Of Fate & Forbidden Desire (The Gatekeeper Duet #1)

7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Can I protect the one who holds my heart, even if she hates me? -Dina.

I cursed Tilly in my head; her meddling had almost cost me Charleene. I'd barely made it to her in time, after finally shrugging Tilly's restraining hands off my shoulders. How dare she interfere , I thought, letting loose a vicious snarl, as I faced off against the vampire before me. His conversation with Charleene had made me see red, as I'd drawn closer, I knew exactly who he was. The damn rogue we'd been tracking.

I swung my sword, when the bastard lunged forward, forcing him to doge back again as he attempted to follow Charleene. “You're going nowhere near her!” I snarled at him.

“You want to bet Huntress?” he laughed back, an edge of mania making his eyes dart around.

He attempted to change direction and spun around, trying to reach the large stone steps on the other side of the bridge, but his shifty eyes had already clued me in on his thoughts. So I was already moving to block him. I grinned as my blade cut a neat line down his cheek and he flinched back towards the river off balance.

My feet moved faster and before he had the chance to recover his own footing. I grabbed his throat in my hand and shoved. He growled, leaning into my face but I just kept pushing him backwards, even as he gnashed his teeth at me and his foul breath spilled over my face.

“I'll have her!” He threatened as I shoved harder, pushing him to the river's edge.

“You'll never have her!” I hissed back at him as rage rushed through me at his words and one thought kept repeating over and over. Protect her!

With a snarl I gathered all my strength and threw him back, my hand releasing as his head flew over the river and I knew he couldn't recover his balance. Watching him flounder almost as if in slow motion as his arms windmilled, I smiled as he fell into the fast flowing river, and the current washed him away.

Breathing heavily, I closed my eyes briefly and let my anger go as my panic receded. The threat was dealt with, at least temporarily.

Spinning on my heels I followed Charleene’s addictive scent, which was now mingled with roses and something that shouldn’t be there. Pushing my muscles to increase my speed, I felt my heart settle slightly as I saw them both running towards the Minster. At least the redhead didn’t waste any time in getting them both away , I thought as I drew closer and they slowed to a stop. The woman’s brown eyes widened as I sprint faster, using all of my enhanced speed to get back to Charleene. I’d left her side to cool down for a minute and she’d run straight into the damn rogue vampire me and Tilly had been tracking.

“What are you?” she gasped as I stopped in front of them, making me question if I’d identified her scent correctly.

“Thank you.” I managed to get out, with what I hope is a smile or some sort, before ignoring her question, I turned my attention to the only person I gave a damn about here. Charleene. She stood shaking even though she was dressed appropriately for the chill October weather and I knew it wasn’t the cold which was making her shake. “What happened?” I asked, making sure my voice was calm and low, not wanting to scare her anymore than she already had been.

“I…He…” Charleene stammered, staring at the ground as her arms wrapped around her stomach, making me ache to hold her.

“What are you?” the woman repeats her tone a lot more angry than before, “what was that man? How are you real?” Not needing to deal with a human finding out about us, I sigh deeply in frustration. It had been stupid to ignore her this long, I should have already dealt with her and sent her on her merry way .

Staring at her and quickly closing the few steps between us, my hand whipped out and pinched her small chin between my fingers in a hard grip. Before she could even start to squirm I stared deep into her eyes and in a hypnotic voice said, “You saw nothing. You walked home and nothing strange happened.” My voice was strong and commanding, just like Tilly had taught me. I could even see her pupils dilated and her face softened for a moment. Then the impossible happened. Pain made her face scrunch and her next words came out in a scream.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

Confused, I kept my grip on her chin as her eyes closed and my other hand wrapped around her arm trying to keep her steady. She should have accepted my mental suggestion, I’d done everything correctly. Inhaling her peculiar scent of roses and something else, my brow furrowed over the old scent humans no longer used like they used too. I didn’t have long to ponder it when after a couple of minutes her eyes snapped back open and her lips peeled back from her teeth in a snarl. The wind around me grew steadily, making my eyes widen in disbelief, she couldn’t be another…

I didn’t get the chance to finish my thought before my feet left the ground and the wind flung me away from whoever she was. I barely managed to land on my feet in front of Charleene.

“What are you?” I snarl at her as she smiles in pride. I inhaled her scent once again trying to figure out what she was. She didn’t smell like a witch. No, she smelt of ancient things. Things that had long ago left this world, if my own coven’s legends were to be believed. Drawing in another deep lungfull of her scent, a shadow eclipsed her smaller frame, and my eyes widened in disbelief as a man stepped up behind her.

“I suggest you leave, while you still can Huntress.” His deep voice was cold and angry as it addressed me and his ice blue eyes narrowed into a scowl. The woman before him shivered and her face relaxed slightly like she knew and trusted him, as he finished his sentence, “and take your pet with you. ”

Terror raced through me, as I took in his sharp cheekbones, pale face and pointed ears. Fae! My mind screams at me as I take a small step backwards. I’d been told the tales of the cruel Fae who’d made our race, just to torture us and use us as slaves. I’d also been told the tales of the Fae leaving this world.

“Impossible,” I threw at them both, “you’re kind don’t…”

“Leave now.” He snarls at me, cutting off my words before I can even utter them and takes a step closer, his chest brushing up against the redhead’s back. His menacing glare made a shiver run from my head to my toes and I watched, unable to move, as one of his arms closed tightly around her back. While the other slipped beneath her knees and without taking his gaze from me he bent slightly, lifting the woman into his arms. His narrowed eyes almost seemed to scream, Mine , at me as he lifted her from the ground and her face screwed up in pain, as it fell to rest against his shoulder.

