I have a working title for this, too: BLUE (Dunno why)
1
The rain fell
hard in the city of New Orleans. The heat from the previous hours of daylight
settled slightly below a heavy eighty degrees keeping the moist air dense with
sticky discomfort. August is the harshest month for the Cajun folk, though very
few actually complain. In fact, many New Orleanians celebrate the hot, wet,
summer evening in anticipation of the coming barrage of festivals, the fall
semester at LSU, and life in the future.
As the local college kids piled into the
Coyote Ugly saloon, shouting and cheering, James and his younger brother Alex
casually moved silently under the awnings down Decatur Street. The abundance of
hot, heavily intoxicated human bodies aroused the fiery hunger within the
brothers.
“So which one do
you want to go to tonight, James?”
James cocked a
half-grin and shrugged, “We haven’t been to Bourbon Rocks in a while.”
“You sure you
don’t want to go uptown tonight?”
“Everyone
uptown would be missed.” They turned the corner onto Bourbon Street. “Besides, it’s
more an Oktoberfest thing.”
“Alright then,”
said Alex, “Bourbon Rocks it is.”
The two men
flashed their ID’s to the bouncer, pulled their jackets tight and strolled
through the small crowd of drunken twenty-something year olds to settle on the
middle stools at the bar. To their left, a mediocre punk cover band blasted an
offensive version of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” over the sound system. Shot girls in
dark, skimpy clothing swayed by holding trays of test-tube shots in an array of
colors. A sassy brunette swished her hips a little more as she passed by James.
Before he could
totally dismiss her, she twisted around to face him with a vial of blue poison between
her breasts. “First one’s free,” she said, batting her pretty eyes.
James, keeping
his eyes low, entertained the idea for a brief moment before wordlessly bending
down to pull the tube up, keeping it in place between his teeth and with a
quick flick of his tongue swallowed the cool liquid in one swift movement. The
brunette sighed with pleasure, offering a second. “No, thanks babe,” James
gestured to his brother, grinning like an ass. “He’s dry though, let him have a
sample.”
Alex pushed
back from the bar and played a little with the pretty brown-haired girl,
twirling her wavy locks between his fingers and flashing his dazzling smile as
his face moved close to hers. Once their eyes locked, their bodies swayed to a
rhythm all their own. The girl’s arm holding the tray of liquor slowly fell.
James caught it just in time.
James casually
turned back to face the bar, sipping on the scotch the bartender sat in front
of him, the ice clanging against the glass. Hunting came easily to Alex, as he was
not nearly as picky as was his older brother. No, he preferred to wait for the
perfect apple, juicy, sweet and a little more northern than Creole. James also
preferred blondes, younger than twenty-five, perhaps still in college. Oh, but
he learned to stay away from the Marines that came through New Orleans. Their
souls were bold, and left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Alex and the
shot-girl slipped away silently, for what seemed like only seconds to James. Shortly
after, his younger brother returned with eyes ablaze in a white-hot fury that
he quickly disguised with a cheap pair of sunglasses. “That, my brother, was
perhaps the best meal I’ve had in over ten years.”
“She smelled
cheap to me,” said James.
The younger
borther grinned, “I would have paid plenty.”
“You’re a pig,”
said James, “you know that?”
“Yup.” Alex
ordered himself a double-bourbon on the rocks and gestured for his brother to
move to the open area in the back. Taking a deep breath he said, “The rain
finally stopped, and I smell fresh meat.”
“The night is
young, Alex.”
“Yes, and I
plan on making a glutton of myself.”
James shook his
head, “I still don’t know what Lauren sees in you.”
The two
brothers moved with a grace that made all the girls swoon toward the back where
only the stars acted as their roof for the evening. Gas lamps and coal fires
decorated the area with cobblestone floor and a tasteful waterfall added to the
ambience. Several young men toward the restrooms gathered around three pretty
girls in tiny, skin tight skirts. A giggling brunette and a blonde sat happily
at a nearby table chatting with a man just a little too old for college. The
music bounced into the area and quietly faded beyond them all.
James finally
relaxed enough to enjoy the scene before him when Alex tensed beside him.
“What’s up?”
Alex casually
cleared his throat and subtly motioned toward the enclosed space just inside
the bar. “We’ve got company.”
