Scarred Protector (Midworlder Trilogy Book 2)

by Mundy, Maggie

  “Lord Awhen, we are so close. We almost had the alien, but he slipped through our fingers. We should have heeded your warnings more and known how powerful he would be. We have help now from others who want the woman. They think they are stronger than us, but once we join with you, we shall be stronger than ever, and no one will be able to defeat us. The world will see a new golden dawn.”

  The pain returned to Arthur’s stomach, as if a rat were gnawing away at its lining. His back ached where his kidneys were failing. It did not matter because he would not give up. He would fight until his last breath to join with his master. He slumped to the floor and leant back against the cupboard. This would be where he would spend the night. Near Awhen.

  Arthur’s neck ached, along with the rest of his body. He must have drifted off to sleep at some point with his head at an awkward angle. Gerald came in and helped him up. Sayell and Charles would be here soon, and he should try to make himself more presentable. When he returned from his shower, they were waiting. The trip to Gatwick was mostly in silence. He and Gerald had little left to tell them, and they were sharing nothing. They checked in and found they were flying business class. Yet again another sign of how the other half live. He would be rich soon enough, and he would fly first class.

  Their seats were on the opposite side from Sayell and Charles, so he was pleased. He found them intimidating and didn’t want them to see his hands shaking all the time. Due to the drugs, some wine, and exhaustion, he slept through the flight. Hopefully, by the time they returned home, they would be strong again.

  They collected their luggage, and Charles ordered a taxi to take them to a hotel. Maybe soon they would let them know what would happen next. The hotel was grandiose, and he felt out of place. In their room, he collapsed on the bed. The trip had taken too much out of him. Gerald wasn’t much better and lay on the other bed looking pale.

  “Rest for now. They’ll come when they need us,” Arthur reassured him.

  Arthur struggled to open his eyes, as if he had weights upon them. Rolling onto his side, he peered across to the other bed and found it empty. Maybe Gerald was in the bathroom. He dragged his body into an upright position and shuffled to the bathroom. He found Gerald. He was dead and lying in a pool of his own vomit. Arthur’s legs gave out, no longer willing to hold him up anymore. Tears came to his eyes as he grabbed a towel and tried to clean away the vomit. They were so close. Gerald had been like a son to him, and he wondered if there was any point in continuing, now that he was gone. He took Gerald in his arms and rocked back and forth, as the tears streamed down his face.

  He had to survive. There were others at home waiting for his return. There was a knock on the door. Pulling himself up, he made it to the other room and opened the door. His face must have said it all because Charles turned on him immediately.

  “What’s happened? Where is Gerald?” Charles asked.

  “In there.” It was all he could say as he pointed to the bathroom.

  Sayell followed him and came back out, shaking his head. He was followed by Charles.

  “Well, I thought he might have lasted a bit longer, but we’ll have to get rid of him before the hotel staff discovers the body,” Charles said, as he shook his head.

  “What do you mean ‘get rid of him’?” Arthur asked.

  Charles came across the room and pushed his face up close. “Do you really want the police crawling all over this place?”

  He had a point, but he didn’t like the sound of just getting rid of Gerald’s body. Who were these men he had attached himself to, who could just get rid of bodies without the authorities knowing.

  “The rooms will not get cleaned until the morning. I’ll sort it out when the sun goes down,” Sayell said.

  “Have you discovered where they are? We don’t have much time. I won’t live much longer. You’ll never get my secrets and capture the girl if I don’t get Heath’s blood.” He knew they were not happy he was yelling and might attract unwanted attention from the hotel staff, but losing Gerald made him realize more than ever that he needed the blood immediately.

  “We knew her aunt had connections with a local Obeah man. I’ve asked the staff downstairs, and they’ve given me an address. I went to his house, and who should turn up but one of Heath’s people and a Jamaican woman? I followed them and found Heath and the woman in a house in the hills. I assume she is the aunt. We’ll go there now. Which means it’s time you told us how we can defeat these people. Without my extra men, I need whatever you have,” Charles said.

  “When we get there.” Arthur decided now more than ever, he had to hold onto his secret. He was alone now, and soon they would get rid of Gerald’s body. They could get rid of him, too, and no one would know. He had to keep fighting, as the alternative was death, and he wasn’t ready to go yet.

  Chapter 16

  Some Good Loving

  Evie sat up as Heath fluffed up her pillows. It was funny to see this big warrior of a man playing bedside nurse. She kissed him on the cheek, and he smirked and raised an eyebrow. The pain from earlier had eased, once Genia had performed some of her special Midworlder magic on her. The fear she had seen in Heath’s eyes when she had doubled over in pain worried her. If things did not go well, she was not sure how he would manage. He had lived with the guilt of losing Elizabeth, and if anything happened to her, she knew he would blame himself. It troubled her that he would become violent in his loss, and she didn’t want to think anyone else would suffer because of her.

  He placed his hand against her cheek. “You don’t look so pale now. Is there anything I can get you?”

