The Protectors
Page 3
“Corbin Alexander.” His name rolled off my tongue like a pat of honey butter. I must have fallen asleep before Krista came out, because the next thing I remember, I woke to my regularly scheduled nightmare.
***
We met up at the fairgrounds promptly at six. The sun was setting, allowing us enough light to navigate through the crowd before it got dark. We got our armbands and then discussed what to ride first. We ended up riding everything, from the Tilt-A-Whirl to the Graviton.
“Do you want to go ride the Ferris wheel?” Corbin asked.
“I would love to,” I replied. Since Krista wasn’t a fan of the Ferris wheel, she and Troy headed to the cotton candy stand, instead.
The full moon was a big beautiful circle of white light in the now dark sky. Colored lights surrounded us in every direction, allowing us to see our surroundings a little more clearly.
The ride was amazing, and Corbin grabbed my hand several times and held it tight. I wasn’t sure how to react, so I just enjoyed the affection.
“That was so much fun,” I said as we exited the gate at the ride.
“It was a lot of fun,” Corbin said, still holding my hand. “I’m glad we got to come out here tonight.”
“Thank you for inviting us.” Then it dawned on me that I was getting attached to him, and in such a short amount of time. I wasn’t sure if I should be excited or scared.
We went looking for Krista and Troy. Between the busy crowd and the dark night sky, it was difficult to distinguish who was who. I went into the ladies’ bathroom to see if perhaps she had gone in there.
“Hello,” I called out as I looked underneath stall doors for feet. It was empty. I walked out, and someone grabbed me from behind. His massive hand held my mouth closed and pushed the back of my head firmly against his chest. His breath smelled of rotten flesh, and vomit rose in my throat.
“If you want to keep your friend safe, you better find that amulet, little wolf,” he snarled and released me from his grip. My heart pounded so hard, I felt it in my ears. I turned around, but he’d disappeared, leaving Krista’s scarf on the ground.
I was frantic, and I ran as fast as I could through the crowd, screaming out my friends’ names at the top of my lungs. I was so scared that I didn’t even see the three of them coming toward me until I ran right into them.
“Jai, honey, what’s wrong?” Krista pulled me close to her.
“You’re okay?” I sobbed as I looked up at her.
“Of course, I’m okay.” She gave me a questioning look.
“Some foul-smelling creep jumped me outside the bathroom, threatening to hurt you if I didn’t bring him some stupid amulet.” I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. “He left your scarf, and I thought he had you. I was so scared, and I didn’t know how to help you because I don’t have any idea what he’s talking about.”
“So that’s where it went!” Krista took the scarf from me. “I thought I lost it on one of the rides earlier.”
Corbin pulled me and Krista close to him and inspected our surroundings. I was still shaking from that evil man’s touch. Krista held onto me tightly, and Troy surveyed the crowd in front of us for anyone suspicious.
“What did this guy look like?” Corbin asked while still scanning the area.
“I don’t know, he disappeared into the darkness. The scarf is the only evidence I have of him.”
“I think we should call it a night just in case this guy is still out there.” Corbin took my hand and pulled me toward the entrance. “How are you girls getting home?”
“We rode the bus, but in light of the situation, I’m not sure that’s a clever idea,” Krista said. “Troy, do you have your taxi here?”
“No, I had a friend drop me off,” Troy replied. “My taxi isn’t far from your apartment, if you want me to ride the bus home with you. I can walk to my car once you girls are home.”
“I’ll take you guys back to Jai’s apartment,” Corbin said as he practically dragged me along with his brisk gait. “I would feel better knowing everyone got home safely, anyway.”
We all piled into his yellow mustang. I still felt shaky and couldn’t get the foul smell of that monster’s breath out nose. I felt dirty being near that creep. All I could think about was a hot shower.
Corbin drove fast but safely on our route home, and I was thankful for the short trip. He opened the door for me, and I climbed out if his car. We all walked up the steps quietly and before we got to the main entrance, he stopped and pushed me behind him.
“Wait. Something’s wrong.” Corbin looked around the building. “Troy, stay here with the girls while I run upstairs and make sure everything is clear.”
We waited for a few minutes before I got restless and followed him. My apartment had been ransacked. My stuff was everywhere. Even my mattress had been sliced. Feathers still fell from the ceiling. We must have just missed… whomever had done this. My eyes filled with hot tears.
“Why?” I whispered, trying to hold in my disappointment. “What would anyone want with my things? I don’t have anything of value. I don’t even own a computer.”
“Well, someone thought you had something, and they wanted it pretty badly,” Corbin said, with his jaw tight. “We need to call the police. Do you girls have a place to stay tonight?”
“Yeah, we can stay at my place,” Krista volunteered. “It’s only three blocks from here. It’s within walking distance”
“I would like to stay and look around a little, after the officers get here, to see if I can find anything out about who may have done this,” Corbin said while he dialed the number to the station. “I have a friend at the police station who can come do a report. If that’s okay with you Jai?”