“What?” Placing
his sunglasses on, James scanned the nearby area. Two men he vaguely recognized
breezed into the bar with an air of confidence that took everyone by surprise.
Turning to his brother, he said “friends of yours?”
“I guess you
could say that,” said Alex. “I know them, if that’s what you mean.”
James raised a
hand and beckoned the two men forward. They complied with a proud familiarity
on their faces, their smiles widening as they drew in closer. “We didn’t expect
to see any… others,” said James.
“Apologies,
mate,” said the tall blonde male, “we were unaware this was an exclusive pub.”
“It’s not,”
said Alex, “you’re more than welcome to stay, Pete.”
Pete lifted his
sunglasses, freshly white eyes threatening exposure. “Aye! Charlie, it’s our
good ol’ boy Alex!” Pete slapped his hands on Alex’s arms and embraced him in a
brotherly hug. The Australian boys radiated excitement, drawing the attention
of a few women nearby. “We haven’t heard from ye in ages, mate! How the hell
have ye been?”
“Fine and you?”
“Just fishing
in a new pond, is all.” Pete’s eyes moved to James, scanning him once over
before returning his attention to Alex. “Who be this, mate?”
Alex chuckled,
“Sorry man, this is my brother, James.”
Charlie’s eyes
widened, “the James Crawford, the Legend
of Wales?”
James grinned,
surveying the scene for curious onlookers. Thankfully, most people were
blissfully drunk. “Yeah, I suppose that would be me.”
“Oi vey,” Pete
breathed, “Alex, you didn’t tell me you meant James Crawford!”
“Who the hell
do you think I meant?” Alex punched Pete’s arm, “don’t you know my last name?”
“Nah, never
really needed to know, mate.” Pete’s smile faded, growing a little more
serious. “So, with intros out of the way, I’m really glad to have run into ye. Charlie
and I, we’re a little worried.”
Alex pulled his
drink from his lips, and moved in front of his brother, lowering his voice to
just above a whisper. “Is it about the raids? Anyone get hurt?”
“Wait,” James
pulled his brother back, “what the hell do you mean by raids?”
“Shit,” Charlie
said, shaking the ice at the bottom of his glass. “I’m dry, anyone else need a
refresher?” He backed away from the small group, subtly giving the three
leaders their privacy. When he was out of earshot, James turned back to both
Pete and his brother.
“I don’t think
I made it clear enough to you,” he said through gritted teeth. “We stay away
from the Royals.”
Pete stepped
forward, “Our people are dying. You haven’t been there like your brother is.”
“Our intent is
to keep the peace,” said James, “your raids bring on their fury which I cannot
defend against.”
“Hold on,” said
Alex, turning to face James, “we’ve been doing this for over a century now. The
only way you’ve had the intelligence you have is because of us!”
James’ eyes
took on a white glow as his anger rose within him. “Your little resistance is
more trouble that it is worth. There is no proper leadership, you have no
direction, no attainable goals, and yet you’re still wondering why our people
are dying!” His voice grew with anger, and a few humans stopped to stare. He
lowered his voice to a whisper. “The only things you’re resisting are my
orders.”
Pete stood on,
watching the battle of wills between to two legends from over three millennia
before. Although Pete was a few hundred years old, he became a trusted advisor
to Alex, and only hoped to include James in their plot to destroy the Royals
for all their evil and oppression.
Alex sighed,
placed his empty glass on the bar and a hand on James’ shoulder. “You’re
right,” he said, looking his brother in the eyes. “We lack direction,
leadership and our goals are a little impossible – for now.” He paused, waiting
for something from James.
James said
nothing, only stared.
Alex took a
deep breath, “that’s why we need you.”
James looked
back at Alex incredulously. “You really need to stop consuming the rotted
cores. They’re messing with your mind.”
“I’m serious,”
said Alex. “We’ve been debating this idea for about thirty years now.”
“What makes now
so important?”
Alex smiled,
hopeful his brother had considered the thought. “Times are changing. Technology
is growing. You see it. Hell, we adapted to it.”
“So?”
“So have They.”
Alex folded his arms and leaned against the bar. He did a double-take when he
saw his glass full. “They have weapons that we never before dreamed about. They
have blacker magic, tougher defense and a larger rule now.”
