Warrior Unraveled

by Tina Folsom

  Everybody looked at him.

  “Go ahead,” Cinead said.

  “If the demons are smart, and we must assume that they are, or that at least their leader is, they’ll keep records of confirmed Stealth Guardian sightings. It’s what I would do: try to isolate a pattern of appearances so I could anticipate where you’ll turn up next. It would be easy to review those reports and cross reference them with contacts in your phones.”

  “I helped Deirdre settle in Portland a couple of weeks ago. I wasn’t always invisible,” Cinead admitted.

  Samson nodded. “If somebody saw you, they could have easily figured out Deirdre’s name and yours too. They could have overheard a conversation. Anything. And when they managed to get your cell phone during the attack on the compound, all they had to do was find that name and send Deirdre a message in the hopes that she would come to you. Then all they had to do was follow her to get to you.”

  Virginia nodded to herself. It all made sense. But it was also disheartening. It meant that no matter how careful they were, there was always a chance that the demons would find them.

  “I think you’re right, Samson,” Cinead said. “It was my fault.”

  “No,” Virginia protested. “It was nobody’s fault. It’s just the nature of the game. The demons can spot us by our aura, but we can’t spot them unless they reveal their eyes—”

  “—which brings us to what Scanguards can offer you,” Wesley cut in. “While this threat may be over, it won’t be the last one. Zoltan won’t give up. But next time, you’ll be better prepared. With Scanguards by your side.”

  Barclay and Cinead exchanged a look. Then Barclay said, “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to discuss a possible collaboration.”

  Samson motioned to the large conference table. “Shall we take our seats at the table, gentlemen?”

  When both Cinead and Barclay nodded, Virginia looked at Wesley and smiled. He took her hand and stepped closer.

  “We’re going to make a great team,” he whispered to her.

  “A perfect team.”

  Because they complemented each other perfectly.

  38

  The negotiations between the vampires and the Stealth Guardians were going well, when a knock sounded at the door.

  Wesley turned his head as the door was ripped open.

  Maya charged in. “We have a problem,” she announced. “Deirdre won’t drink human blood.”

  “Shit,” Wesley cursed and looked at Cinead, whose expression was one of panic.

  Cinead jumped up. “How long can she survive without it?”

  “A few days, but we can’t let it come to that. We need to do something,” Maya replied.

  Wes was already on his feet. “Cinead, come with me.” He motioned to Maya. “Where is she?”

  “We had to lock her in one of the holding cells. She’s turning violent.”

  “Oh God, no!” Cinead choked out.

  As they dashed to the door, Virginia called out, “I’m coming with you.”

  Wesley looked over his shoulder. “No, babe, it’s too dangerous. As a newly turned vampire she can’t control herself. She’s liable to attack you, and I can’t risk that.” To protect Virginia, he would kill anybody—even the woman who’d saved her life. “Please stay here.”

  He didn’t wait for her reply. Instead he followed Maya and Cinead.

  “Is anybody with her?” he asked Maya while they rushed to the elevator.

  “John is trying to keep her calm.”

  The elevator doors opened, and they got in. Maya pressed the button for sublevel three, where the interrogation room and the cells were located.

  “Is it normal for a new vampire to refuse blood?” Cinead asked, looking at Maya, his concern for his half-sister evident.

  Maya sighed. “There’ve been cases, where the vampire refused the blood offered. I’m one of those cases.”

  “But you’re alive,” Cinead said.

  “Because I drank another vampire’s blood. I craved his, because there was something in his blood that I needed.”

  “What if that’s the case with Deirdre?”

  Maya shook her head. “I don’t think so. In mine and Gabriel’s case it was because we were never fully human before we were turned. We have the genes of another species in us.”

  “But couldn’t that apply to Deirdre too? I mean, she was Stealth Guardian for centuries.”

  “But she was fully human when John turned her. There’s no doubt about it. I don’t think it’s something physical that’s preventing her from drinking human blood.”

