Drake found Quinn crouched over her sister, clutching Avery’s hand. “Quinn,” he said gently, “I need you to move aside.” She did as she was told, but her face was haunted, her eyes pleading. Wintyr was doing what he could, but Drake could see that Avery was in a bad state. Her bite wounds were severe, far worse than Lenora’s had been, and her body was shaking uncontrollably. “Calm down,” Drake murmured, and, even though vampire compulsion could not affect a Guardian, such was his presence that Avery’s body visibly relaxed. Cupping his hands, Drake held them over her, his eyes closed as he channelled his magic to wash over her entire body. A golden aura surrounded Avery, her skin glowing as the magic enrobed her, weaving through every inch of her and healing from the inside out. He had only just tapped into the full power of his magic when he had healed Quinn, but already he could feel it growing stronger. Miraculously, Avery’s wounds started healing immediately, knitting together until not even a blemish remained. Avery gave a small sigh as the light faded. She was still fearfully pale as a result of the massive blood loss, but otherwise astonishingly intact. She was weak, but she would survive. Tristan collapsed in a heap beside her as Avery opened her eyes. Braddon too, finally broke down, but Quinn could only stare at her sister. The look on her face was worth all the magic in the world to Drake.
“You’re okay,” Quinn smiled at Avery, tears of joy splashing from her face and mingling with the blood that still spattered her skin.
“I’m okay,” Avery confirmed, although she sounded as though she couldn’t believe her own words.
Moving away, giving Quinn her space, Drake saw Lenora shuffling toward him and an incredulous grin split his face.
“I always knew you’d make good in the end.” Lenora smiled up at him.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Drake murmured. “You knew who I was all this time.”
“Of course I knew,” she retorted, as though the matter was never in question. “Lucian was a friend of mine.”
“When you say friend...” Drake started, but then he shook his head. “No, actually don’t tell me, I don’t want to know.”
“Very funny,” she slapped his arm. “Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is that he asked me to look out for you.”
“You did,” Drake acknowledged. “Without you, I might have walked a far darker path.”
“You never needed me,” Lenora contested. “You always had that light inside of you. You just needed someone to bring it out.” At this, her eyes fell fondly on Quinn.
“You didn’t make it easy for either of us,” Drake remarked wryly.
“Now, where would the fun have been in that?”
As Lenora walked away, Quinn stood. “You did it,” she murmured, her voice a mixture of awe and sadness. “It’s really over.”
“How can you be so sure?” he asked, perplexed. She hadn’t witnessed the vampires’ submission outside.
“Because of this,” she replied, lifting her arm and showing him her wrist. It was bare. Her tattoo was gone. The Guardians were mortal once more.
Chapter 39
They gathered together in the cornflower field, mourning the fallen, but even through the darkness, they found solace in knowing that their friends had died for a greater good. They had changed everything, had brought about peace after centuries of fighting. No revenge would be taken for their lives, but that’s not what they would have wanted.
“What now?” Wintyr asked eventually. Drake and Quinn stood hand in hand over Enah’s body which Drake had placed in the cornflower field so that she could feel the light on her face one last time before she was laid to rest. Drake wasn’t sure how he felt about losing his mother, but he would have time to deal with his feelings. He would have an eternity. He was immortal.
“Now, we rebuild Summerfeld,” Drake replied. “The dragons will need to be rounded up and returned, as will the herd. For now, though, they are safe. Starting tomorrow, emissaries will be sent out to spread the word that the war is over. Channon,” he called out to where Channon and Rafe were comforting Dominic, Perry and Reagan.
“I am sorry about Saywer,” Drake surprised them by referring to the young wolf by name. “I didn’t know him well but he struck me as being full of life. He died honourably and deserves a hero’s farewell.” At this, Perry sniffed, and Channon’s face crumpled. “I know you’re worried,” Drake added, “about the werewolf line. Only five of you remain, but Caleb and Tane survived outside of Summerfeld. There may be others. I swear to you I will not rest until we have scoured the globe for any rogue wolves and, when we find them, they will finally be brought home.”
