The Guardians (The Tempest Isle Series Book 1)

by S. C. Storm

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  The Guardians

  The Tempest Isle Series Book 1

  Rena Marin & S.C. Storm

  A Zombie Cupcake Book

  Zombie Cupcake Press, 83 Ducie Street, Manchester, M1 2JQ www.zombiecupcakepress.com

  Published by Zombie Cupcake Press 2017

  THE GUARDIANS

  © Copyright Rena Marin & S. C. Storm 2017

  All rights reserved.

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events and organisations are purely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, nor translated into a machine language, without the written permission of the publisher.

  Condition of sale

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  Cover design © Copyright Zombie Cupcake Press 2017

  Editing by Angie Wade

  Proofreading by Emily Cargile

  Dedication

  Dedicated with love to my husband Daniel, my children Cody and Amber, as well as my mom and dad for always being there. – R.M.

  Dedicated to the memory of my husband, Willie, who read the first draft of this book and encouraged us to go on. Also to my children Rick, Yolanda, Nicole, and Marc, and my parents for always believing in me. - S.C.

  We would like to offer a special thank you to Susan Dickson for her continued help and support, as well as Deborah Mahon for reading through and letting us know what worked and what didn’t. Also, for letting me bounce ideas off her at the weirdest times, thanks sis. -S.C.

  We would also like to thank our beta readers.

  Chapter 1

  The soft click of high heels resonated throughout the rickety boards overhead. Pulling his robe tighter, the old man sighed heavily. His granddaughter had arrived, which meant it was almost time for the meeting. Hearing the door open, he plastered on a fake smile, attempting to hide the pain writhing throughout his body.

  “Grandfather.” Mileena gasped as the light hit his eyes, causing him to shrink back in shock. She ran to him quickly, gingerly taking his hand in her own. “Why didn’t you call for me? I had no idea you had gotten worse.”

  “My dear Mileena, there is nothing anyone can do now,” he told her as he reached out and softly stroked her cheek.

  “Yes there is. You and I both know they are out there somewhere. Why won’t you allow me to seek them out? You are risking your life for nothing.” Mileena took in his appearance again. Before her sat an old man. His hair had turned white, no sign of the thick jet-black locks that had been there a month earlier.

  The old man sighed, gasping at the pain that ran through his body. “Yes, we know how this could have been prevented. However, that time may have long passed. I do believe the end is finally upon me. I have accepted it. You should as well.”

  “No, I will not let you go this way. I won’t,” she cried as she lowered her head onto his lap, letting her tears take her.

  Slowly he reached out, letting his hand stroke her hair softly. The idea of leaving her broke his heart. She was the only family he had left, as he was hers. The thought of leaving her alone in this world where the existence of their race was so uncertain sent waves of fear through him. As an elder vampire and council member, he had strived to make things better for his people, yet his own morals would not allow him to stop what was happening to not only himself but other elders around the world.

  “If you know where they are, let me go find them and convince them. I will do it myself, or I will take others with me and force them if I must,” Mileena Langford pleaded with her grandfather. The idea of watching the man who had raised her after the loss of her parents wither away tore her heart into pieces. “Please,” she asked him once again as she heard a sound upstairs. Listening for a moment, she realized someone was there.

  “It is Sebastian.” The old man, Arthur Langford, spoke as he tried to right himself in his chair. “Wipe your tears, child. We have much to discuss with Sebastian before the rest of the council arrives for the meeting tonight.”

  Pulling herself up, Mileena straightened her clothes and smoothed her hair. As she wiped her eyes, she saw Sebastian Myddleton appear before them. He had always been a formidable vampire. His tall, slender build, as well as his leather pants and tight black shirt, gave him a predatory vibe. Although he was quite handsome, Mileena had never been able to shake the nervousness he brought out in her each time he entered the room.

  “Hello, Sebastian,” she said quickly as she averted her eyes.

  “Mileena.” Sebastian spoke softly as he turned his attention back to the aging man in the middle of the room. Shaking his head, he sighed. “It is the ascension, isn’t it? A purebred vampire has not ascended in ages.”

  “Aye, it is. Being an elder, one of the oldest vampires to still exist, I am feeling the weakening of the Nexxus more than most. I know all of you feel it. It is natural. But eventually, if a pureblood does not ascend, this will happen to all vampires. It will be the end of our kind,” the old man explained as he laid his head back, closing his eyes. “As I have told Mileena, I believe my time has come to an end. However, the rest of you may still stand a chance.”

  “We will do something to help you, Arthur,” Sebastian told him, hearing the uncertainty in his own voice.

  Smiling, Arthur gestured to a chair. “Sit down, Sebastian. There are things we must discuss before the rest of the council arrives. I will expect you to inform Aric. He was unable to make it here before the others.”

  “Of course, Arthur,” Sebastian agreed.

