by G. K. DeRosa
“Me too! Where have you been for the past few weeks?”
“I had to go visit some relatives in Chicago unexpectedly—health issues.”
“So are you and Roman going back to Oak Bluffs tonight too?” questioned Brian.
Celeste shot Nico a look, hoping he would get the hint. She didn’t want Brian or Natalie knowing the brothers would be staying.
“Not sure yet.” Nico shook his head. “We actually have some friends that live a couple hours away from here so we may pop by for a visit.”
“Well, you better let me know when you’re back home so we can hang out.” Natalie tightened her arms around Nico’s waist.
“Yes, for sure.” He winked before releasing her.
Roman had snuck away from the conversation to get started on dinner and once everyone was chatting comfortably, Celeste joined him.
She watched him skillfully chop up some onions. “I didn’t know you could cook.”
“There are many things you don’t know about me, Celeste.”
“So tell me something I don’t know.” She jumped up to sit on the counter next to him.
“Well, for starters I spent a year traveling through Italy and France learning everything you’d ever want to know about food and wine from master chefs and sommeliers.”
“Impressive! And this is the first time you’re cooking for me?”
“I have had other things to worry about lately—you know, like your safety, training you, Magnus, Fabian…”
She elbowed him flirtatiously. “Okay, point taken. When all of this craziness is over, I want you to tell me everything about you.”
“That could take an entire lifetime,” he said, his gaze intent on her.
“I’ve got time.” She leaned in and gave him a gentle kiss.
“Oh, um, sorry,” said Brian awkwardly. He had walked into the kitchen catching them mid-kiss.
“No, come in please.” Celeste hastily pulled away from Roman. “What’s up?”
“Your uncle sent me in here to check on the food. He was worried we’d be driving home too late.”
“Dinner’s almost ready,” said Roman. “Why don’t you two have everyone move into the dining room, and I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Bye you guys, I’ll miss you!” Celeste stood at the door and waved, watching her friends drive off until the Mustang disappeared in the darkness. As happy as Celeste had been to see Brian and Natalie, an immense relief came over her now that they were safely gone. She glanced around the yard nervously before shutting the door and locking it.
“I think Roman and I should do a sweep of the area tonight,” said Nico, getting right down to business.
“I should go too. I’m the one that can feel their presence.” Celeste moved toward the door.
“Yes, your evil radar would certainly come in handy.”
“No, Celeste, you should stay here with Stellan. We can fly and cover more ground that way,” interjected Roman.
Celeste crossed her arms against her chest. “Ugh, I never get to go anywhere!”
“You can let Dani out of the basement. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you,” said Nico.
“Right.” Celeste pouted as they flew out the back door. She followed them and stood by the doorjamb peering unhappily into the black night.
“He is simply looking out for your well-being.” Stellan appeared beside her.
“Yes, I know, but sometimes he treats me like I’m nothing but a fragile human that he needs to keep in a cage to protect.”
“That’s what happens when you love someone.”
Celeste couldn’t help but smile.
“Did you hear that?” she asked nervously. “Someone’s outside.”
Stellan pushed past Celeste and stepped out to the back porch and found Dani in a sort of trance. Her eyes were glazed over, and she wore a vacant expression on her face. Celeste approached her, but Stellan reached out to stop her.
“What happened, Dani?” asked Stellan.
Dani turned around, the confused look in her eyes beginning to clear. “I’m not sure. I heard your friends’ car drive away so I started to come up the stairs from the basement and then everything went blank.”
“Did you hear anything or see anyone?” asked Celeste.
“I have no idea. I remember thinking that I really wanted to come outside so I opened the back door and that was it.”
“Come on ladies, let’s get back inside.” Stellan ushered them back in, and closing the door he invoked a cloaking spell. “Vitame nix ingressare.” A purple light glowed momentarily around the whole house and then disappeared.
When Roman and Nico returned without finding a trace of a vampire, Stellan called everyone into the living room. “I’ve been thinking, and I believe it was Magnus that you felt in the woods earlier today. It would also explain Dani’s mysterious loss of memory.”
“How?” asked Roman.
“Magnus is Dani’s creator. Having never turned anyone yourselves, perhaps you have forgotten that the creator bond is one of the strongest attachments a vampire can feel.”
“What is a creator bond exactly?” Celeste arched a brow.
“When a vampire is made, the creator gives them vast quantities of their own blood. This blood bond allows for the creator and its offspring to be linked forever. Magnus could easily find Dani anywhere in the world because of it. And because Magnus is so old and powerful, he would be able to influence her as well.”
“I didn’t think vampires could influence other vampires,” said Celeste.
“Typically they cannot. But Magnus is extremely old and with age comes power. That coupled with the blood bond makes it possible.”
Dani frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “So Magnus was here tonight, and he wiped out my memories of seeing him?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“What if he brainwashed Dani into trying to kill one of us?” Nico glanced from Stellan to Celeste.
“It is not entirely impossible,” Stellan responded.
“But I don’t feel brainwashed,” Dani retorted. “And I swear I wouldn’t hurt any of you.”
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter what you want to do. If he is controlling you, there wouldn’t be a thing you could do about it.”
