A Dark Guardian

by Grant, Donna

  “I had planned for us to try and find the creature today.”

  “During the daylight? Do you think we can?” Bernard asked, hope shining in his blue eyes.

  “’Tis possible. Gabriel saw the creature fly to the northwest.”

  “The forest,” Bernard said.

  “Exactly.”

  The baron stood. “Then Mina must come with us. I dare not leave her here alone with Theresa.”

  Hugh wasn’t about to tell Bernard nay. In fact, he wanted Mina with him just so he could have her by his side. “As you wish, my lord.” He watched as Bernard walked to Mina and told her the news. Her gaze jerked to him, and they shared a secret smile before she went up to her chamber to ready herself.

  “The villagers think the creature is gone,” Gabriel said as he sat beside him.

  Hugh couldn’t believe his ears. “Are you sure?”

  “That’s what they are celebrating.”

  “Didn’t anyone tell them that as long as the creature lived he would terrorize them?”

  Gabriel nodded. “I tried. They think because he left last night that he is gone for good.”

  Hugh wiped his hand down his face. “They will be massacred tonight.”

  “Not if we find the creature today.”

  Hugh looked into Gabriel’s silver eyes. “Find Cole. We’ll need him.”

  * * *

  Mina decided against her male attire. She wanted to be the lady that Hugh thought she was. She patted her two braids that hung across her shoulders and found herself giddy at the day ahead of her.

  She opened the door to find Theresa waiting for her. “Do you need something?” she asked.

  Theresa eyed her. “Who was in your bed?”

  “I already told you. Me.”

  “Who

  else?”

  Mina laughed. “You actually think a man would look at me?”

  “You’re right, of course,” Theresa said and threw her long blonde braid over her shoulder narrowly missing Mina’s face. “No man would have you.” Even though Mina knew that there was man who wanted her, Theresa’s words still cut deep.

  “Ready?” Cole asked as he walked toward her.

  She waited until Theresa had turned the corner before she faced him. “Hugh let you off of guard duty?” she teased as she walked from her chamber.

  Cole laughed. “For the day. It could all end today if we get lucky.” She stumbled at his words and his hands reached out to steady her. “Lady Mina?

  Are you all right?”

  “Aye,” she managed to say around the lump in her throat. She was so distraught at the thought of Hugh leaving that she didn’t see Cole watching her.

  She still hadn’t recovered when they reached the bailey, but she put a smile on her face for Hugh and her brother. Bernard helped her mount her mare to her surprise.

  Hugh fisted his hands and silently cursed. He hadn’t thought of helping Mina mount, she had always done it herself. But a gentleman would help her.

  He turned to find Gabriel and Cole staring at him. “What?”

  “Nothing,” Cole said and turned away.

  But Hugh wasn’t fooled. He looked at Gabriel. “What is going on with you two?”

  “We have never seen you like this.”

  Hugh swung up in the saddle. “Like what?”

  “You’re

  happy.”

  Hugh started to snort until he realized Gabriel was right. “What makes you think I’m happy?”

  “The way you look at Mina. That’s who you were with last night, wasn’t it?” Hugh leaned down. “I don’t ask who shared your bed, Gabriel. Don’t ask who shared mine.”

  “Even if that woman got nervous when I said we might kill the creature today?” Cole asked.

  Hugh straightened and sighed. It wouldn’t leave him. The evidence that said Mina controlled the creature. “Are you sure?”

  “Unfortunately.”

  “Damn,” he said and nudged his horse forward needing to think through his thoughts.

  He led the small band of men, which included Bernard, Cole, Gabriel, and two of Bernard’s knights as well as Mina, into the forest.

  Many times he felt Mina’s eyes on him, but he couldn’t allow himself to look at her, not yet. But when they stopped just inside the forest, his gaze went to her on their own accord. Her expression was one of uncertainty, and it tore at his gut.

  Could she be so great an actress that she had fooled even him?

  “Hugh?”

  Her soft voice called to him. She had whispered his name, but to his ears it was a shout. He gave her a brief smile before he turned to the men.

  “This is a large forest. We have no idea where the creature is, so it would be best if we split up,” he said.

  “Good idea,” Bernard said. “Mina, you come with me.” Hugh fought his anger and jealousy as Bernard helped her dismount. “Cole, you go north. Gabriel, head south. I’ll head farther west.” Bernard nodded and turned to his men to give them direction. “Mina and I will head northwest.”

  “If you find anything give a shout.”

  “What happens if we find it?” Mina asked.

  “I’ll tell you when we find it.”

