Free The Prophecy (The Guardians) by Wendy Owens

your mouth, I would guess he charmed you.” Gabe explained.
    “Really?   Uri never told me that, makes sense though.   I’m not exactly a distrusting person, but it never made sense to me that I went along so easily.   He did know things that were in my dreams, though.   All kinds of details that I never told anyone except my therapist.”   Rachel continued.   “He even knew about the frogs.”
    “Yeah, Baal.” Gabe whispered, remembering his similar dreams.
    “That’s what Uri said.   He told me about the battle between angels and demons, and that some crazy demon was after me because I was going to give birth to a very important child someday.”
    “He told you all that?” Gabe asked, a little hurt he had been told so little when Uri found him.
    “Yeah, I wasn’t scared of Uri, but I was convinced he might be a little crazy after he told me that.   I made up some excuse and got out of there as fast as I could.   I know he didn’t want me to go, but I insisted.   Things stayed the same for the next couple days, freaky shadows and sleeplessness.   Then it happened.” Rachel said turning away, looking back at the carved trunk again.
    “That sounds ominous.” Gabe laughed nervously.
    “It was really scary.” Rachel said, deflecting his laughter.   “I had gone to this gallery opening for a friend, which, considering I barely left my home those days, was pretty amazing in itself.   When it was over I said goodbye and made my way to the parking lot.   I got that feeling again, that I was being watched.   I started franticly searching for my keys as I approached the car.”   Rachel’s retelling of the night caused her to visibly tremble.
    Gabe reached out, touching her back.   He had only intended to console her on a basic level, but forgetting his abilities as a Guardian, the calming went much deeper.
    Rachel continued, “I was only— I don’t know, maybe a dozen feet from my car when I looked up.   It was like all the air had been knocked out of me.   I gasped for breath; it felt like a vice was tightening around my chest, this dark figure loomed in front of me.   He — it… whatever it was didn’t speak.” Rachel shivered at the memory.
    “What do you mean, ‘whatever it was’?” Gabe asked, hanging on every word.
    “I don’t know what it was, I just knew I was going to die, I knew it with such certainty.” Rachel stopped and looked over at Gabe.
    “Well?   What happened?” Gabe prodded, the anticipation driving him to the verge of insanity.
    “Nothing, Uri showed up and it vanished.   I mean really, it vanished right in front of my eyes.   I still can’t explain it; it had to be something super natural.”
    “Did you ever ask Uri about it?” Gabe inquired, intrigued by how Uri would have explained this to a regular mortal.
    “Yeah, I did.   I was so freaked out by it that when Uri told me I needed to go with him if I wanted to be safe, I didn’t even think about it.   I just did what he told me to.   We ended up hours away from my home that first night, in some back woods seedy motel.   I can still remember it so clearly.”
    “Uri has a way of making an impression on people.   I’m sure he used all of his finest moves on you.” Gabe laughed nervously as he made the suggestion, wondering if his jealousy was obvious.
    “What?” Rachel huffed before defending herself.   “It wasn’t like that.   Uri?   Gross, it’s not like that at all.   I mean, don’t get me wrong, Uri is an attractive guy, but within the first few nights we had a connection and it wasn’t what you’re implying.   It was like a brother sister thing, you know?”
    “I suppose.   Does Uri know how you feel or I guess don’t feel?” Gabe asked.
    “I never flat out told him, if that is what you’re asking, but I’m sure he knows I’m not interested in anything romantic with him.   Uri isn’t either.” Rachel argued.
    “Oh, I see.   So you already have a boyfriend