Broken Dawn

by Duvall, Dianne

  “They’re still tracing the identities of the men you killed. So far they’ve managed to link one to a weapons manufacturer.”

  “Shit. They aren’t linked to the military, are they? Could this have something to do with what went down at the base Gershom commandeered?”

  “We don’t know yet.”

  Nick pondered that. All loose ends tied to blitzing the base and liberating their brethren were supposed to have been taken care of. If they had slipped up and left a thread dangling, he would’ve thought that thread would lead to the North Carolinian contingent of immortals, not to him.

  His frown deepened. And wouldn’t Heather’s father have given them a heads-up? He was a general in the United States Army and had become a close ally after Seth and the North Carolinian immortals had gone to the rescue of a highly classified military base when a small army of vampires besieged it. Nick’s immortal brethren had slain the vampires and saved the lives of a lot of soldiers that night. And, of course, the general’s daughter had wed an immortal. So he had a vested interest in warning them about possible threats.

  “What about the men I didn’t kill?” Nick asked. “What was Seth able to discover when he read their minds?”

  Oliver sent him an exasperated look. “There weren’t any minds for him to read. You killed them all.”

  “No, I didn’t. Two of them I only punched.” It had happened so fast that it might’ve been three. He couldn’t remember for sure.

  Oliver shook his head. “You hit them too hard. By the time we arrived on the scene, they had all died from brain injuries.”

  Nick swore. “I thought I just knocked them unconscious.”

  Oliver shrugged, his expression saying What can you do? Shit happens. “It’s a common problem, believe it or not. When you have preternatural strength and are accustomed to fighting vampires to the death on a nightly basis, it makes it difficult for you to gauge how hard you can hit humans without scrambling their brains. It’s one of the reasons the Immortal Guardians in North Carolina had such a hard time gathering information on the mercenary groups they fought. They were so used to fighting vampires with preternatural strength and healing capabilities that they kept hitting the human mercenaries too hard.”

  That didn’t make him feel better. They needed the information those men’s minds could’ve provided. “Is Seth pissed?”

  “No. He just asked Chris Reordon to help Henderson and his crew do some digging. Reordon has become a real pro at this kind of thing in recent years.”

  “With everything that’s happened in North Carolina, I’m not surprised.” Nick slumped back against the chair. “So what do we do now?”

  “You’re supposed to hunt as usual tonight—”

  “Hell no. One of those bastards nearly made it into Kayla’s home. I’m not leaving her unguarded.”

  “You won’t be,” Oliver said, unfazed by his outburst. “Seth asked Aidan and Dana to come stay with us until this is all sorted out, so you’ll have backup.”

  Aidan and Dana? Really?

  Aidan was such a powerful Immortal Guardian that his age and his strength made Nick seem a virtual toddler. The ancient Celtic immortal had lived three thousand years, give or take. And because his DNA had been diluted less by ordinary human DNA, he boasted multiple gifts instead of just one. Teleportation. Telekinesis. Telepathy. Healing with his hands. There could be others, but those were the ones Nick had seen Aidan wield firsthand. And his strength and speed were so superior that he could even give Seth a run for his money when they sparred.

  If Aidan had been here last night when those men attacked, he could’ve easily used telekinesis to freeze them all in place and then searched their minds to discover who had given them their orders.

  He would be a worthy ally in this. And rumor had it his wife, Dana, was as strong and fast as Aidan.

  Almost every Immortal Guardian Nick knew had been forcibly transformed by a vampire. And usually when gifted ones transformed, they were not as strong as immortals who had transformed in previous centuries or millennia. Elder immortals had always been stronger and faster than younger immortals. But recent years had birthed a fascinating revelation: if an immortal healer transformed a gifted one—something that had never occurred until Sarah asked Roland to make her immortal so the two of them could spend eternity together—that gifted one ended up becoming as powerful as the immortal who transformed her.

  So even though Dana had only been an immortal for a year or so, she could kick Nick’s ass with one hand tied behind her back.

  Hell, she could probably do it with both hands tied behind her back.

