The Guard: The Soppranaturale Series

The Guard

The Soppranaturale Series:

Book 2

Ashley Pagano

The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, places, or events is coincidental and not intended by the author.

IF YOU PURCHASE THIS book without a cover you should be aware that this book may have been stolen property and reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher. In such case the author has not received any payment for this stripped book.

THE GUARD: THE SOPPRANATURALE Series: Book 2

Copyright © 2020 Ashley Pagano

All rights reserved.

ISBN: (EBOOK) 978-1-949931-80-8

(print) 978-1-949931-81-5

Inkspell Publishing

207 Moonglow Circle #101

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

EDITED BY RIE LANGDON

Cover art By Najla Qamber

THIS BOOK, OR PARTS thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. The copying, scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions, and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

For centuries, Fairies were extinct.

And now...

There are two at the Soppranaturale. Together, their powers can be life-altering.

Dedication

To the Girl

Who reads by flashlight beneath her covers,

Who sees faeries in the air around her,

Who feels more alive in worlds that never were,

Who believes that she possesses magic,

& who dreams in technicolor,

This story is for you.

Chapter 1: May I Have This Dance?

We skip into the vacant elevator. Its humming yellow lights flicker above as we circle each other below. While she giggles contagiously, I spin her around as if I’m her ballroom dancing partner. The high of the Gauntlet consumes us like a potent drug, so much so, that we’ve forgotten where we are for a few moments. We revolve around one another like two spinning tops and every few spins, we brush arms. I pull her in and dip her with one hand and press the seventh floor button with the other. Then she whips back upright causing her hair to slap against my face. She quickly breaks our stance and presses the third floor button repeatedly just as the elevator starts moving.

What are you doing? I ask timidly.

I’m still booked in my room for a few more days even though Preston is gone. I’m not ready to share a room with you, Link. Please respect that. I’m a good girl and I just went through a tough breakup. She reminds me of her sorrows, which I haven’t seen affect her in any way, until now. I can still see her face beaming with excitement. And as if she reads my mind, she says The Gauntlet, and all this, were the perfect distractions for me. She bats her thick eyelashes.

I’ll have you know, I was going to be a total gentleman and let you have the bed while I slept on the floor. I raise an eyebrow toward her as I lean up against the wall, arms crossed.

Were you really? She leans in to me, hands on her hips, and clearly calls my bluff.

Hey, give me some credit. I may have tried to make a move on you at some point but then I would have courteously retired to the cold, hard, uncomfortable floor, I tease.

Stop that! She smacks my chest lightly and smirks. Then she backs up against the opposite wall like we’ve done before. Tell me more about the Guard?

The elevator dings and bounces up and down, stopping abruptly on the third floor. Tomorrow night. I respond. Then I give her a quick peck on her lips.

She steps out and twirls like a ballerina on the balls of her feet until she faces me. Goodnight, Mr. Argos. This has been one of the greatest nights of my life.

It’s the first time I’ve heard her say my last name and I like the way it sounds. Strangely, I immediately picture her introducing herself with it. Goodnight, Ms. Nation. I manage to get out the last N sound just as the doors shut.

Following this, I let out a long, exasperated sigh, finally allowing my body to relax. It causes the aches and pains of the Gauntlet to slowly creep in on me. Great, I whisper as I roll my shoulders back and forth to work out their newfound stiffness. I kink my head from side to side, hearing my neck joints crack within my ears.

When the elevator opens to the seventh floor, I’ve never been more excited to take a nice hot shower and climb into bed. Instead, I’m greeted by a small, clapping crowd. Several of my fellow supernaturals rush in to congratulate me. Some even pat me on the back, painfully. Phoenix and Tenley are at the front of them.

Where’s Ommily? Tenley asks as she’s pushed into me.

She went back to her room, for bed, I reply, rapidly sending my gaze around, taking in every over-animated face.

What? Did you two have a fight or something? Phoenix asks as his gunmetal eyes protectively grill those around me who get a little too close.

No. No. She was tired and isn’t ready to spend the night with me. I fake a cheesy smile for the sake of the crowd. Stretching my face like this causes my cheeks and jawline to ache deep within their crevices.

Smart girl, Phoenix jabs, sending his elbow into my rip cage.

Owww. I groan and clutch my abdomen.

He doesn’t have to be a mind reader to tell I’m awkwardly uncomfortable. I guess you’ve forgotten what it’s like in the limelight, since it’s been so long since you’ve won the Gauntlet. His booming voice echoes inside my head, instantly triggering a pounding headache between my temples. In response, I shoot him a droopy eyed stare.

