by Lexi Ostrow
In truth, it had been a wonderful night. There hadn’t been a time between them where they hadn’t been discussing something poignant or stopping an attack until last night. That has made it peaceful and fun. He’d been so uncertain of giving into anything that could lead to his own pain that he’d never thought about what giving in would be like. And you fucking like it. He grinned at the thought.
Being a Guardian for Kellie would be unlike anything he’d done prior. He would do whatever it took to ensure she remained safe. However they grew together, there would be no more sabotage on his part to halt it.
Briefly, he wondered if he could call to Ryce and find out if there was any way to know if Kellie would develop his gifts as a character. Yet, Ryce had never come to him when he’d been with Ciara, and he certainly wasn’t fond of him created a need to bind himself to a new name.
“Alcott?” Kellie’s voice was muffled against the pillow.
He turned to smile at her and was struck at the image before him. Her hair was a tangled mess of brown, teal and purple. Not to mention her eyes were bloodshot and barely cracked open. It took everything he had to repress the smile at seeing her that way.
“You’re looking at my morning look and thinking ‘run for the hills’ aren’t you?” she asked as she sat upright, the covers slipping off and revealing her bare chest.
He laughed and sat back down next to her, kissing her deeply before tugging the white linen back completely. “I will not lie and pretend like you are as beautiful now as you have been when you’ve been . . . put together.” He grinned cheekily at her and straddled her body with his. “But I can tell you, there is nothing that would stop me from being attracted to the woman I am getting to know.” Leisurely, he slid his body down her length, reveling in the way his cock seemed to jump to attention at the mere idea of cherishing Kellie. "I think I’d best illustrate my point.”
He traced a finger over her folds, shocked to find they were wet with her pleasure. One small action had been enough to send them both into a lustful state, and he wasn’t going to complain. Smirking wickedly at her, he covered her body with his and stopped stroking her core. Taking his shaft in one hand, he spread her wide and rubbed his tip over her center. His eyes rolled into his head at the way she felt as he inched just the tip of his dick into her.
Without hesitation, she leaned up and pressed a kiss to the center of his tattoo before wrapping her legs around his waist. As her hips angled up, he slid deeper in, sinking balls deep into her heat. All at once, what had begun as something slow and steady became hot and furious. His hips began to buck quickly, striving for an explosive release. She met him thrust for thrust, breathing hard.
“I don’t think I’ll ever tire of this. Especially not as a wake up.” Her words were punctuated with pants as she continued to thrust.
He felt her orgasm come without warning as her body quaked around his. He wanted to hear her scream, wanted to know what the sound would do to him. When her cry of pleasure tore past her lips, he got his answer. It drove him mad.
Unrelenting, he continued to pound into her, grasping for his orgasm as he devoured her mouth in a scorching kiss.
Tongues tangling, hands groping, one another’s body, he continued to rock his hips against her, driving himself deep into her body until he felt his muscles tense with release. He came with a loud grunt, his body spending itself in hers.
As gently as he could, he pulled himself from her body and lay on his back next to her, his breathing as rapid as it had been when they’d been coupling.
“There’s no way I can get you to promise me that will be a normal morning wake up?”
He laughed. “Only if you think you can keep quiet so your roommate doesn’t think you’re having one helluva masturbation session.”
They both laughed, simply enjoying the moment. Propping himself up on one elbow, he looked her over. Her hair was still a mess, her eyes were still fairly lidded from pleasure, and she was stunning to him. He was falling deeper and deeper into a pattern, into emotions, and he didn’t think he’d ever escape if the way they were after such a small time was any indication of what the future held.
“In continuing with our playing hooky from everything that actually matters, how about you show me some of the Quarter? I’ve never seen it beyond the small bit of walking we’ve done, and I promise to not make you talk too much or try to hold your hand and make you appear crazy.” He winked at her.
“I think that sounds like a wonderful idea. Minus having to put those sweaty clothes back on.”
He grinned again. “Too bad. I can just walk around naked and no one would know.”
She playfully punched his arm and rolled out of bed. “Oh, someone would know all right. And if I have to put these sweaty, dirty clothes on for another day, so do you.” She walked toward the bathroom and turned to look at him with a cheeky grin. “I think it’s best if you let me take this one alone.”
Shaking his head, he laughed and watched her step into the bathroom. Kellie was most definitely a woman he could grow attached to.
***
There was an eerie sensation prickling over his skin, telling him something was strange that Alcott couldn’t shake. He wasn’t certain if it was just the fact that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d truly enjoyed himself, or if something was wrong. It was ominous, but not the suffocating way dark magic often was. The eerie sensation followed him from the elevator, down to the main level and as they crossed through the ornately decorated lobby. It never grew stronger, but it was just enough to make Alcott believe it wasn’t just him thinking something bad would happen because he’d just had a good time.
Stopping just before the glass doors that lead to Bourbon Street, he reached a hand in front of Kellie. Her phone was already in her hand, as they’d figured that would be easier to have it on the ready until she could take a ride to get the Bluetooth device, and she put it to her ear.
“Hello?” Her eyes shifted around as if she expected someone to catch onto her phony call.
