Endless Winter (Guardians of The Light)

by J Armitage

  Aethelu joined her and started to tuck into a bowl of salad.

  “Did you and Andrew find anything out about Jago’s whereabouts?” Anais asked

  “Not really. There is so little to go on. He has managed to hack into all the major airlines so we can see who is flying where but with the hundreds of thousands of people flying daily, it’s a heck of a lot of data to wade through. We narrowed it down slightly to the times each letter was sent and where in the world it was sent from. I left Andrew cross referencing all the names.”

  “That sounds like a huge job. Shouldn’t you have stayed to help him?”

  “He wasn’t doing it manually. He was writing a program to do it for him. I’ve no clue about computers. I thought it was best to leave him to it, besides I was too busy looking at a certain beautiful, yet infuriating woman who was supposed to be resting in the library.”

  “How did you...? Ah the security cameras. I forgot that you’d be able to see me.”

  “Yes, that much is obvious. I came back up to the kitchen to march you straight back to the library but you’d already gone. I gave poor Audsley and Judith one hell of a fright though. They both thought I’d been hiding in the larder.”

  Anais laughed at the image.

  “Yep eyes are everywhere. Actually that reminds me.” Aethelu got up and appeared to be looking around the ceiling. When she had found what she was looking for she picked up a cloth that she found on the floor and climbed the ladder to the mezzanine. She hung the cloth on something high up on the wall and then returned to Anais.

  “What did you just do?” Anais was confused.

  “I didn’t want Andrew watching over us. I know we are supposed to have the cameras for our safety but it doesn’t mean I want everyone to be able to see everything that we do. Especially with what I have planned for you tonight.”

  A tingle of anticipation ran through Anais.

  “I’ve just realised. You’ve spent more time sleeping in a sick bed than I’ve spent sleeping with you.”

  “That can’t be true can it?” Anais thought back and realised in all the time she had been with Aethelu they had only spent three nights in the same bed and each time one or the other of them had fallen asleep with exhaustion.

  “If you are feeling well enough that is. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Physically I’m feeling fine. Aldric says that because the embryos never took in the first place then I shouldn’t feel any pain. Emotionally I’m ragged but if anyone can help me through it it’s you.”

  “You’ve been through so much. Your strength amazes me.” Aethelu moved the food aside and made her way across the bed to Anais.

  She kissed her lightly on the lips. Anais kissed her back, slowly at first ignoring the tingles in her lips. She knew Aethelu must have been trying very hard not to use The Light. Anais could not hold back though. She’d been waiting too long for this moment. She kissed Aethelu hard and with a swift movement pushed her flat onto the bed, knocking the rest of the food onto the floor. Aethelu lost control and Anais felt the full force of The Light coursing through her body. Spasms of electric shocks flew through her but she was ready for them. She held Aethelu tight, determined. Her whole body felt on fire with a mix of her own desire and the power emanating from Aethelu. Still she didn’t let go. Kissing Aethelu with such passion meant she could let everything else go and she abandoned herself to pleasure. Her whole universe was aflame with wild abandon and she didn’t care. Nothing mattered any more except this one perfect moment in time. The softness of Aethelu’s lips on hers a stark contrast to the force in which they generated. Sensations which Anais had never felt before welled up inside her and she was determined not to let go, just surrender to it. Pain and pleasure intermingled causing a blissful torture that Anais never wanted to end.

  In their frenzy of passion neither heard the door opening.

  A sharp pain roared through Anais leg causing her to pull apart from Aethelu. Immediately the electric shocks stopped which were taken over by the pain in her leg. As she looked down a bloom of red appeared on the jeans covering her calf.

  “What the?”

  Aethelu seeing something was wrong, sat up. She immediately noticed Anais leg.

  Anais looked at her in shock and as she did something flew past both of them, missing them both by inches.

  Anais looked toward where the projectile had appeared to come from. At the door to the studio stood a man. He was dressed in all black and had a black cape which billowed out behind him, flapping in the wind. The hood covered his head throwing his face into shadow. He had his finger on the light switch. Just before everything went black Anais saw what had caused the damage to her leg. The stranger held a cross bow in his hand.

  “Hide.” She screamed but it was no use.

  Aethelu was lit up like a torch thanks to their kissing earlier. She rolled off the bed pulling Aethelu with her but it was too late. As if in slow motion an arrow pierced Aethelu inches below her right shoulder. Blood appeared on Aethelu’s shirt darkening the already red top. Another arrow flew past as they ducked behind the bed, going over the top of their heads.

  “You can’t hide.” The figure moved around the bed. His voice was unreal, like it had been altered technically. He must have been wearing a voice changer under the hood.

  Anais knew he was right. Even if she could slip past him in the dark there was no way she would be able to get Aethelu out unseen.

  In the pitch black she couldn’t see where the man now stood but she knew he would be able to see them. She pulled a blanket off the bed intending to cover Aethelu with it to block out the illumination but once again she was too slow. Another arrow flew towards them and hit its mark, square in Aethelu’s centre. Aethelu had a moment of shock and then passed out as a third arrow pierced her skin, this time in her thigh. Her light began to dim.