  “Then what is it?” Cinead asked, his voice more agitated now.

  “She’s rejecting her new nature. I think the very thought of what she’s become repels her.”

  Hearing Maya’s explanation, Wesley stared at Cinead. “Your race hates vampires, don’t they? Does Deirdre?”

  The elevator doors opened and there was a brief break in the conversation, while they stepped into the corridor.

  Cinead hesitated and looked at Maya. “It’s nothing personal, you must understand that. You and your colleagues have shown us nothing but kindness, and provided us with more help than we could have ever hoped for. But for so long we believed that all vampires were violent and evil. We didn’t quite toss them into the same bucket as demons, but we never held them in high regard or believed we could even live peacefully side by side.” He sighed. “Deirdre had some particularly bad experiences with them. She hates them with a passion.”

  “She hates herself now,” Wesley murmured.

  Cinead met his gaze. “I believe so.”

  “Do you still love your sister, even knowing what she’s become?”

  “How could I not? She is my flesh and blood, and what happened to her is my fault, not hers.”

  “Then you have to convince her that she’s still deserving of love,” Wes said firmly. “Or she will starve herself to death.”

  In front of the cell, they stopped. Maya pressed the intercom next to the cell door and said, “John? It’s Maya. I’m with Wes and Cinead. We’re coming in.”

  The intercom crackled, then John’s voice could be heard. “Okay. I’m restraining her.” There was a high-pitched scream, then the intercom went silent.

  “Stay close to us,” Maya warned Cinead, then unlocked the door.

  The room was larger than the lead cell Wesley had been in, but not any more welcoming. It was generally only used for hostile and dangerous vampires, and in this case Deirdre was considered a danger—to herself.

  John was trying to keep Deirdre from lunging toward her visitors, holding her from behind, one hand restraining her arms behind her back, the other arm slung like a vise around her torso. She was fighting against his grip, and by the looks of it she’d managed to inflict some wounds: there were cuts on John’s face, and also on his exposed forearm. Blood had dried over the wounds, which had most likely been caused by Deirdre’s claws.

  Even now, her fingers curved into sharp barbs and her fangs were fully extended. Her eyes glowed red with rage, and she growled like a caged beast.

  But John was well fed and stronger, whereas Deirdre had to be feeling the pangs of hunger by now, which weakened her.

  “Deirdre, oh my God,” Cinead choked out and stretched his arms toward her as if wanting to embrace her, but Deirdre hissed at him, and he jerked backward.

  “It’s me, Deirdre, it’s Cinead, your brother,” he tried again.

  She shook her head violently left and right, sending her hair flying.

  Undeterred, Cinead took a few steps toward her. Deirdre suddenly stopped moving and stared at Cinead.

  Her eyes changed. The red glare dissipated. “Cinead?” She took a breath. “Help me. They’ve locked me up. They’re trying to hurt me.”

  “They’re here to help you. You’re not well right now.”

  Deirdre glanced at Wesley and Maya, then looked back at Cinead. “Don’t trust them. They’re vampires. They want to hurt us. Save y
ourself.”

  Cinead continued to approach until he was only a couple of feet away from her. “Listen to me, Deirdre. Everything will be fine.” He reached out and swept a few strands of her hair behind her ear. “It’s a big change. But you’re alive. You sacrificed so much for me, for us. You saved Virginia’s life.”

  Wesley noticed tears rim Deirdre’s eyes, red tears.

  “I love you even more now. You’ve proven that redemption is truly possible. You’ve redeemed yourself in all our eyes. The entire council will hear of it. And I know they’ll praise you.”

  A red tear dislodged from one eye and ran down her cheek. “Cinead,” she whimpered. “But look at me. Look at this.”

  Cinead gently stroked his hand over Deirdre’s head. “You’re strong, my little sister. You can do this. You can be this.” Cinead’s voice was thick with emotion. “These people are our friends. They’ve promised to protect you now. To help you accept this. And I’ll be here for as long as you need me. I’m still your brother, no matter what form you’ve taken. Because I know that inside this new body of yours, your heart is still the same.”

