A Lovehammer Holiday -complete version

[starcrossed]

In california...
Megan sat in a large chair opposite Cloud in the living room, of the California mansion. Located high in the Hollywood Hills, Megan learned from Cloud that the estate belonged to another mortal that the guardian had saved a long time ago. The mansion was to be used whenever she, or any of the other guardians entered the mortal realm.

"We are different from this world Megan. We have been from the start of life itself. Where I am from is called the Outer realm. It is a form of limbo between life and death. We are there to keep watch of what is going on, and to help when need be."

"Are you like angels?" Megan's voice was slightly raspy from all that she had gone through physically.

Cloud smiled gently as she replied," No. we are definitely not angels. Though they exsist...We are far from being angelic. We are simply guardians .When you were born into this world, you already were blessed with a gift inside your heart. This gift could be a blessing or a curse to you. And, before you ask.."

Megan closed her mouth, realizing that her thought were being read.

"As I was saying..." Cloud laughed,"I can not tell you why it is your destiny to be the 'key'. All mortals are blessed with special gifts from the moment they enter life. Some have talents that they can not deny. other's struggle internally to understand the purpose they have in life, feeling lost and never developing their given gift. Sadly darkness, sometimes fills those that can not find their creative outlet. The true beauty of their soul fades and they become something they were never created to be."

Cloud took a sip of her tea, watching every movement that Megan made.

"I feel strange inside. I felt something before, inside me at the benefit concert, it is under my skin" Megan cringed with the thought that something might be growing in her.

"Justin gave you a serum with a small touch of his blood inside. It is diluted, but the hypnotic effect of his control can not hold from a distance without the transfer of blood.Your spirit is fighting the darkness..it will be gone in a few hour more."

Megan felt relief with Clouds words. Then a sudden thought came to her,"Cloud, what are we going to do?"

Cloud replied,"Save you and stop them."

"How? I am nothing special, just a blood sacrifice for them. How can that be of any use?" Megan waited patiently for a reply.

Not flinching Cloud stood up from her chair and moved in front of Megan. Grasping her firmly ,but gently she helped Megan to stand before her.

"My job is to protect you. You will have to find the true nature of your own gift in time. That is not my place to tell you, Megan. I can tell you that nothing is going to happen to you now that I am here. This 'war' has met it's match."

[starcrossed]

When Cloud left the room, Megan sank into the nearest chair -- something Marty had said was nagging at her -- something about --- she needed to check some things out online -- there had to be a computer somewhere in this place!

Sure enough, Megan found an office room just down the hall -- quickly she logged on to the martycasey.org site - and there it was in the menu - Creativity Vault: The Story

It can't be! she thought --- but she opened the thread and began to read -- it was like someone was out there writing her biography As She Lived It!! Oh my, what was going on in her brain, and why could everyone but her seem to read her mind like it was a book???

She had to find out more about vampires, guardians and the demon world -- but where to even start -- a google search brought up a mind-boggling number of possibilities! With a sigh, she told herself one link at a time - and started to read---

[starcrossed]

Megan researched as much as she could. She spent hours in front of the computer. Cloud had given her time to be alone and to settle into all that she had been through.

Mountains of information could be found on the web. Some claimed to credible sources, well many others were just strange from start to finish.

Megan realized that no search would ever give her the information she needed. Reality was all around her not on the computer.

The Story thread was just her being paranoid as always. She was feeling a thousand times better, but her mind still was not clear. Cloud had told her that she would still feel the effects of Justin's blood in her. That was probably the reason that she was getting so paranoid.

Then again the last movie that she had seen at the theater had the same theme. Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson had starred in the movie if she remembered that correctly.

She just needed to relax and let Cloud help her.

[starcrossed]

After that Megan decided she needed to have a sleep as she had just looked at the clock and had seen it was 10:00pm and she had a rough day trying to forget about Why everything had been put on her shoulders and not anybody elses.
Megan Drifted off in her bed dreaming about Marty saving her from Lots of Demons and Vampires.
and she was dreamiung about the sweet sensation of hearing the lovehammers play their Music loud and clear to her.
(BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP) Megan woke suddenly to the sound of her alarm. She stumbled out of bed without hesitation and she burst into the kitchen expecting Cloud to be waiting at the kitchen table. But She was no Where to be seen. Was Cloud Some Sort of a Dream or was She Reality ??.

