Perry shrieked with laughter as he set her back on her feet. “Sawyer, it wouldn’t matter if you were the last werewolf on the planet. I’d still be single!” she taunted.
“I second that,” Reagan agreed, but she was also laughing.
“Eldon give me strength,” Channon muttered irritably. She was so focused on the four youths that she completely missed the look of amusement on Rafe’s face. As Sawyer tackled Perry to the ground in retaliation for her teasing, Channon rolled her eyes.
“He’s not entirely right,” Rafe murmured, his eyes gleaming. “There’s also us.” The thought of having children with Rafe seemed impossible, given that they were on the run for their lives.
“They’re unfocused,” she muttered, deliberately avoiding his comment. “Why can’t they take anything seriously?”
“They’re just letting off steam,” Rafe relented. “They’ve been through a lot. This is just their way.”
His words reminded her that he had been leading their people for a long time. This was why he had been so good at it. Rafe had infinite patience and he took the time to get to know every member of the pack. He had always ruled firmly, but fairly, and had been much loved. As he watched, a small smile on his face, it was easy to forget that he had so recently lost his sister – the last of his family. Rayna, like most of the pack, had been killed by vampires in the battle of Summerfeld.
“Speaking of what we’ve been through...” Channon said, “you haven’t mentioned Rayna’s name since...”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Rafe cut her off.
“Of course you don’t. But she was your sister and I know you’re hurting.”
“We’re all hurting. We can’t change what’s happened and now isn’t the time to dwell on it.”
“Okay,” Channon sighed, “but when you’re ready to talk, I’m here.”
"I know you are.” He put his arms around her and held her for a moment. Over his shoulder, Channon saw Dominic avert his gaze. The young wolf had been in a relationship with Rafe’s sister and his pain was just as real.
Channon gazed up the trees surrounding the lawn, the sunlight filtering through the leaves and sending dappled shadows skittering along the ground. It was so peaceful here she wished they didn’t have to leave.
“We should head up.” Rafe released her and she instantly felt the weight settle back on her shoulders.
“Come on,” Channon called over to the younger werewolves, “the others are expecting us.”
“You missed your chance!” she heard Sawyer tease as they headed back toward the main house. Perry’s reply was not something that bore repeating.
Chapter 3
By the time everyone had gathered in the cavernous library downstairs, Quinn had composed herself. Her knuckles had healed, showing no sign of her loss of control. Quinn busied herself by scanning the room. The gypsies stood clustered together in the far corner, leaning against the well-stocked shelves. There was a blood smear spread across a section of paperbacks, which Quinn hoped didn’t include any first editions. Looking for the source, she noticed that Cara’s blonde hair was matted with blood. Rowena, Balthazar’s wife, had her arm around Cara’s heaving shoulders and Cosima sat quietly on her other side. Balthazar’s grim expression and the absence of Cara’s husband confirmed Quinn’s suspicions. Zebulon had obviously been another casualty of the battle last night. Noticing Jonas wasn’t with his father, Quinn quickly searched the room and spotted him sitting beside Monique, his dark head resting on hers. Quinn was particularly fond of Jonas and she whole-heartedly approved of the relationship. Jonas still wore a cast on his left arm, but it was bloodied and dented. Jonas had had both his arms broken in the battle of Summerfeld, but he had removed one cast to walk Rowena down the aisle. The gypsy boy had shown remarkable courage considering the pain he was in.
