Guardian's Faith

by Jacqueline Rhoades

  *****

  "What did you learn," The Liege Lord asked his trainee.

  They were finally free of the ad Gautier home where they'd waited and waited while the maid went in search of the old man, Meriton, and came back empty handed and as closed mouthed and belligerent as she'd been before.

  "She loves him," Lalo answered, "but she loves her son more. She made me hot chocolate and she's really nice. She talked to me about Evrard when he was a boy, but her eyes kept looking at the door like she was expecting something bad to happen.

  "When I told her we had a list of things to pick up for Evrard, she seemed relieved. She asked me if you liked him."

  "What did you tell her?"

  There were a few more people on the street and Lucien stopped to ask the man they were passing if he'd seen Meriton ad Gautier. The man shook his head.

  "We rarely see him. He's old and keeps to his rooms."

  Lucien pursed his lips and nodded his thanks to the man.

  "Well?" he asked as he turned back to Lalo.

  "Well about Meriton not being in his rooms or well about Eloise?"

  "Eloise." Lucien mouth quirked up at the side, but Lalo wasn't sure why.

  "I told her the truth. It's hard to know if you like someone or not." Lalo shrugged. "Like that thing you're doing with your mouth." He mimicked Lucien's face. "Did I say something funny or stupid? uh, my Lord."

  "Neither," Lucien told him with a genuine laugh which only confused Lalo more, "and I'm beginning to prefer 'Boss' to 'uh-my-Lord'. He grunted this last and was pleased when Lalo laughed at the returned mimicry.

  "She told me the old man, Meriton right? asked her to write to Evrard and beg him to come home. He thought it might be good for Batiste."

  "Batiste is mad," Lucien said bluntly.

  "I figured. Eloise called it sick. She said Baptiste got all excited when he saw him, but then he started to yell at his father that it was all his fault. She started to cry, Boss. I felt really bad for her. Batiste didn't know his own son. He thought it was his dead brother."

  "He looks like his Uncle Apollinaire." Lucien was no longer smiling.

  "Did you know him, Boss?"

  "He was my father's Second."

  "Wow, pretty weird, huh? Your father with Apollinaire as his Second, now you with Evrard?"

  "Evrard is not my Second," Lucien said flatly.

  "No, but it stands to reason he will be. History repeats itself. Weird, huh?" Lalo stopped and looked back at his Liege Lord who was standing still and staring.

  *****

  "Well my dear, you were right. Blood is blood."

  Abyar helped Andi from the mirror. He hadn't been sure that Paenitentia blood would work for the spell that would allow her to cross over. He held her hand as she stepped over the headless body and shook his head.

  "They never learn. You just can't get the best of a bargain with a demon." he chuckled at his own cleverness. "He ordered me to kill the Liege Lord. He didn't order me not to kill him. Too bad, really. I rather liked him." he walked Andi to the door. "Let's go see our new home, shall we?"

  Together, they walked the empty streets, noting the crumbling houses, overgrown yards and general decay. By the time they found the bank of empty shops, Abyar was furious.

  "He promised me wealth, position, plenty to eat," he snarled. "It was a blood bargain and he broke it. No one lives here. I haven't seen a single automobile. Have you?"

  "Only those vans we passed," Andi said, looking around. She couldn't believe they were finally out of the hell hole they'd entered when they fell through the mirror so long ago. She owed someone big time for that, but at the moment she only wanted to enjoy her freedom.

  Seeing it was the only shop with a light on, Abyar pulled Andi through the door.

  They emerged a few minutes later wearing new clothes that almost fit. Andi carried three shopping bags loaded with more. She was looking better already. Her eyes had that old sparkle in them. Pretty new things always made her happy. She followed behind Abyar, wobbling a little in her new high heels. He led her to one of the vans they'd seen and loaded the bags in the back. He even held the door for her as she climbed in. Abyar could be such a gentleman when he chose to.

  "Don't you have to kill the Liege Lord?" she asked as they began to drive away.

