Guardian's Hope

by Jacqueline Rhoades

  Yes, the Banque Eduard ad Galliard had served him well over the years. Their investment advice was conservative, discreet and fruitful and it had made him a very wealthy man. Still, in his current situation, it would have been helpful if they’d opened a New York or Chicago office.

  Now, trapped in this office, waiting for a take-off that would coordinate the ten and half hour flight with the setting sun in the States, he had nothing to do but think of Hope.

  He missed her in a way he was sure wasn’t normal. He was acting like a youth dumbfounded by his first infatuation. He looked at a menu and promptly forgot what he was about to order when a woman with Hope’s voice spoke across the room. He found himself watching a tall auburn haired woman move through a crowd as if he might find Hope walking through a square in Geneva. What was worse, he actually felt a pang of disappointment when the woman turned and it wasn’t his Hope. He bought a rose from a flower seller outside his hotel and like a child, slept the day through with the bloom clenched in his hand softly scenting his dreams with Hope. The tattered petals were now in his pocket where his hand strayed to rub their softness between his fingers.

  He hadn’t meant to hurt her. He’d come to that House of Guardians because he was bored with the monotony of his life and he’d heard it was different from other Houses, especially those in Europe. Canaan ad Simeon was modernizing and breaking with some of the age old traditions including those that excluded a woman from sharing her Guardian mate’s life, but Nico found it was different in other respects as well. Perhaps it was the women’s influence. The House on Hayden Avenue was more like a family with Canaan as its patriarch rather than its Liege Lord. And in that family, no one’s business was their own.

  In all the many Houses he had served, this was something he’d never come across before and he’d dealt with it poorly. Hope was right in that respect. He’d spent his whole adult life in personal isolation. He’d constructed an image, a wall around his heart, as she put it, and it was meant to keep people out.

  He hadn’t meant to hurt her. It was a gut reaction of long ingrained habit when Grace involved the whole House in moving Hope’s things. Grace and the others hadn’t meant to offend or interfere. They only wanted to share in Hope’s and his happiness. This was also out of the realm of his experience. Even Boris and Kurt who had tutored and trained him, never loved him, nor he them. They respected him as a dedicated and capable trainee, a Guardian before his time. He honored them as his mentors, no more. Because of his name and unconventional life, other Houses eyed him with suspicion and he encouraged it. He served honorably and well and they respected him for it, but he made no friends. Until now.

  After a hundred and twenty years or there about, he’d found a House full of people who insisted on being his friends, who refused to let him shut them out. And he’d found a woman who’d cracked open the wall around his heart and squeezed through the chink to fill the empty space with her love. And the biggest surprise of all was that he wanted it. He needed it. It filled a hole in him he hadn’t known was there.

  He only prayed he wasn’t too late to make amends. Canaan had only nodded his head solemnly when Nico had asked for leave and explained the reason why. He hadn’t expected a cheery ‘good luck’ from his Liege Lord. He’d hurt Grace, too, and knowing how he felt about those who’d hurt Hope, he could understand Canaan’s reticence. He would try to make amends there also.

  The pilot poked his head in the door. “Monsieur, we are ready to depart. Your baggage is already on board.”

  *****

  Tyn marched back and forth across his office, swinging his arms wide in his fury. Lamps, pencils, papers and broken glass littered the floor. He muttered to himself. Two of his minions were gone and those Guardians would be looking for more.

  Hadn’t he gone out of his way to avoid making the same fucking mistakes as his old boss? Hadn’t he kept his fucking greed in check and kept himself hidden away in this fucking rat trap to avoid their attention? Hadn’t he set up his whorehouses in a decent neighborhood to keep a low profile with the authorities? Hadn’t he kept the feeding to a minimum? It wasn’t as if he left bodies lying around pointing in his direction. And what good had all this careful planning done him? What fucking good? It wasn’t fair.

