by Aliyah Burke
Shouldering her backpack, Calida went to the door then walked out. As she descended the stairs, she smiled with fondness at the children getting ready to head out to school. On the other side of the room, she returned Taylor’s wave.
The feisty redhead met her at the bottom of the stairs. “How are you?”
Forcing cheer into her voice, she replied, “Fine. Just need to snag a ride into town.”
She nodded. “I believe Altair is heading in. I’m sure he’d have no problem giving you a ride. I’m off to hang with the kids until the bus comes. After you get back, we should catch up.”
“Sounds like a plan.” One I won’t be keeping.
Taylor squeezed her hand before bounding toward the door.
She has such joy and energy. I’m going to miss her.
Altair, she located in the kitchen. He was washing dishes and she approached him. His imposing carriage had always given her a bit of pause. While others said Tiarnán was the scary one, to her it was this man.
She was confident Tiarnán would never hurt her—physically—whereas Altair had a look about him that only Roz—in her estimation—was able to tame. She cleared her throat lightly.
“You need something from me, Calida?” He continued washing.
“A ride to town, if it’s not an inconvenience.”
He grabbed the towel off his shoulder and dried his hands as he faced her. “Of course. When are you ready to leave?”
She readjusted her hold. “As soon as you are.”
“I’ll meet you at my truck.”
“Thank you.” She walked away and left the house. Aminta waved at her and Calida found it difficult to respond. She did, but it was a bit delayed.
Altair joined her minutes later and she slid across the cloth bench seat. She hooked her belt as she nudged her bag on the floorboard. His truck rumbled to life.
“Thank you,” she said. “For the ride.”
“You are welcome.” His voice was smooth and calm. “Are you going to the bus station or renting a car?”
Panic blossomed within her chest. She stole a gaze at him. He stared straight ahead, hands on the wheel.
“I know when someone is running,” he said, voice still calm. “If you need to be taken somewhere else, I will take you.”
She dampened her lips. “The bus station, please.”
“Very well.”
That was all he said for over five miles. She shifted in the seat before recognizing her fidgeting. She stilled.
“Are things so bad you are leaving the protection of the vineyard, us, the other Guardians, and your mate?”
“I can’t stay.” Traitorous tears pricked her eyes. “I… I just can’t.”
“Do you have money?”
“I’ll make do.” She forced confidence into her voice despite lacking it.
He went to the drive up at a bank and withdrew money. “No arguing. I will not make you stay, but neither will I condone you struggling to pay for food or have shelter because you do not want your card tracked.”
She accepted the money. It’s like the money isn’t an issue for him. “Thank you.” She placed part in her bag and some on her person.
“You know what happened to their artifact when Dex was going to leave, do you not?” He vacated the bank and headed toward the bus station.
“No.”
“It changed. Reverted back to how it had originally been. Tiarnán will know you have left. And he will pursue.”
Pursue, not follow. More proof he viewed her as nothing more than a piece of property.
“I’m confident he’ll not even know, nor will he care.”
“This has to do with Dracen.”
From Altair, it fell as a statement not a question. “I can’t compete with her. I just can’t.” Noticing the whine in her tone, she ingested several deep breaths in a meager attempt to calm the river of unchecked pain flowing through her.
“She is a Guardian.” He parked in an empty spot at the station. “They are not meant to be together, or they would be so.”
She snorted. “Do they know that? For a man who is supposed to be my mate, he sure is quick to do anything for her, or when it has to do with anything about her, he’s all attentive.” Yes, she sounded bitchy but she didn’t give a damn. She wasn’t playing second fiddle to any woman for the rest of her life. “There’s a connection there, one I want no knowledge or witness of.”
He barely blinked his black eyes. “He is your mate. As Roz is mine.”
“He wants Dracen, not me. So why be there?” She rubbed her arms, edgy now, and upset. “I won’t subject myself to knowing I’m second to another woman.”
“We are all second to the prophecy.”
“I have no prob with that, it’s her I have an issue with. That’s where my issue lies. Would you be okay if Roz was that close with one of the men? Cale? Billy? Tiarnán? Edmond? Where they woke up at night, pushing you away, calling the other’s name?”
His gaze narrowed a fraction. “No.”
“Neither am I.” She grasped the door handle. “Thank you for everything.”
“I will not lie, should they question me. However, nor will I volunteer the information to them.”
She managed the bravest smile she could and dared something she’d never have the guts to do again—touch him. Unlike Taylor, she wasn’t so outgoing.
“Goodbye, Altair.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a card. “You need me, day or night, you call this number.”
She imagined if she’d had brothers, this was how they would act. Protective. Her hand trembled as she reached out to take it. “I will.” Calida willed iron into her legs and strode into the station.
Purchasing a ticket on the soonest departing bus, she exhaled sharply. There lingered only a few people and when they boarded the mostly empty bus, she took a seat in the back. Her bag, she kept with her and took a window seat. She stared out of the window as the lush Oregon greenery flowed past.
Her phone was off and untouched inside her bag. Edmond can probably still track me, I’m sure.