“No.”
“You won’t even
think about it?”
“I’ve thought
about it.” James’ eyes held pity and a silent apology. “I’ve decided that No would be my answer.”
“Fine.” Said
Alex, “I’ll just have to do my best without you.”
James felt
defeated. He knew he couldn’t stop his brother from doing anything. Though he
was just three years younger, they had both lived far too long for it to even
matter anymore. His resolve dropped away, “fine.”
Charlie, as if
right on cue, came back with two drinks and handed one to Pete. “A couple of
blokes I told to piss off are waiting in the alley behind here to settle a
little disagreement we had at the bar.”
“You know,”
said Pete, “I can’t take you anywhere without you causing trouble.”
“Aye, I figured
you might be a bit hungry.” Charlie drained his glass in a swift sip. “I could
go for a bite.”
“Right”, Pete
turned to the brothers. “Nice meeting you, James. We got to split, our meal is
ready.” Before he left, he offered his two cents. “If you only knew how much
Alex has done for us all, you might be more inclined to take him up on his
offer. You’d be saving lives.”
James hung his
head, “I’m sorry.”
* * *
James and Alex
spent the next three hours enjoying the crappy music, drunken college kids
trying to dance, and the thick, humid air. James finally found his meal of the
evening after witnessing a steroid-abusing jerk verbally assaulting a timid
red-haired beauty. “Why are the scum always near the trash bins?”
“You just said
they’re scum. Only makes sense,” said Alex, laughing.
“The pungent
odors always make it difficult to concentrate.” James’ eye held a twinkle as he
locked gazes with the red-head when he walked over to help. “Excuse me,” he
tapped the big man on the shoulder. “Is this lovely lady giving you trouble?”
The meat-head
turned around with fire in his eyes. “What the hell you want,” he said, his
beer-breath creeping out between his rotting teeth. A bit of the local bumpkin
twang flavored his gruff voice.
“I couldn’t
help but overhear some of the remarkably insensitive things you were saying to -”
James hinted to the red-head.
When she caught
on, she said, “Jessica,” as she shook James’ hand. “Don’t mind Curtis here,
he’s just drunk again.”
“Oh, really,”
James laughed, “how charming.”
Alex watched
the little scene unfold, almost certain the big guy would throw the first
punch. He held little concern for the red-haired girl, hoping she would be wise
enough to move out of the way. Perhaps not, though, for the twenty years he and
his brother have spent in New Orleans, he could not help but take notice of the
infectious idiocy within the city limits. In fact, most citizens were less than
friendly, especially to outsiders. Oh, how Alex longed for the simplicity
within the streets of London. Dark and damp, yes, but to his kind it was
perfect.
James managed
to pull Jessica away unscathed when Alex appeared by his side. “My, she’s
pretty,” grinned Alex, “I envy you.”
“Why?”
“Somehow you
always manage to find the very best, even when it’s been near the garbage.”
“It’s called
patience, brother,” James said as he wrapped an arm around the girl’s
shoulders.
“Yes, well I
really don’t have the time for that.”
“You never have
time.”
The brothers casually
moved from the outside back out to the street. Like clockwork, the streets were
virtually empty as it always was at four in the morning. Even the clouds
cleared up enough to reveal large, deep patches of twinkling stars above the
steaming city’s lights. James pulled away from his brother, guiding Jessica
down a dimly lit alley just off of Royal Street. Alex winked at his brother and
decided to make a sharp right back to Decatur. The Coyote Ugly had just closed
up, leaving a few strays to fend for themselves. The white heat returned to
Alex’s eyes. He pulled his sunglasses from his leather jacket pocket and
slightly elongated his gait toward a wayward male stumbling into the gutter.
* * *
Alex was the
first to return home, satisfied from his early morning feast and anxious to
return to Lauren’s arms. Adjusting his jacket to conceal the trinket he pulled
from the brunette, he unlocked the front door and held out his arms, which quickly
filled with the woman he loved.
“I am so glad
you’re home,” said Lauren. Her small frame melded to his, as he gently kissed
her strawberry blonde locks.
“I told you I’d
be back,” Alex smiled and melted into her electric eyes. He pulled out the necklace,
bringing a smile to her face.
