Christian (The Protectors Book 1)

by L. Ann Marie

  “No. He made lists for the Brothers as we were growing up. He’ll cover you better than anyone else. You can touch her without the need to release the energy?”

  I smile probably looking like a pussy, but I don’t care. “Yeah. I woke up with her in my arms. It was fuckin’ awesome.”

  He slaps my back. “Good Brother. Call Patches. Another piece you’ve been missing is falling into place. Don’t move so fast you miss the good in it.”

  “Not a fuckin’ chance I’m missing out on any of it.” He laughs. “I need some time. What she saw is another attack. The kids, then her last night. That isn’t a coincidence.”

  He gets serious fast. “In the Security meeting or alone?”

  “The meeting room is good.” I follow him into his meeting room. Jessie and Aaron are already here. While they talk, I connect with Ally and Devan. The Protectors are nervous. I check on Aiyana and Kaya seeing Aiyana’s concern, but Kaya is settled and Co is aware. Nunánuk tells me to trust in the lessons of my fathers. When Taylor and Jessie come in I pull back and settle here.

  “You kissed a girl,” Taylor says, and I smile, but don’t answer. I did and I’m fuckin’ ecstatic.

  Everyone looks my way, but I’m not talking about this here. “Is Jeremy here?” Aaron asks.

  “No, he is managing the energy himself,” Prez answers for me.

  Jessie sits forward and catches my eyes. “So, we can touch you without Dakota or Jeremy around?”

  “No Brother. Touch will still affect him. Dean is the same, but they have a bond that will bridge that for them,” Dakota says saving me from saying too much or telling them to shut the fuck-up. Who cares how as long as I can touch her?

  Prez steps closer. “They are bound together?”

  I roll my eyes, we have shit to talk about that doesn’t have to do with me holding Dean. Dakota saves me again. “Not as you and I are. The bond is in shared ability and isolation. The ability for simple touch is not easily explained to people that have never experienced life without it. Thinking you will spend your life without the ability to touch happens early and is a part of your being from a very young age. With Jessica, my life has changed in ways I never expected. It was a dream I never thought would be attainable for me. I was okay with the way my life was before, but I cannot imagine living another day without her touching me. It is a lonely existence when you do not have it.”

  I nod hoping I never lose this feeling. Fuck. I look at him while they talk about Sheila needing touch. ‘Is she the one Dakota? Am I going to lose this?’ Jesus my throat closes and I swallow hard.

  He doesn’t answer and I walk out. Fuck. I lean against the wall and slide down with my head in my hands. It was one night. I had that. I woke up holding a woman in my arms. I can be happy with that or find a way around whatever Dakota sees to have another. ‘Jeremy, is she the one?’

  I feel Prez and hear the door, but I don’t look up. ‘It is good Christian.’ I let my breath out and think. He’s not saying she’s the one, but I’m good with what he’s giving me.

  “I can’t tell you I know how you feel. I can’t imagine a life without my Brothers, family or kids touching me. What I can tell you is Tess is happy for you. We can lay down and accept what you have as enough or fight like the Badasses we were taught to be and get you more.” He’s sitting beside me and I feel what he’s thinking. He thinks I can do this and he’s willing to help.

  I smile at him. “I was just thinking I need to find a way around whatever Dakota sees. Nunánuk said to trust in the lessons of my fathers. Not one of them would give up. My head was clear when I opened my eyes Prez. I held her and woke up feeling fine. I’m not giving it back.”

  He laughs. “Let’s go find a way around it Brother. I don’t want you to give it back either.”

  Darren comes down the hall. “New meeting?”

  Prez laughs. “Christian found his girl and we’re going to help him keep her.”

  “Fuckin’ nice. Who am I shooting?”

  We laugh walking back in. Dakota is surprised, but doesn’t say anything. I should be pissed he’s blocking me, but I let it go. I have to get the kids safe, the Protectors calmed, and my girl back in my bed for another day. I let him see it, but don’t look at him to see the reaction. No one says anything and Prez starts the meeting.

