and perfect. In fact the whole man was
perfect, tall and handsome with glowing golden skin and impossibly blue eyes.
As she
watched he smiled revealing perfect white teeth and a cute dimple in his left
cheek. She knew if she had not already witnessed some pretty bizarre things
that her eyes would be bugging out. However her other senses were working just
fine. The hairs on her arms and the back of her neck were standing erect, and
her pendant burned coldly against her skin. She clutched it reflexively as she
stared at the newcomer, clearly a supernatural but which type?
Powers
walked out onto the veranda as Axel stood, and both men went to greet the new
arrival. Zora felt awkward and wondered what she should do. She decided she
should at least stand; it made her feel less at a disadvantage. Moving away
from the chairs she watched the ritual of handshaking that appeared to be the
chosen form of greeting among the supernaturals as well as humans.
“Greetings
Marcus, I trust you are well.” As she supposed was correct since he was a
Prince, Axel greeted the man first, then Powers, who followed it up by offering
coffee, accepted with alacrity by Marcus. Coffee too, was an interspecies
passion. All three men walked up the steps and came towards her. Marcus was
watching her very intently and Zora felt intensely uncomfortable under his
gaze. There was something predatory about it, and she suddenly felt like she
knew what a gazelle felt like when it became the focus of a lion.
She was
only a little surprised when Axel introduced them formally. “Zora, this is
Marcus, head of the vampire clan McDonald. Marcus, this is Zora.”
Zora took
the beautiful smooth, cold , hand that was offered and shook it
carefully.
“Pleased
to meet you,” she murmured, grateful that she still remembered her manners and
also grateful that the spurt of amusement she felt on being introduced – a
vampire clan called McDonald?? – was easily squashed by the fear she felt at
being introduced to another childhood bogeyman.
CHAPTER SIX
That her
fear was not completely hidden was clear from the sharp look Powers shot her,
and the amused expression that flitted across Marcus’ face. She swallowed hard
and summoned a smile as Marcus said in a voice smooth as silk, “Very pleased to
meet you Zora, I have been looking forward to this moment very much.”
Not a
sibilant hiss in a single syllable. Not even noticing the alliteration in her
thought, Zora relaxed a little - so long as he didn’t turn into a bat in front
of her eyes maybe it would not be so bad. Powers snorted again, and she stole a
glance at him to see him grinning like a fool. To her utter mortification he
addressed Marcus cheerfully, “Don’t turn into a bat in front of Zora Marcus,
it’ll freak her out.”
All three
men laughed with far too much amusement and Zora began to steam indignantly.
Marcus smiled at her. “I won’t turn into a bat Zora, that is entirely a human
myth. Do not worry, vampires are nothing like your myths and legends, any more
than any other supernatural.”
“So you obviously
don’t combust in sunlight, do you bite people on the neck and drain them dry?”
Marcus
stilled as he studied her neck and again she felt like a gazelle.
“Oh that
part is true my dear, but we do try not to drain them dry, and we make the
experience as enjoyable as possible. And of course we ensure that no-one
remembers an encounter. You would taste delicious I am sure, but you do not
need to worry, all defenders are off limits to vampires, although it is quite
difficult to ignore the call - your blood is quite irresistible spiked as it is
with a dash of fairy. As to sunlight, well new vampires need to be careful, but
the older one gets the better one becomes at dealing with sunlight. I am quite
old.”
Good to
know, if rather unsettling. Zora decided that sitting would be quite ok if it
looked like she was reaching for her coffee so she sank as gracefully as he
shaking legs
perfect, tall and handsome with glowing golden skin and impossibly blue eyes.
As she
watched he smiled revealing perfect white teeth and a cute dimple in his left
cheek. She knew if she had not already witnessed some pretty bizarre things
that her eyes would be bugging out. However her other senses were working just
fine. The hairs on her arms and the back of her neck were standing erect, and
her pendant burned coldly against her skin. She clutched it reflexively as she
stared at the newcomer, clearly a supernatural but which type?
Powers
walked out onto the veranda as Axel stood, and both men went to greet the new
arrival. Zora felt awkward and wondered what she should do. She decided she
should at least stand; it made her feel less at a disadvantage. Moving away
from the chairs she watched the ritual of handshaking that appeared to be the
chosen form of greeting among the supernaturals as well as humans.
“Greetings
Marcus, I trust you are well.” As she supposed was correct since he was a
Prince, Axel greeted the man first, then Powers, who followed it up by offering
coffee, accepted with alacrity by Marcus. Coffee too, was an interspecies
passion. All three men walked up the steps and came towards her. Marcus was
watching her very intently and Zora felt intensely uncomfortable under his
gaze. There was something predatory about it, and she suddenly felt like she
knew what a gazelle felt like when it became the focus of a lion.
She was
only a little surprised when Axel introduced them formally. “Zora, this is
Marcus, head of the vampire clan McDonald. Marcus, this is Zora.”
Zora took
the beautiful smooth, cold , hand that was offered and shook it
carefully.
“Pleased
to meet you,” she murmured, grateful that she still remembered her manners and
also grateful that the spurt of amusement she felt on being introduced – a
vampire clan called McDonald?? – was easily squashed by the fear she felt at
being introduced to another childhood bogeyman.
CHAPTER SIX
That her
fear was not completely hidden was clear from the sharp look Powers shot her,
and the amused expression that flitted across Marcus’ face. She swallowed hard
and summoned a smile as Marcus said in a voice smooth as silk, “Very pleased to
meet you Zora, I have been looking forward to this moment very much.”
Not a
sibilant hiss in a single syllable. Not even noticing the alliteration in her
thought, Zora relaxed a little - so long as he didn’t turn into a bat in front
of her eyes maybe it would not be so bad. Powers snorted again, and she stole a
glance at him to see him grinning like a fool. To her utter mortification he
addressed Marcus cheerfully, “Don’t turn into a bat in front of Zora Marcus,
it’ll freak her out.”
All three
men laughed with far too much amusement and Zora began to steam indignantly.
Marcus smiled at her. “I won’t turn into a bat Zora, that is entirely a human
myth. Do not worry, vampires are nothing like your myths and legends, any more
than any other supernatural.”
“So you obviously
don’t combust in sunlight, do you bite people on the neck and drain them dry?”
Marcus
stilled as he studied her neck and again she felt like a gazelle.
“Oh that
part is true my dear, but we do try not to drain them dry, and we make the
experience as enjoyable as possible. And of course we ensure that no-one
remembers an encounter. You would taste delicious I am sure, but you do not
need to worry, all defenders are off limits to vampires, although it is quite
difficult to ignore the call - your blood is quite irresistible spiked as it is
with a dash of fairy. As to sunlight, well new vampires need to be careful, but
the older one gets the better one becomes at dealing with sunlight. I am quite
old.”
Good to
know, if rather unsettling. Zora decided that sitting would be quite ok if it
looked like she was reaching for her coffee so she sank as gracefully as he
shaking legs
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