Guardians Of The Shifters

by Shannon Schoolcraft

  My heart broke at his story and I wanted to comfort him but something told me that he wouldn’t like that very much. I also had a feeling that there was more to it, but I’d let him tell me when he was ready. He sighed heavily.

  “It was still hard to grasp even after all the years that passed. When I was told that I’d be getting my own guardian, a girl no less.” I flinched at that. “No offence…I went ballistic. But when I found out that it was going to be the daughter of Jacqueline and Jack Jones, I was okay with it.” He looked at me just then. “But you see…I figured out a secret that nobody knew and still to this day don’t know.” I waited for him to tell me what that secret was but as the silence stretched on I knew that he wasn’t going to tell me. He gave me a sad smile. “Trust me Cora…you’ll want to figure it out on your own, if I told you now it would only consume you and tear you apart…” He touched my hand. “And I won’t let that happen.”

  I was moved that he felt the need to protect me but wasn’t I supposed to protect him? “Come on, we should head back.” We stood from the bench and started to make our way back. Off in the distance was a high pitched wale, Caden stiffened and a curse slipped past his lips.

  “Shit.”

  Concerned. “What is it?”

  “The sirens.”

  An icky feeling burrowed in my belly. “Sirens for what?”

  He looked at me pointedly. “We have been breached.”

  The way he said it didn’t sound good, it was confirmed when he took off at a dead run with me right behind him. As we got closer I could hear yelling and metal clashing with metal. The closer we got to the training center the louder the siren was. We ran past the building and what I saw made my breath stick in my lungs and my heart stutter. The assassins were here, there were too many to count. Without looking, Caden threw me a dagger and I caught it just as an assassin charged at me. I dodged out of the way as she swung her skeletal fist at me and I kicked out with my bad foot connecting with her stomach.

  She doubled over as the air whooshed out of her. Faster than she could recover, I brought down the dagger sinking it into her neck. Warm sticky blood coated my hand and squirted into the air and on my face as I pulled the dagger free. Her body fell to the ground with a thud. I only had a split second to look up and check on Caden, he was holding his own against two assassins. A beefy hand came out from nowhere smacking into my face and causing me to fall. I was so surprised by the blow that I didn’t roll onto my shoulder blades. I laid there dazed.

  The big dude stepped over me with one leg on each side, I brought my leg up and it connected with his balls. I rolled out of the way as he fell to his knees holding himself and groaning in pain. I popped up to my feet and was ready to go again. “That was a dirty move.” I looked over at Caden and grinned. “Yeah, well-.” A foot swiped my feet from under me and I found myself back on the ground. The big beefy guy recovered from the blow I delivered prior and he followed me to the ground.

  Air rushed from my lungs with his weight on me, his hands wrapped around my throat and he squeezed. I struggled under his hold thrashing and clawing at his hands. A sadistic smile warped his face as he stared down at me. My head started to feel dizzy and light headed from lack of oxygen. My ears started to ring and I could feel his hot nasty breath on my face. The heavy weight crushing me eased up as he was being pulled off of me. I coughed and sputtered as fresh air filled my lungs. Caden pulled me to my feet. “Careful love, distractions can cost you.” Does he not know just how big of a distraction that he was?

  I shook off the thought and jumped back into the fray. I couldn’t look around to see how everyone else was doing or to see if we lost anyone. I was too busy concentrating on the two assassins that were surrounding me. One female, one male, they both had swords and all I had was a dagger. If I lived through this I’ll have to remember to carry weapons on me. I saw a metal object laying in the dirt a few inches away and I dived for it. Scooping it up, I now had a dagger in one hand and a sword in the other. These would just have to make due. I looked at them with a twisted smile on my face, could have been a grimace, but either way it was there. They let out a battle sound as they charged me from both sides.