“Lysais,” she whispered hesitantly as her gaze went distant, but she didn't take her eyes off of the man holding her. She smiled dreamily up at him— almost as though she cared for the Fae male— before her eyes closed and her body slumped in his arms.

“You’re safe now Princess,” he whispered, down at her as his whole face softened and without even a backward glance he stole her away into the night.

Not knowing what else to do or even believing what I’d just seen,I glanced around making certain that we were now alone and not in any immediate danger, before I turned back to Charleene. Tremors ran through her hands as they clung to my arms in a death grip and her head shook from side to side. “Hey. Hey,” I murmured, attempting to calm her panic. Ducking down I met her worried eyes, getting caught in their beauty, “You’re ok, You’re safe now.” I told her gently, not wanting to spook her more than she already had been tonight. Shoving down my own discomfort, over the appearance of an ancient race we’d long thought gone, I focussed fully on Charleene and helped her through her own panic attack. “Breathe Babe. ”

I made my own breaths long and deep, exaggerating my movements as she followed. Charleene’s fingers tapped rhythmically against my upper arms, her grip loosening but still shaking.

“That’s it good girl,” I cooed, pleased as her breathing slowed and she finally met my eyes without me needing to duck down. “Everything’s going to be ok.” I said, my voice calm and strong. She gave me a small nod and weak smile as I took my long coat off and placed it around her shoulders.

Wrapping my arm tightly around her back, I let her pull my coat firmly around herself and turned us in the direction of my hotel. I needed her somewhere safe and off these streets. I knew the rogue vamp wasn’t dead, he'd return at some point and when he did I was going to kill him.

Keeping one arm around Charleene's lower back, we walked quickly back to mine and Tilly's hotel. Neither of us spoke, and by the time I tapped my key card against the hotel scanner, I was even more on edge and waiting for her to explode or dissolve in tears. At this point I’d take any reaction over the silence and shaking. Encouraging her to sit on the bed I walked into the ensuite, and keeping the door wide open, began running her a bath. The warm water would help unlock her muscles and relax her. Glancing between the bath and the woman on my bed, I watched as she began processing tonight's events. She was quiet and still as she sat perched on the edge of the bed, my coat still wrapped firmly around her like a safety blanket. Her cheeks were pale and her rose lips had a blue tint to the edges that I didn’t like, as they moved, forming whispered words.

Straining my enhanced hearing, I attempted to hear what she was murmuring to herself, however no sound reached my ears making my frown deeper as concern spread through me. Unable to stand the silence any more I padded over to her and sank into a crouch. “Charleene. Babe, please talk to me?” Gripping her hands in mine, I forced her to meet my eyes again with her tear filled ones.

“I…I…I…” she began stuttering, before shaking her head and closing her eyes.

“I know you’re still mad at me but please let me help you through this.” I pleaded, knowing I had no right to demand anything from her, but needing to do something. I watched in pained silence as her first tear escaped, trailing down beside her nose, before another quickly followed it. “That’s it, let it all out,” I muttered, not knowing what else to say. What could you say to the woman who held your heart in a vice-like grip, after she’d had a crash course into the supernatural.

Standing, I pulled her head to my stomach, running my fingers through her hair, soothing her pain and letting her tears fall freely without judgement. I pulled back when I heard her first sniffle, “Come on, let’s get you warmed up.” Was all I said before tugging her gently towards the bathroom that was now filled with steam. Sitting her down on the toilet lid, I returned my attention to the quickly filling bath, switching the hot water to cold and letting it fill until the water almost reached the top of the tub.

Prizing my coat from her shoulders, I cupped her cheek in one hand, my thumb brushing her cheek as I tilted her head up, “Do you want me to leave?” I asked, letting her decide if she wanted my company or not.

“No,” she whispered, her eyes darting between me and the still open door as her breathing spiked again.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I promised, holding out my hands.

“Ok,” Charleene whispered and gripped my offered hands, pulling herself to her feet.

Keeping my eyes on hers, my fingers went to the buttons on her shirt, flicking each one through its hole, until it gaped from her shoulders, revealing the tight black strappy vest top beneath. Waiting for her to give permission, my fingers trailed along the bottom of the fabric, brushing her soft skin. Charleene pulled her bottom lip beneath her top teeth, forcing a growl from me at her sudden uncertainty. She was stronger than this and I would be damned if I let the last couple of nights break her. My growl widened her eyes and she released her lip, as my grip tightened and I ripped the vest in two halves .

“You are strong.” I reminded her. “You will get through this and be even stronger.” I said, opening the button on her trousers and pushing them down over her hips as fire began returning to her eyes.

“Repeat after me; I will not break.” I demanded. Ripping the thin, netted fabric which barely covered her pussy.

“I will not break!” I repeated when she didn’t speak, allowing my more dominant nature to the surface. I needed her to fight this instead of drowning in it. “Say it!” I snapped when she just looked down at me.

“I…will…not…” her eyes widened as my hand gripped her arse and yanked her towards me.

“Stronger!” I growled, holding her firmly against my front and staring deep into her eyes.

“I will not break.” She finally repeated, a flush staining her pale cheeks a delicious shade of pale pink. “I will not break.” She repeated, her words coming out stronger each time.

“That’s right. You’re my ray of sunshine in a world of darkness, don’t let him take that from you.” I implored, searching her eyes before standing on my tiptoes and brushing my lips over hers.

“His voice…” Charleene began as my lips released hers.

“Sshhhh, forget about Him for now,” I told her, knowing we’d be going over the whole evening once Tilly turned back up. Now was time to take care of her needs.