“It’s you! Oh my gawd, you’re real! You’re the man from my dreams!”
Suddenly, other memories slammed into my head with such force I was thrown back amongst the pillows, as if a bolt of lightning had hit me. The onslaught of sensation was unsettling, and my mind reeled with agonized confusion.
“Yes, and I am so sorry for all of this, Maddie.” He waved his arm across the room and then took my hands in his.
“I thought if we brought you back here, it would be better for you, but I could not stay away. I have thought of you night and day, and I could not bear to be apart from you any longer. I am so sorry for taking your memories away. We all agreed it would make it easier for you when all the questions started. We thought we would let the doctors assume your trauma caused amnesia. Your mind is too strong though. You were remembering everything through your dreams. Maddie, these past weeks I have driven myself crazy over you. I have no reasonable explanation for this, but I do not want for us to be apart. I have come to offer you something, something that I hope you will accept.”
I felt my world spinning crazily out of control. Erased my memories? Remembering everything through my dreams? What was he saying? None of this made sense; none of it was even possible.
Chapter 19
The strange, enigmatic specter from my dreams truly existed! He was dressed as he was when I first saw him—head to toe in solid black. His shirt was long sleeved and form fitting, and his legs were encased in tightly fitting pants that were tucked into his knee-high black leather boots. His attire was almost comical because in a different time and place I would have thought that to look ridiculous, like he was headed for a Halloween party. However, this stranger—Rayn was his name—pulled it off with great ease. His hands were partially covered by strange looking metal objects, and he was enshrouded in a hooded cape. He oozed strength, imposing, impressive strength. And I could not tear my eyes away from him.
“What’s going on? What are you doing here?” I finally asked.
He came to me in a wave of speed and said, “I have come to offer you something, something that I hope you will accept. But consider this with great care because it is clouded with many complications.”
“Okkaaay...” I said tentatively.
He continued, “I would like to take you someplace where your spine can be healed. You would have a complete recovery, and you would be able to walk again.”
“You mean my paralysis would be gone?”
“Completely and totally. You would be as you were before the fall.”
“That is not possible,” I countered.
“It is in my world, but not in yours. I cannot explain more than that right now. You must trust me with this.”
“Then what is the complication?”
“You could never return to your world as you know it. You could never speak to your friends or any of those you have known. It would be as if you vanished into thin air.”
“You’re kidding me, right?” Who in their right mind would believe something like this?
To my dismay, he shook his head.
“‘Complication’ is an understatement. Can you explain this, or are you going give me a nebulous response?”
“Truthfully, I yearn to tell you more, and if you choose this path with me, shortly you will learn more. But for now, the less you know, the better for both of us. Simply put, some rules would be broken.” He extended his arm toward me and then let it fall to his side, as if he had second thoughts.
“If I choose to stay as I am, will I see you again?”
“No. I would leave you tonight never to return. In time, you would come to forget I exist.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible, now or ever. But you said something about breaking the rules. What exactly does that mean?”
“It means that I would have to do some things that are not…well, let us just say many wouldn’t approve of my actions.”
“Meaning?”
“There may be consequences for me.”
“Bad consequences?”
“Something like that.”
“So, let me get this straight. If we do this thing that you won’t tell me about, you’ll get into huge trouble and I won’t ever get to see my closest friends again for the rest of my life. Is that about right?”
“Yes, that would be the way of things.”
Without hesitation, I replied, “Then my answer is no. I will not put you or anyone else at risk. I appreciate everything you have done for me, believe me, I do. But I would never ask anyone to take any unnecessary risks for me…ever. Besides, I couldn’t just walk away from my life.” I was emphatic about this.
“As you wish,” he shot back. I could see the veil of disappointment descend on his face. “I will take my leave then. Good-bye, Madeline Mariah Pearce.” He held my hand and placed a kiss on my palm. He was gone before I could even blink. He simply vanished into a ball of light and disappeared.
I shook my head, wondering if I had dreamed of his presence. The longer I lay there, the more convinced I was that I had imagined all of this. I forced myself to forget about him and move on, but it proved much more difficult than I ever dreamed.
I dreamed of him nightly, and he was never off of my mind. With a fierce determination, I promised myself I would move on. I honestly tried as best I could, but images of him persisted. A month passed and they were as strong as ever. It seemed they had embedded in my mind and would not leave. I wished I had someone in which I could have confided. I was afraid to say anything about him to anyone, for fear they would think I had lost my mind.
* * * * *
My physical strength had returned, and I was fully engaged in my new life. I was going to enroll in two summer classes at the local college, and I was adapting to it all. I had a car that would accommodate me and my wheelchair, so I was able to go and do what I wanted to. I had gained both my independence and a strong sense of pride in my accomplishments. Everything was moving along in the right direction—except for my thoughts of him.
