The Guardians (The Tempest Isle Series Book 1)

by S. C. Storm

  “Jasmyn,” he said softly, able to easily read her embarrassment. “Stop. Talk to me.”

  Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. I should have thought this through. A guy like you probably doesn’t want to run around with the burden of being some girl’s first. Not to mention the fact I’m a massive rookie in the game you and your brother play so well. It’s cool,” she said, getting to her feet. “It’s no big deal.”

  “It is a very big deal,” he said, reaching up and grasping her hand. “I felt you want me. I feel the same. I just never imagined it was your first time. I don’t want to take something so important from you without you being absolutely sure, without you being ready.”

  “I get that.” She sighed as she clung to the torn top covering her. “And I know you probably think I’m some weird chic wanting some perfect relationship or a man to fall head over heels in love with me, but that’s not it. I swear, it’s not. I just…” She slowly sat back down. “It’s hard to explain.”

  “Try.”

  She nodded. “I guess I owe you that after nearly wrangling you into something so crazy.”

  “It is not crazy, and I definitely was not wrangled,” Ryder said. “Tell me why.”

  Wishing she could tell him the entire truth, she squeezed his hand. A form of it will be enough, she thought. Especially since she would probably never speak to the guy again. She wasn’t stupid. She knew he would avoid her at all costs now. “All my life, I’ve known what I was and what that means. I’ve seen guardians fall. They always eventually do.”

  “But you are an O’Connor. Your family is important,” he pressed.

  “Part of my family is important⸻Jason, Lex, and Erin, not to mention their parents. They are the important ones. The rest of us are just run of the mill soldiers. The only reason my dad is still around is because he was never part of this war. They needed him to be the face of Tempest. He did his part, like a good little soldier. The rest of us, well, we are like everyone else. We are fighters. That means if we die taking out reapers, we’ve done our part. Growing up an O’Connor, that’s what you are taught. You fight and you do whatever you can to protect these islands as well as your cousins. I learned that part a long time ago. If I die to see to it that Jas, Lex, or Erin live, I will. But it’s not because it’s my duty. I love them. I want them to be what they are destined to be. But I’m also not naive enough to think I matter as much as they do in the long term. I know what my life is going to be. I’m going to fight awhile. Then I’m going to die. I get it. I’ve accepted it.

  “The thing is, I don’t want to leave a trail of hurt when I go. I know my family is going to mourn me. My sisters, damn, they will go insane. But I can keep others from mourning me. I don’t have to go out knowing some dude is sitting around heartbroken. I keep my circle really small because of my destiny,” she said, looking over at him. “That’s why when I found myself so attracted to you, I didn’t hold back. I knew I could be with you, finally know what that is like, and not hurt you. I knew you wouldn’t be falling for me. Sure, when I die you may hurt over the loss of a friend or someone whose world you rocked, but it wouldn’t be like losing love. And I knew you would handle it better than most, considering all the women you have known and stuff throughout your life.”

  “Still I would grieve, losing someone I felt close to. You do realize this, do you not? Many will mourn you. That is why you should fight to keep from leaving them. You sound as if you have already given up,” Ryder told her as he watched her expression. He smiled when he saw the change in her demeanor. The fire was back.

  “I have not given up. I will go down fighting.” She growled. Seeing him smirking, she shook her head. “You did that one on purpose.”

  “Perhaps.”

  She laughed. “You are bad. Maybe not as bad as I was hoping you were, but bad enough.”

  “You give me more credit than I deserve, little wolf. I still want you. I still plan on having you. I just plan on waiting until the time is right. Someone such as yourself deserves a much better first experience.” He smiled. “It just means I can teach you so much more than I already planned.”

  “Now you are just being a tease,” Jasmyn said as she heard her cell phone go off. Leaning over, she read the text and moaned slightly. “Apparently, word of what happened with that Deacon prick is getting around. That was my friend Melody. She’s on her way over demanding that she is staying with me tonight to make sure I am all right.”

