The Guardian (The Guardian Book 1)

by Paula Stephanie Grogan

  “You’re not crazy Coura. I am different;” he reached over and touched her face. “I am a Guardian Coura, I was sent to protect you.” “What do you mean protect me? No one has been here for me; I have always been alone.” “I had my mom, but she died. I had Marshall, but when mom died, he left me too. I have Richard but he’s just recently been in my life and now I have no one”

  “Oh, baby, you’re so wrong. I have been here for you, I know that you can’t remember right now, but I have always loved you. Coura, I have watched you grow up; I wasn’t allowed to interfere in your life unless you were in danger, but my duty was always you. I am so sorry, but you have to know it was for your own wellbeing.” Tonight many things are going to change for you your gifts the powers are just beginning to reveal themselves, and I am here to make sure that you stay safe, my little chosen one.”

  “Powers? What powers?” Then Coura thought about it, “you mean like what happened to me tonight?” “What happened tonight Coura?” “I had a vision. Or that’s what Nora called it.” “Then yes, Coura, it has begun, your powers are coming to you. You are the chosen one, and it has been my duty since your conception to watch over you your special.”

  Keric reached over and touched Coura’s temple, a series of visions started filling her head of her childhood of Keric, of her love for him. She saw him when she was young all the way until when she fell in love with him when she was sixteen, just two years ago. She was so close to him, they were best friends, her main comfort, and her sole protector. Then she remembered he left, a few months after her mother died. The last thing she remembered of him was Keric holding her while she was crying as Barbie was moving into to her mother’s home.

  She turned to him, eyes full of tears, she remembered perfectly. “Keric, why did you leave me? My life was so empty without you.” “Coura, I never left you, I was with you the whole time, I often laid next to you while you slept, watched over you. When you wept I wept too Coura. Keric pulled over to the side of the road, got out and opened her door and took her in his arms and said, “I had to leave, I had to leave because I fell in love with you Coura.”

  The safest thing for me to do to ensure your safety was to leave; it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I love you Coura.” “What’s going to happen now? What am I going to do? You’re going to be alright Coura, I am your Guardian, and I will keep you safe. I promise. It is my duty, to both my God and my heart.” “I think we need to get going,” Coura said. “I really need to get to my father before Steve does.”

  Keric leaned over to her turned his head and gently kissed her, and said “your right we need to go,” he got up and got into the car then he said to her; “I know yesterday was supposed to special for you, and I am sorry I didn’t tell you before Happy Birthday.” “It is special she said, even though all the bad things are happening, and my father is in danger, I have you again. And I have Skye, and Nora, and I know that somehow this will all work out.” “I sure hope your right Coura.” Keric said, “I sure hope your right.”

  Chapter 11

  Nora walked out to her car, the south east Texas wind feeling good against her skin. Just then her phone vibrated, a bad feeling started forming in her gut, Coura, she thought ohh no!!!! Don’t do it Coura.

  Her caller I.D. read the Holiday Inn and Suites, and she picked up immediately. “Is this Mrs. Nora? This is Nicole at the Holiday Inn, I am so sorry mam, I saw your niece Coura, she was leaving, I tried to stop her when I saw her on the footage. I looked outside but she was already in a car with one of the guests from the hotel. I am so sorry; I totally understand if you don’t want to pay me.”

  Nora got into her car and hauled it. Her engine was roaring, tires squealing as she drifted through the turn at a red light. She had thrown the bags so hard into the back seat she could smell one of the shampoo bottles had opened and the smell of apple blossoms filled the car. She grabbed the shotgun and shells out of the back seat and loaded it as she was screeching past cars to get to the hotel.

  Her phone rang again this time it was Skye; “I am at the hotel where are you Nora?” “I am driving there now I will be there in just a second.” Lights shined up at him from a car that came screeching to a sliding stop in the driveway, it was Nora. He ran to the car and climbed in the front seat. “Where’s Coura?” He asked already knowing that something was going on. She ran Skye; she’s on her way back to the hospital now.” “Alright well let me out, I might be able to track her down faster than you can.” “What was she traveling in?” “I’m not sure,” she said. She left with a man from the hotel. I am not sure what he was driving. Well there’s no time to wait.” In a flash Skye was out of the car and gone.

