The Defender (The Elkavians Book 1)

by S. H. Magillian

  “Can we walk home?” Denise asked calmly.

  Alexis pondered. She would easily say no to that were the circumstances different, but a forty-minute walk could give her the opportunity to talk about her father. “Sure.”

  “Have you seen Samil?” Denise opted to be straightforward. Phillip had made a deal with Samil, not her. She would not bow to him.

  Alexis looked at Denise. That was not the conversation she had in mind, but she certainly wanted to see where that would take them. “Yeah. He is going to school.”

  “Is he, really? Why?” Denise couldn't hide her shock.

  “I don’t know.” If Denise didn’t know, how would she? “Don’t you know?”

  “No. Have you talked?” Denise was worried about Samil's blatant attempt to be close to Alexis.

  “No. Both you and Ethan seem to have complete aversion to him. Why?”

  “He’s evil by nature. No matter what happens, Alexis, stay away from him,” begged Denise.

  “He doesn’t seem evil to me,” she was so spontaneous that she sounded harsh.

  “Why are you defending him?” Denise stopped walking. She felt a heavy weight in her chest. Things were going in the wrong direction.

  It would be great if Denise stopped asking the right questions. “I’m not. I’m just saying that he seems normal to me.”

  Denise was convinced that the more she told Alexis to stay away from Samil, the more she would push her to him. She would have to direct her attention to someone else. “What about Ethan?”

  “He’s going to school too. We are dating,” Alexis could feel herself blush. It was the first time she said that sentence.

  “Oh, you are? That’s great.” Ethan was the better of two evils. She would deal with him later if necessary. Now she had to get Samil out of her way. “What have you two been doing?”

  That was the weirdest question Denise had ever asked. “I don’t know how to answer that, and I know what you are trying to do.” Alexis stood right in front of Denise. “Why are you trying so hard to keep me away from Samil? What are you afraid of?”

  Denise spent a second thinking about her answer. “I fear that he might corrupt you,” she said bluntly.

  “Is that so? I was under the impression that you believe he can get in your way,” said Alexis coldly.

  “In my way to what?” Denise didn’t know how to react to that side of Alexis, a side that was stronger and more self-confident than the usual Alexis.

  “You tell me, Denise. What do you want from me?”

  “I’ve told you. I was your father’s friend…”

  “Please, don’t take me for a fool. It’s offensive.” Denise didn’t say a word. “Dad died a year ago, but you only showed up after the attack. Coincidence? That’s a bit unlikely, isn’t it?”

  “What are you insinuating?” Denise frowned. She regretted having asked about Samil. That conversation was going to create an abyss between them.

  “I’m not insinuating anything. I apologize if I haven’t made myself clear. Let me rephrase,” said Alexis sarcastically. “I know you have ulterior motives. I don’t know what they are, but I know they exist. And I’m sure Samil is a threat to your plans.”

  “He is a threat to you,” Denise rejoined. “He’s a threat to us all.” She had to change the subject quickly or else she would be forced to give out more than she wanted. “Your father did his best to keep him away from you.”

  “Excuse me?” Alexis was lost. How could every conversation she had with Denise end up being about her father?

  “Your father kept your location a secret. No one knew where you were. No one knew where your father lived. He had a very strong spell cast to make you untraceable.”

  “To keep Samil away or to keep you all away?” she asked defiantly. Once more Denise was clearly trying to take the focus off her plans.

  “Samil,” said Denise confidently.

  Alexis swallowed hard. “How can I know if you’re telling me the truth?”

  “Listen to your heart, and you will know,” said Denise calmly.

  Well, Alexis’s heart was not telling her anything useful. All it had was doubt and an urge to run away from all that madness. One thing she knew for sure, she wouldn’t be able to tell at that moment whether Denise was telling her the truth or not. It would be stupid to insist. She would keep her original plan and try to get some information about her father. “How close were you to my dad?”

  “We were good friends,” said Denise a bit surprised at the change in topic.

  Alexis started walking again. “Is that all you were, friends?” She glanced at Denise.

  “Yes,” she said, but her voice was not firm.

  “He’s dead. There’s no reason to lie.” Alexis was determined to get the truth.

  Denise pondered. That night wouldn’t end without her telling Alexis something she would like to keep a secret. She would have to give her something. “We spent a night together.”

  Alexis quickly wiped a tear that fell. She felt horrible. The confirmation that her father had cheated on her mom reinforced the thought that neither of them had any idea who he was. “Only one?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why only one?" Alexis still had some hope that her father would surprise her in a good way. Perhaps he had regretted sleeping with Denise and put an end to their affair.

  “I was mourning, and I had a moment of weakness. Jack was my everything, and I deeply loved him. Although he was gone, I couldn't allow myself to get involved with anyone else, not at that moment."

  “Lucky him. Apparently, my father didn’t feel the same way about my mother,” said Alexis bitterly. Denise didn’t say anything. “Silence is consent. I’m sure you know that.”

  “I do,” said Denise bluntly. If Alexis wanted the truth, she was not going to feel bad for telling it.