  By choosing Aidan and Dana, Seth was sending in the big guns.

  “Marcus wanted to come, too,” Oliver added. “He has close ties in the neighborhood and was furious when he heard what happened.”

  Nick nodded. Marcus had lived here for several years before he’d sold the house to Nick and moved to North Carolina. “He and Josh are still good friends. He’s probably worried this might spill over onto him.”

  “He is. But Marcus doesn’t want to leave Ami and Adira right now.”

  Of course he didn’t. Not after what had happened with that fucker Gershom.

  Nick frowned. “Where’s Eliana? Why isn’t she hunting with me tonight?”

  “I don’t know. I think Seth has her doing something in North Carolina.”

  He grunted. Eliana was going to be pissed when she found out she missed all the excitement.

  A yawn caught him unawares. Nick rose. “I’m going to go eat something and try to catch a couple hours of rest.”

  Oliver’s lips twitched. “Didn’t get much sleep today, huh?”

  Nick narrowed his eyes. “I don’t want to hear any bawdy references to my time with Kayla.”

  “Bawdy?” His friend laughed. “Sometimes I forget how old you are.”

  “I wish I could,” he grumbled.

  Oliver’s gaze sharpened. “Is the age difference a problem for her?”

  Amusement stole away some of his fatigue. “I don’t think so. At least I hope it won’t be. When I mentioned something about robbing the cradle, she said—and I quote—‘Honey, you aren’t robbing the cradle. You’re stealing lumber to build a cradle for a baby that hasn’t even been conceived yet.’”

  Oliver threw his head back and laughed. “I love that woman.”

  Nick smiled. “So do I.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Kayla dragged a brush through her wavy brown hair, grimacing as she worked through the tangles. Perhaps she should start taking a little more care with her appearance now that she and Nick were together. Maybe add some makeup. Break out her curling iron. Use some hair spray to try to keep her waves from bursting into unruly curls as soon as Houston’s humidity hit them. Wear a push-up bra. Short skirts instead of her favorite yoga pants.

  Almost as soon as the thought arose, she rejected it. She had done all that for her ex-husband. Had it held his interest? Had it kept him from straying? No. All it had done was lead to him complaining when she didn’t do those things and make her feel as if she weren’t pretty enough on her own.

  Nick saw her without makeup all the time and he made her feel beautiful. Desirable. Like she didn’t need any kind of embellishment to make his body burn.

  She smiled.

  Maybe it was his age. He said he’d been among the first colonists to settle in Canada. She couldn’t imagine many of the women back then wore makeup. Then he’d lived among the Iroquois. Perhaps his early years had simply given him an appreciation for the natural look that some men today lacked.

  Her husband sure as hell hadn’t appreciated it.

  Determined not to let thoughts of her ex ruin her good mood—the good mood Nick had put her in by giving her three fantastic orgasms earlier—she left the bathroom and headed downstairs. Her dentist had rescheduled her appointment for this afternoon. Kayla would’ve totally forgotten if the calendar on her computer hadn’t sent her a reminder.
>
  Locating her phone on the kitchen counter, she sent Nick a quick text: Forgot I had a dentist appointment this afternoon. On my way out the door. See you when I get home.

  Once she pressed Send, she grabbed her purse and keys and headed for the door.

  Her phone rang. Pausing, she glanced down and saw it was Nick.

  “Hi,” she said brightly. “Did you get my text?” The only person she ever texted was Becca, so she wasn’t very adept at it.

  “Yeah. When’s your dentist appointment?”

  “Four o’clock.”

  “I’d like to go with you.”

  She frowned. “Why?”

  A pause followed. “Paranoia?” he suggested uncertainly, then sighed. “I don’t know. After what happened last night, I just want to stick close to you and make sure you’re safe.”

  He’s such a sweetheart. “Those men targeted you, Nick, not me. I’ll be fine.” She glanced out the window. “Besides, you can’t come with me. The sun won’t set until six thirty.”

  “I can withstand some sun exposure.”

