by Ruby Forrest
Mary-Ann knew that Alister had a wild side, had a power inside of him, strength and danger. She had tasted it when they made love and it had thrilled her, because for all the power, he hadn’t hurt her. He had used that power to keep her safe and make her feel good.
This man was terrifying because she knew that he just didn’t have that sort of conscious, that sort of feeling inside of him.
She found herself longing for Alister, but that wasn’t on the cards. She didn’t know if she would ever see him again, didn’t know if she would ever get out of this. She was in for one hell of a ride and she was in no mood for it. But all she could really do was hold on and pray, hope that it all worked out.
Because right now, her situation looked pretty bleak.
Chapter 10
They had been travelling for what felt like hours, well into the outskirts of the city, when the man finally stopped the car. He got out without saying a word and made his way to the boot. Mary-Ann felt her heart skip a beat. This was it. She was done for.
At the same time, a voice in the back of her head persisted- this was her chance to escape. This was her chance to run. She didn’t know where she could go, where she could run to, but she knew that she had to try. She shifted, trying to work out how to get out of the car. She couldn’t see an exit anyway. She braced herself, preparing to smash the window, when the boot was slammed shut.
The man was at her door in an instant, opening it up for her. He was also, unfortunately, blocking her path. She shuddered, feeling sick to her stomach. Her moment had already passed, so quickly. He smirked and handed her a bag, “Eat. You’ll need it.” Then the door was slammed shut and he slid into the driver’s seat.
Mary-Ann felt the despaired wash over her, the dread and the horrible feeling that she would never get out. She didn’t have much time to think about her situation. She didn’t have time to do much at all.
One moment the man beside her was starting the car and the next glass was shattering everywhere as the driver seat window was smashed into a million pieces. Mary-Ann screamed, shrinking back to avoid the spray of glass. Thankfully, she was unharmed, but her eyes widened at the sight before her, feeling her mind be torn by the facts of what she was seeing in front of her.
There was a wolf biting her attacker, his fangs sinking into his arm with a ferocity that made Mary-Ann scream. There was a wolf in the car. This day had been insane enough, and last night had been just as crazy. And now, if that wasn’t enough, she was watching her attacker get savaged and attacked by a wolf. And, for all she knew, she was next!
“Get off!” Her attacker snarled. Mary-Ann dimly realized that most people would be freaked out by having a wolf bite their arm. They would scream and panic, and the pain would most certainly make them less than sane. But this man seemed angry, like this was just a major inconvenience. Like some guy had punched his window out instead of a wolf leaping through the glass. There was rage brimming in his eyes, burning and threatening severe violence.
“Fine! You wanna go, we’ll go.” He growled. With one strong fist, he punched the wolf hard, his hand connecting with the softer tissue of the wolf’s shoulder. The wolf yelped and let go, landing on his feet outside of the car. Her attacker slammed the door open and leap out.
He was insane. Why wasn’t he driving? Why wasn’t he getting the hell out of here, instead of staying where he was? Mary-Ann felt like she was living in a crazy world, a world where nothing was right, nothing was sane and nothing was how it should be.
She just wanted to be back in a world that made sense, a world where wolves were not attacking her and trying to maul her, where men were not stalking her, holding up a bus and trying to take her hostage! She was sick of it!
The fight in front of her was brutal and Mary-Ann couldn’t believe what she was seeing. One moment she was watching a man fight off a wolf, the next moment, she was watching two wolves fight each other. Mary-Ann realized, with a sickening jolt, that the only explanation was…her attacker had just turned into a wolf.
Mary-Ann felt sick, felt faint, the insanity of the situation just too much to take in. A wolf. What the heck was happening?
The fight was only getting more brutal, snarling and yelping coming from the two as they tore into each other’s skin and fur, both of them going at it hard. Mary-Ann didn’t know who she was rooting for, didn’t know who she wanted to win. She didn’t honestly know what would be better. The man who had forced her to come with him, or the wolf that had broken the window. It was complete madness.
