Protect (The Guardians Book 1)

by K. B. Wheelock

  Gris chuckled darkly. “There is only one way in and one way out. If you aren’t invited, a nasty welcome is at that door.” He grabbed her wrist and pricked her finger with a little reader he had pulled out of his pocket. “Now, Thea has your mark, and you will always be welcome.” Rubbing her finger she followed Gris through the door that hummed each time someone went through.

  “Welcome, Griswald, healer, guardian. Welcome, Keyne, seeker, guardian. Welcome, Rose, shifter and . . . hmm you are something unique”.

  Rose jumped in surprise at the bodiless voice. “Hello . . . Thea,” she said questioningly.

  “Thea can tell what everyone is as soon as they enter. She can be rather shy, so I will let her come to you when she is ready. But she will take care of our every need while we are here.”

  He led us through a hallway that emptied into a large open space. On one side was a state-of-the-art kitchen. The stainless steel and black décor wasn’t warm and inviting, but it wasn’t hospital sterile either. Across from the kitchen was a living room, again in black and gray. For such a large space with no windows or lights, the room felt open and airy. On the wall behind the table (where in a normal house you would expect a doorway leading outside) there was what appeared to be a window looking out onto a gorgeous lake. It was so realistic Rose could almost feel the sun and wind.

  “We found that without windows we started going stir crazy if we were in here for any length of time. These “windows” are programed to simulate natural light. They will go dark at night and then have a sunrise in the morning,” Keyne explained.

  Pointing to the first closed door to the left he said, “This is a bathroom, and the other is Thea’s space. Do not go into Thea’s space uninvited, ever. I’ll show you around, and then we can grab some dinner.” They walked downstairs to a large open room. In one corner, was a teardrop-shaped bag hung from the ceiling. Opposite it, was a rack of weights, a weight bench, treadmill, and bike. The wall against the stairs was full of hand to hand weapons. The floor was covered in thick mats. This area was clearly for training and working out. “You’re free to use this space whenever you want.”

  “Tomorrow at 7 am you will need to be down here for training,” Gris interrupted. Rose jumped at his voice.

  “Training?”

  “At the very least you need to be able to defend yourself if Keyne or I are unable to get to you.” It made sense, but Rose was unsure of them training her or what it would entail. “Now, let’s show you the upstairs and then get some food. I don’t know about you but it has been hours since I have eaten.” The trio walked up to the second floor. “There are four bedrooms on this floor. The ones on the right are for the women, and there is a shared bathroom between them.” He opened the first door to show a room in shadows with two double beds. It was your typical bland hotel-style room, no frills. Two dressers sat across from the beds and another “window” was on the far wall.

  “You will be in this room, Rose,” Gris said. “The rooms on the other side are for the men and are identical to this. When we are full up, we double bunk. But since it is the three of us, I will be in the first room and Keyne in the last one.” Turning he led them down to the first floor. The smell of fresh baked bread and onions and garlic wafted up the stairs. “Smells like Thea has performed her magic again. You are in for a treat.”

  They took their seats at the table. Each setting had a plate of steak, potatoes, and vegetables and a mini loaf of hot bread. A glass of ice water and a glass of rich red wine were also included. Stomach rumbling at the smells, Rose took a bite of the steak and moaned as it melted in her mouth. Before long each of their plates were empty. Keyne quickly cleared them away then laughed as he saw Rose propping her head up on her hand, her eyes would close and then jolt open.

  “Little Mouse, I think this has all been too much for you. Time for you to go to bed.” He pulled her up, took her hand, and led her upstairs. A blush crept over her face, as she realized that she had nothing to wear but the clothes on her back.

  “Um, Keyne, I just realized something . . . I don’t have any clothes here.”

  Chuckling, Keyne responded “Don’t worry about that. Thea has taken care of everything. Just check the drawers in your room.” And with that, he left her at the door to her room. “Sweet dreams, Little Mouse. Tomorrow, we will start to figure out the mystery that you are.”

  She walked into the room she would be staying in and opened the dresser drawer. It was filled with clothes; undergarments, shirts, pants, and an oh so soft nightgown, all in her size. Thea, whoever or whatever she was, was amazing. She grabbed the nightgown and underwear and went into the bathroom. The little hall she entered had a door to her left and a door at the end. To the right was a long counter with two sinks. On the counter sat a fresh toothbrush, her favorite toothpaste, face soap, lotion . . . it was like someone had gone shopping in her apartment. She opened the door on her left to find a toilet and large tub/shower combo. It was as utilitarian as the rest of the compound, but had one thing she was longing to try, a waterfall shower head. She stepped over to the tub, turned on the water and then shut the door. She sighed as the hot water washed the stress and grime of the day away, and she started to relax.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning Rose shuffled into the kitchen, she rubbed her eyes trying wipe the sleep from them. She was not a morning person, and without her coffee she couldn’t even think about communicating with someone. Gris handed her a large, steaming cup of coffee. Grabbing it with both hands she took a long inhale of the lovely aroma, sending a jolt to her system. If it tasted nearly as good as it smelled she would be in heaven. A tentative sip and she was moaning. “What is this? It is not coffee but something more.” Gris and Keyne laughed at the euphoric look on her face.