The more time that passed, the more I was convinced I would have to live the rest of my life with him heavily imprinted in my mind. I often wondered whether it would have been better not to have remembered anything about him. I saw his beautiful face as clearly as if he’d been standing next to me. I couldn’t lie to myself; I didn’t want to forget him. It was this realization that I knew I had made the biggest mistake in my life. It didn’t matter to me that I couldn’t walk; I had adapted to life without legs. It didn’t matter that I was alone in this world. What mattered was that I would never see him again. There was something tangibly alive between us. It was something that I had never felt before, and I had simply let him walk away.
BOOK TWO:
THE GUARDIAN
Chapter 1
I am power. I am strength. I am the wind. I am speed. I am courage. I am faith. I am hope. I am fierce. I am loyal. I am steadfast. I am true. I am protection. I am honor. I am a Guardian of Vesturon.
Vesturon—it has been called the most beautiful place in the universe, and I would have to agree. Of course, I am prejudiced since it is my home.
It is inarguably stunning. Imagine the snowcapped peaks of the Rocky Mountain range, the white sands and turquoise waters of the Caribbean, the azure skies of spring over the Smoky Mountains, coupled with the breathtaking rich tapestry of the fall foliage. Put them all together and they still cannot touch the beauty of Vesturon.
My name is Alexyon Rayn Devvan Rowan Yarrister, and I am an alien, an extraterrestrial, an otherworldly being. I do not resemble the aliens one would imagine that have been conjured up by Hollywood folklore—no third eye, extra limbs or scaly dermis. I look and act human, although my family might argue differently.
I was born on the planet Vesturon, which is located in the Delta quadrant.
Eons ago my ancestors ventured forth in search of life on other planets. Earth was one of the many planets they visited. During their travels to Earth, they explore
d all the continents and developed an alliance with many different civilizations, including the Nunne’hi—the Spirit people that are an unknown sect of the Cherokee Nation in the Great Smoky Mountains.
As the years went by, our relations with them strengthened. Our bond with them became so strong that we now consider them as our brethren. The Vesturions became very protective of the Nunne’hi. Since we were much more technologically developed, we decided to provide Guardians to the Nunne’hi.
The Guardians, a group of men and women sworn to provide protection, would see that the Nunne’hi would remain secreted in their caves in the mountains and would also ensure that no one would ever discover their existence.
The Nunne’hi welcomed this protection, because as time moved forward, more people came to these great mountains. When the humans moved across the mountains in their push to develop this nation, the Nunne’hi faced the risk of discovery. However, the Guardians kept their promises, and the Nunne’hi remain undetected and untouched, even today.
As you might imagine, with time, the role of the Guardians evolved. They found themselves being called more frequently to the aid of lost or injured visitors. They became responsible for the protection of the lands and resources in many places that reach beyond that great place in the Smoky Mountains. But most importantly, they became protectors against evil forces, physical and beyond, which threatened the safety of others.
The Nunne’hi welcomed their activities, and being a spiritual people they felt obliged to help those lost, injured or in danger. With the assistance of the Guardians, they were better able to aid people with less risk of exposure. Eventually, the role of the Guardians extended out to other civilizations that existed on Earth and, as with the Nunne’hi, remain strong to this day. In fact, there are thousands of Vesturions acting on Earth as Guardians in our present time.
My father, Rowan, is the Great Leader of the planet Vesturon, and I stand to inherit his domain when he steps down. I was sent to Earth as a Guardian as part of my education and preparation for the day I would assume the role as Great Leader.
My family—four brothers and one sister—resides in Haywood County, North Carolina. Our house, located within the Compound for the Guardians, is situated on a mountaintop, very close to where the Nunne’hi live. We have over one hundred acres of land in a remote area and our grounds are teeming with security, making it impossible for the average sightseer or local to discover us.
It is our wish to keep humans from wandering up here because the Compound is filled with things that cannot be found on Earth. Our technology would undoubtedly boggle the human mind.
Our home doubles as the Guardian Compound in North America. Beneath the house is a vast complex known as the Command Center where everything that we do on Earth takes place. Our property is “veiled” making it virtually undetectable by any form of human technology or by the human eye. We have other forms of security that are unknown to humans that keep our home free of any intrusions or curious visitors.
All of my siblings are here on Earth with me. They are named Therron, Rykerian, Tesslar, Xarrid and Sharra. They, too, are Guardians. I am the oldest and have been here the longest. We work closely together but sometimes we travel to different areas to help others. We meet frequently with the Guardians that have been assigned to other parts of the Earth. If they need our assistance, we are available and vice versa.
Chapter 2
“What is the plan for today?” Therron asked Rykerian. They were sitting at the bar in the kitchen finishing up breakfast. Our housekeeper and cook, Zanna, who spoils us beyond measure, was picking up their plates.
Therron, who stands about six feet five, has shaggy brown hair and green eyes that resemble mine. I always think of him as rough-around-the-edges. He has impeccable manners and is exceedingly easy going, but when he enters a room, the sheer size of him turns heads—not in an overbearing way, mind you, but he commands attention in an inelegant way. His shabbiness makes you want to take him and straighten up everything about him.
