Personal Guardians

by Rachel A. Collett

  “That body you possess is not yours,” Elisa said, her voice a forced calm.

  “Really?” Violet stared, one brow raised. When Elisa opened her mouth to answer, Violet rolled her eyes. “Of course it’s not.”

  Elisa’s face turned color. “You will need to vacate the body and return her to us.”

  Violet cocked her head to the side. “You don’t realize how far gone she is, do you?”

  Fiona put out a hand to silence Elisa. “Can you tell us, Violet?” she asked, her voice pleading in a way I had never heard.

  Violet’s smile softened. “The lady Healer. You were always kind and listened to Rachel when she told you of me… when she told you of the Demon’s Eye.” Her attention shifted to Elisa. “Others were not and did not.”

  Elisa blanched.

  “Are you in tune with Charlie’s thoughts?” Fiona asked.

  One eyebrow twitched up. “A few of them.”

  “Do you hold her memories?”

  She flicked a speck of dirt from her shirt. “A few of them.”

  Fiona nodded. “Would you be willing to share them?”

  “I will… with my little Ava.” She smiled at me—a smile so endearing and so foreign upon Charlotte’s face, that my breath caught.

  That smile disappeared as pain laced through Violet’s face and her body contracted.

  Despite all normal responses, my heart reacted to the demon’s pain. “You’re bleeding.” I shuffled forward to help, but was stopped when Darius blocked my way.

  Violet’s face softened despite his interference, her black eyes warm. “Well, that’s what happens when you dig a bullet from your stomach. But don’t worry, darling, none of the vitals were hit and I used the doctor’s sterile tools to do so.”

  Cedric swallowed hard, his face turning color. “We are glad that you found use of his instruments.”

  “You should let me heal you,” Fiona said, taking a step toward Violet.

  Unlike when I approached, unease crossed Violet’s features when Fiona neared. “Are you going kill me, Healer?” She smirked at Fiona but fear coated her soul.

  Fiona stopped, dropping her hands to the side. “Are you going to attack any of our people?”

  I expanded my energy to Violet and to her soul. It didn’t shock me when I discovered that she had one as well. She loved my mother and had always tried to take care of her… even in the beginning. And now, she would help her daughter.

  Violet tsked, drawing my attention. She wagged a finger at me. “Rachel would always warn me when she looked inside. It’s politer that way, little one.” Her face paled and her shoulders slouched. Looking to Fiona she finally answered. “No. You have nothing to fear from me.”

  Fiona angled her head to the side. “But you would have killed my grandson.”

  Violet nodded. “And I knew you would have repaid the favor if I did, but I would have tried—to avenge my Rachel.”

  Elisa had slipped away without notice and had returned with the desk chair from Darius’s room. “Please,” she said, setting the seat down a yard away from Violet. “Sit. Rest.”

  Keeping her eyes on the retreating Elisa, Violet slid the chair towards the door and took a seat. Fiona slowly advanced, with Cedric right behind.

  “Can you heal a demon?” I asked, wondering why I was more willing to help Violet than I would have if it had been Charlotte.

  “She shouldn’t need to,” Jonathan answered. “Her connection with the Destroyer can heal her. That’s why it is difficult to kill a demon.”

  Violet smirked. “No. I am a free agent, Jonathan. For that reason alone, I will not tap into that power source, because once you do”—her hand shot out, making a quick grasping motion as if catching a fly—“he’s got you.”

  “It’s not possible,” Jonathan mumbled beneath his breath.

  Why? I asked, but he only shook his head and walked away.

  Fiona knelt beside the demon. “Will Charlotte be agreeable?”

  Violet looked down at the Healer. “I don’t think she cares. She believes she will return to her maker before the end of the day.”

  “What is that supposed to mean? Who’s her maker?” Elisa asked, her voice tense.

  Violet only shrugged. Fiona peeled away the bandage across her stomach. Nervous for my friend, my hands clutched my pendant… that had remained incredibly silent the entire time… And suddenly I made another connection. I faced Jonathan, a question brewing in my mind.