  Mina saw the suspicion in Hugh’s eyes, and she couldn’t blame him. She had no idea what had happened. One minute he was smiling at her and the next he could barely stand to look at her. She needed to speak with him.

  She had awoken and went down to get some food for them, but Bernard had stopped her. When she returned to her chamber it was to find Theresa inside and Hugh gone. Since then, she had not a moment alone with him.

  “Come,” Bernard said and took her hand.

  She stared down at their hands as he pulled her after him. She looked over her shoulder and saw Hugh watching them. Bernard set out on a fast pace, and she could barely keep up with her skirts getting tangled in the underbrush.

  “Slow down,” she called out to him.

  He immediately let go of her hand, and she took that time to sit and rest for a moment. “Why are you in such a hurry?

  “I want to find that creature first.”

  “You don’t even know what to do with it if we do find it.” He shrugged and looked around the forest. “Hugh said it flew this way last night.”

  “That’s why you chose this direction?”

  He nodded and reached for her hand. “You’ve rested enough. I want to keep moving.”

  She jumped to her feet to keep from falling on her face. Bernard was acting so strangely, yet she couldn’t figure out why. If she knew him better she might be able to explain it, but as it was, she was left guessing.

  They walked for hours looking in caves and underbrush for any signs of the creature, but there was none.

  “’Tis like he only exists at night,” she said.

  “He has to live somewhere.”

  She smiled at her brother. “That’s true. But where?”

  “Maybe

  the

  monastery?

  ‘Tis just up ahead.”

  Something told her not to tell him she had already looked there with Gabriel and Hugh. He started walking without her, and she hurried to catch up. Many times she had to yank her skirts free from the underbrush.

  “’Tis much easier with pants on,” she mumbled when her skirts wouldn’t come free.

  She gave a jerk and found herself flat on her back staring at the tops of the trees as they swayed in the breeze.

  “You should have told me you had fallen,” Bernard said as he leaned over her.

  “Here, take my hand.”

  She smiled and accepted his hand as he pulled her to her feet. “I think I might have ripped my gown.”

  “I’ll buy you another.”

  She raised her gaze to him, not sure she had really heard him. Never before had he offered to buy her anything, not even when she needed it. She had always had to take discard
ed gowns from Theresa or sew her own.

  He reached up and touched her face. “You have a smudge of dirt on you,” he said.

  Then his hand began to caress her face. “You are so beautiful.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Hugh had seen enough. His rage broke the surface as he walked from behind the tree.

  “Hugh,” Mina said and tried to back away from Bernard.

  Bernard turned to him, and, for a moment, Hugh thought the young baron was going to keep his hold on Mina, but he eventually let her go.

  “Did you find something?” Bernard asked.

  Hugh looked from Mina to Bernard. Mina wouldn’t meet his gaze which bothered him immensely. “I heard something,” he lied.

  “’Twas only Mina,” Bernard explained. “Her skirts became twisted in the underbrush and she fell.”

  There was no reason for Hugh to stay, but he couldn’t make himself leave either.

  He turned to Mina. “Are you all right?”

  “Just fine,” she mumbled but still wouldn’t raise her eyes to him.

  He found it difficult to breathe. Why was she afraid of him? Had he stumbled upon something he wasn’t meant to see? She had been an innocent when he took her, so he knew there wasn’t another man.

  Or was there?

  It was time he left. He nodded and turned away from them when Mina stopped him.

  “Wait.”

  He slowly turned to her, hoping she would say something. “Aye?”

  “I suppose your hunting brought you here. Why don’t you search with us?” Before he could answer, Bernard stepped between them. “This is a large forest, Mina, and we don’t have much time to look before nightfall. I think it would be better if we had as many men as we could searching.”

  Hugh watched as Bernard reached for Mina and turned her away. His instincts told him to follow them, but he needed to find the creature. It was more important than his jealousy right now.

  When they were out of his sight he swiveled on the heel of his foot and resumed his search. Yet, the image of Bernard caressing Mina’s face wouldn’t go away.

  He’s her brother. And he did say she had fallen. He was just checking to make [_sure she wasn’t injured. _]

  __

  Then why wouldn’t she meet his eyes?

  Because she can tell I still don’t trust her. I made no attempt to hide that while still at the castle.

  __

  None of it made him feel better. In fact, it made him feel worse.

  * * *

  Mina looked back through the trees hoping that Hugh followed them. She wanted to talk to him, to find out why he still distrusted her.

  “Keep up,” Bernard called harshly over his shoulder.

  She jerked her head around and hurried to reach him. In moments, the ruins of the monastery appeared through the trees. Apprehension snaked down her spine. She had no desire to return to the monastery. Ever.