Mary-Ann didn’t have to think about it for long. She didn’t get much of a chance to and she didn’t know if she was terrified or grateful for that fact. An almighty growl emitted from one of the wolves, and a yelp was cut short. Mary-Ann peaked through the window to find one of the wolves lying on the ground. She didn’t know if he was dead or not and she didn’t get much of a chance to look.
The other wolf was running towards the car, his eyes burning in the dim light. She didn’t even have time to slam the door shut, before he had leapt into the car.
“Don’t hurt me!” Mary-Ann gasped, not knowing what else to say. How could she reason with a wolf? How could she fight one? She squeezed her eyes shut.
…and heard the ignition roar to life. What? Her eyes flew open just as the driver’s door was slammed shut, the glass dusted off the seat. She turned and was face to face with a man. A human man, sitting right there in the driver’s seat, where the wolf had been only a few seconds before. He was fiddling with the clutch and the car quickly lurched forward.
“We’ll talk later. Right now, we have to get as far away as possible.”
Mary-Ann felt ice wash over her. She knew that voice. She knew that voice well, and she had never expected to hear it in a place like this. She knew him, the man in the driver’s seat and this would mark the second time that he had rescued her.
She couldn’t believe it. It didn’t make any sense, didn’t make any sense at all. Mary-Ann was miles from the city and she didn’t know where she was, didn’t know what direction she was. There were definitely no cars around here, no way that he could have caught up with her, no way for him to know where she was, know where she would be. There was no way that this was happening. And yet…here he was.
“Alister!” Mary-Ann gasped.
Chapter 11
He was here. He was here in the car, right beside her like nothing had ever happened. Mary-Ann couldn’t believe it, couldn’t believe that this could have happened. Alister was here, slamming the car into go and speeding off into the dark of the night.
He was driving the car, he had saved her life, again. Mary-Ann didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how she could possibly thank him, or begin to ask all of the questions that persisted in her head.
“Alister, what…?” She mumbled a weak attempt at a question. Alister was staring at the road. He didn’t have any lights on, not even the headlights of the car. Mary-Ann had no idea how he knew where he was going, but that seemed to be the least important question.
Everything today had seemed impossible. What was one more thing that she couldn’t explain? Mary-Ann shuddered and leaned back in the seat.
“I’m here to keep you safe.” Alister wasn’t looking at her while he spoke.
“Safe?” Mary-Ann’s voice cracked, “How is this safe?”
“You’re not dead and you’re not injured.” Mary-Ann thought about that. Despite the hysteria rising up inside her, she knew that Alister was right. She was safe, when it came down to it. She could have been shot and killed. She could still be in the hands of her attacker.
She didn’t know what Alister was planning, didn’t know why he was here. She had no real reason to trust him, but this was the second time that he had saved her, and Mary-Ann didn’t know what else to do. She didn’t exactly have anyone else to trust, to believe in. She didn’t know where she was, or what was happening, and Alister had never wronged her before.
“Where are we
going?” She whispered hesitantly.
Alister didn’t answer for a long moment, “I’m not sure. We just need to get as far away from that guy as possible. We’ll stop soon.” He muttered, almost to himself, “You’ll be hungry…”
Mary-Ann suddenly realized that he was right. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast and that seemed an age away now. She was hungry and despite the sick feeling in her stomach, she had a feeling that it would make her feel better.
Mary-Ann opened her mouth to speak, but Alister cut her off, “We’ll talk when we get there. I need to focus…” He murmured. She could hear the underlying stress in his voice and, it struck Mary-Ann that he must have worked exceptionally hard to find her and win that fight.
She couldn’t wrap her head around how he could have done it, couldn’t wrap her head around how he had beaten that guy, and why there had been a wolf, and then him…it was unbelievable, it was impossible. She didn’t even know why he had been saving her and helping her in the first place.