  They’d be looking for him now. This was how it began before. They’d skirmish with him and he’d begin to lose his minions one or two at a time. Begin? It had already begun. Well he wouldn’t let them screw him over the way they did old stupid fucking Abyar. He’s be damned if he give over all this without a fight.

  He shouldn’t have to do this. He paid Smith a fucking huge amount of money to pay the right people to turn a blind eye. The authorities shouldn’t know anything about this house or his minionettes or how he made them earn their keep. How had the Guardians found him?

  This was all Smith’s fault. The human was just another blood sucking demon that happened to be born a fucking human. He’d given Smith thousands to find that woman. What did he get in return? Nothing! The bitch had disappeared off the earth. Didn’t he pay for protection? What did he get in return? Attacked on a public street.

  It would only be a matter of time before the Guardians tracked him down. Fucking traitor that he was, Smith would probably show them the way if they paid him enough. Tyn had done everything right. He was sure of it. This was Smith’s fault and the fucking human would pay.

  But first, Smith would find him the red head. He was tired of waiting and being polite. She was his and he would have her. He would make it clear. Smith would find her and deliver her here or Tyn would kill him.

  And after the red head was his? Tyn smiled and licked his teeth. He would kill the fucking human anyway.

  Chapter 32

  Nico drove around the city for almost hour before pulling into the Guardian’s garage. After all the worry about travel time and daylight, he’d arrived with time to spare. He wanted to arrive when they were all together and the only time he could be sure of that was Sunday dinner.

  Nardo and Broadbent backed through the swinging door from the dining room, their arms loaded with trays of glasses and dishes, as Nico closed the pantry door behind him. They weren’t surprised to see him. Sneaking up on a Guardian is next to impossible.

  Nico was surprised to see their smiles. After the way he’d treated Hope and Grace, he hadn’t expected it.

  “Hey man, glad you’re back,” Nardo set down his tray and extended his hand. “There’s a lot going on. You’re needed.”

  “This is fortuitous.” Broadbent somehow seemed taller, stronger. “I’ve asked our Liege Lord for permission to make my vows. I wanted to put it off until you returned as I wanted you to stand for me, if you’d do me the honor.”

  Nico was taken aback. Two Guardians were required to stand watch while a trainee sought to make his vows. The honor was usually given to close and well respected friends. Granted, he’d stood for Nardo, but only because there was no one else. Broadbent had a choice. Why choose him?

  “I’d be most honored to stand for such a worthy candidate,” he said formally.

  “Good. That’s settled. It’ll be done as soon as Canaan can arrange the church. Come on in, then. The others will be glad to see you.”

  “I doubt that. I’m surprised you are.” He looked hesitantly toward the door.

  “Ah, well, yes, almost everyone, I should say. Our Liege Lord has made it quite clear we are to remain neutral in this and I wholeheartedly agree. You are a Guardian first and foremost and a member of this House. One should have nothing to do with… the other. Come along now. It’s time to beard the lionesses in their den. You’ll have to do it sooner or later and now’s as good a time as any. You know how Grace hates arguing at the table. They’ll all be on best behavior.”

  Nico had fought demons and human soldiers. He’d crossed mountains in the dead of winter and rivers swollen with spring rains. He’d survived things few others could have and he was able to do that because he’d never feared what o
ther did. The loss of his life was no loss at all. Now he feared losing something much more precious than his life; losing Hope. He gripped the handles of his bag tighter to control the shaking of his hands.

  “Look who we found sneaking into the kitchen,” Nardo announced with a hearty and completely false sounding cheerfulness.

  “Good to have you back, Guardian. Welcome.” Canaan nodded but didn’t smile.

  Otto smiled broadly. “’Bout time you got back. Have you eaten?”

  Manon smiled slyly and nodded her head in greeting. The twins nodded also, but didn’t smile or crack a joke. It was obvious they were following orders.

  Grace’s smile was genuine. “I knew you’d come back.”

  Had they thought he wouldn’t? He nodded to each in turn, saving Hope until last. He looked into her eyes and opened the bridge between them, sending her everything he thought and felt for her. There was no answering wave across the bridge. She’d closed herself to him.

