The Guardians (The Tempest Isle Series Book 1)

by S. C. Storm

Chapter 14

  Bloodstone Island

  Tessa Winthrop pulled her hair into a ponytail, then lay back in her chair. The warmth of the sun on her skin was welcome. It had been ages since she had been on the islands and able to enjoy the serenity. As she let herself relax, her mind traveled back to 1977 and her last visit.

  It was a cool October day. The sun was bright, but the breeze had a bit of a bite to it. It had been the kind of weather Tessa had always loved. Growing up in England, the clear skies of the islands were a welcomed sight. They were one of the most endearing things about the islands that she found herself falling in love with. Hearing footsteps in the sand, she turned. Unable to stop herself, she beamed at the man who made his way toward her. Her Sebastian. His hair was shoulder length but well-tended to. The dark auburn fit his contoured face perfectly. His height, easily six foot four, possibly more, seemed to enhance her slight build to everyone who saw the two of them together. Neither of them minded, however. He was her love. She was his. It had been that way since they were children.

  In the moment, Tessa had not caught the troubled look in her Bastian’s eyes. She had not seen the slight shake to his hands as he neared her. No, all of it had eluded her as she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. “Hello, my love.” She smiled as she kissed him quite hard on his lips.

  “Hello, love,” he returned. His embrace had been quite strong. He held on to her as if the end of time had caught up to them. Reality finally began to set in. Slowly, she pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes. “We must talk, love,” he whispered softly.

  The pain had left her as time went on. Her heart had healed and she had even felt for another, but on that day, however, she’d felt as though her immortal heart had shattered into a million pieces and would never recover. His reasoning had been just what she had expected. Her father. Richard had struck once more. All the years the two of them had fought against his hatred of their relationship had taken too much of a toll on Sebastian. Knowing the two of them could not have a life together, he had finally chosen to begin anew. His most recent argument with Richard had not helped things. It had been the last straw for him. Tessa had been able to see it in his eyes; it was over. With a kiss to his cheek, she’d watched him vanish from her life.

  That had been thirty-eight years ago. Being the daughter of a council member, she often had to be near Sebastian. Yet they had barely spoken to one another since that day long ago.

  With a sigh, Tessa snapped back to reality. She reached beside her and pulled her wine glass to her lips and sipped. Even with all that happened on this beach, she still loved it. For the first time in ages, she was relaxed. Her guard was finally down. “Hello, Tessa,” a voice called out from behind her, making her jump. Turning, her eyes widened. “How are you?” the all too familiar voice asked.

  “I, I am fine. How are you, Sebastian?” she asked as she struggled to hide her surprise.

  “I have been well. I was about to head to my family’s home, but I wanted to stop here first. I hoped to find you.” He stepped closer to her chair. If anything, she had grown more beautiful since the last he saw her. The pale satin skin and luscious curves he had once devoured teased him from behind a dark green bikini. Composing himself quickly, he smiled at her. “I do hope we can get together during the festivities and catch up. It has been too long.”

  “Yes, yes it has. That sounds nice,” Tessa pushed her sunglasses back into place. “Just give me a call or stop by. Maybe we could have a drink or something.”

  “I would like that. I truly would,” he told her as he leaned down a bit nervously. Slowly he kissed her cheek. “Please be well, Tessa.” He turned and began to walk farther down the beach.

  Waiting until he was far enough away, she turned and watched him. He had barely changed. The clothes were not the same, but the man was. Perhaps placing distance between himself and her family had been the best thing for him, she thought as she leaned back. Smiling, she had to admit she was proud of herself. For years, she felt she would never shake Sebastian Myddleton. Time had shown her differently. Yes, another had stolen her heart, but the situation had not changed. Richard would always stand in the way of her happiness.

  ***

  Obsidian Island, Atherton Estate

  Aric Thorsen appeared on the doorstep of one of his oldest friends. Lifting his hand, the door opened before he could knock. “Hello, Rafael, long time no see,” he said, grinning.

  “It has indeed been a long time.” Rafael smiled. “Please come in.” He stepped back, letting Aric walk into the foyer. “Are you expected?” he asked, shutting the door.

