Driving away from the safe house, I watched it grow smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror. The trees swallowed it, enveloping the cabin in their branches. I was comforted in the knowledge that Jade was safe, shielded, veiled in my personal haven. My safe house.

I purchased the cabin years ago on Alexander’s recommendation, and Owen and I have been outfitting it ever since with the best tech, most up-to-date equipment, and the strongest shielding magic we could get our hands on. I tended to lean heavily on the offensive arts, my monster being battle ready and blood thirsty, but the safe house was meant to be a fortress of defense when we needed it, and we needed it right now. At least to recuperate and get our bearings.

Alexander had made suggestions, small talk if you will, about if I ever thought of leaving The Guard. I hadn’t. No one did. No one I had ever heard of, that is. There was only one way I knew people left The Guard, and I wasn’t ready to take a trip in a pine box, rot in the mud for eternity or whatever the hell happened to guardians when they were “relieved of their duties,” never to be heard from again. I’m sure it was gruesome, and painful in some gods awful way. We were living the good life working for The Guard, more or less, and weren't ready for it to end. At least, I wasn’t, not yet. Jade needed me, us. That is, she needed Owen, me and Rage, my monster, to keep her safe.

Jade had seen glimpses of Rage in my eyes. Only brief flashes before I locked him down deep inside the metal cage that held him captive. I haven’t let him out around her. Too dangerous. I wouldn’t allow it. I must keep Rage contained.

Our arrangement, if you could call it that, was a constant stranglehold, two stubborn assholes butting heads for dominance. Without my firm grasp on control, there would be chaos and death, murder and mayhem. Nothing would stop Rage from destroying everything in his path. Fuck! He would destroy an entire forest if the tree pollen made Jade sneeze. And then she would be gone, scared away by the monster within me.

Someone naive like Jade, doesn’t understand the supernatural world. Alexander kept it hidden from her all those years. But would she really accept me, accept my other half, if the full truth ever came to light? I’m not willing to lose her if she doesn't. I care for her too much. Rage does too. He bonded with her and she unknowingly accepted the mate link. Does she know what she did? Does she know about mates? Bonds? She spoke to Rage. She accepted the murder of her mother and wasn’t scared. Does she know what that means? That she is ours and we are hers. That Rage is her monster and nothing can stop him, but her. He will do anything for her.

It was difficult leaving Jade at the safe house and driving away. Excruciating, in fact. I wanted to stay with her, but I knew we would never get the answers we needed if I did. If we went underground, The Guard would come looking, and like hell I would let them anywhere near Jade. If it ever came down to the wire, I know where my loyalties lie, and I have a pretty good idea about what Owen would choose too. But that wasn’t an option, a real choice. We would always be hiding, fearing for Jade’s safety. That wasn’t a life I wanted for her, for us. Rage’s bloodlust was the perfect trigger to spark my own reaction, the catalyst that drove me to leave Jade in Owen’s care and go after Felix. I hope he can handle her while I’m gone.

Rage was anxious, stomping around his cell, chanting “Someone's gonna get it,” and swinging a spike studded baseball bat like a demented character from an action movie. I shook my head at his moronic antics. It was difficult to keep him under control on a good day, and this was not a good day.

Maybe one day you should let me out to meet Jade. Hmmm?

Like hell I will, Rage.

It wasn’t the time or place, no matter how protective Rage wanted to be of her. I was doing the right thing, leaving Jade with Owen.

You’d probably crush her head when you tried to pet her hair. That sounded bad but what else could I say? He’s a gargoyle for fucks sake. A giant stone monster with talons, fangs and fucking wings.

For once, both of us were in sync, working together, and focused on the mission. I wasn’t having to fight Rage for control, and it gave me a chance to breathe. Knowing that The Guard had hired a mercenary to go after Jade pissed me off. While most mercenaries can be bought off, Felix had a reputation for finishing the job. Fuck!

