She was thankful when she found a pair of black strappy sandals with a heel, no hiking boots today. She even added a little make-up She never wore a lot, but she had to admit the little she used made a whole hell of a difference. She added a touch of her favourite perfume, which she found in her suitcase, even though she couldn’t remember packing it, and she was all set to go.
Zach was in the living room waiting for her, and he gave a whistle when she walked in. She looked stunning. Like a high powered business woman with style and a whole hell of a lot of sex appeal. She did it again, she blushed.
He laughed. “You are so adorable when you do that. I don’t think I have met anyone quite like you, Alexina. I am so glad fate crossed our paths.”
“Yup, totally agree with you, Mr Vampire,” she managed to reply.
“Okay, we are due at our meeting in about twenty minutes, so do you want to go in the jeep or walk?” he asked.
“Well, these shoes are not made for long walks, but it’s not that far is it?” She couldn’t remember how far the large hall was from here.
“I think we’ll drive, it’s quicker than walking, and I don’t want you getting sore feet.”
“Okey doke,” she replied.
“What? Oh another of your sayings. I take it that one meant okay?”
“Yup.” She laughed back at him, and he got up from the sofa and went over and took her hand. As soon as their skin made contact they both got a jolt of sensations, it was very strange. Alex could see it wasn’t just her, Zach felt it, too.
“What is that?” she asked him.
“I have no idea, but I think it is something to do with the feeling I have that we are meant to be together. I know you must think me mad, but I cannot shake it. It’s not like when two people meet and get to know each other and sometimes they fall in love – this is different. I truly feel and believe that you and I were made for each other, I mean truly made, as if nobody else will do.”
Yes it did sound a bit mad to Alex, but she nodded her head at him. That was what she was beginning to believe as well. She so hoped it was true. She really didn’t think she could live without him in her life, which was very, very scary to her.
They left the bungalow and got into the jeep to head to their meeting. She hoped more information had been found that could help them.
Chapter 7
It was early afternoon, and Alex could see a lot more than she had on the previous drive. Surprisingly, there were quite a few people on the streets, and she even saw a few mums with youngsters and babies in buggies.
She realized Unity was not what she had expected at all. It was, as Zach had told her, a mini-town. Quite a few people waved at Zach and shouted hellos. He drove with his window down and his arm on the jeep door, so he waved back at some.
They went down another street and she could see the large HO in the not too far distance. Zach pulled the jeep over at a couple who were trying, unsuccessfully, to get a dog into the back of their vehicle.
“I see you haven’t been to the training classes with that bag of fur yet,” Zach shouted over. The woman turned around and gave up fighting with the animal. She walked to the curb and gave a huge smile.
“Zach, glad you’re back. How’s things? Is this the Alexina I’ve been hearing all about?” she asked.
“Hi, Irina, how’s things with you and Vlad? Yes, this is Alexina, we’re just on our way to a meeting at HO, but we have a couple minutes to chat. Why is Vlad trying to get your mutt into the car?” he asked.
Irina ignored Zach and spoke directly to Alex. “Hi, Alexina, my name’s Irina, it’s so nice to meet you. Zach couldn’t shut up about you when he phoned last night from the plane. I can see why, you’re gorgeous – that hair of yours is fantastic. It looks like a mane around your head!” She looked as if she was genuine, but Alex was a little shocked at what she said.
Zach butted in before Irina could continue, “Irina, I was asking about the mutt?”
“Oh yea, sorry, you know me, my brain gets side tracked. Specially when I meet someone new. All those smells you know, brain goes to mush sometimes when I’m trying to process them.” She smiled sheepishly.
What? Alex thought, did she just say smells? She doesn’t look mad, but who knows, maybe she’s got a few screws loose.
Zach turned to Alex. “Irina here is a Werewolf, Alexina, one of her very strong characteristics is her extremely good sense of smell. When she meets someone new she can get a bit excited.”
“Oh right,” was all she could come up with. A Werewolf? She definitely didn’t look anything like Alex expected one to look like. Then again, what was one supposed to look like?