  "Why bother?" Abyar laughed, "The bargain was broken along with Meriton's neck." But he turned down a side street and stopped in front of the building from which they'd made their escape. "Wait here. I'll only be a moment."

  He left the van running as he jogged back into the building and down the stairs to where his lesser brethren were locked behind steel bars. Two dozen demons in their natural form grinned at him as he unlocked the doors.

  "Have fun, boys," he called and ran up the stairs. The vampire had broken a blood bargain and now he would pay the price.

  "Where to?" he asked as he drove away and then answered his own question. "Las Vegas, I think. I hear it's filled with people and money and the night life is to die for." He reached over and pinched Andi's sagging breast until she winced. "A little money for a few new spells and you'll be back in shape."

  Andi and Abyar smiled and waved at the surprised looking guards as they drove through the gates.

  *****

  "History repeating," Lucien said as one of the transportation vans passed by. His head snapped up as the distinctive odor of demon hit his nose. "Lalo, run to the gates," he called as he walked out into the street trying to track the source. "Tell them to alert the village and the hacienda."

  Lalo had smelled it, too. "Demons!" he shouted to the few passersby, "Get inside! Lock the doors!"

  Lucien met the first of the demons in front of the shop where the lights exposed the spattered blood on the walls. The demon wasn't large but it was fast and it easily dodged Lucien's first thrust with the blade. From the corner of his eye, Lucien saw another demon emerge from the open door of the old counting house.

  His blade connected with one of the creature's forearms, slicing it to the bone. The thing screamed and slashed at the hand holding the blade. Its spittle burned against Lucien's bare skin. He felt movement behind him, glanced down, saw claws, spun and slashed, catching the second demon as it lunged. Leaving a deep wound across its chest, he continued the spin to confront demon number one as its jaws snapped at his legs. He brought the blade down and into the creature's heart.

  He moved to the right and faced demon number two while drawing the longer and sturdier blade from its sheath. Fending it off with the short blade, he used his full force to bring the longer one down through the neck of the other. The head rolled and Lucien felt the power surge through him. Another demon joined the fray and another. Even in full Battle Rage, Lucien could only defend himself against the monsters who constantly circled him, looking for an opening to kill. He could almost smell their hunger.

  Off in the distance, he heard a woman scream. Closer, he heard the high pitched ululating sound of Lalo's battle cry.

  Lucien fought on, his own Rage screaming out over the night. One went down and he turned to the next, but Lalo was there driving a small, double headed ax down into the demon where shoulder met neck. Seeing the two fall, the third demon backed up a step and the hesitation was all it took for Lucien to drive his blade into the creature's heart.

  Lucien plunged his fist through the chest of the demon killed first, not wanting to give it time to resurrect. He held the heart aloft and watched it burst with a flame that never burned, yet turned the heart to ash.

  Lalo watched his Liege Lord, nodded, and drove his fist into the chest of his own downed demon. His cry of triumph reverberated through the empty streets. Lucien followed with the last of the demon hearts and began jogging up the street in search of others.

  "Damn, Boss, I think I gotta fuckin' do that again," Lalo said as he jogged beside him.

  They stopped, confronted by four more demons standing abreast and blocking the street.

  "I fucking guess
we both do," Lucien laughed. He raised his sword over his head and with his battle cry mingling with Lalo's, they charged into the fray.

  Chapter 36

  Faith watched as they loaded Adam onto the back of the truck. Diego's father had offered a bed at his house, but Adam, barely awake, had weakly refused. Old Vasco backed him up.

  "He needs to be with his family."

  Agdta and her women still held their line, but more and more people had crossed over to stand behind them. The 'against' were far outnumbered now and while a few of them still called their vile names and threats, their outrage was losing steam.

  "Are you all right, ángelita?" Vasco asked as she tried to hoist herself up into the truck bed and failed.

  Faith looked down at her bloodied clothes. Her laugh was sardonic. "As well as can be expected?" she said and then added when she saw his concern. "No, no Vasco, I'm fine. Tired, but fine." She looked at the tailgate. "Just too short."

