Chapter One

by Jaden Sinclair

  Ambrose hung his head for a few seconds.

  “What’s wrong?” Dimitri asked.

  “Shadow found something finally, but now with this we’re going to have to wait.”

  “What did he find?”

  Ambrose lowered his eyes again. The action gave him the appearance of being older than what he was. “Renzo’s son, Denver, Shadow found a way to contact him. He wants to see Julian.”

  “When?”

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  “I’m not sure.” Ambrose sighed and headed out of the chamber. “But whenever it is we’re going to have to wait until she’s back on her feet. Doc looked at Shadow again and said he is going to need more time. The cracked rib hasn’t healed yet.”

  Dimitri nodded. “I’m going to check on Carissa.”

  “Good. I’ll talk to Lucian and Tempest. Let them know what’s going on.”

  They left, sliding the door back into place, hiding the chamber.

  Carissa sat in a chair, instead of laying out cold on a bed. An IV in her arm ran blood into her vein. Lucan was out of it though. The drug Shadow gave him doing the trick. Ivy had his arm hooked up with blood pumping into his system also.

  Claudia tended to Carissa. Dimitri watched her move around, checking the line, making sure everything was working the way it should, then checking Carissa’s pulse. It calmed him to see her in action. She carried herself with assurance.

  “How is she?” he asked.

  The question made Claudia jump. “I didn’t hear you come up.” Her face reddened as she turned away from him. “She’ll be fine after she’s had her blood replaced. Doc wants to keep her here for a bit, and Corbin is bringing her something to eat.”

  “I don’t need to eat anything.” Carissa sighed, closing her eyes and resting her head back on the chair.

  Claudia gave him a quick smile and moved away to check on Lucan. Dimitri couldn’t stop himself from watching her walk away.

  “Why don’t you bond with her and get it over with?” Carissa asked. The question snapped his full attention to his partner. “I see it in your eyes that you want to. Until you do, you’re just going to be distracted as hell.”

  Dimitri avoided the subject. “What the hell were you thinking doing this with Lucan alone?” He crossed his arms over his chest, scowling at her. He was angry and did not want to have the other conversation. “He could’ve killed you. Drained you dry.”

  “I didn’t have a choice.”

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  “The hell you didn’t!” he snapped, raising his voice. He didn’t give a shit if the others heard him.

  She opened her eyes, the brightness of her silver irises shining up at him. “You knew just as well as I did that when a request of patronus was made by Lucan, neither one of us would be able to refuse him. I didn’t have a choice.”

  They had a stare off, tension between them thick. Dimitri broke the silence. “I never saw it until now. Do you even feel a thing anymore? Or are you so caught up in your fucking self-pity shit you can’t see straight.” He growled, ran a hand in his hair and looked over his shoulder. Julian stood off to the side, watching them. He looked back at her. “Get your shit together, Carissa, or I’m no longer going to be your partner.”

  Walking for the door, he cast one more look in the direction of Claudia. She was watching, her eyes showing him things that he was pretty sure she didn’t want him to see.

  She was worried about him. He saw it, and it bothered him. No one had ever worried about him, at least not in the way she was.

  When he got to the door, Julian stopped him with a few simple words. “Hurt her, and I’ll kill you.”

  Dimitri stared the man right in the eye. “Ditto.”

  He brushed past Julian, out of the clinic, and went back to his room.

  * * * *

  Forty-eight hours was all she needed, and Carissa was back on her feet, itching for a fight. Shadow found out from Denver that Renzo was building up a new lab for his breed creations. As if that wasn’t enough, Shadow also discovered Renzo had found humans willing to help him in his war against the vampires.

  The man was lying low, rebuilding, but they had no clue where that might be or what plans were cooking in his twisted little brain. Not even Denver could discover where they were, and he’d spent the past five months trying. Renzo either kept him blindfolded or 76

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  closed in a van every time they moved. Denver wanted to get Serina and Julian’s daughter back as much as the rest of them, but it seemed the crazy bastard didn’t trust his own blood. Not that any of them could blame him.

