Defender's Blood The Return (An Urban Fantasy)

by A. K. Michaels

  Andre smirked - “She tastes so sweet doesn't she Zach? I see why you would have her as a mate. If not for the dying if apart nonsense between you two I might've kept her – had her every day for eternity!” the voice was low, husky – full of longing. Zach processed what Andre had said – the longing in his voice was for his wife! FUCK! He was going to hurt him – bad!

  “She's mine you sick fuck. MINE – now you pay for what you've done – to her and no doubt countless others.” Zach said in such a hard tone he wondered if it was his own voice!

  Andre laughed – he actually laughed - “You think you're strong enough Zach? You're not nearly as old as I am – not by a few centuries so try boy – try!” Andre finished by flying at Zach – so fast that it took Zach off guard and the punch that landed on his face sent him sprawling – back into the hallway.

  Zach landed hard and Andre stalked toward him, stark naked – and the sight inflamed Zach's anger to another level – knowing just why he was naked! Because he had been raping his Alexina!!!!!

  Zach moved quickly and pulled some blades as he did so – one silver blade slashed Andre's throat – blood gushing down his naked chest. Another lodged in his chest – not quite deep enough to pierce the heart! Andre looked down and pulled the blade from his chest and moved again – after a few punches he had Zach in a neck hold – his arms getting tighter and tighter. Zach knew he would soon try to rip his head off – he had to get out of this hold!!

  As the thought entered Zach's mind he heard a loud roar and a white flash moved passed him – Lisa was going to help Alex but she would be no match for Andre!!

  Andre let out a roar – Lisa must've bit him and his grip loosened slightly – it was enough. Zach wrenched his arm away and turned round, he used his hold on Andre's arm to pull him forward towards him at the same time as punching with his other hand. His arm went through Andre's chest and Zach grasped his heart – and completely obliterated it while pulling it out. A look of surprise crossed Andre's features before he collapsed to the floor. Lisa's great maw still clamped onto his thigh and shaking it wildly – blood covering her white fur.

  As soon as Andre started to fall Lisa realised Zach had killed him and she shook the meat of Andre's thigh once more before turning and running towards the room.

  The smell of Alex's blood was ripe in the air and Lisa's wolf jumped up onto the bed – nudged her friend with her nose. Alex didn't move and then Zach was there – on the opposite side to Lisa – on the bed beside his mate. He picked her up into his arms and spoke softly.

  Zach's heart was actually hurting him – Alex wasn't moving – her breathing was laboured - “Alexina – I'm here – you're safe – wake up – meine Kleine you've got to wake up now!” Zach's pleading broke through to Alex's shattered mind and she slowly opened her eyes.

  Zach's face came into focus and she tried to reach her hand up to touch him but she couldn't. Tears escaped from her eyes and she managed a small smile – he was safe – thank god!

  Alex's throat hurt as she spoke - “I'm sorry Zach – really sorry – I couldn't stop him – I'm so sorry.” she cried and the words were like someone sticking him all over with silver blades. He cradled her closer - “No Alexina don't say that – you couldn't do anything – none of this is your fault – you need to feed – you need my blood little one – here – feed.” he ordered while placing his wrist to her lips.

  She recoiled - “No – Zach – not here – I can't!” she pleaded. Zach didn't care where they were – she needed his blood – he tried again but she refused! Zach stood up and picked Alex up in his arms and walked quickly out of the room. There were still some sounds of fighting outside or downstairs – he wasn't sure – he didn't care.

  If Lisa hadn't been there he would have moved him and Alex away – but he didn't want to leave the brave wolf alone. She couldn't take on more than one vampire at a time and if that vampire was strong she would lose to even one! No – he couldn't leave her, so he walked out with her on his heels. His mate continued to cry in his arms and it tore at his very soul.

  As they neared the main door Zach saw Dmitri and Simeon finishing off the last of Andre's vamps – James was looking all around – obviously looking for Lisa!

