A Dark Guardian (6 page)

“I don’t know.” His brow furrowed deeply. “I truly don’t know. ‘Tis as if I’ve never really seen you before.”

She stared at her brother, his blonde hair reaching to just below his ears. He had seemed so young yesterday, now it was as if he had grown into a man suddenly. Gone was the pampered man she had known. Before her was the lord their father had been.

“There isn’t much to see,” she said and started to walk past him when he stopped her.

“The years are blurred, Mina, but I do know that I said and did many hateful things. I don’t know why I said them, but I would ask your forgiveness.” Was this another ploy to hurt her? She had to take a chance that he was sincere.

“I forgive you.”

He smiled brightly and threw his arms around her for a hug. She froze, for neither of her siblings had ever touched her thus. Slowly, her arms rose until she returned his embrace.

“I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you,” he said.

“’Tis time,” said a voice she was becoming to know quite well.

She turned from Bernard to find Hugh standing next to them. She reached for a wicked looking dagger with a curved blade when a large hand descended on hers.

“Bernard is right. You really should stay in the castle. You have no fighting skills and you might be more of a hindrance than a help.” His words wounded her, though he was correct. “I understand. If ‘tis better for me to stay inside, then I will.”

He didn’t move. She smiled and looked down at his brown hand atop hers. “Can a lady not be armed even if she is to stay inside?” His dark gaze probed hers. “Arm yourself then, but do not lie to me.”

“Can I help it if I refuse to sit idly by and watch my people, brother or friends fall whilst I am safe inside?” she asked as her anger began to grow. “I want to feel like I’m needed, like I can help somehow. I’m being blamed for this creature’s release. Can’t you understand why I need to be out there?” He nodded and released her hand. “Stay close,” he warned.

She swallowed the lump of fear that had formed in her throat. What had she just committed herself to? She wasn’t a warrior, just as Hugh had pointed out. She didn’t even know the first thing about fighting, and the practice she had done alone in her chamber with her dagger didn’t count.

But she refused to be a hindrance. She had her duty to perform this night, and she would carry it out, even if it meant her life.

She walked outside to the bailey to find the villagers barricading themselves inside their homes. A look to the heavens and the clouds painted various shades of pink confirmed that dusk had arrived.

No sooner had she noticed the sky than the scream that put terror in even the bravest of souls reverberated around them. Shrieks from villagers became so loud that the small group of hunters could no longer hear the creature.

Mina watched as Bernard and his knights ran to their places on the battlements.

When she turned back, Hugh was gone. He had told her to stay close, but she hadn’t been paying attention.

Her eyes scanned the skies for any signs of the creature. She gripped her dagger and started to run toward safety when Cole stepped in front of her. His war axe rose above his head, but it was his gaze that caught her attention. He looked above her.

She slowly leaned her head back and saw the creature hovering over her.

Hugh couldn’t believe his eyes. The creature hovered above Mina and watched her fervently. Hugh took stock of the creature as he got his first good look at it. It was like nothing The Shields had encountered before.

Its body was that of a man with skin as thick and course as a dragon’s, but its hands and feet were that of some animal with elongated talons. The wings were wide and thin as they held it stable over Mina.

Though he had seen many demons, this creature’s skull had an odd look. The head and face was small, but the jaw extended forward enormously. A huge, wide mouth that showed rows of sharp teeth, beady red eyes, a flat nose, pointed ears and two horns rounded out the head.

It took Hugh only a moment to realize Mina wasn’t going to run. He rushed from his hiding place and grabbed her. As he threw her to the ground, he reached for his crossbow. He fired his first shot. The creature deftly moved aside and the arrow flew harmlessly by.

“Take your places,” Hugh bellowed to his men.

But the creature turned his horned head away from him. It had spotted a villager running toward safety and quickly swooped down and captured the man in its claws.

“Nay,” Mina cried and gained her feet, but Hugh seized her before she could run to the creature.

He held her as they watched the creature rip the villager to shreds. She buried her face against Hugh’s neck, and he held her tightly. When the creature was finished, it turned back toward them and smiled cruelly.