  “I had some business to take care of in Geneva. I’ve brought you all something from my trip.”

  He handed a large, flat, paper wrapped parcel to Otto and Manon. It was a small painting of Lake Geneva in the evening with lights sparkling off the water.

  “Otto told me once that you’d been there together. I thought you might like it.”

  “It’s lovely, mon cher. Merci.” Manon eyes softened when she looked at Otto. The old man gave her a salacious wink at some shared memory.

  For Grace, there was a box of the finest Swiss chocolate for which she blew him a kiss.

  “The way to a woman’s heart is always paved with chocolate.”

  For Broadbent, a bottle of El Tresillo Amontillado which wasn’t Swiss, but gratefully accepted.

  “I shall save this for a special occasion. One should never drink the finest sherry without something to celebrate.”

  Nardo’s gift was an original Slayer, Hell Awaits Tour t-shirt from 1986 with the band on the front and tombstones on the back.

  “Who knew you were into trash metal? Thanks man.”

  He handed the twins identical packages containing six white silk t-shirts each. “I thought if I couldn’t change your taste, I could at least change the quality.”

  They tried to keep their faces unemotional, but their eyes gave them away. Col gave in first.

  “These are so cool. Thanks, Nico.”

  “Yeah, from me, too. The ladies are gonna love the feel of these.”

  “My lord,” Nico handed Canaan a small dark blue box, “For the honor you do me in allowing me to be part of your House. I know you have your father’s, but I thought you should have one to honor your House.”

  It was a pocket watch with a black enameled case. On the lid, Canaan’s House crest was worked in gold. It was beautiful. Canaan ran his thumb over the gold.

  “It’s a great deal more than I deserve. Thank you.”

  “No, it’s a great deal less,” Nico said. He took a deep breath. “You and your House have given me something I haven’t had since I was a child. I wasn’t seeking it. I didn’t even know I wanted it. You and your lady have made me a part of your family. It’s I who thank you.”

  “Oh, sweetie, you don’t have to thank people for loving you. You’ve been on edge since you walked in the door. We can be angry with each other. We can be disappointed. It doesn’t mean we stop loving.” She pointed to the twins and laughed. “Heaven knows, those two would try the patience of a saint. If we love them, we’re certainly not going to turn on you.”

  “Here, here,” Broadbent seconded, “Why don’t I open this marvelous sherry and we can all have a sip to celebrate.”

  “Celebrate what?” Dov groused, “That she always uses us as an example of the bad guys. Shit. Oops, sorry Hope.”

  It was then everyone remembered Hope had been left out. She sat, so quietly, staring at her hands folded in her lap.

  “Hope?” There was a plea in that one word.

  She raised her eyes to meet his and winced with the pain.

  “This last is for you.”

  Nico removed a thick folder of papers from the satchel and placed them, along with a fountain pen, in front of Canaan. Lastly, he removed an old and worn leather box. It was small, only about four inches square. The cracked and scuffed leather was tooled in bold scroll work and what looked like a family crest was worked into the center.

  “My lord,” Nico said bowing deeply. “Herein lies a full accounting of all my worldly goods. As Liege Lord of this House, and as Hope has no relative to speak for her, I ask that you act as her representative in this proceeding.”

  Canaan’s reply was just as formal. “I stand in her father’s stead.”

  Hope had no idea what was happening and was surprised to find Grace holding her hand tightly and smiling. There were tears in Grace’s eyes.

  “Are you making a public declaration of your intentions?” Canaan asked.

  “Yes, my lord, and I intend to honor my commitment.”

  “Atta boy!” Dov cheered. He looked like he was about to say something else, but Canaan glared him into silence.

  “As Hope is not a member of the Race, it is my duty to see that she is protected under the law. In front of these witnesses I ask, have you seen to her security and protection?”

  “Yes, my lord, I have.”

