A Guardian's Touch

by Stein Willard

  Tahlia stopped listening at the mention of Martina Lawler. She felt her beast rearing. She didn’t want Jemima anywhere near that woman. She would rip the woman apart if she so much as placed a hand on Jemima. Drake. There was still Drake and his spies who were out there looking for her. She turned on her heel. “I am going out to look for her.”

  James came to his feet. “I’m coming with you.”

  “I want you to stay here, James. It is not safe for you out there.”

  “But my daughter is out there…alone.”

  At that, Tahlia turned sharply and saw James stiffen in apprehension. “Alone. She went out alone.” Not waiting for a reply, she was gone in a flurry of mist.

  †

  Drake slowly lifted his head, his eyes glassy with anticipation. Can it really be so easy? He lifted the glass to his lips and savored the thick, potent brew. He pushed his tongue out and licked his stained lips. Or is this some kind of a trap? Since his men had been staking out the safe house, the human girl had never stepped out without a contingent of guards. He had to keep himself from shouting in elation when his men informed him earlier that the human was seen leaving the hotel alone. But, he’d not managed to evade the Royals by being impulsive. He’d warned his men to follow her discreetly and to wait for his orders. That was two hours ago but he wanted to be sure that Tahlia was indeed in the safe house. She was powerful enough to have trailed her mate, even during the daylight hours. His men hadn’t come back to him yet about spotting Tahlia. This could mean only one thing. The Queen was out of town or otherwise incapacitated. He slowly drained the glass. It was time.

  †

  Jemima was trying her best not to snap at the infuriating woman. Since she’d entered the gallery she had attached herself to Jemima and hadn’t left her side in the past hour. She looked down at the woman and struggled not to let her irritation show. Jennifer Hobson was a well-known socialite with super-rich parents who were ardent art collectors, and, according to Martina, ardent collectors of her work. Because of that, she was trying her best not to brush off the heiress. But the skinny girl with her fake breasts and fake pout was treading on thin ice. Jemima looked into large, lust-filled eyes and sighed inwardly. So this is what it is all about—sex.

  “What are you doing afterwards? I’m invited to a party later and would love for you to come with me. Will you come?”

  Jemima smiled politely and hoped her smile didn’t come out as a grimace. “Unfortunately I’ve already made plans.” And indeed, she had plans. Afterwards she was going home to Tahlia, whom she knew would be furious at her for not telling her about the exhibition. She knew how Tahlia felt about Martina and waited until Tahlia had been out hunting with the others to call Martina with the instructions to ship the paintings to the gallery. She had only confided in her father, but she’d omitted the fact that she was going to slip out of the hotel unescorted. If she took guards with her it would’ve immediately alerted Tahlia to her plans. She’d hoped to attend the opening and then rush back to the safe house before Tahlia arose. That’s why she twisted Martina’s arm to have the opening with the media in the afternoon, before dusk. But an impromptu interview with the Art Collector magazine had delayed her, along with the airheaded heiress. The girl’s beautiful face pulled into a scowl, and Jemima sighed inwardly. The spoiled brat obviously was used to getting her way.

  “Oh. That’s a pity. My parents were hoping to buy a few more of your pieces but…”

  Jemima knew she was being rude, but, having had enough of the girl, she suddenly turned away and walked out of the sliding doors to the balcony not once looking back at the infuriating girl. Her hands rested on the aluminum railing while she looked out over the bustling city, trying to calm herself. A powerful sense of anger suddenly overwhelmed her. She fearfully scanned the balcony. Am I in danger? Are there renegades among the guests, or even worse, hiding in shadows of the balcony? She quickly turned to reenter the gallery, only to find two black pools of fury staring at her.

  “Why did you not tell me about the exhibition, Jemima?”

  To Jemima, Tahlia sounded calm, but her taut body and the waves of anger she emitted painted another picture. Even faced with Tahlia’s obvious rage, Jemima took a careful step forward, irresistibly drawn to her.

  “I was scared you might try to stop me.” She had a sheepish look on her face. How stupid she was for not realizing the danger in which she was placing herself. Nor the fear she’d caused Tahlia, who she knew was trying hard to hide her anxiety.

