Unknown Protector

by Maggie Mundy

  Peter stopped convulsing and wasn’t retching anymore but he was hardly breathing. She bent down close to his head and could feel a slight breath against her cheek.

  “Don’t you dare let go. I’m fighting bloody aliens and God knows what else, only I don’t believe in God anymore. I need someone I know I can believe in. I need you by my side.” She had no clue if he could hear anything but she had to try. Kaylie plucked a crystal from her pocket and waved it above Peter.

  “Kaylie, we need more than that right now.”

  Kaylie glared at her. “Nicole, you’re doing some weird shit I don’t understand, so just accept mine.”

  Nicole couldn’t argue with that. Frieda opened one of the kitchen drawers and handed her a large carving knife. Nicole hoped she had the guts to use the damn thing. It had gone too quiet. Her heart sank at the thought Sayell could have won. She would use the knife on herself rather than go with him.

  She peered above the counter and waited for something to collide with her head. Luckily it didn’t. She wasn’t too happy with what she could see though. Sayell had Ridge pinned down with a knife against his chest.

  “Stop.” Sayell turned towards her with a grin on his face.

  “Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings Ridge, but it seems Nicole and I, will be the happy couple after all. I had first dibs until you started spouting all that ‘I claim a mate’ confusion. I have to say I prefer virgins, but this is important or so I’ve been told, so I’ll tolerate copulating with her. I can feel myself getting hard at the thought of it.”

  Sayell chuckled and Nicole guessed his face might be mended but his vocal cords still had a way to go.

  “You touch her, and I’ll find a way to end your existence, even if it means the end of my own,” Ridge hissed the statement out between clenched teeth.

  These were grand word as far as Nicole was concerned, but they weren’t going to stop him from getting a knife through his chest. She still felt weak from the last healing experience and didn’t know if she could do it again.

  “What’s this? Are you falling for one of these specimens? They’re nothing and it’s how they should remain. To be honest they’re fortunate our race chose them to be our hosts. It’s an honor I feel they’ve never fully appreciated. That’s all going to change and our kind should look forward to it. You could have shared in the glory, Ridge, but you’ve chosen to die instead.”

  “Be damned if I chose either of them,” Ridge replied.

  “My associates will be here soon to take your injured body over to Pergor. They have my instructions to say you were content and wished to cease your existence. While you draw your last breath you can imagine me inside her. She will scream with pleasure as I plant my seed.”

  That was it, Nicole wasn’t going to stand there and watch this revolting being kill both Ridge and Peter. Ridge’s face had turned almost crimson with anger. Nicole charged at Sayell and managed to slash his arm. She smiled as blood stained his immaculate gray jacket. She smiled too soon though. As she attempted to slash his neck he brought his arm and up and pushed hard against her chest. The knife fell from her hand as she was propelled across the room to hit the wall.

  Her chest hurt. The pain so intense she couldn’t get her lungs to obey and take in a breath. She managed a small gasp but everything became fuzzy. She could see Sayell raising his knife in preparation for impaling it into Ridge’s heart. She had to stop this? But how. She tried to imagine blowing up Sayell, but nothing happened.

  Then Sara was there. Nicole didn’t remember her entering the room. She smiled when she saw the blade Sara placed against Sayell’s throat. It was the same knife she had dropped on the floor.

  “We both know you won’t die, but I can cause you some considerable pain if I dig deep enough. It’s really tempting I might add. Oh and if you’re wondering how I got here with you keeping us so busy. You should know something. You’re Midworlder boys and girls squeal. They squeal like little pigs about to die,” Sara said.

  Sara pushed the end of the blade in and Nicole watched as a trickle of blood ran down Sayell’s neck. Carrick and Jake entered the room and Sayell dropped his knife and put his hands up. Sara dragged him away. Ridge stood, and Nicole thought he would attack Sayell but he didn’t. He ignored the Demonic Midworlder and left him to Sara. He came to her. His hand touched her cheek and she would have pressed into it yet again if she had the energy, but she didn’t. He placed his strong arms beneath her and picked her up. She didn’t fight it and cradled against his chest. As he walked her to the couch and laid her down he whispered in her ear.

  “I promise. I’ll never lose you.”

  Even in her exhausted state the touch of his unshaven face against hers made her shiver. This was a dangerous situation and they were both getting too involved. It was the first rule of detective and police work. Don’t get involved with the client. Nicole wasn’t sure how she had become a client but there you go.

  Ridge strode away giving her a smile that would have him as the next hottest thing in Hollywood. At this point she didn’t have the energy to think about what he would do to Sayell. She just hoped it would hurt a lot. She relaxed back in the seat as Kaylie came over and sat beside her.

  “Where is Peter? Is he alright?” she asked as she took her friends hand.