  Something coiled and snapped inside me disconnecting my mind from my body. My movements weren’t my own and I had no control over them. Heat blasted over and around my body. I barely felt the cuts and jabs my body took, my vision was filled with an intense amber light and for some reason that was the only thing that confused me.

  The word retreat echoed through my head and the assassins that were still standing took off in the direction of the big metal doors. Caden’s profile filled my vision and he spoke semi calming words. “It’s over Cora…come back to me.” Slowly the heat retreated from inside me as did the amber tint. My body and mind were my own again and I could breathe easier. I’m not sure how but Caden’s voice brought me back from whatever just happened. His hands softly framed my face.

  He stared into my eyes as he brought his mouth down and slanted it over mine. The kiss exploded into all of my senses and the smooth velvety tip of his tongue against mine was a tease to my nerve endings as he pulled away. He smiled down at me as I looked up into his glowing green eyes. I wasn’t going to read anything into it. A question popped to the tip of my tongue but I didn’t ask it. Did he kiss me again to prove another point or did he kiss me because of what happened tonight?

  Chapter 12

  I shook myself out of the daze that I was in and looked around my surroundings. There were bodies littered all over the ground, some were assassins, others were guardians and shifters. I guess when a shifter dies they don’t turn back into their human forms, so I don’t know which ones were no longer with us. I looked around and saw guardians kneeling down over their charges with their heads bent and their arms crossed over their chest as if they were at rest themselves.

  From the corner of my eye I saw Jamie laying on his stomach lifeless on the ground with his arm stretched out next to him holding onto a wolfs paw. I bowed my head in sadness, he and his charge were no longer with us. Caden wrapped his arms around me and stirred me away from the carnage. “There is nothing you can do.”

  I looked up at him. “Can’t we help?”

  He shook his head. “The guardians of the fallen take care of their own as do the shifters caring for their guardians. It’s the way it’s always been.”

  Shaking my head. “But some of the guardians and their charges have both fallen…what about them?”

  “They will be taken care of properly…but right now we must attend to each other’s wounds. We take care of each other.”

  I kept my mouth closed to keep from arguing with him because nobody should argue at a time like this. With his arm still protectively around me he led me further from the massacre and farther away from my room. We stopped in front of an actual looking house long enough for Caden to pull out a key and unlock the door. A light came on as soon as his door opened, of course he gets an automatic light. I shook my head with that thought, not even sure why it crossed my mind. He led me through the door and straight to the kitchen. My mind was racing with so many questions that I couldn’t concentrate on what his place looked like.

  I’m sure after the shock from the events are over I’ll focus on my surroundings but right now I was numb. He gently pushed me onto a chair. “I’ll be right back.” I nodded my head as he swiftly left the kitchen. I could hear blood splash to the floor as it dripped from my contusions. Caden was back in front of me within five minutes dropping cleaning supplies and bandages on the table. My shirt clung to my skin just below my collarbone and I knew it stuck there because of the rivulet of blood that ran down the cut. I heard Caden’s soft voice. “I’m going to need you to take off your shirt so I can get a good look at your wound.” I hesitated for a minute before grabbing the hem of my shirt and pulling it over my head.

  I looked up at the sound of his sharp inhale. For the way he was looking at me I thought I forgot to put on a
bra this morning. Quickly looking down I found that I was in fact wearing a bra, it was a sports bra but in technical terms still a bra. Caden’s hands shook slightly as he grabbed the small brown bottle of peroxide and poured some onto a white washcloth. After setting the bottle back down he gently placed the damp cloth onto my wound. I inhaled sharply through clenched teeth at the unexpected sting. Once it was clean he pinched the skin together and proceeded to put a butterfly Band-Aid on it to keep it closed and put a rectangular piece of gauze over it to keep it there. After all my contusions were cleaned out and covered, Caden took off his blood spattered shirt.

