Guardian (Sequel to Fearless)

Chapter Thirty Nine

The rain had slowed down to a light drizzle sometime during the fighting. Azabela was thankful it hadn't stopped completely. After a few seconds, she turned her head to the skies and let it wash the blood that soaked her face. Hench just dropped her maul right to the ground and walked up to her and immediately enveloped her in a hug, despite the fact that the huntress was filthy. Azabela shut her eyes and returned it.

"You're alive," Hench whispered into her ear, the words strangled in her throat. "You're alive." Finally, the guardian was able to fully register that it hadn't been too late.

"I am," Azabela said, and her relief finally got the best of her. A sob escaped her throat into Rhalla's shoulder. "I didn't know if..." Azabela gasped. "I didn't know if I was going to be. When the reinforcements came... I thought I was going to die." Azabela took in a few rapid breaths and a couple of tears tracked her messy face. "I almost lost hope, but I... but I... I didn't give up. I kept trying. To get away. For you. For our son."

"Shh," Hench whispered, still tightly hugging the huntress. "I'm here now. Everything is going to be okay."

Azabela nodded and buried her head in Rhalla's chest. "I want to sleep," she whimpered. "I haven't slept for days. I'm so tired."

"And you will," Hench promised, and she changed the subject for a brief moment. "Azabela, do they have Dane?"

"No," Azabela answered. It was a word that almost made Hench break down in her own happy tears. "He is at my grandmother's house. That's why I ran so... so far. I had to lead them away from where he was. I had to protect him." Now, Hench held Azabela out at arm's length. One arm still held the huntress's waist. The other hand was covered in a wet, black sleeve that reverently wiped away the muck and tears from Azabela's face. The girl just shut her eyes and enjoyed the tender touch.

"You are a perfect person," Hench told her in a soft voice. Then, she smiled. The previous rage melted away into serenity.

Azabela opened her eyes to meet Hench's gaze, who looked at her for two seconds before quietly kissing her right on her mouth. All witnesses be damned, Hench didn't care anymore. All she cared about was that the huntress was safe and in her arms. It was a long and meaningful gesture --a gesture that had everyone else but Iris gaping. The rogue respectfully turned her gaze to give them their moment.

When they parted, Azabela looked surprised and deeply moved all at the same time. "But they were watching us," she whispered. "And I just bit that m..."

"Fuck it," Hench said. "You're alive, and I love you."

"I love you, too." The words were inaudible. Azabela hugged her again, enjoying the warmth and security of the act.

Hench now stared past Azabela's head and looked at the mass of people who just watched with wide eyes. She snorted and called out at all of them. "It'd be real fucking great if all of you could mind your own business. You all look like a real gaggle of gods' damned geckos with those wide eyes, you know that? Move along."

And everyone broke off then, turning their eyes away from the two lovers. Meanwhile, Iris snickered at her mentor's words, as they were so characteristically Hench.

"You alright?" Zayn finally approached Iris. "Your arm is bleeding."

That caused her to look down and remember the wound she'd received protecting Kayde. "I'll be alright. It stings, for sure. My robe caught the worst of it, though." She wiped the slash down with her hand now, using the rainwater on her skin to clean it. "The main thing I'll have to worry about is infection."

"We have an aid kit and some salve in one of the bags. When we get some light tomorrow, you can use it and doctor it up." After those words, Zayn then shifted uncomfortably before changing the subject entirely. "Can we talk?"