Bonded

by Jessie Rose Case

  Arturo looked at each of them for signs of problems and got none. “Ok I just need everyone to check their phones please. Call several people from your listing and make sure they are all working.” He told them. Everyone took out their phones and started calling. In the middle of pressing numbers and holding phones to their ears, ‘Milkshake’ by Kelis sang out loud and clear from Alex’s phone. His was no longer just on vibrate.

  The room turned and looked at him. “Is someone calling me?” He asked confused looking at his phone it said Gia. Gia put her hand up shyly. “I don’t understand this noise. Turn it off.” He told her annoyed. It stopped. Then started again. Alex looked again at his phone. Pierre. He looked up Pierre. “You calling me?” Alex asked him more confused. Pierre nodded looking strangely about the room at the others as if to say WTF. “Turn it off.” Alex told him annoyed. It stopped. This time Alex called to Arturo’s phone. And Arturo phone sang ‘Milkshake’ loud and clear. Arturo looked down at his phone and let it run. Alex looked at him. Regin burst out laughing along with Pete and Charlee. “Looks like you have a theme tune Alex”. She told him. The room erupted in laughter. Some had tears running down their faces.

  Alex sat stony and that made it worse. Their laughter doubled and some were sliding off their seats. “I don’t get what’s so funny.” He told them. And they doubled in laughter again. Arturo watched holding in his own laughter barely as Regin appeared to calm somewhat to answer him wiping her tears. “I’m guessing you pissed someone off. You might want to check out that song. And grovel.” She told him. Arturo looked at Alex. He sat completely still for a moment then nodded yes in a slow manner. And grinned ear to ear. O he understood now. He knew exactly what had triggered that, or who, he liked it a lot. “Ok now we all know Alex’s ring tone. Let’s get moving.” Arturo told them. The crowd broke up and moved out. Arturo came around to Alex. “Wanna tell me what that was all about?” He asked him. “Nope.” Alex replied still grinning. “Anything I need to worry about?” Alex got up to stand next to his friend. “No. I just got a shot across the bows.” Raising his eyebrows, Arturo slapped Alex on the back. And walked after his men.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Luce in the kitchen leaning on the counter talking to Alice as she was preparing to leave for the day when Regin walked in. “That, young lady was inspired. We all needed a good laugh and boy did you give to us.” Luce grinned at her. “Was he pissed?” Regin grinned back at her. “Honestly, at first he was so confused and had no clue till it was pointed out to him. It was classic. Why’d you pick that song?” Luce cringed a bit. “He nicked my milkshake then ate my cake. I was not happy. And then he stood there making sure I saw him enjoy it. I got pissed.” She told Regin with a shoulder shrug. Regin laughed out loud slapping the breakfast counter. “Don’t let me ever piss you off. That was great. But he’s gonna come back at you, you know that right?” Luce grinned. “Yep. Looking forward to it.” She told her. Regin squeezed her shoulder and left her. Luce looked at Alice who was shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “What?”

  Alex knew when he walked out Arturo’s door that he wouldn’t find her at her desk. And he was right. He gave it a cursory look, shook his head and turned around and headed to the front door. Alex walked out into the night and spotted his men. He quickly made his way over to his cars. “We ready?” He asked his first and second. They both nodded at him. “We’re ready. The boys are already in place just waiting for you sir.” Alex got in the car and settled back. Doors closed and they pulled away. He hoped it didn’t take all night. Turning his phone in his hands, he had someone to see. For the first time in a long time, Alex was intrigued by a human. That both scared him and made him yearn for more. And this time, he didn’t have to remind himself she wasn’t a child.

  Luce returned to her desk having said goodbye to Alice. She’d brought up the coffee machine Alice suggested and plugged it in having filled it and it had done its thing. She was on her third coffee and watching the multi screens she had set up on her desk. She had all the feeds from the personal cameras, they were running through her new network. She’d checked and checked again it was working well. She also had the ear communications coming across to her as she switched from one to the other. All on an ID tag. It was like a movie. Only this she knew was real. She tried to be neutral but kept going back to Mr Intense’, Alex’s team. He drew her. She didn’t like it but he did. The camera gave her a wide angle which was often different to what the person was actually looking at. And this camera was Alex’s.

