Personal Guardians

by Rachel A. Collett

  I clenched my fist, wanting to take back the gratitude I felt when Aaron had told me it was my decision whether I would become Defender. My mind flashed back to my father and Darius, both of whom had wanted to make that decision for me. Was I much more different from them?

  “Besides,” Logan continued, interrupting my efforts to overthrow their will. “I remember The Three telling us at one time or another that if they are killed, the veil falls, and I’ll be damned if I let that happen.”

  Shocked, I whirled. “You didn’t tell me that!”

  Laith just shook his head.

  Gerald placed a hand on Logan’s shoulder. “Logan is right. We have an obligation to see this sanctuary stand for others that need protection. Live or die, I will fight.”

  Laith nodded. “Then let us go,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Those that wish to join—we leave just after sunset. We will set up camp at the border and wait for the Annihilator’s arrival. Come prepared for battle, but pray for resolution.”

  “Take Violet back to her cell and make sure it is locked,” Darius ordered Roman and Hector, but before they could remove her from the room, she placed her hand on my shoulder.

  “Zane wishes to speak to you, my Ava. There is more to this that you need to know.”

  I hesitated before answering. “I will visit with him when I bring you dinner.”

  Darius took my hand and led me through the crowd. The multitude made a path for The Three to follow, then dispersed to prepare, ignoring my pleading expressions. My throat swelled with fear and doubt for my people.

  But no. I shook my head. I would protect them all. Somehow.

  Darius opened the door to my room and escorted me inside, closing it behind. Without a word, he went straight to my closet and began rifling through my drawers. I silently watched, additional thoughts nearly non-existent. He threw a pair of thick, black cargo pants onto the bed, followed by a long-sleeved black turtleneck.

  “The pants and shirt are both knife-resistant to minor slashes, but don’t allow that to give you much comfort. Keep the turtleneck high.”

  Without waiting, I automatically stripped down to my underwear and pulled the new material over my head. Darius hesitated, watching me only a split-second before moving back to the closet. Buttoning the pants, I barely registered the spike of my heartrate when he dropped my combat boots in front of me. They thudded to the ground as he slipped one tactical belt around my waist, securing it in place, another around my leg. Each carried a clip for a knife.

  “Where are your weapons?” he asked, giving the strap on my thigh a sharp tug.

  “You know where they are.” My brain felt like it was in a fog, drawn to the one place I needed to be the most at the moment. Nothing else mattered.

  He went to my nightstand and removed my treasures. My father’s knife he placed into the clip at my side. Grayson’s dagger slid into my boot. Theron’s blade tucked into the holster on my thigh. Violet’s and C.W.’s knives were folded and slipped into each of my pants pockets.

  Suddenly, his hands gripped my sides, his thumbs and fingers spanning the distance around my waist. Some unknown emotion warred in his eyes.

  “Darius,” I began, but he pulled me into him, crushing my lips with his.

  Heat flushed my face. Angry at first, I gripped his arms, intending to push him away, but when my fingers brushed over his smooth, muscled flesh, my body reacted of its own accord. Energy coursed from my hands, up my arms and into my spine, causing me to shudder.

  Darius pressed his thumbs into the soft spot of my hips and I groaned. He answered me by deepening the kiss.

  We didn’t have time for this… Cheryl needed my help. The residents needed my help

  A mixture of raw emotions stirred from within. My logical side told me what we were doing was wrong, but knowing what waited for me outside the sanctuary made me ache in ways I had forgotten. I had slipped into a strange new reality, so different from before—from the loneliness and doubt I had known all my life. For a few blissful moments, I had a sense of purpose. I had hope.

  And so—I kissed him back in honor of that hope. My arms snaked behind his neck, eliminating the space between us. I got lost in his warmth and in his touch. And all too soon… he pulled away.

  He laid his forehead upon mine, breathing heavily against my skin. “I’m taking you on our first date, tomorrow,” he said.

  I exhaled heavily. “If we live that long.”

  His face hardened, his fingers pressed into the flesh at my waist. “About that.” He pulled me tight to his body. “Again, I warn you. I’m going to become quite obsessive—brutish, even—over you. You may not recognize me.”

  “And again, who says I’m going to let you?” I tried to push away, but he didn’t budge.

  One side of his lips lifted into a smirk as he watched my reaction, but that smile quickly faded. “You have no choice, Ava,” he said, his words brusque. “I will do what I can to save your friend”—a small well of hope bubbled from the surface of my dismal imaginations—“but my devotion is to you. I am your Guardian, like it or not, and you are my Defender.”

  Memories of my dad leaked into my mind.

  I am your Guardian. I am the only one who can keep you safe.

  But my father had died. He had died trying to protect me. Trying to keep me safe from the Annihilator.

  Darius tipped my head back with his fingers, forcing me to see him. “I will protect you with my dying breath.”

  “Stop it.”

  I jerked my head away and pushed harder at his chest, angry that he was voicing what I feared was to come—what came to my father. Instead of letting go, his lips crushed mine. At first hard and almost painful, he moved against my lips. But then he softened as did his caress. When he pulled away, he stared into my eyes, holding me in his steel grip. As I watched him, a shield went up. His expression hardened and he released my body. I stumbled back, but didn’t fall.