  Her hands became clammy the closer they walked to the holy place. And she tried to tell herself it was just that. A holy place, but her heart wouldn’t listen. It pounded loudly in her chest so that she feared Bernard would hear it.

  When they came to the gate, she stopped and watched Bernard walk though it. It didn’t take him long to realize he was alone.

  He turned and quirked an eyebrow at her. “Aren’t you coming?” She swallowed and shook her head. She took a step away from the gate. “I’m tired,” she said. “Running through the forest with the weight of these skirts has worn me out. I thought I would wait here for you.”

  “All right.” He smiled and waved. “I won’t be long. Don’t move,” he said over his shoulder.

  She shuddered and sat on a fallen tree as she watched him disappear inside the monastery. It wasn’t long before she realized that the normal sounds of the forest were no longer around her. Silence as still as death encircled her. The longer she sat there the more she was sure someone or something watched her, yet she could find no one.

  So she sat with her arms wrapped around her. Her eyes constantly looking around her as apprehension and fear began to control her thoughts. A twig snapped behind her, and she jumped up and around. But only forest surrounded her. She was regretting staying by herself then.

  She screamed when something touched her shoulder and turned around to find Bernard standing behind her.

  “Mina? What is it?” he asked.

  She shook so badly she couldn’t speak, and she didn’t try to pull away when he pulled her into his arms.

  “Shh. ‘Twill be all right,” he said as he rubbed his hands up and down her back.

  There was a loud crash in the underbrush. She pulled out of Bernard’s arms and saw Hugh and Cole running toward them. So Hugh couldn’t see how frightened she was, she turned away.

  “What happened?” Cole asked. “We heard a scream.” She saw Bernard shrug out of the corner of her eye. “I’m not sure,” he said.

  “Mina.”

  Hugh’s deep voice beckoned her. She turned and faced all three men.

  “I frightened myself,” she admitted.

  Hugh’s brow furrowed as he looked beyond her to the ruins. “Something in the monastery?”

  “Nay,” Bernard said and wrapped an arm around her. “’Twas the strangest thing.

  She didn’t wish to go inside.”

  She kept her gaze on Hugh as he stared intently at her. There were many questions he wanted to ask her, she could tell, but they would have to wait.

  “I thought I heard something behind me,” she said. She pulled away from Bernard and went to look where she had heard the twig snap. “There,” she pointed.

  She watched as Hugh and Cole searched around the tree and shrubs.

  “Nothing,”

  Cole

  said.

  Hugh walked to her. “What did you hear?”

  “A twig snap. It could have been anything,” she said and shrugged. “Sitting out here by oneself can get an imagination turning.”

  “I’m sure that’s all it was,” Bernard said with a small laugh.

  Hugh’s dark eyes went to Bernard. “Did you find anything in the monastery?”

  “Nothing,” Bernard said. “And I was hoping that I would find the blasted creature. Did either of you find anything?”

  “Not a thing,” Cole said.

  A loud whistle sounded around them.

  “Gabriel,” Cole and Hugh said in unison before they took off through the forest.

  Mina barely had time to gather her skirts before Bernard grabbed her hand and raced after them. It was a good thing the men were in front of her because she had to hike up her skirts above her knees to be able to keep up with them.

  With one arm holding her skirts and the other being pulled along by Bernard, she wasn’t able to keep the branches out of her face or her hair. She gritted her teeth as a branch tangled in her hair and nearly yanked her bald headed.

  Her lungs burned and an ache in her side started to bother her when they finally came to a halt. She dropped her skirts and braced her hands on her knees to catch her breath. It took her a moment to realize that there was total silence around her.

  She began to straighten when Hugh took her arm and turned her away.

  “Don’t look,” he said.

  There was something painful in his eyes that made her hesitate. “Why?” she asked.

  He didn’t get to answer her. From behind her she heard Bernard and someone else moving something heavy around.

  “Has the creature been found?” she asked.

  Hugh shook his head solemnly.

  “Then what? Is Gabriel injured?”

  “I’m here,” Gabriel said as he came into her line of vision.

  “What is going on?” she demanded. She looked from Gabriel to Hugh. It was Gabriel who finally answered her.

  “One of the knights has been killed.”

  Hugh watched the surprise reg
ister on her face as she covered her mouth with her hand. She shook her head and took a step away from them.

  “Why?”

  she

  croaked.

  “I want the murderer found,” Bernard raged from behind her. “Who would kill a knight like this?”

  Hugh reached to keep her from looking, but he wasn’t fast enough. He held her as she took in the site of the decapitated knight. She jerked out of his arms and ran to a tree where she emptied her stomach.