  Dimitri pushed the ammo clip into his gun, holstered it, turning to see Claudia watching him. She looked so innocent, so pure. He didn’t want to tarnish her. He wanted her to stay like that always. He had too much blood on his hands, too many stains on his soul, too many deaths caused by him. How could he come out of that darkness into her light? Why did I drink from her?

  She didn’t blink in fear, like he expected when she looked at him loaded down with weapons of violence and death. He was dressed for battle, loaded and ready in more ways than one. Instead of showing fear, Claudia moved closer, saying nothing. Her hands shook as she reached up to straighten his coat collar. Having her stand so close was all it took to have his senses in overdrive. He could even taste her still in his mouth.

  “You okay?” he whispered, his breathing coming faster as she moved her hands inside the coat, touching the ends of the weapons that she could see.

  She nodded, eyes going down. “Yes.” When she looked up at him his gut dropped.

  The innocence was back in her gray eyes, along with the worry.

  She tugged at his coat, bringing him down to her level. How short she was compared to him hadn’t registered before, not that it mattered. No, the only thing he could think about at the moment was her mouth. Damn if it wasn’t inviting and damn him if he wasn’t going to take what she offered.

  “Be safe,” she whispered, brushing her lips across his.

  I’m so fucked!

  Dimitri couldn’t walk away with only a brush of her lips to his. He wrapped his arm around her waist, brought her close, and pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her and kissed her deep. His other hand cupped the back of her head, holding her still as he moved even Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul

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  deeper on her lips. He pushed his tongue against her lips, made her open for him, and thrust in.

  He moaned, moved his lips over hers, sucked at her tongue. His cock pressed hard against his leathers. The need to sink into her, not only her throat, but her body, was so powerful it threatened to buckle his knees.

  Their first kiss and to him it felt like his first kiss ever. It was sweet, innocent, demanding, and hot all wrapped up together. Why she kissed him, he had no fucking clue and didn’t give a shit. It felt good, and worse, it felt right.

  “No, I’ve got it in here.”

  Shadow’s voice broke the spell woven around them. Dimitri stopped kissing her, but didn’t let her go like he knew he should. He rested his forehead on hers, eyes closed.

  Breathing was a hard thing to do at the moment.

  “Sorry, mate,” Shadow said.

  Dimitri opened his eyes, and looked at Shadow who quickly walked away. “Wait for me, please,” Dimitri whispered to her, his breathing accelerated from the kiss. “In my room. I’ll feed from you again. Okay?” She looked up at him and nodded. He kissed her again, lingering longer than he should have. Pulling back, he picked up the extra clips he left on the table and made himself walk away.

  * * * *

  Julian studied the markings on the walls, reading the names carved into the stone.

  He had never known the room was there until he ran in with the others to find Lucan in transition.

  “Hey, mate, what are you doing in here?” Shadow asked from where he stood in the door.

  “Trying to
understand what other secrets are being kept from me.”

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  Shadow took a deep breath and licked his lips. “Sometimes you don’t need to know everyone’s secrets.”

  Julian narrowed his eyes, glaring at the man. “How about telling me what the hell is going on?” He couldn’t stop his voice from rising. “Why is my father’s name on this wall and scratched out?”

  Shadow looked behind him. “Come on then. Someone has to fill in a few blanks for you.”

  Julian followed him out. The door closed and blended in perfectly with the wall.

  They went to the computer room, and Shadow took a seat with a sigh, holding his side.

  Julian stood.

  “Welcome to my workroom.” Shadow sighed again. “Okay, you need to understand something, mate. We don’t tell anyone shit around here. Not our way. Everything is a need to know, and you are in a tight position of really not needing to know.”

  “Cut the shit and just tell me,” Julian said.

