Unwanted Blood (19 page)

My whole life is a lie and now I find that my so called friend is really just my protection detail? How can this be happening?

“Alexandra, you are from a royal bloodline on your mother's side, then on top of that you are the daughter of an angel. You are a very important person for the enemy clan to obtain” Brennus says worriedly as I feel Finn's entire body stiffen next to me. I look over at him but he just stares at his father with a hard look. I'm starting to think that Finn didn't know some of this info which makes me feel a bit better that he hasn't been hiding so much from me.

“When Natalia and I went to Switzerland earlier this week, we were summoned by Cian” Brennus says warily “You see, we could never locate Cian in the past. He asked that my clan arrange a safe place for you and your cousins. We had anticipated that he would return quickly but when he dinna, we sent out trackers for him but were not successful. Cian was put into sleep however he did not intend to sleep as long as he had. Someone altered his time so he wasna able to wake when he planned. It tis the only way to contain an angel”

This story just keeps getting worse and worse. I wish there was a stop button so I didn't have to hear anymore.

“Natalia and I managed to convince Cian to stay away until you had time to adjust and we could tell you all of this. He reluctantly agreed” Brennus says with a frown “ however, we found out that this morning the protective spell around the village and castle was breached. I had to call Cian to let him know and he is on his way here now” Brennus says flatly as Finn stands up to pace. I still have yet to make sense of all this except now I have to come face to face with my father who I have never met.

“So did we find who broke the spell? Is Alex in danger?” Finn demands

“No, by time it was discovered the trackers said the trail went cold” Brandon answers with a shake of his head “Finn, please sit down. There are a few more things to explain” Brennus says with a pointed look at Finn as if he is warning him

“No, she is not ready for that yet. She doesn't deserve to feel pressured like that, it should be her decision!” Finn growls

“It doesna matter if she is ready, she needs to know everything” Brennus says calmly as he watches Finn continue to pace

“Finn dear, she needs to know everything. It is unhealthy to live in the dark, it causes paranoia and mistrust” Natalia attempts to sooth Finn

“P-please just tell me it all. I need to know. I can't continue to be ignorant in everything that affects my life” I plead as I watch Finn pace

“Alex, please. You don't know what you are asking” Finn moves over to me and takes my hands “this could change things for you, for us, I don't want you to have to change anything else in your life right now” Finn pleads

“It is her decision to know. In fact it impacts the four of you, if we tell one, we tell you all” Brennus says while looking at each of us

“I want to know” Jace says as Xander nods in agreement

“I-I want to know as well” Anja says quietly. She is so pale and distraught, I would feel bad for her if I didn't feel the same exact way right now.

“Anja, please. Listen to me” Alec takes her hands “Finn is right, we should wait to explain this part, it could change things” Alec begs but she shakes her head

“No, I want to know. I just found out that my real parents are dead, what else could you tell me that would be worse than that?” Anja asks angrily

“Tis not a bad thing, just something that will take some getting used to” Brennus says calmly. His calm is starting to chafe me. I feel like my world has been flipped upside down and all he can do is be calm?

“I want to know, I'm sorry Finn if this isn't what you want, but I need to know” I try to explain to Finn as he stands up and stalks over to stare out the window. Alec throws his hands up in defeat and stalks over to stand by Finn.

Chapter 21

“My clan and your clan were verra close as I said earlier, one of the worst days of my existence was to find out what happened to your families” Brennus says sadly “because our clans were close it was arranged that once the four of you were of age, you would be mated into our clan. Alexandra, it was determined by your parents that you would be mated to one of my sons due to you being a first generation and my children being second generation. You will be strong together when you are bonded. Anja, it was arranged for you to be mated into my sisters clan as they are equally as powerful. Jace and Xander, you have the option to mate into either of our clans” Brennus pauses and gives each of us a measured look.

My jaw is clenched tight in anger, frustration and some happiness. Is that why Finn is so nice to me, because some day I will be his mate? Or does he really care for me? I look over at Anja who is looking at me with wide eyes, begging me to help make sense of all this, but I can't even make sense of my own life, no way I can make sense of hers. I look over to Jace and Xander and find them with shocked but amused expressions, of course they aren't phased by this, they never get upset about things.

“Alex, can I speak with you alone please?” Finn asks quietly from behind me. My response is to stand up and follow him out of the room silently. Finn brings me to a formal sitting room on the other side of the room we were just in and gestures for me to sit next to him on the couch.

