Ember's Shadow - Into the Darkness (an Ember Summers novel Book 2)

by Nichole M. Bridges

  Asher Sanz was in the room with my sister, but it didn’t make sense. She should be with Viktor, and Asher should be with the Guardians. Asher stroked her forehead and moved a few stray hairs off her face. He pulled the covers up tight around her then left the room. She remained asleep, but as I looked closer, I realized she looked pale. She must be ill.

  The vision started to shatter, but I tried to maintain contact. I had to see more to know what was going on. I felt hands on me, and the vision cleared completely.

  "What is it, Em? What's wrong?" James asked.

  He was pulling me closer and trying to comfort me. I was still in the bed Marek had put me in. I could feel him at the other end of the complex. He had left James to look over me.

  “He has her,” I said through tears.

  "Who has who?" He asked, confused.

  “Asher has my sister. I don't know how or why, but he has her." I said, feeling my body shake.

  James sat back in shock, and I could feel Marek's concern as he felt my pain.

  “Are you sure?” James asked.

  "I saw her with him," I said, feeling scared.

  James didn't say anything. He looked like he wanted to pull me into a hug, but he was holding back. Then the reason walked through the door.

  “What is wrong?” Marek asked.

  Marek’s presence filled the room. It was like all the available light focused on him. James moved so Marek could take his place next to me.

  “Asher has Natalie,” I said to Marek.

  "When did this happen?" He asked, wanting to find out any detail that would help him find Asher.

  “I don’t know. It must have been before he came for me today. She looked different, better actually, but I think Nat isn't well.” I said.

  "He could be working for Viktor," James suggested.

  "It's possible, but I'm not sure," I said.

  Every time I had seen her with Viktor, she was dirty and disheveled looking. This time she was clean as if she was freshly showered and put to bed to be kept comfortable. Viktor wasn’t caring and certainly hadn’t shown any sign of it in the past.

  “James, put a team on it and monitor their progress,” Marek said.

  James nodded that he understood and pulled out his phone as he stepped into the hallway. I assumed he was going to have the research team and whoever else track Natalie down. This time I was glad because I knew they were good, and I didn’t want to leave Nikko to go running around town searching for mansions. The Guardian teams were better qualified for this search.

  To me, Marek said, "James will take care of it, but for now, you need to prepare for a council meeting. They want you and Nikko there for the incident debrief."

  "What does that mean exactly?" I asked, confused.

  "They want to hear your version of events, and alternatively, they want to know if you are as good as I say you are." He answered.

  I smiled at him, was he complimenting me to the higher-ups?

  "I'm sure I look really intimidating from this hospital bed," I said sarcastically.

  "Hold that thought," Marek said, taking a step back from the bed.

  I was confused until I heard steps coming from the hall.

  A man about Marek's height with similar musculature entered the room. He was dressed in a three-piece suit that looked out of place in a hospital but lovely on him. It was tailored perfectly and sat well on his lean frame. His purple tie stood out against the dark gray of the suit, but it didn't detract at all from the overall look.

  The two men nodded at each other, and I looked at Marek, trying to figure out who this guy was, but he didn't give me anything. The man walked in and sat on the chair next to the bed and leaned back. He looked at me as if he was waiting for something. I raised my eyebrows at Marek, wondering what was happening.

  "From what I understand, you are our new Seer, is that correct?" The man said to me but looked at Marek.

  "Sebastian, let me introduce you. This is Ember Summers." Marek said, gesturing toward me and bowing slightly to the man.

  "Yes, yes, what an interesting specimen." He said, eyeing me up and down.

  I became self-conscious and didn't like the way he was looking at me. It was like I was merchandise for sale. Marek gave me a look that said to ignore it. Instead, I dipped my mind into his pool of power to see what this guy had. It felt similar to Marek. There was a darkness that said he was a vampire, but his power level was almost half of what Marek had.