Rykerian on the other hand is elegant sophistication. His look is always polished, no matter the circumstances, like a model from the pages of GQ. The two of them are complete opposites in that regard. Rykerian never has a hair out of place, and if only there were words that could describe it, his hair is incomparable. It is a rainbow of hues of bronze, red, blonde and every color in between. It is truly magnificent and never fails to escape anyone’s attention. Add to that his vivid blue eyes, and he summons instant female attraction.
But even with his elegance, Rykerian could not be more genuine. If I am the dead ringer for my father; Rykerian is the same for my mother.
“I was going to cover some of the lower trails,” Rykerian said as he stood and stretched to his full height of six and a half feet. “This drought will most likely kill some of the smaller creatures this winter. I hoped it would break by now, but that is not to be. Most of the tourists and hikers are gone for the season with the cold moving in. What is your opinion?”
“I agree. I was up there last week and never laid eyes on a soul,” Therron responded. “I think most people fear getting caught in a winter snow up there. I am truly glad it is over. I did not think we would ever quit having to carry water up to people. We could make a pass through and then head back down. Rayn, your thoughts?” Therron walked over to the refrigerator to put the coffee cream away.
“Your call, my brother. Have any of you been on the Appalachian Trail lately?” I responded.
“I was up there last week and did not see a soul. Therron, I believe a quick pass up there should suffice as I think all the through hikers are gone by now, so if anyone’s up there it is probably a local hiker,” Rykerian offered.
A through hiker was one that hiked the entire 2180 miles of the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine, or vice versa.
“Sounds like a decent plan. Let us quickly cover the AT and then head down to some lower trails,” said Therron.
“Would you like to travel by speedster, or would you prefer to go the old fashioned way?”
A speedster was a high tech motorcycle with a big difference. It didn’t have wheels and hovered above the ground, essentially flying at low altitudes.
“I prefer the old fashioned way today. I should like to get a bit of exercise,” Rykerian shot back as he headed out of the room.
“Zanna, could you be so kind as to supply us with some food for the trail, maybe enough for a three day trip? And some snacks please. Your homemade cookies would be excellent!” Therron requested.
“My lord, you must know you only have to ask, and I will make whatever your heart desires!” Zanna replied.
Zanna was the greatest. She stood about five and a half feet tall and was elderly. Her grey hair and wrinkled skin were deceiving though. She had the strength of an ox and could outperform most young humans in any task. She had lived among our family for several generations and would be with us for the rest of her life. Her husband Peetar was her perfect match. He complemented her in everything they did.
They were responsible for the entire upkeep of our home and grounds and did an admirable job. Over the years, we have offered to bring others here to assist them in their duties, but they wanted nothing of that. They are very possessive of us and do not think anyone else is capable of taking care of us. I left the kitchen in search of the others.
I found Sharra in the den watching that movie about a group of vampires; she had an attraction for those creatures that I will never quite understand. Sharra was the youngest and the only female of the siblings. She was about five feet nine inches tall with a slender build. Her hair was as black as mine, minus the wave; she had the bluest eyes I have ever seen, more vivid than even Rykerian’s. Sharra was a beauty.
“Um…have you not seen this movie about a hundred times already?” I asked her.
“Oh, yes, and I will most likely watch it another hundred times. You had better get used to it, Rayn. I just love this s
tory. So what is happening, my liege?”
“Shar, you know I dislike it when you call me that. Please save that title for public appearances. What are you working on this week?”
She hit the “pause” button on the DVR and said, “Yes, I wanted to talk with you about something. My surveillance of Sylva and of the campus is indicating a drifter has surfaced. He was reported to the police by two females, and they were totally crapped out by him.”
“Er, Sharra, do you not mean ‘creeped’ out?”
My sister had an unusual knack for slaughtering American slang.
“Yes, well and that too. Anyway, the police report said they could not identify the man, but he had been seen dangling around some of the coffee shops on campus and in Sylva.”
“You mean ‘hanging’ around.”
In a blur, she was on her feet pacing around the room.
“Yes, well, that too. I want to keep him in my sights. I do not have a good feeling about him, Rayn. I talked to the Guardians in Alabama and Tennessee. You must know they have found many women beaten to death in the woods, hiking, camping or backpacking. I do not want that happening in our area, and I keep wondering if this drifter has anything to do with that.”
“Bloody hell, Sharra, I hope there is not a connection. You truly seem concerned about this man. We must have a meeting to inform everyone on this. I am planning on visiting Talasi in the next couple of days. The Nunne’hi need to be aware of this too.”
“That is a very good point. When do you want to meet?”
“Tonight. Tell Tesslar and Xarrid and we will have to telecommune with Therron and Rykerian. They are leaving for patrol. Eight o’clock tonight.”
“Consider it done.”
Chapter 3
Before I could contact Talasi, I received a telepathic strike from her. I went to her immediately and was surprised to see the usually serene and calm seer, pacing and wringing her hands.
“My lord Rayn, a woman contacted me through the Spirit world and said her daughter was in great danger. She told me where to find her,” she said. “When I arrived, the young lady was unconscious. She is located on a ledge on the side of a cliff, and therefore, we are unable to reach her. She is severely wounded, and I fear for her life. Her name is Madeline and I...”