I was beginning to understand where they were coming from. We didn't have to be that scary, just scarier than the next group. “So, I’m your big angry dog?”
Abel nodded and smiled his perfect smile. “Exactly.”
I stood and shook my head. “I hope you two know what you’re doing.”
Abel turned to Devin. “Might I have a moment alone with Alexondra?”
Devin nodded and offered me his hand.
I looked at the hand suspiciously. “If you kiss my hand again I'm going to smack you.”
Devin smiled. “A simple handshake then?”
I smiled back and offered my hand. He shook it, a nice, proper handshake, then quickly left the room like a good little lackey.
As soon as the door shut I turned to face Abel.
He looked down then up at me again, nervous. Suspicious.
“As coalition leader, I would like to offer you my protection Alexondra.”
The wording made me laugh. Well maybe not the wording, but the phrase itself. It just seemed like something someone would say in a bad mobster flick.
I stifled myself mid-laugh. “Um, that's nice and all, but why?”
Abel looked down at the table. “We're asking a lot of you.”
I still wasn't getting it. “I thought protection was the whole point of giving me a pack. You pretty much offered me your protection with that offer.”
Abel shook his head. “Not my personal protection. Under pack law, if someone kills you, we'll hunt them down and kill them. We have enforcers for that. What I'm offering you is different. If anyone challenges your dominance, they will in effect be challenging mine.”
I snorted. “You're going to have a lot of challenges to your dominance then.”
Abel wasn't smiling at all now. “Not as many as you might think. The only ones who challenge you are stupid. My protection will hold the stupid ones at bay. They've learned to be scared of me. They don't have enough experience to be scared of you, yet.”
I shook my head. “I think you have the wrong impression of me. I'm really not that scary.”
“How much do you know of your heritage?” he asked abruptly.
The sudden subject change threw me off. “My heritage?” I stammered.
“Demons have quite the history,” he explained. “If more knew about that history, you would never have had a single challenger to begin with.”
Now I was even more confused. Demons were relatively unknown, even in the supernatural community. Few knew what we could do, especially since our powers varied so greatly. It made us wild cards. Some of the cards would only give you a paper cut, and others would mush you to a pulp. It was an intimidating concept, but it wasn't exactly a history.
My stomach growled again.
Abel took a deep breath. “I'm getting off topic. The point is, I'm offering you my protection. Do you accept?”
“Oh no you don't,” I replied. “What's this history you're talking about.”
He smiled. “Have your father explain it to you sometime. Do you accept?”
I squinted at him suspiciously. “What does accepting entail?”
“Nothing,” he replied, “except that you acknowledge my dominance, and my right to protect you.”
I did not like the sound of that. “Your right? That sounds like I'd be your property.”
Abel shrugged. “Only as far as public perception is concerned. You would not in truth be mine. Usually protection is only offered to a spouse or a child.”
I blinked slowly, completely taken aback and not sure what to think. I was pretty sure he wasn't asking me to be his spouse, because ew, but there was the possibility that he was asking me to pretend to be his spouse.
“I don't think so,” I replied sharply.
Abel just sat silently for a moment and regarded me. “It would help protect your friends . . . ” he began.
I cocked my head in question. “In what way?”
Abel smiled. He knew he had me as soon as he mentioned my friends, damn it. “If you're mine, and they're yours, to mess with one would be to mess with all.”
“So I pretend to be yours, and we'll stop getting picked on?” I asked.
Abel smiled again, the smug bastard. “Yes.”
“Fine.” I stood.
Abel stood and put his hand on the back of my chair to bar my way. “So you agree?”
I glared up at him. “I said fine, didn't I?”
Abel grinned from ear to ear. “We'll make the announcement tonight.”
With that, I left the room to meet Jason in the hallway, leaving Abel alone to grin over his victory. I had a feeling there was more to this protection ownership than Abel was saying. All I had agreed to was being his in name only, but the thought still rankled. A demon's pride and all of that.
“How’d it go?” Jason asked anxiously as soon as he saw me. The fact that he had to ask at all meant someone had prevented him from standing anywhere near the door.
I kept walking and he fell into stride beside me. I shrugged. “I’m a big angry dog, and everyone wants to rob us, and I belong to an egocentric werewolf.”
“Am I supposed to know what that means?” he asked.
“No,” I answered and kept walking.
“What do you mean belong?” he asked trailing behind me.
“I'm not really sure,” I replied morosely.
Jason grabbed my arm. He looked pissed. “What do you mean belong, Xoe?”
I shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. “It would be for the public eye only. If everyone else thinks I belong to him, they're going to back off.”
I could feel tears welling behind my eyes and I didn't know why. I'm not much of a crier, but I had a feeling that I was overwhelmed just enough for it to happen.
“Ok,” he responded, like he was trying to calm a spooked horse. “Then explain the big angry dog.”
I couldn’t bring myself to answer. The tears started to spill over. I’d been compared to a female dog a time or two, but never to a guard dog. Just call me Cujo.
Chapter Twelve
Instead of going straight back to the room, Jason accompanied me to the lobby for the complimentary breakfast, which was luckily still going on. I didn't really feel hungry anymore, but I needed a distraction, so I busied myself with the nifty waffle maker that was set out on the counter, while Jason snagged us a table.
