Read Online The Guardian Chronicles 2: Dark Horizon by Matthew Burkey - Free Book Online Page A

treated poorly and we know that it kills you that you can’t fight back.”
    “Still, you’re talking about facing down demons…” Gabriel started.
    “And vampires, werewolves…”
    “Mages,” Cody interrupted Tony. “And terrorists, the occasional cult.”
    “Zombies,” Tony tossed in.
    “Right,” Gabriel nodded, scarcely believing that he was talking about all this like it was completely normal.
    “The decision is yours,” Ryan shrugged. “But think about it man.”
    About an hour later, Ryan dropped Gabriel off back at his house. Gabriel’s parents seemed surprised and relieved; not because the spell had faded but because he came home with a friend. Gabriel’s mother could hardly stop hovering over him; no doubt Gabriel would face an endless barrage of questions after Ryan left.
    Gabriel promised to think about it and let them know, although Ryan knew that he was already hooked. As someone that had been pushed around the past year or so he knew that he wouldn’t pass up the chance to do something to protect others. He also had to remind him, more than once, that no one else would be able to see the tattoo except Guardians.
    Ryan returned back to his parent’s house and grabbed a bottle of water before heading out to the back patio, also equipped with a fire pit. Someone had already started a fire and as he approached he could make out the figure of Ethan sitting on a bench, warming his hands near the fire.
    “Bored at your house?” Ryan asked.
    “Mom was having a bad day and dad was being a jerk,” Ethan responded.
    “So you want to crash here?”
    “Sure, I mean your parents did give me a bedroom already.”
    Well, that part was true. Ethan spent so much time at Ryan’s house that he was practically a member of their family. His parents had long ago converted one of the spare bedrooms to a room for Ethan, who had just as many clothes here than he did at home. Actually, Ethan probably had more clothes here than he did at home.
    Ryan never asked much about Ethan’s home life. Both his parents had been Guardians once but had retired, much earlier than usual. Rumors had persisted for years that they had been involved in something and that was the reason that the council had asked Ethan’s parents to step down. Ethan never talked about it and no one ever asked.
    “How did he take it?”
    “About as you would expect,” Ryan shrugged.
    “That good, huh?”
    Ryan smiled. “Well, he didn’t faint anything. He seemed to take everything in stride, although he questioned why we wanted him.”
    “We didn’t really want him,” Ethan pointed out.
    Ryan sighed heavily. “Well, it was our fault that he got hurt.”
    “Still, we could have mind wiped him…”
    “You don’t like him do you?” Ryan asked.
    “I don’t dislike him,” Ethan shrugged. “But he’s not one of us, he doesn’t belong here. He doesn’t even know any martial arts.”
    “And you came out of the womb a master with every weapon you picked up?” Ryan asked, arching an eyebrow. “He can learn, Ethan.”
    Ethan shrugged again, turning his attention back to the fire.
    “He’s a good guy and I think that with the right push he can do great things.”
    “And you think you are the one to push him?” Ethan asked.
    “I think I can try,” Ryan nodded. “Don’t you remember when you actually saw the good in everyone?”
    Ethan made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “You know what the kids at school say about him, right?”
    “Yeah,” Ryan nodded. “Last I checked you couldn’t care less about who dated who.”
    “I don’t care,” Ethan shrugged. “But some of the other guys might not be ok with it.”
    “And who are you talking about,” Ryan asked, arching an eyebrow. “No one cares; it’s the twenty first century.”
    Again, Ethan shrugged. “I just hope that you know what you got yourself into.”
    “He’s going to surprise you,” Ryan smiled. “Did Jonathan say anything else?”
    “No,” Ethan