Driven by Night

by Aliyah Burke

  She placed her palm against the glass and rested her forehead on it as well. I slept so much today, I’m not really tired now. Physically she was but mentally her mind had been racing since supper. The door was cool and she opened it a crack to see what the weather was like. Not warm but not cold air blew over her skin.

  Stepping back, she retreated to her bag and pulled a sweatshirt free before tugging it on. Her sweats would have to do. With a pair of slip-ons covering her feet, she went to the door of her room, changed direction to close the one leading to the balcony, then left the room.

  The house was silent and the amazing décor gleamed in the sporadic nightlights that lined the walls. She moved silently, taking into account her weakened state, and made her way down the stairs to the front door. Only a second of hesitation before she pulled it open and stepped out into the night.

  Shit. What if there’s an alarm that I just set off? She waited at the top of the steps but no one came running. No dogs came to attack. She walked down to the drive of crushed shells and made her way across to the start of the lawn.

  Crunch. Crunch. Aside from the occasional hooting of an owl and whippoorwill’s cry, her footsteps were the only sound. The dew clinging to the grass immediately soaked her shoes but she continued on, destination unknown.

  A thick fog was making its way in but didn’t rise much above her ankles yet. At least I won’t get lost, so long as I can see the house. Thundering hooves had her turning to see the horses running in their paddock.

  She didn’t go down to them but watched them run and play in the moonlight. Gorgeous animals, sleek and glossy. After a while, she continued in the direction she’d been heading. She couldn’t explain it, something just drew her.

  Rubbing one arm, she stopped to sit for a few moments on a stone bench. She peered behind her, content to still see the mansion rising above it all, giving her a place to focus on for her return trip. Determined not to stop until she’d arrived at where she was going, she pushed up and continued along.

  The lawn gave way to a small path and she followed its winding trail until it dawned on her she was walking through the massive forest that surrounded the house. She slowed, becoming winded. The path remained smooth and easy to traverse regardless of her lack of familiarity with the terrain. Pausing to touch her side, Calida closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Perhaps this wasn’t such a smart venture after all. She’d gone over it before but the entire thing was still astonishing to think about all she had been through with Tiarnán.

  After her moment of rest, she continued on. The path spilled into a well-manicured area. Stone benches were placed around a few spots. A fountain with statues sat to her left, totally gorgeous. However, her attention was taken by the woman in the center of the main fountain.

  Average height and curvaceous, she appeared damn near ethereal. Her hair, silver in hue, hung past her butt. Her clothing was a one-piece body suit, the color of which was pearlescent moonbeam and stood out vividly against the dark richness of her skin.

  The air around Calida grew heavy and thick, settling upon her chest like someone either sitting on her or placing weights there. Something within her screamed to run away while another part—albeit an extremely tiny one—encouraged her curiosity.

  The decision was taken out of her hands the moment the woman glanced at her. Eyes as red as fiery rubies burned and pinned her to the spot. Calida’s self-preservation instincts screamed but she couldn’t make her limbs listen.

  “You are mate to one of the six. One of the Guardians.”

  Those words weren’t spoken in a friendly way. More like she was speaking with a forked tongue.

  “Well?” She tilted her head to the side and Calida swore those eyes burned brighter.

  “I thought you were making a statement. How can you tell?”

  “You reek of the scent.”

  Now she was intrigued. Did they all smell the same, or was each one different? This…perhaps creature would be the best term to describe the woman, for there was no way she was human…hadn’t picked out one specifically.

  “I’m sorry I offend you.”

  She harrumphed and moved closer. “Do you know me?”

  “No.” Calida shook her head. “Wh…who are you?”

  “Cheza.”

  The air vibrated with power and Calida willed iron into her legs. “Are you going to kill me?”

  “Not tonight.”

  Calida breathed a sigh of relief. A short-lived one.

  “I want to. To feel your heart beat its last.” A sadistic grin. “I long to feel your warm blood running over my hands as it drains from every part of your body.”

  Shit. She talks about my death as if we’re discussing the weather. “I…I get it. But you aren’t.” Okay, she knew she sounded desperate there but damn it all, she had to make sure this woman… Cheza…whatever she was…didn’t forget she’d said she wasn’t killing her tonight.

  “Not tonight.”

  It’s really sad when something like that makes me sigh in relief. “Why do you want to kill me?”

  Her gaze narrowed. “Do you not know what is going on?”

  “Nope.”

  “You are with one of the Guardians. How have they or Lian not told you?”

  “I don’t know.” No point in telling this woman she’d nearly died and hadn’t been awake for the vast majority of the short time she’d been here at the vineyard. “So, why do you want to kill me?”

  Cheza waved one hand and Calida found herself being pulled through the air until she was within touching distance of the tall woman. She didn’t drop her to the ground however, there was a chair behind her when she was lowered.

  Her heart pounded so hard she rubbed her chest. “Thanks.” I think.

  The woman sat on a rock Calida knew hadn’t been there previously. “So you know nothing of the prophecy.”