She had so many questions, but she was exhausted and he was too. She’d wait until they got somewhere that meant relative safety and they could talk there. The wind was blowing forcefully in the car, fluttering against the seats and leaving the inside of the car frozen and chilly. Mary-Ann curled up on the chair and stared out into the night.
After what seemed like the longest time, Mary-Ann saw a glimmer of light up ahead. It seemed to be a gas station of sorts. As they neared it, Mary-Ann’s suspicions were confirmed. A gas station. Fantastic. She felt elation move through her.
She was happy to see a gas station, yes, but the station was a symbol of normality, a symbol of life before this madness. Other people, light, food and warmth. Mary-Ann craved these things like she had never craved anything in her life. She was desperate to climb into a booth and drink hot coffee and pretend that this day had never happened. Alister parked the car and walked around to open her side of the car.
Mary-Ann got up shakily, feeling stiff and a little sick after the huge day, “I need to freshen up.” She mumbled and slid away into the restroom, feeling shaky as she headed off to splash her face with water and freshen up a little. She smoothed the tangles and fixed her lipstick, not because she cared what anyone thought, especially not right now, but she was determined not to let this crazy day get her down. She was better than that, better than all of this and she would prove it, not only to the world, but to herself as well. She would be okay and if she wanted things to be normal, she needed to act like it.
She took a deep breath, washed her hands and straightened her clothes. When she felt a little calmer, she made her way into the little diner that was attached to the gas station. Mary-Ann assumed that it was late from the darkness around them, but apparently not so late that everything was closed. She was endlessly grateful for that.
She slid into the booth that Alister was sitting in. He had ordered two cups of coffee and one was sitting at her spot. She sighed in gratitude and picked it up, adding some sugar and creamer and settling into the chair. It felt insanely normal to be sitting here like this in a little diner. If she could ignore the rest of the day, this would almost be pleasant.
The waitress wandered over and Mary-Ann scanned the menu. She decided on a burger and chips, not particularly in the mood to try and impress Alister. She hadn’t had a thing to eat all day and she had a feeling that she would need her strength.
Alister ordered something similar and a glass of coke to go with the coffee. Then he turned his eyes on her, intensity brewing just beneath the surface, “Are you okay, Mary-Ann?” He murmured softly, “You’re not injured, are you?” He was checking her over for anything not immediately obvious.
Mary-Ann shook her head, “No. Maybe a few bruises, nothing else.”
Alister looked relieved and he nodded, frowning deeply, “I should have been there sooner. I’m sorry.”
Mary-Ann shook her head, “No, you shouldn’t have been there at all!” Confusion tumbled through her, “I mean, how did you know how to find me in the first place? How did you know and why didn’t you tell me about this?” Mary-Ann wasn’t angry, exactly, but she was frustrated, exhausted and not in the mood to deal with this madness.
Alister sighed and shook his head, “Alright, you deserve an answer.” He was quiet for a moment and seemed to be contemplating what he was about to say, “I work for your father. Well, rather, I work for a personal security company called the P.S.A and your father hired me to keep you safe.”
He continued before Mary-Ann had time to interrupt, “From what he told me, there are people after you, people who want to hurt you. Your father hired me to keep an eye on you. He didn’t tell you because he was hoping it would all just blow over, and you wouldn’t have to worry.”
He leaned back in the chair, “So, I got a job working at your company, and I’ve been keeping tabs on you, making sure you’re safe. When you were attacked, I stepped in.” He sighed, “And when I asked you to stay home today, that stemmed from my worry about you, both professional and personal.” Their eyes met and they looked at each other for a long, lingering moment.
Mary-Ann wasn’t sure if his words answered her questions or brought up even more confusion. She had so many questions that she didn’t even know where to start, “But…why?” Mary-Ann shook her head, “Why would anyone be after me? Why didn’t you tell me about this?” Mary-Ann swallowed, feeling the panic rise inside her.
