The Vigilante & The Dragon - Book 1 of the Guardians Saga [COMPLETED]

Saving Alex Ch. 9.2

It was fully dark in New Orleans and the smaller branches of the oak trees waved in the night breeze over Dr. Dewey's house and carriage house.

"Where are we going?" Rile demanded. "Why are we leaving Alex alone?"

He walked back to the window and craned his neck to see first the front stairs and then the far narrower and rickety ones from the back door.

"She's lost hope and I don't trust her. I want to follow her tonight to see what she does. I hope that she doesn't fly. I thought if she knew that we were gone, she wouldn't fly. We'll follow her," Gabe said. "Dr. Dewey doesn't have any night classes this week, so he's safe enough."

"Idiot, she just flew off the front stoop," Rile said.

"Burn it!" Gabe slapped his staff in his palm.

"Let's walk to the alley where she found you," Cale said. "We'll scout from there. Perhaps she frequents the same area. Agama are creatures of habit. Maybe humans are too."

Rile sheathed his sword and staff, grumbling. Cale did the same, anxiously watching both brothers. Gabe strode out in the lead.

They walked for an hour before Gabe motioned for silence. The humans exiting their expensive cars in this shabby neighborhood alerted him. Their furtive behavior warned him even more. The three that exited from the red Acura Integra faced off against the four that slid out from the black 1970 Dodge Charger R/T. Gabe nodded to his brothers and they passed the sign for guns. Disagreeing as to the number, in the end, they accepted Cale's number, knowing that he was the farthest-sighted

When the money started changing hands, white fiery blasts from above scattered the men. Alex flew down and set on the pavement between them.

"Hugs, not drugs," she mocked.

One of the men cursed and raised his gun. A quick palm-strike sent him to the ground. Another grabbed her from behind and she slapped his crotch so he released her.

"Why isn't she using her powers now that they grabbed her?" Rile hissed.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

The sound of handgun fire. The brothers rushed in, swords and staffs a blur.

"What the fire truck are y'all doing here?" Alex screamed. She lit her hands and the blasts started in earnest.

Rile sliced the arm of a drug dealer whose aim went wide, handgun firing. Rile then punched him with his free hand, breaking his nose and the blood flew. Gabe slammed the tip of his staff into the gut of another and then bashed his head when he doubled over. Cale swung with grim intensity, his staff strikes bringing down any drug dealer that wasn't hit by Alex's blasts or by his brothers.

"Hold my hands," Alex ordered when no other humans were left standing. "The cops or more gang members are on their way."

Gabe and Rile each grasped one of her hands while Cale held onto her forearm. Alex sped straight up into the night sky. After a brief flight of speed bursts, she landed in front of the carriage house.

"What is wrong with y'all? Are y'all dragon stalkers? I thought y'all had someplace to be." Alex's Southern lilt shone through in her anger. She put her hands on her hips and glowered at them.

  "Why didn't you use your powers when you were outnumbered?" Gabe asked. "In fact, why did you land in the middle of that situation?"

"None of your business, Chief Stalker," Alex retorted. The orange tabby Alex called "TNR", same as the cat at her last apartment, wound among her legs, meowing. Alex stooped and unhooked the metal food container. She scooped out a cup of food into the waiting bowl.  "It's okay, TNR, you still have food and water. If you would let me pet you, I could place you in a home where you're safe and loved."