Soul Keepers (Editing) #Wattys2020

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Millie folded herself into the chair tugging on the heavy sweater Mrs. Burge had given her and wrapping the blanket around her body, this place familiar and for the first time in over a week she felt at ease. The scents were inviting and while she knew that staying any longer would put Mrs. Burge, even the people in this building in danger she couldn’t bring herself to leave, she just didn’t have the strength to, and there was a deeper part of her just didn’t want to move.

She still hadn’t said much and Mrs. Burge unsure of what to do. She fussed over her asking the same questions multiple times before offering to make tea. He was concerned for the young woman. Where was she going barely dressed in the snow? And where did the blood come from? Calling the Sherriff was the wise thing to do, but Mrs. Burge had agreed not to when Millie had protested.

He emerged from nothing in a swirl of black smoke, anxiety clinging to his form. His eyes found her first and relief surged through him making his knees buckle. He crossed the room in three long, purposeful strides.

“Theo!” she launched herself into his arms throwing off the blanket, locking her legs around his waist her fingers burrowing into the hair at the back of his neck.

He caught her easily, crushing her body against his. “You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay,” he chanted into her hair, before pulling back a fraction to look down at her.

“How did you find me?” she wondered close to tears, but she refused to relinquish her hold on him, her fingers clinging to his shoulders.

He cursed under his breath at the marks all over her skin, a shadow crossing and leaving his face just as quickly, his fingertips lightly tracing the spots.

“Oh!” came Mrs. Burge’s surprise exclamation as she walked into the room carrying two cups in her hands “I didn’t hear anyone at the door.”

Millie didn’t want to but she allowed herself to climb down off Theo but he planted his hand on her waist keeping her close to him.

Mrs. Burge crossed the room and placed the mugs down on the table before holding her hand out to Theo. He was handsome she thought. So handsome that she found herself blushing when his hand, warm and firm enveloped hers.

"I'm Connie," she introduced.

"Theo," he reciprocated "Millie's boyfriend."

Millie's eyebrows shot up. She hadn't thought of Theo as her boyfriend. Was that what they were? She decided that she was being to trivial, that really wasn't the important part right now.

Mrs. Burge pulled Theo aside and Millie barely contained her smile at the concern on the older woman’s face.

“Do you know what happened to her?” her voice was conspiratorially low, heavily laced with her motherly concern.

Theo shook his head his face stoic.  her eyebrows pulled down over her warm and concerned eyes, her lips formed a small thoughtful pout. "I think that she may have been attacked. There was blood on her clothes and she didn't have on any shoes. I think you should take her to the hospital and get her checked out. I wanted to call the police but Millie didn't want that. Maybe youll have a better time convincing her."

"Thank you Connie. Millie is lucky to have you care so much about her."

Her cheeks warmed at the compliment. "I do care about her. Very much. You'll let me know if shes going to be okay won't you?"

Theo nodded and held out his hand again. Mrs. Burge took his hand her mind suddenly going blank. He wiped the woman’s memory of Millie’s injuries, removing any traces of their almost accident. All she would have remembered was Millie and a handsome young man, whose face she couldn’t quite recall coming for a visit. Theo smiled politely at the slightly glassy eyed look Mrs. Burge gave them and planted the memory of them walking outside and into a waiting car.