Eric The Guardian - Book 2 of the Raven Series

by Rhiannon Neeley

  Eric The Guardian

  Rhiannon Neeley

  Published 2003

  ISBN 1-931761-78-6

  Published by Liquid Silver Books, imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, 6280 Crittenden Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana. Copyright © 2003, Rhiannon Neeley. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Liquid Silver Books http://www.liquidsilverbooks.com

  Email: raven@liquidsilverbooks.com

  Cover Art by Jane Sommers

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

  Prologue

  1981

  Eric Raven, five-years-old and shivering in the chill of the afternoon, stood stiffly beside his older brother, John. Their Uncle, Paine Raven, stood directly behind them, a hand on each of their shoulders. The only sound was the drip of the raindrops falling from the leaves of the trees in the cemetery. The storm over, they could lay their father to rest.

  But Roth Raven, slain by the most evil monster Connor Fagan, would never truly rest.

  None of the Raven Clan would.

  Eric looked up at his older brother. John met his eyes for a moment, and then looked away. Eric followed his gaze. Their mother, Lark Raven, stood bravely watching as the casket was lowered into the gaping maw of the grave. She held one-year-old Dirk in her arms, cuddling him close to her heart.

  * * * *

  Lark Raven knew that this day would come sooner or later. She knew it when she married into the Raven Clan. When she had married the love of her life ... Roth Raven.

  Roth had told Lark about the Unkindness of Ravens, about their war with the undead. The day that Roth had asked her to marry him, Lark had sat listening intently while he had held her hand and told her of legend the Unkindness...

  *

  ...The Unkindness of Ravens had existed for five generations. The Raven family, originally from Germany, stumbled upon a Clutch of vampires over 100 years ago. During the battle that ensued, a daughter was taken. Taken and turned. Turned into a monster. The family formed the Unkindness and immediately began to search out the daughter they had lost. They found her. Then they destroyed her. They released her soul from torment.

  From that day forward, the Unkindness had existed only to rid the world of the threat of the vampire. Many Ravens would die but none had ever suffered the torture of being 'turned' since the first daughter was taken. But for every one of the Raven Clan who was lost in battle, the Unkindness only grew that much stronger. Their purpose--to destroy the Vampire Horde--became an act to avenge the lost ones and prevent others from losing loved ones themselves. The family had sworn a pact--if any of them were in danger of being transformed into a monster, the other family members would destroy them and thus, save their soul.

  The legend and the cause would be passed down, father to son, until the Vampire Horde ceased to exist...

  *

  Lark felt a tear trace her cheek, remembering what Roth had told her. She had let him hold her hand, trusting and safe. After he had told her of the Unkindness and their mission, Roth had asked her to marry him.

  There was no hesitation. She felt no fear.

  She said yes.

  Now, as Roth's body was being lowered into the cold ground, Lark clutched her baby son, Dirk, to her. She looked at her older boys--John, twelve, and Eric, five--their faces reflecting the reserve of their father. Lark knew the day would come when her sons would join the fight.

  It was their birthright.

  Their claim to being a Raven and a member of the Unkindness.

  Roth's brother, Paine met her eyes. Lark matched his steady gaze. She knew that Paine had two sons of his own, Drake and Holt, who would also join the fight. Paine had been Roth's partner. He had watched his brother being slain. The members of the Unkindness never worked alone. Always in pairs. Always someone to watch their back. But this time, the vampire had been too powerful. Too conniving. And ... the monster had escaped. Lark didn't think she would ever forget the creature's name--Connor Fagan. Evil incarnate.

  Lark turned her gaze back to the hole in the ground, her heart seizing with pain that she would not allow her sons to see.

  She took a deep breath, steadying herself with the fact that her sons were still too young to fight. She still had some time...

  * * * *

  Eric saw the tear trickle down his mother's cheek. Even at the age of five, Eric knew that monsters did not only exist in scary stories. Monsters were real.

  And when he grew tall and strong, he would hunt them.

  And he would destroy as many as he could--in the name of The Unkindness of Ravens.

  Chapter One

  Lydia Cross parked her hands on her hips and breathed deeply. It was a gorgeous June afternoon, warm but not too hot. She was in heaven, the scent of pine filling her nostrils and her lungs. She couldn't get enough of it.

  Lydia had just finished pitching her tent in the most beautiful clearing and was looking forward to spending the next few weeks here in the woods on Maine Paper Land. She had been lucky to get the research project and each day she'd silently thanked Dr. Taylor, the project director, for letting her take it on. Alone in the woods, studying the effect of logging on the northern Maine moose population, was just the solitude she had been looking for. At the ripe old age of twenty-three, Lydia was tired of the bar scene and anxious to get on with her college career. She had her bachelor's degree in biology and was now working on her master's. That's why this research project was so important to her.

