The Protectors: Book 1 in the Protectors Saga by Paige Dooling Page A

direction of
Avery’s car. All the humor and laughter was gone from her
voice.
    Avery turned around, already knowing what she was
going to see.
    Gumptin had gotten out of the car and was now
standing in front of it, in full view of Jade.
    Avery scolded herself for actually trusting him to do
what she said and stay in the car. Up to this point, he hadn’t made
anything easy for her; why should he start now?
    There was nothing else that Avery could do, but
simply tell Jade the truth.
    “That’s Gumptin.” Avery said, her brain unable to
form any other thought at that moment.
    Jade looked at Avery like she had gone insane, “Oh,
that’s Gumptin, is it.” She said sarcastically, “Well, that
explains everything, doesn’t it?”
    This wasn’t getting off to the start that Avery had
hoped for. She opened her mouth to try and say something else, to
explain who Gumptin was, but her mind and mouth seemed to be having
a communication problem.
    “Um…” Avery began. However, it didn’t really matter
what she was going to say next, as Jade barged in with her next
question, not bothering to wait for Avery’s fumbling
explanation.
    “Did he just get out of your car?!” The abrasive tone
in Jade’s voice and the way she was staring at Avery, like a parent
getting ready to take away every toy from a disobedient child, made
Avery desperately wish she could lie to Jade. Unfortunately, she
needed to tell Jade everything and that included Gumptin. So, Avery
steadied herself for the admonishment she knew was about to come
her way and answered Jade’s question, “Yes.” She said.
    Jade grabbed hold of Avery by her shoulder and moved
the two of them farther away from Gumptin, “How can you be so
naive?” Jade hissed.
    That struck a nerve in Avery. If she had been
anything today, it wasn’t naïve. It wasn’t like she had decided to
follow some little man down a rabbit hole because he offered her
candy. She hadn’t even agreed to go with Gumptin until he brought
up the safety of her friends and family.
    “Jade, I’m not a child.” Avery said, defending
herself, “I can make my own choices.”
    Jade shook her head in disbelief, “I can’t leave you
alone for a second .” She told Avery, tightening the grip on
her shoulder, “You just don’t go around picking up circus freak
strangers.”
    From behind her Avery heard Gumptin cough, “If you
two are done with the domestics,” he said, as Avery turned towards
him, “it would be nice to get to the point of why we are here. We
really do not have time for the two of you to stand around
tongue-wagging.”
    Jade’s eyes became dark daggers as she stared Gumptin
down. Then, those daggers switched over to Avery.
    “So, not only did you pick up a stranger,” Jade told
her, “but you picked up an ass.”
    Gumptin snorted in the background.
    Avery backed away from Jade, freeing her shoulder,
“Look,” she said, “he’s not technically a stranger…to me, or to
you.”
    Jade gave Avery a ‘what the hell are you talking
about’ look.
    Just say it, Avery urged herself…just say it,
“Alright, Jade,” she began, “I’m about to lay some pretty heavy
stuff on you, and I just need you to keep your mouth shut until I
finish, alright?”
    Jade looked like she was about to argue, so Avery
made her eyes look as puppy dog as she could and added,
“Please.”
    This maneuver had always worked with Jade in the past
and Avery was more than sure it would work now. No matter how upset
Jade got she couldn’t argue with Avery’s well practiced sensitive
eyes.
    Not looking too pleased about it, Jade took a deep
breath in and nodded in agreement.
    Now that she had as much cooperation as she was going
to get from Jade, Avery decided to just start at the beginning,
“Alright, like I said,” Avery started, “this is Gumptin.” Avery
pointed behind her to where she knew Gumptin still stood, “I met
him at the park by the school and he’s…um,” Avery began to