Guardian of the Sacred Fire

Attack

            I stood on the shore line and let the warm waters run over my feet.  I had taken off my shoes and sock and rolled my slacks up to my knees.

            “Midael told me what happened.” Asherah said behind me.  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

            “I should be apologizing to you.” I said and turned to look at her.  Her large Sentinel was back a ways against a tree.

            “That is Bethor my Sentinel. He’s not as mean as he looks, but at being almost 8 feet tall and as big as an SUV he looks imposing.” I looked at Bethor; he had black hair and beady black eyes to match.  He was very tall and very muscular.  Like a body builder gone too far.

            “You haven’t met Beast then.” I said. It seemed like I conjured him because he came walking up behind us.

            “Midael needs you.” He said.

            “He is big.” Asherah said with a smile.

            “I’ll be back.” I said and started walking with Beast.  He looked down at me with a strange look in his eyes.

            “What?” I asked.

            “She came at the right time. You need another girl here.” He said.

            “I need someone my age, not a child.” I said.

            “Hop on.” He said and nodded for me to jump on his back.  He stooped down and I jumped on.  He stood up and continued to walk.  His strides were four of mine so the trip was quicker.  I thought he would go to the parlor but instead he went up the stairs.  He put me down at Midael’s bedroom door.

            “Do you know what it’s about?” I asked.

            “Nope.” He answered and knocked on the door.

            “Come in.” Midael’s voice answered.

            Beast opened the door for me. My mind went back to the conversation earlier about having s*x to gain power.

            I walked into Midael’s room and put my back against the wall as far away from him as possible.  The door closed and I heard Beast’s heavy footsteps leaving.

            “You needed me?” I asked.  “You could have gone to the parlor.”

Adrian came out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel.

            “What’s going on?” I asked.

            “It is as we feared; the Elders and Guardians are still lovers.  The only special case is Asherah since she is so young, but they had made other arrangements with her to share power.”

            “How so, and why can’t we do it that way?” I asked.

            “Well none of us want to open a vein and have you drink it. We thought this the lesser evil.” Adrian said.

            “She drinks blood?” I asked a little disgusted now.

            “Once a week until she turns 16.” Midael said.

Adrian walked up to me and took my hand. He led me away from the wall and towards the bed.  Midael climbed off the bed and went behind me.  He wore a black robe that stopped at his thigh.  His skin looked like it was glowing under the silk cloth.  His hands went to my hips and his lips brushed my neck.  I stiffened under his touch.  Adrian lowered his lips to mine and kissed me.  It was a little awkward to be between two guys.  My mother brought me up monogamous and this just felt wrong.  I felt teeth nibble at my neck and all thoughts vanished.

            Adrian unbuttoned my shirt as Midael undid my slacks.  His hand slid under my panties and I broke the kiss with Adrian with a moan.  Adrian backed away slowly and sat on the bed.  Midael’s hand moved up my stomach, over my bra, to my shoulders. He turned me around and slid my shirt off me.  My slacks had fallen down when he was moving up my stomach.  He kissed me with tongue and teeth that stole my breath.  He tasted like honey to me.

            Midael wasn’t as tall as Adrian so it wasn’t as awkward of a kiss for either one of us.  My hands ran through his oh-so-black hair.  I grabbed his hair and pulled him back and bit down into his neck.  He cried out and his fingers dug into my thighs.  I started to rub myself against him and he moved to the bed.  I untied the sash that held the robe together and it slid to the floor.  I gasped and saw three scars running down his chest similar to mine.  I traced the scars and he brought my attention back to what we were doing.  He snapped the side of my string bikini panties and threw the cloth to the floor.  Adrian was suddenly kissing me as Midael went to his knees between my legs.  His tongue licked along the line of my opening and Adrian ate my moans.  Midael found that spot that made noises come from my throat.  I felt that sweet weight begin to grow.  His fingers plunged inside me and that was all it took.  I broke Adrian’s kiss and screamed out in pleasure.  I clawed at the sheets and he kissed up my stomach.  He lifted me up enough to get my bra off.  He licked along the middle scar on my chest and put the tip of him against me.  He stood up and scooted us more on the over sized bed.  Adrian was suddenly at my head holding onto my wrists as Midael plunged into me.  I cried out as he met the end of me.  He was large but not as big as Adrian.  He began to move slowly as if he were afraid to hurt me.  He would pull out to the tip of him the push all the way back in.  His movement gradually sped up until I was continuously moaning out the orgasms.  He faltered over me and thrust a few more times before he released.

            The air was suddenly heavy enough I couldn’t breathe.  I saw as our auras meld like Adrian’s and mine had and I could breathe again.  They were right, it brought power. Midael collapsed beside me and Adrian let go of my wrists.

            “He not a fan of being clawed.” Adrian explained.