“Do you sense anything?”
She gave him a quizzical look. “No, everything seems fine. Just getting ready to grab some roasted corn from the French Market. Why?”
“Something feels off. Not dangerous exactly, but like it doesn’t belong.”
“Well, I’d love to meet you there then. How about we talk while we walk, so we don’t miss each other in the crowd?”
He couldn’t help but smile. Kellie was smart. Leaving the phones open for communication was brilliant should she need to convey something to him. He gave a nod and indicated for her to open the door. A rush of humid air assaulted him, and he wondered if that was the strange sensation — southern California certainly didn’t get humid.
Stepping outside, the sticky air slammed into him further, and he noticed that the street was far less busy than the day prior. The sky was a deep gray, almost black, and he figured even tourists didn’t want to get caught in a summer downpour. The streets being less crowded didn’t diminish the blaring music from the various bars as they walked, but it did make it difficult to have even the smallest conversation with Kellie because they were both shouting to be heard.
At the corner across from the Old Absinthe House, the feeling of unease was practically suffocating him. If it was just the weather, he could feel like a fool at a later time. It was time to get off the streets where they could be attacked from all angles. He looked behind him, ensuring that no one or nothing had followed them from the hotel.
“Kellie, I think it would best —”
Her strangled cry had him whipping around so quickly that he felt more than heard the crack of his neck. A strange man, a rather attractive one at that, was holding her. Every instinct in him shouted for him to take the person down that dared to touch her.
“Kellie, focus. Do what I told you,” Alcott shouted just as he saw the man’s fangs distend.
“Guardian!” Alcott shouted and shook the ground so hard it shou
ld have dropped the other man to the ground.
Should have.
Kellie didn’t hesitate before jamming her elbow into the vampire’s stomach and drawing a snake-like hiss from the man. He didn’t let go though, and she stamped her foot on his, dragging out a bemused laugh from the vampire. The woman beside him looked bored, as if this was child’s play for them and something they’d done countless times before.
But how were you not warned that Guardians were attacking others? Why were you not told the war has begun?
Fear for Kellie warred with anger at the man in the trench coat. If the war had begun, Ryce had done a fucking disservice to his side by not letting them know. Once more, Alcott summoned his energy and shook the ground. None of the attackers were affected by it, which could mean only one thing.
The man smiled wider, and the woman he was with merrily stepped beside him. “How cute. He knows what we you are, but not from which side.”
“Seems a pity to kill you without introductions, but it would appear not all are necessary as you can tell what I am.” The man’s thick British accent rivaled the one Alcott’s before he’d assimilated, according to his book’s creator.
“Alcott, what is going on?” The fear in Kellie’s voice sounded as plain as day for their attackers to enjoy.
“Yes, Alcott. Why don’t you tell her precisely what is going on? That is if you’ve figured it out.” Cal’s voice taunted him, just audible over the noise of the party street.
Alcott turned, knowing full well he could destroy his brother if needed, but he felt the cold kiss of metal just above his belly button. With a gasp, he looked down and saw his brother’s athame buried to the jeweled hilt in his stomach. With a jerk, Cal slid it out and Alcott felt his knees buckle from the second onslaught of pain. He looked up and found his brother’s lips were twisted in a sickening grin.
“Lights out, Brother.” Cal lifted the athame and slammed the jeweled top into the side of Alcott’s head.
Blackness swarmed his vision, and he thought he heard Kellie shout before he gave into the darkness swallowing him whole.
Nothing had prepared Cal for the rush of pleasure that surged through him as he watched his brother’s body lifelessly crumple to the ground. In all his time in the books, he’d never beaten his brother. Well, there would be no more books for them to go back to, not after he finished the job.
The Word Speaker’s screams were deafening, and he nodded to Denege to silence her. With a nod, the vampire placed his hand over her mouth. The trouble was that the trio standing with him were real, and anyone could see what was happening. Quickly, he summoned a darkness to settle over them. The blackness didn’t affect those standing within it, but even Cal had to admit that he couldn’t see the people milling about outside its range.
Grabbing his brother’s limp form, he tugged him down a side street, one whose name he didn’t bother to notice. “Move her. It’s going to rain soon, but there are enough people to see you holding onto her when the spell wears off, and my magic won’t hold forever. We’re not going to create a scene and cause Demus to destroy us once we finish his dirty work.”
“I don’t see why you don’t just charm her, Denege. Really, we know it works because you used it on that last set we killed,” Marta, the Word Speaker retorted.
“Because I can sense when it will not work, and it will fail her,” Denege said as he slipped one hand around Kellie’s waist and moved just down the side street enough that they would be seen by far fewer people.
“I’m going to kill him, you know,” Cal said to Kellie. “Then, I’m going to do what I was asked to do and destroy you. But first, my brother because he’s been a pain in my fucking ass for a lot longer than you have.”
Kellie struggled against the vampire’s hold, but it was of no use. Humans didn’t have the strength to compete with vamps. She obviously hadn’t siphoned any of Alcott’s magic, or she’d have used it already, which meant she couldn’t be the threat Demus thought she was.
