Varick's stance was rigid. He had one foot in front of the other and his legs apart for balance. His tattooed arm he held out in front of him, hand flat as if to stop whatever was coming for us. His other arm was back, holding me behind him, his body shielding me. He was so still, he barely seemed to breathe. His head was cocked slightly toward the direction of the sounds. It snarled again and Varick tightened his grip on my waist, pulling me closer to his back.
I peeked over Varick's shoulder at the wood line butting up next to the sand dune we had been sitting on. It sounded like the growls and snarls came from there. The snarling and growling became more intense, more fierce. I felt Varick's body tense, prepared to react, to protect. I felt as if my heart would burst through my ribcage at any second. More snarling could be heard from the trees, but nothing emerged. The woods were dark. I shook with fear, burying my face in Varick's back to steady myself. We waited for the creature to show itself, me shaking uncontrollably and Varick stiff and rigid, poised to fight.
I took a chance, lifting my head to scan the area, looking for anyone who could assist us. But we were completely alone. The parking lot was empty except for us and Varick's motorcycle. Even the ranger booth was empty.
How convenient.
Too convenient actually. The snarling turned my attention back to the wood line. The sounds were louder, closer. Varick remained still.
I saw the yellow eyes of the beast first, glowing in the shadows of the woods. Varick saw them too and I thought I head a rumble reverberating through his chest, an answer to the beast's call to fight. At the sight of the yellow eyes, my heart raced faster in my chest and blood pounded in my ears.
The creature stepped out of the shadows, its large, furry paw crunching the stones and sticks on the path leading to the parking lot. The creature took another step and its massive body came into view. It was larger then a dog, but smaller then a grizzly bear. Coarse black fur covered the beast down to its large paws, where long shiny claws protruded. It snarled, exposing sharp yellow fangs. It slowly approached, one slow step at a time, growling and snarling angrily.
"Varick..." Fear tightened my chest, making it difficult for me to breath.
Varick's arm tightened around me, keeping me pinned behind him. The muscles of his tattooed arm tensed and flexed. "I won't let it get you." His voice was low, but the fierceness of it could not be mistaken. Varick's hand was still extended in front of us as if he was commanding the evil creature to halt. I couldn't breathe. Fear consumed me.
The creature threw its head back and roared. Groaning, I covered my ears with my hands, desperately trying to shut out the frightening noise. Varick still didn't budge. The beast took another step towards us. It lowered its head, crouching on its powerful hind legs to attack.
"Varick," I choked through the fear, my eyes wide.
"Come on," Varick goaded the creature. "Come on." But Varick still didn't move.
The creature's yellow eyes moved from Varick to me. My blood ran cold. My intuition screamed at me to run and flee. I tried to step back away from the beast, away from Varick. Varick felt the movement, and his hand clamped onto my waist, a steel vise holding me in place.
"Don't move," Varick said between clenched teeth. "That's just what it wants you to do."
The creature threw its head back again, letting out a ferocious roar; saliva dripped off its fangs.
I covered my ears again, squeezing my eyes shut as well. A sob escaped my throat as the fear and anxiety became overwhelming.
I felt a rumbling from Varick's body and lifted my hands from my ears to hear more growling, this time coming from inside Varick. I was so afraid I thought I would be sick. I tired to choke back the bile that rose in my throat.
With a ferocious growl, the beast leaped at us. Its front paws were extended, sharp, black claws prepared to rip into our flesh. I stared in horror at the beast; all I could focus on was the razor-like fangs, glistening with saliva and glowing yellow in the twilight.
I wanted to scream, but like the nightmares I'd had countless nights before, I couldn't even squeak.
Everything seemed to be in slow motion as the creature flew towards us. Varick pushed me back. I stumbled, sliding back onto the asphalt of the parking lot. Varick brought both of his arms in front of him to catch the beast. He bent his legs at the knees, bracing himself for the creature's impact.
With a loud snarl the beast plowed into Varick. Grunting from the force of the blow, Varick's body swayed with the momentum of the impact. Gasping loudly, I scrambled away from Varick and the beast, still seated on the asphalt.
