Guardian of Darkness

by Katie Reus

  “Those only happen like…twice a year.”

  “The next one is in two weeks.” Gabriel should know. He tracked them religiously.

  “How was I killed?” Her voice was calm as she asked.

  He felt anything but calm, and forced himself to answer. “I’m not sure. There was fire and blood. And I felt the loss of your death.”

  “I’m sorry you had to experience that, even in a dream.”

  He leaned his head back against the tile, closing his eyes as the water pounded down around him. “Not a dream. A vision. Don’t forget that.”

  Heard a slight shuffling and guessed that she’d jumped up on the counter to sit. “You know that nothing is written in stone.” She reiterated what she said at the hotel.

  Yeah, he knew. He also felt like he’d run straight into a destiny he’d been terrified of.

  “Can I tell you something…” She continued before he could answer. “I’ve never been with a male. Never had sex. Not technically.”

  His throat tightened as he digested her words. Why the hell was she telling him that?

  “Making me feel kinda awkward here,” she muttered.

  Erection now gone after talking about her foreseen death, he turned the shower off and reached out to grab a towel. Wrapping it around his waist, he stepped out into the steamed-up bathroom so he could face her. Sure enough she was sitting on the counter, her long, bare legs crossed. “Why are you telling me this?”

  Her cheeks were pink as she shrugged. “If you’re so convinced I’m going to die soon—”

  “I didn’t say soon! And you’ve only got a week here. After that I’ll tie you up and haul you back to Biloxi myself.” He wouldn’t risk her being in this vicinity after another week. He hoped everything was settled with Carson long before then anyway. As in tomorrow. His patience was a razor-thin wire right now.

  She snorted softly. “I’m just saying…I don’t want to die. And I definitely don’t want to die a virgin. You’ve got enough details about this so-called vision that…we can avoid it coming to fruition if we’re never here during a blood moon.”

  He tightened his jaw once then stalked past her into the bedroom. He was dripping water everywhere and couldn’t find it in him to care. After grabbing a pair of boxers and a T-shirt from his duffel bag, he tossed the towel on the back of a chair. He wasn’t sure if she was watching him and he didn’t care. His goal was to get in bed, get sleep and figure shit out in a few hours.

  “I always assumed you slept naked,” Vega murmured, dimming the tableside lamp as she slid into bed.

  He did, but didn’t tell her that. Instead, he got into the huge California king-size bed on the opposite side. They should have enough space to do gymnastics, but the thing might as well have been a twin.

  She was silent but he swore her projected thoughts were louder than a full-scale jazz band. He could practically hear the wheels in her head turning. But she didn’t say anything, simply turned on her side and gave him her back.

  Sighing, he turned away and closed his eyes even though he knew sleep wouldn’t come. Especially since she’d told him she was a virgin. He didn’t want to care about something like that, but the thought of being her first? Her only. Hell. He needed rest. Now.

  Instead he remembered one of the last days he’d spent with her in New Orleans years ago.

  “How was class?” Gabriel asked, sliding up next to Vega as she stepped out onto the sidewalk.

  “You’ve got to stop doing that,” she said, laughing lightly. “You nearly gave my friend Mia a heart attack the other day. She thought you’d dropped out of the trees or something.”

  He simply shrugged, scanning the upcoming courtyard. It was close to four in the afternoon and in the middle of spring so people were everywhere even if they didn’t have class. Vega had started wearing dresses, showing off miles of leg and toned, tanned skin.

  Something he didn’t need to be noticing. But things had shifted lately. He couldn’t figure out when it had happened either. He’d always been protective of her. But…things were different now and it felt as if the change had happened overnight. He knew it meant he had to get distance from her, to request that he be sent off on an assignment somewhere else, or at least moved back to Biloxi.

  He didn’t want to trust her safety to anyone else, but being around her day in and day out was pushing things now. Tempting fate, something he couldn’t afford. Neither of them could. “So?”

