The Guardian (The Guardian Book 1)

by Paula Stephanie Grogan

  Steve picked Richard up and this time he flew down the hall into the back wall through his room to the rear wall. Miraculously, Richard was able to get up. Still dazed and confused, Richard ran towards Steve who was walking towards his door, and right before impact Steve moved and so did Richard. Richard rammed Steve’s head straight into the wall, which caused his head to go straight through the sheet rock and made it bleed red. Richard backed off, thinking of ways to knock his opponent out, when he heard a cracking sound, Steve had removed himself from the wall, and the wounds on his head were healing before Richard’s eyes. Richard began to shake in shock his eyes all bugged out. Steve now annoyed turned and picked up the lamp and hit Richard on the head rendering him unconscious. The last thought going through his mind before he fell, awe shit, that was the good lamp.

  Steve herd Richards pulse, he nudged him gently with his foot, he was out cold. Steve left him lying there and went out to the outside utility box to cut the cord leading into the house. He would wait for Coura in her room, and when she came home that evening, he would have her.

  By the time they arrived at her house it was ten till two, and all the lights were off. Richards’s car was in the driveway. Knowing he got home safe was a relief. She grabbed the key from the small pocket of her jeans and reached for the door but as her hand was about to grab, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Steve heard the car pull up and with it the strange smell again. He got up and looked to the window. “This should be fun; she’s got another guy with her, I’ll kill the bastard,” he thought jealousy.

  Her mouth frowned and she turned to see Skye exiting his truck gun in hand. Skye knew that something was wrong. He had an excellent sent and knew that someone was in the house once Coura was at the door “What’s going on Coura?” Skye said. “I don’t know,” she said, “the doors unlocked and opened that’s not like Richard.” As she stepped inside a gut feeling told her that there was something wrong. She tried to flip the switch by the door repeatedly, but it would not turn on. “The electricity is out, but the streetlamp is on that's weird.”

  “Get behind me,” Skye said. “Go out to the car and grab my phone you need to call Sheriff Nickels over immediately. I’m going to walk through the house and make sure it’s safe.”

  “The hell you are! My dad is the only family that I have left! She tore through the living room going straight into the kitchen, calling “DAD!!! Dad!!! Where are you?” There was no answer. The note was still on the refrigerator. “That’s weird, “she said. “What?” asked Skye. The note is there, and dad’s food is in the microwave and it’s beeping...” she said, “but it’s…” she opened the microwave door it's “cold.”

  “There is something wrong; I can feel it, DAAD!!” Coura yelled. Skye put his hand over her mouth, “if there really is someone here, you don’t want them to know where you are. I think you need to call Sheriff Nickels.

  Skye had gone into Coura’s room, the stench of something horrid lingered there. He followed the trail to the back door and stepped outside onto the deck. Steve came out of nowhere blind-siding Skye reacted by doing a front flip and his shirt tore. He turned around to see who attacked him but whoever it was, had left already, leaving a horrible sent trail following him. Skye followed the scent into the woods, but it stopped at the creek behind the house. Skye had turned back, hoping that Coura was still safe and the culprit; whoever he was didn’t double back and get back to her before him.

  Coura had went in search for Richard but he was nowhere to be seen. She looked in the bathroom and then his room. He was there on the floor. There was a puddle of blood on the floor. “Oh God No!!!!!” She said “Skye!!! CALL 911!!!! My dad’s HURT!!” She couldn’t hear or see Skye. She turned her attention to her dad. “Dad no, dad no please don’t be dead, she checked for his pulse. It was there but it was faint. Oh God please let him live Lord, I will do anything. Please just let him live he’s all I got, prayed Coura inwardly. SSSSSS-KKKKKKK-YYYYYYYY-EEEEE!!!!? She screamed, yelling each letter, like it was her last hope. She listened but didn’t hear anyone coming up the stairs. Giving up, she reached in her pocket and took out her phone dialed 911 and held pressure to Richards head where it was bleeding.

