A/N: For those of you confused by my title, it says - very roughly - "my guard" in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Since the Mai are descended from an Egyptian goddess, I thought it would be a good idea to title my story in Ancient Egyptian. :) The chapter title is also Egyptian, though not hieroglyphics, obviously, and it means "defend."

That aside, I got the story idea because that fight between Alek and Kai's dad looked pretty intense, and somehow he got away with nothing but a few bloody scrapes on his face? I don't buy it. After all, it was dramatic enough that Chloe thought the jackal was killing him.

If Jasmine seems a little OOC, it's just because I was trying to show how much she cares about Alek. She's pretty much panicked, and I don't think she's ever been as freaked out in the show as she is here. She'll be more normal in later chapters, after this super-intense bit.

Before you dive in, you should know that I ship Chloe/Alek, so that's where the story will eventually go. And I'm guessing that it'll be somewhat AU after Heartbreaker airs, since I'm not bringing Brian back just yet. I don't think. :P Oh, and I don't own The Nine Lives Of Chloe King. If I did, Chloe would have kissed Alek a long time ago, and Brian would already know about the Mai.

Reviews are love. :)

"Don't you dare die for me, Alek Petrov!" Chloe ordered fiercely, dropping to her knees beside his crumpled body.

"Paul! Call 911 now!" Amy shrieked.

"No, wait. We can't do that," Jasmine said quickly. She crouched by Alek's side and carefully cut off his shirt with a claw.

They all stared in horror. Even the ever-calm Jasmine froze, claw suspended in midair. Alek's stomach was distended and colored with an angry rainbow of greens, yellows, reds, and blues.

"Jas, he-he's probably got internal bleeding. He needs a hospital," Chloe whispered.

"But they'd have to do an x-ray!" Paul blurted.

Chloe stared blankly up at him. Her hand unconsciously smoothed back Alek's hair.

"They'd find out he isn't human, and then they'd dissect him or give him to Area 51 for testing or something."

"For once he's right," Jasmine added. She tore the remains of Alek's shirt into strips and wrapped his ribs, a few of which were obviously broken.

"But we can't c-carry him all the way back to your apartment li-like that!" Amy stuttered, gesturing toward the Mai's bruised and bloodied body. She clung to Paul's arm and her breath hitched in frightened sobs.

"I know." Jasmine's hands still worked rapidly, but everyone could see that the worst injury was inside, where she could do nothing. "Chloe, get his cell. It's in his left pocket and Mom's on speed dial."

Eyes locked on Alek's blood-streaked face, Chloe fumbled for the phone. Her hand shook as she held it to her ear. "Valentina?"

"Chloe! Where are you? Why didn't Alek—What happened?"

"It was a trap. We—the jackals—a-and Alek…. he's really h-hurt…." she felt a sob building in her throat and swallowed hard. It's all my fault, she thought dully. "He seemed fine for a while, he was even walking, but—he just collapsed…. w-we think he may have internal bleeding."

Valentina didn't ask for details. "Where are you?" she repeated.

"Umm … " Chloe took a breath and looked desperately around for a landmark. "We-we're near the wharf. Close to an abandoned warehouse." She had a sudden thought and added, "The jackals are gone. They won't be back." No way was she letting the Mai leader march in with an entire pride and get more people hurt.

"On my way. Don't move him."

Chloe slipped the phone into her pocket. Her hands were still shaking. "You stupid idiot," she muttered under her breath, "if you don't wake up soon I swear I'll kill you myself."

Jasmine sat back on her heels, fists on her knees. "There's nothing else I can do," she admitted quietly. Her face looked like it had been carved in stone.

Amy burrowed deeper into Paul's side. He wrapped an arm around her waist. She sniffled softly; neither of them looked away from the injured Mai for a moment.

Chloe suddenly realized she was holding Alek's hand in both of hers. His chest struggled to rise and fall as his breathing grew fainter. She felt a wave of panic wash over her as she watched him fight for air. Instinctively, her super-hearing sought out his heartbeat. It still held steady. She blinked back tears, remembering the first time she'd heard it. Her grip on his hand tightened.

The four teens exchanged a worried look. Minutes felt like hours. They needed Valentina now.

"So…. Mai have some kind of super-healing power, right? He'll be okay after he just…." Paul trailed off when Jasmine turned to glare at him.

"No. One of the pride in San Fransisco is a doctor. Valentina will take Alek to him." Her voice was clipped and precise. Everyone heard the unspoken, "if she gets here in time."

"This is all my fault," Chloe mumbled, still keeping a death grip on Alek's hand. Her eyes blurred with tears.

"No, Chloe, it is not your fault." When she was this stressed out, Jasmine sounded just like her mother. Controlled and impassive. "Mom suspected a trap. She ordered Alek to text her once we were close to the jackal's den, but he didn't. She was going to send back-up. If he had just done as he was told, he would have been fine." She sounded harsher with each word.