Dani’s lower lip quivered. “I’m going back to the basement, aren’t I?”
Celeste crawled into bed and let out a huge yawn. She stared up at the ceiling, focusing on a thin crack in the shape of a V. She wondered if her father had looked at the very same spot when he was here years ago. She closed her eyes and began drifting to sleep when a noise at the door startled her. Instinctively, she grabbed the dagger on her nightstand. The door opened slowly and as every nerve in Celeste’s body tensed, she readied herself to lunge at the intruder.
“Whoa, it’s me, Roman,” he whispered as his keen night vision caught sight of the blade.
“Oh, Roman! You scared me to death!” She dropped the dagger and jumped into his waiting arms. “What are you doing here?”
“I didn’t want you to be alone tonight. Not with Magnus lurking somewhere nearby and possibly controlling Dani.”
Celeste suddenly became very aware of her thin nighty against Roman’s bare chest and arms around her.
Roman must have noticed her unease. “I can sleep on the floor.”
“No, it’s fine.” She got back under the covers and made room on one side of the bed for him. Uneasily, he lay down next to her on top of the comforter with arms crossed chastely across his chest.
“Thank you.” She moved his stiff arm and put her head on his chest, snuggling up against him.
Chapter 20
Magnus paced back and forth in the grimy, abandoned warehouse that he had settled into since his arrival in Oak Bluffs. It had been pure luck that in hunting Dani he had stumbled upon Celeste, but finding her with the Constantins and the wizard would make things more difficult for him. After watching her for a few days from afar, he was cert
ain that this was no ordinary girl. She was the new Guardian. If he could kill her before she came into her full powers, he would succeed in ending an entire bloodline of guardians. He had to make his move soon.
Celeste appeared in the kitchen doorway, her brows furrowed with concern. “I think I had another premonition last night.”
“Tell me exactly what happened.” Roman rushed over to her and ushered her to a seat at the kitchen table.
“It was Fabian—I think, and he was here.”
“What did you see?” asked Stellan.
“It’s hard to explain. All I saw were flashes, really.”
“Just tell us what you remember.” Stellan squeezed her hand.
“Well, from how you’ve described Fabian, it seemed like it was him, but he was with someone else too. It wasn’t Magnus, but he kind of looked like him only he was smaller and blonde. He had the same cold, dark eyes though.” Celeste shuddered at the recollection.
“What else?”
“They were here in this house and Stellan, you were in the vision too. It was dark outside, and it was raining. I saw a bright flash of light, and my Wilder family key bouncing off the floor. And that’s it.”
“That’s pretty vague.” Nico scratched his head. “Who do we need to talk to in order to get this premonition power of yours fine-tuned?”
“I’m sorry,” she huffed. “I wish I could tell you more, but that was all I saw. So maybe it wasn’t Magnus the other day, maybe it was Fabian.”
“No, I would have sensed it if it had been him.” Stellan shook his head wearily.
“Should we get help from the Council?” she asked.
“No, not yet.”
“On the bright side at least her vision didn’t include any of us getting killed,” said Nico.
“And at least we know he is coming, so we can be prepared.” Stellan stood, wringing his hands. “I will reinforce the spell to cloak the house specifically against Fabian’s magic. It won’t keep him away forever, but it should buy us some time.”
“Roman, are you okay?” asked Celeste. He hadn’t said a word.
He looked up, eyebrows tightly drawn together. “Yes, fine. Nico, you should get Celeste out of here.”
“No! I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stay right here and fight with all of you.”
Roman shook his head resolutely. “Stellan, please help me talk some sense into her.”
Celeste shot up from her seat. “No, I won’t let you two send me away. This is exactly what I’ve been training for. I’m the Guardian, and this is where I need to be. How am I ever going to learn to fight for myself if you protect me from every bad thing that comes my way?”
Stellan cleared his throat. “Celeste, we know you are very capable. If this was anyone but Fabian, I would agree with you. But he is much too powerful of an opponent for you to face right now.”
“And how about you, Stellan? If you send me away with Nico that just leaves the two of you to fight him alone. I won’t allow it.” She threw her hands on her hips.
Roman moved toward Celeste, looming over her. “So help me, if you don’t go with Nico of your own accord, I will knock you out and put you into the trunk of his car myself.”
“Just try it,” threatened Celeste.
“Obviously we are going nowhere with this,” said Nico. “While you three were arguing, I checked the weather forecast on my phone and if Celeste’s premonition was correct, we look to be in the clear for the next few days. There’s no rain in sight.”
“Now there’s a smart boy,” said Stellan with a grin.
“Fine, then it’s agreed. No one is going anywhere right now,” finished Celeste.
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Roman peered toward the door to the basement. “We need to get Dani out of here. I don’t trust her being around Celeste since we have no idea what Magnus might compel her to do.”
“That is true.” Stellan nodded. “But I believe we may be able to use Dani to find Magnus. The blood bond should work both ways.”
“Let’s do it then. The sooner we find Magnus and deal with him the better. One evil immortal is more than enough to handle,” concluded Roman.
