She watched Darian’s eyes open and turn towards her. He sat up, slid closer to her and pulled his corner of the sheet around his waist.
“You were always meant to be here,” he said softly. “I’m sorry I’ve made it so difficult for you. There were so many opportunities I passed up during your life. I could have taken you just after you were born, swapped you out with another child, and your mother would never have known. Everyone here would have spoiled you, but you also would’ve been prepared for the battle we face. But I couldn’t do that to you. At some point, you would’ve found out that I stole you from your mother.” He shook his head and looked at his hands lying across the white sheet between them. “I almost took you while you were at college. The Csökkent were so close to finding you. I was terrified I couldn’t protect you. But you met Andrew, and I couldn’t take you from him.”
“Darian, don’t…” Sara put a finger on his lips, but he kissed it and pulled her hand from his face.
“When your mother passed away, I was determined to take you before I lost you to Andrew completely. But I was too late. Your heart belonged to him. Once Julie was born, I knew I would be your silent protector and nothing more.” His blue eyes pierced her heart. “All I ever wanted for you was your happiness. Mikel tried to tell me I was only hurting you by not giving you the time you needed to adjust to this life. Over and over again, he reminded me of the pain you would suffer for my weakness.”
“I’ll get over my guilt, Darian,” Sara said gently. “I understand I cannot bring them back, but I’m also not naïve enough to think I can do this without you. I will have doubts and insecurities, and I’ll probably despise myself and you a little bit. It won’t be easy to overcome. But in the end, I know I can’t walk away from this, and I can’t survive without your help.” She smiled and pulled herself into his lap. “And I’ll apologize now for any stupidity that will fall from my mouth in the future.”
“Sara, please don’t.” His hands wrapped around her waist as he half-heartedly tried to push her away. “I’m not strong enough to deny you, and I cannot bear the weight of your guilt.”
“Then don’t do either,” she replied. “I’ll be strong enough for both of us.”
She pushed her hands against his chest, and he fell back against the pillows. “Sure, you will.” He rolled his eyes but didn’t resist.
Chapter 53
Mikel
Eva sat in one of the chairs of Mikel’s office. Blood and dirt covered her black t-shirt and cargo pants. He was certain she left a trail of muddy water from the portal room to his door, but none of it mattered.
“Adalina is coordinating with Lt. Colonel Moore, but we really need the rest of the warriors and scouts, Mikel.” She pleaded with him, as if he would tell her no. “The army Zar’Asur is gathering is massive.”
“And he’s adding the captured men to his ranks because he knows the remaining human armies will hesitate to fight against their own,” Mikel concluded. “How many men are in his army?”
“Several hundred, maybe close to a thousand, along with twice as many undead and half as many demons,” she replied, picking at the dirt beneath her short fingernails. “He must have gathered any survivors he could from the northwestern states and Canada.”
“Come on.” Mikel rose from his chair and started for the door. “Let’s go find Darian and Sara. The soldiers in Wyoming can join forces with the North Dakota group. Darian will know where to find them.”
They found the Watcher and his Sentinel in the barracks cooking. Sara didn’t turn when the door swung open, but her shoulders hunched. She wore faded blue jeans, as always, but a plain, long-sleeve t-shirt replaced her typical, multi-colored shirts. Mikel’s worry for her had not subsided. When he found her in the portal room, he thought for sure they’d lose her. While her physical pain was healing, he knew the mental scars would take so much longer.
“You better be making enough for everyone!” Eva called out.
“Eva!” Sara’s voice was a higher pitch than its usual tenor, but Mikel suspected it was excitement.
The two women rushed each other and embraced, Sara’s taller frame nearly consuming the smaller scout. Eva looked from Sara to Darian, and her eyes narrowed.
“I’m gonna kill that bitch,” she hissed.
“Get in line,” Darian mumbled.
“Do you want fried or scrambled eggs?” Sara asked, maneuvering the conversation away from herself.
