“Can’t any of you just call me Sara?” Her voice slurred, her eyes fluttering closed.
“I will if you open your eyes and look at me.”
She forced her eyelids open and lifted her chin. His cheeks were flushed, and sweat poured down the sides of his face, pooling in the shallow spot at the base of his neck. His t-shirt clung to his body, and his chest heaved with every breath.
“What are you doing that’s causing you so much effort?” she asked, her gaze wandering back to his face.
“Transferring my strength to you.”
“Why would you do that?” she asked, her eyelids drooping once again. “And don’t give me that line about saving the world.”
Because I love you and I have since the day you drew your first breath.
Her eyes popped open. Her mouth opened and closed several times, as she struggled to form the words.
I don’t understand.
You don’t have to, not yet. We need to survive this first, Darian replied gently.
Another surge of pain exploded through her body. She and Darian both cried out, and her body swayed as she closed her eyes again.
Small hands wrapped around her shoulders and gently guided her to the floor. Footfalls passed by her head. A soft pillow slid beneath her aching skull. The last thing she remembered was the feel of ribbon being wound around her bare wrist, securing her heart to Darian’s.
Chapter 15
Darian
Darian awoke lying on the floor with a pillow beneath his head. His shoulder ached from the stone beneath it, but when he tried to roll over, his hands would not move with him. He opened his eyes to find himself inches from Seraphina’s face. She slept but not peacefully. Her brow furrowed, and a small whimper escaped her lips. Her brown hair curled wildly around her flushed cheeks.
Snippets of her dream drifted through his mind in starts and stops, mostly flashes of her daughter and husband, but also her mother.
He looked down at his hands. Aneera’s red ribbons remained wrapped around his wrists and connected to Seraphina’s. He gently pulled his hands together and untied the ribbons from his wrists. Blood covered the front of his shirt, and the smell of it made him wrinkle his nose.
“It was worth it,” he whispered, then rolled onto his back and took a deep breath. They did it, and she survived. He was exhausted from the exchange of energy, but she was healed. Her body would grow stronger, and they would teach her to use her newfound skills, whatever they might be. Raphael suspected a sword similar to Mikel’s, but Darian had a feeling it would be much different. It didn’t make sense to have two of the same gifts among them. The Council’s diversity made them stronger. He’d have to be patient, something he wasn’t very good at.
He ran both hands through his hair and locked his fingers behind his head. For now, he’d be grateful she didn’t refuse to be bonded.
“Someone needs to do something about this damn horse that keeps kicking me.” Seraphina’s soft, scratchy voice drew his attention.
“I swear it wasn’t me,” Darian said, rolling back to his side and propping up on his elbow with his head in his palm. He watched her roll to her back and raise her arms above her head. The ribbons fell across her face, and she tried to bat them away.
“Oh, sure,” she said caustically. “Untie yourself, but not me.” She fumbled with the knots for several minutes, then threw one of her arms in his direction. “You do it,” she commanded and closed her eyes again.
He pushed himself into a sitting position and grabbed her wrist, a smile creeping across his face. He’d never seen this side of her. Within moments, the ribbon fell to the floor. She rolled and thrust her other arm in his direction.
“Are you always this cheerful in the morning?” he asked.
“Don’t you already know that answer?” she asked, rubbing her wrists as she pushed herself up.
“Actually, I’ve never seen you get out of bed,” he replied. “I’ve watched you give the cows their morning meal and spoil that young foal, though.”
“You’ve really never been in my house when I was home?”
“Only once, when you were a baby,” he replied. “May I?” He reached for her hair tentatively to remove a large clump of blood and dirt.
“Do I have something in it?” she asked, reaching towards her head.
He grabbed her hand. “You don’t want to do that,” he said.
She finally looked at him, and he saw the realization cross her face as she took in the dry, crusted blood on his shirt. Her gaze drifted to her own clothes and she gasped.
“I need a shower,” she muttered
“I imagine we both do.”
He stood and held his hand out to her. She hesitated, and he rolled his eyes.
“Our hands were bound together for hours, and you’re still worried?” he asked. He didn’t want to admit it, but it stung a little.
“I have a long memory,” she replied, taking his hand.
He pulled her to her feet and smiled. “Or a very short one.”
She snorted. “You’re not funny. Okay, maybe a little funny.”
“Come on. I’ll take you to the house.” He opened the door to the small room and gestured for her to go first.
“I have no idea where I’m going,” she said. “After you.” She stood beside him and crossed her arms. Her nose wrinkled immediately, and she uncrossed them. “Oh, my God, get moving already!” she exclaimed, pushing him forward.
He allowed her to push him through the hallway and down the stairs. He hoped she wouldn’t be like Eva and not allow him to be a gentleman. When they exited the tower, the sun had already set. The cool night breeze swept across his skin, and he turned back to see Seraphina staring at the thousands of stairs in the dark sky.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, but he already knew. Her mind was an open book since the bonding. He almost told her but decided not to. It would be interesting to be inside her mind and see what she was thinking. Did she hate him? Did she blame him for the loss of her family? Had she accepted her role as his Sentinel, or was she still struggling with what that meant? He already knew the last answer. They hadn’t provided enough information for her to understand what was expected of her.