“Alex, please let me explain before you say anything” Finn pleads as he encloses my hands in his, I nod my head because I am unsure if I can even manage to speak right now. I don't even know what would come out of my mouth right now if I did. “I've known for a long time that it was possible that I was to be mated but I never gave it much thought because there was always a chance you would choose Ian. When I found out that you were to be arriving, I decided to act like an ass to you so you didn't pick me because I didn't like the idea of being told who I had to love. That was my plan, until I met you, then I decided I would actually try to get to know you” Finn explains urgently “After that first night I met you, I couldn't even stomach the thought of my brother being near you. He had to go away the next morning after you arrived but was coming back, so that is when I decided to take you to the city so he wouldn't get to spend time with you. I know he planned to court you as soon as he returned but I couldn't allow the chance for you to fall for him. I'm sorry for not telling you but I'm not sorry for keeping you from him. I am falling for you more and more each day, I don't want you to pick him” Finn finishes and brushes his lips lightly across mine.

I'm not really sure how to respond to that. I'm so angry to have my future decided when I was only a child but I'm not upset with Finn. He had just as much choice in it as I had. The idea of picking Ian over Finn to me is laughable. To me, there is no decision of who to pick. The decision is to be with Finn or to be alone because if I am not with him then there is no one else in this world for me. He is it for me. Of all the news I received this last hour, this is not the worst by far. Just this morning I was contemplating how I was going to be able to leave Finn when I had to return back Chicago.

“Finn, there is no choice” I say as I see his face fall so I hurry to explain“Ian is not an option for me. You are it, there is no other.” Finn breathes a sigh of relief, then pulls me into his lap and hugs me tightly.

“You have no idea how happy you just made me Mo Chridhe'” Finn whispers as he brushes light kisses up and down my neck

“What the hell does that mean? You keep calling me that but you never tell me” I ask in mock irritation

Finn chuckles in between kisses and whispers “my heart, my love”

“Oh” I reply stupidly. I just had to ask huh? Always seeking answers to things and now look where it got me.  I have no clue how to respond to that.

“Did you know all the other stuff your father told me today?” I ask Finn quietly. I am really hoping he didn't because that would make it very hard for me to trust him if he has been lying to me all this time.

“No, I dinna know at all. I only was told that you were to be mated to Ian or I. I was never given any information on you, who your family was or where you really came from. I'm so sorry this is happening to you Alex, but I promise I will be with you every step of the way” Finn promises “come on, we need to return. I have a feeling today will be a long day” Finn says as he pulls me back into the room with everyone else except I notice Anja and Alec are missing from the table.

“So, my father is coming?” I ask Brennus nervously

“Aye, he is. He should be landing in a few hours” Brennus replies cautiously

“Alexandra, darling, are you alright? We know this is a lot to take in. Please do not be angry with us” Natalia asks sadly

“I don't think I'm angry with anyone, I'm just so confused and I feel so lost” I say as tears pool in my eyes

“Your father is coming to help protect you but he is also coming to explain things as well as to get to know his daughter” Natalia explains

“C-can you tell me about him? What to expect?”

“Well, your father loves you verra much, I can promise you that. Cian is every bit of avenging angel though. Anyone who hurts what is his, he takes verra personal. Right now he is verra upset and running high on emotions. I canna determine how he will be when it comes to his only daughter and only remaining family. When we saw him he was filled with grief and rage from finding out his mate was slaughtered along with the rest of his clan and top it off finding out he has lost 26 years of his daughter's life. When I spoke with him today his anger was further intensified when he heard you could be in danger. I hope by time he arrives he will have things in better perspective and will be calmer but I canna say for sure” Brennus says plainly

“Great, so I am meeting my father today for the first time, who is an angel, that may or may not be completely pissed off?” I ask sarcastically

“Don't worry Alex, I will be with you” Finn reminds me

“You will not be alone when you meet him Alexandra, we will also be with you” Natalia says sweetly

“T-thank you. I just don't even know where to begin with all this. I think I am going to go lay down and rest” I say as I stand up which causes Egypt to move to follow me as well as Finn and Presley.

“Finn, can you please show Egypt and I how to get back to my room?” I ask him while I ignore Presley

“I will come along” Presley says sternly with a glare. Not one to be cowed I shoot her a glare and walk out of the room

“Alex, we need to talk and you will listen to what I have to say” Presley growls

“Why even bother? You pretended to be my friend just cause you had to guard me. You don't have to pretend any longer” I reply angrily as I step up to her face to face

“Yes, I was assigned to guard you but don't get it confused, I didn't have to become friends with you to do my job. I could have stayed hidden like I have been every time you went on a trip and you wouldn't have had a clue I was even there. But I felt a connection to you and Egypt and wanted to be around you, I wanted to be your friend” Presley says menacingly which contradicts what she telling me.

