POISONED BLOOD

Chapter 17

 "I have a guardian?" She nods quietly and goes to retrieve a book out of a woven basket with various symbols on the black and grey cover. Laying it on a medal or iron table in the corner of the room, she lights a red dragon lamp and starts flipping through the pages, stopping near the back. A bag of ash lays in the crevice of the book and the aged pages smell of mildew.

"Yes, everyone does but not all guardians follow their job, more than a few quit it all together. The bad things that happen in this world wouldn't be so common if they stayed loyal to the ones they are meant to protect and defend. And you need to call them to you every now and then." This explains a lot. My guardian hasn't cared about me from the start. My thoughts are bitter towards this idea of hers and I decide to voice it.

"What makes you think that they'll protect me now? I mean, they haven't exactly been around." As I talk she goes about the room collecting bottles, vials, five candles, and an athame. I watch with growing curiosity and ignore the fact that she didn't answer me. I'll just ask my guardian then.

"What are you doing?" Daisy asks before I can get the same words out.

"Daisy?" My best friend nods slowly but not all surprised that this particular stranger knows her name.

"I'm setting up a summoning ritual. Don't worry, it's not too dangerous." She empathizes the word -too- sparing a side glance at Grey.

"Why did you bring him?"

"We thought he was trustworthy." My voice is rough as I keep my eyes off of him.

"And you discovered the truth. I suggest he leaves. Your guardian will not like him too much." My eyes travel to Grey and his face is smooth. Without saying whatever is on his mind, he leaves, closing the cellar door behind him. It's a lot darker without the sparse sunlight that had been illuminating a vast amount of the basement. I hate the dark. Why do I feel bad that he's gone? Daisy picks up the candles and grabs my attention me by placing them around the pentacle painted in blue beautifully on the concrete floor. Elaine stares at them and our magick unites, making them flare in color. We both laugh as we had the same idea instead of using a lighter or matches.

"Is everything ready?" Daisy asks. Elaine nods her consent and we all gather around the candle lit circle. My breath is coming faster. My Mother used to tell me it was never good to summon anything... You can open a door that may not close.

"Wait, can we stop it if it gets out of hand?" Elaine stares at the middle of the circle and I'm guessing she's gathering her energy for this. Oh, man I'm scared. My knees feel weaker than usual and a steady pounding has begun against my lungs.

"It won't." The wind chimes are making music and I know that we've drawn souls to us that are still on the Earth plane, not yet moved on.

"Let's get on with it then." What will be, will be. I breathe in deeply and allow the air to come out slowly, meditating almost. Elaine holds her hands out to us and we take them. Daisy's thorns are controlled, so she must not consider Elaine to be a threat. We follow her lead as she chants an ancient language that my tongue flows to. Magick is in the air even now and I start to see a waiver in the circle. Calm yourself. I try not to be afraid as I continue chanting but my heart will not slow like my breath. She translates into english at the last bit.

"We summon you by the Gods and Goddesses that made you. We call on you. Come and do your duty." My eyes slant her way at that. Umm.. is it really a good idea to boss around a guardian created by the Gods themselves?

"Now, it is. Now, it shall be. By the Mother, we bless it be." Our voices are harmonized as if we're in a choir and the light I saw earlier suddenly breaks the darkness. As much as it hurts to look, I can't take my eyes away from the guy... urr.. guardian in front of us. Oh, my world... I'm in trouble. He is staring at the pentacle he is caged by, but I have the feeling that if he wanted out, he could just step over the line. He stands taller than us.. maybe six feet tall, his hair is murky blonde and long reaching the bottom of his neck.. shaggy and messy like he just got out of bed, but gorgeous. He looks human, yet with the traits of something unworldly beautiful. The beauty of a God. The cheekbones are prominent, lips full and peachy, and then I see his eyes. Ocean and river mixed. A part of me is melting and his eyes scorch mine with an intensity so intriguing and unstable that my heart beat gets faster if that's a possibility.

"Laney." My name on his lips sounds so sweet and a smile plays at the edges of them. Elaine gestures to me and I quickly find out that I was right about the part where he can step out of the bird cage, so to speak. Note to self: Never summon anything, ever again. But I don't think I'd mind all that much if it's him. He wears a thin, black, coat that could touch the floor if it was me wearing it. Beneath that I can glimpse the top of his chest, and his dark jeans show a few inches beneath the coat and black boots. He's watching me and I don't have any idea what I'm supposed to say or do. What do you say to your guardian that done a really crappy job of protecting you? The resentment burns inside me but I can't let my curiosity fade or that little buzzing in my chest, like wings of a butterfly. He steps closer to me and the butterfly wings turn into those of a dragon.

"I am sorry." For the love of Isis... Keep it in check girl. I take a weary breath and his hand reaches out, making me stumble backwards in anxiety. He drops it to his side and sighs.

"Where were you?" He smiles at my question. I wait both impatient and patient enough to wait a century to hear the answer.

"Another world. I can feel it coming out of your pores... I should have been there to stop the ritual. You called me because you need the poison out, am I right?" Daisy is quiet and I glance at her as if she can help me. He notices Elaine and Daisy now, yet turns back to me like he's not interested in the company we have.

"What do I do to get it out? Will it hurt?" His eyes hide something and I have the feeling it will but he doesn't want to tell me. "It will, won't it? It doesn't matter. I want to be okay for once in my life. I don't want anymore nightmares." Again, he moves towards me and like before I step back. He doesn't stop and puts one hand to my face. It's warm and soft, slowly I feel a tingling begin beneath my skin. It scares me at first but eventually I relax into his touch. He's gentle.

"What's your name?" He looks at me closely, seeming to see right through me.

"Benjamin. I need to take you to a place... I can only do so much." My thoughts halt and I shake my head, unsure. He may be my guardian, but he's also a stranger to me.

"Sis, you need to go." Daisy whispers quietly. I don't like the sound in her voice, almost a dreading tone. What does she know that I don't?

"Why?

"Because, you don't have much time. It's killing you." Elaine is the person who answers me. My eyes fill with warm liquid, blurring my vision and I can only stare at the ground. I don't want to die anymore.

"Please, come." Oh, put your big girl shoes on and go. You know you want to. I have no choice. I nod and before I can stop him, he pulls me into the circle and that blinding light surrounds us. My eyes close and his arms wrap around me in a protective embrace. My ears pop, signaling a change in the air pressure. Surprising myself, I cling to Benjamin's coat with my face turned into his chest. His breath touches my cheek.

"It's alright. You can open your eyes now."