The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum

by Wendy Saunders

  Riding the monsoon of power she pulled shards of lightening down from the sky. They sizzled and smoked as they hit the ground, filling the air with the stormy scent of ozone. More and more lightning struck the ground following the exact circumference of her original protective wards only now, instead of glowing a whimsical fairy-like silver, they flamed brightly with sapphire blue flames streaked with black.

  Amidst the storm a lone figure suddenly appeared before Olivia, a woman not much older than herself, with a beautiful but serious face. Long dark hair hung in a thick braid over one shoulder. She wore a short dark green tunic belted at the waist with a thick brown leather belt, and from it hung a hunting knife. A bow, and full quiver of arrows were strapped diagonally across her back, and her bare legs were covered by sandals which laced up her calves.

  ‘Daughter,’ her voice was low and musical, but held a note of authority. ‘This is not the way.’

  Her heart clenched tightly, her senses overwhelmed as she beheld the form of the goddess Diana.

  ‘It’s so strong,’ Olivia breathed as she felt another whip of power lance through her.

  ‘It is not the way,’ the goddess repeated. ‘You have much to do before you can wield such an elemental power. Your path lies at your feet, you have but to step forward for your journey to begin.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘You will,’ she stepped closer. ‘Now child, release the power, for it was not yours to take.’

  There was no mistaking the command in that voice. Hesitantly Olivia released her grip. The ring of fire burned higher and higher until it suddenly exploded sending a shockwave outwards, so powerful it shook the very roots of the thick trees and made the ground tremble.

  Olivia gasped and looked up. The goddess was gone. She swayed on her feet, her body pushed past its limit of endurance, and filled with bone deep exhaustion. A sudden eerie silence filled the air, the protective circle now a muted blue glow throbbed once, twice, like a heartbeat, and then disappeared beneath the ground. Olivia’s vision grayed at the edges, and a ringing filled her ears. Her eyes rolled back, and she didn’t even see the ground rushing up to meet her. All she knew was she was falling.

  When she woke Olivia found she was lying on the old sofa in the library, tucked up tightly in her favorite blanket. Theo and Jake were talking quietly in the corner of the room but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. Her body was wracked with deep shudders, and she was so tired her vision blurred.

  Her gaze was drawn to the flames, and she felt comforted by the familiar sight. As she usually did when she was trying to relax she watched the fire dance, picking apart the threads of gold, yellow, orange and red. She was so cold, she yearned towards the flames. She could see the fine threads of gold reaching out from the fireplace towards her. Slowly and carefully she pushed the blanket aside and slipped off the sofa onto the floor, crawling towards the flames.

  ‘I still think I should go and get Louisa,’ Jake murmured to Theo.

  ‘It’s still late,’ Theo shook his head. ‘My wounds are fairly shallow, and they’ve stopped bleeding already. Olivia needs sleep; she needs to keep warm and sleep. We can call your sister in the morning if she still hasn’t improved.’

  Turning absently to view the still sleeping woman, Theo’s heart jolted as he saw her in front of the fireplace reaching into the flames.

  ‘OLIVIA!’ he gasped, starting towards her.

  ‘Theo wait!’ Jake grabbed him, and held him back.

  Olivia had reached into the flames, but they didn’t burn her. She breathed a deep sigh of relief as the warmth spread up her arms and through her body. It was as if the fire was feeding her, replacing her lost energy. She couldn’t explain it, she’d always known that fire was hers, her element and her strongest gift, but until this moment she hadn’t realized she was the fire. She didn’t just control it, it was a part of her. She was indeed a creature of flame and ash.

  The cleansing energy pulsed gently through her body, her shudders subsided and her tightly coiled muscles began to relax. Her skin had lost its sickly white pallor, and began to glow a warm gold. Her lips had also lost their alarming bluish cast and were once again a soft rose color. The fog in her mind began to clear; although she was still tired, she found she could now focus. Withdrawing her hands from the fire she turned to the two men watching her.

  ‘I’m sorry if I worried you.’

  Theo dropped to his knees in front of the fire and took her hands in his, turning them over to examine them. Her hands were still filthy and her palms were scratched and cut, but there were no burns.

