by Montana Ash
The next few minutes were a whirlwind of coffee-making, table-setting, and pancake-stacking. Max found herself seated at the table between Cali and Axel, her plate covered in bacon, maple syrup and pancakes and was horrified to find herself blinking back tears. She couldn’t even recall the last time she had shared a home cooked meal with people who welcomed her.
“You look like shit.”
Wait, what? Max looked up only to find Ryker staring directly at her. Was he talking to her? “Are you talking to me?”
He nodded and drank down half a bottle of water in one swallow, “Yes. You look like shit.”
Max gasped in outrage. Although she didn’t fancy herself as particularly pretty, she still had enough feminine pride to feel insulted down to her bones. Ignoring the stunned, amused and resigned faces around the table she glared back. “Well you don’t exactly look …” She trailed off feebly as she took in his magnificent chest, chiselled jaw and midnight hair. Damn the man – he was absolutely perfect! Her stupid tongue wouldn’t let her form the lie so instead she went on the defensive. “How do you know I look like shit? You only just met me! For all you know, this is just my face!” She continued, “And will you please put a shirt on? It’s hardly hygienic. I’m trying to eat here!”
Dark eyebrows arched over compelling brown eyes as he smirked and completely ignored her, “What happened to your lip?”
So arrogant! Max thought. She wanted to smack the arrogance right off his face … and then kiss him all better. What was it about this guy that pushed all her buttons? She’d sooner die than admit that to him of course so she answered sweetly;
“Last night when I went to bed, I thought of you as I pleasured myself. I sank my teeth into my lip in order to stifle my screams of ecstasy.” She turned to Axel who was grinning in appreciation, “I’m thoughtful like that.”
Snickers and good-natured ribbing followed – although Ryker didn’t seem to appreciate her particular brand of humour. Perhaps he had some sort of blunt object shoved up his arse? Maybe she would ask him about it one day. His narrowed gaze suggested that perhaps today was not that day.
“You’re so pale you’re nearly translucent; the bags under your eyes are so black they look like you’ve rimmed them in boot polish; and your hands are shaking so much you can barely hold your fork.” He pointed out emotionlessly. “You’re running on fumes.”
“Well, perhaps if you’d stop insulting me and let me consume this wonderful breakfast, I could put something in the tank.”
Darius, ever the diplomat, jumped into the conversation, “He’s not referring to your diet, although I’m sure you would benefit from a few good square meals. He means your vitality is low. You are worn thin Max.”
Max frowned, “I still don’t understand what you mean by vitality.”
“It’s the energy we paladins produce. To us, it’s a by-product of everyday life – like carbon dioxide is the by-product of breathing. To wardens, it’s the energy needed to upkeep your domain. It’s taxing and you need to replenish it regularly.” Beyden explained helpfully, munching on a pancake.
“And paladins do that by sharing this excess vitality that they produce naturally?” Max recited the information from the previous evening.
“Correct.” Darius said, “You need to use us to recharge yourself.” He held out a tanned arm, “I offer myself freely.”
Max cringed back and held up a hand, “Please, no. You’re going to make me lose my appetite.”
“It’s a natural thing Max.” Lark assured her softly.
She snorted. “Maybe in your world. In my world people don’t go around sucking out other people’s life force.”
“That’s not …” Darius began but Max cut him off.
“Please Darius, can you just drop it? I really appreciate all that you’ve done. But I need baby steps here. An overwhelmed Max does not a happy Max make. Besides,” she continued, “I thought you said yesterday that I was pumping out this vitality in waves? How can I be doing that and yet not have enough at the same time?”
“You were – and still are – leaking vitality. It’s practically seeping from your pores. Your element is probably excessively healthy everywhere you go but it is incredibly draining on you.” Lark answered helpfully.
“I’m leaking?” She couldn’t help scrutinising her body and patting down her arms. “How am I leaking?”
“It’s because you have no control. You’re fucking clueless!”
Ryker’s harsh words were like a bucket of cold water. She pushed her half-eaten plate away, her appetite now completely gone. “Well this fucking clueless woman is no longer your fucking problem.” She stood. “Thank you all again. I truly appreciate it but I think I’ll take my leave now.”
Lark rushed to stand. “You can’t leave Max.”
“No. You definitely can’t leave.” Darius intoned, frowning at Ryker in disapproval.
Max raised her chin, “Actually I can. You’re not the boss of me and you said I wasn’t a prisoner, so …”
Lark touched her arm in comfort even as assured her, “You’re not a prisoner, Max.”
“Absolutely not.” Darius agreed. “You are, however, a warden and you need help, education, and training. You need to be introduced into our society. You need to be taught control, to learn your true potential. You need to form your own Order and bond yourself to your own paladins. It is your birthright.”
“Well, I assume none of that is achievable in the next few minutes?” Max queried. “No? Well then, if you don’t mind I think I’ll go stretch my legs. Maybe leak some more nature-juice out of my eyeballs or something.” And so saying, she marched from the room and out the back door where she took a deep breath and raised her face to the sky.
****
“You look like shit? Really Ryker? You look like shit? What were you thinking? Have you learned nothing living with me and Diana?” Cali asked furiously.
