Sunshine: Tales of an Assassin

Chapter Fifteen

***Lydia's POV***

    I'd made Kai work researching information in tomes that were brought to us from the library here, while I worked and got updates, not only on current missions that were running, but also from various other people that were making plans.  

    While I'd gotten Nathanial off with Katrina to handle collecting Gabriel, I'd had more feedback from one of the other stooges, Nicholas and the i***t witch had gone silent for the moment.  Alexander had wanted help with the hunters, and how they had gotten their hands on those weapons, which I was hoping I'd have more answers tonight.

    "Lydia, this may be something of interest, there is a slight passage here on some other Guardians."  Kai had called out, and while I wanted to know what it was, I couldn't leave what I was doing at the moment to go over.

    "I'm going to have to ask you to read it for me, and maybe it will help us both."  I sighed a little looking at the latest reports.

    "Guardians have always had a few things in common that happen showing them to be different, first and foremost, there are usually different events that will happen triggering the first of their powers to manifest, and what we have seen for the most part historically, the younger they are, the stronger their power is.  Another way of that we have seen may be a way to measure their overall power, is the number of partners that they are paired with, there is a unique aspect though that we have seen, should one of their partners not accept the Guardian, they are usually replaced by another, and never the same race as the one that rejected the bond, not much can be said for those that reject the bond though, as they seem to disappear from all records.  A good way to compare strengths of Guardians would be to look at the cases of Evan Sanderson, and Nickolette Guether.  Stories of these two were told from over 500 years apart, and while Evan and his three partners took on a series of dark cults working to raise one of the dark gods, with all unfortunately loosing their lives in the process, Nickolette was rumored to have actually fought one of the lesser dark goddesses, and while she herself did not survive the battle, nor did two of her partners, three others did, and the three survived longer than most who have lost their life partner, having still had their bonds with each other to help pull them through long enough to complete a last wish of Nickolette.  Legends stated that they were to each complete a book or diary of a sorts to help the partners of future guardians to adjust to what would happen to them, as Nickolette had written one for a future Guardian, and that they were to be stored together, though no one has been able to locate and verify that such books exist.  Perhaps, if such books had existed, Evan and his partners may have survived their battle."  Kai finished reading, looking thoughtful.

    "Useful knowledge now, though now that I hear the names, I recall more on hearing the story of Evan at some point, though I'd thought that Guardian was a title not a race that just randomly appears at times."

    "Lydia, how old was Katrina when you started watching her?  Are you sure there were no prior events before that time?"  Kai was watching me, his face thoughtful, and I knew that our earliest knowledge of her gifts was from when she was around five years old, but the thought of her potentially having gifts before that made even my blood run cold.

    "Five, and we didn't check any time before then, no one would expect a human child to even have her gifts at five, let alone younger.  We also thought that she was capped at four potential mates before I talked to your mother, you are the fifth, but I don't know for sure if that is the end or if someone else will show up."

    Lydia we have a new unexpected development.  Katrina can talk to Nathanial's beast, and he even provided her a name to call him.

    I was glad I was sitting down at the moment, I'd worked with enough shifters to know that most of the time the human and the beast communicated in general emotions, rarely words, but beyond that, when it came to communicating with another, it was human to human and beast to beast.  To the best of our knowledge, Katrina didn't have any inner beasts for one to communicate with.

    "Lydia, I don't know who just told you what, but that shade of pale is not becoming on you.  Is this something related to Katrina, if not, I'll leave you be and continue searching."

    "She's on her way in to report, and evidently, she is able to communicate with Nathanial's panther directly without him having to translate."

    "That's rather unique...perhaps another talent awakening?"  Kai seemed thoughtful.  

    "Maybe, or maybe it's something all shifter do have the potential to do, though their beasts do not wish to do so."

    "Unfortunately that is not something I can help you test, dragons, while we can shift to a human form, are still dragons, we are not two beings in one body, but perhaps Matthew may be able to test this with her."  I was mildly surprised at what Kai said, having always thought that the dragons were the same as the other shifters.

    "Perhaps, we will see how she is doing first, then see what to do." 

    With that, I heard a knock on the door, followed shortly there after by Matthew, Katrina, and what I could only assume was Nathanial in panther form.  Nathanial paused for a moment, watching Kai cautiously, while Kai just looked back without backing down, but without aggression or dominance.  Katrina went to her normal seat to report in, while Kai broke the staring contest with the panther, shrugging but looking over Katrina as if checking for injury and her state of being.

    "We were able to catch several people, including Gabriel and another warlock, the second warlock should be willing to talk pretty quickly."  Even worn out she had a bit of a grin, while Nathanial huffed at her and settled his head on her lap, which Katrina stroked while she talked.  "There were also twelve innocents that were there, four males that may not know much, but the eight females are all others of some kinds, and may be able to provide more information."