  She grinned at him. “Apart from you, I’d love a long, cool drink. Some Jamaican rum in it wouldn’t go amiss either.” Evie smiled at him, and his tense expression relaxed a bit.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  Genia came and sat on the bed next to her. She placed her hand on Evie’s.

  “He is very much in love with you I think. I’ve known him a long time, and he had hardened his heart to feeling again. I knew Elizabeth, and there was anger in him after she died. He’s always performed his job as a Midworlder, but a part of him was dead inside.”

  Evie hadn’t expected this frank discussion from Genia, but was glad of it. It would be good to be able to talk about her fears out loud.

  “I didn’t expect anyone to fall in love with me. I’ve seen myself as damaged for so long, I didn’t think anyone would want to be near me. Then I met him. At first, I thought it was the bonding, as we’ve only known each other such a short while. The fact is, he’s one of the most honorable men I’ve ever met. It’s been so easy to fall for him, but in truth, I’m scared.”

  “You don’t think you’ll survive, and you worry about him.”

  Evie nodded, knowing her thoughts must be painted on her face for all to see.

  “He blames himself for Elizabeth, and he’ll blame himself for me. It’s not his fault, though. I was messed up when he found me.”

  “That was a long time ago, and things are different now. We’re not giving up yet, and neither should you. Your aunt will be back later, but in the meantime, I think the two of you should spend some time together.”

  “While we can, you mean. And no sex.”

  “That is exactly what I mean. You’re a smart young woman, I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

  Evie felt herself blush, as the door opened again and Heath came back in with her drink. Genia stood and winked at her as she left the room. The action caused Evie to giggle. Heath gave her the drink that looked like a mixture of fruit juices and hopefully rum. She sipped on it and decided life was too short not to experience such great flavors.

  “Are you not having one?”

  “No. I’m fine, but you looked flushed.”

  “I’m blushing because of what Genia suggested.
As my aunt will not be back for a while and the pain is gone, she thinks we should spend some time together to be close.” Evie patted the bed next to her.

  “She really suggested that?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “You don’t bloody well believe me, do you? You think I’m just after your body.”

  “She has it wrong because I think it’s me that’s after your body.”

  “I like that idea. You know, I thought she was going to give me a lecture, and instead she was telling me to get down and dirty.”

  Heath sat next to her on the bed. “I’ll not risk putting more of a strain on your body than it’s already coping with. When Ridge and Nicole paired, the procreation was immediate.”

  “Whoa, steady there. Boy, you’re a fertile bunch, you Midworlders. Okay, Genia stipulated no sex, but we can talk, and we can do other things.” Evie smiled and knew from the look of need and hunger in his eyes that he would agree to whatever she suggested.

  Heath shucked off his shoes and lay down beside her. Evie finished her drink. This was real. Not the mind-world, and she wanted to remember every second of it.

  He ran his finger along her forehead and down into the angle of her jaw, then across to her lips, where he slowly moved it back and forth. All the time, his eyes were on hers. Then his fingertips slid down her neck until they found the top button on her blouse. He leaned in, and his lips pressed against her, she felt his hand undo her top and slip inside, so he could cup her breast. He gently massaged her, and she could feel her body ache under his touch. He moved his head away and glanced down.

  “I love your breasts, Evie. They were created for my hands to hold.” Evie could not stop the moan leaving her lips, as he rubbed his thumb back and forth across her sensitive nipples. “I want my mouth on them.”

  He helped her up, and she pulled her blouse from her pants as he pulled off his own shirt. She went to undo her bra, but he leant forward.

  “Let me.” His hands slipped around her back and unclipped her bra so her breasts were free. She lay down on her back, and he rested his body between her legs. His bare chest against her abdomen, as his lips descended on her breast. His mouth was hot against her skin as he sucked and nipped. It felt as if there was a direct connection between her breasts and her groin that was already starting to warm with need. He trailed little kisses across to her other breast and sucked again until she thought she would come right now with his erection pressing against her. This was real−he was real−and if she had thought the mind-world sex was good, this was a more heightened experience because it was physical. This was her Heath. It had been such a short time, and yet he was hers and she was his, and there was nowhere else in the world she wanted to be.

  He looked up at her with a wicked grin, and she wondered what she had asked for. Her English gentleman had disappeared to be replaced by a man hungry for her body, and she loved it.

  “I’m only just beginning. Do you want me to continue?”

  “If you don’t, I’ll be the one threatening your life next.”

  Heath sat up between her open legs and pulled down the zipper on her pants. She lifted her hips and he removed her pants along with her knickers. He threw them across the room and looked at her naked body. In the past, she would have felt awkward, but with Heath staring at her with obvious admiration, she just couldn’t stop the grin crossing her face. Then he was back, kissing her breasts and making her nipples tingle as he sucked hard on one, then the other. This time, he didn’t linger but trailed his tongue across her tummy, to her hip, and then her inner thigh, where he licked and nipped.

  “You’re so beautiful, Evie.”

  She could see from the way he gazed at her most intimate parts, he meant every word of it. His mouth touched her folds, and her legs quivered. He licked and then plunged his tongue into her again and again until she thought she would scream with delight. He licked up her folds until he reached her clit, where he flicked and sucked, as his fingers plunged into her. She clenched around them as he moved them back and forth. She felt so hot, so wet. The sensations were building through her body, starting at her core and reaching her fingers and toes. The scream of her orgasm was ripped from her throat as the ripples of ecstasy flowed over her.

