by G. K. DeRosa
“And?” he asked.
“And, you have to promise me that no matter what I won’t lose you.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” Celeste stopped and took his arm, forcing him to turn towards her. “Promise?”
“Yes, I promise, Celeste.”
“I have been selfish with you Brian. I love you, but not in the same way that you love me. And I should have told you that, but I was so scared to lose you that I didn’t want to. I can’t imagine my life without you.”
Disappointment flashed across his face. “I feel the same way, but lately I feel like you are pulling away from me more and more each day. I feel like I’m grasping at straws. I understand if you don’t feel the same way about me as I do, but don’t push me out of your life.”
“I’m not Brian, I swear. There are just so many things--”
“I know, that you can’t tell me,” he said finishing her sentence.
“Well there is something that I need to tell you. I’m going to be gone for the next few weeks.”
“Gone where? I thought we were supposed to spend our last summer before college together.”
“I know. I wish we could, I really do. I have to go stay with an old friend of my dad’s. It’s just a few hours out of town in the countryside. It was what my dad wanted.”
“And you just found out about this now?”
“Yes, just recently. It’s something I have to do, Brian. But I promise you that when I get back we’ll hang out, okay? And maybe you can come out and visit me one day. He lives in a beautiful big house at the foot of the woods.”
“Yeah sure, I guess.”
Celeste got up on her tiptoes and pulled Brian into a heartfelt hug as they approached her front door.
He turned to go, and then hesitantly turned back. “Celeste, if you had never met Roman, would you feel differently about me?”
She felt her throat constrict at the question, deep inside she knew the answer, but she couldn’t find the words.
Brian saw the answer clearly written on her face. “Never mind,” he said and walked away.
Celeste finished loading her last bag into Nico’s trunk and looked up at her mother whose eyes were brimming with tears.
“Oh Mom, don’t cry. I’m only going to be gone for a few weeks, and it’s only a couple hours away. You can even come visit me on your day off.”
“I know sweetie, I just can’t imagine you not living with me under the same roof. And it’s making me dread your move to college at the end of the summer.”
Celeste gave her mom a big hug. Clutching the family key she now wore religiously around her neck, Celeste promised she would call her mom everyday. She took one last long look at her childhood home and jumped into the car. As they sped off towards Nico’s apartment, Celeste couldn’t help but think about Brian. He knew that she was leaving today, and she had asked him to come say goodbye, but he hadn’t shown up. Instead, he had texted her with a last-minute excuse about early morning hockey practice. Celeste knew he was avoiding her. Knowing that Brian was in pain and she was the cause of it made her feel utterly miserable.
“Hey beautiful, are you okay?” asked Nico.
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking, that’s all.”
“Staying with Stellan really is the best option, you’ll see.”
“I know,” she said. “Nico, do you think I will actually get to go away to college like I had planned?”
“Of course you will! As a vampire, I’ve gone to college dozens of times. Why wouldn’t a Guardian be able to go?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it lately, and college is the last thing on my mind right now. How am I supposed to concentrate on picking a major, new classes and studying when I’m training and learning how to fight and become a Guardian?”
“Celeste, I have no doubt that you can do both. Look at your father, he had a wife and a child and still managed to keep Oak Bluffs safe from the supernatural.”
“Yes, by lying to us all.”
“Look, you have the rest of the summer to figure out this Guardian thing. Take it day by day and don’t worry about it,” he said as he patted her arm in encouragement.
“Speaking of taking it day by day, how is Dani Lynn doing?”
“Not bad. Actually I’d like you to see her today before you and Roman head off to Stellan’s.”
“I’d like to see her too. Poor Jessica and her family are going crazy trying to find her. They have the entire police department searching, and there are Missing Person signs with her picture plastered all around town. Do you think she will ever be able to go back to her family?”
“It’s still too soon to say Celeste. A new vampire’s emotions are highly erratic, everything is heightened – as you have experienced. Although she seems fine one moment, she could easily lose control the next.”
Standing at the door of the apartment, she could sense Roman on the other side. She had been practicing controlling her new emotions and supernatural urges like Stellan had taught her, and she found it much easier to be around her vampire friends now. When she opened the door, Roman greeted her with a bright smile and dancing blue eyes.
“Are you ready for a little road trip?” he asked her.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Nico walked in behind her toting a cooler with the Oak Bluffs Hospital logo on it. At Celeste’s questioning glance, he said, “Refreshments for Dani.”
“I see,” she said.
“Don’t worry, I left some in the car for you too Roman. But before you go, I’d like to borrow Celeste for a moment.”
“For what?” Roman asked defensively.
“I need to test something out with Dani.”
“You want to use my g---, Celeste as vampire bait?”
Roman tried to recover from the slip, but Celeste had caught it and casually turned away hiding the huge smile spreading across her lips.
“Oh don’t be so dramatic Roman, I can control Dani Lynn,” he said.
“Fine, but only if I am there too.”
“Of course, oh untrusting one.”
