by Aliyah Burke
“Oh my God,” Roz mouthed. “I need a shower, Dray.” She winked and skipped after Luc.
Dracen paused by the mirror, noting Roz had threaded silver ribbons through her hair. She opened her shirt and stared at the new scar, still raw and ugly. She swiftly refastened her jerkin.
Unable to put it off anymore, she left her room and made her way to Lian’s. Edmond was leaving as she entered.
“Good to have you back, Dracen.” He kissed her cheek then continued his departure.
“Come in, child. Stop lurking.”
She pushed into his room, eyes darting to where he sat in a chair by the massive windows. Tears immediately sprang to her eyes. He sat as Lian always sat—upright. Never slouching.
The years fell away and Dracen hastened to his side, the warrior thrust to the background to be replaced by the girl who loved this man like a father. Unmindful of her own pain, she dropped to her knees and placed her head in his lap. He rested a hand on her head and Dracen trembled.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, him receiving the words the others wouldn’t.
“You owe me no apology, Dracen Lloyd. You did what you believed necessary. You stopped another entry point into this world for the demons and nearly died doing so.”
“I put everyone in danger.”
He was silent for a moment, merely stroking her hair. “How does a bird know he is ready to fly if he doesn’t try his wings?”
His question had her frowning slightly. “There’s something wrong with me. I’m bad.”
“No. That is incorrect.” He tapped her chin and she met his gaze. “You’re a Guardian, have a mate, your artifact. How can you be bad?”
“I’ve not been completely honest.”
“About what?”
“My abilities.”
For a moment he appeared as the old Lian, hearty and healthy. Then he peered at her and the sallow cheeks and dark circles beneath his eyes were prevalent.
“Little dragon. After all my years and being from Them, do you really think you would be evil, or that I wouldn’t know?”
She rested her chin on his leg. “You knew? Know?”
“That you have an actual advantage to demon hunt? Of course. You are different, Dracen. Your name means dragon. You’ve been destined for this. More than most of the others. You are the strongest.”
“Tiarnán—”
“Is powerful. Make no mistake about that. They all are extremely powerful, but you are different.”
She sat back, crossing her legs, eyes riveted on him—as she had done before when he’d regaled them with tales.
“How come I feel the demons?”
“You’ve not had ribbon in your hair for years, I like it. Makes me see the real you.”
“Demons?” she prompted.
“I can feel Them.” He never blinked when he stated that.
She shrugged. “You’re Their keeper, you’re supposed to.”
“I feel Them because we share blood.” He reached for his tea, hand shaky.
Dracen rose on her knees and lifted the saucer closer so he could take the cup easier. “Are you saying I have demon blood in me?” Only her years of holding tea prevented her from spilling it.
“I have the blood of Them in my veins, does that change who I am?” His reprimand was blatant.
“Not you. You’re…you. I’m…not even close.”
He stared at her over the rim of the delicate china that was older than she’d ever be. His disapproval tore into her, although he’d never said a thing. He drank some more.
“You’re not supposed to be me. You were created for amazing feats and responsibilities, Dracen. The blood—”
“Wins out.”
This time he did frown and she clamped her lips closed as to not interrupt again.
“So by your logic, I am evil.”
She shook her head. “No, not you. But I don’t have your strength, Lian. Like Haley, she is a half-breed bitch, same as me.”
“Her evilness was nurtured. Have you killed just because?”
“Yes.”
“Demons and New Order were not what I meant.”
She took the saucer back and set it back on the rosewood tray. In the afternoon sun, the sweat on his skin made her even more concerned about him. “No, I haven’t. Would you like to lie down?”
“I’m fine. Look at me.”
Dracen licked her lips and lifted her head so she could view him better.
“Do you remember what I told you when you doubted you were worthy of being a Guardian?”
“That regardless of how I may believe, there are those who know better.”
“That still applies. The blood in your veins creates who you are. Own it. Don’t let it own you.”
“What if they hate me for being like those who hunt us?”
“You underestimate their love for you.” He leaned back and closed his eyes.
She rose as the door opened, admitting Edmond. He flicked his gaze between them. Dracen kissed Lian and walked to the door.
“Lower your shields, Dracen. Allow them in.”
She did as she stepped back into the rest of the house, amazed by the instant flow of love that hit her. For so long she’d kept it all out, the flood nearly overwhelmed her.
“Perhaps you should go to her then!” A door slammed and Calida stomped down before pausing on the stairs, slightly above her.
Dracen waited for her to continue on but the woman waited. Behind her, up on the next level, Tiarnán stood. She gave a small nod and went to head down. Calida cleared her throat.
“May I have a word with you?”
She looked back to one of the mates, this woman she didn’t know, for she’d been gone when Calida had arrived. “Can we go to the kitchen? I’m hungry.”
“Sure.”
“Calida,” Tiarnán called from above.
“Go jump in the lake.”
Dracen glanced at him once more then began down the stairs, Calida falling in behind her.