  “So what…oh, class. Eh. There’s not a lot that can make statistics fun or interesting.” She shrugged. “But it’s part of my course load. I’m just glad it’s Friday. Want to head to the Quarter tonight? Pretend to be tourists on Bourbon Street?” She giggled lightly.

  Laughing, he shook his head. He had the most insane urge to take her hand in his, to pull her close. His wolf on the surface, wanting to take her out on a real date to—

  “Vega, hey.” A male shifter he recognized from around campus nodded once at Gabriel. A jaguar.

  Fucking cats. Gabriel wanted to snarl at him on principle but kept his civilized mask in place. Because the truth was, the only reason he didn’t like the guy was because it was clear he was interested in Vega.

  “Hey, Jacob. I didn’t see you in econ yesterday,” she said, only slowing down marginally.

  “Yeah, missed my alarm. What are you up to tonight? I wanted to see if you wanted to head up to The Boot later with a group of us.” He looked at Gabriel and gave a polite smile. “You too.” The male was clearly curious about Gabriel and his relationship with Vega because he’d overheard Jacob ask her if that was her boyfriend before and she’d told Jacob no. But she hadn’t given any more details than that.

  “I’ve got plans tonight, but thanks anyway. I’ll see you around later,” Vega said, in the politest dismissal Gabriel had ever heard. She was so different from the teenager who’d come to live with the pack. He’d never forget the way she’d freaked out on her father years ago because Finn had tried to forbid her to go on a date with a human male. It had been interesting watching Finn navigate being a parent.

  Once they were out of earshot, Gabriel said, “You could have gone out with him.” He felt as if he was chewing on glass as he forced the words out.

  She snorted as they reached the end of the sidewalk. “Let’s take the long way home. I want to walk. I need to stretch my legs.”

  She lived off campus in a pack-owned house near college. He lived in the carriage house behind it, but spent most of his time in the main house. He told himself it was because she was his responsibility, that since she was pack princess he had to look out for her all the time. But the truth was he just liked being around her.

  “Jacob’s nice,” Vega said after a few minutes of walking in silence along the uneven sidewalk. Beads hung from giant oak trees above them, the sight common all over New Orleans. But especially where they were. “But he’s definitely into me. He’s asked me out a few times and I’ve shut him down as gently as I could. I figure he’ll get the hint eventually.”

  Gabriel simply nodded. He might not like Jacob on principle but the jaguar shifter seemed okay. Just young, and it wasn’t as if Gabriel could blame the guy for being into Vega. The male wasn’t pushy and he didn’t set off any of Gabriel’s protective instincts—mainly because the male was still a pup, in his opinion.

  “So, want to go out tonight or what?” she asked.

  “As long as it’s not Bourbon Street.” The scents could be overwhelming sometimes.

  “Ha, I know, I was messing with you. There’s a Mediterranean place I want to check out over in the Lower Garden District. A couple packmates are supposed to be arriving tonight anyway. Figured they’d all want to go out.”

  “Who?”

  “Ah…Taylor, Liberty and Chloe for sure.”

  Gabriel snorted softly. “If Liberty’s coming, then Rory is too.”

  “Of course… Oh, Cynara is coming too.”

  The half-vampire, half-demon had shockingly purp
le hair—not dyed—and loved New Orleans. She was over here often and though the female didn’t drink often, she could party as much as wolves. “I heard she was dating someone new.”

  “Me too…we’ll see if it lasts. That female is so damn picky.”

  “And you’re not?”

  She laughed under her breath. “Fair enough… Someone asked me out for Saturday.” There was a note in her voice he couldn’t define.

  “From class?”

  “Ah…no. A shifter from the Moana clan. He goes to school here too.”

  Gabriel barely kept his claws in check. “Does he know who you are?” Meaning who her parents were.

  “Yeah. Now, anyway. I don’t think he did at first.”

  “How old is he? And—”

  She sighed. “Look. I’m not answering a billion questions. I just wanted to let you know.”

