CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: Preparing For Battle
Lycan Headquarters
When Alexandra left the room, Lucian turned to Michael and Selene, anxious for answers.
"Please, don't misunderstand me, I am thrilled that Alexandra has recuperated so quickly", he began, "But exactly, what in the hell happened when I left the room?"
"Let's just say, our Alex had a change…. of heart", Michael replied cryptically.
"Meaning?", Lucian said, prompting them for further details.
"Meaning, Alex is an intelligent, if not hard headed, woman. She realized she wished to get better far more than she wanted to keep her other form in hiding", Selene informed him. "She made the change, and both Michael and I saw her back literally heal itself. She still has scratches, but the deep lacerations completely disappeared", she said, finishing her explanation.
Taken completely by surprise, Lucian smiled, thoroughly please that Alexandra had accepted her true nature.
"Wait just a minute", Michael said, noticing the expression on Lucian's face. "Don't get all happy thinking Alex has joined our side. She hasn't. She changed only to heal herself; then she changed back to her human form almost as soon as the transformation was over. She has no intention of becoming one of us", he warned Lucian.
"But you have accepted your change?" Lucian asked hopefully.
"Hey, I'm kinda the monkey in the middle here", Michael replied with a chuckle. "I have…. a connection", he said breaking off mid sentence to smile at Selene, "with a vampire, I'm tied to you through metaphysical bonds, and I am the key to creating a whole new species. The scientist in me is fascinated with the concept. I can't go back to what I was. I may not be thrilled with all aspects of our new world, but I will learn to make a place in it for myself", he assured Lucian.
"And you don't believe Alexandra will?", Lucian inquired.
"No", Selene said, responding to the question before Michael could. "Alex's purpose in life may not be the same as it was before you bit her. But, she has…conviction in her beliefs that she can and will fight evil, in any form. Now, she has a broader definition of evil, and she will use her new powers to help her fight that battle", she told both men. .
"She will never willingly make the change again, will she?" Lucian asked them.
"Maybe if her life depended on it, or more likely, if someone else's life depended upon it", Selene confirmed.
"That's what I was afraid of", Lucian responded.
Just then, Taylor came bounding through the entrance, flashing from lycan form to human as he did so. Striding through the room, naked he rushed over to Raze and spoke to him in hushed tones. Raze then gave him instructions and came to report to Lucian.
They had spoken earlier, avoiding the topic of Alexandra completely. It had been stilted and awkward, but they had come to a sort of truce. Lucian would willingly lead the lycans, and in return the lycans agreed to treat all newcomers with respect. It was the only was this was going to work.
Lucian waited for Raze's report, watching everyone in the room.
"The vampires have been sighted", Raze informed them of what he had been told.
"They have just entered the tunnels."
"Good, are we ready?" Lucian asked.
"We have lycans stationed throughout the tunnels, watching the vampires and waiting for them to enter our lair. Once the vamps are inside, our men will wait three minutes then enter themselves. Thus blocking the only way in and out of the area", Raze reported.
"Excellent", Lucian told him. "Good job Raze, ", he told the lycan sincerely.
Raze nodded once then went to organize the remaining force within the room.
Lucian walked over to Aaron and the other council agents. "We have a visual on the vampires. They have entered the tunnels; which means they should be here soon", he told them.
"We're ready", Malcolm informed Lucian.
"Gentlemen, let me thank you for your assistance", Lucian told them, noticing Alexandra as she walked into the room. He watched her move gracefully through the crowd and over to Michael and Selene. The three of them talked for a moment, and then walked over to a table laid out with weapons where they began making their choices.
Aaron too had seen Alex's entrance and noted Lucian's reaction to her. This was something he hadn't foreseen; but of course, this whole situation was something he would never had predicted happening. Needing to put his, and for some unknown reason Lucian's, mind at ease, he pulled the lycan leader over to the side, away from Malcolm and the others.
"She knows how to take care of herself", Aaron said in hushed tones.
"I'm sure she can", Lucian replied easily.
Aaron noted his features didn't quite match the easygoing tone of voice. He was worried about her.
"There is no one else I would rather have fighting at my side, than Alex", Aaron tried reassuring the other man. "I trained her myself, and you can ask any man on my team, she is the best."
"Yes, but do you still worry about her when she goes out on assignment?" Lucian asked quietly.
Aaron closed his eyes a moment. Then he reopened them and gave his starkly honest reply, "Every single time."
"Have you tried talking her out of this line of work?" Lucian asked as he watched her carefully examine each weapon.