  The drive up from Indiana had been long and tiring. It had taken her two days, but she had finally made it to the Maine Paper Land gate around noon. It was now almost six o'clock in the evening and she was hungry. But she didn't want to make dinner just yet. She was too excited to eat. What she'd better do, she thought, was make the hike back to the road and her truck, and make sure it was secure before settling down for the night. Though she knew there would be no traffic--the only road through Maine Paper Land was a logging road--she still wanted to be sure she'd be by herself. As if civilization didn't exist.

  As if she was a pioneer woman, out to fend for herself and live off the land.

  And she sure felt like a pioneer woman on her own from where she stood, here in this clearing, with a sharp blue sky above and towering pines all around her. Not even a wisp of smoke from a factory within sight. Lydia took another deep breath. Yeah, this was perfect. "Better check on that truck," she said out loud.

  Smiling, Lydia went to get her pack. Although it was only a one-mile hike to the truck, that meant one mile there and one mile back. She didn't want to get caught without water or a bandage. Or a light. The sun was moving toward the horizon and Lydia wasn't sure just how quickly it got dark in these woods. She didn't want to screw up and get lost. Not at this stage of the game. Not on her first day out.

  Lydia ducked inside the tent.

  * * * *

  Eric Raven watched the woman from just inside the tree line.

  What in the hell is she doing out here in the Maine wilderness? he wondered. And alone, as far as he could tell.

  And she was too close.

  Eric braced a hand against an aged pine and watched as the woman exited the tent and shouldered her pack. She walked toward the west, toward
the road. Eric waited, giving her some distance before following.

  This was supposed to be an easy assignment. And so far it had been. He hadn't even needed his brother Dirk's assistance. Barack and his two females had trusted him from the start.

  Eric knew his looks helped him fit in with the vampire lifestyle. His eyes were dark brown, almost black. His hair was shoulder length, dark curls shining blue-black. And his teeth, well ... he did have fangs. It was part of the Raven heritage. The Unkindness of Ravens. Eric and his family had been vampire hunters for as long as he could remember. His brother John used to be his partner. But John had retired, taking Dirk's place at home base. John had gotten married, wanting to settle down some.

  Eric smiled, thinking about it. He didn't think he would ever take the same route as John had. But then, you never knew. Of course, Eric couldn't picture himself walking up to some young woman, introducing himself and then explaining he was a vampire hunter by trade. That would go over well, wouldn't it?

  Eric started after the woman, moving through the woods silently. The others, Barack and his two females, had gone east as soon as they had awakened. Thankfully they hadn't noticed the woman.

  As he trailed her, Eric watched her closely.

  The woman seemed at home in the woods. She moved confidently, not trying to be quiet. She began to hum. Eric smiled. She was a beauty. Her long blond hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, her fair skin showed just the slightest tan. She was slim, but her hips curved in the right places. Eric felt a stirring in his groin as he watched the way her hips swayed as she walked.

  Eric shook his head. He couldn't afford to let his libido take control. Although he hadn't had a woman in ... shoot, he couldn't remember how long.

  This particular woman was in danger and she didn't know it. Grave danger. She was camped almost on top of a vampire's lair.

  Eric wasn't sure he'd be able to protect her from the vampire, Anthony Barack.

  * * * *

  Lydia arrived at the truck without incident. She had heard something in the woods off to her left, but figured it was just some small animal. She really wasn't worried about being accosted out here in the Maine woods. There was no one else within miles of her. The only people on Maine Paper Land were the workers at the mill and a couple of folks who lived here. Living here would not be for the faint-hearted, she thought. The winters were harsh. There was no electricity except at the mill. And there were countless animals to contend with.

  Lydia checked inside the truck, making sure everything was turned off. The last thing she needed was a dead battery. "Damn," she said, grabbing her cell phone off of the dash. "I can't believe I left this here." She shoved the phone into her pack, closed the truck door, and locked it.

  Lydia took another deep breath. God, I really am in heaven, she thought as she watched the sun start to dip behind the stand of trees across the road. The sky was turning golden, the air taking on a fresh chill even though it was June. Lydia loved the Maine weather. It could be eighty degrees during the day, but when the sun went down, it cooled off to a comfortable sleeping temperature. Chilly enough to sometimes add a flannel shirt or light jacket. As Lydia shouldered her pack, flashlight in hand now that it was getting dark, she figured all she needed for this to be completely perfect was a good-looking lumberjack type to keep her warm in her sleeping bag tonight. Lydia grinned as she walked, her gaze on the ground at her feet, her thoughts on a dark-haired hunk.

  * * * *

  Eric paced her as she made her way back to her camp. He scented her shampoo. It was herbal and green. She must like the woods, like nature. That could be why she was out here. But why was she alone? he wondered.

  She was smiling as she walked, her eyes on the ground in front of her.

  Eric smiled himself. The setting sun glinted in her hair, turning it reddish golden. Eric's fingers itched to touch her. And not only her hair. Down boy, he told himself, carefully stepping over a fallen log. His foot came down on a branch. It snapped loudly.

  Eric froze.

  The woman stopped, her head whipping in his direction.

