by N M Thorn
But even more than his land, he missed his friends. With all his heart he wished they were here now, standing by his side as they always did. Everything would be so much easier… He swallowed and stared down at his clenched hands.
He came to terms with his situation. He was never going to see his friends or come back to Belarus again. His life was here now. And this digital frame with the photos of his past was just a small reminder, his safe place when he felt the need to forget the present for a few short moments.
“You’re homesick,” whispered Tessa, staring at him, her eyes widened, filled with surprise.
Gunz chuckled softly, putting his arm behind his head, relaxing. “No, Tessa, I’m not homesick and I don’t have PTSD. I’m fine, believe me. But you’re not. So, let’s talk about you.”
“What’s there to talk about?” she said with a light dismissive shrug. “You already know more about me than anyone else. But you did promise to tell me what you are, magically speaking. I’m still waiting.”
Gunz glanced at her and shook his head. She was so very young, just a little curious girl. For her young age, she seemed to be strong, definitely no damsel in distress as she put it herself. But right now, she needed help, even if she didn’t realize or admit it yet.
“How about we make a deal,” proposed Gunz, winking at her. “We talk about you a little and then I tell you what I am and even give you a little magic show. Deal?”
As soon as he finished talking, Tessa lit up with glee. It was like a lightbulb going up somewhere inside her and she glowed with excitement.
“It’s a deal!” she exclaimed. “Can we do your part first?”
“Nice try,” said Gunz, suppressing laughter, but then changed back to serious. “Tessa, it’s important that we talk about your situation. You probably don’t realize it, but right now you’re hiding. By staying here, in my house, you’re hiding from what you need to do, procrastinating or delaying the inevitable. And unfortunately, the kind of reality you and I live in, the truth will catch up with you sooner or later, no matter how hard you try to avoid it. So, from my experience, it’s better to face it right away and deal with it on your own terms.”
Gunz was expecting objections and arguments. He was expecting the rougher side of her personality to come through and tell him to mind his own business, but she didn’t.
“You’re right,” Tessa said, playing with the edge of her shirt, avoiding his eyes. “I am hiding here. I’m hiding because I’m too scared to go back and face the truth. I’m scared to learn what I am and why the Guardians are interested in me. And I hate it! I hate feeling scared and helpless. It’s not me!”
“Tessa, you have to do it. You can’t hide here forever.” He took her chin with his fingers and gently lifted her face. She glanced at him, her eyes deep and dark with sadness. “You need to go back home, open your mom’s secret room and read every single document, book or paper you find there. The more you know about yourself, the safer it’ll be for you.”
“There are my mom’s diaries there. Three of them,” whispered Tessa, averting her eyes. “I can’t read those. It’s not right… it’s hers… personal. You know?”
Gunz shook his head, biting his lip. “You’re looking at it the wrong way, Tessa. Your mom is dead, and you can’t just come home and ask her questions. So, the only way to find out why the Guardians sent her to shadow you is to read her diaries. The way your mom placed the wards and spells on her room was done so you could safely walk in. Only you, Tessa, and no one else. Don’t you think that perhaps everything she left in this room was for you to find and use? Including her diaries?”
She remained silent for a few moments. Then her eyes met his, and she nodded. “You’re probably right. I will read her diaries and everything else there. Well, almost everything else.”
“What do you mean?”
“There is one ancient book there that looks like a book of spells. A Book of Shadows or a Grimoire. I couldn’t understand anything that was written there. Even the letters didn’t look like the English alphabet.”
“Oh,” said Gunz, “it’s probably written in Dragon tongue—the original language of magic.”
“Can you read it?”
“Unfortunately, no,” replied Gunz. “I learned a few spells and words in Dragon tongue, just enough to be dangerous. But I had no time to learn the actual language. I’m too new to all that, but if you need to read it, I can always ask someone who’s fluent in Dragon tongue. I know a few people.”
“Okay, tomorrow morning, as soon as I get back home, I’ll go to my mom’s secret cave and start with light reading.” Tessa smiled shyly. “You don’t mind me hiding out one more night in your house, do you?”
