by A. P. Jensen
“D-did you see the Master?” Jordan asked and couldn’t stop the quaver in her voice.
“It was deserted,” he said flatly.
Jordan stared. “Deserted? That’s not possible. Maybe you found the wrong place.”
“It was the right place. I didn’t see a soul. It looks like the warehouse has been deserted for years.”
“That can’t be.”
“We’re not discussing this now,” he waved his hand dismissively.
“But Haven is a real place. Maybe I can go with you.”
“No.” He looked so forbidding Jordan nearly took a step back. “You’re staying here. I have enough to deal with without coming back to find out you can’t even stay within the parameters of the property and the first time you wander off on your own you try to commit suicide.”
“I wasn’t-” Jordan tried to interject.
“Then what were you trying to do? Do you know how to defend yourself using your power?”
She remembered the way she melted William’s face and couldn’t meet his gaze.
“You don’t have control of your power so calling on it when your body can’t handle it is stupid.”
His words were like knives, jabbing into her. She hated that she cared… and that he was right but she’d be damned before she let him know it.
“None of us have the time to babysit you. If you need something, ask for it but don’t cross the bridge without Kelly, Heath or my permission. You got me?”
Jordan’s ears were red with mortification and anger. She met Mr. Parker’s gaze and didn’t respond. Heath came across the bridge and the Valor whipped around, ears turned towards the sound of his footsteps. Heath faltered to a stop.
“Call him off before I have to,” Mr. Parker commanded.
“What do I have to do with-”
“Tell him to stand down and mean it. He won’t listen if he can sense your fear.”
Jordan opened and closed her mouth. The cat eased down into a crouch, tail brushing restlessly through the air as he eyed Heath.
“Just do what I said,” Mr. Parker snapped.
“Stand down,” Jordan murmured.
“Louder.”
Jordan swallowed. “S-stand down.”
The cat turned, head tilted to the side as if judging how serious she was. Then he sat on his haunches, a less intimidating stance. There was an audible breath of relief from Heath who turned and walked back across the bridge to the safety of his own house. Mr. Parker and Jordan glared at each other. The Valor leapt onto the porch and stood beside Jordan, bumping her hand with his head in a clear indication that he wanted to be stroked.
Mr. Parker’s jaw twitched as he examined his unwelcome guests. On a sound of disgust, he turned and walked away. Jordan felt her legs quiver. She walked back down the steps and was grateful the Valor kept pace with her because she was leaning on him for support. She walked to the shade of a nearby tree and with her back to the house, looked out at the pastures.
The Valor curled around her and Jordan ran her hand absently through silky fur. She shouldn’t feel comforted by the presence of a beast that could kill her in one move but she did. She looked at the cat and it turned its head. Jordan stared into blue eyes the same shade as her own and didn’t feel so alone. The cat snuffled at her face and seemed to be drawing her scent into its lungs. Once more, she found herself mesmerized. There was something beautiful about this creature even though she could taste death being so close to him.
She didn’t know what to say and the Valor didn’t require any explanations. It seemed that no matter how much she talked to people, they never understood her but this creature looked into her eyes and understood all the things she couldn’t put into words. The Valor lay his head down on massive paws and dozed.
Chapter Ten
Mr. Parker wasn’t at dinner. Kelly explained that he had to take care of business. Jordan was relieved and angry but she didn’t show it. If it was possible, she was even weaker than she’d been before and she didn’t want to hear what he had to say about it. When the Valor followed Jordan into the house Kelly tapped her chin with her finger.
“I guess I should have seen that one coming. Does he shed?”
Jordan blinked and Kelly waved a hand.
“I guess we’ll find out. Let’s see what we have here.”
She rummaged around in the fridge and pulled out raw steaks and placed them on fine china. The Valor sniffed the air but didn’t go into the kitchen. Kelly artistically arranged vegetables around the steaks and placed them on the floor, reconsidered and then left them on the island in the kitchen. The Valor was taller than they were.
