Ancient Guardians: The Uninvited

by S. L. Morgan

  That evening, food was sent up to Reece, and even though Elizabeth and Allestaine visited her, Levi never returned. Elizabeth and Allestaine forgave Reece’s irrational behavior, thankful she was feeling better. Now there was only one person left to apologize to, and she wondered if Levi would check on her before he retired for the night. She was desperately missing him, and most of all, she had to apologize to him. She sat there, tracing the pattern of the quilt on her bed, wondering if she should have Jasmeen send for him. She went to call for Jasmeen, and her heart nearly stopped when she heard Levi’s voice out in her sitting room.

  She wanted to jump from the bed and into his arms; however, she had no idea how to act around him. She was unforgettably rude, and she deserved Levi being upset with her.

  Jasmeen entered her bedchamber. “Reece, Master Levi is here.”

  “Please, tell him to come in,” she said.

  As soon as Levi entered the room, Reece smiled warmly at him.

  “You appear to be feeling much better,” he said, as he walked in and stood at the foot of her bed.

  “I’m so sorry about this morning.” She started to get out of bed.

  Before she could get up, Levi was there, stopping her. “Don’t get up.” he said.

  “Will you sit with me?” she asked, as she stared up at him.

  Levi’s solemn expression faded. “Of course.”

  She moved over and gestured for him to join her on the bed. When he did, Reece embraced him, and couldn’t fight her uncontrollable sobs if she wanted to. She didn’t understand why a few seconds ago all she wanted was him to hold her, and the moment he did, she felt repulsed by his closeness.

  Don’t push him away, she commanded herself.

  Levi ran his hand over her hair. “My love, please tell me what is wrong.”

  Reece choked back the tears, and Levi gently pulled her up to face him. “Let me help you,” he said purposefully.

  Reece forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong.” Her eyes locked onto his. “You’re already helping me, just by being here.” She hoped he believed her lie.

  He reached for her face, and Reece resisted the urge to pull away from his touch. As he tenderly rubbed her cheek, her teeth clenched together, wishing he would stop touching her. She focused on his eyes, which were dark with desire, and Reece was nauseated by the fact that he may kiss her.

  Why am I feeling like this? she thought in absolute frustration as her head began pounding.

  “I love you so much,” he said in a low voice.

  “I love you,” she managed to answer him.

  His vivid eyes continued to stare into hers as he brought his hand up to cradle her head, and then his lips were on hers. Reece pressed her lips together tightly, absolutely repulsed by him. Levi withdrew, “Forgive me.” He said in a soft voice.

  Reece didn’t know what to think, say, or do. The sorrow apparent on his face was heartbreaking to look at. She had to make this right somehow.

  She brought her lips back to his and ignored her feelings. She deepened their kiss, striving with all that she was to find her passion for him again. It seemed to help, but it wasn’t enough. Levi made her feelings of repulsion increase as he withdrew from her mouth and began kissing along her jaw and her neck. Her fingers dug into his back as she restrained herself from shoving him away.

  This wasn’t fair. All because of these nightmares? she thought in frustration. Will I ever love him again? She started crying in utter defeat, and Levi withdrew from her instantaneously. She couldn’t look into his eyes, so she embraced him.

  Levi’s arms tightened around her. “Talk to me, Reece,” he said, concerned. “What happened while I was gone?”

  She couldn’t talk to him; and right now, she needed him to leave. She had to find a way to ask him to go without being as harsh as she was earlier.

  “If you don’t mind, can we talk about it tomorrow?” she said, as she withdrew from his embrace.

  “Of course.” He reached for her cheek, but she reflexively shied away.

  “Please,” she begged, “just let me rest; I’m not feeling well again. This annoying headache is killing me.” She said as she started rubbing her temples.

  “I’ll have Jasmeen send for another remedy. Would you like me to stay until the pain subsides?”

  “No,” she blurted out. She managed to recover her rudeness with a forced smile. “I’ll be fine.” She got under her covers, and relaxed back into her pillows. “That remedy will help, and I think going back to sleep might help too.” she said.

  Levi stood up, “I will let Jasmeen know, and will be back to check on you in the morning.” He offered a faint smile. “Rest well.” He said as he turned to leave her bedchamber.

  As the next two weeks passed, her feelings of repulsion toward Levi drove her further away from him. The terrorizing nightmares had started to diminish, and she was able to eat and stay nourished. The help of a soothing tea provided her with the ability to sleep well. A stronger remedy was concocted for her headaches, and it eased her pain somewhat. It was no longer the lack of food or rest causing her irrational behavior; there was no explanation now.

  She was in torment, fighting the feelings she was having for Levi. He had tried numerous times to bring her off somewhere alone with him, but she would make Simone or Elizabeth join them. She had no desire to be alone with him anymore.

  She did her best to make him believe that she still loved him, but it was difficult. On the rare occasion that he did try to kiss her, she always turned her face away from his. Levi was very hesitant with her now, but she could sense his patience with her irrational behavior toward him as well. Reece knew she needed more time; a lot of her irritability toward Levi and his family seemed to stem from her relentless and unexpected headaches. Doctor Fletcher returned to the palace, but had no answers for them. Reece’s examinations proved she was perfectly healthy; the only cause for her pain must be stress.

