Page 13 of Guarded By Death

I think about Logan, that must have been so terrifying for him - to have his body taken over by something so evil. My voice is saturated with grief "Poor Logan. It's all my fault that he had to endure all of that."

A deep laugh booms from Pierce's chest, catching me off guard. His eyes lighten when they meet mine. "See Scar, you feel bad for something that could never possibly be your fault. That shows your character. Regardless, demons can only inhabit the bodies of humans that aren't inherently good. The drugs he used were in his pocket already, he would have used them on someone else even if you weren't the target." A frown takes over his face.

"The target?" I shudder, remembering that’s exactly how I felt in the bathroom when the man kept coming back to me, even after every violent blow from Pierce.

I never imagined I would refer to myself as a target. I also never imagined I would be sitting with the Angel of Death, so normalcy is out the window at this point.

"The demon... he will jump into whatever body is available to get to you," he tells me. I place my hand over my heart and Pierce flinches. I can tell by the worried way he watches my every movement, that he’s scared I’m going to run.

My heart threatens to rip from my chest. Pierce raises his palm, and gently places it over my heart. His voice is calm as he speaks. "Shh, Scar. You have to try and calm down. Your heart is thumping so violently. Do you want to wait a while?" He inquires with wide eyes.

My body relaxes under his calm touch and I open my mouth to speak. "No, I have so many questions," I whisper into the whipping wind as I try to summon a few out of the millions that are floating in my foggy brain. I won't be able to think clearly until I find out more, in truth I don't think I'll ever be able to think clearly again. He gestures for me to continue.

“Why... How does he keep changing bodies? He's going to find me. I mean, I can't hide forever!" I stutter, trying to swallow my anxiety. Pierce wraps his arms tightly around me noticing my sudden change in breathing. I can't catch a full breath.

His eyes hold anger, but somehow, I know it’s not directed at me. "We would be ready if we saw the same person coming for you, again and again, that's why he changes bodies. This is his game. That's why I told you Logan wouldn't be a problem anymore when you were trying to go after him at the club." He looks deeply into my eyes. "Scar, I will never let him get to you. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I swear to you I will protect you with everything I have." He promises.

"I do trust you; you've saved my life multiple times. I just don't understand why?" Confusion overtakes me as the tears wash down my cheeks. He wipes them away gently.

"I don't understand it either, I wish I did. I just know from the moment I saw his body standing over you that I had to protect you,” he admits. “I don't do this.” he gestures between us. “I don't ever mingle with humans in this way. I'm sorry I'm throwing all of this on you, it's just... I know you will be safer knowing the facts and all I want is for you to be safe." He tells me, his piercing jade eyes bore into me.

His demeanor takes on a darker tone. "As much as I want to hurt the people that are coming after you, it's not their fault a demon took control of their bodies. They're bad people but their lives are not mine to take, only when nature has taken its course, do I step in. I never mess with a person's destiny. It wasn't your destiny for your soul to get dragged to Hell so that's a different, rare situation," his deep voice encases me with a jagged truth. I want to ask him more about himself, how did he end up with this 'job'? Why him, what did it mean? And why am I still sitting here and not running away?

He lets me collect my thoughts for a moment, waiting patiently as I sift through this confusing, impossible situation I’ve found myself in.

"In truth, this is my fault," he admits. His voice is laced with remorse, breaking through the long silence from the moments before.

I look up at him with tear-filled eyes. "I can hardly believe any of this is your fault, Pierce," I reassure him. Not sure how I'm able to try and console someone else while my body is trembling in fear.

He searches my eyes for what feels like the hundredth time tonight. Trying to find a way to answer in a way that I can understand. He doesn't make me feel incompetent, but the words he's speaking are like a different language to me, foreign to my way of life.

His hard chest rises. "Normally, if I come across this happening, I can stop it and they'll move off to somewhere else, someone else. But I felt a need greater than any need I've ever felt to protect you with every ounce that I could. That was my mistake." He spits.

I frown as I feel the tears soaking my cheeks. I quickly look away from him. Suddenly I feel his warm hands pulling my chin towards him. "No, no Scarlett. Saving you wasn't a mistake. It's... You're a light, I know you don't understand how rare that is or what it even means, but he won't stop until..." He doesn’t allow himself to finish that sentence. "He wants you because I'm protecting you." He says, bringing his palm up to caress my cheek.

I allow the rough crashing of the angry waves below to wash over my mind completely. I let myself get lost in the dark, focusing on the nothingness that surrounds me. My mind is blank, my body rigid. I try to forget what he just told me, my brain can't handle any more of his world at the moment. I regret pushing him, insisting that he tell me so much at one time.

Through the heavy fog in my mind, one thing is desperately clear. The instinct to run that I've been waiting for is here. I don't know him; he doesn't know me.

I'm next to a stranger... No, I'm sitting with the Angel of Death, and I need to get away. Fast.

As I look into his eyes, I sense the worry in his face as I frantically push myself off the large rock.

My feet begin to shuffle away, and his hand grabs my side. "Let me go!" I shout. A tingling sense of sadness washes over me when he quickly removes his hand and lowers his head, but I push the guilt away.

"Scarlett, please, don't go." He begs, reaching for me again. I can't stay here; I want to go home and pretend that this was all a nightmare. This is too much for me, this is too much for anyone.

With an exasperated sigh, I turn on my heels and book it. Stealing a glance back, I watch as Pierce's head falls into his large hands. "Fuck!" He roars, his thick voice slicing through the wind. Guilt stings down to my core as I pick up my pace, heading away from him and towards the bright lights of the dock with tears steadily streaming down my cheeks.

Eight

Running

My tires squeal against the wet pavement as I fly down the road, headed in whatever direction my hands take me. Speeding towards the dark unknown. Rain drizzles against the car, making my tear-filled vision worse. An hour passes before I realize I have no idea where I am.

My stained cheeks feel tight when I squint my eyes. I pull over to the side of the road to get my phone for the GPS. Glancing at the radio I groan when I see the time, midnight. I got off around ten, my mom must be freaking out. I unlock my silenced phone, eight missed calls.

I go straight to my text, three from my mother which I don't dare read, and one from Liv.

---