Protecting Shaylee (The Fae Guard Book 1) (6 page)

“Exactly what is it that I’m supposed to be doing now?” I can see the restlessness in him and I decide he’s told me enough for now. I have endless questions, but there is urgency in his eyes and tone. It irritates the hell out of me, but I trust him implicitly and if I’m in danger, I don’t want it to threaten my mom.

“We’ll go to Rien. You’ll begin training. I’ll teach you how to protect yourself and others by using your magic properly, as well as physical training.” That stops me short and my lips turn up in a wicked smile. “Are you telling me that eventually, I’ll be able to kick your ass?”

Aden rolls his eyes, “You can certainly try, baby.” Warmth floods through me at the endearment.
Damn it!
I give him a sour look.

He gives me a roguish grin, “I’ll certainly enjoy rolling around with you, on the ground, after I take you down.”
Oh for shit’s sake, does he have to keep saying things like that? Move on, Shaylee, back to what’s important.

I look around my home, the place I grew up, the place that holds all of my memories with my dad. And, what about my mom? I feel sadness at the thought of leaving the life I know, the people and places that I love. Aden reaches for my hand, as he did earlier, and this time, I don’t fight him. He knows me well and despite my anger at him, I find comfort in his familiar touch. There was a time when he would have fallen into that category. Now, I just want him to leave my heart alone, no matter how much my body yearns for him.

“Baby, you won’t be gone forever. I told you, you can travel in and out of both realms. You just need to learn to protect yourself from those who will attempt to turn you first.” I open my mouth to ask, but he cuts me off. “We really don’t have time to get into this, Shaylee. You need to say goodbye to your mother and aunt, so we can be on our way. Every minute we stay here is another minute you are in danger and I won’t be able to breathe freely until you’re safe.”

I want to argue with him, but once again, I get that overwhelming feeling of trust and I know I’m going to follow his lead. “How long?” I ask.

He shrugs. “That depends on how quickly you learn. I’ve seen it take six months and I’ve seen it take several years.”

Years? Tears burn the backs of my eyes but I blink them away with determination. It won’t be years for me, I won’t let it. I stand up and realize that I am still holding his hand. He smirks at me and I snatch my hand back as though it’s been burned. Considering the heat that lingers from his skin, I would say that analogy isn’t far off.

I walk to the kitchen, where my mom and Aunt Rhoslyn are sipping tea in silence. When I enter the room, they both look at me and I can see the tears they are trying to hide. My mom walks to me and pulls me in for a tight hug. “I’ve looked forward to and dreaded this day for so long,” she says. “I want you to know who you are and embrace what your dad passed on to you. But, I’ll miss you with every breath, sweetheart.” I’ve never been away from my mom for more than a couple of weeks and I am cloaked in homesickness before I’ve even left.

“Everything was delivered from your dorm today. So, I packed a bag for you. You won’t need much, but I knew what you wouldn’t want to leave here without.”

It occurs to me that my mother has been preparing for this day and I’m glad I didn’t fight her too hard about my party. It was her send off. She was giving us both a sweet memory to tide us over. I hug her tightly and motion for my aunt to join us. “I love you both so much.” It’s impossible to keep the tears from rolling down our cheeks as we say goodbye. Aden clears his throat from the doorway to get our attention.

“It’ll be dark soon, Violet, we need to hit the road before the sun is completely down.” My mom nods, and then gives me one last squeeze. She walks over and pulls Aden down to plant a kiss on his cheek.

“Take care of her, Aden. I trust you to be what she needs. They wouldn’t have sent you back to her if you weren’t.” Aden gives a short nod, then looks at me and gives a chin lift to indicate that it’s time to go. But something my mother said stops me.
Sent you back to her.
He was sent
back
to me?

I want to get an answer to my question, but Aden has already left the room and my mother just gives me a soft smile and follows him out the door, my aunt quick on her heels. I decide to ask Aden about it later, but something about the statement continues to bother me.

I glance at Aden from the passenger seat of the sleek BMW he rented for the drive. We’d left my house quickly and he’d hurried me down the block to a parking garage. Once we were out of the city, the tension began to slowly drain from his shoulders.

A thought suddenly occurs to me, “Aden, I left my cell phone at home.”

“You won’t need it, baby. It won’t work in Rien,” he answers distractedly. “We’ll get you a new one when we get there.”

Disappointment settles a little harder on my chest when I realize I will be completely cut off from my family. “Where are we going?” I ask. The scenery is becoming more open; residential areas and sweeping landscape. So far, we are headed upstate.

“Upstate.”
Duh.
I’m about to make a snarky comment when he continues. “There are areas that are open, fields with plenty of sunshine during the day, and relatively low population. It will be easier to cross realms there. Now that we are out of the city, we’ll find a hotel for the night and cross in the late morning.”

“You said something about the sun earlier too. What’s so important about sunshine?”

Aden chuckles before answering. “I can’t believe you haven’t noticed. Haven’t you ever wondered why you feel weighted down and sluggish when you go days without direct sunshine?

