The Guardians (The Tempest Isle Series Book 1)

by S. C. Storm

  Mileena stopped her. “I do have one question.”

  Millie looked at her, waiting.

  “I need to find a tracker. Do you know what that is?”

  “Of course. Is there someone particular you would like to speak to?”

  “A female tracker, preferably. A good one,” Mileena said, refusing to say, “a pretty woman.”

  “You need Miss Lexi. Lexi O’Connor. She is working at the resort’s bar and grill right now. She will be the dark-haired bartender. I’m sure she will be able to take care of you.” Millie smiled as she answered the ringing line. She lifted her hand and pointed down a hallway.

  With a wave, Mileena headed in that direction.

  Finding the bar, Mileena had to admit she liked the place. It was cozy, not too loud, comfortable. It was right up her alley.

  Taking a seat, she noticed how well-stocked the bar was. This was not unusual for bars that served the supernatural on a regular basis. It took a lot for their kind to catch a buzz. It took a lot more to get one drunk.

  As she waited, she took in the scenery. The bar was quaint and inviting. One side of the room was made of glass, offering an amazing view of the beach. In the other corner, by the stage, sat a piano, a karaoke machine, a DJ’s station, and even an amazing-looking jukebox. The dance floor was quite spacious, and the gaming area offered pool tables, air hockey, and loads of other forms of entertainment.

  “What can I get you?” a voice said, interrupting Mileena’s mental tour of the bar.

  When she turned, she noticed a woman who seemed around her age stood waiting. She had long chestnut hair that fell in bouncy cascades to her waist. Her eyes were blue-green. Mileena herself could not miss how beautiful the lady was.

  “You ok?” the woman asked after a moment.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m sorry. Uhm, I’ll just take a vodka tonic please,” Mileena answered.

  “Coming right up,” the woman behind the bar told her as she spun around.

  Mileena watched as quick work was made of her request. As the drink slid its way in front of her, she took a deep breath. “Are you Lexi?” she asked.

  “That’s me. Who are you, and how can I help you?” the woman answered as Mileena looked up. Her gaze was boring a hole through her.

  “I’m sorry, the lady at the front sent me to you. My name is Mileena Langford. I came looking for a tracker, and she told me your name and that you could help me,” Mileena explained.

  “I might, depending on what or who it is you need found,” Alexandra told her as she surveyed the vampire in front of her. It was obvious she was a guardian, not a pureblood though. That was the very reason the vampire race struggled to keep the ascension going. A pure-blood female vampire hadn’t been seen in hundreds of years.

  “Here’s the information I have.” Mileena pulled a manila folder from her bag. She slid it across the table. “How much exactly will this cost? The people who sent me said money was no object.”

  Alexandra opened the folder and glanced at the pictures lying inside. “Since it’s twins, the price is double,” she said as she began reading the information inside. Her eyes widened as she looked up at the girl at the bar. “The Athertons? They’re the guardians who were supposed to ascend ages ago, aren’t they?”

  Mileena nodded slowly. “I should have known you would know about the ascension. I am sorry I didn’t mention it before.”

  “It’s not a problem. Since we live close to the home of the goddess, almost everyone here on Tempest knows of the ascension and the guardians. Small islands, so you can’t keep a lot secret.” She smiled as she closed the folder. “From the looks of this, these two like the big tourist towns where there’s lots of women. I’ll start looking at the beach towns first. I take it you need this job done before the ascension?”

  “Yes, please. As soon as possible, really. The others and myself must convince them to ascend. Our race needs it,” Mileena explained, unable to hide the urgency in her voice.

  With a sigh, Alexandra shook her head. “It’s true then; the race is weakening from the fact that a pure guardian hasn’t ascended.” Alexandra looked at Mileena. “It’s happening to someone close to you, isn’t it?”

  “My grandfather. My only living relative.” Mileena sighed. “We don’t have time to search for any other pure-blooded guardians. The Athertons are known to be alive. That’s why we need them. They are the only hope I have of seeing my grandfather live.”