  “This is a full accounting of all worldly holdings of Paenitentia Nico ad Nimeni, Guardian of the Race and member of my House.” Canaan opened the folder and made a ceremonial show of looking at each page. At the last page he hesitated. His eyebrows rose as he read it through. He looked at Nico, who nodded, and signed it with a flourish.

  “This is not the standard agreement. At the end of the contract, whether through termination or death, Hope Parsons, Daughter of Man, will receive not three-fifths, but all of these holdings and any others accrued during the contract. I am satisfied with the contract.”

  He passed the paper to Nico, along with the pen, and said to the others, “This contract must be signed by both parties and any witnesses to these proceedings. It will become binding at the completion of the mating ceremony. Guardian Nico ad Nimeni, sign and pass the document to your future mate for her signature.”

  Nico signed and brought the paper to Hope. “I offer you all that I have. Will you sign?”

  Hope looked at Grace who smiled and nodded for her to sign. She looked at Manon who shrugged. She looked at Nico and her eyes filled.

  “No, Nico ad Nimeni, Guardian of the Race,” she answered just as formally, “I will not sign.”

  Nico froze. Grace gasped and out of the corner of her eye, Hope saw Col jab Dov in the ribs. Otto was nodding solemnly and when she looked at Manon, the older woman raised her eyebrows in question and shrugged. Hope reached for Nico’s hand and held his fingers tightly.

  “You never asked. You think I want some public declaration and I do, but this, Nico, is a business arrangement. Your goods for my services.” She looked around the table.

  “I can see that this is some kind of tradition and I truly mean no disrespect,” Her eyes locked with Nico’s, “but for me, it isn’t enough. I don’t want your worldly goods or your security or your protection. Nowhere in all of this has the word love been mentioned. I don’t expect it to be in that document. Those are just printed words. I want a declaration from your heart, Nico, in front of these witnesses. They only need to hear it once and for the rest of our lives, I’ll never make you say it again, but I need to hear it now, Nico, in front of your family. I love you and I want the whole world to hear it. I need the same from you. I need you to ask for my heart and offer yours in return.”

  She opened the bridge between them and let all the love in her heart flow across. She saw his eyes light with happiness and knew he heard her thoughts. He saw her and all that she offered.

  He pulled her to her feet and held her hands in his. “This is my woman. She has seen me as I truly am and still she has given me her love. In all my life, I never thought I’
d find a woman such as this. I love her and with or without this paper, I will cherish her and protect her for the rest of my days.”

  He kissed her then and it was long and lovely and passionate. And she kissed him back, not the least bit embarrassed to show the world how much she loved him.

  “Should we leave? Because this looks like it might be going to places these innocent eyes of mine just shouldn’t see.”

  Hope broke the kiss and laughed. “No Dov, you shouldn’t. I have to sign that paper and you have to witness it. You all have to witness it.”

  The paper was signed with hugs and kisses all around. It was decided that Broadbent’s sherry should be kept to celebrate his coming ceremony and Nardo was sent to retrieve a bottle of champagne from Manon’s refrigerator. Grace got out the glasses, the old fashioned kind with a broad bowl, and when Nardo returned and the drink was poured, Canaan held up the leather box.

  “Forgetting something?”

  “No. Just waiting for the right moment.” Nico took the box and held it out to Hope. “I know that for humans, a ring is traditional and I’ll buy you any ring you desire, but I wanted you to have this. It’s the only thing I kept that belonged to Boris and Kurt, the two Guardians who first took me in,” he explained to the others. “It always hung on a peg over the mantle. It was the only thing that was hung on their walls, so I knew it was special, but they never told me why and I, like a fool, never asked. It was precious to them and so, in remembrance, became precious to me. You, too, are precious to me and so it seems fitting that you should have it.”

  Hope opened the box and found a broad, gold pectoral cross within. It was old, very old and it was studded with huge cabochon gems cut and polished before the art of faceting was perfected. She’d seen things like this in articles about the ancient crown jewels of Europe. She held it up, dangling from its sturdy gold chain, for the others to see.