Embers (The Wings of War Book 1) (41 page)

“If what you say is correct, and Ember is part of some greater scheme, then I
will
be there by her side.  I don’t care if the devil is my kin.  My allegiance will be to Ember—and only Ember.”

“Come out on the porch with me.  We need to talk.”  She saw that I was reluctant to leave Ember and said, “Don’t worry, the wolf will watch over her.” 

I glanced at Ivan and he nodded his head.  I knew that he would protect her with his life.  After another glance at Ember’s face, I followed Ila out the door.  She pointed to a chair and I took it.  Angus was lying a few feet away, staring at me, but overall he was subdued. 

“Ember will need a guardian, someone to watch over her and take care of her when she uses the power.  She needs a person who can keep her grounded and thinking rationally, a person who will support and love her; someone she can always count on and trust, even when the world seems to be falling apart.” She took a deep breath and puckered her lips in distaste before going on to say, “But what she really needs, more than anything else is a creature like you, Sawyer.  An abomination that will do whatever it takes to keep her safe—even if it means killing humans that might go against her.  You see, in Ember’s heart, she still believes she’s one of them.  That will change in time, but not soon enough for my liking.”

She looked at me searchingly, and asked, “Can you be her guardian? It won’t be easy.  She’s strong willed and stubborn and all kinds of trouble will be drawn to her.”

The answer came easily. “I know how stubborn she is.” I paused and met Ila’s stare, not flinching when once again, the curtain she kept herself cloaked in lifted for an instant, giving me a glimpse of her true form, bathed in bright light. “I’d give my life for her, and we aren’t like humans.  We don’t change our minds about the mates we’ve chosen.  I’ll love her forever.”

“Before you make this decision, you need to understand exactly how a guardian is made and what they lose in the process.” I nodded my head for her to continue.  “A ceremony is held in which the guardian and the Watcher take a blood oath.  That part might be a little tricky with your nature,” she admitted.

“Ember will enter your mind and allow you access into hers.  It takes a little while, and by the time it’s over, she will have seen and experienced everything that you have in your lifetime—and the same for you with hers.  The problem with you, my boy, is that you have lived much longer than her and experienced atrocious things that you will be allowing her to see.  That portion of the ceremony won’t be as bad for you as it will be for her, but when it’s over, you will no longer own yourself.  Ember will.”

“What do you mean
own
?” I didn’t like that word very much. 

“It will be difficult for you to be apart from her.  The connection that binds you will be there until one of you dies.  You will always sense where she is and how she feels.  The bond can only be broken by death…and if Ember dies before you, you will be driven to madness.”

None of what she said changed my mind.  I would go mad if I was away from her anyway.  Whatever nasty business she had to deal with, I’d be there watching her back.  There was no question in my mind about it, but I was apprehensive to have her look into my past.  How could she witness, and experience the things I had, without thinking I was a monster?  She’d be repulsed by me.

“If she sees my past, she won’t want me to be her guardian,” I whispered.

“She’s stronger than that.  She’ll have you as her guardian, and then she’ll face the consequences,” she answered surely.

“I guess it’s up to Ember then.” When I looked at Ila, she was smiling.

“I would like to offer myself as guardian to Ember also.”  Ivan had been eavesdropping at the screen door.

Anger flared within me, but Ila just chuckled.  “Someday, Ivan, you might choose to serve Ember in that way, but for now, you are too young to make that kind of decision about your future.  If you’re bound to her, you will lose the opportunity to find a mate, and if things go the way Sawyer intends, you would be alone.  You can help Ember by being her friend, and staying near her.”

Ila rose from the rocker and headed down the steps, saying “Come, Ivan, why don’t you help me with the chores.”

“I would like that.”  Ivan ran to join her. 

Ember was still soundly asleep when I entered the cabin.  I didn’t want to disturb her, but I needed to be close to her.  Gently, I lifted her shoulders and sat down, placing her head on my lap.  I caressed her face and hair, thinking how lovely she was.  I couldn’t imagine life without her.  Feeling quite content, I closed my eyes and slept with her.

2 Corinthians 11:14

And no wonder!  For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Sawyer ~ Forty

I
woke to a crashing noise coming from the kitchen.  Ivan was helping Ila set the dishes on the table, and he’d already dropped one.  I rolled my eyes in aggravation at the wolf’s clumsy attempt at being a waiter.

Ember was still nestled against my chest.  Her breathing was shallow though, and she was beginning to stir. 

“So how did the milking go?” I asked the two in the kitchen.

“It was interesting,” Ila answered in a terse voice. 

Ember’s eyes fluttered open and she yawned.  She stretched out straight.  The action had an abrupt effect on me. I suddenly wanted to kiss her, but before I could do anything, she realized she was on top on me and jumped up.  It was way too fast a motion, causing her to wobble.  I caught her before she fell.

“What on earth are you doing here, on the couch with me?” she squeaked and wiggled out of my arms.

“You don’t remember?”  I couldn’t help lifting my eyebrows suggestively.  I laughed at the look of horror that immediately formed on her face.

“No, we didn’t…
did we?
” She brought her hands to her face and peeked at me through spread fingers.

“No, silly, I’d certainly hope you’d remember
that.
”

Ila cleared her throat, and Ember’s head jerked in her direction.  Her cheeks flushed a deeper red when she saw Ivan standing there also.

Ila crossed the room to stand before Ember.  “My dear, don’t you remember what you did to the Demons in the woods?”

I watched tensely as the memories flowed back to Ember, her eyes growing wide.  She glanced at me, and I was next to her in a heartbeat, holding her small hands between mine.

