Guardians (Seers Trilogy Book 3)

by Heather Frost

  She pulled back too soon, her voice quivering. “You swear to me right now you’re never going to even think about doing something like that ever again. Ever.”

  I swallowed hard and ran my fingers along the side of her face. “Kate, if I have you, I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

  Her answer was immediate. “You have me, Patrick. Forever.”

  I wrapped her firmly in my arms again, more content with the idea of forever than I’d ever been before.

  Epilogue

  Thirteen Months Later

  Kate Bennett

  New Mexico, United States

  The colored lights from the Christmas tree sparkled in the brightly lit room. Discarded wrapping paper littered the floor and holiday carols played in the background. Wonderful smells drifted from the kitchen, including buttery rolls and juicy ham. There was also a sweeter scent that could have been strawberry cheesecake, and, knowing my grandma, it probably was.

  Though there was plenty of couch space I was sitting on the soft carpet, leaning back against Patrick’s chest. His legs were stretched out on either side of me, his arms curled loosely around my stomach. From the sound of it, he’d fallen asleep with his head tipped back against the sofa. I smiled, feeling a little bad for him. The twins were all about waking up at four or five on Christmas morning, and Grandma was such a pushover that she allowed it. Though it was Patrick’s second Christmas with my family, he still wasn’t quite used to waking up before the sun. He wasn’t exactly a morning person, to put it mildly. Still, when the twins wanted something, he was usually pretty quick at giving in.

  We were alone in the family room, but the house wasn’t even close to being empty. Grandma was in the kitchen, probably with Maddy, who was eager to learn her cooking secrets. Sean was most likely with the twins, since they adored him every bit as much as they loved Patrick. The two O’Donnell brothers were better than celebrities around here. They were the Bennett family’s personal guardian angels, though they weren’t the only ones.

  I could hear Jack’s booming voice in the next room, taking up the long time argument with Claire about the pros and cons concerning turkey and ham. It was the same debate that happened every holiday, it seemed, except the Fourth of July—they both loved hamburgers, so there was nothing to argue about.

  The twins knew a good portion of the truth about our family now, but not everything. They knew Patrick, Jack, Claire, Toni, and Sean were immortal, but they didn’t know that Lee and I were too. Grandma agreed they could wait to learn until they were older. That was fine by me. I didn’t want to get too distracted by the supernatural while I had Jenna and Josie in my life, so I’d told Terence I needed a break from Demon hunting. Lee, Patrick and Toni had quickly agreed, all in the interest of enjoying the life we had, now that the Demon Lord was gone

  I exhaled deeply, reveling in how great it felt to just sit and not have to think. My first semester of college was finished, and I was more than happy to be done with finals. So far, college was everything I’d hoped it would be. With Lee as my roommate, things never got boring. We lived in a small apartment with Maria Turner and Alyssa Meadows, girlfriends to Jaxon and Aaron—who were roommates with Toni and Patrick. We were all attending the nearby university, and for the record, Toni complained about college a lot more, now that he was enrolled for real.

  My eyes swept over the room, taking in the piles of presents that were scattered around. Near the TV was a large plastic tote I’d given Patrick, containing all of my old painting supplies. Now that I was focusing on sketching, I didn’t really need them anymore. Of course, art was only my minor. My main focus in school was English—something I was really enjoying so far.

  Jack had given my Grandma a new Crock-Pot, extra large in size. His only request was that he needed to be around when she broke it in, and whenever else she used it. Sean had bought sheet music for Jenna and a new soccer ball for Josie. Claire had given Sean a camera, along with an invitation for him to come with her on her newest Guardian assignment in France. Though he’d been struggling for a while to find his niche in the world, I was confident Claire would be able to help him figure it out.

  I had many presents in this room, but picking my favorite was simple. It was the one glittering on my left hand. The wedding was set for May, once the school year was over. Though I’d said yes to him a long time ago, we’d decided to at least wait until after I graduated from high school to make the engagement official. I knew some people thought we were young and crazy, but the people who knew us best didn’t have a negative word to say about it. Even my grandma cheered when Patrick gently handed me the velvet box, a glowing smile on his face. Even wrapped in red paper with a green bow on top, the gift was no mystery for me. He’d slid the ring on my finger, and the fit had been perfect.