  ‘How did you do that?’

  ‘I’m not exactly sure,’ she frowned.

  ‘You’ve taken about twenty years off my life tonight Olive,’ Jake released the breath he had been holding.

  ‘I really am sorry, I was stupid,’ she sighed. ‘You can say I told you so.’

  ‘What happened?’ Jake asked angrily. ‘Why the hell would you leave the house?’

  ‘I made a mistake,’ she looked down at her dirty blood stained hands. ‘I protected the house against intruders, against anyone who would wish me harm. I didn’t think to protect myself.’

  ‘Explain,’ Jake crossed his arms.

  ‘Before I went to bed I checked all the doors and windows. The protective circle was intact, I knew nothing could get in. I never expected it to lure me outside. Whatever is out there in the woods, it’s not natural.’

  ‘Yeah, I kind of gathered that by the un-dead guard dog the size of a fucking horse,’ Jake snapped.

  ‘Don’t get pissy with me Jake,’ Olivia frowned. ‘We all made a mistake. We all thought that the murderer was the biggest threat out there, and as scary as that is, it’s still just a human, a really sick one, but a human none the less. I’m not sure what the connection is yet between the presence I felt in the woods, and the murderer, but they are connected in some way.’

  ‘So what happened after you went to bed?’ Theo asked.

  ‘I woke up, and I was in the woods, but it was like only part of me was awake. I was aware of my surroundings, but my emotions were asleep. I saw a figure, it was dark, and wearing some sort of cloak; I couldn’t see their face. But it was like I was compelled to follow them. After a while I managed to throw off whatever compulsion had been laid on me, and when I woke up fully…’ She took a deep breath, ‘Jake, I was in Boothe’s Hollow.’

  ‘Jesus,’ he breathed heavily.

  ‘What’s Boothe’s Hollow?’ Theo asked in confusion.

  ‘It’s the one place in the woods that was always forbidden to us as children,’ Olivia answered. ‘It’s a circular clearing deep in the heart of the woods. We were never allowed to go anywhere near it. We did once sneak to the edge of the clearing. There’s a hollowed out tree at its center, but the whole place is just dead, nothing grows there, not even moss. Even the animals and insects won’t venture into the circle. The whole place was so creepy, after that we avoided it like the plague.’

  ‘Is it likely to happen again?’ Theo said. ‘I mean, what happens when you go back to sleep?’

  ‘It won’t happen again,’ Olivia’s voice was flat. ‘I never make the same mistake twice, besides I’ve amped up the wards around the house. Now nothing human or supernatural can cross the line if it means me harm.’

  ‘Do you know what the creature was that attacked you?’ Jake asked.

  ‘No,’ Olivia shook her head, ‘I’ve never seen one before.’

  ‘Fine,’ Jake conceded grudgingly, ‘you should get some sleep.’

  ‘Are you staying then?’ She looked from Jake to Theo, ‘you can use the guest rooms.’

  ‘I’m just going to crash down here on the sofa,’ Jake shook his head.

  She figured there was no point arguing with him. He was still pissed, and worried about her, so she decided to cut him a break. Nodding in acceptance she slowly and painfully climbed to her feet. Theo rose next to
her, but as she tried to put the weight on her ankle it gave way beneath her, forcing him to catch her. Looking down at her ankle she realized with a grimace that it was the size of a grapefruit.

  ‘Damn it,’ she muttered.

  Theo tucked his arm under her legs and lifted her easily.

  ‘We should really take a look at those cuts on your hands and feet. They’ll need cleaning and dressing before the wounds become infected,’ he told her.

  ‘I’ll find the first aid box, and bring it upstairs for you,’ Jake nodded. ‘Olive, do you remember where Aunt Evie used to keep it?’

  ‘I’m not sure, Nana Alice used to keep it in the cupboard under the sink in the kitchen. I expect Aunt Evie just left it there.’

  She directed Theo up the stairs and through her bedroom to the adjoining bathroom. He set her down slowly on the counter and stepped back to examine her feet.

