Defender's Blood Alex's Destiny (An Urban Fantasy) (5 page)

“Okay, give me the address and we’ll get it on the way to the airport, it may be of some help Alexina. Also, it will give you a chance to say goodbye to your aunt in person.”

Alex just nodded and picked up her case, which Zach immediately relieved her of, and walked out the door.

She didn’t even give a backwards glance to this place. It wasn’t her home, it was only a place for her to live while she had been trying to sort out her life. It held no memories for her, good or bad.

Once they were back in the SUV, with Alex again struggling to get in, she gave an address which was barely five minutes drive away. They were very soon standing in the doorway to what had been Alex’s home before she had got married and moved out.

Her aunt was beside herself with remorse and kept saying “Sorry,” to Alex. She held out to Alex a very, very old book which was indeed some kind of journal but the age of it Alex couldn’t discern. It was the oldest book she had ever seen and she was scared it would fall apart in her hands.

Alex took it from her Aunt Mary and as soon as her fingers touched it they tingled. Not in an unpleasant way but nonetheless it startled her. When she opened it she could not understand the writing. It was in a foreign language as far as she could tell, but there were also some drawings and what looked to be a map on the inside of the back cover. Intriguing, Alex thought.

After a very tearful goodbye they headed back to the front door. Just before they were over the threshold her aunt took hold of Zach’s sleeve. “I don’t know you, Vampire, but I am telling you this – you look after my girl – 'cause if you don’t I will find you and you will not like the outcome! Okay?”

Zach was about to laugh but stopped short when he saw the look in this old lady’s eyes. He wasn’t scared exactly but she definitely gave him food for thought. “I will keep her safe. You do not need to worry about that. I am bound to her in a way that is beyond your grasp and I will NOT let anyone or anything harm her. Okay?” He used her aunt’s closing word back at her.

“Good. I am glad we understand each other. I will give you a tip – find out what my girl’s name means,” she whispered to him.

Zach was a bit confused at this but gave a very slight nod to confirm he had heard her. He moved on but the look in her eyes had him wondering. She had felt a bit off to him in a magical sense but he knew she was no Witch. He would have known if she was.

She had also shown no fear. When he met someone for the first time, especially a human, it usually elicited a frisson of that emotion. It was yet another thing on this case that was rather puzzling he mused.

Alex was very quiet once they got back on the road and Zach was worried for her. She had been through a lot in the last few hours and he had no idea how she was going to cope. Though he had a strong inkling that she was much tougher than she looked.

He certainly hoped so anyway.

“
Alexina, I think once we’re settled on the aircraft we should take some time out to get to know each other better. What do you say?” he asked and she raised her eyes to his and just nodded her head.

She was too busy thinking about the things her Aunt Mary had told her and she was in shock. Maybe a nice getting to know someone talk would help her to get some perspective.

She noticed that they had passed the turnoff for Glasgow Airport and was just about to ask where they were going when Zach spoke. “We’re going to Prestwick. We try to use smaller airports whenever possible, less hassle than using the large international ones. There was a private airport in Cumbernauld we were going to use but the runway was too short for take off for the jet, so we landed at Prestwick. Everything is ready and we will go through a private security check and straight out to the plane. We will be in the air very shortly and it will be some time before we land in the US so we can talk and you can try to relax. If you want there are sleeping arrangements on board so you can have a lie down?”

“
Okay,” was all she replied and continued staring out of her window.

Chapter 4

Before she knew it she was walking out to a very fancy jet. It was sleek and jet black and looked as if it would be very fast. How she thought that, she didn’t have a clue, but she guessed that Zach would not use an aircraft that wasn’t capable of high speed. They walked up the stairs and into a beautiful space. All cream leather with chairs as well as some sofas and a galley at the front. Further back was a door which she guessed led to the ‘sleeping arrangements’.

They sat in two chairs on either side of a table and strapped in, Zach having put her suitcase on one of the sofas for now. It wasn’t long until they were high above the clouds, though as it was dark she couldn’t see anything.

She hadn’t seen the pilot as yet. When they came aboard Zach had just given a double knock on the door leading to the cockpit, which she assumed was the sign for him that they were on board. Zach had then pulled up the stairs and secured the door.

She realised that she was thirsty. Again before she could ask, Zach got up and went to the galley and came back with a couple of bottles of water. Could he read her mind? She wouldn’t put it past him, she thought.

When he opened his and had a drink a look of confusion was on her face. She thought Vampires only drank blood? “I can eat and drink if I want, Alexina. It doesn’t keep me alive but I do get thirsty and I enjoy eating. We only have blood for sustenance. It’s not required every day, but we do need it. There’s nothing more I like than a good meal.” He smiled and then settled back in the chair.