[starcrossed]

Megan looked through the house, but could not find any sign of Cloud. As she entered the living room, she noticed a smoking cigarette in the astray by the wingback chair. Understandably, she flipped out a bit. A baseball bat was leaning by the computer desk in the next room. She picked it up and cautiously made her way into the room. As she was about to lift the bat high above her head, she heard a reassuring and familiar voice.

"It's just me, Megan," Marty said. "I thought that maybe it was about time I gave you some answers. Cloud told me you were here."

She breathed a sigh of relief, put the bat back by the computer desk, and went into the living room to join Marty. He showed her to a chair next to his...in this corner, they were out of the view of prying eyes looking through the windows from the exterior of the house.

"It's complicated," he said and slowly took a long drag off his cigarette. He placed the cig back in the ashtray, ran his fingers through his soft golden locks, and removed his sunglasses.

He proceeded to explain that he was the owner of the mansion in which she was now staying. Cloud had saved him many years ago from a situation similar to the one Megan encountered with Rachel; however, not before he had gotten in too deep.

"Now I work for Cloud, but I was working for the enemy when she saved me. I got in too deep during a hard time in my life. I was disillusioned and without direction. I yearned for acceptance and found it in the wrong place with the wrong people. Now I'm a double-agent, Megan. A spy for the good guys," he said. "The enemy tried to kill me, too."

Suddenly portions of the horrific nightmare she had been dealing with began to make sense. The book Rachel gave her. She wanted to know who picked it up out of Marty's guitar case. He told her it was better she not have that information right now...for the sake of her own safety. She could see the fear for her welling up in his beautiful eyes.

However, he did explain that dark forces were trying to take over the world. Cloud, evidently, had filled him in on Megan's significance...or maybe he just KNEW on his own. Either way, Marty assured Megan that together they would stop Justin and the legions of evil.

As they hugged, Cloud walked in...

[starcrossed]

"so you two have finally met up" said Cloud as she walked in the door as Marty and Megan were giving each other a VERY Friendly hug !.
"um..eh Yes" Megan Answered in a shocked voice" she continued,"So Where were you Cloud ?".
"i was just out Checking that Justin and his Crew werent Sneaking up on us, but c'mon You, Marty and i have some work to do" Cloud Replied.

She Explained to Megan and Marty about that they were going to sneak up to Justin's House and Listen to see if they had any plans on Hurting Megan or anyone so they could try and stop it !

So the 3 of them jumped into clouds Small Red Car with a big trailer on the back, Megan was in the back while Cloud and Marty were in the front .
Megan was sitting thinking about the 3 day drive to Justins House Until, (Screech Screech) Someone or something was hanging on to the back of Clouds Trailer....

[starcrossed]

His face was so disfigured that Rachel hardly recognized him - but then she heard his screaming - "What have you done with Rachel? Where is my wife?"

Yes, it was Jeff - whatever Rachel had done, had left permanent damage - but not killed him.
But that left Megan puzzling - Which side was he actually on? Still, she encouraged Cloud to stop and listen to what he had to say.

He didn't seem to know that it was Rachel who had been the one to hurt him - in fact, he didn't have a clear memory of anything that had happened since New Year's Eve.

Trembling and in tears, he said - "All I know is last I remember seeing her, she was on her way to meet up with you and go to the ARF concert -- now where is she?? She run off with one of those Lovehammers guys or what ---" He stopped, mouth gaping open, as Marty stepped out of the car

[starcrossed]

"Where is My Wife??" he yelled again to Marty
"I DONT KNOW" marty said in a Confused voice
Jeff raged with anger !, he got a large sharp Stick from the Bushes Near them and then smashed one of Clouds Back Windows and then he headed for Megan with the Stick.
She screamed in horror...but as soon as he tried to whack her with it Marty jumped in like a Hero and started fighting him for Megan, How heroic She thought to herself.
Suddenly Marty Stabbed Him with it in and he fell to the ground dead.
Megan Jumped in Marty's arms and they Shared a warm Hug !. Cloud However was checking out the damage to her Car, and working out how much it was going to cost her (lol)
after the warm hug Megan thanked Marty for sticking up for her and killing the enemy.
But then everyone finally noticed that Jeffs Body was gone and so was Clouds Car, It was getting dark and they didnt know what to to, they started to Panic !
Marty lit a camp fire and they sat down for a while.
it all went quiet until they heard an engine roar...there it was...it was clouds car and it was heading towards them and it was getting faster and faster, like it was trying to run them over.
Megan, Cloud and Marty looked ahead in the drivers seat, they saw a skinny figure driving the car but who was it ??.....

