Scarred Protector (Midworlder Trilogy Book 2)

by Mundy, Maggie

  There was a knock at the door. Marge entered and took in the scene, shaking her head and folding her arms.

  “There’s someone here to see you. I suggest you both make yourselves presentable. Next time use the bedroom for your gallivanting.”

  Heath turned to Evie, who sat up and was rearranging her bra and fastening her top. He wanted to be the gentleman and avert his gaze, but all he could think about was how her nipple had felt under his lips as he had tugged and nipped at it. He was still hard and in no state to meet a healer. When he was around Evie, he reverted to a newly arrived Midworlder, who couldn’t get enough sex and had difficulty controlling himself.

  “We’re not doing too well at the avoiding-sex thing, are we, Heath? If we’re not going to jump each other all the time, we need to take a lot of cold showers. No. That won’t work. I just imagined you naked in the shower.” Evie smiled at him and laughed to herself. His heart melted.

  He touched her bottom lip with his finger. Her mouth hung open, and he wanted to delve in with his tongue yet again.

  “I don’t know if this is lust or the beginning of something more, but I will find a way for us to be together. If that’s what you want,” Heath said.

  “I want it so much, my body aches for you. I just feel that between how you said you make humans feel sexually turned on, and then the darkness wanting me to do things I don’t know, how much of this is really me? A part of me doesn’t care because I deserve some good sex and some fun loving after so long.”

  “You don’t deserve to die because of it, though. I’ll not be responsible for that.”

  “Then let’s go and hear what this healer has to say about me. I’m not sure who I’m more scared of. Her, or your housekeeper.”

  Heath didn’t know this Midworlder healer called Genia. Each side, the spiritual and mortal worlds, had their own healers, though they were rarely needed. On Earth, their bodies healed quickly and didn’t suffer any of the ailments humans had. In some Midworlders, the genetic change performed on their bodies to enable them to come to Earth caused them to be able to use the energy they sent from their bodies to heal rather than attack.

  Heath wasn’t convinced Evie was hurt; he considered she was more likely possessed by something. Midworlder healers had never succeeded in curing humans of such things as cancer, so he couldn’t see how it would work now. As they walked into his study, Evie grabbed his hand. He could feel her shaking. She always seemed so tough, and yet was still vulnerable and afraid.

  Genia stood before them, and he had to admit she was not at all what he expected. She couldn’t be more than four feet tall and petite, dressed in a suit reminiscent of Chanel from the fifties. Her hair was gray and her face showed the wrinkles and years of a woman of advanced age. The other healers he had met were younger, but he had heard that healing aged them more quickly than other Midworlders. He walked across and bowed his head in reverence to her then turned to introduce Evie.

  “This is Evie, the human we have asked you to see.”

  “Hello, do come and sit next to me. I cannot say if I can help you. I’m unable to heal humans, but Heath believes what ails you may be connected to our kind somehow. Now, tell me what you know.”

  Heath sat opposite as Evie described her accident and the past five years, during which she had separated herself from the world. Genia smiled when she had finished.

  “I think we should retire to your room, and I’ll try to scan your body. I suggest you have more of your people present, Heath. If this entity has stayed hidden for so long, it may not want an intrusion by the likes of me.”

  Evie’s hand was cold and clammy in his as they walked up to her room. Now the moment of truth had come, he feared for them both. Whatever it was, it had nearly killed him in the conduit and would surely fight now. At least this time he was ready for it.

  Evie laid on the bed as Suzie and three others of his enclave took position around the room. The rest of his people were on duty guarding the perimeter in case Charles and his men happened to show up. He considered asking Georgia to come, but there was too much he didn’t yet know about the woman. Evie glanced across at him, and he could see her breathing had become more rapid as she gripped onto the bed sheets.

  “Close your eyes, Evie, and let your body and mind relax so you can let me in.”

  Genia stood at the end of the bed and raised her arms. Almost immediately, golden beams of light were emitted from the palms of her hands, aimed at Evie. Heath tried to join thoughts with Genia to help understand what was happening. Genia was making her way around Evie’s body with her thoughts. There seemed to be no major abnormalities. Then they made their way to her mind. It all appeared normal, but Heath knew that could not be possible. He had felt the darkness and its malicious intent. He sent his thoughts out to Genia, knowing she was about to withdraw.

  “Keep looking. I know it’s still here.”

  Genia probed deeper, peeling away days and years of Evie’s memories until it reached the moment of the car crash.

  I found you. Your time here is done. Genia’s thoughts filled the room loud and clear.

  Evie’s face was drawn in a wicked grin as a black shadow surrounded her body. She spoke in a voice so low it sounded like an old man chewing on gravel.

  Evie said two words before the explosion of heat hit him. “You fools.”

