The Healer's Guardian

A Chapter by Phoenix

A Voice Without Words

I was listening to the noises outside my window on a cold winter's night. My clock says 1:02 AM. Smiling, I know I'm going to have a hell of a time getting up for school tomorrow. I simply can't sleep though. The scene outside is simply so beautiful. It was snowing and the snow was sticking to the ground, branches, and houses. Come to think of it, the snow was sticking to everything and anything. The plows hadn't come through yet, so the snow piled on the roads.

Despite my better judgment, I got out of bed quietly, and sneaked downstairs. I went as quietly as possible. Every time the stairs or floorboards creaked, I would freeze and listen.

Finally, I made it outside. Without a coat, the cold nipped at my bare shoulders and arms; but I didn't care. I ran foreword and jumped and twirled, and danced under the fluffy stunning flakes. Then, I stood there and simply admired everything. It was hard to believe that the snow could fall from the sky so quickly and be so soundless; soundless and beautiful. Angling my head up, I felt the flakes on my face.

When I lowered my head, I saw someone. They were just a black silhouette, but they were either facing toward or away from me. With the 50/50 odds, I was gonna bet the person was facing toward me.

That prediction was confirmed when the figure began walking toward me. I couldn't move, and my eyes locked on the face.

The figure was clearly a man and he had black hair that may have been brown but I couldn't tell because it was so dark. I was mesmerized as he reached out and caressed my cheek softly. His hand then moved onto my dark brown hair. It was in a simple half up/ half down and his fingers ran through it multiple times.

Then, both his hands took root in my hair and his face bent down to my neck. I began breathing quickly. I suddenly felt a sharp pain and I gasped. I closed my eyes and took hold of his wrists. I squeezed his wrists trying to free myself but I felt the life draining from me. My grip grew weak and then my arms fell and I went limp against his body. I no longer felt the pain in my neck and I felt arms slide around my back and under my legs. Then I passed out....

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A hand across my forehead woke me. When I opened my eyes there was a man with very dark brown hair that I would've called black except the fact that the sun was shining into the window. His eyes were a blue that I can only describe as the color of the Caribbean Sea. His skin was evenly tanned and he was still touching my face and hair.

Slapping his hand away, I ran for the door. I couldn't even open it before he captured my wrists and held me, face forward, to the door. He leaned his head forward and his cheek rubbed against mine. Then his head dipped down and nuzzled my neck. I struggled and said, "Please, let me go."

He didn't answer me, he simply looked straight at me. I could see his stunning eyes in my peripheral vision. He seemed like he wanted to talk but couldn't.

"Can't you talk?"
He let me go and went to the other side of the room and put his head in his hands.
I don't know what I was thinking, but I went over and stood beside him, "You can't speak, can you?"

He looked up at me then suddenly there was a notepad and pen in his hands.

"No," the note said, "I never learned. When I was born, I was taken from my parents and placed in a facility where they only taught me to read but they never taught me to speak. One day, the facility was attacked and these creatures attacked us. I was bitten by one of them and I blacked out. When I woke, I was what was called a 'vampire'. I am sorry that I attacked you, but when I saw you dancing in the snow like a fairy or nymph, I couldn't help myself. Please don't tell anyone about me."

His writing was spectacular. It was perfect calligraphy, and he wrote so quickly and fluently. His story broke my heart, "No one will find out about you on my account. I swear it."

He smiled and began touching my face again, "Why are you so interested in my face?"
He wrote again, "The woman who taught me to write showed me a way to communicate in a way that allows another person to feel how I am. Usually I would express this by holding someone else's hands but I am fascinated by your face. It's so soft."

I didn't know what else to say. I just let him touch me face. Then a thought hit me, "How about I teach you to speak."
His hands stopped and gave me a questioning look.
"I'm serious, I'll do it."
He then smiled and his hand gently clasped around the back of my head. I could tell he was happy.

I smiled back and said, "Ok, lesson one, have you ever screamed or cried, or made a sound coming from your throat?"
He made a few sounds and I nodded, "You can turn those noises into words by using your tongue, teeth and lips. Try saying this, 'Hello.'"
He made a sound again, "Watch my lips, ok? Hello."
"Hehwo."
"Close! We're making progress!"
He laughed and wrote down, "You are surprisingly calm around me."
"Well, you won't hurt me, will you?"
He quickly shook his head, "Never!" he wrote, "No, I would never hurt you. It's bad luck to hurt a snow fairy."
I laughed, he was joking with me.
Then I remembered something, "Wait! What time is it?! My family, my parents will be looking for me! They'll send out the entire army to look for me. I have to go!"
Jumping up, I ran for the door once again. I heard a cry and felt him grab me, "Nah... Ni-Nahow."
Was he trying to say 'no'? "I have to go home."
He kept a firm hold of me.