  If you had a choice—if you were a free agent, would you tap into the Destroyer’s power source if you were injured?

  Jonathan only shrugged. I’m a Fallen, darling, a demon. Self-preservation is high on our list of priorities.

  A sharp pang of disappointment curled my stomach.

  Fiona closed her eyes, lightly touching the injury with her fingertips. Cedric became a sentry standing over his mate.

  “Why doesn’t the Demon’s Eye respond to you as it does the others?” I asked, moving beyond Darius. He swore beneath his breath.

  Violet’s vision dropped to the black stone as the healing began. “It knows me. It’s gotten used to me. The demons inside know I wouldn’t attack.”

  “The demons inside?”

  Her smiled deepened. “Of course.”

  “Why would a bunch of dead souls help me if they’re demons?” I asked. Violet only shrugged. “But wait. It did warn me, that first day you came to me.”

  “That’s because I wasn’t sure if I would let you live, but I owed Rachel a debt. I had not been there to protect her the day she died.”

  “That was not your job,” Darius said.

  Violet huffed a laugh, the color returning to her cheeks. “Whose was it? Alexander’s? Nikolaos’s? And what a great job they did.”

  Darius’s mouth snapped closed. He glared at my mother’s demon.

  Violet regarded his reaction with curiosity. “I know you. You are the one Rachel selected for her daughter. Do you think you will do any better than the others before you?”

  “Excuse me?” Jonathan choked out.

  Darius’s expression was smug.

  I raised my hands to my chest. “Temporary Guardian,” I clarified before Jonathan threw a fit. “I still have a choice.”

  “That’s cute,” Violet said, smiling at me. I shivered, still unused to seeing such an endearment on Charlotte’s face. She eyed Darius, pointing to her chest. “She liked you, you know. When you offered the idea of becoming the new Defender—”

  “How do you know about that?” Darius snapped.

  One side of her mouth slanted up. “I’m a demon. The anger and the rejection oozes from her like a pus-filled scab. She cannot hide the infection. She had been waiting for years for her time to act, but with the Heralds gone all the time and the Healers separated and worlds away she was not needed by her maker.”

  My eyes grew large as I regarded the Healers. Fiona blushed, but Cedric merely laid his hand on his mate’s shoulder in a loving manner.

  Violet continued. “Being the Defender would have made it easier to do what she was initially sent to do.”

  “And what was that?” Darius asked through clenched teeth.

  Violet cocked her head to the side, examining him. “Infiltrate the sanctuary and kill the remaining Three.”

  Elisa scoffed. “Impossible. How could she have had a task such as that? She was just a baby when we found her.”

  Violet laced her fingers together. “It has always been my theory that the child was left as a way to lure my Rachel outside. There could be no other reason.”

  Jonathan who had been silent for the most part piped in. “I agree.”

  “But who would do that, and how could Charlotte know who she is or what part she played in all of that?” Elisa asked.

  Violet tipped her head. “Do you know to whom the child belonged? Her parentage?”

  “Do you?” Elisa asked her.

  I waved my hands, halting the conversation. “Wait.” I glared at El
isa. “Are you saying to me that the child my mother felt all those years ago was an infant, and that infant survived and grew to be Charlotte? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

  “It was not our story to tell, my niece. It had always been a sore topic with Charlotte.” Fiona finished healing Violet and carefully removed the bandage from around her stomach. “She was abandoned by her parents, and all we knew was that God had directed Rachel to the child.” Standing, Fiona wadded the wrappings into a ball and left to the bathroom to dispose of them. She twisted on the faucet to finally wash her hands from the blood of her grandson and Charlotte’s demon.

  “But was it Him that directed her, or something else?” Violet asked, watching Fiona return.

  “Who else, then?” Fiona asked.

  “Do you think Rachel and Ava are the only ones lucky enough to have their own personal demon?” Jonathan crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Lucky? How is that lucky?” Darius demanded.