  Chapter 10

  Sect

  Arthur rubbed his temple in frustration. He was sixty-four, and his life was passing him by. At this rate, he would never fulfill his dream of showing the world that paranormal activity was all around them. He was tired of being laughed at, and if what the doctor had said last week was true, he only had two months at best to live.

  Tonight he would try to make contact with the unknown again. He was sure it would work this time with the new ritual he had researched. Gerald had grumbled skeptically earlier when he had mentioned it. He was probably in his room sulking now. Maybe it had been a mistake to make him his second-in-command. All the time, he was complaining they were going too far. Gerald was squeamish and didn’t want to kill anyone, but Arthur knew it was the only way to find the truth.

  The steps creaked as he made his way down to the basement of his old terraced house. From the outside, it didn’t look any different from the other houses on the street, but down here he had a table set up for the sacrifice. He wished he had some ornate dagger to kill the person with, but a sharp kitchen knife would do. The cloak he intended to wear was hanging on the wall. It was red and had a star embroidered on the back. He noticed this morning how pale his skin had become and would need the color of the robe to impress his followers. Sometimes he saw them as vultures circling, waiting for him to die. If they knew what he was trying to achieve would bring him health and power so he could control them, they might not be so keen to assist him.

  His visions were telling him the time was near, and he believed them. They had always pushed him in the right direction. As a result, he had found this house and his followers. He glanced toward the corner of the room where the altar to Awhen was set up. Falling to his knees he glanced up at the rocks and statues he had collected on his trips. Awhen was seen as different creatures to different people, but he saw him as he truly was.

  Arthur took a syringe from his pocket and rolled up his sleeve. He tied a cord around his upper arm and tapped the vein at his elbow to make it stand out. Inserting the needle, he undid the cord and injected a dose of morphine.

  It would help the pain caused by the cancer, but after adding the crystals to it, he found it also made his visions clearer. Gazing down at the half-empty vial, he could see the supply of crystals was dwindling. Despite his exhaustive search on the Internet, no more could be found. The addiction to the crystal substance was strong, and he was not sure how he would behave when it was gone. He would have to find a substitute if
he could not discover a greater power. Plus he was concerned how his followers would react when he didn’t have it to offer them anymore. Gerald said the crystals made him feel invincible, but he never mentioned the visions. Arthur had always assumed it was the combination of the crystals and morphine that helped. Who would have thought there could be an upside to cancer?

  He recited the prayers he had discovered and memorized. He knew Awhen would not let him down. The vision was vague and insubstantial at first, but when he peered into the alcove he could see the figure forming. The body was male and well-built, and naked apart from a loin cloth. Awhen’s skin glistened in the light of the candles as if it had been covered by oil. Arthur was sexually attracted to both men and women and would have loved to run his hands over his lord’s chest. Awhen was handsome, and his long black hair hung around his shoulders, but it was the eyes that held Arthur. They were black with no whites at all, and it made him feel like he would be scared to death by them if he didn’t obey his lord.

  If only everyone else could see him, Arthur’s problem would be solved. People would believe in the supernatural, and he would be Awhen’s right-hand man. The sacrifice would make it possible, of that he was sure.

  The voice was deep and resonant.

  My disciple, the time is almost at hand. The angels of life and death are near. The young woman is the key. Find her, and you will know everything. She will bring the blood of an Offworlder.

  Arthur wiped a tear away as the vision faded. He knew Awhen would not desert him in his time of need. All those who had scoffed at him would eat their words when he became all-powerful.

  He needed information, and the mention of angels from Awhen piqued his interest. One of the private detectives he employed had mentioned angels two nights ago. Gerald thought the detectives a waste of money, but Arthur employed the company to check up on new followers. You could never be too sure when the police or some newspaper wanted to find out details about you. The company was impartial and didn’t care what they investigated, as long as they got paid.

  Arthur made his way back up the stairs to the ground level of the house while he dialed a number on his cell phone. Keen for money, they always picked up quickly. It was the secretary who answered and always sounded as if she was bored.

  “Hello, this is Arthur Bode. Could you get Mr. Sictern to call me as soon as possible about the incident the other evening at the hospital?”

  Arthur made his way to the front parlor and poured himself a gin and tonic. Within five minutes, his phone rang to announce that Mr. Sictern was on his way. Business must be slow. Maybe people were not cheating on each other so much, or maybe they didn’t have the money to pay investigators anymore.

  A short while later, Mr. Sictern and his colleague stood by the fireplace while Arthur and Gerald sat on couch. These men didn’t look like private investigators, though he doubted many wore trench coats and fedoras anymore. It was why he had chosen them. They looked more like local farmers come to town to be honest. They even had accents more reminiscent of the countryside of the West of England, where they rolled the letter “r” when they spoke.

