Guardians: The Girl (The Guardians Series, Book 1)(3)

She turns to Rio. “How is she?”

“Tired. Shocked.” I hate being talked about like I’m not in the room.

“Why are you asking him? I’m right here.”

She pays me no mind. “She should sleep,” she says to the driver.

Is she kidding me? I’ve just been in a shoot out. I’ve seen a man bleeding to death and I’m being kidnapped. How does she think I could possibly sleep?

“Tell me what’s going on. Who are you? Why did you force me into your car and who was shooting at us?” The more questions I ask the more hysterical I become.

“I want to go home,” I shout at the top of my lungs. The driver comes up to me and takes his shades off to reveal soft, warm, hazel eyes. He places a hand on my shoulders. He looks into my eyes and speaks with a soft velvet voice oozing charm. “You would like to go to sleep,” he says simply. After he said that, nothing mattered more than the desire to close my eyelids. I’ve fought off sleep before, but this isn’t like that. There’s no fight. I want nothing more than to give into darkness. The last thing I see before I drift off is the girl who held me at gun point coming towards me.



“She’s got to be a part of this whole thing. Why else would Lucy send half a dozen Runners after her?”

“She looked genuinely surprised when they came. This girl has no idea what’s going on.”

“That doesn’t make sense. The council would never expose a human to that kind of danger.”

“I’m telling you she knows nothing.”

“It doesn’t matter if Emerson knows something or not. If Lucy thinks she’s involved, she’s dead.”

As I listen to the conversation taking place in the living room, I keep my eyes closed. They had carried me into one of the bedrooms when I fell asleep. This is all a dream. This is what I get for falling asleep watching the SyFy Channel. But even as I’m saying it to myself, I know it’s a lie. This is real. And this Lucy person sent a bunch of guys to kill me. What did they call them—“Runners”? What have I done to this Lucy to make her want me dead? I’m gonna lay still and keep my eyes closed. This nightmare has to end.

“Is she awake?” I think Miku is speaking. Rio answers.

“She is, but she’s trying to wish this whole thing away.”

“We don’t have time for this.” I recognize the voice of the girl who pointed the gun at me.

She sounds irritated and on edge. I open my eyes and scan the room looking for a phone. There isn’t one. I snort at the absurdity of my situation. What would I say to the cops if there had been a phone? “Hi, my name is Emerson Baxter and I’m being kidnapped and held hostage inside, what looks to be, the centerfold of Architectural Digest.”

Someone knocks on the door of the room. Miku’s voice calls out to me sweetly behind the door, “Emmy, it’s time to get up.” She opens the door and comes over with a tray of food. She sits beside me. On the tray is a small bowl of broth with pieces of a few white squares and a handful of green onions. “It’s miso soup. It’s good. My mom used to make it. Oh, and a turkey sandwich. I got Jay to make it for you. He’s a culinary genius, but he’s a little stingy with his talent.”

“Who’s Jay?” I question.

“The driver.”

“He should have his license revoked.”

“He did.” She laughs and hands me the tray.

“I’m not hungry.”

“Rio says you are.”

“How does he know what I feel?”

“It’s a long story. First food then Q&A, okay?”

I was ready to argue, but the aroma of the soup hit my nose and my stomach growled. I take one spoonful of the soup intending to stop there, but it is so good I end up drinking the whole thing.

Miku studies me. “Now, try the sandwich.”

“No, I’m fine. Really.” She looks pleadingly at me.

I’m such a pushover. I take a bite of the sandwich. It’s the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. It has some kind of spread that gives the turkey a kick. There’s also a light sweetness to it but I can’t figure out from what. I look at Miku in awe.

“I know. It’s amazing huh? You should try his parmesan potato bread. It’s his specialty. But he really has to like you to make it.”

I gobbled it up in four quick bites.

I am making a pig of myself, but Miku doesn’t seem to mind. She hands me a can of soda. I drink it down and wipe my mouth with the napkin she had thoughtfully placed beside the tray. I thank her. She smiles and motions for me to follow her. I take a deep breath and walk after her out of the bedroom, into the living room.