  Nora’s eyes started rolling back in her head, then she was transported somewhere else, it was cloudy, and she saw Keric driving up the road with Coura, they were heading to Many. They were heading into a trap. Steve was waiting for her, buying his time until she got there. She saw Steve’s red eyes and knew that he was a vampire. She snapped out of it and looked over for Skye, but he was already gone.

  “Well you could at least shut the door,” she leaned over and pulled the door closed then started on her way towards Many.

  As they drove down the highway towards Many, they both were reflecting on what happened that day. Keric could not resist the opportunity to get back into Coura’s life again, and when he saw her runaway from Nora, he knew that he had to be the one to rescue her. He had to re-introduce himself in her life again. Beside him Coura was deep in thought about Nora.

  I just know Nora’s angry with me Coura thought to herself. But this is just something I must do I couldn’t just sit by and let something I caused hurt my father while I was in a hotel room a hundred miles away. I just hope she can understand. Coura really thought highly of Nora, she reminded her of her mother in some ways and felt safe when she was around.

  She looked over at Keric, “Thank you for driving me,” she said. He looked over at her, “not a problem hun. If my dad was in the hospital and I were stranded in the middle of nowhere I would hope that someone would do the same for me. Besides I am kind of fond of you,” he said with a chuckle. She looked at him, really looked at him. He was uncharacteristically handsome. He looked perfect, my very own angel she thought. “Well, thank you again,” she said. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said, “but I am in a hurry too, I hope you don’t mind if I hit it a little?”

  “There is this prophecy and it’s my duty to make sure that the chosen one makes it in time.” He looked at her, and she looked back. “I am the chosen one?” she asked. “Yup,” he said, “and you’re looking at your destiny.” He winked at her and her heart fluttered. He smiled as he accelerated the gas, and they were gone.

  Skye was running so fast that if a passing car looked, they would see nothing but a blur. One of his gifts that he inherited from his ancestors before him. Skye was a werewolf. He had inherited the ability to change from man to wolf at any time, well except for three days during the full moon that he was stuck as a wolf. He transformed as he left the Hotel. He was now in his wolf form, running on all fours down the wood frontage on the highway. He had made it over sixty miles in just a few minutes. He would make it to the hospital before she did.

  “Can you hear me Dad?” “Yes, son what is it?” “Coura she left Nora and she’s headed your way I should be in Many in about ten minutes, where do you want me to go?” The voice of his dad was able to pass between all the wolves of his pack; all of Roy’s pack could hear him since he was their Pack leader, their alpha. “I want you to wait for Coura out front of the hospital, try to stop her from getting in, if you can’t then follow her and do your best, our Goddess has marked her, and it is our duty to protect her.” Then the voice was gone, he was on his own pounding through the forest towards the bridge that led to Louisiana. He crossed it and made it to the hospital swiftly.

  “Well we’re almost there” said Keric. “That’s wonderful,” Coura said nervously biting her pointer finger
. “That’s a bad habit you know.” “What? Oh, sorry she said, when I am nervous, I tend to do that, I find it a lot healthier than other alternatives.”

  “Ya, I guess you got me there,” he said, they pulled up at Many community hospitals. A police car was blocking the main entrance, so she suggested that they drive around to the back. They did with ease in corvette and he circled the car with unnatural speed. “There is something that I need you to understand Coura, Steve is not who he used to be. I want you to know that he has been turned into what you would call a Vampire.

  “He has uncanny abilities, and if for some reason we get separated, I need you to avoid him at any cost. Do you understand me Coura?” “Ya, I get it, save dad, don’t get bit by the vamp…yada yada yada…can we go now?” “Ya, let’s go.” Everything seemed to be normal, on the outside. Inside however, things were not going so smoothly.

