Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4

by Melissa Delport

  “Okay,” Quinn finally relented, when the sun had dipped below the skyline and darkness had enveloped them. “Bring him down out of sight of the house,” she cautioned, “we don’t need any of Charlotte’s people spotting us.” Monique did as she was told, guiding the Orochian in a slow descent and setting them down in a cornfield. The dragon’s weight had flattened the plants beneath him, but all around them they stood higher than their heads. It wasn’t going to be the most comfortable place to disembark but at least they were concealed.

  Quinn slid off the dragon’s back, taking a few minutes to stabilise her legs which had turned to jelly after being in the air for so long, and she wobbled around for a few minutes, crashing through corn plants. Her thighs were cramping and she could barely feel her nose. Liam looked as stern and unaffected as ever now that he was safely back on the ground, the night disguising all traces of the sickly green tinge.

  Monique, whose red hair had been whipped into one massive knot around her head, was stroking the Orochian’s head, murmuring words of encouragement into his ears.

  “What a good boy,” she crooned, sliding her hand up and down the scaly skin between his eyes. The dragon snorted, bumping her in affection and almost knocking her to the ground in the process.

  “You stay with him while we scope out the house,” Quinn instructed Monique. “Do you think you can keep him down here?”

  “He’s tired but he’s probably also starving,” Monique shrugged, in a non-committal way.

  “Okay, well if he needs to, get him out of here and let him find something to eat. Nowhere close by,” Quinn cautioned. “We’ll be back in a few hours.” Monique nodded gratefully, easing her body down to the ground and leaning back against the dragon’s chest, as though it was a fluffy pillow.

  Quinn and Liam turned and pummelled their way through the corn. It was slow going and they were soon covered in scratches. After only a few minutes they heard a low whine and then a gust of wind blew past them as the Orochian soared skyward once more.

  “Well that didn’t take very long,” Liam remarked, as they turned to watch it leave.

  “She knows what she’s doing,” Quinn muttered, turning her attention back to the corn plants.

  “It’s like this stuff doesn’t want us getting through it,” Liam grumbled, swatting aside a particularly stubborn, leafy stalk.

  When they finally broke free of the field, Quinn issued a sigh of relief.

  “We’re not going back in there,” she vowed. “We’ll stick to the edge or find somewhere else to hide, but I am not doing that again.”

  “You’ve got my vote,” Liam agreed, glaring at the corn as though it was a living, breathing thing.

  “Come on,” Quinn grinned, pulling him away. “We need to get closer to the house.”

  Finally they reached a spot near enough to Charlotte’s house that they could see the comings and goings of the people within. Taking cover behind a small hedge, Quinn and Liam settled down to watch.

  Chapter 11

  The weary convoy pulled into the drive of the Lindberg farm just after lunch the following day. They had made good time, taking turns at driving and stopping only twice for gas. The gypsies were faring better than anyone else, which was hardly surprising. Their nomadic existence had equipped them for continuous travel. This journey was probably a walk in the park for them.

  The wards were faring less well. Kellan, Velkan and Anaise, the Fae healer who had assisted at Sage’s birth, were dead on their feet, having spent the entire journey keeping the herd calm. They had been forced to stop many times during the course of their trip, as the unicorns threatened to kick out their boxes. Eventually, Kellan had sedated them. Drake had asked why they hadn’t just done that to begin with, a question which caused Avery’s mouth to purse even tighter, but Braddon had explained that magical creatures were not meant to be subjected to man’s medicines. In the end, though, Kellan had had no choice but to risk it.

  The unicorns had settled into a trance-like state, refusing to eat, and Braddon feared they may have been pushed too far. Never had he appreciated the safe haven of Summerfeld as he did right now. The City had been a utopia, an Eden-like sanctuary that had catered to every inhabitant perfectly. Outside of it, the wards were simply not coping.