  “Ah, I am glad you will not be alone, especially now since I will not be staying to keep you occupied.” He got to his feet. He took her hand, bringing her with him. “Since you have company on its way, I shall take my leave, little wolf.”

  Nodding, she smiled up at him. “Thank you for coming to check on me. It was sweet of you. And, well, thank you for the other. It was mind-blowing.” She blushed.

  He smiled slightly as he touched the flush of her cheeks. “You are even more beautiful when you blush, little one,” he said as he leaned down. He took her lips, kissing her hard. Feeling her melt in his arms made him doubt his own decision. Slowly he pulled away. “Till next time, little wolf.” He vanished for home.

  As Ryder disappeared, Jasmyn stood there a moment in awe. Slowly her fingers touched her lips. They were swollen from the force of his kisses. She smiled. “Till next time, my bad boy.” She got herself together and headed into the house to wait on Melody.

  Chapter 15

  Tourmaline Island

  Rayne bit her lip as she paced from one end of the room to the other. It was a habit she had when she was worried or had a lot on her mind. When she had returned from Jasmyn’s, she had tried to concentrate on the ceremony for the ascension, but with everything that had happened in the last few days, she just couldn’t. The clock chimed the hour, and she looked at it. Tonight was the beginning of the ascension festivities that had been planned, and as owner of Temptations, she had to be there, but there was something she had to do first. Reaching for the patio door, she walked outside. Closing her eyes, she reached out with her mind for Destiny. It is time, she said telepathically. She felt Destiny open, letting her in. Entwining her power with Destiny’s, they reached out, touching the minds of every guardian who planned on ascending.

  Tonight marks the first night. Several more shall pass before you feel the pull of your guardian blood. When you do, you will come to Tourmaline where you will stand before us. There, my sister Destiny and I will decide who is ready to ascend. Until then. As Rayne finished, she broke the link.

  Taking a few moments, Rayne turned and went inside and up to her room. She showered and dressed. Leaving her room, she saw Eleanor, the children’s nanny. “I am leaving now,” Rayne told her.

  “Yes, ma’am. The children are downstairs in the game room. I will make sure they get to bed at a decent hour,” Eleanor said.

  Rayne smiled. “Which probably means before I get home,” she teased. Seeing the stricken look on Eleanor’s face, she rushed to reassure her. “I know you send them to their rooms when you are supposed to Eleanor, but I also know my children. They will not fall asleep until they are ready. According to Giana, that’s the way teenagers are,” Rayne said, chuckling.

  “Yes, ma’am, I am often told that they are too old for a nanny,” Eleanor said, shaking her head.

  “As have I, but I have told them you are more than their nanny. You are their friend. They are both happy with that.” Rayne smiled. “As always, if you need me, just call to me.”

  “I will, ma’am, and have a good night.” Eleanor curtsied and hurried off down the hall.

  Rayne made her way to the game room. She heard Draven’s voice before she saw him. Opening the door, she went in. “I am off for the night, loves. Please do not give Eleanor a hard time tonight, and do try to go to bed at a decent hour,” she said and leaned down to kiss Draven’s cheek. Going to Giana, she did the same.

  “We won’t, Mom. Give Ella a hard time, that is,” G
iana said cheekily. She grinned at the look her mother gave her.

  “Will you be late tonight?” Draven asked.

  “Hopefully not too late,” Rayne answered. “Now I really must go.” Giving them one last warning look, she disappeared.

  ***

  Moonstone Island

  Slipping out her bedroom window, Haley O’Connor climbed slowly down the terrace, then leapt to the ground. Holding her position for a moment, she waited to make sure neither her dad nor Zoey had heard her. Once she was satisfied, she turned and headed for the woods. She loved this part of the day. The sky had just turned dark, and the sounds of the ocean were soothing. She smiled just a bit as she slipped farther into the dense woods. Making it to the clearing, she took a seat upon a rock just past the waterfall. She pulled out her cell and saw she was only a few minutes late. Thinking that she may have missed him, she got to her feet and started to head back. Before she could take more than a step or two, she felt the atmosphere around her change. Turning, she smiled. “Hey, you all right?” she asked walking over. “You haven’t mentioned us getting out at night like this in ages.”

