Marisa Chenery

by A Warrior to Love

  “Are you sure you should be going out with him?

  You just met him.”

  Alexis couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes, glad Sabrina wasn’t able to see it. “Sabrina, you set me up on a date with your cousin, gave him my address to pick me up, and I’d never laid eyes on him until he came knocking at my door.”

  “That’s different. Travis is my cousin. I know him.”

  “Except you didn’t know how much of an asshole he was,” Alexis said with a laugh. “Quit your worrying.

  Konner is a nice guy. He didn’t give off any icky vibes like your cousin did, sorry to say.”

  Sabrina sighed loudly. “All right, I’ll stop harping on you. So when are you going to see this Konner again?”

  “I’m not sure yet. He’s going to call me tomorrow to set up a time.”

  “I guess that means you won’t be working on a Saturday for a change, which is a good thing. You’ve been working too much lately.”

  It was true. Alexis had started working through the weekends when before she’d taken them off. It mostly stemmed from the fact she really had nothing else to do.

  With her parents in Florida, she couldn’t go visit them very often. And as an only child, she had no siblings to take their place. Then there was the whole no-boyfriend thing.

  “That’s just something else for you to bug me about,” Alexis said. “I think you like to nag me.” Sabrina laughed. “So true. But if I didn’t nag you, who would?”

  “Whatever,” she said with a chuckle. “I’m going to go. I don’t want to stay up too late tonight. I want to be well-rested for my date with Konner.”

  “Call me after it’s over so I’ll know he didn’t murder you and dump your body in an alley somewhere.”

  “God, Sabrina. Do you have to be so dramatic? I’ll be fine. And I’ll call you.”

  “Don’t forget. Talk to you later.”

  Alexis hung up and shook her head. Her best friend might have some strange ways about her, but Alexis loved Sabrina anyway. And depending on how well her date went with Konner, Sabrina may or may not get a call until the following day.

  Chapter Two

  The next morning Konner woke up a little earlier than his normal time, even though he’d continued to hunt for evildoers until the wee hours after Alexis had gone. He’d sent two more of his prey to Anubis to be judged before he’d called it a night.

  Konner got out of bed and pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms before he headed downstairs to the kitchen. There, he put a couple of slices of bread onto a plate and poured some beer into a small glass. The rest of it he drank out of the bottle in a few gulps. Since becoming immortal, alcohol didn’t affect Konner the way it had before he’d given his vow to the god of the underworld. To this very day, he could no longer get drunk, no matter how much he drank. Not long after he’d been given his immortality, he’d spent two days doing nothing but drinking. He’d stayed stone-cold sober the entire time.

  Once he picked up the plate and glass, Konner left the kitchen and went to the room that had originally been intended for a den. He’d designated it as a small temple, which he’d set up for Anubis right after he’d moved in.

  Inside the room, he’d displayed all the artifacts that depicted the god of the underworld, which Konner had gotten during his time in Egypt. Back in 1915 it hadn’t been too hard to find the real pieces from antiquity for sale.

  Konner crossed the room to where the altar sat. He placed the plate and glass he carried on it before he picked up the ones he’d put there yesterday morning.

  Every day he made an offering to Anubis. It helped keep the connection between him and the god strong. And only in this temple could Konner actually communicate with Anubis.

  That duty done, he left the temple and returned to the kitchen to dispose of the old food and drink. Konner then left the room and went upstairs to his bedroom to get his cell phone. It was late morning, and he’d promised to call Alexis to make arrangements for their date.

  He sat on his bed and brought up his contacts list on his phone. He touched the screen to bring up Alexis’

  entry, then hit “call”. It only rang a few times before she answered.

  “Hi, Alexis. It’s Konner.”

  “Hi.”

  “Are we still on for today?”

  “Yes. What did you have in mind?”

  “I was thinking about taking you to Millennium Park to one of those free concerts they have going on all summer. I’m not sure what type of music they’ll be playing, but I thought it would be something fun to do.

  Then we can go grab something to eat afterward.”

  “I’d like that. It’s been ages since I’ve gone to one of those. The weather is perfect for an outdoor concert.”

  “Great. I can pick you up in a couple of hours.”

  “I’ll be ready.” She gave him her address and Konner repeated it to make sure he had it right.

  “See you then. And, Alexis, I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

  “And I you. See you soon, Konner.”

  “Bye.”

  He disconnected the call and smiled. Konner really was looking forward to being with Alexis. It had been a very long time since he’d courted a woman. That’s what they called dating back in his day, but it was all pretty innocent compared to how men and women acted with one another today when they were interested in getting to know each other better. There had been a girl back in Australia he’d thought of maybe marrying. That had been just before the war had started and he’d joined the army.

  Konner put his phone on the nightstand, then took off his pajama pants before he walked into the en suite bathroom to take a shower. When he’d eventually modernized the house, he’d made sure this bathroom was done how he’d wanted it. One thing had been the marble-and-glass shower stall with an overhead showerhead and three other heads that ran down one wall. There was also a Jacuzzi tub deep enough to accommodate his large frame.

