Chasing Fate (Sentinel & Guide)

Chapter 12

She moved towards it. Her mind-body-soul?...She wasn't sure what to call that state, but her essence moved towards the light. It was like cresting through thin ice to finally breathe air.

She came back to herself in a blink, gasping for breath like a stunned fish. The sentinel -the second one- was holding her close and begging her to read him, his voice desperate.

Without even thinking about it, she did. Like most sentinels, his mind was organized and straightforward. However, unlike any other sentinel, his mind was comfortable to be in.

The feeling reminded her of a home library. Safe, warm, and private. She could rest here for hours and nothing could get to her. Things might change and the world outside could go topsy-turvy, but this quiet space was reserved just for...her?

She didn't know. She was tired and really just wanted to rest. She didn't have the energy to pull back. If she really thought about it, she didn't want to.

Perhaps it would be alright if she just...settled in.

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Every sentinel who'd ever described bonding used very similar terms. When his (his! HIS!) guide finally stopped shaking and leaned in close, burying her head against his neck, he felt like the world clicked into place. He wasn't alone anymore. The ache in his chest that he'd grown so used to feeling was soothed away like it had never been.

The world came back into focus a split second later. The big dog - Beau, said his collar- had huddled up against her back, providing pressure while keeping his eyes on the immobile lump of a sentinel he'd rolled against a tree.

In the distance, he could hear sirens approaching. It would be best if he met them on the road so that the medics could check her over, be sure that no real damage had been done.

Careful not to jostle her too much, he hooked his arm under her legs and lifted her up. He took note of how the meat of her thigh was thick muscle, even if she felt quite soft beneath the parka. She wasn't missing meals, a good sign.

Beau circled him nervously but seemed to trust him after he took down the other sentinel. He trotted a bit south, checking back to make sure that Jack followed.

It was only a quarter of a mile to what appeared to be a gravel road that led straight to the highway. He could see the flashes of several different sirens and hear them blaring down the highway. They'd apparently known exactly where to go after she'd sent up flares. Had something like this happened before?

A hitched breath alerted him that he'd grabbed her too tightly. He adjusted his grip but did not let go. There wasn't any reason to, and he was honestly relishing the experience, despite the cold and the copious layers separating them.

He'd done it. He'd found his guide!