  “Am I ever?” Aric teased. Seeing the confused look on Rafael’s face, he shook his head. “No, I’m not. Are Ryder and Ryden in?”

  “Yes, sir, both are in the library. If you would follow me.” He led the way down the hall. He lightly knocked and opened the door. “My lords, Aric Thorsen,” he said, stepping aside.

  Ryder looked up. “I’ll be damned, Aric!” he said, going up to him. “It’s good to see you.” He slapped Aric’s back, then hugged him. “How the hell have you been?”

  “Good, but perhaps I should be asking that of you,” he said. He looked over Ryder’s shoulder. “Ryden, it’s good to see you.”

  Ryden smiled and came forward. “Good to see you too.” He shook Aric’s hand. “Did you just arrive?”

  “Earlier today. I just came from Arthur’s,” he said. “I’m afraid I have news for you.” Ryden motioned for Aric to have a seat. He and Ryder took one opposite the chair Aric sat in. “As I said, I’ve just come from Arthur’s. It seems as if Richard suspects someone on the council went against orders to find the two of you.” He went on to explain what Kane had told them and what happened when Richard arrived at Langford house. He watched as Ryder and Ryden mulled over what he said.

  “Jasmyn is all right?” Ryden asked.

  “From what the alpha said, yes,” Aric answered.

  “So now her life is in danger because of us,” Ryder stated.

  Aric nodded. “It appears so, although I know her cousin will be keeping a close eye on her and on Deacon.”

  “Someone should be watching Richard instead,” Ryden said angrily.

  “As I told Arthur, that will be taken care of.” At Ryders look Aric said, “If by chance someone is caught spying on Richard, I’d rather nothing be traced back to either of you.”

  “And if it’s traced back to you?” Ryden asked.

  Aric smiled evilly. “No worries. That will never happen. I’ve been around long enough to have learned a few tricks that can outsmart someone like Richard Winthrop.”

  “I can only imagine,” Ryden said. “Is there any chance of him finding out the truth?”

  “Not if the she-wolf can keep anyone from getting inside her head.” Aric looked at them. “You’ve met her. What do you think?”

  “I think, no I know, she’s strong, but she will only be able to withstand so much. The best thing is for her to stay away from Deacon and most especially Richard,” Ryder said. “Then there is the other wolf.” Seeing Aric’s confusion, he explained about the two wolves coming in search of them.

  “She kept her cousin’s name secret. That is courageous. Perhaps she can handle herself with them. That would be a good thing,” Aric told them.

  “Actually, the best thing is to get rid of that bastard.” Ryden growled.

  Aric looked at him. “You’re right, but patience is the key to this game. I know neither of you possess much of that, unless you’ve changed since the last time I saw you.”

  “As hard as it is to believe, we have learned the value of patience. It’s not one of my strongest suits, but it’s there,” Ryden said.

  “I’ll believe that when I see it, especially of you,” Aric told Ryder.

  “Yeah, me too,” Rian said, walking into the room. “Rafe told me you were here. How’re you doing, man?”

  “I’m doing good, and from the look of you, I can see you
are too.” Aric grinned. He looked at the brothers. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the three of you together.”

  “Yeah, it has been,” Ryder agreed. “Why don’t you stay awhile, give us a chance to catch up?

  “Thanks for the offer, but I haven’t made it home yet. I’ll take a rain check though.” Aric got to his feet. “Come on by when you get a chance.”

  “You got it, and thanks for coming by to tell us,” Ryder said, getting up.

  “No problem. I’ll talk to you guys later.” Aric stopped at the door before he opened it. “I don’t have to tell you to watch your backs with Richard⸻you already know that⸻but keep an eye on Deacon. Richard has been sending him to do his dirty work even more than before.”

  Ryden nodded. “Don’t worry, we will.” He watched Ryder walk Aric out. Pouring himself a drink, he filled Rian in while they waited for Ryder.

  Rian let out a whistle. “Do you think he will go after her again, what was her name?” he asked as Ryder came back into the room.