  Showered and teeth brushed, Konner went back into the bedroom area to dress in a black t-shirt and blue jeans. He then headed downstairs to make himself a late breakfast of eggs and toast.

  He had some time to kill after that, so Konner decided to go down to the finished basement where he had a fully equipped media room. A few years ago, he’d gotten hooked on playing video games. He now had the latest systems. Playing the games on his fifty-two inch 1080p LCD television made it even more enjoyable. He’d lost count of the number of hours he’d spent down here lost in a game. This time he’d make sure that didn’t happen.

  But that was exactly what happened. An hour and a half later, Konner realized what he’d done, and that he was going to be late picking Alexis up. That would make a great first impression.

  Taking the stairs two at a time and moving at a speed no mortal could, he rushed up to the main level. He grabbed his car keys and ran out the door to the two-car garage. The tires on his expensive silver sedan squawked as he peeled out of his driveway and onto the street.

  Having hunted in Chicago since 1920, Konner knew all of the city’s streets so he had no problem finding Alexis’ house. It was a cute little bungalow not too far from the city center. He pulled into the driveway and parked. As he got out of the car, he hoped Alexis wouldn’t be too pissed off with his lateness.

  He rang the doorbell and waited for her to answer the door. A few seconds later, he heard Alexis’ footsteps on the other side. He gave her a sheepish smile after she opened it.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he said before she could say anything. “I didn’t mean to be. I got a little caught up in something and didn’t pay attention to the time as I should have.”

  Alexis took a few steps back. “Come on in.” Once he had, she shut the door. “Don’t worry about it. You said you’d be a couple of hours with no set time. You’re only a half over that. So what had you so distracted?” He gave her the truth. “A video game. I’ll admit it.

&nb
sp; I’m addicted to playing them.”

  “Which game?” Alexis then named off a couple of the newer ones that had recently come out.

  The one Konner had been playing was one of them.

  He told her which one. “Do you play as well?” he asked.

  Alexis smiled and nodded. “You could call me an avid gamer.”

  “Which system do you have?”

  “Oh, no systems for me. I’m a computer gamer. I’m a web designer and have my own company that I share with my best friend. I prefer to play on my desktop since I spend so much time on it.”

  “I’m not as into computers. To be honest, I’m not computer literate. I don’t even own one.” Alexis shook her head. “We can’t have that, especially in this day and age. I’ll have to teach you.” The idea of having Alexis as a teacher gave Konner a sudden interest in computers. “I’d like that.” She smiled. “I’ll just grab my purse, then we can leave. I looked on the internet to see who would be playing at the concert. It’s a rock band, and it will be starting soon. We should go if we want to get there before the band takes to the stage.” Alexis walked farther into the bungalow and out of sight.

  Konner looked around what he could see of her house while he waited for her to return. The bungalow wasn’t a newer one but it had a homey feel about it.

  “Nice place,” he said as Alexis stepped back into the entranceway.

  “Thanks. I actually grew up here. When my parents decided to move to Florida they gave me the house.”

  “That was nice of them.”

  “Yeah, it was, especially since they left me with no mortgage to worry about. It suits me for now. If I ever strike it rich, I’d probably buy a bigger house.” She took a step away, then came up short. “Sorry. I should make one quick phone call to my best friend. She’s a bit of a worrywart and likes to look out for me. I’m just going to tell her where we’re going.” Alexis pulled out her cell phone from her purse and made her call.

  Konner followed Alexis out the front door after that and waited as she locked it behind them. He then walked her to his car. He held open the passenger door for her.

  Once she was inside he shut it before coming around to the driver’s side.

  He backed out onto the street and turned the car in the direction of the park. As Alexis had said over the phone, the day was perfect for an outdoor concert. It wasn’t too hot and the sun shone brightly. The only thing Konner had to worry about with being in a crowd of people was evildoers. If one happened to be there at the same time as him and he felt the pull, Konner wouldn’t be able to ignore it. He’d be compelled to confront his prey and send him to Anubis. He’d also involuntarily shift into his half-human and half-jackal form, which was something he wanted to avoid while with Alexis.

  Konner managed to find a parking spot when they arrived at the park. He hurried to get out of the car so he could help Alexis, then put his hand on the small of her back to guide her to where the concert was being held.

  There were quite a few people already there, but it wasn’t a crush, which suited Konner. The less of a crowd, the less chance one of them would set him off.

  He and Alexis took seats in the middle of the rows of chairs that faced the stage. It was only a matter of minutes before the band came out and the concert started. The music blared out of the sound system.

  Konner clenched his jaw as the sound echoed painfully in his ears. It played havoc with his sensitive hearing.

  Having never been to a rock concert before, he hadn’t thought the music would be played this loud. He was sure the mortals around him would even find it harsh on their ears, not that they showed that it was. A look at Alexis and Konner saw she didn’t seem to mind it, either.

  But the one bonus from it was every time he spoke to Alexis or she to him, they had to lean in close and speak into each other’s ear. Her scent and nearness had his cock jerking inside his jeans. At one point, when she placed her hand on his thigh and shifted closer, Konner’s blood heated as it pounded through his body, his dick hardening.

