Page 3 of Rekindled Prophecy
Why didn’t he attack? Why did he stop?
She raised her head in defiance, blood and muck clinging to the strands of hair covering her face.
I am a guardian angel. No evil shall pass by me.
This man was obviously evil. Demon or not, evil was evil. She had no choice but to put an end to him.
“Like hitting little girls, do you? Not very gentlemanly.” She clicked her tongue behind her teeth as her arms numbly pushed her into a squatting position. Sizing him up, this time as an opponent, Greylyn saw past the fashionable attire and good looks to the dark soul underneath. A blackness exuded from his aura, so dark it mingled with the night sky. How had she not seen it before?
The man straightened to his full height, hands at his side curled into fists. “You shouldn’t be here, love.” She had expected an angry retort or another attack, but his voice was soft and shaky.
Her eyes darted around the alley. She needed a weapon, preferably her own. Where had it gone? With the moon fully ensconced behind the clouds it was impossible to see more than his faint outline, even with her superior nighttime vision.
Greylyn rose to stand, her back against the broken stone wall. “Well, I am here. Ready to party.” She had aimed for a daring, but jovial tone. The slight squeak at the end belied her inner fear.
“Looking for a good time, I see. Well then, how about a dance?”
He sprung at her in a blur, but Greylyn dodged just an inch to the left and he slammed into the same wall he had thrown her against. She pivoted to attack while he was still prone on the ground, but a sudden glint of blue caught her attention. Her dagger! Just a few yards away.
She dove to the right, her outstretched fingers grazed the hilt, but her hesitation cost her. A hand clamped down fully on the handle and wrestled it away from her grasp. He rolled her over roughly, straddled her hips with her arms trapped underneath his knees, and smashed her face with the fist holding her own weapon.
Pain exploded as bones and tendons cracked and blood seemed to spurt from every pore. The assault continued, punch after punch, blow after blow. Greylyn’s world turned crimson just before a blackness edged hervision.
Her first assignment as a guardian angel. Her first failure, and quite possibly, her last.
Death was inevitable. Not even her own supernatural strength could save her from this monster. Despite the agony racing throughout her body, her mind clearly accepted her fate.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.
Silence fell over the alley. The rain of punches stopped. Greylyn’s eyes opened to peek at her attacker. What she saw chilled her to her soul – the demonic red eyes had smoldered away, back to their original gold-flecked hue. The man’s face transformed from pure rage to sadness as a tear rolled down his cheek. A tear? “I’m … I … Oh no …” His trembling lips continued to move, but no coherent words formed.
“What in the bloody hell …” An angry roar shocked her out of her stupor. That voice she recognized. Jasper.
Unable to move, she gaped as a tall shadow with piercing eyes of ice jerked her assailant away from her.
“You damn …” He did not finish his sentence, just punched the man in the face while holding him by his lapel.
Greylyn gulped in air. She was not dead, not yet. Renewed energy pulsated through her body and gave her strength to push herself up on shaky arms. She stared, turning to look at each man as they circled each other. Both men with deadly intent etched on their faces. In between getting hit, and throwing jabs of his own, the stranger muttered, “Had to be you! It just had to be you!” One final uppercut to Jasper’s jaw, and the guardian angel fell back.
Her mouth opened to scream for him to leave Jasper alone, but no words came out. He turned to her, his face bloodied, but with a sad smile. “Until next time, love.” Seconds later, he vanished down the alleyway.
Suddenly able to move again, Greylyn jumped up and ran over to Jasper. “Who the hell was that?”
“Oh, I’m fine, by the way.” With the indignant look he flashed she knew Jasper was far from being fine. Physically, yes, he was alright. But his icy-blue eyes spoke volumes of fury she could not understand.
“I’m so sorry …” She checked him for injuries, hands roved over his body. His clothes were spattered with blood. Other than his pride, and a black eye that would fade in an hour or two, he was in perfect shape.
Greylyn knew she looked a mess. Hell, she should be dead. Instead, the blood had already dried and the sizzle of her bones mending underneath her skin comforted her.
I am not going to die. At least not tonight.
Jasper cupped her chin. “Yes, I know. It’s my fault. It was too soon to send you out on your own like that. I realized my mistake and came to find you in case you needed assistance.” A nerve twitched in his jaw. “And I find I was correct. You certainly needed help.” Disappointment was evident in his tone.
“Oh, no! Edward? Did he escape? I came out here looking for him, but these guys,” she waved her hand towards the corpses littering the alley, “were after him and …”
“Yes, yes. I get it. You ran into the bad guys and as a bonus, you got a bloody dark guardian your first time on your own.”
“A what?”