“I hate small-town America.” Alek examined the dingy hotel room in disgust. They had purposely chosen a little chain motel off the highway to remain inconspicuous. Anyone who knew Fabian and his extravagant tastes would never think to look for him in such a hovel.
“No one forced you to come,” said Fabian, “and it is essential that we maintain a low profile.”
Alek snorted contemptuously. “As if I would miss the final encounter between you and the Constantins.”
“Yes, I do imagine it will be a confrontation to remember.” A wicked gleam flashed in Fabian’s his eye.
“Should we find that traitor Magnus first?”
“I haven’t yet decided if he’s more useful to me dead or alive.”
Alek peeked outside through the dirt-encrusted blinds. “He may know where they are.”
“Yes, that is true. But how difficult could it be to find two wayward vampires in a trifling town like this one?”
Alek shrugged. “Well, the sooner we finish this, the faster I can get back to my summer vacation in Iceland.”
“Patience Alek, our little trip will soon be over, and I will have my prize.”
“It can’t be soon enough.”
Fabian crossed the distance between them and towered over Alek scowling. “I have waited a long time for this. Do not provoke me!”
“Yes, of course my liege,” he sniveled. “I apologize for my insubordinate words.”
Momentarily appeased, Fabian’s tone returned to normal. “The irony of it all Alek, is that they have no idea that their deaths will bring back the object of my desire. The one thing I have longed to possess for over a century—their mother.”
“Dani you have to concentrate,” urged Stellan.
“I’m trying,” she whined back.
Stellan and Celeste crouched beside Dani as she pouted on the cold basement floor. Roman and Nico supervised from the top of the stairs. They were banished when Dani said their hovering made her nervous.
“Feel the blood running through your veins and focus on it. Then open your mind and follow where it leads you,” continued Stellan in his most soothing voice.
“I don’t feel anything.”
“Please try, Dani.” Celeste leaned in and patted her arm. “This is really important. If we find Magnus and kill him then you don’t have to stay in the basement anymore. Don’t you want that?” She had resorted to talking to her like she did to Brian’s little sister, Maxi. Strangely, it seemed to work.
“Okay, let me try again.” Dani closed her eyes and slowly breathed in and out.
Celeste sat across from Dani and reached out for her hands, then began to breathe rhythmically with her. A wave of warmth ignited from their joined hands and suddenly, a jolt surged through Celeste’s body. A clear picture of an old abandoned warehouse flashed through her mind.
“He’s in a warehouse!” the girls shouted in unison.
After describing the vision in detail to the others, they narrowed down the possibilities to a few run down warehouses by the pier in Oak Bluffs.
Nico jumped up, eager to finally do something. “I can fly there and do a quick recon mission. Once I’ve found him I’ll let you know.”
“I don’t like you going by yourself,” said Celeste.
“He won’t even know I’m there, trust me.” Her shot her a wink. “Be back soon!”
Celeste trailed after him onto the back porch and watched him take off into the sky. Her concerned eyes followed the white falcon as it soared high above the clouds and finally disappeared.
“Don’t worry about him.” Roman crept up behind her. “He can be quite capable when he sets his mind to it.”
As they waited for news from Nico, Stellan and Roman huddled around the kitchen table discussing strategy. Celeste marched in. Digging her he
els into the ground, she clenched her fists and looked obstinately at both men. “I am going.”
There was no way Celeste was getting left out of this one. After much discussion, it was decided that she would be allowed to accompany them to join Nico on the hunt for Magnus. Dani Lynn’s involvement was another topic of heated debate. To Dani’s disappointment, everyone agreed it was too risky to bring her along without knowing the extent of Magnus’ control over her. She stomped back down to the basement when she lost the argument.
“How long do you think it will take Nico to find Magnus?” asked Celeste.
“It shouldn’t be long now.” Stellan peered up at the sky through the window. “He’s an excellent tracker, and thanks to Magnus’ creator bond with Dani it seems that you two pin-pointed the location rather accurately.”
“I should probably call my mom before we go, just in case.” Celeste rose to her feet.
“Just in case what?” asked Roman with an edge to his voice. “Do you think I would ever let you come with us if I thought anything could happen to you?”
“No, of course not. I just meant in case it got late, and I didn’t get to talk to her. I didn’t want her to worry that’s all.”
Celeste slipped a reassuring hand in Roman’s before walking out of the kitchen and up the winding stairs.
Roman stared after her until she disappeared around the corner.
“Are you really that certain about our chances against Magnus?” asked Stellan.
“Yes I am. We’ve faced him before and have managed to get away unscathed. This time we are going after him so we have the element of surprise on our side. And besides, I would die before letting any harm come to Celeste.”
Stellan put a reassuring hand on Roman’s powerful shoulder, and it tensed under his grip. “We will need that confidence, but remember Magnus is over a thousand years old. He is strong and smart so we must not underestimate him.”
“Can’t we have Celeste summon the Council? Isn’t it their job to keep her safe?” Roman’s hands flew up in frustration.
“Yes, to a certain extent anyway. If the Council stepped in every time a guardian’s life was in danger, they wouldn’t get anything else done. It is the nature of the guardian’s job to be constantly at risk.”