“Does this mean they will be back? And why? What do I have that they want?”
Alister sighed and shook his head, “You saw what he was, didn’t you, Mary-Ann?” He fixed her with a hard stare, “You saw what I was?”
Mary-Ann felt a chill move through her. So she hadn’t imagined it, hadn’t imagined the wolves, the way that they had both seemed to change. Mary-Ann nodded hesitantly and Alister softened, “I see. Look, Mary-Ann…the P.S.A hire people like me…people with unusual talents…they feel that we are the most versatile and, in the particular case, it’s a faction of my own kind who are after you.”
“But why?” Mary-Ann swallowed hard on the panic that pulled at her chest, “What do I have that they want?”
Alister shook his head, “I don’t know. It’s an artifact of sorts. Something that they want to gain power.”
He sneered, “Most of us are not like that. Most of us don’t want power, especially not at the expense of others.” Alister looked at Mary-Ann with serious eyes, “But regardless, they are after you… and it is my job to protect you and keep you safe.”
Mary-Ann nodded slowly, trying to take it all in, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Alister laughed, and shook his head, something like humor in his eyes, “What, you’re saying you would have believed this story?” He shook his head, “This sounds insane, Mary-Ann. How could I have expected you to believe me, and go along with my plan?”
Mary-Ann considered his words. She had to admit that, if she didn’t see it happen right in front of her eyes, she probably wouldn’t be able to accept his story. In fact, even having seen it, it was still very hard to wrap her head around it as truth, to believe what he was telling me. Wolves, artifacts, and people chasing her…it was insane.
She nodded slowly, “I suppose so. So…what are we doing next?”
Alister sighed and leaned back in the chair, “I was hired to protect you, just to watch out for you, but I don’t think that will be enough.” He fixed her with a look, “My job is to guard you, but personally…” He trailed off, “Personally, I think we need to return the artifact. That way, it’s out of our hands. They won’t peruse you any longer and they will be out of options to gain power.”
Mary-Ann shivered, feeling the cold wrap around her, even though they were in the middle of a warm and comfortable diner, “What would that mean?”
“Well, we’d have to keep driving out east, until we reached our destination. We’d have to figure out what the artifact was while we were driving…once we got
there, we’d simply put it in place. Ancient magic would take care of the rest. He glanced outside, “We don’t have many days to get there, though. Doing it under the light of the full moon is best, obviously.” He smirked, and the sight sent shivers down her spine.
He was more relaxed, somehow. He was tense and tired from the big day he’d had, but there was something different about him. He just seemed more relaxed, more comfortable in his own skin, she supposed. He was wearing a dark t-shirt, jeans and a heavy looking leather jacket. It was different from the clothes he wore at the office, but Mary-Ann had a feeling that it was more than that.
If he really was what he claimed to be, Mary-Ann didn’t doubt that it would have been hard work keeping that in check at all times, keeping of the façade and making sure that no one knew the truth.
Now that Mary-Ann knew the truth, he probably felt more comfortable. Mary-Ann thought about the barely retrained power and danger that she had sensed on him from the very first day and she shivered. No wonder she had felt it rolling off him in waves. He had power, alright. He had a lot of it and he had a lot of strength to go with it.
And yet….Mary-Ann’s mind kept leaping back to the night that they had made love, the gentility of his touch, the way he had used all of that power for good, for pleasure, instead of harming her. If he’d wanted to kill her, he could have done it already, many times over. If he had wanted to hurt her, he could have done that too. But Alister hadn’t done any of those things, hadn’t so much as laid a finger on her in a way that could cause he pain.
Instead, he had always been there to keep her safe, keep her secure. She knew that it was his job, but she sensed something else, sensed something lurking beneath the surface. He was helping her in ways that went above and beyond his job description. He had all but admitted that to her when he was talking. He didn’t want a temporary fix. He wanted her to be safe and to feel safe even if he wasn’t around.
