Savage Redemption: A Dark Urban Guardians Fantasy

by Anni Antoni

  The breeze, just what I needed, cooled my overheated body and sweat-slicked skin. Taking in a few deep breaths, I closed my eyes, allowing the peace and solitude to wash over me.

  I opened them straight away. Visions of Kat, her sweet face, alive with emotions, her sensuous, kissable lips, toned yet womanly body and long shapely legs invaded my mind. My heart racing, I took a deep, gulping breath. The remembered scent of her hair filled my nostrils. Was there no escape?

  No mistaking it now. The Guardian mating bond gripped me firmly, squeezing the life out of me. I never asked for this. To spend my life as Rachel’s mate was all I had wanted, but it was denied me.

  And what of Kat? Didn’t she deserve better, someone who would focus entirely on her, not on a past love? Not someone soiled by his past life among demons, scheming, deceiving and fomenting trouble. I was so far from what she deserved, it was ludicrous.

  The bond doesn’t make mistakes, Marron said. What if he was wrong?

  Already I had failed her. Kat had interpreted my aloofness as dislike. Fresh guilt tore at my heart. I caused her suffering. On the first day! How many more times would I fail her and cause suffering?

  I paced the rooftop which had always been a sanctuary, my thoughts a muddle of unanswered questions and indecisions. Kat had not felt the stirrings of the mating bond. At least she had given no indication of it. If I kept her busy, perhaps she wouldn’t feel it.

  Yes, that would be worth trying. Keep Kat busy until I had disposed of the Vigilante threat. After I’d dealt with that situation, I could focus on doing something about the mating bond. I had to find a way out. Kat’s happiness depended on it.

  Decision made, I contacted Esau by mindspeak. I wanted to tell him about being Kat’s Protector, and was looking forward to spending time with him. Perhaps his familiar, friendly presence was all I needed to take my mind off Kat.

  Almost immediately, Esau stood before me. This evening, he wore a shirt, hanging out over his jeans, but no shoes as usual, and he focused intensely on eating an ice cream cone.

  “Seriously, Joe, this flavor is the best yet. Raspberry truffle, they call it. West and Liz came up with the recipe yesterday. Try it, here, take a bite.”

  He thrust the half-eaten cone under my nose, and his eyes sparked red, as they often did when his emotions flared. The red flash of his eyes was the main indicator of his small demon heritage.

  Kat had considerably more demon in her makeup. Would her eyes flash red as she matured? I tried to picture it – red flashing eyes and red lips against her dark hair and pale skin… It was an attractive picture, especially when I imagined her dressed in the black leather outfit she had chosen earlier. The outfit hugged all her female curves. Heat blossomed from every pore on my body as my imagination fueled images of her. Sweat ran in rivers down my back and I bit back a groan.

  “Joe! Hello. Where are you?” Esau’s face loomed into view, inches from mine, so close I smelled the ice cream on his breath.

  “Sorry, I’m a little distracted.”

  “A little? Talking to you is like communicating with a log of wood. What’s wrong? I’ve never seen you like this. Are you ill?” Concern creased his brow.

  “No, not ill. It’s Kat, she’s got me befuddled.” I sighed. No use trying to hide it, I decided, especially from Esau, who had known me since he was a child.

  Esau laughed. “Why am I not surprised? Being her Guardian wouldn’t be easy. From the little I’ve seen of her, one minute she’d be like one of us, then she’d be human and then her demon side would want out – totally unpredictable behavior.” He chuckled. “I’m glad it’s you, not me, that has to deal with her. She’ll keep you on your toes.”

  I hung my head, unable to speak. My hair fell over my face and I pushed it back, then put my hands in my pockets. If only it was that simple. If only I was just her Guardian, and not her mate. It would be fun, because I really enjoyed her company.

  Esau had stopped laughing, alerted that something was wrong by my lack of response, no doubt. An agony of silence filled the air between us, as his thoughts tumbled over each other, until he reached the logical conclusion.

  “No! Don’t tell me. You’re her mate?” His voice carried a disbelieving, shrill note to it and his eyes popped for an instant.