Chapter Twelve
Luc stared at his cards then around the table at the children there. They ranged in ages from seven to fifteen. One of the boys had his hat on and was trying to glare at him from beneath the rim.
They gazed at one another and Luc rolled the toothpick in his teeth before shifting in his seat. Aminta walked in the room and everyone looked at her.
“No hats on indoors, Kevin,” she said without slowing.
He watched the young man take it off and swiftly rake a hand through his unruly golden locks. Again the attention returned to him.
“Okay, here we go,” he uttered checking his cards once more. “Go fish.”
The girl moaned with a style that should have won her an Oscar and reached for a card.
“I was sure you had the sixes,” she complained.
He thumbed along the corner of his mouth. “Nope.” Luc reached for his bottle of soda and drank it. Beyond them, in the rest of the main room, kids did other things. Some of the Guardians were there but he didn’t see Dracen. The man Tiarnán glared at him a lot, but Luc didn’t give a damn. Dracen had told him he was surly.
“Do you have any threes?” he asked.
Tara stuck out her lower lip. “Do I have to give them to you?”
“If you have them, yes. That’s the rules.”
She handed him two and he stuck them in with the others. “Thank you, ma’am.”
The tingle in his blood had him glancing up to see Dracen walking in with Calida. Instantly Tiarnán focused on the two of them and Calida went to sit with some of the kids on the couch while Dracen made her way to his side.
“Everything okay?” he asked, sliding his arm around her when she stopped next to him.
“Yes, just getting to know Tiarnán’s woman.”
He rubbed his hand along her hip. “You feeling okay? Need to sit?”
“I’m fine.”
He readjusted and guided her to perch on his leg. She didn’t fight, allowing it.
Luc noticed how some of the other Guardians and their mates looked a bit shocked by this. He tugged her close and whispered, “Why are they all looking so surprised?”
“I’m doing something unexpected.” She rested her head against his and stared at his cards. “Are you winning, Tara?”
“No, he just took my threes. I’m not sure what I should ask for.”
She held up her hand, fingers spread wide. Luc clucked his tongue. “That’s cheating.”
“I didn’t say a word,” Dracen countered.
“Do you have any fives?” Tara asked, a big grin on her face.
He grumbled under his breath but passed over the three cards bearing that number. “No more helping anyone else,” he said.
“Fine,” she muttered, resting back against him.
As the game progressed, he noticed how open she was with the children. His woman was multifaceted. But her care and concern for each kid there was obvious. When she began to shift uncomfortably against him, nothing overly noticeable, just small movements, he quit the game.
“I have to get some rest, you are wearing me out. How about a rematch later on?”
Tara nodded and he winked at her. “Sounds like a plan to me,” Luc said. Assisting Dracen to her feet, he took her hand and refused to let her pull free. She might not be into public displays of affection, but it was something she would have to get acquainted with for he loved them.
Side by side, they walked up to the room they were sharing. He took it all in, seeing there was very little from a personal standpoint. “You’ve been here for fourteen years, right?”
She crossed the room, after she’d shut the door. “Yes. Why?”
“You don’t have much in the way of knick-knacks. Pictures. Or pretty much anything that is personal.”
She sat on the foot of the bed without responding and began unlacing her boots until he caught her wince.
“Let me do it,” he said, brushing her hands away.
He unlaced her footwear and carefully removed them, before lobbing them off to the side. He peered up at her, resting his hands on the outsides of her thighs. The loose-fitting cotton pants a far cry from the skintight leather he was used to seeing covering her body.
“Why?” He’d not meant to ask why she’d done what she had up there, but the question slipped free.
She blinked. “I wanted to protect you.”
Anger coiled in his gut, ready to strike. “Protect me.”
“That, and I was selfish. I put the artifact in your pack with a number. I figured you would call it once you got to a phone.”
“I did call the number.” He pushed to his feet, raking a hand through his hair. “Do you have any idea what it was like coming back there and seeing you bleeding as you were?”
She didn’t respond. He muttered a curse, whirled away then spun back.
“Christ, Dray. I can see flashes of what you’re thinking. I can hear you in my head. Fuck, woman, do you even comprehend what it was like to see that?”
“I’m sorry.”
Those two words slapped back his anger with the force of a locomotive. He gave a small shake of his head. “What?”
She lifted her gaze to his. The bruising and healing cuts hurt him to stare at.
“I said I’m sorry. For putting you through what I did.” She put her attention back down to her lap.
“Look at me.”
Ever so slowly, she did and he paused. Her lashes were tipped in silver, something he’d easily be able to get used to seeing, it was beautiful. There was more, her eyes were different…well, one was. The right eye was. No longer so dark, it looked almost as if some taloned animal had raked across the eyeball.
“We’re learning this together, Dracen. I know that. Don’t shut me out. Whatever is between us is growing. I’m not sure what it means, but I’m not ready to lose you.” He leaned closer until their lips touched.
“I won’t ever be.” Her words were heartfelt.
