My guardian dog 19 - OLD

As I write my chapters, I feel conflicting emotions. I am glad that my story is nearing its end, but I don't want to finish writing it. I love my characters, love their stories and I still want them in my everyday life. And so, whenever I sit to write, I keep finding excuses for getting up and doing something else. I'm a sick, sad, little girl lol

Chapter 19

“Wogs, stop!” I cried and flung out my right hand. Well, nothing happened. Was I expecting to shoot off fire balls? Would’ve been practical.

But the Wogs had actually stopped at the sound of my voice. They turned to me, then looked at Scott and some of them whined. They actually thought that my brother was still on their side. I was hoping that I wasn’t wrong and that they were.

Understanding his new role in their life, Scott stepped forward and said in a loud voice, “Back! All of you, back!”

Some of them responded right away, they turned and headed for the waiting area. Others turned to him and growled, eyes narrowed. I didn’t think the two sides of their souls were fighting a big battle here; evil obviously dominated.

Slowly, almost casually, Scott removed his gloves and took another step forward. “I said back!” his voice thundered, echoing in the empty Inn. The recalcitrant Wogs finally retreated but not before growling one last time for good measure.

When they had all dispersed, I ran for Riley, straight into his outstretched arms. He wrapped them around me and held me tight. His heartbeat was erratic and I could feel him smelling my hair. I smiled, happy to know he was alive.

Reluctantly, he let go and I stepped back and glanced behind him. “Mom! Dad!” I blushed, mortified that my first thought had been to go to Riley and not them. My father was studying us suspiciously but my mother had a weary smile on her lips.

I dropped to the floor and gathered them both in my arms. They tried to hug me back but were shackled to the bar overhead. I pulled back, sat on my haunches as I glared at the manacles. I tried tugging on them –unsuccessfully, of course- but the look in my mom’s eyes said they’d tried everything.

Scott strode forward. “We need to get them out of this contraption before Silas comes back.”

“How do you suppose we do that? Can you drain it or something?” I asked.

Scott shook his head, smoothing his palm on the metal bar. “No, I can only drain living things but if we all get together, we can probably break it off.”

My father nodded. “We’d already thought of that but we didn’t dare try until we were sure you were okay.” There was nothing steady about my strong, proud father. He was bloodied and bruised and his voice was hoarse. Permanent pools of tears were in his eyes as his gaze flew to Scott and I, as if to make constantly sure we hadn’t disappeared again. Surprisingly enough, my mother looked like the steadier one although her gaze constantly searched for us also.

With awkward effort, we helped my parents up from the floor and once we made sure they’d hold up, we spread around the bar and at the count of three, we applied downward pressure. The bar gave with a hard crack and we lifted and carried it across the reception area.

“Um, problem,” I said, stating the obvious. “Do we know if there are any tools around here?”

Everyone shook their heads. The problem was, the bar was circular and whole. We couldn’t slip the handcuffs off the bar and we had nothing to cut through it. Unless . . .

I looked up and met Scott’s gaze but before I could say anything, he spoke, “You think we could do it?”

“Together? I think we can do anything.” And I meant it. From the bottom of my heart. There was something right about having both of us helping our parents, something about having Riley with us too.

My parents, my brother and I knelt and Scott and I laid a hand on the cold bar, our hands separated by only a few inches. “Now what?” he murmured.

“Our magic is elemental. We can try burning through it, will that work?”

He shrugged. “It’s worth a try.” He glanced over my head. “Riley, can you keep an eye on the Wogs? If they try anything suspicious, let me know.”

We concentrated hard. Or at least, I tried. I could feel sweat beads rolling down my temples and sliding down my spine. I couldn’t relax enough because I kept picturing my parents, Silas, Scott. My father’s bloody shoulder, my mother’s bruised face. Riley’s bleeding temple. When a hand settled on my shoulder, I jumped, looked up.

My father’s keen green eyes were staring into my own and I noticed they had finally cleared of tears. “Let’s do this together,” he said, then moved his hand until he was cupping my nape.

I glanced to my right and found my mother hesitating to touch Scott. He turned to me, caught my gaze, before looking back to her and saying, “You can touch me; it’s only my hands that will drain.” She didn’t need a clearer invitation.

Without consulting each other, Scott and I switched the hands touching the bar so that we could hold hands and complete the circle of contact. For a moment, I forgot Riley’s presence behind me, forgot about the Wogs and Silas. All I could feel was the hum of energy circling between us. For an instant, our hearts seemed to beat as one as we pooled all of our energy into burning the thick metal. When I smelled smoke, I blinked and looked down to find the metal smouldering. My heartbeat spiked and I smiled a mile wide.