  Alexandra reached across the bar and patted her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll find them and do whatever it takes to get them here. After that, it’s all up to the rest of you. As for the fee, let’s just see how hard it is to find them. I mean, this is about the survival of not only your race but all our races. It would be really crappy of me to put a price tag on that.”

  “No, honestly, money isn’t an issue,” Mileena insisted before cocking her head questioningly. “Why did you say the survival of all our races?”

  Shaking her head, Alexandra looked down at the pictures once more. “If the vampire race weakens and begins to die out, that leaves the war with the reapers on us weres. Sure we have numbers, but we lose guardians every day. We can’t fight this war alone. Lately though, it seems that we have been.” She sighed.

  “I am sorry. I had no idea how bad it was out there. I do regret taking you away from your duties,” Mileena added solemnly. “I will see to it you are paid generously.”

  “Money isn’t an issue for me either. I make good money as a tracker, and our family owns this place. Plus, this is important. I tell you what, how about you just write a check for whatever you want, and we’ll go from there.” Alexandra opened the folder again. “Besides, considering how they look, it might be fun looking for these two.”

  “They are quite handsome,” Mileena agreed. Then, once again, she turned serious. “Thank you, Lexi, this means a lot.”

  Alexandra nodded as she poured herself a shot and killed it. “No problem, sweetie. You said your name was Langford? Our family knew some Langfords awhile back, a guardian by the name of Audra and her husband, a council elder named Arthur,” Alexandra said, watching the reaction of her new business associate.

  Mileena’s eyes widened. “You knew my grandmother?”

  “Not personally. My dad and uncle did. They’ve talked of her before. She lived here on the island back in the day,” she explained, not wanting to give away too much personal info. “I met Arthur when I was young. The council all came here to meet with the leader of the packs. He was nice. I’m sorry to hear what’s happening to him.”

  “Thank you. It scares me.”

  “What about you? Are you going to ascend?”

  Shock hit Mileena. She hadn’t even thought about the ramifications of her grandmother’s legacy. “I am a guardian,” she mumbled to herself.

  “Uh, yeah.” Alexandra laughed.

  “I just recently found out about my grandmother being a guardian. I guess I hadn’t put two and two together,” Mileena admitted. “But for my grandfather, yes, I will.”

  Alexandra smiled. “Good for you. You need to take your place and fight for your people. Keep in mind though, you may not be ready to ascend. Sure you are old enough, but if you haven’t been feeling the pull to the islands, you may not be seen as ready by the goddess.”

  Mileena nodded her head. “I know I am not ready. I have never been trained, but to help my grandfather and my race, I would do it without question.”

  A smile slid across Alexandra’s face. “Training isn’t all you need. You need instincts. You have to have the guts to stand in the face of bastards who want to rip your soul apart. There’s a lot more to being a guardian than most people think.”

  “You probably know a lot of them, huh?” Mileena asked.

  “Yeah I do, and I know any of them, even those who aren’t vampires, will help you in any way you need, even with training,” she assured her as a human male wandered into the room.

  The two of them watched as he took
up perch at the bar.

  “Well, I hate to cut this short, but I have a customer,” Alexandra said as Mileena slid a twenty across the bar. “Nah, your money is no good here. We never charge a guardian.” Alexandra grinned as she snatched up the file folder and made her way over to her customer.

  Mileena watched her go with a smile. She liked her. She just hoped she was the right one for the job.

  ***

  Bloodstone Island

  Zane Prescott watched as his younger sister and brother sparred with each other. “No, Stephen, you have to keep your eyes on her if you don’t she’ll—” He sighed as Autumn swept Stephen’s feet out from under him and then kicked him in the face.

  Stephen glared up at his sister. “Damn, Autumn.”

  Autumn smirked. “What? I caught you off guard again. Besides, you told me not to go easy on you.” She smirked.

  “She’s got a point. You looked away, which gave her the opening she needed. I keep telling you to stay focused.”