“Yeah, that’s okay. I’m just ready to get out of here.” My grief had turned to anger as I looked at my things scattered around.
“Troy, do you think you could drive us to Krista’s house after the police report?”
The officer arrived quickly, and the report didn’t take long to file. He looked around and wrote some notes on his report and asked a few very basic questions before he had me sign the report and instructed me to keep my doors locked. He and Corbin talked quietly while I attempted to gather some of my toiletries and clothes for the night.
“I’m ready if you guys are.” I said. I walked over to where Troy was standing.
“Yeah, girls, let’s get out of here!” Troy replied as he grabbed Krista’s hand. I gave Corbin a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.
“Thank you,” I said. He grabbed a notepad and jotted down his phone number and slipped it into the back pocket of my skirt, then he kissed my hand.
“If it’s the last thing I do, I will figure out who did this, and I will make them pay dearly for hurting you, Jai. I promise you that much.” Corbin stared into my tear-filled eyes.
I know I’d only just met him, but I believed with all my heart that he was telling me the truth. I could feel it.
I really didn’t want to leave without him, but I guessed, as a bodyguard, he had at least some experience with this kind of thing. In the end, Krista, Troy, and I headed for his cab, leaving Corbin behind to look around the apartment.
“Where is your taxi?” I scanned the empty parking lot for Troy’s car.
“It’s at Rauling Park.” he pointed over his right shoulder.
“Krista’s house is about three blocks away from here, and your taxi is only a block away if we cut through the park.” I pointed in the general directions. “It will be faster this way.” We started on our journey down the half-lit street.
The park was dark, and that made me nervous, but we all knew it was faster than walking all the way through town. Krista suggested using the alley between my apartment building and the park, since it would come out almost exactly where Troy said the cab was parked. I would have preferred not to, but I really didn’t feel comfortable on the street, either. Finally, I agreed that it was the best plan, and we headed down the alley.
“Wait, we have to go back. We have to go back to the street!” I cried frantically, grabbed Krista’s hand, and pulled her toward the street as I realized I was in the alley from my nightmares.
Troy just kept walking faster, pulling harder on Krista’s other arm.
“Troy!” I screamed in full panic mode. “We have to go back!”
He turned around, and his eyes were glowing bright crimson. Krista screamed as she fought to free her hand from his grip. He was the monster hiding in the shadows all along. This man I thought to be so kind was something completely different. I was in shock and couldn’t move.
“Oh, sweet wolf. You and your pretty little friend are not going anywhere,” he growled while wrapping his hand around Krista’s neck and licking her cheek. “You have something of mine, and now I have something of yours. Until I get the amulet your thieving parents took from me, I’m keeping her.”
“What are you? What are you talking about?” I cried out loudly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t have anything. I don’t even know who my parents are! Now let us go, please.”
I was getting angry, and something built up inside me.
“That’s right, get angry, little wolf,” he said and began to laugh. “See yourself for what you really are—a monster!”
His words stunned me. What if I was the monster?
Either way, he wasn’t going to hurt the only person in the entire world I cared about. The next thing I saw was a blast of light. I threw my hand up and managed to block the flames before they engulfed me, causing me to fall backward and land on the ground—hard. While I was distracted by the flames, he disappeared, taking Krista with him.
“No!” I screamed. I ran after them but was too late. They were already gone. And as the thought that I might never see my best friend again crossed my mind, I fell to my knees and sobbed. Not only had I lost my best friend I had been betrayed by another, and it hurt like hell.
Chapter Four
The Compound
“Jai, Jai, is that you, where are you?” I heard Corbin yelling from a distance. My heartbeat still pounded in my ears. My eyes were swollen, which made it hard to see, but I knew I needed him, so I clumsily stood up and ran out of the alley until I bumped into him. Still sobbing, I tried to explain what happened.
“It was—” I hiccupped from my excessive crying. “It was Troy. He took her, there is something seriously wrong with him.”
He reached down under my arms to comfort me with a tight embrace.
“Let’s get you out of here.” He picked me up and carried me back to my apartment. I was fully capable of walking, but his scent was calming. I buried my face into his chest to hide from my surroundings in fear of what was out there watching me. He went up the stairs with ease, as if I didn’t weigh more than a feather.
We entered the apartment, and he locked the door. He gently set me down on the couch and brought me some Kleenex, then he sat down beside me.
“Jai, what did he say to you?” Corbin lifted my chin with his index finger.
I dried my tears with the tissue he gave me. “He said my parents took something of his and he wants it back, but I don’t have anything.” I wiped my excessively running nose. “The only thing I have of my parents is a stupid box of riddles and old useless maps.” I threw my arm up in the air.
“Jai, can I see this box?” he asked.
“Oh, my gosh! What if they got it?” I jumped up, ran over to the bed, climbed up, and reached for the ceiling. When I removed the tile, I let out a sigh of relief. “It’s still here.”
I pulled the box down. “I’m not sure how to open it, the first time it just opened up on its own.”
“Jai, who were your parents?” He looked worried.
