Sentinel's Rise: Book 1 - The Watcher and the Sentinel Series

by Yvette Bostic

  “How are you… I can’t separate my emotions from you.” She stuttered with her thoughts. “How do you have any control over this?”

  “I never stop wanting you,” he replied. “This is a little more intense than I’m used to, though.”

  “But you could have me, right now. Why? Why wouldn’t you?”

  “Because you are not ready.” He placed a hand on her cheek, and she leaned into it. “And I promised I wouldn’t until then.”

  She shook her head, unable to dislodge the feelings raging through her. Her heart told her she loved this man, but her mind reminded her of her husband. Which did she believe? Could she have both as Magdelin had suggested?

  “Darian, I…”

  “Don’t say it,” he said.

  “But I feel like I have to say something.”

  “No, you don’t.” His lips grazed hers, and she dropped her head onto his shoulder. “But we cannot stay like this.”

  “I’m sorry, you’re right,” she replied but didn’t move. “We have an army of demons headed our way.”

  “I was referring to my quickly fading willpower,” he replied, pulling her closer.

  She kissed him one more time, lingering more than she should but enjoying every second. She reluctantly pushed herself off him, and he stood as well.

  “No regrets,” she said, putting her hand on his chest.

  Chapter 47

  Darian

  Darian followed Sara towards the southern fence. His thoughts still lingered on their moment of weakness, and he smiled.

  “Don’t tell me the two of you had enough time for that in between battles?” David asked, strolling up beside him.

  “What are you talking about?” Darian asked, knowing exactly what the warrior referred to. He slowed his pace, allowing his Sentinel to get farther ahead of them. The last he wanted was for her to overhear their banter.

  “Really? You’ve both got the same stupid look on your faces.”

  “No, it was nothing like that,” Darian lied. “We just came to an understanding and a compromise.”

  “Okay, sure,” David replied.

  “So, what’s our status here?” Darian asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

  “The artillery guys were able to lay out a few mines while you distracted the other group, but not like the north side.” David pointed towards the dry grass that stretched out past the fence. “The fifty-cals are ready, as well as a few grenade launchers. We’re leaving the M4s for last since they do the least amount of damage.”

  “That seems odd to me,” Darian replied. “I realize one bullet might be ineffective, but if they threw thousands down range at the demons, it should do more than slow them.”

  “It should, but do we want to find out the hard way?”

  Darian sighed. “No, I suppose not.”

  “So, they’re going to throw as much firepower at them as possible until the demons get in melee range, then we’ll take over.”

  “I guess it’s a sound plan.”

  “I don’t suppose you and the little lady have any more tricks up your sleeve?” David asked.

  “I’ll have to think about it. They countered our wall of fire pretty effectively as if they expected it. If Sara and I had not reacted as quickly as we did, we would’ve been overrun. I don’t think we can use it again, at least not in the same way.”

  “Well, when all else fails, a sharp blade cuts deep.”

  “Yes, it does.”

  They caught up to Sara just before they reached the line, and Darian stood with her on one side and David on the other.

  “So, what’s the plan for us?” Sara asked, confirming she hadn’t heard their earlier banter.

  “I’m not sure. Any suggestions?”

  She looked up at him. “I think they anticipated the wall of fire, which makes me wonder. We killed all the demons that have fallen victim to it before. How did they know to anticipate it?”

  “That’s a good question, and one I’ve also considered.” He looked down at her upturned face and suppressed his lingering desire. Her faced flushed, and she bit her lower lip.

  “How long will this last?” she whispered. “I’m too distracted to think.”

  “Maybe we should’ve just taken care of that distraction.”

  She mumbled incoherently, and he chuckled. He was surprised he refused her. Every part of him wanted to have her, but he managed to hang onto a thread of his sanity. He was glad he did. She would’ve had some regrets.

  “As difficult as it may be, let’s focus on the line of demons coming through the trees. I assume you heard David’s recounting of the plan.”

  “No, I didn’t, but I assume I’ll add my own ranged weapons as they approach. You know as soon as the warriors engage, I’m going to feel pretty useless.”

  He turned to face her as an idea formed in his mind. “As the demons advance after the arsenal of firepower, do you think you could trap the outlying groups in a dome? Feel free to crush them too, if you like. That would narrow down the numbers we have to engage.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem,” she replied. “I assume you’ll be out there, invisible as always, so make sure you stay with the warriors. Do not get trapped inside one of my shields.”

  “I’ll just teleport out if one of them forms over my head, silly girl.”

  “Yeah.” She rolled her eyes. “How about just staying with the warriors. Make sure you pass that along to the rest of your scouts. I already have enough guilt, I don’t need to add that to it.”

  “Of course, my lady.”

  She leaned towards him and stood on her toes. Her face was within inches of his. He stared into her dark eyes, and she returned his intense look. His heart raced in anticipation. Would she really kiss him in front of everyone?

  “You’re an ass,” she whispered and walked away.

  He laughed. How could he possibly have doubted her?

  “Wow, that’s bad, man,” David said with a chuckle.

  “You have no idea,” Darian said with a sigh.

  “Five hundred yards in the trees, Captain!” one of the soldiers called out.