The wolves were also isolated - the six of them standing near the doors, involved in what looked to be a heated conversation. Channon was dressing down a young wolf with dark hair that stuck up at all angles, Sawyer, his name was. He was staring at the ground at his feet, being thoroughly chastised, but Quinn noticed that Rafe was trying to hide a smile. These six were the only werewolves left of the Lunar Pack and Quinn felt giddy with relief that all six had survived. The Fae sat in and amongst the Guardians. She spotted Kellan and Freya, deep in conversation with Evangeline, the ancient, eccentric Fae woman who Quinn recalled had given the vampires hell last night. Freya held baby Sage tightly against her chest. As though sensing Quinn’s attention, Evangeline’s milky eyes lifted to find hers and she dipped her head in acknowledgement. Velkan wasn’t present but Quinn suspected he would be tending to the unicorns. Other than Kellan himself, Velkan was certainly the best man for the job. He had a natural affinity for caring for the wards. Quinn could only imagine the strain the herd had taken last night. They had been trapped in the barn initially, but eight members of the Fae had eventually freed them and fled, Freya amongst them. The unicorns had stampeded from the barn in a flat panic, eyes rolling and rearing, the Fae clinging helplessly to their backs. It must have taken most of the morning to track them all down.
There were no vampires present in the house, no doubt a precaution taken to protect them should Quinn be unable to control her Slayer instincts. She could sense them, though, on the property. She could sense Drake, too. The blinding pain of before had subsided to a dull ache and she caught snatches of what he was feeling: anger, regret, confusion, but she could deal with it so long as he was not too close.
The atmosphere in the library was sombre and defeatist. Quinn found herself wishing Isaiah was here. He had always known how to lift their spirits – to inspire hope even in the bleakest of times. Isaiah had been their rock and they had drawn strength from him. Quinn had drawn strength from him. Thinking of him now, she recalled his last words to her: There is something you need to know. Was it possible that even from the grave he would find a way to give her hope? She spied Daniel on the opposite side of the room and shouldered her way to his side.
“What did he want you to tell me?” she asked. Daniel didn’t look in the least bit surprised, but he did hold up a hand to interrupt her before she could continue.
“We can talk later, Quinn. It’s not something I think the others should know.”
Quinn’s eyes narrowed in confusion. She had suspected it had something to do with her directly, but not that it would be something that only she should know. The Guardians didn’t keep secrets from one another. Daniel waited for her to acknowledge him, and, after only a moment’s hesitation, she did, giving him a curt nod. They would discuss it later. Satisfied, Daniel turned away from her, calling on the uneasy crowd to settle down.
“We lost good people today,” Daniel spoke to the room at large, though his gaze lingered for a second on Cara, who was still weeping. It surprised Quinn that Daniel would show compassion for the gypsies, but it seemed that they were now well and truly allies. “But all of the wards survived,” Daniel continued. “It’s a miracle, considering how many vampires attacked, but it’s a victory.”
“I wouldn’t call it a victory,” Quinn spoke softly, her thoughts still on Isaiah. The room fell silent.
“Things could have been a lot worse,” her father rebuked gently.
“There has also been another development,” Daniel continued, holding up Isaiah’s phone. Quinn frowned at her father but he shook his head. Whatever Daniel had to tell them, it was news to Braddon. “Camille called just a few minutes ago.” Daniel set the phone on the table before him. “She has been marked. It would seem that the Ormonde bloodline is particularly strong.” Quinn gasped in dismay. Camille was Monique’s mother, and, along with Tristan, would be the third in their family to be branded simultaneously. When Isaiah died and Quinn had taken his place as the Slayer, it was inevitable that a new Guardian would emerge, but she would never have expected Tristan’s kind, gentle sister.
Quinn found Avery’s face in the crowd. The blood had d
rained from her face and she seemed incapable of speech.
“The twins?” Quinn asked, fear for her niece and nephew overriding her shock.
“I have instructed Camille to stay put,” Daniel said. Avery slumped in her seat, but she didn’t give the slightest indication that Quinn had spoken or had asked for the information she so obviously needed. Braddon, however, who was sitting beside Avery, caught Quinn’s eye and gave a shake of his head, warning her to leave it.
“I would consider it a blessing that it was Camille and not some stranger who was branded,” Daniel continued, oblivious. “At least she knows not to report to Summerfeld. She is safe.”
Quinn had never felt as grateful as she did in that moment. Daniel could just as easily have told Camille to return.
“Whatever course we choose to follow now, Camille will not be a part of it,” Daniel continued, holding Quinn’s gaze.