“Go on, Knight,” Jordan said.
“Knight?” Kelly clapped her hands together. “That’s so cute! And Guardian’s protect so…”
“I had to call him something.” Jordan was embarrassed but pleased.
Knight edged forward. He was like a baby elephant in the house. He was just as tall the fridge and when he lowered his head to the food Kelly took a step back. As daintily as his fangs would allow, Knight demolished everything in sight. Kelly, who loved feeding people more than anything, got really excited and pulled even more stuff out of the fridge. Jordan was falling asleep by the time Knight seemed satisfied.
Kelly helped Jordan up the stairs. It was a tight fit for Knight but he managed. He led the way into Jordan’s room as if he’d been doing this for years and curled up in the middle of the room. Kelly hovered as Jordan made her way around the room.
“I’m sorry about today,” Jordan said, feeling unworthy of Kelly’s worry. “It was stupid-”
“Don’t let what Donovan said get to you,” Kelly admonished. “We never told you not to go there and we wouldn’t have anyway. Times have changed though. Until you’re at full strength just stay on this side of the stream and tell me if you want to go to Heath’s.” She shot a glance at the Valor. “But I’m sure Knight won’t let any harm come to you. They’re programmed to stick to their owner’s side like glue.”
“I still don’t understand this,” Jordan said, staring at the massive Valor sprawled over the expensive carpet.
“You don’t have to, babe. Just go with it,” Kelly said and left the room.
Jordan showered and when she came out of the bathroom she couldn’t quite believe there was a half lion, half tiger in her bedroom. His ears twitched when she came out and he purred as if approving her shampoo. She sat on the edge of the bed and braided her hair and eyed her new companion. A part of her was wary and the other part was comforted.
She woke up several times that night, throat aching with the need to scream. The first time she thrashed to wakefulness Knight was in the middle of the room, body tense and alert. She tossed and turned and the second time she reached consciousness she found Knight on the bed with her. It was the most sleep she got in months.
When Jordan went downstairs the next morning the whole dining table was laid out with enough food for twenty people. Knight immediately set to work eating every last crumb. Jordan ate grits and orange juice and watched Kelly “bake” a cake.
“Did you sleep better last night?” Kelly asked as she threw four eggs into a mixing bowl.
Jordan nodded, distracted by the crunching sound as Kelly stirred. Jordan never baked before but she was sure Kelly was supposed to crack the eggs and put the insides in the bowl.
“Guardians are the stuff of legend. No one’s Awakened a Guardian in over a thousand years.”
Kelly said and tossed butter, walnuts and other ingredients into the bowl and whipped them up. She poured the mess into a pan and Jordan swallowed when she saw the egg shells and powder floating on the top. Kelly put the pan in the fridge and leaned on the island. “How do you feel?”
“Sore. Stupid,” Jordan confessed.
“Don’t listen to Donovan. He was so scared he didn’t know what to do. Men are useless sometimes.”
“Scared? Don’t you mean pissed?”
“He was piss
ed because he was scared,” Kelly corrected.
Jordan shot her a doubtful glance. Kelly giggled.
“It was fun watching you two face each other. You’re very similar.” Kelly laughed at Jordan’s offended face. “Neither of you want to hear it but it’s true.”
She opened the fridge and pulled out a beautiful steaming cake. She turned the pan onto a glass platter, patted it a few times and then removed the Bundt pan, poked holes in the cake with a fork and spread a glaze over it. It smelled divine but Jordan was hesitant to taste it.
“And voila. A rum cake.”
“I think I’m gonna walk.”
“Alrighty. Just holler if you need something,” Kelly said and went back to rummaging in the fridge.
As Jordan moved to the back door, Knight flanked her. She made her way slowly onto the porch and was immediately engulfed in heat. Knight didn’t seem to mind. He shook his mane and trotted ahead, sniffing and pawing the ground like a happy pup. Jordan smiled. She knew what he was capable of but she had no fear of him. Odd.