Hugh pushed Mina behind him as the creature flew toward him, knocking him to the ground. He quickly rolled over and reached for his crossbow only to have the creature’s claws rake across his back.

Determined not to bellow his rage for the pain that ran through him, Hugh gritted his teeth. A thick, warm substance rolled down his back and into his tunic. Despite the burning on his back, he willed his body to move and came up on his hands and knees. He got no farther when he found himself suddenly holding onto air instead of earth.

He didn’t need to look behind him to know the creature had picked him up, but he would be damned if he would go down without a fight. Hugh pulled his leg up and retrieved the dagger from inside his boot.

It was as if the creature knew what he had planned because when Hugh glanced up, he was headed straight for the castle doors. He put up his hands to block the brunt of the force, but in the process lost his grip on the dagger. Once he hit the castle doors, the creature loosened its hold and Hugh crumpled on the steps. He was viciously thrown onto his back, and then the creature leaned close to his face.

“Leave, Demon Seeker, or you’ll be next to die,” the creature hissed before flying off.

Hugh stared transfixed as the creature burst through a cottage and killed all within. Never before had any of the creatures they had hunted and killed ever spoken to him.

“Hugh!”

He looked to his right and found Darrick and Cole atop the battlements pointing to the creature. In spite of the pain, he jumped to his feet and raced across the bailey for his crossbow. He grabbed it and aimed it at the creature.

His first shot hit the creature’s wing but did nothing other than anger it. It threw down its current victim and screamed its wrath at Hugh.

As quick as he could, Hugh began to reload the crossbow. This time however, the bow wouldn’t load into the chamber. He glanced up and found the creature coming at him again. No matter how hard he shoved and pushed, the bow wouldn’t fit into the crossbow and his time was running out.

Mina had stayed hidden behind a hay wagon while Hugh had fought the creature, but now he needed help. His men were too far away to aid him. Without thinking of the consequences, she grabbed her dagger and ran toward Hugh.

Even when he dropped to the ground and rolled from the creature’s clutches, she didn’t stop her assault. This was her opportunity to end the terror for good.

She raised the dagger over her head and launched herself at the creature. The dagger embedded deeply into the creature’s chest. The smile she wore at her victory was soon replaced by fear when the creature simply pulled her and the dagger from its body as he rose to hover in the air above the bailey.

“So you wish to die,” the creature said, the jubilation evident in his snake-like voice. “I had planned to save you for last, but now is as good a time as any.” The fact that the creature spoke brought ice to her veins, but it was nothing compared to the lump of dread residing in her stomach at hearing she was to die.

However, the creature didn’t carry out its threat. It shrieked and released her.

Her own scream followed the creature as she plummeted toward the ground. Instead of landing on the hard earth, she found herself cradled in Hugh’s arms.

“Th…thank you,” she managed to get out past through the panic coating her throat.

One side of his mouth lifted in a grin. “Anytime.” She could have stayed in his embrace forever. Within his strong arms and muscular chest she knew she was safe. From everything but losing her heart.

He set her on her feet and pushed her toward the castle. “Get inside. It has out-maneuvered us this night.”

She looked up and saw several arrows in the creature’s back. As she began to follow Hugh toward the castle, she saw the creature turn toward the stable. Here eyes instantly found John who was coaxing a frightened horse back inside the stable. She called out to John, jumping up and down and waving her arms, but he never saw her.

“Hugh,” she yelled, but he couldn’t hear her over the shrieks and cries of the villagers.

She looked anxiously around and found a spear someone had abandoned. With her only thought to save John, she picked up the weapon and raced toward the stable.

Hugh stood by the doors and hurried people inside the castle. If they could get everyone inside then they would be safe for the night.

“Mina!”

Hugh’s gaze jerked to where the yell had come and found Bernard trying to get through the doors, but Gabriel held him back. Hugh followed Bernard’s gaze and found Mina once again racing toward the creature to save John.

Hugh unsheathed his sword and took off after her. His long strides quickly caught up with her, and he threw himself at her at the same time hurling his sword at the creature.