  “Do you think it was a coincidence that he was there to save you when your car fell into the lake?”

  “No,” said Denise without any sign of hesitation which surprised Alexis.

  “Why do you think he was there?” She feared Denise's answer to that question would make her even more disappointed at her dad.

  “Now, I believe that he caused the accident only to save me and gain my trust. I didn’t think like that back then.”

  “Why would he want you to trust him?” Alexis was getting more and more puzzled.

  “He wanted the key to the mansion.”

  “The one with the Elkavian insignia on the door?”

  “Yes.” Denise already knew what Alexis would ask next, so she continued, “A long time ago, there were many more Elkavians than in the last decades. They needed a place to feel safe, a place to meet and the mansion was that place. They kept a lot of their artifacts there. As they were constantly coming and going, they had someone in charge of keeping the mansion always ready to receive them. That person was a Dorian. So, when the Elkavians started to be taken down one by one, we locked the mansion, protected it with a spell and hid the key.”

  “Who took them down?”

  “Different creatures attacked them, but the Norus, an ancient family of evil creatures, led the attacks.” Denise felt good in giving Alexis a bit of the truth.

  “Why would they go after the Elkavians?” Alexis couldn’t believe she was finally getting a story. She wanted to know it all, but Denise hesitated. “Why?” Alexis insisted.

  “The amulet.”

  “That’s vague,” Alexis complained.

  “I know,” she said calmly. “We are almost at home. I’m exhausted, Al.” She had already given Alexis enough for a day.

  “Denise, I just want to know why. I guess I have the right to know why the others like me where hunted down.” Alexis would beg if she had to. She needed to know why there was only one Elkavian left, her.

  “You do,” said Denise sadly. “Let’s get in first.” She got the key and unlocked the door. There would be no going back after answering that question. She had a tough choice to
make; she could come up with a lie or give Alexis the truth. She could feel Alexis’s eyes fixed on her. “They were chased because of a prophecy.”

  “What prophecy?” The more Denise told her, the more she wanted to know. She felt as if a blindfold was being removed.

  “That an Elkavian would either destroy the amulet or do unspeakable things with its power. They feared both.”

  “Wouldn’t you?” Denise's serenity intrigued her.

  Denise frowned. “Yes,” she murmured. “That doesn’t justify killing dozens of creatures though.”

  “I’m not saying it does. I just wanted to know if you have the same fear.” Knowing how Denise felt could give Alexis an idea of why she was trying to keep her close.

  “I guess somehow we all do.”

  “I’m the only one left, right?” Denise nodded. “So, is the prophecy about me?” Denise shrugged her shoulders. “I see. What happens if I die?”

  “The exact location of the amulet dies with you.”

  “No one would be able to find it then,” Alexis murmured to herself.

  “Not only that. Only an Elkavian can touch the amulet without being harmed by it, so even if someone were able to find it, that person wouldn't be able to put his hands on it.” There were a few minutes of total silence. “I must rest, Al. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks for dinner. It was fun.” Denise gave Alexis no time to protest. She turned around and went to her room. She had already said too much.

  Alexis got her backpack and went to the guest room. She finally understood why there were all sorts of creatures after her. She had to learn how to defend herself as soon as possible or else she wouldn’t survive much longer. She lay down and texted Ethan. “Back to training tomorrow?”

  “Sure. Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Talk to you tomorrow. I’m exhausted. Good night.” She closed her eyes. She wondered what Ethan wanted with her. Why hadn’t he told her about the prophecy? Now she was sure that no one approached her out of the goodness of their heart. They all wanted something.

  XI

  Anna opened her closet. She already knew what she would wear, a long black dress with open back. She wanted to look stunning. Anna was a little nervous; it would be the first time they went out together as a couple. She put some makeup on, her best perfume, the sexiest dress she had, and high heels. She looked at herself in the mirror. She liked what she saw. Hopefully, he would like it too.

  Morgan had butterflies in his stomach. He quickly looked at himself to make sure he was decent. He wanted the night to be perfect. He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. It didn't take Anna more than a minute to open the door. “Wow. Breathtaking,” he said contemplating every inch of her.

  “You don’t look bad yourself,” she smiled. He stretched his hand to her and winked. She turned the lights off and locked the door. The feeling of walking holding hands with him under the full moon was indescribable. Anna felt complete. He opened the car door to her. She got in and waited for him; it was nice to be courted.

  Morgan only drove for a few minutes before pulling over. Anna looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing but trees around them. He noticed that she was puzzled. “We’re almost there,” he said reassuringly. “May I blindfold you?” Anna raised her eyebrows. “Well, I hope that reaction is not lack of trust,” he said worriedly.

  “Of course not! I… I wasn’t expecting that. That’s all.”

  “May I?” he insisted.

  “Yes,” she whispered. Her heart was beating fast. The blindfold held her in anticipation. He got back to driving. Not knowing what he had in mind made her a bit tense. When the car stopped, Anna felt a rush of adrenaline running through her veins.

  “I’ll open the door for you,” he said kindly. He opened the door, grabbed her hand and gently helped her leave the car.

