by Tara Shuler
all it is?”
“I’m hopeful.”
“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled. “Well keep hoping.
We’ll see how that works out for you.”
“Yes, I suppose we will,” he agreed. “For
now, you need to rest.”
“I feel fine,” I insisted.
“You were unconscious for almost a week,”
he said. “You need time to recover.”
“But, I…”
“Shh,” he said. “Please just rest. For me?”
I frowned at him. “I’ve been resting for a
week. I want to go out or something.”
“Alright,” he relented. “Let me show you
around my home.”
Alexi graciously showed me around his home.
It was breathtakingly beautiful. It was twice as
large as my house or Max’s. The sweeping
marble staircase descended into an enormous
foyer with pale marble floors, and a glittering
crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling.
The home had thirty-five rooms, including ten
bedrooms and twelve bathrooms. Downstairs,
there was a library filled with thousands of
books. Huge bookcases filled every wall all the
way to the ceiling, and several comfortable chairs
were arranged near the huge fireplace on the back
wall. I loved to read, so this room was
particularly interesting. A massive painting of a
beautiful woman hung above the fireplace.
“Who is she?” I asked quietly. “She’s
beautiful.”
“My mother,” he stated. “She died when I was
ten.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“You remind me of her,” he told me. “She
was just as selfless and kind as you are.”
I smiled, and I looked up at her gentle face. I
could see the kindness in her eyes.
The dining room held a massive table that
could seat up to thirty-two people, with fifteen
chairs on each side and one at each end. Alexi
said the room was used for meetings of Elders,
which only happened once every few years.
“I have lived alone since I was fifteen,” he
explained. “That is when I became an Elder.”
“Fifteen?” I breathed. “What about your
father?”
He looked away, staring out a window. “He’s
gone.”
“Is he… did he die?” I asked.
“No, he left. I’d rather not talk about it just
now.”
“Okay, I understand,” I said gently.
Alexi showed me the kitchen, the living room,
the sitting room, and several other rooms. He
took me outside and showed me the swimming
pool, which was uncovered and crystal clear
despite the winter weather. A huge stone
waterfall flowed into the pool, and it was
surrounded by potted palms and ferns.
“All of this will be yours someday,” he told
me.
“I don’t want to think about that,” I said.
“Why not?” he asked. “It’s the truth.”
“This isn’t mine. It’s yours.”
“Ours,” he corrected. “Everything I have is
yours. I give it willingly.”
“No, Alexi,” I said. “I don’t want it. I don’t
need it.”
“Every woman wants this, right?”
“You know me better than that.”
He nodded.
“Yes, I suppose I do. But it doesn’t change
anything. Everything I have, everything I am, it
all belongs to you.”
I smiled at him, unsure what to say.
“Alexi,” I said suddenly. “Something just
occurred to me.”
“What is that, love?” he asked.
“The dagger Kai had in the warehouse,” I
began. “The one he used to…”
I choked up as I remembered the dagger
piercing Alexi’s heart.
“Yes?”
“Well, I was wondering where he got a
hunter’s dagger,” I said.
“It was mine,” Alexi admitted.
“Yours?” I gasped. “Did you…”
“Wait, wait,” he stopped me. “I think you
misunderstand. I didn’t give it to him. I had left it
in the office upstairs. He must have found it
there.”
“Oh,” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks for
clearing that up.”
“Of course.”
“Would it be okay if I went back to the
library?” I asked.
“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “I remember your
love of books.”
“Yes, I’ve always loved them. You have so
many.”
“I also love reading,” Alexi said. “There are
over three thousands books in there I believe.
Some are hundreds of years old. There’s a lot of
vampire and hunter history, and of course, plenty
of fiction.”
“Will you join me?” I asked him.
“If you wish,” he said with a smile. “I would
love to.”
I smiled at him, and we headed back into the
library. I scanned all of the rows and rows of
books, and I found a tattered copy of War and
Peace.
“That’s one of my favorites,” Alexi said. “I’ve
read it several times.”
“I’ve never read it,” I admitted. “I’ve always
meant to.”
“It’s good,” he said. “You’ll enjoy it.”
I sat down by the fireplace and curled up into
the plush chair. Alexi chose a book and sat down
in the chair on the other side of the fireplace.
When we were both engrossed in our books, we
were suddenly startled by Max bursting into the
room.
“Alexi, can I speak with you?” he asked
frantically, panic in his eyes.
“Of course,” Alexi said, placing his book on
his chair.