“Scrambled is great,” Eva replied, but the frown didn’t leave her face as she watched her friend return to the stove.
“Where’s the rest of your group?” Darian asked, looking around the empty room.
Mikel pulled himself onto the bar stool next to Eva. Sara mouthed, ‘scrambled?’ He nodded and smiled. Maybe she was stronger than he gave her credit for.
“I came back for help,” Eva replied.
Darian’s eyebrows rose, and Eva explained the size of the army Zar’Asur was amassing just south of the Citadel.
“We’ll get David and Captain Mills to take the soldiers from Camp Guernsey,” Darian stated. “The captain will want to leave a small contingent behind, but we can add several hundred more soldiers as well as their weapons and vehicles.”
“I was hoping you agreed,” Mikel said.
“Is the battle imminent, or do we have time to get there?” Darian asked.
“I’m not sure, Darian,” Eva replied. “They’re a hundred miles north of Minot. They don’t appear to be picking up camp, and they don’t have enough vehicles to move everyone. So, they would have to march wherever they're going.”
“Is Minot their target, or are they aiming for something else?”
“What else is up there?” Mikel asked. “That land was barely populated before all of this.”
The smell of bacon and eggs assaulted his nose as Sara set a plate in front of him. Food wasn’t a regular necessity for him, and he couldn’t remember the last time he had more than a sandwich or light snack. “Thank you, Sara. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a real meal,” he said.
“Why wouldn’t you eat here in the barracks?” she asked. “I didn’t out of ignorance, but that won’t happen again.”
“Food takes on a new meaning when you’re as old as I am,” he replied. She’d find out soon enough that her appetite would dwindle to nothing. Magdelin’s healing sustained their bodies, not food.
Sara put plates in front of Eva and Darian before diving into her own.
“Okay, Sara and I will head for Camp Guernsey,” Darian said between bites of bacon. “Tell Adalina we’ll be there as soon as they can load up the trucks and make the trip.”
“How long will it take to get there?” Eva asked.
“I’ll have to check Mikel’s map, but I’m guessing a day. North Dakota is only a couple of states from Wyoming.”
Mikel was astounded by how quickly they finished eating. He was still savoring the last few bites when Darian rose and set his plate in the sink. Sara followed and started washing. Mikel watched him place a hand on Sara’s forearm, and she leaned into him. Eva poked Mikel’s side, and he smiled. She noticed the gesture as well. It was good to see them together, really together. It wouldn’t be long before they couldn’t be apart.
“When you two are done playing house, get your shit packed,” Eva said with a chuckle, leaving her plate on the counter.
“Yes, Mom!” Darian called without turning around.
As soon as they were out the door, Eva peppered Mikel with questions.
“The female Overlord did that to her, didn’t she?” Eva asked with a low growl.
“Yes,” Mikel replied.
“She seems to be okay,” Eva continued. “I assume that’s because of Darian.”
“Yes, he’s stayed with her for the last three days.” Mikel originally worried he wouldn’t, but he shouldn’t have. Darian was a better man than that, and Mikel knew it.
“How long did they have her?” Eva asked.
�
�Not more than a few hours.” Mikel repeated what Darian had told him, including what he saw in her dreams.
“That actually clears up some of my uncertainty about Zar’Asur’s army,” Eva stated when he finished.
“Yes, it does,” Mikel agreed.
“They’ll grow stronger now, won’t they?” Eva asked, and Mikel assumed she meant their Watcher and Sentinel, not Zar’Asur’s army.
“They already have,” Mikel replied. “Raphael said their magical aura has increased considerably.”
Eva smiled. “Good. We’ll need it.” She stopped halfway across the courtyard. “I’m going to shower and change before I go back. How much time do you think I have before the newlyweds take over the house?” She turned towards the home she and Claud shared with Darian.
Mikel laughed as he walked away, knowing she wasn’t looking for an answer.