            I had closed my eyes for what felt like a brief second before I heard thunder in the distance.  I opened my eyes and noticed it was dark outside.  Adrian was asleep behind me, spooning me.  I had my arm across Midael’s chest.  The clock on the night stand read 3 a.m.  What had woke me up?  I sat up and felt stiff.   The men never stirred.  I climbed over Midael and almost fell off the bed.  I thought I had woken him but he never even moved.

            “Midael?” I patted his face.  Nothing.  I went around to Adrian and did the same.  Fear ran through me and I watched closely at their chests.  They were still breathing.  I went around and grabbed Midael’s robe. I slipped it on and walked out of the room.  The thunder was growing louder outside.  I walked down the steps, something made me want to go outside.  The large doors were open and I made my way to the stone steps outside.  We were close enough to the shore that I could see the choppy ocean between lightning flashes.

            Asherah stood near the shoreline without her Sentinel.  I went and stood beside her.

            “What’s happening?” she asked me.

            “I don’t know.” I answered.  She grabbed my hand and I squeezed it reassuringly.

            “If something happens, will you protect me?” she asked.  “Bethor wouldn’t wake up.”

            “I will.” I answered.  A green light flashed from the horizon to the sky.  I started backing up and I pulled her without me.  “Get back to the mansion.” I said.  A burst of energy knocked us down. “Run!” I yelled.  We were both sprinting now.  I made sure she reached the steps first.  Something screeched overhead.  I reached my hand up and shot fire at it.  I didn’t know I could do that.  I ran up the stone steps and slammed the doors behind us.  Something large slammed into it and Asherah screamed.

            “Guardians, come out to play.” I heard a voice on the other side of the door.  I grabbed the beam that barricaded the door and lifted it into the slots.

            “We have to protect the others.” Asherah said.

            “I know. But how all at once? I don’t know how toward the entire mansion by myself.” I admitted.

            “Neither do I.” she said.  We looked into each other’s eyes for a moment.  Here I was, intimidated by a ten year old and she had no more power than I did.

            “They all sleep on the same floor, if we can get them into one room, I can ward a room.” I said.

            “How are we going to get seven men into one room?”

            “Two are already in one, if we can get the other five.” I said.  I suddenly had an idea.  I sprinted toward the medical wing.  Six gurneys were against a wall.  I grabbed one and started rolling it down the hall.  Asherah jumped on and the first room that we stopped was Permaz.  I didn’t have time to look around since it was the first time I had ever seen his room.  I lifted him of the bed and put him on the gurney, he was going to be the lightest of the men, but he was still heavy.  I wheeled him down to Midael’s room.  I opened the door and wheeled him in.  I took him off the gurney and put him on the bed.  He was small enough to fit at the end of the bed.  Just hoped he wouldn’t roll over and fall off.  Honestly I thought that would be funny as hell.  I went back out with the gurney, Asherah stayed behind this time to scream if something happened.  I went to Oriel’s room which was the next closest.  His golden hair was sprawled across his fur blanket.  I found out he likes to sleep naked and on top of the covers.  I went to his bathroom and grabbed a towel and laid it on the edge of the bed.  I lowered the gurney to meet the bed and I rolled him.  He was heavy.  I dreaded when I got to Beast and Bethor.  I did the best I could and managed to get him on his side on the gurney.  I placed the towel over his waste to cover his genitals and I headed out the room.  Thunder shook the hallway.  I jogged with the gurney down to the open door and placed him by the bed.

            “I’ve got to go and get another gurney, I will be back.” I said.  I sprinted out of the room.  My side was starting to burn from all the sprinting. I reached the medical wing and grabbed another gurney and headed towards Bernael’s room.  I did the same with him that I did with Oriel.  Thank goodness he slept in pajamas.

The hall started shaking and I leaned against a wall to steady myself. It felt like a vertigo attack without being dizzy. I rolled another gurney into Bethor and Asherah’s room, he was sprawled across the large bed.  I lowered the gurney like I did the others and got on the bed and tried to roll him.  He wouldn’t budge.  My side was on fire and my face was beaded with sweat.

            “Need help?” A voice came. I jumped and nearly screamed.  Azrael stood there.  I watched him, but when I tried to focus on him he seemed to vanish.  He came over to my side and helped me push Bethor onto the gurney.  The gurney groaned under his weight.

            “I need to get Beast next.” I said quietly to the phantom.  I pushed Bethor into the room and went and got another gurney.  Beast was on his stomach.  Azrael helped me roll him onto the gurney.  I sat down on the edge of the bed to catch my breath.  I felt a hand on my cheek and I looked up at Azrael.  “Thank you.” I said quietly.  He nodded and vanished.