  The sound of her new voice still startled her. It was deeper than it had been before and sounded odd to her ears. She would have to learn not to use her hands when she spoke.

  Vasco assisted her into the bed where she did one last check of Adam's body and vitals.

  "You'll live," she whispered next to his ear.

  Adam gripped her shoulder. "Hey! You can talk," he laughed, but the laugh turned into a cough.

  "Yes, I can, but you shouldn't." Faith kissed him on the cheek.

  A blaring horn drew everyone's attention as a truck skidded to a stop just off the plaza.

  "Demons!" the man yelled out his open window, "Demons are attacking the enclave!"

  The crowd, both for and against, erupted.

  "Demons!"

  "It's happening again!"

  "Help us! Help us!"

  "Lucien!" Faith wanted to run to the enclave. Lucien and Lalo were there, but something tugged at her, pulling her another way.

  She grabbed Agdta's arm and quickly told her what she felt. Agdta nodded and patted her arm and told her what to do.

  "I'll kill myself!" Faith protested.

  "Nah, they do it all the time in the movies."

  Álvaro headed for the nearest truck. He nodded to Evrard to join him, but Evrard declined.

  "I'm to guard the healer," he called. He climbed into the truck in which Faith was to ride, the truck that held Adam.

  Out of the chaos came sudden order. Men divided, some leaping into the back of Álvaro's truck, some shouting orders to cover the perimeter of the village. Several birds flew up to the sky. Wolves and coyotes materialized along with several big cats. All started to run toward the enclave. Agdta climbed into the cab with Evrard and Briza followed.

  "The hacienda!" Agdta shouted, "We have to warn the men."

  Evrard put the truck in gear and started to roll after one last look at Faith in the back.

  "Hang on," Faith whispered to Adam as the truck started to move. "You'll be fine, but I can't go with you." She drew in her breath as the compulsion pulled at her. "I need to follow an owl," she said and as the truck turned the corner, headed back to the ranch, Faith threw herself over the tailgate.

  The truck wasn't moving fast, but Faith fell hard and the air whooshed out her lungs. She rolled over the road, unable to stop and she felt every stone her path crossed over. This wasn't as easy as it looked in the movies. She grunted and groaned with each scrape and bump, but when she saw the tires of a truck bearing down on her, the scream stuck in her throat.

  The tires locked. The truck skid. Faith closed her eyes.

  "Ángelita! You will be the death of me yet!" Vasco reached down for her hand. "What do you think you're doing?"

  "Where's Faith?" Evrard asked anxiously, looking over his shoulder to see into the bed of the truck.

  Agdta patted his arm. "She's laying beside the boy. The wind is cold and strong back there. You would know that if you had ever ridden in the back of a truck."

  "Then why is the truck behind us stopping?" he asked.

  Briza laughed. "Another armadillo in the road. Didn't you see it? Old Vasco loves them. He thinks they're cute and can't bring himself to hit one. They jump with fright, you know, and get smacked with the bumper. Poor Vasco," she sighed sympathetically, "You know how the old ones are."

  "Can't you go any faster?" Agdta complained. "That boy needs to be in a bed and the Patron won't like his woman snuggling up to one of his men."

  Briza saw Evrard glance at the rearview mirror. "Oh look! He's turning around. He must have forgotten something."

  "The owl, Vasco. We have to follow the owl," Faith said as she climbed into the cab.

  "What owl? Where? I know three owls."

  "Turn the truck around. Please!" Faith pointed out the window. "We need to go that way." She frowned at his frown. "Just do it, Vasco. I don't know why. I just know."

  The pull was like a line, reeling her in. If Vasco refused to drive her, she would have to go on foot.

  Vasco hit the brakes and spun the wheel. The truck spun with it. Throwing up a spray of gravel behind them, Vasco sent the truck in the other direction.

  "Do you know where we're going?" he asked.

  Faith nodded, as sure of this as she was her own name. "We're going to find the missing girls. They're hidden in the Hills of the Dead."

