Chapter 8

I was making my way over to the biology classroom and I couldn’t keep the bounce out of my step, I was hurrying just so I could see Alexander sooner.

    I really had decided to hell with the consequences it seemed, although I couldn’t entirely understand what was going on between us. Did he really like me, the way Bob had implied or was that in my head and was he just being nice?

    It didn’t feel that way though… He seemed just as reluctant to let me go on my way during lunch as I had been to leave. Thinking about lunch made my stomach growl hungrily though and I patted it a little guiltily.

    I wasn’t watching where I was going exactly because suddenly I slammed into something solid and I knew it wasn’t a wall. Whatever it was had just moved into my path.

    ‘Hello there sweetheart, it’s nice seeing you again,’ said a suave voice. One that send shivers down my spine.

    Fort.

    I stepped back immediately, bringing my books up in front of me protectively. ‘Get lost! I don’t want anything to do with you,’ my voice contained so much venom that I was surprised he didn’t flinch.

    Jennifer stood right beside him, one hand on his arm as she smiled evilly at me, ‘Don’t talk to him like that, you little slut!’

    Fort cast her a sideways glance that told me he wanted her to shut up and get away from him, he wasn’t interested in her. It was me he had his eyes set on, he stepped in closer just to prove it, backing me into a wall.

    ‘We had fun didn’t we? Lets hook up again tonight?’ he said one hand reaching out to touch me. I slapped it away as hard as I could and he hissed angrily.

    Jennifer seemed not to have heard his last words because she pushed in beside me and said: ‘You’re such an idiot… You can’t even satisfy one man! Good thing I was around isn’t that right baby?’ She ran her hands up his arm and pressed herself against him a little now.

    Fort responded a little distracted, his eyes still focused tightly on me, although he was running them up and down my body.

    ‘Those clothes don’t suit you at all,’ he said, Jennifer nodded in agreement but I knew Fort meant he wanted me to wear something more revealing where as Jennifer just thought any clothes I wore looked ugly on me.

    ‘Come on hun, we’re going to be late for class if we don’t leave now,’ Jennifer cooed.

    Fort was nodding and smiled at my step sister, ‘Let’s ditch class. Go I’ll meet you at your car.’ He wiggled his eyes suggestively at her. She squealed and immediately started walking, leaving me more or less alone with Fort.

    She was so stupid…

    He turned to me again as soon as she was out of sight and prevented me from sneaking away. ‘You can run but you can’t hide Brittany,’ he said, his voice low as he backed me into the wall again, something in his eyes looked a lot like a caged animal. It was trying to claw it’s way out.

    ‘You’re going to be mine soon enough!’ his hand came up to wrap around my throat, rubbing the bare skin there roughly. I swallowed nervously, readying my leg to kick him again. Panic was surging through me as I remembered Friday evening, immobilizing me.

    Fort was suddenly pulled away from me and a low and angry voice said: ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ The voice sounded so angry in fact that it was nearly a growl.

    The impact it had on Fort was very satisfying. He whirled around, his shoulders slumped and he shook his head, ‘Nothing Mr. Clitton… I’m going to class now!’ His voice was very demure but as he all but ran away he cast one look over his shoulder, hate filled.

    Alexander didn’t seem to be impressed in the least as he watched the guy leave, his shoulders shaking with suppressed rage. Then he turned around to look at me, ‘Are you alright Brittany?’

    I nodded but at the use of my full name I realized the hallway was anything but deserted, students, mostly from the Biology class were all staring. I shivered and nodded; ‘Yes Mr. Clitton, thank you.’

    We all filed into the classroom and I hurried to the back, glad that I could sit down because my legs felt a little wobbly. So I had been mistaken… Just a hug, albeit a long one, wasn’t enough to make me strong enough to face anything for the rest of the day.

    It was of course silly of me to forget that he attended school here as well and that I didn’t have the chance to run into him. But I really had forgotten with all the worrying about Dannis and the fact that my father had been home this weekend.