  “Hold your fire until they emerge,” the captain ordered.

  Another three hundred demons filtered through the trees and formed up at the far edge of the field, but they didn’t advance. Everyone sat in silence for several minutes, watching the demons form ranks.

  “They have a lieutenant, Darian,” David stated.

  “I think you’re right,” Darian replied. “They aren’t going to walk blindly into a minefield this time.”

  Captain Mills overheard their conversation and stepped closer. “We can try to launch a couple of rockets over their heads to push them this way,” he suggested.

  Darian looked at the rows of demons and the acres of trees behind them. “No, I think I’m going to start a forest fire,” he replied.

  “I’ll go with you, so you don’t lose your clothes,” Sara added.

  “I appreciate your concern for my modesty.”

  “Well.” She looked at the men around them and smiled. “I’ll keep my sarcasm to myself.”

  “Be careful, you two,” David said. “You don’t know what’s in the trees behind them. What if the Overlord is there coordinating this attack and not a lieutenant?”

  “I guess we’ll find out,” Darian replied. “Don’t open fire until they start moving your way.”

  ~~~~~~~~~

  His fingers intertwined with Sara’s, and they disappeared. Darian took them to the edge of the trees, a hundred yards south of the demon line. He’d covered them with his concealment prior to the teleport, so they arrived invisible.

  Take my belt, and follow me as quietly as possible, he said to her mind. I’ll teleport us when I can to avoid branches and fallen trees.

  Got it.

  Her fingers wrapped around his belt, and he let go of her other hand. She wasn’t as quiet as he was, but she didn’t make enough noise to draw attention. Severa
l hundred demons traipsing through the woods were not silent.

  He made a wide arch behind the enemy, looking for scouts as well as Csökkent. Two box vans parked about fifty yards behind the demon line surprised him. They weren’t the old vans from the Citadel, but they were new enough that the EMP should have disabled them.

  He circled the vehicles, but they appeared to be empty. He would avoid damaging them. It would be convenient to have more transportation. As they approached the back of the line, he saw the demon lieutenant towering nearly a foot above the other demons. Thick horns rolled forward on each side of his face. A brown leather harness stretched across his broad chest with two large axes hanging from his back. Loose linen pants hung from his waist to knees, leaving the dark hooves exposed. Ten Csökkent stood near him, listening to him bark orders in their strange guttural language.

  Darian frowned.

  What is that thing? Sara asked

  We call it a lieutenant. In addition to its size, it’s much more intelligent than the others, which explains why they weren’t moving into the minefield.

  Are we sticking with the same plan?

  Yes, but my movements will need to be accelerated. I don’t want to give them time to retreat this way, he explained.

  I can create a wall on the right side, preventing them from running that way.

  Good idea. I’ll start the fire on the left.

  He looked down at her and worry consumed him. She’d be alone.

  That means I’ll be leaving you exposed.

  I’ll be behind my wall, Darian. It’ll be fine. Besides, I can teleport back to camp if I become overwhelmed.

  Okay.

  He said okay, but he didn’t feel it. The last thing he wanted was to leave her exposed, but he also needed to trust her to be the Sentinel they needed. They moved back behind the two vans, and he rested his hands on her shoulders, dropping his concealment.

  I’m leaving you here. When you see the fire start, step out and create your wall. Don’t do anything stupid.

  The same can be said for you, Lord Darian. I’ll meet you back at camp.

  She leaned forward and kissed him lightly. I know where my heart is, even if my mind is still arguing.

  He opened his mouth to reply, but she put her fingers on his lips.

  There is nothing for you to say. Let’s go kill some demons, she said.

  He pulled the air around his body, disappearing from sight. His emotions ran circles around him, but he tamped them down, knowing he needed to focus. He teleported in short jumps until he was fifty yards off the back left corner of the demon formation. He opened his well of power and pulled the air around him. Three raging tornadoes sprang to life. He fed them with fire, and they raced towards the demons.

  Sara’s bright, translucent wall shot into the air as the demons collapsed her way. He worried she wouldn’t be strong enough to hold them. He steered the tornado on his left towards her wall, pushing the demons into the field. The demon lieutenant bellowed, and his army surged towards Camp Guernsey, leaving dozens of smoldering bodies behind. Sara’s shield blinked out, and he teleported to her. Her arms flicked out just as he arrived. He ducked, narrowly avoiding a dozen small daggers. He followed their trajectory as they impaled the Csökkent behind him.

  “What happened to don’t do anything stupid?” Sara asked as she sank to her knees.

  “How are you holding up?” Darian asked in response.

  “I need another hundred years of practice,” she replied.

  “Or another dose of me?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

  “Don’t tempt me,” she growled, but her lips turned up at the corners. “I just need a minute to rest, then I’ll start playing the shell game with our demons.”

  “Don’t linger here,” he warned. “I realize they’re attacking the camp, but that doesn’t mean they won’t come back.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she replied. “Go help your warriors. And Darian, stay out of the bullets’ line of fire. You know that’s coming next.”

  “Yes, my lady.” Darian took one last look at his Sentinel before teleporting to the front line next to David.

  The army’s artillery hammered the oncoming demons, but at least the numbers had thinned thanks to him and Sara.