  Tears were now rolling down Cinead’s face, but he didn’t seem to notice, or didn’t seem to care.

  “Please don’t leave me, Deirdre. Please don’t give up.” He motioned to John. “John is going to release you now.”

  John hesitated and looked at Wesley.

  Wesley nodded. “Do it.”

  Slowly, John released his grip on Deirdre. At first she didn’t move. Everybody in the room held their breath.

  All of a sudden, there was a movement so fast Wesley couldn’t even follow it. When he blinked, Deirdre was embracing her half-brother, sobbing at his chest, and Cinead was holding her and stroking his hand over her back as if she were a little child.

  “I’m so hungry,” she murmured.

  “We’ll get you some nourishment, won’t we?” Cinead said with a look at John.

  John turned to the table where several bottles of blood stood, picked up a bottle and unscrewed the top.

  The scent of the blood seemed to reach Deirdre, because she suddenly released her brother and turned to look at John.

  “It’s all for you. As much as you like,” John offered and held the bottle out to her.

  Her movements hesitant, she reached for it and took it. As if she was ashamed of her need, she dropped her lids and turned away.

  Seconds later she lifted the bottle to her lips and drank.

  Cinead let out a relieved breath.

  “Everything will turn out alright, little sister. You’ll see.”

  Deirdre had accepted her second chance at life. And Wesley knew that his friends at Scanguards would make sure she was safe. Not only because she was a vampire now, and one of them, or because she had saved Virginia’s life, but also because as a former council member, Deirdre knew too much. That knowledge could never fall into the demons’ hands.

  39

  It took over a week for Scanguards and the Stealth Guardians to hammer out the details of their alliance and secure the approval of the principals on both sides. But finally, each side was happy and ready to work together. Virginia and Wesley were chosen as the respective liaisons for their parties, something Virginia couldn’t be happier about. It meant that despite the fact that she’d broken about a million rules when she’d trusted Wesley, the council wasn’t going to punish her. On the contrary. They had granted their permission to continue the relationship. Privately, however, the council had urged her to make the union official. But just how did a woman approach the man she loved and ask him to marry her? Wasn’t that the man’s prerogative?

  “Penny for your thoughts.”

  Virginia snapped her head to the bathroom door, where Wesley was leaning against the frame with only a short towel covering his groin. Her breath instantly hitched, and her heartbeat accelerated. She’d thought that after more than ten days of seeing him like this, she’d be used to it, and her reaction would be less explosive. But that sculpted chest, those strong abdominal muscles, and those muscled thighs dusted with dark hair sent a wave of fire through her body every time.

  Under her negligee, her nipples pebbled, and farther south, the flesh between her thighs began to tingle in anticipation. Every day since coming to San Francisco, they’d made love until nearly midday, then slept until sunset, before returning to Scanguards. For that whole time, she’d refrained from making love to Wesley the Stealth Guardian way, because they had to take part in the negotiations and needed to be rested, but now that all of it was done, there were no more excuses. This weekend, there would be no work. And apart from a family gettogether, she and Wesley would be alone.

  “A penny isn’t nearly enough,” she said and pulled the duvet back. “I’d rather make a trade.”

  Wesley smirked and loosened the towel around his waist, then tossed it back into the bathroom. “Now you’re talking, babe.”

  He walked toward her without hurry. His cock hung heavy between his legs, already filling with blood and getting harder before her eyes. She loved the way he got aroused so quickly. But what she loved even more was the way Wesley looked at her: with love and passion. And that look hadn’t faltered once, but seemed to grow more intense every day.

  The mattress depressed next to her as Wesley slid beneath the covers to join her. His eager hands were already touching her, shoving her white negligee over her head to free her from it.

