Once Upon a Steamy Night

Claire stared at the handsome man standing on her porch with sparkling gold eyes, his lips still moving. "Excuse me," she interrupted him sharply.

He cocked a perfectly carved brow at him. "What? I don't appreciate being interrupted!"

Claire's mouth hung open in surprise as she stared at the stranger's grim face.

"You come to my porch and tell me some stupid shit and you expect me not to interrupt you?"

"The people who raised you didn't do a very good job at teaching you manners," he snorted.

Claire's brow furrowed in anger. She will not be walked over by her townspeople and still by a stranger.

"I'm calling the police, so I suggest you live here immediately. You have no right to disrespect my parents even in the grave."

"Your mom isn't dead. Just missing and I'm here even though I'm having difficulties believing but you have the mark."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" She asked furiously.

"If you will calm down then I'll explain things for you," he replied.

"Start talking!"

"Don't use that tone on me, Claire. Besides, I need to sit down."

"You aren't entering my house so better start talking!"

He sighed and ran a hand across his long ponytail then he brought out a bracelet that looked exactly like the one she was wearing.

She raised her to examine if it was the same bracelet but was surprised when the bracelet glowed and the one on his hand glowed too. She took a step back out of fear.

"Claire, I'm not gonna hurt you," he said.

"How d-did...bracelet..." she trailed off sounding unsure. "That's why I said you should open the door first," he replied.

"Fucking answer me!" She screamed, panic rising in her chest.

"Deep breaths, Claire. Panicking isn't going to help us," he said.

Claire sighed sitting on the steps of her porch. This man was driving her crazy with his calm attitude.

She hadn't liked him when he was snapping at her but him being calm in this weird situation annoyed her.

"I'm calm. Now, talk to me."

"Claire, I gave your mom that bracelet before she gave birth to you or even realized she was pregnant," he said with a small smile.

Claire nodded. She had always had the bracelet on her wrist for as long as she could remember, and she had tried removing it, but it wouldn't budge. Her late parents had no information on the bracelet.

"I left because I couldn't stay with your mom. It was dangerous around me. Now, I've returned to take you home so you can train and accomplish your mission."

Claire cocked a brow at him. "What's my mission and which home?"

"You're going to learn with the other guardians and your mission is to save the world."

Ever since her parents died, Claire hasn't laughed at anything funny but right now, she was howling on her porch with laughter.

The man and his words were unbelievable and hilarious. Maybe she was having a mental breakdown due to all the emotional trauma she's been through. When she was done laughing at least to the extent where she could easily stand on her feet without falling over in laughter, she poked him. "Why did you do that?" He asked, glaring at her.

She shrugged. "I'm just checking to make sure that you're real."

He scowled. "After all I've told you that's what you're concerned about?"

"Yeah because I can't believe that a handsome man is standing on my porch claiming to be my father and claiming that I'm the savior of the world." Claire rambled on as she unlocked her door and closed it quickly.

"I'm going to take a nap, when I awake I expect this fantasy to be over!" She added before heading upstairs.

****

Claire woke up with a start and yawned loudly rubbing her bleary eyes as she stretched her drowsy body.

She had a strange dream. She chuckled at the thought of that dream. It won't be such a bad thing if she started to matter again, she thought. "Nice to see you're finally awake."

"Ah! Not a dream!!" She screamed jumping out of bed when she saw the man sitting on the recliner chair in her room.

She hurried towards the door and did the one thing that came to her mind-she locked the door.

Beaming happily and cursing herself internally for forgetting to lock her front door, she picked up her phone to call the police.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you."

Claire looked at the couch in the sitting room and froze in shock.

"How did you..." she trailed off her mouth hanging open.

He cocked a perfectly arched brow at her, amusement swirling in his golden orbs.

"The first fact you should know about me is that I never stay locked in."

Claire glared at him as she dialed the emergency number.

"That's a bad idea, Claire. You're calling the same people who are accusing you of murder for help," he said.

She furrowed her brows at him, eying him suspiciously.

"What do you know about my parents' murder? You're a stranger here."

"I'm not a stranger anywhere on Earth, Claire. You have a lot to learn."

"Okay, that's It!" She gritted her teeth as she waited for the emergency department to answer her call.

"911, what's your emergency?"

Claire heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the female voice.

"I have a stalker in my house, and I think he knows what happened to my parents," she replied.

"Transferring you to the police department."

"Bad idea, Claire."

Claire ignored him and continued waiting on the phone.

"Captain Jones speaking. What's the emergency?"

She winced at how bored the policeman's voice sounded.

"It's Claire Ryes."

There was a moment of silence and then he replied.

"You left school early today after getting a detention right?" He asked.

"Yes, but I can explain..."

"And now you're calling because you have a stalker in your home who seems to know about your late parents?" "Yes."

"I'll be with you in a few minutes, Miss. Ryes."

She grinned when the line went dead and fixed a cold stare at the man.

"Trying busting out of a police cell, loser!"

"Adam, my name is Adam," he replied calmly.

"Whatever," Claire sighed, tapping her foot on the ground impatiently.

"You're making a mistake, Claire. Things are not gonna end up how you want them to," he said.

"Oh yeah? You want me to come with you so I would convince them that I killed my parents?"

"They aren't your parents, Claire, and you were framed for it because they are trying to stop you," he sighed.

"Keep preaching to the choir, Mister," she sneered.

She eyed him when he kept quiet and settled comfortably on the couch before he glanced at the door and his wristwatch.

"They're here, Claire."

She glared at him just as her doorbell rang. Not having time for a comeback, she raced towards the door and pulled it open with a huge smile.

"Hi, Captain Jones..." she trailed off when she saw an unfamiliar man and woman standing on her porch.

"Claire Ryes?" The woman asked.

She cocked an eyebrow at her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Emma and Davis from child protector services," she smiled.

"Child protector what? I called for Captain Jones!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, and I called them here."

Captain Jones walked up to them on the porch, a sadist grin on his face.

"Captain, why did you call them?"

"You need a new foster home till we round off the investigation. A place where you won't get into any trouble or any tricks to lure us out of our investigations," he replied. "Tricks? But I have a stalker in my house," she said.

"Well, where's he?"

"In my sitting room!" She exclaimed.

"A stalker is sitting comfortably in your sitting room very much aware that you called the police?" Jones asked.

"I'll show you!" She snapped marching into her sitting room and pointing at the exact spot where Adam was sitting. "He's right there," she smirked.

"Where?" They asked.

She frowned pointing at the seat Adam was sitting on. The Captain sat down on the couch.

"Where, Claire?"

"He's right beside you," she cried.

"They can't see me, princess. It's just you," Adam said chuckling lightly.

"He's talking. Did you hear him?"

"That's it. Pack your bags, Claire. You're going with Child protector services," Jones said. "Wait...what!"

"I warned you princess."