My Soul to Save (Soul Keeper) (14 page)

I climb further. One of the beast manages to get up on the first limb and now the second. My adrenaline has me shaking and I'm afraid I could easily fall out of this tree, snapping bones and crushing my skull on the way down only to become a snack for these mutts.

I stare down at the thing making its way up to me. Its eyes are glowing because they're on fire, flames flicker inside the irises like the window to a crematorium. Maybe that's what they really offer, total bone to dust annihilation. A clap of thunder rolls through the air followed by a crack of lightening. A storm is coming, I'm still all alone in the woods.

I hear large branches snapping, it's the sound of death knocking on my door. I look down to see the Hell Hound can indeed climb trees and he's ripped off eight inch
thick limbs along the way. His eyes burn solely for me, his prize for the night.

The rain starts, coming down in sheets as if nature were trying to flush me out of this tree too. I hear a cacophonous screech below that sounds like an ambulance siren being pulverized into oblivion. I can't see much with the storm and the dark. I only know that there is only one pair of glowing eyes now and they're much closer than they were before. 

My eyes widen and I grab the trunk for dear life. It’s hard to tell through the downpour but I think I see Elijah spring up. His figure becomes clear as he moves closer. He’s soaring into the tree with his splendid glossy black wings, carrying a very large sword. My relief quickly bottoms out into fear once again. What if he's not here to save me? What if he’s here to finish me off?

Elijah slices through the air, decapitating the mutt in one swift blow with his sword. He kicks the carcass down from the limb and both the head and the body hit the ground with a separate thud
, sounding eerily final. His fully expand wings move back and forth, keeping him suspended in the air as his eyes move to me. I swallow hard.

He's a beautiful sight to behold.  Rain beats down over his perfect body and ebony wings creating a halo of mist around him. He's like a dream. The sword disappears from his h
and and he swoops down to me.

"Brennen, let me help you down love,” he offers as he stands on a lower branch. Rain pours over my face, still trying to drown me. I want to let him help me but he told me not to trust him. I shake my head and attempt to move further away. My tight skirt has become a body cast around my legs and I know I won't get far. "I won't harm you Brennen. I know I said not to trust me, but you have to." He holds his hand out to me. I'm reminded of the Michelangelo painting of Adam’s outstretched hand reaching out for his creator.

My cold fingers find his, and the warmth of his skin draws me closer. Soon I'm in his arms. His bare chest rises and falls with a breath of relief. He carries me down to the ground, noticing that I'm barefoot, he hesitates to put me down. 

"Let her go Elijah," I hear Elena bark out. It's as if her words shot him in the back and he winces in pain. He lowers me to the ground and slides his heated arms free from my body. He mouths the words, I love you, and then with the next crack of lightening he's gone.
My hand is outstretched, reaching for someone who is no longer there. I slowly put my arm back down.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"No, he saved me." I glare at her as if she sliced
my
head off with the sword. "He killed those things and then he helped get me out of the tree I had climbed a hundred feet up in. Where were you?"

"I'm here now. Where's Inara?" I try and remember which way I came, but nothing looks the same in the dark. The rain is relentless, the wind kicks up furiously and tangles my sopping wet hair around my face.

"I don't know which way I came. We've got to help her; she passed out when we got here." Elena nods and scoops me up off the ground in a moment with fully expanded wings she lifts me to the sky. She doesn't look like she would be strong enough to lift me. She probably weighs about as much as I do. But there's not an ounce of struggle written on her face.

Rain pelts me like needles as we speed through the air. I cringe from the sting. "Inara said backup would come but no one did."

"They couldn't track you fast enough. I'm the one with that skill set."

"That seems like poor planning to only have one Keeper who can track." Elena shakes her head.

"Oh there's two of us who can track, and track you he did."
Elijah? So that's how he found me
. "There, there she is." Elena points to her left and all I see are dense tree tops. She speeds down to the ground and I feel like I'm on the fiercest roller coaster in all of Six Flags.

Inara is right where I left her, still unconscious and flickering in and out of being visible. Elena scoops her up.

"Is she going to be alright?"

"Yes, let's get her home. Grab my shoulder."  I squeeze Elena's shoulder to offer moral support. Elena closes her eyes understanding my gesture and takes the three of us back to the hotel room.

She lies Inara on the bed and makes her comfortable. I grab a towel and dry her off a little before covering her. "I'd take her to Amorous, but I don't have enough energy either.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Thank you, but no. We should both be fine by morning."

I watch as she lies down beside Inara and closes her eyes. I finally glance down at my soaked body. My clothes are ripped and filthy. I'm full of scratches and bruises from the climb. I peel the
wet clothes off in the bathroom and ease into the hot shower. My muscles are sore and I'm weak from the slow drain of adrenaline leaving my body. My hands begin to shake and my knees give out. I believe this is what’s known as shock.

I sit on the floor of the bathtub and let my body relax. I'm still visibly trembling minutes after, but I stand up and finish my shower. I'm careful getting out. That would be awesome if I have survived all that I have, only to slip and crack my head open while my two guards were out cold for the night. 

I emerge from the bathroom feeling better but ready for bed. I leap out of my skin when I see a man in my room. Elena jolts her head up, looks at the man and plops her head back down. Oh, that's freaking great Elena.

"Whoa, easy I'm a Keeper. I'm taking the night shift while they recover. Names Mac."

"Mac?"

"Short for Macmillan, sorry to scare you." I observe him for a moment not sure I completely trust his story. He looks to be about six foot with a slight build. His brown eyes smile without his lips following making him appear more trustworthy. His hair is long and shaggy sort
of like how Sam wears it.

