Scarred Protector(9)

             “Hi, I’m Suzie and I think it’s time we got the hell out of here, don’t you? By the way, nice work with the lamp.”

Evie took her hand willing to go to any place that wasn’t controlled by Charles. When they entered the other room, Evie tried to hold back the tears but didn’t succeed. Charles and his henchmen were either unconscious or incapacitated. She didn’t care about them. It was the sight of Heath that made her breath catch in her throat. Damn it, she had hardly known the man a few hours, and yet he had risked himself for her. No one had ever done that for her before.

He was lying on the ground next to Charles. Manacles were still attached to his legs and one arm. Glancing over at the wall he had been attached to, she could see wires hanging loose where he had ripped himself free. He was shaking and his arms and legs kept jolting involuntarily. She didn’t care what the others would think when she grabbed him and clutched him to her chest and rocked. As she pushed the fringe of hair back from his forehead, he tossed his head from side to side but seemed unaware of her presence. It was so strange to see him like this, as she had heard his voice loud and clear in her head only a moment ago. Evie turned to Suzie, who stood behind her. It was at that point she realized everyone was staring at her, either shaking their heads or wearing wide-eyed expressions.

“Can we help him?” Evie pleaded with them.

A tall black guy came over and touched her shoulder. “I’m Luke. Let me take him. He’s carried me enough times. We’ll get back to our place and see what can be done. This lot won’t stay down for long, and I don’t want to be around when they wake up and are pissed off because they lost their prize.”



Evie didn’t want to let go but allowed Luke to scoop into his arms the now-unmoving form of Heath. She counted ten people still standing, and she followed them out onto the roof. One by one their wings appeared. Someone touched her arm and she jumped. A tall guy who looked like a wrestler by his size stood beside her.



             “I’m Tiny. I know. It’s a silly name, but it stuck. I’ll carry you if that’s okay. We’ll do our best to keep you safe.”

“I’m Evie.” She nodded and was bundled up before she could even protest.

Somehow she had gone from being on her own to having a whole group of people protecting her. No, not people, but angels or whatever they were. The night air was cold and she shivered as they made their way into the sky. She wanted to scream or cry or anything that showed she was feeling something. The problem was her brain was overloaded and exhausted, and no sensible thoughts came. It was all too much, so she just lay back to wait and see what would happen next.

They flew high over the docks, along the Avon Gorge, and over the Bristol Suspension Bridge and out of the city. She didn’t have a clue where they were going. She could see the lights from roads in the distance, but it seemed like they were making their way over some sort of woodland. Then she saw a clearing and an old manor house lit up below.

They landed in a courtyard at the back of the house. There were large walls and what she assumed was a stable. Large doors opened, letting light shine onto the area as two people came rushing out. Unlike all the others who appeared strong and relatively young, these two looked like your regular gray-haired older couple.

“Bring them in. Don’t hang about. I can feel rain in the air,” the man said.

Inside the house, Evie tried to stop her mouth from hanging open in shock and catching flies. She was carried in through a larder crammed with food on every shelf. Herbs hung in bunches from the ceiling, and there were large cheese rounds on the shelves. It smelt wonderful and a million years away from the world she had left. Then they made their way into a kitchen big enough to feed an army in. Two large wolfhounds bounded across and followed Luke as he carried Heath through to the next room. They entered a hallway with a beautiful old wooden staircase that led up to the next floor. Everything was stunning and suggested lots of money and history. Her eyes couldn’t take it all in, and it felt like she had walked onto the set of a costume drama.



             Luke turned to take Heath upstairs, and Tiny let her feet down. Her legs were like jelly, but she was determined to stay upright. She went to go up the stairs after Heath, but Suzie touched her arm.

“Let Luke see to him for a bit. He’s a good healer and may be able to help. Follow me and I’ll get our housekeeper, Marge, to get you something to eat.”

Evie sensed she wasn’t being told the complete truth but would go along with it. If she didn’t know better, she would say they were trying to keep her and Heath apart. Her stomach gurgled, and she realized she had only eaten a piece of cake in the last however many hours since this had all began. Reluctantly, she followed Suzie across the hallway to where two large doors opened into a library. Before Evie could react, Suzie slammed the doors shut behind her. Evie tried the handle but was not surprised to find it had been locked already.

She couldn’t blame them for not trusting her, they didn’t know her from a bar of soap. Heath was hurt, and as far as they were concerned, she had to be one of the causes. She took her phone out of her jeans pocket and tried to find the text Heath had sent to his people. He had used both their phones to send messages. Maybe that would make some sense of all of this.



             Track this cell phone’s coordinates. It belongs to Evie. She has no guardian. Charles is attacking. Attempting bonding to stop him from taking her. Need help fast.

Evie sat down on the couch and pulled her knees up, wrapping her arms about herself. It was illogical since she didn’t really know him, but she felt safe when Heath was near. Now they had taken him away, she could feel a panic attack coming on and couldn’t stop the shaking. At least the text meant they were aware she wasn’t the enemy. Shutting her up wasn’t going to help anything. She was about to get up and try the door again when it opened.

The older woman she had seen in the kitchen walked in with a tray and placed it on the coffee table. It looked like there was a large dish of some kind of stew, biscuits, and tea. It smelt wonderful, and if they were not going to let her out of the room, she might as well eat. It might help with the shaking.



“You looked scared out of your mind. Why don’t you tuck in to some of this and see if it helps. I always think the world looks brighter on a full stomach. They said your name is Evie. I’m Marge, Heath’s housekeeper. You met my husband, William, earlier in the garden. They wanted me to come and chat with you, but I think they meant interrogate you with my food as persuasion. They’re not always that good at talking with humans.”

Evie started to eat, and the flavors rolled across her tongue, and she couldn’t stop the big smile from crossing her face. Marge had a Welsh accent like her husband. She picked up her own cup and sipped. It seemed strange and yet comforting that another human could talk in such a relaxed way about these beings.

“I don’t know there’s much to tell. My father died at the hospital, then Charles and Heath showed up. They said I didn’t have a guardian angel and they both wanted to claim me. They had a fight on the car-park roof at the hospital and I fell off. I thought I was going to die and then Heath caught me. He tried to take me somewhere to get me a guardian, but it didn’t work and he was hurt. We went back to my home and Heath did some bonding thing to protect me. Then Charles and his guys turned up. He tried to go over to Pergor, too, but it didn’t work. That’s all I know, so locking me up won’t make any difference. I can’t tell them anymore.”



             Marge put her hand out and patted Evie’s arm. The small action was comforting, and Evie decided she liked this woman.



“My husband and I are not like them. We’re human and have lived here for a long time. I believe you, for what it’s worth. After what I’ve seen over the years, I tend to think they’re a bit afraid of you because they don’t know what they’re dealing with.”

“Neither do I.” Before Evie could say anymore, she placed her hand to her forehead.



Come to me, Evie.



“Are you all right? You’ve gone very pale.”

“You may think this is crazy, but he’s talking to me inside my head. Heath is calling me to come to him. You have to convince them I won’t hurt him. I don’t know why, but he needs me.”

The door opened, and Luke stood there with his arms folded across his chest. His lips were pulled into a thin line as he glared at her.

“It seems Heath wants you nearby. I can sense the thoughts he’s sending to you. I can also sense the bonding did not go as planned. There’s darkness in him I’ve never seen before. We’ll let you see him only because it seems to agitate him more not to have you near, but we’ll be close by. I don’t trust you.”

Evie breathed a sigh of relief as her body relaxed at the thought of being near Heath again.