  Tahlia lifted her head and inhaled deeply before looking at her with cold eyes. “There are renegades nearby. We need to go inside.” Tahlia held out her hand and pulled Jemima into the crowded gallery.

  Just as they entered, Jemima spotted Martina walking toward them with her green eyes shifting from Jemima to Tahlia and back. She cringed.

  “Jemima, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

  Jemima frowned, irked, at the predatory look in Martina’s eyes as they raked over Tahlia.

 

  The soft voice in Jemima’s mind made her turn to face Tahlia. Her lover obviously sensed her jealousy.

  “Tahlia meet Martina. Martina…Tahlia.”

  Martina reached out and eagerly grabbed Tahlia’s hand. “What a beautiful name. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Tahlia.”

  Tahlia nodded politely. “It is a pleasure meeting you, too, Martina.” Tahlia placed her arm around Jemima as she looked at Martina “Would you please excuse us for a minute?”

  Jemima almost smiled at the possessive gesture and nodded at Martina.

  Tahlia quickly steered Jemima to the farthest corner of the room. “It would not be advisable to fight the renegades here. We need to leave now.”

  Jemima looked around at the all the people crowding the room and nodded. She knew that the renegades were after her and staying there was putting them all in grave danger.

  “Let me speak to Martina. We can leave afterwards.” Jemima left Tahlia and walked over to where Martina was standing chatting to one of the guests.

  Before she reached Martina, Jemima felt Tahlia’s hand on her shoulder. “We need to go. Now!”

  As they reached the door, Tahlia looked back and grimaced. Jemima followed her gaze. A group of leather-clad men was entering the gallery from the balcony entrance. Tahlia pushed her out the door, swung her into her strong arms, and using preternatural speed sprinted down the six flights of stairs until they were standing outside at the back of the building in a dark alley.

  Tahlia put Jemima on her feet and gently pushed her up against the wall. “Stay put and let me deal with them. Please do not try to get involved, Jemima. These creatures are dangerous.” Tahlia quickly stepped back and hastily spun a crude web of protection spells around Jemima. “This will keep you safe while I am fighting them off.” Tahlia tenderly brushed her lips over Jemima’s. “It is going to be fine. I will not let them harm you, my love.”

  Jemima watched the scene unfold as Tahlia reached under her ankle-length coat as three renegades materialized in front of her with three more behind her. Jemima was stunned to see the instant transformation in Tahlia from a soft loving woman one second to the flint-eyed warrior the next. Tahlia slowly drew her sword and looked at the vampires surrounding her. Her eyes glowed blood red in her pale face as she stared at her enemy. With a loud hiss, she sprang into action. She was too fast for Jemima to follow with her eyes, but as long as there was movement, it meant she was okay. The blurry movement stopped and Tahlia stood, head bent, surrounded by body parts. The air practically crackled around Tahlia as she summoned all the powers before lifting her bloodied sword and her head. Tahlia took a purposeful step in the direction of the remaining three renegades. Jemima saw them slowly backing down.

  “Cowards!”

  Jemima turned and looked in the dark corner of the alley where the voice had come from. The shadows shifted, and a tall, well-built man stepped ou
t of the shadows. Jemima, taking in his appearance, could only stare. Whoever he was, the man was astonishingly handsome. He had gleaming dark hair and beautiful blue eyes. His long black hair was in a ponytail tied at the nape of his neck with a string of leather. When Jemima looked at Tahlia to gauge her reaction to the newcomer, she was shocked to see an almost tender smile on her lips.

  “What do you expect from them when they were created by a coward like you, Drake?”

  So, this was Drake? She never would’ve guessed. He looked more like a GQ model than a murderous vampire. Jemima shivered as the man’s blue eyes snapped at Tahlia before moving over to her.

  “She is very beautiful. More beautiful than I remember.” He took a step in her direction.

  Tahlia stepped in front of him so fast that Jemima could see that Drake was startled. He quickly stepped back, holding up his hands to indicate he was unarmed. Tahlia had explained to Jemima that the Old World code that was tantamount to betraying the Race if broken—Tahlia would not fight an unarmed man. The man’s cocky smile and his expression told Jemima he knew Tahlia would not kill him. Once again, the renegade leader’s cold eyes focused on her.