  “Where’s the little girl?” David asked, the concern on his face obvious.

  “She’s going to play a game with our new friends,” Darian replied. “It won’t take long for her to wear out and be back here.”

  “You’re putting an awful lot of trust in her to take care of herself.”

  “I can’t be by her side twenty-four hours a day. At some point, I have to trust her to not do something stupid.”

  “And you picked today for that?”

  “You’re not helping, David,” Darian muttered.

  “Sorry.” He looked towards the battlefield as the last detonation settled into a filthy haze. “Fifty more demons.”

  “And a lieutenant,” Darian added as the towering form of the demon’s leader emerged from the smoke and dirt raining across the field.

  “Shall we?”

  “After you, my friend.”

  “Let’s show them how it’s done.” David’s voice echoed across the line of men.

  Darian’s scouts vanished, and he followed their outlines to the field. David’s warriors charged the closest demons, closing the space between them within minutes. Darian pulled his concealment and smiled as a large white dome collapsed on six of the trailing monsters. Another sprang up immediately next to it, killing three more demons. The creatures spread out as another killed three more who weren’t quick enough. Small flashes of light flew across the field and exploded through the skulls of four more.

  “She’s still in the tree line,” Darian mumbled when he saw the path of her daggers.

  He hesitated for several more seconds, waiting for another barrage. None came, and he assumed she ran out juice.

  Get your ass back to camp! He projected his mind towards her and was surprised by her reply.

  Yes, Lord Darian.

  With his mind at ease, he joined David in the battle against the demon lieutenant.

  Chapter 48

  Seraphina

  Sara collapsed another dome of light on three more demons, feeling their lives end beneath her will. She cursed as they spread out. She wouldn’t be able to trap more than one at a time, which wasn’t an efficient use of her resources. She promised herself she wouldn’t use her mind early in the fight, but now there was no choice. Even after Darian’s gift of strength, she was exhausted. She flicked a dozen daggers towards the massive lieutenant, missing him but hitting the demons closest to him.

  Sara fell to her knees, then rocked back on her heels. Her breath came in ragged gasps.

  Get your ass back to camp.

  Darian’s voice in her head startled her, and she looked around. Of course, he would be with David, not here.

  Yes, Lord Darian.

  She pushed herself back to her knees, but before she could stand, her world went dark.

  Sara woke to complete blackness, her hands suspended above her head. Her arms and shoulders screamed in agony from holding the full weight of her body. The back of her head throbbed where she assumed she’d been hit. The smell of sewer saturated the air, and she struggled not to gag.

  Darian?

  She reached for his mind but hit a rubbery barrier a few feet away. She tried to summon her shields, but nothing happened. Her heart raced as she reached for the well of power in her chest. It churned and swirled, swelling inside of her until it hurt, but she couldn’t release it.

  She kicked her feet, causing her body to sway back and forth. The ropes wrapped around her wrists dug into her skin, and she cried out.

  “I will not be a victim!” she yelled.

  Her voice echoed off the walls around her with a metallic ring. Where was she?

  “Hey, you stupid bastards! Open the damn door!”

  Her voice bounced off the wal
ls again. Definitely metal but very small. Could she get her hands loose? How far down was the floor? She tried rotating her wrists, but the ropes dug deeper and blood dripped down her arms.

  Despair filled her as she hung in the dark, swaying back and forth. How did she let herself get caught? Was Darian looking for her? Of course he was. His overprotective nature would’ve kicked in immediately. But how long would it take him to realize she was gone? They were in the middle of a battle. How far away did her capturers take her? She remembered the vans that seemed so out of place. Had they been waiting for her? Or Darian? Maybe both.

  A loud, grinding noise interrupted her thoughts, and her body jolted, then started rising. A hole opened above her head, the blinding light piercing the darkness. She squeezed her eyes shut and winced with each jarring movement.

  She emerged from her black hole into a brightness that hurt her eyes. She blinked several times, trying to find focus.

  “We’ve caught quite the prize, sister,” a harsh, grating voice said just in front of her.

  “Yes, she is lovely,” a woman’s voice answered, her high-pitched screeching in contrast to her brother’s deep voice.

  Sara felt something sharp draw a line down the front of her shirt. She gasped and saw her t-shirt fall open in her blurred vision.

  “Is it really the Sentinel?” The woman’s voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

  Sara blinked several more times as she ground her teeth together.

  “Yes, I believe so, but we’ll find out,” the man replied.

  “You promised me the Watcher.” Her voice rose another octave, and Sara whined.

  “Would someone please shut her up?” Sara demanded. “If I have to hear her voice for one more second, someone is going to die.”

  “You get used to Shar’Asur’s lovely accent after a while,” the man said. “And someone will definitely die today if she has her way.”

  Sara’s vision finally came into to focus, but she wished it hadn’t. She thought she’d been speaking to humans, but that wasn’t the case. The demon that stood before her was easily taller than Darian. His dark, scaled skin reflected the lights above them. He wore a white shirt with the top three buttons undone and recently pressed black trousers. His fiery, red eyes bore into her without blinking.