  “You may not like it, but this is my calling.”

  I opened my mouth to respond at the same time that my bedroom door opened.

  Elisa entered in full tactical gear that matched my own “Excuse us, Darius. I need to speak to Ava.”

  I hugged my arms as my face flashed hot. Darius’s eyes narrowed, searching my expression. His steely gaze emitted nothing except a cool calm, but I knew a dangerous storm brewed within.

  He nodded once and left through the door that connected our two rooms—and hope was gone.

  I closed my eyes, dragging my attention away from his retreating form, and waited as Elisa scanned my appearance. Once satisfied, she pulled something from her pocket.

  “Here.” She thrust her hand toward me. Metal flashed. “It’s a Celtic sgian dubh. A boot knife.”

  The weapon Elisa proffered me was so exquisitely beautiful that I almost gasped. A cast-iron hilt weaved in a stunning display of Celtic knot-work from the pommel to the stainless-steel blade. It fit beautifully in my hand; the cool metal soothed.

  She smiled. “Your mother used to have an original made of antler, but it was lost long ago. This is a much more modern version of the sgian dubh, but she loved it just the same. It was meant to be a birthday present, but now is as good a time as ever.”

  I half-smiled. “I’m glad you didn’t make me wait until next month to get it.” I slipped my mother’s knife into my other boot.

  Her face dropped. “Your birthday is next week.”

  My body jerked upright, but, “Oh,” was all I could muster to the simple statement. It made sense though. How could my dad hide me properly without changing my birthday? “Am I really nineteen?” I asked.

  Elisa’s lips twitched into a crooked grin. “You’re thirty.”

  My brows shot up. “Seriously?”

  She laughed, one short burst. “No. You’re nineteen. Nearly twenty. Just a little earlier than you thought.”

  “Thank you for the gift” I said as I processed this new truth.

  She nodded
then left me alone.

  “You’ve got this, Ava,” I whispered once the door clicked closed, but still my heart sank. I couldn’t stop the morbid thoughts that poured from the cracks of my brain or the suffocating fear that this would be the last time I would come back to the room of my parents—the only place that had truly felt like home.

  “You’ve got this,” I growled.

  Turning a full circle, I committed the space to memory. I clasped my mother’s picture to my chest and allowed my fingers to trail the painted vines of her walls, my touch falling upon the one flower that elicited a curious title.

  A violet for Violet.

  Confused, I studied the petals my mother had painted for her demon. Each stroke was done with such grace and beauty that I wondered at the relationship, the bond, that my mother and her personal demon must have had. A violet for Violet.

  If there was a demon capable of any kind of positive virtues, I could believe it of Violet. Even love. But how was that possible? Beyond Jonathan’s claims of lust and obsession, I could almost feel as if he cared. He may even miss me when I died.

  Jonathan. Without realizing what I was doing, I called to him. Good bye, Jonathan.

  Wait, what do you mean? came his immediate response, but I closed off the connection, sealing my soul against his.

  He would be angry with me, but I had to say goodbye.

  24

  Search and rescue

  Darius and I carried out two trays of food to the barn and the prison beneath. He ghosted beside me, transformed—almost unrecognizable—into my guard and protector. As we stepped down to the basement floor, Hector stood from the desk across the cell rooms.

  I attempted a smile but it felt strange against dry lips. “Hector, you can go get your dinner. We will wait here for you to return.”

  He left up the stairs, his boots echoing in the small space of the prison.

  Darius walked the area, checking the cell doors and insuring they were locked properly. When his inspection was complete, he slid Zane’s dinner through the bars.

  Zane ignored the food, but Darius didn’t react other than to take his place by my side. He nodded to me, giving the signal to proceed. Violet smiled when she saw me carrying her tray to her cell.

  “You eat early at the compound,” she said.

  “A lot is going down tonight. We eat early or not at all.”

  She nodded. “It makes sense. It has been so long since I’ve had a decent meal. Fitting it should be my last.”

  “It won’t be your last,” I said as I pushed the tray through the opening in the bars.

  “But it would be worth it if it means I can protect my Ava.” She took the offering and moved to her bed. She didn’t look at me again, but focused on her dinner.

  “Defender.” Zane called to me from his cell, reminding me of his desire to speak. He gripped the bars, resting his forehead against the back of one hand. I glanced at Darius, who waited for me by the exit.

  “Let me speak to him alone,” I said.

  He looked past me to Zane.

  “You know I won’t hurt her, man,” Zane said.

  Darius’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll be at the top of the stairs. Call if you need me.” He left without a backward glance.

  I studied Zane as he studied me, his eyes examining every pore upon my face.

  “She hated you so much,” he said, not needing to tell me who he referred to. “I could never figure out why… Well, until it was too late.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, waiting.

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry it came to this. I never really had anything against you. I just wanted her to be happy. I really am sorry.”

  I closed my eyes, releasing a heavy sigh. A wave of exasperation fell over me, making me tired, but I didn’t have time to be tired, and as much as I wanted to hate him, I couldn’t. I had seen into his soul and had felt his terror and remorse when the demon was inside. Zane wasn’t a murderer. He was just a fool.