  “He seems to be snoring like one of the tugs on the bay with the fog. If he ever gets married she’d better be deaf. He seems fine and hasn’t had any more seizures. He’s on his side and I put a pillow under his head. When the guys get back I’ll get them to put him to bed. Did you want to check him over?”

  Nicole smiled at the thought Kaylie saw her as some miracle healer.

  “I couldn’t cure a cat with a cold. I’ll take your word for it. I’m sorry I doubted you.” Nicole squeezed her hand.

  “I take no offence. I have clients with cancer and they still have all the medical treatment, but don’t want to hedge their bets. I’d probably do the same. Going to the Vatican to get blessed would be a no-no for me though. I’d most likely get struck by lightning when I marched in.”

  They both laughed at the idea.

  “I think that would happen to both of us, what with the fact I don’t have a guardian angel an’ all, as Ridge would say.” Nicole tried to sit up but the pain in her chest made her flop back against the couch. She had been winded before during bouts of karate but had gotten over it quick enough. This felt different.

  “Are you alright? You’ve gone as white as a sheet,” Kaylie asked.

  Nicole yanked up her T-shirt and peered at her chest. Pulling her bra aside she could see a purple bruise forming above her heart but it wasn’t a normal bruise. It had black veins like tiny tentacles stretching out across her pale skin. She didn’t need to be a super healer to know this was bad. As Ridge and the others re-entered the room she tugged her T-shirt down. She gave Kaylie a stare that meant she would give her a slow and painful death if she said anything.

  Ridge strode across. He sat next to her and drew her close and she enjoyed every non-human touch of his body against hers. He put a finger under her chin and turned her face towards him.

  “He’s gone. Not dead unfortunately, but he won’t be coming back here again.” He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose and her lips.

  Now when she probably had some weird death bomb on board and would blow them all up he was going to get romantic.

  “Before I throw up gawking at you two all lovey-dovey. I should let you know something; Kaylie says Sayell’s done something to her. Sorry, but safety comes first.” Sara shrugged as Kaylie thumped her.

  Nicole didn’t want to be there for the argument when those two were alone again. Come to think of it she didn’t want to be here either showing her breasts to everyone.

  “Can we stop thinking about ourselves, and take Peter to his room. He
didn’t ask for any of this and he could have died.” Nicole tried to cover the fact she was breathless as she spoke.

  As the others left the room carrying Peter there was one gaze she couldn’t avoid, but she tried. Ridge moved so he could sit on the couch facing her. She might as well get it over and done with. She lifted her T-shirt and watched his expression. Ben trained her to understand body language. Most people don’t tell you the truth, they tell you enough to think you can finish the job without too much embarrassment to them. It worked with humans but with Ridge he hid his thoughts too well.

  He inspected the bruise but didn’t touch or ask if it hurt. His eyes gave away nothing. “I need a drink. One for a change, but I do need it, and so do you.”

  Ridge leant forward and kissed her lips. She kept her eyes open and so did he. “It had better be good stuff. Life is too short for anything else, or so I’ve been told,” she said.

  Ridge came back with a glass and handed it to her and sat, but didn’t touch her.

  “I used to think a similar thing. I drank so much bad stuff for a long time to get the effect, then I realized if you’re here for a long time you should have what you want.”

  Nicole sipped the drink and wondered if she was actually meant to be reassured by his comment. “What are you going to do?”

  “We’re gonna get rid of that. Now finish your drink.”

  Nicole watched as Kaylie and the others came back into the room. Ridge whispered to Sara and she left.

  It would be good to have five minutes when something mad wasn’t happening but she wasn’t going to get that. She gulped the scotch down and felt the burn as it hit the back of her throat. Ridge sat next to her and took her hand in his. She gasped as pain hit her in the chest again.

  “I know you like to be in control. Don’t give me that look, Nicole. It’s true. I need to get into your mind and take you somewhere while Sara gets rid of that.”

  “It’s not just a bruise is it?” She gripped his hand.

  “No, but it explains why Sayell thought we’d be willin’ to compromise. Hopefully you won’t feel anythin’ and you know how I can make things feel real with my mind.”

  Nicole blushed at the memory.

  “Did you trust me when I said I won’t lose you?”

  Nicole nodded. Ridge picked her up and took her over and placed her on the dining table. Kaylie put a cushion under her head.

  “This feels like I’m on an operating table.”

  Ridge bent over her from behind and placed his hands on either side of her head

  “Close your eyes and let me in.” He bent down so his forehead touched hers. Nicole closed her eyes and was in another world.

  Chapter 15

  Mind World

  Her toes wriggled in the grass as she opened her arms wide and the cool breeze flowed over her. She stood in the depths of a valley with mountains rising all around her. The grandeur took her breath away. Before leaving Australia she wanted to travel to New Zealand, but never managed it because life had gotten in the way. She imagined New Zealand appeared a lot like this, except for the purple grass.