“It’s all right.  They weren’t friends of mine, but you should have told me what you were going to do.  There are creatures in that part of the forest protecting the compound, and they would have killed you,” I said.

“You would have stopped me,” she accused.

“Damn straight.  I definitely would have stopped you.   What were you thinking, going there alone, not telling anyone? When I saw you fall to the ground, I thought you were dead.  If I hadn’t arrived, and brought you back here, the others would surely have found you.”

She thought about what I’d said for a moment. It was fascinating to watch the look of stubbornness shift to guilt. “Thanks,” she finally said.

“You must never do something like that again.  Do you understand?” I told her in the most coaxing way I could muster.

“Why did you come and get me at the lake on Saturday?” She ignored what I’d said and lifted her chin.  She looked sideways at me, suspiciously.

I shrugged, and said with a forced grin, “Wasn’t that obvious?”

“Did you know the others would be hunting?”

She pulled her hands away, her words gaining volume.

Here it comes.

I walked to the screen door and looked out. A low rumble could be heard in the distance and the wind had picked up.  “There’s a storm brewing,” and I meant more than just the weather.

“You didn’t answer me.” Her hands were on her hips, her eyes glaring. 

“Yes, I knew they’d be hunting, but all I could think about was getting you to safety,” I answered quietly, not meeting her gaze.

“Hannah died—and three others!” 

I stood silently while she shouted at me.  I had expected this reaction from her.  Before it escalated though, Ila intervened.

“Ember, you’re lucky Sawyer was there to help you.  He can’t control what the other Demons do.  If he’d marched over there and told your friends that there were monsters on the prowl, they would have laughed at him. So get off your high horse, young lady.”  I felt sorry for Ember when Ila barged on, “And what you did, going down there and attacking them, was the most self-centered thing you’ve probably ever done in your short life.  If you’d been killed, from either the Demons or the fire, how do you think I would have felt, or Sawyer or Ivan, or your poor brother up north?  You feel culpable yourself that you didn’t recognize the threat.”

To say I was surprised, would be putting it mildly.  Tears began streaming down Ember’s face, making tracks in the soot on her face.  I quickly moved to console her, but she threw my hand off her shoulder, and stalked to the bedroom.

“I’m taking a shower,” she said stiffly, slamming the door behind her.

“That went well,” I muttered.

“Dinner’s ready.” Ila slammed the potatoes onto the table, plopping some out in the process. 

We ate in uncomfortable silence.  Occasionally, my gaze would meet Ivan’s, and the pup would shrug.  He focused on the food, cleaning his plate to the porcelain, and attempting not to draw Ila’s attention.

When Ember finally emerged from the other room, she was wearing the same sweats and fitted t-shirt I saw her in before.  Her wet hair rested against her shoulders, making large dark marks on her shirt. 

Ember swallowed hard and said, “I’m sorry, Ila.” 

“I know, dear,” Ila replied.

Without another word, Ember came to the table and began picking up the dishes.  The young Watcher worked alongside the old one, while she munched on a slice of bread.

Watchers.
  It was still hard to believe that we were all basically the same thing, only they were lucky enough to be related to the good angels.  I’d never really thought much about whether angels were real, but it made sense; if such evil as the likes of me existed, then why not angels?  But where had they all gone? 

The steady drum of the rain hitting the tin roof soothed my senses.  There were too many thoughts swirling through my mind.  When the light in the room suddenly dimmed, my head jerked up.   

Ila signaled for Ivan to follow her into the other room where she spoke of opening up a cot to get the kid settled in for the night.  Ivan slept a lot lately and ate even more.  I figured he was getting ready for a growth spurt.  Judging from the huge yawn he attempted to cover with his hand, I was betting that he’d be asleep within less than a minute of going horizontal. 

Ember took a seat at the side of the couch furthest from me.  She ignored me, staring at her hands while she rubbed her fingers together in what appeared to be a nervous fit.  I could feel the heat emitting from her, so I knew that she wasn’t afraid. 

Just as I was about to move closer to her, Ila walked back into the room and looked first at Ember and then at me.  She had the face of someone who was about to partake in something unpleasant, but much needed.

“Ember, I’ve been thinking long and hard about this all day.  There’s something important I want you do. Will you trust me enough to take my advice about an important matter?” Ila said.

Ember glanced at me with a tight frown and said, “Yeah, I suppose.”

“
Suppose
isn’t good enough.  You need a guardian, and right away.  I’ve already mentioned to you what would have happened if Sawyer hadn’t found you today.  We can’t take any more risks.  Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Not exactly,” Ember said slowly, glancing my way.

“I believe Sawyer would make an adequate guardian for you, especially, since you dreamt his face before you ever laid eyes on him.  Dreams are powerful things.  Sometimes their meanings are hidden for a long time.  But the more I think on it, the more strongly I feel about what you told me of Sawyer’s appearance in your dreams.  It signifies that he is destined to walk beside you on the dangerous road that’s ahead, and protect you along the way.  It makes sense to me now.

“Normally, I wouldn’t even consider allowing you to take a guardian until you were older, but changes are in the wind, and I can’t stop them, so we must plan the best we can.  If you agree, we’ll do the ceremony tonight.” 

Ember’s head snapped from Ila to me and back again.  “Is it like a wedding or something?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“No silly girl, it’s not too complicated, but parts of it will be difficult.  You brought this all on yourself by acting so impulsively today. I have to make sure you are protected.”

I suddenly realized why Ila was pushing Ember to do this now.  She knew that Ember was so contrite about what she’d done that she wouldn’t argue, which may not be the case in a few days.