Chapter 54
Darian
Darian and Sara teleported to the northern side of the camp. Tension rolled off his Sentinel in waves. He needed to find a way to convince her she was okay. So far, all his other tactics already failed.
“I can’t do this, Darian.”
“Yes, you can,” he replied. “No one will say a word to you.”
“Why? Because you’ll give them the look of death?”
“It’s effective.” He shrugged, and she rolled her eyes at him. “I actually thought about telling everyone what happened. I know they already fear the demons, but it would be good for the soldiers to see the cruelty of your capturers.” He looked at her, trying to gauge her response. “It would give them focused determination.”
“I don’t want to be a spectacle. They will already stare at me like I’m a freak. I don’t need their pity or revulsion.”
He turned to face her and placed his fingers beneath her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I think you’ll be surprised by their reaction,” he said. “These are soldiers, not school girls. They don’t see you as a woman but as a warrior. Your actions alone saved hundreds of lives the other day. You’re no longer Sara, the homemaker, and ex-federal officer. You are Seraphina, the Sentinel.”
Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. That wasn’t the response he was looking for.
“You’re so full of shit,” she replied.
“Well, I am an ass.” He smiled. That was the response he needed to see.
She laughed, and they walked the rest of the way to camp. David met them at the gates. His eyes widened when he saw Sara, and she looked away.
“Hey, little girl!” he said wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “We have chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen.”
Darian wanted to be jealous but couldn’t. David did exactly what she needed.
“No, you don’t!” she responded with excitement, though she still avoided his gaze.
“Yep. One of the cooks found a crate of packaged cookies yesterday. I saved a box of chocolate chip just for you.”
“I might love you right now.” She grinned and turned to face her deliverer of chocolate.
“Come on. The boys are waiting for a fight,” David said.
“Why would they be waiting for a fight?” Darian asked skeptically.
“They have bets on whether or not she shares.”
“You guys need something to do with your time,” Sara said and picked up the pace.
David fell in behind her and next to Darian. He raised an eyebrow, and Darian shook his head. David nodded and caught back up with Sara. Darian was glad he didn’t have to explain it to the warrior. He was there for Cyrus’ recovery, as well as Darian’s own. They all had pain and agony to suffer through and all dealt with it differently. The warrior just confirmed she wasn’t okay.
“I’m going to find Captain Mills,” Darian called out to their retreating forms. “Can you fill them in on the news, Sara?”
Sara looked back at him with narrowed eyes, but she nodded.
“He’s in the admin building,” David shouted back, wrapping his arm around Sara’s waist as they headed towards the dining hall.
“I might have to watch out for him,” Darian mumbled, tamping down another surge of jealousy, which was ridiculous. But after all these years, he couldn’t quite help his protectiveness.
The door to the admin building screeched open, and a soldier leaned out into the long hallway from the nearest office.
“Good morning, sir,” the soldier said. “Are you looking for the captain?”
“I am,” Darian replied.
“Right this way.”
The soldier led him down the hall, and Darian recognized the corridor where they were keeping the captured Csökkent. The captain and two other soldiers stood at the end of the hall. The prisoner’s door was open and Darian knew the cell was empty.
“What happened?” Darian asked, sighing heavily.
“The guard on duty removed the prisoner’s handcuffs so he could eat,” the captain replied.
“Is your soldier okay?” Darian asked.
“He sustained a significant burn across his chest, but he’ll survive.”
“And the Csökkent? No one saw him leave?”
The captain glared at him. “He took the soldier’s uniform, as scorched as it was, and snuck away during our battle with the demons.”
Darian wouldn’t say ‘I told you so.’ It wouldn’t bring the cultist back nor heal the soldier’s burns. He’d let Mills take care of that. He could only hope the Csökkent didn’t go running back to Zar’Asur.
“That’s unfortunate,” Darian stated. “But we have other things to worry about. Do you have someplace we can talk and make plans?”
“Yes,” he replied. “Why do I get the feeling I won’t like what you’re going to say?” the captain asked.