“You never
know,” said Lauren, holding back her hair for Alex to clasp the chain. The red
pendant drooped seductively as she beamed at her gift. “It’s beautiful.”
“I do know,” he
said, “because I have to.”
A smile played
at the corners of her lips, tiny dimples piercing her perfectly freckled
cheeks. “You bet your ass you have to!”
“Is that a
threat?” said Alex.
“What are you
going to do about it?” she teased his back with her nails, an evil flicker of
sexy promises in her eyes glimmering back at his.
In response,
Alex lowered his face toward hers. Beneath his fingers, he felt an electric
pulse as she tensed beneath his kiss. He pulled away, holding her gaze with
his. “What is it?”
“James didn’t
come back with you, did he?” Fear infected her radiant beauty.
Alex shook his
head, his dark brown hair still damp from the heavy fog falling into his face.
“I left early. He takes too long.”
Lauren nodded,
and held him tight. “You can’t leave me tonight, Alex.”
“It’s nearly
six in the morning,” Alex laughed, “the sun is just about up.”
“You know what
I mean.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
“Promise,” her
eyes begged, the icy blue irises glowing from fear. Her voice dropped to a
whisper, “please.”
The weight of
her words wore heavy on his still heart. To choose between a love he had only
ever known this one time in all the years of his existence, and those he swore
a solemn oath to protect from the Royal Family sapped his strength. Alex
sighed, and nodded.
Lauren bit her
bottom lip, closed her eyes, and leaned into his chest. Alex’s hands
instinctively massaged her back. Though strong, the gentleness in his fingers
soothed away the worries from Lauren’s muscles. She sighed softly while
wrapping her arms around his middle. “I miss you,” she said.
Alex kissed the
top of her head, breathing in the sweet strawberry scent. It was his favorite.
“I’m here,” he said, holding her tighter.
Her body melted
into his and the electricity between them ignited under their skin. Lauren
tilted her head up until she faced him and Alex took the invite, pressing his
mouth against hers. Her tongue responded in kind as her hands peeled away
pieces of their clothing – not all coming off in one piece. Alex’s breath grew
ragged and shallow. Her teeth pulled at his bottom lip. Lauren dug her nails
into his shoulders while his hands cupped her bottom, pulling her into his body
humming with electric desire.
Lauren pulled
away from a deep kiss long enough to say, “James could be back any minute.”
Alex cocked a
grin and in a flash, moved their conjoined bodies to the upstairs bedroom they
occasionally shared. With a small series of fluid movements, he pulled down the
sheets and smoothly laid his love in the very center before sliding next to
her. Lauren’s pale bluish-white skin contrasted beautifully with the violet
silk sheets beneath her long, lean body. The sun’s rays peaked through the
partially opened curtains, casting bright beams of light across the bed,
washing over their bodies.
Alex smiled, letting
his fingers trace her curves. “I love you.”
Lauren snuggled
up to him and kissed his shoulder. “I love you, too.” The intensity of her
electric white eyes ignited the surging hunger inside Alex. Pulling her close,
they spent the next few hours within each other’s passionate, electrifying
embrace.
2
The sun passed
overhead, as it does every noon, no longer casting its brilliant gold rays
across the room. Alex slept soundly with his limbs tangled loosely in the bed
sheets. Lauren smiled and stared at his still figure. The passion between them
hummed through her veins even though it had been well over an hour since he
passed out from exhaustion – something in which she took delight and pride. A
quiet sigh filled the silent space between them as Lauren turned on her
computer. As much as she longed to lay by Alex’s side for another century, she
knew work came first.
The computer
hummed to life. When Outlook finished loading, a long stream of emails pooled
into her inbox. “Wonderful,” she grumbled to herself. Scrolling through the
list, one thing caught her attention. A similar theme plagued the subject
lines: Royals. “What the hell?”
She opened the
first email, from the Dunn clan. Robert wrote the message telling horrifying
tales of disappearing Blues, mysterious letters on tell-tale parchment and ominous
warnings of dire consequences for broken laws. The next five spoke of similar
concerns, two of which begged for action from the brothers.
Two hours
passed before Lauren reached the final email, but before she could exit
Outlook, a stray message popped up. “Shit,” she scrambled out of her chair and
over to Alex, violently shaking him conscious. “You need to see this!”