  A soft gravelly voice spoke from behind Gris. Rose peered around him, her eyes traveling down to see a small creature about three feet tall. She was a light brown color with pointed ears and spindly hair that stuck out from a dark-brown cap she wore. Her dress matched the cap with a cream-colored apron over it. “Yes, it is something more. Jamaican Me Crazy coffee with a shot of Deathwish coffee of the Gods. A friend in New York City provides it to me, and we use it sparingly. A little bit is okay, too much and you will be meeting the gods.” She smiled.

  Rose sipped again, “Yes, it is of the gods.” Suddenly, her hair started to stand on end. “Um, Thea, I am feeling . . . funny.”

  “Deathwish has that effect. It will heal your pain and give you strength. And in your case, I think it is healing more than your physical body.” She walked around Gris, and a gnarled brown hand took Rose’s hand. “Hmm, yes, it is. I see now. The block is almost removed. Things will become interesting from here.”

  Confusion filled Rose’s face. Gris and Keyne also looked at Thea in confusion. “I’m sorry, I am not at liberty to say more. I can see what people are, but I cannot speak of it until they have discovered it for themselves. Speaking before the appointed time can have drastic effects, some that can change the course of a person’s life.”

  “What do you mean?” Gris asked.

  Thea thought for a minute before responding. “If I were to go up to someone and read them, I could tell them that they are meant to save the world or that they will cause great evil. But if I tell them that, they will change their actions to try to create or avoid what I have told them will happen. And that will change the future in ways that cannot be predicted. It is why the Guardian’s job is to work in the background, not announcing their presence.”

  Rose was clearly not swayed, but so much had happened over the past few days that she was confused. She continued to sip her coffee and allow it to wake her up. It was way too early for her to have to think. Pushing back the curls that covered her face, she sat at the table staring into space.

  “How about some French toast?” Thea said as she brought over a plate of thick slabs of bread sprinkled with powdered sugar. In her other hand was a container of syrup. Rose moane
d in pleasure again. What kind of magic did Thea have that she provided the exact things that Rose wanted?

  “How did you know I love French toast? And what size I wore and my favorite beauty products?”

  “I’m a Brownie. It is part of our magic to make those who visit our homes as comfortable as possible. We sense what you need, though I will say sometimes what you need and want might not be one and the same.” Thea handed Rose a headband, proving that she knew what her guests needed.

  Rose thought about that as she savored the plate of food in front of her.

  “Muisje, once you are awake and dressed we need to start training.”

  Groaning at the thought of moving so early in the day, she looked down and realized that she was still in her night shirt. The warm knit came to her knees and covered her, but the warm fabric also clung too much. She looked up to see Gris and Keyne’s appreciative stare. Her face blushed, and she shoved the last bite into her mouth and jumped up. “Give me ten minutes, and I will be down.”

  * * *

  Tentatively she stepped onto the mats. What would training entail? Ugh, I hate this, My domain is books, not physical activity. I hate running, hate getting sweaty. Thankfully, my high metabolism seems to keep the weight off for the most part. Suddenly, an arm was around her throat, the shock of warmth and smell of pine let her know that it was Gris, but the tight hold still had her struggling in fear.

  “No don’t let the fear take over. Think. How can you get out of this? What do you have to hurt the one attacking you?” She grabbed at the arm around her throat, unable to think. What could she do? Her clothes were meant to workout in, tight leggings and a sleeveless baggy shirt. She had nothing on her. Think, Rose, what can you do? She tried to kick back, but his legs were too far away. Her nails dug into his arm with no effect. She couldn’t think, the arm was too tight.

  “Rose, think. You are small, but you have ways to hurt your attacker.”

  In frustration, she threw her head back, and the arm around her throat loosened. “Yes, that is effective. Had I not been watching for it, you would have hit me right in my nose. But now what? The shock has loosened my arm, but you are not free.”

  Thinking, she tried again to kick back, this time hitting his knee. The arm loosened more. What else could she do? Then she remembered a story she had read, thumbs . . . what was that about thumbs? She reached back and felt the head behind her and went for the soft openings.

  “Okay, Muisje, that is enough. Good job.” Gris’s hands quickly grabbed hers before she could do any damage. He roughly turned her to face him and held her arms to her sides. “Now what do you do?”

  It was hard to concentrate. Foreign thoughts kept intruding into her mind. That smell, cucumber and melon, is intoxicating. Wait! What smell? I smell pine, not cucumber and melon. Confused she shook her head then thought about the task at hand, but his thumb kept moving softly over her skin. It’s so soft. I just want to touch. No! She blushed and looked at him. His eyes darkened, and then he quickly let her go and walked over to the wall of weapons.

  “We don’t have time to teach you to use many of these, but small knives can be easily hidden and useful.” He took a few daggers off the wall, as well as a sheath “One goes in your boot. One on your hip and one in whatever bag you carry.” Turning towards the stairs he said “Let’s go try to figure this puzzle out. Keyne should have everything set up by now.”