  “Ember, you can address him as Grand Master. Sabastian was recently elected the head of The Council of Guardians. He and I are old friends.” He said.

  "It's nice to meet you, Grand Master," I said, reaching out to shake his hand.

  I had read about the protocol for vampires, but there was no guidance on how to act with a Grand Master outside of the Council's meeting, let alone in a hospital room. He outranked Marek in the organization but not in power.

  I gave Marek a quizzical look, and he brushed it aside with a slight wave of his hand. I felt a surge of power, and just as quickly, it disappeared. It had come from the Grand Master.

  "You surprise me, Master Volkov. I did not think you would take such a keen interest in this one." He said it casually, but Marek wasn't happy about it.

  "You forget yourself, Sabastian. Has the Grand Master title gone to your head?" Marek said it calmly, but I could feel the power he put into those words.

  Marek wasn't taking any shit from this guy, regardless of his title. It was also interesting to learn Marek's full name. I guessed Master Volkov meant his surname was Volkov.

  "My apologies," Sabastian said, bowing to Marek.

  I noticed his bow was lower than what Marek had given him, and that was significant. Marek outranked him even if Sabastian did lead The Council of Guardians.

  "Forgive me for asking Grand Master, but to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" I asked, remembering to use all the flowery language due to a master vampire.

  "Ah, yes. I suppose I do look out of place." He laughed, patting his suit. "I had to meet the Seer who bested the Egyptian. Sanz took down an Elite Guardian team within minutes, but he couldn't beat you!"

  "I assure you I didn't do it alone," I said, looking up at Marek.

  If Marek hadn't been there, I might not have gotten away so easily.

  "Indeed. Well, you two make a good team." Sabastian smirked.

  He stood and clapped Marek on the back, “She is a beauty and powerful too. I’ll see you both later.”

  The Grand Master winked at me then left. Marek looked like he was about to laugh.

  “What just happened?” I asked.

  “Sabastian likes you,” Marek said.

  I narrowed my eyes at him, but he didn’t elaborate.

  “Trust me,” was all he said.

  Chapter Fourteen

  My first Council meeting had begun, and I was the subject matter. I sat between James and Nikko while Marek stood near the leadership team. There were five people, a few vampires, and a few humans leading the Council. Sabastian sat in the middle, and Marek hovered near the end. It was hard to tell if Marek was a ruling member or if he was with them because he led the Guardians.

  My Elite Guardian team was sitting to our left, and they were being chewed out by Marek. I felt horrible for them. I wouldn't want to be the target of his anger, but when it came to me, he seemed to get even angrier. They had just finished their report, and Marek was fuming.

  “Where is he now?” Marek said.

  "We don't know his exact whereabouts, Master," said one of the team members.

  "Let me get this straight. First, you were taken out, leaving the asset in imminent danger. Then when Ms. Summers freed you from the spell that was holding you down, you subdued him, had him in the transport van, but when you arrived at detainment, he was gone. You have no video, data, or personal observations of any kind telling you when he got away or where." Marek said.

  His tone was so condescending that every member of th
e team had their heads down, including me. I felt like it was partly my fault. I could have fought Asher and made sure he was taken out instead of running away. I wondered what might have happened if I had stayed. With my powers, I should have been able to hold him down until back up arrived.

  “Do not blame yourself, Ember,” Marek said in my mind.

  “I had him Marek, but I ran away," I said, looking up at him.

  “Not accurate, the team failed you, and they deserve to feel it. You could have been killed.” He snapped back.

  I raised my hands in surrender. The others were looking between us, trying to figure out what was happening. They didn't know we could speak mind to mind. The Grand Master had a small smile on his face, but no one else was looking at him. James looked pained, and Nikko had his eyes squinted as if narrowing his eyes would allow him to see what was happening.

  I looked back at Marek. He realized others had noticed our conversation, and his face shut down. All expression was wiped away, and his blank face emerged.

  “Guardian Johnson, what have you done to recover the Egyptian?” Marek asked.