Knight rounded the dome where the pool was and headed off, sniffing the air and then rounding back to her. He circled, rubbed against her and then went bounding off in a cloud of weeds and grass. She tilted her head up to the sun as she walked and held the circle pendant in one hand. I wish Levi could see this, she thought and for a selfish moment, wished she wasn’t in this alone. Levi could vouch for her and tell Mr. Parker she wasn’t lying about Haven. Then she shook her head. She refused to gamble with his life. She didn’t know what was going on here. Only time would tell.
She was sweating by the time they reached the stream. She’d never been to this side of the property. Across this bridge were pastures that declined into nothingness and then appeared again in the distance. Jordan sat in a bed of flowers and kicked off her boots and let her toes skim the water. Knight pawed the river with his paw before easing in. He paddled which meant the water was deeper than she’d thought. He let the current carry him downstream and Jordan stood up but caught a glimpse of his eyes which weren’t in the least worried. She settled again as he swam out of sight.
“As if I could save him anyway,” Jordan muttered and resumed her seat.
As time passed, she became more and more uneasy. Without Knight here she felt exposed and vulnerable and she didn’t like it. Just as she was about to rise, she heard someone approach. She cursed, withdrew her feet from the stream and lay flat, trying her best to lose herself in the foliage of trees and flower beds.
A white stallion with black booties crested the hill and came straight towards the bridge with a rider bent low over its back. Why does this keep happening to me, Jordan thought. But she was on the right side of the stream so she wasn’t breaking the rules. What would the stream do if the rider tried to cross? Maybe the bridge would collapse? She hoped something would happen because she didn’t have the energy to even take off at a quick walk.
The horse stopped on the opposite side of the bridge and the rider slid off. Jordan lifted her head very slightly and saw a guy around her age wearing a white half buttoned shirt, jeans and sneakers. He was tall and lithe with broad shoulders. He was in a rage about something. He kicked at innocent flowers and muttered to himself while the horse drank water. Jordan’s brows rose when he stripped the shirt off and leaned down to dip it in the water and drop it soaking wet over his head.
“Damn hot,” he said and turned to the horse. “Wait here.”
With his shirt draped over his head he crossed the bridge and nearly stepped on Jordan. She rolled and clambered to her feet. She was proud she didn’t fall over. Navy colored eyes narrowed but he didn’t crouch into a fighting stance. There was no calculation or wariness on his face, just irritation. The hair plastered to his head was such a dark red it was nearly black.
“Are you a King?” he asked, a sneer on his face.
Jordan blinked. “No.”
“Reporter? I’m not in the mood.”
Jordan was even more bewildered now. Did she look like a reporter? Why would anyone interview him anyway? “I’m not a reporter.”
“I didn’t know Heath had any family left.” Before Jordan could answer he clicked his fingers. “You’re a stray? That’s Aunt Kelly for you. Uncle Van is gonna flip.”
Uncle Van? “Mr. Parker brought me here.”
His brows nearly disappeared into his hairline. “Uncle Van brought you here? Is someone paying him?”
His disbelief where Mr. Parker was concerned made her relax slightly. He obviously knew Mr. Parker well and she didn’t feel any inner alarms where he was concerned. He draped his shirt around his neck.
“I’m Cibrian and you are?”
She hesitated and then, “Jordan.”
He tilted his head to the side. “You feel… Quiet. Have you been Awakened?”
Awakened. A word the reporter used. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Uncle Van wouldn’t bring you on his land if you weren’t valuable in some way,” Cibrian mused and circled.
She didn’t like it. She faced him, arms crossed and a little angry. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“I’m Kelly’s nephew. Her mom and my mom are sisters. So you haven’t Awakened, huh? That’s weird. How old are you?”
“Fifteen.”
“You’re definitely late.”
“What is Awakened?” she asked through clenched teeth.
“It’s when you come into your power.”