“Keep at it!” Scott’s voice was tight and I obediently shut my eyes and re-linked my mind to the task. A minute later, it was done.

The burnt edges of the bar were smouldering and ragged and we were careful as we passed the chains through. Because our parents were still manacled, we decide to try to burn through the chains linking their wrists without burning the manacles themselves. I was too raw with my magic too attempt something so delicate. Scott had more practice, I supposed, but he didn’t seem to want to tempt fate.

We freed first my father, then my mother who immediately pulled me into the fiercest hug in history. Tears stung my eyes as sobs racked her small frame. “Mom, it’s okay. We’re safe now.”

My father pulled us both into a bear hug and I was grateful to feel both their arms around me. I’d been so worried that I’d never get to see them again, that we’d arrived too late. I realised someone was missing and I craned my neck to look behind me and met Scott’s gaze. His eyes were locked on us and were full of yearning. “Come, Scott. You should also be here. Riley? You too.”

Scott took a step in our direction but stopped when Riley said, his voice tight and tense, “Not now, Shanna. Scott, look!”

My family members and I turned to find five Wogs approaching us in ‘V’ formation. Interestingly enough, all I could do is picture them as geese, flying south. Somehow, the look in their eyes said they weren’t going anywhere.

Who had been these people before the light of their souls had completely extinguished? Had they been evil to the core before dying? Had circumstances made them who they were?

“Riley,” my dad said, “can you contact Travis?”

Riley looked startled. “Yes, of course. I can try.”

“Whatever you’re doing,” Scott said taking a step forward, “make it fast. This isn’t going to be pretty.”

I stepped forward too and stood beside him, trying to stare the head Wog down. “What are they doing?”

“They are challenging my authority. They know my father’s gone and I’m helping you.”

“What can we do?” my father asked, stepping forward.

“Stay back,” Scott answered.

My mother advanced until she was beside my father, then snorted. “Not happening.”

The Wog leader growled louder, more menacingly and stepped forward. I felt Scott tense beside me but before he could react to the Wog’s obvious invite to fight, we heard an answering growl. A deeper, meaner one. I looked down to find Riley to my left. His teeth were bared in a silent snarl and his hackles were raised. Before I could stop him, he padded forward until he stood in front of the four of us.

Riley and the Wog were perhaps three feet from each other and I was terrified that the Wog wouldn’t back down. Would Riley charge it? Of course he would; it was his job to defend us, the Royal Magicals. I wanted to whimper, wanted to call him back. Make him sit and stay. I wanted to clutch Scott’s arm, to prevent my hands from strangling Riley. He had come to mean so much to me in so little time. The only other person I’d had that kind of connexion to was Scott and turned out he was my brother. What were my instincts telling me about Riley, then?

Although Riley was several inches taller than the Wog, the beastie was thicker, heavier looking. Its fur was short and I could see the muscles rippling under its dark coat. It was fighting for the right to dominate while Riley was fighting to save us. Surely good would overcome evil. Right?

The Wog lowered its massive head and snapped a warning at Riley who stepped closer to the Wog, practically taunting it to try again. As one, my family and I physically linked; my father and I instinctively reached for Scott’s wrists while my mother took my father’s large hand in her petite one. When Scott suddenly gasped, we turned our heads to him and found Silas gripping his shoulders.

The Inn, Riley and the Wogs disappeared.

* * *

A few things immediately became apparent. We weren’t in Rydon anymore; we were in the woods behind our house. Obviously the timing couldn’t have been better; when we’d linked with Scott, getting ready to help Riley in any way we could, we’d been transported with him. Silas hadn’t planned for all of us touching and I had to wonder why he’d chosen to bring my brother here, to the home I’d shared with our parents.

One other thing I realised was that none of us were letting go of the other because if we did, Silas could make off with any of us. Obviously, the other three realised it also.

Silas removed his hands from Scott’s shoulders and stepped back. “You see, Scott; they have no use for you in their lives, they have made a life without you.”

I glanced back over my shoulder and found Silas gesturing to our house. Trying to maintain contact as best we could, we spun until we were facing Silas. Instead of allowing us to touch his wrists, Scott curled his arms around both our father and I and Dad did the same for Mom and Scott. My brother’s hand rested on my hip, where clothes covered my skin and I was therefore in no danger of being drained. I hugged him briefly with my own arm.

For the first time of our lives, we were united. Whole. We could face this mad man. Surely.

“What were they supposed to do? I’d been kidnapped and they waited for two years but couldn’t find me. They protected their last born.”

