Warders, Volume One

by Mary Calmes

She hesitated.

  “Your kids, Jess! Hurry the fuck up!”

  She turned and ran. People streamed by me, and then I saw that the chariot was there, following them, streaking past me even as Leith leaped off, landing several feet away from me. His sword was drawn, his face was etched in pain, and the key on the chain was wrapped around the hilt of his sword.

  “He’s going to kill you, hearth,” I heard Saudrian say from somewhere behind me.

  “He’s not,” I promised him, and I turned and bolted for the edge.

  I heard Leith’s roar. Almost to the edge, I stopped and rounded on him. He lifted the sword fast instead of running me through. I saw the war going on inside, saw it raging all over his face, the betrayal, how much he hated me and loved me at the same time. He was shaking with his desire to kill me, the restraint costing him.

  “Come to me,” I demanded, gesturing him forward. “Trust me.”

  He was in misery, and I saw his eyes redden as tears welled up but didn’t spill.

  Saudrian screamed out words, and I knew without knowing them that Leith was being goaded to kill me. There were lies tumbling from the demon’s lips, and I saw Leith react to them, saw him charge me, sword held high.

  I did the only thing I could think of. I opened my arms and held them outstretched to receive him. “I love you,” I told him.

  He hit me hard. He was moving too fast, and he was much too big to slow his forward momentum. But there was no pain, only the arm that went around me, clutching tight, crushing me to his chest as he lost his balance and we went over the side.

  “No!” Saudrian screamed, and as we spun sideways, I saw him lift his ax.

  Leith saw it, too, and he flung his sword up. It caught the demon in his throat, and he fell back out of sight.

  The wind was rushing by, and I held on tight, clutching at Leith, pressing a kiss to the side of his neck as we gained speed. I felt his arms around me, heard my name on the wind, and then the whistling became a scream. Then… nothing.

  X

  I WAS wet, sitting in mud, coughing and choking on smoke. There were sirens and a voice on a bullhorn, and as my vision cleared, I saw the hoses and the firemen and the chaos around me. I looked for Leith but saw no sign of him. I tried to get up, but I had no power, not a drop of stamina to rise. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and when I turned, I saw Jess. She was covered in soot, but she was in the Donna Karan suit that she had been in last time I had seen her before we had all taken the plunge into the siphon world. Chale was on the other side of me, panting; he, too, was streaked in dirt and soot, coughing, but in his dress clothes as well. The three of us watched, as did Kenny and my boss Dan Brenner, as the hotel in front of us fell in stages to the ground. It was gutted by fire, smoking, burning, and slowly becoming ash.

  “You people are lucky to be alive, as hot as that fire burned.”

  We all looked up as the fireman walked by us, and, stunned, I began sweeping my eyes in every direction to find my boyfriend. He was nowhere.

  “Call home,” Jess suggested, and when I looked at her, I saw that she had already dialed herself, ear to her phone, listening. “Hi, baby,” she whimpered, and her tears were instant, making clean tracks down her dirt-smeared face. “You’re not gonna guess what just happened to me. Put Daddy on, okay?”

  I withdrew my phone from my pocket, amazed that it was there, and I would have dialed if I had not heard my name called.

  Quickly I looked around and saw him coming toward me, my warder, moving fast through the debris. He was himself, long, lean, the carved features I knew, the shining eyes. I could barely breathe.

  When he reached me, he came down into my lap, knees folded on either side of my hips, sinking into the mud with me, arms grabbing me tight. I hugged him back, face buried in his shoulder.

  “Oh God, Simon, I’m so sorry.” His breath caught. “I could’ve killed you. If you want me to go away and never see you again, I—”

  “Are you kidding?” I growled at him, fisting my hand in his hair, yanking his head back hard so I could see his eyes. “You saved my life, you fuckin’ idiot. Your love let me save everybody. Do you not get that?”

  His eyes searched mine as I let him go.

  “You—” I exhaled sharply, smiling wide, my hands cupping his face. “Jesus, Leith, do you get what we just did? You and me? Do you?”

  He shook his head.

  “Baby, we proved that we, we are way more than just good. I love you, you love me, and we’re a fuckin’ kick-ass team. I’m ready to do whatever with you. You wanna get rings, adopt kids, and buy a house? Whatever you want, sky’s the limit.”

  His smile was huge. “Yeah? You’re ready? Gonna be mine forever?”

  “Forever and ever.”

  He was trembling suddenly as he leaned in and hugged me. “Finally.”

  I always was a slow learner.

  HOURS LATER, at home, showered and changed, I was sitting on the couch while Leith finished up on the phone. He had been talking to Jael for close to an hour. I had been surprised that I was the only one who didn’t buy the raging-fire story hook, line, and sinker. Even Jess had reported to her family that she had been lucky to make it out of the inferno alive. When Leith finally joined me on the couch, passing me a large mug of steaming tea, I just looked at him.

  “What?”

  “How can they not remember?”

  “Why would you want them to remember?”

  “But some of them were so strong.”

  “And some were weak,” he reminded me.