  He’d just entered a warehouse of some kind. There was a central area with a high ceiling and a corridor with several office type rooms. They’d crashed into the main area and vamps had started to stir. Some that were initially confused suddenly understood what was going on and went on the offensive. Alex had his hands full. There seemed an awful lot more than expected. His people were fighting and clawing their way through the halls. She had never seen anything like it. It was a fighting mass of bodies. And in amongst them, a spire of ash would replace someone.

  Luce held her breath while she watched Alex take apart a vamp that came right at him, to be followed by several others. There were so many of them she thought. He clearly knew how to use a sword. He was comfortable wielding it and it was effective. He cleared a path and passed a doorway moving forward fast and Luce got a fraction of movement before the camera moved. “Behind you.” She screamed at Alex punching in his ID number to her ear communication device. She watched him spin and caught a stake aimed for his heart through his back off centre. It struck home but he twisted the attacker’s wrist before it went too deep and plunged the sword into the heart of the attacker. He went to ash.

  Luce was on her last nerve, she’d risen in her chair as she screamed and dropped back down, checking all the screens that no one she knew was dead. She needed more eyes than she had. That was close. She watched as Alex, who now appeared unbeatable, deadly in his anger spun and slashed along with his people till the room was ash. Luce blew out a breath. Her mind blanked out. Mr Intense, Alex had nearly died. Had he killed all those vamps? Switching to the other channels she saw similar situations coming to an end. It looked like a success. She slumped back down in her chair. Dam that was something else. Pete hadn’t been kidding when he said they were in a war.

  Luce took several deep breaths and listened to Arturo call for the numbers of casualties to his people. They had lost three. Luce was saddened by that. They all seemed good people. Ok they were vamps but as it had been explained to her, there were vamps and then there were vamps. She was making no sense. Luce shook her head to clear the fog from her brain. Alex could have died tonight her brain told her. Luce wasn’t sure why her brain focused on that but she knew she didn’t like it. “Luce do you have everything recorded?” Arturo asked her over the audio. “Yes sir I have it all. I will file it and send it to you to go over later.” “Thank you. Everything worked well tonight. Call for a car to take you home. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Luce smiled. “Yes sir thank you.”

  Luce took her time and downloaded all the files and sent them to Arturo’s email box individually so they wouldn’t frag up. She checked all the software was working correctly and ran a diagnostic. It took a couple more hours before she was ready to call it a day. Then disconnected her lap top and removed her ear piece leaving it on the desk. Picking up the house phone she called security. “Car please. I’m finished.” She told them. “Yes mam coming now.” Luce popped her head into Arturo’s office. She had seen Regin go in after she’d come back from the kitchen. She was sitting in Arturo’s seat, where she could clearly see the vids.

  “They’re all good and Arturo told me to go. You Ok? Do you need anything?” Luce asked her. Regin looked up. “Thanks, Luce no I’m good. That equipment you suggested worked great. Good call.” Luce beamed at her. “Thanks, Night.” Luce turned away and headed for the front door. Her car was waiting, as she walked out security opened the door for her and she got in. Luce looked up at the hou
se, not a house a mansion she worked in. People had died tonight. Mostly very bad people who hurt others. But they had still died. She couldn’t feel bad about that or the fact that she had helped them do it. But a life was a life even though it had been the right thing to do. Humans would be safer because of it. And that’s were her loyalties lay. She hoped she could live with it.

  People might think she’s mad but she knew good things when she saw it. And she saw it in these people. Lost in her thoughts Luce was surprised when the car stopped. She looked around her confused. She was out front of some swanky apartment block. Security got out and opened her door. Luce lent forward so she could see him. “Sorry but I don’t live here.” She told him. He knelt and gave her eye contact. “You do now, it comes with the job. Our staff have security 24/7. It’s too much of a risk on your own.” He told her. Luce didn’t know what to say. Sure her place was not in the smartest part of town and it had its problems and yeah she had to put on several layers of security to make sure unwanted attention kept out but this? It was way over the top. He held out his hand to her. “If you would miss, we’re exposed here and I need you inside.” Dam thought Luce. She held out her hand and let him help her out the car and with the two other security now standing there, they escorted her inside.