  “We will meet again, young lady. Unfortunately, I have to warn you that it will not be a pleasurable meeting for you.”

  He disappeared in front of Jemima’s eyes and a shiver ran down her spine. She watched as the rest of the renegades followed their leader. In a blur of speed, Tahlia quickly incinerated the bodies before walking over to Jemima.

  “Come, we need to go home.” She swung her into her arms and sped toward the safe house.

  †

  Back in her room, Tahlia lay Jemima down on the bed and disappeared into the en suite bathroom. Jemima heard running water. Tahlia returned and on the bed next to her and reached for the buttons on her jacket. They didn’t speak but stared at each other while Tahlia slowly undid her buttons. She let Tahlia pull her into a sitting position and tug the jacket away. When Tahlia’s head turned in the direction of the bathroom, the taps immediately stopped running.

  “While you take a bath, I will go find your father. He is worried about you.”

  When Tahlia was about to get to her feet, Jemima quickly reached out and grabbed a hold of her hand. “Sit with me for a while.” Her hand softly touched Tahlia’s cheek. “I’m sorry for unknowingly placing you and myself in danger. It was really stupid of me. Are you still angry at me?” She saw a haunted look flash in Tahlia’s dark eyes before they became blank.

  “I am not sure how I will survive without you if something were to happen to you, Jemima.” She brought Jemima’s hand to her lips. “Drake is aware of that and that is why he is after you. I beg of you not to make it easy for him.”

  Jemima saw the pleading look in Tahlia’s eyes and pulled Tahlia’s head closer to hers before placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “I’ll be more cautious in future. I promise.”

  Tahlia shook her head. “There will not be a next time, Jemima. I will not allow you to leave the safe house alone again. You are not a prisoner here, but as long as Drake is still alive, I will not let you out of my sight.”

  “I really promise to be more careful.” Jemima’s lips moved over Tahlia’s in a gentle apology. Tahlia’s lips opened slightly and Jemima slipped her tongue into her mouth. She deepened the kiss and felt Tahlia’s heart began to race. Tahlia pulled away, gasping for breath.

  “Your bath water…”

  With a wicked smile, Jemima pushed Tahlia down on the bed. “It can wait. Help me get out of these clothes.”

  With a flick of her hand, Tahlia had them both naked.

  Jemima stared at her naked frame then back to the clothes lying scattered on the floor, amusement on her face. “I have to admit that I’m really impressed by your powers, too.”

  Tahlia grinned and eagerly pulled Jemima into her arms.

  †

  Long after Jemima had fallen asleep, Tahlia lay there looking at her lover. She knew the blonde would not be able to keep her promise. She was a thrill seeker and therefore would always be in trouble or the cause of it. For the first time in her existence, Tahlia was scared. She was frightened that, even with all her powers, she might fail to keep Jemima safe. Drake knew exactly what he wanted, and he’d had five hundred years to plan her downfall. But did it have to be Jemima? Her beautiful, stubborn darling?

  She brushed a tender kiss over Jemima’s lips. “I love you so much, my angel.”

  Jemima stirred in her arms and snuggled closer. “Me, too,” she mumbled.

  It wasn’t long before Tahlia’s ears filled with Jemima’s soft snores. With a heavy sigh, Tahlia rested her forehead on the soft blonde hair. The red moon she’d spotted the other night came to mind, and Tahlia held Jemima tighter, making the blonde groan at the pressure. She knew something bad was going to happen, and she knew instinctively that Jemima was going to be in the center of it. She needed to be more vigilant and keep the blonde closer to her.

  Chapter Eighteen

  A deep growl split the air, making the quiet room reverberate with the sound. Then, there was silence.

  “You will have to learn to control yourself; otherwise, you will place us both in great danger. She is not to know of my involvement yet,” the woman said.

  “We cannot wait any longer.”

  “I know, but still, we need to think this through. If you storm in there, you are sure to fail. Your little stunt the other night has just made her more determined. She will not allow anyone close to the human again.” She walked over to the man. “If you cause us to fail this time, I promise you that I will rip out your heart myself.”

  Drake growled deep in his throat. “Are you threatening me, Gillian?”