“Okaaaay – that’s about the hundredth time you’ve pre-empted answering what was in my head. Can you read my mind?” She was a bit scared as she asked him this. Her mind was hers and hers alone and sometimes it was a scary place to be.

Zach smiled and once again she got butterflies in her stomach. He answered her query though she was sad when his smile left but then realised she liked his voice just as much.

“Not exactly, I’ve not been around you long enough yet to be able to do that. But I can read emotions and well, basically, your face gives most of what you are thinking away. The looks of confusion etcetera, so I just analyse the situation and assume what it is that you are confused about and answer accordingly. I think now may be the time to get to know each other a bit better? Do you want to go first or shall I?”

She thought for a minute, processing what he had said and then gave a nod and said “You first.”

“Firstly my name, my full name is Zachariah Smith – ”

She almost laughed aloud and said. “Smith? You have gotta be kidding me?”

Zach continued “Nope, Smith it is. My original name was Schmitt, I was born in Germany, but many centuries ago. I started using Smith a long time ago. I have not been back to my home in Germany since I left not long after being turned into a Vampire. At the time I was terrified I would harm those that I loved and, well, once I had mastered my Vampire powers etcetera, I realised that wouldn’t happen. However, many years had passed and my mother and father would have been long dead. I had no siblings so there was no point in me going back.”

Alex thought he looked sad and she felt for him. She couldn’t begin to imagine what it had been like.

Zach continued “I travelled for many years until I came into contact with another older Vampire who took me under his wing so to speak. He taught me the ways of the Vampire and introduced me to the Council. I was taken in by them and trained and started working for them. It was a different world then. No planes to hop between countries, so I travelled a lot! I had not yet mastered moving myself then so it was the old fashioned way, horse, carriage, boat or simply walking for days on end. It was a harsh time but I look back on it quite fondly as it made me the man I am today.”

Alex responded “What happened to the Vampire that took you in? Is he still alive?”

A pained expression crossed his features and he frowned. “I’m afraid not. He was killed by another rogue Vampire a long time ago. I miss him. He was like a father to me.”

“
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” she replied.

“
No – it’s okay – we agreed on this get to know you conversation and I’m sure there will be things in your past that are hurtful to remember?”

At this, tears appeared in her eyes and Zach was up and at her side before she could blink them away. “Come, we will sit on the sofa. Its much more comfortable than these chairs,” he said. He unclipped her seatbelt and led her to the nearest sofa, the one opposite where her case lay.

She took a deep breath and started her story. “My full name is Alexina Brodie. I took my mother’s maiden name when I got divorced a couple of years ago. My parents were killed when I was very young. About five I think, it’s all a bit hazy but it was around that time. We were all supposed to be going out for the evening, my parents, me and my maternal grandmother, my father had no living relatives. However, I got ill that day – just a kid’s sickness bug – but enough for me not to go. My Aunt Mary was roped in to babysit me and my parents left. Just before my mother went out she took her necklace off and put it on me. That was the last I saw of any of them.” Alex stopped to take a deep breath.

Once she had calmed herself she continued. “The next morning my aunt was crying and explained that there had been a car accident and that they had gone to heaven. I was devastated and cried for what seemed like forever. The strange thing though, we moved the very next day. I didn’t think about it at the time, after all, I was a small child and was hurting so bad that I didn’t take in anything other than how I was feeling. My aunt just told me that we moved so that I wasn’t reminded of them every day. It sorta made sense so I never questioned it – even when I got older.” Alex stopped again as if thinking about something.

A second later she shook her head and went on with her story. “We moved about a dozen times in the first couple of years and then settled down in the house we were just at. She took such good care of me and did her best, but she wasn’t my mum or dad. I missed them so much I made her life a misery with tantrums and so on. I regretted it when I was older but at the time I couldn’t help myself. Only now it turns out they didn’t die in an accident! She says they were murdered. I can’t understand it – we were just an ordinary family. Why would anyone have wanted to do that?”

She started to cry again and Zach cuddled her close to him trying to ease her pain. “I’m so sorry Alexina, if there’s anything I can do please let me. I want to help.” Zach’s tone was one of someone who cared, she was surprised as they had only just met.

She was also surprised at just how good his arms around her felt and she turned her face to his before replying. “No it’s okay, it’s just been a shock, on top of everything else today. It just took me by surprise and opened old wounds.”

She sniffled and hunted for a hanky in her pocket to wipe her nose. She knew she must look a right mess. She wished she could do that dainty cry that some women could do, but no she was a swollen eyes, runny nose type of gal.

“You said you were divorced?” Zach queried.