  “I’ve heard it mentioned but no, I don’t know any of it.” If she can smell a lie, I’m seriously screwed.

  “How did you get found?”

  “Some guys chased me. Gravett, I think his name was.”

  A sound slipped from Cheza and the hairs on Calida’s arms stood up. “Hara.”

  Fighting not to scream in fear, she shrugged. “Don’t recall that name, but that’s how I was found, I guess you could say. What is this all about?”

  “Control, child. Isn’t that what everything is about? To be able to control it all.”

  She scratched at her temple. “I suppose so.”

  “We want that control back. It was stolen from us.”

  “Us?”

  “The world’s true rulers. We just want back what is rightfully ours.”

  “How am I a threat to that? I’m just one person.”

  Cheza held out her arm and a snake slid up it until they were face to face. Her stomach turned as the forked tongue of the reptile went into Cheza’s mouth before it wound itself around her neck, watching Calida with its beady eyes.

  “You’re not the threat. Did you give something to your mate?”

  “I don’t have a mate.”

  One eyebrow rose. “No mate? But you reek of Guardian scent.”

  “I was at their house. I don’t have a mate. And I won’t be told I have one either.”

  “So you gave him nothing.”

  “Him? Him who?”

  “Who was it that saved you?”

  “Tiarnán. The scowly one. He was supposed to meet some woman who died because he stopped to help me. He wasn’t exactly pleased.”

  For the first time a ghost of a smile lifted the woman’s lips. “I bet not. I believe you and I will be talking again, Calida. Don’t trust everything they say blindly.”

  “But I should trust you?”

  “I haven’t lied. If I had plans to do so, why would I have told you I wanted to kill you?”

  So she had a point there.

  Thunder rolled and lightning flashed across the sky. Calida jerked to her feet as Cheza di
d the same. The snake around her neck melded into the flesh there. She’s so not human.

  “Why are you on my property, Cheza? You know the rules.”

  Calida turned to her left and watched Lian walk out of the woods into the opening. He wore all black and when his gaze found her, Calida wanted to hide. So much power sizzled in the depths of his eyes, she couldn’t handle it. She lowered her eyes and tried to control the rapid beating of her heart—a fruitless endeavor.

  She hissed. “Beast calmer. It’s been a while.”

  “Not long enough. Why are you here? First Hara, now you? The rules were there for your protection. Unless you want to die.”

  Calida stared in shock as Cheza’s head turned more snakelike. No, that wasn’t right. Dragonish? She didn’t know, but it was freaky as crap.

  I’m seeing things and it needs to stop.

  “Your time will come, beast calmer, and you’ll no longer be needed. You will die and we will rule.” Those red eyes found her. “Until next time, Calida.” She took to the sky and vanished.

  Calida didn’t move, hoping he’d forget she was there. She felt like a child who awaited punishment from a parent.

  “Are you okay?” There was no trace of anger in his tone. In fact, there existed a liberal dose of concern.

  “Yes. I’m so sorry I left the mansion. I thought I could.”

  “You can.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her to one of the stone benches beside the fountain.

  She sat and stared at it. The woman in the center was beautiful. All curves, and lush. There were stars carved in the base of the piece as well as some dangling from the ends of her hair as it flew out around her. Arms outstretched, palms up and fingers spread, she looked like an offering.

  “That’s beautiful.”

  “That’s my Lana.” The deep affection he still held for her was obvious in his tone.

  “Tiarnán mentioned her, I’m sorry for your loss.” If this was the woman’s likeness, the real one must have been one hell of a stunner.

  “How did you find this grove?”

  “I just followed the path. Again, I’m really sorry I messed up. I just couldn’t sleep after doing so much of that since I got here, I wanted to come outside.”

  “Cheza.” He had an edge to his tone again. “What did she want?”

  “To kill me, or so she said. In fact she explained it in detail how much she wanted to do so. But she said she couldn’t tonight and I asked her why.” A deep breath. “She said because I was a mate to a Guardian.”

  “And you said?”

  “I wasn’t. I’m not anyone’s mate.”

  He glanced sharply at her.

  She gulped back her nervousness and shook her head. “I don’t mind helping, but no way am I letting some artifact tell me who I’m supposed to be with. From what I understand, a man, or any other woman, who could have had what I did, and so long as those flames came from it, they would have been mates. He doesn’t give a damn about me so I’ll help, but I’m not his mate.”

  Lian stared down at his hands. “Yes, you are.”

  “No, I’m not.” She wanted to stomp her feet. Truthfully, she wasn’t sure why she was arguing this. Almost losing him in the forest had scared her beyond anything she’d experienced before.

  “You don’t understand Tiarnán. He has shown it is more than just because of some pinpricks of flame for his reason to keep you around. The man is in love with you.”

  She leaned forward, resting her arms on her thighs. “He doesn’t know me.”

  “When I met him, he was before a judge for the tenth time. In his fifteenth foster home and about to be shipped off to his sixteenth. He didn’t cower and he didn’t show any fear. He’s always been driven by night. He stays in the shadows, protecting those he cares about. He doesn’t understand how to show love in the way some would expect it. But we see it.”

