I whispered, “I’m making the world my dance floor. I hope you’d be proud… well not of all the stuff I do… I do beat Alpha’s in fights… you just wouldn’t… approve… but everyone says I deserve it… not my friends… but… they don’t know how real packs work.”
“Or maybe our pack was the façade… I don’t know anymore, ya know? Everything is wrong all the time… but I’m fixing it. I help train future Alpha’s and Beta’s… I’m doing this.” I kissed the stones and left for King’s diner.
I walked in and noticed everyone was tense. Mason greeted, “Hey, Melanie.” I sat at a booth with my friends. I said, “It didn’t go…” Sierra whispered, “SHH!” I looked around then asked, “Why?” Addison nudged me and looked in the direction of another booth.
I gasped, “A visiting Vampire.” I swore I saw a hint of smile on the man’s face. I got up and Sierra tugged on my sleeve. I shook her off and moved over to him, then sat in his booth. He glanced up, “Can I help you, pup?” I answered, “Probably…definitely. I mean… with a lot.” Dax growled, “Ashley.” I waved, “Don’t mind them… they don’t know how things go.”
He asked, “And how do things go?” I said, “I was wondering how old you are.” Several people growled, “ASHLEY!” The Vampire chuckled, “I am quite old.” I pushed, “Like a century or two?” He grinned, “Maybe.” That was a yes. He snorted, “Aren’t you fun?”
I groaned, “Did I say that out loud?” He answered, “You did. My name is Charles.” I gasped, “Lennox? Stop… no… shut up… wait… hold on… I’m fine. Everything is fine. You’re probably not Charles Lennox. There are other people and Vampires named Charles… that’s a fact. I’m calm.”
He asked, “Are you aware you are a terrible liar?” I muttered, “I evade pretty well.” He snickered, “I see. Do you spend time around Fairies?” I answered, “Well, I used to… in my old pack….” He asked, “And you know me how?” I choked on my own spit.
I gasped, “You are… like you’re Charles Lennox? Like THE Charles Lennox? Are you sure? I mean, of course you are. Hold on. DO NOT MOVE!” He tilted his head and watched as I ran around the counter and poured myself coffee.
Hendrix whispered, “You might not want to…” I cut him off, “Do you have ANY idea how much history Charles Lennox has seen? He knows it all. He could tell us SO much. Plus… he hates O’Toole’s.” Charles hissed and barred his fangs. I inclined my head, “See? Totally helpful.” I ran back and sat down.
He asked, “And how do you know that surname among the Fae? It’s long since not been spoken.” I snorted, “Uhh I used to have a deal in my old pack about homework and Fairy books.” He hummed, “And how does someone from a pack in Missouri with no partial Fairies make a deal for books only Royal Fairies have access to?” Everyone was quiet.
Caine growled, “And how would you know her former pack?” I waved, “He’s like a world renowned hacker. He’s also a recluse. We are literally in the presence of basically hacking Royalty. Prince Gunner rivals Charles reputation… which totally impresses Charles because of Prince Gunner’s age and…”
He agreed, “It does impress me. It also impresses me you know that.” Caine warned, “Ashley.” Charles laughed, “Do cease using that name. I can tell it’s not hers. Her eye twitches when you say it and there is no way she’d have access to those books in the pack your files claims she’s from.”
I grinned, “Gosh… it’s like meeting one of your heroes in person and…it being better than you thought… like people say don’t meet your hero’s but this is going SO well.” He hummed, “So, you are the one copying some of my code then.” My jaw dropped. He’d come here to meet me?
I shrieked, “YOU CAME TO MEET ME?! That sounded braggy… but you totally did. You didn’t just end up in this diner. I’m fine. This fine… everything is fine… I’m totally fine.” He snorted, “As your voice is currently in a completely different octave, I do not think that is true.”
I admitted, “I have so many questions for you and… Do you think you could train me? Like… on hacking and…” Caine sighed, “Seriously?” I asked, “What? He totally knows so much of the dark web. He basically invented it. He’s a vigilante on the web for all intents and purposes. He was a Knight… technically he still is….”
