Never Let You Fall (The Prophecy of Tyalbrook) (12 page)

“What do you mean you
had
a plan? Why can’t we go through with it now?”

“Look, Xander…There are things…things I haven’t even told you…Wait, hold up,” he ordered. He stiffened and grabbed my arm as we rounded the corner of one building and entered into the parking lot of our hotel.

The way his muscles tensed up caused my heart to stutter and I immediately launched myself at Skye, dragging her quickly under the cover of the building. I placed my finger over my lips, silently begging for her silence, and I let my senses roam out as Rioden had; searching for what he had sensed.

“Whoa,” I muttered, as a powerful amount of energy hit me. I could tell that there were Semvon nearby, but I sensed there was something else, too.

I looked over at Rioden, standing at the corner of the building and still tensed to do battle, and I edged up to him to get some answers.

“Xander - you listen to me now and don’t argue, got it?” he barked, his eyes still watching the hotel.

“Ri, what’s going on?” I asked, and his hand darted out and grasped my arm tightly as he repeated himself; his voice tight. “Do NOT argue with me, Xander.”

I relented and he continued. “You’re gonna take my car, and then you and Skye will head west to the mountains. In my glove box you’ll find a name and a phone number. Call it and tell her who you are…she knows the truth about everything and she’ll give you directions. Got it?”

“What? No, Ri! I’m not leaving you! What’s going on? We can take them!”

I pulled my arm from his grip and tried to look beyond the building, but his large frame blocked my way. He immediately pushed me against the brick façade, and pulling close to my ear, he forced me to listen.

“Xander, you
will
go! I’m protecting you, and I’m protecting Skye.
You’re
the important ones here, and you
must
get home, Xander. There is something stronger at work here than just the Semvon…” He pulled back and leveled his face with mine, whispering, “McClintock has men here - I can feel it - and you must go NOW!”

“Okay! Where’s your car?” I asked. I tried to keep calm, even as the fear of losing the only family I had left in this world was beginning to eat at me.

“It’s three blocks south. The keys are where they always are.”

Looking to Skye he added, “Skye, listen to Xander, please. Without question.”

I glanced over to see that Skye had sunk down to the ground against the wall next to me. Her face was pale as she shook her head and started to pull herself up.

“Go. I will be in touch soon. I promise, Xander,” Rioden vowed, and then pushed me forward and turned back towards the hotel.

Whirling quickly, I grabbed Skye’s hand and pulled her along; keeping one hand in my jacket, wrapped about my dagger in case of danger.

“Come on! His car is down a few blocks and we need to hurry.”

“Xander, what is he doing? What’s wrong?” she asked, as she practically ran to keep up with me, her hand squeezing mine tightly.

After a moment my hand was yanked backwards, and Skye stood there in the street, mulishly looking at me. I glared at her questioningly and she began to verbally flay me. “Xander! What is he doing? Where are we going?”

“He’s trying to protect us Skye! Protecting YOU! We need to go
now
before they find us!” I snapped. I continued to try pulling her along, but she wasn’t having it.

“No! You can’t just leave him there to fight those things by himself! Go help him!”

“Damn it, Skye! He told me to
leave
. You heard him, and he also told you to listen to me and you said you would. We have to go NOW! There aren’t just Semvon back there, but men - trained men - and I…” The truth crashed down, causing my shoulders to fall as I admitted the truth to her. “Skye, I don’t think I can win against them. That’s why he wants us to run.”

Her eyes widened at my revelation, and she abruptly turned around and ran back towards the hotel. I seized her before she could get but a few feet away, and she yelled at me; jerking wildly.

“No! I’m not going to let him risk his life for me, Xander! I’m not worth it! Please, let’s just go get him and run away together! Please!” she cried as tears sprang to her eyes.

I cradled her face in my hands and stepped in closer to her. “That’s the last time you’re gonna say you’re not worth it, do you understand me, Skye? You are worth everything -
everything
- that has been done for you or will ever be done for you. You are everything…”

My emotions got the best of me and I heard my voice crack, as I peered into her eyes and willed her to understand me. To see how much I loved her. She tried to shake her head no, but I tightened my grip and held her head still; shaking mine ‘yes’ back at her.

I rubbed my thumb along her bottom lip and forged on. “Skye, I can’t breathe when you aren’t near me. I need you with me, and I need to protect you. Please come with me…because while I’m willing to go back there and fight to save Ri, I’m
not
willing to let anything happen to you. And if something happens to me, then no one can save you. Let me save you, Skye. Let me, please…?” I trailed off.

She closed her eyes briefly, and lifted her hand to cover mine on her cheek. Ever so slowly, she turned her face and pressed a soft kiss to my palm, before lacing her fingers through mine and speaking. “Let’s go. You can tell me the plan in the car.”

Running south away from the hotel, I kept my senses up and tried to feel for anything out of the ordinary coming our way. I was born with the innate ability to sense the presence of evil or magic. It was a gift that all Guardians were born with, and one that we must continually refine. Unfortunately, I'd had limited training here on Earth, which put me at a distinct disadvantage when I tried to scope out humans who used magic or were surrounded by magic.

I couldn’t help but worry as we raced down the street that I wouldn’t be able to sense McClintock’s warriors. When I finally spotted the car just three spots away, relief washed over me.

"Skye, stay by my side when we reach the car."

I pulled her towards the rear of the SUV and ducked down to feel under the bumper for the key box.

