by G. K. DeRosa
“It seems as though he believes she is not simply some human girl.”
“Well, that is interesting.”
“Yes, it is. Since he is the only one that has had contact with her and lived to tell about it. It has made me curious as well,” said Fabian.
“Magnus has sent word that he will no longer be fulfilling your orders along with return of payment.”
Fabian drummed his fingers on the table irritably. “This must be a very special girl that our friend has stumbled upon to risk defying me for.”
“Yes, it is highly unusual.”
“Alek, I think it is finally time that we make our own visit to Oak Bluffs.”
Chapter 19
“Welcome back my dear.” Stellan folded into an elaborate bow. “My home is your home.”
“Thanks for helping me, Stellan,” said Celeste. “I’m sure you have enough going on without having to worry about training a newbie Guardian.”
He motioned her inside. “On the contrary, my dear, this is exactly what I should be doing. I spent so many years on the Council and always felt that we could do more for the guardians. Now I can.”
“I really do appreciate it.”
“Of course. And to be perfectly honest, before you came into our lives, I was beginning to get a little bored.”
Roman chimed in, “You certainly won’t be bored now that Celeste’s around. She’s a magnet for trouble.”
Celeste shot him a sidelong glare, but couldn’t help but laugh.
“Roman, please show her up to the guest bedroom at the end of the hall on the second floor. It’s the same room your father used to stay in when he came to visit me, Celeste.”
Celeste smiled and followed Roman. He carried her suitcase and a large duffel bag filled with miscellaneous weapons up the impressive spiral staircase.
As Celeste unpacked, Roman sat quietly on the bed watching her. She pulled out her sword and laid it carefully under the bed. She could feel his penetrating eyes on her as she moved from her suitcase to the closet, back to the suitcase, to the armoire and so on. To her relief, the disturbing feeling she once felt when she was around him had pretty much disappeared. Instead, it had been replaced by a sense of longing when he wasn’t in her sight. When they touched, the exciting sparks had returned and become even more powerful. A pleasant side effect of her new Guardian powers, she thought with a grin.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
Celeste stopped folding her clothes and moved in front of him. “You.” She ran her fingers through his soft wavy hair. A muffled sound of pleasure escaped from Roman’s lips as he exhaled.
“What about me?” His lips thinned as he tried to keep his composure.
“Just how happy I am that you’re here with me.”
“About that Celeste.” He paused and pulled away a little. “You know Stellan doesn’t want me to stay.”
“Well, I do. And I’m the trainee. I don’t feel safe without you near me, and if I’m supposed to concentrate on training I shouldn’t be distracted by concerns over my safety.”
“Excellent argument, but I don’t know that Stellan will be as easy as I am to convince.” He pulled her into his lap.
“But it’s true, I never feel as safe as I do when I’m in your arms.” She ran her fingers down his bicep, her pulse skyrocketing at his proximity.
Roman slowly leaned in, gazing into her gold-flecked eyes. His lips neared hers and he kissed her tentatively. His arms enveloped her in a protective embrace as his hands ran through her cascading hair. The heat of the moment increased, and Celeste clung onto him more urgently as his searing kisses intensified. It was as though time were standing still, and all the terrible things that had happened over the past month were magically swept away.
“Roman, will you be joining us for dinner or will you be leaving before?” asked Stellan politely from the kitchen.
The happy couple had finally descended after a rather intense make-out session. Both had flushed cheeks and goofy grins.
“Actually, Stellan,” interjected Celeste, “I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve asked Roman to stay and help me train.”
“Celeste, we’ve already talked about this, and I thought you understood my position on the topic.”
“You’re right, I have heard your position on this, but you haven’t heard mine.” Stellan looked at Celeste with wide eyes, then to Roman who responded with a shrug and a wry smile.
“Firstly, Roman is an excellent fighter, and I could use him as a sparring partner. He is strong, fast and smart. He is a vampire after all, and who better to learn from than the enemy?”
“While that is true—,” began Stellan.
Celeste ticked off her points on her fingers as she cut him off. “Secondly, Roman has already saved me from vampires a bunch of times, and I feel safer knowing that he is here. If I’m not worried about my safety, I’ll be more concentrated on my training.”
“Umhmm…”
“And lastly, I know that my dad didn’t want me involved in the supernatural world, but isn’t that a bit silly now? I’m already deeply involved, and keeping Roman or Nico away from me isn’t going to change that.”
“Is this your doing, Roman?” Stellan shot him an irritated glance.
“Hey don’t look at me, I had nothing to do with this.”
Celeste watched Stellan, her eyes anxious for a response.
“I see you have put a lot of thought into this, Celeste.” Stellan readjusted his glasses.
“I have.”
Stellan sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. “While it’s against my better judgment, I will agree to allow Roman to stay for a few days until you’ve settled in. Once you become acquainted with your new environment, I assure you that you will have no concerns for your safety. In regards to a sparring partner, you’ll find that I am far more nimble than I look.”
Celeste skeptically raked over Stellan’s wiry frame.
“That seems fair,” said Roman.
