The Guardian (The Guardian Book 1)

by Paula Stephanie Grogan

  She sat on her bed and cried. Keric stood in the doorway. “I’m so sorry Coura; I don’t want you to cry. I’m not sorry for what happened, Coura. It was the best moment of my life. I felt so, complete with you. But I am being selfish Coura. By me being with you I am leaving you vulnerable for attack. When I’m with you, I get so caught up in how I feel for you that I could be distracted if someone tried to attack you. I’m your guardian Coura; I was made to protect you. That’s why it’s killing me now knowing that I have hurt you. I was weak and I gave in to my feelings. I’m sorry not for what we did together Coura, that was beautiful. What I’m sorry for is for hurting you. I want you to understand that if there were any way that I could be with you I would, but I can’t. If I do, you could die, and I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.”

  “We have to try to forget this Coura. It’s the only way I will be able to stay with you.” Coura nodded. She understood what he meant but it still hurt. She had come to Love Keric and everything about him from his crooked smile to his dorky laugh. "Coura you are the world to me. Believe me I think I was made for you, but you need to realize the truth in what I’m saying and promise me that we end this now. I want you to live the most normal life that you can. I want you to make friends, and date guys, do everything you can while you’re young. I will always be here for you Coura, as your guardian and as your friend."

  “I promise,” Coura said to Keric. She wiped the tears from her eyes and stepped back. “Your right I will have to try to live a normal life.” She turned and walked into her bathroom shutting and locking the door behind her. She felt like her heart had broken into a million pieces. God, how stupid can I be? He’s like a God and I am just a stupid girl, she thought. Coura tore her clothes off and turned on the tap to her steam shower. She was still clean from her earlier bath but there was something about the water that always seemed to make everything in life just a little easier to tolerate. She climbed in the massive stone shower and sat down; allowing the water to run over her. Little beads dripped down her face. She pulled her knees into herself and wrapped her arms around them. She stayed in the shower for a long while letting the shower calm and soothe her. When she got out, she wrapped a towel around herself and went to her dresser in her room for pajamas. She expected to see Keric, but he wasn’t there he was gone. She pulled on her favorite pair of Paul Frank monkey pajamas that her mom had bought her last Christmas and climbed in bed. She took a deep breath and turned the light out. Sleep came easy for her.

  When she got up the next morning before school, she had a new drive for life. She dug through the back of her closet and found the most scandalous outfit she could find and paired it with a pair of zebra stiletto heels that her aunt Vickie got her for her birthday last year. She looked in her floor length mirror and she saw herself. She was wearing a tight midriff baring black spaghetti strap, covered by a sheer see-through black top and paired with a black pleated micro skirt. She grabbed a long necklace from the bottom of her jewelry box and her hoop earrings and put them on admiring herself. She had her hair loose and her curls combed neatly down to the middle of her back. It needs something else, she thought. Aha! Make up, she grabbed the black and metallic box that was sticking out of the bottom of her closet under last year’s camp duffle bag. She pulled it out and set it on her vanity and set down to apply her makeup. She added eyeliner and powder and a little soft touch of copper to the top of her eyes. She looked beautiful and yet there was something missing, something she needed to make her ensemble go really over the top. Then she eyed it in the bottom of the makeup box a lipstick tube with fire engine red lipstick. She put it on her pouty lips and kissed herself in the mirror.

  She looked dressed to kill and she knew it. She grabbed her purse instead of her normal backpack just as Keric appeared. “Are you really going to wear that to school?” Coura gave him the most smoldering look and said in a husky voice “you said to move on, and that’s what I’m doing.” He shook his head at her. “Not like this Coura.” She reached down suggestively letting him see a peek at her assets while she pretended to fix the strap on her shoe. She raised an eyebrow at him, “You like what you see?” She picked up her notebook and strutted past him on her way out. Keric couldn’t help but look, but ogling would get him nowhere so instead he decided to follow her, but out of sight.