  Julian glanced around the room. A large metal table stood in the middle with equipment that Julian could only imagine the use of. Weapons in different stages of production were lined up with tools of all kinds. In the back right corner, Shadow had his computers. And the man had many. It looked like six, maybe even ten were set up and all running different programs. It was a hell of a set up for one person.

  “First off, mate, you need to stop poking at Dimitri and Carissa.” Julian focused his attention back to Shadow. “They’ll kill you without blinking.”

  “I didn’t come down here to get advice about them,” he snapped. “I want to know what the hell this Crossover shit really is and why you keep it such a tight secret.” What Lucian and Corbin found in a book didn’t tell him enough.

  Shadow licked his lips and frowned. “You really don’t have any idea what goes on here.”

  “Shadow.” Julian growled the name.

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  “Okay.” Shadow nodded. “A Crossover is when someone like you, turns into us. It changes who you are, mostly from the inside.” Julian didn’t understand, and it must’ve shown because Shadow rolled his eyes. “We change, okay?”

  “Change?” Julian didn’t understand, but before he could ask more, he was hit once again with a memory that wasn’t his.

  “Once you take this step, there isn’t any going back.” Ambrose walked up to her with a tiny cup in his hand. He was dressed in a long black robe, and many others were also lined up, all dressed the same. They had hoods on, and not one face was visible.

  Carissa reached out and took the cup. She was young, maybe sixteen at the most.

  She took a deep breath, looking down at the cup. “I know.”

  “What the hell do you drink?” he asked Shadow through his teeth.

  Shadow’s mouth dropped open. “How’d you know we drink anything?”

  “What is it?” Julian yelled.

  Ambrose answered, standing in the doorway. “It’s the blood of the ancients, our Elixir of Life.” Julian turned around. “And your father has been trying to get his hands on it since before you were born.” Ambrose turned and left. Julian followed him. Shadow hurried to keep up with them.

  “The more I’m around all of you, the less I understand anything,” Julian stated, jogging to catch up to him. Once he had, he grabbed Ambrose’s arm, stopping him in the hallway. “Damn it, Ambrose, just give me a straight answer here. What the hell is going on?”

  Ambrose looked at Shadow who just shrugged and said, “Tell him.”

  “Let’s go to my office.” Ambrose said, walking away once more.

  Back in the office, Julian waited. Ambrose sat down behind his desk with a tired sigh, and Shadow took the other chair.

  “It’s no secret that your father wants to disband the Guardians, but I don’t think you ever know why you father hates the Guardians so much.”

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  “He was going to become one,” Shadow said.

  Julian frowned. “What?”

  Shadow looked at Ambrose who nodded. “Your father is a second born with many secrets. No one knows what happened to his brother, only that Gavino Marino’s name was taken off the list, and he was sent home.”

  Julian shook his head and held his hand up. “Wait one damn minute here. I have or had an uncle, and my father was sent here to train?” Ambrose nodded. “No, no way.” He shook his head. “And what does it have to do with what’s going on around here? And how the hell would he know?” He pointed at Shadow.

  “We all learn the past when we Crossover, mate,” Shadow added. “All of the past is revealed.”

  Ambrose got Julian’s attention once more. “The Elixir of Life holds unspeakable power, power too many of our kind would kill to have. Your father wants it.” Julian stood up slowly, and Ambrose kept talking. “Our strength, our senses, everything which makes us the perfect Guardian is in it. We’re faster, stronger—”

  “Colder.” Julian stated. “I see it in her eyes, Ambrose. She isn’t the girl I knew.”

  “And you’re no longer the boy I remember.” Ambrose sat forward, elbows on the desk. “She’s the best, because she turned her sorrow to her advantage. They all do. The training I had you take years ago has helped to create the man you are today. Time changes each of us, even you.”

  “This place turns out monsters,” Julian said softly.

  “Are you judging us with your eyes or your heart?”

