The Last Guardian (Ch. 22) (Patreon)

( Every character in this story is a legal adult over the age of 18 )

The Last Guardian

Chapter 22

It was very early in the morning, and the sun wasn’t even close to peeking over the horizon. He was roused by a mental scream. It was like a blast of terror and panic that slammed through the quiet of the bedroom like a thrown brick through the window. At first the violence of the sensation convinced him it had to be a nightmare, but even as he reached for Lana in the dark, he realized it wasn’t. The message was real.

Harry sat up in bed, blinking the sleep from his eyes, and tried to follow the thread of psychic agony back to its source. The panic was so thick it made him light-headed. He closed his eyes, shunted every other thought aside, and focused on the frequency of that terror. 

He didn't know the person. He couldn’t even make out their gender. There was only the terrified panic of someone who knew they were about to die. He took a breath and pushed deeper into the current of emotion, letting the panic guide him. He saw through their borrowed eyes and found himself on a rooftop high above a city. Harry immediately recognized the Metropolis skyline. The perspective dropped, and Harry looked down through the victim's eyes at a street filled with police cars and emergency vehicles. Their lights flashed red and blue, creating pulsing glares on every reflective surface. The building’s bottom four floors were an inferno. Fire climbed the stairwells and snaked out of broken windows, and Harry could taste the smoke. It was acrid and hot in his mouth.

The mind he was probing wanted desperately to jump and end the panic, but the body was frozen. It couldn’t move. It just stood pressed against the ledge, knees clattering as the wind ripped at their pajamas. Harry felt the presence of others on the roof. A cluster of people stood so tightly bound in fear that their thoughts and emotions ran together into a single, screaming creature. He didn't know if they were all strangers, or if any of them were family or friends. He only knew they were all going to die if the fire climbed much higher.

He pulled out of the mind, leaving a faint suggestion of calm behind for the person to cling to. Harry was momentarily dizzy from the exit. He looked at Lana’s sleeping body, and his eyes traced the curve of her bare shoulder above the blanket. Her face was so peaceful and beautiful that it made his stomach flutter. For a split second, he considered waking her, just to see her lovely smile one more time before he left, but that would’ve been selfish. There were people who desperately needed help, and every second counted. Instead, he quietly got out of bed and felt the cold prickle against his skin. The clock on the nightstand read 4:19.

Without further hesitation, Harry focused on the night sky and apparated away. He felt the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a tube before he appeared hundreds of feet above his house. He always liked starting from up high. It made the transition less jarring, and it gave him a second to orient himself. The air was cold and black, and he could just make out downtown Smallville in the distance. He could see the town’s lights dotting the prairie, but that wasn’t his destination. 

He summoned his Lantern suit with a thought. The transformation was more than a little theatrical. There was a flash of emerald light as the green energy contorted and hardened around his body. The suit formed itself around his naked frame, creating a skin-tight shell of flexible armor. 

He hung in the air for a moment, letting the Lantern energy surge through him, then he shot off toward Metropolis. The speed was exhilarating, and the cold wind bit at his face. He wove between the clouds, cutting right through the air turbulence.

He crossed the city limits in less than thirty seconds, accelerating as the city skyline rose before him. Metropolis was quite beautiful at night from so high up. A million city lights stretched out to the horizon. He dropped altitude as he neared, searching for the site of the disaster. The burning building was easy to spot. It was a vertical bonfire, flashing bright orange and red light against the pre-dawn darkness. From this distance, Harry could already feel the heat and smell the chemical stench of burning insulation and plastic. 

The fire suddenly erupted all at once. It was as if it had been waiting for Harry to arrive before unleashing hell. The top floors sent up a mushroom cloud of flame, and the entire glass face of the building exploded outward, spraying superheated shards down onto the police, firefighters, and press that had formed around the base. A few stories up, a single silhouette clambered over the edge of the burning rooftop, teetered, and then jumped. The scream was lost in the roar of wind and fire, but Harry heard his terrified thoughts as he plummeted.

