Guardian (A Guardians Novella) SLOW UPDATE [Modified]

Chapter 6: In My Head

The room was dark as Ryan looked up at the plain white ceiling. The ride home was anything but comfortable. It was silent, unlike the end of the meeting with the council. It wasn't the first time his grandfather had laid hands on him, but it was the first time he'd done so in front of others. All Ryan could vaguely recall at the moment was yelling and the vow his grandfather made never to speak to him again.

And Keaira...

She didn't ask for any of this. Everyone just thrust her into thei world, placing her at fault when she was unaware. She was awake, just like he was. She was thinking about him. He could feel her thoughts. She was anxious.

Ryan tried to fight it, for the briefest of moments, so that he could feel like everything was normal again. But it wasn't.

In a war-like flashback, the events of the meeting ran through his mind, accompanied by memories of his childhood. Angry thoughts buzzed in his head. Keaira did nothing to deserve this! I did nothing wrong! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, DAMN IT!

Without thinking, his lamp flew across the room. The sound of it shattering snapped him out of his stupor. His aw then set as he stared into the night outside his window.

Forget what his grandfather wanted. Forget his grandfather entirely! He needed to be with her.

Keaira found herself trapped in a smoky haze. Everything was covered. She was alone and she was afraid. The wisps of smoke danced around her and she could hear an eerie children's tune playing in the distance.

The pit of her gut was filled with dread. She knew who was coming. He had often haunted her dreams when she was a child. He had promised to follow her wherever she went for as long as she lived.

He made good on his promise.

"Show yourself", Keaira yelled shakily.

The smoke moved to form a shape but never fully developed. Still, a gravelly voice spoke to her. "Your boy won't keep you safe. You think that our kind are in your imagination. You think we are make believe, but a part of you knows that we are real."

Keaira backed away from the smoke figure, but lifted her chin as she said, "You are NOT real! You DO NOT exist! When I wake up you will be gone!"

She could feel the smoke figure's deep chuckle vibrate within her. "We will show you just how real we are!"

The smoke figure held up a hand and suddenly Keaira couldn't breathe. Usually lack of oxygen would wake her up. Not this time. Every muscle in her body spasmed. The echoes of a million voices could be heard inside her head."We're coming! We're coming! We're coming! WE'RE COMING! WE'RE COMING! WE'RE--"

"THEY'RE COMING!" Keaira gasped as she woke up in a cold sweat. He hands shook, her lip quivered, and her lungs burned. Her heart felt like it was beating in her throat and ears. Tears ran from her eyes. She wasn't safe.

Her mother would never believe her. She would send her to the priest and they would laugh in her face again. There was something out there.

The sound of something against her window caught her attention. For her sake, she hoped they were rocks. Grabbing the fireplace poker that she had kept underneath her bed, she inched toward the window.

Slowly peering at the ground below, she saw a male figure. Through the dirty window she couldn't see the details of his form, but she knew that he meant her no harm. Her heart beat fast as she raised the window.

"Keaira." The voice was instantly recognized as Ryan's.

Quickly, she wiped her face and burried her terror. "Ryan, what are you doing here?"

Boldly he went straight to the point. "I wan't you to come with me. We're going to be spending a lot of time together, so we might as well start now."

Keaira looked back toward her room door. "I can't. What about my parents?"

Then came something she didn't expect. She could see his eyes visibly soften. "Keaira, I need you. Our bond is not complete. What we've been experiencing is only the beginning. I've performed the rites and the bond is progressing and can't be reversed, but there are rites that you need to perform as well. You have to accept me. You have to allow me to be yours completely."

Keira hesitated. "And why should I do that?"

Ryan exhaled sharply. "Because I will get sick if you don't. Our bond is only complete once you do your part. I need you and I know you need me, too."

"And what would your grandfather say?"

Ryan winced. "Forget my grandfather. You're in this now and you're in my head. My brother and I are now skating on thin ice to protect you and make this legitimate. Don't let that be for nothing, I beg you."

Keaira sighed. "I'll be right down."