  Reece figured that if this was all due to stress, then she should deal with it the best way she knew how. She decided to start her morning off with a jog and planned to get back into her normal routine again. The day was playing out well, and so she decided to resume planning for the engagement party.

  She went directly to the grand ballroom and started going through the decorating books. “Can I help you find something, Reece?” Allestaine asked politely as she walked up from behind.

  Reece turned and smiled. “No, I was just going through the planning books again. I promise I won’t go crazy like I did last time,” she said with a laugh.

  Allestaine smiled sympathetically at her. “Reece, sweetheart, forgive me for not telling you earlier, but we have cancelled the engagement celebration—”

  Reece didn’t hear anything else Allestaine said. Her headache returned in full force. She stared at Allestaine in repulsion as she gritted her teeth angrily. She had no doubt that this must have been Levi’s idea. The last time it was discussed with her, the engagement party was postponed; now it was cancelled? The unexplainable hatred she felt toward Levi came flooding through her again. She shook her head in disgust. Who does he think he is? Her head was pounding, but her repulsion toward Levi helped her ignore the excruciating pain.

  “Well, don’t I look like an idiot?” She nearly growled.

  “Reece, it was for your own good. If you want to proceed with having the celebration, we can arrange it. It was just that Levi thought it best to cancel it until further notice—”

  “So he did cancel it,” she said, with utter disgust in her voice. “I knew it!”

  “Reece, darling, it is not what you are thinking,” Allestaine replied.

  “Don’t call me darling!” Reece snapped as she gripped her aching forehead. She stared sternly at Allestaine. “Does it matter what I think, anyway? Obviously it didn’t to Levi, because he never discussed any of his plans to cancel it with me!” She laughed in disbelief. “Well, I guess this is the first step toward the perfect marriage, right?”

>   Allestaine’s eyes filled with tears, and Reece couldn’t help but feel badly for what she’d said. Reece! What is wrong with you? She thought as she struggled to pull herself together.

  “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. I’m just really confused about everything these days.” She sensed her own tears starting to surface.

  “I am confident you and Levi will find your way through all of this. You are correct; he should have discussed his plans to cancel the party with you. I was under the impression he had done so already, or I would have never approached you in this manner.”

  “If he returns early, will you let him know I need to talk with him?”

  “Of course. Would you care to join Elizabeth and me on a trip down to the village within the hour?”

  Reece could sense herself becoming unwell again and couldn’t trust herself around anyone. Given the fact that she had just snapped at Allestaine, she felt it would be best to spend the afternoon alone relaxing in her room.

  “I’m really tired all of the sudden; I think I’ll go lie down.” Reece answered.

  “Very well then, we will not be gone for long.” She embraced Reece. “It’s all going to be okay.”

  Reece returned to her room and rested for the next hour or so. She had taken a small nap, and felt revitalized. When she woke, she thought of Levi cancelling their engagement party. She inquired of Jasmeen to see if he had returned, and the maiden let her know that he wasn’t expected until later that evening. Reece spent the rest of the afternoon in her room, not prepared to be in the company of anyone until dinner. She relaxed in a chair by her fireplace with a blanket and a book.

  When Reece was prepared for dinner, she made her way to the dining hall. She hoped to walk in and see Levi already at the dining table, but he wasn’t. She found her usual seat, and forced herself to be patient. He would return from guarding on Earth tonight, and then she would question him about cancelling their engagement celebration. She sipped her wine, letting it calm her anxious nerves; the more she thought about what he had done, the angrier she became.

  Levi didn’t know how to feel or what to believe about Reece anymore. It was clear; she wanted nothing to do with him any longer. She was still recovering from her illness, and he needed to be patient with her. He would not allow himself to consider that she no longer loved him. He did wonder that, aside from her recovering from being sick, perhaps things could have moved too fast in their relationship.

  Levi understood very well that he handled his love for her a lot differently than how most men on Earth would. Maybe it would have been better that he waited to ask for her hand in marriage. I should have courted her longer and given her more time with me. He thought as he ran a hand through his hair. His thoughts shifted to the one underlying issue that he assumed Reece now despised him for; the fact that she was forced to live in his world.

  How was it that he and his kind had, for their entire existence, served to protect the humans on Earth from harm, and yet the one human woman he loved the most was suffering because of his world and their cause? What could he do to make her smile, to see her laugh, and want to be in his presence again?

  “Levi!” Harrison called loudly, and by the frustration in his voice, it wasn’t the first time he’d called his name.

  Levi snapped out of his daze. He looked at Harrison darkly while he gripped his communication device angrily. “What?”

  Harrison returned Levi’s glare, “What are Samuel’s orders? Have they overheard anything more on the local police scanners?” Harrison demanded while speeding down the dark road.

  Harrison ripped the communication device from Levi’s hand and conversed with Samuel. It was obvious that Harrison’s irritation with Levi was growing swiftly, but Levi didn’t care anymore.

  As soon as Harrison was done receiving the information from Samuel, he tossed the device back over to Levi in frustration.