  Stephen got to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth. “I know, I know,” he grumbled as he dusted himself off.

  “You need to keep your head in the game, little brother,” Autumn teased.

  “Hey, you used to do the same thing, squirt,” Zane told Autumn. “Come on, let’s see how well you do against me.”

  “I can hold my own,” Autumn said as she stood ready.

  “We’ll see.” Zane watched her for a second; then his fist went toward her.

  Autumn ducked and countered with a punch to his stomach. He grunted and then feinted left. She started to go the other way, intending on catching him in the side with a kick. He turned and grabbed her leg, flipping her over. She landed hard, then jumped up and went at him. Faking a punch, she turned and caught him in the side of his head, almost knocking him down. He countered with a punch to her side, followed by a kick to the ribs. As she went down, he went at her, catching her before she hit the ground. In an instant, he had her in a choke hold.

  “Now if you were a reaper, you’d be dead. One twist and your neck is broken,” Zane said.

  Autumn fought against his hold to no avail. “Okay, you’ve made your point.” She growled when she heard Stephen laugh.

  Zane let her go, then helped her up. “You did good, but you still need more practice.” He looked at his brother. “And you need a lot more practice. You okay, squirt?” he asked Autumn.

  Breathlessly, Autumn held her ribs. “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “You sure?” he asked worriedly.

  Autumn nodded.

  Zane knew she wouldn’t ask him to go easy on her; she never had since he started training her. Stephen was the same way. It was part of their training as a guardian. “We’ve been at this for a while now. Why don’t we call it a day? Zane told them.

  “Sounds good to me,” Stephen said.

  “Me too. I’m going to shower. I smell like you guys,” Autumn said, making a face.

  He shook his head at Autumn and followed her. Smiling, Zane watched them go. He knew that, sooner or later, their training would be put to the test. He rarely had to leave the islands. The times he did, he had come up against reapers, and he had been grateful for his training. Looking over the water, his thoughts drifted. For as long as he could remember, he had always been interested in computers. As he grew older, it had turned into an obsession. After he graduated from high school, he’d gone to work for his dad’s software company. Now, he was left in charge when his parents took it into their heads to travel. During those times, Autumn and Stephen stayed with him. Smiling slightly, Zane thought about his parents. James Prescott was a guardian, and he had spent most of his youth fighting reapers. That was how he’d met Laura Doyle.

  Out on patrol one night, James had heard sounds of fighting. Following the sounds, he saw a lone vampire surrounded by four reapers. She was backed into a corner, and even though she was outnumbered, she showed no fear. Letting out a yell, he watched as she charged forward, taking one down. Another came up behind her, and James sprang into action. After the fighting was over, James helped her back to her place, and as Laura said, the rest was history. They came back to Tempest, eventually marrying and having a family. Being guardians, they’d instilled in their children what was expected of them if they ascended.

  The cry of a gull brought Zane back to the present. He sighed as he thought about Autumn and Stephen. Once he ascended, he intended to go out and fight like all other guardians. He only hoped that his parents kept up with their training. Sighing, Zane shook his head and headed into the house.

  Chapter 3

  Since arriving at her family home on Obsidian, Mileena had done nothing but prowl. So many of her grandmother’s things were still here. Her clothes were upstairs in the attic. Old books with her name written in the covers adorned several bookshelves. Pictures of her and her grandfather filled the rooms. There were even pictures of Mileena’s mother, Celia, from when she was a little girl. All of it gave Mileena so much to take in. She now knew why Sebastian suggested she stay here while she was on Tempest. She could finally learn about her family.

  As a child, Mileena had not grown up around other vampires. Being part human, it had been many years before she knew what she truly was. She often wondered if her mother would have told her anything if her vampire traits had not emerged as she hit puberty. She had been twelve when things had changed for her, and although her life had been riddled with tragedy since, she had never seen her vampire side as something bad. On the contrary, she saw it as an introduction to a life of wonder. Her mother had not seen it the same way. She had wanted any vampire connections hidden and ignored. Mileena had often wondered why. Unfortunately, her mother had never had the opportunity to explain it to her. Instead, she and her father had lost their lives in a reaper attack when Mileena was barely sixteen. Heartbroken, she had been taken to an orphanage, since she had been unaware of any other living family. On her third night, one of the workers had brought her into an office, telling her she had a living uncle. The best part was that he had intended to take her home with him and raise her.

