The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum

by Wendy Saunders

  ‘Logan was Matthias Beckett’s son, he was our half-brother, but you and I are both James Wilkins’ children. He and mother were in love,’ he shook his head in frustration. ‘It’s a really long story.’

  She sat quietly for a moment just staring at her brother, not knowing what to say.

  ‘She left us her journal,’ Theo told her.

  ‘Who? Mother?’ Tammy asked.

  Theo nodded.

  ‘It will explain things far better than I ever could. Once I’m done with it I will give it to you to read, but I also have this for you.’

  She watched as he reached into the pocket of his long dark coat and pulled out a letter sealed with red wax and pressed into the wax was the shape of an apple.

  ‘He wrote this for you,’ Theo handed it to her. ‘I don’t know what’s in it but he wanted me to tell you that he loved you very much and all he ever wanted was for you to be happy.’

  Tammy’s eyes filled with tears as she clutched the letter.

  ‘I wish I’d known,’ she shook her head sadly, ‘he was such a dear sweet man. He was always so good to me.’

  ‘I know,’ Theo replied quietly.

  There was a knock at the door of the library and as the three of them looked up the door swung open and Roni stepped back in.

  ‘Sorry to disturb you.’

  ‘It’s fine Roni’ Theo smiled, ‘where’s Jake?’

  ‘He ran out to the store. No one has been staying here for the past six months so there’s no food or milk or even basics. He said after six months you’re going to want coffee and a lot of it.’

  ‘He’s not wrong,’ Theo smiled.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind but I called the others. I wanted to let them know you guys were alright and that you’re back in Mercy but you know Louisa, wild horses couldn’t hold her back. They’re all heading over here and she said she’ll bring takeout.’

  ‘Yes,’ Olivia fist pumped the air, ‘real food. Call her back and tell her it’d better be Chinese or I won’t speak to her for another six months.’

  ‘Okay,’ Roni laughed.

  ‘Right then,’ Olivia stood up absently smoothing down her skirt and petticoats. ‘I’m sorry Temperance but you have no idea how long I’ve been dreaming about a hot shower and a toothbrush. Are you staying?’

  She nodded smiling.

  ‘Good, oh and by the way, what would you prefer me to call you?’

  ‘Best stick with Tammy’ she replied. ‘I’m used to it now and it’s how everyone knows me. Besides if Nathaniel is heading back this way I don’t want to advertise the fact that I’m Theo’s sister.’

  ‘Probably a good idea,’ Olivia nodded. ‘Okay, well make yourself comfortable. I’m going to get washed and changed’ she grinned, ‘because it looks like we’re about to have a welcome home party.’

  Chapter 25.

  Olivia looked up as her mouth filled with warm water. Swishing it around and spitting it out she let the water wash over her face, drenching her hair as it ran down her body. Sighing in pleasure she tried to squeeze the last of the toothpaste out of the almost empty tube and onto her brush. Scrubbing her teeth again she briefly contemplated squeezing the toothpaste directly into her mouth and bypassing the toothbrush altogether. She’d cleaned her teeth a total of six times so far and they still didn’t feel clean enough. They probably were, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. No matter what she did she didn’t feel clean enough.

  Rinsing out her mouth once again she discarded the now empty tube of toothpaste. Squeezing soap onto her toothbrush she used it to scrub the deeply embedded dirt from her nails and made a mental note to add a new toothbrush to her shopping list. Finally satisfied they were clean she shampooed her hair again, feeling that delightful tingling on her scalp from the vigorous amount of scrubbing. Never again would she underestimate the pleasure of washing, nor would she take for granted the simple act of being able to shave her legs. Pressing her hands against the tiled wall she stuck her head back under the spray and sighed again.

  ‘Olivia?’ Theo called through the steam in amusement.

  ‘Uh huh,’ she replied absently.

  ‘Are you planning on getting out of the shower sometime today?’

  ‘No,’ came her very definite reply.

  ‘You’ve been in here nearly an hour and a half.’

  ‘And I plan on being in here for at least another two.’

  ‘Louisa’s here…with food.’

  Olivia stuck her head out of the shower, dripping water on the floor.

  ‘Did you say food?’

