by Holly Martin
I sighed, another of Eli’s conditions was that I was not to be out of Seth’s sight at any point during my trip. I was sure Seth would come with me to the bathroom if I let him.
‘My boyfriend has paid for this so he wants to see me enjoy it,’ I explained, rather weakly. That and he is so over protective that he won’t leave me alone for five minutes let alone an hour.
Mia shook her head, incredulously. ‘Ok, if that’s what you want.’
I went in and left my clothes on the chair, and lay as instructed, face down on the bed, my face in a little hole. Seth sat down, as promised, in the corner of the room. Mia turned down the lights and lit some candles, the flames sending flickering shadows around the room. A few seconds later, I felt her hands on my back, rubbing round the neck and shoulders. I closed my eyes, trying to relax.
I’d never had a massage before, but something told me it shouldn’t be like this. Mia was hardly touching me at all, just rubbing me with her fingertips. Maybe she was building up to it and would use her whole hand shortly. I took my face out of the hole and turned it sideways, resting my head on my arms. I caught sight of Mia’s reflection in the mirror by the bed and it made my heart leap. Her face was filled with revulsion, like touching me made her feel ill or sick. My heart started pounding furiously, and I saw Seth stand up, evidently he could hear it too.
I rolled over and sat up. ‘Do you know what Mia, I’m sorry to waste your time, but I don’t think massages are for me.’ I saw Seth looking at me in concern. ‘We’ll still pay you of course.’
Mia looked at me in confusion, the look of revulsion completely gone. ‘I’m sorry, have I done something to offend you? Was I doing it too hard, too soft?’ She looked genuinely upset.
Was I being completely paranoid? Better to be safe than sorry, I should listen to my gut more often. ‘No, not at all, it’s just….I’m not really enjoying it.’ I shrugged apologetically.
Mia nodded and walked over to the towel on the far side of the room. She picked it up and brought it back to me. ‘Here wipe the oils off with this.’ She passed it to me but as I reached out to take it, she whipped out a black twisted knife from its folds and lunged for me.
Chapter 2
I immediately shielded myself but Seth was even quicker. He vaulted over me, over the table, grabbed the knife and threw her into the wall with such force that the sickening crunch sound that accompanied the crash must have been every bone in her body breaking. Then, a split second later, the knife she had been about to use on me landed with sick precision in her throat, pinning her corpse to the wall.
I had forgotten how to breathe as Seth stood there, tense, livid. I reached out tentatively to touch him, wanting him to hold me, to comfort me. Instead he walked away to stand over the corpse. He yanked the knife out of her throat and studied it with a sick fascination. Mia’s crumpled body fell to the floor. Seth picked up my clothes and passed them to me; the skirt was splattered with Mia’s blood.
‘Get dressed,’ Seth said, angrily, not even looking at me.
I hurriedly hopped down from the table, and pulled on the skirt, trying to ignore the blood stains that were soaking into the material. I pulled on my shirt but I fumbled over the buttons, my hands shaking as I tried to force them through the tiny holes. Seth saw me struggling and with his eyes still firmly on the corpse, he did them up for me, his hands not even shaking at all. I looked up at him: my boyfriend, the trained killer, wanting to hug him, wanting him to wrap me in his arms and tell me it was all ok. But at that moment he wasn’t my boyfriend, he was my Guardian and there was a huge difference. He walked away from me to the door, opened it and gave a whistle. I heard running feet and the next second Noah’s undeniable Scottish accent.
‘What’s up bud?’
Seth opened the door further and Noah came in. He took in the bloody corpse and paled.
‘Crap!’
‘Noah?’ I found my voice. So I had been right when I’d spotted him lurking near the trees. His big tangle of black curls was hard not to notice.
‘Erm, yeah hi Eve.’ Noah at least had the grace to look embarrassed at being present on my Guardian-free trip. Seth didn’t look fazed at all. I heard running feet again; Isaac and another Guardian I knew called Jacob appeared in the room. So it had all been a farce, I had only been allowed out of the fort because so many of my Guardians had been sent with me. And the annoying thing was that Eli had been right, I had needed them. There was nowhere that was safe.
