by Anni Antoni
“Excuse me for a few moments while I shower and change,” I said to Kat, standing up. “When I come back, we can continue the training. I’d like to see what skills you’ve been learning.”
Esau sat on the other side of Kat and I took my leave, deep in thought. Marron’s words kept coming back to me -- the bond never makes mistakes. The more time I spent with Kat, the more I thought our union could work, as unlikely as it first appeared.
Once the Challenge was over, I vowed to stop fighting the bond. Instead, I’d relax and accept whatever developed, but there was something else I had to do first.
My heart lighter, feeling a little giddy at the prospect of having Kat as my mate, I smiled and stepped into the shower.
Chapter 20.
Kat’s Gym Experience
As Esau sat beside me in the gym, I watched Joe walk to the showers. The way he moved was fascinating, combining the relaxed grace of a dancer with the coiled readiness of an experienced fighter. I recognized the fluid movements years of martial arts training bestowed, and wondered what forms he had studied.
Esau also moved in a similar way, but Joe took it to a whole new level, as though he had lived martial arts for years and it was an integral part of him. Every movement was a beautiful study in grace and power. I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
Only when he walked through a doorway and out of sight, did I turn my attention to Esau. Before realizing it, I gasped automatically, in astonishment.
“You’re almost completely healed.” My gaze roamed over his torso, which had been a mass of bleeding cuts before, like Joe, when he sat down beside me.
Esau looked down over his arms and chest. “That’d be right, we heal quickly,” he said casually, as though it was normal, but then it was, for him. Thoughts of him and Joe practicing together invaded my mind. Although terrifying, it had also been exhilarating.
“You and Joe fight in much the same way, and you’re very evenly matched. It was an amazing experience watching you two together.”
Esau laughed and leaned back on the bench. “Joe trained me from when I was 10 years old. It’s no wonder we fight in the same way. You probably don’t know it,” he said, “but Joe’s my Guardian too.”
That was interesting news. Confusion seized me, and I felt my eyes widen. “But aren’t you a Guardian?”
“Well I am now, but I wasn’t born one. I was born a hybrid like you. Although I think you have more demon than I do.” He laughed again and leaned towards me in a conspiratorial manner. “Between you and me, some of the full Guardians can be… stuffy, even boring.” He wrinkled his nose.
“Joe’s a full Guardian, isn’t he? Is he stuffy?”
“Oh, saints preserve us, no. Not him! Joe’s anything but stuffy, you’ll see, once you get to know him better.”
“He can be awfully stern,” I said, frowning, remembering all the times he confused me with his changing attitudes.
“Oh, don’t I know it.” Esau leaned back on the bench again. “But that usually means he’s got a lot on his mind, like now.”
Already, Esau had given me much to think about. He was a hybrid, like me and not a full Guardian, yet he had somehow become one. I wondered how Joe and he had met and how Esau had become a Guardian.
Did that mean I could become a Guardian too? My breath caught in my throat at the prospect. What if I could learn to fight like Esau did with Joe? The thought of being able to move that fast thrilled me.
Something else surfaced in my mind. Esau and the other Guardians I had met had mates. By talking to the girls, I had found out Joe didn’t have one. Did Esau know why?
“Why doesn’t Joe have a mate?” Filled with a sudden, urgent desire to have the answer, I fired the question at Esau, out of the blue.
He gave me the oddest look. “I have no idea. He won’t talk about his private life. That’s something you must ask him.” He stopped talking, as if considering what to say next.
“I don’t want to say too much, but Joe’s more likely to tell you why he doesn’t have a mate, only… don’t mention it before the Challenge -- not unless you want him turning stern again. He’s relaxed now, let’s keep him that way. Eh?”
That sounded like an excellent idea, so I nodded my agreement.
The door to the shower area opened, and Joe strode towards us with his customary languid grace. His damp hair hung in waves over his broad shoulders, and I had an insane impulse to sit with him and brush it dry while he told me stories about his past. I knew he would have endless fascinating tales.
