It was night and they had been driving for hours. As soon as she got into his Porsche, they had sat in silence, Alexander working on a plan and Zara, absorbing what Alexander had told her. She had many more questions for him, but the grim set of his face, and the music set on loud was clearly meant to discourage her.
She had napped after a while, consumed by dreams of demons with fiery eyes, and a nameless, faceless ghost pursuing her. She awoke to silence. Without opening her eyes fully, she had the unabashed opportunity of staring at her companion. In the street light, his dark hair glimmered. It had a slight curl and was messy as if he had kept running his hands through it. His eyes looked like a deep lake in the moonlight. His face looked weary but determined and calculated.
She wondered what lay beneath the surface. It was difficult enough for her to understand normal males that were human, so demons were completely beyond her. She longed to ask him why he was protecting her. All that feeling between them, she wondered if any of it was real. She realized she was no closer to knowing him then the first day she saw him. She knew what he was now, but that was it.
As she was lost in this realization, an amused half smile formed on his face.
"See something you like?"
Zara was startled and then blushed heavily hoping the streetlights were dim enough to hide her face.
"I um... just woke up."
"I know." He said. "What were you thinking about just now?"
"I was thinking about how I don't know you at all. Actually wondering what I'm doing here with you and why you would help me."
He smiled again. A crooked smile. He looked different to her without his suit. He was dressed in jeans and a dark t-shirt. He looked younger. He seemed less perfect. That made him more beautiful to her.
"You do know me. You must partially trust me, or else you wouldn't be here with me. But then again I've always had a way with the ladies."
She looked at him darkly. "Seriously, you need to stop that fake charm thing."
"It isn't fake." He pretended to be hurt. And then his face grew serious.
"I guess it wasn't all fake. The Council ordered me to keep an eye on you once we knew your identity. Well actually it was more than that. I was to gain your trust and assess your powers so we could see what to do with you. Since I am the youngest member of the Council, the duty was best suited to me. I thought it would be easy, but when I saw you, I felt drawn to you. It was a strange feeling." She sensed his confusion. He looked at her, his eyes searching.
"If Kayden finds you he will use you to his own ends. I can't let anything happen to you and if the prophecy is true, he will have all the power enough to destroy the Council and basically enslave all humans."
"Oh." Zara sank back into her seat. She felt slightly sick. In spite of it all she noted the protective way he had said he couldn't let anything happen to her. She still had many questions.
"How do they know I'm the one from the prophecy?"
"The wording of the prophecy is in an ancient demon language. It's only accessible to the head of the Council. He along with the oldest demons left interpreted it and came to the conclusion it meant you. They knew this for a while but decided to let things be. Until Kayden came along. He captured one of the scholars and tortured the information out of him. That forced us to take action and find you before he did."
"Wow. So I'm screwed either way. Either be taken by you people or be captured by Kayden. And anyway, how does my 'power' or whatever work?"
"I don't think anyone knows that. Kayden will try a number of things to get it out of you. Turning you into a demon will be the nicest of those things."
She sunk back into the chair thinking about everything he said. She turned to the window feeling an involuntary shiver run through her body.
"We are nearly there." Said Alexander, breaking the silence. "Look, I am going to leave you for a few days. I need to see what exactly is going on with the Council and whether they have any news."
"Where are you going to leave me?" She asked.
"I have to leave you with someone I trust. That is not alone and not with the Council either. I don't know what they will do to you."
She sat forward in her seat as they turned into a suburban area. It was filled with beautiful homes. The kind you see in the movies with the perfect families and the white picket fences. They stopped outside a modern looking white house. It had a wonderfully tended garden lit by the headlights as they pulled into the driveway. They stopped. She sat rooted to her seat, hesitant to find out who or what lived here. Judging by the previous company Alexander seemed to keep, she was apprehensive.
Alexander came around and opened her door helping her out. He held her arm and walked her, a tad bit forcibly, to the door. He rang the doorbell. A boy of about eight with curly red hair, freckles and glasses opened the door.
She was wholly unprepared for what happened next.
The boy broke out into a huge smile shouting, "Uncle Alex is here!" And jumped on Alexander who lifted him up into a hug.
Zara was in shock. Alex was now walking in holding the boys hand.
"Where's your mum, Princess?" Alexander was now asking an adorable six year old girl, ruffling her strawberry blonde curly hair.
"They are in the kitchen. Mum made us your favourite. I helped with dessert." She proclaimed proudly.
A dark haired woman of about 35 now walked out of what looked like the kitchen. She was very beautiful.
"Alex, you're late but just in time for dinner." She scolded, but warmly.
Her eyes flickered to Zara and Zara noticed the surprise in them before she quickly smiled warmly again and greeted her.
"Alex, you didn't say you would be bringing company.'
