“Ye don't look Spanish,” says Roddie.
Now I have to smile. “I look like my dad more than my mom. My dad has the blue eyes and light hair.”
“Are ye here with them?”
“No. They've both passed away. I usually live with my uncle but he got cross with me and sent me to my aunt for a good talking to. This is my punishment.”
Lurching against the wall absently picking at the label on his bottle, he seems friendlier, “Aye? What did ye dae that was so bad ye needed isolation fer discipline?”
I had sex with a teenage boy. It's my nature, I'm a vampyre, but uncle Venix flipped the heck out and banished me.
But I don't think telling Roddie any of that will serve me. There's a time and a place for honesty. This isn't the time, or the place.
“It's personal,” I mumble, looking away and back at the rowdy folk. They're dancing like a bunch of horses doing dressage together.
“How old are ye?”
I mature faster than you. I age a year every four months and will until I turn twenty-seven. I will stay twenty-seven for eternity.
Right now I'm the human equivalent of seventeen, but by this time next year I'll be twenty-one. Next week I turn eighteen.
I opt for the higher number. “Eighteen. And you?”
“Twenty-two.”
“Oh,” I nod politely, wondering what the heck happened to Doug.
“There he is!” yells at us, and a stocky, short, dirty blond comes prancing our way.
He swears under his breath just loud enough for me to hear it.
“Wha' dae ye want Heather? Can ye no see I'm busy.”
These Celtic chicks all have boobs bigger than their heads, all of them padded with a generous layer of insulating fat, and most of the ones I've seen so far look cheap.
This is a house party not a strip club. Lord above, look at the heels on those shoes. Do guys really like the hoe look that much? I can pull off high heels, but clothing combination makes all the difference to overall presentation.
And to think I spent two hours deciding what to wear tonight. I'm not even wearing make-up. But then I don't need to. Heather here does because she looks like she french kissed a demolition ball and bannocked her face. It's flat and semi-quare. If she looks like that at twenty I'd hate to see her when she hits her forties.
“Why are ye hidin' in the corner with a stranger?” she demands of him, giving me the death glare.
“It's called conversation, ye may have heard of it,” he says, looking tense.
As if sensing my judgment she sends me a stare that clearly warns me to stay away from her man. She's so plain and common it makes me feel like an elite member of the bourgeoisie.
You can have him sweetie. It looks more to me that your man is interested in me than I am in him.
Get over yourself.
Shame, I feel mildly sorry for her. Don't date a dude who makes you feel insecure. How thick are humans anyhow?
She stops directly in front of me, leers close enough for me to smell the stale cigarette on her breath, and sneers, “Who are you?”
Her body language warns me I'm about to have my first confrontation, and from the state of her blood alcohol ratio I get the impression it's going to be violent.
“Doug's friend,” I say, standing straight so I am looking down my nose.
“Oh, Doug's friend yeah? Then why aren't ye with Doug then? Who de ye think ye are waltzing in here and hijacking everyone fer yer own entertainment?”
“Overreact much?” I snap back.
This is ridiculous.
My acute senses detect the adrenaline flooding into her body, I sense her muscles tensing, and I don't miss the tightening of stubby chewed fingernails curling into her hands to form tight fists.
“We don't take kindly tae rude strangers,” she hisses, squaring off.
As if reciting the steps to an old dance he's all too familiar with, Roddie jumps between me and Heather. “Fer cryin' out loud woman. Can't ye ever be nice? I'm not wearing yer ring, we're not dating, and just because I'm talking tae Doug's friend disnae mean nawt.”
“Disnae mean nawt? Then why are ye tryin' tae protect her if it disnae mean nawt?!”
What do I do? I can't fight her! Selene will behead me if I get into a fight. We're ladies, not street urchins squabbling over crumbs.
Chapter 5
Douglas:
Skidding into the lounge I see it all happen before I can shoulder my way to them.
Shoving through the drunken throng I watch Ellindt who is looking more than a tad tense. She's got the body of a fiddle, perfect hips, a tiny waist, just the right amount of buxom under her shirt, and a long graceful neck. Standing in front of her is Heather MacFarlane like a battle axe ready to cleave my lass into quarters.
Roddie dives between them which has to be the dumbest move my best mate has ever made. Heather has made it no secret that she wants Roddie and now he's gone and thrown Ellindt right intae the frying pan. Roderick MacDonald stands like a wall between them and it irks even me to see him protecting Ellindt as if he's interested in her.