  Laith pulled his fingers through his hair. “Enough, Darius. Violet, do you think Charlotte had a personal demon?”

  Violet nodded. “I do. As I said, she calls whoever it is her maker.”

  “Does she speak to you now?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “She doesn’t tell me much, and nothing creative. ‘When her maker collects her we will all die.’ That sort of stuff. Very boring.”

  Darius folded his arms over his chest. “When did you contact her?”

  “I didn’t. I happened across her after I disposed of my older mortal. I was in the market for another, but I didn’t get far. This sanctuary has been my home for years. I had returned to check on Rachel’s daughter and stumbled across Charlotte. She was seeking her maker.” Violet stood and checked her newly healed wound. “Thank you, lady Healer.”

  Fiona nodded.

  Violet rolled her neck. “This one has a rotten soul—perfect for the picking and young enough to last awhile, so I took the opportunity.” She stretched both arms above her head, reveling in the sensation, then relaxed them down with a sigh. “Rachel would not have approved, but I lied to your Charlotte and told her I was sent by the Annihilator to kill The Three. She didn’t want to trade places, but wanted the additional power I could offer as a Fallen to make her stronger. She hoped that if she disposed of you all herself, her maker would finally take her home. At the time, I would have been satisfied with Ava’s death alone. I cared not who else she killed.”

  She reached a hand to me, nearly placing it on my arm, but restrained herself from touching me. “I’m sorry, my darling. That was before I knew the truth, and now I will never hurt you again.”

  I could sense both Darius and Jonathan tense to her endearment. “Of course,” I said to appease Violet.

  She smiled at me. “Other than that, I cannot say. Your Charlotte has not answered any other questions.” She turned to Laith. “And now what will you do with me?”

  Laith hesitated. “I do not know. Will you vacate Charlotte’s bod—?”

  “No.” Violet’s voice whipped out with a crack. “She is a threat to Ava and therefore must remain in my custody. I will never allow this shell to hurt her again.”

  “But—”

  “Never.” Violet’s black eyes grew wide with intensity as she stared Laith down. Elisa placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

  “Then we will move you to the sanctuary prison until we figure out what to do,” Elisa said.

  “Very well. I promise to go without a fight, if…” Her voice trailed off.

  I took the bait. “If what?”

  “If Ava comes to visit me with each meal that is brought,” she finished.

  “How do you know we will feed you?” Darius asked.

  Violet rolled her eyes. “And I like to read. I would like a new book brought to me with each finished volume.”

  “How do you know—”

  Fiona silenced Darius with a wave of her hand. “I think we can agree to that,” she said, giving me a look.

  I nodded. “Very well, Violet. I will do as you ask.”

  Violet smiled, self-satisfied. She laced her fingers together and waited to be taken.

  Fiona moved to Jonathan. “As for you—”

  His eyes narrowed into slits as he addressed the Healer. “I am not a physical entity, so there will be no prison for me.”

  “—thank you.” Fiona finished.

  His mouth dropped open as she turned away from him. She gently took Violet by the elbow. Cedric drew his knife, as did the others.

  “Just for precaution, Violet,” he soothed.

  She nodded. “I understand.”

  “I suggest we all take Violet to the prison,” Fiona said over her shoulder. “Zane may be awake and ready for Ava to question him.”

  “Stupid girl,” Violet said as she was escorted from my room. “I told her not to stab that boy. Rachel would not have been happy.”

  When the others had left the room, Darius glowered at Jonathan. “Why are you still here?”

  Jonathan hummed, smiling widely. “Because Ava has not asked me to leave yet. I am her loving servant. I do as she asks.”

  Darius’s fists clenched at his side.

  “Darius, please wait for me outside. I’ll be right there.”

  “No.” I saw the set of his jaw and his stance tense for my response. Instead of provoking him, I addressed my demon.

  Thank you for coming. Please go. I will contact you soon.

  “Of course, my darling.” He gave an elegant bow. Then, blowing me a kiss, he added, “I love you, too.”

  “I didn’t—”

  He disappeared.

