Just Say The Word

Chapter 1

Xander

“Thank you! Thank you for bringing our baby home”, the human woman whose name I forgot, said for what had to be the tenth time.

“Yes, you are welcome”, I replied for the tenth time waiting for her to release her hold on me.

The young woman that I just dropped off ran into my arms as her mother released me. She didn’t speak just held on to me. I awkwardly patted her back. I needed a drink.

That was one of the longest trips in my career transferring through eight different states. On top of things, I had to take so many different routes to make sure the vampires who captured her in the first place were off our tails. Now that the child was back in her territory, her family could take better care of her and hire better security.

The mother thanked me one last time before I retreated out the door. These types of missions were becoming more common these days. Kidnappings, arranged marriages, runaways, custody battles, and trafficking. I reached my Navigator right as the rain began to fall. Resting my head against the back of my headrest I let out a huge breath. The look on the mother’s face was payment enough, I brought one soul home which was more than I can say for myself. The whole reason I starting working in this type of business was that I was on the hunt for my older brother. My parents were killed amid his kidnapping, sometimes I wish they’d killed me too. I was ten when it happened, my brother David and I listened to the struggle before he hid me and masked my smell.

My father warned us about vampires but we didn’t believe him. We thought it was all a joke until they came. He told us vampires could walk in the day and were capable of finding you just by inhaling your scent one time. My brother remembered this as he pulled off my clothes and dressed me in his, that way they would only smell his scent. He stuffed me under the floorboards of our old farmhouse and I listened as they took him. I vowed I’d get him back. It did cross my mind that he could already be dead but if they wanted to kill him why not do it at that moment?.

Fifteen years after that encounter I ran into my first vampire tracker he offered to train me and a chance of immortality. I was at war with myself for two years before accepting his offer. I felt the immortal Xander would have a better chance of finding his brother. Almost two hundred years later and I still haven’t found him, I would not give up.

I started doing jobs for a few people, tracking missing persons for a living. My reputation for bringing people home grew, and I was soon getting calls from all over the world. I put my car in drive and headed towards a hotel for the night. I had been driving for twenty minutes before my phone rang. I looked at the caller I.D and smirked answering it.

“X!”, Justin yelled from the other line. Justin and I have been friends for over a hundred years. He lined up the majority of my work for me. I considered him family. I could tell from the music blaring in the background that he was at a club, drunk no doubt.

“Sounds like you’re having a good time”, I said.

“Come join us! There’s plenty of beautiful women here to entertain you!”, He said and laughed. Justin was a lady's man, wherever he was they clung to him. I didn’t have time for a woman in my life my job was too hectic and I’d never be around. My creator explained that vampires can link and it can be for a lifetime. He explained the chances of that happening were very slim. He’d only known two linked vampires in his existence and he was well over two thousand years old. I doubted I’d ever find my link. I enjoyed the company of a woman occasionally but it had been years since I laid between anyone’s thighs.

“No I’m fine, is that why you called?”, I asked turning onto a highway.

“No I’ve got a very big job for you worth a lot of money”, he said in a serious tone and I could hear he was moving away from the crowd. Justin usually didn’t call about another job until I confirmed I was done with my present one. This had to be something big.

“What are the details?”, I asked.

“A very powerful and deadly vampire needs his fiancée brought to him in Alaska, she’s in Maine. He’s paying top dollar”, he said. He didn’t have to say the amount I knew it was well in the trillions by that statement. I wasn’t in this business for the money but it was a nice bonus.

“Maine. Well I’m in New York, send the address and I’ll be there by the morning. Any special request from the vampire?” I asked while taking the next exit to turn around.

“He wants you to check in every five hours, also not to let her out of your sight. He’s expecting you in five days.”, an arranged marriage.

“Okay send the information and I’ll check in once I arrive”, I said before hanging up. Arranged marriages never set well with me I transferred many weeping women but they all her willing participants. I made it a rule for myself to know if I was a part of a kidnapping or not. I always waited until we were far from the spot I picked them up from before I asked my passenger's various questions. Justin took care of the very few unwilling participants. I could never be a part of anything like that, not after what happened to my brother.

I gripped the steering wheel tight as guilt beat against me. I will never give up searching for you brother.

