Defender's Blood Alex's Destiny (An Urban Fantasy) (3 page)

No of course nobody had. Anyone with half a brain could see how tough he looked. Nobody that was sane would mess with him.

Alex picked up on something he had just said “This time? You said you’ve only been here a few days this time? So you’ve visited Scotland before?”

Zach confirmed that he had. “Yes I was here before but a very, very long time ago.”

She was looking at his profile and questioned him. “When?”

Zach’s face looked thoughtful as he answered. “Well, let me think, it was during the late 1800s I think, 1898 or thereabouts. It was a very different place then.”

Alex could only stare at him. 1898 oh my God, that can’t be right, she thought. “Sorry but did you mean 1998?” she whispered and Zach’s head shook as he answered.

“
No, 1898 give or take a year – yes Alexina, I am very, very old.”

“
So how old are you?” she asked.

“
I have been on this earth for many centuries. That’s why I’m so strong in the Vampire powers such as being able to move from place to place whenever I wish.”

Alex didn’t know what to say. She knew about Vampires being in the world but didn’t realise that anything like this was possible.

She studied him for a bit and then came out with the only thing that she could think of: “Well you certainly look good for your age.” Zach laughed and she joined in but it was more of a nervous laugh.

She continued to question him. “So what were you doing here then?”

Zach answered in that voice she was beginning to like so much. “I was transporting a Witch to Skye to do some kind of ritual that she had to do and protecting her from some very nasty people.”

“
No change then,” she quipped.

Zach gave her a quick smile. “No. I trust you now realise that I have been doing what I do for a long time and I am very good at it. I will do the same for you Alexina, and keep you safe.”

Alex had no doubt he meant it.

Chapter 3

She noticed that it was raining now, quite heavy. They were in the city but she hadn’t realised it and when she tried to see where they were exactly, it was difficult because of the heavy rain.

The road they were on was unfamiliar to her and it certainly wasn’t the best neighbourhood in Glasgow. There were buildings all around and some of the street lights were out making it even harder for her to see where they were.

“
We’re nearly there, just up this alley,” Zach advised her. At that he swung the large SUV into a very small alley and Alex was surprised that it fit. Halfway up the alley there was a small illuminated sign hanging over a door and this was where Zach pulled to a stop.

He came round and opened the door for her and helped her out of the car. As it was a large, high up vehicle and she was as small as she was, it was a welcome hand that he gave her.

She looked up at the sign to see the word ‘Prey’ illuminated and she shivered involuntarily. Zach’s arm was around her shoulders and he gave her a slight squeeze. “It’s the name of the club, don’t worry.”

The large steel door screeched as it opened outward and one of the largest men Alex had ever seen, stood there. He was huge. Ginormous.

Alex took a step back and was now slightly behind Zach, this guy scared her. Zach stuck his hand out and grasped the other’s hand in a strong handshake. “Hi Duncan, nice to see you again. This is Alexina. Alexina, this is Duncan. He’s a friend.”

She peeked round and thought ‘well that’s good cause I sure as hell wouldn’t want him as an enemy.’

Duncan said “Hi,” and moved over so they could walk in. Alex had another look at Duncan and he gave her a lopsided grin. He had longish red hair and a good smattering of freckles over his nose and cheeks. She didn’t know how tall he was but she felt like a child next to him.

He was also large in the muscles area and his arms were the thickest she had seen anywhere other than on TV. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a polo shirt, which seemed fit to burst across his chest.

They went down a short hallway and through a door, and then the sound hit her. It was a club alright, with music blaring away and loads of people on the dance floor. She looked at her watch it was only 8.30pm and it seemed a bit early for a club to be so busy. They didn’t usually get going till long after she was in bed.

There was a bar along the far end of the room with some booths and tables set around the dance floor. There were also doors in each corner of the large room with no clue as to where they went.

Duncan guided them to the far left of the bar to a door that read ‘Private’ and went through into what she assumed was his office. Once the door closed the music was nearly inaudible and she realised it must be a sound-proofed door or room.

“
Zach it’s so nice tae see ye again,” said Duncan in a very broad Scots accent, “How ye been doin, keepin oot oh trouble?”

“
As always,” laughed Zach.

“
How’s the Pack? Everything okay?” he asked this mountain of a man.

Duncan let out a huge guffaw. “Aye everythin’s jest peachy. Dae ye know I’ve taken a mate? Her name’s Margaret an she’s the best thing that’s happened tae me!”