I sighed and stayed with him. Soon, he grew tired and fell asleep on the single king sized bed in the room. I was beside him, his arm was still around me in an attempt to keep me there. He was so sweet and innocent yet intelligent and aware of the world, history, etc. He must be so lonely...

As much as it hurt me and I felt bad, I needed to get back home and come up with a story for my parents. Slipping out from under him, I got my coat, and quietly left the building.

I was wandering for a while before I figured out where I was. Apparently, I was two towns over from where I lived. So, after walking miles in the wrong shoes, I made my way through town. I was never more excited to see my street. That excitement faded when I peered down the road to see a blazing house where my address was. Neighbors, and emergency personal were surrounding the fire. I was momentarily frozen, then I was running as fast as I could. Jumping into the crowd, I searched for my parents, "Mom!!! Dad!! MOM, DAD!!!"

The people cleared a path to where the emergency vehicles were, "Where are my parents?! Are they alright?!"
Before the police officer could answer me, I was body-slammed by someone who could only be my mother, "Mommy! Mommy, are you okay?!"
She wiped a tear from my face and it was the first time I realized that I was in hysterics. I didn't notice that I was bawling. Mom was too, she just kept hugging me.
"Is Dad ok?"
"Yes sweetie, he just got a very minor 1st degree burn but he was mostly afraid that you were inside. When you weren't here, this morning, we assumed you left early to see your friends, but then the school called and said you never showed... Oh sweetheart!" She said and hugged me.

I went with my Dad to the hospital. He never let go of my hand. He was discharged a few hours later and we all went to my Aunt Shirley's.

While I laid in bed, I heard something outside my window and before I could open my eyes, there were two angry hands on my face. He just stayed towering over me for a few minutes, then I felt warm drops hit my face. He was crying.

"Oh God," I whispered, "Please, don't cry. I'm so sorry I left but I had to! My house... My home... Did you see it?"
I saw him nod.

I closed my door and the blinds on my windows then turned on the light. He was looking at me with those eyes and reached for me like a child. I went into his arms and his embrace changed from that of a child to a man's with muscular arms and a build chest and back. He pulled out his notepad and pen once again and wrote, "I saw you had left me and started crying like a child because I thought you hated me. I thought you were afraid of me-"

I cut him off by grabbing his hand, "No! I never thought any of that! You are my friend. We're friends."
His expression was unreadable, "F-freands? Fr-fr..."
"Yes, yes friends," I raised his hand to my face and kissed it. I didn't realize what I had done until after but I thought it might soothe him. I looked up and his face was only an inch from mine. He looked down at his hand then back up at me. He gave me another note, "What was that you did with your lips? It felt... Nice... Special."

I gaped at him, "You don't know what a kiss is?"
He tilted his head in confusion. I wrote down the word for him, "It's special. It is a way to tell someone you love them. You can love a person as a family member, a friend, or as a boyfriend/girlfriend, or husband/wife."

"So you kissed me as a friend?" He asked.
"Yes, not all friends kiss one another though, only close ones, ones that trust one another... Well actually not many friends kiss at all but I think friends would be closer if they kissed each other on the cheek or forehead when greeting one another like in the old days... I'm rambling again..."

He smiled and raised my palm to his lips and kissed me.
When his eyes met mine, I knew he was labeling me as a close friend as well.

"I read a book with this word once, and now that I know the meaning, the book makes much more sense! The two people in the book, the 'lovers' kissed a lot. Why?"
"Well, they are in love and are considering spending their life together and being with each other forever."
"Aren't we going to be together forever? Won't that make us the same?"
"Heh, no, it's different..." Then I remembered something else extremely important, "Wait, I never got your name."

He smiled an wrote, "That's the only word I taught myself to say..."
Then his lips parted, "Rafael."
"Rafael?" I asked.
He nodded.
"It's a beautiful name."
He smiled brightly and kissed the inside of my elbow softly. I know it was a friendly thank you but it sent shivers down my spine.
"I'm Lillianna. But call me Lilly."
"Lil-lian..."
"Just Lilly."
He shook his head and wrote, "Lillianna is beautiful as well. It is a name fit for a Queen."

He was sitting with me and his hands explored my face. I then saw his fangs draw out as he stopped his fingers at my neck, he was hungry. He looked at my face as if ask permission. I cleared the hair from my neck and brought his face to my bare skin. I felt the pain once more but unlike last night, I felt a sense of happiness and content. He didn't take a lot before he was drawing away from my neck. He sealed the small wound with a 'thank you' kiss.

I grew tired and he turned out my light then laid with me. We both slept all night long.

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