  I tell them what she saw and about the boys seeing the old vision. Connecting with Devan I get what the readers up there saw. I give them that too. Terry has new information and I pull the board up so we can see what they have. The information all connects and I’m hit with the new threat against me. I look at Dakota and see that’s what has him concerned. I throw it to Prez and he stops talking and looks at Dakota. After collecting his thoughts, he looks for a way to get an answer. “Christian will have HS with him until this new threat is gone.” Dakota doesn’t say a word.

  “Me, Aaron and Taylor will cover him here and Uncle Danny and Chet in Mass,” Jessie says.

  Dakota looks like the air is let out of him. “That is a wise plan Jessie. With touch affecting him, having people that understand is very important.”

  I close my eyes feeling so fuckin’ relieved.

  “I want everyone in HS knowing that touch affects him. The kids locked on the Compound, old ladies on high and I need a meet with the MC as soon as possible. Christian get the Protectors paired so no one goes anywhere alone and I need anything new coming in.”

  I nod and Jeremy tells me, ‘it’s good’ again. I smile and look at my hands. It feels good to know they have my back.

  * * *

  While Prez and Brantley are meeting with MC inner circle I meet with Patches then get to KC for training.

  Elizabeth is determined and focused. Harley is a good match for her. I watch Devan and Mase. They’re throwing everything at Colt and he’s defending, suspending and hitting back just as hard. Blaze and Blake are suspending with direction from Aubrey. Jeremy watches everyone and steps in when he needs to, but never says a word out loud.

  I was happy to see them here today when I walked in. Jeremy already had them started and seems to be pushing them by throwing information and how to achieve the next level.

  When they’re all exhausted, I call them over. “You know the new threat. Pres and Prez will get me the new information once they have a plan. What I do know is no one goes anywhere without a Protector by their side. You stay in pairs and stay close to the backyard unless you’re called for. Mase, Colt and Devan you have a Protector or HS with you out of the backyard. This is not to be taken lightly. Keep your partners close and follow high alert Security procedures.”

  They all nod. “Let’s jump and see what the ancestors have to say.” We sit and jump together. I’m so glad again for the ability to let the ancestors soothe our worries and encourage our strengths. Jumping back everyone is at peace with where we are at. Jeremy and Aubrey stay while the rest file out.

  “Happy campers,” Aubrey says making me laugh.

  “Thank you for being here. It was good to see how far they’ve come.” Jeremy throws me chin. He’s worried. “Let’s get to your training. You can suspend easily, but can you defend while you’re in the air?”

  “Oooh we didn’t do that yet.” Aubrey is excited for something new.

  Jeremy holds her hand and suspends. It strikes me as wrong. “Aubrey, can you suspend without Jeremy’s help?”

  I pull them back down and Jeremy’s pissed. “She’s good. My partner.”

  “She’s not good if she can’t suspend alone. If she’s with the old ladies, then what?”

  “My partner. I’m there.” He’s telling me in my head to let it go.

  “No. Why can’t she go alone?”

  Aubrey stands in front of Jeremy. “He’s just helping me so I don’t have to work so hard. I can stay up and move suspended alone.”

  I look at him pissed. “You fuckin’ know what the vision is. You’d put her life on the line so she doesn’t have to work so hard?” I throw the pictures of h
er naked body floating at him.

  “Stop!” He has tears in his eyes and I’m shoved back.

  He never moved and I’m relieved. “Good! Fight and let her learn to fight with you! She’s got the ability! Why the fuck would you make anything easy on her when it’s her life we’re talking about?”

  He stops trying to push me breathing heavy.

  I turn toward her. “Aubrey this isn’t helping you. Making it easy isn’t saving your life. The vision hasn’t changed.” I watch her face pale.

  Jeremy moves fast holding onto her. “No! I’ll teach her.”

  “You better. We’re running out of time Je. This isn’t a fuckin’ joke and I’m only one person.” He gives me a sad look, but I’m not giving in. He’s not a fuckin’ kid anymore and needs to realize they aren’t all going to end well for us unless we do what we need to do to alter that. He nods.

  “Thank fuck. Let’s see what you can do in the air. Aubrey, you practice every fuckin’ day.”

  She looks around him. “I will Christian. I thought it changed because you’re still here.”

  I shake my head no and Jeremy spins around to face her. “You’ll learn. Tonight, we’ll train.”

