Protector: A Young Adult / New Adult Fantasy Novel

by Joanne Wadsworth

  “Breakfast, yesterday, and I haven’t exactly had time to eat since.” Although the heavenly scent of bacon escaping from underneath one of the steel domes covering a plate in the center of the table wafted toward me and made my mouth water.

  “Then let me feed my mate.” Davio swept me across to the small table and pulled out a chair. I sat and he eased into the chair across from mine, stretched out a leg and hooked it around my legs, making the skin-to-skin contact I needed to ease my boiling blood. “Begin wherever you like.” He turned his palm out in offering, the sleeves of his impeccably pressed sky-blue shirt rolled to the elbow.

  “Thank you.” I lifted the domed lid closest to me and uncovered bacon strips and a mound of scrambled eggs. Golden hash browns sat to one side, along with several plump gourmet sausages. “Ah, now that’s surely going to replenish my energy.” Far better than my usual tub of yogurt on the run. I lifted the second serving lid and grinned as fresh bread, still warm from the ovens, delighted my senses. “Now that’s what I’m after.”

  Davio removed the domed lid on the third plate and exposed a prized treasure of pancakes stacked at least ten high with layers of banana and warm maple syrup oozing out from between them.

  I couldn’t wait for a taste of that. I tracked my finger through the top scoop of fresh cream, and my taste buds tripped over themselves for a proper bite. I pulled the entire plate closer and knife and fork in hand, cut into the delicious layers. “Do you eat this way every day?” I moaned as I chewed my first mouthful.

  “I would if you promised to join me.” He ran his thumb over my lower lip, swiped a trace of cream and licked it from his thumb.

  “You’ve so got a deal.”

  He arched a brow, stabbed his fork into the tower of delight and scooped a mouthful for himself. “I believe this will be our first seated meal together, that’s if we get right through it.”

  He was right. “I’m game to make it through this meal if you are.”

  “Deal.”

  Together, we ate, until we were full to bursting.

  Patting my stuffed belly, I closed my eyes and settled back.

  “You look content.” His voice was husky.

  I cracked one eye open, then the other. “I am, but I really should go soon. I shouldn’t be frittering my day away with you when there’s school. Exams are just around the corner.”

  “I’m well aware, and I understand your need to leave.” Pushing back from the table, he stood and took my hand. “Silas will appreciate that I’m staying, as will my father and grandfather. I won’t have to miss the meeting they wished to have, or to aid Silas out at Dunbarn.” He brushed his fingers along my cheek. “I’ll be there after school to collect you.”

  I leaned in and gave him a quick kiss. “Sure, you meet me there, just in case I’ve forgotten where Peacio is and all.” I winked and stepped back. “Go and slay some actual dragons.”

  I left to the giddy sound of his chuckle and zipped straight to my mother’s home, the only home I’d ever known until just a few days ago. I searched my bedroom for my backpack. I was down a textbook, but I tossed the rest of what I needed for Calculus and PE into my bag and flashed to school.

  Oh yeah, I truly loved that I could ’port like this.

  The afternoon bell shrilled and students trekked to their classes.

  I jogged across the field from the tree I’d emerged behind and in my Calculus class, I searched amongst the students for Silvie.

  “Hey, here!” Silvie waved from the back of the room.

  I dropped into the seat beside hers. “Hey back at ya. Where’s the teacher?”

  “Sick. There’s a substitute coming.” She crossed her arms and arched a brow at me. “You’ve missed almost a week of school, and don’t go using your record-breaking rising as an excuse with me. What’s been happening to keep you away?”

  “A whole new family.” I set my refill and pen on the desktop. “Who told you about my rising?”

  “Mum gave me an update this morning. She got the news straight from Aunt Genevy who popped in to see us.”

  In front of us, two classmates, Jensen and Rua, shuffled on their seats and leaned closer. “Yo, what’s a ris-ing?” Jensen slurred disgustingly as he bumped shoulders with Rua. “Anything that rises in the morning is in-ter-est-ing.”