  Julian shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t know her anymore. Don’t know you or what the hell I’m doing here.” He paced the room. “Ziva’s out there, and I can’t do a damn thing to find her. I can’t sense Renzo until I get in close proximity, and I don’t know where to start.”

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  “I can’t even fathom what you’re going through, but I can promise you that we will find your daughter and bring her home to you.”

  Shadow added, “Dimitri and Carissa won’t stop until she’s home with you.”

  Julian shook his head and changed subjects. “What happens if my father gets his hands on the Elixir?” He hung his head, waiting for the answer, fearing it.

  “If that happens, Julian, then the peace you have known all your life will be over.

  Your father doesn’t know how to handle it, and there will be chaos without Guardians left to protect our race. None will be safe, not even the Nobles.”

  * * * *

  “This place hasn’t been in use for months.” Dimitri kicked a can, out of his way, over to the side, as he walked around the inside of a building, which not only looked but smelled like it had seen better days.

  Carissa looked around also. The building they searched for evidence that Renzo or the breeds had been there appeared to have been abandoned for quite awhile. It might have been empty for months. Trash was piled everywhere. Dried blood was splattered along the cracked walls and floor, and the smell of death lingered in the air. Ashes on a nearby table proved that another vampire had been killed there.

  “Hey!” Carissa called out.

  Dimitri tore his eyes from the ashes and went to her. The room she found hadn’t been as trashed, but was still a mess. What caught Carissa’s attention was the crib on the other side of the room.

  “So Renzo was here recently,” he stated.

  Both became aware of someone else at the same time and moved with practiced ease.

  One was pressed against each side of the doorway, weapons drawn and ready, when the man they sensed walked through.

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  “You better get those hands up before I put a nice size hole in you,” Dimitri said.

  The man turned to face him. “Who the hell are you?”

  “Denver.” Carissa answered. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  Seeing him for the first time, Dimitri sized him up quickly. Denve
r Ferrari wore T-shirts and jeans. Thick blonde hair hung to his shoulders, and his sharp blue eyes took in everything around him. The man didn’t dress or look anything like his father. The last time Dimitri got a good look Renzo, his impression was of a military man, complete with the buzz cut hair. Despite the difference, Denver had a certain strength about him. He stood tall, had well developed muscles, and didn’t appear to be afraid of them. He was different from the average human. Hell, even Corbin exhibited a small amount of fear every time he came face to face with either Dimitri or Carissa, but not Denver.

  However, Denver did hesitate a bit when he took a step towards them, and Dimitri couldn’t blame him. He bet they looked scary all leathered out and covered with weapons.

  Denver handed over a piece of paper, which Carissa snatched from his hand and read quickly. She handed it to Dimitri and frowned.

  It just had an address on it. “What’s this?” Dimitri asked.

  “That’s where my father is heading,” Denver said. “With the baby. He doesn’t know that I know.”

  “And when is he supposed to be there?” Carissa asked.

  “Month or two,” Denver answered. “He’s moving around with my cousin Rage. I wanted Julian to know about Rage.”

  “What about him?” Dimitri asked.

  Denver was distracted, exclaiming, “I can’t believe you guys are real. My mother used to tell us stories about the Guardians, and I just thought you were a myth.”

  “What about Rage?” Dimitri asked again with more emphasis.

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  “Oh,” Denver cleared his throat. “He’s planning something. I’m not sure who it involves, but I do know it has something to do with you guys. I heard him say he was going to get someone who marked him, the first one to ever leave a mark on him.”

  Dimitri glanced at Carissa. Unspoken words passed between them, one more thing to deal with concerning Renzo and his family, and it wasn’t good. There were only three of them, with only one child trainee and no others coming aboard. The odds were against them.

  “Anything else?” Dimitri asked.

  He shook his head. “No, but will you please tell Julian I’m keeping an eye on Ziva as much as I can. My father doesn’t let her out of his sight. No one is allowed anywhere near her unless he’s present, not even me. You guys need to come and get her when he settles. He’s acting funny.”