  “Let’s get to training, I don’t have much time.” I suspend about ten feet up and wait for them. Once Jeremy has her up she’s stable in the air. I move closer to the rock wall and lob energy at Jeremy. He rolls his eyes and hits it to Aubrey. She falls a foot when she hits it back to me, but lifts right back up. I give him a look and hit it harder at him. After a couple of minutes I switch to fire and he’s taken by surprise. I stop the fire holding it in front of him. “Ready for anything Je. You got this.” He nods and I release the fire. He hits it to Aubrey, but moves closer in case she needs him. “I got her Je.” He moves back watching her deflect it easily. “Aubrey we’re going to hit hard and fast. If it’s too much, say so and we’ll work together. You can work with Jeremy later.”

  She nods, but she’s not happy. It just hit her how going easy isn’t preparing her.

  I whip fire at Jeremy and he hits it away. Aubrey moves toward it deflecting it to me. “Good!” I yell switching to a big ball of energy.

  “Hey!” Jeremy says deflecting it.

  “Use it Jeremy. Use everything in you. Deflecting will only work for so long. You need to push and direct it.”

  I throw a chair at him, he lifts another and stops it. He pushes me back and I laugh throwing fire again. He hits it to Aubrey and I throw energy. He takes his eyes off Aubrey throwing it back at me pissed. I smile moving in front of it and use it as a shield for the fire Aubrey throws my way. I push them both at Jeremy and he laughs using it just like I did. I throw a table at him and it burns up before it hits him. “That’s it Je! Use it however you can.” He throws a chair laughing. I roll it in energy and throw it at Aubrey. She’s not ready and I stop it. Jeremy yells and I look at him—he’s falling, but catches himself about five feet from the floor. “I told you I had her. Trust me Brother. I won’t ever hurt her. This is why she needs to practice. Yeah?”

  “Yeah,” they both say.

  I lower myself to the floor and get the chairs back where they belong and the ash cleaned up and into the trash. I turn fast hearing clapping. Fuck! Jeremy and Aubrey are standing on the floor when I look back. Ricky, VP, Uncle Danny, Pres and Prez are here. “I didn’t know you were here.” I don’t know if they’re supposed to see this. “I don’t know who to ask about you seeing shit.” I guess asking them would work. Jeremy laughs and I peg him a finger behind my back.

  Prez steps forward. “I wouldn’t show everyone, but I think we’re all okay to see.”

  I throw him chin. “Jeremy will work with Aubrey.”

  He nods. “Are the other Protectors able to do that?”

  “Not like Christian. He’s hard,” Aubrey says and I clench my jaw to stop from laughing.

  Jeremy steps in front of her. “No. Was me. We’ll practice.”

  Pres looks at him. “Going easy on her will only hurt her Jeremy. You of all people should have learned that lesson.”

  Jeremy looks down and nods. “We’ll practice. Now.” He starts walking toward the stairs.

  “Where are you going?” I ask.

  “Lab,” Uncle Steve says.

  I nod. “Call to me later. Anything hitting her hurts you. Make sure she can keep you safe too Je.”

  He gives me a look, but throws chin pulling Aubrey out with him.

  Uncle Danny laughs. “I think you’re the only one that talks to him like that. It’s good for him.”

  “My brothers stopped shielding him.” I pull what they see. “He’s still the only one here that reads everyone, has visions and works daily at the lab to keep us all safe. He sleeps like three hours a night and still trains every single day. What he’s doing with Aubrey is wrong, but he’ll fix that now.”

  Uncle Steve throws me chin. “Yeah. Shouldn’t be taken for granted either.”

  I shake my head no and look at Ricky. “Sorry about the table. I didn’t expect him to torch it.”

  They laugh. “That was fuckin’ incredible Brother. I’ll get another table.”

  I throw him chin. I have no idea why they’re all looking at me. “Do you have questions?”

  “Do the other Protectors have this ability?” Prez asks again.

  “Some. Jeremy and Aubrey were teaching them more today. He’s pushing them where he was easy on her. Mase, Colt and Devan are getting very good with defending while suspended. Harley and Elizabeth are right behind them, but able to see the next move and plan a defense. Blake and Blaze are learning to suspend, but they are the more focused readers.” It hits me. “We shut the feeds down while we’re in here. Do you want them on?”