  She walked out to the bus stop to wait for her ride. She was only out there a few minutes when a car honked, and she looked up. It was Steve Matherson the High Schools most popular guy. “Hey there, he said eyes looking her over like a dog to a piece of meat. “You need a ride?” Coura was still shocked that he saw her; let alone looked at her like that.

  Steve climbed over and opened the door to his posh 76’ Camaro with immaculate red paint. “Come on hottie, I’ll take you wherever you need to go,” he said seductively. “Yeah sorry, of course I would love a ride.” She managed to spit out and she got in the car trying to look as confident as possible. And if the look he gave her was anything to go by she was on the right track. He stared at her for a good few seconds. “Hey there, tiger we’re never going to get to school with you staring at me like that,” she purred. He snapped back to reality. “Sorry, I guess you could say that I was distracted by a pretty lady. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier I’m Steve, and you are?” “I’m Coura.” “Well Coura, do you have a boyfriend?” Steve asked as he drove them down the road. “No,” she said, “but I might be taking applications.” Steve turned and winked at her; her heart fluttered. This moving on thing might be easier than I thought. “Well, consider me will ya?” Coura gasped in surprised at his forwardness. “I just might,” she quipped back.

  They pulled up in front of Oceanside High. It was a big school with bright green paint everywhere and pirates painted on most of the walls. It was a large campus and had about 5,000 students attending. Steve parked in the student parking and held hands with Coura while they walked up the stairs to the quad. The quad was the hangout spot before school, for all the popular kids and Steve was leading her directly toward its epicenter where his friends were. “Hey, everyone, this is Coura,” Steve said.

  Coura knew who Steve’s friends were, the tall thin blond with the pink baby doll tee and low rider jeans was Amanda. Next to her was, her boyfriend Eric another tall yet buff football player with platinum blond hair and blue eyes, and his friends Jason, Mat, and his girlfriend Aria. Jason looked like he was stretched out at birth his arms and legs longer than the rest of his body; he had brown hair and green eyes. Mat was the drummer for the school band, and the leader of the drama department. He was the most handsome out of everyone there, he kind of looked like Zack Efron. Coura secretly wondered if he was gay. He had a girlfriend, the head cheerleader Aria but Coura was pretty sure it was a farce.

  Everyone was superficially nice, but nice just the same. After all the introductions were over Steve announced that he and Coura were dating. There were squeals of delight from the girls, who jumped up and down excitedly for her. The boys however were a different story. They griped and complained. “Hey man, you always get dibs on the hottest new chick, that’s not cool” said Eric. “Sorry guys’ right place, right time,” Steve shrugged like it was nothing new. “We are going to become besties, omg; I'm so excited, aren’t you?” Said Aria. Coura answered without emotion; “yeah I think I just might.”

  Steve walked Coura to all her classes. By the end of the day she was the most talked about girl throughout campus. She had gone from a nobody to an “it” girl, in under a day. Never mind they all thought that she was new, at least this way it’s a fresh start, she thought. Steve brought her home that day and asked her out on a date the next evening. She flirted with him in the doorway to the house, not wanting to go inside she played with the zipper on his jacket moving it up and down as they spoke. She laughed at all his jokes and made him laugh in return. Just as they were saying their goodbyes Steve swooped down and kissed her. At first Coura hesitated not sure she would be able to do it, bu
t then an anger rolled through her at the thought of Keric and she kissed him back hard, and then pushed him away and went inside.

  Coura had just locked the door when Keric appeared. He had a scowl on his face. “It’s one thing to dress like that Coura but you don’t need to throw yourself at him either. You at least want to play hard to get.” Coura rounded on him, “It seems to me that you’re jealous Keric. Is that what this is about? The whole you’re dressing like a slut thing.” Keric paused and thought about what she said a minute. “Yes, I am jealous Coura, I love you, I always will, no matter what man comes into your life. The point I’m trying to make here Coura is just to be careful ok? Don’t just settle with anyone reach for the stars. You are better than that air headed jock, and besides that I just get a bad vibe from him.”