Reluctantly, I shake hands with or nod at several of my new and some original fans. I pretend to listen to their excited remarks and considerate compliments. But I know my steps are dragging, my voice is muffled, my handshake is weak, and I fight to make eye contact with any of them. I’m truly exhausted and it must show.

Thankfully, Tenley catches on quickly. Link needs to get some rest. The Gauntlet has wiped him out. Please let him pass so he can get to his room, she announces, successfully projecting her tiny, mouse-like voice. Then she clutches my arm and pulls me forward until we’ve passed into open hallway.

Thank you. My words come out a brittle whisper as we shuffle away from the crowd.

Tenley, will you help me? I mumble.

Sure. She reaches for my keys, immediately assuming I need help unlocking the door.

No. I whisk them away from her. I want to take Ommily on a nice, fancy, romantic date tomorrow night. Will you help me plan it? I don’t have the energy...or the creativity.

Her smile triples in size, pulling the corners of her eyes up with it. Of course I can! You get some rest; I’ll take it from here.

It must please her to feel needed, being that she’s my only girlfriend.

I reach into my pocket and pull out my lopsided, messy wallet and drop it into her palm. Its weight pulls her hand down with it. An old receipt, from God only knows when, slips out and flutters to the floor. For whatever expenses it takes. I nod with tired eyes.

Understood. She grins and flits away on the balls of her feet.

Next, I fall into my dark room and slam the door behind me. That causes several picture frames to rattle against the wall. But when they silence, I see and hear nothing: no crowd, no applause, and no distant conversations. Finally, I am at peace and the charade is over.

AFTER AN ELEVEN-HOUR night’s sleep, a steamy shower, a hearty breakfast, and multiple ice packs later, I’ve made my way down to the lobby. Fortunately, I’m not working today but I know Tenley is. She must be around here somewhere. First, I notice that she’s not behind the front desk. So I begin my search in all her usual spots. I speed-walk to the computer room where at least one of its six computers act up daily. But I do not find her and there’s not one error message on any of their outdated screens, either. Must mean she’s been here already. Then I make my way to the server room. I strut past several oblivious hotel guests and a handful of star-struck supernaturals, who whisper as they courteously let me pass. I’ve forgotten how much I hate the hierarchy created by the Gauntlet. It makes them treat me like royalty, when really, I’m the farthest thing. When I reach the server room, I quickly scan my key card, wait for the pad to click and turn green, and then I haul open the heavy door. I find Tenley crouched next to a tall, blinking tower. She’s wearing her magnifying goggles that mess up her hair and make her eyes look twice their size, and she’s holding a screwdriver in one hand and a frayed electrical wire in the other. When she looks up at me, it’s hard not to laugh.

You know you look like a bug, right? I muffle my laugh with my hand.

You know you look like an unappreciative jerk after your dear friend just planned an incredible date for you? She says it without skipping a beat.

I lean against one of the towers. I’m sorry. Thank you, Tenley. I really do appreciate it. Can you tell me what you planned?

Don’t touch that! She ticks her finger aggressively, which causes me to jump away from the tower. First, I sent her roses this morning. Only the best from Rosangelle’s Florist. Four bouquets: one red, one blue, one green, and one yellow.

Jesus, why four and why those colors? I think her favorite color is orange, I mumble.

Tenley doesn’t look up; she just continues fiddling with the components of the tower. She carefully unbolts the back of the stack with her rusted screwdriver. Her favorite color would have been vital information last night. But each bouquet represents a different one of her elements. The red bouquet is for fire, the blue is for water, the green is for Earth, and the yellow is for wind.

Oh. Now I get it. That’s a cute idea. I can’t help but frown, though. I’m not sure where she’s going with this.

Then I hear something click. Tenley’s elbow hatchets downward, and the entire tower begins a beeping and blinking light show. She sticks her tongue out between her teeth. There we go! Now we’re back in business. She stands and dusts her knees off. On each bouquet I included a note, too. She clears her throat and begins. For the blue, ‘Because I won’t drown in your water.’ For the green, ‘Because I want to get tangled in your Earth.’ For the yellow, ‘Because I want to get swept up in your wind.’ And for the red, and this will sound familiar, ‘Because you can throw fire at me and I won’t get burned.’ After that statement, I wrote ‘Meet me in the lobby at 6 o’clock.’ She smiles grandly once she’s finished, clearly proud of herself.

Very creative, Tenley. Some of it sounds a bit sexual, but...

"It’s romantic! All of it. It’s like a poem. Every woman loves a good poem! Plus, her ex-fiancé didn’t know about any of her gifts, and the bouquets show that you’re embracing them. He