Ryker had to force himself not to fidget under Cali’s frigid, feminine stare. Hell yes, living with the two female paladins had taught him a lot about how to deal with women. He knew never to ask if it was that time of the month, even if it was. He knew never to say their outfit looked ‘fine’, even if it did. And he definitely knew to never, ever tell them they looked like shit. Glancing around the room he noted the disapproving looks on every face and sighed tiredly. He was fairly ashamed of himself. He hated the look of hurt that had flashed over the warden’s face and he certainly hadn’t wanted to upset her to the point where she stopped eating. He had the feeling she could use all the decent meals she could get.
He had tossed and turned all night, plagued with thoughts and unwanted images of their strange guest. When she had asked to be shown to her room, Ryker wasn’t sure she would even make it up the stairs, she had looked that unwell. He figured a decent night’s sleep and a meal or two would do her wonders – and a vitality exchange of course, not that he planned on volunteering for the task. He wasn’t that thrilled that some of the others had offered the evening before and again today, but he wasn’t officially their Captain so they could do as they pleased. It wasn’t that he wanted the warden to go without such fundamental energy but he just didn’t want it going on in his home. This place was his sanctuary, his refuge, his place of peace and somehow, someway over the years it had become that for the other knights living there too. He intended to maintain his haven for himself and for his fellow soldiers for as long as humanly possible. Having any warden around was not conducive to peace in his opinion and he knew for a fact that this one female warden in particular was going to be a total nightmare.
Having said that, when he had walked in and seen Max standing in his kitchen still pale, still exhausted, and sporting a freshly bruised lip he had seen red. He had wanted to gather her up and kiss her lip. He wanted to feed her and hold her until she felt safe and fell asleep. He just plain wanted to make her all better … and that just plain pissed him off. What was it about the female that managed to barge pa
st his strongly erected barriers with no more than a single look from those incredible eyes of hers? He still knew nothing about her except for the obvious fact that she was a warden. That in and of itself should have had him running in the opposite direction. So instead of voicing his concern over her sick and vulnerable state, he had gone on the offensive and acted like a total prick so no one would suspect his true inclinations.
“Ryker! Are you listening to me?” Cali demanded.
He sighed again, “Yes, Cali. I’m listening. I’m sorry, okay?”
Cali snorted, “It’s not me you need to apologise to. It’s Max.”
Not a chance in hell, Ryker thought to himself. He had a feeling she would like that a little too much. “I’m not apologising to the woman. It was the truth … she does look terrible.”
“She looks terrible because she is running on fumes both physically and emotionally if I’m reading her right. And has been for some time.” Beyden chimed in, pushing his half-eaten plate to the side. Now Ryker knew he was in trouble, Beyden never left a meal unfinished. For a lean guy the man packed away food like it was going out of fashion. He was constantly munching on something from the time he rose in the morning until he crashed at night. Even then, Ryker often heard him up in the middle of the night raiding the refrigerator. Ryker had no idea where he put it all.
Despite being a bottomless pit, he was a good man to have at your back. Ryker had known him for over ten years now and he had been crashing at the camp for almost eight of them. He was soft spoken and humble and didn’t often get involved in the politics of their world. But he was as observant as he was perceptive so when he chose to contribute, Ryker always listened – even if he didn’t want to hear it.
“What makes you so sure it isn’t all an elaborate act?”
Beyden’s look was full of scorn. “That woman’s face is an open book. I don’t think she could lie to save her life. She may have dodged answering certain questions last night, but she never outright lied … and you know it.” The look Beyden gave him was reproachful, “You can read people better than anyone else in this room. So tell me; is she lying?”
Dammit! Beyden was absolutely correct, he was good at reading people. And not in the same quiet, attentive way Beyden was either. Ryker’s domain was life itself. Although he couldn’t see auras or manipulate a person’s body to the extent of a warden, his element offered certain advantages when it came to interacting with his fellow humans. He was quite empathic and could pick up on the small bursts of energy produced by feelings, thoughts and emotions. Each one had a certain feel or taste to them and deceit was very distinct. It was bitter, always so bitter no matter how accomplished the liar was. Max had tasted like cinnamon.
He fucking loved cinnamon.
“She hasn’t been untruthful yet.” He admitted, responding to Beyden’s direct question.
“Yet? Don’t qualify it Ryker. We’ve hardly given her a chance to share her story. I don’t know how or why but that woman is completely ignorant of her origins. She really does need our help.” The man’s amber eyes were earnest and Ryker always felt they were a direct reflection of his own domain; the beasts.
“But that is just my point. How is that even possible? How is she still alive if she didn’t know about paladins? It doesn’t add up.”
“I agree.” Axel was drinking milk straight from the carton again and Ryker waited for the inevitable explosion. Darius hated that particular nasty habit of the paladin of fire. He felt it was uncouth. Darius really was the gentleman of the group and had his work cut out for him in keeping them all honest. It appeared Darius wasn’t rising to the bait today however, for he didn’t even blink an eye. The little red head must have made quite the impression on his oldest friend as well.