  "All available teams have been deployed along the route and surrounding areas. I have the loft Asher was spotted at being watched, and special ops are in place should he show. We will have him soon, Master." The man named Johnson replied.

  "See to it personally, Johnson. However, your team is to stay out of the field until each member has had their performance reviewed by me." Marek said.

  "Yes, Master," Johnson said head bowed.

  “Team dismissed,” Marek said.

  The team stood immediately and left the room without a word. Their discipline was evident, and I couldn’t help but think they didn’t deserve such harsh treatment. I tried to shake that thought as Marek laid into James next.

  James explained his version of events as Marek looked at him sternly. James had felt a presence and tried to raise the perimeter guard only to not be able to reach them. As he started to alert me, Asher Sanz put a spell on him to immobilize him. James shook off the hold, the Egyptian had on him two times, but each time he was recaptured.

  Marek acknowledged that my account of the events corroborated the one James was giving and asked Nikko to weigh in. They each told their story up to the point where I fled out the back door of the office building. I perked up, curious to hear what had happened.

  "As soon as Ember was out of sight, Sanz was up and moving, so I engaged him," Nikko said. "He hit me with some kind of stunning spell before throwing me through a wall. James pulled me out of the rubble, and we both went after the guy. I got in a few good strikes, as did James. I went down a few more times and was knocked out."

  "That's when I was able to corner the Egyptian and take him down. The backup team arrived shortly after that and helped me bind Sanz for transport." James said. "He went quietly once subdued."

  "Guardian Leigh, the next time you take down a target like Sanz, I suggest you stay with the prisoner until they are in their cage. Although I recognize that in this case, the choice was a difficult one given the injuries Mr. Manetti sustained, his status as an asset, and his connection to Ms. Summers." Marek said.

  James bowed his head in acknowledgment. I looked at him and smiled, I knew he had helped Nikko, but I didn't realize he had chosen to stay with him instead of seeing Asher to containment. He knew I would be devastated if anything happened to Nikko.

  "Thank you, Master, I will heed your command," James responded.

  “You are dismissed. Please show Mr. Manetti back to his room. The Council has other matters to discuss with Ms. Summers.” Marek said.

  I smiled at James and Nikko as they left. They had fought for me, and I was grateful.

  The Grand Master addressed me after the others had left. The matter of Viktor’s mating claim on me was to be debated. Marek had prepared me for it, but I still wasn’t happy to be discussing it.

  “Ms. Summers, we are all glad to see you safe and sound. I understand there is a matter you wish to address the Council about, is that correct?” Sabastian said.

  "Yes, Grand Master, Viktor Ivanov has made a claim on me that I wish to block. He has no bond with me, and I made no consent to become his mate. I request that the Council set aside his claim and recognize my independence." I said, hoping I covered everything Marek had told me to.

  The council members looked at each other as if my request was distasteful. Marek had explained that it was unusual but that if I wanted to be rid of the claim, I would have to fight for myself. He wouldn’t be able to step in other than to corroborate events.

  "Ms. Summers, this request is highly unusual. Master Ivanov is a vampire of esteem and has the means to offer you significant wealth should you make your bond with him permanent." Said a councilwoman with blond hair.

  “I understand the offer and respectfully repeat my request to be freed from him. We have no bond.” I said.

  "Master Volkov, what say you to this request? There are protocols in place for vampire mates." Said a councilman with black hair at the far end of the table.

  "Indeed, we do Master Hartman, but, in this case, I detected no bond between Ms. Summers and Master Ivanov. Therefore, my orders have been to treat her as we do all those not claimed." He said, bowing slightly.

  "Surely, a bond exists, or she would not have been claimed." The blond spoke again.

  "If I may," The Grand Master said, "I met with Ms. Summers before our council convened, and I did not detect a bond between her and Master Ivanov."

  I watched Sabastian, he had danced around the fact that Marek and I had a bond. Maybe ours wasn't a mating bond, but surely, he could sense it.