  Silvie rolled her eyes and harrumphed. “Obviously it’s not the kind of rising you’re thinking about. Get a life and go and listen in on someone else’s private conversation.”

  Jensen went to kick Silvie’s chair, but she slammed her foot down on his ankle and ground down hard.

  “Damn, Silvie.” Pulling his ankle free, he shook his head. “You’re lucky you’re a girl.”

  “Look the other way.” She gave them a fierce frown, which seemed to do the trick. Grunting, they turned their attention back to the front of class. Silvie tucked her head closer to mine. “Sorry about that,” she whispered. “I can’t believe your rising took eight hours. Carlisio’s took seven and that was a major. Why’d it take you so long?”

  “You’re asking me?” Baffled, I shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”

  “I guess it’s because you’re a Wincrest.” She squeezed my arm. “Which reminds me. How’s your mother? I can’t imagine what she’s going through with all these changes.”

  I gasped. “I haven’t had time to check.”

  “Do it now. Whip up a visual. You’ve got forethought so you might as well use it.”

  Silvie was right, and now was as good a time as any.

  Channeling my vision through the dome room as Alexo had taught me, I focused. What came to me was an indefinable image, one blurred beyond recognition. I’d never seen such a thing. I focused instead on Dad, and the same blurred image reappeared. He and Mum must be together, had to be since the blurred images were identical.

  I frowned, scratching my head. Now, provided I centered on the dome room first, I could see those within Dralion. I’d watched Davio in reverse plenty of times during the three days I’d been with Dad.

  “What’s wrong?” Silvie bumped her shoulder against mine.

  “Um, all I’m getting is a blurred impression.”

  Silvie’s eyes widened, and she clicked her fingers. “Oh, one time my curiosity got the better of me.” She spoke fast. “I asked Carlisio what happened when his forethought showed him something he shouldn’t be looking at. He said he saw blurred images.”

  My lips titled to the corner as I considered what I shouldn’t be looking at.

  They were together and… Dropping my head into my upturned palms, I groaned. “Ew, but they’re my parents, and they’re not supposed to be getting back together. Mum said she’d need to act her way through being with Dad.”

  “She’s clearly changed her mind about him.” She rubbed my back. “They’re mates who’ve been separated for a long time. Even my mother struggles when she’s away from my father during the days we’re here in Te Puke. I’m sure you miss Davio when you’re away from him?”

  I looked up. “I try not to think about it.”

  “But you do?”

  I ran a hand over my forehead. Yes, I understood the mated bond. Even now, I wanted to talk to Davio, but without a telepathic link, I couldn’t. Just thinking about him had that need escalating though. I opened my forethought and brought his image forth. He stood in a navy and gold decorated stateroom. Silas stood beside him, Carlisio and Everio within their group too. I cranked up the volume.

  “Faith’s with Silvie in class. The image is grainy, but I’d know Silvie’s profile anywhere.” Carlisio scrubbed his roughened jaw as he spoke to Davio. “There aren’t any problems that I can see.”

  Hold on. Carlisio was watching me while I watched him.

  Spooky.

  Davio set a hand to his chest. “I just needed to know she was safe and where she should be.”

  Carlisio laid a hand on his shoulder, his lips thinning. “I know how troubled you’ve been, but she’s fine. We should speak more
about her Wincrest blood.”

  I probably shouldn’t listen in on their private conversation, but since it was about me, I stayed with them.

  Carlisio continued, “There isn’t a doubt we’re all in agreement about Alexo Wincrest. With his daughter falling into our lap, we mustn’t allow this opportunity of seizing him to pass us by. She must be contained, then used to lure him out.”

  “You mean contained, as in ‘holding cell’ contained?” Silas interrupted. “With the other warriors we’ve captured, or just on her own?”

  The hairs on the back of my neck lifted. This couldn’t be happening. Davio would stand up in a second and fiercely disagree to any such containment, or that I be used to lure my father out of Dralion and directly into their lair. He had to.

  I waited.

  Slowly, he nodded. “I’ll do it.”