  “Can you withstand an hour of it? Because it takes half an hour to get to the dentist and will take even longer to get back home because rush hour traffic will have begun.”

  Oliver spoke in the background. “I can go with her.”

  “I’d rather go myself,” Nick murmured.

  “And do what?” Oliver countered. “Sit in the back seat like Miss Daisy and scoot from side to side, avoiding sunlight every time she turns a corner or rounds a curve? Lie down on the floorboard when the sun dips low enough that you can’t avoid it any other way?”

  Nick swore softly.

  Kayla bit her lip, understanding better the limits his condition imposed and wishing it didn’t restrict him. Not being able to go out whenever you wanted sucked. As a night owl, she had on many occasions bitched about not feeling safe going out late at night in a city with as much crime as Houston. But at least she still had the option of doing it. Nick’s hands were tied.

  “You sure?” Nick asked.

  “Yeah,” Oliver responded. “I don’t mind.”

  Kayla bit her lip. “Is that really necessary?” She didn’t know Oliver very well.

  “For my peace of mind?” Nick said. “Yes.” He lowered his voice. “Look, I don’t want you to feel like I’m smothering you or being some domineering jackass who wants to control you, Kayla. It’s just temporary until I get this mess taken care of. The ambush last night kind of blindsided me. And every time I think about what might’ve happened if I hadn’t caught that last asshole before he burst into your house, I start to shake.”

  Awww. He’s so sweet. “If you hadn’t caught him, I would’ve shot his balls off.”

  He laughed. “Well, I know now that you’re fully capable of it. But I’d rather you not have to. That sort of thing tends to stick with you afterward if you’re not used to it.”

  If you’re not used to it. Nick hunted and killed vampires every night and had been doing so for centuries. How long had it taken him to get used to it?

  “Okay.” She relented, not wanting him to worry. “Oliver can come with me.”

  “Thank you.” The relief in his voice filled her with warmth, confirming she’d made the right decision. “He’ll be there in a minute. I’ll see you when you get home.”

  “Okay.”

  “Be safe.”

  She smiled. “I will.”

  “Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Nick didn’t sleep while Kayla was gone. He could neither calm his tumultuous thoughts nor silence his worries.

  Aidan and Dana arrived shortly before sunset.

  Eliana accompanied them and gave him a hug as soon as she saw him. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” he assured her. Eliana was what Oliver would call a touchy-feely person. She often expressed her affection through touch. And Nick thought one of the reasons she enjoyed hunting with him was because she could do so without fearing he would misinterpret it.

  Most immortal males dreamed of finding immortal women they could love and with whom they could spend the rest of their long, long lives since relationships with humans always ended badly. Unfortunately the disparity in numbers between male and female immortals meant that dream wouldn’t become a reality for a lot of them. And though none would dare disrespect Eliana or try to force their attentions on her (Seth would geld anyone who did… if Eliana didn’t do it first), Nick imagined she garnered quite a bit of attention from immortal males and had to be careful not to do anything that might spark desire in those who didn’t interest her. Like hug them.

  But Nick had been open with her from their very first meeting, confessing his feelings for his beautiful next-door neighbor. So she didn’t feel the need to hold back.

  She gave him another squeeze, then released him. “What about Kayla? How’s she doing?”

  “She’s good.”

  Her brow puckered. “Rumor has it she saw you shape-shift.”

  He loosed a sigh. “Yes. She pretty much knows everything now.”

  She winced. “So much for breaking it to her slowly.”

  Aidan and Dana studied him curiously.

  Aidan was about six feet four inches tall with broad shoulders and a lot of muscle. Dana was a foot or so shorter with a slender build that looked downright delicate next to her husband’s.

  Dana glanced up at Aidan, then at Nick. “I take it Kayla is your next-door neighbor?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you have feelings for her?”

  “Yes.”

  Aidan offered him a commiserating look. “How much did she know before last night?” His voice carried a Scottish accent.

  “She knew I was immortal but not why. And she didn’t know I could shape-shift.”

  “Yeesh,” Dana said. “And you…”

  “Assumed the form of a cat to try to slip by her and ended up passing out and shifting back to my normal form right in front of her.”

