by Tina Folsom
Table of Contents
Title Page
Book Description
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
About the Author
Copyright
Fateful Reunion
Scanguards Vampires #11 1/2
Tina Folsom
Book Description
Vampiress Roxanne thought that, by joining Scanguards as a bodyguard and starting a new life, she could put her painful past to rest. However, old wounds are opened when a new client surfaces, requesting protection for himself and his companion.
Charles, a witch, has never been able to forget Roxanne, though duty had forced him to leave her without explanation twenty-three years earlier. Now he needs her help to save the vampire and witch world from a dangerous force. But saving the world isn’t the only thing on his mind. He wants Roxanne back.
ALSO BY TINA
Scanguards Vampires
Phoenix Code Series with Lara Adrian
Out of Olympus
Venice Vampyr
Eternal Bachelors Club
Stealth Guardians
1
Scanguards employees were relaxing in the V lounge when Roxanne entered after her tremendously boring patrol through Russian Hill, where absolutely nothing had happened. She hated patrols like that because they made her feel as if she’d missed something.
She’d much rather take care of a few criminals and set them straight. At least then she felt she had a purpose. That’s why she’d signed up to be a bodyguard with Scanguards many years ago.
If only Gabriel Giles, her boss and second-in-command at Scanguards, would give her a decent assignment, but apparently it was slow right now. No conventions in town, no VIP visits, no threats. And therefore no extra clients to protect, which meant every bodyguard who was not on client detail was patrolling.
And she’d drawn the short straw and been assigned to one of the safest neighborhoods, while younger, less experienced bodyguards had gotten the juicy neighborhoods like SOMA or the Bayview, neighborhoods where action was guaranteed. But no, Amaury’s twins, both still in training, had been assigned to those neighborhoods, chaperoned by fully-fledged bodyguards like John and Haven. If that wasn’t nepotism at work, then she didn’t know what was.
Still grumbling to herself, she ordered a glass of O-Neg at the bar and looked around, when she saw Thomas gesturing her to join him in the comfortable sitting area in front of the fireplace. Oliver, who was sitting opposite him in an armchair, looked over his shoulder.
“Hey, Roxanne,” Oliver greeted her.
Nodding thanks to the bartender, she snatched the glass of blood from the bar and walked over to the two men. She liked Thomas, the passionate biker and IT genius, who ran the IT operations of the company together with his mate Eddie.
“Hey guys,” she said, stepping close to the armchairs. “What’s new?”
“We were just talking about Wesley,” Thomas said with a smile.
“Hmm.” Wesley wasn’t exactly her favorite Scanguards employee. And the fact that he was gone suited her just fine.
Seemingly oblivious to her disinterest in the subject, Oliver said, “I hope he’s alright. Honestly, I wish Samson had insisted that he take one of us with him for protection. We have no idea what we’re dealing with when it comes to these Stealth Guardians. Nobody knows who they are.”
“Haven and Wesley did as much research on them as they could. But there wasn’t much,” Thomas admitted. “All we know is that they are preternatural creatures, and that they can somehow travel through portals.”
“Like wormholes?” Oliver asked.
Thomas nodded. “Kind of. And who knows what other skills they have.”
“If they mean us well, they could be of use. After all, the guy Wesley chased after didn’t interfere when we took out those rogue vampires, nor did he attack us,” Oliver said. “Still, I wish he would have taken one of us with him for protection.”
Roxanne scoffed. “I’m with Samson. Why waste a perfectly good vampire to protect a witch?”
Thomas raised an eyebrow. “I had no idea you didn’t like Wes. He sure likes you.”
She’d noticed that, too, but had kept him at arm’s length. “I’ve got nothing against him personally.”
“Personally?” Thomas asked. “I mean, I know that vampires and witches are sworn enemies. Old feuds and all that. But it’s different at Scanguards, and I thought you knew that. In the end it was just prejudice that started those feuds. It’s history. We’re above all that.”
Roxanne swallowed. Her dislike of witches didn’t stem from prejudice. She wished it did. Then her heart wouldn’t bleed anew every time she was confronted with one and reminded of her past. However, this was nobody’s business, but her own.
“Well, I’m not gonna miss him if he doesn’t come back.”
Oliver gave a light shake of his head. “Don’t you think that’s a little harsh?” He exchanged a look with Thomas, before he continued, “Don’t get me wrong, Wes rubbed me the wrong way more than once, and we’ve had our fights, but he’s a good guy. When it comes down to it, he’ll have your back.”
An icy hand clamped around her heart and squeezed it to the point of pain. “You can never trust a witch, no matter what he promises.” No matter how much he claims he loves you.
“I’m sorry to hear that, Roxanne,” Thomas said, a contemplative expression on his face. He ran a hand through his blond hair. “If you want to—”
The beeping of her cell phone saved her. “Excuse me.” She pulled it from her pocket and glanced at it, sighing in relief when she read the text message. “Gabriel needs me. See you guys later.”