  “No, Drake, I am just making sure that you know what your fate will be if you continue to disregard my orders. If not for me, you would still be a mere lackey to Tahlia. I have made you what you are now, and I hope you never forget that.” She rolled her shoulders under her cloak. “This is not an idle threat, Drake. There are two outcomes to this. Either you fail to heed my warning and Tahlia destroys you, or I hunt you down and grind you into a pulp.”

  Drake took a threatening step forward. He was much larger than she was, and he could take her. He could wring her neck before she moved a muscle.

  The woman’s eyes darkened slightly as a cold smile formed on her lips. “After all these years you still doubt my abilities. Even with your so-called renegade army, I will break you in half. Now do us both a favor and do not engage the Queen until I decide when the time is right.” The woman stepped closer, and, with her face a hairsbreadth from Drake’s, she smiled. “I still have a few hours to kill before I have to return. Can you think of something we both can engage in to make these few hours more enjoyable?”

  Drake’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the woman before him. He hated the power she had over him, but what she said was true. She made him. She was the one who came to him one night almost 500 years ago with the brilliant plan to create their own army and to challenge the Royals. He knew she was an ancient and a great tactician, so he agreed quickly. Except for short impromptu meetings such as this one, she had left him in charge of everything else. He got the glory for that, too. As he stood before her, he knew that no matter what she had said to him, he was not going to fulfill her wishes. Time was right for an attack. Very soon Tahlia was going to be a mere shell of her former self, and he was going to prove to Gillian that he was more than capable of making decisions and following through on them. With a crooked smile on his lips, he reached out and dragged her close for a brutal kiss.

  †

  Jemima was up early and breezed down the hallway to the kitchen in search of some coffee. Life was beautiful and it was all thanks to Tahlia. Her lover was such a delight to behold. She was unbelievably attentive and loving, making it almost impossible to reconcile the dangerous predator with the gentle woman who’d effortlessly claimed her heart. Yes, she was completely in love with Tahlia. The deep
, familiar affection she’d felt three weeks ago after Tahlia had shown her their lives together had quickly transformed into a powerful love that increased in intensity on a daily basis.

  Jemima looked at her watch and grinned. Tahlia had kept her up for most of the night. Between bouts of tender lovemaking, there were moments where they relived the past. She felt her face heat up. Most of these moments were of them making love. The scenes ranged from tender moments to frantic encounters where Tahlia demonstrated her dominance over her and took her with breathtaking fervor, leaving her whimpering afterwards.

  She entered the kitchen and came to a stunned stop. There in the middle of the big kitchen, were her father and Rafina, locked in a passionate kiss. She could see from their ruffled appearance that they had obviously just gotten out of bed—together. Proud of her father and impressed by the speed at which he’d swept the cool Romanian woman off her feet, Jemima whistled softly. The two lovers jumped away from each other. Jemima saw the guilt in her father’s eyes and smiled reassuringly.

  “Before you say anything, Dad, it’s about time that you start living again. I’m just glad that it’s with a wonderful woman such as Rafina.” She walked over to them and hugged them both.

  They had breakfast in the kitchen, and Jemima enjoyed seeing the way her father and Rafina interacted. Rafina made sure, every time she walked past her father to brush against him, and when she walked away, she would sway her hips enticingly. Jemima could see it was hard for them to keep their hands off each other, so she wolfed down her breakfast and left.

  She was walking past the lift on her way to the library when she stopped in her tracks. She looked around and back toward the lift they had used when they arrived here on their first night. It had been almost a month since they’d moved into the safe house: so many days of not seeing the sunbathed streets and the bustle of the city. Her yearning intensified. She thought of her promise to Tahlia. Not even Tahlia would begrudge her a few minutes in the sunlight, she mused. Or would she? No, Tahlia loves me too much to refuse me this. She looked down the long corridor and saw no one. She stepped closer to the lift and pressed the button. The doors slid open. Who am I kidding? Tahlia will be livid at what I’m going to do. But, she wanted to see the sunlight and stand on the bustling New York pavement. In any case, she rationalized, vampires sleep during the day, so she wouldn’t be in danger. Even Drake would be catching a nap right now.