Days of Innocence (The Firsts Book 13)

by C. L. Quinn

  If she continued much further, she’d go around a curve in the shoreline just past a steep stony ridge and beyond his line of sight. Although he felt certain she was in no danger here, he wasn’t sure he was comfortable with that. It went against his need to maintain full control of any situation. He grinned at himself. He’d always needed to hold the reins, even as a boy, and the need had only grown stronger now that he had been consigned to protect these warriors-to-be.

  Koen had sat with him on this balcony twenty years ago and told him of their destiny; that this group of ten, and one other in the U.S., had a great battle ahead some day when the living planet needed them. They would use gifts granted by powers of the universe and the world beneath their feet to secure the survival of life on earth. They would, quite literally, save the world.

  So Rodney could not fail. He could not fail the children, or this living planet, or Koen, and hoped to be here in that distant time to help in any way he could. But his own destiny, he expected, may not be that grand. He was human, and he would play his role, no matter how small or great it might be. Rodney had no illusions as to his status in this war.

  “I am but a bolt, meant to keep something of true worth together. I am a tiny thing, but I have a place,” he’d told Koen one night a few years past over too many glasses of whisky.

  Koen had clapped him on the shoulder and laughed.

  “Aye, you are. But so am I. I made the child that made the warriors. That was ten seconds and a little seed, and I feel that that is my extent of it.”

  After several moments of silence, Koen had lifted his glass to touch Rodney’s in toast. “But we’re both here to make certain that they get there. Aye, every piece makes the whole, and makes this happen when it someday must.”

  “Aye.” Rodney refilled both of their now empty glasses with a contented sigh. “I’m proud to be a bolt.”

  Returning his thoughts to the present, he kept his eyes on the hidden part of the beach where the girl had disappeared a good ten minutes ago. He couldn’t help himself, he had no choice but to check on her.

  Shani had wondered away from her family and friends, the call of the empty beach and gently swishing waves irresistible. She loved to be with them…within reason. Brigitte was aware, thank God, that her sister wasn’t as socially comfortable as the others. After too much stimulation, Shani needed to seek silence, to find a place to be alone. People, en masse, overwhelmed her senses easily. Solitude helped her cope.

  Brigitte had told her that it was her talent that made her feel so. As they’d gotten older, and Shani’s talents strengthened, Brigitte had been the first to describe how they must affect Shani.

  “You connect to other people emotionally, you cannot help it. When you’re around them, you’re feeling the weight of emotions for two, or three, or more. No wonder, my sister, that you must go away to find peace in your own head.”

  “Is it unkind that I need to leave them? To go away?”

  “Oh, Shani, you are the kindest soul I know. Nothing you could ever do would be unkind. Your own overly sensitive nature would never let you. People can be vexing, and in numbers, worse. So someone like you who channels what is going through their hearts and minds has to escape! You know I share your talent with you when we are connected, and I could never do what you do. I’m ready to detach within two minutes of our merge when you’re feeling other people. You are a brave soul to shoulder this gift so well.”

  As always, Brigitte had talked her off the ledge. She reminded her, too, that her talent was an incredible one that would help a lot of people someday. Listening to her spirit, Shani had slipped away from the gathering, aware that Cairine and Brigitte saw her do it. This stroll did exactly as she needed it to, it calmed her as she swished her bare feet in the surf just as it broke and crawled up onto the perpetually soaked sands.

  Although their home in Zambia was surrounded by crashing water, for Shani, the vast openness of earth’s oceans stole her breath. The life it contained, the constantly shifting undulating waves, oxygen-rich, the power. She loved it.

  “This is where I want to be,” she said out loud to answer the sea that called to her.

  “You could not choose a prettier place.”

  The deep voice behind her startled her at the same time that she felt his presence and his lifeforce.

  Shani turned to a man who almost immediately overwhelmed her, both in appearance and in empathic sensation. He was huge, the size of a vampire, but she knew by the lifeforce she felt that he was not vampire. In which case, she shouldn’t have felt it so strongly; human life forces were weak.

  Eyes moving from top of this man to the bottom, Shani felt her heart beat faster. He was unexpected, this human who looked like vampire, dressed in black leather, his huge arms exposed, long dark hair pulled into a single braid. When she returned her gaze to his eyes, something inside her wanted to fall into them. This was an uncommon man.

  “I’m sorry, who are you?” Seemed the appropriate question, considering they were on Koen’s private beach and she didn’t recognize him.

  “I’m a shadow. Here to be certain you and your friends remain unbothered by things that may harm you. My name, mistress Shani, is Rodney, and I am blood-bond to Koen. I am the warrior’s protector when daylight keeps him locked away. I am here for you, my lady.”

  “Oh. When did he put you in place?”

  “I have watched you grow from a tiny thing to the beautiful woman you are today.”

  “That long? Why have I never seen you before?”

  “I’ve always tried to remain hidden, an unseen protector. You never need to know, unless I’m needed, so I have always watched from a distance. Now, though, with you beyond my sight, knowing you were probably safe, still, I found it necessary to follow your footsteps and be certain that you were. I apologize if I have intruded.”