  *****

  "No-o-o!" el Brujo shouted. "It cannot be happening again. I will not allow it!"

  Hoot had made his report. The Village was siding with the brujas and demons were attacking the enclave. El Brujo was well aware of who was behind it; his father, Meriton, and that fool boy, Lucien.

  Books, paper, and pens went flying off the desk. When he picked up the letter opener, holding the hasp in his fist, the man standing before him shimmered into a white owl and flew up to a secure perch on the wall where he couldn't be reached.

  With the messenger out of reach, the vampire had nothing to kill. He stabbed the desk repeatedly, leaving a score of rounded dents in the wood. Desk cleared, he started in on the book case. Books and trinkets he'd collected for a hundred years followed the paper and pens. The last was a small portrait painted while he was still a young man.

  He stared at the handsome face, the full head of thick hair, the hand embroidered insignia on the pocket of his jacket. He had been a Guardian of the Race, a high and noble calling, and he had been proud. He was a warrior, a Paenitentia to be reckoned with. His Liege Lord had recognized it.

  "If anything should happen to me, Apollinaire, I want you to take over as Liege Lord. You have served me and my House well and I can see no other man more deserving. I've written to the Ruling Council, stating my recommendation."

  "And your son, my Lord?" Apollinaire had asked.

  The Liege Lord adored the boy though the Second had seen nothing special about him. Apollinaire had inherited his father's knack for blunt assessment and he saw the boy as too soft-hearted, too much his mother's son, to be a Guardian of high rank.

  "My dream would be to see my son rule this House," the Liege Lord had answered truthfully, "but he is too young, too inexperienced and still too full of the impetuousness of youth." He'd sighed. "My dream would be to hold this House for another hundred years until the boy is old enough and wise enough to take the golden band from my arm, but under the circumstances, I do not see myself living that long." The Liege Lord had then grasped his Second by the shoulders and looked into his eyes. "Promise me you will take him into this House and guide him to someday follow in my footsteps. Promise me you will take care of him and watch over his mother."

  Apollinaire had made that promise. Everything was right there in front of him; the position, the House, and the woman he had loved from the first moment he saw her. His Liege Lord was always first into battle and with the number of demon bands and human marauders they were encountering, it was only a matter of time. His Liege Lord's words had given Apollinaire dreams, too.

  His own father's 'mishap' had ruined those dreams and then that pipsqueak of a boy had ruine
d them further by trying to take his head. Apollinaire had crawled from the earth, digging his way upward from the mass grave he'd been so unceremoniously thrown into. El Brujo was born and he would have his revenge.

  They had denied him everything else. They would not deny him this.

  "Bring me the healer! I don't care how you do it, just get her. Then call the others. I want them here in this cave before the sun rises." He grabbed the sword from its bracket on the wall and pointed it at the owl. "Do you hear me?" he snarled.

  The owl fled, keeping well out of reach of the angry Brujo and his sword.

  El Brujo tossed the sword onto the desk and ducked into the short tunnel that led to the place where his prisoners were held. A kick to the heavy wooden door sent it crashing back against the wall. He was angry and something had to die.

  *****

  Evrard lowered the tailgate expecting to find the little healer in the back of the truck lying beside the wounded Supplicant. She wasn't there. Furiously, he turned to the two women behind him.

  "Where is she?" he demanded, letting his fangs flare so they would know just how deeply his anger burned.

  Neither looked the least intimidated. They stood with their arms folded, staring right back.

  "Where," he demanded again.

  "With Vasco," the housekeeper answered.

  "Where with Vasco?"

  "Wherever she needs to be," Briza said. She stepped around him and climbed into the truck. "Agdta, grab his feet. You," she said to Evrard, "Help us or get out of the way."

  He decided to take a different approach. He helped the carry the Trainee to his bed and then tried to reason with them.

  "The Liege Lord ordered me to watch over her, to keep her safe. It's my duty to follow his orders. Vasco is an old man. Should the need arise, he won't be able to protect her. Please," he said through gritted teeth. "Help me find her."