  “Shots have been fired! I repeat shots have been fired. Dispatch do you read me? My location is at 325 South Bedford drive, at Many Community Hospital.” The Sheriff picked up the hand com units that the guards were using, and then turned to the guard, what frequency are these things on?” “Channel three Sir,” the lanky guard looked at the Sheriff. “Ok, I’m going up I want you to set it to line four we need to have good communication. We need to evacuate the building why hasn't the alarm sounded I have already pulled it?” “You have to have the key from here sir.”

  “Do not leave the security room, do you understand?” “Yes Sir, I understand.” The guard was terrified. His hands were shaking. He knew his best friend Marty was one of the guards upstairs. How am I going to tell his mom he thought, if he’s dead? Dear God, what’s going to happen to me?

  Chapter 12

  “Snap out of it I need your full attention on this,” said Nickels. The phone rang, and he picked it up, this is Sheriff Nickels,” the phone was silent for a minute, then a voice came on the line. “This is O’Conner, from the FBI; I understand that there have been shots fired and officers down. Where is your location in the building now?”

  “I am in the downstairs security room, I have confirmed sighting of the fugitive and he has shot five times so far, I heard it over the radio.” “Well we have the place surrounded and have two snipers on the roof; we need to get the fugitive in the line of fire so that we can take him out, without hurting any civilians.”

  “Is there any way to safely get to him from where you are? Can you see him on any of the surveillance?” “No, we lost sight of him, right before the shots wrung out. I cannot get ahold of any of my officers either, including the ones protecting Mr. Du Boise.”

  The line went quiet for a minute. “Ok, here are your instructions, I need you to go to the fourth floor there is a service elevator that will bring you out by the nurses’ station, take caution not to be seen, we don’t need to lose anyone else today.” “Ok, we need to evacuate the building also, can you handle that?” “I have thought about that I believe that I am going to pull the fire alarm that should make enough of a distraction for me to get to the fourth floor safely and get everyone else out as quickly as possible.”

  “You need to put a sniper outside of Mr. Du Boise’s room, I have a feeling that the fugitive is on his way there. I will get him to a window if he is not there already.” “Copy, that said O’Conner, we have a shooter on standby. There are agents heading in from both east and west corridors go now!” Nickels took the key for the alarm.

  Roy and his pack were already on scene when the FBI showed up, they took out a few of the agents and put their uniforms on. Roy felt a little guilty for having to hurt a good guy, but he really didn't have time to change their memories long enough to explain their lack of attire. So, he opted for the subtle approach, he hit them over the head, and dropped them like dominos. Roy had five of his pack with him, Drew, Ryan, Paul, Jessie, Mike, and Skye. But Skye was with Coura, or at least he hoped. They all changed and quickly moved to position.

  Their team made it into the building through the rear entrance which was open; they spread out all on search for the fugitive Steve Matheson. Back inside, in the security room, Nickels unsheathed his firearm and started heading out, he slammed shut the door as he headed towards the service elevators.

  On the wall in front of the elevator was the fire alarm, he decided to wait to pull it until he reached the fourth floor as pulling it would make the elevator useless. He punched in the number four and he began to climb, his hands were shaking, he wiped his palm across his sweaty forehead, adrenaline rushing as he took a deep breath then the door beeped and opened. Everything was calm; nurses going to their rooms checking on patients a buzzing noise paged one of the nurses to a room, which left one at the desk.

  He crouched down immediately, and crab walked to the nurses’ station. Looking around he saw the fire alarm at the end of the hallway. “Crap,” he muttered. Luckily for him, there were only a few people around. The nurse that was filing paperwork behind the desk turned around eyes big looking at the Sheriff. Nickels had already withdrawn his badge and had a finger over his mouth instructing her to be quiet.

  The R.N looked at him with eyes full of fear, and then looked from his gun to his badge. “I need you to do something for me,” he whispered. “I need you to go and pull the fire alarm, but be discreet about it, I don’t want to send anyone into a panic just yet, do you understand me? The director should have already informed you of the possible evacuation right and the reason for it? Here is the key.”