"It's okay
, you wouldn't be the first to scare me and I'm sure you won't be the last."

His shoulders move like he's just laughed, but he didn't make a sound. "I know you need to get some rest. Would you prefer it if I was out of sight?"

I nod and he smiles warmly before letting himself into the bathroom. What a bad day. I hope things can only get better from now on. Sam sends me a text as soon as I'm under the covers. It's a picture of the, "Hang in there" kitten. If he only knew I could have played the role of that kitten today.

I text back,
Thanks, I'll try, but I had such a hard day
. My phone rings two seconds later, he's calling.

"Hey, what happened?"

His voice is full of concern. Which doesn't help me feel any better. I hate that he’s such a great boyfriend, because I hate that I was stupid enough to let him go, knowing full well we'd be happy together. The pain I've inflicted rips through my gut every time I hear his voice.

"I had a co-worker try and get me in trouble today. I had no choice but to turn the tables." I glance over to the bed with my two weak and wounded Keepers. Vindictive co-works are the least of my problems
, but I had to tell him something.

"I bet there's a lot of that that goes on in that world. Are you sure that's the right line of work for you?"

"Why, because I'm so sweet and innocent?" I ask and he laughs out.

"You, sweet and innocent? Hell no. I meant because of how low some people will sink to get what they want."

"Yes, people don't care how they take you down as long as they get a leg up. This girl stole my flash drive. I got it back without her knowing, but then I pretended I had lost it and that I was likely to get fired. I even cried. She quit after lunch."

"Dam, remind me never to get on your bad side, babe."

"I will, except now I'm stuck with half of her work load. So I think she got the better deal in the long run."

"I'm sorry your day sucked. On a brighter note. Clancy just produced a foal that is going to put the ranch back on the map. Dad wants me to train him to be Olympic worthy for dressage. He'll be worth a pretty penny by the time I'm through. 

"Aw how cute you have to send me a picture. What's his name?"

"He doesn't have one yet, any suggestions are welcome." My phone buzzes and I see he's sent a picture of the baby horse. He's jet black just like his father with a white blaze running down his face. Perfect markings for a high end dressage Friesian. I don't really know how I know this but I do.

"How about, Amorous Night Fury?"

"You know what? I think that fits him because he is a hellion on wheels."

"Maybe you should name him Brennen then."

"I think you may be right on that account too," he chuckles.

"I"m going to hit the pillow babe, but thanks for talking to me tonight. It helped just to hear your voice."

"Anytime. Glad I could help. Goodnight Amorous Night Fury. I love you."

"Bite me, I love you too." I retort and he laughs before hanging up. I try and block out the crappy day from my mind and focus on Sam's goodnight so I can get some sleep, but every time my eyes drift shut, piercing blue eyes stab me with their love. It's starting to get irritating, it's almost three in the morning and I have to be focused and alert at work in four hours.

"Um, Mac?" I call out and he emerges from the bathroom looking totally refreshed and alert. How do they do that? If I had been holed up in a hotel bathroom for hours I would come out looking like yesterday’s newspaper.

"Need some help getting to sleep?" I nod wearily wondering how he knew. Of course I probably look like I feel, and worse.

"What is it you would tell Elijah he smelled of?"

"I don't know. That's an odd question."

"Never mind I apologize for bringing it up."

"No I want to know. You must know they altered my memories."

He shifts on his legs and hesitates before sitting on the end of my bed.

"Elijah used to talk about you all the time. So I suppose I feel like I already know you. Pancakes dripping with syrup, bacon and sea air. That's what he said. I always thought that was an odd combination. One girl I used to guard needed Old Spice, coffee and dog. That was the strangest and most pungent fragrance yet, but it would relax her every time."

“My
dad would make homemade pancakes from scratch and maple cured bacon. That is what our house in San Diego would smell like every Sunday. We lived on the beach so the air always had a briny scent."

"Alright then
, close your eyes, and think of home," he says calming his voice so it’s soft and velvety. The sound of waves brushing over the shore emerges into the room. The waves sound far away. The gentle hiss of the ocean releasing its breath onto the sand makes me feel right at home.

Mac starts pumping in the scent and it triggers a memory of the last time I must have smelled it. I was in Elijah's arms but I can't place the time or setting. A radiant warmth begins to flo
od my body from the inside out, like I can feel his love even when he's not here. Rather than dismiss the feeling, I harness it, and let it trickle down deep inside my veins.

"Mac, what did you do to her, induce a coma?" I hear Elena's voice as I begin to stir early the next morning.

"Go away. I need more sleep."

"You've been asleep for twelve hours. Time to get up," Elena is quick to retort.

What the heck? My eyes jolt open upon hearing this. I grab my phone and confirm it’s three in the afternoon.

"How could you let me sleep this late? I'll be fired."

"I already called the office as you. I explained you had to do research for the education project outside of the office today and you'd be in later this afternoon.  Linda was more than okay with it. Apparently Burkes was thrilled with the work you turned in yesterday."

"He should be, I've already shaved a grand off the per student allocation by going paperless and bookless."

"A bookless school?"

"E-books. Each student has their own tablet assigned to them at the beginning of the school year.  They take tests on it, study, etcetera and email homework in. And it's all still cheaper than paper and books. Plus kids love electronic devices." I bought Sam's sisters both tablets for their birthday and I haven't seen their faces since.

"Well at least Virginia will save a few trees."

"Try a lot of trees, pollutants and oil."