Her Guardian's Heart

by Crymsyn Hart

  A hushed silence fell over the whole coven. The power died down in the circle. They looked at one another and were unsure of what to do next. “Before you pass judgment on me, open your eyes and see the true evil before you. When I was a child, Charles and two other members of the coven took me to this very altar. They said they had a special ritual to perform with me. They were going to molest me so I could be under his power. I admit that I caused the deaths of two people. That guilt has weighed on my shoulders ever since. He also ordered that I be killed. Instead of me, my friend was murdered. They wanted me out of the way. Two years ago, Charles sent a death squad, including my brother. Eric shot and killed my other mate. I lashed out and killed him too. I thought I had an evil inside of me, but it wasn’t evil. I am part angel. The goddess has chosen another path for me. I am no longer associated with this coven. Feel this out and ask the goddess. Feel the evil that Charles has been manipulating you with. Will not one of you step forward and face what this coven has been doing?”

  After a few moments of silence, a young woman stepped forward from the second circle. Fear ignited her eyes. “I will come forward and stand against the coven. What she says is true. That is why she had not granted us a new high priestess. We all saw Charles swear to let her go if the goddess rejected her. The goddess turned her away. And yet we are doing nothing.” She pointed at Charles. The power was building again in the circle. This time it was from her and from the goddess above. The newcomer was enshrouded with the spirit of the dark goddess.

  “You have defiled this place and the holiness of the coven. You pledged before all that you would release her, and yet you have tried to kill Melina. Charles, you have gone against everything I have ever taught. For this I banish you. I strip all of your power.”

  “You cannot banish me!” Charles exclaimed.

  The goddess held up her hand. “You will not and cannot tell me what it is that I do. This vessel will serve for my voice and my high priestess. For all of those whose hearts have turned, I take your power as well. And you, Charles, will burn for everything that you have done.” The goddess flicked her hand. Black flames encompassed him. Air was pulled from the coven. The circle was broken and the girl fell to the ground.

  Charles screamed and raced into the woods. The fire didn’t touch the trees around him. The coven was free. I helped the girl up. The girl looked at me with wide eyes.

  “I won’t hurt you. Neither will the goddess. She has chosen you. My mother can teach you to be the high priestess that this coven needs.” I took off the torque and the armband. I placed them on her neck and on her arm. She shivered when the power of the artifacts fused with her being.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  I led her to my mother. She opened her arms to the budding high priestess. She nodded at me. I nodded back and then went toward the house.

  Chapter Eleven

  When I arrived back at my mother’s house, I willed my wings back in. On the porch, Tannin stood over a prostrate form. Crace. Landon came out of the house, shirtless. The hole in his shoulder was completely healed. Crace had three long, parallel scars over his chest and another over his stomach. Tannin had his hand on Crace’s forehead. Blood was spilled over the porch, and I saw Landon’s wet hair.

  “What happened here?”

  “That asshole came at me!” Landon growled. “I defended myself and we got into it. He slammed me with a silver dagger in the other shoulder. I don’t remember much once the silver hit my system, just that the angel appeared, and then I passed out.”

  I sunk down next to Tannin. I touched his arm. “What happened?”

  “I felt your pain and Landon’s. I was with your grandmother. She had a mild heart attack. I came as soon as I could. I found Landon hurt and this one nearly dead. I tried to save him, but he was meant for the goddess, as you would put it.”

  “He got what he deserved. Thank you for coming. Is my grandmother okay?”

  “She’s fine. She had a vision of darkness surrounding you. It brought on the attack. I healed her, but I had to be sure that you were okay. Then I felt the pain. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to be connected to another. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. The goddess set me free of the coven. Another has been chosen. I am so ready to get out of here.”

  “Me too,” Landon nodded.

  “Are you going to leave so soon?” my mother said behind me.

  “I don’t belong here anymore. We both know that.”

  She came forward and then gave me a long hug. “I know. But I was hoping to get to know you now, after everything that’s happened. Maybe meet your new family.”

  “Just because I’m going away doesn’t mean that we can’t still talk. I want you in my life.” I motioned toward Tannin. “This is the man, the angel, who showed me what I was.”

  He held out his hands. My mother took his hands and squeezed them. She looked into his eyes and then smiled. “Thank you for letting her come back.”

  “She was the one who made the choice, but it’s my pleasure to meet you. You are welcome at our house anytime. I can teach Melina a quicker way of traveling if she wants to come and visit you.”

  “That would be wonderful.” My mother took me in her arms once more and gave me a strong hug. “I’ll come to see you soon. If that’s okay.”

  “That would be great.” I pulled away and looked back at Landon and Tannin. They smiled and gestured toward the car. I climbed into the backseat and Tannin slid in next to me. I settled into the crook of his arm while Landon started the car. I met my wolf’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

  “Don’t be starting anything back there, you two.”

  Tannin laughed.”I won’t plan on it.”

  “What was that comment about our house?” I poked him in the ribs.