Zach gave Duncan a slap on the back before replying. “Glad to hear it and I’m sure the rest of the females will also be glad that you are no longer running round after them!” He laughed.

Alex sat down on a sofa and tried to sort out what Duncan had said, mate? pack? What language was he using?

Zach saw her confused expression and explained. “Duncan here is a Werewolf and is Alpha of the rather large Pack in this part of Scotland. I don’t suppose you realised just how many of us non-humans were about?” Zach finished and she shook her head.

What the hell. Of course she didn’t, she had absolutely no idea. She was, to say the least, stunned. Had she been living in a little bubble?

How did she not know that there was a freaking pack of Werewolves in Glasgow for Christ’s sake. She didn’t dare speak as she knew it would probably come out as a squeak at the moment. So she just looked between the two men and tried to compute what she was hearing.

Duncan came over and offered his rather huge hand. She took it and he shook it very gently. “Nice tae meet ye Alexina, welcome tae ma club,” Duncan greeted her.

“Alex, my name’s Alex,” was her only response.

Zach smiled and said. “Alexina prefers her shorter version. I do not.”

“Well whitever yer called, welcome,” Duncan responded.

“
Now doon tae business. Oor Witches are in situ at Alex’s apartment an the place is safe fer ye tae go get whit ye need. That fancy jet oh yoors is also fuelled an ready tae go at the airport. Pilot is there and just waitin fer ye, as usual,” Duncan advised and then went over to a fridge and offered them a drink.

Zach said he was fine but Alex said “Yes please I would like a very, very large Jack Daniels, diet coke with it if you have any?”

Duncan smiled in answer. “Oh course I dae, one comin right up.”

Once she had her drink in hand she took a very large mouthful and then another. She started to calm down a bit. Well a teeny bit, but at least she didn’t think her head was going to explode any more.

Duncan had got himself a drink, she thought it looked like whisky but wasn’t sure. Whatever it was he seemed to be enjoying it. He also seemed to be enjoying her obvious bewilderment.

“
So, ye dinae have any ideas whit’s goin on little miss?” the huge man said.

Alex realised he was talking to her and stuttered “Ah no, nope, no idea and until this evening I had never met a Vampire or a Werewolf or in fact anything ‘Super’. So to say I am shocked is putting it mildly.”

Duncan laughed so much she thought he was going to cry but he finally got himself under control and said “Dinae worry this lad here will look after ye. He’s the best at this sorta thing. He’s got brains an brawn while me, well I’m mostly just brawn.” He had a little smile on his lips but he seemed sincere in what he was saying.

Alex just hoped it was true. She also thought that this Werewolf, Duncan, had more than just brawn.

“Duncan, I need one more thing before we go to pick up some of Alexina’s things.” Zach spoke to Duncan but his eyes were on Alex.

Duncan replied all the while watching the two of them. “Anythin boy, ye know that, whit is it ye need?”

Zach again spoke to Duncan but was watching Alex, “I need to feed, I’ve not fed since arriving in Scotland so would like to get that out of the way so I can concentrate on keeping Alexina safe. I can do that whilst we’re here because I know you will watch her whilst I feed.”

Alex choked on her drink. Well, Jack Daniels did not taste quite so nice coming up through her nose as it did originally going down! She grabbed a hanky from her jacket pocket and tried to wipe the mess from her face. All the while looking at Zach.

He was obviously waiting on her reaction to what he had just said. What was her reaction, she thought?

Well he had told her he was a Vampire so on a subconscious level she must have known he would have to, what had he called it? Oh yes, ‘feed’. She didn’t know how she felt, but she didn’t want him to think she thought bad of him so she tried to keep her face composed. Why she didn’t want him to think she thought bad of him she didn’t know, she just didn’t.

“Of course laddie, I’ll arrange it an then I’ll stay here wae Alex til yer ready tae leave.” Duncan then left the room and Alex looked at Zach.

She was seeing him properly for the first time. She hadn’t taken note in the woods for obvious reasons. Or in the car park when they ‘moved’ because she was too busy being sick.

In the car she couldn’t get a full sense of him either, what with him sitting down driving and all. But now, well he was standing a few feet away so she certainly could see him properly now.

He was not as tall as Duncan but he was still a lot bigger than her. With that hair she had decided she really liked. His eyes, as she had noticed earlier, were gorgeous and very rare. She had never seen anything quite like them.

He was dressed in black boots, black jeans that hung low on his hips and gave her heart a little stutter, and a black t-shirt with a black jacket on top.

