The Guardian Chronicles 2: Dark Horizon

by Matthew Burkey

  “Some of us remember a time when your order was so young that it required our help, even from the likes of those like Sainte-Pierre, but that’s not what we are here to talk about. I said I had information for you and I intend to keep my word.”

  “Then out with it,” Ethan hissed.

  “Geez, someone is in a hurry,” Alex scoffed.

  Anton merely shrugged and walked back to his desk. He grabbed a folder and handed it over to Ethan. “He’s in Prague; his family has an estate there.”

  “And how do you know this?”

  “I have my sources,” Anton shrugged.

  “Not good enough,” Ethan growled. “How do we know that you aren’t going to double cross us like you did before.”

  Anton sighed heavily before sinking back into the high backed leather chair.

  “I can’t make you believe me,” Anton said. “But I promise that this information is correct. I have no desire to see Sainte-Pierre or his mysterious partners follow through with their master plan.”

  “And what is that plan?” Ryan asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “I wish I could tell you,” Anton shrugged. He motioned to one of the large men that had come in with them and the man disappeared out the door. He reappeared a few moments later with tray of drinks that be brought over to Anton’s desk.

  “We don’t know who his partner is or what they intend to do specifically,” Alex said, grabbing a cup off the tray. “You sure you don’t want anything to drink, this coffee is killer.”

  “No thanks,” Ryan said.

  “I’ll take some,” Tony said. He ignored the glare that he got from Ethan and Ryan.

  “Sure, why not,” Everett shrugged; he took a cup for himself and handed one to Tony.

  “But you have an idea, right?” Elise asked.

  “There have been rumors for the past several years of someone attempting to stir up trouble for the Guardians, someone that wants to ensure that you and your order are out of the way, presumably for some much larger plan,” Anton said, taking a drink. “There are several covens that have already decided that the Guardians time has come and gone, from what we can tell they have allied themselves, secretly of course, with both Sainte-Pierre and his mysterious partner.”

  “You’re telling me that covens are going to break the treaty?” Ethan snapped. “Do you have any idea of what that would mean?”

  “We aren’t planning on breaking any treaties,” Alex interjected. “And there are a lot of covens that don’t want to do anything with a conflict with either the lycans or the Guardians.”

  “The Guardians are going to have to look into this,” Elise sighed. “You realize that, right?”

  “I will answer whatever questions they have truthfully,” Anton nodded. “As I stated before, I am not your enemy.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Ethan said, glaring at Anton.

  “In the meantime I would be honored if you would stay.”

  “We’d love too,” Everett said.

  “Alex will show you to your rooms, dinner is at 7 p.m. sharp, I’d love for you all to join me.”

  “Again, we’d love too.”

  Alex gestured toward the doors, which another burly man opened up on command. Alex led them out into the hall and toward the other side of the staircase.

  “We're short on rooms in this residence,” Alex shrugged. “So some of you will have to double up.”

  Elise and Marissa shared one, Tony and Cody the other, Ethan and Everett, and finally Gabriel and Ryan. The room was large and well furnished, with the exception of one large California king bed.

  “There’s only one bed,” Gabriel sighed. “Guess I’ll take the floor then.”

  “What?” Ryan asked, making a face.

  “The floor, I can sleep on it.”

  “Why wouldn’t you just sleep in the bed?” Ryan asked.

  “Isn’t that where you are going to sleep?”

  Ryan let out an annoyed sighed. “It’s a king sized bed I think that we’ll both fit.”

  “But you know...”

  “Oh shut up,” Ryan grumbled.

  After dinner, Anton gave them a brief tour of the compound, which included not only the main house but also an archery range for Alex, a garage that held various restored classic cars, and even indoor garden that was almost as expansive as the one found at castle Veritas. After the tour, they headed back to their rooms, though they had been told that they had pretty much free reign in the main house and throughout all the grounds. Gabriel took advantage of the down time to return to the garden and take a walk.

  “Wandering around without your older brother?”