Channon drew herself up and met his gaze levelly. “Thank you,” she said.
“What about the Guardians?” Daniel asked, his face half-hidden in shadow. Drake understood his question all too clearly. Daniel had been a Guardian for over a thousand years. The thought of going back to an ordinary human life would be impossible to accept, but the Guardians had been created to protect the wards from the vampires. Now that that threat no longer existed, their role had ceased to exist. The balance had been restored and the war was over. It was always written that when the war ended, so would the need for the Guardianship.
Drake, however, gazed down at Quinn. “I have a very good reason to keep the Guardians around,” he murmured meaningfully. “Summerfeld could do with a few brave protectors. There is, after all, still man to worry about.” Nobody believed this for a second, given that the enchantments the Fae would cast over the City would make it impossible for man to find, but nobody contradicted him. “I will recast the charm,” Drake explained, “with a few minor changes.”
“You can do that?’ Quinn asked.
“You have so little faith,” Drake chuckled. “My grandfather cast the Guardian charm. I now have his magic. Do the math, Quinn.” She grinned at the return of his old sarcasm.
“What changes?” Daniel asked, getting back to the point.
“Volunteers,” Drake explained. “Only those who wish to serve the City will be branded. I will give you what Eldon never did. You will have a choice.” He held Quinn’s gaze, a questioning look on his face.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said firmly. Drake took her hand, his thumb caressing the ball of her palm before sliding down and resting on her wrist. Quinn felt the warmth of his magic and when he released her, the white tattoo had returned.
“I missed that,” she murmured. Then a thought occurred to her. “No pain?”
“It’s a choice,” Drake reminded her. “When your heart is willing, no pain is necessary. There will also be no more Hunters,” he added, raising his voice. “And definitely no Slayer.”
One by one, Daniel, Braddon, Avery and Monique stepped forward too. They were Guardians at heart, and would not abandon their duty, whether required or not.
“You never know when another threat could arise,” Daniel murmured solemnly, as Drake branded him.
“I... I would like to be released of my duty,” Austin admitted, shamefaced. “My grandparents have nothing left and I can’t abandon them. Also, I really do feel more comfortable with a gun.”
“Of course,” Drake replied easily. “But you understand, I cannot allow you to remember any of this.”
“Seriously, I’d much rather forget,” Austin pointed out. Drake nodded, stepping forward and fixing him with a familiar stare. Quinn turned away as Drake compelled away Austin’s memories. When he was done, Austin trotted meekly away, toward the Cathedral. He would go back to his life with no memory of the role he had played in this victory. Quinn wished once again that Oliver had survived. He could have gone back to his wife after all.
“Lenora, your cars are parked nearby,” Drake grinned. “Please see that Austin gets back to civilisation safely.”
Lenora chuckled as she followed Austin. “Fine, he can take one of mine, but he’s driving himself. I am not spending another day in the trunk.”
Drake’s eyes fell on Tristan, who was hovering on the outskirts of
the group, his eyes constantly drawn to Avery.
“Tristan,” Drake called, and Tristan glanced up with a hopeful expression on his face. “Sadly I cannot offer you a place here,” Drake announced and Tristan’s face fell. “It is not my decision to make,” Drake continued. Turning to Avery, he met her gaze levelly. “Avery, I leave this choice to you. You wanted him dead... I grant you permission to take his life, if that is truly what you want.” Quinn opened her mouth to protest but Drake squeezed her hand, silently pleading with her to trust him. Quinn had seen the worst of her sister and she dreaded what Avery would do now that nothing stood between her and her desire to inflict pain upon Tristan, but Drake needed her to know that she was wrong. Avery wasn’t lost. Avery cocked her head to one side, contemplating, and Quinn held her breath.
“No,” Avery announced eventually and Tristan sagged in relief. “I want you to erase his memory instead,” Avery continued. “Let him have the same punishment he wanted to foist upon me. To go back to his mortal, meaningless existence and never know what he left behind.”