[starcrossed]

As the car barreled toward the trio, Marty recognized the driver.
He and Marcus were friends when they were both in high school, and he was the one that got Marty into this mess in the first place. He looked just as he did in high school, his aging had stopped at 19 when Justin made him a vampire.

Marcus had pulled Marty deep into Justin's world on a difficult night; Marty had broken up with his girlfriend and had a huge fight with Dino and Bobby. In his confusion, Marty felt lost and began running around with Marcus and Justin instead of with his true friends.

"If only I had known then what I know now," Marty thought as he helped Cloud and Megan find a safe place in the brush and stood to face Marcus alone.

As the headlights bared down on him, Marty stood firm. Suddenly the car screeched to a halt and Marcus slowly opened the door and stood to face his former friend.

"Hello, Marty," Marcus sneered. His demeanor now was much different from the respectful tone he had shown his master in Montana as he was arranging the search party to retrieve Rachel's body and those of her goons.

He slowly made his way toward Marty. As he did, Marty realized that Megan and Cloud were suddenly at his side.

"Stubborn women," Marty thought. "Why couldn't you have kept her over there where she'd be safe, Cloud?"

"Three against one is better than one on one," Cloud calmly replied.

Megan's mind was racing. She used her peripheral vision to scope out any possible weapons they could use against Marcus.

Marcus pulled out a large knife, similar to the one Rachel had stabbed Megan with in the desert...she trembled at the sight.

"How could you betray me?", he asked Marty in a pitiful voice. "I thought we were friends."

"You're no friend of mine," Marty replied. "I thought you were, but you were something else. Something I detest."

"And I suppose that's why you've teamed up with this guardian to protect the key," Marcus said mockingly. He was getting a little too close to Megan for Marty's liking. "She's sooooo pretty." He tried to caress her hair and she spit in his face. "Fiery too...I like that."

Marty lunged at Marcus who quickly kicked him to the ground. Cloud tried to push Marcus down, but he kicked her away too. While he was distracted, Megan snuck up behind him and tried to get the knife away from him, but he turned to face her and overpowered her.

Suddenly, another appeared, someone Megan had never seen. He hit Marcus over the head with a large rock and then picked up the stick Marty had used on Jeff and drove it into his chest, turning him to dust.

"Looks like you needed my help on this one," Keane said.

Cloud was helping Marty to his feet. She glared at Keane. Marcus had bloodied Marty's lip and as he fell, he scraped his head on a nearby rock. "Are you okay?", she asked. Marty nodded as he wiped the blood from his lip. "What about you Megan?" Megan nodded even though she was trembling at the sight she had just seen and wondered who in the hell the guy that killed Marcus was.

"They know where we are now, Cloud. What do we do next?", Marty asked.

"I'm not sure...I need time to think, but we need to get out of here right now. Keane, get the car ready, we're getting the hell out of here!", Cloud shouted.

So the newcomer's name was Keane, Megan thought. She assumed he could be trusted, due to Cloud's reaction, but she was still wary of him...and she didn't know why...

"Megan, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a guardian too. My name is Keane. May I help you into the car?," he said with a smile.

She nodded and the four quickly got into the car and drove off into the deep dark night wondering what curve would be thrown their way next as they set out to save the world.

[starcrossed]

as they drove off through the hills and past the still water that cold night Meagan, who was in the back, Fell fast asleep in Marty's arms While Cloud and Keane were in the front trying to get to Justins house by car.
in the morning Meagan and Marty awoke to the halt of the car stopping. They both opened their eyes and look out the small foggy window, "were at the airport ?" Meagan Asked
"yes Meagan, While you and Marty were having a nice sleep Keane and I decided that we were to tired to drive such a long way away so we Decided to Catch a plane from here, so c'mon Meagan and Marty, get out of the car".
the four of them stepped out of the car and made their way to the inside of the airport.
they waited for their Plane to Board and then they finally arrived in Justins Town.

[starcrossed]

As the plane touched down on the tarmac, Megan couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. The four passengers had been extremely quiet for the entire plane ride...each lost deeply in their thoughts.