“What’s wrong?” I asked anxiously.
“Nothing,” Max said to me. “Don’t worry
about it.”
I stood up.
“Something is wrong,” I insisted.
“Alice,” Alexi said. “Please just stay here. I
will fill you in when I return. I promise.”
I frowned at him, but I reluctantly sat back
down.
Alexi and Max left the room and closed the
huge wooden doors. I could hear their voices just
outside, but I couldn’t quite understand what
they were saying. Max sounded frantic, but
Alexi’s voice was controlled and even.
In a few moments, Alexi came back into the
room. His mouth was turned down at the corners
in an anxious frown, but he spoke casually.
“Alice, you must come with me at once,” he
said calmly.
“What? Why? What’s happening?” I asked.
“Please, we must hurry,” he pleaded, reaching
his hand out to me.
I took it, and he pulled me toward the door. I
followed him out into the foyer, and suddenly he
paused. He stepped in front of me and held both
arms out as though he were shielding me, and a
low growl erupted from his lips.
“Max!” he shouted.
The front door
s blew open and a frigid gust of
air filled the room. Standing in the doorway was
a pale-skinned man with long dark waves
whipping wildly around his face. He wore a long
black cloak like the one Alexi always wore, but
his hood hung down his back.
“Get out of here, Liam!” Alexi growled.
He extended his arms toward Alexi as though
he wanted to embrace him, a wicked grin
spreading across his face.
“Is that any way to greet your brother?” he
mocked in a thick accent that didn’t match
Alexi’s – British, I thought. “Come now, give us
a hug.”
Crouching in front of me as though he was
prepared to spring to attack, Alexi once again
snarled, “I said get out!”
“Brother!” Liam spat back. “I’m surprised at
you! How touchy you’ve become.”
He stepped into the foyer and waved his hand.
The doors closed behind him, one final blast of
wind rushing past him and sending a child down
my spine.
“Liam,” Alexi pleaded. “Please go. I don’t
want to fight with you.”
Liam ignored Alexi and walked past him,
coming to a stop just in front of me. He eyed me
like I was a piece of meat.
“Father was right,” Liam commented. “She is
cute.”
He licked his lips like a dog drooling over a
juicy steak. His crimson eyes narrowed as he
continued to appraise me.
“Stay away from her,” Alexi warned.
“You’re in no position to be giving orders,”
Liam said to him. “It would be wise to show me
a little more respect.”
“I have qualms with you, Liam,” Alexi said.
“But you stay away from her.”
“What exactly do you think I’m going to do?”
Liam asked.
“I know why you’re here, Liam,” Alexi told
him. “It’s not going to happen.”
“You know it must,” Liam shot back.
I noticed Max and Kai standing on the stairs
behind Liam, and my brother and Mother
standing behind them. Liam followed my eyes to
the foursome standing on the stairs.
“I see you have company,” Liam said, clearly
realizing he was outnumbered. “My apologies. I
will return at a more… opportune moment.”
Liam bowed low toward Alexi. He turned to
me and bowed again.
“Alice,” he said politely. “It’s been a
pleasure.”
He thrust his head into the air and waved his
hands with a flourish. The doors flew open with
a rush of wind, his cape billowing around him
dramatically, and he made a grand exit, waving
the doors closed behind him.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“We’re getting you out of here,” Alexi said.
“Now.”
“Why? Alexi, what’s going on?” I demanded.
“Get her bag packed,” Alexi barked at Kai and
Max, and they flew up the stairs.
“Get your girlfriend, we’ve got to go,” he
shouted at Will, and he disappeared in a flash.
“Mrs. Wright, can you call my driver?” Alexi
asked my mother. “The number is by the phone in
the kitchen. His name is listed as Thorne. Tell
him to get the Guardian ready.”
My mother nodded, and she rushed down the
stairs and headed straight for the kitchen.
“Alexi, tell me what is going on!” I begged.
“The other Elders are coming for you,” he
said, grabbing my upper arms and looking deep
into my eyes to emphasize the seriousness of the
situation. “We have to get you out of here.”
“What? Why? What do they want with me?”
“I’ll explain later,” he pleaded. “Just please,
please get ready to leave as soon as Thorne gets
here. Will you do that for me?”
“Yes, Alexi,” I said somberly.
He kissed me on the forehead and quickly
disappeared upstairs.
