Woman Beware (2 page)

He had said he was Garrick the Gatekeeper. He should have been called Garrick the Gorgeous. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to keep herself from staring at the poor man. It didn’t matter that she promised herself she wouldn’t get involved again. She wasn’t blind.

Garrick turned the device to look at the swirling colors and frowned. He shook it then looked at it again. “Ah,” he said with a smile. “There it is. Look again.” He held it up again. “This is what you should have seen before.”

Lena refused to look at it. She wasn’t buying into his strange fantasy. “I’ll bite. What’s it for?” she asked against her better judgment.

“The Fates gave it to me to help me with my tasks.” He frowned down at it again for a moment then looked up at her and grinned. “You really should look at it.”

It was all Lena could do to keep herself from melting into a puddle at his feet. It had been a long time since she’d had the undivided attention of a man. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever had the attention of any man
that
good looking before.

He shoved what he called the thread locator in her face, and she saw what appeared to be a photo of her with a man she had never seen before in her life. Below it was writing in a language she didn’t recognize and what appeared to be a jumble of multi-colored lines in a ball. The lines looked twisted and knotted together. It looked like something out of a science fiction show.

Her stomach churned with fear at the sight. “Stalk much?” She stepped back to the edge of the darkness. “Where did you get a picture of me?” She waved her hand toward the strange-looking device. “It’s obvious it’s been altered. I’ve never seen that man before in my life.”

“Of course you haven’t.” He tapped the screen of the device. “This is your ideal mate. He awaits you on a planet far away. He is defender of that world and will surely perish if he does not soon meet his mate.” He paused, most likely for effect. “
You
are his mate. It is my duty to send you to him.”

“
Right
.” Lena’s heart raced. The man was a lunatic! “Okay, let’s say you send me to his planet. What happens next?”

“I don’t know,” Garrick said with a shrug. “The Fates do not share everything with me. They only tell me what I need to know to help them set things right.”

“I’m not sure about you, but I’ve never been fond of a boss who says I have to do things on a need-to-know basis.” Lena crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one foot. “Maybe you should demand more information before you kidnap hapless victims for them.”

Lena didn’t believe his story for a minute, but she hoped to talk some sort of reason into him—at least enough to get him to let her go. Then, she could run to the police and give them his description. With luck, he’d be off the streets before daybreak.

“I have not kidnapped you. I am setting things right. You were never supposed to be on Earth. Somehow, your thread got mixed, tangled with another, and you were sent to Earth, while she was sent somewhere else.” He shook his head with a sigh. “You will see. You might not believe me now, but you will see as soon as I send you to Priska. Artu Traon is defender of that world. Once you are there, he will find you, that is certain.” Garrick patted her on the head. “Good journey, young one. From this day forward, may your fate forever be wondrous.”

Garrick glanced down at the device he held, reached up and touched the face with his finger.

Immediately, the world went dark before coming alive in another kaleidoscope of color and odd pixels. The strange pixels stacked back together, and she could see things around her.

Looking around, Lena felt her legs go weak. She stood on what appeared to be a footbridge very similar to the one she had run across nearly every day for the last year or so. Around her was grass as green as that on Earth and skies just as blue. What convinced her that she was no longer on her own planet were the strange animals that surrounded her. Each of them grew closer, while they growled and bared their pointed teeth. Either she
really
was on another planet, or she had gone over the edge into madness.

With a terrified scream, Lena climbed upon the bridge’s railing and contemplated jumping into the water below. What stopped her was asking herself what type of creatures the water held.

The animals, monsters or whatever they were, stood at each end of the bridge. It seemed as though none of them wanted to cross it to get to her as she hung off the side of the bridge.

At first, Lena thought they didn’t trust the structure, until a shark-like thing in the water below her jumped up and caught the sole of her shoe in its teeth.

Terrified, Lena screamed and climbed back up onto the bridge. At least the land creatures, whatever they were, didn’t seem desperate enough to cross the bridge to get her. It was a good thing they didn’t seem willing to walk onto the bridge while the fish-thing kept jumping out of the water and shaking the bridge. Lena’s main worry was that the structure would give out before help arrived.

“Help me! Someone, please, help me!” She repeated her call over and over yet didn’t hold out much hope that anyone would hear her. Still, she had to try.

Lena heard the scream of a jet in the distance. At least that was what it sounded like. If she was really on another planet, it could be anything, including some sort of flying predator headed her way.

The fish-thing still jumped under the bridge, beating the underside. The obvious carnivores on either side of the channel had settled down to rest on their stomachs. Apparently, they were content to just sit and watch her. The screaming sound in the air grew louder by the second. She stood on the bridge, as it continued to vibrate, wondering how long she could remain in relative safety.

After a minute, the sound of wood splintering sent Lena into a fit of terror, and she began her screams anew.

Artu raced through the skies in an attempt to calm his racing mind. Flying was a precious freedom these last years. He had imprisoned himself in his home, coming out only when there was need.

There was need now.
He
needed.

A woman screamed in the distance, and he sighed. When would they learn? She screamed again, and he shook his head. She was several hundred meters away in the far reaches.

Would the humans never stop attempting to find him a woman? It was increasingly obvious that there was none for him on this world or any other, it seemed.

Still, it didn’t matter what her reasons were for being in the outlands’ far reaches. She needed and that was all that had relevance now. She needed and he must provide. As was the loneliness and immortality, that too, was his curse.

He would find the woman, return her to her people and let them see his ire. Maybe it was time to show them a defender’s anger. Maybe then, they would stop throwing women at him. Maybe not. He sighed again at the thought.

The woman screamed again, and Artu poured on the speed, flying as fast as he could. Wherever the woman was, it was obvious something terrified her. The closer he got, the more he heard her frightened cries. Incidentally, the closer he got, the angrier he became.