  “Good.” Carlisio’s eyes brightened, the vivid golden-brown of his eyes matching the honeyed color of his suit jacket. “For the people of Peacio.” His words were a cheer.

  Everio folded his arms over his red silk shirt buttoned under his flapping black leather vest, not looking nearly as certain as Carlisio. “She’s your mate, Davio. Are you sure you can do this? You’ll need to use her to hand her father over to us.”

  Standing taller, Davio let out a long breath. “I’m sure, Father. Alexo will come to her aid should he see what is about to unfold. Hopefully, she doesn’t even make it into the cells, although I understand the need for Donaldo’s son to be captured and contained. We’ll hold the upper hand for once in this long and drawn out war if we can nab him. He is the one with forethought, the most valuable of skills.”

  I gritted my teeth, worked my jaw from side to side.

  How could Davio sell me out this way? I wouldn’t let him.

  I closed my forethought down and turned on Silvie. “Your family seriously sucks.” I stopped as abruptly as I’d begun. Jeez, I couldn’t speak to her about this. She’d likely inform them of what I’d heard when I needed to sort this out myself.

  “It’s all right. Mates struggle when parted from each other. I understand that.” She got my angry comment wrong, and I didn’t correct her. “We only have PE after this and then we leave. You’ll see Davio soon enough.”

  I would and we’d be speaking. When I’d hid at my father’s apartment after first finding out about Silvie’s deceit and been gone for days before returning, he’d said in the future we needed to address our problems. That if we had an issue, we’d talk about it. Well, right now I had an issue. A very big one. There would be no containing me, or capturing my father by doing so.

  Never would I place myself in such a position of vulnerability, and I’d certainly never accept him doing it either. Not happening, ever.

  * * * *

  “The boys are here.” Silvie slung her bag over her shoulder as we exited the PE girls’ changing room, the last to leave.

  “Perfect.” I took a deep breath as Davio strode toward me within the stillness of the gym, Silas beside him.

  “You two took your time in there.” He caught my hand, and my mind thunked into his—so annoying.

  “Did you have a good afternoon?” In small circles, he stroked my palm with his thumb and because I couldn’t help myself, I swayed into him. Damn it. Where was my focus? He’d spoken of imprisonment.

  “No, I didn’t.” I held my ground.

  “You want to talk about it?”

  “Yes, but alone.” I shot Silvie a look, one she thankfully understood.

  “I’ll see you in the cavern once I’m changed.” She linked arms with Silas and the two of them flashed away.

  Davio pulled me closer. “Let’s go.” He zipped us there, so fast.

  My feet sank into soft sand, the air warm and the entire cavern filled with a light steam which rose from a large crystal clear pool of water a few feet away. Dark rocks lined every side of the underground pool other than for this beach area, while muted light tunneled in from an entrance to the side.

  With a finger under my chin, he tipped it up. “You seem to be out of sorts. Did Belle tell you of the rumor?”

  “No, what rumor is that?”

  He sighed. “There was a serving maid in the communal dining hall who saw us together. She leaked word that I’ve found my mate.” He paused, a muscle in his jaw ticking. “I had no choice. I had to confirm the news. People are referring to you as my Halfling mate, that you come from Earth.”

  “You told all your people about me?” How dare he. I didn’t mind him telling his closest, but allowing all his people to know would place me in a great deal of danger. I mean, how many Halflings were there in Peacio? There was certainly only one Halfling who now resided in Dralion, and that was me. I gritted my teeth. “You don’t think the next warrior spy sent here might check out this leaked news? You don’t think they’d be curious to see who Davio Loveria was mated to? That they might wonder if your newly found mate might also be my father’s newly found daughter? How many other Halflings are there in Peacio, other than me?”

  He went to open his mouth, only I butted in. “I listened in on your conversation with your father and grandfather. You intend on using me as a pawn to capture my father. You want to lock me away in the very cells you not long rescued me from.”

  “You shouldn’t have listened in, and your father will never permit you to be locked away. With his forewarning, he’ll come and that’s what we’re after. Now we’ve spread the word about your mixed heritage, he’ll be here soon. I’ve no doubt about that.”

