by Vivian Wood
“You fucking bastard,” Kellan growled.
Several nurses rushed in and pulled Dr. Khouri from Kieran’s arms, leaving Kieran free to turn on Kellan instead.
“She’s mine,” Kieran snarled.
“Like hell,” Kellan swore.
Kieran surprised him by shifting into his bear form, something they usually only did to fit in with the other Guardians. Heedless of his wound, Kellan shifted with a roar, the pain in his leg giving him a slight advantage.
Fuck no, he wasn’t going to let his scheming asshole of a brother near his mate. Kellan went straight for Kieran’s throat, and all the other Kith made themselves scarce as the brothers engaged in a vicious, furious fight.
They would have continued like that, a violent whirl of fur and destruction, if Rhys hadn’t stepped back into the room and put his fingers to his lips to release a heart-stoppingly loud whistle.
Kellan faltered first, enough for Kieran to swipe sharp claws across his shoulder. Kellan released a bellow of pain, his rage rising again.
“ENOUGH!” Rhys thundered.
That got their attention.
“Shift, right now,” Rhys hissed, looking like he murder them both on the spot. “This is unacceptable. We are Alpha Guardians, not lads in a public pissing contest.”
Kieran shifted first, and Kellan begrudgingly followed him.
“You, sit the fuck down and don’t move until your leg has been treated,” Rhys told Kellan. Then he turned to Kieran.
“You, go wash the blood off your knuckles and check on the doctor. I don’t want to see either of you so much as looking at the other until you’ve cooled off.”
Kieran vanished with a scowl, Rhys right behind him. A particularly pushy older male nurse forced Kellan to sit down again, unconcerned at the way Kellan growled and gripped the table with white knuckles.
Kieran vanished for a long time, presumably attending Dr. Khouri into another room, only to reappear halfway through the excruciating treatment of Kellan’s Vampyre bite. Kellan glared at his twin, who glared right back at him. Both their arms were crossed, jaws set in the same stubborn line.
Yeah, this was going to get nasty, fast.
“What’s happening with the doctor?” Kellan asked.
“Serafina,” Kieran informed him with a superior little grin. “Sera for short.”
Kellan muttered a curse, but he didn’t want to tick off the nurse cleaning out his wound with the lightest of touches. He needed to be fit for action, stat.
“And?” he prompted.
“They’re not sure why she fainted,” Kieran said with a half shrug. “Aeric and one of the doctors are with her, trying to figure it out.”
“Seemed like a big burst of power, out of nowhere.”
Kieran nodded noncommittally. Before they could continue their half-conversation, Rhys burst into the room, pointing a finger at Kieran.
“Is it true?” he asked, his Scottish burr deep and thick.
“What?” Kieran asked.
“Is she the mate? Your mate, I mean?” he asked.
Kieran shot Kellan a look.
“She is.”
“Like hell,” Kellan popped off.
Rhys turned to Kellan.
“What does that mean?”
“We both got the same sensation from her, the mating call.” Kellan arched a brow. “And I’m not letting him take this one from me. She’s mine.”
“Over my dead fucking body,” Kieran snarled.
The nurse tending Kellan’s leg tied off the gauze dressing and stood up.
“You’re good to go, but you need to take it easy,” the man said, giving Kellan a stern look.
“Bad time to be on bed rest,” Kieran taunted.
Kellan stepped toward him with a growl rumbling in his chest, but Rhys stopped him with a hand.
“We have bigger things to worry about here, boys. We need to take the doctor back to the Manor and keep her under lock and key until we figure out how she fits into the prophecy.” He paused, looking between them. “Can you two be civil for long enough to get her in the car? I’ll need to talk to the hospital administrators, let them know she’s going to need a few days of leave.”
“Yes,” they replied as one, then shot each other a furious look.
Rhys gave them one final look of warning, then turned and strode from the room.
“Let’s just get through this, okay?” Kellan said.
Kieran was already out the door, leaving Kellan to trail in his wake. Typical.