  When James caught sight of her at Zach's side he rushed over – the blood on her fur alarming him greatly! “Lisa – are you ok? Are you hurt?” he asked and Zach spoke - “She's not hurt – it's Andre's blood – she saved my life James.” and James looked to Zach – Lisa saved him? How?

  James bent down - “Change back hon – they're all dead – you can come back to me now.” he said gently and Lisa looked at him with her wolf eyes. She reared her head back and roared once before changing and going to his open arms. She was crying – worried for her friend. “Alex's hurt pretty bad James – we need to get her some help.” she declared and James looked at Alex lying in Zach's arms.

  Everyone else noticed for the first time she was naked – with wounds all over her back – blood soaked her entire back and right down to the middle of her legs. Every inch was damaged and the pain she must've endured shocked them all.

  Dmitri took off his jacket and gently laid it over Alex – tucking it in so it wouldn't fall off. “Fuck!” Simeon cursed – and looked away – the sight of the broken female hurting him more than he could've imagined.

  Zach tried to get Alex to feed again – but she was now so far gone she didn't move – didn't even flinch. Zach swore - “Where the hell is Lexi?” he asked and they all looked around – none of them had seen Conall or Lexi since they had left to deal with the guards on the perimeter! Zach shouted - “Lexi we need you.” and they waited – after a few minutes they realised she wasn't there!

  Everyone moved out into the protection of the trees – just in case! Zach sat down and rested his back against a large tree trunk, still cradling Alex. He bit down on his own wrist and held it to her lips – forcing some into her mouth then massaging her neck to make her swallow. Everyone looked on – worry clear in all their faces.

  Zach could only get a tiny amount down her throat at a time – his fear grew. If he couldn't get her to feed properly she would probably die – he couldn't let that happen and where the fuck was their daughter!!!!!

  Lisa was pacing back and forth – James tried to stop her but she shrugged him off – she couldn't stay still. Her friend was dying in front of her and she could do nothing!

  Then a thought popped into her head – if Lexi was gone maybe she could get someone else to help?! Maybe?

  As she paced she started to pray – to the Angel Michael – she pleaded for his help – and when she finished she started all over again. Five minutes passed – Alex was fading fast – Lisa prayed all the harder – and suddenly there was a great light and everyone blinked – Michael stood directly in front of Lisa!

  Her mouth dropped open – he was huge!! Those wings – jeez they were beautiful – and when she looked at his face she thought he had been carved out of marble. His mouth opened - “You called?” he asked directly to Lisa.

  Shit! He had heard her! She nodded her head - “It's Alex – she needs help – we tried calling for Lexi but her and Conall seem to have disappeared!” Lisa's words ran out of her mouth so quick she stumbled over a few.

  Michael nodded - “Lexi and Conall are dealing with a – 'situation' – they will be with you as soon as they can.” the melodic tones of the Angel's voice sounded like music in Lisa's ears.

  “Yes well that's all and well but Alex needs help now and we're stuck here too.” Lisa said and Michael raised an eyebrow – he had a slight smirk to his lips. Only Alex ever spoke to him like that!

  As he saw Lisa start to squirm he turned round – saw Zach still trying to get Alex to take his blood – saw the lifeforce was almost gone in the small vampire. He strode over – his long legs eating up the ground and stopped in front of Zach.

  Zach looked up at him with such emotion in his eyes that it touched Michael's col
d heart. “May I?” the Angel asked and Zach nodded – he may not like this Angel but he would do anything to save his mate.

  Michael lowered himself so that he could touch Alex and placed a hand on her head – a glimmer of light spread out from his hand to engulf Alex's body. When he pulled it away Zach could see she was breathing properly, her wounds healed, tho she still slept.

  Zach looked up at the Angel with a questioning look. “Her mind is in turmoil vampire – it has been through a lot – I think it best she rests before she has to face it. Stand up – gather round – I'll take you back to where you came from. Vegas I believe?” and Michael opened his arms wide as they all crowded round. Another flash and they were back in Zach's suite, he moved to the bedroom to place his wife gently on the bed.