“Don’t let Vladimir hear you say that,” Irina addressed Zach.
Zach frowned, “Say what?”
“Calling his precious hound a mutt, he will not be happy,” she laughed. “We’re trying to get him into the car to go for his shots, but I’m sure he knows, so he is not playing ball. We have been at it for ten minutes now!” Irina spoke in a stage whisper, as if trying not to let the dog hear her.
At that they all heard a “Yes!” being shouted, and they looked over as the dog was finally loaded into the rear and the tailgate closed.
The man turned to walk over and Alex saw what a handsome guy he was. Blonde hair, styled but long, and there was raw power to him that astonished her. She didn’t think many folk would mess with him.
He came to stand beside Irina and he had a huge grin on his face. “Hi, Zach, was there everything that Alexina needed in the bag of stuff I left?” he asked.
It hit Alex then that this must be the couple who Zach had called to get the Jack Daniels, and then the wife put together the toiletries bag. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t know it was you. Thank you very much, Irina, the bag of stuff came in handy, and I am very grateful to you for thinking of it.” She smiled at Irina and Irina gave Alex a wink. Alex laughed and blushed at the same time.
Zach did a formal introduction. “Alexina, this is Vladimir and Irina. Vlad is one of my oldest friends, and he is also Head of Security for the Council. What this guy can’t do with a computer – well, it’s not worth knowing. Irina helps out at the nursery, she has her hands full there!”
Vladimir had his arm around Irina and gave her a huge smile. “Well, hello there. I’ve been dying to meet the female that got under the skin of Mr Control here. I have never known him to be...”
Zach cut him off. “Okay, okay, Vlad, no need to exaggerate! We need to go now, got a meeting.” Zach just pulled away, didn’t even give Alex a chance to say goodbye. She turned to look at the couple on the pavement and Vlad was doubled over laughing. Interesting, she thought, I think I may need a little one on one time with him to get all the gossip on Zach.
In another couple of minutes they were outside the HO, and Alex didn’t have a chance to question Zach about what Vlad had said, so she filed it away for later.
Once again, there were two very large guards at the front door and again they opened the door for them before they got to it. Alex was even more taken aback this time around, looking more closely at the paintings and statues as they made their way through the entranceway to the staircase.
Zach again took her hand and led her to the same room they were in previously. She was nervous at seeing Amelia again, because she was sure that what she and Zach had done was written all over her face. She was not sure how Amelia would take the news that Zach was spoken for.
When they entered the room, Thadius was talking on the phone. “Yes, Viktor, I know time is of the essence, but we can’t make any mistakes. We have to get this right the first time. Yes, they have just walked in. I will call you back in a bit with any updates.” He replaced the phone onto his desk, got up and came around to greet them.
It didn’t escape his notice that they were holding hands, and he raised an eyebrow at Zach, who chose to ignore it. Thadius could clearly smell Zach all over Alex and vice versa.
“Hello again, Alexina, I hope Zach has been looking after you okay?” He purposely put out his hand to shake Alexina’s, which forced them to break contact. He took her hand and shook it firmly, and then used it to lead her to a chair to sit down.
“Oh, yes, he has certainly been doing that,” she quipped, giving Zach a rather cheeky smile.
At that point Amelia made her entrance, and once more, she was made up as if she was going on a night out and not a meeting during the day.
This time she had on a pair of very, very tight satin trousers. Almost like the ones Olivia Newton John wore in Grease. She looked as if she had been poured into them and the sheer blouse on top revealed a very skimpy lace bra. Alex would never have the courage to wear something like that, but Amelia was completely relaxed and seemed to be in her element. She was a woman who dressed for maximum effect.
She came over and briefly acknowledged Alex with a very slight nod of the head and sat down on the sofa opposite them. She looked at Zach as if she was willing him to sit down on the sofa next to her. But once again, Zach rested on the arm of the chair Alex was in. Amelia did not look happy, but Alex had a radiant smile on her face.
