(Author's Note: As you will have noticed this is the edited version, when it appeared in the story section and i read through it, i found several things i thought i had already fixed but hadn't.
I also want to address a couple questions in the comments page.
The original story was 20 plus chapters and while it is a romance story it could also fall under the category of supernatural. All the characters are human, and i hope you will enjoying meeting them as the story progresses.
Peace
darkstone57)
*
Chapter 1
"So there I am, sitting in this bar in Macon, Georgia at one in the morning and old Bull here, he walks in and the whole place gets dead quiet." Zach Lazarus paused in the middle of his story telling to take a drink of his beer. It had been two years since his last visit, and he wasn't sure which had tasted better, the beer, or the home cooked meal his mom had fixed. No one was a better cook then Helen Lazarus and everyone admitted it freely. She had perfected her skill feeding Zach, his four older brothers, his dad, and his lone kid sister. "Now, you know me, I ain't afraid of anyone...." That didn't get the response he expected, everyone knew Zach was the biggest coward in the whole Lazarus clan. When he realized that no one was going to agree with him, continued with his story. "Okay, so even I was shaking in my boots. But hell, look at this guy, he makes the word giant seem small." Zach grinned at the big man who had come west with him after a steady night of talking and drinking.
Seven pairs of eyes turned to the man sitting across from the table from Zach. He was a big man, nearly seven feet tall, and as broad as any door frame in the house. The Lazarus clan all tended to be big people, but they were all impressed, all of them that is, except the girl sitting next to their visitor. She had yet to meet any man who impressed her simply by size alone. Of course, Dani Lazarus had yet to meet any man who impressed her in any way. Growing up the youngest of six children and the only girl in the bunch had been very educational. She supposed he was a good looking man, the odd combination of the bronze skin, the almost pure white hair, and blazing blue eyes making him stand out even without his size. She didn't think he was all that scary though, there were a lot of men out in the world she considered scarier than him in fact.
Still, Dani did glance his way after Zach started talking again, just to see how he was reacting to the way her brother was just talking about him like he wasn't even there, or if he was, he was deaf. He didn't seem to care one way or another, just sat back in the chair that had groaned when he sat down and listened. Odds were good that Zach was probably making it all up as he went. Dani always thought that a man was more prone to telling stories than women were. Made her wonder, just how many of those supermarket novels she liked to read were really written by men.
Zach was just finishing his story when she turned her attention back to him. "So here we are. Bull was a little unsure at first, but I told him he'd be more then welcome, and he was good company on the ride out. He didn't even yell at me like the rest of you do when I go into down time."
Jack Lazarus, by no means a small man himself and still in good shape despite his fifty odd years, gave their visitor a glance. "I knew a guy about your size once, called him Mountain...." He stroked his long beard and a silver cross dangled from his left ear. "Met him back in the hills of Kentucky, made some of the best moonshine I ever tasted, had two tasty daughters as I remember..." He caught the look in his wife's eyes and coughed. "Well, maybe that's a story for another time that was back in my younger days mind you, before Helen here showed me that one woman can be more than enough for a man."
Dani gave a small groan that no one but she heard. Here it went, now her dad would spend all night trying to make up to her mom and her mom would be all pain about it, but in the end they would go up stairs and spend the night rocking the house. Better get out while she could. Pushing back her chair, she got to her feet, and shook her head. "Got to go, see you all later." Her voice was raised just enough to be heard over the sound of men guzzling beer and her mom asking Bull if he was sure he'd had enough to eat.
Her dad paused just to look at her. "And where do you think you're going young lady? It's not every day we have more than one or two of your brother's home at the same time. I think it's a time for a party." He rubbed his hand in a gleeful manner. "Now what could be more important than being here to welcome your brother home, and to welcome his friend to this house?"