He reacted before the falling jumper had time to reach terminal velocity. A corridor of emerald light shot from Harry’s fist and surrounded the falling man, wrapping him in a protective cocoon. The man’s descent slowed, then stopped, and then, as if cradled by a giant, invisible hand, the bubble brought him safely to the asphalt below. The entire crowd saw it. A collective gasp went up from the onlookers, and the press instantly pointed every camera skyward. For a second, the jumper simply lay curled inside the glowing shell, not believing he was still alive. Then the green bubble dissolved, letting the paramedics reach the man. 

As Harry was saving the man, he had a second to think. The top half of the skyscraper was acting like a chimney, channeling fire upward. The stairwells were likely gone, and most of the elevators had probably crashed down to the lobby, leaving their twisted skeletons behind. Harry could see almost a hundred people on the roof. They were huddled at the very edge, desperate for rescue but unable to move through the smoke and heat. He could also sense six people trapped in a supply closet near the thirty-ninth floor, and another two huddled near an elevator shaft.

He shot upward, cutting a green wake through the smoke. The heat was intense, but the Lantern powers protected him. He hovered level with the thirty-ninth floor and peered through the shattered glass. He could see the terrified faces of two men and four women pressed against the door of a closet. Their mouths were open in silent screams. Harry reached out and smashed the window and wall with a solid-green battering ram, then extended a hand. His power shaped itself as it reached through the fire and smoke, forming a protective tunnel of energy straight to the survivors. He wrapped them gently in his green power and lifted them through the air and out the window. His power carried all six in a single glowing bubble down to the cordoned-off street.

He did the same at the elevator shaft, pulling the two survivors out through the burning wreckage and lowering them to the waiting firefighters. In all, he made three more trips as he extended his senses and found more survivors, and each time he showed himself for only a second before disappearing into the smoke. Harry could feel the minds of the people he saved. Some were panicking, some were in shock, and a few were just numb from the terror. He tried to radiate calm as best he could, but the psychic aftertaste of all that fear was starting to gnaw at him.

Once the lower floors were clear, Harry flew to the rooftop. The hundred or so people up there had been driven into a single tight cluster by the heat and smoke, and at least half were too injured or frightened to move. He hovered above them, summoned every ounce of willpower, and created a green platform that scooped everyone off the roof in a single, smooth motion. He lowered the platform to the street as gently as he could manage. EMTs and firefighters surged forward, and the crowd parted to let them through.

With the rescues complete, Harry hovered above the chaos for a few seconds. He surveyed the burning building, the emergency crews, and the gathering throng of press. All of them pointed and shouted at the green, glowing figure in the sky. He had already provided them with quite the spectacle, but the real challenge was the inferno itself. If left unchecked, the building would collapse, endangering the surrounding buildings.

He drew in a deep breath and focused on the flames. He poured every ounce of will and every bit of focus into his hand. He imagined a giant vacuum, sucking the fire and smoke straight out of existence, and his power obeyed. The fire suddenly roared out of the building and spiraled into a fiery tornado that was sucked straight into his palm. The heat and smoke vanished, and in a matter of seconds, the blaze was simply gone, leaving behind nothing but a hissing, glowing skeleton of girders and melted window frames. The few remaining fires on the lower floors sputtered out, and the smoke overhead collapsed into nothing.

The silence that followed was deafening. Even the crowd, hundreds of feet below, had fallen silent. For a moment, Harry just floated there, taking in the sudden absence of noise and chaos. Then the cheers erupted. It started as a few at first, then there were dozens of people cheering. Within seconds, hundreds of people were screaming, clapping, and chanting. Phones and cameras were pointed toward him as the crowd realized they were witnessing something not just miraculous, but outright impossible.

Harry felt a sudden rush of lightheadedness. The psychic rescue had drained him more than any physical effort, but he forced himself to do one last sweep of the building, making sure no one was left inside. Satisfied, he turned away from the spectacle and launched himself skyward, leaving a streak of green in the dark Metropolis night. Within moments, he was miles above the scene, and the city was just a sparkling field of light below.

He circled once, letting his slightly dizzy head settle, and then pointed himself toward home.