“But if I find that you are more of a distraction than anything else, I will send you packing immediately, Roman Constantin.” He wagged a wrinkled finger at him.
Roman placed his hand over his heart. “I promise to be on my best behavior.”
Celeste and Roman exchanged victorious glances, both smiling happily.
That night, Celeste tossed and turned in her bed as a vision overtook her subconscious. She was back in the white circular room, but instead of the tribunal she had seen last time there was only a round white table with two people seated. She recognized the portly man and the silver-haired woman from the day she was chosen to be the Guardian. As she glanced at them from across the room, they stood and waved her toward them.
“Welcome, Celeste, my name is Dante, and I am the head of the Council of Guardians. I apologize for not introducing myself when we first met, but the Choosing Ceremony is quite a lot to take in,” said the portly man. He had a kind face and salt and pepper hair, but the deep wrinkles on his forehead depicted a life burdened with significant responsibilities. Though he had some extra weight on him, it was plain to see he had been handsome at one time.
“And I am Sierra. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Celeste.” Sierra on the other hand had beautiful smooth skin, her cheeks rosy and her smile sweet. It was only the long silver hair that betrayed her true age.
“Thank you, it’s nice to meet you too, both of you.” She extended her hand awkwardly.
“Please sit down.” Sierra motioned at the table.
When she looked down at the white table a third metallic chair had suddenly appeared. She pulled it out hesitantly, afraid it would disappear before her eyes and sat down.
Dante cleared his throat, fixing his eyes on Celeste. “You must be wondering why we have summoned you here today.”
“Yes, I was. And can I only see you when I’m dreaming?”
“Oh this isn’t a dream, my dear. We are in another realm—Astor. It is a safe haven wh
ere the Council as well as many inactive guardians dwell. It is easier for me to reach into your mind to transport you here when you are asleep. Guardians are rather difficult to influence, so the subconscious state makes for a smooth transition. Eventually you will be able to come in and out of this realm as you please.”
“Wow, that’s pretty cool. So this is like an alternate universe?”
“Not quite, it is simply a part of the world not visible to others as it is shielded by magic,” answered Sierra.
“Okay…”
Dante continued, “In any case, the reason that we brought you here today is to see how your Guardian training has been coming along.”
“Yes, we want to make sure that your mentor has been providing you with everything you need,” said Sierra.
“Stellan has been wonderful so far. I’m going to be spending the summer with him training.”
Dante’s dark brows knitted. “We couldn’t help but notice that you have been spending time with some vampires.”
Celeste shifted nervously in her chair. “Is that against the official guardian rules or something?”
“No, not exactly. It has so rarely come up in the history of the Council that we have never had to make a specific rule against it.”
“Are you aware that some supernatural creatures are inexplicably drawn to guardians?” asked Sierra. “Has Stellan told you about that?”
She shook her head.
“No one knows why it happens or why it affects some and not others, but it seems that your light attracts their darkness.”
Celeste shivered. She wasn’t sure if it was from the cold room or Sierra’s words.
“I am curious,” said Sierra peering through her purple-rimmed glasses, “how can you stand being around them?”
“I’ve been working on controlling my feelings. Stellan taught me how to.”
Sierra shot Dante a look of approval.
“I am impressed that you have been able to master your impulses so quickly,” said Dante.
“It’s hard, but I have to do it.”
“Still, we don’t see how consorting with vampires could be conducive to your studies and training,” he continued.
A twinge of anger bubbled up inside her. “Roman and Nico aren’t just any vampires. They are good, and they’re on my side. They have been very helpful to me so far, and they’ve saved my life a lot. I may not even be here today if it weren’t for them.”
“We are familiar with the Constantin brothers.” Dante folded his hands on the table. “We are also aware of the Patrick and Magnus situations, which is honestly the only reason why we haven’t removed these vampires from your life.” Celeste’s breath hitched. Did they really have the power to get rid of them? “For whatever reason, they seem to want to protect you, which is ultimately our goal as well.”
“Then I don’t see why we are even having this conversation.” Heat rushed through Celeste’s body.
“It is our duty to check in on you from time to time, Celeste,” said Sierra. “We only want what is best for you. Becoming the Guardian is a long and arduous journey, and we hope to help you in whatever way possible.”
Dante’s expression softened. “Your father was an exemplary Guardian, and we have no doubts that you will become one as well.”
“Thank you,” Celeste said, reigning in her temper.
“One last thing before you go, do you have the Wilder family key your father left you?”
“Yes, of course.” She pulled it out from under her shirt.
“Good. If you ever need to reach us, simply hold the key in your hand and focus in on your powers.”
As Celeste lay in bed wide-awake staring at the ceiling, she reveled in her discussion with the senior Council Members. She was finally a part of something. The idea of being the Guardian didn’t seem as scary now that she knew she had a Council she could rely on and a whole secret realm she could visit. But Dante’s words about Roman and Nico had her worried. She couldn’t imagine not having them in her life. She hoped that her powers would grow quickly so that she could return to Astor soon and learn more. Maybe she would even be able to see her father there again. She pulled the covers up over her head and shut her eyes, willing her racing mind to calm down so that she could finally sleep.