“If the roles had been reversed, I never would have left. I would have searched until I’d found you,” Silas said, his eyes warm.

I tensed, opened my mouth to yell obscenities but Scott stopped me with a gentle squeeze to my hip. He said, “Why is it you took me in the first place?” His voice was calm, confident.

Silas frowned, realising his tactics weren’t working. “When I went to the courtyard of castle Janeiro, I saw you playing around with little dogs. You were being watched by that fat old woman. When one of the dogs came to lick your hand, you giggled and patted its head; it dropped dead.” Silas had a faraway look in his eye as he remembered that day many years ago. “I immediately realised what you were, even if a Drainer hadn’t been seen in years. So when you jumped up, screaming your nanny’s name and backed away from the animal, I appeared beside you and transported you to Terra.” His eyes focused on Scott and he smirked. “As easy as taking candy from a baby.”

I moved my hand from around Scott’s waist until I was touching my father’s arm. I gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. I could hear my mother crying softly and I ached to comfort her. Her children were with her now and we would try to keep it that way. I just needed to make sure that Scott wouldn’t do anything stupid; he seemed the self-sacrificial type. I’d just found my brother; I wasn’t going to lose him so soon.

“So you took me in, knowing what I could do so that I could help you with the killings.”

Scott wasn’t asking a question, he was merely stating the facts. But Silas answered him anyway. “And you proved more valuable that I could have ever thought. If you hadn’t created the hounds for me, I would have used your power against the Rydonians. Unlike you, the hounds obey my every command.”

I could almost hear Scott grinding his teeth as Silas once more demeaned him.

“The only reason the hounds obey you is because they are half-wits and answer only to one of their kind.” I said, my voice hard. I wasn’t thinking about the words that I’d said; I thought only to defend my brother.

Before my eyes, Silas disappeared. In the blink of an eye, he was back. I couldn’t miss him; he stood an inch from my face. His eyes were bloodshot and his breath smelled of rotten eggs. All that paled in comparison to what I felt; he’d planted a knife in my abdomen. The pain was shocking, searing. It felt like my insides were burning, shrivelling up and dying.

Worse, though, was the sensation of having my innards ripped from my body as he yanked the knife back out. I cried out and dropped to my knees. Because I wasn’t holding Scott anymore, he immediately laid his palm on my nape and I jerked when a jolt went through me. I tried slapping his hand away but I was too weak.

Everything had happened so fast that my family hadn’t realised what was happening. All they’d seen was Silas appearing, then disappearing. They started shouting when I lifted my right palm to curl it around Scott’s leg to maintain contact.

With my left hand I was clutching my stomach, trying to staunch the flow, praying my natural healing abilities would kick in fast. Like, now.

My mom screamed out, a scream of agony that tore through me. I looked up and found her sprawled on the leafy ground. She was clutching her right ankle and blood was seeping through her tightly closed fingers. She also had the presence of mind to grip my father’s leg. Both he and Scott were yelling at Silas who was darting in and out, cutting and nicking them with quick slashes of his knife.

We were bleeding a lot and weren’t healing fast enough. I felt something wet drip down my face and with the back of my hand, I wiped it. It came away red with blood. I looked up to find Scott breathing hard, his arms, torso and face bleeding freely. My father wasn’t in better condition. We needed a solution and we needed one fast.

I thought back to Riley and knew he wouldn’t be any help; he couldn’t reach us. I gulped. We’d left him to face a pack of rabid Wogs; who knew if he was still alive? I thought of the Wogs and decided it would have been convenient to have a few on our side. As I watched my father flay his right arm trying to get to Silas, I remembered how I’d come up with the ‘Wog’ name on my own. Silas called them hounds.

An idea began forming in my mind. I tugged on Scott’s pant leg and he looked down at me. His breaths were harsh and his eyes were pain -filled. “What is it? Are you holding on?”

“As best as I can. Scott, we need a Wog.”

He cocked his head and stared at me, his expression puzzled. “A Wog?”

“You think we can pull it off?”

“Yes!” my mother’s whisper was fierce, determined. She understood that what we needed was a distraction. Could we create an illusion of the precious hounds Silas cared for so much?

A blur of movement briefly caught my eye and then Scott when down on one knee, groaning. Silas had managed to cut him behind the knee. What was he waiting for to cut our throats? I drew a harsh breath as a pulsing began in my stomach. A reminder of what his knife could do or the beginning of the healing process?

On his own accord, my father crouched down to be at level with us. “We need a Wog, guys. Think happy thoughts. Focus. We need Wogs.”

Obviously my father had also understood. Scott turned his head to me and nodded; we all agreed. We drew together and touched as much as we could; legs tangled, arms brushing, heads touching. Anything. We breathed in deeply, tried to blot out the pain and fear.

