The Order of Chaos

by Rhonda L. Print

  I tried to punch him again but he wrapped me in his arms and swung me around, then set me back on my feet. “It’s good to see you.”

  Before I could retaliate, two small bodies jumped on me. I reached my arms around and embraced Cody and Quinn, Shia’s twin sons. “You scared me too.” I laughed as I brought them to the front of me.

  “I knew we could do it,” they said in unison, beaming with pride.

  “Boys!” Shia chided. “Give Leah some room. She just got here.”

  I gave Shia a hug then waved her off. “I’ve missed you too, boys. Have you been behaving?” I gave them the best stern look I could muster through my joy.

  Their small green eyes rolled around as if searching for the right answer. I rustled the tops of their tawny-colored hair. “That’s what I thought.” They both looked so forlorn that I couldn’t hold the stern look any longer. “But have you been having any fun?” I laughed.

  Both boys went into a litany of things they’d done since last I’d seen them. Theirs words stumbled over one another in their effort to tell me the stories first. After a few minutes Ian pointed out that someone had mistakenly delivered an excess of ice cream to the kitchen and that perhaps they could take care of that for him. They left us with their eyes bright and eager for the cool treat.

  “I won the bet, boys. Pay up!” Cougar laughed from behind me.

  I turned to Cougar. “What bet?” I planted a hand on my hip and eyed him.

  “I told them you’d be back.” He laughed while he fanned himself with his winnings. “Dumb-asses!” He chuckled.

  “Did you bet how long it would be before I shot you?” I asked jokingly.

  Cougar held his hands up in mock surrender. “Come on, Wolfe. Let me buy you a drink.”

  “Merlot. Without blood,” I added when he went to the raw meat table.

  “Yeah, of course.” He moved to the other table and poured me a glass of wine.

  I took a seat with Ian and two of his brothers. Cougar, Raven and Falcon were Ian’s brothers, through birth or otherwise I didn’t know, but they were all Nightwalkers. Shia sat beside Cougar. She was a Therian shapeshifter, along with her boys. They were born as animals and able to take human form. Mountain lions in their case, but there were other Therian animals. I first met Shia at the Dark Nights of the Desert Casino that Ian owned. She and the boys, Cody and Quinn, moved to Ian’s estate after Shia’s husband was killed and she refused a forced marriage to another male in the clan.

  Falcon sat across from me with his crooked smile, dark brown hair and muscular arms folded across his chest casually yet alert. Falcon had the ability to control human actions with a single word and a touch. It was he who made me sleep while Ian planned this little security detail. Cougar sat on my other side. His golden skin and always laughing amber eyes glanced around the room. Raven was missing but I had expected that after his last “visit” with me. He said he was leaving town for a business trip even though I had no idea what exactly his “business” was. Actually, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know either. Some things were best left a mystery.

  A thin woman with a shock of red hair, not auburn, but crayon red, was suddenly moving toward me from near the door. Her hair was cut short and spiked at odd angles, emphasizing the greenest eyes I’d ever seen. Watching her walk was like watching water move, all fluid and grace. I let my shields down a bit to get a feel for the type of energy she had. Hers eyes flashed to mine and I had a brief electric jolt like she was pushing my own energy back into me.

  You are definitely not human.

  “My name is Justice. I’m here to protect you.” Her voice was even, controlled.

  Ian swept his arm wide, including the entire room. “This is our private security detail.”

  “Private security detail” translated into bodyguards. “Who exactly are they to protect?” I asked, eyes narrowing.

  Ian’s gaze darted away for just a second, but it was enough to give me my answer.

  “You hired me bodyguards.” My voice went up and accentuated my shock.

  “Here we go.” Cougar chuckled.

  I threw him a look that had “shut the hell up” emphasized all over it, but it only made him laugh harder.

  Justice stopped as if waiting to be told what to do next.

  “Be reasonable, My Love. We do not know what Chaos’s intentions are. I will begin negotiations with him tomorrow night.”

  “Then negotiate my safety.”

  “I will.” He sighed.

