There's an Invisible Man Sleeping in My Bed

Chapter 6

             The feeling of a hand over her mouth had Thalia jerking awake, eyes wide. But she saw nothing above her and nothing over her mouth, only a faint shadow to her left. “Shhhh,” Colt’s voice hissed near her ear. “Lock the door once I’m out and stay quiet.”

            When the hand moved away, she sat up and whispered “What’s going on?”

            “A thief has broken in. I’m going to chase him off. You’ll be safe enough here. If he comes up here, or he has a partner, call me.”

            “Wait,” she said, reaching out at the empty looking air. It was an odd sensation when her hand touched what felt like his back, something that didn’t feel entirely there. “I’ll call the police. It’s dangerous to go by yourself.”

            He turned, his chuckle quiet. She felt his hand touch her cheek before his lips were pressed against hers in a quick kiss. “I don’t have a body. I can’t be hurt, let alone be killed. Don’t worry about me. Just stay here and let me handle it.”

            The click of her door closing broke her out of her reverie and Thalia frowned. Then the reality of the situation hit her and she found herself biting her lip and rubbing her arms, goosebumps marching over every bit of her body. She followed Colt’s advice, locking the door and kneeling behind her bed on the far side. She also pulled out the baseball bat her Dad had jokingly given her the first time they’d left her alone for the weekend. She gripped it tightly, the weight of it faintly reassuring as she strained her ears for any hint of the burglar that might be heard over the pounding of her heart.

            Meanwhile Colt was busy slipping past the kitchen and into the living room. The faint light that was a combination of the half moon and the streetlamp outside had filled the room with shadows. The white of the walls seemed almost to glow palely amidst the dark shapes that were the furniture.

            Colt’s gaze zeroed in on the only shadow moving, this one crouched in front of the shelves that flanked the fireplace and were covered in various photos, vases, and other decorative knickknacks the family had acquired over the years. As he moved closer, he could see the thief examining a silver candlestick in the tiny spot of light at the end of the stick he was holding in his mouth.

            Crossing the room in a few, rapid strides, Colt closed a hand over the arm holding the elaborate candle holder and growled “Drop it.”

            The man jerked around, both the stick in his hand and the one in his mouth falling to the floor, clattering against the light wood. His movement broke Colt’s grip on him, the thief jumping to his feet, his head whipping around as he looked for his assailant. A sudden idea had Colt grinning harshly.

            He grabbed fistfuls of the intruder’s shirt, dragging him close. “Leave this place,” he said, his voice a wavering hiss filled with darkness. “I am the protector of this family and I bring death to those who seek to do them harm.”

            The thief’s eyes widened to the size of apples, the light reflecting of the enormous amount of white now showing there and the new paleness of his face. “G-g-g-”

            Colt pulled him closer, so their faces were only inches apart, not that the man could see. “I’m not a ghost. I’m a guardian.”

            Feeling first one, then two, then several tremors run though the intruder’s body, Colt dropped him. The man collapsed on the ground, staying where he fell for a moment before scrabbling backwards, crab-like. Only when he was a dozen feet away did he jump to his feet and turn towards the door.

            Following the running man to make sure he really did leave, Colt had to grin. Once word got out about this, no one would dare break into the house. Of course, if they did, he’d be ready for them.

            Thalia slowed her breathing again by going through the multiplication table. The sound of something falling against the floor downstairs followed by a door slamming a few minutes later had sent her heart to hammering against her ribs. She brought the bat up to her head, the cool wood of it against her forehead helping to further calm her.

            The soft knock at her door destroyed that.

            She bit her lip to keep from crying out after her forward jerk had caused her to hit herself with the bat. The knock came again and she lifted the bat up as she stood, facing the door with her legs planted wide.

            Then a soft voice called “Thalia? It’s me Colt. The thief has left. You can open the door now.”

            Relief flooded her, loosening her joints and causing her to drop the baseball bat. It hit the floor with a loud thud, followed a moment later by her as her knees gave out. Almost giddy with the sudden absence of fear, Thalia barely looked up at the sound of the key in her door turning. A moment later, the door banged open.

            Insistent hands touched her face, tilting it upwards. She heard a sigh and felt pressure against her head, almost like Colt was resting his forehead against hers. She reached up to put her hands over his, feeling that they were more there than his back had been. “Thank you,” she whispered.

            She wasn’t sure, but she thought he smiled. “It was no problem. Are you alright?”

            “Just relieved. I don’t think I’ve ever been that scared before. He won’t come back, will he?”

            Thalia felt him shake his head slightly, the movement of his forehead against her clear. “No. And if he spreads the story as I imagine he will, you shouldn’t have any problems with thieves. Now, your parents will be home tomorrow so I think it’s best you get some sleep now. Don’t worry about locking the door he opened. I already did that.”

            She felt him pull away for a moment then his hands were back, gently pulling her to her feet. “Colt?” she said, following his lead her to her bed.

            “Yes?”

            “You’re not going anywhere tonight, are you?” she asked, pulling the blankets up to her chin.

            “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll protect you while you sleep.”