Kellan let Kieran take charge, unwilling to start a battle over who was more alpha when his unconscious, prone mate was in the middle of it. After getting an all-clear from the doctors, who’d roused her briefly and discharged her, the twins got her out to the parking lot.
As if by magic, the Guardians’ butler Duverjay was waiting just outside in one of their SUVs, engine idling. Rhys had been quite busy, it seemed.
“Rhys and Aeric will be driving the other vehicle back,” Duverjay informed them once Kieran and Sera had settled in the back seat, Kellan in the front. “The Manor is aflutter with anticipation for her arrival.”
Settling which room she’d be assigned in the Manor, no doubt. Kellan’s hands bunched into fists once more, a burst of stubborn pride flaring in his chest. This was no time for a fistfight, certainly, but he couldn’t be so passive as to let his twin sweep the girl off her feet.
Not. Happening.
But how to find the balance?
Luckily, their arrival at the Manor was relatively smooth. Mere Marie swept in and took charge, putting the doctor… Sera, he reminded himself, in a guest room with two empty bedrooms on either side. Without even glancing at Kieran, Kellan knew they’d both be moving their meager possessions into those rooms later in the evening.
If Kieran’s desire to be close to Sera was anything like his own, it must be killing him. Not that Kieran ever felt deeply for any woman he took into his bed, of course. Kellan was pretty certain that he held deeper and truer feelings than his brother ever would.
“I expect you two downstairs within twenty minutes,” Mere Marie told them crisply once Sera was ensconced in the guest room. “I’m keeping the chaos at bay for the moment, but there’s a lot to discuss. We’re having a group meeting as soon as you two present yourselves.”
“We don’t know any more than you do,” Kellan said, but she just held up a hand.
“Twenty minutes,” she repeated, then left the room in a rustle of robes. “And don’t scare her off. Rhys told me you two are already fighting over the poor thing.”
Kellan rolled his eyes. Alright, maybe he and Kieran had gotten into their share of childish fights over minor things here and there. And maybe they weren’t even a bit ashamed of it. All the Guardians had seen of the Gray twins was arguably not their best.
“Aye-aye, Captain,” Kieran said, snapping her a salute even though she’d already left.
“Nice comeback,” Kellan said.
Kieran opened his mouth, but Sera herself interrupted, stirring under the comforter.
“Where am I? Oh god, did I faint?” she asked, wrinkling her nose. Her accent was American with the faintest undertone of something exotic, enchanting.
Kellan’s words stuck in his throat for a second. He was far too busy looking into the depths of Sera’s big brown eyes, precisely the color of melted chocolate. Framed by dark lashes, set above a proud nose and a lush mouth, they were stunning beyond words.
“I’m Kieran, and this is Kellan. You’re safe. We’re Guardians, and we brought you back to our house,” Kieran jumped in.
“What? Why?” she asked. Her puzzled frown was more cute than concerning, tugging at the tight knot of nerves in Kellan’s chest. “Wait… why… do I know you? You both look so familiar to me…”
Kellan glanced at Kieran, then reached out to pat Sera’s hand. She surprised him by turning her hand over, slipping it into his, giving his hand a soft squeeze. In another circumstance it would have
been a gesture of comfort, but just now it seemed full of worried questions and doubt. Just as quickly, she released him, pulling her hand back and tucking it close to her body. As if his touch had burned her delicate skin somehow.
“I don’t think so, but… that might be the mating pull,” Kellan said, trying to keep his tone gentle.
“The what?!” she yelped, fingers clutching at the covers.
“Listen, don’t worry about that right now,” Kieran said.
“You’re safe and sound, and we’ll work out the rest later.”
“Why did you bring me here?” she asked, reaching up to touch the back of her head.
Another glance between the twins.
“You were cleared by the doctors at Sloane,” Kellan assured her. “But you should rest. You fired off a huge burst of energy, which can be very draining. We can talk about the rest of it tomorrow, when you’re recharged.”
Sera opened her mouth, then seemed to think better of it.
“This is your house?” she asked, a skeptical look in her eyes.