“What is this Wog you speak about? Is it what you name your miracles? Wogs?” I’d love to say that Silas’s laugh was demonic, evil, but really it sounded normal if not a little sinister.

I tried to block out Silas’s voice. I felt our minds link and work together as before. Then, I felt my father’s mind stagger and he gasped. “Dad!”

“Keep going!”

“Wog, Wog, Wog,” my mind chanted and knew the chant was reciprocated.

“Who are you praying to?” Silas’s tone was condescending and haughty. “You can pray all you want but your deaths aren’t going to be fast or easy. I’ve just begun playing with you. And you make it so much easier by sticking together like baby birds in a nest. Easy pickings.”

I heard the leaves crackle beneath his feet as he strode forward. Confident bastard thinks he doesn’t have to shield himself from us anymore, I thought bitterly.

I was beginning to think that maybe our magic would not work here, on Earth, since we weren’t on Rydon anymore. Suddenly, there was a low growl ahead of us that made Silas pause and turn around.

Speaking in a furious whisper, I said to Scott, “You’re the only chance we have. You have to drain him once and for all.”

Scott blinked. “I- ”

I looked at him and realised that although we were crouched, he seemed to be swaying in the breeze. His shirt and jeans were matted with blood and his face was blood-red from the numerous cuts. He needed energy, I realised.

Taking a deep breath, I held my hand out to him. “What?” he asked, eyeing my hand suspiciously.

“You told me that when you drain, you retain your victims’ energy, right? Take some of mine, as much as you need.”

He looked shocked, appalled. “I can’t do that! You’re already weak from blood-loss. I could kill you!”

I glanced to my left and noticed that Silas was trying to make the Wog back off. The illusion remained in place. “We don’t have time to argue. You know you need this.” I locked eyes with him. “I trust you, Scott. Do me proud, big brother.”

His breath hitched on those last words and he nodded decisively. He didn’t take my offered hand; instead, he wrapped his hand around my nape and squeezed gently. His forehead met mine briefly and I bit on my bottom lip to prevent the gasp from escaping my lips. He’d sent a jolt through me and I could feel my insides liquefying. The pulsing in my stomach intensified and I was struggling to remain conscious. I needed to remain alert in case my family needed my help.

I watched as my father silently held out his hand to Scott who understood and clasped it. I saw my father flinch and his eyes go glassy. My mother soon followed.

The difference in Scott was immediately noticeable. There was nothing to be done for his bloody clothes but his cuts had sealed themselves magically. The healing was working double time for him.

I felt completely numb as I watched Scott stalk closer to Silas who had taken a quick step back when the Wog’s growl had intensified. I didn’t know how the illusion was maintaining itself, none of us had enough energy to hold onto it.

The moment the thought crossed my mind, the image of the Wog flickered and disappeared and Silas cried out in surprise. He turned to us, a snarl on his lips, just as Scott was reaching him.

The crackle of energy emanating from Scott was so powerful that the hair on my arms was raised. We watched in rapt fascination as Silas’ eyes bulged. Scott wasn’t squeezing Silas’ neck; he didn’t have to. But the energy being drawn from him was pouring out so quickly that we could almost see Silas’s innards keeling over.

A few hours ago, when Scott had partially drained Silas, he had seemed hesitant, unsure of himself. He had flinched the whole time. This time, I saw only calm acceptance emanating from my brother. I’d only learnt part of his past with his adoptive father, but I was proud that my brother wasn’t making Silas’s last moments a horror to behold. Scott was dignified and if I had any breath at all to spare, I would have let my pride in him swell my chest.

I didn’t know what my parents’ thoughts were as they watched their long-lost son kill the man who’d raised him but I hoped they’d give Scott the chance to explain. Then again, they may be silently thanking him for killing the man who’d held them hostage.

Finally, Silas crumpled to the ground and Scott seemed to fold onto himself. He laid there, breath rasping in and out of his chest, his eyes tormented. His head was thrown completely back and he watched us from upside down.

My parents and I began crawling toward Scott like slithering snakes on the leafy ground. My stomach was protesting loudly but I told it to shut up; soon we would be able to rest. I reached Scott first and his eyes fluttered open as I rested my weary head on his shoulder.

He turned his head to me and said, “Hey. Thank you.”

I simply nodded, unable to answer. My parents arrived and whispered reassurances to us but I don’t think either of us heard anything. I was really close to blacking out and I knew from experience that Scott was also.

The last thing I heard was our father telling us they would go to the house for some medical supplies and would be back for us pronto.