Guardians of the Night

Aurora woke up to the feeling of being watched. She stretched slightly but then abruptly stopped as she felt her muscle twitch. She stood up uncontrollably as she walked to the door where she opened it and looked out to see Natasha fast asleep on the couch, the fire casting shadows on the walls. She approached her friend without an ounce of willingness and looked down at her. Tasha’s long dark brown hair was spread across her pillow as her arm hung down from her side and fell to the floor. Her tan skin was being danced by the warmth of the flames that took home in the fireplace, a spark or two flying from her skin. Aurora tried to win back control once her body reached behind her for one of Natasha’s fans but failed as her hand spread apart the material and metal to reveal the blade. Her other hand’s fingers traced the sharp silver as a corrupted smile spread across her lips. Natasha stirred slightly when Aurora placed the fan’s blade on her neck, ready to slice it open but then she felt a prick on her lower back and fell in the floor, fan in hand. She grabbed her chest and finally felt the soreness of her muscles from earlier, this reassured her though. What ever had came over her was gone but what was to the side of her wasn’t.
The thing from her side was human-like, but not at the human at all. Its skin was scorched black and it breathed heavily like an animal as its hands were held out in front of it. It grunted and knocked it’s hand to the side, its black shiny eyes stared at Aurora as she backed away from it, her eyes flashing from Natasha, who was still asleep, and the thing that stood before her. Aurora stopped moving as she saw the smile grow on the creature’s lips from her panic. It took a step toward her, but it was more like a limp. She didn’t want to stir Natasha, she didn’t want this thing to charge. Aurora looked at a pen from across the room and picked it up mentally and threw it at Natasha in a direction that the thing wouldn’t see it. Natasha’s eyes opened revealing the watery white they always do after sleeping but this was different. They stayed that way as soon as they laid on the beast.
Natasha didn’t move but Aurora saw her eyes flash to hers as “I’m guessing I shouldn’t move,” ran across her mind for Aurora to hear. She nodded slightly and this made the freaky looking creature in front of her smile more and grunt.
Aurora saw something black run behind the thing in front of her and her heart stopped. Not another one, she thought as the black flash moved closer to the thing in front her and her friend. As soon as the movement stopped behind the creature, the thing screamed at the top of its lungs as the resemblance of tar fell onto the floor from its back.
“What the-” Aurora said as Natasha grabbed her and threw her across the room into a wall where Natasha knelt beside her, her eyes back to their normal brown. Aurora followed Tasha’s eyes to where they fell onto a man with a black cape. She closed her eyes and slipped into her friend’s mind and into her memories where she saw what happened only a few hours ago.
“Michael,” Aurora said opening her eyes and to Natasha’s emotionless face.
Natasha turned her face away from her friend, “I don’t know why he’s here. He left hours ago.”
“Maybe he didn’t leave,” Aurora said pulling a dagger out of her amulet then throwing it at the creature who was now hovering over the man. It pierced its eye and it howled as Michael pulled back his hand and ran his hand throw the thing.
It feel to floor twitching as Michael nodded to Natasha, fire leaping high in the air in the fireplace. She stretched her fingers moving the fire from its bed as Aurora lifted up the carcass of the beast telepathically. Michael watched panting as Tasha burned the thing into a pile of ashes that were swept away by the wind that came from the door that Aurora open simultaneously. The door slammed shut as the final ashes blew away into the woods.
Michael quickly walked over to Aurora and felt her forehead. She shrunk back slightly into the wall as he closed his eyes.
“No damage,” he said opening his eyes and smiling making Natasha lose her breath.
“What the hell was that thing?” Aurora practically screamed.
“A darkling,” he answered simply.
“A minion of the dark?” Natasha questioned remembering that word from a book Aurora and she read.
“Exactly, my dear,” he said giving Tasha a flirty smile.
Aurora frowned and ignored the flirting between her friend and this stranger, “Why would one be here?”
Michael turned his gaze onto Aurora, his smile fell and he looked almost evil, “You should know.”
“Why?” Aurora responded.
He shook his head and stood turning around, “You’ll know soon enough.”
“Did that thing take over me?” she questioned quickly, afraid he might disappear.
He sighed, “I’m afraid so.”
“That,” Natasha started, “Was inside you?”
“I guess so,” Aurora said staring at this mysterious man who was now looking at them.
Natasha looked up at Michael who looked at her, “What now?”
“I don’t know,” he said shrugging as Aurora looked at the clock that read 5:00 am.
“I’m going back to bed. you should do the same, Natasha,” Aurora turned her gaze to Michael, “You can stay on the couch. You look exhausted.”
“I shouldn’t-” Michael said about to turn the invitation down but Aurora raised her hand ordering silence as she walked back to her room, closing the door behind her.
“There’s a blanket and a pillow, bathroom is the third door, my room second, Aurora’s obviously first door. Knock if you need anything,” Natasha said ceasing the fire, the dull embers now lighting the room
“Natasha,” Michael said quietly but she heard him. She turned around and looked at him. “You don’t remember anything at all, do you?”
She stared at him, “What do you mean by that?”
He shook his head and walked over to her, backing her up into a wall. He leaned his head forward as his hands laid on her waist and wall. The hand of the wall went to her cheek and cupped it. She shivered slightly as he leaned in closer, his lips barely touching hers and his breath hot on her lips. His eyes searched her eyes as hers searched his.
“Tasha,” he said softly, “Please remember.”
Her breath caught as he kissed her lips softly, pulling her close into him. His warmth went through her and she felt like she could’ve melted but as soon as it started, it ended. He walked back to the couch and laid down, leaving Natasha at the wall touching her lips.
“Good night, Natasha,” he said quietly and from where she was it was almost sad but she continued to stand there until she snapped out of it. She walked into her room with her eyes wide and her lips warm from the kiss that just happened.
As soon as she shut the door, she shrunk into it holding her mouth. Her head hurt, maybe she did forget something but she couldn’t understand what exactly she was supposed to remember. She let her hand covering her mouth fall to her side as she looked up at her ceiling as if it were the heavens and whispered, “Good night, Michael. Who ever you really are..”