“Something you said during the bonding.” She bit her bottom lip. “Well, a lot of what you said. I don’t suppose we’ll have time to talk about that, will we?”
He knew exactly what she was referring to, and while he didn’t regret saying it, he might regret having to explain it. “We might have other things that take priority,” he replied.
“I guess.” Seraphina shrugged and started walking across the courtyard towards the arena.
“Seraphina, the house is this way.”
He cringed when her thoughts screamed at him again. Why can he not call me Sara?
“We will make time to talk about that,” she said as she stomped towards him. “You said you would call me Sara. You also said you would tell me why I have this ridiculous name.”
“Okay, Sara,” he replied, waiting for her to catch up to him. “Seraphina was my grandmother’s name. Your mom couldn’t decide on a name for you, so I suggested one.”
“Why would you do that?” Sara asked, her face betraying her confusion.
“I was standing outside the infant care room watching you sleep. Your mother arrived sometime during my vigil and asked if one of the babies was mine.” He chuckled. “I almost told her yes but refrained. I was pretty sure she wouldn’t appreciate the humor. She pointed you out to me, and her eyes sparkled with joy over her precious girl.”
They stopped outside Darian’s home, and he turned to her. He expected her to ask about why he said she was his since that was the first thought to run through her mind, but she didn’t. He needed to tell her that he could read her thoughts. Not only was it an invasion of her privacy, it was a breach of trust. So why didn’t he? He wasn’t sure; maybe it was because he’d been separated from his Sentinel for so long.
“You’re the one who paid all the hospital bills, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Yes. Your mother didn’t have the money, and I did.”
Sara sighed. “She told me the story about the stranger who paid her bill, but she didn’t tell me you named me. I’m just… surprised, that’s all.”
He opened the door for her, and she stepped past. When he followed her in, she stopped and looked up at him. Once again, her mind started racing, and Darian couldn’t help but listen.
Is this Darian’s house? How can I stay in another man’s house? What will my husband think? I need to go home.
“Whose house is this?” she asked.
“Mine, but Eva and Claud live here as well,” he replied. “The extra room is yours if you wish.”
She looked at the door at the end of the living room, then back at him. “Do I have a choice?”
“You always have a choice. Sometimes the alternative just isn’t as pleasant.” He turned towards his own room at the end of the dining table. “Unfortunately, there’s only one bathroom.”
Her next thought made him smile.
I don’t care whose house this is, I get the shower first.
“Yes, you can go first as long as you promise to be done in ten minutes. I don’t wish to be covered in this any longer than you do.”
“Wait…” she said, the realization dawning on her. Darian simply grinned as she rushed towards her room.
He would definitely have to ask Raphael to give her the protection rune for her mind.
Chapter 16
Seraphina
Sara leaned her head against the cool ceramic tile that covered the shower from floor to ceiling. The water cascading down her skin was barely lukewarm, but she didn’t care. She also had no intention of taking any less than thirty minutes trying to scrub away the memories of the last twenty-four hours. She sighed. How had her world gone from feeding the cows to joining forces with a supernatural group of warriors?
Her thoughts roamed to her daughter. She deserved so much more from life. Did her fiancé survive? Probably not. They worked in the same building, so unless he was out of town, he likely suffered the same fate. Her husband’s face clouded her vision, and she twisted the wedding band still on her finger. Her heart didn’t want to believe Andrew was gone, but she didn’t think Eva would lie to her about his death. Or would she? Eva had spent a lifetime lying to her. Maybe she would hold out hope that her husband survived.
Fists pounding against the bathroom door startled her, and she smacked her skull against the shower head.
“Damn, it sucks to be tall,” she mumbled, rubbing the back of her wet scalp.
The door shuddered against its frame, and Darian’s voice reached her.
“You have five minutes, then I’m coming in.”
“No, you’re not!” she yelled back.
He didn’t reply, but Sara decided not to push her luck. She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower into the small bathroom. She wrapped a towel around her wet hair and looked in the mirror.
“Oh, my God!” she cried out, staring at the reflection of her lean body.
Drops of water ran down her smooth, unwrinkled skin. She poked at her firm stomach and smiled.
“Where did the baby fat go?” she whispered under her breath.
The deep, purple scars from her stretch marks still painted a map below her belly button, but the squishy cellulite was gone. She leaned forward and squinted. The tiny crow’s feet around her eyes had faded to almost nothing.
“Did Magdelin do this?” she called out, knowing Darian was just outside the door.
“Do what?” he asked.
The doorknob turned, and she grabbed another towel from the countertop, quickly wrapping it around her naked body.
“I didn’t say come in!” she exclaimed, clutching at her towels.
The door was already open and Darian’s large frame filled the space. He stared at her with an unreadable expression. Her mind went blank for several seconds before it started racing. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, probably since it had been covered in her blood. His wide chest heaved, and she noticed a small tattoo above his heart. The details were so small she couldn’t tell what it was supposed to be.
“Are you done staring at me?” he asked in low voice.
Her eyes darted from his tattoo up to his face. He was still wearing that strange look.
