Claudia smiled, shaking her head. “No, thank you. That breakfast was great. I can see why Ambrose put you in charge of the house. You’re a great cook.”
Corbin chuckled. “Believe it or not, Julian taught me how to do a few tricks in the kitchen.”
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“You think he’ll be okay? Maybe find another bloodmate?”
Corbin shrugged, leaning back against the counter. “I don’t think he’s going to look for a very long time. His sole purpose right now is getting his daughter back and raising the twins after he does.”
“I have faith that Dimitri and Carissa will get the baby back.”
“So do I.”
She pushed herself away from the table and stood up. “I better get back to the clinic.
Ivy is teaching me how to be a nurse, and I still have a lot to learn.”
Corbin gave her another smile. “If you get hungry again you know where to find me.”
“Thank you.”
She left the kitchen, went down to the underground, and was heading for the clinic when voices ahead stopping her.
“Ambrose, he isn’t going to be able to keep up.” Dimitri’s voice carried softly in the dimly lit hallway. Claudia pressed herself back against the wall so as not to disturb them, but she felt guilty for eavesdropping. “Just the basics I put him through wore his ass out.
Basics, as in what the children begin with when they first arrive.”
“You can’t offer him the Crossover,” Carissa said. “His father will use it against us to get what he wants.”
“I have to agree with her.” Dimitri sighed. “Crossover for Julian would be a mistake.
He’s a first-born. If by chance he wants to go back to that life, he won’t be able to. I don’t think he understands that.”
“We can’t overlook his request.” Ambrose stated.
“To hell with the request!” Carissa’s voice got louder. “We will get her back for him.”
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“Ambrose, he can’t keep up,” Dimitri repeated. “Request or not, you have to take into account his Noble status. If it was any other first born Nobel asking to become a Guardian would you let him?”
“You risk a lot by even thinking about offering it to him,” Carissa added.
“Julian isn’t his father,” Ambrose stated.
“He’s his blood.” Dimitri’s voice rose. “His father will burn us when he finds out his only son and heir has turned.”
“You need to stop this now,” Carissa said. “Julian isn’t strong enough, and his grief over the loss of Serina holds him back.”
“Then we need to give him the tools he needs to keep up.” Ambrose’s voice chilled, holding more authority than friendship. “And you show him how to use his grief to strengthen him and his training.”
“Ambrose,” Carissa sounded angry, but was cut off from saying more.
“I’ve made my mind up. We do this at the end of the month.”
Someone walked away. Claudia pressed herself closer to the wall, deeper into the shadows, holding her breath.
Carissa sighed. “I don’t like this, Dimitri.”
“We don’t have a choice,” Dimitri stated. “He’s the elder. We’re going to have to do as he wishes even if we don’t like it.”
“Still it doesn’t mean that I can’t give voice to how much of a mistake it is.”
“Look at it this way; you can beat the shit out of Julian if you want.”
Claudia heard another set of feet leaving, but not the third.
“You can come out now.”
Claudia closed her eyes, bit her lip, and inwardly groaned. Dimitri knew she was there, but that shouldn’t have been much of surprise to her. They were bonded now. He was going to know when she was near, and she would know where he was too.
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“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, coming out of her hiding place to face him. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
He took hold of her hand, drew her closer, and wrapped his arms around her body.
Claudia closed her eyes, sighing with pleasure at his embrace.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Good. Corbin just fed me.” She pulled out of his arms and looked up at him. “Are you going to do that thing for Julian?”
He brushed his knuckles across her cheek before moving out of the embrace to lean back against the wall across from her. “Ambrose wants us to.”
“But you don’t.”
“It isn’t up to me. Ambrose rules down here. Julian isn’t strong enough to be one of us or go out there to hunt for his daughter.” His statement had her looking back up at him.
“But what he really doesn’t understand is he won’t be strong enough afterwards if he goes through with it either. Look at Lucan. His early transition sent him in a Crossover.
Crossovers takes time; time Julian doesn’t want to take.”
After his transition and Crossover, Lucan was still too weak to get out of bed. If that gave her any insight as to what a Crossover was like, then yeah Julian wouldn’t be ready to go after his daughter if it happened anytime soon.
“But hey,” he gave her a big smile, his dark eyes lighting up, “let’s not think about all that shit right now. Let’s, I don’t know, do something else.”
“Hey, mate!” Shadow came running up to them, breathing hard. “Been looking for you and Carissa. Got another message and this one is going to blow your world away.”
Dimitri cast Claudia a look, but she smiled. “Don’t worry. I need to go check in at the clinic. We can do something later.”
Dimitri snatched her hand quickly before she took too many steps away from him.
He pulled her close, lowered his head, and kissed her. “Later.”
* * * *
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Dimitri watched her go, wishing like hell he could take her to his room for the rest of the night. So this is what being bonded feels like.
Shadow chuckled. “You got it bad, mate.”