  “To be honest, I have no idea,” Draven told her as he made his way over to the rocks. He sat down and stared out at nothing for the longest of times.

  “Draven, what’s going on?” Haley asked, moving over and sitting down beside him. “You aren’t acting right.” She watched him closely. His face was set. He was hiding his emotions, but she knew him too well. Hell, she had known him his entire life. They had grown up together on these islands. Their friendship had always been one the most important things in her life. He was hers and she was his. It was just that simple.

  Looking over and seeing the worry in his Haley’s eyes, Draven sighed. “I’m not trying to worry you. It’s just that…” He took a deep breath. “I found out the truth about my and Gia’s father, who he really is.”

  “Damn,” she said with a slight whistle. “What brought all this about?”

  “He’s here on the islands,” he stated nonchalantly. “He’s here to ascend.”

  “Well, that isn’t a surprise. You knew you were of guardian decent,” Haley told him as she lay her head against his shoulder. “Who is he?”

  “Ryden Atherton,” he sighed. “One of the guardians everyone has been making such a big deal about.”

  Looking up at him, she couldn’t help but be taken back by his looks. Her Draven had always been one of the cutest guys she had ever met. Most of the time you could see that he didn’t realize it. But then there were those few occasions when you could see the mild arrogance in him. She loved those times. She loved seeing him shine like the special light he truly was. Knowing there was nothing she could say to help ease what he was going through, she leaned up and kissed his cheek softly. “It will be all right, Draven. I promise. You and Gia will both be fine. Maybe you will finally have the chance to know your father like you always wanted to. Have you met him yet?”

  “No, he wants to meet us at the Gathering,” he said as he finally looked down at her. Those piercing blue eyes were looking up at him expectantly. “I think that’s why I reached out to you tonight. I want to at least see him.”

  “Most everyone will be at Temptations tonight. I’ve heard lots of people on the islands talking about celebrating the big ascension,” she said as her mind began calculating. “We could go by the Atherton house to see if he is there. If not, we could pop over to Temptations and hide out for a bit. Once the coast is clear, we could play peeping toms and see if we can grab a glimpse of him.”

  “And hence why they call you Demon, my Haley.” He laughed slightly. “You sure you are up for this? Your family may be around. If we get busted, I’m almost positive you will get grounded.”

  “I’m used to that, Draven. Besides, nothing is more important than being with you right now,” she said, sitting up to look at him. That was when she caught the flicker in his eyes, a darkness that threatened. “Hey, it’s been awhile. You need me.”

  Shaking his head, Draven smiled. “You do not have to, Haley. I’ll be fine, really.”

  “I want to, Draven. You know I like it.” She grinned wickedly as she pulled her long black hair around to the opposite side of her neck.

  Breathing deep, he caught her scent and felt his fangs elongate. Telling his mom he fed on small animals around the island had been a lie for quite some time. No, his Haley had been his source since they were thirteen. The taste of her was something he had never quite been able to shake. She was delicious, and the power he felt coursing through him after he took from her was immeasurable. It was the same for her. He could feel her emotions each time it happened, how empowered she felt, important. They even played around with Haley taking from his own vein to heal the bite marks he left on her. It healed her quickly of course, but the aftermath was something neither of them had expected. She was insatiable each time the taste hit her tongue. She would plead and beg for more and more. The first time took what seemed like ages to overcome. Over the years, she had grown more used to the sensations and had learned how to control her urges. Although he had to admit, the urges were inside him too. Like now as he reached up and softly stroked her neck as he leaned closer. “My Haley,” he whispered as he sank his fangs into her silky flesh and began to drink deep.