  Zach looked behind him – Lisa was standing at the door - “Can you watch her while I shower and get rid of all this blood?” he asked and she walked in - “Of course.” she said as she sat on the bed beside Alex – taking her hand in hers and slowly stroking it.

  Zach went into the huge bathroom – his heart heavy – and had a very hot shower. Once he was clean he went back through – a towel wrapped around his hips. Lisa blushed slightly before she got up and Zach saw she had been using a towel and water to clean the blood from Alex. She handed him the towel and moved back through to the lounge area and sat down on James' lap.

  Zach moved Alex and finished what Lisa had started. Once she was relatively clean he moved her so she was under the covers – she hated to be cold – and went into the bed with his towel still around him. He cradled Alex into his arms and closed his eyes – sleep wouldn't come but he needed to be near her, touch her and he wasn't moving any time soon.

  James cuddled Lisa - “Do you want to go back to our suite?” he asked and she shook her head - “No James I want to stay here – I need to make sure Alex is ok – I can't leave just now.” she said and James noted Dmitri nodding his head.

  The large Russian and Simeon had got comfortable on the sofa – it would be stained by blood when they moved!

  Dmitri spoke - “Well I could use a drink.” and he got up and went to the mini bar – he pulled out everything that was in it and laid the small bottles of alcohol out on top. They all drank – until it was finished – even the two bottles of champagne – they didn't care they just needed some kind of release and it was all that was available.

  Lisa had fallen asleep in James' arms – he was stiff holding her – but he wouldn't move, didn't want to waken her. This had been her first mission and it had not gone as planned – it was a lot for her to take in. He guessed that it would trouble her greatly.

  He would do his best to minimise any harm done. He sat perfectly still, unmoving.

  Zach came through from the bedroom and was surprised to see everyone still there – tho when he thought on it he shouldn't have been surprised at all!

  James nodded to him and raised an eyebrow – his question clear even without words. Zach shook his head - “No change.” he said and Dmitri said 'fuck' quietly under his breath.

  Simeon let out a loud snore and Zach smiled – then noticed all the empty bottles of booze! Shit the mini bar bill was going to be huge! Then he saw the blood on the sofa and the chair James sat in – they would need to pay for those too.

  Zach moved back to the bedroom and pulled a pair of jeans on before going back through to the lounge. He was pacing back and forth, his mind trying to figure out how to help his mate from the horrors he knew would plague her on her wakening.

  As his mind wandered around, a noise caught his attention, and when he looked Conall and Lexi were standing there. Immediately Lexi started to talk - “I'm so sorry – we were called away to deal with a situation – we're only just finished.” she said and when Zach looked closely he could see both were dishevelled and had a haunted look.

  His first instinct had been to berate them – Lexi should've been there to help her mother! Then he saw the state both were in and all thoughts of shouting at them left him.

  Zach opened his arms and his twins moved fast – both in his arms in a blink of an eye!

  Lexi started to cry and Zach held her tighter as words spilled from her mouth. “It was horrid – dad – there were loads and loads – all naked and hurt and bleeding – and one was pregnant!” she was talking so fast it was hard to keep up. “Calm down – Lexi calm down and tell us – what's happened?” Zach asked and Lexi took a deep breath – her and Conall moved away slightly tho Lexi still stayed in Zach's arms.

  Conall moved to sit on the arm of the sofa, his features clearly showing he was in shock. “Just after we got rid of the perimeter guards we were called – it was from the Boss – so we had to go. There was a group of Fallen – they were here on earth – but we didn't know – they had some sort of magic protecting them. There were about half a dozen of them. They had been here so long they had no wings left. They were set up in a run down plantation – and they had girls – lots and lots of girls. Some were dead, most weren't, tho they might as well be. Their minds are so broken and so are their bodies – they were in such a state! There were bodies of other things too!” she screamed at this point and buried her head into Zach's shoulder. What was she talking about?