As she gazed out the small, plane window, she thought about how beautiful a place Montana was, and wondered how they would handle Justin.

"Megan, are you ready to go?", Cloud asked. She nodded. As Megan got up to follow Cloud off the plane, she noticed Marty was still seated gazing out the window.

"Aren't you coming?", Megan asked. There was no reply. Keane approached her.

"He's just tired. Give him a few minutes and he'll be along," Keane said. Megan still didn't trust him. Something about him just wasn't right. "He may be a guardian," she thought to herself, "But he's definitely not like Cloud."

Meanwhile, Marty was lost in his memories. He was remembering the first time he met Justin. He seemed like a nice guy, perhaps even a good one, but little did he know about the curse placed on him and how he and his demonic friends planned to bring about the destruction of the world. Marty was as shocked as Megan to learn that Rachel was Justin's sister.

"Some yearn to be young and naive again...I wouldn't want to be that way ever again...it's got me into too much trouble," Marty thought.

He looked up and realized how close Keane was standing to Megan. Marty didn't trust him either and he was determined not to let him out of his sight. He quickly got up and escorted Megan off the plane, leaving Keane standing behind them bewildered until Cloud yelled at him to get a move on and get in the rental car that was waiting for them at the airport.

The four began the relatively short drive to Justin's Montana retreat. Cloud stared at Keane as he drove the car toward the house without asking for directions; she couldn't help but wonder how he knew the way to Justin's home so well...

[starcrossed]

Megan,Marty and Cloud were shocked as Keane parked at Justin's Home and Ran to The right house without help which made them think about Who He was and what was his past.
Was he really a Guardian...

[starcrossed]

Throughout her life Megan always knew that trust was the main key to life. Trusting yourself and trusting others. Something deep within her very core, screamed that Keane was not to be trusted.

Megan tried to push the thought aside. She did trust Rachel once...She turned out to be completely evil. Could her feelings be wrong once more? Megan prayed that she was wrong. a man like Keane could do some real damage. She didn't need an eternity to realize that fact. Destruction was written on the man.

Cloud trusted Keane. Didn't she? Megan would trust that for now. Yet, she would keep an eye on his every action. The fact that he did know which house belonged to Justin was odd. However, Cloud had made it clear that Justin's fate had not been sealed. Justin wasn't evil. Justin just needed to choose a side. Megan wanted him to be on her side.

Megan hoped that Justin would never be evil. She hated to admit it to herself, but part of her was still strangely attracted to him. He was an enigma. Megan hoped that his next change would be good. The guy was hot...somehow special to her. Megan's mind began to wonder...

She gave herself a hard mental shake. She didn't have time to think about the possibilities of being with a man like Justin. He was not even mortal.

"Megan what are you thinking?" Megan spoke to herself in disgust under her breath.

"What is he doing?" Cloud's voice was obviously troubled, as she continued"Keane get back here!"

**********************************************************************

Inside the home, Justin waited. He could see everything from the estates high tech security monitors. All of his men were on high alert. Nothing was going to enter his home without his permission. Nothing.

He didn't need to see her on camera to know that she was there. He felt Megan searching for him in her memories. Relief and anticipation flooded through his veins in a heated rush. She was still alive!

His men had recovered the remains of his sister in the California dessert. His two men had been destroyed along side of her. However, no sign's of Megan had been found. Just the tire tracks of another vehicle.

Justin had gone crazy looking for Megan. He had ordered his men to continue to search for her, and that they would not get a single moment to rest unless she was found. Justin had told himself that it was just to win the war. However, he knew that it was something more. A beating within his heart returned when ever he was near or even thought about Megan. He needed her to be safe. Wanted her...forever.

He recognized Marty. However, the other woman he didn't recognize at all.

Justin's attention was drawn to a large figure moving quickly. Keane was already approaching his front door. Justin mused to himself, what a selfish son of a b*tch, that guardian was. Always dealing on the dark side. Justin hated him with a passion. The last time that they had met, Justin had nearly been killed by him. Justin's only crime against Keane, was that he wouldn't work for him. Justin was prepared now...he knew the only way to kill a guardian and it was something that he would easily do if he had to defend himself or Megan.