"I have, but I think that Alex would find trouble even if she worked in a library", Aaron said with a chuckle, pride apparent in each syllable he spoke.
"I have to agree with you", Lucian responded in kind. "She has a way of bringing out the worst in a person", he noted.
"She does do that", Aaron agreed with the other man. "But I also know she would give you the shirt off her back if she thought you were in need."
"She would wouldn't she", Lucian replied.
"Yes well um, I just wanted you to know she could handle herself as well if not better than anyone else in the room", Aaron said confidently. "She's lethal, and has put down many a vampire in her time", he reminded Lucian.
Just then, Alex decided upon her weapons and looked about the room, trying to locate someone. Lucian was interested in finding out who it was she was looking for.
Aaron saw her as well, but his curiosity had been satisfied. He knew Alex well, he thought of her like a daughter. He knew who she was looking for. He waited until Alex caught sight of them. When she smiled, he knew he had been right. Slowly, he turned and made his way back over to his men.
Alex had hurried out of the room, and into Lucian's quarters. There she threw on socks, a pair of black jeans, a bra and black t-shirt and her black boots. Then she strapped her knife to her left thigh and pulled on a shoulder holster which she immediately shoved Raze's gun into. Then she stuffed her smaller gun into the waistband of her pants, at the small of her back. Ready now, she quickly exited the room, pulling her hair into a ponytail as she made her way to the main room.
She had switched into warrior mode. At the moment, she had the best of both worlds. She would be fighting with her team and Lucian, defeating the vampires responsible for the massacre that had decimated the lycans as well as bringing Sir William to justice. Because there was no doubt in her mind that William was the person responsible for selling the ultraviolet ammunition to the lycans. The fact that he was siding with the vampires in hopes of killing her, proved his guilt.
Now, she just needed to acquire some real weapons, preferably bigger than the snub nose revolver she had on her, and get ready for a fight. Her adrenaline was pumping, just like it always did when she was on assignment. She was confident in her abilities, but she didn't know how Michael and Selene would handle themselves.
Selene had to be good after all she had been a death dealer. It was Michael she was concerned about. She knew he had never really been tested in battle. So, she was making it her job, to keep his ass safe. Well, that and keeping an eye on Lucian. Yeah, she knew he had been alive longer than she could ever imagine. And he had to be able to take care of himself if he had been considered the vampires biggest enemy for hundreds of years. But, she still wanted to make sure he made it out of there okay.
She walked into the crowded room, and immediately looked for Michael. She found him and Selene talking to each other exactly where they had been before she left. She walked over to them.
"Are ya'll interested in getting some weapons?" she asked the two of them.
"Ya'll! Just where are you from", Michael chuckled.
Alex grinned. "Originally from Texas, but don't let that get around", she whispered conspiratorially in an exaggerated drawl. Then speaking in her normal voice, she suggested, "They have all kinds of guns over there on that table. I say we move over there and pick something out."
"Good idea", Selene responded. "I'm fairly confident, the vampires will be looking for me; I want to be prepared."
"Well, that makes two of us", Alex replied, "So let's get over there before all the good stuff is taken."
After they had decided on a couple of weapons apiece and had loaded up on plenty of ammo, she began scouring the room looking for Lucian. She found him, along with Aaron, watching her. A smile briefly lit up her face as she made her way over to them.
She was almost at their side when a howl was heard. This was the signal that the vampires were close to the entrance. Her gaze met Lucian's for a short moment, as he strode quickly to her.
"Alexandra, stay close", he advised grabbing her hand and pulling her along with him.
"Lucian, someone needs to watch over Michael", she said pulling him to a stop.
"Don't argue with me", he retorted sharply. Then taking a deep breath, he spoke more softly. "Please, I want to be able to see you at all times", he told her.
She knew they were running out of time. "Lucian, Selene will have every vampire here gunning for her. She won't be able to fight them and help Michael as well. He has never had to fight like we have. I know what I'm doing and I promise to be cautious", she said urging him to let her go.
Knowing she was right, he squeezed her hand and nodded in agreement. But as she turned to leave, he tugged her hand, and pulled her close to him. Then he looked over her entire face before he leaned down, placing a soft, gentle kiss on her lips. "Be careful Princess", he told her then he let her go.
Stunned for a moment, she watched him make his way over to the entrance, where he planted himself directly in the line of fire. He was a good leader. She touched her lips for a brief moment, catching a last glimpse of him, before she turned and sought out Michael and Selene.