  ‘Yes,’ he chuckled. ‘She also said if you don’t get downstairs in the next ten minutes she’s coming up here, whether you’re naked or not.’

  Olivia laughed as her eyes swept over Theo appreciatively. His dark hair was wet and brushed back from his face and hanging past his collar, so long now it almost brushed the tops of his shoulders. He was freshly washed and shaved and back in his trademark jeans and black Tee shirt. Her mouth curved into a slow smile.

  ‘You know you could get undressed and get in here with me.’

  ‘You didn’t want company’ he smiled, ‘you were very specific about that. That’s why I had to use the guest bathroom.’

  ‘I’ve changed my mind,’ her gaze trailed slowly down his body.

  ‘Food Olivia’ he laughed, as her stomach growled loudly.

  ‘Fine,’ she shut the water off and stepped out to stand in front of him, unapologetically naked.

  His eyes darkened and the laughter died on his lips. This time it was his gaze that slowly slid down her body, like the droplets of water still clinging to her wet skin. He skimmed over the graceful curves and dips, the arch of her collar bone, her full breasts, the curve of her hips. How long had it been since he’d just looked at her? Taken his time appreciating her body, appreciating her? Since they’d found each other again in the Otherworld and after that when they’d been in Salem all they’d had were stolen moments that they’d been able to snatch together. He reached out, tracing his fingers slowly down the line of her throat, down between her breasts to her stomach then drifting lower.

  ‘Theo,’ she breathed stepping into him.

  His arms wrapped around her, pulling her in close as his mouth closed over hers. Stretching up on her tiptoes she raked her fingers through his damp hair, tugging gently as her tongue danced with his in long indulgent strokes. His hands skimmed down her spine pulling her in closer, his heart pounding with need for her, this woman in his arms who was everything. When the insistent need for air finally drove them apart she pressed her face into the line of his throat and inhaled deeply.

  God he smelled good, she thought randomly. After the rather questionable hygiene of the 17th century she now understood why he had always been so obsessed with the scent of her. She could spend all day breathing in the deliciously clean smell of his skin.

  His mouth closed over hers again and she was lost, all other thoughts drained from her mind. Her hands fisted desperately in his shirt dragging it up and over his head, pressing them skin to skin.

  ‘Livy,’ he breathed against her mouth.

  Her fingers scraped down his stomach to the waistband of his jeans. Popping open the buttons one by one and hooking her fingers in she slid them past his hips, taking his boxers with them. His hands slid over her soft skin, cupping the backs of her thighs and lifting her easily.

  She could feel him pressing intently between her thighs, hot and hard and ready for her. God she was desperate for him. She could feel it burning through her veins like wildfire, this intense need to feel him inside her, as close as they could possibly get.

  ‘Theo please,’ she gasped against his mouth as he slid into her with agonizing slowness.

  She closed her eyes and her head fell back against the cold tiles, savoring the delicious friction of each slow and deliberate movement. Everything else faded away and in that one moment of time nothing else
existed. It was just the two of them in their own little pocket of reality.

  ‘I love you,’ she breathed against his ear.

  His grip tightened on her and his movements intensified, all languidness gone. He tilted her hips changing the angle, each thrust deep and intense, robbing her of breath. Her toes began to curl and her eyes rolled back in her head. She could do nothing to stop the groan of pleasure humming deep in her throat. He could sense the change in her body, feel the tension begin to climb as she dug her fingers into the corded muscles of his shoulders.

  ‘Let go Livy,’ he whispered against her throat, ‘let me watch you come apart for me.’

  Her thighs tightened around his hips and he pulled back just far enough to watch her face. Feeling her inner muscles tighten he watched in satisfaction as her eyes locked on his and blurred with intense pleasure. Watching her shatter, he could do nothing as his own body tightened and followed her.

  Neither of them moved. They remained where he had her pinned to the cold wall, bodies trembling and breaths coming in deep heavy gasps. There was nothing they needed to say, they simply absorbed the simple pleasure of being home together and for the first time in months they began to relax.

  Olivia jolted at the sudden pounding on the other side of the door.

  ‘Don’t think I don’t know what you two are doing in there,’ Louisa’s irritated voice snapped. ‘Theo I sent you in there to get her out, not distract her.’