  The longer the concert went on, the harder his cock seemed to get. Konner couldn’t focus on the music. All he could center his thoughts on was Alexis. Her scent was the only one he could smell, even though there were so many more around him. He watched her more than he did the band performing. And the sound of her heartbeat seemed to block out most of the music.

  Once the concert ended, Konner was more than ready to leave. This hadn’t exactly been a great idea. It was something different to do with Alexis, but he hadn’t been able to converse with her enough to get to know her better and vice versa.

  Konner guided Alexis through the crowd of departing people to his car, then helped her inside.

  Alone with her, and able to talk without having to raise his voice for her to hear him, some of the tension left his body.

  He put the key into the ignition, then turned his head to look at Alexis. “I know it’s still fairly early, but if you want we can go get something to eat now.” Alexis nodded. “I don’t mind. I skipped lunch so I’m hungry.”

  “All right. Then we’ll have an early dinner. What kind of food do you like?”

  “I’m not picky so just about anything.”

  “Okay. Do you like sushi?”

  “I’ve actually never tried it. I’ve been a little leery about the whole eating raw fish thing. But I’m willing to go.”

  “I felt the same way, but after trying it, I loved it. The Coast Sushi Bar is really good. Plus, they have a relaxed atmosphere. It’s BYOB so we’ll have to stop to pick up a bottle of wine on the way.”

  “Sounds good. And since you’re the expert, you’ll have to teach me all things sushi.”

  Konner drove to the nearest grocery store. Alexis stayed in the car as he ran in to get the bottle of wine. He picked one he knew would pair really well with the sushi, then hurried back to Alexis.

  At the restaurant, Konner and Alexis were taken to a table and given menus. A waitress came and took their bottle of wine to open before returning with it and two glasses.

  Once she left them, Konner asked, “Do you see anything you’d really like to try?”

  Alexis lifted her head from reading the menu and looked at him. “I’m not sure. The only sushi I’m familiar with is the California roll, and I know that doesn’t have any raw fish in it.” She pointed to the set of chopsticks at her place setting. “As for those, I doubt I’ll be able to use them.”

  “I can show you. It might seem hard, but once you get the hang of chopsticks they aren’t that difficult. You sort of hold them like a pencil. As for the food, we can order some California rolls. And believe it or not, raw fish doesn’t have a fishy taste to it.”

  Alexis gave him a look that said she didn’t quite believe him. “Really?”

  “It’s true,” he said with a smile. “Just try it.” Konner picked up the bottle of wine and poured some into each of their glasses.

  “Okay, I’ll try some. I’m feeling in an adventurous mood. You can do the ordering since I don’t know what will be good.”

  When the waitress returned, Konner ordered an assortment of hot appetizers, rolls, handrolls and tempura seafood. Some of the rolls had raw salmon, red snapper and tuna in them. One of his favorites was a rainbow roll that had a California roll base and was topped with salmon, red snapper and avocado.

  It didn’t take too long for some of the appetizers to arrive. Konner picked up his chopsticks and selected one of the crispy spring rolls to put on his plate. He looked over at Alexis and found her trying to hold her chopsticks the correct way. She looked at the way he held his, then tried to mimic it, but she kept dropping one of them.

  Konner took pity on her and reached across the table to position the chopsticks properly in her grip. “Like this,” he said. “You should be able to use your fingers to open and close them.” He helped her make the movement. “Now you try on your own.”

  Alexis did as he�
�d said. This time the chopsticks crossed and she didn’t drop one. She gave a smile.

  “Not great,” she said, “but I might be able to manage. If not I’ll just eat with my fingers.”

  “Whatever is easier for you.”

  Alexis clumsily selected a spring roll and got it to her plate before she dropped it. “So,” she said. “How long have you been in the States?”

  “Quite a while now,” Konner replied after he took a bite of food.

  “What part of Australia are you from?”

  “New South Wales. Sydney, to be exact.”

  “Did you ever go to the opera house there? I’ve always thought of going to Australia, but it isn’t a cheap vacation.”

  “No, I’ve never been to the opera house.” Of course Alexis would ask if he’d been to the famous Sydney landmark. Most people thought of it when talking about the city of his birth. But since construction on the building hadn’t started until 1961

  and wasn’t completed until 1973, Konner hadn’t been living in Australia during that time.

  “What a shame,” Alexis said. “You had to have done the bridge climb above Sydney Harbour, at least.” Another landmark that hadn’t existed while he’d lived there. The Sydney Harbour Bridge had taken nine years to build with construction started in 1923. At the rate Konner was going, Alexis would think he’d lied to her about living in Sydney. The only thing he could do before she asked him if he’d been to another landmark he should have been to and hadn’t was to change the topic of conversation as quickly as he could.

  “No, I’ve never done the bridge climb.” He cleared his throat. “You said you owned your own web design business.”

  Alexis didn’t bat an eye at the rapid change of subject. “Yeah, I do. After completing the computer programmer program at the University of Chicago, my best friend, Sabrina, and I decided to go into business for ourselves. It took a few years, but we now have steady, regular clients with new ones coming in.” She grinned.