“Shared by all the Guardians,” Kellan said. “There’s a buzzer here by your bedside, so you can ring for the butler if you need anything at all. We’ll take good care of you, Dr. Khouri.”
“Sera,” she said, then flushed at her automatic response. “Just Sera, if you please.”
“Sera,” Kellan repeated, loving the feel of it on his tongue as he said it. “We will talk more tomorrow, I promise.”
She looked between them once more, the blush on her cheeks growing darker, but she only nodded. When she didn’t speak again, Kellan and Kieran rose and left the room. Kieran’s expression was unreadable as they headed downstairs in perfect silence, each caught up in their own thoughts.
The skin of Kellan’s palm still tingled where Sera had touched him. It was embarrassing, but that simple touch had set him afire, made his body tighten and ache.
Damn, this was going to get ugly, and fast.
Still, Kellan knew himself, knew his heart. He more than wanted Sera, he needed her. She called out to him, without him even knowing the most basic parts of her personality. He’d always heard this about fated mates, but now that it was happening to him…
He wouldn’t let her go, not while he still lived and breathed.
Never.
4
Chapter Four
Sera frowned down at herself, then glanced up into the oversized mirror in the guest bathroom. When she woke, she found several pretty and colorful dresses in her size hanging on the back of the bedroom door. There were also two pairs of shoes, giving her a choice between heels and flats.
She’d nudged the heels away with her bare foot, slipping into the flats. Her first frown was because they’d fit perfectly. Who the hell had found shoes for her in the middle of the night, while she’d been sleeping?
The second frown was directed at her reflection, her body encased in a stunning lavender dress complete with lacy frills that hid every potential flaw. This dress made her look amazing. But… where had it come from?
Clearly the person that picked it out was considering her size and shape, but didn’t know that Sera hardly ever wore dresses or overtly feminine clothes. She liked tailored slacks and elegant silk shirts, maybe with a vest for flair. And she nearly always wore clean Converse or her chunky work shoes, made for comfort over style.
Still… she couldn’t complain. She couldn’t recognize the name of the designer scrawled on the tag, but this dress was almost definitely French and super fancy. Plus, considering the two shockingly handsome men who’d been staring at her like she was the last woman on the whole planet, she could afford to look a little girly today.
She wandered out of her room and headed downstairs, following the sound of feminine laughter that echoed through the house. She found a huge open room downstairs, with a lounge and kitchen and meeting area. All the Guardians were conspicuously absent, but five women sat around a big table sipping coffee. A man in a formal tuxedo, presumably the butler Kellan had mentioned, hovered nearby as if waiting to be beckoned.
“Ah! Dr. Khouri!” A graceful older woman with coffee-and-cream skin and flowing robes stood and waved her over. “Come meet the ladies.”
“Hi,” Sera said. “It’s just Sera, please. Um…”
She cast a glance around. The woman gave her a knowing smile that made Sera’s stomach flutter.
“Kieran and Kellan are out on a mission with the other Guardians. They’ll be back shortly,” she said, flapping a dismissive hand. “Sit, sit. I’m Mere Marie, something of… you could say, the den mother?”
One of the women smothered something that sounded like a huff of laughter, but didn’t say anything. Sera took an unoccupied seat as she was introduced to the stunning women mated to the other Guardians. Kira, Echo, Cassie, and Alice, Sera repeated to herself half a dozen times in an effort to remember them all. Cassie was the easiest, because she was immensely pregnant and grinning like a fool.
“Would you like some breakfast? Duverjay was going to serve some omelettes and croissants and cafe au lait, I believe,” Mere Marie asked.
“I’m famished, actually,” Sera admitted with a smile. “My schedule’s completely wrecked now, I think.”
“Welcome to the Manor,” Kira said, smiling over her coffee cup. “You’ll get used to it.”
There was a moment of silence, then Kira blushed.
“Was I not supposed to say that? Y’all told me almost the same thing when Asher dragged me in here the first time!” she protested.
The women chuckled, but Mere Marie shook her head.