  With a slight gasp, Haley reached her hand up, playing in his hair as he took from her. She loved the feel of him at her vein. Knowing she helped make him stronger meant the world to her. Slowly his arms wound around her, pulling her tight against him. She could feel his heart beating faster as his grip tightened. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him gently as he took what he needed from her. Unfortunately, the connection seemed to break far sooner than she had hoped for. With a shiver, she felt his tongue catch the last few drops from the wound just before he kissed her neck softly. They stayed there like that for a bit longer as he took the time he needed to get himself together. Slowly he pulled away. Smiling, she looked up at him. “You all right?” she asked.

  “Oh yeah,” he said with a slight growl. “Most definitely.”

  “Good,” she said, taking his hand. “We have a mission tonight, if you choose to accept it,” she said in her best Mission Impossible voice. She knew if they did not go, they would stay in this spot most of the night, exploring what they could do with one another.

  Laughing, he reached up and took her hand as he hopped to his feet. “I accept this mission.” He said in a deep voice as he pulled her close, then vanished.

  ***

  Hearing the car pull into her drive, Jasmyn climbed off the couch and headed to the door. She had to admit, whatever Rayne had given her was wearing off. An intense tiredness was setting in. Still, she knew Melody was there, and the last thing she wanted was for her to worry. Opening the door before Mel had time to knock, she smiled brightly at her best friend. “See, I’m fine.”

  “So you say, but I had to see for myself,” Melody said as she made her way inside. In her hands, she carried several bags of food. “I would have been here sooner, but I had to close up the diner tonight. My usual girl came down sick.” She rambled on as she sat the bags down on the table and began pulling things out. “I brought you lots to eat. You know, with that hellacious appetite all you wolves have,” she added with a smirk.

  “You are just jealous you can’t eat like I do,” Jasmyn teased as she went over, grabbing a container and a fork. “I am starving though, so thanks.”

  “See, Mel has you covered, girl.” She laughed as she took her friend in. She was smiling, but Melody could see the tension in her face. Only those who knew Jasmyn as well as she did would notice. “You are exhausted. After you eat you should lie down.”

  “I’m fine, Mel. I’m not going to crawl into bed and hide away because some vamp fucked with my head. I’ll be fine.”

  “I know you will, Jaz, but still you could humor me a bit. Grams told me it was bad,” Melody pressed.

  “Fine. I will go to bed early if it ge
ts you off my case.” Jasmyn growled over a mouthful of food.

  “It will.” Melody grinned.

  As Jasmyn finished her food, Melody cleaned up. Seeing her friend on the couch, she walked over, laying a blanket over her. As she sat down, Jasmyn began to tell her what had happened with the vampire who had attacked her. The more she heard, the angrier she became. “And let me guess. You took it all on yourself. You didn’t tell him Lex was the one hired to find those twins.”

  “No, I didn’t. I wouldn’t put a target on her back like that. You should know better,” Jasmyn said, looking at her. It wasn’t hard to see the worry on her friend’s face. Her long, curly, blonde hair hid a lot in her face but not that. “It’s fine, Mel. It’s for the best. Jas will make sure the vamp stays away from me. Hell, he’s probably running around somewhere outside right now.”

  “No, they are at Temptations. I heard some of the pack talking about meeting up there tonight. They said he and Kane would be there.” Melody sighed.

  “And here you are thinking you need to babysit me, when you really wish you were at Temptations watching my cousin.” Jasmyn smiled. “You can go on, Mel. I’m good. I promise. “

  Melody shook her head. “Me being there wouldn’t matter. Jason doesn’t see me, Jaz. He never has.”

  “He has, Mel, but I’ve told you a thousand times, Jason will not settle down. Alphas don’t for a long time. It’s just natural. The pack, the war, it always comes first. And you know how much is on his shoulders. If he doesn’t mate…”

  “He needs to take a pure-blooded guardian as a mate. It’s the only way the alpha remains a purebred. Trust me, Jaz, I’ve heard it all a million times. I’ve sat and read the histories a thousand times, wishing there was a loophole that said a keeper and a werewolf could be together and it would work out.” Melody sighed as she leaned her head back. “I’ve loved him long as I can remember. It’s just hard knowing he will never feel the same.”