Whether that vision was wishful thinking or a glimpse of our future, I couldn’t tell, but my warding slipped for a moment, as I enjoyed the imaginary scene.
I felt Joe pick up the thought. A warm approval radiated from him, and, suddenly embarrassed, I warded my mind again. Heat suffused my cheeks. How pathetic, I was probably blushing like a schoolgirl.
Then again, perhaps I had imagined the brief connection, because Joe gave no indication of anything out of the ordinary, as he sat beside me.
Holding out a bare arm, he turned it over then pointed to his chest. “See? Completely healed. And so is Esau.”
“I’m glad,” I said, casting my eyes over his arms and chest. “I was worried before you went to the shower. It’s amazing how quickly you heal.” Totally awestruck, I allowed my eyes to roam over his shoulders, to his face, and saw he was smiling at me.
But instantly, he was all businesslike again, and cleared his throat.
“Have you decided what to show us today?”
I could be just as businesslike. “Yes, I’d like to demonstrate Muay Thai movements, my favorite martial art – it’s quick, and effective in close combat. It’s most effective when facing a hostile group, and you can use fists, elbows, knees, shins, feet — almost anything goes. And these boots are a useful accessory on the streets.”
“I can imagine!” said Joe, his eyes sparkling, either with amusement or interest, I wasn’t sure which. “Muay Thai is one of the few martial arts I haven’t studied. I’m interested to learn from you.”
“Do you have heavy, long, punching bags and somewhere to hang them?”
“We should have most equipment you’ll need in the storeroom. What about boxing gloves?”
“Yes, boxing gloves would be useful. And I’ll take my boots off, I don’t want to damage the equipment.
Chatting away, absorbed in the sport and the equipment needed, we walked to the store room. My eyes popped with delight when I saw all the equipment stored there -- punching bags, martial arts uniforms, swords, balls, exercise equipment, weights, almost anything you could think of.
Soon I had selected what I needed, and Joe helped set everything up. After taking off my boots, I stood poised for action in front of a heavy punching bag.
For the next few minutes, I attacked the punching bag with hands, knees, shins and feet at a blistering pace. Then, after a short pause, to catch my breath and wipe my sweaty face and neck on a towel Joe had given me, I did a combination of punches and elbow jabs, with high roundhouse and swinging kicks thrown in, concentrating more on form than speed.
I finished my sets, sweating and out of breath, and gave Esau and Joe a quick bow. Esau jumped to his feet, clapping his hands enthusiastically. “Fantastic, well done,” he called.
I was more interested in Joe’s reaction. He sat back on the bench, leaning against the wall with a broad grin on his face. “Didn’t I tell you she had talent Esau?” he said, but he was looking straight at me.
The heat of another blush rose to my cheeks, and I hastily grabbed the towel to wipe my face again and cover it up. Around Joe, I sometimes acted like I was still sixteen.
“Have a rest Kat, you’ve earned it,” he said. “That demo was most interesting, and you’ve studied and practiced hard to get to that level of achievement.”
Joe’s words pleased me no end. Instinctively, he knew the effort it had taken to reach the level of skill I had demonstrated. His praise warmed me to
the core, and I grinned happily at him.
All too briefly, Joe returned my smile, but then he turned to Esau. “Esau, meet me in the kitchen. We need to get apples, potatoes, oranges, and the like.”
Esau flashed away in the blink of an eye.
What was Joe up to now?
“Stay here, we’ll be back soon,” he said and flashed after Esau.
I didn’t have long to wait before they were back again, each carrying a bucket filled with fruit and vegetables.
Joe sat beside me again, and tied a heavily folded, white silk scarf around his eyes.
“What’s going on?” I asked, intrigued by the preparation.
“It’s another way of using mindspeak, useful in combat, particularly if you have to fight more than one opponent at a time. Would you like to help Esau set it up?”
“Yes,” I replied, jumping at the chance, my curiosity mounting.