Alex sleepily
grabbed for Lauren’s hand, a sly grin spreading across his face. “But I like
what I’m looking at, now,” he said.
“Alex!”
The fear in her
eyes sealed his concern. “What happened?”
“You need to
see this email,” Lauren rushed back to her desk, nearly tripping over a fallen
pillow. In two clicks of her mouse, she had the email on full-screen. In two
seconds of reading, Alex’s jaw tightened and his grip on the edge of her desk
crushed the oak between his fingers. “He’s asking for James to do something.”
“I already know
what the answer to that will be.” Alex dusted the wood pieces from his palm.
“I’ll figure out something.”
“Not alone,
you’re not,” said Lauren, “I’ve been on the sidelines too long, Alex. I’m
coming with you.”
“You have to
stay here with James, for information.” Alex pulled Lauren into his arms,
“besides, if I lost you, I would have no reason to come back at all.”
Before Lauren
could respond, two clicks of the deadbolt at the front door pulled them from
the room and into the parlor. James stumbled in to the house in a dizzy stupor.
Alex reached out to brace his brother, catching him by the arm. “Overfeeding is
so unbecoming of you,” said Alex.
“I expected you
to stay.”
“Sorry,” Alex
shrugged. “Good thing I didn’t, though.”
“What’s wrong?”
James collapsed onto the nearby sofa and closed his burning white eyes.
“Royals
business, specifically threatening ordinance laws,” Lauren said. “I have over
seven hundred emails begging for action on your part, James.”
“I’ll
conference with Rupert, and –”
“No!” Lauren
burst with frustration, “something needs to be done this time, by us.”
James’ eyes
flew open and before she could let out a single breath, he stood toe-to-toe
with Lauren, nostrils flared, and eyes glowing with contempt. “I suggest you
rethink your position on this matter, Lauren.”
Alex took a
step back when Lauren’s eyes matched intensity with his brother. “I suggest you
change yours, James,” she said. “Blues are dying.”
The shock
factor blew James back. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Like I said,
seven hundred emails.”
James broke
away and ran for her room, shouting back to her “you may want to lead with that
next time!”
Lauren turned
to Alex, “if there is a next time.”
* * *
Hours later,
after much debate and a few broken pieces of furniture, Lauren and James
settled on the agreement that merely talking with the Royal Advisor Rupert
would do nothing to solve current matters. Alex sat nearby, reading an old
magazine humming hmms and uh-huhs meanwhile. He already had a plan. Slipping
away in the night just might prove to be the most difficult part of it.
After Lauren
felt sufficiently frustrated with their clan leader, she silently slipped from
the parlor into the den. The heat of her temper left a trail of terror in her
wake. Alex laughed, and followed her out. “You know, I think James should let
you do the negotiations with Rupert.”
“Why’s that?”
“You’re scary.
Truly,” he smiled, “you make me tremble sometimes.”
“I don’t think
it’s from fear,” Lauren winked. “Unless that’s what’s been turning you on all
this time.”
Alex sat at the
desk, “Maybe.”
Lauren smiled. Her
eyes peered into space while she fiddled with a fake plant’s leaves. “I’m going
out for a feed; I need to clear my thoughts.”
“Not alone,” Alex said. “Not now.”
“I’m going with
Kat. She’ll be here soon.”
“Where to?”
“Dunno,” Lauren
shrugged. “We were thinking Alexandria, where it’s quiet. I’ll be back in a
couple of hours.”
Alex thought
for a moment, but ultimately decided it might be his only chance to escape the
house alone, unquestioned. He nodded, “Alright. What time are you leaving?”
“Around two,
but I’ll return before sunrise.” She watched his face. He remained unconvinced,
but she needed to get away without him. She hated the sheer thought of
deceiving the man she loved most in the world. But things needed to get done,
and she knew only she could do it. It was time to turn on the charm. Engage the feminine wilds, she thought.
“If I’m not back by five, you can choose the appropriate punishment.”
Alex caught the
seductive undertones. His body immediately responded, satisfying Lauren’s need
for cooperation. “Five o’clock and I come searching for you, whips, chains and
all.”
“Don’t tease,”
she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and sealing their deal with a
sweet kiss. “I love you, Alex. I’ll see you soon.”
