Chapter 22

       I really hated patrolling the city at times, even more so when there was a potential attack on the horizon. Most of the time when I would come across an attack with whoever I was with, we would end up in a hand to hand combat and since my weapon was a bow, I would do the most logical thing.

       Turn invisible and run away from my problems.

       At least this time, I had a sorcerer with me. I mean, that wouldn't make things better if we ended up in a hand to hand combat but at least Jerome could portal me out of there.

       As you could see, I was a very brave person.

       I really did want to get better in hand to hand combat but I couldn't. I tried, but I just couldn't. Something inside of me wasn't letting me.

       Probably the fact that I hated being too close to people and would rather not have my personal space invaded.

       Jerome and I had been walking around our assigned area for a while, but there were no signs of an attack so we decided to sit down on a bench for a while. I sighed heavily and Jerome immediately took my hand in his. "You okay?"

      "To be honest, I don't know," I said. "I thought I would be happy being a Protector again because I had been one my whole like but... I don't know. It just feels empty. And different. Almost like I don't belong there. Then again, I always felt that way. It's just stronger now."

       "That's because they're all idiots and you're the only smart Protector."

       "That's... What?"

       "Come on, you know it's true," Jerome said. "You're the one who figured out the pattern Dirk is using to kill people in."

       "Yeah, because my boyfriend is a sorcerer and I recognized the pattern," I said. "If you and I weren't dating, I wouldn't have known it."

       "Well, I didn't know it," Jerome said.

       "Are you calling yourself stupid?"

       "Pretty much, yeah. Look." Jerome held my other hand so he was holding both hands. "Just because you aren't the greatest at fighting, it doesn't mean you're a horrible Protector. They need to be smart too and be able to think on their feet."

       "Yes, and me thinking on my feet normally ends with me turning invisible and running away."

       Jerome sighed. "Nolan, you really need to stop putting yourself down. You are an amazing Protector. Think of it this way. You really think you would have been the Protector chosen for the Two Souls Prophecy otherwise? You're special. And hot."

       "What does me being hot have to do with anything?"

       "It has to do with everything because damn, you really are hot."

       "Thank you?"

       "You are so welcome," Jerome said before giving me a quick kiss. "Now we should really get back to patrolling our area. And then afterwards, I say we go back to my place and spend some time together."

       "I like the song of that," I said with a smile before Jerome gave me another kiss.

       We then stood up from the bench and started walking our assigned area again. As much as I wanted to find Dirk so we could stop home, I also wanted to just not be outside. I wasn't an outside kind of person.

       Unless it was winter. Then it was cold out like my soul.

       Jerome and I walked for a bit while before I stopped in my tracks, hearing something down the alleyway we were passing by. "Did you hear that?" I asked.

       "Yeah, I did," Jerome said. "Get your bow ready."

       I nodded, taking my bow off of my back and grabbing an arrow as well before Jerome and I started walking down the alleyway. We soon got close enough to see exactly what was making the noise.

       It was a vampire feeding on someone.

       I didn't even hesitate before aiming my arrow towards the vampire and striking her in the arm. I knew it wouldn't do enough to harm her, but at least it would get her away from that girl.

       It worked.

       The vampire pulled away from the girl with a hiss of pain. She then looked at me and Jerome but before she could do anything, Jerome blasted her with his magic to cause her to go flying into a stack of boxes a bit further down the alleyway.

       I hurried over to the girl the vampire was feeding on and crouched down beside her. She was alive, but seemingly in a lot of pain. But that wasn't the only thing about her.

       "She's a human," I told Jerome. "And she's still alive, but barely. Can you heal her?"

       "Yeah, but we should get her back to the HQ first," Jerome said. "No interuptions there."

       There was only one problem with that.

       Saving the girl would mean letting the vampire escape.

       I already knew what I would rather do. I couldn't let her just die.

       "Make the portal," I said.

       Jerome nodded and while he was creating the portal, the vampire got up and before I could even react, she sped over to me and threw me against the wall. Pain rung out throught my body as I fell to the ground.

       I really hated vampires' speed and strength at times.

       Or all the time.

       I tried getting up, but the pain was causing me to feel too weak and I was only able to sit up. The vampire was by my side, clutching the arrow I used to shoot her in the arm. Jerome stopped creating the portal and blasted the vampire yet again, this time making sure she was knocked unconscious.

       He blasted her moments too late because before I knew it, my side was in agonzing pain. When I looked down, I could see the arrow sticking out with bleed seeping quickly.

       Jerome hurried to my side, kneeling down beside me. "Hey, you're going to be okay," he said, about to use his magic but I grabbed his hand to stop him.

       "No," I said, wincing in pain because even talking was hurting. "The girl. Help her."

       "Nolan..."

       "Get her... To the HQ."

       "I can't get both of you there and I'm not leaving you here," Jerome said.

       "She's dying."

       Jerome looked over at the girl, contemplating what to do. However, he ended up not having to make a decision because soon enough, I had Orchid calling my name before I saw her and Atticus rush over. "Oh my gosh, Nolan, are you okay?!" she asked, kneeling down on the other side of me.

       "Thank goodness you're here," Jerome said. "I'm going to create a portal and I need you to help Nolan through it to the HQ. Atticus, can you carry the vampire over there? She'll need to be locked up."

       "Yeah, of course," Atticus said.

       Jerome stood up and created a portal before going to the girl, who was now unconscious. I really hoped she was still alive.

       Before Jerome picked her up, he checked for a pulse and released a sigh of relief. Orchid helped me stand up, which took a quite some time. We all went through the portal, landing in the Op Centre of the HQ. Martha was in the room and looked over to us.

       "Long story short, the vampire Atticus is carrying attacked this girl and Nolan," Jerome said before Martha could even say anything. "I'm going to heal both."

       "You won't have enough energy to heal both judging by the state that girl is in," Martha said. "Heal the girl. Nolan's injury doesn't look as severe so his grandpa will be able to treat the wound. Take them both to the infirmary. I'll get Gene to meet you there."

       Exactly what I would have suggested if I had the energy to talk. But my suggestion would have been better coming out of my mouth because I was simply better than Martha.

       Orchid led me to the infirmary and carefully helped me lie down on one of the beds, which Jerome placed the girl on another. "I really wish I could heal both," Jerome said. "I don't want to leave Nolan like this."

       "You're not," Orchid assured. "I hate to admit it but Martha's right. Given the state the girl is in, you'll need a lot of energy. Don't worry, though. Our grandfather has tended to wounds a lot worse than the one Nolan has. He'll be fine."

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nolan is so selfless wanting jerome to heal the girl first ad;sdfnsd such a cutie pie who deserves the whole world <3

guys i can actually sleep in tomorrow im so happy (well if my siblings are quiet in the morning)(my parents have to go somewhere but my mom knows i want to sleep in so she said she'll get my 13 year old sister to watch the kids ahahaha sucker)

ps im hungry like always

pss (or is it pps) jerlan is superior

ppps i looked it up and above it's pps