  Luce walked with them to the security desk. She gave a very weak, “Hi.” The vamp nodded to her and looked at her car security. “Ms Lucie Elizabeth Jane Ambrose.” Luce cringed. Only her dad had ever used her full name and that was when he was really pissed at her. Luce rolled her eyes. “Apartment 1B.” The reception guy told car guy and handed the keys over to her security guy. Who headed to the lift. Luce followed him with the other two guys behind her. “Don’t you think this is a bit over kill guys? I mean we are inside one of the company’s own buildings, with its own security which is ours.” The doors opened and they all walked in and turned around facing the doors. Now she had two huge security guys standing in front of her. Ok, Bill and Ben it was.

  Could this get any weirder she thought. “We do as instructed Ms.” Luce looked at the elevator numbers thinking 1 would be one level up. Nope. It was at the top. This building had numbers back to front. “How many apartments on each floor are there?” She asked. One of the two men in front her answered. Bill she decided. “4. Except at the top. There’s 2.” Surely that didn’t mean she was going to the top. That couldn’t be right. Luce waited for the lift to stop and the doors to open. They slid silently open. Bill and Ben walked in front of her and checked the floor on exiting the lift, then indicated she should walk out. Luce poked her head out the elevator and looked round. This was a mistake she thought stepping out followed by her security person from the car brought up the rear.

  She hadn’t been introduced and that was annoying. “This way.” Ben told her. Luce followed blindly. Not sure what was going on. Both stood and turned at the door marked 1B. Her car security guy moved passed her and opened the door. “Please wait here until I have checked the rooms.” Luce stood astounded. Several minutes passed and he was back handing her the key. “You will find everything you need is in the apartment. Should you require anything call 1 to reception. Good night.”

  Luce walked in and he closed the door behind her leaving her alone. With Bill and Ben outside. Luce looked round the hall. It was straight out of one of those house magazines. She walked towards what appeared to be an open living room area. It was gorgeous and had amazing views out the windows. ‘I need a drink’ she thought and headed to the kitchen area. Opening the fridge she found it fully stocked with food. She grabbed some milk and looked for a glass. Filling it she put the carton back in the fridge. Shaking her shoes off she explored. She found the bathroom, then guest room with en-suite facilities and a closet next to that. On the other side was one door. A master bedroom, with walk in closet and bathroom with a spa tub and separate huge shower with multiple jets and double sinks. Luce walked round. Had she won the lottery? This cannot be for her.

  She walked back and checked the closet, she found her things hanging up or laid out. Ok that was weird. And annoying. Someone had been to her house to get her things? Ouch. Not cool. Too tired to think on it any more. She grabbed her phone and texted Pete. Luce stripped and headed into the shower finding her things already in there. She washed away the day and wrapped a towel round her and grabbed a T shirt and panties from the drawer. Slipping them on she hung the towel over the closet door and climbed into bed. The rest can wait she thought as exhaustion hit her.

  Nearly dawn and Alex exited the elevator and found his two men waiting for him. “She showered and went to bed.” One of her new security told him. Alex nodded and entered apartment 1A. He owned both. Actually, as of today, he now owned the building and it housed his staff. What Luce would think of that, he really did not care. She was his now.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  A knock at the door sounded the arrival of her breakfast. Luce walked over and opened the door. Bill stood with a tray in his hand. Ben looked bored. “Hi Bill, Ben. Is that my breakfast?” She asked. Both looked confused at her. “Our names are not Bill and Ben.” Ben told her. “This is your breakfast.” Bill told her. Luce smiled. “Great thank you.” She grabbed the tray, clearly Bill hadn’t expected that and closed the door behind her.