    "Excellent, were you able to extract any information from the computers for me?"  I had to ask, and hope that I'd have something to get that big bad wolf to stop huffing and puffing at my door, he couldn't blow it down, but he could give me a headache if he caused too much noise.

    "Yes ma'am."  Katrina pulled two USB keys from her dress, and when she went to stand to hand them to me, the panther rumbled slightly causing her to look down at him and frown.  Matthew just chuckled and took the two from her handing them to me as she continued to have a silent argument with the panther which she appeared to be loosing at the moment.

    "Well done, I'll hear the rest of your report in one moment after some of this loads."  Katrina just nodded for a moment, and I focused on my computer while everyone was silent for the time.  Only a few moments had passed when Matthew huffed out a small laugh causing me to look up.  Katrina was out cold in the chair, the girl could literally sleep anywhere.

    "Perhaps you'll have to wait for her report until tomorrow Lydia, she let loose two waves of electric energy without touching anything and did them both rapidly while covering the entire building."  I nodded and rubbed my neck.

    "I think we could all use some sleep.  Nathanial, we'd be happy to offer you a room-"

    "Perhaps he can share the suite I am in, he can take either the bed or the couch, I can sleep on whichever one he doesn't want.  I have a feeling he will not be comfortable unless he is near her, you placed me in the rooms next to hers, which is close while still giving her space since she is not awake to give her permission for anyone to stay in her room."  Kai it seemed was not only going to be open minded about sharing, he was also finding ways to try and ease the road for the others.

    Nathanial looked Kai over, then nodded finally moving away from Katrina enough for someone else to get near her.  Kai walked over, lifting her up bridal style and started carrying her. 

    "Go Matthew, get the doors for them, and try to keep the paths cleared, I'm not ready to answer any questions yet and I need to take a look at this information before I call it a night.  Make sure they all have whatever they may need."

    With that said, I turned back to my computer, looking at the information in front of me, not only planning what to do with it, but also how to test some of these new changes to what Katrina could do, I only wish I had a way to plan for any other guests that might start showing up, at this rate, I was going to have to take them away from the center and find a house nearby to put them all in, otherwise, it was soon going to start raising questions.

*******

***Kai's POV***

    "Matthew, if it isn't too much to ask, would you mind having someone bring some food for us, and I am betting a change of clothing for our friend here."  I felt comfortable asking Matthew, as I had spent the better part of the day working with him and felt he would be better able to find someone to help in this case.

    "Of course Kai.  I'm sorry I didn't actually think of that, since my head has been  temporarily fried by the latest development."

    I couldn't help but chuckle a little, knowing that it wouldn't wake Katrina, she was out cold, the woman needed someone to watch over her as it seemed she was the type that would run herself to the ground too often.  Nathanial let out a soft rumble, but it didn't seem to be one of displeasure, more his way of currently thanking Matthew as well I would assume.

    As we reached the suites that were assigned to myself and Katrina, I waited for Matthew to open the door, but once it was opened a crack, Nathanial was in, looking around before releasing a long low growl. I scented something off as well, and a strong urge to keep Katrina out of the room.  Matthew paused, sniffing as well, though faint to my nose there was a scent that was off, partly unnatural, partly edging towards darkness, but not within yet.  Nathanial growled again, more agitated, then huffed, and I felt the nudge of someone requesting to speak.

    Dragon, my human and I have smelled this before, but it was different before, I can't place the difference or where I smelled it, but I don't trust this.  Someone has been in here that shouldn't.  We cannot leave her here defenseless. The voice was irritated, but I think it was based on other things rather than being mad at me for nothing.

    Panther, I agree, and was trying to analyze it but I think we need to regroup and think away from eyes.  It looks like we will be fighting over the coach as she will get the bed.  I responded back, and noted that the panther kept his head slightly lowered, while all cat shifters were proud creatures that I could respect, his calling me "dragon" was something I could not let slide.

    No insult meant, I have already understand that I must share, though it doesn't sit well with me or my human yet, and the day has been long.  

    "Matthew, a change in plan, as something unexpected has come up, is there perhaps any mats you could send to my room to make a floor more comfortable to sleep on?  Extra blankets and pillows would not be a terrible idea as well."

    "Keep your voices down so you don't wake her, and remember what I said about her in the morning, she's likely to be worse than normal.  I'll take care of getting what is needed, for all of you."

    Matthew opened my door before just ambling away muttering under his breath about finding out what  happened, while I carried Katrina into the room with the bed, covering her up before closing the door and looking at the panther again.

    "Since I'm assuming you tried reaching the bear first and failed, it would seem you are one of the others that will be around, I'd assume this is as good a time as any to get to know each other." I looked at the panther that was currently looking back at me slightly annoyed.  "After we get some clothing for you and you can shift back that is.  I'm sure your as tired or more so than I am, but I've got reasons for wanting to get to know you, and I'll do what I must to protect her, as it seems you will as well."

    All I got was a rumble of approval and knowing that I was going to have to wait for the supplies to show up before he would talk to me more.