  ‘I can’t see the wounds very clearly,’ he murmured, moving to her face, and taking a long look at the cut at her temple. ‘This one doesn’t look too deep.’

  ‘Theo,’ she spoke quietly, ‘how did you find me? What were you even doing in the woods?’

  ‘I saw you,’ he replied absently as he continued to study the wound on her forehead.

  ‘You saw me?’

  ‘Yes,’ his eyes softened, and his hands gentled as he stroked her jaw.

  ‘The dreams?’

  He nodded, ‘I told you I would always be here when you needed me.’

  She watched silently as he opened the shower door, and turned the water on, adjusting the temperature. But as he turned back she noticed the slash marks, and bloodstains across the side of his shirt.

  ‘You’re hurt.’

  ‘It’s nothing,’ he shrugged.

  ‘It doesn’t look like nothing,’ she slid carefully off the counter, trying not to put her weight on her swollen ankle.

  He watched her as she reached out tentatively, and grasped the hem of his shirt. Pulling it up, and over his head, she tossed it carelessly to the floor behind her. Her fingers grazed his torso, lightly tracing the dips and ridges of his chest, and across to his ribs. Four vicious looking claw marks marred the perfection of his skin. Red and angry looking, they still slowly oozed trickles of blood. A trail of half dried blood ran down his side, staining the waistband of his jeans, which sat low on his hip bone.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered not meeting his eyes. ‘I never wanted you to get hurt because of me.’

  He cupped her chin, raising her gaze to meet his own.

  ‘It was my choice Olivia, and if I had to do it again my choice would remain the same.’

  Her breath caught in her throat as she lost herself in those deep dark eyes. With her heart beating wildly in her chest she drew her arms slowly above her head, Theo grasped the hem of her ruined nightdress, and peeled it languidly over her head. He tossed it carelessly to the ground beside his shirt. Much the same as she had, his fingertips lightly grazed her skin, following the line of her collar bone. He continued over the swells of her breasts, and stroked gently. His thumbs grazed her nipples causing them to tighten into hard peaks. Tracing the under curve of her breasts he trailed down her ribcage, pausing briefly, his eyes widening in fascinated surprise at the tiny little diamond at her navel. Slowly his hands continued down to her hips where his fingers hooked the sides of her panties, and gently drew them down her legs.

  Everywhere he touched her, her skin felt like it was on fire. Her hands settled on his shoulders, feeling the muscles shift, and tighten under his skin. She leaned forward to steady herself as he helped her step out of her panties. He straightened and she released her grip on him, leaving herself naked and exposed to his appreciative gaze.

  Kicking off his boots, and socks, he grasped her hands gently, his eyes never leaving hers as he guided her hands to the waistband of his jeans.

  She tugged on the button, watching as it popped open, then lowered the zipper. Mimicking his movements she hooked her fingers at his hips dragging his jeans down, taking his boxers with them. Her eyes were inevitably drawn downwards as he kicked his jeans off completely. Her breath hitched, and her eyes widening slightly. Her core clutched painfully as the heat and arousal pooled low in her belly.

  He pulled her in slowly, his eyes dark, and intense as their skin touched for the first time. Olivia sucked in a sharp breath at the heat of his skin against hers. She wrapped her arms around him, her breasts pressed to the light dusting of hair on his chest. Her fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck, his lips hovering inches above hers. She wanted to taste him so badly, instead he picked her up, and stepped over the edge of the shower, closing the door behind them.

  He turned her in his arms so her back pressed against his chest and she relaxed into him. The water was warm and soothing as it spilled over them. He picked up her shampoo, and poured a little into his palms before massaging it through her hair. She almost moaned as his fingers pressed firmly into her scalp and down to the base of her skull. All the tension drained out of her body as he rinsed off her hair. Pouring the soap into his hand, he wrapped her up in his arms. Very carefully so as to not cause her pain he took her hands in his own, washing the blood and dirt from the cuts and scrapes. Satisfied they were clean he ran his hands up her arms. She reached up behind her and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressing his face into her neck, and breathing in the delicious scent of her, he ran his hands up her ribs, and cupped her breasts. She arched her back like a cat, pressing more firmly into his palms.