  Eliana bit her lip.

  “Well,” Dana said, “if it’s any consolation, I didn’t know anything about this one’s”—she jerked a thumb in Aidan’s direction—“immortality or special abilities until Roland tried to kill him outside my shop.”

  Aidan scowled. “The bastard outed me before I could find a gentler way to break it to you.”

  Eliana stared at Dana. “I heard about that. Didn’t you taser Roland?”

  A flush crept up her cheeks. “Yes.”

  “That was ballsy as hell,” Eliana said with a grin.

  Aidan smiled. “Yes, it was. And it all turned out well in the end because she accepted me for who I am.”

  Smiling, Dana leaned into his side and wrapped an arm around him. “Because you’re so damn irresistible.”

  He laughed.

  They seemed to share the same closeness Nick and Kayla did, one he dearly wanted to continue.

  “Hopefully Kayla will accept me, too.” Anxiety threatened to rise once more. “So far she has. But I don’t know what the hell else might come crashing down on her doorstep.”

  Aidan shrugged. “Nothing will if we have anything to say about it. That’s why Seth sent us.”

  Dana nodded.

  Eliana smiled. “And it’s why I’m here.”

  He frowned. “You make it sound like you won’t be staying.”

  “I won’t.” She tucked her hands in her pockets. “I’m being reassigned.”

  “You are? Where is Seth sending you? Somewhere close?” He hoped so.

  “No. But don’t worry. I have enough time to help you take care of this before I leave.”

  Damn. She was a good friend. He was going to miss her.

  Before he could ask again where Seth was sending her, she clapped her hands together. “So. What’s the plan? I think the men should go hunting as usual while Dana and I stay home and have a girls’ night in with Kayla.”

  Aidan shrugged. “Works for me.”

  Nick hes
itated. Dana and Eliana could certainly keep Kayla safe, but…

  He sent Eliana a squinty-eyed look full of suspicion. “You aren’t going to pump her for information about our relationship, are you?”

  She assumed an exaggeratedly innocent expression. “Who me? Would I do that?”

  “Hell yes.”

  She grinned. “Then I guess that’s a great big maybe, baby.”

  Aidan and Dana laughed.

  Nick groaned.

  “So.” Oliver spoke from the passenger seat.

  Kayla didn’t even have to look at him to know he was staring at her. He’d been doing it off and on ever since they left for the dentist. “So?”

  “There’s something I think you should know about Immortal Guardians and their Seconds.” He had identified himself as Nick’s Second, whatever that meant. “Something Nick might have omitted mentioning.”

  Dread coiled in her stomach, ready to strike. “What’s that?”

  “We’re enormous gossips and constantly butt into each other’s business.”

  Laughing, she glanced at him. “You do, huh?”

  He grinned unabashedly. “Yep.”

  She slowed to a stop at a red light. “Is that why you volunteered to accompany me? So you could pump me for information?”

  “Nah.” He waved a hand in dismissal. “I volunteered out of a genuine concern for your safety. And for Nick. I love him like a brother and know it would crush him if you came to harm, so I want to do whatever I can to protect you. But I’m not above using my position to score some good gossip.”

  She smiled. “I’m not really a kiss-and-tell kinda girl.”

  “So you have kissed.” Narrowing his eyes, he pretended to write on an imaginary notepad. “Juicy gossip item number one: Nick and Kayla kissed.”

  Again she laughed. “What’s a Second?”

  “It’s what we call a mortal who is assigned to live with and watch over an immortal.”

  She studied him. “Like a Renfield?”

  “Yeah. Most are human. A few are gifted ones. Seth insists every Immortal Guardian have one.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “Quite a few reasons. Before the past century, someone only coming and going at night would’ve drawn unwanted attention and suspicion. Unless they were of a criminal or salacious nature, almost all business transactions took place during the day. But immortals have to avoid exposure to sunlight. So having a trustworthy human around to conduct business for them while the sun was up and to provide a semblance of normalcy helped a lot.”