Page 4 of Defy Me

The room was warm and comforting and the cold that had seeped into her lifted a smidge. It would be so easy to just close her eyes and fall asleep right here in these big strong arms. Strong arms that could protect her, keep her safe.

Yvaine shook her head. No no no. She was the only one who could keep herself safe. "I'm okay. You can put me down now."

To her surprise, he did, holding his hands out on either side of her like she was a toddler just learning to walk. "You all right there, kiddo?"

"Yeah. Fine. Thanks. Just tired." She was hella tired and still woozy. She'd feel better after she ate. "Do you have room service by any chance?"

"No need for that. Your dinner is all ready." The woman indicated to a coffee table in front of a fireplace. On a tray in the middle was what looked like a veggie burger, fries, a huge green salad, a plateful of pastries, and a bubbling glass of weissbeir. Yum.

She plopped down into the nearest chair and tucked right in. Mmm. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd had fresh veggies like this, and the burger must be some secret blend of twelve herbs and spices because it was like crack cocaine it was so delicious.

"I think you over spelled her, heart of my heart. She nearly passed out."

"Desperate times. He was circling. We couldn't let him get to her."

That sure sounded like they were talking about her. "Crphrn't frnt whew?”

"Don't talk with your mouth full, dearest."

Grr. She hated being told what to do. Fine. She chewed, swallowed and took another bite. This one slightly smaller so she could be understood while talking with her mouth full. "Couldn't." Chew. "Let." Chew chew. "Who?"

"You aren't supposed to be able to hear us talking about you. That's strange." The woman looked at her husband and frowned. "Did you do something to her?"

Yeah. Did he?

He shook his head. "Nope. That's all her, babe. I told you she was special."

Yvaine narrowed her eyes and popped a couple of fries into her mouth watching the interaction between them. She wasn't entirely sure why she wasn't getting up and Houdini-ing her way out of here. The things they were saying... she should be afraid, very afraid. She wasn't even a little bit. Possibly for the first time in her entire life.

Maybe it was the drugs, maybe it was that she was exhausted from being on the run and not finding the answers she'd been looking for and with no end in sight.

Probably that one.

The woman folded her arms unconvinced, and glanced at Yvaine. She waved her hands at the pile of french fries that were almost gone. More appeared. Literally bottomless fries. Rock on.

"I can see that she is. But are you sure she's the one?" The woman looked Yvaine up and down, like she was trying to figure out who - or what - she was.

Just an orphan looking for answers. Nothing else. Nothing to see here. Yvaine ate another fry. "The one what?"

The woman frowned. "Stop doing that."

The man got a big ole grin and Yvaine had the feeling he didn't get the one up on his wife very often. "Yes. She's the only one. Give it to her."

Whatever it was, Yvaine wanted it. Badly. Why? Jiminy Cricket, this whole situation was like a dream. She stood up and extended her hand, waiting for the woman to give her the it.

"Fine." The woman wrinkled her nose and lifted a super shiny and sparkly necklace from under the neckline of her dress. She dangled the chain in the air and then laid it over Yvaine's head. It sparked like it was electric and a bright white light filled the room for the blink of an eye.

"Whoa. What did you give me?" Yvaine lifted the charm from her chest and stared down at it. It was a shiny black dragon with a bright pink and green thistle wrapped around it. Pretty.

"I'm still not sure this is a good idea, but sometimes we do things we don't want to for the ones we love." The woman sighed and the man wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the top of the head.

"Thank you, love. You'll see, it will work out. He's got good in him even if you don't believe it yet. He must."

Yvaine yawned. The crazy day, a full belly, and weird people had taken their toll. She was going to sleep like a rock for the first time in ages. "I guess I should check in and pay you for the room and the dinner."

The woman shook her head. "You scoot on upstairs. We'll take care of the rest in the morning."

"'Kay." She trudged up the stairs and walked into the first open room she found. She laid her bag on the floor next to a big fluffy bed that was totally calling her name. Wait, when had she gotten her bag? She'd left it in a locker at the bus station where she'd slept the last two nights.

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