Seth turned back to me, but there was no tenderness in his eyes, just cold anger.
‘Eve you need to go home now, slide back to the fort, I’ll be along shortly.’
‘Seth….’ I trailed off. I wanted to ask him to come with me, that I needed him, not to protect me but to be with me, but the anger in his eyes made the words dry up in my mouth. I closed my eyes, imagined my bedroom, back in the fort and stepped through.
Seth had evidently communicated with Lucas, as the next second he burst into the room. He took in my blood stained skirt, my stunned face and he didn’t even hesitate, he quickly crossed the gap between us and took me in his arms, hugging me tight. I hugged him back, the tears that I had held onto, streaming down my cheeks
Why couldn’t Seth feel me like Lucas could, why was Lucas so in tune with how I felt and what I needed, whereas my love, my heart had no clue that after another near attempt on my life I just wanted to be held?
Lucas released me as Quinn burst through the door. He slammed into me so hard he almost knocked me over, holding me tight against him. My brother got it too. Quinn gave the best hugs; big, brotherly, bear hugs that made me feel so safe and loved. It was also something to do with his smell too, kind of salty, like the smell of sea water. He had smelt like that when he was my dog too, so when he hugged me, it was a reminder of his constant presence from my childhood, familiar and safe.
‘It’s really not much fun being you at the moment is it?’ Quinn said, sadly.
I shook my head and he led me over to the bed, I sat down on the edge, with Lucas and Quinn either side of me.
‘How did they know it was me? We were so careful, checking in under different names. She had that knife in there before she even met me, she must have known the whole time, even when Seth booked the massage that it was for me.’
Lucas sighed. ‘I think that was our fault, we wanted to make sure you were safe. We hired out the house, we told the hotel we didn’t want anyone near there. It obviously started raising their suspicions and anyone who knows of you, the Putarians, would have been on red alert straight away. We’ve not tried to go incognito before, it seems we aren’t very good at it. The fact that you didn’t come from the airport, but just turned up at the hotel would have confirmed their suspicions, especially as they know you can slide. I’m sorry Eve.’
I sighed. ‘I can’t believe so many people want me dead.’
‘It’s not that, I mean yes the Putarians want you dead, but it’s the bounty on your head, it’s so high that even people who had no interest in you before are suddenly very interested. Not everyone knows of the prophecies, that you will save the world, and many who do don’t believe the end of the world is coming, so the money is very attractive. And everyone who knows of you, knows what you look like. The Putarians have seen to that, so that anyone who wants to collect the bounty can have a go.’
‘How much is the bounty?’ I asked, idly. Not that it mattered.
‘Currently seven million pounds but it goes up every day.’
‘Seven million! Are you kidding? Seven million to kill me?’
Lucas nodded, sadly.
‘Wow, I’d be tempted to kill me for that,’ I muttered.
Lucas looked confused.
‘Quinn imagine what you could get for that, you and Lucas could do away with me right now and buy your own island in the middle of the Caribbean for that. Go on, I won’t judge you, just make it quick and painless.’
Quinn smiled dryly.
I shook my h
ead. ‘She wasn’t a bounty hunter anyway, she was one of them, a Putarian. You should have seen how she looked at me, when she was massaging me, she looked so repulsed, like she was going to throw up just because she was touching me.’
‘Yeah some Putarians are very extreme, they really hate anything that isn’t pure,’ Lucas said. ‘Persia and her family had to move twice in Wales because the Putarians found them. It really was like a witch hunt from the seventeenth century, they literally came at them with burning torches one night, set fire to their house, killed all their animals. The second time they were much more direct, they sent an assassin into their house to slaughter them. But they had been forewarned and were ready for him. Persia killed him, burnt him to dust, she was only nine. It was actually that murder that flagged them up to the Oraculum. Not many Donum can do something like that.’
I shook my head, sadly. What a horrible, sick world I lived in, where people could have so much hatred for someone who was a bit different, that those who had powers were hunted, tortured and killed. I lived in a world where people’s morals and values went out the window when offered with a few million. Not to mention the Reapers who weren’t content with living peacefully alongside those with powers, they wanted to harvest the powers themselves, spent their lives dissecting the Donum, Zeki and Shapeshifters, probably never finding out what made them different or how to remove those particular genes and use them for their own ends. To make matters worse, I was charged with saving it, for not only saving mankind but those who sought to destroy it. Was it really worth saving? Was there any good in this world worth fighting for?
