Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 02

Lowering down his windscreen he looked up into her pretty face.

"You're smiling but you look so grumpy, my little princess," he said and watched her scrunch her face.

"I'm not grumpy," she said with a laugh. "What brings you here?"

"To check on you of course. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it on time the other day..." he said, seeing the hurt in her eyes at being reminded of the appointment.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said but one look at her, Draven could tell that she was desperate to talk to someone. He didn't even need to read her mind.

"Why don't you ask Eian if I could send you to work instead?" he suggested. Fiona thought for awhile then went over to Eian's car to relay the message. He caught Eian's eye looking at him through the rear view mirror and pretended to remain calm. Even though he wasn't saying anything, Draven knew what was on the Alpha's mind.

Clearly, he was annoyed at the fact that Draven hadn't bothered to ask his permission by himself but used Fiona as a messenger. However, Draven couldn't risk it. He smelled of a very leggy blonde Were doctor at the moment and if Eian caught a whiff of it, she might get into a lot of trouble.

Thankfully, Eian relented and after kissing his wife, drove off without a backward glance towards Draven's car.

"Eian's crossed," Fiona commented as she settled herself in the passenger seat.

"I expected as much... It was kind of last minute."

"Don't worry too much. I know how to uncross him," she replied with a smile.

Draven couldn't help smiling too as he began to drive off. "So tell me my dear, what's bothering you?"

Fiona recapped everything that had happened since her appointment with Amber, including the slight tussle she had with Eian the previous night when she told him about it.

Draven listened; interrupting only to clarify certain things but on the whole, he was quiet. Only when she was finished, he began to speak.

"You should listen to your husband," he advised. "When you've live long enough, you usually know all the solutions to such worldly problems. I know I said I would help you but if Eian says no, then you shouldn't go against that."

Fiona stared at her uncle open mouthed. How could he take Eian's side!

"I'm not taking anyone's side my dear. Trust me."

"Hmph. Why should I?"

"Because you stubborn little girl, I analyzed your blood sample and trust me, you need to relax and let nature take its course... just as he says."

I don't understand...

"I did the usual tests for fertility and noticed that you have very high levels of Prolactin. That's the stress hormones and it's inhibiting the other hormones responsible for your egg development."

"So you're saying I'm too stressed out?"

"To the point of obsession don't you think?"

Fiona was silent. What he said hurt but it was right. "So you're saying it is still possible for us to have children?"

"Yes of course. We still have human bodies regardless of our genes. It's like producing a canine hybrid of a dog and a wolf. So meaning that even though they are of different species, they belong to the same genus, namely Canis and so they can reproduce,"

"Draven... I work in a book shop, not a science lab. In English please?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I mean we all belong to the same scientific category of Homo sapiens or humans so we should all be able to reproduce with each other."

The burden in her heart melted away slowly upon hearing Draven's words.

"Oh thank you Draven... I feel so much more at peace now. I love you so very much you know that?"

"If you love me very much then you'll listen to me when I say listen to Eian... and be a good girl." His tone was firm but laced with affection as he parked the car neatly into a lot in front of the bookstore.

"I will," she said happily, unbuckling her seatbelt. Leaning over she gave him a peck on his cheek. "Come on in. You look like you could use a cup of coffee before you go."

Draven checked himself in the rear view mirror. His eyes were indeed puffy and tired.

"Yeah, I guess I could," he said, giving a weary smile.

He realized that it was the first time that he set foot in Fiona's workplace and he immediately approved of it. Although it did lack a certain level of class and sophistication, the warmth and coziness of the place made up for it. The smell of books; old and new mingled in the air and he knew that a truly avid reader could get lost in it.

"It's a nice place," he commented as they walked further in. "I'm glad you enjoy working here Fiona..."

She smiled and told him to sit down while she made a cup of coffee. When she brought it to him, he leaned back and examined the surroundings.

"Have you ever thought of pouring funds into this place?" he asked.

"Oh... I don't think that would be right would it? I'm just a worker."

"Yes of course... a worker who is worth at least five to eight times of her boss's assets."

"But that's not my money!" she protested. "Don't talk about this anymore... especially in front of Erika," she warned upon hearing footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Good morning Erika..."

"Hey," she replied, bleary eyed. "Give me one moment... I'm not fit for human company yet..." Her hands reached for a cup and poured some coffee. Taking a sip, she tilted her head back and felt her senses finally waking up. "Okay, I'm back."

"Erika, you remember my uh... you remember Draven right?"

"Oh yeah. Hi!"

Draven smiled as a response before raising his cup for an invisible toast.

"You have a lovely store here," he said after awhile. "Did you handpick all these books by yourself?"

"Actually, yes. How'd you know?" she asked.