  The nurse whose name tag read Judy, simply nodded. “Judy, I want you to listen to me, we have a fugitive on the loose.” Judy’s eyes got even bigger and she listened carefully. “Over there on the wall is the fire alarm, I need you to walk over there casually and pull it. Then I want you to evacuate all the patients on this floor and get yourself out of here also.”

  The nurse sat her files on the filing cabinet and walked across the hall to the fire alarm pulley, looking at it for a minute, then deciding she put the key in the lock and pulled it. “All right,” Judy said. Then went in the direction of the first room at the end of the hall. The alarm started to shrilly announce the emergency, quickly six nurses appeared at her side.

  “What’s going on Judy?” one said. “Is there a fire?” Another said. Judy stood there in silence still shocked. The curly red head nurse shook Judy’s shoulders violently, “WHAT IS GOING ON!” She said over the shill screams of the alarm.

  Judy snapped out of it, “We need to get these children out of here now!” There is not a fire, but we are being evacuated everyone go to the rooms and get these kids downstairs NOW! It is not safe here right now. There is a fugitive on the loose,” they all ran to their stations grabbing charts and heading to the rooms.

  Steven Matheson heard the pandemonium out in the hall, someone had set the fire alarm off and they were evacuating everyone on the floor. He pulled off his janitor suit and slid on a white lab coat that he stole from behind the counter from the nurses’ station, he then walked into the room that was closest to him. There was a five-year-old little girl playing on her bed with a poly pocket toy, she had nearly no hair, but big brown eyes with long eyelashes. She is just like Coura he thought. She will be perfect.

  He cleared his throat making himself known to the girl. She didn’t move. That’s strange, he thought, then he grabbed the girl’s chart from the wall and read the part that said diagnosis: lymphoma and saw that she was deaf also caused by meningitis. He closed the file and put it back, he was running out of time he knew the nurse would be in shortly to evacuate the child.

  He tapped the little girl on the shoulder, and she smiled looking up at him, wow he thought just like Coura. He held her in his arms, like he dreamed he could with Coura. Strong emotions filled him and his eyes flashed red for a minute scaring the child.

  She was frightened and scooted back in the bed. She was screaming, he grabbed ahold of her and carried her in his arms, she continued to fight so he put his hand over her mouth until she stopped screaming. He d
idn’t realize his own strength and she struggled to breathe.

  Within a few minutes she passed out. He removed his hand from her mouth listening for a heartbeat. It was steady, so he took her and fled the room quickly he walked to the elevator past the nurses who were scurrying to the rooms. No one paid him any attention since he was dressed like a doctor. He made his way to the emergency elevator and took the little girl with him up to the seventh floor.

  Steve knew that the police would move Richard once they knew that there was a threat against him. What they didn’t know was that he had already infiltrated their computer system and knew where he was moved to. Luckily plan B had paid off and he headed straight for Richard Du Boise’s room.

  Judy went into the first room, there was a little girl attached to an IV she woke her and put her in a wheelchair and drove her into the next room, there was a ten year old little girl who was awake, “what is that noise Mrs. Judy?” “Come on baby we got to go, she took the little girl’s hand in her hand, “but my wig!” said the little girl. “Oh baby, we don’t have time, we got to get everyone out, let’s go baby.”

  She got six more children out and down to the emergency elevators and successfully met everyone in the rear courtyard. Looking for her fellow nurses she checked in with them to make sure that everyone was accounted for. Each of the six nurses brought down seven children all except for the redhead, who was frantic and came running up to Judy. “I couldn’t find Elaina, Judy she wasn’t in her room, I looked everywhere! What should I do?” “I am going up there she said, I’ll find her, please make sure to keep our patients here together until a first responder tells us what to do next.”

  Judy hightailed it to the emergency elevators; she pushed the button waiting for the elevator. It was taking too long. She ran for the stairs, jogging up the stairs she moved quickly, but by the third floor she had to stop, she took a few quick breaths “ I have really got to get into better shape,” she said to no one and started running up the remaining flight.