Seth, Noah, Isaac and Jacob suddenly landed in front of me, having pulled themselves to me. Eight other Guardians, some that I recognised also arrived in the room after their brief jaunt to Cyprus. They all left and, sensing the immediate tension between Seth and me, Quinn and Lucas left as well.
Seth stared down at me for a moment, his clothes covered in blood. Then he walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Seconds later I heard the shower running. He hadn’t even spoken to me.
Sometimes having a Guardian as a boyfriend wasn’t a good thing. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became at how distant he had been after the attack, and how different Lucas’s reaction was to it. I knew he loved me but he’d been raised to protect me at all costs and that protective mind-set was stronger than anything else.
I quickly got changed, throwing the blood stained skirt in the bin. I would never want to wear that again.
Suddenly deciding I didn’t want to be here when he came out, I left the room. Caleb was stationed outside my room and he fell in at my side as I walked quickly down the corridor.
‘I’m sorry to hear your trip wasn’t a success,’ Caleb said quietly, as we walked down the stairs.
I had nothing I could say. I was angry right now. Angry at Seth, angry at another attempt on my life, angry at the sick world I had given up my life to protect. We walked outside, the glare of the sun making me shield my eyes. I looked at my watch; it was only six in the evening. My holiday had lasted a grand total of an hour, if that.
I turned and headed round the side of the fort. I could hear shouts coming from up ahead and as I rounded the back of the building, there seemed to be a great battle taking place on the grassy slopes. I hesitated for a moment. But on closer inspection, the fighters seemed to be young boys and a handful of girls, most of them no older than fourteen years old. They were using long poles to fight against each other, and when one fell in battle their opponent would stop to help them up. I looked at Caleb in confusion.
He smiled. ‘The young Guardians in training. This time of the day they spar.’
I watched as one of the young Guardians with bright blond hair cracked his opponent round the head, sending him sprawling to the floor. I gasped in horror as blood poured from his wound.
Caleb laughed. ‘Evening is Cassidy’s busiest time at the fort; the young Guardians practically have to queue up to be healed. We call them the Guardlings, because they’re not fully fledged yet, they hate that.’
‘Caleb! They’re just kids!’
‘Watch,’ Caleb grinned.
I turned back to the poor boy who was on the floor. He suddenly leapt up with a renewed sense of determination. He swung his pole round fast, knocking out the legs of his opponent, sending him onto his back. The boy on the floor laughed loudly and his attacker stopped to help him up. The blond boy inspected the wound of his friend for a moment, but his friend just laughed it off, punching him playfully in the stomach. They both then picked up their poles and carried on trying to incapacitate each other.
I smiled. ‘They certainly have spirit,’
‘Oh yes, they have plenty of that. This generation of Guardlings, I mean young Guardians are very strong, and fiercely loyal, every single one of these are pledged to you, by choice.
I walked closer. There was a tall boy of about fifteen or sixteen, who had short, black spiky hair and a tanned complexion, as if he had been out in the sun all his life. He was only wearing shorts, and his body seemed to scream muscles. He wasn’t sparring with anyone, he was walking round the others correcting their positions, giving them tips, cheering them on when they got a good hit, but was equally encouraging to the injured party.
‘That’s Zach, erm Seth’s half-brother,’ Caleb pointed him out.
My eyes widened. ‘I never knew Seth had another brother.’ How had I not known that, why had Seth never told me? I’d only met Trey, Seth’s older brother once or twice but at least I knew he existed.
‘They don’t get on, they weren’t raised together, they don’t agree on anything. Well, except that you need to be protected. He shows tremendous promise, actually. He’ll be a great warrior in a few years. Well, actually he’s a great warrior now, but don’t tell him I said that.’
Zach suddenly caught sight of us, or he had heard us, because he was grinning proudly. ‘Hey Caleb, have you come to learn how to really fight?’ he called, good naturedly.