  Eric moved slowly, putting himself behind a tree trunk just in time. The beam of a flashlight skirted around the tree. She was searching for whatever had made the noise.

  Eric did not want to expose himself. It was easier to watch her if she didn't know he existed. The beam of the flashlight swung wide, then disappeared. Eric held his breath. Then he heard her begin to walk again. He let out his breath and peered around the tree trunk.

  She was continuing on to her camp, though she was no longer watching the ground at her feet. She was now swinging the flashlight over the surrounding trees, as if she was looking for something.

  * * * *

  Back at the camp, Lydia threw her pack inside her tent and decided a fire was needed. She was hungry, her stomach growling, but a fire was more important at the moment. She had heard some noises on her way back to the camp and she sure didn't want any friendly raccoons to join her for dinner.

  Flashlight in hand, she headed for the edge of the trees and began to gather wood. She quickly gathered enough for a decent fire and started back toward the tent. She had the feeling of being watched. Eyes on her back.

  She dropped the wood on the ground and started the fire. Lydia chuckled at herself. Eyes on her back. That was a laugh. It was probably some hungry animal, just waiting for her to get out the food.

  Lydia fanned the flames. The fire crackled happily, consuming the dry wood eagerly. Lydia stood, brushing her hands on her jeans. Now to figure out what she was going to eat. She turned to see where she had put her pack and slammed directly into a flannel-clad chest.

  "Hey!" Lydia brought both hands up and shoved.

  The chest disappeared, then there was the sound of a thud as someone hit the ground.

  Lydia blinked. "Damn," she said, looking down at the most gorgeous hunk of man she had ever seen.

  He looked up at her with eyes as black as night. And a grin with dimples that could break her heart. "Got one helluva shove there," he said.

  Lydia smiled and reached out her hand. "Sorry. You spooked me." He grabbed her hand and she pulled.

  Once he was on his feet, Lydia had to look up to find his eyes again. "I thought I was the only person out here in these woods," she said, taking a step back toward the fire. She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. Her heart fluttered for a moment, then settled. She wasn't sure, but it felt like a mixture of fear and lust. She should be a bit scared of the guy, but good grief, she had never seen someone that damn good-looking before. Dark-haired, lumberjack type--just like she had dreamed earlier.

  The man brushed at the butt of his jeans. "I live just over a ways at a summer camp," he said with a smile. He brushed his right hand on the leg of his jeans, then offered it to her. "I'm Eric Raven."

  Lydia took his hand. He had a firm handshake, a warm hand. A very warm hand. "Glad to meet you. I'm Lydia Cross," she said, releasing his hand before hers started to sweat from the contact. A shimmering thrill ran up her spine. Eric Raven was absolutely a keeper. "Um, you actually live around here?" she asked, moving toward the fire. She squatted down and picked up a stick, poking at the hot ashes. "I thought Maine Paper Land was a 'Wildlife Only' zone."

  Eric moved to her side, and squatted next to her. "There are us loggers, too. By the way," he said, looking at her sideways, "you don't look like a logger."

  Lydia let out a laugh. "Thank goodness." Then she almost choked. "Oh, not that loggers aren't good-looking," she backpedaled. "Especially if they look like you. Um, geez ... I'm making a complete fool of myself here, aren't I?"

  "Hey, I'll take any compliment I can get." Then he smiled.

  Lydia cocked her head. There was something about his smile. Eric turned his head, looking toward the fire. No, she thought, not his smile. His teeth.

  "You're not scared," he said, "being out here by yourself?"

  "Should I be?" she asked. She watched his fa
ce. Firelight flickered across his cheekbones, played in the darkness of his eyes.

  He glanced at her. "Not of me, if that's what you're thinking." He poked at the fire. "There are animals out here. Some you shouldn't take for granted." He looked at her. "You didn't tell me why you're out here to begin with."

  "Oh, yeah. I'm out here doing research. The effects of logging on the moose population." Lydia grimaced. "Interesting, huh?"

  "I imagine it would be to some people." Eric stood up and stretched. "I think you should be forewarned though, that moose are not the only animals out here. And even moose can be dangerous if you get too close."

  Lydia stood and faced him. "I'm not a little girl," she said, parking her hands on her hips.

  Eric's eyes traveled over her. "I can see that."

  Lydia felt heat move through her. Sheesh, she thought, if his eyes can do that to me, I wonder what his hands would do.

  Eric's eyes flicked to hers. He raised an eyebrow.

  Lydia blushed. She had the strange feeling he had just read her mind. "Would you ... are you hungry?" She knew that she was taking a chance here but there was something about this guy. She wanted to find out just what it was about him that intrigued her so.

  Eric pursed his lips. "Ah, I'm sure you didn't expect company so I'll just mosey on back to my camp."

  Lydia was disappointed. "Where is your camp?" she asked.

  Eric waved a hand in an easterly direction. "Not far. Listen," he said, moving toward the woods, "if you need anything, just let me know. And be careful around the animals. They do bite."