Roses of War

Thump. The axe hits the target right in the center. Uncle Alistair praises me. I wipe the sweat off my brow. After an hour of throwing my arms are numb.

“Great job today, Rainey!” He pats my shoulder.

Uncle Al has been my guardian since I was just a girl. My parents and brother died in a car accident. So, Uncle Al took me in and raised me as his own. I’ve always felt guilty that he had to put his life on hold to raise me.

“You’re doing it again.” He chastens.

“What?” I blink up at him innocently.

“Disappearing into your mind.” He chuckles. I roll my eyes.

Tired, blue eyes search mine. His chestnut hair is haphazardly styled. Lines under his eyes the result of raising me on his own no doubt. He looks just like my dad would’ve.

“What’s on your mind?” He asks. We have no secrets.

“I just feel guilty that you had to put your life on hold to raise me.” I tell him.

“I wanted to. Don’t you ever feel guilty. My brother always knew that if anything happened I would take care of you. I did it because we are family. I love you, kid.” He kisses my forehead and hugs me.

“I love you too, uncle Al.”

“Good. Now, let’s get out of here. You’ll be late for work.” He locks up the garage and we make our way to the little farm house.

After a quick shower I dry my hair. This is always my least favorite part. I’ve let my hair grow out too long and it’s becoming annoying. I decide to let the brown tendrils just flow naturally in random waves. I am in too much of a hurry to straighten it.

I look in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed from the hot shower. My Irish complexion requires color so I hurriedly put on makeup. I gloss my lips and add mascara, making my brown eyes seem warmer. I put on my jeans and a white t shirt.

As I race out the door, Uncle Al is waiting with my laptop bag, a jacket and umbrella. I kiss him swiftly on the cheek. I’m twenty one but he insisted on me staying here as long as I wanted and I can’t bring myself to leave. We only have each other.

“Have fun at school!” I tell him. He teaches at the local elementary school.

“You too.” He chuckles. At work I will work on my online classes. And with that I race toward my destination.

In our small coastal town I can walk just about anywhere. So as I head toward the center of town, I cut through an alleyway close to the library I work in. Our town is small so I know I’m safe cutting through this particular alley on this side of town.

The library is the perfect place to work. It’s quiet, allowing my time to study and the environment is peaceful. I feel all stress melt away surrounded by the smell of books. The door dings as I make my way in. Patricia greets me with a smile. She’s an older lady who manages the library.

“Hello, Rainey. How’s your morning going dear?”

“It’s going good. How are you?” She smiles again.

“I’m happy as always. You know me, I have a smile on as long as I’m reading.”

With that I get to work. I’m putting some returns away when the door dings again. I turn toward the door but no one is there. I look around and see no one on the main floor. Maybe it was someone leaving. I shrug it off and continue my work.

I fire up the laptop and begin studying. The sky outside turns grey and the wind picks up. Patricia lays some books on the counter and I pause my studying.

“I have to run to the grocery store before the storm. Will you be alright locking up?”

“I always am.” I smile.

“Thank you dear. I’ll see you tomorrow. Lock up a little early so you can beat the storm too.”

“Yes ma’am. Have a good night.” And with that she’s gone.

I’m not sure how much time passes before the sky darkens. My phone rings, bringing me out of my studying.

“Hello?”

“Rainey, something came up. I will be home late. Go home before the storm hits and lock the door.”

“Is everything okay? You sound upset.” My heart begins to race at the urgency in his voice.

“It will be. Just don’t open the door until I’m home, okay? If you’re still working you need to leave. A bad storm is coming.”

“I’m already packing up. I’ll see you soon. Love you, uncle Al.” I say as I lock the door to the library and take my short cut through the alley.

“Love you too, kid.” I hang up and practically run toward my house. The urgency in his voice tells me something is wrong.

The storm clouds close in and thunder cracks in the distance. The alley becomes still and quiet. In the darkened alley I feel a sinister presence. It causes shivers down my spine. My heart beats wildly in my chest.

A figure appears at the end of the alley, blocking my exit. My mind instantly screams run! I turn and run back toward the library but another figure is blocking me in. With slow, calculating steps the men close in on me. My back is against the wall.

My training kicks in. All those mornings with Uncle Alistair in mind, but I have no weapon. I attempt to punch one of them in the face but he moves at such a swift pace that I don’t even see him easily catch my hand.

He pins me against the wall and I stare into his eyes. They are red like blood and his k9’s are sharpened like knives. I claw at the hand on my throat. He grins sadistically.

“We’ve got a fighter.” The men chuckle.

“I love it when they fight.” The other one says.

“She’s a pretty one too, makes it even more exciting.” I spit in his face. He just laughs as if he has no care in the world.

I sweep his leg and he stumbles back as I knee him in the groin. I grab a broken glass bottle on the ground and stab him in the neck. My stomach churns as blood shoots everywhere.

The other man curses me and throws me against the alley wall. His grip tightens on my neck before turning my head to get a view of my neck. He fixates on my family crest. A gift passed down each generation. The man curses again.

“She’s an O’Neill!” He tells the unblinking man on the ground. Now realizing his accomplish is gone.

I am dumbfounded that he knows my family name. As he decides what to do next, a blacked out suv comes to a screeching halt at the end of the alley. A man jumps out and fast as lightning he is behind the man.

The man holding me down stiffens and with a gasp he collapses onto the street. Blood pools at my feet as the man who just showed up holds a heart in his hands. He looks me in the eyes as he nonchalantly tosses the heart onto the street. He then takes out a handkerchief and begins cleaning his hands.

My eyes cannot tear away from my savior. He keeps his emerald eyes on me as the rain begins to come down. He smirks at me as my heart races. Ruddy curls gracefully strewn about now sticking to his forehead. Even the scruff on his face looks perfect. Everything about him screams otherworldly.

“Hello, princess.” He says with a thick accent. My heart flutters and he smiles a knowing smile.

He stretches out a hand to me and my body moves without permission. My hand finds his and he leads me to the suv. I come to my senses and I turn from the vehicle but he blocks my effort to leave. His arm rests casually on the door of the vehicle, trapping me.

“Now that I’ve found you, I’m afraid I can’t let you go.”