  “You don’t trust Chaos,” I surmised.

  “Do you?” Ian countered.

  “Point taken, but why the hell would I need to be guarded during the day? Chaos is a vampire; he can’t walk in the day either.”

  “He is as old as I, My Love. He does not sleep through the entire sunlight hours either and as you know, my car is equipped to take me where I need to go regardless of the sun.”

  “That and he can have his bloodslave torture and kill you,” Falcon put in.

  “I would have put it more delicately,” Ian gave Falcon a hard look, “but yes.”

  Falcon continued. “Chaos can use mind control and have his bloodslaves do anything he commands. He can even make them not remember doing a thing.”

  “Bloodslaves? As in plural, more than one?” I leaned back in my chair.

  “In his case, probably a whole harem of them,” Cougar added, his tone dry. “Chaos tends to get bored easily.”

  “Still, I can take care of myself.” I looked pointedly at Ian. “You, of all people should know that.”

  “Hell yeah, he should,” Cougar chimed in. “She fried the hell out of Elizabeth without lifting a finger.”

  “You are not helping, Cougar.” Ian gave him a look that would have made any man shrink. Then again, Cougar wasn’t merely a man.

  “Coug’s got a point,” Falcon agreed.

  Ian stiffened. “This is not a debate. I will not risk your life on this.”

  I turned and faced Ian so close I could feel his breath upon my face. “That’s not your choice to make!” I argued.

  Falcon sat back in his chair. “She’s got a point, Ian.”

  Ian shifted to face the other man. “This is not a debate,” he roared again.

  “You’re damn right it’s not.” I shot back.

  Ian sat.

  I continued. “I don’t need bodyguards!”

  “It is done,” Ian stated. “Shia will stay with you during the day.”

  “Now wait just a damn minute. Even if I agree to a bodyguard, which I didn’t,” I emphasized by shaking my finger at Ian, “Shia is a mother, she has two boys to take care of and does not need to risk herself for me.”

  Shia placed a comforting hand on my arm. “I am a mother, Leah, but I’m also a Therian, a mountain lion. I will keep you safe.”

  “How could you ask her to do this, Ian?” I accused.

  “He did not ask me, I volunteered,” Shia answered. “Elizabeth was a threat to us all.”

  “You don’t owe me anything, Shia. None of you do,” I insisted.

  “We know, Leah.” Shia sighed deeply, seemingly offended by my rejection. “Still, we will keep you safe,” she replied.

  I stood and walked to the door, resigned to a fate of bodyguards, at least temporarily. If Chaos had intended to kill me, I would need Ian’s help to defend myself. It damn well grated on my nerves, but it was still the truth.

  “What?” Cougar cut in. “No argument, no fight?” He tsked. “How disappointing.”

  I shook my head.

  “So the next time I want her to do something she’s against, all I have to do is kiss her?” Cougar just couldn’t help but be a smartass. I kind of liked that about him.

  Ian growled low in his throat.

  “Maybe,” I replied flippantly and walked out of the room while Cougar and Falcon laughed.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  “You shouldn’t piss off Ian like that,” Shia reprimanded me. Both she and Justice ha
d followed me back to my room. Justice stood silently outside the door like a good little bodyguard while Shia came in and plopped down on the edge of my bed.

  I gave her the look the comment deserved.

  She held her hands up and continued, “I know, I know. They are arrogant, self-serving bastards. It’s the nature of a vampire, instinctive even. Ian is overprotective, especially when it comes to you. You must realize that he cares deeply for you?” she asked.

  I blew out a breath. Great, now her too. “He doesn’t ask, he just does. He does whatever the hell he wants to do and assumes I’ll just fall into line,” I said broodingly.

  “Look. You’re stuck here anyway. You may as well take advantage of the training opportunities. I mean, how many SINS Agents get to train with vampires, Therians and shapeshifters knowing that they’ll be totally safe?”

  I nodded. She had a point. A damn fine one too.

  “Now let’s get your stuff put away.”