  He shrugged. I felt Landon’s gaze on us. “I was hoping that you might have a spare room I could move into, if that was okay with you, Landon? I find it hard to be away from our girl.” Tannin ran a hand down my cheek.

  I sighed under his light touch. His love enveloped me in a warm embrace and I wanted him with us too. I touched Landon’s shoulder. “What do you say?”

  “The house has been empty for a long time. I think there’s something we can find. Maybe even see if you and I are compatible.” I saw the seductive look in his eye.

  Tannin met that smoldering gaze. He leaned over in the seat and slid his hand along Landon’s thigh. “I think we can come to some understanding. Of course, there are some things that we’d have to do first.”

  I snuggled into the crook of his arm and let the satisfaction wash over me. I had freed myself from the coven. They had a new high priestess. The goddess hadn’t deserted me. My mother and I had reconciled and Charles was dead. I knew who I was, and I had two men in my life who would make me happy. Tannin ran his fingers through my hair and kissed the top of my head. He began to hum. The next thing I knew, I succumbed to the exhaustion that overtook me.

  When I opened my eyes again, I was back in my bedroom. I rolled over and found Tannin reclining on the bed next to me. I sat up slowly and stretched. “What are you doing here? What time did we get back?”

  He smiled. “About an hour ago. You were sleeping so soundly I didn’t want to wake you. I’m so glad that you’re okay. You had me worried when I felt the darkness engulf you.”

  “It was okay. The goddess wasn’t going to hurt me.”

  “It wasn’t the goddess I was worried about. It was the other darkness. The one from behind the doors. It was winding around you. I thought that I had lost you.”

  I realized what he meant then. The promise of the power that it had offered me. “It was a temptation, but I couldn’t choose that path. I won’t ever succumb to what lies behind those doors.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” He ran his finger down my arm. I turned to Tannin and met his mouth. His kiss was soft and hungry at the same time. He swept his lips over mine and then pulled away when I wanted more of him.
/>
  “Won’t you stay?” I asked. I ran his hand along his thigh, and bit my lip.

  He smiled. I saw something devilish in his eye. “I think you might want to go check on Landon.”

  “Why?”

  “Just trust me. Go ahead.”

  I got up slowly and headed toward Landon’s part of the house. The crystal hummed as I passed it. The floor was littered with blue rose petals. I picked one up and then pressed it to my lips. They were up to something. Maybe they planned to have Tannin join in later. I followed the trail of petals. When I got to Landon’s door, it was closed. I heard voices inside. I figured it was one of his pack. I knocked.

  “Come in.”

  I pushed the door open. What I saw stopped my heart. Sitting on the bed, shirtless, was Nick. And he wasn’t transparent. I clutched my chest, not sure if I was having a heart attack or not. I could barely think. When I reached out with my power, he was real. He got off the bed and walked to me. That half-curved smile I always loved, showing me a hint of fang, was on his face. He crossed the room and shut the door before trapping me in his arms. He took one of my hands and brought it up to his lips. Nick sucked in my finger and let it go while letting it trace the curve of his fang, but he didn’t bite into it.

  “Hello, my lovely angel.”

  “But you’re dead. You’ve been in the ground for two years. You turned to dust. We buried you and…”

  He stopped my speech with his lips. He cradled my head gently and ran his fingers down my face. I gave myself over to the kiss. Everything in me couldn’t believe that he was alive. I returned the kiss and tentatively touched his arms. When I was convinced he was real, I pulled away, trying to catch my breath from the shock.

  “How?”

  “The goddess asked if I wished to return to you, body and soul. She said it was her gift to you. That our time was cut short.”

  “And you wanted to come back even though you were in paradise?”

  “My only paradise is with you and Landon. Only being able to watch you and not interfere was the worst torture I could have ever endured. I was glad that I was able to do that. I woke up by the crystal. Whole and naked. Landon was the one who found me. Good thing he saved some of my clothes. He fed me, but I’m still so very hungry.”

  He brushed the hair away from my throat. Nick lowered his mouth to my jugular where he licked the line of my throat. He sucked in my skin, sending ecstatic shivers through my being. His fang slid along my flesh. I gripped his arms and waited for him to bite into my throat, but he didn’t. Instead, he planted kisses along my neck. Nick cupped my breast through the thin shift I still wore. He pushed his thumb over my nipple until it hardened under his touch. Another hand trailed over my belly until he began pulling up the hem of my dress. He moved aside the fabric of my panties and found my throbbing clit. I cried out when he began to fondle me.

  “I thought you were hungry.” I met his gaze.

  Nick’s smile curled up even further, showing the predator in his nature. “I am, but I want your blood and your pussy. I’ve missed both of them.”

  “Then bite me first and claim the other later.”

  “What if I want both now?”

  I shook my head. “The only way you can get both now is if the others join us.”

  “Hmmm…I like the way you think. Do you think your angel will share you with the two of us?”

  “Why don’t you ask him yourself? He’s right behind you.”