“I love you, be
careful.” Alex reluctantly let her go, half-ready to begin his own events for
the night. It bothered him to withhold the truth from Lauren, but she would
never let him go after the emails she got.
* * *
Lauren dressed
in sleek black slack and a faded blue shirt that clung pleasingly around her
best curves. Kat impressed some of the occasional onlookers with her emerald
green sequined tank, black leather skin-tight pants and matching jacket. The
heights of her serious black boots intimidated most men that paid enough
attention to them. The two women stalked two men with unpleasant thoughts in
their minds and made a decent meal of their souls. Odd as it were, female Blues
were able to consume fewer souls than males and maintain a similar level of
energy. It was a fact Lauren took deep pride in, as it further added to the
idea that women were just as strong and capable as men were, perhaps even more.
Maintaining
that image for herself served as a curse as well as a blessing to Lauren.
Befriending other females just was not something that came easy to her. Kat
provided a satisfying reprieve from that curse, as she, too, appreciated
feminine strength comparable to the men. Kat, short for Kathryn, was vastly
younger than Lauren, but her ideals had the maturity of any Blue a thousand
years her senior. Born and raised in Ireland nearly eighty years ago, it only
made sense for Kat’s temper to match her stubborn mentality and it only added
to her strength in the eyes of her fellow Blues. Her temper pleased Lauren, as
she always enjoyed the show.
“So where to,
again?” said Kat. Her fiery curls bouncing in the cool breeze as they reached
Alexandria.
“There,” Lauren
pointed to the little Super 8 motel, dimly lit across the street from a damp
Shell gas station. “He’s there, waiting.”
“Need a key?”
“Nope.”
The women
appeared at room nine, as instructed in the email Lauren received just hours
earlier. Using the toe of her boot, she tapped lightly on the bottom of the
door and slipped a white folded piece of paper beneath. Two seconds passed
before the door opened and a hushed voice urged the women inside. Kat scowled
at the sleazy circumstances, but quickly complied.
A small lamp
provided the only light next to a queen size bed, perfectly made up minus a
strikingly beautiful man sitting on its edge. With one smooth motion, he moved
a long strand of raven black hair from his face and produced a stuffed manila
envelope. “This,” he said, his voice hushed and deep, “is all you will need for
now.”
Lauren took the
envelope and nodded. “How long is ‘for now’, Adam?”
“I’m going to
let Alex decide that.”
Kat grabbed
Lauren’s wrist, wincing at the electric shock from her sudden rise in energy. “Easy!”
“Why wait for
Alex?”
“He’s our
leader.”
“You wouldn’t
be here without my intel!”
“He’s also one
of the Elders!” Adam stood, though several feet back. As right as he might have
been, Lauren wasn’t exactly known for reason before reaction.
But luck came
in the form of the red-headed beauty, four inches taller than Lauren with a
firm grip on Miss Crazy. Everyone’s eyes blazed white-hot in pent-up frustration
and fear. Lauren, of course, was the first to break the dangerous silence.
“Fine, I’ll wait for Alex to decide. In the meantime,” she wrenched her wrist
from Kat’s grasp, “you’ll inform me of any changes.”
Adam swallowed
hard before replying. “I can live with that.”
* * *
Five o’clock
came faster than either woman had prepared for. Kat grumbled about reaching
Dublin before daybreak, and Lauren wondered where she might run into Alex on
her way back. A small grin played at the corner of her mouth thinking about
what punishment he might have for
her. In sweet anticipation, Lauren flashed out of Alexandria in her rarely
incorporeal form and headed straight for the rancid city in the gulf.
When she
finally reached the house, the air changed drastically. A new scent polluted
the entrance, one that still felt warm in the cooler air. Smashing the door in
gave light to the situation, but what Lauren saw just might have killed her,
had she been human. Oh, but tonight, a human just might yet die anyway.
She sat on the
floor, her peachy pink skin flushed from fear as James stood over her, his skin
glowing a fascinating blue hue. They both hovered over Alex’s unmoving body,
his skin cracked and gray as if he had died days ago. Fury boiled deep inside
Lauren’s hollow stomach, held down only by the shock slowly wearing off.