“Doesn’t anyone care about what I have to say?” asked Celeste. “I’m the ‘vampire bait’ after all, and I say let’s do it.”
“Why am I not surprised?” said Roman, rolling his eyes.
Due to the bright sun, which constantly streamed in through the floor to ceiling windows of the apartment, Dani Lynn was forced to spend the day in hiding. Nico had built what Celeste affectionately called the “vampire hidey hole” out of the basement laundry room. He led the way down the stairs with Celeste trailing a few steps behind and Roman bringing up the rear.
“Hi Dani, how are you?” asked Celeste from a safe distance.
“I’m bored and I’m hungry,” she answered.
“Now, now Dani, that’s no way to talk to your friend who came to visit you,” said Nico.
“Sorry Celeste. I’m just going crazy down here. I can’t go outside except at night, and I have no one to talk to except these two. And I think Roman hates me,” she said as she burst into tears.
“No, Dani Lynn, don’t cry. Roman doesn’t hate you,” Celeste said as she moved towards her to put a comforting arm around her shoulder.
“No!” yelled Roman.
But it was too late. Dani Lynn grabbed Celeste and spun her around, pinning her arm behind her back and poised with fangs at Celeste’s neck.
“Stop! Dani, you don’t want to bite her,” Nico said in a calm soothing voice. “Let her go now.”
The tension in the air was palpable. Roman’s fangs were bared, and he was primed to strike at the slightest movement. While their attention was focused on Dani Lynn as she struggled between instinct and willpower, Celeste whipped around throwing Dani Lynn off balance. He flipped her over her shoulder and pinned her to the floor with one quick movement. When Dani Lynn opened her eyes in shock, Celeste was on top of her holding a stake menacingly above her chest.
“Wow, impressive Celeste!�
�� said Nico, clapping his hands.
“I told you I wasn’t vampire bait!” she said proudly. “Also, I’ve been having training dreams with my dad.”
“Training dreams?” asked Nico.
“I’m not really sure what they are, but they seem to be working.”
“I wish I could go with you Celeste, but I don’t think we should leave Dani alone while she’s still transitioning,” said Nico as he hugged her goodbye.
“I know. Just promise you’ll come visit me soon!”
“I promise, I will. And Roman, take care of my car,” he yelled over the engine.
“Oh please, I should be saying the same to you. You’re the lucky one in this deal.”
“It’s not my fault that your little Porsche has no trunk space.”
“But it more than makes up for it in horsepower.”
“Okay boys, let’s not argue about whose car is better than whose or else we’ll never leave,” said Celeste climbing into the front seat.
***
Fabian paced restlessly in front of the open window, his long silver hair blowing in the chilly breeze. Outside the snow-covered peaks loomed in the distance, blocking the last rays of the sun. The valley below was finally beginning to return to life after the many harsh months of winter.
“I cannot believe that fool Magnus has double-crossed me!” said Fabian, bringing his fist crashing down on the table.
“I hate to say I told you so--” said Alek.
“Then don’t!”
“What does he think he’s doing anyway?” asked Alek. “I understand he is still in Oak Bluffs.”
“He is after that human girl that is always with the Constantins. He has been making some inquiries about her.”
“Inquiries? What kind of inquiries?” asked Alek.
“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,” said Alek.
“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 15
“Welcome my dear,” said Stellan with 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.”
“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, and 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 saying, “You certainly won’t be bored now that Celeste’s around. She’s a magnet for trouble.” Celeste shot him a sidelong look, but couldn’t help but laugh in agreement.
“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 began unpacking, 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. She found, to her relief, that 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. And 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 stood 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?” he asked, trying to keep his composure.
“Just how happy I am that you are here with me.”
“About that Celeste,” he said pulling 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 said as 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 said running her fingers down his bicep.
Roman leaned in slowly, looking into her sparkling eyes as his lips neared hers and kissed her tentatively. His arms enveloped her in a protective embrace as his hands ran through her cascading hair. As the heat of the moment increased, Celeste clung on to him more urgently as his searing kisses intensified. She felt 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. The happy couple had finally descended after a rather intense make-out session, and they were positively glowing.
“Actually, Stellan, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve asked Roman to stay and help me train,” interjected Celeste.
“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 in surprise then to Roman who responded with 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.
“Secondly,” interrupted Celeste, “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 am 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,” said Stellan.
“I have.”
Stellan sighed. “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 and in regards to a sparring partner, you’ll find that I am far more nimble than I look.”
Celeste looked skeptically at 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.”
“I promise to be on my best behavior.”
Celeste and Roman exchanged victorious glances, both smiling happily.
Celeste tossed and turned in her bed that night as a vision overtook her subconscious. She was back in the white circular room, but instead of the tribunal she had seen last time ther
e was 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 looked curiously at them, 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 said extending her hand awkwardly.
“Please sit down.”
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.
“You must be wondering why we have summoned you here today,” he said.
“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 where 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,” Celeste said with doubt.