Gunz rubbed his forehead tiredly but shook his head no. He still felt that it was wrong for her to be here at night, but he couldn’t send her away either.
“Just one more night, Tessa, and then you do the right thing.”
“Scout's honor!” she said, raising one hand up, three fingers extended. “Now your turn to keep your word. Show me what you are.”
“Not yet,” objected Gunz. “There is one more thing we need to discuss.”
“What else?” whined Tessa, sounding disappointed.
“Aidan,” said Gunz straight. “You must talk to him and tell him the truth. You said that he’s your only friend. We do not lie to friends, Tessa. Lies have a bad habit of coming back and biting you on your butt. They always do. No matter how long you twist and spin the lie, sooner or later the truth will come out and you’ll be the one facing the consequences.”
“I can’t, Zane,” whispered Tessa, gazing at him pleadingly. “Aidan is so normal. He’ll think I’m crazy and I’ll lose him forever. You understand? I can’t lose him! Not Aidan. Please don’t make me tell him about all this…”
Gunz suppressed a sigh. He didn’t like the way this conversation was going, and he was afraid that if he would push Tessa more, she would start crying. He wasn’t very comfortable dealing with tears.
“Tessa, I can’t make you do anything. I can only recommend. Think what would happen if Aidan finds out about all this some other way? Then you would definitely lose him. At least give him a chance. If he really is your true friend, he’ll understand, and he won’t judge. He’ll support you no matter what. Give him a chance, Tessa. Don’t lie to him.”
“Okay,” she said so softly that he could hardly hear her. “I’ll talk to Aidan, but not today. I need to read everything in my mom’s room first. Once I know and understand a little more about all this magic stuff, I promise, I’ll talk to Aidan.”
Gunz exhaled a sigh of relief. Now that he knew that a Slavic deity Svyatobor was working with Aidan, he was more than ever positive that Aidan McGrath wasn’t your every-day wizard. Who knows, he could be some kind of ancient god himself. Hopefully, Aidan knew more about the Guardians and he could protect Tessa better than he ever could.
“Now my turn,” he said, and Tessa finally looked up at him, curiosity back in her giant brown eyes. “I’m a Fire Salamander, Tessa. I can wield the elemental power of the Fire. I also have magic, so I can cast spells and enchantments, but I’m not very experienced with all that. It has been only two years since I discovered the fire in me.”
“Fire Salamander?” asked Tessa, staring at him in awe. “You’re a lizard?”
“Do I look like a lizard?” he asked, laughing. “I’m an essence of Fire.”
He got up, standing in front of her, and directed some fire toward his hands. A small flame ignited in his palm. Tessa stood up and moved her hand close to the fire but quickly pulled it back, recoiling from the heat.
“Wow, the fire is real,” she mumbled.
“Of course, it is.” He channeled more power, allowing the small flames to start running up and down his arms. “I’m the fire.”
“Amazing…” she whispered, gazing at him intently. “You are—"
“A lizard?” he asked with a smirk. “I can take the shape of a liz
ard too—a fire salamander to be precise.”
“Really?” Now she definitely looked like a ten-year-old girl, her eyes twinkling with expectation of something new and amazing. “Can you show me?”
“I can try, I’m not very good at it yet and I hardly ever do it,” he said, awkwardly pulling his shirt off and taking his shoes and socks off. “Sorry, the less clothes I have on me the easier it is for me to transform.”
Gunz channeled more power, allowing the fire to run freely inside his body and spun in place, transforming into a fire salamander. Tessa gasped and squatted down, to see him better.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said, stretching her hands to touch him. “What would happen if I pull on your tail?”
“I don’t recommend doing it-s-s-s,” hissed Gunz, backing away from her. “I have no idea-s-s-s what would happen-s-s-s, but I’m s-s-s-ure, it won’t be pleas-s-s-ant.”
“You’re so cute, when you’re a lizard,” said Tessa, giggling, gently running her finger over his back. “And you have this hissing s-s-s-s when you speak.”
