Bat Country

"Brian, wow..." Alexis said, her mouth still tasting of the cherry laced through the blood.

Brian had brought her to a small lake that was completely closed off by forest.

"It's not much, but I know you were upset about losing your little swimming hole."

Alexis just laughed softly. "Brian, you didn't have to do this."

"Shh. Yes I did. But you still have to make it yours. It'll take some time, but I think it'll be worth it. I told you I chose this area for a reason. This lake in the summer has campers swarmed all over it. The only problem is we won't be the only ones who know about that. So you need to make it yours or we'll lose them all."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Alexis asked, crossing her arms and turning to him. "I'm barely half a year old."

"No vampire, with maybe the exception of Nikki and Andy can tell how old you are just by your blood. You need to mark off an area with your blood. All anybody or anything will smell is the blood of an Original. That's enough of a deterrent."

Alexis dropped her arms. "But Zacky said that my blood can attract werewolves."

"He's right." He said coolly, cracking his knuckles. "But I took care of that."

"Mmm, did you?" Alexis laughed and stepped closer to him, leaning her forehead against his chest. "How exactly did you manage to take care of that?"

Brian ran a hand over Alexis's hair and down her back. "The blood of an alpha is as different from a subservient wolf as your blood is from mine. Trust me, no werewolf will come into your territory."

"You killed one didn't you?" Alexis asked flatly.

"I may have." Brian laughed.

"I thought you hated killing." Alexis looked up at him questioningly.

"Oh, I do. But a man can defend himself."

"You provoked it, didn't you?" Alexis stepped back, giggling to herself.

"Walked right into its territory." Brian replied smiling. "I've already marked your territory with its blood, you just need to add yours and nothing will even try to get in here."

"Show me what I have to do."

Brian stepped forward and took Alexis's hand, walking several meters away from the lake before stopping at a tree. He pulled her hand up and kissed it before putting it palm up and cutting across it with the nail of his thumb. Grumbling a bit, Alexis watched as where he cut her palm, blood pooled.

"Touch the tree." Brian said, taking a step back. "When you're done, go to the next one you smell wolf blood on and touch that one. I told you it would take time, but it'll be worth it to have this lake all to yourself."

Alexis looked up at him and pressed her palm to the tree. Brian nodded then directed her to the next tree.

"Why didn't you do this for yourself?" Alexis asked, moving onto her third tree now.

Brian stifled a laugh. "I did a long time ago. But my blood doesn't deter a god damn thing and other vampires can and will challenge another vampire they think they can take for control of territory."

"I imagine that's a fight to the death?" Alexis asked, walking in an even stride while marking trees.

"Yes."

"Well you're still alive so..." Alexis looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm of decent age for a vampire. Most of the ones who challenged me were too young and too fucking stupid to realize they would not win and I'm nothing if not stubborn. I will fight for what's mine."

Alexis glanced up at Brian and turned back to the tree, smiling to herself. "I fight for what's mine too."

"And what's mine is yours."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Alexis and Brian got back to the nest, Alexis hesitated. "Someone else is here. I don't know who."

"Female...I think I can guess." Brian looked over at Alexis. "I think someone came to see you."

"Who would come visit me? Who even knows where I am?"

"I've never met her before, but I've heard stories. She's the only female...well...was, the only female Original left. Until you."

"Nikki told me she hates him." Alexis said quietly. "Why would she be here?"

"Let's find out." Brian said, hoisting the hatch open for Alexis.