  I gave a single nod, still unable to speak.

  Esau gave a low whistle. “Does Kat know this?”

  “No, and she can’t know. I can’t deal with that yet.” I shook my head and frowned. “It’s more important to deal with the Vigilante Guardian. At least I’m her official Protector now. Once I deal with the Vigilante, then I can look at the mating bond. I’m sure it’s a mistake. It has to be.”

  “So that’s why you’ve been distant with her.” Esau narrowed his eyes as he faced me.

  I rubbed my hand across my brow and groaned. “You noticed?”

  “Not me, Claire noticed. She thinks you’re being a right asshole.”

  I groaned again. Couldn’t anyone see Kat was better off without me?

  “Look Joe, I never thought I’d have to say this, but you have responsibilities.” Esau moved closer and his voice rose.

  “Get your act together and face up to them. Kat’s a hybrid and she’ll need close supervision if her demon side tries to emerge. Have you thought she may be a Cambion waiting to happen? She may become a danger to humans if not closely monitored. And it’s your job to help her through that.” Esau’s face, inches from mine, was red from shouting.

  A Cambion – I had never given the possibility much thought. A human, demon hybrid that survived on the earth plane by stealing energy from humans, often to the point of death. “I don’t think she’s got enough demon in her to become a Cambion.” I turned and paced across the flat surface of the rooftop.

  “Unbelievable, you don’t know, do you? And she’s close to the age when such hybrids mature and become Cambions.” Esau followed me, yelling in my ear.

  I turned on him, shouting. “She’s got to be alive to face those problems, and I’m doing my best to keep her alive.”

  We stood glaring each other, Esau’s eyes glowing a steady dark red. I couldn’t remember a time when he’d been so angry at me. So much for enjoying his friendly presence. But could he be right? Torn by confusion, I couldn’t think straight.

  Kat didn’t even know I’d been made her Protector, I’d been too rattled by her proximity to stay long enough to inform her. The thought appalled me, I was inept, thinking of myself, not her. I’d failed her, and informing her was such a simple thing to do.

  A rush of wind turned our attention from each other and Marron stood before us, looking grim.

  “Joe, I came as soon as I got the news. The Vigilante Guardian has issued a challenge. A time has already been set. You’re to meet at Council headquarters in three days’ time.”

  Chapter 16.

  Rules of Engagement

  Joe had gone again. He was always hurrying off somewhere. Although I missed him already, I felt lighter after our conversation, and I looked forward to spending more time with him now we had cleared the air somewhat.

  Sighing, I looked at the letter in my hand. Perhaps this one contained good news. It was about time I had some.

  I carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the contents, one sheet of paper folded over. I unfolded it to see a business card stapled to the top. It read PJ Ryder Attorney at Law and Probate Officer.

  This must be the firm that managed the trust fund dad had written about in his letter. Gran had taken care of our finances, even in her last few months. All she needed to do was phone up when we were short of money and magically a local bank would have money transferred to it.

  She made the phone call, and I went to the bank to withdraw funds, using a card sent to us. Only small amounts of money were transferred, but it was always enough for our meagre needs.

  The piece of paper attached to the business card had some barely legible words scrawled on it. Turning the page this way and th
at I managed to read it.

  To Miss K. Spur. You're welcome to come in any time to discuss your trust fund and other important matters your mother wanted you to know.

  Paul Ryder, was the name on the bottom of the letter, if I’d read it correctly. I folded it, put it back in the envelope, and put it in my pocket.

  I looked forward to getting in touch with Mr. Ryder and sorting out my trust fund. It bothered me to be living at the home of the Guardians for free. I wanted to pay my way, not be a charity case. Gran and I both had a healthy sense of independence.

  Now what? I sighed. I should try to be friendly with the others who lived here. Trouble was, I wasn't used to making friends. I was more comfortable in the role of loner.

  We moved around so much when Gran was alive, I never had time to develop friendships. Whenever I made friends with someone, before long we would move and Gran would never allow me to keep in touch. It wasn't safe, she said. And now I believed her. Eventually I stopped trying to make friends.