  “Thank you. Now, let’s get to business. You both know how corrupt the council has become. I have tried blocking Richard Winthrop and his cohorts, but being that his allies are also elders, even I am unable to remove them from the council. For whatever reason, Richard has refused to allow us to reach out to the Athertons. His refusal has kept the council from being able to step in and locate them. He as well as the others still hold to their beliefs that other pure-blooded guardians will step forward. They refuse to entertain the idea that they could have been killed or have gone into hiding, accepting the fates the rest of us hope to avoid.” Arthur began hearing Sebastian mumble under his breath. “What has happened?”

  “Richard called me just this morning, asking if I was attending the meeting tonight. I told him I would be, and he went on and on about attendance not being mandatory, and that I would not be needed,” Sebastian said with a fluttering dismissal of his hand. “I detest dealing with t
hat male.”

  “I know. Your father did as well. Richard has long made it his mission to annoy every council member.” Arthur sighed. “Not to mention strong-arming us all into bending to his will. That is why I have not pushed for the ascension. That is why none of us have. Richard and his hate of the Athertons.”

  Intrigued, Sebastian leaned forward in his seat. “I know he has deep-seated hatred for them, but would he truly try to keep them from ascending?”

  “That is the question, isn’t it?” Arthur glanced up at the aging portrait above the mantel. “My wife Audra was of guardian descent. She ascended on her twenty-first birthday as was expected of her. Never once did she regret it. She fought bravely to protect the power of the Nexxus, the power of the supernatural itself.”

  Confused, Mileena touched her grandfather’s hand. “What do you mean? I never knew grandmother was a guardian.”

  “And how has Richard strong-armed you, Arthur? He has tried to make me see his point of view for many years. Neither Aric nor myself have ever backed anything he has proposed to the council. Of course, we were the only ones. We naturally assumed you saw things as he did.”

  Shaking his head slightly, Arthur coughed once again. The pain that shot through his body threatened to make him cry out. Seeing the worried look in Mileena’s eyes, he knew he could not. Instead he fought to settle himself. Once he was able, he continued. “Mileena my dear, I am sorry I have never told you; you are a guardian. I suppose I wanted to keep you from that responsibility as long as I could,” he told his granddaughter with a smile. He turned to Sebastian, and a darkness took his face. “Richard has found ways of controlling the other council members. What he holds over their heads, I have no idea. What I do know is, it is enough to have forced them to turn against me. Richard knows the vampire race wants me as their council leader, yet he cannot remove me, or he will lose the backing of the people. Without that, many of the council members will lose the upcoming reelection,” he explained. “But his hatred of the Athertons is becoming too much. He is sacrificing his own race for a personal vendetta. I have nothing else to lose now. I will find the Athertons and see to it that the ascension takes place. It may be too late for me, but the rest of you will carry on.”

  Looking to Mileena, Sebastian saw she was crying heavily. He reached over and touched her shoulder. “We will do all we can for him, Mileena. You should know this.”

  Looking up at Arthur, Mileena shook her head. “I won’t lose you, grandfather. No matter what.”

  “I wish I could stay with you always, my dear. I do,” Arthur told her, dropping his head. “One thing I must do, however, is explain some things to you. I have never told you the history of our race. You know what the guardians are, and that the ascension is held, but I think it is time you knew what it stands for, why it happens.”

  “I have wanted to know since I found out what I was. Living in the human world for so long kept me in the dark about so much.” She smiled, remembering her life with her parents.

  Catching her thoughts, Arthur smiled. “It is time you knew,” he told her as he began. “The supernatural came into existence ages ago. Goddess Selena created the first supernatural being before humans ever walked the earth. Even today, only she knows what all her creations are. Our race, however, is no mystery. Seeing the creation of humans, the goddess immediately wanted to mold them into something of her own. Thus, the first vampire was created. Knowing how the humans fought to find enough food to keep them alive, the goddess chose to make the humans a source for us. Human blood keeps us alive. However, the blood of a supernatural, the goddess’s creations, also makes us thrive. She wanted us to flourish with or without the humans, simply because she had no idea if they would survive or not.” He smiled as he looked down at his granddaughter. “The same was true for the werewolves. Her love of nature, the wolf, led her to combining a majestic wolf and a human. Once she saw how strong, vibrant, loyal—perfect as she saw it—her creations were, she decided to take twelve from each race and make them her own personal protectors. They would take from her essence, her blood, and become stronger, pure. Thus, the guardians were born. For ages it went on, those same chosen ones protecting her from any harm as she lived her life with her love, the god, Silas.