  I raised my hands, my face mirroring the shade of Darius’s. “I didn’t say that, I promise.” But when he didn’t answer, didn’t even look my direction, I growled my frustration and stormed from the room to follow my friends.

  Darius followed, and after I left the complex, he caught up to me.

  “It’s this way,” he said, pointing to the farmhouse.

  The muscles between my brows contracted. I had never visited the farmhouse yet, but it seemed a strange place to put a prison.

  “Great. Thanks,” I grumbled low.

  “I don’t think you said that to him.”

  “Cool.” But I didn’t care at the moment. I spotted my friends up ahead with Violet and trailed after them.

  “I thought it only fair to warn you—I’m going to become quite obsessive over you.”

  I jerked. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “That demon, Violet, almost killed you last night.”

  “And I took care of it, didn’t I?”

  “Oh, please. You almost died. Even before Violet, you were apparently attacked by another demon after you chose to meet up with your personal demon.”

  “Now hold on.” I pushed my palm against his chest. “Jonathan is different.”

  “No, he’s not.” He clamped his hand over mine, holding it in place. I glared at him. “I understand you believe he’s different, but he’s not, and I don’t want to argue right now. I just wanted to warn you.”

  I yanked my fingers from his grasp and walked away with a huff. “Who says I’m going to let you become obsessive? You’re only a temp, as far as I’m concerned.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?” he barked.

  I spun around, halting his steps. “It means that if you ever expect to become more, if you ever want to become more, you—”

  “You know I do.” His voice dove deeper as he stared into my eyes.

  “Do I?” I yelled, annoyed at the fluttering effect he was able to create in my chest. “One kiss is hardly—”

  “Two kisses,” he corrected with a smirk.

  My cheeks blazed. “It’s still not enough to suggest that you want to become my eternal mate, is it?” I clasped my hand against my head. “Oh my gosh, what are we even talking about? That’s not what I was trying to say!” I growled out my frustration.

  “Then what do I have to d
o?”

  I splayed my hands into the air. “I don’t know. Take me out on a date, for one thing. But what I was trying to get at is—you have to trust me if we are going to be anything.”

  “Fine, but you have to be honest with me. About everything.”

  I spun on my heels and walked away. That wasn’t something I could guarantee at the moment.

  Picking up the pace, I caught Elisa just as they entered through the large two-story barn doors. Red paint lifted from the weathered wood. I sneezed at the smell of fresh feed and hay. Bales lined the walls and littered the floor. A tractor was parked in the center, taking up a grand space, but there was no prison. A cat jumped from the second-story loft to investigate its guests.

  In the back of the building, Laith stopped over a large door with a latch set into the ground. My interest piqued as he pulled the handle, exposing a set of concrete steps.

  Violet looked to me with a smile. Head high, she allowed Cedric to lead her down. I followed behind Darius.

  Florescent lights buzzed with energy as we descended the claustrophobic shaft which opened into a basement floor about the size of a small guest house. Sunlight trickled in from several barred window wells set near the ceiling of the basement. The smells which carried from the upstairs barn were musty but not unpleasant. Our footsteps on the bare concrete floor rebounded against the whitewashed brick walls.

  A desk sat across from four barred doors that led into separate ten-by-ten cells. Zane held the closest cell to the exit. Fresh cut daisies wrapped in newspaper lay on the floor next to his bed. A mattress, decked out in a plaid comforter, held the sleeping traitor. I automatically sent my energy outward, testing his willingness to open, but Zane quickly shut off to me.

  Elisa paused in front of his cell. “Shouldn’t he be recovered by now?”

  My heart dropped, sensing her pain. “He’s not asleep, Elisa,” I said taking a place beside her. “But I don’t think he wants to talk.”

  “What’s there to talk about?” Zane’s muffled voice caught our attention. “I fell for everything she said and because of me, a good man died.”

  Darius gently moved Elisa aside. “Come on, Zane. You know we need your help.” But Zane only tightened himself into a ball, ignoring us again.