  The empath in Shani went into full mode. She felt his urgency to lay his eyes on her and assure that she was all right and no one might harm her. She felt his dedication to her and the welfare of all her friends to the point of trading his own life. It was overpowering to meet someone who had watched over her all her life, that she had never known, who would happily give his life for hers.

  “Um,” Shani turned away to kick at the waves, her eyes on the sea, but unexpectedly wanted to look into his eyes again. Turning, her gaze locked on his. Something told her that he saw far deeper than she might ever know.

  “No. I mean, I needed some distance, yes, but you’re not a…” Trailing off, Shani knew that he already understood what she was trying to say.

  “It’s fine. I’ll travel back up the beach to grant your solitude, but, Shani, don’t go any further. I’m sure there are no threats here, but it’s also true that the time they get to you is when you don’t expect them.”

  “I’m safe, here, protector. My brothers and sisters would know if something happened to me.”

  “Sure, but it’s still my job to watch over you.”

  Someone to watch over me. The song…the one her mothers had sung for her and her sisters since they were little girls sleeping side by side on a huge mattress in their single bedroom. Her eyes moved over him again.

  He stood just five feet from her, her guardian, as big as any vampire, his face chiseled, arms cut, much of his chest revealed by a nearly open leather vest. Thick legs clad in tight black leather with a gun strapped to one thigh, his palm resting on it and a rifle in his other hand, ended in black boots completely wrong for the beach. She let her empathic ability slip deeper into him. She shouldn’t have, but she wanted to.

  He was breathing faster than normal, his heart rate high. She couldn’t see his pupils buried in the dark iris’s, but she knew that, even in this bright light, they’d be somewhat dilated. He was responding to her sexuality. There was a very good reason for that, of course, because she knew, without permission, she was sending out sexual pheromones. They weaved around his mind and body, which were tight and hyper-aware of hers. She re
alized it wasn’t wise, but she couldn’t seem to control herself.

  “You know I don’t need someone to do that, although I am honored anyway, that you are here for me. But, yeah, I think you should go.”

  Relaxing his fingers, he flexed them and lifted his eyes to watch the waves as she had earlier. He was trying to control his response to her. His reaction surprised him and she could feel that he was ashamed that he felt as he did.

  That he was so responsive to her, that he wanted her, turned her on. This could only complicate both their lives, she knew it, and tried to stop, but it wasn’t possible.

  “Rodney, it’s okay. Um, I’m an empath. Well, you probably know that. Sometimes I need a little distance to protect my mind from too much interference. You understand?”

  “I do, yes. I’ll put some distance between us then. But if you go too far, I’ll have to come again.”

  Shani nodded, turned, and continued down the beach to add to that distance as quickly as possible. She could feel the heat surge in places that demanded attention. Her cheeks flamed as she laid a hand against them.

  Shani increased her speed.

  Backing quickly, Rodney finally swiveled to head toward the villa. Did he have to use that word? God, he was a man approaching fifty-five, even if he looked and felt like he did in his early thirties, and here he was blushing like an eighteen year old at the word come. This beautiful young woman was his charge, he had no right to have a reaction like this near her. His own famous iron control was failing him.

  Tonight before he went to his bed, he’d take a long run along the beach to cool himself off and find his center. This could not happen again!

  Taking a position up on the top of the cliff, he could see all of his charges at once. This was better, distant, once again off their radar. And away from temptation.

  His primary job these past two decades had been to protect and watch out for the children of the sun, those in Koen and Bas’s villas. The children of the moon had only begun to visit France for the past ten years and those visits were only twice a year. When they were here, Rodney and his men had been on heightened alert because the number of children they were entrusted to protect doubled.

  He remembered Shani as a child, sweet, quiet, dark satin hair usually pulled into a long ponytail, the biggest light brown eyes he’d ever seen. Even then, he’d known that she was special. They all were, but something about her glowed. He’d always assumed it was her talent.

  His attraction to her was highly unwelcome. Rodney pulled his cell phone from his pocket and hit number 2.

  “Burt, come to the ridge just past the beach at Koen’s villa. I need you to spell me.”

  After he hit the END button, he dropped down to the rock to let his legs hang off the edge as he watched the group of partying young adults. He tried not to let his eyes wander too often in Shani’s direction, but he failed.

  Night descended quickly, followed by a damp, noisy group of people pouring into the dining room for first meal. They’d stayed all day by the beach, but now that daytime was gone, they knew a feast would be waiting, and that the vampires would join them any moment. The noise in the room reached such a high level that when a loud whistle interrupted, it took several moments for the group of raucous young people to realize it and stop talking and laughing.

  “Who are these obnoxious young people invading my house?” Koen’s voice boomed over the remaining chatter.

  He had everyone’s attention now. All the young people looked toward the entrance, to where the large vampire had just entered filled the room.

  “Is there anything left on the tables for us oldsters?”

  Laughing, Koen led Alisa through the group, dispensing hugs and kisses on cheeks.

  Alisa lingered, her hugs warmer, longer. All of her babies were home now, including those she hadn’t seen nearly enough since they lived so distant.

  “Eras, you get bigger each time I see you,” she said as she held him and noticed thicker arms and legs than last year.