  “Jasmyn and I know he will. He knows she has information he could use,” Ryder said.

  “But it wasn’t Arthur who hired her cousin,” Rian argued.

  “No, but he knows Mileena did, as do Aric and Sebastian. That’s all he needs,” Ryden told him.

  “So what are you going to do?”

  “Hope they do not find out about Alexandra and keep an eye on Jasmyn,” Ryder said, hearing Ryden laugh.

  “Would that be a hands-on job?” Ryden chuckled.

  “Who knows? For now, I think I’m going to go check on her, make sure she’s all right.” Ryder grinned.

  “Do you even know where she lives?” Rian asked him.

  “Why yes I do, little brother. I’ll see you later,” Ryder said, then vanished.

  “I think I’m going to head out and see what’s changed here on the islands. Do you want to come with?” Ryden asked Rian.

  “Yeah, sure. When you’re done playing tourist, we can head over to that bar I’ve heard about, Temptations.”

  “Sounds good to me. Let’s go.”

  With that, they both vanished.

  ***

  Moonstone Island

  Finally feeling more herself, Jasmyn grabbed her bag and made her way out the backdoor. She knew being on the beach would be her best bet at relaxing. Hearing about what had happened to her from Zoey, her father had called and changed her schedule at the resort. For that she was thankful. Although she wasn’t feeling nearly as bad as she had felt earlier, work was not a place she wanted to be. Stepping off the deck, she smiled as her feet slid into the sand. Giving a slight giggle, she hurried down toward the water. Once her blanket was in place, she slipped in her ear buds and lay back. Closing her eyes, she expected to see the face of the bastard who had attacked her. Instead, a smile lit her face as the vision of the Atherton twins, well one twin in particular, filled her mind. She had to admit they were beyond amazing to look at. Still, they made no attempt to hide their lifestyle, a lifestyle someone like her would most likely never share in.

  Appearing in front of the house, Ryder took note as his senses kicked in. The little wolf was not inside. He made his way around to the back and immediately saw the footprints in the sand. Laughing lightly to himself, he began to follow them. He did not have to go far until he spotted her. She lay stretched out on a blanket. Her sun-kissed skin glistened from the oils she had obviously used. He smiled, thinking how he would have gladly been the one to rub oil on every inch of her. As he made his way down the beach, his eyes took in everything about her, from the swell of her breasts to the long length of her legs. The white bikini she wore did not leave much to the imagination. The urge to rip it from her silky skin with his fangs roared inside him. But after what she had been through, he wouldn’t do that.

  He reached her and stood watching for a long moment. He crouched, slowly reaching his hand out carefully. He smirked as he realized she was lost in her thoughts as well as the music that played in her ears. Brushing his fingers lightly across her stomach, he watched as her eyes flew open. “Hello, little wolf.” He smiled of amusement.

  Momentarily taken off guard, Jasmyn found herself wondering whether he was truly there, or if her daydreams had taken her over. Leaning up slowly, she noticed his hand was still against her skin. The coolness made her shiver slightly.

  Catching her thoughts, which were projecting insanely from her, Ryder smirked. “Yes, little wolf, I’m really here. Is that so shocking?” he asked as his fingers lightly grazed along her stomach. “You were thinking of my brother and me?”

  Jasmyn shook her head slightly. “A little. I was remembering when we came and found the two of you.”

  “Ah, at least I was in your thoughts,” he teased.

  Smiling, Jasmyn pulled the ear buds from her ears. “Yep, you were, and apparently, I was in yours. Or you wouldn’t have stopped by for a visit.”

  “You were, especially when I heard what happened,” he said, his face turning serious. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine. Luckily one of the priestesses, my friend Rayne, made it to me quickly. She gave me something that really helped me. For a few minutes though, I thought my brain was mush.”

  “From what I heard, it very well could have been,” he said, offering her his hand. She took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. “Did he physically attack you in any way?”

  “No. My beast took over, forcing me to shift. Once that happened, he took off. I wasn’t in any shape at that point to take a bite out of his ass, but he knew he had gone too far. Kane and Jason went to Arthur to tell him what happened. They said most likely nothing would be done, but they wanted him to know.”