The road in front of me blurred, causing me to rub my eyes with the back of my hand. It had been a long day, and the night was proving to be just as long. I could feel exhaustion creeping in subtly like a fucking armored truck. I’d been driving too long. Just need a couple hours of sleep and a place to plan. But Rage wasn’t having any of that...

Wimp.

Go to your room, Jackass! Rage grumped all the way to his cell, unhappy my mortal form needed rest when he didn’t.

A seedy motel sign shone in the distance. I turned into the empty lot and parked the car. Exiting the car, I surveyed the surroundings and carefully took in the peeling paint and cracked stucco. A few letters on the neon sign were burned out reading “v can y,” instead of vacancy as so much else seemed missing from this hole in the wall. This will do just fine for a few hours.

I rang the after hours doorbell and waited for the click and buzz signaling the night clerk had unlocked the door. When I entered the lobby, the dumbass looked up from his phone, jittery from too many energy drinks, I assumed from the remains of several cans littering the counter. Doesn’t he know that shit will kill you? I smiled half heartedly. “I need a room for the night.”

The night clerk looked me over, judging my appearance before nervously typing on the keyboard. He ran a hand through his greasy hair and bit his cheek. “When will you be checking out?” He asked, still staring at the screen.

I scanned his wrinkled shirt for a name tag. The name Paul was written in rough, markered script. The company must be too cheap to spring for fancy name tags or sticker letters at least. “Well Paul I’m needing a room for the night with a late checkout.” Impatiently, I leaned on the counter, watching him fidget uncomfortably.

“We have one room left,” he quickly glanced at me then back to the computer screen. “I just need your—”

I pushed a hundred dollar bill under his nose. “Keep the change.” Leaning across the counter, I held my other hand out for the keycard. The clerk greedily eyed the bill, and dropped the key in my palm. “Thanks.” I called over my shoulder as I stalked away.

Opening the door of the room, a stench of stale cigarettes and mildew assaulted me. I pushed it open and threw my field bag on the bed. The three S’s at the front of my mind, minus an S or two. I needed a quick shower and shut eye before hitting the road again.

The dingy, white bathroom was functional at best. I brushed the cheap plastic shower curtain aside and turned the knobs. Rust colored water sputtered from the faucet. Grabbing a thin scratchy wash cloth, I threw it in the shower. “Freaking cheap ass motels...” I muttered. I stripped out of my clothes and stepped under a weak stream of tepid water. Rushing through the shower, I lathered up and rinsed off, not bothering to rinse and repeat like the shampoo bottle said. I dried off with a thin towel and chucked it with the rest of my clothes. Walking into the room buck naked, I felt the muggy air slam against my bare skin and cursed the cheap motel again. I overpaid for this shithole.

Bending over, I rummaged through my field bag, pulled out a bottle of whiskey, took a shot and fell onto the bed. The whiskey burned it’s way down my throat, mind muddling with thoughts of Jade. I took another shot, burning the memories of her out of my head for the time being.

Focusing my rage on Felix, his fake English accent, shitty suits, and fucking gold tooth. I took another long drink of the bottle before letting out an enraged “Fuuuck!” Felix and I were trainees together. We helped each other out in those early days. I saved his ass on several occasions. He may or may not have saved mine. He was the weak kid everyone picked on. At least, until he finally had enough and couldn't separate his thoughts from his impulses anymore.

We gave him a wide berth after he stapled a second year trainee's eyelid to his eyeball while he was sleeping. We made The Guard, Felix and I, but he didn’t last very long after his sadistic nature was discovered. Kind of hard to bring in prisoners for questioning when they’re in pieces. How he passed the psych tests in the beginning are beyond me.

I finished off the bottle of whiskey with one last drink and tossed it on the floor. Laying back on the bed, I closed my eyes. My mind headed straight for pictures of Jade, despite my reluctance to see her in this state. I rolled over, forcing the thoughts of her from my mind and fell into oblivion.