‘Little upstart,’ Caleb growled, though a smile played on his lips.
Zach’s eyes slid to me, and his smile, undeniably Seth’s smile, faltered. Then he came running over to me.
‘Zach this is Eve.’ Caleb introduced me, though it was obvious by Zach’s face he knew exactly who I was.
‘Eve, it’s great to finally meet you,’ he took my hand and shook it warmly. No bowing, no adoration. I liked him immediately.
‘You’ve got some great fighters here,’ I said, casting my eyes round the boys and girls still sparring behind him.
Zach beamed proudly. ‘Thank you, they will be great one day.’ He looked round, his eyes falling on the nearest boys to him. ‘If they keep their eyes on the weapon. Eddie will you watch what you’re doing rather than what I’m doing?’ He turned back to me, shaking his head with a smile. ‘Some of them have more enthusiasm than skill,’ he muttered, quietly.
‘Come on then Zach. Let’s see if you can beat me yet,’ Caleb picked up two of the poles lying near us on the ground and passed one to Zach.
‘Hey, I only let you beat me last time because I didn’t want to stamp all over your ego. You can watch how an expert does it.’ Zach grinned, swirling the stick round fast in his hands, then taking the stance I recognised as the cat.
Caleb and Zach started slowly circling each other, creeping closer. Zach suddenly leapt forward, his pole held high, lunging for Caleb’s throat. Caleb was quicker and with a flick of his pole, he deflected Zach’s attack. Zach smiled, and bounced back onto the balls of his feet. Caleb went to strike Zach over the head, but Zach moved his pole up to block him. But this was only a feint, as soon as Zach’s pole was above his head, Caleb swung his pole round and knocked out Zach’s legs, then thrust the pole towards his throat, only stopping millimetres from crushing his windpipe. Zach laughed easily and Caleb swung the pole away so he could help him up.
‘One day Zach, you’ll get me one day,’ Caleb grinned.
‘That’s not a fair fight though, you’re much bigger than him,’ I protested in Zach’s defence. ‘Zach how about you take me on instead, you’re roughly my size.’
Zach’s eyes widened, and Caleb’s eyes narrowed. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea Eve,’ Caleb muttered.
‘I don’t fight girls,’ Zach laughed.
I looked over at the girl Guardians who were training; some of them fighting against the boys. ‘What about them?’
‘They’re different, they’re Guardians.’
‘Come on; are you afraid you’ll lose?’ I kicked my shoes off and took the pole from Caleb, and then immediately fell into the cat stance.
‘Seth will go mad when he hears about this,’ Zach said, warily, then he broke into a huge grin. ‘But anything that winds my brother up is fine with me.’
‘Right now Zach, I’d have to agree.’
Zach bowed to me slightly, and cheekily I smacked him in the chin, whilst his head was down.
‘Oh that’s how you want to fight is it, you have no honour,’ he laughed, lunging the pole at my knee. I flipped my pole down, easily blocking his attack. Whilst his pole was wide I lunged for his stomach, but he darted to one side as he quickly flipped his pole round and cracked the side of my head. I fell to the floor, seeing stars.
‘Zach,’ Caleb hissed.
Zach laughed. ‘You’d never make a Guardian, but that’s ok Eve, you’re not supposed to defend yourself, that’s what we’re here for.’ He offered me his hand to help me up.
But I wasn’t through with him yet. One of my martial arts teachers had once told me there was no honour involved in fighting for your life, you did whatever was needed to survive. I took his hand but then I swung my leg round and caught him in the ribs. He staggered back and I was on my feet again. I swung my pole round to jab him in the shoulder, but he quickly blocked my attack. Grinning, he swung the pole round to take out my legs, but I jumped up to miss the pole, as I jumped, I flung one leg out to kick him in the chest, I was about to follow through with a punch to the face but he ducked, driving his shoulder into my cheek as I landed, but I did manage to swing my pole round to crack him on the head. We were so close now we couldn’t use our poles anymore as we couldn’t get enough room to swing them. I threw my pole to the side, driving my fist into his ribs at the exact same time he used all his force to drive the pole into my foot. I felt the bones break immediately. We staggered apart.