    Alexander started class, handing out assignments, his voice sounded normal to anyone but the most observant. To me he still sounded angry but when I met his stormy eyes I felt a wave of love and concern wash over me.

    I nodded slowly, breathing in deeply to show him I was fine.

    During the entire lesson he kept walking around the room, from person to person as he explained and helped people. Every time he was near me he’d brush his fingers across exposed skin on my arm and twice even across the back of my neck.

    It helped to keep my mind of things, well bad things at least. By the end of class I was thinking mostly about him again and that tension was back, differently. It wasn’t as heavily there as that morning but it still made my skin tingle.

    When Alexander at last dismissed the class he reminded me loudly that I did have a detention again. I hadn’t moved anyway but I guessed he said it for the benefit of the other students, so that they knew I had a legit reason to stay behind.

    When the last one was out the door he held up a hand, ‘Stay here, I’ll be right back okay?’ He was out the door before I could reply. With a shrug I pulled out my homework and started on that, only a little disappointed that he hadn’t come over to hold me again.

    I was really confused now, I knew I wanted to be with him. The way he made me feel said enough, despite what I had been thinking before I had found myself falling harder for him every time I saw him.

    But it just wasn’t clear to me what he felt and wanted from me. Did he feel like I did? Did he really think being with me was worth risking losing his job? Or was he still just being nice because I was friends with his sister?

    A package was dropped in front of me, ‘Here, you must be hungry. You missed lunch because of me.’

    I looked up to find Alexander standing in front of me, leaning forward on my desk to peer into my face. He was smiling and nodded encouragingly at the food in front of me, it was just a simple sandwich and a bottle of orange juice.

    I dug in hungrily, it tasted absolutely amazing and was nearly done when I realized he had missed lunch too. ‘Oh… I…’ I blushed madly at him and he grinned, ‘I already ate a ghrá mo chroí.’

    I finished the last bit hurriedly and took a few sips of the drink before bending back over my homework. I had just stuffed myself like a pig in front of him! How embarrassing.

    As if he read my mind though he said: ‘I should not have kept you from your lunch…You were very hungry. I forget sometimes, you need more food then I do.’ He sounded genuinely remorseful, as if he had done something horrible.

    He had moved back a little to sit down on the edge of the desk in front of mine and as I looked up his stormy gray eyes were focused intently on my face. ‘Tell me about yourself,’ he demanded then.

    ‘What?’ I stuttered out, surprised by the request.

    ‘I want to get to know you, will you tell me about yourself?’ he asked gently. A soft smile was curving his lips and I wanted nothing more then to kiss them.

    Blushing again I shrugged, ‘What do you want to know?’

    ‘Everything,’ he replied.

    The look in his eyes told me he was deadly serious, he really wanted to know everything about me…

    ‘Eh… well I have a little brother that I absolutely love to death,’ I told him honestly. Thinking about Andy made me a little sad again and I could tell he noticed because he hurried to say: ‘Is he well?’

    I nodded and then I did something I didn’t expect at all, the urge to tell him everything was just too strong. The words rolled from my lips on their own accord: ‘He’s as well as can be… He misses mom a lot and our old home.

    Nothing is the same anymore now that we live with my dad. Stephanie, our stepmother has no time for him whatsoever and the nanny is really firm with him. He has so much trouble adjusting, he’s really shy around strangers you know… He doesn’t make friends easily.

    He’s always worrying about me too because Jennifer always gets me in trouble. This morning he was crying and not even reminding him about our dreams could cheer him up.’

    I took a deep breath and realized that tears had formed in my eyes, forcing their way out. Alexander was already on my side of the desk, pulling me swiftly into his embrace. He didn’t say anything as he held me.

    After a while he pushed me back a little to look at my face, ‘What would you wish to happen? To make him happy? Can you go back to your mother?’

    I shook my head, ‘Our mom’s dead… She got really sick one day, pneumonia.’