Gunz spun in place again, taking back his human form. He stood, breathing hard. The process of shifting into the salamander form was still taking a lot out of him. Tessa straightened up and carefully touched his unclothed chest with her fingers.
“I think you’re a lot cuter when you’re a man,” she whispered breathlessly, taking in his appearance. “A perfectly proportional… well-shaped… mini-man…”
“I’m not that small, Tessa,” he said, taking her hands off his chest. “I’m five-foot-six-inches, a lot taller than you are.”
“A pocket-sized man. Very convenient.” He heard Mishka’s voice snickering in his head and ignored him.
“No, you are not small…” she whispered, her eyes gliding up and down his muscled body.
Gunz caught her eyes and bent down to pick up his shirt, but she stopped him, gently taking the shirt out of his hands, putting it on the couch. She ran her hands over his shoulders to his neck and slowly moved her fingers down. It had been a while since he felt the touch of a woman’s hand and everything inside him awakened with need. He sucked in a sharp breath, not expecting her to be so forward and froze under her touch.
“Oh yeah, ah-ha,” sung Mishka’s voice in his head, “you work it, loverboy. Show her who’s the teacup man here.”
“Tessa, don’t,” he said, putting his hand over hers to stop her.
“Why?” she asked absentmindedly.
She took a half-step forward, closing the space between them. Her firm breasts pressed against his chest, teasing him and his breath caught. She stretched up a little and pressed her lips against his. His lips parted, and he answered her kiss before he realized what he was doing.
No, stop! I need to stop her. I can’t do it. His mind was shouting and fighting. This girl was a child compared to him, and Aidan was obviously in love with her. He couldn’t do it to her and he shouldn’t be doing it to Aidan. It wasn’t right.
Yes! His body was screaming, making somersaults of joy. About time!
“You go, boy!” Mishka was cheering in his head. “Show her the fire!”
Gunz seized Tessa’s shoulders with his hands and pushed her away. She stood, her lips slightly open, shock staring at him from her fogged eyes.
“Tessa, no,” he growled, his voice deep and heavy, his body still not quite complying with his mind’s demands. “I can’t do it. I’m sorry.”
“You can’t?” she asked, her eyebrows rising. “I’m sorry… Are you… Do you prefer boys?”
“What? No, I’m not gay,” he replied, his mind slowly getting in control. “But it doesn’t change anything. I can’t do it with you.”
“Why, Zane? What’s wrong with me? Not your type?”
“Tessa, please,” he said, taking another step back. “You’re a wonderful girl, but—”
“A girl?” She interrupted him, throwing her hands in the air. “Is that what you see when you look at me? An innocent, needy girl, who begs for your help and protection? A little virgin in distress?”
“Tessa, please listen to me—”
“Hell no! Now you listen to me! I’m not a virgin and I’m definitely not a damsel in distress that needs a big strong man to save her ass on a daily basis. I make my own choices. Am I clear, you moron?”
“Tessa, I don’t care about all that. But I still can’t offer anything except my friendship and support,” said Gunz firmly. “If you need my help to learn more about the Guardians and who you are, I’m here for you. You call me at three in the morning and I’ll come over, no questions asked. But don’t ask for anything more than friendship. Please.”
He stepped back to the couch and picked up his shirt. All of a sudden, a strange wave rushed through him and he stiffened, probing his wards. Everything seemed to be in place and functioning, but something was still off. He probed the area around the house and held his breath. His whole house was surrounded with a thick cloud of magical energy the likes of which he had never sensed before. Channeling his fire, he got ready to fight and turned to Tessa.
“Tessa, something is coming, run…”
The entrance door swung open with a loud bang and a blinding white light flooded the house.
Chapter 22
~ Zane Burns, a.k.a. Gunz ~
The walls trembled violently and the windows on both floors imploded, flooding the house with splinters of broken glass. With an earsplitting bang, the wards collapsed, leaving the entry unprotected. The blinding white light slowly dimmed down and Gunz saw a dark outline of a tall man in the doorway.