James sensed
the oncoming rage. He left the woman on the floor to restrain Lauren just as
she snapped back to reality. Biting into her shoulder, I held her arms from
behind with a bear hug. If she phased, so would he. The intensity of Lauren’s
charged body burned holes in her clothes, melted her boots to the floor and set
fire to the carpet beneath her feet. James held fast and hard, afraid of what
the usually calm and collected woman might do to the frail human quivering in
traumatic shock before them.
“Lauren!” James
pulled his teeth from her shoulder, blisters popping on his lips. “Enough!”
When she failed to respond, James grabbed a small syringe from his back pocket,
stuck her in the neck, and threw her to the floor. Lauren’s skin returned to
its normal pale bluish white within seconds while she trembled into sanity.
Minutes trailed
on and before much longer, James allowed Lauren to sit on the sofa once he
trusted her not to burn it. The wooden floorboards still smoldered where she
once stood, and most of her clothing lay in ashes around the nearby carpet. She
refused to speak, but her white-hot eyes bore into the strange woman who only
lived still because the serum injected in her veins prevented Lauren from
moving more than a foot without collapsing in sheer exhaustion.
“There is much
you don’t understand,” James said. His voice sounded uncharacteristically soft
and gentle. “The woman’s name is Braelyn, and yes, she’s human.
Lauren’s eyes
remained glued to the brown-haired creature. Lips barely moving, Lauren
whispered, “is he – ”
“Yes.” James
hung his head. “Alex is gone.”
“How?”
“Braelyn was
just about to explain herself just before you destroyed our front door.”
Lauren’s eyes
broke from the woman to view the carnage she caused. Pieces of the solid oak
door lay in no certain order across the parlor. Unnecessary as it seemed,
Lauren did not regret her entrance. She reacted defensively, though later she
would more than likely regret her conduct upon entry. “Explain.” Lauren turned
back to the woman who shook like a leaf in a hurricane.
“I’m so sorry,”
her words were barely audible, “but I did not kill him.”
3
James laid
Lauren’s unconscious body across the length of the sofa, maintaining his calm
composure. “I assume you know enough of our kind to understand the gravity of
your situation.”
“I promise you,
I mean no harm,” said Braelyn. “I only mean to help in any way I can.”
James glared at
the human, torn between ripping her flesh from her bones and granted her the
benefit of the doubt. Since one dead body in their home seemed ample, he
allowed the woman a chance to explain. Relaxing his inner turmoil, James took a
seat on a neighboring chair and offered one up to her. Slowly, she stood on
shaking legs, barely keeping her balance on short black heels. For the first
time since she arrived on his doorstep with the body of his brother, James took
in the full length and beauty of this woman. Something about her touched his
unbeating heart and he wondered what hardships brought her to the surface of
the truth.
“I’m going to
ask the questions I need answers to,” said James. “Lying will not prove any
worth in your favor.”
“I understand,”
Braelyn shook violently. James placed a cool hand on hers, focused his energy
on her and soothed away some of her more primitive fears surfacing all at once.
“I’m okay.”
“First
question,” James relaxed his shoulders, trying to appear nonchalant. “How did
this happen?”
Braelyn’s heavy
brown eyes welled with tears threatening to spill over. “I found him, though
still alive at that point. He died shortly after.”
“How did you
know to bring him here?” James leaned closer, certain a blatant lie would fly
from her pink pouty lips.
“My sister,
Emily, she knew who he was and knew to bring him here.”
Her answered flattened
James. A human knew Alex, against every rule and reason, every law, every ounce
of sense in every way possible. “Consorting with humans outside of the
occasional hunt is strictly forbidden.” James’ voice carried higher, “I assure
you lies at this point can only end your life, not spare it.”
“My sister is
no longer human!” The terror in her eyes reached a new level, transitioning
from fear to anger. Oddly enough, James found this rather fascinating. Even in
the face of imminent danger, something sparked inside this woman. It added to
the curiosity within him.
“She’s a Blue?”
Braelyn nodded.
“Twelve years ago, she disappeared from her honeymoon in Costa Rica. Everyone
presumed she died after they conducted a mediocre investigation, botching all
evidence of her whereabouts. Because of that, I became an investigative
journalist for the London Times.”
Her ramblings amused
James. He sat back in his chair, crossed his legs, and cocked a grin while he
listened to the mundane details of her childhood promise to find her sister.
