Chapter 14

The music shifted into some cheesy love ballad as Nick pulled Dinah into his chest. They swayed awkwardly to the music, Edrear steaming in his corner.

Meanwhile: Derek decided to make a move of his own on Kathryn, who was contentedly waltzing with the youngest guardian.

"Why dance with him?" Derek smirked, "When there are so many more manly guys out there..."

"Like your mom?" Edaniel snapped, sticking out his tongue.

"Don't you dare talk about my mother!" Derek yelled, throwing a wild punch. His fist missed Edaniel's and landed a hard blow to Kathryn's left cheek.

"Bastard!" Edaniel cried, tackling the lesser jock to the ground and beating him lamely. Derek fought back. They rolled around for a while, Dinah fighting her way out of Nick's arms to try and break up the brawling boys.

"Don't worry baby," Nick cooed in her ear, entrapping her once more, "Derek'll win." Dinah turned red faced and angry to her captor. Before she could utter a word of disdain his lips crashed onto hers.

"Back off my girl, mortal." Edrear pulled Nick away from Dinah and threw him against a wall. Dinah was useless once again as she proceeded to flit about the two sets of fighting boys.

"STOP!" she finally shrieked. Tears welled up in her eyes and she ran from the house as everyone stopped to stare at her. Edrear tossed the now beaten to a pulp Nick to the floor and ran after her. Followed by a pretty bruised up Edaniel.

"Miss Dinah! Wait!" Edrear called, catching up to her easily.

"You guys suck!" she wailed, "You weren't supposed to draw that much attention."

"I can't believe I lost..." Edaniel mumbled to himself.

"I apologize Miss Dinah... I had no intention of-" Dinah silenced him with a wave of her hand. She sniffed a few times and finally regained control of herself.

"Your girl?" she forced a small, curious smile. Edrear blushed.

"Hey bro," Edaniel whispered very loudly, "this is the part where you smooch the chick." Edrear punched him in the gut and left him to roll in pain on the ground. Both he and Dinah gave a nervous laugh and looked at the suddenly interesting ground.

A growl sounded in Dinah's ear. She spun around, running head long into the grotesque figure of the escaped unbearable. She yelped in surprise as it slashed out at her, catching her arm and drawing a line of blood.

"Hello little girl," the creature hissed. Edaniel shifted Edrear back into his armor and Edrear drew his twisted sword. He stood in front of Dinah, Edaniel kneeled beside her, and attempted to heal the gash on her arm. "Uh oh, big bad guardian is here this time... Doesn't matter. All will be over soon." Edrear crouched as the creature spoke, launching himself at the beast. The monster side stepped easily and laughed. It wasn't a normal laugh, this one sounded more like breaking glass than a squeal of glee.

Edrear whipped around, slicing past the creature's back. It hissed and spun, introducing Edrear to his savage claws. Blood dripped down Edrear's neck from a long gash in his cheek. The monster struck again, before he could regain his feet, sending him into a nearby tree. The unbearable placed his gnarled hands on the trunk of the tree and morphed it around Edrear's struggling form.

"MISS DINAH! RUN!" Edrear yelled. Edaniel grabbed Dinah's bloody hand and ran. The beast leaped over them and blocked their path.

"No, no, no, no, no," it snickered, "there will be no escaping from our fun. You act as though you never want to see your blond boy again." the thing pouted. "He misses you so so so so so so much. In fact, I can't get him to shut up. 'Dinah, Dinah!' he cries."

Dinah's eyes began to water, "Vincent?" she squeaked. The thing nodded. "What have you done with him?" Dinah cried.

"Nothing really," it shrugged, "Only shoved a boat pin through his bleeding heart and gathered him to keep me company." Dinah charged forward, only to be jerked back by Edaniel's firm grip.

"Don't listen Dinah" he hissed in her ear.

"MISS DINAH!" Edrear roared, finally breaking free from his wooden prison. The noise of cracking wood distracted Edaniel just enough for Dinah to break his grip on her. She snatched up Edrear's fallen sword and swung blindly at the ghost. It ducked and weaved, mocking her assaults. With a sickening smile it thrust its claws forward, digging into Dinah's chest, just barely missing her heart. Dinah went down, gasping as her punctured lung tried to fill itself with air. Edrear roared in anger and leaped, shifting forms in mid air. The being was too distracted with glee at Dinah's blood covering his hand. With a savage growl, Edrear sunk his bared teeth into the thing's neck. Black blood s squelched past his fangs, making him gag slightly, but he did not let go. The creature shrieked and slashed wildly, cutting Edrear repeatedly. Edaniel finally did something useful, summoned up a sword of his own, and sent a call to Bali Lali for assistance. He stabbed straight past his brother, paralyzing the beast as ice spread from the tip of his sword. Edrear finished the job by tearing the creature's head from his shoulders with a violent shake of his head. Instantly dropping the unmoving unbearable Edrear returned to his bleeding Human for and knelt beside Dinah.

Dinah's breath came in thin rasps. Edrear gathered her up in his arms. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he silently prayed for her.

"Hello? Yes I need an ambulance just behind Destiny Drive. My friend fell and she's bleeding and can't breathe. Yes, she's conscious. No, she can't speak, she can barely breathe!" Kathryn yelled into her cell phone a few feet off.

"Where did you come from?" Edaniel asked loudly.

"I followed you guys, you know worried and all that. What the fuck just happened?" she shouted, pushing the mute button on her cell phone.

"Bad guy," Edaniel tried to be vague. Kathryn glared at him.

"No shit," she hissed. She placed a worried hand on his shoulder before going over to Dinah.

"No, please no..." Edrear choked.

"Its going to be alright," Kathryn said, more hopeful than anything. "The ambulance is on the way." Edrear nodded mutely and rocked gently. The sound of sirens rose up from the road as the ambulance rushed in.

Kathryn did all of the talking as Dinah was loaded into the back of the white vehicle. Edrear and Edaniel both refused to be treated until Dinah was out of danger. The ambulance roared away, leaving Kathryn and Edaniel alone in the back field.