  Vega wasn’t a typical college student and never would be. He knew sometimes it bothered her, but because of her unique bloodline and who her powerful parents were she could potentially be targeted by any number of assholes. So he knew why she was telling him. She hadn’t said if she was going, either, and for now he wasn’t going to push. Because he didn’t want to know the damn answer.

  Just because he’d had that vision, knew what their future might hold… He rolled his shoulders once. It was definitely time to get out of New Orleans. Get on with his life. Let Vega live hers.

  And made sure she stayed alive.

  Two Years Ago

  Vega,

  I heard from Chloe that you’re on a date tonight. I thought I would be happy for you. And I am. Sort of. Okay, not at all. And I’m definitely not happy for that guy. In fact… Yeah, doesn’t matter. Because it’s not about some random stranger. I should have told you I was leaving instead of just ghosting the way I did. It’s fucked up. And weak. And that’s on me.

  I don’t want to give excuses, but I imagined your expression as I told you I was leaving and I couldn’t face you, so I acted like a coward. I don’t know what would have been worse, you being sad that I was moving from New Orleans or you being okay with it, understanding. It was a no-win situation for me. Right about now, I wish alcohol had an effect on me. One that lasted longer than an hour. Which is just as pathetic, but I’m putting it all out there—since I know you’ll never read this. You own my heart, always will. Somehow, sometime in the last year you got under my skin and I saw the real you. The one you keep hidden from the pack. You’re funny, sweet, and kind of a geek—and I know you don’t hide that from the pack. I’m talking about the strong female who wants to do something with her life away from the pack. The last few conversations we’ve had, I know you’ve been hinting at it. And I hope you accomplish everything you set out to, no matter what that may be.

  We might not have a future together, but I know you’re going to set the world on fire. I hope I’m there to see it, even if it’s on the periphery. No matter what, my heart will always belong to you. You claimed it a while ago and I don’t want it back.

  Gabriel

  Chapter 14

  Vega knew she was dreaming, but whatever was happening felt like more than a simple dream. She had too much awareness. Her surroundings were hazy, just starting to come into focus in a way that was somehow familiar.

  “You’re close now. All you have to do is find me,” a melodic female voice said.

  Vega had learned not to ignore voices that spoke to her. During her training with August she’d started to hone her psychic skills and was able to infiltrate dreams. Occasionally waking thoughts. She was very careful about that, however, because she never wanted to inadvertently injure someone. When people were dreaming it was easier to slip into their minds, because they were more vulnerable then.

  “Who are you?” she asked, looking around her environment.

  Vega was surrounded by lush green hills and a field of flowers. It felt like springtime against her skin. She wasn’t in bed with Gabriel and it wasn’t dark out, but early afternoon. The sky looked wrong, however. She couldn’t figure out why, but something about it was off. Wait…the clouds weren’t moving.

  “My name isn’t important. I can feel your power. You are unique. You can help set me free. And I must be free to stop them.”

  Okay, that sounded ominous. A voice in her dream asking to set her free. Nope, not creepy at all.

  The female laughed. “You are simply delightful.”

  Crap, this person can apparently hear my thoughts. “Set you free from what? And stop who?”

  “I’ve been trapped in darkness for a long time. Sleeping, mostly. Now…I’m not sure why I can’t awaken. And I need to.”

  Vega wondered if the female was a dragon, and as soon as she had the thought, the female answered.

  “Yes, I am. I’m surprised you know about my kind. You are not one of us. But you are unique. There is something about your blood that calls to me. You will be able to stop what’s happening.”

  Okay then, that was still creepy. “Do you know what year it is?”

  There was a long silence and finally the female spoke. “No. I believe I’ve been asleep for thousands of years.”

  “Then how are you speaking the same language as me?”

  More laughter. “Smart girl.”

  Okaaaay. This wasn’t going anywhere and she didn’t like having someone else in her head. “I’d like to end this conversation now.”