Eagerly, I ran across the gym, to where Esau was placing stools and boxes, each with a piece of fruit or a vegetable on top, at random places around the gym. He handed me a large bunch of bananas. “We’re setting up an obstacle course for Joe. Put these bananas randomly between the stools and boxes. He must avoid stepping on them while he chops what’s on the stools and boxes with a sword. This is an elementary way of using this tactic. Imagine if each obstacle was an armed warrior. If used right it can be like having eyes in the back of your head.”
My imagination reeled at the possibilities.
Once everything was set up, I sat on a bench at the side of the gym and watched Joe, blindfolded, tackle the obstacle course. I held my breath, my excitement mounting, as he stepped over a banana, and started moving up the gym, towards Esau at the other end.
Whoosh! The sword split an apple in half, without damaging the stool it had been placed on. A potato was next.
Carefully, Joe made his way up the gym towards Esau, stepping over bananas and avoiding contact with the stools and boxes. The only sound was the whoosh of his sword as he sliced through an orange or an apple or a potato. I was spellbound.
Then he was standing next to Esau, ripping the blindfold off.
“How did I go?” He grinned.
“You got everything and missed all the bananas, boxes and stools,” I gushed. “How did you do it?” My voice came out in a squeak, I was so excited, but I didn’t care.
“Using mindspeak, as I said. But instead of thoughts, Esau transmitted images to me. It’s something we developed between us for combat. I don’t know if other Guardians use the technique that way. It’s highly specialized.”
“Oh Joe, please teach me how to do it.”
“Are you ready for it, Kat? We would need access to each other’s minds for it to work properly. Although, the intense level of focus needed to transmit images, drives other thoughts out. Do you trust me enough to permit that access?”
“I’m ready and I trust you,” I said firmly. I would do whatever it took to gain that skill, and I wanted to make Joe proud of me.
“Let’s do it then,” said Joe, and he winked at me.
Happy, tested to my limits, and focused, I forgot all about the Challenge and the Vigilante Guardian for the next few hours.
◆◆◆
“It’s time we rested up for the night,” said Joe. I was enjoying the practice sessions so much I had forgotten all about the time.
With a wave and a grunt, Esau flashed away, and I was alone with Joe.
“Let me escort you to your room,” he said, and offered me his arm. His old-fashioned manners made me smile. A lot of things about Joe made me smile, I realized, so glad he had come into my life.
We took the elevator to my floor and Joe walked me to my room. “We’ll train again tomorrow. And I’ll also need to practice the sword with Esau. If you like, you can observe.”
“I’d love that,” I said, thrilled to be asked, but suddenly overcome with weariness.
“One other thing,” said Joe. “I’d like to arrange for you to have a blood test tomorrow, so you’ll know how much Demon and Guardian are in your system. Sometimes a heavy demon heritage can cause problems, and we need to be prepared for that. Do I have your permission to go ahead?”
Right then I didn’t care. Sleep was what I needed, and my eyes wanted to close. “Whatever,” I said.
“Oh, and one further thing, before you fall asleep.” I forced myself to focus on Joe’s face. “You did well today. I’m proud of you Kat.” He took my hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it.
A huge smile plastered itself on my face. “Thanks Joe,” I whispered, leaning heavily against the door. “Good night.”
I watched Joe walk to the elevator, hardly able to focus, but loving the way he moved, then, struggling to keep my eyes open, I peeled off my clothes. Too tired to look for pajamas, I sank naked into bed, and pulled the blankets up around me.
Chapter 21.
A Beautiful Memory
Once again Kat showed how strong she was. I worked her mercilessly in the gym, tested and challenged her until she was ready to drop. Still she craved more, eager to learn further skills. Kat was a warrior at heart, her Guardian heritage strong.
To be truthful, I enjoyed our time together. Her presence soothed my soul and her joy and optimism shone light on my darkness.
Long, long ago I was full of the joy of living too, like Kat. She was re-awakening a part of me which I thought was long dead.
I made my way to the rooftop of our apartment complex, high above the city, deep in thought. Kat would be so easy to love, but something else needed attention first.