  Anais was static with shock. She was a sitting duck. If she stayed where she was she would inevitably be shot but there was no way she was leaving Aethelu.

  “You have not been listening to me.” The voice rang out in the darkness. It sounded closer “I know you are trying to make an antidote to my virus. Babies or no babies, there is no antidote. Aldric could spend the rest of his life looking and he will still not find one, you know why? Because that is not the only virus. I have more. You find the antidote to one and I unleash the other. Simple. You must think I’m a fool. Well I am sick of you underestimating me. I want the Elixir!

  I will be watching you. Tell Aldric that if he doesn’t start turning his attention to making the elixir I will kill off his family one by one.

  Anais was angry. Fuelled by rage and the energy she had somehow imbibed from Aethelu she stood up. She faced the general direction of her attacker and despite the agony in her calf she lunged into the darkness.

  She collided with her attacker, knocking him over and screamed with rage. All her energy built up and she was surprised to see she was now glowing herself. Not the soft illumination of Aethelu but a bright light. Anger poured out of her as she punched the man but it was no use. He was much stronger than her and was easily able to push her off. In the struggle he had lost his hood and with Anais herself illuminating him, she was able to see his face. It was horrific, ugly. His skin looked like melted wax leaving his features drooping down his face. He had a contraption covering his mouth which could only be the voice changer.

  She punched him as hard as she could and was pleased to see that it had hurt. He stood up holding his head where Anais had hit. He gave her one last kick in the side, winding her, and then disappeared into the night.

  She followed him out of the door and into the courtyard. She knew she couldn’t follow him as she had to get back to Aethelu but she needed to get help from the house. Suddenly light flooded the courtyard momentarily shocking both her and Jago. She felt torn, desperate to give chase but knowing Aethelu needed medical help. The source of the lights became clear when the door opened and out came August. He had obviousl
y heard the commotion and turned on the outside lights.

  “What the ruddy hell’s going on?”

  “August! It’s Jago.” She pointed towards the path into the woods down which he was now making his escape. Rain started to spatter but Anais didn’t notice. “Aethelu’s hurt, get help!”

  August looked momentarily shocked but ran towards the studio and Aethelu.

  Anais knew she had to make a decision and fast. She wanted to know that Aethelu was alright but she’d already lost sight of Jago. Knowing that this might be their only chance and that Aethelu would be in good hands she took off after Jago.

  Her leg was hurting but adrenaline had kicked in and sheer determination was making her run faster than she had ever done before. The fairy lights illuminated the path in front of her through the woods. The drops of rain had turned into a storm and even under the canopy of trees, she was getting soaked. The sky was filled with ominous black clouds and as she ran past her father’s tomb she heard the first crack of thunder. The fairy lights only went as far as the tomb and she still hadn’t caught up with Jago. Still she kept running, through the pitch black and the rain. She had to slow down for fear of accidentally coming off the path and getting lost. She ran as far as the perimeter wall and stopped to catch her breath. She could barely see a thing in the darkness and the rain was coming down with such force that she had to concede that she had lost him. Suddenly a flash of lightning illuminated the sky and she saw him. Barely thirty yards from where she was stood. He was climbing the perimeter wall.

  The electric fence had no effect on him as he quickly jumped down the other side into the public woods. How was that possible? He was immune to electric? As Anais thought about it she realised that was not possible. The only other solution was that the fence had been deactivated. With some trepidation she decided the only course of action was to test her theory. She prayed she was right as she climbed the wall. If she was wrong, the consequences would be disastrous. Would she just be thrown back by the force of the electricity or totally fried? She closed her eyes and jumped off the other side. She had been right. The electricity had been turned off.

  She ran in the direction Jago had taken. Unlike the last time she had been in the woods when she and Aethelu had walked down hill, Jago had turned left and ran upwards. She followed as quickly as she could through the rain. It was not long before they both got to the path that ran alongside the tramway. Jago had also slowed allowing Anais to catch up. He had obviously thought that he had managed to escape and now stopped. He looked around to see if he was still being followed. Anais tried to hide behind a nearby tree but the sky was once more illuminated by lightning exposing her. He turned and took off once more up the hill. Now that he was on a concrete path and didn’t have to worry about running into a tree, he was free to run as fast as he liked. As someone with The Light running through his veins, that meant he could run very fast indeed. Anais followed as fast as she could, but with an injured leg, she couldn’t hope to keep up. Still, she had to try. Guessing that he would keep to the path she ran alongside the tram track and followed him up hill. It wasn’t long before he disappeared into the blackness but she kept on.