The magical energy was wrapping around him, flowing through him uninterrupted. Except for his eyes that were glowing with a brilliant white light, Gunz couldn’t see his features. As the remnants of the wards and protection spells crumbled, the man passed through the threshold and stopped.
“Aidan,” exhaled Gunz, recognizing him.
“Aidan?” mumbled Tessa, staring at the man, incredulously. She grabbed Gunz’s arm, and he felt her fingers digging nervously into his bicep.
Aidan was standing just a few feet away, his rage almost tangible. His chest was rising and falling with heavy breaths, his jaw set in a straight line. In his anger, he didn’t bother concealing his magical energy. Not only his eyes, his whole body was radiating a brilliant white light. He took one more step forward, and the floor trembled like from an earthquake.
This idiot, thought Gunz, fury flaring up in him, he just exposed himself as a creature of magic to Tessa… She had no idea.
Gunz stepped forward, shielding Tessa with his body, and let go of his power, raising his hands up. He wasn’t sure why Aidan was here and what drove him to this insane level of fury, but he would rather find out what was going on and resolve the situation peacefully than fight. He didn’t want to get into a confrontation with Aidan in front of Tessa. She already had enough of nasty surprises for one day, and he didn’t want her to watch Aidan using his magic against him. But if push came to shove, he was ready to hold his ground and defend himself.
“Aidan, tell me what’s going on,” said Gunz, keeping an eye on the fluctuations of magical energy around him. “I don’t want to fight you. Let’s talk.”
“Who said anything about fighting, lizard?” thundered Aidan, his hands clenched into fists. “I’m not planning to fight you. I’ll just kill you right away.”
The magical energy spiked around Aidan’s arms, and a bright ray of white light erupted from his hands. Gunz was ready. In one move he channeled the fire and magic, raising a glowing power shield between them. The ray of light impacted the shield but didn’t penetrate it. Gunz grunted, straining to hold Aidan’s attack.
“Aidan, please…” he hissed, sending more magic into his shield as Aidan stepped closer, increasing the flow of his power. “Stop… you’ll hurt… Tessa.”
Aidan stopped the flow of his power and narrowed his eyes. “Speaking of Tessa,” he snapped, and the magical energy spiked
around him again. “What is she doing spending a night in your house, lizard, and why are you half naked?”
“It’s not what you think, Aidan,” said Gunz, dropping the shield. “If you would stop trying to kill me for a moment, maybe I can explain. She needed my help—”
“She needed your help? How dare you lie to me!” shouted Aidan. “If Tessa needed help, she would call me, not you! Why would she call a tiny man whom she knows for less than twenty-four hours?”
In one fluid motion, he conjured an energy ball and threw it at Gunz. Gunz failed to raise the shield fast enough and the energy ball struck him in his side, burning through his flesh. Gunz cried out in pain, clasping his hand to his side. Aidan conjured another energy ball. It was twirling in the palm of his hands, crackling with electric discharges. As he was getting ready to send it flying, Tessa jumped in front of Gunz. She spread her arms wide, shielding Gunz with her slender body. Aidan grunted and got rid of the energy ball, in fear of hurting Tessa.
“How dare you!” she yelled, fearlessly taking a step closer to Aidan. He was blazing with the energy of his magic, his eyes were burning with fury, but at this moment it seemed, Tessa couldn’t care less. “You lied to me for years! All this time, I thought you were a normal human being. But you’re neither normal nor human. I called Zane for help because my problem was supernatural. That’s right—super-natural.” She pronounced the last word, breaking it into two parts. “He didn’t hide the truth from me. I knew what he was, and this is why I called him. If you didn’t lie to me about what you were, I would probably call you, jackass!”
“I did not lie to you, Tessa!” yelled Aidan, anger spiking the magical energy around him with unbelievable strength. “I didn’t want to expose you to the world of magic. I was trying to protect you. You didn’t even give me a chance! At the first opportunity, you jumped into his bed.”