    Alexander changed his hold on me, so that one arm was tightly wrapped around my waist while the other softly stroked my hair. His eyes were filled with compassion but he didn’t say anything like the hated words: I’m sorry.

    Instead he said: ‘Then what would you like to happen? I guess you would like to leave your father’s home?’

    Meeting his eyes I nodded, ‘Yes. He doesn’t like either of us anyway, no one seems to like us… I wish I could just take Andy with me and raise him myself. He deserves a good home where he feels safe and loved.’

    ‘And so do you Brit,’ Alexander added. I heard a scraping sound and then suddenly Alexander was sitting down, pulling me with him into his lap.

    ‘Now, lets talk about lighter things shall we?’ he murmured into my hair. It felt so amazing how I fit right in there, with my head tucked underneath his chin and his arms around me. The hard planes of his chest felt soft and warm as I leaned into him.

    The rest of the hour flew by as Alexander asked me question after question about my likes and dislikes. But he didn’t mind when I started asking him my own questions. Sometimes it felt like I already knew the answer to a question before he replied.

    I had just known for example that his favorite color was Topaz before he even said so. Although it still made me blush when he explained that was because it was the color of my eyes. He was such a charmer…

    At exactly five PM he unfurled his arms and helped me get up. He gracefully flowed to his feet and smiled, ‘Seems like it’s time to go home…’

    I nodded and frowned at myself for feeling so sad about that fact. I would get to see him again tomorrow, besides I really needed to spend time with Andy and cheer him up. I had to show him I wasn’t going give up.

    Alexander followed me out of school, a comfortable silence stretching around us. The school was deserted and so was the parking lot, obviously everyone already left. No wonder he hadn’t been worried about anyone walking in on us.

    I stared a little morosely at the empty parking lot, knowing Jennifer had left without me and that I’d have to walk home. Dannis had after all quit his job so I couldn’t expect him to come and pick me up.

    Alexander followed my look and smirked suddenly, ‘Seems like I get to take you home a ghrá mo chroí.’ He took hold of my hand and tugged me towards his flashy red car. I couldn’t help but feel a little happy about that, it meant more time together with him.

    The car ride was quiet and I found myself thinking about ‘us’ again. Did he really feel the same about me as I did about him? The way he acted really showed that he didn’t care he could lose his job if it was found out.

    ‘Alexander?’ I asked, determined suddenly to find out where we were standing at. I didn’t want to go home and worry about it all night.

    ‘Yes a ghrá mo chroí?’ he replied, raising an eyebrow to show me he wanted to know what was on my mind.

    ‘What… Eh.. where… what’s going on between us?’ I cringed when I said us. Because it implied there was an us and I didn’t know that, it was what I was trying to find out.

    Alexander stared at me for a moment and then said seriously, ‘I’m sorry a ghrá mo chroí, I’ve been going about this all backwards!’

    I felt my heart sink to the pit of my stomach, see! There was no us, he was just being a good friend! Like his siblings. But what about that kiss then?

    Blushing and feeling hurt and upset even though it wasn’t his fault, but my own stupid mind that had fooled myself. I turned away to look out the window, hoping the rest of the ride wouldn’t be awkward now that I had ruined things.

    ‘Brit?’ he took one hand of the wheel and gently folded it around mine.

    ‘I want to be with you,’ he said.

    My eyes automatically shot to his face, thinking that I must have heard him wrong or that he was joking. There was just no way this insanely handsome man, at least five years older then me, would want to be with me.

    ‘I want to be with you Brittany,’ he repeated. Smiling softly at the disbelief on my face, ‘Would you go out with me on a date? Wednesday perhaps?’

    A little numb I nodded my head. ‘Yes…’ my voice sounded breathless and I mentally scolded myself for sounding like such a dumb lovestruck ninny all of a sudden.

    He suddenly brought my hand up and pressed a kiss on the top, like an old fashioned gentleman. His lips were soft and I could only just suppress a shiver of delight.