  Olivia pressed her face into Theo’s neck and laughed tiredly.

  ‘Give me a moment,’ she called out as she unwrapped her legs from Theo’s waist.

  ‘Fine’ she huffed, ‘but you’d better hurry up or I’m going to break down the God damn door.’

  This time Theo laughed.

  ‘She’s probably serious you know,’ Olivia told him as she slid her legs to the floor and shivered.

  ‘I don’t doubt it for a moment’ he smiled as he pulled her bathrobe from the back of the door and wrapped her up gently.

  She pulled a towel out and wrapped up her hair, watching him as he cleaned up and refastened his jeans, scooping his wrinkled Tee shirt from the floor and pulling it back on.

  ‘Ready to face the wrath of hurricane Louisa?’ she grinned.

  Theo rolled his eyes. ‘I’m feeling really sorry for Tommy right now,’ he murmured.

  ‘Don’t be,’ the voice called from the other side of the door, ‘he loves me just the way I am.’

  ‘Seriously, how did she hear that?’ Theo asked incredulously.

  Olivia smiled and opened the door. She’d barely stepped into the bedroom when there was a sudden blur of color and the impression of blonde hair and she found herself bundled up in a tight embrace. They stood for a moment, neither woman moving, absorbing the bone deep love and friendship that had bound them together since childhood.

  ‘Missed you,’ Louisa whispered.

  ‘Missed you too,’ Olivia smiled but as she did something occurred to her. Louisa’s body shape didn’t feel right. She pulled back and looked down, her eyes widening in surprise at her friend’s hugely swollen belly.

  ‘You’re pregnant,’ Olivia gasped on a delighted laugh.

  ‘Yeah,’ she pulled back from her best friend, wiping the tears from under her eyes. ‘Tommy went and knocked me up.’

  Olivia wrapped her arms around her and gave her a squeeze before pulling back and stroking her belly.

  ‘How far along are you?’

  ‘About six and a half months. Turns out I was pregnant before you left but I didn’t realize it.’

  ‘Oh my God, I’m going to be an auntie?’

  ‘Yes you are’ Louisa nodded smiling, ‘now hurry up and get dressed. I’m starving and Tommy has learned the hard way never to get between a pregnant woman and her food.’

  ‘Yes ma’am,’ Olivia teased.

  ‘Come on Theo,’ Louisa dragged him from the room with her. ‘I don’t trust you not to distract her again.’

  He threw Olivia a sweet smile and followed the very bossy pregnant woman from the room.

  Smiling to herself Olivia crossed to her dresser and pulled out a pair of panties and a matching bra. It felt so good to be wearing proper underwear again. She twirled happily and then yanked on a comfortable pair of yoga pants and a tank top. Finally, she picked up her favorite old sweater from the chair in the corner of her room, where she’d left it the last time she was home. Stopping suddenly, she took a long look at her bedroom. She may have changed in the last six months, as apparently had everyone else she mused, thinking of Roni and Jake’s relationship and Louisa’s pregnancy, but it was comforting to know some things hadn’t changed. Her room was exactly as she’d left it. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

  She was finally home.

  ‘Hey those are my egg rolls,’ Jake complained.

  ‘Not when Louisa gets her hands on them they won’t be,’ Tommy grinned.

  Shaking his head in disgust Jake unpacked more cartons of food and spread them across the coffee table.

  ‘Here,’ Roni handed him a beer, ‘let Louisa have the egg rolls if she wants them. After all you wouldn’t want to deny your future niece or nephew would you?’ she asked innocently.

  ‘Welcome to my world,’ Tommy took a swig of his own beer, ‘you wait until it’s your turn.’

  Jake rolled his eyes, wisely choosing not to comment.

  ‘Tell me you brought coffee?’ Theo walked into the room closely followed by Louisa.

  ‘Yeah we brought coffee,’ Tommy replied holding up a beer, ‘but that’s for breakfast.’

  Theo took the bottle from him with a smile.

  ‘So,’ Tommy grinned looking over at Theo, ‘I hear you were wearing tights?’

  ‘They weren’t tights,’ he sighed loudly.