  She grabbed one of the duffels I had insisted on carrying myself before I realized what she was doing. “What the hell do you have in here? It weighs a friggin’ ton.” Her eyebrows raised in question.

  “Open it up.” I waved a hand toward the bag. What the hell, she was right. I was stuck here anyway; I might as well make the most of it.

  Shia lifted it to the bed and undid the zipper. Her eyes flew wide in surprise as she pulled out my newest toy. It wasn’t the crossbow that made the bag heavy. It weighed in at a little over eight pounds. The dozens of arrows made of wood with silver-coated tips caused the bag to weigh a ton. My other bag was filled with steel arrows, harmless to vampires but deadly to humans, my guns and blades. They were why I insisted on carrying my own bags. “It looks like our vampires underestimated you, Leah.”

  “Time to change their attitudes a little.” I smiled wickedly. “Don’t you think?”

  “This is going to be so much fun!” Shia looked toward the door then stuffed the crossbow back into the bag. “Ian’s coming.”

  I strained to listen but only heard deafening quiet. “You hear him?”

  “I hear better than humans. Not as well as vampires but better than humans,” Shia replied.

  Shia stood and bounced to the door. “Time to have some fun.” She snickered and bolted out the door, leaving it open just a little.

  I heard a few shuffled steps and saw shadows moving through the small slit in the door, then, “I hired you!” I heard Ian’s angry words.

  “You hired me to be her bodyguard,” I heard Shia reply. “I will not let anyone in unless she approves.”

  Hmm, maybe having a bodyguard wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

  Justice knocked on the door and stepped in. “Ian would like a word with you. Should we let him in?” She had a twinkle in her eye that said she too was enjoying Ian’s distress. Yep, she and I were going to be okay.

  I was tempted, oh so tempted to tell her that I didn’t want to see him, just to see what would happen, but the truth was, I did want to see him. “It’s all right, let him in.” I sighed.

  Justice eased out of the door. A few moments later, Ian walked in.

  “You hire good people, Ian.” I failed at hiding my grin. He looked so frustrated and annoyed at the prospect of my bodyguards not letting him near me.

  “So it would seem.” Ian crossed the room. “May I sit?”

  I motioned toward the sofa. “It’s your house.” I joined him on the couch.

  “Whatever I have is yours, My Love. Make yourself at home here. I will never hold you against your will. I do however, implore that for your own benefit you remain here until we meet with Chaos.”

  “You won’t hold me ‘against my will’.” I threw all the sarcasm I could into the statement. “You’ll just hire bodyguards or use your own to ‘implore’ me to stay. Is that it?”

  Ian shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “It was only my desire to keep you safe. Allow me time to speak with Chaos.”

  “When will that be?” I asked.

  “I will begin negotiations with Chaos tomorrow evening. If he agrees not to allow any of his covens to feed or harm humans in any way and ensure your safety, we will meet soon.”

  “And if he doesn’t?”

  “Even vampires have rules of etiquette that must be followed. Chaos would not want to bring the full wrath of the Marquis down upon him and his coven.”

  I shook my head in confusion. “He’s part of the Marquis, vampire royalty by your own admission. They would not destroy him.”

  He tilted his head to the side. “Have you ever heard ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’?”

  “Of course.”

  “The Marquis feared that evil did in fact rule their souls so they created Black Ghosts, an elite group of vampires who see to the propriety of vampire law. Much like your government makes the laws, but the police enforce them. They are impartial. There are no shades of gray for them and regardless of your status they will ensure that vampire law is followed. It is how the Marquis captured Elizabeth in the first place.”

  “Well we know how well that worked out.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Exactly. Your incident with Elizabeth has forced the Marquis to revise some rules. One, in particular.” His meaning was clear. The Marquis would now destroy their own kind. Something I wished they had done sooner, particularly when it came to Elizabeth. But still…

  “Why would any of the Marquis agree to their own possible destruction?” I asked incredulously.

  “If any of them did not agree to it, others would wonder why they feared the change.” Ian stroked my hair soothingly while we spoke.