She practically raced out of the V lounge, leaving her untouched glass of blood on a table near the exit. Once in the hallway, she took the elevator to the third floor where new clients were welcomed. When she stepped out of it, she nearly collided with Gabriel who was coming from the other end of the corridor where the stairs were located.
“Oh, there you are,” he said, nodding.
“You made it sound important.”
“I think it is.” The large scar that graced his face from ear to chin seemed to throb. His ponytail of thick dark-brown hair was tied low at his nape. He motioned to the door of one of the small conference rooms. “I need a woman’s intuition.”
Roxanne sighed. Great, so this wasn’t about her taking on a new client. This was about her advising Gabriel. Pushing her disappointment back, she said, “For what?”
“We got approached by a potential client. He’s not saying much, other than that he wants protection. He’s requesting four bodyguards and requires that at least one of them be a female.”
“Four? Who is he? The President of the United States?” she joked. Even prominent politicians rarely got more than two bodyguards assigned to them, unless a credible threat against them existed.
Gabriel didn’t laugh. “I have no idea who he is. Or where he came from. Eddie ran his profile through the system already…”
“And?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. As if he doesn’t even exist.”
“Well, if he doesn’t exist, I don’t see why he needs protection.” She threw a few strands of her long auburn hair behind her shoulder. “You’ve got your answer. Turn him down. So if that was all you needed, I’ll see you later.”
“That’s not why I asked you up here.”
Roxanne arched an eyebrow. “What then?”
>
Gabriel pointed to the door. “I want you to join me while I interview him further. Figure him out, you know.”
“Since when do you need me to figure out a client?”
“Well, I would normally ask Wesley to sit in on this one, given the circumstances.” He shrugged. “But since Wes has decided to chase after ghosts, I figured the next best person is a woman with an intuition as sharp as a knife’s blade.”
At his compliment, Roxanne felt her chest fill with pride. She was valued here at Scanguards. Respected. It was something that had eluded her in the past. But all that was behind her. She’d started a new life, far away from her old one. If only she could bury her past once and for all, she’d be happy, but despite the many years that had passed, certain memories kept resurfacing.
“Ready then?”
Gabriel’s voice jolted her from her thoughts.
“Sure, lead the way.”
Her boss opened the door to the conference room and walked inside. She followed and let her eyes roam. A man stood with his back to them, staring out through the window into the dark night. Roxanne pulled the door shut behind her and inhaled, recognizing one thing immediately: the man wasn’t human, nor was he a vampire. He was a witch. No wonder Gabriel had wanted Wesley to be here. Now she understood. Apparently, even Gabriel didn’t fully trust a witch.
“Mr. Dubois,” Gabriel prompted. “Shall we continue our talk?”
“I was just admiring the view,” the tall stranger said, turning. “Let’s—” His gaze drifted to her and his words died.
As did everything inside Roxanne. Her heart stopped, her breath rushed from her lungs, and all the blood froze in her veins as if she’d fallen into a vat of liquid nitrogen. Maybe that scenario would have been the better option, rather than having to face him. Rather than having her heart broken once more.
One word made its way past her paralyzed lips, squeezed out by the last breath of air her body was trying to hold on to. “Charles.”
~ ~ ~
He thought he’d been prepared for this moment, but he wasn’t.
“Roxanne.”
Seeing her was like a dream, just like the many dreams he’d had of her, of once more gazing into her gray eyes and being under her spell. Because even vampires could cast spells. Roxanne had done so twenty-three years ago and spoiled him for every other woman. She’d made him regret his actions every single day and night. But he’d had to do it, so they would all be safe.
Purposely, he hadn’t searched for her after that fateful night when he’d had to leave her. Fate had dropped a responsibility into his lap that he couldn’t shirk. But soon, he would be absolved of his duty and free again. Soon, he could try to redeem himself in Roxanne’s eyes and hope she would forgive him.
She was exactly how he remembered her. Her red hair still hung down past her shoulders. Her red lips were full and plump. Her long legs were encased in tight black pants, accentuating their length. He remembered all too vividly, how she’d slung those legs around him and urged him to take her harder. Her vampire strength had been the biggest turn-on he’d ever experienced. But despite Roxanne’s overwhelming physical power, they’d always been equals. All because in his arms she’d turned soft and yielding, and had purred like a tame kitten whenever he’d brought her to climax. Those had been the moments when he’d seen into her soul and realized that he’d never be free of her. She’d stolen his heart.
Only now, that same heart was in danger of being ripped out of his chest, if the furious look in Roxanne’s eyes was anything to go by.
“I see introductions aren’t necessary.” The implied question came from Gabriel Giles.
But Charles had no intention of airing his grievances in front of a stranger. This was between him and Roxanne. Between him and the love of his life.
Charles opened his mouth, but he didn’t get a chance to say anything.
“How dare you show up here?”
It wasn’t exactly a warm welcome, not that he could blame her. But to hear such fury in Roxanne’s voice and see her eyes glaring red as she stalked toward him in single-minded determination meant that time hadn’t healed the wound he’d left behind.