  "First, you can’t dictate to me who I can and cannot see, and who would you rather me shoot for? I have already tried that with you and been shot down. So, give me a flippen break here and let me have some fun, he’s the most popular guy in school. Besides he noticed me first, and I sort of like him." Keric sat on the leg of the couch in the living room. “Whatever Coura, do what you want you always do.” He got up and turned to walk out of the room. “You know what? My gym teacher told me once that whatever means pretty much the same as saying fuck you,” She hollered after him. She heard him say before he flashed out, “well if the shoe fits…” Coura stomped her foot at him. Agitated she went up to her room cursing and mumbling about him under her breath.

  “Keric! Keric, you come back here right now and finish this with me.” She looked around, but he didn’t come. She figured he was listening, so she spoke anyway. “You listen to me, Mr., I don’t care how bad you think Steve is you had better stay out of my way! In fact, I think the best thing that you could for me is just to leave me alone and stay out of my Life! Did you hear that you pompous, self-absorbed son of a GOD, I…” Coura’s emotional balloon popped when she heard Keric. “I hear you Coura, and I think your right,” He kissed her on the cheek and walked away before she could say another word. Her anger turned to tears and she ran up the stairs two at a time angrily wiping her tears away, and locking herself in the bathroom, to take another shower where she could truly let herself go without being watched.

  Keric knew that Coura needed time to move on and heal. His heart was broken too. He had never wanted to feel so strongly about her. But he did, and it was a burden he fought with each day. For Coura she could move on, meet other guys and one day get married. For Keric he was stuck watching the love of his life day after day. It hurt more than anything imaginable. And yet he never faltered in her protection, if anything he had become more diligent. He kept to the shadows and had no more direct contact with her. She even called to him one evening, and while he watched he didn’t show her his presence. For a time, things seemed normal in Coura’s life, she hadn’t seen Keric, or vampires, or demon half breed things for months. She spent her time with a group of Steve’s friends, or on dates with him in the evenings. Things were starting to become serious, with the two of them; which ironically seemed easier to do because she forgot all about Keric when she was in Steve’s passionate embrace. But when things got to serious Coura always found herself backing away at the last minute, and Steve played the ever-constant role of prince charming.

  The night of her senior prom came, and she went with Steve. She wore her hair up with curly tendrils hanging gently down. She wore a chiffon dress with beautiful gold embroidery on it. She had hoop earrings and sparkling makeup she looked like royalty. Her mom took a lot of pictures and her stepdad gave her a big hug and told her how proud he was of her. Her mom cried as they left and they promised to be safe.

  That night was supposed to be Steve and Coura’s “special night,” were they would take their relationship to the next step. Steve had planned to book a room at the Marriott right after the Prom. The Prom was held on a beautiful cruise ship that was docked down at the San Diego bay marina entrance. The ship itself was huge and white, it was lit up like a Christmas tree and music poured out of it from its many levels.

  Coura really seemed to enjoy her night. She danced until her feet were sore and ended up taking her heels off as Steve led her to the door. The cool feel of the concrete soothed her bare soles of her feet. Coura and Steve said goodbye to their friends who were leaving to and headed to the car. “Are you ready to begin our night?” Steve asked Coura. “Yup,” she said with a smile, and meant it.

  She had really started to like Steve. He was attractive and funny. She trusted him, yet even as she was beginning to fall into the “serious” category of the relationship she couldn’t help a little part of her thinking about Keric, and the warning he gave her about Steve. He had been wrong, she thought. He acted like a perfect gentleman, even comforted her when she said she wasn’t ready. Keric was wrong; she thought and pushed the last lingering doubt from her mind. Steve kissed Coura on the head and opened the car door for her. Then they left on the way to the hotel.

  They arrived at the Marriott, and after valet parking Steve led Coura inside to check in, caring for her, the overnight bag. As they approached the counter a snooty looking clerk was giving them the stink eye, he clearly did not approve of teenagers in the hotel. He was tall and thin, looking like a grown-up child, with a baby head. He wore a black suit and had a name badge that read, Burton. “Hello, and welcome to the Marriott, do you have a reservation?” The clerk said to them as they walked up to him. “No, we don’t have a reservation, but we would like to rent a room for the night, preferably a suite.”