  “It would look like they were hiding something,” I surmised.

  Ian smiled. “Precisely.”

  “So who are these Black Ghosts?” I wondered aloud.

  “Many would like to know. Those who serve as a Black Ghost remain completely anonymous, as their namesake implies.

  Duh.

  He cupped my face with his hand. “I will not allow him near you until I am sure you are safe.”

  “He will come anyway. Won’t he?” I knew the answer but I had to ask.

  “Yes,” Ian whispered.

  “Then I guess he’ll be in for a few surprises.” I felt my spine stiffen defiantly.

  Ian placed a kiss at my temple then trailed down to the corner of my mouth. I pushed away from him. He winced.

  “What is it?” His finger traced my brow and I realized lines had exposed my worry.

  Ian took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I am sorry, My Love. The dawn approaches.”

  I looked into his eyes, a shade darker blue due to the obvious pain he was in. “You can feel the sun rising?”

  He nodded.

  “It hurts?” I asked.

  “Only for a moment,” he flashed me an unconvincing smile, “then I’ll be dead.”

  I gasped. I’d spent the night with him before but was always asleep before dawn. I didn’t know it was painful for him each dawn. The thought was disturbing. Having to die each sunrise was one thing but being in pain while you did it, quite another.

  “I must retire to my room now.” He stood. “I have no wish for you to watch me die, My Love.” He smiled sadly. “Promise me you will stay within the estate?”

  I nodded. “Until you wake.”

  “Rest well, My Love.” With that, he left me alone in the room.

  Later, I stood on the balcony and cursed the sun as it rose in brilliant glory, casting reds and oranges across the pale blue sky. Bringing with it, light for me, yet pain for Ian.

  It wasn’t very difficult to adjust to vampire time so when I crawled into bed at eight in the morning, sleep came easy. I reluctantly admitted, even if only to myself, that it was comforting to know Shia and Justice would be watching over me.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I opened my eyes and found Ian lying next to me. He was on his back, propped up by pillows with his arms stretched behind his head, accentuating the corded mu
scles of his biceps and chest. I couldn’t resist the temptation to let my eyes wander down to his ripped abdomen. He wore only his jeans, which were partially zipped but not buttoned. His dark wavy hair was still damp from his shower and small beads of moisture dripped down onto his wide chest into the hollow of his belly button. I had a strong urge to take a tiny droplet of water onto the tip of my tongue and follow it back up to where it dripped off his strong jaw. My eyes followed just the path my tongue would take until I realized his eyes were now open and watching me. I stared at his darkening blue eyes, looking into a soul he thought he’d lost long ago, a beautiful soul that held a peaceful aura, and more secrets that I had yet to discover, if I dared to look. I dropped my shields and searched for the emotions only a soul can truly hide, swallowing my fear of what I would find there. If there was ever going to be anything serious between Ian and I, then I needed to know what lay beneath his mysterious blue eyes. His power flared and his eyes turned that color of blue just before dawn, when the sky was darkest yet still held the deep bluish black hue of night, surrounded by pinpoints of light that hung proudly in the night sky. I opened myself up to that power and nearly gasped at the depth of emotion I felt.

  Love.

  Ian loved me. It practically poured out of him and filled me with warmth. Or maybe he just thought he loved me.

  “I have made many mistakes, My Love. I cannot declare that it is because I am only human; we both know I am not. Yet in all of my existence, I have never felt more alive than when I am in your arms.”

  I rolled over until I straddled his body, then followed my urge to chase that tiny droplet of water up his torso. When I reached his chest I hesitated and lay my ear against him. The steady staccato of a heartbeat pounding against his ribs greeted me.

  Ian put his hands around my waist and easily lifted me until I was cradled in his lap. His lips claimed mine in a mind-bending swirl of emotions.

  I was breathless when I pulled away. “Good morning,” I breathed.

  Ian smiled. “It is a good morning indeed.”

  “I could get used to waking up like this.”

  His face grew serious, his eyes piercing mine. “If I thought you meant that I would be a very happy man, My Love.”