With a loud grunt, Varick threw the creature back towards the wood line. It slammed into a tree, cracking the tree in half. The beast righted itself and roared in protest. Its back paws dug into the soft earth, giving it extra power as it snarled again and charged. Varick stood his ground, raising both arms in front of him again.
The beast hit Varick, this time plowing its massive shoulder into Varick's midsection. Groaning from the impact, Varick dug his fingers into the beast's fur, holding on so it couldn't push him away from me. The creature snarled ferociously and whipped its body back and forth, trying to throw Varick off. But Varick held on, taking care to stay clear of the beast's fangs.
The beast yelped as Varick punched it in the snout with his left arm, while his right was still entangled in its fur. He hit the creature again and again, and it snarled with each blow. With a loud roar, the beast threw its body to the side, whipping Varick off his feet and throwing him a few yards away. Varick's body hit the asphalt with a thud, but he rolled gracefully to a crouched position, prepared to attack the beast again.
My eyes focused on Varick. The beast roared again and I turned my head towards it, my attention refocused on the evil in front of me. The beast's head was lowered, its snout almost touching the asphalt, saliva wetting the ground. It slowly advanced on me with glowering yellow eyes.
"Varick!" I screamed, as I desperately scrambled away from the beast. I felt the asphalt stones grab and tear into the flesh of my palms as I tried to get to my feet. The beast roared again, dropping me back to my knees. I crouched low to the ground, covered my head with my arms, and screamed.
The creature yelped and I stole a peek under my arms to see Varick wrestling with it. I had a flashback to the nightmare the previous night of Varick's lifeless body lying at the feet of the Fury and the black dog with yellow eyes advancing on me. "No!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face. My shoulders shook with sobs.
Grunting and groaning came from the mass of black fur and human skin rolling on the asphalt in front of me. I couldn't tell if the noises were coming from Varick or the beast. Getting up on my knees, I watched in helpless fear, so sure my nightmare would come true. I brought my hands up to my angel's pin and covered it protectively. "No, no, no," I sobbed over and over, shaking my head side to side.
Then I heard the sickening sound of a bone snapping. I sucked in my breath, my eyes wide with fear. I waited anxiously to see who the victim would be, sure that it would have to be Varick, who was so much smaller then the massive creature. Both Varick and the beast stopped struggling and pulled away from each other slightly. A loud roar of pain echoed around us. I was still unsure who was injured. The beast lay on the asphalt, grunting and groaning, wriggling in pain and misery. I started to breathe slowly again when Varick slowly stood. Then he again held his arms in front of him toward the beast, palms forward. Although Varick's back was facing me, I could see his shoulders heaving up and down as he recovered from the fight.
It startled me when I heard Varick's voice in my ear. His voice sounded tired, but had an edge of fierceness. "Are you alright, Jacey? Are you hurt?"
I looked at the beast at Varick's feet. It was licking at his front leg and attempting to drag itself back into the woods and away from Varick and me.
"Jacey. Are you hurt?" Varick's voice was more urgent, but he kept his attention on the retreating beast.
"Varick, I'm fine," I answered, my voice wavering still with fear. My palms were just starting to burn and tingle from the asphalt scraping against them, but I didn't bother Varick with that.
The dark creature heard my voice. It snapped its head toward me, the yellow eyes locking onto mine. With a ferocious roar, the creature rose up off the ground, its paws dangling in the air as it stayed suspended. With a puff of smoke and black mist, the beast morphed into a shrouded creature covered in a heavy black cloak, the yellow eyes glowing inside the darkened hood.
"It's not over yet," I whispered to Varick.
The Fury shrieked loudly, angrily. Varick tensed, every muscle flexed. "Zamcat apalut michow qualpip mitow feowie," Varick spat at the Fury, his hands stretched outward to prevent it from coming closer.
At the sight of the Fury in what I could only imagine was its true form, I froze, my knees feeling like they were connected to the asphalt. "Varick," I whispered.
"It's alright, mia Helsoka," Varick's voice was soft and soothing in my ear. But his body did not reflect the same.
The Fury shrieked again, lifting its shrouded arm toward me. As it extended its arm, the dark, heavy cloak slid back, exposing yellow bone shaped into hand and lower arm.