  Gabriel turned to see Alex standing behind him, smiling confidently. Gabriel felt like he was going to melt the way that Alex looked him up and down. He pulled his leather jacket more closely around him, not sure if it was the slight breeze or Alex’s gaze that caused him to get Goosebumps.

  “Older brother?” Gabriel asked.

  “Ryan,” Alex nodded. “He didn’t leave your side earlier, friend or something more?” Alex asked with raised eyebrows.

  “Ryan?” Gabriel asked, making a face. “Good god no, I actually find him repulsive.”

  Alex smiled at that comment. “Oh I bet he just loves hearing that.”

  “I don’t think I actually told him that...wait how did you know that I was...well...you know.”

  “You pretty much undressed me when you walked in,” Alex smiled. He moved closer to Gabriel, sliding up behind him. Unlike Ethan, there wasn’t any heat coming off his athletic form but his sheer presence made up for it. There was something about the young vampire that made Gabriel want to melt into a puddle every time that he looked at him.

  Your theory is confirmed you idiot, he thought. You really do only fall for the bad boys, first you’re drooling over Ethan and now freaking vampire.

  It was stupid, Gabriel admonished himself. He had a crush on both of them, nothing more. They just both happened to be every good looking guys that he happened to find extremely attractive.

  “Anyone would be lucky to have you look at them the way that you looked at me,” Alex smiled. “You’re an extremely attractive guy, especially with those eyes.”

  “Um...thanks.”

  Alex leaned a little closer to him, his fingers lightly brushing the nape of his neck.

  “You’re very welcome; I’d love to take you on a personal tour of the garden...if you’re up for it.”

  Gabriel swallowed hard; he could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks.

  “Um...no thanks,” Gabriel said. “I should probably be getting back to my room anyways.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  Gabriel rushed out of the garden and back toward the main house, thankful to be away from the alluring presence that was Alex. He raced up the stairs and nearly ran Ryan over when he entered their room. Everyone else was there, looking at several of the displays that Marissa and Everett had set up.

  “Where did you wander off too?” Cody asked. “And why is your face so red?”

  “Nowhere,” Gabriel snapped, blushing even more.

  “I think someone ran into our blonde hottie,” Ethan said, waggling his eyebrows. “Did he whisper sweet nothings in your ear?”

  “Shut up,” Gabriel hissed.

  “Can we please get onto more pressing matters,” Everett suggested. “Like finding a way into what is literally a fortress, we re-tasked some of our drones to get a better look at the estate. What they found's not good.”

  “SAM sites are all around the place,” Marissa went on. “Heat signatures put the body count around seventy-five, from the passes that we did get we saw a mix of Darklings and humans. Thermal imaging indicates the presences of several other humanoid shapes within the building. No vampires or Lycans though.”

  “How can you tell?” Gabriel asked.

  “Lycans have a higher body temperature than humans, Darklings, or most demons,” Elise explained. �
�And vampires pretty much don’t give off any body heat.”

  “So, getting in won’t be easy,” Gabriel concluded. “That makes me feel a lot better about this.”

  “Not easy, isn’t the same as impossible,” Ryan said. “What about entering from the south, through the river?”

  “Possible,” Elise admitted.

  Ryan reached over and tabbed through a few images. “Here, the drainage grate at the bottom of the wall.”

  “It will be heavily guarded,” Ethan said. “And I think that Gabriel already got his pretty face smacked around enough.”

  “Aside from dropping a few bunker buster bombs on the thing, I don’t see that we have much choice,” Elise sighed.

  “Would only need two or three,” Tony shrugged. “I’m pretty sure we have the right type back at Aegis.”

  “We are not bombing the place!” Elise snapped.

  “Oh come on!” Tony retorted. “There isn’t anything around there for miles; no one would even notice it was gone.”

  “Except for the noise and the very bright column of fire shooting into the night sky,” Elise growled. “We are not bombing them; we need to find another way in.”