“Avery, no! You can’t do that!” Tristan yelled. “What about Jack and Ava? They’re my children! You can’t make me forget my family.”
“You were going to make me forget my family,” Avery pointed out, devoid of any emotion. “Quinn... my dad... everyone here,” she threw her arms wide, gesturing at everyone gathered around her. “You betrayed me, Tristan. You don’t deserve to be a husband or a father. You took me away from my children and now I’m going to return the favour.”
Drake saw the set of Quinn’s jaw and knew that she had no qualms about Avery’s decision. It was more than Tristan deserved and she was obviously too grateful that the darkness hadn’t entirely consumed her sister that she couldn’t bring herself to feel even the slightest bit sorry for him.
“As you wish,” Drake smirked, giving Quinn a sidelong glance. He had known Avery would never go through with it. Inside, she was a good person. She had been to hell and back, but she would recover. Tristan, however, wouldn’t. He made the foolish mistake of trying to flee, but Drake caught him easily, holding him in place and erasing all memories of Summerfeld and the Guardianship.
“I’ll drive him,” Braddon offered cheerfully, leading Tristan away. “Kellan, if you want to come along, we can retrieve the herd on our way back.”
“I have someone far more important to fetch,” Kellan smiled, holding out his hand to Freya. “What do you say we go and fetch our daughter?’ he asked. Freya nodded tearfully.
“There are only five of us,” Daniel pointed out. “I assume that Camille and any newly branded Guardians’ tattoos would have vanished, too. Will more Guardians be reporting soon?”
“No,” Drake’s answer was immediate. “The charm broke the second the vampires decided to stop fighting. The war is over. The tattoos are gone, unless I specifically brand you again.”
“So... there’s only going to be five of us?” Daniel asked. The Guardians had lived so long with the knowledge that there were always twelve, that it was hard to accept such a monumental change.
“We do not need Hunters,” Drake reminded him. “And there is no need for twelve. However,” he turned around and faced the crowd before him. “I do think eight is a good number. I assume that Camille will want to stay with her daughter?”
“You got that right,” Quinn nodded. “Camille would never be separated from Monique.”
“That’s settled, then,” Drake said. “Camille will be the sixth. And,” he murmured, touching the forefinger of his right hand to his own wrist, “I will be the seventh.”
“You?” Daniel was outraged. “You are our king, you can’t go around searching for survivors and putting yourself in harm’s way. You have no heirs. If anything were to happen to you...”
“Daniel,” Drake cut him off before he could gain any more momentum. “Firstly, I go where she goes,” he placed his arm around Quinn’s shoulders and drew her closer to him. “Secondly, I am king, which means that it is my responsibility to keep my people safe. What kind of a leader would I be if I let others do all my dirty work?” he grinned then, a lazy, sexy smile that made Quinn cringe as she wondered what was coming next. “As to the lack of heirs,” Drake continued and Quinn blushed to the roots of her hair, “I’m pretty sure that won’t be a problem for much longer.”
Daniel looked as though he had been slapped across the back of the head, but to Quinn’s chagrin, Monique shrieked with laughter and within seconds the others had joined in.
“Really, dad?” Quinn grumbled at Braddon who was chuckling beside her. “You know he’s talking about you-know-what with your baby girl, right?”
“I’m pretty sure Drake is going to be the best son-in-law I’ve ever had,” Braddon teased, ruffling Avery’s hair.
“Well he’s certainly got to be an improvement on the last,” Avery agreed dryly, but her face was flushed with excitement and happiness for Quinn.
Daniel finally found his tongue. “You said you’re the seventh, but you mentioned eight,” he said. Drake knew how important the Guardianship was to Daniel, so, rather than teasing him about his single-mindedness, he nodded respectfully.
“Yes, the eighth,” he replied, “I was getting to that.” He scanned the faces around him searching for one person in particular. “Balthazar,” he called suddenly. The gypsy appeared before them, a small frown creasing his forehead. “You have proven yourself and your dedication to keeping the wards safe,” Drake said. “I would like to offer you a Guardianship, should you wish it.”