  Drake, however, watched as the wolves bounded out of the back of the pick-up they had travelled in. One young male, in particular, seemed full of energy. He promptly lifted one of the she-wolves off the ground and tousled her hair. Drake noticed that Channon, Rafe and the other four members of the pack were coping far better than the unicorns or the Fae. They had rested on and off during the journey, but they were also more resilient, their natural fighting instinct making them tougher than the other wards.

  They had parked in the drive behind Austin’s motorcycle and just out of sight of the farmhouse.

  “I think you’re up,” Braddon remarked dryly, as Austin approached their sedan. Drake unfurled himself from the car and walked over to meet him.

  “Give us a few minutes,” Austin instructed the others. Drake walked beside him and the familiar farmhouse came into view just around the next bend. “It won’t hurt them, right?” Austin asked, keeping his voice low.

  “The compulsion? No, not at all. In fact, they’ll feel better than they have in a long time. I’ll take away most of their fears, including the ones we don’t even know about.” Austin nodded, but Drake could sense him bristling. “You don’t like me very much, do you?” Drake asked politely.

  “You killed Blair,” Austin pointed out. “Piper told me,” he added, at Drake’s inquisitive look. “But she also said that you were a good guy so I’m undecided.”

  “Piper... she’s the sweet one, right?”

  “Yeah,” Austin couldn’t conceal a small smile, “that’s her.”

  Their conversation was cut short as they reached the porch steps and the screen door swung open. Drake recognised Thomas instantly - the kindly old man with a witty sense of humour who had offered him and Quinn assistance when they had faked breaking down to retrieve Blair’s crystal. The same guilt as before washed over him. He didn’t need Austin to remind him that he had killed this man’s ancestor. Both Thomas and Austin were descended from Blair’s line.

  “Austin?” Thomas called, his eyes widening at the sight of his grandson. A second later a plump, grey-haired woman joined him, giving a shriek of delight as she hastened across the distance between them, her old leather sandals shuffling along the floorboards. She seized Austin around the neck and pulled him tightly against her.

  “I knew you’d come back,” she sniffed. Austin mumbled an inaudible reply, but Drake was focused only on Thomas, who was staring at him in confusion.

  “What are you doing here?” the older man demanded, recognising him from his previous visit with Quinn.

  “Granddad,” Austin managed to extricate himself from his grandmother’s clutches. “This is Drake, he’s a friend of mine.”

  “No,” Thomas shook his head, “this man’s name is Christian...” He got no further. Quick as a flash, Drake moved, taking Thomas by the shoulders and forcing him to meet his eyes. Murmuring quickly, so softly that even Austin couldn’t make out the words, he compelled the old man to remain calm and then planted a false idea in his head. Thomas’s eyes glazed over as he willingly accepted Drake’s words.

  Feeling his grandmother going rigid in his arms, Austin quickly pushed her forward.

  “Her name is Mary,” he offered, as Drake turned around, releasing the now dazed Thomas. A few seconds later, both Thomas and Mary trotted happily back inside.

  “Thank you,” Austin acknowledged gratefully, but Drake surprised him with his next words.

  “They shouldn’t be here. If things go bad, they’re too easy a target. I have money – I think you should let me compel them to go away, on a vacation, until this is over.”

  If Austin was surprised by his concern or his generosity, he didn’t show it. “That would probably be be
st,” he agreed. “Do it. I’ll go and tell the others to go around the back and start settling in.”

  An hour later, Daniel watched as the elderly couple set off in a truck that looked to be as old as they were. They were off on a three week, all-expenses-paid vacation to some island off the coast, thanks to Drake, who had managed to contact his travel agent and arrange the getaway in a matter of minutes. Daniel could only imagine how much it had cost him. Mary waved happily from the passenger window and Daniel waved back automatically, wondering what on earth the vampire had convinced them to believe. Not that it mattered. The point was that the couple would now be safely out of harm’s way and Daniel’s group would have the farm to themselves.

  “That was very generous of you,” Daniel told Drake, who stood leaning against the porch railing, watching the truck pulling out of the drive.