Plate piled high with food and coffee in hand, I sat down across from Jason, who sat with only a cup of coffee. I raised an eyebrow at him.
“I ate earlier,” he explained.
Okay, I had to ask. “Um . . . what about your other hunger?”
Jason cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I took care of that earlier as well.”
I wasn't sure when he would have had the chance, probably in the early morning hours while I was still asleep. I briefly wondered if he had been out hunting with werewolves . . . or other vampires, but I didn’t question him further.
Thinking of Jason sucking the blood from Thumper or Bambi gave me the serious creeps, thinking of it as a group activity was just a little too much for me. I’d like to say it didn’t give me occasional doubts, but it totally did. I tried to compare it to eating a hamburger, but it still didn’t sit right.
Lucy, Allison, and Lela entered the lobby together. Lucy was the first to sit down, bagel and a cup of apple juice in hand. She took a sip of juice then turned to face me. “What on earth were you going on about this morning?” she asked.
Jason raised his eyebrows curiously.
“I forgot my clothes in the other room,” I mumbled.
Lucy raised her hands in a ‘so what?’ gesture. “And? You had a towel.”
“Geez, no one understands a little modesty these days,” I replied sarcastically.
Lucy looked at me skeptically. “Since when are you modest?”
I was beginning to blush again. “I need more coffee,” I stated. I jumped up and quickly hurried over to the coffee pot.
When I even
tually returned to the table, Allison and Lela had seated themselves as well. The table was a little cramped with five chairs, but I managed to wiggle my way back into my seat. No one else mentioned my morning escapades.
Jason caught my eye as I sipped my coffee. I smiled reassuringly at him. That seemed to be enough, as he rejoined the girls’ discussion on what to do today. There were a few optional scheduled activities, but I for one had had quite enough of the other werewolves for the day.
Lucy, who had been leafing through a small local newspaper, turned her attention back to the table. “There’s a local art fair going on,” she announced. “We could go check it out.”
I shrugged. “Sounds good to me.” I turned to regard Jason. I already knew he would come, but it’s always polite to ask.
Jason smiled. “If we must,” he conceded.
“Oh,” Lucy cut in, “How did the meeting go?”
Well there it was, I had managed to block it out of my head for a full five minutes. “We'll talk about it later,” I mumbled.
Lucy stared at me for a heartbeat and must have seen something in my expression, because she changed the subject back to the art fair. “So we'll gather our stuff and go once we finish eating?”
I smiled in relief and nodded. “Yeah, we'll grab our stuff and see if Max or Chase want to come.”
Lucy smiled a little bigger at the mention of Chase and I cringed. Really, I should be trying to set the two of them up. I would try and set them up. They were both my friends. If they could be happy together, then they should.
In the end, Allison, Lela, and Max opted for the werewolf agenda. So, it was just me, Lucy, Jason, and Chase that left the inn in the giant SUV. I got to drive, and Lucy instantly called shotgun, leaving the boys to sit in the back.
I could tell Lucy was hoping this would turn into a double date type of scenario as she sat in the passenger seat with a serene smile on her face. I strengthened my resolve to not be jealous, and just the fact that I had to do that made me feel incredibly guilty.
We pulled up to the large, grassy park where the art market was set up, but there wasn't a single empty parking space in the area. We drove in circles for a few minutes before giving up and parking on a residential street a few blocks away.
We got out of the SUV and started walking with Chase in the lead, then me and Lucy, and Jason brought up the rear. I playfully shoved Lucy forward to walk next to Chase and fell back a few steps to walk with Jason. I twined my fingers around his, and for the first time that morning started to actually enjoy myself.
The art market was slightly more interesting than the clothes shopping Allison usually conned me into. The vendors ranged from traditional paintings and crafts, to natural products and vegan food. The food was donation only. If you could afford it, you added money to a jar on the counter, if not, you still got a plate. Everyone got to eat.
Chase wandered off to a booth filled with colorful metalworks, while I browsed some landscapes with Jason and Lucy. I gave Jason's hand a squeeze to get his attention. When he looked down I gestured that I was going to step away for a second and pulled my hand out of his. He looked skeptical as I went off in the direction Chase had gone, but smiled back when I smiled reassuringly at him with a wink.
I walked up to casually stand by Chase's side. “So,” I began. “You're single, right?”
Chase turned his attention from a large metal scorpion to regard me. “Yes?” he replied like it was a question.
I nodded and looked down, feeling awkward. I fondled a small metal frog and considered getting it for my mom.
“You know, Lucy is single too,” I went on.
Chase turned his gaze back to the table, but still asked, “So what's your point?”
“No point,” I shrugged, heart racing. At that moment I was very glad that Chase was a demon and not a werewolf, and therefore probably couldn't hear my heart racing . . . probably.
“Let's join the others,” Chase suggested, changing the subject awkwardly. “Jason looks bored already,” he added.
I turned in the direction Chase was looking to see Jason pretending that he wasn't watching us. I walked back to Jason without another word with Chase following close behind me.