  “I don’t know why you even bother wearing this, when you know I’m going to undress you anyway.”

  She chuckled. “Maybe I like the way you undress me.”

  “Point taken.” Then he pulled her closer and locked eyes with her. “Anything else you like?”

  “Yes, I’d like you to be mine forever.”

  The words were out before she knew she’d said them. She sucked in a breath.

  There was a flicker in Wesley’s baby-blue eyes. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  Cautiously, she asked, “What do you think I’m saying?”

  “Forever is a long time for an immortal. So you think you’d like to have me around for that long?” He pulled her pelvis to him and pressed his erection to her stomach. “Knowing what I’m like? How insatiable I am?”

  “I like insatiable.”

  He rolled over her, shoving her thighs apart to make space for himself, while he took her wrists and pinned her arms to either side of her head. “I hope you know what you’re getting into.” He plunged his cock into her pussy with one perfect thrust.

  Virginia let out a moan and tilted her pelvis toward Wesley’s groin, welcoming the invasion.

  “I’m not the mild-mannered witch everybody thinks I am.”

  “I know who you are. I’ve seen what’s inside you. And I love every part of you.”

  He withdrew his cock then thrust again. “How about this part?”

  “What are you trying to do, torture me?”

  He brought his lips to hover over hers. “Just a little. Just to make sure you mean it.” He kissed her passionately, then severed his lips from hers. “Now please tell me your race has a bonding ritual that involves sex. Because I’m afraid the witches don’t.”

  She smiled up at him. “You’re in luck.”

  “Perfect,” he murmured.

  “I need to explain a few things.”

  He put his finger over her lips, stopping her. “Surprise me.”

  “It could be dangerous,” she warned him.

  “We’ve been through a lot of danger together. I think we can survive a bonding ritual, don’t you?”

  “As long as our love is true.”

  “It is.”

  Then they had nothing to fear.

  Virginia pulled his head to her and kissed him. Wesley responded to her, sliding his tongue against hers, exploring her like she explored him, caressing her. Farther below, his hips moved back and forth, his cock sliding in and out of her in a steady rhythm.

  Using her powers, s
he spun a cocoon around them. Fog and mist engulfed them, shielding them from the world and the dangers outside their four walls. They were invisible to everybody now, as if they didn’t exist. Because at this moment, they only existed for each other.

  Virginia felt her life force bubble to the surface, and knew she couldn’t hold it back any longer. She allowed her virta to flow outward and seep into Wesley’s body at each point where they were connected.

  They were floating now. Not on air, but on their love, a love that was stronger than any power known to mankind. It alone held them up and supported them, kept them safe.

  She took her lips off Wesley’s and stared into his eyes. Love and adoration reflected back at her.

  “Are you ready?” she murmured.

  “I’ve been ready from the moment I met you.”

  She took his hand and placed it on her heart. “Do you feel the virta inside you?”

  “It’s like fire.”

  “Send it back to me. Let it flow into my heart.”

  “I love you, Virginia,” he whispered, when suddenly a visible glow traveled through him. It reached his shoulder, then slithered down his arm toward his wrist.

  Virginia held her breath.

  Wesley’s fingers turned golden, and from its tips, golden tendrils flowed outward and fused with her skin. A bolt of electricity shot through her and pierced her heart. A wave of passion washed over it, soothing the pain away. What it left behind was a bond so powerful that only death could break it.

  Virginia put her hand over Wesley’s heart. It beat into her palm. And it beat for her. There would never again be any doubt about it.

  “You’re mine now,” Virginia murmured.

  A soft smile spread over Wesley’s face and he stroked his knuckles over her cheek. “I was already yours a long time ago, babe. It just took me a while to find you.”

  Tears swam in her eyes, the happiness in her heart too much to contain. “Oh, Wes…”

  “Now let your witch husband show you what he meant by insatiable.”

  His lips descended on hers and took her to a place where only love and passion existed. Where only the two of them existed. Where they were one.