  Conall took over - “It was their offspring that had gone wrong – deformed, like nothing anyone has ever seen before. They were all dead – hadn't survived – and we found their mother's too – ripped apart while these things tried to get out of them! It was so bad I threw up – I've never been sick in my life!!! Then we found one of the girls and she was pregnant – and you could see the thing inside her – wriggling about – trying to get out. She was alive dad – still alive – and the screams – shit – I'm never going to forget those! Never!” and Conall broke down – taking great gulps of air – trying to calm himself.

  Everyone in the room was shocked – jeez these two might be powerful but they weren't much more than kids! They shouldn't be dealing with this kind of shit!

  Lexi had calmed a little so she started again - “Anyway – we tried to help her – but even I couldn't – my powers wouldn't work on her – I guess caus she had that … that... THING inside her! She died right there – as it broke free. Fuck fuck fuck!! Dad it was alive – still alive – and it launched itself right at us – knew we were the enemy! Dad I've never been so scared in my life – it was powerful – very powerful – almost as strong as Michael! We fought with it for ages – it kept getting away from us – finally tho we managed to kill it – but if there's more of them – if more have lived – we are in a hell of a lot of trouble Dad. Real trouble! That's why we didn't come back – I'm so sorry – did you get mum?” Lexi finished and Zach couldn't be angry at them – they had been through a nightmare!

  Lisa had been wakened by all the talking and as she listened her skin crawled! Dear lord she hoped none of those things had survived! Fighting vamps or other wolves was one thing – fighting some kind of monster fallen angel offspring – fuck that was something she so did not want to have to do!

  She shivered and James hugged her tighter. The words he had heard had turned his stomach – this wasn't good – no – definitely not good!

  Zach tried to sound calm – he didn't want to add to his children's angst - “We got your mother – she was badly hurt – Lisa here had the bright idea of praying for Michael and he came. He healed your mother – physically anyway – and brought us back here.” he finished and saw Lexi's mind whirling around.

  “Physically? What do you mean dad?” she asked and Zach couldn't meet her gaze - “She went through a lot Lexi – I'm not sure how she'll be when she wakes – I want to get her home as soon as she's awake – I think she should rest here for a bit. Andre's dead tho – Lisa helped me with that.” and Zach sent a small smile to Lisa – who blushed but smiled back. She had been only too happy to help – even tho it was only a tiny bit!

  Lexi looked devastated - “Oh dad I'm sorry – I should've been ther
e!” she wailed and Conall came to his sister – placing a hand on her shoulder - “Lexi – you know we've got to go when called – we don't have a choice.” he reminded her and she frowned. “I know Conall, but mum needed us and we weren't there. We should've been there.” she said quietly – and her troubled look worried Zach.

  Lexi moved to the open bedroom door, with Conall right behind her. They moved closer to the bed and sat at the end – a look of concentration came over both their faces and Zach wondered what they were doing. When horror overtook their faces he guessed they had tried to find out what had happened to their mother! Shit – he didn't want them to know the nitty gritty details!

  Lexi's heart was aching – their mother had been through a horrendous ordeal and if they had been there it probably wouldn't have happened! She turned to look at her father who was watching them both closely. “Dad how do you think she'll be when she wakes?” Lexi asked and Zach didn't know how to answer. “I'm not sure – I'm pretty sure what she went through was her worst nightmare and I wasn't there to stop it. I should've been able to stop it.” Zach's voice nearly broke and Conall moved to his father's side - “Dad – you couldn't stop this and neither could we – it's not our fault or yours – it's Andre's fault – and he's paid the price. What we need to do now is to figure out what to do to help her.” Zach looked at his son – a wise head on young shoulders.

  Lexi stood up - “Dad – I can take it away – if that's what you think is best?” she said and Zach wondered what she meant – Zach was powerful and in a wolf or human or even a weak vampire he could manipulate their minds and thoughts. Alexina, however, was not any of those – she was a strong vampire and her mental abilities still amazed Zach.

  Lexi smiled - “Yes I know ...” she said, having obviously been listening into Zach's thoughts ..”but I can do it – I can clear that part away – she won't know – I promise.” she finished and Zach wished it could be so. He was worried tho – if Alex found out she would be hurt badly – was it worth the chance?