  She still remembered walking down the damp hallway with a brown sac in her hand. Standing by the door had been a tall, muscular man with hair the color of coal and eyes almost as dark. At first, she’d felt frightened. That was, until the warmest smile she had ever seen brightened his face. Oddly enough, she had been able see the adoration in his eyes as he had looked at her. Once outside, she had been told his true identity. He was not her uncle. No, he was her grandfather, and he was a vampire. Arthur Langford then took his granddaughter into his world and showed her just how wondrous being a vampire could be. That had been ten years ago. Mileena had never truly left her grandfather’s side for more than a few days since. He had become her everything. Still, he had kept much from her, just as her mother had. Her protection had always been his priority. Sighing as she entered the attic, she knew her family secrets could no longer stay hidden. It was time she discovered exactly who she truly was.

  After several hours of going through trunk after trunk in the attic, Mileena made her way out on the balcony for a breath of fresh air. As she took a seat, she pulled out her cell phone, dialing her grandfather’s number. Her heart began to race as the phone rang over and over. Ending the connection, she decided to call the cell phone she had gotten for him a year ago. He rarely used it, but it was always nearby. Selecting the number, she held the phone to her ear as it began to ring. The familiar ringtone had her looking around. She wondered if she had accidentally packed his cell phone. Walking through the house, she heard the sound become louder. She closed her phone and jumped as the door to the house swung open. Standing before her was her grandfather with his butler, Raymond, at his side.

  “Grandfather.” She beamed as she rushed forward to help him inside. “Let me help you,” she insisted.

  “I’m fine, child.” Arthur brushed her hand away with a smile. “I already feel somewhat better just being here.”

&n
bsp; “How?” she said as Raymond hurried forward, leading Arthur to the nearest armchair.

  “The Nexxus, Mileena. A vampire will feel stronger when they are near it. Apparently, it even helps a dying vampire.” He smiled and then took her hand at the look on her face. “I was joking, dear. I have to joke about this, or I’d waste away with worry.”

  “His spirits have been up since we arrived,” Raymond added as he hurried out of the room. He returned with a glass of water. “We stopped off at the main island for him to partake in the local indulgence,” the butler added with a smile. “Since then, he has been quite animated.”

  Mileena shook her head. “Grandfather,” she scolded. “Why does being near the Nexxus help?”

  “It is the source of the goddess Selena’s power, my dear. Any vampire or wolf who is near the Nexxus will feel stronger, more vital.”

  “I still don’t understand,” Mileena told him.

  Arthur smiled. “Perhaps it would be best explained by one of the Priestesses, Rayne or Destiny. They live on Tourmaline. You should go visit them. They will be able to answer any questions you have better than I could.”

  “I will do that.” Mileena beamed as she hugged her grandfather, then the little vampire at his side. “I’m so glad the two of you came.”

  “I knew you would be going through the house and would have many questions about Audra, Celia, and your lineage. I may not know all the answers, but I know a few,” Arthur said.

  Taking a seat in the floor at his feet, Mileena took his hand. “I’ve seen all the pictures of both grandmother and my mother. They were so beautiful.”

  “You look like them⸻your chestnut hair, those chocolate eyes. Those come from them. They looked more like sisters than mother and daughter,” he told her, remembering back. “Neither of them were what you would call glamorous or over the top. No, they were humble beauties who could entice a man with not only their looks but their minds. Just as you do.”

  “Grandfather.” She blushed.

  “It is the truth, my dear. You are more like them than you realize. You are stubborn like Audra and loving like your mother. Each time I look at you, I see them. That is why I knew, once you came to Tempest and realized this was your legacy, you would stay.”