Chloe knew the anger was directed at Alek, but she couldn't keep from cringing. A memory of his smile the previous night, just before he'd climbed out her window, flashed through her mind. Suddenly she understood. He hadn't come simply to understand. He'd come to decide if this friendship with a jackal was worth breaking her trust.

Jasmine was still stiffly ranting, but Chloe didn't hear her. She was too wrapped up in her thoughts.

Alek's decision could cost him his life.

The panic welled up again. She tried to tamp it down, but her control was slipping. All she could see was Alek's face. He was her guardian. If he didn't—if he—she wouldn't be able to live with herself.

A sudden snarl burst from the Mai crouched beside her. Instinct jerked Chloe to her feet, tearing her mind from worry and focusing her on the danger at hand. Her claws shot out; her eyes narrowed.

"Kai!" Amy gasped, eyes wide with disbelief. She and Paul exchanged a confused look.

For once, they weren't the only ones in the dark.

"What are you doing here?" Jasmine spat. Her claws were still out.

The young jackal held up his hands, taking a careful step back. "Please, I…. I just want to help." His brown eyes were wide with sincerity.

"Help?" Jasmine's shriek, cat-like as it was, still reminded Chloe oddly of Amy. "You did this to him! You and your kind." She stepped menacingly forward. Kai edged away again.

"I know," he replied, his earlier shame still lingering. "And that's why I've got to help now."

He sent a pleading look in Chloe's direction. She had sheathed her claws as soon as she was sane enough to recognize him. "Please," Kai said softly, "I promised you next time would be different."

Chloe hesitated. Jasmine saw it and stiffened. "Chloe. No. We can't trust him. Not with Alek's life."

Alek's life. So it really was that serious. She swallowed hard. Jasmine was right. As much as she wanted to trust Kai, as much as she really thought she could—she wouldn't gamble Alek's life. Her mouth twisted ruefully as she moved to Jasmine's side. "Kai…."

But then Alek's heartbeat stuttered.

Her head snapped around, and she was a bit stunned to realize she'd been listening to it all this time.

Valentina still isn't here, she thought numbly.

She changed what she'd been going to say. "What did you have in mind?"

"Chloe, please." Jasmine pleaded, control breaking down as she backed toward the injured Mai's body.

"Listen to his heart!" Chloe snapped. "Your mom still isn't here and we don't have time to be careful!" The look in Jasmine's eyes tore at her heart. "I care about him, too," she added softly, "but we've got to do something." She didn't wait for her to respond.

After a quick breath, Chloe turned to the guilt-ridden boy behind her. "Kai?"

"I don't know for sure if it'll work on a Mai, but I can—"

"Let me guess—you guys are the ones with the super-healing powers, aren't you?" Paul interrupted eagerly.

"I wouldn't call it that exactly. We don't make everything better, but we do help speed up the healing. You know, like—"

"I knew it!"

"Paul!" Amy said fiercely. "Shut up." He obediently closed his mouth, but still looked thrilled. "So, Kai," the little brunette continued sweetly, "you were saying?"

The boy seemed a little disconcerted by her sudden change of tone, but he cleared his throat and went on. "You know, like the way dogs lick themselves when they get hurt. Something in their, um, saliva, helps them heal quicker. The ability's just a bit amped up in us jackals."

"You are not putting your teeth anywhere near him." Jasmine snarled, raising her claws.

"Jasmine—" Chloe began, her gaze flickering anxiously between the Mai and the jackal.

Alek's heartbeat had wavered again. Jasmine heard it too this time, and the fury on her face melted to worry. Slowly, she sheathed her claws and stepped down.

"I wouldn't need to actually lick him!" Kai clarified hurriedly. He shuddered, apparently disgusted by the thought. "I…. I could just spit in my hand and…." He awkwardly mimed a rubbing motion, carefully eyeing Jasmine in case of another explosion.

Alek's heart stopped.

Chloe stopped breathing.

THUMP. Thump-thump. THUMP.

Relief washed over her, but her hands stayed curled into fists at her sides. "Just do it." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then stepped aside. "Do it now. But you've got to hurry. The Mai leader's on her way to get him. Believe me when I say you don't want her to find you here."

Kai nodded and hesitantly approached Alek's prone form. As his gaze flickered between Jasmine and Chloe, he looked more like a frightened deer (or a scared puppy) than a descendent of an ancient god.

The jackal knelt next to Alek and spat into his hands. Then, grimacing, he gingerly pressed his wet palm to the Mai's distorted stomach and rubbed the saliva over his skin.

Jasmine's long fingers shook with the effort to keep her claws sheathed. Chloe grabbed one of her hands and tried to smile reassuringly.

THUMP. Thump-th-thu-thump.

Silence.

His heart had stopped. Chloe felt cold.

Jasmine was frozen beside her. Amy and Paul stood as still as statues. Kai spat into his hands again and rubbed harder, beginning to look desperate.

No, Please, no—not wrong again—not about this. Not him.

Please.