“I just thought that you and Cosima might...”
“You thought that by parading her in front of me I might transfer my affections from you to her?” It was the first time he had openly admitted feeling something for Monique and she didn’t know where to look. “Sadly, it’s not that simple, although I do accept that my feelings are unrequited. You should have left well enough alone, but instead, you embarrassed both Cosima and me.”
“I’m sorry.” Monique hung her head.
“As I said,” he softened slightly, “please don’t do it again.”
She fled then, too embarrassed to go back inside the house. The other Guardians had more important things to worry about and Jonas would only say “I told you so”. In frustration, Monique kicked out at a stone, sending it hurtling through the air. Following its trajectory, she gave a shriek of warning. Channon, who was also out for a walk, ducked just in time as the stone hurtled toward her forehead.
“Having a bad day?”Channon asked, with a completely straight face. Monique had clapped her hands to her mouth in horror and it took a few seconds before she recovered enough to drop them.
“I’m sorry,” she gulped, eventually.
“Don’t worry about it,” Channon eased, “no harm done. So, bad day?”
“Kind of.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Um...” Faced with the prospect of venting, Monique was suddenly cringing at how trivial her problems sounded. “Not really,” she decided lamely.
“You sure?” Channon gave her an arch look and Monique nodded.
“Sure.”
“Okay, well I’m heading up to the house. You coming?”
“No,” Monique shook her head. “I’m going to walk for a bit.”
She spent the rest of the afternoon walking alone throughout the property. It was so vast, and so surrounded by vacant land that, at some points, she wasn’t sure where Lenora’s property ended and common ground began. She was mortified that her good intentions had gone so horribly wrong, and worse, had forced Velkan to admit his feelings for her, which would no doubt result in their relationship becoming a lot more awkward.
She was so deep in thought that she barely noticed night falling, but suddenly she got the unpleasant sensation that overwhelmed her whenever a vampire was nearby. Glancing around, expecting to find Lenora, or one of the vampires who served her alongside the human staff, she was shocked to see an unfamiliar vampire crossing the front lawn. His hair was cropped close to his skull, and the dark hue of his skin was obvious, even in the gloomy night. She wondered how he had gotten past the scouts. Watching as he stole up the steps onto the porch and snuck in through the front door, Monique immediately hastened around the back of the house and in through the kitchen entrance.
Chapter 20
Lenora had also witnessed Nicholai approaching, through the front window, and she moved to intercept him before he discovered any of the Guardians residing inside the house. The perimeter guards were well-accustomed to Nicholai and would not have thought to warn her of his approach. Ushering him into the small sitting-room off the hall, she rounded on him furiously.
“What are you doing here?” Lenora snapped. “I told you we were done.” She had sent Nicholai away shortly after Drake’s first visit. He had thrown a fit that she had treated Drake with more respect than she had ever shown him, and Lenora had grown weary of his constant need for approval.
Nicholai’s obsession with her, on the other hand, had only been fuelled by Lenora’s dismissal. Lenora was a very old, very powerful vampire, not to mention incredibly beautiful, and Nicholai had enjoyed the luxurious lifestyle being with her had afforded him. Convinced that she only needed time to cool off, he had obeyed her instruction, giving her some space before returning, intending to pick up where they left off. To his surprise, he had found more than he bargained for.
“Are you aware that there is a dragon on your front lawn?” he asked politely, picking up an antique vase and pretending to examine it.
“Are you aware that you are trespassing?”
Nicholai smiled smugly. “I have only returned home, my love.”
“This is my home,” she reminded him, haughtily. “And we both know the only love you have for me is a desire to share my wealth and power, neither of which I am prepared to share. So I would suggest you leave, immediately.”
“Where shall I go? To the council perhaps? I am sure they would reward me handsomely if I were to deliver the beast’s whereabouts. After all, there hasn’t been a dragon outside of the City for over a thousand years.” Nicholai was obviously unaware that Summerfeld had been destroyed.
“The dragon is mine,” Lenora warned.
“And the unicorns in the stables? I can smell them from here,” he drew in a deep breath through his nose. “Are those yours, too?”
“Actually, they’re mine,” a deep voice interrupted, and they turned to find Isaiah and Daniel standing in the doorway. At the sound of Isaiah’s voice, Lenora felt both safe, and fearful. It was the first time, since leaving the City, that their safe haven had been compromised. Nicholai would not sense the Guardians but she had hoped to avoid a confrontation.
A second later, Monique skidded to a halt beside them, too late to warn them, her eyes wide. She fixed her gaze on Nicholai, who set down the vase. A predatory smile curved his lips upward.
“Get her out of here,” Isaiah murmured, sensing trouble. “I can handle this.” Nodding, Daniel ushered Monique away.
“I’m sorry, I tried to warn you...” Lenora heard the girl apologising as they walked off.
“And who are you?” Nicholai sneered dismissively, gazing at Isaiah with disdain. Lenora almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Isaiah looked harmless enough in the clothes she had loaned him, but he was, after all the Slayer.
“He is my guest,” Lenora interrupted coldly. “Unlike you,” she added pointedly.