At the next stop, she asked the driver a question. “Where’s the next train station?”
“Three hours away,” he replied with a kind smile.
A swift peek at her watch told her they’d be there around one. “Do you have a train schedule?”
“Check at the counter. Don’t be too long, though, we’re leaving soon.”
“Thank you.” She hurried inside and took care of business there. So long as the bus wasn’t delayed, she would be fine.
* * * *
Tiarnán ran until his lungs burned. His skin, aflame, ached in ways he’d never experienced before. Demonic blood had never hurt this bad. Not even during his encounter with Hara.
The pain he equated to as if his sign had decided to actually separate from his body. He sank to his knees, fingers tearing into the fertile earth as easy as ripping tissue paper. Chest heaving, he fought for each breath he was allowed to ingest.
A roar ripped from his throat as he bucked and collapsed to the ground, dirt sticking to his sweat. Exhaustion pushed him to a hole he couldn’t escape from.
“Dracen?”
Only a filter of light severed the onyx blackness. His sight, limited. He sought his power, asking for assistance. While weaker than usual, it responded. Everything around him was off.
“Dracen?” He searched, aware of her presence yet unable to locate her. “Where are you?”
Silence met his words. Like the tiger, he too, went soundless. Shuriken appeared in one hand, four of them, and a whip in his other, as he instinctively called them forth. The black coil moved without noise along with him as he progressed forward. Senses straining, he tried contacting her telepathically. Only to fail.
The ground beneath him began to incline. At the top, he peered around at his surroundings. Eyes working better, he made out a large shape at the bottom. His sign burst to life, blazing a warning he’d never be able to
ignore, even if he wished to. The darkness retreated further, allowing him to better see.
He gazed closer. Beneath the large being lay Dracen. Her prone body was beaten and battered. Even from his distance, which suddenly wasn’t so great, he could see her leather attire shredded.
“Get away from her!”
Shuriken flew from his hand as fast as he could release them. The reptilian like head left the shadows, its eyes—ruby flames—pierced him. Tiarnán couldn’t move. Every muscle in his body was frozen.
One large foot tipped with deadly talons, agleam with a mucous red liquid, hovered over Dracen. The razor-sharp claws sank into the ground with ease even as the bottom of its foot rested upon her still body.
“You should be more respectful. And cautious.” The warning slid from a mouth that never moved.
A massive tail slipped from the dark, the trio of points at the end pearlescent and brilliant in the gloom. Just as suddenly, the hue morphed into the same blood-ruby red as its eyes.
“Everything you think you know, Guardian, is nothing. There is so much more.”
He didn’t know who this was. He wasn’t even sure how big it was. “Get away from her.” Each word was akin to applying burning embers to his groin. Somehow, he found a way to push the words free and take two more steps.
“Interesting,” it said. His head cocked to the side and if it could look pensive, that’s what Tiarnán would call it.
A forked tongue flickered out, testing the air for something only it knew.
“She is mine.”
That was it.
They were gone.
* * * *
Calida reclined in her seat. There’d been one small roomette left so she lay on the made bed. The train was soothing, with its hypnotic sound and motion. Her curtains were open, allowing the light to spill in. She sat there, staring at the blur. She’d cried before and now she tried to determine her next steps.
What am I supposed to do now? Start over somewhere new?
It wasn’t a sudden shocking awareness—no, it happened much more subtly than that. Time had held no consequence to her and it took a moment for her to realize evening had fallen. But that wasn’t all. Another sensation washed over her in a slow pulsing movement. Calida averted her gaze from the window, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. Sitting above her feet, without actually touching her, was Cheza.
Maybe this is all a dream.
“Are you here to kill me?”
The eyes watching her went from cold reptilian to a burnished gold. She tapped one long fingernail, the color of dark blood, against her pale cheek. “I’m still deciding.”
Chapter Fifteen
Tiarnán bolted awake. He jerked up, weapons at the ready, and scanned the area, even as his sign camouflaged him with his surroundings—the back part of the massive vineyard estate.
“Dracen?” He sent the call as he pushed to his feet, weapons vanishing as he brushed off the leaves, twigs and dirt stuck to him.
No response from her. He spied the sun as it rose over the horizon. He stared down at his jean-clad body. No shoes or shirt. Cracking his neck, he began back to the house in a slow jog.
“Anyone hear from Dracen?” He had to get to Lian and ask him about the dream. This wasn’t a confrontation he wanted to engage in in their minds, but rather face to face.
“Did you have a good night, Tiarnán? None of us have heard from Dracen.” Cale’s tone held an equal mix of concern and humor. “Taylor was upset that Calida never came to find her yesterday afternoon. When you’re done with her, do you think you could allow her to play with the other kids?”
”What are you talking about, Cale?” He stopped before breaking into a run.
“I’m talking about you taking Calida somewhere yesterday. We never saw you and she hasn’t been seen since the morning.”
It hit him. He’d been out there all day and night. Calida. Damn it to fucking hell. The previous sequences hit him like a train he couldn’t stop. “She’s not with me, Cale.”