"I wonder...have you ever had to fight two Protectors at once?" A strange voice drifted over us, interrupting the Fury's shrieks, coming from where Varick's cycle was parked.
The Fury turned toward the voice, shrieking loudly.
I also turned. A man dressed in a short sleeve black shirt and black dress pants stood leaning up against a sleek black Audi parked next to Varick's motorcycle. I hadn't heard or seen the Audi drive into the parking lot, and the light was diminishing quickly, so I couldn't make out any details of the strange man.
The Fury's shrieking brought my attention back to it.
The man in black sighed. "If you insist...." His voice was deeper than Varick's and sounded quite bored. It had a heavy accent that I couldn't quite recognize. I turned back to the man, curiosity now replacing my fear. He stood up rubbing his hands briskly together in front of him and began to walk slowly toward where Varick and the Fury had squared off. I looked to Varick. He never moved; his attention still pinned on the Fury in front of him.
The Fury howled angrily again as the strange man stood next to Varick.
"Setekip tumow badpea fetal." The man said to Varick, his voice thick and smooth like expensive melted chocolate. His voice was so deep and rich that I felt my body relax as I listened to it. The man turned towards me, giving me a quick wink of his eye. I blinked in astonishment at the stranger's gesture. As the man turned toward Varick, I caught a glimpse of a heavy black tattoo running up his left arm. A Protector. He was another Protector.
"Badpea fetal?" the stranger asked Varick again, looking at him out the corner of his eye.
Varick still didn't move. He looked like a marble statute standing guard in front of me, moving only in time with his heavy breathing.
"Sutowt mical butpo uowey tilee mitowik," Varick muttered in response.
"Mi teenay bitay tuwaca milie," the stranger purred.
Varick's response was unintelligible. I watched in wonder as the two Protectors spoke to each other, conversing in their own language, the Fury all but forgotten. The stranger's voice sounded bored, but light, almost teasing. Varick's voice was stiff and cold; irritation and tension dripped off each muttered word.
The Fury glared at the stranger and back at Varick. Without any further noise, it seemed to shrink and slide back into the shadows of the wood line, retreating from the two Protectors until even its yellow eyes dulled and disappeared.
When the Fury disappeared into the woods, the stranger relaxed and turned to me. "Well, looks like you needed my help, little brother." He flashed a broad smile at me, obviously teasing Varick with his words.
Varick stood up straight and dropped his arms to his sides. He still didn't look at me, instead scanning the wood line and the sand dunes for any sign of the Fury. I noticed Varick's shoulders relax, the tension caused by the Fury releasing from his body.
"I had everything under control," Varick responded icily, looking at the stranger.
The stranger laughed out loud. I stared up at the Protector from my knees, raising my eyebrows with curiosity.
He walked over to me and extended his hand. I stared at his offering, confusion and wonder all over my face.
"Come on, beautiful. I don't bite." The stranger's accent was very Middle Eastern. His smile widened.
I tentatively placed my hand in his. He closed his hand around mine and lifted me to my feet. I stared at our hands still clasped together. Although his hand was warm, I didn't feel the electrical tingles running up my arm like I did when I touched Varick.
"Okay, Asim. You can let her go now." Varick's voice was beginning to thaw. I glanced over at Varick. He was facing us now, his hands on his hips. His head was cocked to the side and a half smile played across his lips.
I looked back at the Protector holding my hand. His eyes were warm and the color light. I blushed hotly when I saw his eyes move up and down my body, obviously assessing me.
Varick must have felt my discomfort at the stranger's stare for he walked toward us and stood on my right side.
"Asim, I said let her go." I couldn't tell if Varick was joking or serious with his command.
"So protective, little brother. But, I guess that is your duty, isn't it?" But before letting go of my hand, the strange Protector brought it to his lips and pressed them together softly. "So very beautiful, Varick," the stranger purred, looking at me as he released my hand.
"Ah, thank you," I mumbled uneasily, unconsciously rubbing my hands together and holding them close to my chest.
Varick cleared his throat, bringing Asim's attention and my own back to him. "Jacey, this is Asim. Asim, this is my Healer, Jacey." I wasn't sure, but I thought I heard Varick emphasize "my".