“Sera, I’m afraid we don’t quite know what to make of you,” she said slowly. “We are fairly certain that you feature in certain… prophecies… and that you’re in grave danger.”
“Me?” Sera asked, accepting a cup of milky coffee from the butler. “Thanks.”
“Duverjay, ma’am,” he said with the briefest of bows, then whisked off to the kitchen and proceeded to work on cooking something that smelled absolutely amazing.
“Sera,” Cassie said, reaching out across the table to get Sera’s attention. “I’m an Oracle, so I get a lot of visions and premonitions. I’ve never seen you, exactly, but I have witnessed a lot of prophecies that involve Kieran and Kellan.”
Sera gave her a blank look.
“And their mate,” Cassie added, pulling an uncertain expression.
“I don’t understand,” Sera said point-blank.
“Well… we’re pretty sure you’re Kieran’s fated mate,” Echo jumped in. “Or Kellan? We’re not sure. We were hoping you could tell us, actually.”
Sera sucked in a breath and picked up her coffee, sipping it for a moment of reprieve.
“Which one of them do you feel sort of… pulled toward?” Mere Marie asked.
“Um. Both of them? It’s kind of equal,” Sera said, feeling her face heat.
“Oooh,” Alice said, leaning in on her elbows. “A menage mateship. Imagine that!”
Just as Sera was about to die with shame, Kira patted her elbow.
“Some things are just meant to be,” the other woman said with a shrug. “I’d hate to be the one who has to listen to them argue forever, but I wouldn’t mind sleeping between those two at night.”
Sera couldn’t help but laugh, and her tension eased a little. Was Alice right? Was Sera meant to be with two men, forever? Or was she just being offered a choice, Kieran or Kellan?
“They were fighting over you the whole time you slept,” Echo informed her.
“Oh,” was all Sera could manage, then a sigh. “This is so overwhelming.”
Everyone chuckled. Duverjay started delivering plates of fluffy omelettes and buttery croissants, and for a minute everyone was absorbed in the food. After a bit, the conversation picked up again.
“It’s always like that with taking a Guardian as your mate,” Cassie confided. “We’ve all run into the same things. They’re big bullies who need to dominate and prote
ct. You just have to draw the line, and stick to your guns.”
“I don’t mean to be rude,” Kira said, “but what are you? I’ve been trying to read you since you walked in, and it’s making me nuts.”
“Me? Nothing, really. I’m Kith, but I’m basically powerless,” Sera replied.
There was a beat of silence.
“What?” she asked.
“It’s just, the Guardians usually attract these really insanely powerful mates. Women with so much power that they need to be protected from the big bad world outside,” Cassie joked, rolling her eyes.
Sera bit her lip, wrinkling her nose.
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m adopted, and my parents know I’m not a shifter or a witch like either of them, so…” She ended with a lift of her shoulders. “Maybe this is a mistake, like wires crossed?”
“Hah!” Mere Marie crowed. “Not likely. You’re something, alright. And Kieran and Kellan aren’t just confused. You’re a true match for them, I promise you. Not just a doctor.”
“If you say so,” Sera said, her stomach churning. She pushed her plate away, appetite vanished.
“If you don’t mind, Sera, I’d like for you to let Cassie hold your hand for a few moments. Maybe she can get some kind of reading off you?” Mere Marie lifted her brows.
“Of course.”
Sera held out her hand, and Cassie grasped her wrist. Half a moment later Cassie ripped her hand away from Sera, sputtering. The pretty redhead turned her head away, retching quietly and pushing back from the table.
“Are you okay?” Echo said, jumping up. Everyone stood and fussed over Cassie, who was dry heaving and wiping tears from her face.
Sera sat perfectly still, uncomprehending and ashamed at once. What the heck had she done? In the midst of the confusion, the Guardians returned, flooding the room with concerned and jittery men.
Cassie’s mate Gabriel, who Sera had previously met at Sloane General, wrapped her up in his arms and did his best to soothe her. All the other women gravitated to their mates, too. After a moment Sera realized that Kieran and Kellan were standing just behind her, their expressions stormy.