  Taking a chair from the table he turned it around and sat down bracing his arms on the back of the chair. At first I couldn’t move because I was too busy looking at his strong muscular back and occasionally glancing at his panther tattoo. I understood why he had it now. Bringing my hand up, I lightly traced the outline of the tattoo with my fingertips. His back muscles bunched under my feather light touch and a small smile spread across my lips. After tracing the outline a couple more times I picked up a clean washcloth and doused it with the clear liquid in the brown bottle.

  As carefully as I could I cleaned out the gash just below the back side of his rib cage. Placing ointment on it I taped some gauze to it. He didn’t have as many scrapes and bruises as I did and I envied him of that. He stood up and faced me. “I’ll find a shirt for you to wear until we go back to your room and grab a few things.” The last part of that sentence didn’t register in my mind until he disappeared into a different room.

  What does he mean by grab a few thing? He doesn’t expect me to stay here does he? Shortly he returned wearing a freshly cleaned grey t-shirt and a black shirt that looked four sizes too big for me dangled from his fingers. Handing it over I pulled it on. When I stood up from the chair the bottom of the shirt stopped just below mid-thigh. Arching my eyebrows I looked at him.

  “It’s too big.”

  He smirked. “Here.” He pulled out a knife from his pocket and cut the bottom of the shirt until it stopped at my waist. “Better?” He asked.

  Looking down. “Much better but you ruined it.”

  “Nah, I’ve got plenty.” He looked at the time. “We are going to be late.”

  “Late for what?”

  “The burial.”

  The way he said it made it sound like it was some kind of a tradition type thing. I followed him out the door and back to where the battle ground was. In the middle of the square sat a long wooden table with bodies of the dead lying next to each other side by side. A see through cloth was spread out across them covering their entire body and draped a little over each of the four sides. Kindling of wood were set up kind of like a tepee at the four sides. Cole stood at the head of the table holding a torch already lit with a flame. His voice echoed in the oncoming darkness.

  “Tonight we lost guardians and shifters alike in such a horrid manor by our enemy, they somehow were able to breech our safe haven and attack us from the inside. Tonight we light the fallen in flame and set their souls free. But do not fret the loss of our friends because we will see them again when it is our turn to perish. Tonight they go as one.” He touched the fire from the torch onto each stack of wood and we watched as the flames engulfed the bodies and the table. “Fly home free our friends.”

  Everyone around us murmured the last sentence in unison, we didn’t depart until the flames started to dissipate. Caden walked me to my room staying close to my side. After unlocking the door he stepped over the thresh hold first, once he gave the all clear I walked in. Where the hell was someone supposed to hide at in here? He already had my backpack on the bed and was heading to my dresser. On his short trek to the bed I stepped in his way.

  “What are you doing?”

  He looked down at the clothes in his hand. “Packing some of your clothes.”

  Scrunching up my eyebrows. “Why?”

  He side stepped me and shoved the clothes in the backpack, went back to the dresser and grabbed more. He did this a few more times before grabbing a few daggers and a sword off the top of the dresser. I stepped in front of him again. My hand rested on his chest, I could feel the heat radiating off him and seep into my palm. He looked down at me before answering.

  “Because I don’t want you to be alone after what happened tonight.” He paused for a few heart beats. “Also because I don’t want to be alone.”

  I looked up at him in confusion and wonder all wrapped into one. “Okay.” Once that one word left my lips he bent his head down resting his forehead against mine. We stood like that for a few minutes until he pulled back and grabbed the bag slinging it over his shoulder. Together we walked out the door and headed to his place. We didn’t get far for Cole stepped out of the shadows and right into our path looking between us.

  “Headed to dinner?”

  Really? How can people eat after what happened? “Just stopping by my place first.”

  Cole looked at the strap on Caden’s shoulder then down to me. “With company? You know its forbidden Caden.”

  Caden shrugged a shoulder. “Can’t we just live in the now instead of the past?”

  Cole shook his head. “These laws and rules have been set for a reason, if a guardian and shifter mate--.”