  “911 this is Roxy, is this an Emergency?” “YES!!!! My dad he has been attacked we need an ambulance now!!!! He is bleeding badly, and he is unconscious…” “OK mam please calm down. I need to get some information from you about your location?” “Ah crap!!! I don’t know I just moved here to live with my dad; Mam is this Bo’s daughter. YES!! Ok mam, I know where you are, we got an ambulance and officers in route. Please stay on the phone until you see an officer ok?” “Yes, dear God she said in between heart wrenching sobs. Why not me God? Why not me?”

  “Ooohgghhh,” came a garbled sound deep from within Richard’s throat. “He’s gaining consciousness!!” Coura screamed into the phone. “Ok mam; please tell him not move he may have a concussion. Please try to keep him still.”

  “Dad! Daddy, don’t move, please.” “Coura, is that you baby? He managed to say sounding more like Co---ra-----dat---you---babeeee. “Daddy,” she cried. “You’re going to be fine, she said. You’ll see just fine.” The sound of the dispatcher sounded through the phone. “MAM are you there? The ambulance is pulling in.” “I hear them! Coura shouted. In here!!!”

  Skye Followed up the stair’s shirt torn into ragged strips, “what happened?” He exclaimed. “What do you mean what happened, where did you go? I needed you she cried! Mam you are going to have to let go of him so that we can get him on the stretcher and secured. Yes, I’m so sorry she rose from the floor and backed out of the way still holding the bloody blanket she used to stop the bleeding from her Dad's head.

  “I heard someone running out the back,” he said “I chased them to the back of the property, but they were gone before I could get a good shot. I’m so sorry Coura. If I would have known I wouldn’t have followed him.” “Come here,” he wrapped his long muscular bear arms around her. It’s going to be ok; it’s going to be okay; I promise. I will find who did this and I will kill him.” She looked up into his eyes and hugged him again. “Thank you for being here for me.”

  “No problem Coura,” Skye said. The police cars lined the street and they were carrying her dad down the stairs on the stretcher. She grabbed her dad’s hand. I’m going to be there dad, Skye’s going to drive me down to the hospital I will be right behind you ok? She looked at her dad, but he was unconscious again.

  Sheriff nickels walked in and his assistant Rodriguez started taking pictures. He walked around the house talking in hushed tones barking orders. When he was done, he took a statement from Coura and Skye. Then told them that they could follow Richard on to the Hospital, but they would have to come into the station tomorrow and make a formal report. He also told them that Coura could not return to the house until it was processed being that it was a crime scene.

  “Do you have anywhere to go young lady, after the hospital?” He asked. “Yes, she does” Skye replied, the officer nodded, and Skye guided Coura to the door. “Let’s go Coura;” I’m sure they already got your dad on the way to hospital.

  Demetrious watched from the sidelines, waiting to report to his sire, that everything had gone according to plan. But unfortunately, it did not. The girl, Coura was still alive, and Steve had fled the house followed by the wolf.

  Demetrious left and now he was outside of the house of his Sire, he came in quietly head down, hoping that his sire would have mercy on him. Demetrious heard a steely voice from behind him, “it is a pleasure to see you home so early, and I assume that your assignment has been fulfilled?” Demetrious looked up at the elder Vampire Marcus, who was standing in front of him with a black on black suite, surrounded by other vampire guards. “I have freed, and trained, Steve Matheson to kill her just like you asked of me, master. I have given him the opportunity to kill her twice, once in an apparition, and another this evening both times he has failed.”

  “I have c
ome here for further instructions sire,” said Demetrious. Marcus, listened to what his fledgling was telling him and frustration, turned into rage. He needed that girl dead, if she lived the prophecy had the opportunity to come true, and he couldn’t have that. He asked Demetrious to come closer to him, Marcus kissed Demetrious tenderly on the lips then he hugged him tightly. “It will be all right son, even though you have failed me.” Demetrious’s eyes got huge expecting his own demise. Marcus’s fangs extended and sucked him dry. When he was finished, he had one of his guards from behind him clean up the mess.

