Ying the guardian spirit (2)

Emma felt somewhat soothed by his words, but at the same time she bristled at the thought of Ying, or anyone for that matter, being forced to do something against their will. Maybe she felt so strongly because it was something she dreaded herself. She had after all taken great steps to be free of her controlling and manipulative family, even going so far to let her father disinherit her.

Ying claiming that it was not against his will helped a little. There was no doubting the honesty and sincerity in his manner, and she couldn't deny that the feeling of having someone who was unequivocally on her side was very comforting. Apart from Auntie Sun, no one had ever treated her like that.

However, there was one thing that made her suspicious and uneasy about Ying's claims of merely being her guardian spirit, and that was how he treated her too tenderly and lovingly. His tone and actions were not those of someone tasked or forced to protect her, but like... She felt a bit embarrassed thinking it, but he treated her like a lover. Or at least a loved one. There was no mistaking the adoration in his eyes when he looked at her. Which made her uneasy, as his behaviour didn't match the story he had told her.

Then there was his undeniable attractiveness, and how she seemed to be drawn to him like a moth to flame. Maybe it was the otherworldliness of Ying, but it made her uneasy. She had to let her logical mind conquer her confused feelings. Until she felt more in control, Emma decided she must keep a firm distance between them from now on.

With that she stepped back a few paces, yet again putting some space between the two of them. Her pointed action didn't go unnoticed by Ying, who looked a bit unhappy of being deprived of their closeness, but he made no comment.

Pretending not to notice his displeased expression, Emma looked around the apartment again. Her gaze fell on her backpack, which was propped up against the wall. Wanting something to distract herself with, she walked over to inspect the contents. The clothes were a bit damp, but otherwise fine. She looked around for a place to hang them, but seeing how the flat was completely devoid of furniture, she ended up laying them out on the floor instead.

All the while, Ying had been watching her every movement like a hawk, his eyes almost burning a hole in her neck. She turned back to him and asked the question on her mind.

"What is this place, anyway?" She waved her hand around at the empty apartment.

"Somewhere safe."

"Why is it empty?"

"No one lives here." Ying shrugged as if this was rather unimportant.

Emma let out a frustrated sigh. "How did we get here then? The last thing I remember is being in the alley."

Ying nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, you collapsed, so I brought you here." His brilliant green eyes swept once around the room before returning to gaze at her. Some strands of his hair, which were not tied up, fluttered attractively in a nonexistent breeze. He looked like he had stepped right out of an immortal romance drama. Despite her resolution, Emma let herself admire the beauty before her. One corner of Ying's lips turned up in an amused smile, like he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Emma did her best to ignore him. Looking down at herself, she took in her bedraggled appearance. The clothes on her body were mercifully dry, if a little dirty, but luckily since she had chosen her most durable clothes, she should be able to simply brush off the worst of the dirt and then the dark clothes would look presentable enough. Still, her hair was a tangled mess, and her body felt sticky and in need of a nice hot shower.

Emma walked around the apartment, exploring, all the while very aware of Ying following a few steps behind her like a lost puppy. At the end of a corridor of empty rooms she found a spacious bathroom, with a nicely sized bathtub located just by the wide window overlooking the harbour. She stood gazing at the amazing view, for a moment lost in thought.

...

Ying stood a few paces behind the girl, his eyes fixed on her silhouette contrasted against the skyline.

Unnoticed by her, he moved closer to stand right behind her. His movements were swift and graceful, yet totally without sound, like he was only a shadow. Indeed, with his flowing black robes and jet black hair, he could have been just that, a mere shadow.

Still unnoticed by the girl, he leant down and sniffed her hair. His eyes closed as he savoured the scent. It wasn't exactly like that person's scent, he thought, but close enough to bring forth a rush of associated memories. He felt his heart ache with longing.

Lost as he was in his own thoughts he didn't notice as the girl turned around and smacked right into his chest. She toppled backwards, her head threatening to bump against the window. Reacting swiftly, he reached out and secured her in his arms. She was such a fragile little thing, this mortal girl. Protecting her from harm would be no easy feat, even a simple pane of glass was a potential danger.

"Be careful," he whispered in a gentle tone.

The girl threw him an annoyed look and wriggled free of his arms, an embarrassed flush creeping up her cheeks.

"I'm going to take a bath now," she said curtly. "Please get out."

Ying would have preferred to stay, thinking about the danger of wet slippery floor tiles and hard bathroom floors, but knew he had to respect the girl's privacy.

As the bathroom door was shut unceremoniously in his face, Ying started pacing back and forth like an impatient wolf. With his highly sensitive hearing he monitored everything going on inside the room, ready to break down the door if need be.

He felt very frustrated at her standoffish behaviour, but knew it was to be expected. He had after all, been forced to give some evasive answers to her pointed questions. She just needed some time to get used to him, he thought. Then hopefully in time, she would start to remember.