  “No. I don’t think anyone else needs to see this,” Pres says and I nod throwing a shield over his thoughts.

  “We came to tell you the plan and see if you had anything to add.” Uncle Danny walks by me and sits at the kitchen table.

  I follow because they’re all looking at me weird. I don’t want to look at what they’re thinking so I block them all. He’s smiling when I sit. I smile because I know he knows.

  * * *

  I update my spreadsheets on the chopper and hand Terry the flash when I walk into Ops. Jacob is pissed. “Let’s take a walk Jay.” He follows me out. ‘Walk Hawk.’ We take him out to the back lot. “What’s up?”

  His arms go out and his frustration is right there for me to see. “He’s not training her Christian. He gets pissed, but he’s not doing his part.” He’s scared for Aubrey.

  “He’s training her now. They’re at the Lab. I checked in on them and he isn’t playing anymore.”

  “Because you threw her fuckin’ dead body at him! I get nothing from him then get slammed with that! He should have known going easy on her hurts her!”

  I touch his shoulder. “I’m sorry Jay. I had no idea he’d throw it to you. I needed to get through to him. It wasn’t a new picture for him, it’s the vision. It hasn’t changed.”

  “Fuck.” He’s got his hands on his knees and he’s breathing heavy.

  I think this is learned from Badasses. Everyone does the same thing. I push it out of my head and touch his shoulder again. “We’re doing everything we can to keep her safe. She’s learning now and we’ll be ready. Neither MC nor Princes are letting it go.”

  He gives me a look. “He showed me you too Christian.”

  Fuckin’ Jeremy! “He shouldn’t have. They aren’t letting it go Jay. Everyone is working to keep that from happening.” If he showed the kids I’m going back up there to punch him in the fuckin’ face.

  ‘No! I was mad, you’re right.’ Jeremy throws at me.

  ‘Stop acting like a kid! This isn’t a fuckin’ game and that was a shit move. Our whole family has enough to deal with without you throwing a fuckin’ tantrum.’

  He yells, ‘I said you’re right! Sorry.’

  Jacob stands up and starts walking. “Prez has HS with you.
”

  “Yeah, Taylor, Aaron or Jessie.”

  He stops and looks at me. “You’re okay with them shadowing you?”

  I smile. “I’m not fuckin’ stupid Jay. There’s a vision of me dead out there. I’ll do everything I can to change that without hurting anyone else.”

  His arms go up again. “You think you can stop throwing dead out like it’s nothing!”

  “Sorry Jay. I just mean I’ll do everything I can to stay alive.”

  He smiles. “That’s a long fuckin’ way from suicide so I’ll take it.” He’s worried I wouldn’t fight for myself. Fuck.

  “It was a pussy solution. That’s why I talked to Brantley, Jay. I was looking for a way out instead of around. I got around it and never thought about it again.”

  He watches me and Jeremy tells him it’s true. He nods and starts walking again. “Stop watching here and go teach her the fuckin’ right way!” he yells.

  I’m smiling as we follow him in. At Ops, I check in with Terry. Jacob hasn’t told him what Jeremy sent so he’s not all over him or pissed. It’s refreshing. He’s got everything on the flash transferred to our boards and looks around. “Does ‘suspend and defend’ mean fighting while flying?” he asks softly.

  “Not flying, but yeah.”

  “Like what you showed Pres, but fighting?” He’s picturing a Star Wars like scene and I stop myself from laughing, but smile.

  “Without light sabers, yeah.”

  “Jesus fuck. That’s cool and fuckin’ scary Christian.”

  I laugh. “We’re hoping for effective.” He nods seriously. The visions have him worried too. “If you don’t have questions I’m out.”

  He shakes his head no. “Taylor is working with the procedure book. He’s happy with all you have for it and started the new training today.”

  I slap his back and move to Brantley at the center console. “I’m out Brant. I’ll check on Mucimi and Chance while I’m at the school.”

  He looks at me concerned. “You doing okay?”

  “Yeah. We’re working through some kinks, but we’ll be ready when we’re needed.”