“So you've been here the whole time that I've been in Scotland?” I ask her warily

“Yes, but I haven't had much to do because when you are with Finn I can relax, so I haven't been around as much. I've been doing a lot of shopping, rough job” she says with a wink and then pulls me into a hug. With that my anger falls away and I just feel happy that one of my few friends is still my friend. I'm going to have to start being grateful for the people who really do care about me.

“Alright, I'm going to go rest before I have to deal with the angel that I'm told is my father”

“I will be here with the rest, we are going to talk about the threats to your safety and what we need to do next” Presley says as she walks back to the room.

“Ready beautiful?” Finn asks as he takes my hand

We walk through the halls hand in hand while I try to process all the information I've just been handed. I can't believe this is happening. I wonder if that is why my family never seemed to really like me, I never really belonged with them. Funny how of all of the information I received, this makes the most sense to me. Why treat me as I am their own when I wasn't? But it also just shows how uncaring they really are. They are given an orphan essentially, who is just a child, yet they still treated me like crap. Jace and Xanders parents never treated them poorly, Anja's parents spoiled her like she walked on water. Why did mine hate me so much. It wasn't my fault. If they didn't want me, they didn't have to take me. 

Finn escorts me to my room and tucks me into bed with Egypt laying by my feet.

“Get some rest my beautiful girl” Finn says as he peppers my face, lips, forehead and hair with kisses and then quietly leaves the room. I really didn't think I was tired, I was just using that as an excuse to get away from everyone and all the new information they crammed into my head., except as soon as I laid down I fell right asleep.

I wake up and see the setting sun outside the window and realize I had been asleep for several hours. I must have been exhausted. I look around and see Egypt standing in front of the bedroom door still as a statue.

“Come here E, what are you doing?” I coo as I pat the bed for her to come over. Finally she makes her way over to me and bumps her head against my shoulder in comfort. She is so sweet, even though she can't talk, she has a way of making me feel calmer. While I pet Egypt, I think of everything that was told to me earlier. I just can't grasp one feeling about this whole thing. I'm horribly sad that my mother and family have all been killed but I am so happy that my father is alive. I'm sickened by the resentment my foster family had towards me. I am nervous of the arrangement Finn's family made with mine and that we are supposed to be mated. What if he doesn't like me anymore after he gets to know me? I'm terrified to meet my father, what if I am a disappointment to him? What if he is terribly mean to me?

As I slowly drive myself insane I hear the door open and see Finn standing in the doorway with a warm smile which helps calm my nerves.

“You had a long nap” Finn says as he walks over and sits on the bed next to Egypt and I “are you feeling a little more put together?”

“Ha, no. In fact I have about one billion questions running through my head right now”

“Well, how about you ask some of them to me and I will try to help you with them?” Finn says as he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear

I sigh dramatically and say “alright, well how about you tell me this, why was my foster family so mean to me?” I ask as tears well up in my eyes, Finn sees me getting upset and pulls me onto his lap and leans back against the headboard

“I wish I could answer that for you, but I can't. I can tell you that you have a family with me now, you never will be treated like that ever again”

“W-what if you get to know me better and you end up not liking me? You've only known me a short time, I will probably drive you crazy” I ask worriedly as I pick at imaginary lint on the bed

“Alex” Finn says and pulls my chin up so I look at him “I have the same worry, what if you don't like me and I drive you crazy? I have the same concern as you”

“Pfft, right. I am pretty positive that will never happen. You are like a god, you could never be anything but perfect” I say as I point my finger in his chest. This guy is nuts, he is sweet, generous, loving, protective, kind and not to mention drop dead gorgeous. Pretty sure he is getting the short end of this stick.

“Alex, I would say the same about you. Except I have to live up to the fact that you are the daughter of an angel which makes you even closer to perfect than any other I know”

“What if he doesn't like me?” I whisper, I just don't know how could take being rejected again from another family.

“Alex, he will love you. He already does. Earlier, he came close to breaking the door down in order to see you” Finn says happily as he smiles at my wide eyes and mouth hanging open

“H-he is here? He was in here? While.....w-while I was sleeping?”

“Yes. I was in the sitting room when he just about blew the hinges off the door. He demanded to see you but I explained that you were upset and exhausted, so he sat and talked with me for a bit. I admit I was quite nervous, chatting my father in law and all” Finn says laughing “but he was actually less scary than I remember. While we were talking you must have been having a bad dream because we head you cry out in your sleep. Cian burst through your door like he was running into battle, as soon as he saw you and that nothing bad was happening to you, he walked over to you and just stared at you. When you cried out again he touched your forehead and you calmed instantly. He explained he has the ability to induce sleep and to calm the mind. I think that might be why you slept so long”