  “Distraction,” Gabriel offered. “I mean as Tony pointed out we have a lot of big guns in our inventory...”

  “And explosives,” Tony tossed in.

  “And explosives, what if we came up with a distraction, something that they can’t help but notice,” Gabriel said.

  “You’re still missing the big issue,” Ethan snapped. “Getting in.”

  “We create a distraction at the grate,” Gabriel pointed. “And the rest of us can go over the wall here. Look, you said as far as actual bodies, that there weren’t all that many...I mean we go in with Heat rounds and we should make short work of the Darklings right?”

  “A few Greek Fire Grenades would make for a fitting distraction,” Tony offered. “And blow a hole in the outer wall, that’s bound to get their attention.”

  “Alright, so we get inside, then what?” Everett asked. “Are we just going to wander around until we ran into Sainte-Pierre?”

  “Won’t have too,” Marissa stated. She typed in a few more commands and brought up another image, this one of one of the four towers. “This level contains the only communications gear that we can find throughout the castle, other areas have power and plumbing but this appears to be the hub. I’m guessing that this is where he’ll be, especially if we start making noise outside.”

  “Aye, that could work,” Cody nodded.

  “You realize how insane that sounds, right?” Ethan asked.

  “Bloody insane plan,” Cody smiled. “I think that I am starting to like it and what’s your issue, usually you are the one coming up with bloody insane plans.”

  “Are you really suggesting that we go through with this?” Ethan asked.

  “Well, his last plan worked out ok,” Tony admitted. “And unless you have a better idea?”

  “Well, no.”

  “Then I think that this is the best that we can do,” Elise agreed. “We can run it by Jonathan tomorrow when we get back, until then I suggest sleep. I want to get airborne as soon as we can tomorrow.”

  “Gabriel might miss his little boyfriend,” Ethan smiled.

  “Shut up,” Gabriel snapped again.

  They headed back to their separate rooms and when they were alone in theirs Ryan turned to Gabriel and gave him a half smile. “Got taken in by Alex’s charms, eh?”

  “I did not!” Gabriel protested, a little louder than he intended. He went and grabbed his toiletries from his suitcase and headed toward the bathroom. “I just met him in the garden and we talked for a bit.”

  “Oh is that what they are calling it nowadays,” Ryan smiled. He flopped down on the bed and started to idly flip through the TV channels. Gabriel was tempted to shout something back but his mouth was full of toothpaste at the moment. He finished brushing his teeth, changed into clothes more suited for sleeping and then let Ryan have his turn in the bathroom.

  “Nothing happened,” Gabriel insisted. “Really.”

  “Doesn’t mean that you didn’t want it too,” Ryan responded, sticking his head out of the bathroom. “You practically ripped his clothes off with your eyes as soon as you saw him.”

  Gabriel wanted to protest but he was slightly annoyed that Ryan was able to read him that easy. Chances were that he knew that Gabriel had somewhat of a crush on Ethan.

  “Is he into guys?” Gabriel asked.

  “Alex?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I don’t really think that he constrains himself,” Ryan said. “I’ve heard that he dates both and judging by the way that he was checking you out, I think that he was interested in you.”

  “He actually thought that you were with me.”

  “Oh really?” Ryan asked, emerging from the bathroom.

  “Yeah, I sort of busted out laughing when he asked that.”

  “Wait...why?”

  “Seriously?” Gabriel asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because I find you repulsive.”

  “Now wait a minute,” Ryan said, moving to the other side of the bed. “I get it that you don’t find me attractive but repulsive, really?”

  “Yeah, repulsive,” Gabriel nodded. “Like even thinking about kissing you sort of makes me want to gag a little bit.”

  “What? Are you kidding me!”

  “Um...no,” Gabriel said, in confusion. “Wouldn’t most straight guys be happy that their gay friend has no physical interest in them whatsoever?”

  “Well...yeah but isn’t repulsive a little harsh?”

  “Look, I really think that you are making a mountain out of a mole hill here....”