  I lifted my hand now, tilting my finger up to view the modest diamond arrangement with the enhancing rainbow effect of the Christmas tree lights. The result was beautiful and hypnotic. The silver band was simple, but better than anything I could have ever imagined.

  “Do you need a magnifying glass to see it?”

  I looked to the doorway where Sean was standing with his hands in his pockets. His blue eyes were bright and his face was lifted happily. He hardly looked like Far Darrig anymore. It was hard to remember that he’d ever been that person, though it was obvious in the way he grew silent sometimes that he remembered the past well. Maybe a little too well. He was wearing a dark purple shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows, just like his brother chose to wear his shirts. It was a good look for both of them, showing off their muscular forearms.

  When he saw my slight smile he wandered into the room, drawing closer.

  “You can joke all you like,” I said calmly. “But I think it’s wonderful.”

  He tossed his chin toward his sleeping brother. “He never was much for company.”

  “He’s not really a morning person,” I agreed fondly, flattening my hand against Patrick’s limp fingers that rested on my leg. I watched Sean sit on the far edge of the couch, and I cocked my head at him. “The twins let you go?”

  “They bought up my property and stole all my money.”

  “Yeah, Josie’s pretty competitive when it comes to Monopoly.”

  “Or anything else on the planet.”

  I giggled, mostly because having this conversation with him was such a miracle. “They’re going to miss you. When you’re in France.”

  He nodded. “Until I promised to bring them souvenirs. Then Jenna offered to go pack my bags.”

  I pursed my lips, but the smile still escaped. “They do love you, you know.”

  “I know.” He hesitated and then spoke more carefully. “Thank you again—for the letter.”

  “It wasn’t from me.”

  “I know. But thank you for going to get it from him. It meant a lot, hearing from him.”

  I smiled. “Your dad was really happy to hear from you. More than happy—he was this close to singing praises.”

  “That, I believe.”

  “You told him you’re going to France?”

  He nodded. “And that Claire would be accompanying me.”

  I grinned. “Ah, that’s why he was so happy for you . . .”

  The corner of Sean’s mouth twitched. “We’re taking it slow,” he said, and I took that as my cue to stop teasing him for now.

  Patrick suddenly snorted and jerked awake. His arms wrapped tightly around me as he raised his head. “Wha . . . ?” he groaned, lifting one hand to rub his face. “I’m sorry. How long was I out?”

  Sean was smirking. “Let me put it this way—Happy New Year.”

  Patrick’s body shifted around me as he tried to sit up fully. “Yeah—thanks, Sean.”

  “No problem.”

  I twisted around so I could set a kiss against his cheek. “Did you get any rest? That’s the real question.”

  “A little,” he said. “Enough to keep me going until tonight, hopefully.” He slipped a hand up t
o my face, holding me in place so he could press his lips to mine. “Mmm,” he murmured when he pulled back. “I could get used to that.” He glanced down at my left hand and the smile on his tired face was adorably heartwarming. “I could also get used to that.”

  Before I could form any response the doorbell rang, and the twins went running to answer it.

  “I got it!”

  “No, I’ve got it!”

  Not a minute later I heard Lee’s excited voice. “Make way! Excuse me! Best friend to the future bride, coming through!”

  Patrick and I helped each other to our feet so that when Lee bustled into the family room I was already halfway to her. My eyes popped wide at the sight of her.

  She wore a floor length dress of dazzling white and silver. The sleeves were long and draping, reaching as low as the skirt. It was a medieval princess–style dress, with a tight bodice that laced up with thick cords. Her hair was as long as mine now, maybe a little longer, and the only thing that held it back was a shiny metal tiara.

  “Uh . . . Lee?”