  “You’re forgiven,” I said without feeling. I spun on my heel, moving to the stairs.

  “I know what is going to happen.” I froze. Zane spoke low so Darius wouldn’t overhear. “I know what is going on. I have heard her call. That thing inside me opened a line of communication.”

  I cocked my head to the side. “I thought the demon was gone.”

  “It is.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Then how is there any line of communication?”

  Violet cleared her throat. “It takes time for the effects to wear off, depending on the severity of the possession. In Zane’s case, he could be hearing the trespasser’s thoughts for several days.”

  “Wouldn’t the demons know that? Wouldn’t they be cautious?”

  She laughed. “If it is a Fallen, yes. A lesser demon, no. They are not powerful enough to truly do harm or completely takeover, and, well, we couldn’t care less to train them properly. Their soul is destroyed beyond repair. They wouldn’t sense any connection whatsoever. They are… gross.”

  “The Annihilator is recruiting,” Zane interjected, reclaiming my attention. One side of his lips twisted up into a crooked grin.

  Anger rose, as did the level of my power. “Do you wish to join your demon warriors?” I asked in a soft, but threatening voice.

  “No.” He released his grip and walked the walls of his cell. “I wish to kill them. All of them.” When I didn’t answer, he stopped his pacing and grasped the bars even tighter, his knuckles white. “The demon that took over my body is a lower-level demon. The Annihilator doesn’t pay much attention to him, but he is obsessed with her and he does not regulate his thoughts.”

  “And?”

  “The Annihilator plans on killing Cheryl in front of you and inciting your anger. She knows you will fight, and she believes she can finish you and The Three off once and for all.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us this before? Why now?’

  “I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I don’t think I am now.” He rolled his eyes and tapped his head against the bar. “Have you ever had a demon inside you?”

  My eyes narrowed. “Of course not.”

  “It’s an incredible violation, and while I’ve never been physically raped, I could guess it is equally disturbing to have your mind and soul molested in such a way.” He shuddered, and my skin crawled for him. “I don’t think I will ever feel… clean again, so please forgive me, but things are just barely coming into focus. But I can guarantee you this: she will not trade Charlotte for your friend.”

  “How do you know about that?” I asked.

  His head jerked the direction of Violet’s cell.

  “I’m sorry, my darling,” she called out from her room. “Was that supposed to be a secret?”

  Frustrated, I pulled my fingers through my hair, ignoring my mother’s demon. “What are you suggesting?”

  “That we snatch your friend away before the Annihilator can kill her—because she will kill her. Once we’ve eliminated the threat to one of your mortals, we’re on equal playing ground. What you decide to do after that is up to you.”

  “And I will go. If we are caught, Charlotte could still be useful,” said Violet. She pressed her face upon the bars, peering out from her space.

  I looked away, hiding the excitement building within. I didn’t know if I was sane at the moment, but the demon-infested traitors were starting to make sense. I needed to get out of the prison and clear my mind. “I will discuss this with the others.”

  Take me with you! Zane called to me before I could take two steps away, his energy connecting with mine—and I froze.

  “You don’t trust me, do you?” he said. “I wouldn’t trust me either, but please. I know where they’re keeping Cheryl. I could show you.” He tapped his mind with a finger. “I could probably find the location of the town they’re in. I could help you get Cheryl back. All I’m asking is for you to allow me to make this right. Release me to fight alongside my family, to protect my friends—the one
s that are left. Let me protect my Defender and her Guardian.”

  “Temporary Guardian,” I interjected, but I didn’t know why.

  He smirked, his blue eyes light. “Whatever you say. But, please. Let me go to my grave fighting for what I believe in. Don’t let me die a traitor.”

  His gaze cut into me. I could sense his sincerity—his passion for the fight.

  I moved to his cell and covered his fists with mine, squeezing them even tighter around his prison bars.

  “I will talk to the others. While I cannot guarantee anything, know this…”

  I tapped into that reserve of destructive energy—so easy and readily available to me now—and drew power to our connected hands. Heat bloomed like a growing fire. I stared into his widening eyes.

  “If I let you out and you turn on us…”

  Zane grimaced as pain laced through our hands and up into his arms. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

  “I will kill you without a thought.” I smiled, flashing my teeth. “And the last thing you will worry about is dying a traitor.”

  I waited until he cried out in pain, then released him. I rolled my shoulders and he fell to the floor, cradling his hands against his chest. I flexed the remaining heat from my palm.

  A noise caught my attention and I whirled. Darius had stopped on the bottom step and was watching me, but how long had he been there?

  “We have to talk,” I said. “Now.”

  “What happened?” he asked, examining Zane upon the ground.

  “I’m fine.” Zane pushed himself up and leaned against the side of his bed. “I deserved every bit of what I got.”

  My brow rose as I regarded him. He nodded to me, a look of understanding upon his face.

  “Thank you for seeing me, Defender.”

  “I’ll send a Healer,” I said.

  I fled up the steps before Darius made me explain what had happened and the guilt of what I had done could bother me.

  I didn’t have time for guilt.

  25