He wrapped his arms around Mina and rolled, so that he would take the brunt of the fall as his sword plunged into the creature’s chest. With his eyes still on the creature he rolled over until she was beneath him.

During all of this, John had managed to get the horse inside the stable without knowing he was in danger. Hugh would have laughed except the creature still hadn’t died. It pulled Hugh’s sword from its body and immediately healed itself before dropping the sword and flying toward the forest.

Hugh breathed in deeply and looked down at Mina. “Do you have a death wish, lady?”

“Nay,” she said softly, her eyes large.

“You wouldn’t know it by your actions tonight.” Her tongue peaked out to lick her lips, and it was then that he realized he was on top of a beautiful woman and her soft, warm frame cradled his. His body, already ignited from the battle, flared painfully to life. His gaze found her mouth, and he found it near impossible not to lean down and taste it.

“I couldn’t let John die.”

“You should have called me.” He tried to ignore the blood pounding loudly in his ears as his body called for release.

“I

did.”

Her eyes, even in the darkness, were like beacons. He was trapped in her gaze.

“Mina,” he said as he began to lower his head.

“You saved her,” Bernard shouted as he raced up.

Hugh squeezed his eyes closed and jumped to his feet. He should be grateful to Bernard for saving him from making a fool of himself, yet his body cursed the baron for interrupting as his rod throbbed with need.

He held out his hand to help Mina up, but Bernard pulled her to her feet himself.

“Thank God for Hugh,” Bernard said. “I just knew you were going to die.” Hugh could feel her eyes on him. He didn’t have the courage to return her gaze, afraid that he would find revulsion, or worse, pity in her blue-green depths.

“We must get inside before the creature returns.” Hugh turned toward the castle to find Gabriel and Cole watching him closely.

He ignored them and hurried into the castle. He needed some time alone. Now.

The monster within him begged to be released, and if he didn’t get away from Mina it would burst from him.

Thankfully, Mina and Theresa set about making the villagers comfortable. He and his men, along with Bernard, made their way to his chamber.

“It has never come this early before,” Bernard said.

Hugh noticed Bernard’s hand shake as he reached for a goblet. He had wondered when the illness would come, and he had been surprised it had taken this long. Suddenly, he caught a whiff of the ale. The odor was barely noticeable, but to anyone that was on the lookout for any type of evil, they would recognize the ale was drugged.

He tried not to move too much because of the pain in his back as he closed his chamber door. Blood had run down his back into his trousers and boots. He longed to change but knew there was too much yet to do.

“Bernard, we should get you to your chamber.”

“I’m fine,” the young baron said. “I will stay and help with the planning.” Hugh said no more. “What time does it usually come?”

“Well after dusk when there is no light in the sky other than the light of the moon.”

That

was
odd. “I wonder what brought it out early this night?” Hugh thought aloud.

A loud crash jerked him out of his thoughts. He looked at his feet to see Bernard on the floor. Hugh kneeled beside him and found him covered in sweat.

“I need ale,” Bernard whispered.

“That’s the last thing you need, my friend. You’ve been drugged for a while now.”

“Drugged?” Bernard repeated thickly. “By whom?”

“I say whoever let out the creature,” Cole said.

Hugh nodded his agreement. “We need to get you to your chamber so you can get the drug out of your system. ‘Tis going to be a rough night.”

“I’ll make it,” Bernard vowed as they dragged him to his feet.

With Bernard guiding them to his chamber, they got him inside. While Cole and Darrick got him in the bed, Gabriel fixed a strange blend of herbs mixed with water, and Hugh gingerly put his back to the door. No one would be allowed inside tonight.

“Drink,” Gabriel commanded Bernard. “It will help with the shaking.” Bernard obeyed without question. Hugh was impressed. If he could shake the addiction to the drugged ale he would be a fine lord for his people. He had been led astray somewhere, but where exactly? And by whom?

Mina wiped the sweat from her forehead. The villagers wounds had been seen to and they had all found places in the hall to sleep. There were so many bodies lining the hall that she could barely see the floor.