  She could barely see a thing as there were no streetlights but she kept the concrete under her feet and carried on. Looking up she could see a spot of light in the distance. The little station at the top of the tram was in darkness but a streetlight showed her the end of the path. She had nearly reached the top when she tripped over something sending her crashing down and hitting the concrete head first. Blood began to pour from her nose mixing with the rain which was lashing her face. It was even heavier here at the edge of the woods as there were no trees to protect her from it. She wiped the blood with her sleeve and looked to see what she had tripped over. Through the darkness she could barely make out what it was so she pulled herself closer. When she realised what it was she stared in shock. It was Mike, the tram operator. His head was twisted at an unnatural angle and he was obviously dead, his unseeing eyes staring into the blackness. Jago must have run into him and broken his neck as he passed. Anais felt sick. The pain in her leg was getting worse and was now added to by the pain in her nose which was almost certainly broken. She stood herself up but immediately felt dizzy with pain. The spinning in her head became too much and she threw up on the edge of the path. Wiping her mouth she took a few deep breaths. It helped to clear her head and the coldness of the rain helped her regain her focus. Taking one last look at Mike, she once again started running, this time out of the woods and up the road she now found herself on. The road was well lit and she could see Jago ahead in the distance. The act of Killing Mike had slowed him down and once again Anais had caught up some of the distance between them.

  She started to run towards him up the road. Large houses with huge gardens stood at each side of the road but she barely noticed as she continued her pursuit.

  She passed a pub on the left and found herself on the edge of moorland. The houses had stopped and the road ran off into the distant blackness. The streetlights had also stopped and it was difficult to see where she was going. She could just make out Jago in the distance. He had stopped running and seemed to be waiting for her. She momentarily slowed, disconcerted by this change, but then remembered Aethelu, injured in the studio, Mike, dead on the path. She ran the distance between them and lunged at him. His Light-filled senses were much too quick for her and he sidestepped quickly, tripping Anais as he did. Anais found herself falling once again. This time the mud softened her fall. She turned to see Jago with his hand outstretched, offering to help her out of the mud. She ignored it but he bent down and pulled her up by her arm. His grip on her was tight and hurt her arm.

  “You really are a beautiful woman Anais and so full of life. You remind me so much of your mother.”

  His voice, although distorted by the voice changer, was full of malice.

  “Stay out of it.”

  With that he dropped her back to the floor and slammed his foot down onto her uninjured leg. It gave a loud snapping sound causing her to cry out in agony.

  She saw him disappear into the blackness of the moors before her whole world went black.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  Memories swirled into dreams. Anais could not tell what was real and what was not. She was dancing with Aethelu who kept standing on her feet. She shouted at her and Aethelu laughed. “What feet?” When she looked down she had no legs and Aethelu kept on laughing. She looked up into Aethelu’s face and it was melting, dripping all over her until there was nothing left but the sound of her laughing which filled her ears.

  Anais woke up and sat bolt upright in a panic. Her breathing was coming think and fast and sweat was pouring off her. She was hyperventilating but she couldn’t remember why. Something bad had happened but what? Then it all flooded back to her. She took a slow breath to calm down and took in her surroundings. She guessed she was in the surgery as it looked like the bed she had slept in the night before, but now it was surrounded by a curtain like the ones found on hospital wards. It was light, telling her it was day time.

  Her right leg was expertly bandaged and her left was in a thigh length cast which left her unable to get out of bed. At least this time she was not on a drip of any sort.

  She could hear someone moving about at the other side of the curtain so she called out. Seconds later Rafe opened the curtain. It was not a face she was expecting to see and she was caught off guard.

  “Good morning.” He brought a cloth to her head which cooled her forehead.

  “Aethelu?”

  “You forget, my dear, the lesson I taught you the first time we met.”

  She thought back to when he slashed his throat in front of her and coated her in blood. Was he saying Aethelu managed to survive her major blood loss and injuries?

  “She is ok?”

  “Why don’t you see for yourself?” He pulled the curtain back and there in a twin bed was Aethelu, asleep but looking a lot healthier tha
n she should in the situation.

  “Her injuries were severe but once we removed the arrows she began to regenerate. She’ll be as good as new in a few days. She’s on some pretty heavy painkillers though so she’ll probably sleep through most of it.”

  “She’s going to be fine!” Anais said softly to herself before tears sprang to her eyes.

  “Yep. It takes a lot to knock us down completely. Unfortunately for you, you only have half The Light blood so it’s uncertain how long it will take your leg to get better. Probably a lot quicker than a normal human though. Your left leg has already begun to heal quickly. Aldric had to reposition your right one and put a metal rod in to secure it. On a normal human it would take a few months to recuperate completely but Aldric thinks it will take about a month with you. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

  “How did you find me?”

  “August woke us all up and let us know that you had gone running off into the woods after Jago. Alex and I tried to follow you. I’m afraid we expected you to be in the grounds somewhere so we wasted quite a lot of time searching in the wrong place. Eventually Andrew noticed that the electric fence had been disabled so we continued our search out of the grounds. I found you just in time. Your broken bones weren’t your biggest enemy, hypothermia had begun to set in. If we hadn’t found you when we did, you would have probably died from exposure. I think you have The Light to thank for your survival.”

  Anais thought back to her journey through the woods. An image of her tripping came back to her.

  “Mike!”

  “We found him. He was already dead. There was nothing we could do.”