FALLEN

Where I am from they say guardians are illuminated by our King's grace. In many cases, it's said that we lose our desire for transgression.

My name is Winter Raine McKnight and I wasn't touched by the King's clemency as I fell from my status in the kingdom like a raging bull, becoming an outcast. I'm now considered to be a fallen guardian.

This brings me to the present day...

"Where am I?" I asked after being awakened from what looked to be a park bench. "You're in New York and in my way! Move it or lose it, weirdo!" the older homeless lady said clutching her dingy bag. "Am I still in the United Kingdom?" I stupidly asked. "Are you high or just stupid? Either way, my razor blade slices the same" she threatened. "No need," I said peeling myself off the bench.

I looked down at my baggy clothes and scowled at my appearance. My long dark hair felt like it was in knots and endless tangles. My blueish-gray eyes felt tired and heavy while my lips felt swollen.

"Hey, gorgeous. My name is Mike" some perverted onlooker said snapping me back to reality. "Hi" I simply replied. "Are you looking for a good time?" he asked with a sinister grin. "Where are the parties?" I asked growing excited. "I have one, especially for you" he swooned roping his arm around my waist. "That's exciting!" I giddily replied. "Hands off!" a stranger said pulling me from Mike's grip. "I apologize. I thought she was alone" Mike said with a grimace before walking away.

"You can't just go along with strangers. Please be more careful" the older guy said before waving goodbye.

I earned odd stares from strangers as I paced down the street embarrassed.

"PARTY TIME!" a blonde woman shouted. "I need it," the guy said walking alongside her toward my direction.

I subconsciously found myself trying to correct my countenance.

"Are you lost?" the strange handsome guy with deep green eyes asked snapping me out of my spiraling thoughts. "Oh! I... uh" I stuttered before the guy interjected ruffling his dark brown hair. "I'm Dean Axton and this is Patryce Wicken," he said smiling. "I'm Winter Raine McKnight" I confidently said. "Do you always give strangers your full name?" Patryce asked with a dumbfounded look. "I don't know many strangers" I answered honestly. "Well, call me Pat," she said sharing a knowing look with Dean. "Hey, there's a party tonight. You should totally come" Dean said placing his arm around my shoulders. "I'm not sure" I replied remembering what the older guy said about strangers. "Come on! Do you have family here?" Pat asked. "I don't have any family in this sphere," I said probably sounding like a lunatic, but I wasn't taught to lie. "Are you sure? We can call someone if you like us to" Dean said. "I assure you that I have no one that cares for me. My father kicked me out of the only home I have ever known" I sadly replied. "Well, you're with us now. Where do you live?" Pat asked taking in my scruffy appearance. "Nowhere" I replied shrugging my shoulders. "If you agree to come to the party tonight, I'll doll you up and you can stay with me. Deal?" Pat asked with a warm smile. "Why are you being so nice to me?" I bluntly asked. "Does this look like a face you wouldn't be able to trust?" She asked flashing me an innocent smile. "I'm sorry. I can't wait!" I exclaimed.

9 hours later...

"Your butt will look amazing in this!" Pat squealed handing me a dark navy-blue dress. "Are you sure?" I asked checking out the dress length. "YES! It would look even better with these stilettos and matching choker necklace" she added. "What about my hair?" I asked. "I will curl it with my wand," she replied. "Like a magic wand?" I asked confused. "Um, no. My curling wand. Where did you say you were from again?" Pat asked. "Let's just say I was very sheltered" I giggled. "I can tell" she replied helping me strap up my high heels.

We were at a nightclub with loud music and bright lights before I knew it.

"You like?" Dean asked coming from behind startling me. "It's wonderful!" I shouted. "Let's get you a drink," he said escorting me to the bar.

I remember is taking a drink from Dean and collapsing on the dance floor shortly after.

"I hope you didn't screw with her!" Pat yelled. "No! I was going to, but she told me she was a virgin" Dean admitted. "You know how much money we can get off this naive girl?" Pat asked. "I think we just hit the virgin jackpot!" Dean shouted.

Those imbeciles played me I thought before suddenly being manhandled.

"You're going to make us a lot of money, darling," a male's voice said snatching me up by my hair and hurling me into a cage full of other battered women. "Let me go. Please!"I begged. "You're our golden ticket. That pretty little thing between your legs is going to make us a lot of money" he said pressing up against me. "Stop it!" I screamed. "Shut up!" he yelled delivering a hard blow to the side of my face.

I was humiliated as I felt my clothes being ripped off of me. My face hurt and my arms felt like broken noodles flailing around in the air. I felt his teeth on my neck and his knees pushing my thighs apart.

"GET OFF! Are you trying to screw up our income because you can't keep your man-trophy in your pants, David?" the stranger shouted. "Stop being such a coward, Blade," David said rolling off of me. "Get out" Blade dryly said tossing me an oversized t-shirt.

3 weeks later...