  “Silas could never understand Selena’s love of her supernatural creatures. Often, she called them to her, wishing to hear of their days, their loves, their dreams. As it often happens, Silas’s jealousy overtook him. He began lashing out at Selena by killing off the things she loved most. This is how the Nexxus was created. The goddess made it, using all her powers, to be the ever after of her beloved beings as well as the resting place of her guardians. Using her powers left her defenseless against her lover. Heartbroken by his actions, Selena called upon the Ultimate Creator to help her. Hearing her pleas, Silas was banished to a dark void known as the Exodus, the home of darkness.”

  “What happened to Selena?” Mileena asked.

  By the look on her face, Arthur could see she was completely taken by the story. “Powerless, she said good-bye to her creations and entered the Nexxus herself. She dwells there, and the power of the races she created is the only thing keeping her in existence.” He finished with a shake of his head.

  “And what does this have to do with what’s happening to you?” she asked, looking at Sebastian, who dropped his head. “I know you told me we needed a pure-blooded guardian to ascend, but why?”

  “The ascension, the rising of the guardians, is an important event. It gives the goddess the power she needs. Our races thrive. The goddess gains strength from each guardian who ascends, however, the ascension of a purebred guardian is needed to keep the balance of each race. Without it, a race starts to weaken and die. Unfortunately, it has been quite a while since such a guardian has ascended from the vampire race. This has weakened us. As an elder vampire, it has weakened me quite a bit. Without a proper ascension, I will die and enter the Nexxus.”

  Seeing the fear cross Mileena’s face, Sebastian got to his feet. “The Atherton family is the last pure-blooded guardian family we know still survives. As Arthur said, there could be others who have gone into hiding. They could also be dead. We have no idea. The council stopped keeping track of the guardians long ago. The Athertons have not attended an ascension in hundreds of years. They want nothing to do with it,” he said, looking at Arthur. The sight of the man sent chills down his spine. A mere month earlier, the man had been as young-looking as himself.

  “That is Richard’s fault. Everything he has done to that family has pushed them from their proper place. Their seats on the council remain vacant. They have not ascended. They take every opportunity to avoid the politics of the race,” Arthur said, finally pulling himself to his feet. “They cannot continue this. If they do, every one of us will eventually perish.”

  “It is not fair to lay the survival of the entire race on them, Arthur,” Sebastian argued.

  “I know they are your friends, Sebastian. I care for them as well, but we need them. The race needs them. That is why I asked you here before the meeting. Richard will never allow a vote to pass sending trackers to find them or any other pure-blooded guardian. Please, Sebastian, it may be too late for me, but this will happen to all of us eventually. I beg of you, which is something I would never do, find them. Do not let this happen to my granddaughter,” he said, grabbing the vampire’s hand. “Give me your oath; you will reach out to the twins. Help our people.”

  Hearing sounds upstairs, Sebastian knew the others were arriving. “Arthur,” he said, feeling the defeat wash over him. The pleading in the man’s eyes was his undoing. “Yes. You have my oath. I will do my best to convince them to ascend.”

  “Thank you.” The man smiled as he reached down and took his granddaughter’s hand. “You help Sebastian any way you can.”

  “I promise.” Mileena smiled as she kissed his cheek. She began straightening his robe. “Let’s get you ready.”

  With a nod of his head, he allowed
her to lead him to his place. Squaring his shoulders, he watched as the procession made its way down the stairs. He would be able to face this meeting. He knew there was finally a chance his people would survive.

  ***

  Richard Winthrop strode into the room, unable to hide the look of contempt on his face. Usually council meetings were held at his manor. His servants always saw to things being perfect. Deacon, his only living son, and his daughter, Tessa, were always available at the manor. Deacon served the purpose of conversing with the other council members, especially those Richard detested dealing with. Tessa served as nothing more than a distraction, especially when it came to Sebastian Myddleton, Arthur Langford, and Aric Thorsen. They thought Tessa was bright and engaging. They enjoyed speaking with her. Richard himself never understood their thinking. She was, of course, just a woman and had nothing to offer besides her good looks and charm. Considering she and Sebastian had once been engaged to be married, and he himself had put an end to the nuptials, her attendance at council meetings seemed somewhat of a shock to most. He knew the reason she was always there, however. He made her be there, just as he made Deacon. They were his children, and they would stand by his side whenever he deemed it necessary.

  Ignoring the mousy-haired female vampire who brushed past him as she left the room, his eyes centered on Arthur. It would not be long. Hopefully, death would take the bastard soon. Seeing the state the elder vampire was in proved the legends true. The ascensions were of importance to the race. The Nexxus did hold all the power⸻the power he would love to have at his disposal. Arthur, however, was an obstacle. Having most of the council in his pocket made keeping Arthur and his couple of backers at bay, but the old man could be quite canny. He was an issue Richard would prefer to see out of the equation completely.

  As the last of the members made their way to their places around the large table centered in the room, Richard pasted on his fake smile. “Arthur, it is obvious your health is not what it should be. Why would you feel the need to call a meeting with you in this kind of shape?”