Page 59 of Guarded By Death

Leather & Mint

With a swift calculated movement, almost like he stops time. Pierce reaches his hands out to me, gripping me fiercely. I watch in horror as the road comes closer and closer to us, then suddenly we’re floating in mid-air. Just like he promised, he keeps me safe.

I hear the crunch and crash of metal twisting and then perfect silence. I open my eyes, trying to recognize the room we're now in. It's dark and I'm shivering from fear.

The screams won't stop as I sit on the soft floor of the unfamiliar room. Pierce standing in front of me frantically searching me up and down with his eyes as well as his hands, his gaze holds pure fury beneath the deep emerald. He carefully touches my neck, checking to make sure nothing’s broken and then he removes the helmet.

"What happened?" I squeal.

"I'll be right back." His eyes soften as he looks into mine, but he can't hide the anger that's in his tone. He vanishes before I can stop him from leaving. Nothing more than a slight breeze that makes my stray hairs fly is left in his wake.

I rest my hands on the dark gray rug that's beneath me as I take in slow steady breaths. That was the demon! Pierce went back for him; the thought terrifies me.

Uncontrollable shivers take over my entire body. Will he come back soon? Will it be a while? I dart my eyes around the dark room, the moonlight shines in through a window and it gives a faint glow of what looks like a desk. I stand to examine it, looking for a light source.

I extend my hand to a lamp and click it on, the heavy black shade numbs the bulb, lighting the room in an ominous shadow. It's dim, but I can make out my surroundings. Red exposed bricks take up most of the space, dotted with old film reels hanging on long nails. One wall is covered from corner to corner in bookshelves filled to the brim with spines that I can't read in this lighting.

The faint hint of leather and mint invades my senses. Making me realize I'm in his room, Pierce’s room. The thought warms me as I make my way to the large bed that's positioned opposite the window. I find one lamp on the left side and turn it on, the room brightens with more intensity now. I pull back the heavy gray comforter and rest my head on the single pillow that decorates the bed.

So this is where he sleeps. I look at his room from my horizontal position and my eyes find comfort on his small nightstand. The only other things that reside on the surface next to the lamp is a single photo of me, I lay floating on the soft waves of the Brazilian waters. I never realized he took this, it warms my heart that he got it printed. My hands pick up the small frame as I think of how perfect that day went.

We had an entire day with no one trying to kill me.

Pierce materializes in the middle of the room, startling me with his sudden presence. He takes two long strides and ends at the side of his bed, looking down at me with a thoughtful expression.

"What happened?" I question, jumping up beside him.

He holds my shoulder as he sits down on the bed, comfort takes over me as I follow.

"It wasn't the demon." His voice holds amusement, the hint of a smile creeping up his full lips "But we did scare the shit out of some high school kid." His deep laugh takes over the room as I let out a loud sigh of relief.

I plop back onto his mattress, sinking into the soft material of his pillow.

"Did he see us disappear?" I tense as the question comes out, he had to have seen us vanish into thin air. It was foggy, but that was unmistakable.

"Yes, but I coaxed him into forgetting. I should have been more alert, I should have known he was human. I'm beginning to become paranoid. I think Preta is trying to play mind games with me,” he shakes his head. "So much for my bike, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry." I pout.

"I'll just get a new one." He shrugs.

I grab his hand. "Why was he just standing in the street like that?" I ask.

"He was texting." I appreciate the humor in his voice, because I’m shaken by what just happened. I glance around his bedroom once more to direct my attention on something else.

"So... this is where you live?" I gesture around.

He lays down on the bed. "Like it?"

"Very much. Can we stay here tonight?" I ask, hoping he won't mind. I just need to feel safe and he can check on my mom.

"Of course."

I gesture to the floor to ceiling bookshelves. "So you read a lot?"

"Yeah, I love to read."

I nod. "What other things do you enjoy?"

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