"You're up last, sweet face," David said pinching my butt. "Don't touch me!" I hissed. "After they pop that sweet cherry of yours, I'll have my way after," he said while grabbing me from behind. "STOP!" I hissed kneeing him in the groin. "Good one, darling" Blade chuckled while pushing me on the stage.

I was bid on for $3 million dollars. Soon after I was brought down from the stage and immediately ushered into a blacked-out vehicle that sped off into the night.

"Don't be afraid. I only want to help. My name is Josiah Hart, and this is my assistant, Christian Locke. You are?" Josiah asked. "Winter" I simply replied. "Feel free to stay here as long as you like" he simply said before walking away.

Josiah's suffered a great loss because of his past dealings. His daughter, Kayla, and best friend, Brad were believed to have been murdered 15 years ago. Josiah's wife, Mia vanished overnight. He tirelessly searched for her but came up empty-handed. Brad's wife later suffered a heart attack leaving their 10-year-old son, Christian behind whom Josiah adopted.

5 years later...

Josiah was diagnosed with a rare disease that's causing his mind to deteriorate.

"Should I go in?" I hesitated to ask Christian. "I think he would love that. Grab your black book. You know he's going to quiz you" Christian smirked. "You think so?" I asked. "Without a doubt," Christian replied.

Josiah said his little black book gave his life another purpose. He would stash it in my presence until it was gifted to me about 4 years ago. It held a list of all the innocents Josiah and his father had saved over the years for a secret organization called Runaway Innocents. It had safe house locations, known traffickers, and off-shore bank account information. The secret organization, Runaway Innocence was created by his father when he himself turned from his violent lifestyle.

"How are you today?" I asked. "It's good to see you. Where's your book?" he croaked out. "It's right here," I said showing it. "Have you memorized safe house locations, your 4 aliases, and off-limit areas?" he asked. "Yes sir" I answered honestly. "Please build on Runaway Innocence" he sighed. "Of course!" I quickly replied. "I have made many mistakes and only hope that I've been forgiven me for my transgressions" he said coughing. "You've helped me see that I am imperfect yet deserving. I don't want to lose you" I cried. "You were once a guardian and now you're so much more. That kingdom and father of yours did us both a favor by their actions" he replied in between coughs. "I agree" I whimpered.

I peered up at his face expecting them to be lifeless as his hands released freely from mine. Instead, his eyes bulged out of his head like he had seen a ghost.

"Fascinating..." Josiah simply said before I watched the light slip from his eyes. "Stay with me!" I yelled startling him. "I'm here" he whispered. "Thank you" I smiled.

A week later...

"Are you Winter?" I strange woman asked as I stepped away from Josiah's bedside. "Yes," I replied. "I'm Clarice. I act as both Josiah's P.I. and lawyer. I think I found Josiah's daughter" she replied. "That's impossible. Kayla has been dead for over 15 years" I scoffed. "No, she isn't," Clarice said on the verge of crying. "Where is his daughter then?" I asked in disbelief. "I'm looking at her," she said locking eyes with me. "I'm serious! He needs her!" I exclaimed unhappily. "He has spent his last 5 years on earth happy with his daughter at his side" Clarice explained. "I don't understand" I replied feeling as if the air had been knocked out of me. "Winter, you wield the traits of Josiah's daughter, Kayla because YOU are Kayla," Clarice said. "I don't believe you!" I shouted startling Josiah. "Huh?" Josiah asked confused. "How is this possible?" I hysterically asked. "We all assumed that you were killed after being kidnapped by a street rival of Josiah's past life named Scorpion. After Mia disappeared we started digging and found out she set everything up because of her affair with Scorpion. You were so traumatized that you compartmentalized who you were. After Josiah kept explaining that he felt a pull toward you unlike any of his other rescues over the years I grew suspicious. Winter, your real name is Kayla Alizabeth Hart. Your name was changed after your unconscious body was found at the scene of an indescribable gang-related crime. The guardians took you in on a cold rainy winter night. Hence the name, Winter Raine McKnight" Clarice pointed out. "The man that raised me was named Silas. He kicked me out because I wanted to do the things regular 21-year-old girls were doing. It was unacceptable to the Order of the Guardians. I didn't expect him to leave me on a park bench in the middle of a city that was foreign to me" I cried. "Everything happens for a reason. What's important is that you're here now" Christian interjected. "Stay strong" Josiah replied. "Father..." I choked. "I'm here but I'm not sure for how long. I need to tell you two something" Josiah coughed. "What is it?" Christian softly asked with tears in his eyes. "I've left both you and Christian my fortune to split. It's worth over $4.1 billion dollars. There's an extra $20,000 I keep behind the bookcase in my office in case of an emergency. I know you two will make me proud" my father whispered before taking his last breath.

3 months later...

My father's death weighed heavily on us but Christian and I continued leading operation Runaway Innocence. Turns out, my father never stopped blaming himself for my supposed death until his dying day. Because of that, I've started my own hunt for my mother, Mia. In the meantime, I'm going to save as many innocents as I can while taking down an empire.