I arrived at the large mansion early the next morning. I checked in with Justin and stood outside as I waited for the woman to be brought out. I couldn’t see any movement in the house, I was about to call Justin back when the large mansion doors opened slowly. Only a single person emerged holding a suitcase. The young woman before me was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on, and I had seen millions of women in my lifetime. Her striking hazel eyes locked onto mine and I heard her breath suck in which caused my eyes to fasten on her slightly swole lips. Her hair fell in soft curls around her face and over her shoulder. The dress she wore was so outdated it reminded me of a ball I attended it was hosted in 1813 in London. She walked with so much grace it appeared as if she was floating. I stood at the bottom of the stairs enchanted by her presence.

I held out my hand to help her from the last step. She eyed my hand curiously before grasping onto it. Warmth spread through me as her eyes snapped back to my own. I held out my other had to take her suitcase and she gave it to me. I walked her to the backseat and held the door opened. An uneasiness flashed in her eyes before she tried to bury it. She climbed in and I pushed the rest of her dress into the car giving her a second glance before shutting the door.

I felt a sense of loss right away. I shook my head to clear it and hurried to put the bag away. When I climbed into the car I noticed she wasn’t looking at the mansion with longing like most of the arranged brides I transferred, who was probably already in love with someone. This one was looking at the road with longing on her face. I started the car and drove off.

Adira

I paced my bedroom floor for what had to be hours waiting on Sarah to return. Sarah was my closest friend in this hellhole she told me earlier today she heard the news that I would be leaving soon. I didn’t believe her. Surely she’d heard wrong, but when she told me she overheard the higher servants saying these things, I knew it had to be true. I didn’t have higher servants I had what was considered low servants and it was only four. I had the same four servants since I was old enough to store a memory.

Sarah, Anne, Malcolm, and Alan. They were my family. The only people I had ever known in my lifetime. I was kidnapped a year after I was born and promised to some lunatic when I became of age. Since I was considered “of age” when I turned eighteen and wasn’t sent off, I just assumed they were going to let me die in this room. Now here I was twenty-two and they were finally getting rid of me. Sarah told me over and over I lived a perfect life besides the whole kidnapping part. I had one of the best rooms in the mansion it held two bathrooms a large bedroom and a seating area for my imaginary guest.

I didn’t care, I was a prisoner, a salve promised to a vampire. Vampire! I soon learned that vampires were not a normal thing that people believed in, in the normal world outside of this mansion but it’s all I knew. I knew it’s what my future husband would make me. Never. I’d never let that happen. I would kill to get away and grab any moment I got to be free.

My chamber doors squeaked as Sarah snuck in. Sarah was beautiful she didn’t deserve this life she was dealt because of her parents. Sarah’s parents sold her to this household twenty years ago she just celebrated her 40th birthday and didn’t have a wrinkle in sight. Her olive skin was unblemished as she walked over to me. Her brown eyes held unshed tears.

“It’s true Adira. You will be leaving tomorrow”, she whispered taking my hands. I led her to the bed.

“This is it, Sarah! This is my chance come with me, you can convince them I need to be watched over during my travels!”, I whispered back. She looked up into my eyes and shook her head.

“Oh you know that isn’t a possible child”, she said. Clutching my hand before letting go.

“They would never let me leave”, she said sadly.

“I will come back for you, I promise”, I said feeling the tears run down my cheeks.

“Don’t be a foolish girl if you are ever to get away never come back!”, She said furiously and stood. I would come back for her I would find a way. I nodded and looked away.

“At least you’ll be getting out of these ridiculous clothes”, Sarah said giving a small spin so her long Victorian-style dress twirled around her. I couldn’t hide the smile it caused.

“I am looking forward to wearing jeans”, I whispered. Sarah snuck me magazines all the time and that’s when I realized the housemaster was obsessed with the Victorian period.

It was 2013 and I couldn’t slouch without my corset stabbing me in the back. I was told they were similar to something called a bra. I was praying they weren’t too similar.

“Have you thought of a plan, it’s a big world out there”, she said bringing my attention back to her.

“No what do you think I should do?”, I asked.

“Well you would have to be alone completely, the only time they would do that is when you use the bathroom”, she said getting excited.