She touched his cheek, he held still, experiencing the contrast from her skin and the bandages around her hand.
“Let’s get you in bed.”
He assisted her in undressing and crawling between the clean sheets of her large bed. It didn’t take him long to join her and he gathered her close once he had. The light from the moon was the only illumination in the room.
“You’re not happy to be home?”
“I am. I just feel different.”
He understood that. So did he.
“I called my father while you were sleeping and he said he would look into the weapons. I’ll call him back in two days to give him time to find something out.”
She settled into him and he moved his fingertips along the skin he touched, grateful beyond all measure that she still lived and was in his arms. “Okay,” her word was low and he realized she was nearly asleep.
While she slumbered he held her and thought about this vineyard he’d come to. How much his life had changed since he’d been dropped into a section of the Boundary Waters. For the better. This woman was the one for him.
The knock that came on the door wasn’t as much as surprise as it was an annoyance. He rose and walked to answer it.
“Yes?”
He found himself looking at a tall black man. Edmond.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I need to speak to Dracen.”
“She’s sleeping. I’ll give her the message when she wakes.”
“I’m awake,” she said from behind him. “I’ll be down in a minute, Edmond.”
“Very good.” He gave Luc a nod then walked away.
Luc kicked the door shut and turned, hitting a light. She stood mostly dressed. Again, she wore looser clothing.
“You need to rest.”
“I’ll be sitting in a chair looking at screens. It’s not expending a lot of energy.”
“Why?” he demanded, frustrated.
“Because it was Edmond who came looking for me.”
“That supposed to mean something?”
“Edmond was one of the Guardians from before. He’s our resident tech guru and smart as anything. If he came to get me, he has a good reason.”
“I’m coming.”
“Of course you are. Let’s go.”
It appeased him that she’d expected him to go with her. Together they left the room and headed down. He took in his surroundings as they moved, the items in the house were impressive but when he walked into the ops room, he couldn’t help the low whistle escaping.
Chapter Thirteen
Dracen lowered herself to one of the zero gravity chairs they had in the room and stared at Edmond. “Thank you,” she said, cupping the warm cup of tea with one hand.
“I know you like your chamomile. Plus there are some healing herbs in it.”
“What do we have?”
“I did some looking at your artifact. Have you noticed anything about it?”
She sipped some tea as Luc sat beside her, coffee in hand. “No, I barely looked at it. We got it, I put it in the pack and then, well, here we are.”
A click and he brought it up on the large screen. “I’ve learned it’s made of red jade, and like with the others, the longer it’s in the vicinity of the other five, the easier it is to see some things. This one also has phrases on it.”
She heard a few more clacks as he pushed buttons and she could see the phrases. She pursed her lips. “I don’t read that language, whatever it is, Edmond.”
He cleared his throat and said, “It’s actually three languages. All lost languages. The first is Northern European runic alphabet which some have believed may actually have been inspired by the Etruscan alphabet. The second is proto-Elamite script. The third, Zapotec.”
“You say this as if I know what that means.”
“Bear with me.” He pushed another button and the symbols changed over to words. “I did them in order that they appeared in view. This is what that makes.”
Never will I harm, always shall I defend, and
forever shall I honor you.
She glanced to her left and found Luc staring at it with a look on his face she knew mirrored her own. Confusion.
“What does it mean?” she asked, before drinking some tea.
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, did you have any of these sayings or phrases when you all battled?”
“No. Ours was the precursor, that’s what I’m coming up with. This battle, the one you will have, is the big one. I don’t think our prophecy was fulfilled.”
He sat back down, and moments later, all the artifacts had 3D images in the middle of the table. She leaned forward, noting how Luc did as well.
“I’m running some scenarios to see how they fit like a puzzle. I don’t think we want to put them together wrong.”
“And the progress on that?”
“Slow. It’s not a typical puzzle. But it’s working on a few ideas.”
“All the artifacts had words or symbols on them. Do those, all together, create any type of sentence or phrase, like the ones on the last artifact did?”
“Nope. I’ve already tried. So far it’s just words. The one you two acquired is the only one with phrases on it.”
The door slid open and the other Guardians walked in. They each took their usual seats, and she hid her smile when Luc slid closer to her and touched her foot with his.
“What’s that mean?” Roz asked, pointing to the deciphered phrase.
“Not sure,” Edmond answered. “We were just discussing it. Have any meaning to the rest of you?”
The other five Guardians gave a negative reply.
“It does to me.”
Dracen paused in drinking more tea and turned her attention to the man next to her. “What?”
“Not all of it, but that second part. It was our motto. Always shall I defend.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “The Dragons?”
He held her gaze, his left eye even more different than the right now. “Yes.”
She scratched at her neck briefly, before stopping to glare at the bandages on her hand. She hated them. Picking at the gauze, she halted when Luc covered her hand, threading their fingers together.
Edmond worked at the keyboard before a new window popped up in the screen. She redirected her attention from the joined hands to the information up there.