“Are you done staring at me?” She adjusted the towel under her arms, wiggling from side-to-side to make sure nothing was peeking out. “Just because I asked a question doesn’t mean you can come barging in.”
“You actually did more than ask a question,” he hissed. “I specifically heard, ‘Oh, my God!’ then ‘Did Magdelin do this?’”
“But you conveniently missed, ‘Where did the baby fat go?’ That was the most important,” Sara replied matter-of-factly.
“You will be the death of me,” he growled. “Get your clothes. You can get dressed in your own room. It’s my turn to use the shower.”
When he turned his back to her, Sara noticed more tattoos. She gawked, counting in her head… one, two, three, four…
“How many tattoos do you have?” she asked. “I really like that one.” She poked the smallest one on his spine and watched his body stiffen. The triangular tattoo moved with his skin, and the interwoven lines within it seemed to wrap around his vertebrae. “Okay, okay! I’m getting out.” Men are so sensitive.
She heard him growl again, and she smiled as she pushed past him with her arms full of clothes. Her mood lightened at his expense, and she almost felt guilty about it. Almost. She still wanted to blame him for everything that happened, even if it was completely untrue.
She waited in the living room for him. When Darian emerged from the bathroom, he was wearing another pair of faded blue jeans and a white t-shirt. The smell of his cologne drifted towards her, and she agreed with Adalina. It was nice.
He walked past her to the front door and opened it. “We need to see Raphael before we do anything else,” he said, motioning for her to go first.
Sara slowly rose to her feet and stretched. He rolled his eyes, and she suppressed a grin. She wasn’t sure why she constantly felt the need to irritate him. Maybe it was his extremely dramatic facial expressions. He reacted to everything she did, and as if proving her point, the corners of his mouth twitched. Was he refraining from speaking or trying not to smile? It didn’t matter either way; it was amusing. She strolled past him and headed towards the tower.
The large, wooden doors opened before she reached the steps. Mikel paused mid-stride when he saw her and Darian. His dour look snuffed out her amusing curiosity about Darian.
“We need to talk,” Mikel said as Eva skirted around him and sprinted towards the arena.
Sara followed Mikel to the meeting room, Darian right behind her. Eva and Adalina arrived moments later, and Mikel motioned for them to sit. Aneera stood next to Raphael, who hovered next to the HAM radio. A man’s panicked voice crackled, but she had no idea what he was saying.
“What’s he saying?” she whispered to Darian.
He didn’t respond, focusing instead on the conversation between Raphael and the radio. She watched the facial expressions of those around her, trying to see figure out what was going on. Mikel’s face was stern, but he seemed to always have that look. Aneera’s oval eyes squinted slightly as she wrinkled her nose. Adalina shook her head, sadness softening her features.
Darian laid his large hand on Sara’s shoulder, startling her. She turned to look up at him, and his blue eyes held the same expression as Adalina’s.
“It’s not good, is it?” Sara asked.
“No.”
A loud popping noise echoed through the room, and everyone looked at Raphael.
“Sarg!” Raphael yelled into the microphone. “Sarg! Are you there?”
Several seconds ticked by, but only silence remained.
The Runemaster dropped his head into his hands, threading his
fingers through his hair. Sara’s eyes darted from one person to the next, waiting for someone to explain. Darian’s hand drifted toward her back, and he gently pushed her towards one of the chairs. Her movement prompted Adalina and Eva to pull out a chair and sit down as well.
“What happened?” Sara asked tentatively when no one spoke.
“Rio is gone,” Adalina replied.
“What does that mean exactly?” Sara frowned. How could a whole city be gone? Just like that?
“Sometime in the middle of the night, people started falling ill,” Mikel replied, dropping into the chair at the head of the table. “Without working medical facilities, they couldn’t even determine what it was. By morning, most of the sick had perished. An hour ago, Raphael’s friend on the radio reported the first demon sighting. They swept through and killed everyone in the surrounding areas.”
Silence permeated the room.
“The man on the radio, how far away is he?” Sara asked.
“Maybe a hundred miles,” Raphael replied, his response muffled by the hand that still covered his face.
Sara opened her mouth to ask another question but decided not to. It looked like everyone else needed the silence to organize their thoughts. Regardless of their familiarity with the demons, this seemed like more than they were prepared for. How could it not be? These people may have had extraordinary powers, but they were still a small group. At no point in history had humanity suffered as it did now.
It helped sooth some of her anger at these people to see their pain. They weren’t the cause of this, but knowing they were suffering with humanity—and cared this much about saving the survivors—numbed some of Sara’s rage.
Was there anything they could do stop the death spreading around them? Had the same thing happened in the US? Was there something she could do? She didn’t think so. They implied she had some magical ability, but she felt like her regular, boring self. Except a little thinner. And she still struggled with the grief of losing her daughter. It felt like a brick on her chest, but the hope that her husband survived relieved some of that pressure. Any hope was better than nothing. Did the Council members have family in Rio? That thought alone swelled the ever-present lump in her throat.
Sentinel's Rise: Book 1 - The Watcher and the Sentinel Series Page 11