  As beautiful as it was, she didn’t find it comforting to know Ridge thought it necessary to bring her to another world to heal her. It was disconcerting to say the least that she didn’t have a clue what was happening to her body back there.

  She heard footfalls behind her. Ridge placed his arms around her waist and drew her to him. It felt so good to be even in his imaginary arms. Her body relaxed as she let out a deep sigh of contentment.

  “Do you like it?”

  She could tease him and say his mind was a sewer as usual, but she didn’t. “It’s beautiful, even if I’m not really here.”

  “It’s the world my ancestors came from. A wonderful world two races never had any intention of sharin’. When we’re young these images are imprinted in our brains. The Elevated are searchin’ for another two worlds like this. It’s been a long and uneasy truce.”

  She clutched her chest as the pain hit. Taking deep breaths it began to ease. Ridge turned her around but she could see the worry in his eyes.

  “Let me take you flyin’. If I can keep your mind here it’ll be gone when we return.”

  She thumped him. “Don’t baby me. Tell me what’s happening. Give me the facts or my imagination will work overtime.” Nicole took a deep breath into her imaginary body and crossed her arms over her chest

  “I don’t believe it. Even here you’re stubborn. Alright, Sayell attached an alien parasite to you, a particularly nasty one. It grows in the waste tubes back on Homeworld. The only way to remove it is with one of the creatures that live in those tubes. The pain you experienced is when it attached itself to you.”

  Nicole screwed up her face in disgust. “That’s enough information for me to get by with. Tell me one thing and be honest. Is it going to work?” He peered down at the ground avoiding eye contact

  “Back on Homeworld it works on my kind and the Relin.”

  “I’m a guinea pig again. It’s what happens when you’re the only human on Earth without a guardian. I suppose these are another example of the small but nasty things you bring down here.”

  “Yes, along with the scripsits, but we’re never meant to use them on humans.”

  “Does that mean Sayell thinks I’m not human anymore?”

  “No, just one of a kind, and I’d have to agree with him there.”

  He reached out a hand to her and she didn’t hesitate as she took it. He scooped her up and as she put her arms around his neck his wings appeared. She hadn’t touched them before when he had taken her flying, but now she ran a hand over the feathers nearest to her. They were so soft. Ridge shivered

  “I’m sorry, I wanted to know what they felt like even if this isn’t real.”

  “Don’t be sorry, and next time I take you flyin’ for real, you can compare. Hold on tight.”

  They rose into the sky with one flap of his wings, and Nicole considered yet again how much your world can change in the space of a few days. Come to think of it, this wasn’t even her world. She glanced out across the landscape and couldn’t believe the variety of colors and hues. They flew over a forest of trees so tall they would have made the giant redwoods seem small in comparison. The leaves were every color from amber to red, and green to blue.

  Having grown up in Australia where the gum trees never change, she had always been filled with wonder at the colors of trees during fall in America. Ben used to laugh at her and say, “They’re just trees.” Past the forest they swerved higher towards the mountains. Hills sloped up higher than she could see. The tops of the mountains above covered in clouds hiding their peaks.

  Ridge headed towards a valley where wildflowers of every color amassed like a carpet. They swooped close to the ground and the smell of the blossoms wafted up to greet them. They reminded her of freesias and honeysuckle. Small birds surrounded them and flew in the wake of Ridge’s wings. They were as blue as Kingfishers. Nicole laughed as she listened to them squeak as they tried to peck at Ridge’s feet and wingtips.

  “There’s another place I wanna’ show you before we go back.”

  They flew further along the valley and into a ravine. A river gushed through its depths where it had cut away the side with time. It exposed the jagged rocks and Ridge’s wings almost spanned across the width of the narrow ravine. There was a noise like thunder and Nicole knew what she might see when they escaped the ravine. She gasped at the sight before her as Ridge hovered above a large rock pool. The waterfall was hundreds of meters high and on both sides the lush greenery and moss covered tree roots spread out to catch the passing moisture.

  The birds following them ducked through the tumbling water. Nicole was amazed the force of the cascade didn’t cause them to be thrown to the rocks below. Then she
realized Ridge had the same plan as the little birds. He was going to take them through the water crashing from above. He swooped and she took a deep breath as they hit the water. It had taken but a second to pass through and she was drenched to the skin. It had been worth it for what she discovered on the other side.

  She giggled with delight, not something she had done since she was a small child. Behind the waterfall was a huge cavern where the water from above had worn away the roof of the cave. In the centre, a beam of light flowed through from above as another stream of water splashed into the large pool. Ridge alighted on a rock and shook his wings. He reminded her of the Labrador she had as a child. He would always soak them when he ran out of the surf at the beach at Seacliff. It was the first happy memory she remembered from childhood for a long time.