  He wrapped big hands around her. This woman, Koen’s mate, he remembered fondly from their visits, especially as a child. She’d sat around the fires at night and told stories of the world and laughed with them. He’d been fascinated by her light-colored long soft hair and easy humor.

  “I guess I’m growing into the man you told me I would become someday. I remember you used to tell me I’d be as big as my father.”

  “And you nearly are.”

  “Yep.”

  “You might be bigger once you convert.”

  “Whoa. I can’t even imagine it.”

  Quiet now, Alisa rubbed her fingers along his forearm.

  “I can’t either. I miss the children you all were already.”

  “Oh, what a room full of gorgeous!” Tamesine swept in, Marc behind her, full of wide smiles and hugs as they went along, just as Koen and Alisa had.

  Eillia and Daniel, bringing up the rear, did the same, Eillia’s eyes moving to her son. Caedmon relaxed, watching the activity in the room, his face glowing with contentment. Through all the worry and sorrow for these past twenty years, her young man looked happy and well. Nothing in her thousand plus years of life was more right. Thank you universe, she said silently as she watched the gathering of first blood children tonight.

  Koen waved a hand.

  “Sit, sit, eat. We’ve lots to catch up on, and plenty of time to do so. We’ll retire to the beach for a party when we’re done here. My brother and his mate are coming from Paris tonight to join us.”

  “For the concert,” Mac called out.

  “Aye, for the concert. I think we are all looking forward to your musical talents. For now, though, enjoy!”

  First meal was always generous, and although half the diners tonight were technically human, Koen’s chef held nothing back.

  “Hi, everyone!” Park and Bas arrived with more greetings, which shot the noise level back up for another ten minutes, until finally all the diners took seats and filled plates.

  Bas walked past a table where his son dined and laid a hand on top of Mac’s head as he bent close. “I heard you peel out in your car. Take it easy, young man, and we’ll hit a racetrack soon. But only if you stop the joyrides on this narrow road, son.”

  “Sorry, pop.” Mac glanced up at his father, who smiled as he moved on to the buffet table. He loved that man more than anything, his respect for him never stronger. But he was still planned to run that car on the OWT in Dubai. His father would just have to forgive him.

  Cairine laughed at a lame joke that Talib told her, and he knew it was lame by his careful smile, as her eyes moved over the now filled dining room. Everything that she loved was in this room. Her parents, her brother, all the brothers and sisters bound to her by destiny, and the extended family created by vampires who would do anything for the first blood warriors they loved.

  She couldn’t bear the thought that in the coming years they would separate. It was just the way life went, the growing up and moving forward. Fia would join her mother Park in her lab this summer to finish her training as a physician. Bryson and Mac wanted to do an around-the-world tour, and while they’d been asked to wait until they converted, they didn’t plan to. That would leave these villas so empty.

  She suspected that the bi-annual visits from the children of the moon would stop, too. Lives were happening and skills must be put into place as they all were fully adults now. Her eyes moved to Eras.

  Eras. She would admit that her feelings toward him had changed. He was overconfident, perhaps with reason to be so, and self-assured, and that made sense too. His body was nearly as big as his father’s and he was the heir to the position of leader for their clan should something happen to Ahmose. Just his presence seemed to turn her on now. When he’d touched her this morning, she’d felt it to her core. She had some ability of precognition, and although it arrived unreliably, she somehow knew that after this year, she would not see him again for many more.

  Confusi
on, relief, disappointment, all wrapped around her mind at the thought, leaving her breath ragged, her heart pounding when he got too near to her. She had no reason for embarrassment, but there it was anyway.

  Whatever the future brought, she hoped that she would remain close to her moon sisters. For some reason, she couldn’t see their future at all. Could it be because they didn’t have one? No, she wouldn’t accept that. Their destiny included all of them, and there was no reason to believe that the four wouldn’t remain close forever.

  But life didn’t offer promises, did it? Even as powerful as first blood vampires were, bad things happened and lives changed forever in a moment. Even a young human woman could see that.

  Now, though, here in this warm home, her grandfather’s villa, surrounded by unconditional love and support, she would always find sanctuary. Just, please universe, keep it so for all her family in this house and those in Africa.

  “What in hell is goin’ on here? Where’s me peace and quiet?”

  Cairine spun to look at the man whose voice boomed into the room, over all the voices already filling it. She grinned. Her Uncle Xavier had arrived. She loved that vampire.

  Cairine shot from her seat and bulleted into him, instantly lifted and swung around.

  “Lass, ya keep gettin’ prettier and prettier. I’m goin’ ta have a lot of lads to shoot soon, aye?”

  “Get your mitts off my granddaughter, you old goat.”

  Koen came forward and smacked his brother on the back, then turned to give Xavier’s mate a hug. The beautiful blonde vampire held on tight. Because of Margot, Xavier’s past twenty years had been the best of his life, and Koen would be eternally grateful that they had found each other. Xavier was still a brat sometimes, still annoying as shit more often than anyone wanted, but he’d mellowed substantially, and in spite of his jab, Koen knew that his brother would always be there for this new generation of first bloods.