I must have been asleep for hours, judging by the dark sky. The living room is lit softly by track lights. Someone has cleaned the spot where I’d thrown up; the sour smell is gone. The house now smells of green tea and jasmine. There’s no one in sight.

“Everyone’s waiting outside,” Miku informs me as she leads the way. We walk up a few flights and through a black gated door onto the roof. Standing there beside Rio is the driver, Jay, and the gun girl.

It seems impossible but she is somehow even more striking than she was when I first saw her. She walks up to me. Her voice is official and impatient. “I’m Ameana. And this is Jayden.” She motions towards the driver. He says, “It’s cool, call me Jay.”

Ameana continues without the slightest concern as to whether I respond or not. “You have something in your possession that is vital to me and many others. We need you to hand it over.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I stammer. She looks at the others, then back at me. “You have no idea what I want from you?” she asks again. I try to keep my voice from trembling.

“N-n-no,” I say weakly. She turns to Rio. He replies, “She’s telling the truth. The Runners haven’t told her anything. She has no idea what’s going on.”

I don’t know where the anger came from. All I know is that I had had enough of this sci-fi bull. I direct my comment to Ameana. “Look, warrior princess, I don’t know what you are talking about, okay? I was just trying to help some guy I found in the hallway and then all hell broke loose! If you plan on killing me before this Lucy person, then fine, do it. If not, I have to get home.”

“How do you know Lucy? Has she come to see you?” Ameana turns to Rio.

He answers her unspoken question. “She has one. I would know if she didn’t.”

“One what?” I ask.

“How do you know about Lucy?” Ameana demands again.

Hoping that if I give her some answers she’ll give me some, I reply, “I overheard you guys talking. So, who is she? Why is she out to kill me?” I look into their faces and see something in them I didn’t see when bullets rang out over our heads—fear.

“Is she some kind of super bad girl? I mean how many guns can a girl carry?” All my attempts to lighten the mood fail. “Please, tell me what’s going on. I may be able to help. But you guys have to talk to me,” I plead. They confer silently with each other.

Before anyone can speak, a boy pops out of thin air. Seriously. He came out of nowhere. Startled, I jump back, lose my balance and fall head first down the side of the five story building. I don’t even have time to register that I should scream. I try to prepare myself for the pain. My head will hit the ground first, so maybe death will come swiftly. Please, please come swiftly.

There is no pain. I feel no pain. Yes! Somehow I must have been knocked unconscious so quickly, the pain never had time to register. I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m dead.

Then I hear Rio’s voice. “Emmy, open your eyes” I do. I am lying safely on the floor of the roof. I look up at the faces staring back at me; Rio, Jayden, Ameana, Miku and the new pop-up guy. He looks like a J Crew model. He’s wearing a designer military-style jacket, a royal blue stretch pullover that brings out his eyes, and white cargo pants.

Well, if I am dreaming, at least I’m dreaming about pretty people. Everyone on this roof is hot. Well, aside from regular looking old me. Pop-up guy says to me, “I’m Reason. But you can call me Reese.” He extends his hand. I go to shake it when I see something big and dark like a shadow hovering above. I look up at Reese and gasp. Protruding out of his shoulders blades, are wings! Honest to goodness wings! Huge, disturbing, flapping-in–the-wind wings!

He sees the freaked out look on my face and then it registers with him. “Oh, sorry, I always forget.” Suddenly the wings disappear.

“Am I dead?” I choke. I look over at Miku.

She answers coyly, “No, but we are.” In the hallway shootout earlier I had thought this is as confused as I can get. I was so wrong.

Reese kneels down on one knee and takes my hand. “I’m sorry to startle you. It’s rude and very ‘un-angel-like.’ I get on Jay for gliding rudely, and here I am doing the exact same thing.” He helps me up.

I whisper something about it being okay. But I don’t think he buys it.

Ameana stares out into the dark night. The worry in her voice is obvious. “I thought he’d be back tonight….”

“You know Marcus; he won’t come back until he’s found out something. In the meantime, check on Emmy for me,” Miku says.