"Um, Xander?" Skye whispered as she nudged my shoulder; her voice laced with fear. "I think someone is coming."

"Shoot," I growled as I continued to search.

Skye leaned down and quickly tried to help.

"Here! Here it is," she choked out, as she flipped open the lid on the little black box and handed me the key.

I stole a peek around the tail end of the SUV, just in time to catch a glimpse of a large man standing back at the corner where we had stood with Rioden, only moments ago. He looked to be doing surveillance, and when he started to turn our way, I ducked back behind the car again. Skye knelt beside me, her eyes wide.

"So, here's the deal. We’re going to crawl over to the passenger side, and then you’re going to climb into the back seat. Lay down on the floor board. I'll jump into the front and try to crawl behind the wheel." I peeked around the bumper again. "Hurry! His back is turned."

Skye crawled stealthily beside me, and when I pressed the unlock button I reached up and wrenched the door open. Keeping one eye on the warrior I gave more orders to Skye.

"Here - crawl up and take the key."

"What? Why?" she sputtered, but she took the key and slid into the back and stayed down. Her rear end stuck up slightly as she attempted to squeeze herself onto the floor board. Ignoring the pleasant vision, I issued the final orders, just in case.

"I'm going to crawl in, but if something happens, you have the key. You start the car and go, okay? When you get down the road a ways, open the glove box and call the person listed on the paper."

Hearing her mumble 'okay' I shut the door with a quiet click, and then ducked down again as two Semvon joined the man standing watch.

Anger tore through me as I stood there. Half of my brain was screaming to go get Rioden, to help him. The other half warned me to get in the car. As the three turned away slightly, I did my duty and launched myself into the SUV.

I pulled the door closed and yelled at Skye as I maneuvered myself into the driver’s seat.

"Give me the key!"

Skye's hand popped up between the seats as she held the key out for me. A smile crossed my lips, even as my heart pounded out such a frantic rhythm that I thought it would jump out of my chest. I cranked the car, put the gearshift in reverse and backed out slowly, trying not to draw attention to our vehicle.

As we started to make our first right hand turn, I spotted several more Semvon as they raced around the corner and headed in the opposite direction from where we had been. I silently prayed that they were still chasing Rioden, because that would mean that he was still safe.

Skye

Every time Xander made a left hand turn, my head would press painfully up against the door in the backseat. After the third time, I decided to remind him that I was still folded up awkwardly on the floor.

"Um, Xander?" I called, trying to sound pleasant. It wasn’t an emotion I was feeling at the time, but I tried to stay calm as I muttered, "Do you think I can get up now?"

"Oh, crap! Yes, Skye – please sit up! I didn't mean for you to stay down for so long," he insisted.

My ass was probably the only thing he could see as I scooted, twisted and turned my way into a sitting position. Sitting against the back seat I started to pull the seatbelt across my chest, when I noticed Xander's eyes watching me in the rear view mirror.

"Climb up here," he offered, while his eyes flitted between the road and my face.

"Are you sure?" I was still very much aware of the danger we were in.

"Sure,
now
you want to listen to me!" he laughed, and I fixed him with my best glare at the jest. "Yes, I'm sure. I want you close to me," he added solemnly, and then moved his eyes back to the road.

Slightly mollified by his remark, I flung my left leg over the seats and climbed over. My rear was practically sitting on his head as his hand reached out to steady me; grasping my thigh and then my left butt cheek. Of course I realized that he was just trying to keep me from falling into him, but I still couldn’t help the little inward squeal I made at the feel of his hand on my butt.

"Sorry," he offered, although the smirk that crossed his face left me highly doubtful of his sincerity.

I was finally able to finagle myself into the seat, and I strapped the seatbelt across my chest. I finger-combed my long hair and secured it with the rubber band I always kept on my wrist; pulling it into a loose knot on my head.

Sighing, I turned towards Xander and tucked my left foot under me, ready to finally hear some answers.

"What's next?"

His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter and he looked over at me. His mouth was tight and his posture was one of resignation as he admitted, "Now I tell you the plan."

TEN - THE PLAN

Skye

The plan
. Those two words filled me with enough fear to just about send me flying back to the floorboard. I nodded my head slowly and waited for him to begin.

‘I'm a freaking idiot’ was playing on repeat through my head. What was I even
doing
here? Two nights ago, I had been a normal teenage girl walking out the door on her way to a party. Now look at me! I was on the run from demons and warriors. I couldn’t believe that just meeting this beautiful boy had flipped my mundane little world until it was barely recognizable.

"First, can you check the glove box and see what’s in there?" Xander asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I actually jumped back a little when I popped the glove box open, which caused Xander to snicker at me. "What did you think was going to jump out at you?"

"These days I have no idea," I retorted, as I pulled out the single envelope that lay in the glove box. It was sealed and thin, and couldn’t have held more than a sheet of paper, as light as it felt.

"Looking for this?" I questioned, and I held it up for him to see.

"Yeah, I think so." His voice wavered and I found myself studying his profile; trying to get an idea for what was going on in his head.

"Open it up."

"Really?" I asked, with trepidation dripping in my voice. "You're actually going to let me in?"

His hand ran through his hair - I
loved
that - and he sighed. "Skye, I've kept you out of the loop for as long as I have so that I could keep you safe, not because I wanted to. We’re in this together now."

My heart leapt. He was right…we were in this, whatever it was, together. I tore open the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper with a name and number. That was it? I flipped it over. Nothing.

"This is it. The name ‘Selene’ and a number," I said softly.