  ‘No, they were woolen stockings, which everyone wore back in the seventeenth century,’ Roni supplied helpfully.

  ‘Stockings?’ Tommy choked on his swig of beer, ‘dude that’s even worse. Now I just keep picturing the Rocky Horror Picture Show.’

  ‘The what?’

  ‘Trust me sweetheart you don’t want to know,’ Olivia walked into the room.

  ‘Hey, there she is,’ Tommy jumped up and gave her a hug.

  ‘Hey daddy,’ she smiled up at him and he blushed in pleasure.

  ‘God, you’re so cute,’ Olivia laughed.

  ‘Where’s the egg rolls?’ Louisa panicked, rummaging through the bags.

  ‘Jake…’ Roni warned.

  ‘Uh, fine’ he hissed, handing them over from where he’d been hiding them.

  Tammy chuckled, looking up from where she sat next to her brother, and sipped slowly from a glass of wine as she watched the interaction between them all.

  There came another knock at the door. Leaving Louisa and Jake to their arguing Olivia slipped out of the room. She swung the front door open and smiled at Mac who stood on the other side grinning.

  ‘Well I’ll be damned, it is true’ he laughed, wrapping his arms around her.

  ‘Hey Mac,’ she squeezed him back, ‘come on in.’

  She stepped aside as he walked past, shutting the door behind him. Smiling softly, she turned back towards the library, with him following beside her. She would almost have missed what happened next if she hadn’t been looking directly at Tammy when they both entered the room. She looked up from where she was smiling beside Theo and as soon as her gaze landed on Mac her expression cooled and her mouth tightened, before she deliberately turned away.

  ‘Is there something I should know about?’ she asked quietly, turning back to watch Mac’s expression carefully.

  ‘No,’ he sighed.

  So that was a big fat definite yes, Olivia thought to herself. Still she wasn’t going to try and prize it out of either of them tonight as she was starving and extremely tired. The events of the last few days were beginning to catch up with her, not to mention the fact that she hadn’t slep
t in over thirty-six hours. At this rate she’d probably be falling asleep in her noodles.

  ‘Are you hungry Mac?’ she asked.

  ‘No I’m alright,’ he shook his head. I grabbed something down at the station but…’ he scanned the cartons and bags, ‘if you have egg rolls…’

  Louisa glared at him dangerously.

  ‘Probably best not,’ Olivia told him sympathetically.

  ‘Ah,’ he nodded diplomatically.

  ‘Here Mac,’ Jake tossed him a beer, ‘you’re off duty now.’

  ‘Yes I am,’ he blew out a deep breath as he popped the top and took a deep gulp.

  ‘Well it looks like we have just about everyone.’ Olivia took a seat on the floor sitting comfortably between Theo’s legs, as Mac pulled up a chair covered in a dust sheet and sat down. ‘Did you call my dad Roni?’

  Roni looked up from the carton of rice she was digging into and threw a look at Jake, who looked at Louisa, who then looked to Tommy, as Mac shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Olivia asked suspiciously. ‘Why are you all looking at each other like that? Where’s my dad?’

  ‘We don’t know,’ Mac told her gently. ‘He fell off the grid not long after you two both disappeared, no one has spoken to him in months.’

  ‘What about Davis or Danae?’ she frowned in confusion.

  ‘Davis is the same. I don’t know if he’s with your dad or not but no one has seen or spoken to him in months either.’

  ‘And Danae?’

  ‘Back in Mercy,’ Roni told her. ‘She left both of her brothers and came back to Mercy when the Soul Collector was on the loose and after it was over she stayed. She’s back at work with Mac and Jake.’

  ‘She’s on duty tonight,’ Mac told her. ‘She said she’d stop by and see you tomorrow sometime, but I don’t think she knows where her brothers are. They don’t seem to be speaking to her either.’

  ‘I bet she’s not taking that too well,’ Theo answered.

  ‘No,’ Roni muttered, ‘the last couple of months have been rough on her.’

  Olivia nodded, taking the carton of noodles Theo handed her.

  ‘So I gotta say,’ Jake began as he bit into a pork ball, ‘we’re all dying to know what happened to you guys. So start at the beginning and don’t leave anything out.’