I was already half in love with her and the bond, which had chosen us to be mates, was strengthening, relentlessly. Today I thought I saw signs that Kat was feeling it too. She deserved my full attention, my full devotion, but was it possible when such strong feelings for Rachel still lived in my heart?
Marron, in his wisdom, had told me Rachel lived only in my memory. She was long gone, and no human would remember her. Probably the only being on earth that carried her memory was me.
Guilt ate into me at the thought of loving someone else. Or was I indulging myself by keeping Rachel’s memory alive? I must know the answer, and instinct told me I would find it where she had met her death.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I flashed there, deep in the heart of present day Europe, to the hilltop where the fort, once our home, had been located. The hilltop was bare – no trace of the settlement we occupied, or any later settlement visible.
The crisp early morning air stung my face, as I gazed across the plains far below, just as I did when I lived there all those centuries ago. Farmlands still dominated the landscape, and a strange sense of déjà vu gripped me as the sun rose over the farms.
I turned around and visualized where the courtyard had been, the living quarters, fire-pits and workstations. They were brutal, savage times, with no laws to prevent the strong taking from the weak and yet, nothing but a deep sense of peace imbued the place.
I had been Guardian to Pelle, his wife Bronwyn and their children. Sitting in the area where I once worked with Pelle, I gazed in wonder towards where the living quarters were located, the area where Rachel lived with her parents and sisters and where I had lived with my human family. Not a trace of any structure remained.
The memory of Rachel’s beautiful violet eyes, her shy smile and long, dark hair she liked to dress with small daisies filled my mind.
I had never returned since the time of their savage deaths, so long ago. Guilt kept me away, as if I expected something of them to be lingering here with a sad, vengeful presence. The last thing I expected was this beautiful tranquility.
“Rachel,” I whispered, half expecting an answer, a ghostly presence or some reminder of her existence. An abiding peace was all I felt. There was nothing of her or my human family here.
Tears sprang to my eyes. I needed to talk to Rachel, to get her to understand the situation I was in, but it would be impossible. The words came tumb
ling out with my tears, even though I knew she would never hear them. Coming here was a foolish notion.
“Rachel, I’m so sorry for what happened. I’m deeply ashamed I didn’t have the strength or the wisdom to prevent it, and I failed you. You were my mate, and we had a wonderful life ahead of us.
Probably, you would still have been alive today, and together we would have experienced the extraordinary adventure of human achievement. I miss you every day my love, and I have often wished I could have died with you.”
My tears flowed freely for a while. When they slowed, I continued speaking.
“But our wishes were not to be. And now I’m faced with a dilemma. The mating bond has activated again, and another mate has been chosen for me.
“She is a wonderful young woman, in desperate trouble, and she deserves a mate who can give his whole heart, his total devotion and his complete loyalty. It’s what I would have given you, had you lived. Now I must do this for her. Can you understand?”
I waited for an answer, not knowing what, if anything to expect. Nothing but utter tranquility washed over me. Was that my answer?
Thinking logically, I decided my heart was big enough to contain the love for Rachel and still love Kat. After all, love expands. A mother’s love is not diminished by each extra child she bears. Why couldn’t I keep my love for Rachel locked in my heart and still love Kat? It was not logical to expect an answer, but I wasn’t ready to leave.
The sun climbed higher and warmed my back and head as I sat on the ground. I rested my head on my knees, my eyes grew heavy and I must have dozed.
A colorful wagon pulled up on the dirt track next to me and Rachel jumped down, looking excited. “Joshaviah, we’re going home. Our farm has been returned to us and we don’t need to stay in the fort. I’m so happy,” she said, her violet eyes sparkling.
“Let me come with you,” I said, jumping to my feet and reaching for her hand.
She giggled. “Don’t be silly Joshaviah. You have other important things to do. Farm life is not for you.” Putting her hand to her hair, she pulled out a few small, white daisies, placing them in my hand. “I’ll never forget you. Whenever you see white daisies, think of me and know I’m happy.”