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Was he hurt? Was I safer with him, or with the one standing in front of me—this guy, who I really didn’t know after all? 
    He’d never meant me any harm before. He’d also never attacked a boy I liked and trusted. He had been downright scary on the trail, and was currently visibly annoyed with my defiance. He responded with brute force, by opening the passenger door and shoving me in. Considering he was nearly twice my size, the end result was not in my favor. My face planted ungraciously into the center console. I sat up and rubbed my forehead as he climbed into the driver’s seat. He didn’t bother to look at me as he started the engine, and missed the glare I threw him.
    He pealed out of the parking space as three shadows raced toward us. The Jeep’s headlights swept over them, illuminating the eyes that fixated on me. Those eyes, that seemed capable of peering into my soul, sent a shiver down my spine. The sight of their faces, filled with rage, would forever find a place in my nightmares.
    Looking over my shoulder as we turned out of the parking lot, I saw them disperse. They were gone, but where to? And where was Alec?
    “Who were those...” I trailed off, not sure of the appropriate word. There had been something not right about their eyes. Normal people’s eyes didn’t look like that, didn’t...gleam like that. 
    Even if I had managed to ask, I doubt I would have gotten an answer. My new companion’s attention was focused elsewhere—not saying that was a bad thing, considering how fast he was driving. He maneuvered the Jeep efficiently, turning onto one road after another as fast as the vehicle was capable. His eyes flicked between the road and the rearview mirror. From what I could see, no headlights followed. Not yet.
    I watched him, watched as his eyes took everything in, and was filled with a sense of security. I had no idea who he was or what he did—aside from rescuing me—but whatever it was, I got the impression he was good at it. For a moment, I stared at him in awe. He was the greatest mystery of my life, and he was right there, close enough to touch. The opportunity I had been waiting my whole life for was here. I had my chance to get the answers I wanted. 
    And my tongue was tied. All I could manage was to stare and wonder for the hundredth time who he was.
    His eyes turned to mine and, oddly, he seemed to be pondering the same thing about me. He looked at me like he didn’t recognize me, like he didn’t know who I was, and he was bothered by it.
    Something about that rubbed me the wrong way. So, after years of thinking about what I would say to him—of all the things I should have said—I let my attitude get the best of me, and spit out a haughty, “What?”
    He blinked and turned his attention to the road. He didn’t look at me again.
    “Does your little friend know where you live?”
    The accusatory tone of his voice put me on the defensive. I squinted at him, wondering what his problem was. None of my previous interactions with him had been like this, filled with this much hostility. He wasn’t exactly the amazing hero I had built him up to be my whole life. I certainly wouldn’t expect a guardian angel to go around threatening people with knives.
    He’s not my guardian angel. That had been somewhat acceptable to believe when I was three. Not anymore, especially not now. It was sad, really, that my childhood fantasy was shattered after only a few minutes with this guy.
    “Does he know where you live?” he shouted, interrupting my train of thought.
    “Yes, he knows,” I answered quietly. Boy, was he intimidating. Not to mention, short tempered.  
    He muttered a few choice words under his breath and sped up, negotiating the narrow streets heading into town faster than anyone safely should. As an afterthought, I strapped on my seatbelt, shut my eyes, and tried not to remember the last time I had been in a car going this fast.
    A soft ringing pulled me from my reverie.