  I sighed again. No point hanging out in my room. I decided to visit the kitchen, make a cup of coffee and hang out for a while. One of the other household members, perhaps even Joe, might come by, or one of the girls. I liked the girls. They were friendly and being with them took my mind off the heavy grief that I carried with me.

  I found my way to the elevator and traveled up a floor. If my memory served me right, the communal living area was one floor above my room.

  The elevator door opened. Yes, I'd been right. The smell of fresh coffee tantalized my nostrils and drew me to the kitchen. I poured myself a cup, then walked over to a far corner of the huge living room. A large, comfortable arm chair stood there. I turned it around, so I was looking out the window and sat, quietly sipping my coffee.

  A sudden rush of wind sounded in my ears. I almost gave way to panic, until I remembered that was how Guardians travelled, using their unique method of flashing from place to place.

  I heard Joe’s voice, speaking to someone I didn’t know. “Marron can I get you a coffee?”

  The other Guardian answered. “No, thanks. I’m here to tell you the facts, and what will be expected of you. Then I must get back to Headquarters.”

  “Esau, do you want a coffee?’ Joe asked.

  “No thanks,” Esau answered.

  That made three of them. I heard them sit, across the other side of the living room. Surprisingly, they hadn't noticed me sitting quietly, my back to them, in the far corner.

  ◆◆◆

  “It surprises me the Vigilante Guardian wanted to battle this out so soon,” said Joe. “He’s no fighter, I could tell by the way he moved. How he thinks he can win is beyond me, but then, he was also keen to start things.” Joe sounded perplexed.

  “It's not that simple, Joe,” said the new Guardian. “You must fight his second before you can fight him.”

  “His second? What do you mean?” asked Joe.

  “I've been looking up the rules. I had no idea what being a Protector entailed when you came to see me,” he said. “When you made yourself Kat's Protector, you became her second, sometimes called a champion, and it gave the Vigilante a chance to choose a second too. You follow?”

  The Guardian paused, waiting for acknowledgement from Joe. It came in the form of a brief grunt.

  “The seconds battle in the first round,” he continued. “Obviously, the Vigilante hopes his choice will win, injure you or at the very least, wear you down, because then he will have a better chance of defeating you. If he defeats you, then his access to your young lady will be unimpeded”.

  I couldn't believe it. They were discussing me and the Vigilante Guardian, the killer of my family. Why hadn't I been included in the discussion?

  I saw red -- literally. Looking through a red haze, I stood and marched over to confront them.

  “I'm here, so you don’t have to talk about me and my business behind my back. I heard every word. Joe, what do you mean by deciding to fight the Vigilante without telling me? I deserve to know what's happening. No, I demand it!” I stood there, hands on hips, glaring at the three of them.

  Joe scrambled to his feet and so did the other Guardian. Esau sat back, his arms spread out across the back of the armchair he was sitting in. An amused grin lit up his face as he surveyed us.

  “Atta girl Kat. Joe deserves telling off,” he said, giving me a thumbs-up sign.

  I snapped at him. “It's not funny Esau.” If anything, his grin widened.

  “Sorry,” said Joe. “I only want to keep you safe. I meant to tell you I was made your Protector when I saw you earlier, but it slipped my mind.”

  “Ha! I don't believe something as important as that slipped your mind. You’re keeping secrets from me! I want to be there. I insist! It’s my battle, so I should fight this Vigilante instead of you. And you said you’d train me.” I shouted, even though I was standing so close to him I could feel his body heat.

  Joe waited until I was silent. “No. I can't permit you to be there or to fight,” he said firmly. “Above all, I will protect you.” He moved his face closer to mine. “And not just because it’s my duty, but because I care.”

  That last statement softened my reaction, somewhat, but I was still angry.

  The other Guardian spoke while we stood, faces inches apart, neither backing down. “Joe, I’m sorry to tell you this, but she has to be there.” I shot Joe a look of triumph. I would get my way after all.