Speaking in code, I yell as I shoulder my way closer, “MacDonald I want ma dun back, ye pillock!”
It's a long old story which every highlander knows. The MacLeods built Dunscaith castle, but the darn MacDonalds took it over and it's now owned by their Trust.
A dun is a castle, and I'm a MacLeod, so without letting Ellindt know what I'm saying, I'm announcing to Heather and Roddie that Ellindt is my dun and I want her back. This time I definitely got her first and there is no way I'm going tae let MacDonald steal this one too. I'm fed up with the MacDonalds taking everything away from my clan. Ye can't have this one Roddie. No bloody way.
Spying her sister not far off, I snap at her as I grip her arm, hauling her with me to the clash, “Morag control yer sister, go and talk some sense intae that thick heid of hers. If she so much as lays a hand on that lass I'll take her outside and whip her arse, I dinnae care if she's a lass. I'm responsible for the safety of that lady.”
“Sod off Doug, dinnae drag me intae yer mess. You made it, you fix it,” she slurs, wobbling unsteadily and forcing me to relinquish her arm.
For crying in a bucket. Annoyed, I start pushing people outtae ma way with violence, advancing fast. I nearly lose my cool when the object of my desire is discussed between Gordon and Ross.
“I wouldnae mind getting her tae blow ma bagpipe.”
“I'll take her out back and show her the moves tae The Frisky.”
“Ha, the broadsword dance more like.”
Shoving through them, I sneer at Gordon, “I'll show ye a dance,
Buailidh mi thu anns a' cheann.
”
It means 'I will break your head', and it's a sword dance from Skye. I'm ready tae smash both their noses in but the wrath I'm seeing on Heather's face prevents it. A stooshie is imminent, I can see it in Heather's catfight stance. I've got tae get Ellindt outtae here.
*
Ellindt:
These boys are causing such a scene the entire room is staring at us now.
Doug's yelling incoherent nonsense our way, Roddie's now behaving like my bodyguard instead of the bouncer who gave me an uphill rev before he'd even let me in the door, and I get the impression this is all because this chick called Heather wants a piece of me.
Do they think I can't take care of myself?
Although it's actually rather sweet watching the bulky boys show their mettle, both jumping in to defend the damsel in distress, but I do not need a man to protect me from a woman. If anything they need protection from girls like this, not the other way around.
Touching Roddie's arm, I push him sideways, forcing him to step aside.
He gives me a brooding glare, my strength surprising him. It's obvious, I can see it, he wants to question it, but now isn't the time.
Standing in front of Heather, I scour her body with an icy stare, “Are you lost? Your gene pool is showing itself darling, behaving like a common street fighter is most unbecoming of a lady.”
“Don't you talk down tae me, ya tart!”
“Me? I think you're confusing me with Andrea,” I smile coldly. “Although how you can confuse me with her just brings your eyesight into question. You shouldn't drink so much, it's messed with your judgment. It's unattractive, plus it just packs on the pounds and I don't think you need any more help in that department.”
That launches her temper out of the gates and she slams her fist in an uppercut motion. If I was a normal girl I'd be terrified, but I grew up with three brothers and an uncle the size of Mt Everest.
Sidestepping with instinctive speed I use her movement to give her shoulder a blast of forward momentum, sending her smashing into the wall behind me because she can't keep her balance in those ridiculous heels.
“Did you take science at school, Heather? You should have, you'd have learned that you should never put so much weight onto such tiny supports, the chance of it toppling over is highly probable. Gravity is a force not to be trifled with.”
“Oi, there'll be no barnie in here! If ye want tae get rough take it outside!” yells across the room.
Roddie's trying to hide his smirk when he shouts back over the heads of our audience, “Shut yer gob, Campbell! Ye shouldnae let the locals pick on a guest then! Thanks tae Heather here she thinks we're all alcoholic numpties!”
“Because we
are
alcoholic numpties,” yells back from someone else.
This causes a ripple of laughter and the band boys decide to smooth things over with a lively tune, distracting the bulk of the marauders with instant mayhem.
Leaning down, I offer Heather my hand, “I'll help you up, but I'll knock you down again just as fast if you want to get tough with me. Pick on someone your own size, or go home and sleep it off.”
“Stuff you!” she spits at me, spittle flying out with her rage.