I just shrug. “Everybody gets that way when it’s gloomy for days.”

I notice his hands tighten a little on the steering wheel. “Not everybody, some people revel in the darkness.” Just as quickly as it came, the stress leaves him and he relaxes again. “I’m not talking about just feeling depression. You get physically sick when you’re out of the sun for too long.” He glances at me with his eyebrows raised. “I know your dad used to take you and your mom out of the city every weekend in October and November. Those months are notoriously dark; lots of rain, and even hurricanes.”

I think about it and have to agree—I do react strongly to a lack of sunlight. “What’s your point?”

“The Fae cannot survive without sun, baby. We would basically waste away. During those darker months, your dad made sure that you both were exposed to enough sun to get you through the week. We need the sun for our magic to be at its most powerful. I know it sounds cliché, but we are like solar panels. We soak up the vitamin D and it fuels us.”

He takes his right hand off of the steering wheel and lightly grabs the long hair falling from my ponytail. He runs it though his fingers, and then brushes my cheek softly before returning his hand to its previous position. “Your hair, it is the lightest of golden blonde; like mine, your dad’s, and your aunt’s. The three of you have blue eyes that seem to shine in the light of day; they reflect like jewels. Your skin is so pale, it is almost without color, and yet there is a luminescence to it. Not quite a glow, but just an ethereal quality. We all share these traits, with the exception of some of us having green eyes.” He glances at me again, his eyes caressing me from head to toe before refocusing on the road. “Though some faeries are more exquisite than others . . .” he trails off. I don’t miss the way his eyes linger on my breasts, but I decide to let it go this time.
Because it has everything to do with the way your breasts got heavy and your nipples hardened at his look.
I seriously wish I could bitch slap my conscious sometimes—the twat.

I turn to stare at the scenery, trying to get my stupid hormones under control. Twenty-one years and they only cause problems when Aden is around. I’m staring out the window, ignoring him, when I remember my question from earlier. “What did my mom mean when she said
they
sent you to me?”

Aden shifts uncomfortably in his seat and, for a moment, I don’t think he is going to answer me.

But then, he steals another glance at me through the corner of his eye and sighs. “The Mie’Lorvor have many duties. One of the most important is to guard leath leanbh, children who are half human. While your magic is undetectable, that doesn’t mean you can’t be found. We protect from a distance, unless it becomes absolutely necessary to be in their life on a daily basis. In your case, your dad was former Guard. The council agreed that you didn’t need me there as often as some, so I only checked in with him in person a few times a year. When he died, I upped my visits to you, but there wasn’t a threat to keep me there permanently. Then—” I cut him off as his words clicked into place. Anger and devastation roiled in my stomach.

“You were assigned to me?” my question is practically a whisper.

“Yes but—”

“—You were never there just to see me, I was your job.” I cut him off once again. I don’t want to hear his explanation. Humiliation settles over my skin, a cold blanket that stifles my breathing. I was so stupid to think that he was my best friend. To think that he would come to visit—just to see me—a child. No wonder he went running after our heated session in the pantry. What was I, but another woman he was attracted to? One of the many, I’m sure. For shit’s sake, he’s gorgeous. He must have sensed that my naïve thoughts had turned to forever and took off before I embarrassed us both.

“So, you got the council to assign you elsewhere after we—after my birthday.”

He doesn’t attempt to respond this time, probably assuming I would cut him off again.
Smart choice, jackass.

“Two years of nothing. You up and left with no explanation or goodbye. But then, why would you? You passed the baton and moved on, right?” He was gone, so—“Wait, why are
you
here, now? Why would they send
you
when you obviously didn’t want to be assigned to me anymore?” This time I stop and give him chance to reply.

His knuckles are white from squeezing the steering wheel tight, and he throws me a sharp look. “Are you ready to let me speak now and listen to what I have to say?”

I scowl at him, but gesture for him to continue.

“I handled it all wrong, when I left.” I don’t hold back my sarcastic grunt of agreement and he gives me another withering glare.

“You were never
just
a job to me, Shaylee. You, your mom and dad, you’re all family to me. But, I needed to go. You weren’t ready for where our attraction was leading us.” he hurries to continue, knowing I’m about to interrupt again, I’m sure.

“The council asked me to return for you and I had my own reasons for agreeing.” He stops now and I wait for him to continue. After a minute, it appears that he has nothing more to say. He knows I will believe him and it takes some of the wind out of my sails. I’m still angry and hurt over the way he left, but I’m exhausted and so ready to be done with this conversation. I turn back to the scenery and begin to nod off.

WHEN SHE FELL ASLEEP, some of the pressure eased from my hands and I lightened my grip on the steering wheel. I’d have this conversation with her, just not now. She is mine and she’ll accept it, eventually. But, I need time for her to get over her indignation at the way I left. Sure, I’d handled it wrong. However, I came back, and she needs to get over it. I can’t tell her about being fated until she’s accepted the fact that I’m not going to let her go.