  Her breathing slowed as she thought the others would have heard her, and she didn’t care.

  Heath moved up her body and kissed her deep and passionately, as their tongues fought and twirled with each other. Finally, her body calmed as he leant on his arms and looked her in the face. She couldn’t stop the tears from coming to her eyes.

  “How did my crazy life bring someone as wonderful as you into it?”

  “I think the same, except you’ve brought joy and happiness into mine, where there was only despair before.”

  “I think I’ve also brought embarrassment from the way I screamed. I think everyone within a mile radius will have heard me. I thought in your mind-world everything was amazing, but knowing this is real sent me over the edge.”

  “I hope to take you there again, only next time I want to be inside you, and we will scream together.”

  “I look forward to that, but for now I should be doing something for you.” Evie ran her hands over his chest and moved them down to his groin.

  He wagged his finger at her like she was being a naughty girl.

  “What you need to do is conserve your energy. I want you to sleep for a while until Georgia returns.”

  Evie settled under the covers, with Heath lying on top and cuddling up to her back. He gave her strength and security with his love, and it did not matter what lay ahead because she was happy to have had this moment.

  When she awoke, the bed was empty, but she could hear voices in the other room. The lack of light from the window showed it was evening, and she guessed that would mean the time had come for the ceremony. There was no point lying there anymore, so she got out of bed and went to shower. The pain was completely gone from her abdomen, but her legs were like jelly, and she reckoned she had just gone through a bout of the flu. She noticed her skin was pale when she glanced in the mirror while drying off. She pinched her cheeks to give them some color so Heath would not worry. As she finished dressing, Heath walked back in. From his expression with a raised eyebrow, the pinching hadn’t worked, and he was not pleased. She sat on the end of the bed. He stood before her.

  “You don’t look well. I think we should delay this.”

  “We can’t. I’m not going to get any better. To be honest, if I hadn’t met and bonded with you, I would have been dead already. We haven’t said it, but we both know it’s true. No point chickening out now.” They both had to accept whatever tonight would bring. “If he can’t get the darkness out of me, I think my body will give up.”

  “That’s not going to happen.”

  He helped her up, and as always, when he was by her side she felt stronger. Maybe she was like a leech, stealing his energy. It wasn’t a pretty picture. In the other room, everyone was sitting around. They looked up as she walked in. Aunt Georgia came across and had a tall man with her who had dreadlocks hanging down past his shoulders but wore a smart suit. The look was definitely different.

  “Evie, this is Calloue. He is the Obeah man I spoke of,” Aunt Georgia said.

  Evie shook his hand, which was unusually warm, or maybe she was just cold. He stared at her intently, and she wondered if his eyes could see things others could not. Maybe he could read auras. Hers would have lots of dark splurges on it. She wouldn’t shrink under his gaze and chose to instead stand tall. Having Heath there behind her helped.

  “I can see she’s your niece, Georgia. She has the same defiant look in her eye. I also see she is strong, but there is a darkness eating her away.”

  Evie smiled at him. “That doesn’t sound good. I think I would have preferred the sugar-coated version. Well, what d
o we do now?”

  Calloue smiled at her. “You are human, but Georgia has told me these other people are different. I can tell as much from looking at them.”

  Georgia walked forward with Genia at her side. “Genia is a healer like you, but for her people called Midworlders. She has agreed to show you what they are, but we can never tell.”

  Genia moved forward and closed her eyes. Within seconds her wings appeared, and Evie smiled to see the wide-eyed expression on Calloue’s face. The wings were beautiful and appeared to have gold threads though them that caught the light.

  “I’ve always known the angels walked amongst us but never thought I would see one myself. If it is not impertinent, may I touch one of your wings?”

  “You may.” Genia turned her back to him, and Calloue gingerly moved his hand forward to touch the wing.

  “Thank you.”

  Genia waited a while and then retracted her wings and returned to her position beside Georgia, who was beaming as if she was the one who had sprouted the wings. Evie loved these people.

  Calloue walked forward. “There is a place not far from here in the foothills where there is a cave I use for rituals. For some reason, people don’t like you practicing in next-door suburbia.” Calloue laughed.

  Evie liked him, she decided, as she listened to his deep-belly laugh. If Aunt Georgia trusted him, then so would she. They made their way out to the car, and Evie didn’t let go of Heath’s hand as he gripped hers. The ride didn’t take long as they followed another car with Genia and the other Midworlders in it. The sun was down, and they pulled up a dirt road surrounded by trees, and it was only at the last moment she saw the hole in the mountainside where the cave was. Her lungs no longer wanted to take in the air being offered to them. Fuck. She was having a panic attack. Even with all the shit that had happened to her, she had never gone crazy. Then she had never been at the point of trying to get rid of the darkness before. She clutched Heath’s hand so tight, she was surprised he wasn’t complaining that his bones had been broken.