Only, she never knew her sister would be the one to find her.
“I was
terrified, honestly.” Braelyn’s voice dropped an octave as she bowed her head
in what appeared to James to be shame.
“Why?”
“She wasn’t
really Emily, anymore. I mean she was, but what she had become was so
unnatural.”
James nodded,
trying to comprehend the level of trauma experienced by a human with things
like this. It had been so long since he and Alex were human… “I expect Emily
brought my brother here, then.”
“Yes, she did
this odd thing where she was just standing next to me one moment, and the very
next, both she and your brother were gone.”
“And where did
this all happen?”
“Baton Rouge,”
when she saw the look of confusion on James’ face, she said “I was on
assignment. Now, it only seems quite silly compared to all this.”
“Where is your
sister now?” James rose from his seat to pull a small pad of paper and a pen
from his back pocket. A large hole in his white button-down shirt revealed
beautifully sculpted abs, soft yet marble-like, and Braelyn could not help but
stare in awe.
“She’s probably
back in London, with them.”
“Them?” The
energy in his veins circulated at the mention, bracing himself for Royal
interference.
“She calls them
the Rebels.”
James sighed in
relief, scribbled the information down, and flipped the note pad closed. “Thank
you.”
Braelyn stood,
smoothing her wine colored skirt. “Am I free to leave?”
“Leave?” James
laughed, “I don’t think so, Braelyn. You are involved, now. You can’t leave.”
“But – I-I have
work tomorrow, and” she stammered, “someone is bound to file a missing person’s
report!”
James’ eyes
grew cold and blue, “remember how you said your sister’s investigation was
botched?”
Braelyn
swallowed hard, “yes.”
James smiled,
grabbed her hand firmly, and pulled her from the parlor. “You’ll be staying
here for a while. We have three spare rooms, all of which have their own
bathroom and you can pick which one you want. You will stay in one of them,
however, and if you try to escape, I can only promise your death will probably
be painless.”
Her big brown
eyes grew another size as her pupils dilated. The rosy color drained from her
face down to her toes. “I see.” She swallowed, “wouldn’t it be easier for you
if I called in sick?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t need
other humans sniffing around here.” The coolness in James’ tone ended the
discussion. Braelyn followed behind without another word until they reached the
top of the stairs. “This room has a
small balcony, but I’m afraid the doors are sealed.” He glanced down at the
girl, wishing for once that he could know what went on in a female’s mind.
“There are two others like it, but this is the only one with the balcony, which
means there is more daylight coming through during the day. Would you prefer
this room or the next?”
“Why are the
doors sealed?”
“To keep
intruders out.” James sighed, “Sometimes, humans learn about us. Twice in
recent history, we have had the joy of humans trying to break into our home.
Both times, the humans lost their lives.” His eyes glowed slightly at the
memory as he recalled the young men brave enough, or perhaps stupid enough, to
seek answers. Braelyn trembled at the thought.
“This is fine,
thank you.” She stepped into the room and after a brief moment, closed the door
behind her.
As intriguing
and attractive as she was, James still held a degree of distrust. Pulling an
old key from his partially singed pocket, he locked the door and bid the
stranger goodnight.
James
remembered Lauren, incapacitated on the couch. Silently and swiftly, he moved
through the house into the parlor. In one fluid motion, he scooped the sleeping
woman in his arms; even immobile, she felt fierce. It was not often James
encountered her temper, but he had to admit – even if only to himself – she
terrified him.
It took nothing
for James to carry Lauren to her room. Though strong and merciless at her worst
moments, she slept soundly and peacefully with the tiniest smile spread across
her pretty face. For the moment, all could be right in the world for her. There
would be time enough for her to fight oncoming battles of all kinds, and James
knew that well. But for now, he let her rest.
Before he left
for the evening, James closed the dark blue curtains on her windows,
accidentally knocking some papers off her desk. He noticed the broken edge in
the oak that partially cracked the tabletop. Placing his palm over it, he
winced as he realized Alex’s hand had been the one to pulverize the desk corner.
It was not long before James admitted everything in the house, from the
floorboards to the ceiling, would forever remind him of his brother. Adding
insult to injury, James had no one in the world to lay blame – except for himself.
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