  “We are going to send reinforcements, immediately, Sirius you to oversee this situation now. I want you to assemble my forces and assist Mr. Matheson in his quest of Coura Du Boise. WE CAN NOT LET HER LIVE!” That is your orders, do not disappoint me. Marcuse’s eyes flashed red with strong emotion. In a flash Sirius was gone, he assembled the men he meant to take with him on the hunt and they left in search of Steve Matheson.

  Steve was already at the tree line of the next property getting ready to come back to the house for his prize when he saw the ambulance lights. Behind Steve, Sirius and the others appeared. Steve turned around ready to fight. Steve hissed in a territorial way warning the vampires not to come any closer. Sirius just stood their legs crossed leaning on the tree with a piece of grass in his mouth. “Oh, you’re so terrifying, is that why you can’t even kill a simple human girl. The growl in Steve’s chest got deeper and he pounced at the unknown vampire. Before Steve could reach the vampire, two others grabbed his arms in mid-flight.

  “Woe their tiger, we have been sent to help you. Demetrious sent us to you; he said that you were going to need help, since you were having such a hard time.” Steve quit fighting in the men’s arms, and relaxed, “ok so how are you going to help me?” “We are going to help you get to her father, and through him we can get to her.”

  Chapter 9

  Keric watched from the side lines for the majority of Coura’s life, but tonight actually scared him, he saw that the seals had been opened and the Vampire’s evil plans began to peek. The man who twice attacked Coura last year, was the same Vampire who attacked her father this evening. He saw that the ancients had sent in reinforcements. So not only did Matherson have the strength of a Vampire in him but the strength of numbers also.

  Keric tried to track him, but lost interest when Skye chased him. He stayed by the house and watched over Coura. Until he saw and heard what the vampires where planning. In order to protect her, he turned to the wind and went in search of Nora. Keric flashed in front of Nora’s home calling the elements to him just as he was about to send them to find her and let her know that he was there. But just then, he could feel a psychic tingle in his mind. He allowed her to see that Keric was not a threat but no more than that. Then the tingle receded, and she came out of her house opening her rusty screen porch and walked over to her Honda civic. Keric was standing in the woods across the driveway from her house.

  “I sense you their Guardian, what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” said Nora. He felt a tingle again and let her know his name. “I am here because of Coura. As you know, she is a very special girl. I have been given orders to protect her. Her father was attacked this evening and I need you to get her out of town and keep her safe. I know that you must go to the Hospital, but first call your brother and get the pack involved; she is going to need a lot of protection.” “Why does Coura need guardian protection, Keric?” asked Nora. “She is the chosen one,” he responded. Nora nodded knowing that in her heart she believed it to be true too. I understand Keric; I will do anything for Coura.

  “What kind of trouble are we going to be running from exactly?” She asked. “That’s a fair question,” responded Keric. “There is a group of fledgling Vampires hunting for her, led by a man named Steven Matherson. There are a lot of reasons for this Nora. She was involved with him, but he’s been changed and twisted into one of the children of the night. There are a lot of enemies out there including some of your kind, who do not wish to protect The Prophecy. There are things no one can know yet, things I can’t begin to ask you to accept; I just need you to trust me and in doing so protect her.” Nora rubbed her arms chilled with goose bumps from the night's wind. “Yes, I will protect her, and I know our pack will pledge their lives to protect her, we have known and loved her and her family for years.” “Just please watch over her, I care about her deeply Nora.” He turned and was gone.

  Nora sent a silent prayer up to the Goddess and went back inside the house to call her brother, getting dressed while she was on the phone. The phone rang several times before he picked up. She told him about the Guardian, and what he had said, and what happened to Richard. Roy promised to notify the pack and then hung up quickly.

  Nora lit a white candle by the back door and prayed again for protection and guidance before she left. She blew it out when she was finished. She stood up and walked to the front door and grabbed her keys off the table with one hand and slipping a shoe on with the other. Then she left, to meet Coura and Skye at the hospital.