“So, where are we at with the journal?” Thadius asked her.
Amelia dragged her gaze from Zach and focused on Thadius. “We have the basics, but the text is very complex, and it is going to take us a while to get it all down correctly,” she answered rather haughtily.
“How long is a while, Amelia? Time is running out, and this needs to be your top priority.” Thadius’s tone of voice was sharper than Alex had heard him talk until now.
“I know, Thadius,” Amelia retorted, she obviously did not like the way Thadius had spoken to her. “It is going to be at least a few days and hopefully at most a week. I can’t have it done quicker, trust me, if I could I would. I am sure Alex wants to get back to her own life in the human world. All of my people are working on this to the detriment of other work, I may add. But as I said, it is very complex, this is not something any of us has come across before. It will be done as soon as we can get it done and that’s all I can tell you right now.”
Oh dear, Alex thought, Amelia was pissed off. She did not sound happy at all, and she hadn’t missed the barely barbed comment about her leaving.
“Well, if that’s all you can tell us for now, you better get back to it!” Thadius snapped.
“Fine,” she snapped back at him and flounced out of the room.
Alex didn’t know quite where to look. Amelia’s behaviour was less than professional and she was a little taken aback.
Thadius was obviously annoyed and he spoke in a much quieter voice to Alex, “I’m sorry you had to see that, Amelia is what you could call – difficult – at times. She is very good at her job, which is the only reason any of us put up with her, to be honest! I am sure she will keep us updated and if not, I will crack the whip, so to speak.”
Alex looked from Thadius to Zach and back again. She was decidedly uneasy with the way this meeting had gone and hoped she didn’t need to see Amelia any time soon.
“Thank you, Thadius, I will keep Alexina at my place and make sure she is safe,” Zach told him. Thadius looked at both of them before speaking.
“I am sure you will, Zach.” He had that raised eyebrow thing going on again and Alex tried not to smile.
What happened next happened fast, very fast, and even afterwards, Alex could not be sure of all the details.
As Thadius was saying goodbye he suddenly whirled around and growled loudly. Alex was immediately scared. There was what she could only call a change in the air in the room, and suddenly her nose was filled with a disgusting stench. One that brought back memories of the woods.
Zach was in front of her, shielding her in the next second and she suddenly felt sick. She thought she was going to throw up right there on the Persian rug that covered the floor in front of Thadius’s desk.
She could barely make out black smoke materializing in front of Thadius. As soon as she saw it she screamed, the sound pushing from her throat at a volume she didn’t know she was capable of.
“Get her out of here now!” Thadius roared, and Zach grabbed her and ran for the door. When they got to the door, however, it wouldn’t open. She could hear people on the other side hammering, trying to get in, and her fear jumped higher than she thought possible.
The smoke began to take shape, but that was even worse. It was vaguely humanoid, in so much as it had arms and two legs, but there the similarity stopped.
Instead of fingers, there were claws. Instead of eyes, there was what looked like molten orbs of fire. Instead of a mouth, there was an opening with several rows of razor sharp teeth with a snake like tongue darting out.
Thadius went towards it, obviously with the intent on engaging it in battle. It swatted him away like he was a child! It made a sound that Alex thought was laughing and took a step closer to her.
She was rooted to the spot and she knew she was going to die.
A millisecond later there was another change in the air, and she thought that more of these things were coming for her. She very nearly wet herself in fear and tried to make her body pass through the door.
Zach was in front and his fangs had come out, he looked scary as hell and Alex was scared. Not for herself but for him. She didn’t want him hurt.
However, the things that appeared were not more of this – this – well, Demon, she realized. No, it was a very large man with white gold hair and the largest white and silver wings coming from his back.
The biggest shock was that right next to him was her Aunt Mary. What the hell?
They were positioned between this Demon and her and Zach. Her aunt started chanting some words that seemed nonsense to her and the man, well, she realized he must be an Angel, flapped his huge wings and flew at this Demon.