“You agree?” Ryker addressed Axel, relieved to finally have one ally at the table.
Axel crushed the now empty carton with one hand, “Yep. I totally agree. But I don’t care.” He shrugged those heavy shoulders of his and threw a wicked look around the table, “I like her.”
“You don’t care because you like her?” Ryker was incredulous.
“Why are you surprised Ry?” Cali asked. “Did you see the breasts on the woman? I mean, jeez, talk about a handful.”
“Cali!” Darius finally seemed fit to partake.
“What?” The female paladin was completely unrepentant. She turned to Axel, “Am I right?”
“Cali, my love. You are, as always, unequivocally correct.”
Darius was still frowning, “When are you going to grow up?”
Axel rocked backwards precariously on his chair like the true rebel he was, “Now why would I want to go and do something like that?”
Ryker could feel a headache threatening and it wasn’t even nine in the morning yet. Sometimes he felt like he was playing child care teacher and other times he thought maybe he was a zoo keeper. Ryker usually appreciated Axel’s wry humour and dry wit. When he had moved in just three years ago he had brought a much needed levity to their little tribe of misfits. On this occasion however, Ryker was tempted to reach across the table and sucker punch the other paladin in the head. He shouldn’t have been looking, let alone commenting on the chest area of any warden and the fact that Ryker himself had barely been able to drag his own eyes from Max’s luscious breasts really was not the point.
“Enough. We need to sort this mess out. I want her questioned – properly this time. Then I want to contact the Local Warden Council and inform them we have a stray. They can get in touch with the International Domain Council and deal with her as they see fit.”
“But Ry, don’t you think we should see to her health first? She needs vitality.” Lark stated.
“The Local Council will sort that out. It’s their job after all. It’s certainly not ours. Unless any of you have suddenly changed your mind about being in an Order overnight?” Silence met his question. “That’s what I thought.”
“I still think we should learn more about her first before we throw her to the wolves. Maybe just a couple of days for her to rest up, gain our trust. She seems skittish to me.” Beyden sure was talkative today, Ryker thought. Not even twenty-four hours and the woman was already causing dissension in his ranks.
She definitely had to go.
Pushing his chair back, he stood to his impressive height of six foot four. “Look, we don’t need some stray warden hanging around, bringing trouble to our doorstep. We’ve all had enough of it to last a lifetime!” Ryker gave them all one last stern look. “She goes. This is not up for debate.”
NINE
Ryker hadn’t even bothered with a shower before seeking the miniature warden out. He had pulled his long sleeve grey tee shirt back on though, more to conceal the faded coat of arms on his forearm than from any sense of modesty. It was his turn to ask the questions and he wasn’t giving the woman any new ammunition to turn the tables. He was just about to follow her grand exit through the door off the kitchen when he caught sight of her through the windows behind the sink. She sure was stunning in a short, pixie kind of a way. She wouldn’t be gracing any catwalks in Milan given the length of her legs but the whole package still worked for him. That hair of hers was now shining brightly in the early morning sun and Ryker could make out the red tones easily unlike the night before. She was slender but curvy in all the places a man wanted a woman to be curvy. Although her face was marred with lines of exhaustion and smudges of illness, it was still arresting. Some of that was due to those blue-green eyes of hers, but most of it was that crooked smile and the vibrancy she exuded. She certainly had a way about her.
Ryker frowned as he studied her face more closely. Was she beginning to look better? She didn’t look quite so pale anymore and had some colour in her cheeks. The dark circles under her eyes appeared to lighten and the slight tremors he had seen in her hands were now practically undetectable. Even as he continued to watch her the answer seemed to unfold in front of him, although he didn’t know if he could trust what he
was seeing. She was walking around the garden at a leisurely pace touching a tree here and stroking a flower there. She bent down to pick up fallen leaves and gave a dandelion husk freedom by blowing it off a fingertip. She even picked up a spider and let it crawl over the back of her hand before returning it to its web. He could see her lips moving and although he couldn’t make out the words he knew she was talking to the nature all around her.
She was actively communicating with her domain ... Amazing!
She appeared to be unwaveringly focused in her task and although her power was a thing of beauty to behold, it was also a danger. It was like she had no real concept of the power she was exuding or even what she was receiving in return. He had no doubt she was acting on pure instinct given the naiveté inherent in her actions. In the past, before the Great Massacre fifty years ago, such displays of power were quite common. But now wardens were more passive in their roles, preferring to act as conduits and guardians rather than catalysts. Ryker knew some of them still participated directly with their domains – some of them couldn’t seem to help it, especially those very few powered by life itself. It was a little hard to ignore the whole world, after all. Still, he was pretty sure that what Max was doing was something altogether different.
“Stalking?”
Ryker jumped. He was so absorbed by the spectacle in front of him he had been completely unaware of his surroundings and Darius had managed to get the jump on him, “What?” He asked.
“You’ve been standing here staring out the window for ten minutes. I was just wondering if you had decided to stalk our new guest.”
“Of course not! No.” Ryker gestured with his chin in Max’s direction. “What do you make of that?”
Darius frowned, “What am I looking at?”
“The warden!” Ryker gestured impatiently.