“So you want me to hide in a bathroom?”, I asked. Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Adira, don’t you think they’ll come in and get you? I’m saying you need to find a bathroom with a window and sneak out!”, she whispered. It was well past midnight but we didn’t know who could be listening in on us.

“Okay so find a bathroom with a window and sneak out. Then have someone call the police!”, I said sounding pleased with myself. Sarah looked concerned again.

“What is it?”, I asked clasping her hand.

“I don’t know if anyone will believe you. Taken by vampires raised by servants in a mansion? it all sounds very crazy”, she whispered.

She was right it did, but I had to try I had to free her and the many others trapped here and this was the perfect opportunity to do it. I just had to get away, I just needed that one chance.

“Everything will be okay, now can you help me get undressed I can’t reach the strings,” I said in a playful tone trying to lighten the mood again.

Sarah helped me get dressed the next morning by sending me off in my best dress. She packed my bag with four brand-new normal outfits. When I asked her why couldn’t I wear one of them out of the mansion she simply said, housemaster. I sat in my room with the only four people I have ever known and loved in my whole life. Malcolm taught me everything I needed to know for me to make it in the real world when it came to school intelligence. Alan and Anne trained me in fighting I would be able to defend myself. Sarah. Sarah taught me things only a mother could teach a daughter. She was the closest thing I had to a mother, my eyes stung as I held back the sob trying to work its way out my mouth. There were silent cries as I was embraced by each of them. We sat and talked about all the fun times we had and I promised to return for each one of them. I didn’t care what I had to go through.

Sarah informed me that it was time to go and led me out of my room. As we walked through the large mansion I saw no one in the halls, no other servants, no vampires, no one at all. I knew I wasn’t the only one being held here, Sarah told me as much as she could about the other prisoners amongst me. Some were human and some were vampires, all were slaves.

We reached the front door and Sarah opened them. The sunlight poured in through the opening and it was taking all my strength to not sprint down the stairs into the car. I turned to Sarah and nodded my head, I then walked out of the cage I’d been pacing for my entire life.

The sun was in my face but I welcomed its rays as I walked to the top of the long staircase. I shifted my eyes to the bottom of the staircase and sucked in a breath. I’d seen men before and not just Alan and Malcolm, I saw vampire and human men. I saw them when they dropped off packages and food, I saw them in the magazines and I saw them in the movies Sarah would sneak me to watch on the little DVD player Malcolm snuck me, but this was a man. I’d seen Brad Pitt but he in his prime did not compare to this man.

The man at the bottom of the staircase was everything a man should be. He looked as if an artist just got done sculpting him. His hair was short and messy a few strands fell near his beautiful light brown eyes. Eyes that held mine as if it were a matter of life and death. I began to descend the stairs and as I got closer my heartbeat increased, I was sure he could hear it. He held his hand out to me and I was confused before realizing it was a gesture to help me. I gently placed my hand in his and a funny sensation worked its way from the tips of my fingers to the tips of my toes.

The man held his other hand out for my suitcase and I gave that over as well. He walked me to the car stuffing the dress in awkwardly. He shut the door and I looked at the long driveway leading away from this house. I silently willed him to hurry up! What if they changed their minds! What if they were about to send someone out here any minute to retrieve me.

The driver's door opened and the man climbed inside. He started the car and pulled off. When we made it out of the driveway I couldn’t help the happiness that was filling me! I was getting away!

I smiled widely and a small giggle escaped my lips. I looked at the long mirror that was pointed at the back seat and found the man watching me. I grinned back at him resting my hands in my lap.

We drove for what felt like forever in silence before he cleared his throat.

“My name is Xander, I’ll be transporting you personally to Alaska, it’ll take us roughly five days to get there. If at any point you need me to stop please do not hesitate to let me know.” He said holding my gaze.

“My name is Adira, thank you” I simply said and quickly looked away. This man whether he knew it or not was my savior. I was going to run away from him later but for right now I would appreciate the chance he’s given me at freedom. My eyes shifted back and he looked away as soon as they met his.

“Tell me something Adira, we’re you held at the mansion against your will?” He asked catching me completely off guard. So off guard that I accidentally swallowed my spit and was now coughing uncontrollably! The car immediately came to a halt. Great.