Alex couldn’t think straight, too much was happening, and she couldn’t take it all in. What in the name of Jesus was going on? In one fell swoop, the Angel grappled the Demon to the floor and her aunt carried on chanting. Her voice getting louder and louder until she clapped her hands together and the thing disappeared, leaving only a very bad odour behind.
Alex collapsed to the floor, shaking and crying. Oh dear God, I can’t do this. I’m not strong enough. Shit, I’m an IT worker in a bank, not some Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
She felt Zach’s arms pick her up. Her eyes were closed, but she knew it was him, she knew his touch. “It’s okay, it’s over, you’re safe. Alexina, open your eyes, look at me.” He spoke in such a soft voice she had to concentrate to hear him. Her blood was rushing through her system so fast it was roaring in her ears, and she couldn’t concentrate on anything else.
“Alexina, open your eyes and look at me. Now!” he spoke in her ear with a pleading tone. She pulled her eyes open and looked at him. When she saw the look of relief on his face, she collapsed into him. He carried her to the sofa, laid her down, and perched beside her.
She immediately sat up and clung to him. She needed him to hold her. She could hear voices around her, some of them raised, and she tried to focus on what was being said. When she did get some clarity, she could hear her aunt’s voice. She hadn’t dreamt that part?
“Who the bloody hell are you two?” Thadius was shouting at the Angel and her aunt, and he did not look happy.
Alex shouted, “Aunt Mary?!” and her aunt looked over at her with a look on her face that Alex couldn’t fathom.
“Yes, honey, it’s me. Well, not really, but I will explain it to you. I am going to change now, Alex. Please don’t get upset,” her aunt said and at the same time changed before her eyes. No longer was there an ‘old lady’ with greying hair and a little on the plump side. In her place was a very, very small female with long blonde hair that had leaves braided into it.
Alex didn’t know if she could trust her eyes, and she knew she couldn’t take much more, so she just stared with her mouth open. Zach move
d so that he was sitting on the sofa and placed Alex on his lap, holding her tight against his body. Even after what had just happened, she felt safe in his arms.
“My name is Michael,” the Angel advised.
Thadius looked at him, “Michael? Michael as in the Archangel Michael?”
“No, that’s the other Michael,” the Angel replied, but with what looked suspiciously like a smirk on his face.
“This here is Tatiana. She is the fairy guardian of the Defender.” He pointed to her aunt, and she had no idea what to say. She could barely process what was being said.
Alex found her voice. “Tatiana – how?” was all she managed. Her aunt, or Tatiana, made her way over to her. She was barely four feet tall and her features were so perfect she looked stunning.
“I am sorry, Alex. We are forbidden to give our true identities away. We must remain hidden under a very strong glamour in order that the Demons, or humans that work for them, do not find us. If they found me, then they would find you, and our kind are sworn to protect you. We cannot allow that to happen. I am sorry for the deceit, but please know this – I love you as if you were my own child, and I will carry on protecting you until I die.”
Alex was gob-smacked. A fairy and a bloody Angel. “How come you are both here now? I mean – I assume Angels don’t just drop in on folks?” She looked pointedly at the Greek God standing before her. She was stunned by the azure blue colour of his eyes, and he returned her stare, but with a definite smile to his mouth.
“No, Alexina, this is the first time in millennia that one of us has revealed ourselves. However, we could not allow you to die. If you do before you have carried out your duties, then there will be a war, the like of which this world has never seen. It may even herald the end of mankind, and that, Alexina, we could not allow,” he finished in barely a whisper.
Alex was more than shocked. “So, are you going to be sticking around? Guarding me?” she asked.
The Angel once more started to talk, his voice was unlike anything she had ever heard before. Melodic, calming, safe. “Unfortunately, that is not in our plans. We are needed elsewhere to fight the Demons that have already broken free. We will be keeping a close eye on you from afar, and indeed, if it is truly necessary, we may intervene again, if we can. However, your protector is right beside you. You are sitting on his lap,” the Angel advised.
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