  “You are driving me insane,” he said, as he spun the car around. He glared at him firmly. “We passed the turn-off thirty miles ago. With any luck, the family that the Plerityons are planning to terrorize won’t already be abducted by the time we get there.” He shook his head. “You seriously need to pull yourself together.”

  Levi glared at his cousin. “Harrison, just drive the car. All we have is a UFO sighting from local law enforcement and the neighboring communities. That’s all we’ve had from these creatures for the last three days. They are playing games like they always do. You know how they are. They can’t shape-shift into human form, and therefore it is very rare—”

  “Levi!” Harrison called out, interrupting him. “They are on the ground! The latest police report said that there were four or five green individuals spotted walking around this innocent family’s farm house.” He stared at Levi in utter annoyance. “But how would you know that? You haven’t listened to a word Samuel’s said to you.”

  Levi looked back at his cousin in defeat. “Harrison, forgive me—”

  Harrison turned onto a private dirt road, and increased their speed. “I’ll forgive you later, let’s just handle this business and get home.”

  As dinner progressed, Reece grew more impatient. Are they ever going to get back tonight? She thought as she grit her teeth.

  “Is everything okay, Reece?” Allestaine spoke with concern from across the table.

  Reece looked down and noticed her tightly clenched fists. She relaxed her hands and forced a smile; but before she could respond, the doors to the dining area opened, admitting Levi and Harrison into the room.

  “Good evening, all. It is truly wonderful to be home again. Have you missed us?” Harrison announced, while smiling mischievously at Reece.

  Levi took his usual seat next to Reece and greeted her. “Good evening, Reece. You look lovely this evening.”

  Reece shuddered. She thought she was in a bad mood a few minutes ago? Now it was heightened by Levi’s presence. “Why are you guys so late?” she asked bitterly.

  Harrison laughed aloud as he took a sip of wine. “And so it begins; the lovely lady questioning her man about where he’s been.”

  Reece’s eyes narrowed. This guy can be so annoying. She was so infuriated by Harrison’s interjection that she restrained herself from responding. She looked to Levi, and waited for his answer.

  “Our last assignment went longer than planned,” he answered, while a servant placed his plate of food in front of him.

  The way he seemed to brush her off fueled Reece’s agitation.

  “Yes,” Harrison said. “But, I have to admit, if it wasn’t for Levi, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to charge into a spacecraft today.”

  “Wow, how exciting,” Reece said in a mocking tone.

  “Indeed, it was.” Harrison grew more serious as he locked his gaze on Reece. “Whenever we are successful in saving those on Earth from being terrorized by other entities, there is a great sense of excitement that follows.”

  Reece’s lips tightened as she restrained herself from countering back at him. She inhaled deeply and took a sip of her wine. It served to calm her some, and fortunately, Samuel started asking questions about the assignment. Reece remained silent throughout the rest of dinner. She wanted so desperately to get out of this horrible mood, but no matter what she did, she was irritated.

  After dinner, the family retired to one of the sitting rooms. Reece planned to take this opportunity to question Levi about cancelling their engagement party. She sat next to Simone on the sofa, and the men took up seating across from them. She knew it wasn’t the best time to bring the issue up, but she didn’t care. And so, without regard to anyone present, she did it anyway.

  “Levi? I found out some interesting news today,” she said, with excitement in her voice.

  Levi’s eyes widened and he smiled in response to her cheerful tone. “What is that, Reece?” he answered.

  Her eyes narrowed as she smiled at him. “Well, apparently our engagement party is cancelled. Could you imagine how surprised I was w
hen I got the news?”

  Harrison stifled a laugh, and Levi sat there expressionless.

  “I believed it would be best,” he responded.

  “Really! Best for whom, Levi? You?”

  “Reece, this is not the place to discuss this matter. Allow me to escort you on a walk, and I can explain myself in a more private setting.”

  “No, I think this is the perfect place to discuss it. I’m sure that everyone here is already aware of the decision you made. From the expression on everyone’s faces sitting around us right now, it’s obvious that I was the only one you decided not to tell about your bright idea.”

  “Reece, please—”

  “No, Levi!” She faced Simone. “Simone, tell me; were you aware of this brilliant decision before now?”

  Simone looked at Levi, and before she could answer her, Reece already knew the answer. “Never mind, I think it’s obvious.” Reece ignored Elizabeth sitting at her other side and looked directly at Harrison. “And you, Harrison?”

  Harrison smiled in return. “Of course I knew of it; however, I feel you are being quite harsh on Levi, as it was my idea in the first place.”

  Reece rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised? Maybe you should stay out of our business, Harrison.”

  “Reece, please…Levi only considered cancelling it for fear of it causing you any unneeded stress. He was concerned for your health,” Elizabeth said softly.

  “Really? So not only did everyone know about this – except for me, of course – but you all also knew why he would do it?” She glared at Levi. “Wow, Levi, I don’t even know what to say.”

  “Forgive me, Reece. You must understand, it wasn’t my intention to upset you like this. I am sorry I didn’t discuss it with you first. If it is your desire to have the celebration, I will arrange for the preparations to resume at once,” Levi replied.