“Where will we go now that this house is no longer safe?” Piper broke the tense atmosphere and Quinn flinched as she caught sight of her friend’s face. Like the others, Piper had cleaned herself up, but her face was a mess. Her lip was split in two places and a dark ugly bruise had spread across her left cheek. She would heal quickly enough, but Quinn could only imagine how much of a beating her friend had taken.
“I don’t know,” Daniel admitted, “but as far from here as we can get.”
Nobody offered any suggestions so Quinn got to her feet.
“I have an idea.” All eyes turned to look at her, including Avery. She noticed her sister eying her warily, but Quinn ignored it. Only Avery and Kellan knew what had happened in the stables when she had given Drake her blood, but she trusted that neither would mention it. There were more important things to worry about. “Brookfield, the town where I was staying when you took Jack and Ava from me,” she explained, “there’s an old abandoned railway station. It’s dilapidated, but it’s big enough for all of us. It’s surrounded by woods and easily defendable.”
“Charlotte’s been there,” Liam interrupted. “She knows Drake had a permanent residence in Brookfield. She might think to check the area.”
They all fell silent at this. Quinn couldn’t think of another option. Surprisingly, it was the newest Guardian present who offered an alternative.
“My grandparent’s farm,” Austin said. “It’s perfect. The grounds are big enough and it’s in the middle of nowhere.” Quinn thought back to the short visit she had made to the Lindberg farm to retrieve Blair’s crystal. It was certainly off the beaten track.
“That just might work,” she mused, “although there is the small problem of your grandparents being in residence.”
“Humans can be compelled,” Daniel snapped, earning himself a harsh glare from Austin. “It won’t hurt them,” Daniel added, realising he might have been a little tactless, “but it would solve the problem. And we do have vampires among us who could do it.”
“Well, unless anyone has a better idea, I say we go for it,” Quinn nodded. “All in favour?”
The entire room raised their hands.
Quinn?
Hearing her name, Quinn glanced around, looking for whoever had called her, before recognising his voice.
Quinn? Drake reached out again, in her mind, and, as he did, her private thoughts were exposed to him. She could feel him rifling through her head, a confusing tidal wave of emotion and turmoil, but one single thought stuck out above the rest before she could hide it. Drake learned of her plan before she had even told the others.
No, Quinn, no! You can’t. She’ll kill you! Quinn could sense his desperation but she had already made her decision. Charlotte would pay for her crimes. She might have defeated Quinn last night but Quinn was the Slayer now. She was the fastest and the strongest of them all and she would destroy the woman who had taken everything from her.
Get out of my head. She thought the words, knowing Drake would hear them.
I wish I could.
He meant it. She could feel just how much he meant it. Using every ounce of her resolve she drowned him out, focusing on the task at hand.
“Where is Tristan?” she asked. She might as well get started.
“He’s in the study off the hall,” Liam answered.
Quinn’s eyes found Avery’s. “I need your help.” She didn’t want to involve her sister, they were barely on speaking terms, but no one else could do what she needed.
Initially Avery baulked at Quinn’s proposed plan. She couldn’t stand the thought of being in the same room as Tristan, but more so, she honestly didn’t believe that she could convince him.
“He’ll never fall for it,” she told Quinn.
“We have to try.”
“I can’t... I can’t even bear the sight of him.”
Quinn took both of Avery’s hands in her own and saw again the frenzied, wild look in her sister’s eyes. Avery didn’t pull away and Quinn stifled a sigh of relief, encouraged.
“What are you afraid of?” she murmured, searching Avery’s face. Her touch seemed to calm Avery slightly and she squeezed back as she answered truthfully.
“I don’t know if I can control myself.” Her words terrified Quinn. The thought that Avery might murder Tristan, in cold blood, for what he had done proved that she wasn’t the same kind, compassionate girl she once was, and what she said next confirmed it. “Something happened to me in those dungeons, Quinn. I’m not the same. I’m scared of what I might do.”