  Burton the clerk, started typing on his computer a mile a minute, and after a minute said, “well we do have a suite on the fifth floor available, it’s a double queen, non – smoking, will that work for you?” Steve grabbed for his wallet, “yes, I think that will work just fine.” “Ok, I will need your Driver’s license and credit card please.” Steve handed both over, the clerk took an exaggerated look at the items before saying, “I’m sorry Mr. Matheson but you will not be able to check a room out here, you are a minor and it is illegal to rent you a room.” Steve looked a little pissed. “Look man, it’s our prom night I’m sure there is something that we can work out, Steve put a hundred-dollar bill on the counter and slid it towards the clerk.

  “Sir, even if I wanted to check you in, I couldn’t your ID and credit card do not match names, and that’s also against policy.” "The credit card belongs to my dad surely that has happend beore." "Look Im not checking you in read the sign right there," he pointed to the sign. Something inside Steve snapped he reached over the counter and pulled Burton close to him by his collar. “Now you listen here you little man child, you’re going to give us a room and you are not going to give me any shit about it, or I’m going to pound your face in you got it?”

  The sight of Steve manhandling the clerk caught another guest’s attention and she ran to bar to find a manager. The black-haired pimpled face clerk was cowering beneath Steve as he continued to threaten him. He was so distracted that he didn’t hear the manager come up. “Is there a problem here?” Burton shook himself loose from Steve’s grip as he was momentarily distracted. “No, no problem at all we were just leaving, weren’t we Coura?”

  Steve grabbed Coura by the arm and led her out. When they reached the doors, Coura yelled at him, “let go of my arm Steve that freakin hurts!” The anger that was glazed over his eyes vanished, “I’m so sorry Coura, I didn’t realize I was hurting you. I guess I got carried away in there.” Coura’s anger deflated, “Ya maybe a little.” Steve and Coura walked to the valet and got the car, once they were inside Steve turned to her and said, “please don’t let this ruin our evening together, I just got so mad I wanted this to be special for us.” Coura took his hand and kissed it, “It is still going to be special, why don’t we go out to the point and stargaze, the city is beautiful this time of night. Then maybe we can start over and have a good night. “It sounds like a plan,” Coura “God you’re so smart” Steve said.r />
  The Point was an abandoned parking lot at a retired construction property. It was surrounded by trees on both sides, and the flat area was clear that gave a beautiful view over the city, and sky. Bieng out of town the stars shown brightly their. They parked and got out of the car. They walked around for a while just talking and then sat on top of the hood of the Camaro. “It sure is beautiful out here, said Coura. “Yeah,” said Steve. “But not as beautiful as you are.” Coura fell for it hook-line-and- sinker. They ended up in the back of the car kissing hard, while he groped her. When he reached down to undo his zipper, she stopped him. “I don’t know if this is such a good idea…it’s just this doesn’t feel right, our first time together being in the back of a car.”

  Steve changed before her eyes from a kind gentle boyfriend to mean and aggressive animal. He pulled down his pants and attempted to free himself. Coura acted instinctively and kicked him in his groin. “I don’t think you’re getting it Steve! I'm not ready! That means no!” “It’s you who doesn’t get it bitch, I’m tired of waiting for your teasing ass to put out. It’s now or never toots!” “She slapped him, and his face grew angrier and redder. He grasped at her. “Never! She yelled and tried to pull her legs into herself, but he pulled them down her panties along with it tearing the delicate silk in two. “Oh God! Oh God NO! She screamed!” she started punching clawing and biting wherever she could contact him.

  “I knew I’d make you shout oh God one day,” he said to her mockingly. She tried with all her might to push him off, the more she fought the more aggressive he became; he slapped her and punched her in the ribs trying to get her to be complacent. She was screaming and crying for help, when a hand reached in the car through the open passenger window and pulled Steve out of the car with his pants around his ankles. I’m safe, I’m safe, she thought. The adrenaline was still surging through her as she got out of the car. She barely registered the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. She looked for her rescuer and found Keric. Keric was standing over an unconscious bloody mound that was Steve Matheson.