Did the woman have no sense? What’s more, did her people have no sense either? It was criminal to strand a lone female in the far reaches without protection, and it was obvious—to his ears anyway—this woman was without a guard.

Another terrified scream made his stomach clench, and Artu gritted his teeth. He refused to feel for this woman who didn’t have the brains to stay out of danger. Didn’t they know that, like them, he wasn’t perfect? There was never a guarantee he could reach a distressed citizen in time to save them from harm. Why risk a life to appease his growing angst when he hadn’t even begun to show them a bit of temper?

Did they hope to circumvent the loss of his last lover or the loss of his sister? Or did they, perhaps, merely wish to keep the other defenders from having to apprehend him?

Whatever their reasons, they had chosen poorly, and Artu would see to it that the people knew the consequences of their decisions before someone died.

Why do you condemn your people for their attempted assistance?

He jerked in flight and rolled over. The strange female voice startled him. It caused him to lose his course for a moment. Correcting his flight path, he scowled. Did the people find someone telepathic now? How would he know if she was sincere or merely telling him what he wished to know?

I am not the woman you hurry to rescue. The woman is here for you. She aches inside. Heal her pain.

“Heal her pain? What pain could she possibly have compared to what I feel?” He scowled again at his words. When had he become so selfish? When had he begun to set his needs above or even at the same level as those he had sworn to protect?

She is your soul mate. Save her from the wildlife and heal her pain. In turn, you shall also heal yours.

“What do you know of it?” Artu practically growled when he heard the woman scream again. “Are you responsible for her being in the far reaches?”

You could say that.

Was the woman laughing? It sounded like it. “It’s nothing to be proud of. She could die out here before I reach her.”

You will reach her in time. Skuld would have seen the danger otherwise.

“Skuld? Who is Skuld?”

The woman chuckled.
She is my sister and seer of the future.

“Seer of the future? Who are you?” he asked as he banked right. He could see the screaming woman now. No wonder she shrieked loud enough to wake the dead. She stood on a bridge surrounded by wild
tur’dars
with a
sashak
attacking from below.

We are the sisters of Wyrd. You might call us the Fates.

Artu kept himself from losing control but just barely. “The Fates! You’re responsible for all of this shit?”

The rumble of the approaching aircraft grew louder. “It has to be some sort of jet. No bird sounds like it’s flying at Mach five.” Lena had no idea how fast that was, but whatever it was headed her way flew faster than a bird. She was sure of it.

Moving to another section of the bridge, she held onto the railing, looked up and hoped she could manage to get whoever it was in the airplane, if that’s what it was, to see her. Maybe they could send a rescue team.

Lena didn’t expect to see a man flying toward her. “Oh, my god. He’s like some sort of superhero.” Her knees actually went weak at the thought. “God, please make him a superhero and not a super villain.”

He landed on the bridge in front of her with the expression of a man who was good looking and knew it. “What are you doing in the far reaches with no vehicle and no protective guard?” He growled the words as though angry.

Lena stared at him for a minute. His scowl made her mad. What did
he
have to be angry about?
She
was the one the Fates decided to dump here in the middle of nowhere.

“Far reaches?” Lena parroted. “The far reaches of what? Hell?”
Good grief, Lena! Where have your wits gone?
she asked herself when her tongue wouldn’t obey her and ask him where she was and how she got there. Surely she wasn’t afraid of the man. No, she was angry. That was it.

“Anywhere more than five miles from the cities are dangerous, woman. Don’t you know that?” He frowned down at her as though she were either careless or just needed a keeper. “Where are your people? I would talk to them.”

“My
people
, as you put it, are on Earth.” She waved her arm at the strange land creatures that wanted her for dinner. “Where the hell am I?” She screeched when the fish, or whatever it was, hit the bottom of the bridge again, shaking it enough to make her stumble into the man who reached out to steady her.

Lena tried to ignore the strange shot of electricity that shot up her arms when he touched her. She also tried to ignore the way he smelled. The spicy scent nearly had her rubbing against him like a cat in heat.

Get a grip, Lena!

As much as she hated to admit it, he made her feel safe. Against her better judgment, she leaned against him and looked up. She almost sighed. His blonde hair fell over his brow, making her want to reach up and push it back.

The better to see your lovely blue-green eyes, my dear superhero.

What had Garrick the goon called him again? He had called the man who was supposed to be her match, the defender of something or other. He had also said he would find her after he dropped her here on this god-forsaken planet.

“I am Artu Traon, Defender of Priska.” Releasing her, he backed up and bowed before her as though he were some sort of strange knight from the days of old.

The fish with the teeth hit the bridge, and it shuddered under the impact once more.

Lena screeched and ran into his arms again. “Get me out of here,
please
.”

Artu tightened his arm about her waist and frowned down at her. His face may have worn that mask of impatience he’d had since he landed, but his voice was gentle. “Fear not, little one. The
sashak
shall be disappointed, yet again. He shall not get the dinner he expects this night.”

“Thank goodness for that.” Lena squealed when Artu leapt into the air, effectively freeing her from the confines of the bridge. “Where are you taking me?” she asked, though she supposed it didn’t really matter. After all, she was away from the drooling, snarling animals and the aggressive river creature.

Goodness, he’s handsome.
She glanced at his profile as he flew them over a beautiful valley. Nothing marred the gorgeous landscape until she saw what appeared to be a huge pack of the hyena-like creatures that accosted her on the bridge roaming about the fertile land.

“Does it matter where we are going?” he asked with his frown still in place.

Lena was afraid to say yes, for fear the surly man would carry her back to the bridge and leave her for the wildlife.

“No. She shook her head. It doesn’t. As long as I’m not in the wilds of a strange land with creatures trying to make me their dinner, I’m all good.”