Balthazar’s eyes widened in awe. His whole life he had been trying to find the City, to protect the wards as his people had done so many years ago. Now, he was being offered the opportunity to do just that, to be a part of history. Humbled, his shoulders stooped as the enormity of Drake’s offer washed over him.
“Thank you,” he whispered reverently. “You cannot know how much this means to me.”
Drake, far more astute than the others, gave a small wry smile. “But?” he asked.
“But I cannot accept. I have realised that there is one thing that is more important than my Quest and that is my family.” He held out his arm and Rowena rushed to his side, tears streaking her filthy face. “I choose you,” he muttered into her dark hair, and she gave a sob.
“That is a very wise decision,” Drake smiled. “And of course, you are both welcome to stay. You are invited to live among us until you leave this world. I would also recommend water from the fountain, which might ensure you are with us for a lot longer than you would expect.”
“Thank you.” Balthazar raised his head high. “We would be honoured. And if you would consider it, I would like to ask one more thing of you.”
“Anything,” Drake replied.
“I cannot live without my wife,” Balthazar announced, “but I am not the only Blackman here. My son, Jonas,” he gestured to where Jonas stood, hugging Monique, “is in love with a Guardian. It makes sense to me that he should be by her side, always. I ask you to consider allowing him to take my place.”
As Drake turned to reflect on Jonas, the boy met his gaze levelly over Monique’s head, standing tall and not at all intimidated. Monique had stopped crying, her watery eyes round with the mere possibility.
“Jonas?” Drake asked, “What do you think of your father’s suggestion?”
“There would be no greater honour than to serve the City,” he replied, “and of course, staying with Monique is an added bonus.”
“It’s a no-brainer,” Monique announced, and Drake wondered if the boy knew what he was getting himself into. The young Guardian was going to be a handful. It was fairly obvious that Jonas’s decision had far more to do with Monique than the wards, but Drake suspected the boy would serve Summerfeld valiantly.
“Step forward,” he stated simply, his decision made. Jonas’s tattoo marked the last of the new Guardians. Eight brave souls who would serve the City until the end of time. Once again, Drake’s eyes were drawn
to Quinn, and automatically, he reached out to touch her, still barely able to believe that he could do so without pain. The bond was broken, the war was over, and there was nothing to stop them or hold them back. Quinn was immortal again and they had an eternity stretching before them to be together.
“The City’s enchantments,” Wintyr’s voice broke through the tension mounting between them. “When shall we begin restoring them?”
Drake grinned, looking far more like the man Quinn had first met, than the King of the magical realm. “Tomorrow,” he murmured, taking Quinn by the hand. “I think I’ve done more than enough for one day. Daniel,” he added over his shoulder. “You’re in charge for the next twenty-four hours.” Ignoring the shocked faces of the others, he murmured, so low that only she could hear him. “You and I have some business to attend to.”
Quinn’s lips curled into an expectant smile and she didn’t resist, leading him instead into the City, toward her old house, where, no doubt, some vampire was about to be forcibly ejected from her bed.
Chapter 40
Quinn stood perfectly still in the courtyard as the white stallion approached. The sun was sinking and Primera’s coat sparked gold in the last rays of the day. His black eyes fixed on her and he tossed his head in warning.
“Really?” Quinn grumbled as he approached. “After everything that’s happened, you’re going to pretend you and I don’t have a special bond?” The herd had been skittish since their return to Summerfeld and Quinn suspected it would take weeks, if not months, for them to recover completely from their ordeal. Still, she raised her hand and stroked the stallion’s mane as he dipped his head to drink. His magnificent body shivered under her touch, but she continued to soothe him in low tones until he calmed down. Primera left as soon as he had drunk his fill and Quinn sat on the edge of the fountain, subconsciously tracing the white tattoo on her left wrist.
Guardians of Summerfeld: Full Series: Books 1-4 Page 102