  Confused at his reaction to her and the foreign thoughts she had heard, she followed him up the stairs. Gris was a puzzle to her, one minute hot, the next cold. He held her at arm’s length, but clearly felt the attraction. Heck, it was why she couldn’t seem to focus on getting away from him. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her and his touch was distracting. Chewing her lip, she sat down at the table. Keyne had gotten the books and laptop from the car. The maps were attached to the wall, and the two men looked at her expectantly. Shaking off her thoughts she took the laptop to get the email open.

  * * *

  “This is the email I received. The way the TOMBS research goes is with a VERY large annual payment, the donor has a no-questions-asked access to the researchers. They cannot come into the TOMBS, but we must give them any information they want. It can be emailed or dropped to a location depending on the contact and donor wishes.”

  “Is there a way to find out who this Reshad is?” Gris asked, he was clearly the strategist of the two.

  Shaking her head, Rose replied “No, not that I know of. They have a code name that they use in the email, the email address is the one they provide. There must be records of who the donors are and their codes, but I do not know where that information is. The only people that I have met since I was hired are other researchers, and Anabelle, my boss. But they all work for the regular library, not the TOMBS.” As she says this she realizes how little she really knows of the workings of the TOMBS As far as she knows, nobody really knows who runs the TOMBS, who accepts the patrons or provides all the materials that are housed there. Why have I never questioned my job or employers? And why would they hire people with no magic ability or history with the magic community?

  “I might be able to help with that,” Thea says. “I believe the TOMBS is run by a Brownie, or at least he is the one who you would need to speak with. All magical places have a creature that protects them. For many it is brownies who do the day to day work, but they are never seen or heard from.”

  Confusion is apparent on all their faces. “Brownies are solitary creatures. Yes, we work, but we prefer to not be seen. Many of us will go months without speaking to anyone. And many avoid humans as much as possible. I am unique in that I thrive in serving and like interacting occasionally. That is why this home is perfect for me. The infrequent use of the house lets me be alone and, of course, the magic inherent here allows my magic to flourish. I can go home to the bogs whenever I want.”

  Gris had never heard this explanation before “What magic is inherent here?”

  “This house was here in one form or another for over 400 years. The house taps into the magic lines that flow around the city, these lines are like magic highways that connect the world. Once upon a time, we could travel these lines and go from place to place with a thought. Now that magic is lost to us, but the residue remains. That is what this house holds. It is the portal to these lines.” Everyone was silent as they digested this. “But now it is time for you to work and me to leave.” Thea went to her door and slipped into the room. Rose was unable to see any of the room before the door shut. Her normally curious brain was being overstimulated, making it hard to concentrate.

  Keyne cleared his throat, “That was . . . enlightening. But we need to figure out what or where this lost city is, why it’s important and who this Reshad is.”

  “I didn’t find very much on the Lost City. Most of what I did find was myth and hoaxes. I know that all myths have some truth, but in this instance, I couldn’t find any. The research shows that it is in Moberley, Missouri. But again, there is no proof. No one can find an entrance or an exit.” Rose grabbed the book with the information they needed in it. “It says that it was in the northeast section of the city and found while digging a mine shaft.”

  Gris went over to the maps. “So, we are looking at this area, just northeast of Clark and Reed.” He went to the other computer that was in the room and opened up Google Maps Street View. “These buildings look newer, but rundown.” They all looked like old factory and warehouses. Many had broken windows. “If I were to cover up something as big as this, I would want to hide the find, but still have access.” He scrolled street after street until he found what he was looking for. On the screen was a building in clear need of repair. The windows were missing or had holes in them, the bricks were crumbling. It was one story in the front, but had a small second story in the back that might have once been a small apartment. If anyone was living there now, they were risking their lives. “I think we need to go to Moberly to find what this is about.”

  “I have
a colleague that works at the college in Moberly. He may be able to help us some. He is the president of the local historical society as well. I would think with such a big hoax they would have some information we don’t.”

  “How well do you know this colleague?” Gris asked as he pulled up driving directions.

  “Not very well. I met him at a conference a few years ago. We spoke briefly then. I don’t think I have seen him or talked to him since.”

  “Would he remember you?”

  “I doubt it. I only remember because he was interested in celestial cities as well.”

  “Well, let’s not announce we are coming. The fewer people who know the better.” Gris looked at the computer. It was a ten-hour drive, but flying would have raised too many questions. For one thing, they would have had to drive to Columbus or Cleveland and then find flights, rent a car when they got to St. Louis . . . driving would be less hassle and less obvious. “It’s 9 am right now. If we can leave by noon, then we could be there by midnight. Keyne, can you pack the emergency kits? Rose get whatever you need to bring together. You probably should call off work for a few days as well.”

  “Sure, Gris. Are we going under the radar or armed for bear?”

  Gris thought for a minute, “Better armed for bear than not. Who knows what supplies we will have access to or if we will have any help.”

  “I don’t really need anything other than what I have here. Thea was great with her shopping for me, so I have all I need.” She gathered her books and laptop and put them in her bag, and then she left to go pack her clothes and personal items. She filled the bag she had found in her room and went back downstairs. “I’m ready. Anything I can do to help, Gris?”