Page 3 of Paranormal Protectors: Atlas

“Ok. We’re on our way to assist.”

“Call Derek. Him and the hounds are already here.” Atlas reached the coffee shop’s door. He hung up the phone and stuffed it back in his pocket, letting his gaze track Gavin behind the counter. Taking a second to settle his heart, he pulled open the door.

Gavin had his back to the door, refilling something along the back wall, but the dark-haired woman smiled at Atlas.

“Back again already?” There was a teasing glint in her eye. Atlas didn’t have the patience or capacity to figure out what that meant at the moment. When he didn’t respond, her expression changed to concern. “Is everything okay?”

“I need to speak to Gavin.”

Her eyes widened. Behind her, Gavin looked over his shoulder at them.

Atlas stepped up to the counter, catching Gavin’s eye. “I need to talk to you.”

The woman—Charlotte, her name tag said—stepped in front of Atlas, eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

As irritating as it was, she was right to be worried. “I’m Atlas Mordaunt. I’m an agent of the seer’s guild.” He reached into his pocket and produced his ID. The seer’s guild was a private organization, but they often worked in tandem with local government when needed. “It’s imperative that I speak to Gavin right now.”

Charlotte studied his ID before looking back up at his face. She leaned over the counter, keeping her voice low. “You’re amage?”

“Yes.”

“What’s going on?” Gavin asked, coming to stand beside Charlotte and looking between the two of them.

Atlas held his gaze, hating that the first real conversation they’d ever have was probably going to scare Gavin half to death. “Gavin, I need you to come with me, please.”

Gavin took a step back. “What? No, I have to finish my shift.” He looked at Charlotte only to stop speaking when he saw she hadn’t moved, but was still just standing there staring at Atlas. “Char?”

Charlotte shook herself and took a step back, finally turning to Gavin. “You need to go with him, Gav.”

“What?” Gavin nearly screeched, looking completely betrayed.

Atlas wanted to jump the counter, wrap Gavin up and try to soothe him somehow.

Charlotte grabbed Gavin’s hands and pulled him closer to her. “Trust me. He’ll explain everything, and I’ll come to wherever you are once I close up.” At those words, she turned fierce eyes on Atlas, daring him to deny her.

He nodded. “That will be fine.”

The bell above the door chimed. Atlas turned, pulling his power to the surface as he did, only to let it go back to dormancy when he saw who was walking through the door.

Derek came to stand beside Atlas. “He the one?”

“Yeah.”

Derek nodded, eyes scanning the windows. “Shit, get down!”

The glass door shattered. Two things happened at once, Atlas jumped the counter, grabbing Charlotte and Gavin and shielding them with his body. Derek grabbed the smoking canister someone had thrown through the door and launched it back outside.

“We need to move!” Derek yelled over the screaming of the other coffee shop patrons.

Atlas looked down at Gavin, meeting wide blue eyes. “Gavin, we have to go now.” He looked at Charlotte.

“Hang on.” She pulled herself away from Atlas and ran for the back.

“Charlotte!” Gavin yelled, trying to go after her, but Atlas kept a tight hold on him. There was no way he was going to let Gavin out of arm’s reach until he was safely behind him. “Let me go!”

Charlotte came running back a second later with a jacket in her hands. “Here,” she said, shoving Gavin’s arms into the sleeves. She looked up at Atlas as she did so. “It’s got a protection charm on it.”

“Perfect.”

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