Page 17 of Awakened By Her Guardian

“I agree,” Santa said. “You can also watch her back. I wouldn’t put it past Nightmare or my brother to try anything and everything they can to get Ana to ally herself with their cause. Protect her at all costs.”

“With my life,” Gabriel said.

Santa clapped him on the shoulder. “Pixie is waiting in the subbasement to take you to Sandman. Good luck.”

They nodded and left the office. Gabriel had never been to the subbasement, but Hunter, Pixie’s mate, was waiting at the stairwell to escort them down.

“When you need to come home, just text me,” Hunter said. “Pixie will drop you off and then go on for her shift, but she can open a portal here anytime.”

“Thank you,” Ana said.

They reached the subbasement and the ancient portal only Pixie could activate. She smiled in greeting, asked for Ana’s dream walker guild location, and opened the portal.

When the portal cleared, it revealed a quiet street blanketed in early morning sunlight.

“Be safe, you two,” Pixie said.

“Thanks, take care,” Gabriel said.

Sandman stood on the sidewalk in front of a small cottage, staring at the sky. He lowered his head and nodded to them.

“Have you seen him?” Ana asked as they crossed the yard to him.

“Yes. Gus is awake and in good shape now. Your parents are inside.”

“How did he do it?” she asked quietly. “How did he target me so specifically, and my family and our people here in the guild?”

“He shared his power with several of his followers,” her dad said as he joined them with her mom, both giving her a hug. “I saw them use his power as if it were their own. It was like they were channeling him.”

Her mom shuddered. “They layered dread magic over the whole area, so everything looked normal, and I couldn’t see that he was attacking people in their sleep. He isolated our family, and he fed so much from your uncle’s fear that he nearly took his life. Sandman helped us break through the magic, and then we were able to shield our people.”

“I’m glad you’re all okay,” Ana said.

“What is that?” her mom asked, pointing to Ana’s medallion.

“A sigil from Santa,” she said, touching it with her fingertips. “Gabriel has one too. Santa said it will help.”

“Unfortunately, if Nightmare comes at us again with his dread magic, we’ll be obscured from Gabriel’s view,” her dad said.

“True,” Gabriel said. “But I can still feel her. When she was covered in her slumber magic while she worked, I could sense where she was. I might not be able to see everything, but I’ve got her back – and yours – if Frost shows up with his followers or any of Nightmare’s people try anything tricky.”

“Good plan,” Sandman said. He lifted his head and looked up at the sky as it started to darken as if the sun was setting and not rising. “He’s coming.”

Gabriel pulled Ana to him and kissed her. “Me and my wolf have your back, sweetheart. I swear.”

“Keep yourself safe, okay? I just got you, I don’t want to lose you.”

“I’m not going anywhere. You keep yourself safe too.”

“I’m scared,” she whispered, looking up at the darkening sky and then back at him. “But that’s what he wants. So I’m going to be afraid, but I won’t let it control me. I’ll let it fuel me.”

“Fear as fuel?”

She nodded. “Because I don’t want to live in fear forever. I want to fight back with all the love I have for you and my family in my heart. He’s not allowed to mess with us anymore.”

His wolf let out a howl of agreement.

Giving her another swift kiss, he nodded. “Go get him, sweetheart.”