Harry reappeared in his bedroom with the faint pop of displaced air, and the Lantern suit vanished from his skin. He had barely taken a step before Lana shifted in her sleep. She mumbled something into the pillow and rolled toward him. The blankets twisted around her slim waist. When she opened her eyes, it took her a moment to register what she was seeing. Then, seeing Harry standing there beside the bed, completely naked, she smiled softly. 

“Hey,” she said in a rough, sleepy voice. As she sat up, the comforter fell away, exposing her soft shoulders and bare breasts. She didn’t seem to mind or notice, and Harry let his eyes linger for a moment, grateful for the distraction from the horror he had just witnessed. 

He sat gently at the edge of the mattress and started to climb under the covers, but Lana leaned over and caught his hand. She traced his wrist with one finger, and her eyes searched his face. “You’re freezing,” she said, and pulled him closer. The cold air on Harry’s skin made him shiver, and she laughed softly as he slid under the covers next to her.

Lana tucked herself against his chest, and she fit perfectly in the crook of his arm. For a while, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were Lana’s contented sighs, the rustle of sheets, and the fluttering of the leaves outside. Harry’s mind drifted back over the events in Metropolis, wondering if he could have done anything better. 

After a few minutes, Lana propped her chin on his chest and looked up at him with clear, curious eyes. She had always been able to read him easily enough, and he knew she’d sensed the tension still lurking behind his smile. “Where did you go?” she asked. Harry rubbed her back in response. 

“There was an apartment fire in Metropolis,” he tiredly answered. 

“Was it bad?” she asked as she caressed his skin. 

He gently ran his fingertips down her bare back. “It could’ve been worse,” he said finally. “I got everyone out.”

She pressed her lips to his collarbone and then rested her head on his chest. He slid his fingers through her hair and began gently scratching her scalp. He chuckled when she mewled sexily at the pleasure. “Stop,” she whined. “We need to go back to sleep, and you’re getting me worked up.”

Harry chuckled again, pulled her closer, and kissed her forehead. He just held her and let her go back to sleep. 

The Last Guardian

After the fourth period, everyone immediately crammed themselves into the hall. He and Lana navigated the chaos side by side, and Lana had herself glued to his side. She had her arm laced through his, and on the rare occasion she let go, it was only to adjust her bag or smooth her hair before reclaiming her territory. Harry had the impression she wanted the entire school to see them together, or maybe just show the girls that he belonged to her. Either way, every other glance in the corridor seemed aimed at them.

Harry enjoyed the attention, but what he enjoyed more was hearing Lana’s bright, happy laughter as they joked and teased each other. 

They were halfway down the main hall, heading for the cafeteria, when the Torch office door banged open, and Chloe’s blonde head popped out. “Hey, lovebirds … Come in here. Now.” The urgency in her voice was more for effect than necessity, but it worked. Lana dragged Harry into the Torch office, which was a little more cluttered than the last time he had been in here.

Chloe closed the door behind them, not wanting to be overheard. “Okay, first off, you two look horrifyingly domestic. Second, did you hear the news?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Alicia Baker …,” she intoned, as if revealing the name of a supervillain. “... got released from Belle Reve. She’s back in town for good, it seems.” Chloe’s eyes glittered with the self-satisfaction of a journalist who’d just scooped a juicy story.

“Belle Reve?” Harry repeated. The name meant nothing to him. He looked to Lana, whose face had gone stony and pale.

Chloe caught the confusion and elaborated, “Belle Reve is basically a mental institution for meteor freaks. She like … teleports or something. It’s actually kind of cool, except for the part where she tried to murder Lana last year. She also dated Clark. Briefly.”

Lana shot Chloe a glare that could have curdled milk. “She didn’t just try,” Lana said in a tight voice. “She almost succeeded. If Clark hadn’t been there …”

“Wait. She tried to kill you?” Harry’s words were soft, but there was a sharp edge to them. He reached for Lana’s hand, and she took it, squeezing it for comfort.

“I’m fine,” Lana insisted, but she was staring a thousand yards past the posters and bulletin boards. He guessed that she was replaying the whole ordeal in her head.