I put my hand back in Jason's when we reached him and he looked down at me in question. I shrugged and frowned in return. I'd explain it to him later.
Lucy and I took to browsing the booths as the boys took a seat at a picnic table to wait on us. Lucy was instantly drawn to a table supplying handcrafted herbal soaps and lotions. I followed her, more interested in just having some girl time than I was in the soaps.
As Lucy sniffed the random bricks, a small section of lavender scented goods caught my attention. I love lavender. They even had lavender scented shampoo and conditioner.
Since I hadn’t brought any of my own, and didn’t want to keep using up the mystery shampoo I’d used that morning, I went ahead and grabbed some. I handed the bottles and my money to the elderly woman manning the booth, and she packaged them up in a cute little paper bag with dried herbs attached to one of the handles.
Lucy didn’t end up buying anything from the stand. She looked at my bag and I shrugged, then we headed towards the next booth that sported scarves and purses.
“So what were you and Chase talking about?” she questioned.
“You,” I replied with a playful smile.
“You didn't,” she squealed as she punched me in the arm.
I grabbed at the sudden throbbing pain in my arm and scowled at Lucy. Sometimes she forgets that she's a werewolf now, and her punches hurt a lot more than they used to.
Her hand fluttered up to her face in realization. “Sorry Xoe!” she exclaimed. “I'm still not used to being stronger.”
I nodded and we started walking again.
“So what did he say when you talked to him?” she questioned nervously.
“Um,” I began.
“Well this already doesn't sound good,” she interrupted.
“Well,” I began again, “he just seemed uncomfortable talking about it to me.”
“Allison must be right then,” Lucy replied sullenly.
I grabbed her arm to stop her mid-stride. “Wait. What?”
Lucy scrunched her eyebrows at me. “She said she already told you.”
I shook my head. I had a feeling I already knew, but I asked anyway. “Told me what?”
Lucy looked at me like I was being stupid. “Chase is in love with you. I was skeptical at first, but now I'm pretty sure Al is right. She said she told you.”
I shook my head. She had told me, but I had been nursing my wounds in a hot bath, half delirious from being held hostage and beaten and bruised. I hadn't taken the conversation seriously, as we'd all been through a lot, and Allison had just needed something else to focus on.
“He's not in love with me,” I mumbled.
Lucy looked at me like I was a misbehaving child. “I know you've noticed Xoe, even if you don't wan't to admit it.”
I shrugged and couldn't quite meet her eyes. “I know he cares about me, a little, but he's not in love with me.”
“He looks at you the exact same way Jason looks at you,” she replied bluntly.
“Well he needs to stop,” I replied.
Lucy raised an eyebrow at me again. “So you don't feel anything for him, anything at all?”
I once again couldn't meet her eyes. “I don't know.”
“Oh Xoe,” Lucy consoled, annunciating her words slowly. “What are you going to do?”
I shrugged. “Nothing I guess. I'll just ignore it and hope it goes away.”
Lucy stared at me, waiting for me to say more, but I didn't know what else to say.
I looked down and started walking toward the booth again. I had so not been prepared to talk about this, and I didn't want to talk about it anymore. Maybe later. No, on second thought, how about never? I'd be just fine with never talking about it.
Lucy seemed to have decided to let it g
o for now as we walked. We didn’t quite make it to the booth, which was no big loss in my mind, but I wasn’t too thrilled with what stopped us.
“She doesn’t look so powerful,” A petite, yet curvy woman noted, looking me up and down. Her dark, curly hair was styled to perfection, not an spot of frizz in sight. A small smile played across her cupid’s-bow mouth. “I don’t see what they’re all so worried about.”
She stood in front of us, flanked by two average sized men, one that looked to be somewhere in his thirty’s, and the other looking maybe eighteen.
I knew that none of them were the ages they looked. These were the vampires Jason had met with last night. I hadn’t seen their faces, but somehow I just knew. Maybe my supernatural radar was getting better.
A low growl trickled from Lucy’s throat. I tried to hide my surprise at the sound. Apparently Lucy could tell what they were too. She probably smelled them.
“Now now,” the younger looking man soothed in a cultured English accent. “We mean you no harm . . . today.”
The young guy's dark hair was cropped close to his scalp, making his big blue eyes look even bigger. He’d look like a baby forever. Had to suck. I might have even felt bad for him if he and his friends weren't trying so hard to intimidate us.
Suddenly Jason was at my side, and Chase was beside Lucy. “We agreed you’d leave her alone Maggie,” Jason practically growled, his eyes on the woman in front of us.
“No,” Maggie corrected, good cheer dripping from her words. “We agreed that I would not kill her just yet.”
“A little sure of ourselves, aren’t we?” I chimed in, feeling more than a little peeved.
Every little ounce of good cheer leaked from Maggie’s small round face, as if it had never been there at all. “No one was asking for your opinion little one.”
Little one? I had to be at least five inches taller than her. “Listen shortstack,” I replied. “You want to mess with me, you do it directly and to my face. If you haven’t got the guts, then be on your merry way.”
The Xoe Meyers Trilogy (Xoe Meyers Young Adult Fantasy/Horror Series) Page 36