Dimitri tore his eyes from the sight of Claudia only after she turned the corner. He looked at Shadow with a glare. “What’s the message?”
“That son of Renzo’s again.” The two of them walked to Shadow’s little corner of the world. Computers and weapons were the man’s specialty, and he soared in both. “He said he has a plan on how to get the baby to us and needs our help.”
“I don’t know if I trust the brother or not yet.”
“He did save the one baby for Julian.” Shadow pushed open the door to his sanctuary. They walked past the worktable loaded with weapons to the computer center.
“My gut tells me it won’t end up the way he plans. Something fishy is going down.”
“Yeah, but if we have a chance of getting the baby back and keeping Julian from joining the Guardians, I’ll take the risk.”
Shadow smiled. “Don’t like him much?” He sat down and went right into typing on his keyboard.
“What if I don’t?”
Shadow chuckled again, “Mate, you don’t like anyone too much. That’s just one of the reasons I’m so shocked about you and the lovely lady you’ve bonded with. Never would have thought I’d live to see it. Okay, here it is.”
Dimitri leaned over Shadow’s shoulder. The message was simple.
Got help to get baby out. Forty-eight hours, meet me where Serina died. I’ll bring the baby, but you have to protect me. Deal?”
“Does Ambrose know?” Dimitri asked.
“Yeah, he sent me to find you. Said you get the call on this one. You’re show.”
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“And Julian?”
Shadow shook his head “Ambrose doesn’t want him to know. Thinks he’ll try to either go with you or stop you. If he asks you anything, you’re to tell him it’s just a scouting trip.”
> Dimitri read the message two more times before he made his decision. “Tell him we have a deal, and I’ll let Carissa know to get ready.” Shadow agreed and Dimitri stood up to leave. He slapped Shadow on the back of the head. “Always show respect when it comes to my bloodmate.”
Shadow laughed. Dimitri turned and left with a big smile on his face.
* * * *
Dimitri had never seen the dining hall before. It was a tremendous room, and the table Corbin and the bloodmates found was huge and perfect.
Once again Corbin had outdone himself with the lunch. Even Lucan was recovered enough to be at the table to enjoy it, though he still needed help doing simple things. His mother and father were right there with him to help.
As they all sat around eating, Ambrose recalled the past. The Elder talked non-stop about the parties he’d held, big fancy dinners, and all the holiday celebrations. Dimitri only heard about half of it. Primarily his mind was on the meeting he was going to be having with Denver, and the rest of his thoughts were on Claudia. She hadn’t joined them. She had work to do with Ivy and wanted to get caught up to be free to spend the time with him before they had to leave.
He was going to have to go out as a Guardian, not a bonded vampire. The thought hung in his mind like a heavy weight. Being a Guardian was still his life. It didn’t matter if she was a part of it, but it did scare the hell out of him. What if he didn’t come back?
What would happen to her?
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He glanced up at Carissa. She sat at the far end of the table, the expression in her eyes showed she had the same worries. Like always, there were unspoken words passing between them.
While Ambrose continued to talk, she pushed away from the table and walked out.
Julian watched her leave. Dimitri wasn’t at all surprised when he followed her. The man had a lot of unanswered questions that Carissa refused to answer.
“You okay?” Claudia came up behind him, causing him to jump when she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Yeah,” he answered, lowering his eyes to his plate. He took a deep breath before turning his full attention on her. “You done?”
“I’m all yours for the night.”
“Why don’t we go back to my room then? I’m sure you’re going to need to be fed upon soon.”
Her face flushed, and she held out her hand. He took it to lead her from the dining room, toward the hidden doorway. On the way, he kissed her hand, because he needed to take her scent into his lungs. Hell, he needed her to remind himself he was more than just a killer. With Claudia he had something to live for.
“Are you okay?” she asked again.
Once at the door, he pulled her into his arms, hugged her tight, and closed his eyes with a sigh. “I just need to hold you. That’s all.”
* * * *
Carissa stood in front of the weapons table loading a clip for one of the many weapons in front of her. She knew the second Julian joined her, but chose not to acknowledge him for the moment. She kept pushing the bullets into the clip, letting the silence fold around them.
“Where you going?” Julian asked, strolling up behind her.
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“Out.”
“Out where?”
“We have a lead, and I’m going to check it out.” She couldn’t look at him, wouldn’t.
If she did, he’d see right through her.
“Is it my daughter?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie to me!” he yelled. “Everyone has lied to me enough.”
“Yes, it’s about your daughter. Denver might have her, and I’m going out to get her.”
“And if it’s a trap?”
“Then I’ll deal with it.”
“Carissa, damnit.” He blew out a breath. “Why are you doing this?”
“It’s my job.”
Julian moved fast. He grabbed hold of her arm, turned her around, and on pure instinct and reflex, Carissa had her gun cocked and pointed right at his head. They stared at each other; time feeling like it simply stood still. A twitch at his right eye, breathing normal, arms to his side, Julian stood like a statue craved of wood.