  “Are we alone?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Kiss me,” she murmured. He ran his fingers through her hair, caressed the nape of her neck and softly kissed her lips. Her feelings for him were more intense than ever. At that moment, he was the only thing that mattered to her. And it was exhilarating to know that he felt the same way.

  “Come,” he uttered under the breath. She followed him. “There’s a step ahead. Watch out.” Anna heard him unlock a door. She wondered if he had taken her to his house. She had never been there. He closed the door. He was going to take her somewhere else, but she pulled him close and passionately kissed him. His hand touched the skin under her dress and caressed the back of her thigh. He lifted it getting his pelvis even closer to hers. His hands went up a little making her moan. He stopped. “Anna,” he nibbled her lower lip, “later.” She was frustrated. He hoped he would be able to make up for procrastinating making love with her. “Come with me.”

  She didn’t want to say anything, but he’d better have something extraordinary planned if he wanted that night to be unforgettable for the right reasons. She wanted to take the blindfold off and jump on him, but she controlled herself. She heard a door being opened. They were outside again. She felt the cool breeze of the night on her face and his warm breath on the back of her neck. She was dying to know where they were.

  “I love you,” he whispered in her ear as he removed the blindfold.

  Anna couldn’t believe her eyes. They were in a yard. There was a table and two chairs in the middle of it; several candles lit the place, red rose petals had been spread all over the ground. “Morgan,” she said in a low voice.

  “Please,” he pulled the chair for her to sit.

  She sat down feeling silly for not being able to stop smiling. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. “I love you too.”

  “I can tell,” he gave a lopsided smile. “Give me a minute.” She watched him go back to the house and leave a few minutes later with two bowls in his hands. He placed one of them in front of her. “Caesar salad, your favorite,” he said nicely.

  “Did you make dinner?” she asked incredulously.

  “I have many qualities, you know,” he said proudly.

  “I can see that,” she smiled. Dinner was perfect. He made her favorite dish, and they had a bottle of wine. Dessert was delicious as well and most importantly also prepared by him.

  When dinner was over, he put some music on, stretched his hand and invited her to dance with him. They danced slowly, his forehead against hers, the tip of his fingers going from her upper to her lower back. He kissed her neck and nibbled her ear. He was done procrastinating. He grabbed her by the hand and took her to the master suite.

  “Blindfold me,” she whispered.

  Morgan got the blindfold in his pocket and did as she asked. She bit her lower lip arousing him. He was glad that now he could finish what they had started earlier.

  Alexis’s alarm went off. She was eager to go to school, so she quickly got up. Denise was waiting for her in the kitchen. “Good morning,” said Alexis politely.

  “Morning, Al. Would you like some juice, a fruit? I also have some cookies, cereal and bread.” Denise hoped there were no hard feelings between them.

  “I’ll have some juice. Thanks, D.”

  Denise smiled. She liked the sweet way Alexis called her D. “Here.” She was relieved everything was okay.

  Alexis drank a glass of orange juice, thanked Denise for her honesty and left to school. She was dying to see Mia. She had decided that she needed someone she could trust by her side, and that person would be Mia. When Alexis got to school, Ethan was waiting for her.

  “Good morning,” he smiled, held her by her waist and kissed her. She could barely breath.

  “For more mornings like that,” she winked. “Good morning,” she said sensually. She leaned in and kissed him again. “Have you seen Mia?”

  “She arrived a few minutes ago,” he put a strand of hair behind her ear. “Is everything all right?”

  “Yes, I just want to make things right between us.”

  “G
o talk to her,” he said warmly. Alexis deeply hoped that Ethan’s feelings for her were true and not part of a sick game to get something from her. She felt loved. She kissed him and went inside to look for Mia. She found her in the classroom about five minutes before the beginning of class.

  “We need to talk,” said Alexis seriously. “Can we skip class?”

  Mia stared at her for a while. She had never skipped classes before. Well, she had never thought magic was real either, so it was about time she changed her perception of reality. She got her backpack and left the room without saying anything. They would have time to talk when they left school. Alexis got her phone and texted Ethan. There wouldn’t be enough time for her to stop and talk to him without being seen by a teacher or the principal. They had to leave quickly. Alexis was surprised to see that Mia was driving her mother’s car again.

  “Have you been stealing your mom’s car?” she asked jokingly.

  Again, Mia didn’t say anything. She didn’t even look at Alexis. She started the car and drove to Atknan. Alexis was not comfortable going there.

  “Mia, can we go somewhere else? My house. My mom’s at work.” She felt vulnerable at the park. She was terrified by flashes of the man grabbing her by her feet and dragging her to the woods and of Ethan decapitating him.

  Mia drove to Alexis’s house. She knew it had been insensitive from her to take Alexis to the park, but she couldn’t think of another place for them to talk. She had no idea Anna was not at home. She wanted to apologize, but Alexis would have to earn that. When they got into the house, Alexis went to every single room to make sure her mom was not there. “What do you want to talk to me about, Al?” asked Mia coldly.