“Listen to me,” Quinn lowered her voice and spoke with all the authority she could muster. “You will get your revenge. Tristan will be punished, I give you my word. And we will get through this, together. I will never understand what you went through, but I know that you are stronger than this. They didn’t break you, Avery. Think about Jack and Ava...” she trailed off as tears welled in Avery’s eyes at the mention of her children. “They need their mother,” Quinn continued, a lump forming in her own throat. “You have to be strong, for them. But first, we have to protect the wards. That’s our responsibility. We are still the Guardians of Summerfeld.”
“There is no Summerfeld!” Avery hissed. “They’ve won.”
Quinn could understand Avery’s desolation. They had all suffered terribly as a result of Tristan’s betrayal and the fact that so many of the wards had been destroyed, but Quinn would not stop fighting. She would not be broken.
“The City may have been destroyed, but what we stand for hasn’t,” she replied firmly. “Now you need to pull yourself together and help me.”
“I don’t want you to go after her,” Avery admitted weakly. “I could never forgive myself if she did to you what she did to me.”
“She won’t,” Quinn announced, so fiercely that Avery flinched. “I am the Slayer, Avery. I can beat Charlotte. You have to trust me.”
“You really believe that?”
“I do.” Quinn nodded. “That bitch won’t hurt anyone ever again.” Heaving a sigh, Avery closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again.
“What exactly do you want to know?” Quinn’s heart soared at the resolve in her sister’s eyes. They hadn’t broken her. Avery was damaged, of that there was no doubt, and it was possible she would never be the same again, but she was fighting.
“Where those crystals are,” Quinn replied.
Daniel intercepted them as they left the library. “Quinn, perhaps we could speak now?”
“Not now,” Quinn shook her head. “I have a plan, but we need to get moving. I won’t be long. Can we meet back here in an hour or so?” The others would be packing for some time and they certainly wouldn’t be ready to leave before midday.
“Sure.” Daniel extended his arm, gesturing to her to go out first. As Quinn guided Avery toward the study she missed the pensive look in Daniel’s eyes as he watched her go.
Chapter 4
The study door was open and one of Lenora’s human servants stood just outside it, his hands crossed over his chest, legs apart, as though he had watched one too many crime
scene movies and thought he had to look the part. Still, Quinn gave him a grateful smile before gesturing that he should move away. She almost expected him to salute, but he didn’t.
“You ready?’ Quinn whispered to Avery, who was watching the man’s departing back. She nodded.
When Quinn entered the room Tristan jumped in his chair thinking she might be Avery. He didn’t get very far, given the restraints that held him in place. Still, the hope that flared briefly in his eyes was impossible to miss. When he realised she wasn’t Avery, he slumped back, gazing up at her hollowly. His mind had been so tainted by his obsession with Avery that Quinn wondered whether he was still in full control of his faculties, but his reaction to her arrival, in the split second he thought she might be Avery, gave Quinn hope, hope that her plan might just work. Tristan would never reveal the vampire’s secrets, not to her, anyway, but Avery was his Achilles’ heel.
Satisfied, Quinn motioned toward the door. As Avery stepped silently into the room behind her, Tristan gaped up at his wife. She was still far too thin, but at least she had some colour in her cheeks and her clean hair was tucked neatly behind her ears. Her eyes were cold and hateful, but Tristan didn’t seem to notice.
“Avery,” he breathed, his eyes feasting on the sight of her, as though he couldn’t bear to look away. It reminded Quinn of the first time he had ever laid eyes on her sister. He had looked at her in much the same way then. It had broken Quinn’s heart. Now, Quinn felt a fool for not realising that their brief time together when she had returned to the Guardianship had been a farce. Tristan had never cared for her. He had simply been using her to try to get his hands on her crystal. Hers and Avery’s.
Avery took in the ropes binding Tristan’s arms and legs and the memories of her captivity overwhelmed her. Swaying, she reached out a hand, pressing it against the cold wall to steady herself. With a surge of satisfaction, Quinn noticed the concern come over Tristan’s face. Unwittingly, Avery had just furthered their cause.
Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4 Page 81