  I cleared my throat. “What about those that got turned into creatures?”

  He squinted at me.

  “Leith?”

  “Honey, when you saved one, you saved them all. A demon lord can’t keep one or a part; he keeps all or nothing, that’s how it is. A façade traps everyone, and so everyone falls together or rises together. If even one stands strong, then everyone’s saved.”

  “So everyone came out.”

  He nodded. “A façade is all or nothing. It’s the gamble the demon takes.”

  “Why would they gamble?”

  “The odds are pretty good most days.”

  “How come Raphael didn’t know that if you save one person that you save them all? How come he thought I would have to leave Kenny after he shifted into a wolf?”

  “Love, kyries don’t know anything about sacrifice or faith. How would they? It probably never even occurred to Raphael that you would stay there and fight for your friends and not simply leave with him when you had the chance before the façade fell to begin with.”

  “Would you have let him bring just me out? When you got there to the hotel with Jackson and Ryan, were you there just for me or did you plan to save everyone?”

  He squinted at me. “I would like to tell you that I was thinking of the others, but, Simon, all I saw was you.”

  “That’s okay.”

  “It’s not, my job is to save as many as I can, but in that instance I was selfish. I wanted my hearth safe first.”

  “Cut yourself some slack,” I said, smiling at him. “It’s human to want to save your own.”

  “But I’m not just human, I’m a warder too.”

  “And look what you ended up doing, you took care of everyone.”

  “You did, not me.”

  “It was us, make no mistake.”

  “I just didn’t want to lose you.”

  I thought about that and then other things. After long minutes I spoke. “You killed him, didn’t you? Saudrian?”

  He scoffed. “With just a sword? Not likely.”

  “No?”

  “Demon lords don’t die that easy.”

  I nodded. “Will he come after you?”

  “Maybe, but I’m never alone here, and he can’t get into my home, so…. And now Jael knows who he is, and no matter how scary a demon lord is, they know better than to take on a sentinel.”

  “Jael’s scary, huh?”

  “Pretty much.
”

  “Saudrian wanted you bad.”

  “But you wanted me more.”

  “Yes, I did.”

  His eyes were soft as he stared at me.

  “Raphael helped a lot.”

  “Which will keep me from killing him the next time I see him,” he assured me.

  But I wasn’t sure that Leith or any one warder could kill Raphael. I had a feeling he was stronger than they were giving him credit for. “Good, ’cause I kind of like him.”

  He squinted at me. “Kyries are not to be trusted, love.”

  “We’ll see.”

  One of his eyebrows rose. “So now you’re an expert on kyries?”

  “No, just men.”

  I put my cup down on the table and listened to the rain outside.

  He cleared his throat. “I have other news.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It seems small now in comparison but Marcus has that restraining order in effect against your ex. You need to call me and then the police if you see him anywhere near you.”

  “If Eric knew all about you, he’d be more frightened of you than the police.”

  After a minute, I realized that Leith had not responded and that he was moving beside me. Turning to him, I saw that he had put his cup on the table as well, and his eyes were suddenly wide, beseeching.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I am terrifying, aren’t I?”

  “What?”

  “I am, you saw what’s really inside me. I’m scary.”

  “Not to me, not ever.”

  “I… how did you know that was me when I was so different on the outside?”

  “I know you,” I told him, patting my chest. “And I love you.”

  He moved fast, stretching out, lying between my legs with his head under my chin, arms wrapped around me. “I love you too.”

  Which I knew. “What are you thinking?”

  “That whatever I am is okay, as long as you’re with me.”

  I smiled, turning to rest my cheek on the top of his head.

  “I’m yours, Simon. I belong to you.”

  “I know.” He liked belonging to me; it was all he wanted.

  “And you said you were ready to make plans, so I know what we gotta do first.”

  I sighed deeply. Leith sounding happy and content made me smile. “What’s that?” I asked, getting sleepy, the warmth of his body seeping into me.

  “We need to get a dog.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, realizing that the man I was holding in my arms was the one I would have for the rest of my life.

  “I was thinking an Australian shepherd was just the ticket. I’ve done some research, and they get along with kids just fine.”

  I could not have been happier.

  More from Mary Calmes

  Most humans live in blissful ignorance, never dreaming of the frightening surprises and paranormal danger that lurks in the night. Most… but not all. These few who stand against the darkness are the Warders, men who fight demons and square off against all kinds of creatures from the pit with only their brothers-in-arms and their lovers—their Hearths—to strengthen them in the unending battle of good versus evil.

  Novellas included:

  Sinnerman

  Nexus

  Cherish Your Name

  Paradise can be hell.

  Most people would say being stranded in the villa of Spanish shipping magnate Miguel García Arquero on the beautiful isle of Ibiza wasn’t such a bad deal. But Hudson Barber isn’t one of them. To him, being stuck without a passport in a foreign country far from home is a nightmare, made worse by the fact that the person who did the stranding was his flighty twin brother.