The jacket was leather and longer than a normal jacket but not quite long enough to be called a coat. However, it looked so damn good on him and she realised that she was staring.

He looked to be in his thirties, but of course, he was soooooo much older. It was quite incomprehensible to her.

That little smile he did crept onto his lips and, for goodness’ sake, she actually blushed! She had no idea why and certainly hadn’t blushed in so many years that she couldn’t remember the last time she had.

“Are you alright about this?” he asked.

“
Uhmm yea, just trying to get my head around it all. You know, it’s kinda weird and scary and I’m not sure how I’m going to cope with all this, this, this ... stuff,” she blurted out.

Zach smiled at her then once more spoke, with that voice she was liking more and more each time she heard it. “You are going to be fine. I’ll make sure of it so try and relax. However, I meant are you alright with me feeding before we leave here?”

Was she? She didn’t know how she felt. A bit weirded out maybe, but if he had to feed he had to feed. Everyone had to feed their bodies. It was just that he used blood and not a good steak and chips like her. So she looked him square in the eye and said “Yup I am fine, with that and probably most of the other stuff too.”

She gave him a small smile so hopefully he would know she wasn’t lying. He returned the smile and she got butterflies in her stomach.

Just then the door opened and Duncan came back in, he had a plate of food in his hands. “Thought ye might need some nourishment tae, little miss. Afraid it’s just fae the takeaway roon the corner but so long as yer no a vegetarian then burger n chips is the best I could dae at short notice.”

Alex was touched that he had thought to get her something to eat and thanked him. Duncan turned to Zach. “Zach, room number two in the private section an there’s someone waitin for ye.”

Zach walked to the door before speaking. “Thank you my friend. I won’t be long Alexina, and then we will be on our way.”

Duncan took his seat behind the rather messy desk and Alex looked at the food in her hand. She realised that she was hungry and was surprised. She didn’t think with all that had happened that she would be thinking of food. However, the smell of the freshly cooked burger wafted up her nostrils and she started to scarf it down.

“It’s nice tae see a lassie enjoyin her food. Nooadays they all seem tae be on diets oh one sort or the other,” Duncan commented.

Alex started to laugh and Duncan was bemused as to why. She finally stopped and answered. “Well firstly Duncan, I am not a lassie, I haven’t been called that in many a year. I’m nearly forty, though I sometimes think ‘what the hell’ and wonder where the years have gone. Secondly, I just love my food too much to worry about dieting, hence the ample behind on me.” She was sort of joking but in her mind she was a rather plump, nearly middle-aged woman who didn’t have a lot going for her.

Duncan gave her a long look before he came back at her with “Alex, in oor world yer a child. I know ye will probably have figured oot Zach is very very old, however, I’m also pretty old. I’m over a hundred and fifty years old, so tae me, aye, yer definitely a lassie. Regarding whit ye call yer ‘ample behind’, let me tell ye most oh us guys do NOT want skin n bone warming us at night! Yer a very beautiful woman an ye should also be proud oh yersel. The way ye seem to be handlin all oh this is quite astonishing. Most oh the humans I know wid be curled in the corner crying their eyes oot right about noo. Ye seem to be a very strong person an I don’t mean in the brawn way that I’m strong, yer strong inside, I can sense it. I’m glad tho, cause lassie, I think yer gonna need that strength.”

Alex looked at Duncan and saw the sincerity in his eyes of what he had just said and for the second time that night she blushed.

“Thank you Duncan, although I have said this before today I will say it again – you’re looking good for your age.” And they both started to laugh.

She suddenly felt a bit more relaxed. She was surprised that a man, or in fact a Werewolf she corrected herself, that seemed to be as big and tough and actually came across as quite scary, could be so candid with her and make her feel safe too.

This man-mountain had a power about him. Something she hadn’t felt before, but it was one that made her feel secure and calm. It was very strange indeed.

Alex had barely finished her burger and a second Jack Daniels when Zach returned. He seemed to relax when he saw Alex was fine and Duncan didn’t miss that. “The lassie is fine Zach. Ye know I wouldna hae let anythin happen tae her.” Duncan’s tone was a bit reproachful.

Zach smiled and just nodded his head at him. He put his hand out to Alex and pulled her up from the sofa. God he isn’t cold, she thought. Aren’t Vampires supposed to be cold?

Well if they were then he was different because he felt just right to her.

“
Thank you again my friend and don’t take so long to visit this time.”