“You rotten, devious, no-good, lying witch! And to think that I trusted you once!” Her eyes narrowed on him at the same time as her fangs lengthened and peeked from between her parted lips.
His pulse kicked up, though his reaction wasn’t borne out of fear. He’d always enjoyed her bite, always loved the special connection he felt to her when she lodged her fangs in his neck and drank from him. Even now, as she approached, pure hatred spewing from her every pore, he couldn’t suppress the shiver that raced down his spine at the thought of feeling her fangs in his flesh one last time. And if he hadn’t sworn to uphold his promise and fulfill his duty, he would let it happen. But too much was at stake, so dying in her arms and paying for what he’d done to her wasn’t an option.
He raised his hand and sent a blast of air in her direction, stopping her approach. Roxanne was jerked back by the sudden barrier he’d thrown up.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret, Roxanne,” he cautioned.
“I’m not going to regret ripping you to pieces, you bastard!” She pushed against the barrier.
“What the fuck is this? I want an explanation. Now!” Gabriel interrupted.
Charles glanced at the scarred vampire. “It has nothing to do with Scanguards or with my request for protection.”
Roxanne scoffed. “You’ve got that right. You’re the last person Scanguards would ever agree to protect. You’re not worth it! I hope whomever you’re running from gets to you and makes you suffer.” Her jaw clenched, as if she was holding on to the last vestiges of her control.
“Don’t you think that’s a little harsh, darling?”
She jumped at him then, and this time, his concentration slipped, and the barrier he’d thrown up crumbled—or maybe he let it crumble. Roxanne broke through and slammed him against the window with such force that he was surprised it didn’t break or at least crack. Bullet-proof, he registered briefly, before Roxanne lifted him up and threw him clear across the room where he flew into the wall, leaving a dent in it, before crashing down to the floor.
She charged at him again, but didn’t get far. Her boss snatched her from behind and stopped her from doing any more damage.
“That’s enough, Roxanne!” Gabriel ordered, keeping a firm grip on her bicep.
Her head snapped to her boss, and now she directed her anger at him. “You can’t take him on as a client. He’s bad news. Whatever he tells you is going to be a lie. Don’t trust him.”
“We’ll see about that.” Gabriel motioned to him. “What have you got to say, Mr. Dubois?”
“His name isn’t Dubois,” Roxanne interrupted. “And he needs no protection. Do you, darling?”
Her last word was a pure snarl, though a tiny ray of hope dared to bloom in his chest—a chest that ached now as he tried to get up. Involuntarily, he groaned and braced himself against the wall. From what he could tell, he’d broken a rib or two, maybe three. Nothing a little healing spell wouldn’t fix later.
Charles lifted his hand. “I’m just glad you haven’t lost your touch, darling.” He looked at Gabriel. “And don’t worry, I have no intention of suing your company for assault.” He lifted one corner of his mouth, trying for a nonchalant smile. “As you can see, Mr. Giles, I am indeed in need of your services. One never knows where the next attack will come from.”
Roxanne growled like a caged beast. And damn it, what a turn-on that was. He was one sick son of a bitch to crave more abuse at her hands. Was he that starved for her touch that he’d even accept a beating from her, just to feel her hands on him again?
“Stand down, Roxanne,” Gabriel ordered.
“You’re not going to listen to this bastard, are you?” She shook her head. “You can’t be serious! You asked me for my opinion. I’ve given it to you. He’s rotten to the core. Don’t get involved wi
th him. You’ll only regret it. We all will.”
“Maybe we can discuss this in a more civilized manner,” Gabriel suggested, though he was gritting his teeth, apparently not as calm as he pretended to be.
Roxanne braced her hands on her hips. “There’s nothing to discuss.”
“Clearly there’s a lot to discuss,” Gabriel suggested.
“Mr. Giles,” Charles cut in. “I can assure you that despite the fact that Roxanne and I don’t exactly get along these days—”
“I’d call that an understatement,” Gabriel interrupted casually.
“Be that as it may, I’ve come here only to seek your services. I have no intention of harming any of you.”
“Liar!” Roxanne glared at him, then addressed her boss directly. “If you take him on as a client, then I—”
“Roxanne!” Gabriel warned.
But her boss should have known better. Hell, even after twenty-three years Charles still knew her better than anybody else. Roxanne had been told one too many times by men what to do or not to do.
“I quit!”
Ah, shit! He’d expected her to do something rash, but to quit? That wasn’t part of the plan.
“You can’t just quit!” Gabriel ground out. “Wait in my office for me. We’ll talk.”
“I’ve got nothing to say!” Roxanne yelled and charged to the door. She ripped it open. “I’m done with this!” She stormed out, slamming the door behind her so hard that the glass bowl on the conference table rattled.
For several moments, it was silent in the conference room. Charles closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. With it, his lungs expanded and pressed against his ribs, shooting pain through his chest.
“Fuck!”
Gabriel took a few steps toward him, but Charles lifted his hand. “I’m fine. It’s just a few broken ribs.” He forced a smile. “Though I wouldn’t mind continuing our conversation sitting down.”
Gabriel motioned to a chair.