Chloe shrugged, then sat herself on the corner of a desk. “The point is, she’s out, and rumor says she’s trying to get back with Clark. She’s already been seen lurking around the farm. I’m just giving you a friendly heads-up.”

Harry tried to suppress the sick rush in his gut. He now expected weird things to happen in Smallville, but he didn’t foresee psycho exes with teleportation skills and a vendetta against his new girlfriend. He pulled Lana closer and slid an arm around her slim waist, as if he could physically shield her from the bad memories.

Chloe must have sensed the mood, because her face softened. “Sorry. I know it’s not the best lunchtime conversation.”

Harry forced a joke. “With exes like that, I guess I understand why Clark’s always so twitchy.”

Lana managed a thin laugh. “It’s Smallville. There’s always at least one person out to get me or Chloe.”

Harry considered this, then said, “Well, I’m not letting anyone hurt you again.” It sounded like bravado, but he meant it with frightening seriousness. Harry had the power to back it up.

Lana, unexpectedly, snuggled closer and laid her head on his shoulder. The gesture was so vulnerable and trusting that Harry’s protective instincts went into overdrive. He fought a sudden urge to patrol the school perimeter in his lantern outfit. 

Chloe gave them a fond, exasperated look. “You two are sickeningly cute. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an exposé to write before the bell. I’m thinking ‘Blonde Belle Reve Bombshell Unleashed: Smallville Preps for Catastrophe.’”

“Catchy,” said Harry, and he meant it.

They left Chloe to her breaking story and headed for the cafeteria, but Lana’s mood didn’t bounce back the way it usually did. She was quieter now, and more thoughtful, and every time a loud sound echoed down the hall, she flinched just a little. Harry made a mental note to look up everything he could about Alicia Baker … and about Belle Reve. Maybe he’d ask Chloe to give him a full report. 

He and Lana sat at their table near the windows, and they ate side by side, talking quietly about nothing in particular. Beneath it all, Harry could feel the weight of the earlier conversation. It hung over their heads like a dark cloud. 

When the bell rang, Lana lingered. “You’re really not scared?” she asked, as if searching for a crack in his bravado.

Harry shook his head. “I’ve faced worse than this … and besides, you have me as a protector.”

Lana blushed, then graced him with a dazzlingly beautiful smile. “Okay, superhero. Don’t let it go to your head.”

He tried to kiss her on the cheek, but she outmaneuvered him and planted one on his lips instead. It was a quick but passionate kiss that left Harry reeling in the best possible way.

They parted and headed to their next classes, but Harry’s mind was still spinning. He’d always had a feeling that he’d face a lot of dangerous things, but in Smallville, the threats were more intimate and personal. Here, the monsters had faces, and sometimes, they had a history with your girlfriend.

He made it to class, dropped into a seat, and barely noticed how several girls eyed him up. He was too busy plotting. If Alicia came anywhere near Lana, he’d be ready. He’d meant what he said. He wasn’t going to let anyone hurt her. 

When the final bell rang, Harry went to the Torch office, half expecting Chloe to be examining black-and-white photos of Alicia with a magnifying glass. Instead, she was at her desk, typing away on her laptop. 

“You need any help?” Harry asked, leaning in the doorway.

Chloe glanced up and grinned. “Are you volunteering to be my new investigative sidekick?”

He shrugged. “Only if there’s hazard pay.”

“Harry, in this town, hazard pay is mandatory.”

He liked that about her. She was funny, but never flippant about danger. Chloe didn’t just report on it. She lived it every day. After a bit of small talk, Harry left the Torch to find his wayward girlfriend. He found her by the front door, and she let out a relieved sigh when she spotted him. 

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

She nodded. “Yeah. I am now.”

He kissed the top of her head as she leaned into him. “I talked to Clark about Alicia. He confirmed everything Chloe said. He said he hadn’t made a decision about her yet, but he promised to keep her away from me,” Lana told him. 

“Do you think this Alicia girl will listen to him?” Harry asked, but Lana only smiled.

“Clark can handle her,” she said. “He’s got a thing for troubled girls.”

