,” Tatiana stage-whispered. Alex was mortified and swept away dragging Zach behind her.

“
You really do have to loosen up a little regarding sex you know,” Zach whispered into her ear just before she sat down.

“
I can’t! I mean it’s not done you know, talking about sex in front of people. It’s private,” she whined.

“
Alexina, sex is the oldest activity in history, what do you think people did to keep warm at night, or before television was invented? Sex – that’s what. Everyone does it, well maybe not everyone but just about everyone. In our races it’s something to be proud of. We use it to show how much we love someone, well most of the time, sometimes its just a bit of fun, but mostly it’s between two people who are in love.” He was smiling at her but she was still bright red.

“
Well I don’t! What you and I do together is absolutely nobody else’s business. It’s ours and ours alone.” He could obviously see she wasn’t going to change her mind any time soon so just smiled and asked her what she wanted for lunch.

Just as they were finishing this conversation Amelia walked in. As soon as Alex saw her, her stomach flipped. She really didn’t like this woman.

Amelia made a beeline for them and totally ignored the “Hello Amelia,” that Thadius said as she had passed them.

“
Well, what do we have here? Our little Defender seems to have a mark on her neck, Zach? Does that mean what I think it does?”

Amelia snarled at them and Zach was a bit taken aback by the tone. “If you think it means Alexina and I are together then you would be right, Amelia. I have bonded with her and she is mine.”

Amelia caught on to something that Zach had said. “Oh so you have bonded with her? BUT has she not bonded with you? What? Alexina do you not think Zach here is worthy of you? That you would let him mark you and begin the bond but you would not afford him the same?” Amelia was staring at Alexina with a look that could only be described as loathing.

The power emanating from this woman scared her. What had she ever done to Amelia to make her hate her so? “Uh well ...” and that was all Alex got out of her mouth.

Zach had jumped up and was right in Amelia’s face. “Don’t you dare talk to her like that! Do you know who you are fucking with Amelia? Do you? You do NOT want to cross me Witch!” Zach was so angry his fangs were out and something that Alexina had never seen happened, his eyes turned red.

Before it got any further Thadius was there pulling Amelia away. “Amelia, what the hell do you think you are doing? Firstly this is none of your business and secondly Alexina is too important to us – she can’t bond in that way with Zach yet. We don’t know what effect it would have on her blood – NOT that this is anything you should be concerned with! Get out, go home and calm down. If I hear of any more of this nonsense from you I am afraid you will be asked to leave the compound! The offices in Canada might be a good move for you.”

Thadius turned to sit back down and Tatiana was closely following Amelia with her eyes. “I think now is the time to discuss that problem I need your assistance with,” she said. Tatiana got up and went to see if Alex was okay.

OMG – OMG – OMG! What the hell just happened and what the blazes is happening to Zach? His eyes are bright red.

Alex tried to calm her breathing and stared at Zach. He was trying his best not to look at her but she reached over and moved his head up. “Yup, thought they were red.”

“
I’m sorry Alexina. If I get angry, that is, very angry, my eyes turn red. Sort of like they glow at other times,” he said sheepishly.

Alex smiled at him and spoke softly. “Zach, don’t apologise for who you are. I must admit it scared me a teeny bit when they first changed, but hey – now they look kinda cool.”

Zach looked at her and as he looked into her face he became calm again, his eyes returning to their silvery grey. Zach took a deep calming breath before speaking. “You didn’t see them like this when that Demon attacked because I was in front of you and when it was over you were on the floor with your eyes closed. They were back to normal by the time you opened them.”

She smiled at him and retorted. “Yea yea, your eyes just turned fiery red but you have to remind me what a coward I was when Mr Demon-man appeared.” She lifted an eyebrow at him.

Zach gasped, “No no Alexina – that’s not what I meant.”

She laughed. “You are really gonna have to figure out when I’m joking.” She smirked at him, again with a raised eyebrow.

Tatiana appeared at their booth. “Are you okay Alex? She is going to get her come comeuppance, that one!” Her nostrils were flaring and even though she no longer looked like her aunt, Alex recognised the signs of her anger.

