Book 1: Shattered Harmony

Chapter 2: Shelter

Unready Guardian

Chapter 2

Shelter

Zareth  slowly opened his eyes hearing an inner battle again. If their was one  thing Dareth and Zane couldn't ever agree on it was the wake up time.  Zane was an early riser while Dareth loved to sleep in late. Which often  resulted in them taking naps during the day. Which is what Zareth was  doing upon meeting his charge. He looked to his right to see the girl  softly breathing. He reached over and pulled the jacket closer to her  and moved her hair from her forehead. She had bruises on her cheek and  the top part of her head had scraps. He shook his head.

'Poor thing.' Zane whispered almost as if the could could hear him which she couldn't.

'Yeah no one should ever be treated like this.' Dareth agreed.

'So what should we do now?' Zane asked.

'Well first lets go to the bathroom.' Dareth said. 'Its to our left.' Zane had totally forgot humans had to use the bathroom.

Zareth  reached over lay the girl down on the box. She just mumbled in her  sleep and turned over. Zareth gasped seeing the wounds on her back. He  had to close his eyes for a moment trying to regain his composer. He  took a deep breath and turned around walking into the bathroom. Within  was an old dusty shower, toilet, and sink. Not much except a few items  probably left by Ronin. Zareth reached into the shower and turned it on  to let the rust from the pipes wash down the drain. He turned and looked  at himself in the mirror.

"Hey...whose that handsome stud?" He  ran his fingers over his face. The metal parts didn't have stubbles on  it, but the flesh part did.

"Wow this looks like I'm trying to  grow a forest." He grabbed for the shaving foam and lathered himself up  before shaving his face. He looked at the shower and turned it off. He  walked into another room and shrugged his shoulders.

"Sorry Ronin,  but this pretty woman needs a shirt." He said and pulled open his  closet and grabbed a shirt that didn't look like it would have cost a  lot and threw a few coins onto the table leaving a note for Ronin that  they took a few things. He looked up to see the girl move. She sat up  fast after realizing he was looking at her. She looked around the room  and then back at him.

"Oh come on babe you remember me right? I  saved you?" He said holding up the shirt and pointed to the bathroom.  "It..." He blushed and ran his fingers through his hair realizing he had  threw his comb into that guys arm so he had no way of doing his hair.  Danny reached out and took the shirt and walked into the bathroom.

"C...Can I leave the door open a crack?" Her voice was still very shaky. Zareth shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever  makes you feel safe babe." He said watching her go into the room and  turn around. He blushed and walked back over to the window.

'We should call the ninja.' Zane told Dareth.

'I  thought of that too. But where are we going to find a phone? My place  is across the city, and your place moves.' Zareth sighed and chuckled  when his stomach growled. Zareth sat down running his fingers through  his hair again, chewing on the toothpick faster. It snapped causing his  shoulders to sag. He pulled it out of his mouth and flicked it to the  side.

"So should we stay here, or should we go to my pad on the  corner?" He asked no one in particular. He jumped when he heard the door  open. He turned to see the girl with the shirt over her dress.

"Here..." She held out his jacket. Zareth smiled at her.

"Thanks  babe." He said smiling at her, he honestly wished he had a toothbrush.  "Listen uh...I was thinkin. I got a place up near the beach. We should  go there till this blows over. Its out of the way and I don't think  they'd look there." Danny watched his attitude change several times in  the last few moments. She stepped forward reaching out. Zareth stepped  back for a moment and looked at her for a moment. He wasn't to sure  about this.