“Oh, all right then.” The man was gone.
Tiarnán turned on the speed and made it back to her room in record time. Pushing past the door he said, “Calida?”
She wasn’t there. Everything looked as it had before. The bed made, nothing on the floor, the items he’d gotten her on the top of the dresser. He strode to the bathroom and all her items were there.
Where is she? He took advantage of being there and showered. Once he finished and dried off, he pulled some clothing from her drawers that he kept in her room. He saw the shirt he’d worn last night after he’d finished the cemetery confrontation. It lay folded neatly on the edge of the bed.
“Tiarnán.”
He shoved into his cowboy boots. “What, Edmond?”
“You need to come down here.”
“I’ll be there after I see Lian.”
“As soon as you can.”
Calida would have to wait for a moment. He would find her apologize for last night and everything would be fine. Jogging to Lian’s office, Tiarnán knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
He pushed into the room. “Do you have a moment?”
“Of course.”
Lian appeared weaker still. He was no longer confined to bed but that was because he refused to stay put. It wasn’t like they could keep him there. Although, sicking Mal on him had been an option they’d tossed around.
Taking a seat, he stared at his mentor. For the first time, he could see silver in more than just at his temples. “Have you heard from Dracen?”
“No. You are concerned for her, why?”
“I had a dream of her being stabbed from behind. Then one where she had been defeated and some large thing was over her, had her in his talons. Said she was his.”
“This dream was real?”
“Felt like it.”
“And this creature, was it one of Them?”
He shrugged. “If it was, it’s one I’ve never met before. I don’t know, Lian. Something isn’t right. I can feel it but I don’t know what it is. If this is true and she is need of us, we have to find where she is.”
“Talons, you say?”
It took him a moment to backtrack to what Lian spoke about. “Yes. Three spikes on its tail as well. Those, along with its eyes, could change color. And did.”
“What color?”
“Fire. Ruby red. And opalescent.” He leaned forward. “Why?”
Lian rose and walked toward the room that held his ancient documents. “Go see Edmond.”
The tone was dismissive. Tiarnán bit back his growl and left. No matter how much he wanted to push, there were things one didn’t do to Lian Yang.
In a matter of moments he had walked into the computer room and located Edmond in his typical spot, typing away at the keyboard. “You know, you should see some sun on occasion,” he commented.
“I was out earlier,” Edmond replied without slowing.
Plopping in a chair beside him, he stared at the screen. None of it made any sense to him. “What did you need?”
The man paused in his typing and glanced at him, a furrow in his brow. “You don’t feel it?”
“Feel what?”
He pointed toward the case the artifacts were in. Rising, Tiarnán made his way to it. The disc had changed. Calida! He ran from the room, calling her cell phone. No answer.
In the kitchen, he saw Taylor and Mal cleaning up. “Have you seen Calida?” he asked.
“No,” they said together.
He was gone before they could speak again. Billy, Aminta, Roz and Dex all gave negative responses as well. Recalling what Cale said about Altair taking her to town, he went to locate the man. He headed out to where Altair worked on the house he was building for him and Roz, and Tiarnán slowed as he neared it.
The man was on the second floor making some measurements when he found him.
“Have you seen Calida?”
“Not since yesterday when I took her
to town.” Altair continued his work, not even turning around.
“Not since yesterday,” he repeated. “You took her to town. You didn’t see her on the ride back?”
“Why would I? I said I took her to town. I did not say we returned together.”
Anger surged. “You left her there?” The air vibrated with tension.
Unhurried, Altair put back his pencil and faced him. His features were devoid of expression. Tiarnán could see he’d make an exceptional assassin.
“Calida is a free woman. I am not her keeper.”
She’s mine! He flexed his fingers like they were actual claws. Altair went from carpenter to warrior in a blink. The air between them crackled with deadly promise.
“What aren’t you telling me?” He forced the words past tight pressed lips.
“I am answering your questions. If you seek different ones, perhaps your questions should change.”
“Did she have suitcases?”
“No. She had the bag she always carries with her.”
Those words weren’t as comforting as he’d hoped.
“Did she ask you for a ride home?”
“No.” Altair unhooked his carpentry belt and placed it on the table.
“Why not?” Would Roz forgive me if I punched him?
“Because of where I left her.”
Christ, he was sick of this dance. “No more games,” he warned. Closing the distance between them, he strained to remain in control. “Where’s my mate?” Possessiveness hounded his heels like a pack of wolves running down prey. He wasn’t sure why he felt such. For all he knew, he was furious solely due to the fact her location was an unknown. Even more so was the issue of this man having interacted with her last.
“I do not play games.” Altair’s eyes narrowed. “Unless you plan on killing me, do not touch me.” His tone was devoid of all emotion. “For once you do, that is the only way you will be able to stop me from doing it to you.”
“Where. Did. You. Drop. Her?”
“Bus station.”
Altair walked away, giving him his back. Before he ducked through the door, he stopped and gazed at him once more. This time, Tiarnán swore there was disappointment in his eyes. He waited for Altair to speak but he didn’t. Just turned again and disappeared.