  She didn’t seem to hear me or register my shock at all. She snatched up my hand, pulling the fingers close so she could size up my ring. “Oh my Oreos—it’s so pretty!” she gushed. “Ugh! I just wish I could have been here for the unveiling.” She didn’t drop my hand, but she lowered it so she could peer over my shoulder. “Patrick, you better have taken pictures of her face. I can’t believe my best friend is engaged! It makes you sound ancient.”

  “Lee . . . Since when did you become a princess?”

  Her eyes flitted back to my face. “What? You too? What is this?”

  “That’s what we’d like to know,” Sean muttered from the couch.

  Lee was shaking her head at me in disappointment. “Geez, Kate, I thought you’d get it.”

  “You’re not a princess?” I guessed.

  “Of course not!”

  I could feel Patrick standing right behind me. “Lee, are those . . . plastic ears?”

  “Yes!” She let my hand fall so she could finger the pointy tips of her plastic ears, just sticking out of her brown hair. “Congratulations, you’re the first to spot them without a guided tour. People can be so unobservant.”

  “Why are you wearing plastic ears?” I asked.

  Toni answered that, strolling easily into the room with a sugar cookie in one hand. “She’s an elf this week. Abigail, or something.”

  “Arwen!” she snapped at him. “How in the world do you get Abigail out of that?”

  He shrugged, taking a big bite of his cookie. “I don’t know. How’d you get Arwen?”

  Before she could offer a rebuttal he’d caught sight of the ring. “Wow. Not bad,” he muttered through his cookie. “Terence spring for that?” he asked Patrick.

  “No, as a matter of fact, he didn’t.”

  Toni beamed like a proud parent. “You stole it?”

  “I bought it. Is that so surprising?”

  “Bought it? With what money?”

  Patrick rolled his eyes. “If you didn’t spend every cent of your allowance, and if you actually got a job—”

  “I’d be considered a big fat stick in the mud,” Toni summed up with a nod. He turned to me. “So—you think you can stand him for eternity, huh?”

  “I’m here anyway,” I joked. “I figured I might as well give it a shot.”

  Patrick poked my side lightly and I squirmed happily. He was quick to snatch my wrist, to keep me from moving far.

  Lee was almost glaring at Toni. “At least some men have a grasp of the romantic.”

  Toni had taken another bite, and he was chewing loudly with his mouth open. “Huh? You say something, hon?”

  She snorted low in her throat. “Never mind.” She suddenly prodded his arm. “Go eat in the kitchen—you’re getting crumbs all over the place.”

  He obediently returned to the kitchen, passing Jeanette and Peter, who were on their way into the family room. Jeanette’s grin was huge as she embraced me and then took a look at the ring. “Oh, it’s just gorgeous, Kate. Congratulations!” She kissed me on the cheek before folding a faintly surprised Patrick into her arms. “I’m so happy for the both of you. You certainly deserve this.”

  Jeanette Pearson had taken the news of Seers and Guardians pretty well, considering her unwitting involvement in things. Lee and Peter hadn’t been in a rush to bring her up to speed, but before Peter dared to approach her with his proposal of marriage, they’d sat her down for a serious talk. Learning that her daughter was immortal was a bit of a shock, as was discovering Peter’s somewhat shady past. Still, she was a good-hearted person and extremely understanding. And since Lee had given Peter the thumbs-up, Jeanette hadn’t hesitated. They’d been married for almost five months now, and neither of them had ever been happier. Now that he wasn’t being threatened by Selena anymore, Peter had been able to clear everything up with the school board. He was teaching subjects on the high school level, like he used to do before moving here.

  Peter took my hand with a smile, his glasses lit with the sheen of colored lights. “Congratulations, Kate. Patrick.” They shook hands, and then Jeanette excused herself to go help out in the kitchen.

  Peter took a step back to include Sean in his next words. “I spoke with Clyde the other day, and he wanted to let me know that Pierre heard something about—”

  “Peter, please,” Lee interrupted. “It’s Christmas. The Demon hunting can wait for a day.”

  “Well, yes I know, but—”

  She started humming “Jingle Bells” and he got the point.