“Roberta and Jimmy Weaver, according to the letter inside of this blasted sealed box.” I handed it over to him.
“This box has been spelled with some pretty strong magic and will only open if you want it to open.” He inspected the detail on the box then handed it back to me. “It will not open for anyone other than you.”
“How do you know about this stuff?” I blew my nose in my Kleenex again.
“Well, I told you I was a bodyguard, which is true, I am. I’m just a bodyguard of many people. And so are you. It's why you feel so safe around me,” he explained as he began to pace around while he talked. “We are known as The Protectors. Although we all have different gifts, we have a common goal. To protect the innocent, no matter the cost.
“What I don’t understand is what happened to your parents. They have been missing for eighteen years. Everyone in the compound thought they were dead, but the elders have always said they were very much alive.” He scratched his head, trying to make sense of the situation.
“If they are not with you and you don’t know who and what you are, then where are they?” He rubbed his hand through his hair and concentrated on the box in my hands.
“Look, Corbin, I don’t know anything about anything right now. I just want to get my friend back from that red-eyed, arrogant monster. If I’m some bad-ass bodyguard, I sure am lacking all the essential skills for the job.”
“We need to get you to the compound, where you’ll be safe. It’ll allow us to figure out who and what is after you, and what exactly they think you have of theirs.” He paced my messy living room. “We need to leave as soon as possible.” He grabbed a plastic bag and threw some of my clothes in it.
“Wait, how do I know I can trust you?” I said, with a cold look on my face. I mean the last guy I trusted turned into a hot-headed demon kidnapper. “Why should I just pick up and run away with you?”
“Look Jai, I know you don’t know me, but I assure you I only want to help you.” He walked toward me and grabbed my hand. “I promise you that I will help you figure all of this out.” He let go of my hand and placed the bag in its place.
“Fine, but if you go all red eyed on me I will not hesitate to snap your neck. I was raised to defend myself.” I said with a firm tone and turned away from him. I wasn’t in the mood to talk anymore, so I stood up and helped gather my essential items. Then we left my apartment.
He held my hand as we walked to his car. When we got there, he opened the door for me. I climbed inside and buckled my seatbelt. I still felt the physical effects of my uncontrolled crying which caused my eyes to be heavy. And I was mentally exhausted.
“It’s about an hour away. You should try to rest, if you can.” He handed me a small black cover, then he turned the key and the mustang purred to life.
I dozed off. I woke several times only to see those red eyes drilling into my subconscious, making my stomach knot up. I knew I needed to call Momma Jane and tell her about Krista, but I couldn’t bring myself to make the call. I figured I’d land myself in a little straight jacket if I told them she was abducted by a red-eyed demon. I decided I would call her and leave out those details.
I dialed the number with nervous fingers. I didn’t know what to say to her, so I decided I would have to lie. Guilt filled me when she answered the line.
“Jai, honey, thank goodness you called! I have been so worried.” Her voice sounded muffled like maybe she had been crying. “Is Krista there? I need to talk to her.” I understood her urgency and I hated myself for not calling her sooner.
“She is ok, but she isn’t here right now. We decided to take a last-minute girls trip to the beach for a few days.” I tried to sound upbeat. “Krista forgot her phone in my apartment, so you should be able to reach us on mine when we are not at the beach.”
“Well, when Krista gets back please have her ca
ll me? I have been worried sick. Are you sure you two are okay?”
“Yes, we are fine. We will call you again soon.” We hung up the phone and I dried the tears that had escaped my eyes.
***
“We’re here.” Corbin said cheerfully, causing me to sit up in my seat. There was a massive brick wall, but no gate to enter. We got out of the car and walked toward the wall.
“How do we get inside?” I walked closer and put my hand on the solid brick.
“Want to see something really cool?” He grabbed my free hand and pulled me closer to him, causing me to trip over my foot in the process. He put his hand on the wall and mumbled, “Bubbles.” The wall disappeared into thin air, leaving nothing but open space.
“How did you do that?” I looked around to see if I was on Candid Camera or some crazy reality TV show. Relieved no one was lurking with a video camera, I walked through the empty space.
“I told you, there is magic within us, and we’ll find yours.” He smiled down at me. We climbed back in the car, and I looked out the back window as we drove off to see the wall reappear, making me feel like I was stuck in a dream.
“Your magic word is ‘bubbles’, seriously?” I laughed as I slid back into my seat and looked out the window to see we were surrounded by trees as we drove down the little dirt road.
“Well, there was this cartoon when I was little, and it’s been that ever since.” He shrugged his shoulders and grinned at me with his ravishing smile, causing my cheeks to burn.
“Well, it does beat boring ‘abracadabra’.” I laughed with relief. I had seen magic at work, and there was someone who would be able to help me figure it out.
“Welcome to the Compound,” Corbin said cheerfully as we passed a sign to our right that read ‘Asher Grove’. The gravel road looked long and was surrounded by more beautiful trees. Their leaves were scattered around the ground, leaving shades of mustard, orange, and brown in the soft light of the crescent moon.