  Meanwhile, Coura was walked out of her house with Skye on auto pilot. She didn’t remember getting into the car or the long drive to the hospital. The next thing that she did remember was being told that her dad had a concussion from being hit on the head with a blunt object, and that he had still not regained consciousness. “You can go in and see him for a few minutes but then you’re going to have to come back in the morning,” a hefty looking charge nurse said to Coura, in a most sympathetic voice. “You know he took quite a beating tonight it’s going to take some time to heal. We have your number in his file, I will make sure someone calls if his status changes.” A young male doctor entered the room and told her pretty much the same thing the nurse had said.

  Coura looked warily at the young doctor, eyes blurring she tried to concentrate enough to read his name plate. Seeing her struggle, he reached out his hand and introduced himself. “I’m sorry,” he said, “My Name is Dr. Conley. I’m the Night Doctor. I will be watching over you dad this evening, Bertha the nurse that you just met, is my P.A. She will make sure he is comfortable until he wakes up.”

  Not able to say anything Coura nodded, curls falling loosely around her face. She walked into the small ICU room. “Dad,” she whispered. Seeing him lying in the hospital bed made her remember the last time she was in a hospital room, the night she lost her mother. There were tubes coming out of his chest and monitor’s everywhere. His skin was swollen and purplish; his hands bloodied and cut in odd places, his eyes blackened and had nine stitches puffy and raw on the front of his forehead... “Oh dad, I’m so sorry. I should have been home. Oh dad…” Coura put her hands in his hand. “I love you so much. Please come back to me I need you dad.” His hand twitched beneath hers which made her heart flop, “Dad!” she cried. She pushed the red call button on his bed. A voice announced, “I’m on my way.”

  The night nurse walked in, before the nurse could ask what happened Coura exclaimed: “his hand moved does that mean that he is waking up?” The nurse looked at Richard, and turned to Coura, “he might be darling,” she said, “but usually it’s just a reflexive nerve.” Coura looked up with tear-soaked eyes, she was still clinging onto the hope that he was waking up, and the sureness in the nurses’ face made an elevator of sadness and worry plummet inside of her. She held Richards hand crying softly. After a few minutes had past and the nurse was done adjusting Richards monitors and adding another bag to the IV the nurse told Coura that it was time for her to go. Coura wanted to lash out at her and refuse to leave but just then she heard Skye’s comforting voice from the hall and stood, kissed her dad and walked out to find Skye.

  Skye was waiting outside the door to the hospital room, shirt back on. Coura came out of the room, eyes red and swollen from crying. “Are you ok?” he said. “I don’t know yet,” she responded. He hugged her and she leaned into him. Her hair was everywhere a bright brown tangled mass. Her clothes smelled of fire, and
a deep look of exhaustion shone on her face.

  She peeked her head out from their tight embrace her head only coming to the middle of his chest. She blinked and a tear went gently down her cheek. He put his hand to it, wiping it away with his thumb. “Oh, Coura come here, he gathered her up closer in a big hug. Rubbing her shoulder with one hand trying to be strong for her, he gently kissed her on the head. “My dad’s here,” he whispered in her ear. She looked around seeing over her shoulder to the waiting room where he was talking to the sheriff.

  Roy was in deep discussion with the sheriff. They walked over to him. “Hey there kiddo,” Roy said to Coura, it’s going to be alright now, he’s safe here. I have decided with the sheriff for a guard to be posted and for you to stay with my sister Nora. She lives on the Rez just two houses down from me, I thought it might better suit you to have a woman nearby.

  “I don’t want to be alone right now, is there any way that Skye could stay with me?” Coura asked Roy. Skye’s hand was rubbing the back of her shoulder and paused for a second, then continued. “Yes, I think that will be fine, in fact that’s a great idea in case something happens. Roy looked at his son, and their eyes met. “I promise, I will protect them dad, although I don’t think anyone would be dumb enough to mess with Auntie especially on our land.”