The Prophecy (The Guardians) (13 page)

“Listen,” Gabe tried again to gain her attention.
 
“There is a good chance Baal’s armies won’t find us here.
 
They haven’t yet, so it seems reasonable to think that will continue.
 
But you have to understand something; as long as you’re here, you are only protected by me.
 
At Iron Gate there is a good chance you could be detected, but on the other hand you would be protected by an army of Guardians.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Rachel chimed, waving her hand in a dismissive way at Gabe’s warning.

“Rachel!” Gabe raised his voice, determined to get her attention.
 
“I mean it.
 
If they find us, I probably won’t be able to keep you safe.”

“Gabe, I get it.
 
I have been here with you for months, I trust you.
 
I’m sure these other people are great, but they are strangers to me.
 
I would much rather be here alone with a friend than protected by an army of strangers.
 
I know I must seem crazy.”

“Not really, I get it.”
 
Gabe’s heart felt like it grew three times its natural size when she referred to him as a friend.
 
He had treated her with such reckless regard, he thought for sure she had a hidden disdain for him.
 
Her confession that she felt safe with him made him smile, though he tried to resist the urge.

“Can we not talk about this anymore?” Rachel asked.
 
“I was thinking of jarring some preserves today, what do you think?
 
I even thought we could take some to town eventually for trade.”

“That’s a great idea, I’ll watch.” he replied with a devilish grin.

“I don’t think so.
 
You get to march your butt to town and get me some jarring equipment.” Rachel instructed.

“Nah, sounds like too much work.
 
How about we go swimming instead?” Gabe grinned, the idea of Rachel’s wet body pleasing him.

“You’re incorrigible.” Rachel laughed.

“I try.”

The afternoon sun was high in the sky; Gabe raised a hand to shield his eyes from the rays.
 
He had noticed some time ago that Rachel had headed off in the direction of the nearby brook.
 
Not wanting to seem as though he was obsessed with her activity, he had not followed.

Something had been off about Rachel all day though.
 
She had barely spoken at breakfast; Gabe could tell whatever was on her mind was weighing heavily.
 
He worried she might be reconsidering her choice to stay in the valley with him.

Enough time had passed since she left his sight that Gabe decided it would simply be prudent of him to go and check on her.
 
Ensuring her safety after being absent for such a lengthy amount of time couldn’t possibly be misconstrued.

“Rachel?” he called out as he approached the clearing near the brook.
 
When he emerged from the tree line he caught a glimpse of her.
 
She seemed so peaceful, sitting along the water’s edge, running her fingers through the lush blades of grass.
 
Turning around at the sound of her name, Rachel half smiled as she watched Gabe approach.

“Hey Mr., what are you up to?” she asked turning to stare at the water some more.

“Looking for you, actually.” Gabe replied taking a seat next to her relaxed body.

“Oh yeah?
 
What’s up?” Rachel inquired.

“Nothing really.
 
I guess I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“Yup, I’m fine.” Rachel answered, without shifting her gaze.

“Can I say something?” Gabe asked politely.

“I don’t know, can you?” Rachel smiled, pleased with her snarky response.

Gabe took it as a good sign that she was cracking a joke.
 
No matter how much he dreaded the conversation and that the result may reveal that she wanted to leave the valley, he hated seeing her this way more.
 
“I don’t want to make you mad or anything, but I have noticed that you haven’t seemed like yourself for that past few days.”

“Who do I seem like?” Rachel continued with the jokes.

“I’m trying to be serious here, is something wrong?” Gabe asked, staring intensely at her as he waited for an answer.

“It’s silly, nothing to worry about.” Rachel replied.

“Please?” Gabe continued to push.

“Fine, I’m a reader.” Rachel said as if Gabe should understand somehow what that meant.

“Okay, and is that supposed to mean something?”

“I love to read —” Rachel continued.
 
“You know, books.
 
I used to read anything I could get my hands on.”

Gabe furrowed his brow; he wondered if Rachel were speaking in a cryptic code he was not aware of.
 
Somehow the fact that she liked to read books was making her sad.
 
“I’m sorry, I’m still not getting it.”

Rachel looked up at Gabe; she could see in his eyes that his concern was sincere.
 
She smiled softly, doing her best to explain her dilemma.
 
“You like to create stuff, right?
 
Like drawing or sculpting.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Gabe replied.

“Imagine all the tools you needed to create your masterpieces with were unavailable to you.
 
The thing you love to do, the thing that helps you relax, it’s suddenly gone.
 
There isn’t exactly a corner library around here if you catch my drift.
 
I guess I’m just missing it.”

Gabe said nothing, just stared ahead of him.

“See, I knew it sounded silly.” Rachel added.

“No, that’s not it.” Gabe scoffed.

“Then what?”

“I’m just wondering if I have some strange attraction to women who love books, Sophie was a book worm too.” Gabe said, remembering Sophie’s love of the library at Rampart Manor.

“You have an attraction to me?” Rachel smiled as the question slipped past her lips.

“What?
 
Oh— Yeah sure, whatever helps you sleep at night.” Gabe tried to lessen the blow of his statement with his callous response, unable to stop the involuntary blushing that was happening to his cheeks.

“Oh, Gabe, really?”

“What?” Gabe yelped.

“I’m a girl; it’s not that hard to tell when a guy likes you.
 
It’s no big deal.” Rachel’s response surprised him.

“Seriously?
 
You’re a bit over confident, aren’t you?” Gabe asked looking at Rachel, careful not to allow his gaze to linger too long though.