  “I mean you could have said I just don’t have feelings for you...”

  “Ryan...”

  “Or even maybe something like just not my type,” Ryan went on. “But repulsive?”

  “Ok, look maybe I should have worded it better...”

  “Unattractive, not appealing, but repulsive?”

  “Fine!” Gabriel snapped. “I’m sorry.”

  It was then that he noticed the grin on Ryan’s face.

  “You did that in purpose!”

  “Well, duh,” Ryan said. “We better get some sleep that is assuming that you can sleep next to someone as repulsive as me.”

  “Oh for the love of god!” Gabriel snapped.

  Ryan let out a snort of laughter. “You know what your problem is?”

  “I have jerks for friends,” Gabriel retorted.

  “No, you’re entirely too easy to get.”

  “Do you really think that the plan will work?” Gabriel asked.

  “Well, it’s so simple that it should work,” Ryan offered. “But it’s risky, Sainte-Pierre hasn’t survived this long by being stupid, he might see right through the whole thing.”

  “That would not be good for us.”

  “We don’t really have any other options,” Ryan said. “We need information and in order to get that we need to capture Sainte-Pierre.”

  “You’re right,” Gabriel sighed. “Goodnight man.”

  “Night, sleep tight.”

  CHAPTER 14

  “That’s your plan?” Jonathan asked, incredulously. “You want to launch an assault on a fortress, a literal one, with just a single team and only close fire support?”

  “Well, I doubt that he would be expecting it,” Elise shrugged.

  “You’re right; he would assume that we aren’t that stupid.”

  “It’s not that stupid of an idea,” Ethan responded. “But it’s pretty ballsy, that’s for sure. And unless you happen to have a better idea than I suggest that we get our butts in gear.”

  “You can’t actually expect me to approve this plan?” Jonathan asked, shaking his head. “You are going into a completely unknown and hostile environment.”

  “We’ve set up several drone passes,” Elise countered. “We’ll have everything well mapped out before
we even begin the assault and like Ethan pointed out, we really don’t have a lot of options on this one. We need him, especially with the information that we got from Anton about secret alliances.”

  “I don’t like this,” Jonathan sighed. “We should wait until we can get more teams in place.”

  “You don’t have to like it,” Ethan pointed out. “We know the risks, we are the ones that came up with the plan remember, we need to move fast, there is no telling how much longer Sainte-Pierre will be there. A large scale force would only tip him off, especially if his spy is still here.”

  Jonathan pursed his lips, looking between Ethan and Elise.

  “Are you sure that everyone understands the situation?”

  “Yes,” Elise nodded.

  “Then mission approved,” Jonathan sighed. “Bring him back in one piece; he has a lot answer for.”

  “We’ll do our best.”

  Elise and Ethan exited Jonathan’s office, a little surprised that he had gone for it so easily. Then again, Jonathan knew how important it was that they catch Sainte-Pierre.

  “That went well,” Elise said. “I really thought that he was going to put up a lot more of a fight than that.”

  “We do make a good team,” Ethan smiled.

  “Don’t start,” Elise snapped, as they resumed their walk down the corridor. “Get any ideas about us getting back together out of your head right now.”

  Ethan paused. “Would it really be so bad?”

  “Don’t do this to yourself,” Elise said, in a low voice. “It’s over Ethan, whatever feelings for you I had I got over...you know why it would never work between us.”

  They walked the rest of the way in silence. Everyone had assembled in the lounge in the interim, waiting for Elise and Ethan to pitch their idea to Jonathan. They all looked up as soon as Ethan and Elise stepped through the door.

  “So?” Ryan asked.

  “He went for it,” Elise nodded. “We’ll head out in a few hours, after we get all the gear checked out. I already contacted Vertias they’ll have transportation ready for us to actually get us close to the target once we get there.”

  “Assault is planned for tonight,” Ethan added. “Tony, you’ll be in charge of the heavy arms fire, I want to bring everything you can that makes things go boom, we got you access to the heavy stuff too.”