Fleur Di Lis

Chapter Seventeen

My brow furrowed, searching Alexandria's darkened features.  Now that I was close to her, I could see that behind her magnificent facade, her eyes were heavy with exhaustion; the bags under her eyes were big enough to carry a week's worth of groceries, and the glimmer in her eyes had dulled.  Even her skin-tight dress looked baggy on her petite frame.  She looked fragile.  She looked ill.

She looked like someone who was draining her energy.  

And, something told me it wasn't by choice.

"What the hell is going on?"  I demanded.

"It is dangerous to come here," Alexandria explained.  "I am risking my own existence by warning you about it.  Baxter is looking for you; he is out to kill and not even his brother will be able to stop him."

I let out a scoff, shaking my head.  Now, everything made sense.  "Baxter's already gotten to you, hasn't he?"

Though she said nothing, Alexandria's silence was all the confirmation I needed.  Once again, Baxter had managed to screw us up and now we were back in the shit.  I muttered a curse that made the witch shudder and rose to my feet, staring out of the bay window.  I didn't know what to expect when I looked out there -- maybe a semblance of a normal view, perhaps? -- but when I did, everything in front of me was a blurry array of color and moving in slow-motion.

Maybe it took too much magic and energy to imagine a realistic view?  I didn't know. 

Hell, I didn't know much anymore.

"I didn't have a choice," Alexandria whispered finally.  "He was going to murder the only true friend I had if I didn't agree to help him resurrect Anastasia.  I had no choice."

"There's always a choice," I retorted, using the same soft tone but made sure it was filled with ice.  Though I feared that if I raised my voice to anything higher than a whisper that the witch would shatter, the anger and helplessness that seemed to be the undercurrent of every emotion I felt right now was making it difficult not to rip this little dream world apart with my bare hands.  I couldn't help the resentment I felt towards the witch for giving up her alliance with Nate so easily.  

"You could've called Nate," I went on bitterly.  "He would've helped.  We could've come sooner, before Baxter caught up with you; we would've been able to protect you."

Alexandria scoffed derisively.  "You don't understand.  It was Nathaniel whose life was in danger if I didn't help him."  She paused.  "I had no choice."

I turned to her.  The witch's helpless expression, the desperation in her voice...  It was something I knew all too well.  I'd seen it before on wives, girlfriends, sons, daughters, even fathers and husbands and boyfriends who had done something inexcusable to protect the ones they'd loved from danger.  That protection, that unconditional love, that fearlessness that came with that unconditional love...  It drove someone to do extraordinary things. 

Sometimes, those extraordinary things are what kept me in a job.

"You're in love with him," I observed, my tone accusatory.  "Aren't you?"

Alexandria gave me a small, sad smile.  "Nearly a millennia, and my heart still skips a beat at the sight of a man as beautiful as he."  She paused, arching an eyebrow.  "And, you?"

I frowned.  "What about me?" 

"Is that why you're with him now?"  Alexandria asked bitterly.  "Does he love you?"

"Nate is the only person keeping me alive right now," I retorted, sounding more defensive than I would've liked.  By the twitch at the corner of her mouth, the old witch noticed it.  "He is helping me to do my job, which is to get rid of a serial killer before he does anymore damage.  That is as far as our relationship will go."  Evan as I said those words, a pang of guilt filled me when I remembered how he kissed me on the forehead, how he held my hand... 

I sincerely hoped I wasn't going to be right about that. 

Judging by the disapproving look on Alexandria's features, she didn't believe a single word that I said either. 

I sighed.  I didn't have time to worry about that right now.  "We're on our way to New Orleans as we speak.  I don't know how far away we are, or how long I've been out for, but if I wake up in time I might be able to divert the flight and come in another way."

"You're not listening," Alexandria shook her head, exasperated.  "You cannot come to New Orleans--"

"Do you think that once I tell Nate about this he's just going to leave you there to contend with Baxter on your own?"  I challenged.  "He cares about you just as much as you care about him.  He'll come get you whether it puts him in danger or not."

Alexandria threw her hands up in the air.  "There's just no talking to you, is there?"

I let out a soft chuckle.  "How do you think I've done my job in New York for so long?"

"You must be an effective detective in New York," Alexandria commented, a hint of admiration in her voice.

"An effective pain the ass, some may say."

She chuckled, then let out a sigh of resignation.  "Alright.  If you think you can get past Baxter and his men, then by all means.  I'll help any way I can.  But," she warned.  "Don't come straight into New Orleans.  Divert your route, come through another way undetected; somewhere that Baxter wouldn't expect you to go."

Jeez.  Vague, much?  "You got anywhere in mind?"

"Hmm," Alexandria gnawed on her lip, brow furrowed as she stared into space, deep in thought.  "From memory, there's a white wolf pack on the outskirts of Georgia, Atlanta," she mused.  "They're rogues, really...  They don't believe in the same principles as the other packs do.  They keep themselves isolated from the world.  But they are a stickler for the natural order, which is the exact opposite of what Baxter is planning."

"What's your point?"

"If they see a vampire and a human together, trying to stop the natural order from being thrown into disarray...  They might be willing to help you."  She turned to me, that familiar glint in her eyes glowing healthily.  "If I give you their name, could you pass it to Nathaniel?  He'll know who I'm talking about."

I shrugged.  If anything could help us, even if it was a pack of rogue white wolves, then any information she could give was worth something.

I just hoped we could get there in time.