Chasing Fate (Sentinel & Guide)

Chapter 19

  Fate didn't realize she was screaming until she came to, pressed against Jack's chest as he projected as much calm as he could in the situation. He rubbed his hand soothingly over her back, his own hand shaking from the emotional whiplash he was enduring. Her throat was raw and she felt drained after her emotions projected in the entire area.

Outside, a few reporters had begun to cry for no discernible reason. Closer to the epicenter, Bess was visibly shaken. This was the power of a high sensitivity guide. Torres had stepped back and reached for Harley's hand, gripping it with white knuckles. the briefing hadn't warned him of this. No wonder she'd been on the NOGS watchlist. If Jack hadn't acted as a human dampener, he may have fainted from the stress. As it was he'd have a hell of a migraine once the adrenaline wore off.

The initial shock of Fate's bearking heart had hit Jack like a sword in the gut. He could name every fear that plagued her, and sentinels were the stars in every nightmare. Now she was chained to one, a fate worse than the death she begged for.

He felt as though he was connected to her mind, it was a new and weird feeling, like standing on a rocking boat. Somewhere in there was the reason she hated sentinels with all of her being, but it seemed that even she wouldn't acknowledge it.

But he was determined. Already he could feel his influence calming her. Though she wouldn't say it aloud, she knew his intentions better than he did. He COULDN'T harm her. Instinctively she accepted it and calmed down, though her waking mind wanted nothing to do with him.

She pulled back, gasping for air and furiously wiping her face on her sleeve, embarassed at her outlash. Jack could feel her shutting down, closing off emotions behind safe walls where ven she wouldn't acknowledge them. The air cleared as she straightened herself in the chair, as if she'd only thrown a tantrum for show.

Jack pulled back, furrowing his brow. This was perhaps worse than her outburst. She was so controlled, suddenly he couldn't feel anything at all.

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Two hours later, the Harley and Inigo Torres emerged from what the media had dubbed the 'bonding bunker' to the flash of hundreds of cameras. The perimeter had snuck up the front drive after the initial wave of emotion had alerted everyone in a five mile radius that something was up.

Wagging tongues in town meant that Fate's name and all of her public information was already in the noon editorials, with concerned parties on both sides trying to find the villain in this situation. Bess stepped out and made eye contact with the NOGS director who had just touched down from the airport and raced over.

The handing back of the still-sealed emergency dosage was met with cheers and increased noise from the paps. A dashing sentinel rescuing a high-risk guide from certain death at the hands of dampeners would sell papers for months! Even better that this sentinel was the one that all guides dreamed about. They'd sell this fairy tale from New York to Kalamazoo.

The director walked past the perimeter when Harley allowed her through. Though it was only ten AM, Jacqueline Rice was as prim and pressed as always, her coily hair done up in a no-nonsense crown braid and her usual suit replaced with a jacket and jeans to account for the weather. Behind her, the Senior Alpha Prime of the region and his guide stepped forward as well. Together with the police and Bess, they would run interference to get the new bondmates to a more secure location until they could get on a plane out of town.

Fate held her suitcase in hand, not even unpacked from the night before. On her back was a go bag with Beau's necessities. Sigfried...Jack stood in front of her, peering through the greenhouse windows to assess the best route out.

After the initial upset, Fate had been silent, speaking only when absolutely necessary. Her emotions were on a steady keel, as if they weren't there at all. Jack was nervous. The excitement of the papparazzi was palpable, putting him on edge. He could feel it like a prickling on his skull, and hear the pounding heartbeats like dull thunder outside.

Making a decision, he bundled Fate under one arm, shielding her with the flap of his jacket as he strode out. He didn't growl at the paps as they flashed pictures of his guide, but it was a near thing.

He didn't relax until they were bundled into the back seat of a tinted SUV with the senior alpha and his guide. Torres and Harley were to follow with Bess in their own patroller.

As the black vehicle turned down the lane and escaped the range of the frantic papparazzi, Fate relaxed imperceptibly into his side. Jack left his arm where it was casually across her shoulders.

This was enough.