  Luce walked back to the living room and quickly went over to the table putting her tray down. Walking back to the coffee table she picked up her juice and walked back to her breakfast. Putting her juice down she dragged her chair in and lifted the lid on the tray. O my thought Luce. They had brought her eggs, bacon, pancakes syrup, toast and a coffee pot. All steaming hot. Cream and sugar on the side. So good. She put the napkin on her lap and lifted her knife and fork as the front door to her apartment opened. Luce frowned and leaned to one side so she could see down the hallway. A male came in and closed the door behind him. Luce had a moment of panic. She came back bolt upright and remained in her seat as she heard footsteps approach. So, ok he had to be part of security right? She frowned. He looked more familiar than that, was the passing thought as he came into view.

  Luce’s mouth dropped open and raised her eyebrows as he approached and took the seat next to her. Shocked she sat staring at him as he pulled the paper out from under his arm and she heard her front door open again. There were several footsteps again and Bill and Ben came into view, Bill carrying another tray over to the table and put it down. “Thank you, Tony.” Her guest told him. Luce looked up at Tony seriously confused. Ok so Bill was Tony. What was Alex doing here? “You’d better eat that or its going to get cold.” Her uninvited guest told her. Luce put the knife and fork down. “How about you tell me what the fuck your doing here?” She asked him instead. He put down his paper and looked at her and smiled. Dam she thought, he was gorgeous. All that dam hair tied up in a top knot. Bloody delicious.

  “Seeing as we are both having breakfast I thought it would be a nice idea to have it together.” He told her. Luce picked up her fork and loaded it with eggs and shoved them into her mouth. If he was going to give her shit she wanted it on a full stomach. She moaned. Dam they were good. She grabbed the coffee in the other hand and drank deeply. Shit she needed that. She looked over at her guest who was staring at her. “I don’t remember inviting anyone.” She told him harshly. He smiled at her. “O but you see, you intervened last night and now…” He told her smiling slyly. Luce narrowed her eyes and looked up shovelling in bacon and pancake. “And now what?” She asked him around her mouthful annoyed. He smiled at her as he picked up his own knife and fork to begin eating. “And now …. You belong to me.”

  Luce chocked and swallowed the mouthful wearily as it was suddenly stuck to the inside of her mouth and watched Alex eat his breakfast looking rather smug. She picked up her coffee and took another swallow trying to clear the debris from her mouth. “I belong to no one but me.” She told him calmly. Alex nodded while he continued to eat. “That was in your world. In mine, you belong to the house or master you serve.” He told her filling his
fork with bacon and egg and eating it. She eyed the last of her pancake and lifted her fork to stab it and popped it in her mouth, chewed it and swallowed. She lifted her coffee cup to find it empty. She leaned forward to re-fill her cup from the coffee pot. “Allow me.” Alex told her and proceeded to re-fill both her and his cups. He was a polite bastard she’d give him that. “Thank you.” She told him being sweetly nice. We can both play this game. Alex nodded as he opened his paper. Luce put in some cream and stirred it. Ok, she told herself and took her phone from her pocket and checked her mail, social media and news items.

  Alex smiled to himself. She was ignoring what he had told her. He was so hard he could barely focus. It had been a long time since a woman had affected him in such a way. The moment she had moaned at the taste of the food he’d been undone. He wanted to hear those sounds from her lips as he fucked her hard anyway he could get her. He had expected her to blow on the ‘belong to me’ comment but she’d surprised him. She’d been calm and stated a fact as she saw it. Well, he thought. That would change. She was his responsibility now and whether she liked it or not, she belonged to his house. She had saved his life and in turn, he would save hers.

  Luce grabbed her coffee and drained it. Moving her chair back she walked into her bedroom and grabbed a jacket and put on her pumps. Remembering to slip her phone into her pocket she picked up her lap top and headed out to the living room. She walked passed Alex and walked down the hallway towards the door. “Take the security Luce.” He called to her. “Yes. I know they said.” She turned the handle on the door and pulled it towards her. She half turned back and looked in his direction. He was looking at her or he had been looking at her arse. Both made her feel powerful in front of this creature of the night. “Don’t forget to clean up, O and next time, I’ll let him ash you.” She told him sweetly.