[starcrossed]

So there it was - three very different men - Marty, Justin, Keane - all with secrets she would probably never begin to fathom -- as for trust, it was so easy to trust and believe a charismatic man saying exactly what you wanted to hear. They say listen to your heart, follow your gut - but sometimes nothing makes sense. How could she figure it out since the one thing she did know for sure is that she still didn't have all the pieces to the puzzle.

Being this close to Justin, she once again could feel his mind reaching out to hers - trying to soothe her fears. But she could also feel that hot blooded passion - as if he were trying to wrap a blanket around her - and it made her heart start to beat faster, her breath quicken and her body tingle in anticipation - but also feeling like she needed to run and hide somewhere to protect herself. She called out to Cloud - "What's happening to me?" as she sank down to her knees . . . .

[starcrossed]

Quickly, as Keane Ran to the door of Justins Home, Justin Jumped out of his seat and grabbed a knife out of the kitchen draw and proceeded to walk to the front door...

[starcrossed]

Cloud reached for Megan on the floor, "Get up now! Find yourself and keep moving! This is not the time to fall apart Megan!!!"

"I can feel..." Megan began to speak, but Cloud cut her off.

"Not now Megan, trust yourself, get up!!!Your fighting you!!!" Cloud's voice held no patience.

Megan rose to her feet and proceeded forward to the house. She had the sudden urge to move forward, to run toward the house.

Cloud never gave chase after Megan. She walked slowly behind. It was as if she somehow knew what was about to happen. She walked side by side with Marty. Marty closed his eyes, as if he felt something, too.

Keane broke down the front door with a single kick of his foot. The door splintered off the hinge's, and hung to the floor.

"I thought it was you. I can see that you have learned absolutely no manners after all these years, Keane. Really, this is my home and I don't recall inviting you in." Justin's voice held no fear.

"What not happy to see an old friend?" Keane replied.

"We were never friends."

Keane immediately took inventory of his surroundings. "Where are your men? I would hate to just kill you..they might get jealous that they could finally be at rest along with you."

"It is not going to happen. My men are busy elsewhere. I told them that I would greet you personally." Justin stood feet firmly planted in the entrance to his home.

Keane noticed the knife in Justin's hand. "Are you going to cook me dinner, Justin? if you are planning to use that kitchen knife to defend yourself...it is not even worthy of being a joke."

Justin toyed with the knife in his hand. " I may keep it in the kitchen, but it anything but for cooking."

Upon closer inspection of the knife, Keane realized that the small knife was the Sacred Dagger of Life. It was the legendary dagger that the fate's had created. Legend had it that the Fate's used the dagger to cut the thread's of a life that had reached it's end. Used to kill an immortal it could draw blood. If used properly it could kill.

"The dagger will work Justin, but you forget that guardians are not mortal or immortal. that dagger won't kill me. not by your hand."

Justin gave a cool smile as he spoke, "I never said that I was going to use it!" Justin threw the dagger past Keane's huge body. Keane turned to get the dagger for his own use. In Keane's mind the dagger had many torture possibilities for Justin's body.

Megan was there in a moment, she reached out her hand and caught the dagger mid air by the hilt and plunged the dagger into Keane's heart.

"Your evil." The words were a whisper past Megan's throat.

The guardian grasped at it, but it would not pull free from his chest. Within seconds the guardian vanished in a heated mist.

Megan felt as if she had walked in a trance, but she knew that she controlled every action that she did.

"I couldn't let him...he was going to kill you. I felt you, and I couldn't let him ..." Megan spoke, each word shaky.

"Megan?" Cloud spoke from behind her shoulder. "What happened?"

"Keane was going to kill.." Justin started to speak, but Cloud cut him off.

"I always wondered about Keane. i just never imagined that he could ever be..he was one of us. " Cloud turned Megan to face her, "Listen you did nothing wrong."

"I killed him.."

"I knew from the moment that you feel, that you sensed something was going to happen. I let you go. Guardian's are taught to let life happen. Keane ran to the house, he wasn't acting anything like a guardian. The truth is that he hasn't been acting like one for sometime."

"I killed.." Megan turned toward Justin and ran into his arms. He held her shaking body and whispered softly trying to calm her down.

Marty had stayed quite as the scene had unfolded, but he spoke finally.

"Justin, have you finally chosen your side. I don't think you ever told me the last time I saw you."

Justin looked up at Marty, then back down to Megan who was still shaking unsteadily. "I am on Megan's side."


The End.


* Look for the sequel to this great story. "Battle to the End".