  “I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m sorry for what he’s gone through, but I want the chance to pick who I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.”

  Lian tilted his head to the side and reached out to cup her cheek. “You did, Calida Michaels. Had he not been the one, the pinpricks would never had made their presence known. Nor would you have trusted him.” He removed his hand but not before she witnessed the sadness lingering in the depths of his gaze.

  She moved her mouth but nothing came out. Damn him for being right.

  “My Lana didn’t want to believe it either when she first came into my life.” One shoulder lifted. “Nor did I. But it’s how things are done and you can spend the time you have together fighting them, or embrace it and enjoy the allotted time.”

  “What is it exactly that I’m supposed to do for him?”

  “Give him the artifact.”

  “He’s seen it. For all I know he still has it. I’ve not been exactly up and mobile lately.”

  “True. Like you’ve saved his life more than once.”

  “I don’t like people dying.”

  He grunted. “You need to learn some hand-to-hand combat.”

  “Others may think I just need to surround myself with less violence.”

  He stood and smiled down upon her. “You remind me so much of Lana.”

  She gave a soft smile in return. “I’ll take that as an honor.”

  “It is. Now, come, escort this old man back to the house.”

  She stood and slipped her arm through his. Somehow, she didn’t think it was her escorting him back, more the other way around. He had arrived to protect her, despite his behavior now.

  Lian pointed out some things as they made their way back to the mansion. At the bottom of the steps he paused and turned her toward him. “Things may not always be what they seem, Calida Michaels. Trust not with your eyes, but with your heart, and you will make the right decisions. Sometimes we are blinded by the vision before us and make the wrong choices. Remember that, trust with your heart.”

  “Wait, what?”

  His smile was gone. “Good evening, Tiarnán. I was just thanking your woman for a lovely walk through the gardens in the moonlight.”

  Tiarnán? Where was he? She glanced in the direction Lian had been looking, and sure enough, as if separating from the shadows, he appeared. Tiarnán. White shirt, jeans and boots. How did he blend in so well wearing that? I thought white would have stuck out.

  “Lian.” He faced her. “Calida.”

  Everything in her responded to that single vocalization of her name. This so isn’t fair. How is it possible to be so sexually attracted to someone, all they have to do is say your name and you’re about to orgasm? She wasn’t sure but she knew it wasn’t fair.

  Tiarnán held out a hand. “Come.”

  She turned to say goodnight to Lian only to see he was no longer there. Another mystery. Slowly, she made her way up to the tall, dark-haired man’s side. A breeze blew around them, calmer than the wind that had accompanied the thunder and lightning from earlier.

  She frowned. Wait a minute. The skies were clear, and had been during that earlier display as well.

  “What’s wrong?”

  So much she didn’t even know where to begin. With a slight shake of her head, she said, “Nothing. What are you doing up?”

  Chapter Ten

  What was he doing? Tiarnán stared at the woman who’d come to mean so much to him in such a short time. “Looking for you.”

  “It’s late, shouldn’t you be sleeping or something like that?”

  Something would be a good start. He wanted her even now. “Shouldn’t you?”

  She shook her head, allowing the scent of her shampoo to waft up to his nose. “I’ve slept enough. That’s why I went for a walk.”

  “With Lian.”

  “He joined up with me later.” She dropped his hand and walked to the door.

  Tiarnán reached it first and opened it for her. “You shouldn’t be out alone.”

  “I thought I was safe here.”

  �
�You are, but you are recovering from surgery. What if you fell out there? We wouldn’t know where you were or what happened.” His tone sharpened.

  “I doubt I’d be alone long. Seems someone is always lurking around a corner or something like that.”

  “We don’t lurk.”

  “You lurk. You use, or do, something which makes it like you blend in with your surroundings.” She rolled her shoulders and shoved her hands in the pockets of her sweats. “Freaky really, although kind of cool.”

  “Are you scared of me?”

  She glanced at him over her shoulder, her eyebrow raised. “Scared of you? No. Some of what you do scares me. But you, personally, no, you don’t scare me.”

  He flashed a grin. “Good. Come on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Kitchen.”

  “Awesome, I’m starving.” She fell into step beside him.

  He led her through to the large kitchen. When she leaned against the island countertop, he opened the door to the fridge and stuck his head in. “What are you in the mood for?”

  “Sandwich?”

  “I can do that.” He drew items from the interior and placed them on the counter. After he gathered it all, he stared across at her. A satisfied smile filled her features. He filled a glass of water.

  “This looks so good. I don’t know what to take first.”

  “Bread is a good start for a sandwich.”

  She sneered at him slightly and he winked in return. He tossed her the bread and she dropped some pieces on her plate before doing the same to his.

  “What happened out there tonight?” he asked as she slapped some Miracle Whip on one piece and reached for the lettuce.

  “Lian told you.”

  “I wasn’t asking him, I’m asking you.”

  The glance she flicked at him alerted him to her hesitation on divulging all that had occurred.

  “I took a walk and came to the area where Lian has the fountain with Lana’s statue in it.”