And killing her destroys your chance at freedom. Once she and Alcott are dead, you’re nothing unless someone calls on you to be their Guardian. Cal momentarily paused at the realization.
He paused for a moment before walking to stand in front of Kellie, leaving Alcott all but forgotten for the moment. “You are nothing special, are you? Nothing dangerous or otherworldly beyond the gift of Word Speaking.”
He walked around her in a circle as he spoke, knowing full well the taunt could bring out any latent gifts she held. Reaching out, he took her chin in his hand and turned her face from side to side. There truly was nothing remarkable about her, beyond her beauty.
“You won’t get away with any of this. Any of you!” Kellie growled and attempted to spit at him but was muffled beneath Denege’s clamped hand.
“Jesus Christ,” Denege said as he removed the hand from her mouth and wiped it on his pants. “I dare you to scream, human. I will have your throat ripped out before you can even finish the sound.”
Fear rose in her hazel eyes, and Cal felt reassured for the first time. Sure, the demons had been a helpful touch, but they hadn’t work. It appeared that playing with another team was going to do the trick. If he killed them both and went back to Demus, it was likely the demi-god would do for him what had been done for Alcott. He would still have a chance at freedom. He just had to prove himself.
“Don’t lay a hand on her.”
Alcott’s voice drifted rather pathetically over to Cal. When he turned, he was shocked to find his brother standing. Blood rushed from the wound on his side, but the foolish man was trying to fight back. It didn’t take a genius to realize what was happening as Alcott raised his hands.
Cal countered, throwing all the power he had at shaking the ground beneath their feet. Not only did Alcott stumble, but they all did. Cal felt his shoulder connect with a metal post and prayed that it wasn’t an oil burning street lamp that could cause a fire if it fell, but he didn’t look up. He barely kept his head from smashing into it, which was luckier than Alcott. His brother lost his balance and crashed back to the ground, his head smacking into it with a thunk.
“Alcott!” Kellie shouted, obviously not caring about the death threat.
A ball of brilliant blue witch fire whizzed past Cal, missing him by less than an inch. He turned, not understanding what had happened, only to see Kellie with alarm plastered across her face and growing a second ball in her hands.
She was powerful. It had taken Alcott’s impending doom to bring it out, but Cal wasn’t going to stick around for playtime. Waving his hand vertically through the air, he opened the doorway to his world and leaped through, slamming it shut behind him.
With his heart pounding in his chest and fear coiling like a snake in his gut, he knew if his conspirators did not kill Kellie, it was all too likely that Demus would kill him.
Chapter Eleven
Kellie could feel the terror slowly disintegrating as the fury began to take root inside of her. She’d never been helpless prior, not that she’d ever really been under attack, but she certainly wasn’t going to start now. Whatever had just happened, whatever she had just caused, she was going to keep fucking doing it.
She threw another ball of fire, and Cal looked at her briefly before opening up what must be a doorway to his world, racing through and closing it as quickly as he’d opened it. His departure left her and what was clearly a Word Speaker – Guardian pair from the opposing side of the war.
A war that supposedly hasn’t started. What is going on?
Alcott lay unmoving and bleeding profusely. She knew no one else could see him, but it felt as if he was dying before her eyes — right when they’d finally realized what they could be to one another.
He wanted you to fight. So fight damn it!
“What a pity. Looks like we will get the credit after all,” the vampire holding her said with a chuckle that reverberated through his chest. “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, young Word Speaker. S
uch a shame you will not live to see the war.”
Focusing on the small glowing ball in her hands, she yelped as it began to flick and jump to other parts of her body. It did not harm her, but the dancing flames crackled and popped as they seemed to fuse with her.
The vampire let out an inhuman howl, and his hands finally released her. Her knees wobbled, and she had to struggle to keep from collapsing into a pile at the sudden freedom. Staring only momentarily at the power she was controlling, she turned to look at the man and woman. They were panicked, and not simply because she’d done something that should have been impossible.
Flames clung to the vampire, continuing to pull demonic screams and curses from him. She could scarcely make out his face under the cover of the blaze. The woman she assumed was his Word Speaker jerked her denim jacket off and smacked it against her burning companion.
A sickening sense of satisfaction rolled through Kellie. One she knew was going to come back to bite her in the ass. The others weren’t paying a lick of attention to her. She could have grabbed Alcott and escaped, except that she really couldn’t carry a man of his size, and she wasn’t sure where to take him. Who could possibly help him?
What she had just done, those powers had been Alcott's. He’d never mentioned it, but would it be so impossible if she could wield his powers as part of the deal? The vampire’s screams and shouts were going to draw a crowd, and she had no clue if Cal’s cloaking spell would remain in effect with him gone like the chicken he was.
Closing her eyes, she focused on making the ground shake, and a moment later, the smallest tremor passed under her feet. She knew Alcott had no healing powers, and she wasn’t fond of the idea of curing the vampire anyway, but she needed him to shut up and fast. Assuming she could figure out how to stop the flames.
Reversing what she had done was all she could think of as a solution. Kellie forced herself to imagine the flames snuffing out on the vampire. She inhaled sharply as they did just that.
