Sunstone Mansion

Chapter Three - Emma

    "Please stay with Isabeau at all times. I will be staying here, behaving as normal for as long as possible in case of spies. Once I hear your car pull into the drive, I will slip out of the back door and stay within seeing distance of the house at all times. Any time you girls go into town, Isabeau will follow, so that there is always someone watching you and someone watching the house. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, Dad", I said with put on annoyance. Isabeau chuckled as she approached from the tree line. I hadn't seen her since she left me on the forest floor. Since she had killed Nikola and saved my life. She looked really good.

    Her long black hair was loose this time, flowing in the breeze. It was a lot longer than I had realized. She looked like a world class athlete and regal as hell at the same time. She noticed me admiring her 'human' clothes that showed off her impossibly long, muscular legs and gave me a wink. Wait...

    "Okay guys, maybe Isabeau can pass as a ridiculously hot human being, but what about your eyes? No one has violet eyes in my world. Not unless you're wearing colored contacts, but still, they don't look like that."

    She just smiled and snatched the oversized sunglasses she conveniently had sitting on her head, placing them on her face. It helped a little, but we would still be getting a lot of stares today. I was sure of it. "Are you going to keep them on the whole time we're in the airport? They don't take kindly to suspicious behaviour, like wearing sunglasses inside for example."

    Isabeau and Elric both looked confused, but then looked at each other knowingly. She turned to me and explained, "Do not worry young Emma. Humans are easily manipulated. I will get you and your friend home safely without incident. You can trust me."

    Ah, more fairy tricks. "I do trust you Isabeau... Can I call you something shorter actually? Maybe Izzy? Isabeau is beautiful, but a bit of a mouthful". Plus it's super old-fashioned and would probably draw even more attention.

    She looked confused, mouthing the word 'mouthful', and then smiled and nodded her approval. Elric must've saw her face and understood as well, because he smirked amusedly and then turned to me. "Okay Emma, you need to get going. Now, Isabeau is here to protect you on the trip, but I need you to take care of her as well. She has not spent a lot of time around humans in her life. You ladies will be looking after each other, got it?"

    Isabeau looked a little offended, but didn't argue. We both nodded in agreement and I leaned in to give him a kiss. He spoke only to me, "I love you Emma. Please be safe. I will be waiting on the side of the cottage every night at eight on the dot. We can make it through this week. Then we will prepare for our journey. Soon we will never have to worry again."

    I nodded and gave him a final kiss, then Isabeau and I hopped in my little car and pulled away.  I could feel her eyes on me as I turned up the music and picked up the speed.

************

    We were forty-five minutes into our drive when I turned down the radio. "Hey Izzy, I wanted to tell you... Thanks for saving my life before. I know Elric is your friend, but you didn't have to get involved and you did. I just really wanted to make sure that you know I haven't forgotten and I still owe you a favor whenever you're ready to cash it in."

    She looked at me so seriously. "Your human slang is confusing, but I understand what you are trying to say, and you are wrong. I did not come to your aid because of Elric. I came, because I could not stand by and let an innocent woman be hurt by an evil, vindictive male. I was once hurt by an evil man and I wished someone would somehow come to my aid. Instead, I came later and hurt him back myself". She smiled, remembering.