“Maybe because your gut instinct is remarkably accurate.”
Captain Mills frowned. “Follow me.”
They back-tracked down the hall and entered one of the numerous doors. Faded off-white paint covered the walls, and cheap plastic blinds hung over the window.
“Have a seat,” Captain Mills said, motioning towards a metal folding chair next to an old metal desk. He dropped into the chair on the other side and leaned back.
“We have a couple of issues,” Darian began. “The first and most obvious is what happened to my partner.”
Darian gave him a stilted version of Sara’s experience, forcing his own emotions out of the narrative. The captain’s face paled as Darian described the numerous scars covering her body.
“I want to tell your soldiers,” Darian concluded. “They need to know the cruelty they face.”
The officer rubbed both hands over his face several times before looking at Darian. “Have they already seen her?” he asked.
“Yes, she’s in the dining hall now.”
“I’ll let you handle it, then,” he replied. “What else?”
Darian felt bad for the man. He really was in a difficult spot. There should have been at least one higher ranking officer to take charge of the facility, but there wasn’t. The weight of his responsibility showed in his tired eyes.
“We have another group in Minot, North Dakota,” Darian began.
“The Air Force Base there is still intact?” the captain interrupted. “We haven’t heard from them in days.”
“Yes, I’m not sure of their exact size or available resources, but they still have a military presence,” Darian replied. “We also have a group supporting them, the same as here. Well, with the exception of Sara and I.”
He recounted the information Eva provided. The captain’s brow furrowed deeper with each passing moment.
“I don’t see where we have a choice,” he said when Darian finished. “I’ll get with my lieutenants and decide on how to split our troops.” He rose from his chair, the metal legs scraping the worn linoleum. “This day keeps getting better and better.”
A few minutes later, Darian opened the door to the dining hall, and his mouth dropped open. Half the room was full of warrior
s and soldiers in some state of undress. Almost every single man, and even some of the women, bared their chests.
Sara sat at the end of one of the long tables, a warrior on each side of her. She looked at Darian with a sad smile. He couldn’t decide if it was her own situation or the stories being told by the soldiers.
One of David’s warriors jumped onto the center of the next table over, his shirt draped over his shoulder and his thumbs tucked in his belt. He raised his chin and grinned at the crowd. Adalina found him in Mali years ago during one of their many civil wars. He was a fierce fighter before he joined the Council, and their constant training only added to his battle skills.
“Kadir is our winner!” David shouted and jumped onto the table next to his warrior. He smacked Kadir’s dark chest with the flat of his hand. “I was with him when he received this! Despite our skill and strength, the demons we fought killed way too many. They know no mercy or compassion as you witnessed a few days ago. Surrender is not in their nature.”
Kadir pulled the shirt from his shoulder and turned to show off the scar that ran from his collar to his hip. It stood out against his nearly black skin and rippled as the muscles on his chest and abdomen flexed.
Darian looked at the rest of warriors, each of them carrying scars from the battles they’d fought. None were as severe as Kadir’s, but they were no less intimidating. His gaze drifted to several of the soldiers who were also shirtless. Rather than long scars left by sharp blades, they displayed round knots of flesh from bullets or shrapnel.
David continued his speech as Kadir put his shirt back on.
“Had it not been for our Watcher and Sentinel, along with our fearless leaders, the battle would’ve been lost, and we would not be here today.” David’s eyes met Darian’s, then he turned to Sara. “We are warriors to the end!” he bellowed, waving his hands at the men around him. “But they are so much more.” He pointed to Sara and bowed.
She rose from her spot, and Darian’s heart ached for her. His Sentinel stepped up onto the table. Her lips set in a thin line as she pulled her shirt over her head. Her hot-pink bra might have made him smile, but the still raw marks crossing her body took away the humor. Several gasps were barely stifled and silence fell across the room.
Sentinel's Rise: Book 1 - The Watcher and the Sentinel Series Page 34