Rachel leaned in close on the hand that rested between them, her face hovering only inches away from his.
 
He could smell the Jasmine she used in the water that she washed her hair with.
 
Her tongue slipped briefly from her mouth, moistening her full lips.
 
Though he tried not to stare, he couldn’t look away, breathless he was consumed by her beauty.

“Am I confident, or am I right?” Rachel whispered, not budging.

Gabe’s stomach dipped with the sensation that he were on a roller coaster.
 
Rachel’s face was now bathed in the soft glow of the late afternoon sun.
 
Their hearts beat heavily and with each passing second, quickened in pace.
 
Rachel’s confident stare quickly turned to one of helpless desire.
 
As he drew closer her eyes closed, lips parting slightly.
 
Each second that passed before their lips touched felt like an eternity.

At last his warmth brushed up against her.
 
Placing a hand on the small of her back, Gabe pulled her in tight, pressing passionately against her.
 
As he did so, Rachel lost all composure and began to tremble in delight.
 
She moaned softly.
 
Gabe’s muscular physique had not gone unnoticed by her since she had arrived.
 
The time when he had been that cold and icy mystery to her was long gone.

She had not given much consideration to his flirtations up until that point, assuming they were just that, simply flirtations.
 
Ever since the night Uri had returned and Gabe asked her to stay with him rather than go to Iron Gate, he had behaved differently towards her, more tenderly.
 
In the moment, there by the water, contemplating the idea that her end may be near; realizing she would likely never experience the simple pleasures life had to offer, such as a good book, she wanted to feel something.
 
Feel just one of those pleasures slipping away from her, not caring what it might mean for their friendship.

She felt his wet tongue slip past her lips, intertwining with hers until there was no distinguishing which belonged to whom.
 
Rachel arched her back, pushing herself deeper into his grasp.
 
If she could have melted into him and become one, she would have.

Feeling the thirst for her lips somewhat quenched, Gabe pulled back.
 
He stared at Rachel who said nothing in response.
 
He cupped her chin, stroked her hair gently, and pulled her close to plant a kiss on top of her head.
 
Rachel turned and pressed her body into Gabe’s shoulder.
 
They laid back on the ground to watch the sun dance across the leaves above their heads, Gabe’s arm firmly wrapped around her.

“What are we doing?” Gabe whispered.

“I don’t know.” Rachel replied shortly, hoping Gabe would reveal more of what he was thinking.

“I’m supposed to be the protector.
 
How can I be getting involved with you?” Gabe said almost as if he were questioning himself.

Rachel was fed up with being hunted and being robbed of her life.
 
She decided she had had enough.
 
“Gabe, do you like me?
 
It’s as simple as that.
 
Do you like me?”

Gabe said nothing, contemplating the question and what it could mean for them both if he answered it honestly.
 
“I think I could love you, and it scares the hell out of me.”

“Just stop!
 
Stop worrying about what might happen one day because of this ridiculous prophecy.
 
I like you, a lot.
 
I don’t know, maybe I could be falling in love with you too.
 
All I know is right now, right here, this feels good.” Rachel said, and then smiled slightly before closing her eyes, nuzzling in close to the man who had made her feel something she hadn’t in a long time.

Gabe took in a deep breath, closing his eyes as well.
 
He envied Rachel and her ability to live so care free.
 
So much time had passed since he left Rampart Manor.
 
He left there a boy, full of hurt and hate.
 
He let the world harden him, make him bitter and angry.
 
Rachel took that pain away somehow, revealing a piece of his humanity he thought he had lost a long time ago.

This moment may have been all there was for them.
 
They may get up from under those trees and never again speak to each other of the kiss they shared.
 
He didn’t know what was in store for them, but they were content in just breathing in that moment.

Rachel awoke, the sunlight peeking through the cracks of the cabin wall.
 
Sitting up slowly she realized she was alone.
 
As she thought of Gabe and wondered where he could be, she couldn’t help but smile.
 
She envisioned his strong jaw, brilliant blue eyes, the way his lip curled slightly when he smiled.
 
Rachel wasn’t looking for love, but she had found life always seemed to work that way.

Gabe had been a mystery for her at first, she remembered the night she first arrived he hadn’t even seemed to notice her and then the attention seemed to shift into a mere annoyance.
 
It was obvious to her from the get go that Gabe was the guarded type.
 
When he yelled at her in the mines and basically abandoned her to fend for herself, she hated him.
 
She was prepared to write him off as a complete and total waste of a human being at that point.

She shuttered as a memory washed over her; that night months ago, when the sirens blared and his bludgeoned, unrecognizable body came crawling into camp.
 
She had come so close to not even meeting the real Gabe Harwood.
 
He could make her laugh until her sides ached.
 
He could tell stories that would make her toes curl.
 
Then there was his kiss, a spark when their lips first touched, which gave way to a softness that made her mind go numb, only to be awakened with the sharp passion of his tongue.
 
Rachel grabbed the edge of the table, her legs weak from the memory of the moment.

Even though Rachel was an outgoing and positive person, the type of individual people were drawn to, she was guarded when it came to love.
 
After her mom died she went into overdrive family mode.
 
She wanted to be everything her brother needed her to be.
 
Somehow, if she could help him to hurt a little less it would somehow lessen her own pain.
 
The few dates she did manage to find time for always seemed to be doomed from the start.
 
Perhaps it was the men she was choosing to go out with; she already knew it wouldn’t work when she picked them.
Is Gabe the same way?
 
Is it going to be over before it even begins?
She wondered.