I went into the kitchen to get a drink. I’d been
unconscious for almost a week and I was
extremely thirsty. I found a glass and opened the
refrigerator. My eyes scanned the contents,
looking for something to drink. I located some
canned diet soda and I popped one open. I turned
to pour it in my glass, and I gasped. The soda
slipped from my hand and spewed across the
kitchen floor. Liam.
I opened my mouth to scream for help, but
Liam glared at me and I found myself
mesmerized. I couldn’t move or speak. He
hoisted me over his shoulder and fled through
the back door without a sound.
*****
Chapter Nine – Kindness
For what seemed like a very long time, but in
reality was probably only a few minutes, I sat
paralyzed in the back of a black SUV with Liam
at the wheel. I struggled to at least regain my
speech so I could try to find out what was
happening, but the words would not come.
Finally, with intense concentration, I was able
to wiggle one finger. I kept struggling, and I
finally managed to wiggle two fingers, then
three. Finally, I could move my entire hand. With
work, I freed my arm, and after a few more
minutes, I felt as though I might be able to move
my entire body.
I wasn’t sure whether my abilities would work
when I wasn’t experiencing the red haze, but I
had to try. It seemed like the only chance I might
have to get away from Liam.
Slowly, carefully, I reached forward. I tried to
escape detection, because I feared being
paralyzed again. I reached my fingers carefully
around Liam’s long brown hair and touched his
neck, concentrating on trying to make him go to
sleep. It worked. He slumped forward over the
wheel. The horn activated, and the car began to
careen out of control. Liam’s foot relaxed
against the gas pedal and the car’s speed
increased.
I spotted a cell phone in the seat, and I
frantically dialed Max’s number. He answered
immediately.
“Alice?” he shouted. “Are you alright? Where
are you?”
“I’m with Liam,” I said rapidly, looking for
landmarks that might tell them where I was. “No
time. I put him to sleep and the car is about to
crash. A bridge, um… log cabin on a hill, lots of
windows. Gotta go.”
I hung up, and I tried to climb over the seat to
take control of the wheel. I managed to pull
Liam’s foot off the gas, and the car slowed down
very slightly, but it was still out of control. I
tried to steady the wheel, but nothing worked.
The car finally hit the railing with a grating
screech. The railing gave way and sent us sailing
through the air. I felt the car falling, and in a
moment, the car lurched as it hit the water below.
The car quickly be
gan to sing below the water,
and I fumbled with Liam’s seatbelt, trying to free
him. I pressed the button to release the belt, but it
wouldn’t open. I yanked it, and the belt broke.
Water was filling the vehicle rapidly. If I didn’t
get out soon, the downward force of the water
current would pull us under and we might be
unable to escape.
I pressed the switch to roll down Liam’s
window, and water began to rush in. It was just
seconds before the car would be completely
under water. I scrambled over Liam and out the
window, and then I reached back in and grabbed
him, pulling with all my might. His shoulder was
still stuck on his seatbelt, and I gave it another
sharp yank, tearing away the rest of the belt. With
one final pull, I managed to get Liam out of the
vehicle and I wrapped one arm tightly around
him and began to swim away before the
downward current pulled us in.
I managed to make it safely to the shore of the
lake with Liam in tow, and I laid him carefully
on the sandy bank. I patted his face, trying to
wake him, but he wouldn’t come to. That’s when
I noticed the blood seeping into the sand and
turning it into sticky, red mud.
“Liam!” I gasped.
I pulled his cloak back, and I noticed a huge
chunk of metal, probably from the railing, lodged
in his chest. I tried to pull it out, but it wouldn’t
budge. I could have let him die, and for a fleeting
moment, I thought it might be best to do so. But
he was Alexi’s brother, and he was a living being.
I couldn’t just let him die.
I placed my hands over the wound and tried to
concentrate on healing him. Nothing happened. I
thought about how Alexi might feel if his brother
died, but still nothing happened. Desperately, I
tried to think of a way to save him. Grace must
not work without the haze, but I couldn’t seem
to control it.
Liam mumbled something. He was waking up.
His eyes opened, and he looked down at the hunk
of metal protruding from his chest. He touched it
with a trembling hand, and he gasped in horror at
the blood covering his fingers. His crimson eyes
found mine, and he terror in them sent a
shockwave through my body.
“Don’t worry, Liam,” I told him confidently.
“You’re going to be fine.”
I closed my eyes, and I still saw the terror in
those crimson eyes. That look was burned into
my eyelids, and it was all I could see. When I
opened my eyes, the crystal clarity of the blood