The days flew by for Celeste under the steady schedule of early morning runs, a few hours of sparring with Roman, and evening meditations. She was getting stronger, faster and more confident in handling an assortment of deadly weapons. Her sword was still her favorite, but Celeste could now handle a stake, crossbow or dagger with the greatest of ease. Roman had also taught her how to turn virtually any inanimate object into a deadly weapon. From chairs to tree branches to pens, Roman had borne the brunt of her newfound resourcefulness and ferocity.
“As much as I hate to admit it, having Roman here is proving to be quite useful.” Stellan watched the two of them go at it in the backyard as the sun began to set. “The fact that Celeste can stab you with a knife or shoot you with an arrow and you heal within minutes makes for excellent practice scenarios.”
“You should have seen her try to break my neck a few hours ago.” Roman ducked to avoid a blow. “You would have really enjoyed that.”
“I almost got him too. He was just a little too fast for me,” Celeste said proudly. She signaled to Roman for a time out and walked toward Stellan.
“Then we need to work on your speed. Since most of your opponents will be stronger than you given their supernatural abilities, the Guardian must rely on the element of surprise. You, my dear, are especially lucky as you have been given the gift of premonitions. You must use that knowledge to your advantage.”
“How do I do that?”
“You must rely on your instincts. You said that you can feel danger when it is near you so you must listen to your body’s natural response. Remember that your enemies do not know that you can sense their true nature. Use that to get the upper hand from the onset.”
Celeste nodded, listening intently.
“I’d like to try something. Roman, go get the blind fold from the weapons trunk in the garage.” In a flash, Roman was back, firmly tying the black blindfold around Celeste’s eyes.
“Celeste, put all your energy in concentrating on the feeling and see if you can detect from which direction Roman is coming at you.”
Celeste stood very still and took a few deep breaths before delving inside herself to the source of her premonitions. It was difficult since she hardly felt it anymore around Roman. She searched deeper within, and a tiny pang ignited in the pit of her stomach that something wasn’t quite right. She lunged to her left just in time, plunging her sword into Roman’s chest.
“Bravo!” Stellan clapped.
“That was dangerously close to my heart, Celeste,” gasped Roman. He pulled the sword out while muttering a few expletives.
She tugged the blindfold up over her head and saw the bloody wound on his chest. “Oops, sorry! I couldn’t see anything with the blindfold on, and Stellan told me to follow my instincts.”
“Next time, try to be more careful or you’re going to have to find yourself a new training partner.”
“That’s enough for today. Roman, why don’t you go get yourself cleaned up, and I’ll finish off with some meditating with Celeste.”
“She’s all yours.” Roman limped back to the house clutching the open wound in his chest.
Celeste sat down with legs crossed next to Stellan on the lawn.
“Now do you see why the meditating is so important?” Stellan asked.
“Yes, I think I am starting to.”
“It is very important for your mind to be centered so that you can fully tap into your gifts. I’m sure Dante mentioned that to you as well when you were summoned by the Council. That was another reason why I didn’t want Roman to be here during your training. I may be an old man, but I am not blind. I see the way you look at each other.”
Celeste reddened at the thought of having t
his awkward conversation with Stellan.
“Love is a beautiful thing, my dear, but it can become a weakness. It clouds our judgment, not just yours, but his too. Be careful that it doesn’t put you both at risk.”
“Is that what you told my father too?”
Stellan chuckled. “You are a quick one, Celeste. Yes, of course I did. When your father came to me seeking my counsel about your mother, I advised against their relationship. As a member of the Council it was my responsibility to remind your father that his duty as a Guardian came first.”
“And what did he say?”
“He didn’t listen to me of course.” A rueful smile crossed his lips. “He, and in this, you two are very much alike, gave me a list of reasons why he should be with your mother. He was very stubborn, that father of yours, but ultimately he was right. He succeeded in accomplishing his duties as a Guardian as well as a husband and eventually a father.”
A rock formed in the pit of her stomach. “Until he was killed.”
“Yes, that is true, but had he listened to me he would have undoubtedly died eventually as we all do. But without ever experiencing true love, having a family, and bringing you into this world.”
“Then why do you want Roman and me to stay away from each other if you think my father was right in wanting both?”
“Because, my dear Celeste, your mother was not a vampire.”
“So how is Nico doing with vampire obedience training?” Celeste peered up at Roman as they strolled hand in hand through the moonlit woods. The peaceful sounds of the forest drowned out the frenetic day of training. The only noise that broke the stillness was the crunching of dead leaves underfoot or the occasional woodland creature scurrying across their path.
“He said he’s making some progress. It’s slow, but Dani doesn’t seem to want to rip every human’s head off anymore.”
“That’s promising. So he’s been taking her out in public?”
“Yes, but not in Oak Bluffs. He’s been driving her to Falls River or Youngstown at night so that no one will recognize her. As long as she has fed before being near people, she’s been able to hold it together.”