            I wheeled Beast down the hallway when I heard the scream.  I rushed now almost flipping the gurney and skid into the room.  Something with wings was clawing at the window.  I started to chant for a ward.  I went to each corner of the room and made symbols of runes with my hands.  It was part of the knowledge that Ariella left behind. She never learned how to ward large areas, so therefore I didn’t know how to either.  I collapsed on the floor as rain pounded on the roof.  Midael sat up.

            “What’s going on?” He asked.

            “No f*****g clue.” I said from the floor.  He clicked on the lamp beside him and I watched him look around.

            “You warded the room?” he asked.  “Asherah, can you turn around please?”

            “I did.” I answered as Asherah went to the window.  Midael got up and went to a dresser and pulled out pajama bottoms and slipped them on.  He went to my runes that were softly glowing red and added his own.  More of the men stirred.  Beast was the last one to wake up.  He was neither a Sentinel nor Elder, so he was the weakest of us.

            Permaz went to the bedroom door.  “They’re inside.” He said quietly.

            “If we stay in here we should be safe right?” Asherah asked. She was clinging on to Bethor.

            “We must fight.” Oriel said securing the towel around him.

            “I think it should be Anna’s call, she saved us all.” Adrian said.

            “I had help.” I said standing up.  “Azrael helped me.” They all stopped and looked at me then.

            “He’s here?” Oriel asked.

            “He helped me get Bethor and Beast in here.” I explained.  “But I couldn’t look at him, not directly. It was like he would vanish.”

            “He’s between the living and the dead.” Midael said. “He has yet to pass on.”

            “You must fight to protect Anna.” Azrael’s voice said.  “She is all that matters.”

            “You heard the man.” Beast said.

            “Agreed.” Permaz muttered.  He opened the door and was suddenly holding a battle axe.  He ran out of the room and we all hesitated.  Oriel soon followed after Bernael.

            “Stay here.” Bethor told Asherah.

            “You don’t have to fight; you are here to be protected.” Midael said.

            “I am a warrior; I have been for over 500 years. It’s in my blood.” He said and came up to me.  “Protect her, please.” He said.  I nodded and he turned and left.

            “Stay here Anna, if we fail the wards will protect you until morning when they will vanish.” Midael said and went to the door.  He looked back at me and I saw something in his moonlit eyes that I had never seen before.  Fear.  Adrian kissed my cheek and followed after him.

            “Stay here Anna, if we fail Anna…” I muttered to myself and punched the wall.

            “It’s not your fault.” Asherah said and went to close the door.

            “Try and sleep.” I told her as she climbed onto the bed.

            “Can you tell me a story to help me? Bethor has since I was two.”

            “What kind of story?”

            “Tell about what it was like before you came here.”

            “Boring.” I answered.

            “Tell me about your mother. My mom died when I was a baby.”

            “What about your father?” I asked.

            “He left.” She said quietly.

            “My mother is the strongest, most beautiful person in my world. She has been through a lot in her life.  She had my brother when she was 17 and me when she was 21.  My father and she didn’t get along to well and split up when I was 8. I lived with him until I was 17.  Thanks to my step mother I didn’t really have a relationship with her, but I did.  She became my best friend.”

            “What happened?”

            “I was attacked by a vampire and accidentally set my house on fire.  He died and they thought it was me.  My entire family thinks I’m dead and Midael thinks it’s for the best. So they won’t be in danger.”

            “Would you sacrifice your life for your mother?” Asherah asked her eyes intent on mine.

            “Without a second thought.” I said truthfully.

            “I would like to know that kind of love. The closest thing is Bethor, but he’s not motherly.”  She closed her eyes.

            “Can you sing to me?” she asked.

            “I’m not the greatest.”

            “I don’t care.”

            I sang what came to mind, it was one of my favorite songs my mother used to sing to me when I was four.  “Sleep, my babe, lie still and slumber, All through the night, Guardian angels God will lend thee, All through the night, Soft and drowsy hours are creeping, Hill and vale in slumber sleeping, Mother dear her watch is keeping, All through the night, God is here, you'll not be lonely, All through the night, 'Tis not I who guards thee only, All through the night

Night's dark shades will soon be over; still my watchful care shall hover,

God with me His watch is keeping, All through the night.” I continued to hum it until her breathing got deep.  She was so young.  I went to the window and seen the men fighting on the grounds.  I wished I could help them somehow.  I would have to wait until dawn to see if any remained alive.  I hated sitting around doing nothing but I had no choice.  If something broke through the wards Asherah was a goner.

            I laid next to the sleeping child and covered her up.  I could hear the screams of the winged beings and the men. I concentrated on the men, wanting to help them.  I prayed over and over again to a God I used to not believe in.  I asked to help them, to come back alive. I suddenly felt peaceful. Sleep dragged me under and I could not fight it.