  He continued to speak, and Joe’s expression changed to dismay. “The rules must be followed, or you risk losing your status as Protector. Furthermore, if the second defeats you, she will have no choice but to face the Vigilante. So, I suggest you train her, in the few days you've got left, just in case she has to fight him.”

  “What?” Joe wheeled around, grabbing the front of the other Guardian’s shirt. “Why didn't you tell me this before I became her Protector? I would never have exposed her to this risk.” Joe breathed heavily.

  “Calm down, Joe,” the other Guardian said. “At the time, I wasn’t aware of that ruling, it’s been centuries since a Protector has been appointed. This Vigilante has obviously studied the rules and made plans to give himself the best advantage. Let me tell you what else I found out.”

  Joe let the Guardian go, and made an effort to control his breathing. “There is only a slight chance the second will defeat me, but still, I would never have taken that risk if I'd known,” he said, putting a hand up to his brow.

  “Let's all just sit down and remain calm,” the Guardian said, smoothing his shirt front.

  “A good idea,” said Esau from the comfort of his armchair. “Tell us what you know, Marron.”

  We all sat, having had our say. Joe took my hand and pulled me down on the sofa, close to him. I loved that little gesture of intimacy, and, when he kept hold of my hand while the meeting progressed, I was pleased, although my anger was not yet appeased.

  Once we were all settled, the Guardian continued. “Swords will be the weapons used. The rules are clear on that. No modern weapons are allowed because the rules were made long before they were invented. You are also permitted one hidden weapon in the second round, whoever is fighting.”

  “A hidden weapon? What does that mean?” Joe leaned forward.

  “From reading the rules, I believe it refers to a hidden knife or something of that nature.”

  Must it be something on you, or can it be something nearby, perhaps hidden nearby?” Joe asked.

  “It’s completely open to interpretation,” said the other Guardian. “I saw nothing in the rules.”

  “So, swords only in the first round. Swords plus a hidden weapon, such as a dagger in the second round,” said Joe, rubbing the back of his head. “All fairly straightforward. We bring our own weapons, I take it. Anything else we should be aware of?

  The other Guardian nodded his agreement. “That’s right, you’ve got it. All you need to know now are the details. The time for the confrontation is set for 3 PM on Thursday aft
ernoon. You and the young lady must be there, ready for battle one hour before that time. Hopefully the young lady won't need to face the Vigilante.”

  He glanced in my direction, almost as an afterthought. “Oh, one other thing you should be aware of. The confrontation between you, or possibly Kat and the Vigilante Guardian will be to the death. The one between you and the second will be until someone yields.”

  This was all too real. Joe or I faced a battle to the death. Fear suddenly gripped me at the thought of what was to come. Martial arts competitions were far different to this. A grim silence descended over the group.

  “Does anyone have any questions?” The Guardian asked.

  “If we think of any, I'll contact you by mindspeak,” said Joe.

  The Guardian stood and so did Joe. Still holding Joe’s hand, I stood beside him. “I'll see you Thursday,” the Guardian said. Grabbing Joe’s free hand, he shook it and put his other hand on Joe’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, you’ll win Joe, no one has had as much fighting experience as you.”

  He nodded to Esau and to me. “Goodbye, Esau. Goodbye, Kat, until Thursday. With those words, he flashed away.

  I turned to face Joe, sobered by what had been said in the meeting. Esau mumbled something and made himself scarce.

  Then we were alone.

  Chapter 17.

  Plans

  I gazed up at Joe, unable to speak, a confused mess of fear, anger and bewilderment. Joe was my rock, my Guardian. Surely, he could make things right again. I had to believe it.

  At least his face had softened to a degree, far less intimidating than the stern face he wore before. He squeezed my hand – he hadn’t let it go all through the meeting, and he brought my hand to his lips.

  Such an old-fashioned gesture, but totally Joe, made my lips curve in a smile. Then, Joe closed his eyes and his hot lips lingered on my hand. That was not like Joe. What was going on?

  Finding my other hand, he clasped it in a firm, reassuring grip, then brought both my hands to his chest, his heartbeat, under my fingers, strong and steady.