  “Yes I know…a hybrid shifter will be born.” Caden interrupted. “Nobody even knows if it’s true…it’s just a myth set into place so that guardians and their charges don’t fall in love…now if you’ll excuse us.”

  My heart stuttered in my chest at the word “love” and I did my best not to show it on my face. Cole gave me one long lingering look before turning on his heel and stalking off. The way he walked off with his back straight, one would think there was a stick shoved up his ass. Caden put his hand on my lower back and edged me onward. Once we made it to his house he swiftly unlocked the door and quickly ushered me inside. The lights flicked on automatically and this time I was able to look at my surroundings.

  Chapter 13

  When you first walked in there was a light brown leather sofa set off to the left with a brown coffee table next to it. Next to the table there was a reclining chair that matched the couch. Mounted on the wall was a thirty two inch flat screen T.V and below that was another brown table. I was already in the kitchen and didn’t need to see it to know that it was just like every other kitchen. Thin white curtains covered the four windows that I could see.

  Caden dropped my bag on the couch and peeled off his black leather jacket and draping it over the back of the couch. “Let me give you a tour.” I followed him towards the right side of the room and through a door. He flipped on a light. In the center of the room was a king sized bed that had a plain black comforter and matching pillows. To the left of the room was a tacky brown dresser and to the right of the room was a bathroom. There was a silver bedside table with a lamp built into it. Were they afraid someone was going to steal the lamp? Oh sure, let me just stick it under my coat so no one will see it. Dumb asses.

  Caden’s house wasn’t much bigger than my unit except he had a kitchen, go him. “End of said tour.” I followed him back out of the room but not before my eyes glanced back at the bed. Of course it’s a big bed, he’s such a big dude. I stood awkwardly behind the couch not sure what to do now. I looked at Caden who was standing just as awkwardly. He ran a hand across his stubble peppered jaw. “Why don’t you take the first shower?”

  I wasn’t going to argue. “Okay.” I grabbed my bag.

  “Oh.” I looked back at him. “Try not to get the bandages wet.”

  Nodding my head I disappeared to the bathroom. How was I not going to get them wet? It’s not like the water will magically keep it dry. Once I was in my birthday suit I stepped into the shower and the water automatically turned on, nice, I could get used to this. It was harder than hades to keep the bandages dry so I said screw it and washed up like I normally would. Once I was cleaned up I stepped onto the soft mat outside the shower to dry off. I wasn’t going to linger in the b
athroom for my normal shower clean up so I quickly dried off and got dressed.

  Caden was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands when I came out of the bathroom. I instantly went over to him and rested my hand on his shoulder. His muscles bunched under my touch.

  “Caden…are you alright?”

  He peeked up at me through thick lashes. “Yes, just tired.”

  I didn’t believe him but I also didn’t say otherwise. “Okay, I’ll be in the other room.” I started to pull my hand away but his warm fingers snaked around my wrist pulling me back. I stood between his spread thighs looking down at him. His strong arms wrapped around my waist bringing me closer. He rested his cheek on my chest above my heart. My heart bounced around erratically and I was afraid that the organ would jump out and poke him in the eye. I brought my hand up and ran my fingers through his hair. A small purr like moan filled the room and vibrated through me. Caden’s voice came out as a low whisper.

  “Mm…this is nice.”

  I could only muster up one word and it came out shaky. “Yeah.”

  I could hear a smile in his voice. “I haven’t held someone like this in a long time…makes me never want to let go.”

  I could hear my heart in my ears thump thump. My body started to feel warm from the close proximity. It wasn’t a bad warmth, it was more like our body heat mingled together and oddly enough it was nice. We stayed like that for a while longer, his arms wrapped around me and me running my fingers through his hair. After a few more seconds he lifted his head up to look at me. “I should probably shower.” Yes he probably should but I didn’t want to move away. I mustered up enough will power to step out of his arms and when his warmth disappeared I wanted it back.