“
Yup, biggest mistake of my life, I thought he was ‘the one’ you know, but he just wanted a wife to further his career in the bank. I should have seen through him but I was blind at the time. I so wanted a husband and kids that I put up with a lot of crap that I wouldn’t normally have. I learned quickly he didn’t love me and more importantly I didn’t love him. My dream of kids was so strong I kept trying to make it work. But it wasn’t to be.” Alex’s voice was sad as she spoke.

“
You can still have that Alexina.” Zach tried to make her feel better.

“
Are you mad? I’m nearly forty. I don’t want my kids in high school when I’m an old woman,” she retorted.

“
Alexina, I will tell you what you told me earlier – you look good for your age!” They both burst out laughing and she looked at him and saw that he seemed sincere.

“
Well thank you kind sir,” she quipped before continuing, “But I have given up on that, I just try to get through each day as it comes at the moment. I’m just sad as I always wanted my own family. I wanted to be a good mum, just as my mum was to me before she died.”

“
Never give up on anything Alexina, never. This world can throw quite a few curve balls in one’s life.” Zach’s voice was low and damn if she didn’t find it downright sexy.

“
Why do you do that?” she asked.

“
Do what?” he frowned.

“
You know, use my name so often? You use it in practically every sentence.”

“
I like it, that’s why. Your name is beautiful Alexina and I have no idea why you would use Alex. It doesn’t do you justice, not one bit.”

She was taken aback and wondered if he meant it? Did he like her, maybe? Oh for goodness sake give yourself a shake woman. Don’t be ridiculous – look at him. He was a very fine specimen of the male persuasion and he could have any female he wanted.

She was just an ordinary, down to earth Scots woman, who really didn’t have a lot going for her at the moment.

“
That reminds me of something your aunt said to me, just before we left.” Zach got up and opened a drawer underneath the table they had been sitting at and pulled out a very hi-tech laptop.

She was impressed, she worked in IT and knew her way around technology. He started typing and then his expression seemed a bit startled. She asked him what he was doing.

“Well your aunt told me to find out the meaning of your name in a rather cryptic way, implying it may be of some use to us. So that’s just what I have googled.” He looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

“
Well, don’t keep me in suspense, what have you found out? It’s not something I ever bothered to do, it’s just my name, that’s all,” she said.

“
Well according to this your name means ‘Defender of Man’. Now that’s what I call interesting.”

Alex was taken aback. “What? Are you kidding me? That is so weird, it was my mother’s name and my gran’s. It’s sort of a tradition. Every girl borne was named Alexina for as long as I know. Shit!” she exclaimed as if something had just hit her consciousness.

Zach looked at her intently. “Is there something else?” he asked her.

“
Well from the very little I managed to find out about my family, from paperwork left by my gran, it’s something that now seems a bit strange. It’s just as I said, the girls were all called Alexina, but there were only girls, and only one at that!”

Zach’s eyebrows raised as he queried “You mean you’re telling me that your family only EVER had girls?”

Alex was nodding her head. “Yes, and each one only ever had one child, which was also a girl. That’s weird isn’t it?” she asked him.

“
Well it does seem rather odd. I think we need to try and find out more. Come sit next to me and we will see what we can come up with.” Zach put an arm out to motion her to sit next to him.

She moved over and sat on the arm of the chair and he started to search online. Only he came up with nothing. Not one bit of information was on the internet about her family. Not even about her parents’ death. This was getting stranger by the minute.

Zach sighed. “Well there’s not much more we can do just now. I’ll phone the Council and pass this onto them. Hopefully by the time we get there, they will have found out some more information. Anything we can get can only help. In the meantime, Alexina, I think you should go and lie down and try to get some sleep. I have some business to attend to and I will be busy for a while.”

She picked up her suitcase and made her way to the back of the plane and went through to the area there. There were a couple of rooms with very comfortable looking full size beds and both had en suite bathrooms. She stripped down to her underwear and got in and to her utter amazement she promptly fell asleep.

She awoke several hours later with Zach gently shaking her. He sat on the bed next to her and when she finally opened her eyes he advised that it wouldn’t be long until they landed.

She was a little self-conscious having him sit so close to her while she was only in her underwear and he had the strangest look on his face. If she didn’t know better she would say his eyes were shining?

“Okay, I’m going to have a quick shower and freshen up, promise I won’t be long,” she spoke sleepily.

*****

Zach nearly moaned, the sight of her sleepily looking up at him – he wanted to – fuck! He tried to get those thoughts out of his head.

Zach went back through to the main part of the plane and tried very hard to get rid of his arousal. Which had come on as soon as he had seen Alexina lying in bed.

He was always so in control and he had never experienced this lack of restraint before. He was extremely attracted to this tiny human.

It made him more convinced than ever that he would do anything, anything at all, to make sure she was safe.