Alex replied, wanting to let Tatiana know she was all right. “I’m fine, my Vampire here rallied to my defence, although I was just ready to give her a Glasgow Kiss. But I would have had to stand on my seat to do it.”

Tatiana laughed loudly, more at Zach’s confused look than at what Alex had said. “I think that’s something you are going to have to explain to this one here.” The fairy nodded in Zach’s direction.

Alex looked over at his face and joined Tatiana in laughing. “Well it’s not exactly ladylike, so I think he can google it.”

Tatiana returned to Thadius and took his hand saying they had to go back to the office to “sort some things out,” and Alex looked on as they left, hand in hand. “Did you see that?” she asked Zach.

“
What?” he queried, looking around.

“
Thadius and Tatiana – they were holding hands?!” Alex was a little shocked. Her aunt had never even gone out for a drink with a man, not in all the years Alex had known her.

In the next thought she realised that she wasn’t her aunt but a very attractive little fairy. If she liked Thadius that was okay with her.

Zach was still worrying about Amelia and he lowered his voice and spoke softly. “I’m not letting you out of my sight! I have never seen Amelia act like that before. I could feel her power in her, she was trying really hard to keep it in check. She could really harm you if she let it go.”

Alex had also felt the power from the Witch. “Well, my protector – my Vampire – I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. I don’t feel any better than when I am at your side. Or in front of you, or under, or – oh there’s one we’ve not tried yet – on top of you!” she giggled.

Zach looked at her and noticed she was blushing – again! “Well I’m going to have to remedy that – soon. Do we really need to go shopping after lunch?”

She thought about it for less than a second before replying. “Yes! I need a dress – but lets just grab a sandwich or something to go here. Save some time?”

After they got a few things to take away, they made their way to the clothes shop. Alex was again surprised – it had far more than she thought it would have and the prices were very reasonable.

As that thought went through her brain she realised she didn’t have any US Dollars with her. “Zach I don’t have any money with me! Do you think they will take my credit card?” Working in banking, even if it was in IT, gave her a strong sense of taking care of her money and she hated to use her credit card. She didn’t like debt of any sort.

“That’s not a problem. All the places here, store, bar and so on, we all have accounts with them and every month it’s taken from our wages. Whatever’s left is put into our accounts. Trust me when I say I have quite a few dollars put away – you do realise how old I am? If I’m totally honest I have quite a bit of money. I’ve been doing this job for as long as I can remember, and as it is one of the most hazardous I get paid more than most. I have my house, my jeep, my motorbike, and everything else I need, all paid for, and quite a heap in the bank from investments. So little one, I can pay for anything you want – anything. I don’t think we should just get a dress either, you only brought a few things in one suitcase. You need more clothes.”

She was amazed she hadn’t thought of that – of course he would have money. She just hadn’t realised that he seemed pretty well off. She didn’t want to be a burden, and she would need to sort something out – some kind of job maybe? They could discuss that after this ritual malarkey was out of the way. “Okay big boy – let me at those dresses!” She looked over and quirked her eyebrow.

“Joke? That was a joke?” he queried. She headed into the shop with Zach trailing after.

After being in the shop for a little while she had got a lovely green dress. Very simple but cut quite low at the back. It was more daring than she had ever worn before but the minute she came out of the dressing room Zach’s mouth had hung open. “I’ll take it,” she immediately told the lady in the shop.

She got a couple of tops and a pair of jeans together with some flip-flops. The weather had been nice and she only had her hiking boots and a pair of strappy sandals. She was going to have to figure out how to get the rest of her things over, she would need to talk to Zach about that.

They left the shop and Zach seemed in an awful hurry to get home. He sped down the roads and she wondered what the rush was.

As soon as they got in the door he grabbed her. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea you wear that dress. I don’t think we will get out the door if you do.” He kissed her with a passion as if they had been apart for a month.

“
If this is the response I’m gonna get then I think it may be the most worn item of clothing I own,” she spoke against his lips. She dropped the bags with her new things in them to the floor and Zach threw the bag with their lunch onto a sofa as they passed by on their way to the room.