The Devil's Guardian

The Devil's Guardian - Chapter 4

"Alto! Alto, prepare the bath!" Devlin did not have to shout because his butler was just inside the large and heavy front door.

"Good evening, Mr. Deville!"

The nickname 'Deville' was adapted by the castle's staff. Thanks to Sebastian's influence. He always used the nickname when he called on telephone or in person.

Devlin had grown to like it so he did not rebuff the play on his real name.

Alto saw the girl Devlin carried in his arms. "You need a bath, sir!"

He was a slender man who moved quickly. He was graceful and had not broken a thing ever since he was employed in the palace.

Devlin designated Alto as head housekeeper but Alto had seen himself as a butler!

Devlin did not oppose him.

"Here! Look after her!"

Alto tried to carry the girl but his knees buckled. The girl was heavy!

"Sir! I can't support her!"

"You call for help!" Devlin's tone was curt. He had been controlling his unexplainable panic. He had touched a female for the first time!

"Sir, the employees of the castle have their day-off tonight. They shall be back tomorrow!" Alto muttered in a constrained manner.

Devlin caught the female for the second time when Alto fell on his knees.

"Come! Quick!" He held her far away from his body.

Alto got up from the floor. He went to the bathroom beside the kitchen and filled the tub with hot and cold water at the same time. He switched off the faucets when it was half-full.

Devlin placed the girl in the lukewarm water and turned away. "Remove her dirty clothes!" he ordered before he got out of the door.

He went straight to liquor bar. He poured a little brandy on a crystal tumbler and gulped the strong liquid down.

"Ah!" Devlin winced slightly when his throat was burned. He groped for his cellphone.

"Hello, Deville?" Sebastian answered at once. "Changed your mind? Care to join us at the party?" He still invited Devlin through the years even though the answer was always no.

"No. I wrong pressed. Sorry!" Devlin hesitated sharing the experience.

He doubted that Sebastian would understand it.

Devlin had held a woman twice. She felt different. Her body was soft. Her hair was long and it hung to the ground when he lifted her.

He rubbed his palms against his pants. He had shed his constricting coat and unknot his necktie. The room was warm.

Devlin opened the windows. He looked at the dark sky.

She fell from above...

Did she jump from an airplane or a helicopter? There were sensors around the helipad area. They would have sensed if a foreign object was flying above the area!

"Mr. Deville! Mr. Deville!" Alto came running to him.

"What?" he asked tersely.

"There's a little creature inside the pocket!" Alto replied breathlessly. He seemed scared out of his wits. "She has wings and she's unconscious, too!"

She! Another she! Devlin groaned inside.

"I've undressed her, sir! I'm washing her face when--when that creature dropped down from the pocket!" Alto was explaining while they walked back to the bathroom.

"Where is the creature?" His brow knitted as he looked sharply around the room. His eyes avoided the girl at the bathtub.

"There! She was not moving!" Alto picked her up gingerly. "She was so small, sir!" He was cradling her in one hand. She had long hair, too.

Devlin could see a well-developed female body. The only irregularities were her small size and a pair of wings on her back. Wings that looked like a dragonfly's but sturdier because they looked unharmed.

Alto laid her on the folded towel and covered her with another smaller towel.

"Sir... would you help with the girl? I'm washing her hair..." Alto requested hesitantly. Devlin was his master but he was afraid that the girl would slither down the water!

"Okay," Devlin answered reluctantly. He took a fresh towel. He spread it on the woman's body before he grasped at her small waist. He pulled her upright.

Her head hung while he held her. The smooth neck was exposed. Her nose was small yet aristocratic. Her pale lips were half-opened. Her eyes with darkened areas around them were still closed. Her rounded chin and delicate jaws were strong despite their shapes.

Devlin looked away.

Alto worked fast. The handheld shower sprayed water in her hair while he shampooed her many times.

"Her hair is blonde-white, sir!" Alto exclaimed when the hair color was revealed after he washed off the soot.

"Hurry, Alto!" he ordered sternly.

"Yes, Mr. Deville!" Alto sprayed her neck and back. "Um, you'll carry her again, sir..." He had taken a fresh bath towel to wrap around her shoulders.

Devlin was wet already. He nodded wordlessly. His arms flexed before he carried her. He was careful not to touch her skin while he placed his hands behind her legs and body.

She was not heavy this time. She was also very slim when her clothes were removed.

Alto picked up the towel where he put the creature. He was still afraid because his arms were stretched while he carried the bundle.

"Where are we taking them, Mr. Deville?"

"To the room next to mine," Devlin said in a spur of the moment. He was not thinking straight. He was shocked with the arrival of this woman. He had imbibed the brandy. He was intrigued at the creature with wings!

The room next to Devlin was large and luxurious. It was newly decorated recently. The place was intended to be the room of his spouse-to-be.

The decor was pure feminine and had different shade of pink: from the curtains to the wide bed. The pillows were fluffy and feathery.

Alto hurriedly put down the towel with the sleeping creature at the center. He removed the bedsheet on one side of the bed.

Devlin laid her down on the pillow. He stepped away immediately.

Alto covered her with the sheet and took off the towel.

"Shall we leave them now, sir?"

"Yes. Let's go!"

Alto gave them one last look before he closed the door.

"I wonder... where do they come from?"

Devlin did not answer. He was asking himself, too.