“Guest? A human guest? My my, we have stooped to a new level. The servants, I can understand, but entertaining humans, Lenora? It seems I need to reconsider my high esteem of you.”
Before she could answer, Isaiah spoke. “The lady asked you to leave.” His voice was barely more than a whisper, but his feelings for Lenora were impossible to hide. Furious, Nicholai made his move toward Isaiah, but, at the last second, Lenora stepped between them, catching the brunt of his brutal blow. She was knocked aside, hitting the door frame beside Isaiah.
The sight of the blood on her swollen lip was too much for Isaiah, who grabbed the unsuspecting Nicholai by the throat at the same time he pulled the stake from his waistband. Nicholai saw only a flash of silver, before Isaiah thrust the stake through his heart with such force that it blossomed in a splash of red out of the other side.
Dropping the greying figure, Isaiah was at Lenora’s side in an instant. Helping her to her feet, he pushed aside her dark hair to assess the damage. The infinite tenderness in his eyes was worth the tiny hurt, she thought wryly.
“I’m sorry about the carpet,” he murmured, smiling down at her, and Lenora couldn’t suppress a grin.
“I knew you’d man up eventually,” she replied. Their faces were only inches apart. Isaiah had long memorised every line of her face, the dark, seaweed green of her eyes, and the full curve of her lower lip. She hadn’t changed a bit in five hundred years. Except for her hair. Shorter than he remembered, it made her seem harder.
“I preferred it long,” he murmured, lifting a strand off her face.
“Everything okay in here?” Daniel’s voice broke the spell, and Lenora steeled herself for the distance that Isaiah would put between them in the presence of another. To her surprise, he didn’t release her. Meeting Daniel’s gaze over her head, he nodded.
“It’s been handled.”
Casting an amused glance at the pile of ash on the expensive carpet, Daniel nodded.
“I can see that.” He lifted his gaze to them once more, and Lenora watched the conflicting emotions cross his face. He w
asn’t particularly happy to find them in such a compromising position. She waited for him to speak his mind, but instead, he bid them a curt “Goodnight” before turning on his heel. They were alone, again, but the hollow echoing of Daniel’s steps as he walked away seemed to rouse Isaiah, and he slowly released her, drawing himself up to his full height. Daniel didn’t have to say anything, she thought bitterly, the disappointed look on his face had been enough. Furious, she willed herself to be quiet, but, as Isaiah stepped away her indignation won out.
“So, that’s it?” she snapped, her cheeks flaming. He turned slowly, his face a careful mask, revealing nothing. “One minute you’re the gallant knight coming to my defence, and the next you’re a sheep, blindly following everyone else’s lead.”
“It’s not like that.”
“It’s exactly like that! I thought you were different... that you were better than the others.”
“What others?” he seemed to sense that this was about more than just the Guardians.
“All of them,” she confirmed. “Aleksei. Eldon. The vampires who blindly follow the Quest. The Guardians who hate every one of my kind regardless of whether or not it’s justified. Pick one; it doesn’t matter which. They’re all just as foolish as the next.” Her chest heaved, the emotional toll of her disappointment, and they simply stared at each other for a few moments, neither speaking a word. Then, to Lenora’s astonishment, Isaiah began to laugh. It started out as a chuckle, but soon grew to a hearty, deep-in-the-chest laugh, which shook his shoulders.
“What’s so funny?” Lenora asked, as he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes.
“You,” he admitted finally, taking a deep breath and sobering himself. A soft smile replaced the laughter on his lips and he stepped toward her. “You’re right. I’m an idiot. We all are.” Lenora shivered as his hand cupped her cheek. His eyes were still sparkling with humour, but beneath that she saw something deeper, something he had hidden from her since the day in the woods, and her heart skipped a beat as she recognised it for what it was.
“So you’re agreeing with me now?” she challenged.
“I am.”
“I’m not sure how I feel about that,” she morphed her features into an expression of feigned perplexity. “Without our arguing, where would the fun in this relationship be?” Isaiah didn’t reply. Instead, he showed her, with a kiss.
“Daniel wouldn’t be happy,” she breathed, when their lips parted. Her eyes were closed, her senses dulled, and she was grateful for the quiet strength of Isaiah’s arms around her waist. She was certain they were the only thing holding her up.
“Everything has changed,” Isaiah whispered, his own heart beating contentedly in his chest. “Daniel knows that. Deep down, we all know that. I do think, however, that we shouldn’t exactly rub everyone’s noses in it. Not just yet, anyway.”
Lenora sighed. She understood. The Guardians were in a precarious situation. They needed to be strong; united, if they stood any chance at surviving. Isaiah was telling her that he loved her, that he wanted to be with her, but he couldn’t commit to a relationship right now, not when what was at stake was so much bigger than the both of them. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted, but it was enough. For now.
Chapter 21
Quinn’s stomach was churning as they pulled into a motel. She had resigned herself to the fact that she would spend another night with Drake. They had made good time and should get back to Lenora’s by lunch the next day, if they left early enough. The thought of dealing with the fall-out of Daniel’s rage and the confrontation between him and Drake was not something she was looking forward to.
“I’ll get my own room,” Austin announced when he realised that Drake would be bunking with them.
