Night Guardian

Chapter 4, Part 2: Under the Influence of Bliss

CARLOS

"Sneddon, you had better listen well," Carlos growled, advancing towards him slowly. He was very unhappy with how the events at the fair went. "I want that girl dead! Your attempts to ambush them failed! The only person capable of lifting my curse on one of the most powerful guardians of the planet was this ...Kayla person! I want her dead by the end of the week, or you'll be the next life I claim."
His demon companions snickered, and shoved him out of their hideout. Carlos laughed along with them, admiring his new form. The souls and skins of the infected people came in handy when rebuilding himself. He now looked exactly as he had before being condemned and left for dead. He conjured a mirror to admire his reflection, but the smug approval was quickly replaced with rage as he realized he had similarities to his half-brother, Nicholas. He smashed the mirror and tore at his face until it was bloodied.
The spirits stopped laughing.
"I need a new face," he said, breathing heavily. "I don't want to look anything like that traitor to the Devereaux family."

How am I going to separate that freak from his wench when she never leaves the house without him? the Mayor thought.

"Damien," he called. "I need you to do something for me."'
Damien materialized in front of him with a bow, a cross between a mountain lion and human. A shapeshifter would be great for the job. "Stalk the Maestro's wench. Don't be seen and wait for an opportunity to strike. Don't fuck this up or it's my life on the line!"

The creature rolled his eyes. He didn't care about the Mayor's life, only the reward promised from his master for carrying out his deeds. "She'll be taken care of by sunset tomorrow," he said, vanishing as quickly as he arrived.

The Mayor decided it was time for him to lay low and skip town in case this all went down badly (for him). He was getting ready to make his way to his safe space when he turned around to see Nicholas Devereaux staring him straight in the eyes.

"Going somewhere?" he said smugly. "Yes, I've been following you this entire time. Before the Mayor could protest, he silenced him with a snap of his fingers. Sneddon couldn't speak. "Don't even think about trying anything. I've already sent my friends to deal with your Damien...now what to do with you?"

_______

"Mike I have a question," Kayla said as she admired her ring. Michael was glad to see that she liked it. He noticed every little thing about her; what she liked and didn't like, committing it to memory.

"Ask away," he said.

"This is random, but how come Flaen and Minerva can shrink? Is it like a special thing only they can do?"

He smiled. "Everyone has certain talents. Theirs is the ability to shrink. Also, there are many different kinds of immortal beings in this world. They are fairies. I met Minerva and Flaen fifty years ago after saving their lives from a common enemy we shared. Since then, we share a special bond. When one of us is hurt or in distress, we all know and come to that person's aid."

"That's amazing...so what special talents do you have?"

That came out sounding more suggestive than she intended, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.

"Sometimes I have foresight. I can fly, and teleport anywhere in the world. Like you, I can sense certain energies from people, and things, like the Earth. When She is in distress, I'll know it."

"Is that why you're called a guardian?"

"Precisely."

The two walked for a while, enjoying the breezy cool day, which was slowly becoming a bit muggy because of an oncoming storm. So caught up in conversation they were that neither seemed to notice the clouds beginning to thicken until the first raindrops fell onto Kayla's forehead. She looked up, surprised. "We'd better get inside. I don't think this is going to be a light rain."