  There was another moment of silence and Vega prepared herself for psychic battle. She’d engaged in it before, and while it had always been in training, she’d come out on the other side every time. But there was a lot she didn’t know. She was young and wouldn’t get cocky.

  “Okay, for now. But I will be back. I need your help.”

  Vega immediately felt the connection snap. The unknown individual was definitely gone. This was a whole other level of weird and she would have to tell August about it, but she wouldn’t break silence on this operation for that. Not yet. She would tell Gabriel, however. He was her partner and she was going to treat him as such.

  Suddenly Vega’s dream shifted and she realized she wasn’t awake, but still dreaming.

  And she was surrounded by…what the heck? It took a moment to take in her surroundings. She was in a huge bed. California king size, if she had to guess. The comforter was lush and throw pillows were everywhere. It was like something out of a cheesy harem scene from a badly made porno.

  Looking down she realized she was naked. Nope. She had enough control to change that. She focused all her energy and let out a breath of relief when clothing covered her. Whatever was going on was…weird.

  What the hell was going on? Was someone else in her head? She hadn’t dealt with many psychics in her life. Even in training her experience with others like herself had been limited. Mainly because there weren’t many like her in existence.

  Maybe this was some weird thing she’d—

  “Why are you with a weak male like Gabriel?”

  The whispered words in the male’s voice were dark and sensual, echoing in the vast space surrounding the bed. And something about them was insidious. She instinctively understood that the person speaking was trying to be sensual, but chills snaked down her spine.

  “You shouldn’t be with a male like him,” he whispered. “You should be with me. Walk down to my room right now and I’ll fuck you the way you want. The way you need.” It was Carson speaking.

  She paused for a long moment, willing the bed and pillows to disappear. She was stronger than this bullshit. “You’re pathetic,” she whispered back. “Is that the only way you can get a woman? By violating her mind? Get the fuck out of my head!” she screamed into what was now just a vast shimmering space she’d created.

  Colors surrounded her, greens, purples and blues with a billion stars splashed overhead. This was her domain and he would soon realize that.

  Carson seemed to understand the mistake he’d made. At least that was the impression she got from him because he didn�
��t say another word. Instead, he pushed back with a powerful force that she couldn’t see, but felt pressing against her skin.

  Gritting her teeth, she opened her arms wide, and though the action was more symbolic than anything, she shoved back at him. She heard his screams in her head and she knew he hadn’t expected it. Hell, she hadn’t expected this.

  Using her training and her natural gift, she reared back and pushed again, straining with the effort to shove him out of her head. Fuck him. She’d get in his head. Screaming under the effort, she slammed her fist forward and the panorama in front of her split down the middle, ripping open like a movie screen.

  Suddenly she found herself standing in a forest with a bright moon overhead. This was Carson’s head. He was thinking of this place.

  She focused on what she needed, ignoring Carson as he tried to push her out. She didn’t belong here and he was very aware of her presence. His panic and fear of her wrapped around her, nearly smothering her under the weight of it.

  The forest shifted slightly, the trees taking on an ominous appearance, as if something out of a horror movie. The branches were gnarled and twisted, reaching out to her like fingers. She ignored them, focused on what she needed to do. Seize the unexpected opportunity given her.

  “Where is the one place you don’t want me to look?” she whispered. “Where are you hiding all that information you stole?”

  “Get out,” he gritted.

  She shoved again, feeling the strain of it. She needed to wake up. This was dangerous, she knew that. But she couldn’t stop until she… She saw an image of Carson poring over information, memorizing it, then destroying— There was no flash drive! He’d memorized everything. Fuck. He held all the information on August’s agents in his head.

  The ground shifted beneath her and suddenly, as if being tugged by an invisible force, she started running. The moon itself was a beacon, shining down on a cluster of trees in the distance. There was a huge clearing up ahead. Tree branches reached for her, their fingers sharp and deadly, trying to stop her from reaching her destination. She dodged them. She had to see what he didn’t want her to see.