How to explain that she was recovering from a broken soul tie and her power was on vacation? She decided to go on the defensive.
“So what are you doing here?”
“I came to eat of course. What did Aunt Kelly bake today?”
“Rum cake.”
“Oh yeah,” Cibrian said and did a little dance. He slicked his hair back. “Well, come on. Let’s go. I’m starving.”
“Go ahead,” she said, hoping he would leave her alone.
“Come on. I’m not gonna bite you,” he said a little impatiently.
“I don’t know you,” Jordan said.
He was dumbfounded. He spread his hands wide as if he were an open book. “I’m Cibrian.”
She crossed her arms. “That doesn’t tell me anything about you.”
He smiled roguishly. “You’re stubborn. I like that in a woman. Have a boyfriend?”
Jordan was nonplussed. “No.”
“This might just be my lucky-” he stopped abruptly as his eyes focused on something behind her.
Without warning Cibrian leapt forward to grab her arm. Jordan jerked back and landed against something large and unyielding. A low growl filled the air and Cibrian let out a hair raising scream. Jordan covered her ears, sure she was now deaf. Cibrian looked around frantically but there was only open pasture. Knight edged forward, fangs bared. She clenched a fist in his fur as his menacing growl raised every hair on her body.
“Shut up!” Jordan shouted over Cibrian’s fervent prayers to ward off evil. “He’s mine.”
Cibrian stopped his backwards retreat. “Yours?”
“Mr. Parker said I woke him up. He listens to me. Kind of.”
Knight’s muscles were still bunched in preparation to attack.
“You woke up a Guardian? How’s that possible? Only a Parker can-” His face was incredulous. “You can’t be Uncle Van’s daughter.”
Jordan scowled. “That’s under debate.”
“Give me your hand,” he said imperiously, holding out his own.
She stared. “Why?”
“I’m a Tolly. I can see people’s destiny. If you give me your hand I can tell your fortune.”
“You’re joking,” Jordan said scornfully.
“Just give me your hand,” he snapped.
“No.” Knight accompanied her denial with a hissing sound that made Cibrian stumble back. “Okay, okay. I can take a hint. Don’t kill me.” Cibrian made a shooing motion. “Tell him to scat. What does he want?”
“He
’s protecting me,” Jordan said and couldn’t stop the smug satisfaction in her voice.
Cibrian shot her a scathing look. “This isn’t funny. If you are Uncle Van’s daughter… Whoa. How come you’re not Awakened?”
“I am. Kinda. It’s a long story. Weren’t you going to see Kelly?”
“Not anymore. So where’s he been hiding you?”
Knight let out a disgusted sound and started back towards the Parker house. When Knight passed Cibrian he huffed in his face, making the young man tremble in fear. Jordan started after Knight and Cibrian walked beside her, staring at her avidly as if she were his favorite rock star.
“What?”
Cibrian shook his head. “This is huge. I’m related and I never heard of you. Everyone’s gonna flip. So seriously, where have you been?”
“Nevada.”
“Sin city? Nice. Who’s your mom? I know it can’t be Aunt Kelly.”
“No. My biological mom died a long time ago.”
“Was she powerful? Was she famous?”
Jordan let out a hollow laugh. “No.”
“We’re cousins.”
His eyes roved over her face and settled on her lips for several seconds.
“We’re not related by blood, are we?” he asked absently.
A cousin, Jordan thought, struck by the notion.
“No chance either way,” Jordan said firmly.
He shrugged. “No matter. Uncle Van would kill me anyway. Where is he?”
“Away on business.”
Cibrian paused for a moment. “That’s right. Everybody’s probably wondering if he’s going to replace William.”
Jordan stopped in her tracks and so did Knight. She turned to Cibrian, snippets of conversation running through her mind from Mr. Penn and the reporter. “You’re talking about William Stan?” She swallowed because her mouth was suddenly dry.
Cibrian’s eyes were on Knight. “Yeah. Autumis needs a new Guide.”