  “It is good they did. Now Arthur knows to watch Deacon closely. He is a very old vampire who can easily hurt another. It is in his nature. It was how he was raised. It was how we were all raised,” Ryder told her as he thought back to when they were all younger. Deacon always showed his darker side during their training.

  “Does that mean I need to be careful around you, bad boy?” Jasmyn asked, her eyes roaming over him.

  Returning to the present, Ryder smiled wickedly at her. “Yes, little wolf, you should be very cautious. I may be very dangerous for you.”

  “Hearing you say it that way makes me curious as to what that danger could be.” Jasmyn smiled as she stepped a bit closer to him. “You know, we O’Connor’s have the reputation of being drawn to danger.”

  “Does that mean you find yourself drawn to me, little wolf?”

  “Would that be a bad thing?” she asked, hearing her own voice drop low.

  Hearing the seductiveness of her tone, Ryder reached out and pulled her body against his own. He loved the feel of her heat against him. His hand ran down her back slowly, cupping her ass. “No, it would not be, at least not for me. You, on the other hand, could easily get in over your head, little one. You have no idea of the things I could do to you.” He leaned down, letting his fangs graze her neck. The shiver that ran through her made his breath catch. He wondered intently how she would taste⸻every part of her. “All you have to do is say yes, little one, and I will show you just how bad I can be.”

  Jasmyn could barely breathe. It felt as if her head was spinning. She wanted him, no, she craved him. In all her life, she had never wanted anything so bad. For the first time since she could remember, her destiny, all the things she fought to keep from her family and friends, all of it just faded away. He had consumed her. He was all she could think of. There was no reason to be careful with him. There was no reason to try and protect him. She knew his reputation. He wanted her body. Once he had it for however long he devoured her, that would be the end of it. There would be no emotional attachment. She couldn’t hurt him when her destiny took over. He would barely blink an eye. But she could have him. She could have something amazing to remember⸻ a night, maybe two, with the most incredible being she had ever seen. Was it bad to want a good memory to take with her? Was it wrong
to have what nearly every woman who laid eyes on him wanted? No, it wasn’t. The pull she felt to him would stay with her. She knew that. But it didn’t matter. She wanted him to be the one to show her what her body could feel. She wanted that memory.

  “Afraid, little wolf?” Ryder asked and watched her eyes snap up at him. There was something there, a fear he was not used to seeing. Was she truly afraid of him? No. It was something else, something he could feel her hiding in her mind.

  “No.” She spoke softly as she allowed her body to take over. She leaned up, slowly letting her lips press against his. She kissed him lightly, nipping his bottom lip playfully. “Yes, my bad boy, show me,” she whispered.

  At the feel of her lips against his, he lifted her until her legs wrapped around his waist. Going to the ground, he laid her down on the blanket as his lips devoured hers. The taste of her mouth drove him on as his hands ran over every part of her body. With one pull, her bikini top tore loose. He looked down at her and grazed her nipple, smiling as it peaked. “You, little wolf, are beautiful.”

  Gasping from the feel of his touch, Jasmyn looked up at him. She reached up, slowly touching the side of his face. “You are…” She smiled. “You are amazing,” she said. She leaned up, kissing him deeply.

  “You do not see just how perfect you are, little one. I will show you,” he added as he leaned down, letting his tongue tease her nipple. Her body trembled beneath him. “I want to taste you,” he said as his fangs grazed her skin once more.

  “Please,” she whispered.

  Without hesitation, his fangs sank into her breast. The sweetness of her filled him. The taste of her was maddening. So sweet, so perfect, so…pure. Pulling away quickly, he stared down at her. Slowly her eyes opened. That was when he saw it, the underlying fear once again. Now he knew why. “You…” he said, still staring in amazement. “You are untouched. You are an innocent.”

  Hearing his words, her shock could not be hidden. She never thought tasting her blood would tell him she was a virgin. Quickly covering herself, she sat up and pulled away from him. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” she countered as she closed off her mind and avoided his eyes.