  “I wronged their family once before,” Drake replied, his face impossible to read. “The least I could do was to treat them to something pleasant.”

  “I’m sure Austin is very grateful.”

  “Actually, I’m sure Austin would still like to wring my neck.”

  “He doesn’t know about Blair.” For some reason, Daniel felt the need to assure Drake that he hadn’t divulged the truth about Blair’s death to her family.

  “He knows,” Drake replied. “Piper told him.”

  Daniel had noticed Piper and Austin drawing closer to one another, but he had never suspected she would let the secret slip. He guessed it was better anyway, that the truth was out. Drake had killed Blair. Regardless of his good deeds since, he couldn’t escape that fact. Daniel was beginning to regard the vampire with a sort of grudging respect, but that didn’t necessarily mean that he liked him.

  “I’m going to go and check on the others,” he announced, leaving Drake standing alone on the porch.

  Wandering around the back, Daniel sought out Kellan. “How are the herd?” he asked, noticing with a pang that Kellan looked paler than usual. Dark shadows hung below the faery’s pale aquamarine eyes.

  “Not good,” Kellan admitted. “The tranquilisers are wearing off. I had hoped that they would be calmer now that we’ve stopped, but Primera is frantic and he’s setting the mares off. Anaise is going to sedate them again.”

  “So soon? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

  “It’s not ideal, but I don’t see that we have much choice. They’re going to hurt themselves if we don’t calm them down.”

  The problem with sedating the herd was twofold. Not only could the medical tranquilisers have a long term effect on their health, but if the unicorns were sedated they had little hope of fleeing if the vampires discovered their location. Glancing up at the sky, Daniel prayed that Charlotte had fallen for Quinn’s bait and that she was headed back to her home, hundreds of miles away, rather than searching for the rest of them.

  “Once Anaise is finished, I want all of you inside,” Daniel insisted. “Get some rest. It’s been a long two days. I assume Freya and the baby are resting?” Kellan nodded and Daniel noticed that as tired as he was, the mention of his daughter’s name brought a smile to Kellan’s lips.

  “Seriously, Kellan. I need you all to get some sleep. You’re no use to me dead on your feet. Velkan and Anaise too. Piper will keep an eye on the herd while you’re gone.” Such was his exhaustion that Kellan complied immediately. “Where’s Channon?” Daniel added.

  “She’s around here somewhere. I think she’s still trying to get the younger wolves to calm down. They’ve been giving her a hard time.”

  “Because she’s a woman?”

  “No, not at all. They have the utmost respect for her. They’re just an enthusiastic bunch. The joys of youth,” Kellan grinned.

  Daniel found Channon standing near a post and rail fence talking to Rafe. There was no sign of any other wolves.

  “Where are they?” Daniel asked and Channon heaved a sigh.

  “Sleeping, finally. Not a moment too soon, either. I was about to borrow a couple of Kellan’s tranquilisers.” Rafe chuckled.

  “What do you need us to do?” Channon asked.

  “The same as them,” he replied “get some rest. Tristan is secure, I take it?”

  “Yes, we tied him up inside. It turns out Sawyer can tie some impressive knots. Tristan won’t break free.”

  “Good. We still have a few hours of daylight left. I suggest you find somewhere to lie down. It’s going to be a long night, but for now, we’re safe. We may as well make the most of it.”

  Daniel walked around the farm, repeating himself to every member of their party. He found no resistance – everyone was shattered – although Jonas showed no signs of wanting to sleep.

  “Have you heard from Monique?” he asked the second Daniel approached. Rowena was cutting away his filthy cast and his right arm had already been expertly bandaged. Balthazar was stretched out in the flatbed of the pick-up nearby and Cosima and Cara were dozing in the front seats.

  “Not yet,” Daniel replied. “Quinn won’t contact us unless something happens that we need to know. In this case, no news is good news.” Jonas’s shoulders sagged.