“We should all stay together,” Quinn insisted.
“I spent four years with the Marines, I can take care of myself.”
“Is that where you got that?” she gestured at his tattoo.
“No,” he shook his head. “I got it after.”
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” she probed.
“Only one, for now. Why me?”
“Your ancestor – Blair Lindberg – she was killed a few days ago. You were chosen as her replacement.”
“What happened to her?”
Quinn cast a discreet glance across the lot where Drake was standing. She knew he could hear her. She doubted she could keep his role in Blair’s death a secret for long, but this wasn’t the time or the place to get into it with Austin.
“The vampires discovered the City’s location. Blair was killed in the battle that followed.” Austin nodded curtly, as though the conversation was over. “Before you go,” Quinn stopped him as he started toward the room next to hers, “you may have served in the Marines, but vampires aren’t as easy to kill as people. You’ll need this.” She pressed a stake into his hand. “Drake will know if any vampires come near us even before we do, so the chances are you won’t have to use it.”
Austin gazed at the stake which was in pristine condition despite being centuries old, taking in the ornate markings along the side. Quinn was astounded by his self-control. She had already been exposed to the Guardians way of life when she was branded, but Austin knew almost nothing. She wondered if it was simply because of his military background that he was so accepting of what had happened and could wait for a full explanation.
“Thanks.” Casting one more curious look at Drake, Austin shouldered his bag and disappeared into his room.
It took Quinn a long time to fall asleep. She was acutely aware of Drake in the next bed, so close that if she reached out her arm she could touch him. No doubt everyone back home, at Lenora’s, would know that they had shared a room by tomorrow, and she wasn’t sure how she would explain it. It angered her that she even felt the need to explain it. Risking a quick glance over, she saw that Drake was sleeping, or at least he appeared to be. His left hand was hanging over the side of his bed as if reaching toward her in his sleep. He had really nice hands, she noticed, strong hands, with long, lean fingers and nails that were short and neat. She knew so little about him, other than that he was stronger and more powerful than any vampire she had ever encountered. She also knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would protect her with his life. Quinn rolled onto her back, letting her own hand fall into the space between them. She finally fell asleep to the sound of his breathing, their hands only inches apart.
When she woke in the morning, Drake was leaning on the edge of the dresser, watching her intently.
“Morning,” she murmured, sitting up and swinging her bare legs off the bed. Her nightshirt had gotten hitched up in her pants during the night and she quickly pulled it down, covering a broad expanse of naked thigh.
“What happened to letting me get ready in private?” she mused, yawning as she headed for the bathroom. He didn’t answer, but his eyes never left her legs. Unnerved, Quinn shut the door behind her.
When she emerged, her wet hair slicked back off her face, he was still in the same position. She wished she knew what was going through that complicated head of his. Slipping her stake into her boot, she realised her bag lay at his feet. She was almost certain she had left it on her bed. Determined not to show how disconcerted she felt, she went to retrieve it, but as she straightened up she found herself close to him. Too close. His eyes met hers and held her gaze, and Quinn found herself holding her breath. She felt heady, as though her ears were stuffed with cotton wool, and her limbs had turned to jelly.
Drake deliberately pushed away from the dresser, standing upright, and the movement brought his body even closer to hers. They stood face to face, so close that she could feel the warmth of his body even though they weren’t touching. Every nerve ending in her body screamed to close the infinitesimal space between them.
“What’s happening?” she whispered, a shiver running through her.
“I have no idea,” his voice was hoarse, but he made no move to step away.
His f
ace loomed before her, his eyes dominating her vision, and Quinn knew that when he touched her she would lose herself. She had no idea of the inner battle he fought, trying desperately not to act on his desire, to leave her while he still could, but the temptation was too great. Slowly, inch by precious inch, he lowered his dark head. Quinn’s lips parted, her eyes closing and a surge of triumph coursed through him. In the instant that his lips brushed hers, a jolt of energy passed between them, at the same moment that the door burst open.
They leapt apart, Quinn’s cry a blend of surprise and dismay. Drake clenched his hands into fists as he watched her struggling to get a hold on her emotions. Austin stood in the doorway, watching them both.
“You said six,” Austin grunted. “I was worried something might have happened.” The look he gave Drake made it clear exactly where his concern lay.
“I’m fine,” Quinn assured him, trying to gather her wits about her. “We were just on our way out.” She deliberately fixed her gaze at a point near her feet, but if she had looked up, she would have seen just how much it pained Drake that she would not meet his eyes.
The drive back to Lenora’s was the most awkward journey of Quinn’s life. As soon as they were in the car, Austin’s bike roaring to life behind them, Drake brought up the subject of what had happened. Fortunately, Quinn was prepared.
“Are we going to discuss what just happened in there?”
“No,” she answered so quickly that his head jerked in her direction.
“No? Are you honestly going to pretend that I’m the only one who felt that?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She skirted the question. To deny it would be an outright lie.
“Of course you don’t,” he sighed wearily. “Because any time we get even close to penetrating that indestructible Guardian armour of yours, you put your tail between your legs and run for the hills.”
Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4 Page 67