  “How dare you.” I broke my mind-merge with him, the sharp pain of loss slicing through me. “I would never use you like this, Davio. Ever. You’re my mate, and I’d never hand you, your parents, or your grandfather over to Donaldo, yet here you are wanting to do exactly that with me.”

  “You’ll never come to any harm when all we’re after is Alexo’s capture.”

  “Why must you capture him at all?” Distressed and so hurt, I backed away from him.

  “Too many of your warriors are infiltrating our shores and taking what isn’t theirs. An attack at one of our largest diamond mines occurred three days ago. Seven lives were lost and Alexo was behind it, as is Donaldo who pulls the strings.”

  “You can’t assume that.”

  “Yes, I can. It was a methodical attack by a team of eight, of which they’re called the leading eight in Dralion. Donaldo hates all things Peacian, and this reeked of Alexo’s forethought in how well it was run and carried out. Your father and grandfather work together. They know exactly what they do when they send their bloodthirsty warriors out.”

  Warriors—yes. Bloodthirsty? A memory surged forth. That first morning while I’d been running on the treadmill, the leading eight had introduced themselves, with bloodied weapons in hand.

  But no, my father had been with my mother at that time, taking her on a guided tour. He hadn’t been a part of that strike, and I’d never concede to laying the blame at his feet. “So where does this leave us? I won’t allow you to capture my father through me.”

  “Alexo must be taken.”

  “No, you must change your mind.”

  “I’ll never side with the enemy.”

  I met his intense gaze with one of my own. “You would do everything in your power to keep your family safe. You can’t expect any different from me.”

  “What are you saying?” Gaze narrowed, he thumped one foot on the ground.

  “That I’ll never allow you to use me in the way you intend to. My father goes out of his way to ensure I have free choice. He allows me to come to you, and you want to do what? Lock him away and kill him.”

  A second. Two.

  “His death would not be sought. His confinement would.”

  I shook from head to toe. “I can’t allow that to happen. Don’t do this to us.”

  “This is not about us, but my people. Their safety must come first, and yours will never be in question.”

  “Of course it’s in questio
n. You do this, and I can never roam freely on your land. You have to take back my Halfling status and let it be known it was only gossip. You have to insist I am from Peacio. Make something up, but you have to do it, and before word spreads too far.”

  He shook his head. “Your warriors took seven lives this week. Two hundred and thirty-eight lives this year. They are killers with only one purpose. They take what they want.”

  “So, you’ve made your decision?”

  “Yes.”

  A rush of wind. Silas arrived with Silvie and he bellowed with laughter as he threw her out into the water. Silvie went down, then with bubbles rising, she resurfaced and blew out a fountain of water. “That does not get any funnier, no matter how many times you do it, Silas. You’re supposed to leave me on the edge of the pool, not throw me in it. You are such a pain in the neck.” She cupped her hand and sprayed water at him.

  This was how I should be living. I should be free and having fun. I was eighteen, yet living the life of someone who had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

  I couldn’t do this anymore.

  And it was clearly too dangerous for me to stay here.

  I would never give Davio an opening to take me.

  The crystal clear water beckoned.

  My water source.

  My way out.

  Chapter 15

  Davio hadn’t seen it coming. I had dived in fully clothed and flashed back to Dralion before he’d even registered my intent. But it had been the only way.

  From the quiet sanctuary of my room, I watched him through my forethought. He was more agitated than I’d ever seen him. He hadn’t spoken to anyone after I left. He’d returned to his private quarters and that’s where he’d been holed up for the past four hours.

  Silas entered his room, and joined him. “You have to speak sooner or later. I realize your mate’s gone.” He sat opposite Davio on the blue pinstripe sofa, concern radiating across his face.

  Pressing his elbows to his knees, Davio stared at the wall. “She wants me to choose her, but there is no choice. All I can think about is the hundreds of families who’ve suffered a great loss this year, and I can lower those numbers if we eliminate Alexo. The only right decision is the one I’ve made.”