“Pride comes before a fall,” I smile down at her, standing straight again. “You'd do well to remember that.”
Dismissing this horrific spectacle which threatens to mar my evening, I take the two steps back to where Doug and Roddie are staring at me with wide eyes.
“Where'd you learn to move like that?” says Doug, in obvious shock.
“Brothers,” I remind him, smiling, wishing I could just go home if even he's going to look at me like I'm a weirdo.
“Oh yeah,” he says, snapping out of his vacant trance. He nods to Roddie, “She has three of them, including a twin.”
Dissatisfied, Rod clamps my arm in a grip so tight it pinches the blood off, hauling me toward the door. “I'm no' buying it,” he whispers hoarsely in my ear, scattering the partygoers with his irate expression.
He obviously has a reputation too, because no one wants to get caught between the charging bull and its exit.
Before I can object I have Doug on my other side, both of them marching me into the darkness of the passage like they're throwing me out. I want to object, to defend myself and say I didn't start it, she did. I thought that was perfectly clear to everyone present.
How is it that I'm the one who always lands in trouble?
The sounds of the party recede as my escorts force me down the dim passage, out into the night air beyond the back door.
The fog is so low now I can't see my surroundings.
Roddie shoves me hard up against the back wall of the house, slamming both hands either side of my shoulders and lowering his head to glare at me.
“Who are you?” he grunts in a threatening tone.
Oh lord, Selene's going to have my head for this.
Chapter 6
Ellindt:
“Get off, Rod!” snarls Doug, yanking the tall Scot away from me.
Roderick rounds on his friend, his face set in a mixture of worry and ire, “She's got moves like Sgathach, Dougie! No one that slender is
that
strong. It isnae possible. If anyone knows it would be me, because fostering strength is what I live fer!”
He points an accusing finger in my face while addressing Doug, “This lass isnae normal. She has the looks and strength of the goddess from the Isle of Skye, and ye said yersel' that she was just in the woods. Mebbe she's her ancestor? I want tae know more! I want answers!”
I have to step in and shut this down, we've caused enough of a scene. “Rod, I train and work out with my brothers. You don't have to develop big muscles to be strong, you just have to know how to use someone's strength against them. It's basic physics. I'm not Skyaah's ancestor, I've never heard of her! I'm just a normal girl with three brothers, and we all live with my uncle who makes Hulk Hogan look like a librarian. It's normal to wrestle and fight with your brothers, and
they
train against my uncle. Just because I look like a model doesn't mean I can't fight like a predator.”
Shocked by my own diatribe, I flick my hair behind my shoulder, take a deep breath, and straighten my spine to my full height, “But a lady should never resort to fighting, her mouth should be her sword. If my aunt finds out about this I'm never going to be allowed out until I turn a hundred and fifty.”
Doug looks visibly relieved, shoving Rod's shoulder, “See? Yer overreactin' as usual.”
Only now do I realize I'm still holding the Skull Splitter in my free hand, and I down all of it, suddenly needing to fool myself that it's somehow going to help.
“Go get us a refill, I'm takin' her tae the fire tae get some air,” Doug orders Rod.
To finalize this statement Douglas grabs my hand and yanks me after him into the ghost breath blanketing the night.
The second we're alone, he stops, putting his arms around me and hugging me tight, “Are ye okay? I'm so sorry. The last thing I expected was fer the girls tae get funny with ye. Roddie defendin' ye didnae help one bit because Heather has the hots fer him.”
“I'm okay,” I nod, rather enjoying the intimate respite.
“Ye didnae have tae fight her ye know. Roddie was perfectly capable of warding off Heather, and I was on ma way tae intervene.”
“Yes, I did,” I mumble into his leather jacket, wishing he'd let go just a bit. Forcing us apart, I look up into his worried gray eyes, “Doug, if Rod had defended me it wouldn't have embarrassed Heather. She'd just think I'm a wimp who has to hide behind my friends. But I'm half her size weight wise, and me doing that would have mortified her because it happened in front of everyone she knows. There's a lesson in that for her. Don't pick fights with people you don't know because you have no clue what they're capable of. And, a lady doesn't fight. The only way to teach her that was in a way she won't soon forget, by humiliating her. Being born female doesn't give you manners or grace, it doesn't make you a lady. We should be raised to be the kind of woman a man wants to have on his arm, not cowering behind a beer mug because he's shocked by her savage behavior.”