    ‘We have arrived a ghrá mo chroí,’ he said, letting go of my hand. I wrenched my eyes away from him to see that he’d parked his car right in front of the big empty house. I took a deep breath, savoring his scent before opening the door.

    ‘Be strong but call me if you need anything, anything at all,’ he said and I nodded. Squaring my shoulders I marched up to the front door.

    I had to knock because my keys were still in that bag at the Clitton residence. The maid opened and she smiled at me, that was a good sign probably. Turning I watched Alexander drive away, ignoring the strange pulling feeling on my heart.

    Stephanie was apparently gone, out with friends according to the maid but the rolling of her eyes told me she didn’t believe that. Jennifer was out too, on a date with some guy probably or maybe hanging out with her new ‘besties.’

    Since my father had left this morning again for work it meant I had the house pretty much to myself with Andy. Good, time to do some major cheering up then!

    ******************

    I went out to hunt again after I’d dropped off Brit, being full definitely seemed to help, if only a little. I wondered how Bob had known that fact, he hadn’t met his soulmate yet. Although Bob never talked much about those first ten years he’d been a vampire… Neither Sarah or I had been there by his side then.

    When I got home Sarah and Dannis had finally decided to be social it seemed. Or maybe they were simply downstairs because Dannis’s body was definitely human and he needed sustenance.

    ‘Eh evening Mr. Clitton,’ the guy said hesitantly and I growled in annoyance.

    ‘So now you suddenly remember your manners do you?’ I said. I could still vividly remember that afternoon when he’d openly defied me, touching MY Brit while staring me down. Pity Sarah had already been in the car and hadn’t seen him at that time…

    Dannis visibly shrunk into himself but he bravely said: ‘I’m sorry, I did not mean to offend you in anyway and I will do anything to get your approval. Sarah is the most amazing girl I’ve ever laid eyes on…’

    Sarah, who was sitting beside him smiled widely at his words and then returned to glaring at me. I shook my head a little confused and then laughed as realization dawned on me.

    ‘I’m fine with you and Sarah being together, you’re soulmates. I know you would never do anything to harm her.’

    Relief flashed across the young witch’s features, despite his brave words it was obvious he didn’t want to fight me. He knew he’d lose, his magic wasn’t enough to do serious damage to me and the spells that could took too long to be useful in an open fight.

    ‘I’m referring to that day in the parking lot Dannis… When you defied me and touched MY mate,’ I explained but I didn’t feel angry about that any more. I was just grumpy because I was still yearning so strongly to go to Brit.

    It was hard focusing on anything other then the link between her mind and mine, after today it seemed to have gotten much stronger again. I suspected strong enough even for Brit to realize the connection was there.

    ‘Dannis!’ Sarah exclaimed, slapping his shoulder playfully. ‘You flirted with Brittany?’

    The blonde haired witch looked a lot like a little angel. A cherub although his body was all hard planes and angles, showing clearly that he was a man and not a boy.

    He shook his blond curls from his eyes and said: ‘Brittany needed a friend, that family of hers is horrible. They’re all so mean to her, she gets the blame of everything!’

    I nodded, ‘Sarah that step sister doesn’t want to be seen with her. She makes her walk to and from school if she’s even a second too late. I want you to pick her up tomorrow morning, as her friend it’s not weird if you do that right?’

    I left the unspoken words hanging, I would be glad to do it but as her teacher people where bound to notice and we didn’t want that. I knew I’d told Brit several times that I didn’t care about the job but I did want to keep it if that was possible. I preferred being able to see her in school and keep an eye on her there.

    Not just Fort seemed interested in her… Nearly all the supernatural students at the school paid extra attention to her. I wasn’t very strongly telepathic, not like Sarah, but I had still picked up quite a lot of thoughts that I didn’t want to hear.

    The boys at school, mostly the wolves, had no clue how close they’d come each day to me ripping their throats out. Everyone knew that I did NOT share but as long as Brit wasn’t marked as mine they didn’t know I had claimed her.