  Claire poked her head into the room, her brow furrowing when she saw Lee. “Kellee, didn’t Rapunzel have long hair?”

  Lee pouted in my direction. “Really? I thought the ears were obvious! I knew I should have ordered them in men’s small.”

  Toni stepped back into the room, another cookie in hand. “Grandma’s calling us all to the table,” he said.

  We could all hear Grandma grunt from the kitchen. “I’m not your grandmother, Toni!”

  Toni grinned at us. “She loves me.”

  Lee fondly rolled her eyes at him, stepping forward to grab his elbow so she could pull him back into the kitchen. “You’re going to get crumbs all over the place, idiot.”

  “You love me too,” he said, just before they disappeared.

  “Jenna! Josie!” Grandma called. “Come on, you can finish the game later!”

  The twins came pounding into the kitchen, arguing loudly about who would get to sit by Sean for dinner.

  Sean smiled at their words, then extended his arm to Claire. “May I escort you?” he asked her softly.

  “Of course,” Claire said, latching onto his elbow at once. He stooped toward her, planting a light kiss on her forehead before he led her from the room.

  Patrick squeezed my hand, drawing me back before I could follow the others. He gave me one of his most disarming smiles. “Did you get everything you wanted?”

  I couldn’t hold back a wide smile. “I’ve had you for a while now, so, yes, I’d say I’ve got everything I could ever want.”

  He took a step closer, placing my palm against his chest so I could feel the comforting rise and fall of his breath. His hand remained on top of mine, holding me in place.

  His voice was low. “Would you mind very much if I kissed you right now?”

  I felt my heart warm with happiness at the mere thought, and I let my eyes wander his perfect face, hardly believing he was mine. “You never have to ask.”

  He grinned, gently tilting my chin up to meet his eager lips.

  Acknowledgments

  The Seers Trilogy has been an incredible adventure for me, unlike anything I’ve done in my life. Coming to the end of such a journey has left me with a myriad of emotions; closing the door on this life-altering chapter of my life is bittersweet, though new doors continue to open, beckoning me to new adventures. Overall, I feel overwhelming gratitude for my wonderful characters, my loving family,
supportive friends, and, of course, for my devoted readers. None of this would have been possible without you, so thank you, everyone!

  While there are so many individuals I want to thank personally, I need to begin with my Heavenly Father; He has given me so many blessings and opportunities that I will always be grateful for. I also need to express love and gratitude to my parents, Melvyn and Marlene Frost—your unwavering support has helped me in more ways than you know.

  I’ve been so lucky to have such wonderful brothers and sisters to grow up with (well, grow older with, anyway): Richard, Kevin, Kimberly, Joseph, Emma, Samuel, Lilly, Matthew, and Jacob—just thanks.

  A gigantic thank-you must go to my phenomenal beta readers—I’m sure you can each find a place in the book you influenced, and just know that I can too: Crystal Frost, Jill Asay, Laura Hardman, Katelin Gines, Anna Brown, Amber Bowden, Alyssa Quinn, Mindy Holt, Ashley Hansen, Rebecca McKinnon, and Yvonne Manning. I appreciate all the long hours you spent reading, rereading, and discussing things with me.

  Special thanks also needs to go to Emily Sinex, for unyielding friendship, and Landen Sinex, for being such a bright spot in my life; Brian Nay, for the amazing work you do for the website; Krista Whitaker, for the endless help you give me with the Facebook fanpage—and everything else you do for me; the Leonard Wells’ family, especially Alex; thanks for your courage, faith, and for letting me name a character after you. And thanks must go to the continued support of my first unofficial fan club: James Miller, Rex Davis, Kent Hyer, and Rich Jones! (The final draft is so much better, right?) Also, the awesome librarians at the Garland Library, whose tireless support is greatly appreciated. And thanks to all my wonderful friends who are not only enthusiastic about my writing, but understanding when I become a bit of a hermit. Finally, a big thank-you to Cedar Fort, and all the wonderful people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Thanks for making such a dream become reality.