I Have an Invisible Stalker (Guardians #1)

Chapter 51

By the time the thunder quiets down, Lucien is already halfway off the shore, never glancing back.

"Lucien!" I shout, but the heavy wind carries my voice to the sea instead of up the shore.

The sky suddenly opens up, adding to my already soaked state and obscuring my already terrible vision. I snap my head back to the sea and have just enough time to catch the top of Hugo's head before a giant wave pushes him out of my sight.

Because of whose son Hugo is and because of who I am, I know that the moment somebody discovers me here I will be blamed for anything that happens to him. With Lucien at my side, maybe I could have escaped with my head untouched, but on my own...

Without another thought, I grab my soaked boots and shirt and rush up the shore. I need to get home before anyone notices I'm missing.

Halfway up the shore, I hear someone call my name. I stop and turn around. Even deeper into the sea than the rock he was supposed to reach, I spot Hugo's barely visible head. And despite the wind and the rain, I hear him.

"Help!" he screams.

As soon as the shout reaches my ears, he goes back under, leaving me staring at nothing but a stormy sea. I know it's too late. If I go out there right now, there's no way I'm coming back alive. And I'm not ready for this to be the end...

I snap my head away from the sea and without another backward glance rush up the shore. It's too late, I keep telling myself.

The storm suddenly vanishes, and I'm back at the foot of Hugo's bench. The moment my eyes land on his motionless figure my legs give in, and I sink onto the grass.

"I'm... I'm the reason you're dead," I whisper. It doesn't matter that this Hugo is still alive or that he doesn't know I exist. I still feel like I'm back at the shore, about to leave my friend to die. "I dared you to... And then I... I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for daring you to go into that water and then leaving you there."

A silent minute ticks by before I find the will to stand again. Hugo doesn't have his eyes closed anymore as he is instead gazing up at the clear blue sky, completely oblivious to me and my apology.

With one last look at the human I betrayed in my past life, I close my eyes and think of Nick. In an instant I find myself standing in the middle of the café, where my sudden appearance almost causes Olivia to drop the tray she's carrying. Luckily she manages to catch her balance before the coffee and the pastries go spilling to the ground. While she finishes carrying the tray to one of the tables, I sit on my usual stool, which happens to be right beside the one Nick is already occupying.

"Where have you been?" Olivia rushes to the other end of the counter and shoots me a wide smile. "It's been a day and a half since I last saw you."

"What?" Nick asks before I can open my mouth.

Olivia points at the earbud stuffed into her ear but lowers her eyes to the counter in front of her. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," I assure her despite the bitter taste lingering inside my mouth. "Where's Charlie?"

Olivia nods at the other end of the café, where Charlie is sitting at one of the tables. He isn't alone, though. On the chair beside him sits a guy around my age, with his arms folded behind his head and his legs stretched wide forward. While I have never interacted with him, I recognize him as Charlie's Guardian. I can't remember his name, but I'm sure it begins with the letter V.

My attention is pulled away from him when Olivia yelps and slumps to the ground. She crouches into a small ball and hides as far underneath the counter as possible.

"What are you doing?" Nick and I ask her at the same time.

"Pretend I'm not here," Olivia orders, but I'm not sure to which one of us.

Right then the annoying bell goes off and the Head Guardian enters the café. Her heels snap against the ground as she makes her way to us, but while she skips over Nick, her eyes stop on me. A moment later, she turns to Ramona, who right then rounds the counter and stops a step away from Olivia's crouched figure.

"I am looking for a young girl who works here," the Head Guardian says. She scans the inside of the café, and I follow her gaze. Nothing has changed, except for Charlie's Guardian, who is now nowhere to be found. Then again, he probably just switched to one of his other charges.

"I'm afraid she's not working today," Ramona says.

I fight my instincts to keep my face as an emotionless mask and not grin at the old hag. She's not such a bad person after all.

The Head Guardian purses her lips into a tight line and flickers her eyes to Nick. Yet again I find myself grateful for his presence because I'm sure he's the only reason the Head Guardian doesn't accuse Ramona of lying.

"Then tell her that I will be back. Soon." The Head Guardian shoots me what I interpret as a warning glance and then stomps back out of the café.

"You can come out now," Ramona says once the door closes behind the Head Guardian.

Olivia slowly raises back up and shoots Ramona a grateful smile. "Thank you."

"Who's she?" Nick asks.

"She's someone you should hope never to get better acquainted with," Ramona says and then turns back to Olivia. "Mark my words. She's going to be back, and it's going to be when you least expect it."

"We know," I say, ignoring the fact that only Olivia can hear me. "I know we both have to face the Head Guardian... but I need more time. I'm not ready for Olivia to lose her memories and her ability to see me... I need more time."

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                - E