Harry grinned and poked her in the ribs. “Doesn’t everyone in this town?”

Lana laughed, and the tension finally broke. She hugged him tight, and he felt her press her body against him. “Let’s not think about this right now. Can you take me home and … help me forget about it?” she asked, hinting at what she wanted. 

Harry smirked. “I’ll help you forget about it all night long,” he promised while pinching her bottom. Lana squealed, jumped away, and then burst out laughing when everyone around them looked at her. “Come on. Let’s go,” he said, and Lana threaded her fingers through his. 

The Last Guardian

Lana lay across the cool sheets, listening to the wet lap of Harry’s tongue buried between her thighs. She shuddered as he swirled his tongue over her clit. It was sensitive and swollen from how attentive he’d been all night. Her trembling legs were draped over his broad shoulders, and her heels dug into his back. He didn’t seem to care about pain, or even notice it. His hands pressed against her hips and held her firmly, pinning her to the mattress.

Lana’s heart jackhammered in her chest, and she flung her head back, staring at the ceiling while willing herself not to scream in pleasure. She couldn’t believe she was enjoying this so much … not with what Chloe had told them, and not with Alicia’s name still echoing in her mind. But every time Harry dragged his slow, wet tongue along her opening, her conscience dissolved into static and was drowned by the bolts of pleasure racing up her spine.

She sucked in a deep breath, and her insides clenched as Harry’s tongue flickered over her with more urgency. She opened her eyes and looked down between her legs. His tongue rapidly flicked over her stiff clit, making Lana’s eyes flutter. His lips were soft and slick from her pussy. He looked up and met her eyes. He winked and kissed her clit, and she broke into giggles.

Her body tightened as she neared the edge, and her thoughts scattered. She tried to think about Alicia, and what she’d do if the psycho teleporting ex-girlfriend came for her again, but the only thing she could focus on was how Harry’s tongue danced over her clit and how his stubble scraped against her inner thighs. She ran her fingers through his hair and tugged, and he grunted in response. The vibration made her yelp in surprise.

She felt desperate and needy in a way that scared her. She wanted to keep going until all the ugly parts of her day had been scrubbed away. She arched her back and rolled her hips up, grinding against his mouth. She heard herself say, “Please, don’t stop.” Her voice sounded hoarse and desperate. Harry hummed against her pussy, and she thought she might explode. She clawed at his head, not caring if she left marks, and she pulled him even closer, suffocating him against her dripping pussy. 

She was close, and her body began to tremble. She opened her mouth to warn him, but the words caught in her throat. She bit her lip, trying to hold on a little longer, but Harry’s tongue spun tighter and faster, which sent Lana over the edge. Her body spasmed beneath him, and her thighs clamped around his face. Lana’s back arched off the bed, and she felt a gush of wetness squirt from her cumming pussy. 

Even after her orgasm wracked through her, Harry didn’t stop. He licked her gently, coaxing every last bit of pleasure from her body. He then pressed a kiss just above her mound while caressing her flared hips. Lana slumped into the mattress, shaking, and she covered her face with her arm, trying to catch her breath. She could feel him watching her, and waiting for her to recover.

Eventually, she peeked out from under her arm and found him smiling smugly. He slid up her body, planting kisses on her stomach, between her breasts, and along her jawline. His body was hard, warm, and heavy, and it didn’t hurt that he was literally the best-looking guy she had ever seen.

“Jesus, Harry,” she breathed out, still panting. “Are you trying to kill me?”

He smirked and nipped her earlobe. “I thought you wanted a distraction,” he said teasingly. 

“I do, but now it’s my turn to distract you,” Lana said as she pushed him onto his back, crawled between his legs, and took his massive cock in hand. 

Lana placed soft kisses up and down the shaft, unable to get enough. This is what she had been daydreaming about all day, Lana thought as she stroked his shaft and massaged his balls. She decided to stop wondering if there was something wrong with her because she loved sex so much. Sex with Harry was incredible, and she was going to enjoy it as much as she could. She put that out of her mind as she opened her mouth, took him inside, and tried to swallow as much of him as she could.