"Ah well, I just do," he said nonchalantly. She didn't need to know that he could read her like an open book. The pun made him grin slightly to himself.

"You think that's funny." It wasn't a question.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I got lost in my own musings. Please forgive me." He paused awhile, listening to her running through various responses in her head. Before she could speak, he cut in, "I wasn't joking when I said you have a lovely store. Do you carry non-fiction books on science academic writings?"

"Of course. Would you like to see them?" she asked excitedly. She was currently thinking of a few titles to impress him. Draven decided to pick one of her choices.

"Do you have Burstein and Keijzer's book?"

Instantly her face brightened and she nodded enthusiastically. She led him towards the shelf and they stood there discussing about her favourite picks for the next ten minutes.

That is cheating Draven

Fiona was watching them with interest. She knew that he had read her mind and replied to every single one of her response accordingly.

Are you trying to get her to close the shop for the day and go home with you?

I'm just being nice. She doesn't have a very good opinion of the Culzean men at the moment so I'm trying to change that.

Are you sure...

Fiona gave him a doubtful look from across the room.

Okay I better go before she really closes the shop for the day...

"I'm sorry Erika, maybe another time. I need to get going. I trust that you will take care of my princess?"

"Oh," she replied in surprise at the sudden change in topic. She moved closer and asked bashfully, "Will you be dropping by again?"

One moment he was giving a friendly pat on her shoulder and the next he was flung halfway across the room, crashing into rows of bookshelves.

Fiona only managed to catch a glimpse of brown hair before Draven was once again flying to the other side. She could tell that he was tired and not at his best form so his reactions were slower. On the other hand, she could smell the fury and jealousy mingled with a scent she was familiar with.

"Alaron!" she hissed, grabbing Erika before the woman got injured from the broken shards of glass and wood flying around. In fact, she made it just in time for plank was heading towards Erika's direction but she was too stunned to move on her own.

"Stay here, understand?" Fiona settled the shaken woman safely at the back room of the store before heading out to stop the fight.

Despite being tired, she saw that Draven was resisting Alaron's attacks; but he was alert enough only to block the blows for he was too slow for an offense strike. She tried to get in between them but they were moving too fast for her. It was like the practice with Aramis all over again.

The only sound she heard in the next few seconds was the crack of bones breaking. Alaron's next hit had broken Draven's bone on his right arm and his nose.

It was only then that the two of them stopped and she quickly scrambled towards them before they disappeared from her sight again.

"Draven! Breathe through your mouth," she shouted in exasperation, moving him as quickly as possible towards a nearby wall. Easing him back gently, she tried to assess his injuries. The split lip and cuts on his arms were slowly healing but she wasn't sure if Vampires could heal bone fractures on their own. "Sit here... I'll call Grandfather," she instructed, not knowing what else to do.

When she turned, she saw that Alaron was staring at them, the anger in his eyes slowly dissipating, turning into regret. The brothers must have had a shouting match inside their heads for she had not heard a single sound from them throughout the fight. At the moment, they seemed to be communicating but she was too angry to find out about what.

The men had ruined the shop; the only one thing that she could call her own! Books were strewn everywhere, flyaway pages and broken hardcovers lying pathetically on the floor and on dust covered seats. The shelves were destroyed beyond repair; evidence of their existence was currently reduced to broken planks, shards and sawdust.

"Don't move a step Al or I swear... I swear I will snap your neck off. And you!" she turned to Draven. "Couldn't you at least say something to me? All I saw were blurry shapes and then bam! A vase is broken, a cupboard is destroyed!"

"I'm sorry Fi..." mouthed Alaron. When she didn't respond, he dared himself to justify his actions. "He was mauling her Fi! And you know how I feel right?"

"I wasn't mauling anything you idiot!" shouted Draven back.

"Oh... then what is that scent you reek off? I could smell it ten blocks away!" he shouted back and made an attempt to move forward.

"I'm warning you Al..." said Fiona slowly. "Do not move." Not wanting to risk it, she laced her order with enough power to ensure he won't resist. Then she walked back towards Draven. "What scent?" she demanded, seeing the look of absolute disgrace in his eyes.

The wolf doctor

His admission startled her and she lost her hold on Alaron. He was moving towards them but she was too stunned to stop him.

Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw Erika coming out to view, the look of pure fear and trauma on her face. Fiona walked towards her but she simply backed towards the wall, shaking her head in distress.

"Just who are you people?" Her voice strained in exasperation.

"Erika... I'm so sorry for all this... Please let me explain," pleaded Fiona.

"Just get the hell out of here... Stay away from me... all of you!" she shouted before running into the back room.

"Either one of you morons please call Grandfather and then get the hell out of this place by the time I come back. Just be grateful that you also broke the telephone line or the police would be here soon," she snarled, looking at the two Culzean men with venom in her eyes.

***