    I sighed, maybe I should let the entire supernatural community know… Calling a meeting might not be a bad idea.

    ‘No I don’t think that would help Alex… And of course I’ll drive her to school from now on. Now that Dannis isn’t doing it anymore that’s a great idea.’ Sarah was reading my mind of course.

    ‘Why? A meeting to tell everyone she’s mine would at least keep the kids at school in check. Fort was bothering her again in the hallway today… Which reminds me, I need to call Thomas and tell him he’s gone soft! He promised me this would stop.’

    Dannis shivered, obviously not used to the easy way I talked about the supernatural community. I was if not their leader, I let the elders run the town, definitely able to demand pretty much everything I wanted.

    ‘Ehm… Thomas is out of town on business Alexander, that’s probably why Fort is running wild like that. He thinks he can get away with things when the alpha’s not around, bloody kid is bullying a lot of the young witches as well. He calls us inferior…’ At the last words Dannis spat angrily and then buried himself in the plate of mac n’ cheese, embarrassed by his outburst?

    ‘I see… so he hasn’t been punished yet,’ I nodded, that made sense although it pissed me off that Thomas had refrained from telling me he was away when I was on the phone with him.

    ‘I can tell Brit is nearly ready to accept you Alex, she said yes when you asked her on a date didn’t she? That’s why you should wait with a meeting… She’s smart and sensitive, she would notice if half the student body started treating her differently all of a sudden.

    Besides, I think she’d appreciate it if you introduced her properly instead of going behind her back. She’s stubborn you know, she’d be pissed if you did that,’ Sarah shared some of her insights and I couldn’t disagree.

    Brit was stubborn alright, it’s what had kept her upright these passed three years since she started living with her dad. It’s why she was still alive and kicking even though she had to care for her little brother and love him like a mother and father.

    I really wished I could just take the both of them away from that house, they could live here without a problem. Enough space and money. No lack of people to love the both of them either. With a smirk towards Sarah I thought, Sarah would just love to have a little brother to look after.

    Showing me she’d heard the thought Sarah started to smile, ‘It might not be a bad idea to look into the legal aspect of that Alex. So that when the time is right we can pluck them both away, I doubt she’ll move in if she can’t take her brother with her.’

    Dannis groaned, ‘You know how confusing it is to hear only one half of a conversation? I’m no mindreader like you Mis! But you’re right, Brittany would never leave that house without Andy.’

    We talked a while longer, planning what to do with Fort and with Brittany and Andy. We needed a plan. After a while Sarah started on the topic of the date and started planning that, leaving me with little input and nothing to do.

    When at long last we all got up to go to bed it was nearly midnight, there was just one question remaining: ‘Dannis? When are you moving in completely? Or are you moving out Sarah?’ Would not be so bad if she moved out… Meant I wouldn’t have to hear them have sex.

    Sarah, having heard the thought laughed but Dannis replied: ‘Eh you are okay with me moving in?’

    ‘Of course, why wouldn’t I be? If your grandmother is okay with it, then so am I,’ his grandmother was the Crone of the village. It sounded disrespectful to me to call a pleasant old lady Crone but for witches that was a title of honor, it meant she was the leader.

    ‘My grandmother is very happy for me, she can’t wait to meet you Sarah,’ Dannis said, turning himself towards Sarah to explain what his grandmother had said and done.

    I left them and wished Bob goodnight as I passed him watching TV. It appeared to be some kind of show about vampires, he found those greatly amusing, they were so unrealistic that it was funny.

    When I crashed in bed I touched my mind gently to Brit, she was sleeping already. Her dreams were restless though, filled with worries about her baby brother and surprisingly about me abandoning her.

    I filled her mind with comforting thoughts about how I loved her and would always protect her. It wasn’t hard to paint a picture in her dreams where both she and Andy lived in my house with Bob, Sarah, Dannis and me. She accepted the image as her own, it was close to what she wanted herself.

    After that I turned around and fell asleep myself, hoping that tomorrow would bring me another step closer to winning her heart.