  Unwilling to turn Dalvon in for identity theft, Hudson is forced to wait, but meanwhile he discovers the chance to rehabilitate Miguel’s failing local businesses—enterprises left to Dalvon’s inexperienced care. The flagging ventures are a badly wrapped gift from heaven, and if Hudson can turn them around, he might be able to leverage the experience to finish his MBA.

  Then Miguel returns to Ibiza, and instead of finding a boy toy, he discovers Hudson has turned his cold villa into a warm, welcoming home. Miguel’s path is clear: convince Hudson to lay down his defenses and let love in.

  Timing: Book One

  Stefan Joss just can’t win. Not only does he have to go to Texas in the middle of summer to be the man of honor in his best friend Charlotte’s wedding, but he’s expected to negotiate a million-dollar business deal at the same time. Worst of all, he’s thrown for a loop when he arrives to see the one man Charlotte promised wouldn’t be there: her brother, Rand Holloway.

  Stefan and Rand have been mortal enemies since the day they met, so Stefan is shocked when a temporary cease-fire sees the usual hostility replaced by instant chemistry. Though leery of the unexpected feelings, Stefan is swayed by a sincere revelation from Rand, and he decides to give Rand a chance.

  But their budding romance is threatened when Stefan’s business deal goes wrong: the owner of the last ranch he needs to secure for the company is murdered. Stefan’s in for the surprise of his life as he finds himself in danger as well.

  Timing: Book Two

  Two years after riding off into the sunset with ranch owner Rand Holloway, Stefan Joss has made a tentative peace with his new life, teaching at a community college. But the course of true love never does run smooth. Rand wants him home on the ranch; Stef wants an exit strategy in case Rand ever decides to throw him out. Finally, after recognizing how unfair he’s being, Stef makes a commitment, and Rand is over the moon.

  When Stef gets the chance to prove his devotion, he doesn’t hesitate—despite the risk to his health—and Rand takes the opportunity to show everyone that sometimes life’s best surprises come after the sunset.

  A Timing Story

  Glenn Holloway’s predictable life ended the day he confessed his homosexuality to his family. As if that wasn’t enough, he then poured salt in the wound by walking away from the ranch he’d grown up on, to open the restaurant he’d always dreamed of. Without support from his father and brother, and too proud to accept assistance from anyone else, he had to start from scratch. Over time things worked out: Glenn successfully built a strong business, created a new home, and forged a life he could be proud of.

  Despite his success, his estrangement from the Holloways is still a sore spot he can’t quite heal, and a called-in favor becomes Glenn’s worst nightmare. Caught in a promise, Glenn returns to his roots to deal with Rand Holloway and comes face-to-face with Mac Gentry, a man far too appealing for Glenn’s own good. It could all lead to disaster—disaster for his tenuous reconnection with his family and for the desire he didn’t know he held in his heart.

  MARY CALMES lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and two children and loves all the seasons except summer. She graduated from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. Due to the fact that it is English lit and not English grammar, do not ask her to point out a clause for you, as it will so not happen. She loves writing, becoming immersed in the process, and believes without question in happily-ever-afters, and writes those for each and every one of her characters.

  By Mary Calmes

  Acrobat

  Again

  Any Closer

  With Cardeno C.: Control

  With Poppy Dennison: Creature Feature

  Floodgates

  Frog

  Grand Adventures (Dreamspinner Anthology)

  The Guardian

  Heart of the Race

  Ice Around the Edges

  Judgment

  Just Desserts

  Lay It Down

  Mine

  Romanus • Chevalier

  Romanus & Chevalier (Author Anthology, Paperback Only)

  The Servant

  Steamroller

  Still

  Tales of the Curious Cookbook (Multiple Author Anthology)

 
Three Fates (Multiple Author Anthology)

  What Can Be

  Where You Lead

  Wishing on a Blue Star (Dreamspinner Anthology)

  CHANGE OF HEART

  Change of Heart • Trusted Bond • Honored Vow

  Crucible of Fate • Forging the Future

  L’ANGE

  Old Loyalty, New Love • Fighting Instinct

  MANGROVE STORIES

  Blue Days • Quiet Nights • Sultry Sunset

  Easy Evenings • Sleeping ’til Sunrise

  MARSHALS

  All Kinds of Tied Down • Fit to Be Tied • Tied Up in Knots

  A MATTER OF TIME

  A Matter of Time: Vol. 1 • A Matter of Time: Vol. 2

  Bulletproof • But For You

  Parting Shot • Piece of Cake

  TIMING

  Timing • After the Sunset • When the Dust Settles

  Perfect Timing (Print Only Anthology)

  THE WARDER SERIES

  His Hearth • Tooth & Nail • Heart in Hand

  Sinnerman • Nexus • Cherish Your Name

  Warders Vol. 1 & 2

  Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS

  www.dreamspinnerpress.com

  Published by

  DREAMSPINNER PRESS

  5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA

  www.dreamspinnerpress.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warders Volume One

  © 2016 Mary Calmes.

  Cover Art

  © 2012 Anne Cain.

  annecain.art@gmail.com