  “I feel deliberation is required on the matter Grand Master.” The blond conceded.

  "Very well. Master Volkov, I request your presence in our deliberations. Ms. Summers can retire to the residence building, and we will summon her once a decision has been made." Sabastian said.

  "I appreciate the invitation. I will remain," Marek said.

  Marek turned and said in my mind, “Go to James, he will take you to my room. Wait for me there.”

  “Ms. Summers, you are dismissed until a decision is made.” The Grand Master said with a smile.

  I inclined my head to him, caught Marek’s eye briefly then walked out. From what Marek had said to me before, having him in the deliberation would be a good sign. He was certain Sabastian would allow him to remain if it happened. What surprised me was that the Grand Master had invited him to stay.

  I nodded my thanks and then walked out of the room to find James. I trusted Marek to plead my case. If he couldn't make it happen, it wasn't going to go my way. He knew vampire law, so if he thought this had a chance, I had to believe him.

  I walked down the corridor, hoping to spot James along the way. The building felt more like a mansion than an office building. When Marek first told me we were going to the Council headquarters, I had imagined a typical corporate office. This was more like a compound.

  The hallway I walked down led from the medical wing to the offices and back to the residential areas. There were training facilities, including a full gym, exercise machines, free weights, and what Marek said was a complete tactical training course and obstacle course. It sounded like a fun place to spend time.

  I turned a corner and found James sitting on a bench. His head was in his hands.

  “Hey, you," I said, stepping closer to him.

  He looked up and forced a smile.

  “Are they done in there already?” He asked.

  “No, they sent me away so they could chat. Marek said to have you show me to his room.” I said.

  "I figured. It's this way," He said, motioning toward a hall I hadn't seen yet.

  I followed James through a doorway that opened up into an area with stairs and elevators. He stopped in front of the elevators and hit the button to go up.

  “Did the meeting go alright for you? It’s hard for me to tell since I don’t have any experience
with these things.” I asked.

  "Yes, I fully expected Marek to ride my ass for losing the Egyptian, but he didn't. I'm sure he will say more in private." He said, rubbing his hand over his face.

  He looked tired, and I realized that not only had he fought a crazy powerful guy today, but he also had expended his own power to heal Nikko. Then he had to make a report in front of all his bosses. It had to be hard.

  "You look tired. Do you get to go home soon?" I asked, concerned.

  He gave me a look and shook his head.

  “What does that mean?” I asked.

  “Ember, I don’t get time off. I’m still your near guard until Marek relieves me.” He said.

  "Even in here? I would have thought I didn't need a guard here." I said, confused.

  “There is no chance Marek would leave you unguarded for a moment with Sanz on the loose. He could be anywhere, even here.” He said.

  The elevator arrived, and we got on. James hit the button for the top floor. I raised my eyebrows at him, and he laughed.

  "Marek is one of the highest-ranking members of The Council. What he calls a room is actually one of the penthouses. He acts modest, but he lives well." James said.

  “Do you have a residence here?” I asked.

  “If I have to be here overnight, I stay in the barracks. Guardians have their own space near the workout facilities. It’s more convenient if we have to go out on a call in the middle of the night.” He said.

  The elevator stopped at the top floor, and James led me over to two doors. He entered a code into a keypad on the door on the left, and the door opened. He held the door for me, and I walked in. I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

  The entryway flooring was white marble, and the walls were a deep turquoise color. Gold framed paintings lined the wall, and an ornate table sat a few feet past the door. The table had a crystal bowl and a gold lamp with a black shade. It was stunning and didn't feel like Marek at all.

  “The living room is straight ahead, and the kitchen is connected. Are you hungry?” James asked.

  “I could eat,” I said.

  The living room had dark hardwood floors and high ceilings. The furniture was modern in style but looked comfortable. The living room connected to the kitchen, which was light and bright. It had more marble, but this time on the countertops. It was stunning.