  “So what have you discovered?” Arthur asked. The morphine was wearing off and his body was aching. He would lose his temper, and that was not what he needed now. He needed help. He would not beg or ask for it, but he would pay as usual.

  “It seems the woman you had us follow is no longer living at the house you visited. After the incident with the flying creatures, she returned to her home. We didn’t see her for a few days but kept a watch on the place. Then they came back.”

  Arthur had wanted to believe it when Sictern said he saw an angel, but he had been led on wild goose chases before. He had paid a lot of money to get nowhere in the past, but this time he thought they were on to something. He remembered the woman now−Evie something or other. He couldn’t recall her last name. She had insisted that she could see angels and demons. His equipment had shown no evidence of anything paranormal in the house, though.

  She claimed she hadn’t left the house for years, and he could believe it from the way she didn’t even want to go near the front door. He had thought her mad but not connected to anything paranormal, but now it seemed he had been too hasty in his analysis of her.

  “So is she at her house now?”

  “No. A group of them, including the female, Evie Withers, came back yesterday. There had been another lady, who looked like she had just got off the plane from Jamaica with her bright clothes. They talked to her and she left with them. We’re assuming the woman was related but can’t be sure. Ms. Withers grandparents were from Jamaica, but the family has been estranged.”

  Arthur knew all this. He wanted to know where they were now.

  “We followed them to a manor house on the outskirts of Bristol. I’ve a couple of my men watching the place in case they move on.”

  Sictern’s cell phone rang. From the way he furrowed his brows, it was clear something had happened.

  “My man at the house reported what sounded like a large explosion coming from inside. There’s been no movement, and he asked whether they should go in. I told him to wait for our arrival. I assume you would like to accompany me.”

  “Yes. I’ll just go and get some equipment.” Arthur made his way upstairs, his heart beating so fast with excitement he could feel it in his chest. They were close, he was sure.

  Whoever these people were that the young woman had become involved with had money. The manor house was beautiful and just the sort of place he would have when he achieved his new power and wealth. He deserved to be living somewhere like this. Not in a terrace surrounded by mere mortals who would never understand him.

  Sictern spoke to his man, who was still sitting in his car opposite the front gates. He came back over and Arthur pushed the button to lower the window on the car.

  “There’s still no movement. You ready to go in?”

  Arthur was out of the car, with Gerald behind him. The gates creaked as they pushed them open and walked up the gravel path to the house. Each step they took crunched, and he was expecting someone to come out aiming a gun at them. Nothing happened. The front door was left wide open. Arthur’s hands started sweating at the thought that it might be a trap. He would let the paid help go first just in case.

  Inside was as beautiful as outside. The furniture and paintings were old, and he found himself touching items as he followed the others around. This was the sort of life he should have. In the kitchen, a woman was sitting with a vegetable peeler still in her hand, but she was leaning forward so her head rested on the table and she looked asleep. There was another man sitting on the floor near the pantry. His eyes were closed as well. The container of potatoes he had been carrying had spilt over the floor. Sictern felt for their pulses and gave the thumbs up to show they were still alive.

  They made their way into the hallway, where another two people were lying on the floor. This didn’t make sense. What had happened here? He covered his mouth and nose with his hand. Maybe it was some kind of poisonous gas. Sictern looked at him and shook his head.

  “If it were gas, we would be out already. Plus, the front door was open, so it would have dissipated.”

  More rooms and more people were found in a state of collapse, but Arthur was interested in Evie and her Angelic companion. Awhen had said she was the answer to being in contact with the angels. On the second floor, they found a bedroom with what they were looking for. One woman dressed in bike leathers was collapsed just inside the door. So was another guy who looked the size of a grizzly bear. A gray-haired, elegant lady lay on the floor beside the bed also. Her hands were clutched tight to her chest, as though they had been burned.

  On the bed was the woman Evie, who he had interviewed six months ago. She appeared to be asleep. Her body lying still. Sictern moved around the other side of the bed and
called Arthur over. There was a dark-haired man on the floor. His body was curled up, as though he had been punched in the gut, and yet he seemed unconscious like the others.

  “This looks like the man who was seen flying outside the hospital with her. I suggest we get him and Evie away from here and secured before the others wake up. If he can fly, then we don’t know what else he can do.”

  Sictern picked up Evie, while Arthur and Gerald helped his colleague carry the man out to the front of the house. Sictern motioned to his colleague in the van to come over. They tied Evie and Heath up and placed them in the back. One of the men had a Taser pointed at them in case they awoke and became difficult.

  Arthur closed his eyes while they drove down the road. The morphine from earlier had worn off, and he could feel pain in his abdomen. But the elation of capturing these two and his goal so nearly achieved took the edge off. He had told his followers to come to the house, and they would complete the ceremony. All he had ever needed was the blood of a creature not of this world, and now he believed he had it.