“Is this how things are going to be between us now?” he asked. “You’re going to point a gun at me?”
“Don’t mistake that I won’t shoot you if I have to,” she told him. However, deep down she knew she never could.
“And why the hell would you think you’d need to shoot me?”
“I’m not the girl you once knew.”
“Oh, I can see that.” He moved fast, faster than what she could’ve expected, taking the gun from her hand. In exchange, he backhanded her, stunning her enough for him to get the upper hand. “And I’m not the same guy you used to know either.”
He ejected the clip, slammed it and the gun on the table. In the next instant, he grabbed her by the front of her coat, gave her a hard shake before picking her up and Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul
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dropping her ass on the table. Standing between her legs, he pinned both of her hands behind her back. “You forget, just like Dimitri and the rest of them. I have your blood already in my system, which means I have a part of your strength.” Carissa twisted in his hold, but couldn’t break free without hurting him. “Now you’re going to sit here and talk to me.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she stated through her teeth, not telling him that no one knew he had her blood.
Julian narrowed his eyes, his brows pinched together in the middle in an expression she remembered too well.
“Look at you.” He nodded, looking her up and down. “You’re not a fighter but a woman on the edge. You’re not sleeping, you don’t eat much, fighting all the damn time, and I know for a fact you’re running on hardly any blood.”
“I don’t need your lectures!” she snapped.
“The hell you don’t.” He got his face so close to hers their noses were barely an inch apart. “I know you still bleed inside,” he went on. “Just like I know what you’re doing now. The fighting won’t take the guilt away, no matter how many you kill.” His hold on her wrists loosened, and she quickly took hold of his face.
“It’s all I have to give to you,” she whispered. Something inside her began to crack.
She could feel it and wished like hell she could push it back. If she broke down, there would be no going back. “Can’t you see that?” She felt the tears form and slowly lowered her forehead to his. “Everything I’ve ever done has been done for you.”
Julian held her hand to his face. “Stop blaming yourself. Stop looking back and forgive yourself. I have. I don’t blame you. I never have.”
Carissa looked him in the eye and gave in to the impulse she carried with her for so long. She kissed Julian as if it was the last kiss she would ever give. When it ended he hugged her close.
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“Sometimes I do regret the things I’ve had to do, but don’t you understand why I had to leave you?” she asked in a whisper, the words pouring out before she could stop them.
“All I have are the memories of you, frozen in my mind, and it kills me that I couldn’t save her for you.”
He enclosed her face in his hands as she held his. “Never look back there again, never hold any guilt for Serina or what you had to do.”
Sniffing back the unshed tears, Carissa pulled her head away, pushed him back, and jumped off the table. “You should go.” She had to take several deep breaths, pulling herself back together. “I have to get these things ready.’
“You turn your emotions on and off so easily.” His voice hardened. “How can you do that?”
“I can’t let myself care for you again.” She turned back around, her eyes fixed on him, feeling like she was in control once more. “You’re a weakness Julian. One I can’t afford to have.”
“I’m your reality, and you can
handle it. You need to stop running and deal with this
—with us and what there could be between us. I’m not running from it anymore, Carissa.
Neither should you.”
“I felt your pain then,” Carissa said instead of acknowledging what he said. She couldn’t face it, face that he might be right, and she really was running from him. “Just like I can feel it now.” After all, he was Julian, her protector as a child, her friend, and at one time the love she could never have. “I felt her fear as if it was my own, and I never once took a drop of your blood. I could feel Serina giving birth and dying Julian, and I got the first real taste of how much you loved her.” A single tear slipped free from her eye. She didn’t bother trying to hide her tear even as he stood there watching and listening. “I chose to save you over her, and that decision alone kills me each and every night I wake up and see you here alone, hurting.” She finally wiped the tear away, giving him her back again.
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“I’ve been living here for so long alone, I can’t be a normal woman anymore,” she added softly, lowering her head. “I see Dimitri happy, and it hurts me so much, because I’ll never have that.” Taking a deep breath, she turned. “Your destiny isn’t me; it’s those babies. All of our childhood memories are just that, memories. You need to understand no matter what happens we, can’t be together the way you want.” Slowly she reached behind her for the gun he’d put down. “My place is here, and I’ll always be here.”
“You didn’t kill her, Carissa. Renzo did.”
“I know.” She nodded. “Which is why I must kill him.” He took a step toward her, and Carissa went on the attack. She swung wide. Hitting Julian in a controlled blow on the side of the head, she knocked him out cold. Without the control, the same blow could have cracked his skull. “And you must stay here.” She knelt down, touching his face gently. “Forgive me, but I can’t let you come and risk your life. I won’t have that on my shoulders as well.”
Standing back up, she quickly grabbed her weapons and dashed from the room before anyone else might come to stop her. Renzo was hers.
* * * *
Dimitri intended to undress Claudia slowly. Instead, he stood at the foot of the bed as she took off his clothes.
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