Dax warned, “Stop talking.” I asked, “Uhh why? He totally knows his reputation.” Caine groaned, “You called him a vigilante and he’s a Vampire.” I reasoned, “He knows both of those things are true.” Charles agreed, “I do.” I pointed, “See? It’s fine.”
Charles chuckled, “Aren’t you fascinating? What is your real name?” Caine warned, “Don’t.” I answered, “It’s Melanie…McAlister… I’m not popular around here.” Charles replied, “I could take you plenty of places you would quite popular.” Caine snarled, “Watch it, Vamp.”
I ignored that, “So, about the whole training me thing. You’re also rumored to be good at street driving. Like evasive maneuvers. Can you teach me?” He grinned, “I could teach you many things.” Dax snarled, “Watch it. She’s in love with someone else.”
I said, “Uhh he didn’t need to know I love my Xander… that’s not a thing he needed to know.” He asked, “Xander? How unique.” Caine spat out, “She means Alpha Alexander Conners.” Charles hummed, “The young Alpha Enforcer. I see.”
I squeaked, “You could totally help me perfect the software on my watch. I would give you one… if you did.” Caine warned, “That’s a bad idea.” I waved, “If he wanted to know who’s behind our group… he would know. I used his code for that… so he already knows. It’s why he’s here… but he probably didn’t think it was me.”
Charles agreed, “I did not think it was you. I thought it was someone far more well known and older. I cannot say I have been this pleasantly surprised in quite some time.” They all froze. Caine asked, “You know what we do?” He hummed, “I have since about two weeks after you started.”
Dax questioned, “Then why did you just come now?” I replied, “He’s a recluse… obviously… I said that already… and he was waiting to see what we’d do and then he waited to see if we’d get away with it.” He chuckled, “And I am quite intrigued you have, given that you cannot lie.”
I pointed out, “I’m not really a suspect.” He snorted, “Yes, well your pack is run by morons then.” He glanced at Caine and Dax. When they didn’t growl, he chuckled, “Fascinating. The Ring is getting less intelligent as time goes on.” Yes and no.
He asked, “What’s your story, Melanie McAlister? Because I do know that last name and you are not in a place one with your name should be.” I sighed and explained most of it leaving out quite a bit. I couldn’t exactly tell him about the Undergrounds, the beatings, and the punishing fields.
He offered, “I could speak to your brother and old Alpha.” I gasped, “Umm no… don’t do that… that’s not…” Caine said, “I mean, he could.” Charles laughed, “Easily.” I panicked, “No… don’t… that’s just… can you like leave them alone? I’ll be your protégé… I mean you haven’t had one in almost a century… so like… umm…. just leave them alone. Please.”
He hummed, “I’ll consider it once you show me this watch.” I took him into the office then opened up the bunker that no one knew was there besides me and my friends. He came down and looked at the setup. He commented, “Impressive.”
I showed him the watch. He asked, “And what does it do?” I admitted, “Umm kind of everything. I’m working on the biometrics, but I can’t quite get it right.” He sat beside me. He chuckled, “This is going to be fun. What’s the programs name?” I whispered, “Umm… name… what…?” He threw his head back and laughed. He said, “I do hope you didn’t name it Xander.”
I blushed, “It’s ILYX.” Saying the name brought the system online. It answered, “Yes, Melanie Jane?” Charles tilted his head asking, “Is that the young enforcer?” I squeaked, “Huh? No… it’s obviously not… him… because he’s not here and…” He snorted, “That is his voice though.” I shrugged, “So… it’s… uhhh….”
He laughed, “This is amazing. What does ILYX stand for?” I squeaked, “Stand for? Why would it…?” He cut me off, “I’ll help you and say that you can’t lie. So, let us cut to the chase where you just tell what it means.” I muttered, “It could mean I love you Xander… that’s a thing it could mean.” He chuckled and got back to work.
We actually got a lot done. He helped me finalize the watch. We loaded the software onto it and got them ready for everyone. I quickly programmed one for him. He said, “This is quite impressive what you have done.”