  Nick glanced over his shoulder and saw Tannin. “What do you say? Are you willing to share?”

  Tannin placed his hand on Nick’s cheek. My vampire cried out and arched his back. He backed away from me, releasing me from his pleasurable hold. Landon caught me before I slid to the floor. His steady presence helped to keep me grounded. Nick trailed his fingers over Tannin’s bare chest until Nick cupped his cock. Tannin held my gaze and turned his head to the side. Nick opened his mouth and bit deeply into his neck. I watched with fascination and licked my lips. I crossed the short distance between us. I pressed my breasts against Nick’s back and ran my fingers across Tannin’s lips. My stomach grumbled. Something shifted within me. The wolf in my nature stepped back and the vampire appeared. My teeth lengthened, and I was overcome with a hunger so strong that I had to sate it.

  “Don’t be afraid of what you are,” Tannin whispered.

  I nodded. I kissed along Nick’s shoulder until I came to his throat. I could smell the richness of his blood running beneath his skin. I could smell Landon’s more animal and musky scent. Tannin’s smelled like dark roses. But it was Nick’s that drew me. I licked my newly grown fangs and then pierced Nick’s throat. His blood hit the roof of my mouth and I drank it down. He faltered while drinking from Tannin. I slipped my hand around his waist and held him to me. Landon ran his hand down my back and placed small kisses along my nape. I shivered, but fell into the ecstasy of drinking in Nick’s blood. It had been so long since I had tasted it, and this time there was no fear of me turning because the Guardian side of me enabled me to be the very creatures that my mates had always feared I might become.

  I lifted my lips from the wound and found Nick’s cock, which had grown hard. He was breathing heavily. Nick rested his forehead on Tannin’s shoulder. I flicked my tongue over the wounds and unzipped his pants.

  “How could you do that?” Nick asked.

  Landon’s kisses were growing more insistent. Being between the three men that I loved was taking its toll on all of us. We needed to have skin meeting skin. I didn’t know where this was going to eventually lead, but the combination of all four of us together was explosive. The passion was already sparking between us. Landon cupped my breasts and began to knead them. He squeezed my nipples until I cried out.

  “Long story. The Guardian in me allows me to be vampire and werewolf without making me truly each creature. I take on aspects of each.” Landon’s claws pressed into my flesh as he bit harder along my collarbone.

  “I need to fuck you,” he growled. He tore the fabric of my dress until he could get to the flesh beneath.

  “Yes. I want that too,” Tannin replied.

  “We all want that,” Nick turned and captured my lips. “Now we just have to figure out how to accomplish that.”

  Landon pushed the remains of my dress to the floor. He squeezed my nipples one last time until I cried out and pushed my hips forward. Nick wrapped his arms around me and continued moving down my throat. This time he bit deep into my flesh. His lips worked on the wound. He drank only a few mouthfuls and then swept me up in his arms.

  “You taste different than before. A mixture of what Tannin tastes like, Landon, and what you were before.” Nick deposited me on the bed.

  “Does that displease you?” I kissed down his throat until I came to his Adam’s apple and sucked on it. His fingers trailed over my shoulder blade. I cried out when he did and bit down. Nick moaned.

  “Not at all. It’s different, but I always knew that you were different. No one was so bold to go with me, barely a word when I first met you in the club. Now look at you. A beautiful woman who has three mates to deal with instead of two. Such a big heart,” Nick responded.

  I stared into his eyes. “Only by the grace of the goddess. Now that I have three, I will have to figure out a schedule to keep them all happy.” I pushed Nick down on the bed. The mattress depressed from the weight of another. I glanced behind me and saw Tannin. He gave me his dazzling smile and began to place kisses along my back, tracing the silver writing that was still on my skin. It wasn’t as sensitive as it had been before, but it was still a powerful stimulant. Each caress made me wetter.

  “God, what is that?” Landon asked as he sat on my right side.

  “You can feel it too?” Nick asked.

  Nick began to writhe underneath me, pushing his cock against my thigh. So close to my wet pussy it would be easy to take him inside of me and ride him. Tannin traced more of the writing on my back close to my shoulder blades, where my wings st
irred. I arched my back. Landon flicked his tongue over my nipple and drew it into his mouth. Nick slipped an arm around Landon’s back, while the other cupped my breast.

  “It’s the writing on her body. I placed it there to be sure the heavens accepted her as my mate. It’s starting to solidify into a tattoo that will become visible on her skin, but only some of it will remain. What you feel is where I’m tracing. If you are both feeling it, then you are tied to me too. In the future we will have to do this with you also.” Tannin touched a line right at the base of my spine.

  I cried out. Nick and Landon did a moment later. Landon bit down on my breast and Nick gripped my other one. They were both near the brink of coming from the thought of me being taken by all three of them. I rose up and guided Nick’s cock into my pussy. Tannin pushed me forward a little. He kissed each of my ass cheeks, then spread my legs a little further, and slipped a finger around my asshole.