  Turning her face blindly towards him, she gasped as his mouth found hers. The glass had steamed up, effectively shutting out the world, and encasing them both in a little pocket of time that belonged to them alone. Olivia turned in Theo’s arms, his tongue stroking deeply into her mouth, tasting her in long luxuriant sweeps. She shuddered as his hand grazed the length of her spine, the other hand tangling in her hair as he pressed her against the cool tile. Moaning into his mouth, she ran her hands through his damp hair, tugging sharply as she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth.

  Theo was in heaven and hell. He knew he needed to stop, to find the strength to tear his body and mouth away from her, but he couldn’t, she was addictive. He’d only meant to help her to wash, to take care of her, but one touch of her and he was lost. Her skin was so soft, so smooth, and she smelled so good. He was so damn desperate to bury himself deep inside her, but he couldn’t, not like this.

  ‘Theo please,’ she breathed against his mouth rocking against his hard body.

  He tore his mouth away and leaned against her, panting furiously.

  ‘We can’t.’

  ‘Why not?’ Her heart pounded wildly.

  His fingers traced her cheek bone and skimmed along her jaw.

  ‘Olivia,’ her name was like a reverent prayer on his lips, ‘I want to be inside you more than I want my next breath.’

  ‘Then do it,’ she taunted, her voice a seductive whisper as she rubbed her lips against his.

  ‘No,’ he shook his head, ‘not like this. You’re hurt, and you’re exhausted; too much has happened tonight.’

  She sighed reluctantly; she knew he was right.

  Her hands gentled in his hair, releasing her grip and moving to his shoulders, stroking softly down his hard biceps before interlacing their fingers.

  ‘I hate you right now,’ she sighed heavily.

  ‘I hate me too,’ he smiled, pressing his forehead to hers, ‘but I can promise you this Olivia. When I make love to you there will be no one and nothing else in our bed but us.’

  Nodding slowly she reached out and shut the rapidly cooling water off.

  Theo helped her out of the shower, wrapping her in a thick towel while he dried himself off and pulled his boxers back on. Scooping her effortlessly back into his arms he carried her into the bedroom. A first aid kit sat on the bed where Jake must have left it. Depositing her on the bed next to it Theo turned to switch on the small
lamp on her nightstand.

  Olivia pulled the towel from her hair, running her fingers through the worst of the tangles. Pooling what little energy she had left she allowed the heat to travel up her neck to her scalp, until it felt like it was tingling with static electricity. Shaking out her hair it curled into loose waves which cascaded down her bare back, now bone dry.

  ‘That’s a neat trick,’ Theo raised a brow.

  ‘It came in handy in college,’ she yawned.

  ‘College?’

  ‘Forget it,’ she shook her head, ‘I’m too tired to explain.’

  ‘Do you have a clean nightdress?’ Theo asked.

  ‘Second drawer,’ she replied, opening the first aid box.

  The small tin box held a half squeezed tube of some sort of suspicious looking ointment, some bandages and a nearly empty bottle of cough syrup which expired in 1998. Shaking her head in amusement she smiled. It was exactly like Aunt Evie to not bother to keep a well stocked first aid kit, preferring her home remedies and simple kitchen magic to western medicine. She shuffled aside some evil looking smelling salts from…1954, seriously? Chuckling aloud she picked up a shiny black jar, sealed with wax. She stared in astonishment.

  ‘What’s that?’ Theo stopped in front of her and took the jar as he handed her the clean nightshirt.

  Pulling it over her head, she slipped her damp towel out from underneath and dropped it on the floor.

  Theo turned the jar over in his hands a couple of times and seeing nothing remarkable about it he handed it back.

  ‘If I’m right…’ Olivia whispered as she cracked the seal and opened the jar. A strong waft of poppies filled the air and Olivia smiled, ‘it’s Aunt Evie’s salve. She used to make it when I was a kid. I remember her putting it on my skinned knees.’

  Olivia’s smile was wistful as she thought back to her aunt.

  ‘She always had a way with healing,’ she murmured.

  ‘Is it any good?’ Theo asked curiously.