  “Come on Jonas,” Rowena crooned, glancing apologetically at Daniel, “you need to lie down.”

  Slowly the farm fell silent, until only Braddon, Daniel and Drake remained. Both Drake and Braddon were secretly relieved that Avery had opted to help Piper watch over the herd. The three men stood together on the porch saying nothing for the longest time.

  “Quinn should be there by now,” Braddon mused, eventually.

  “She’s probably been there a while now,” Daniel agreed. “Do you think her plan will work?”

  “Yes,” Drake replied, his voice uncompromising. Daniel suspected the vampire could not accept any other outcome, but, before he could question him any further, Drake moved away, into the yard. A second later, Evangeline strode past, making her way inside.

  Chapter 12

  Drake had managed to avoid the old Fae woman, slipping away before she reached the porch, but he had done so out of habit rather than a conscious decision. His thoughts were preoccupied with Quinn. Staring into space, he forced himself not to reach out to her, to reassure himself that she was okay. He heard the sound of footsteps approaching but he kept his eyes firmly on the clear blue sky. Only when Avery drew to a halt behind him did he release the breath of air he was holding.

  “Is she okay?” He suspected Avery had been waiting to get him alone so that she could ask this very question.

  “She’s fine, for now,” he replied, still not turning around. He couldn’t bear to look at her. She bore such a striking resemblance to her sister.

  “So the bond works, even from a distance?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good,” she mused, almost to herself. “At least we’ll know if... if something happens.”

  “Nothing is going to happen. She’s going to do what she went there to do and then she is going to come back, safely.” He turned to face her, finally, steeling himself as his eyes found hers - the perfect blend of violet and blue.

  “She won’t come back,” Avery scoffed. “If Quinn gets her hands on those crystals she’s heading straight for Summerfeld. We’ll be meeting her there.’

  “I didn’t mean it literally,” Drake said. “I know what she’s planning. The point is, she’s going to be fine.” Avery frowned at him, not appreciating him correcting her.

  “You haven’t told anyone?” Drake said, changing the subject. He presented it as a statement, but it was undeniably a question.

  “No. I haven’t.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I don’t want to get her into trouble.”

  “How very noble of you.”

  Avery cocked her head at his scathing tone, adding, “You don’t like me very much, do you?”

  “I’m guessing the feeling is mutual,” he pointed out, but he felt no pleasure in the words and he found himself relenting. “On the contrary, Avery, I care very deeply
for you.”

  That surprised her, and Drake sighed, knowing he needed to explain. “My mind is directly linked with your sister’s. I feel what she feels, to an extent. She loves you and so I do too. Believe me,” he added, as Avery shifted uncomfortably, “it’s far more awkward for me than it is for you. To love one Guardian is bad enough, but to love them all is... well, let’s just say it’s not in my nature.”

  “I don’t believe that,” Avery announced unexpectedly, but she didn’t elaborate and Drake was grateful for it. “And just so you know,” she continued, “you were right. I don’t like you either.” She left him then, no doubt to finally get some sleep.

  By the time Drake returned to the porch Braddon and Daniel were gone. He knew better than to think the two would sleep. They were probably walking the perimeter, defending the farm against some non-existent threat. The sun was up – they were safe. Nevertheless, he was grateful for the solitude. Settling down on the rickety old porch swing, a wave of fatigue rolled over him and he closed his eyes, determined to rest for just a minute.

  Drake dozed fitfully as the sun sank lower in the sky. Only when Lenora sat down beside him did he jerk fully awake. The night air had turned cool and a few lights were on inside. He could hear the others talking and could smell the acrid scent of onions frying. Rowena must be cooking, because he was pretty sure the Guardian and Fae women wouldn’t have a clue what to do in a typical human kitchen.

  “I’m glad you made it,” he smiled sleepily, grateful that Lenora was here. She was the only one who truly accepted and understood him. “You made good time.” She had been limited to travelling at night, but she had still arrived much sooner than he had expected.