Protector by Tressa Messenger

but they will not be allowed to be exposed.
    Marquis puts both hands on the table and leans over looking Alessandro square in the eye.  “You have to find out what she knows, and if it turns out that she does know too much, there are really only a couple of options.  I trust you will handle this situation, Alessandro.”
    “I know , father.  I will see what I can do.”
    Marquis seems to be satisfied with that answer .  His sage eyes clear in a flash and he stands up straighter and then leaves the room. 
    Alessandro turns from his father’s descending back to look at the other Brotherhood sitting around the table.  They are all still staring at him, probably thinking the same thing he is. 
    How in the hell am I going to do it?
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    7
     
     
     
     
    Anna -Marie pulls into the cemetery watching very closely at all of the people around in various states of mourning.  After a month she is still paranoid from her past couple run-ins with what she now believes to be cannibals.  First was the man here in this cemetery, then there was the one in the alley only a couple of weeks later.  Both incidents scared the hell out of her, enough so to remind her to be very cautious everywhere she goes because there’s no telling how many there actually are. 

Anna -Marie shivers at the thought.
    Up until the night in the alley, since Dylan’s death, she has thought a lot about death.  She would have liked nothing more then to join him in the afterlife, but when it actually came down to the process of dying, it didn’t appear very appealing anymore.  It’s not because the doom and gloom has been lifted from her heart, nor did she come to the realization that she has so much to live for.  It’s mostly just plain and simple fear.  Fear of the actual pain and fear of the unexpected results that could have came from the attack.
    She still hasn’t told anyone about either night, and truthfully she probably never will.  She doesn’t think anyone would believe what she saw anyway, and rightfully so.  She can’t even believe what she has seen.  The images of both nights still haunt her every thought.  She has had bad dreams almost every night about those scary men coming after her with their sharp yellow teeth and cold cruel eyes.  There is nothing she can do to comfort herself either, not now.  Coming here at night when her world feels as if it’s falling apart around her is no longer an option.  As she looks around, she fights back tears at the realization that her safe haven is now no longer here.
    This place has been her refuge for so long, and now it has been taken from her.  Anna-Marie hates feeling so weak, but the thought remains that no one is safe, especially after all of the research she has been doing lately about all of the mysterious disappearances and animal attacks.  To top off her fear, there has been another report of a disappearance since the night in the alley, probably that poor person the cannibal killed in the alley, which makes three since Dylan’s death.  It all makes sense now, even if it is unbelievable.  
    Anna -Marie pushes the vision of him from her mind as another chill runs through her.  She has to pull it together for Dylan.  He is the only thing that matters to her. 
    “Hey , Dylan!  How was your week?”  She pauses, “Mine was long, but good.”
    As Anna-Marie looks around to make sure no one is in hearing range so she can tell him about her latest research, she notices an unfamiliar man standing in front of a new grave a couple of plots down. He looks so lost and out of place.  It was obviously recent.
    It’s such a shame when a death occurs .  She thinks to herself.
    Anna -Marie tries hard to direct her attention back to her conversation with Dylan, but she is too curious about the man standing so broad in front of the fresh grave.  Not