BOOK THREE in THE GUARDIAN'S SERIES
Book One: A Guardian's Touch, Book Two: A Guardian's Love , Book Three: A Guardian's Passion,
Book Four: A Guardian's Salvation
Disclaimer See Part 1
To Lee, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read through my stuff. You're simply the best!
Feedback: Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, so feel free to drop a line or two at steinwillard80@gmail.com .
PART 7
Chapter 12
Molan turned around as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had realized early on how difficult it was going to be to blend in with his flowing white robes. He already had raised a lot of suspicion the moment he had left the Eternal village. Now as he looked at himself he couldn't help but blink at the major change in the way he looked now. Dressed in a loose fitting white cotton suit with a black t-shirt underneath he felt strange and naked without his robes. He stroked his long beard and shook his head, more a sign to himself that he was not going to cut it. Not even for the sake of blending it.
“Will that be all, sir?” a baby-faced salesman asked behind him and Molan nodded.
“Yes, this will be all.”
“Then if you will, please follow me, sir.”
Once the transaction had been concluded, he left the shop. Now for the next stop. His eyes flitted through each and every shop in the mall as he walked through the huge, busy centre.
“Ah … there you are.” He quickly pushed his hand into the small side pocket of his bag, rubbing the round stone he had placed there. For this one he will need a bit of magic.
An hour later he stepped out of the shop, fingering the plane ticket in the pocket of his jacket. With a light grin he left the mall, unaware of the eyes following him.
**********************************
Pierre read over the missive and tossed it on the boardroom table. His eyes searched out Tahlia and he found her standing with her back to him. From this distance he could see the tension in her broad shoulders. He felt really sorry for her at times like these. Her responsibilities seem to grow exponentially of late. This century is proving to be the both the best and the worse she will have to survive. She had gained the love of her mate and an eternal lifetime with her. She is now the proud mother of two daughters with another child on the way. But then the more happiness gained translated in more threats to that happiness.
“What do you think should be done, Tahlia?”
Tahlia turned slowly and he was surprised to see the look on Queen's face. It was mixture of disgust and pure elation.
“He just gave us a way into his inner circle.”
Pierre nodded as a smile broke out on his handsome face. “You are absolutely right.”
He looked at Jonas to find the dark vampire grinning back at him, a feral smile on his face.
“I like it when things come together like this.” His eyes darkened in anticipation. “When will Paloma be back?”
The door opened at that exact moment and the dark aura of the Assassin filled the room. Her eyes were hard as she went to take a seat at the table. Tahlia turned towards her friend with a raised eyebrow.
“You were gone for much longer than we expected,” she said softly and walked over to claim her seat again. “What do you have for us, Assassin?”
Paloma smiled broadly. “Copernicus Bohm is not as difficult to find as he believes he is. It took us a few hours to track the rat down in his presumably impenetrable fortress.”
Tahlia's eyes narrowed as she listened. It was really good news to know that the enemy could be so easily found.
“He is guarded by close to 200 renegades. Rumor has it that he managed to bribe a few government officials into releasing some of the vilest and most violent criminals into his protection. He has converted them and they are now part of his personal guard.”
“Interesting. He contacted us.”
Paloma's eyes narrowed. “He did?”
“Yes. He offers a solution that he believes will satisfy both parties.”
“I am listening, Tahlia.” Paloma's eyes were somber.
“He offered a challenge. If we can send someone to fight his champion and beat her, he is willing to back down and leave the continent.”
Paloma eyes were transparent, the irises drowned in a pool of quicksilver. “This is trap. I have been to one of these fights. He must know that we can beat his champion with our hands tied behind out backs.”
“You are right.” Tahlia sucked in her lower lip and sat back in her chair. “What do you know about this champion of his?”
“ Beira . She is a good fighter, the best amongst all the fighters and also his personal bodyguard.”
“His bodyguard? Why would he jeopardize his own safety by sacrificing his prized bodyguard?” Jonas asked quietly.
“It could be for a number of reasons. Maybe he is just sweetening the deal to make sure that we consider his challenge. Or maybe he wants us to believe that by weakening his safety net, that he will not pose a threat to us anymore. But still I think there could be a catch.” Pierre sat back in his chair. “I believe we need to have our own little staged fight.”
All eyes were on him now and Pierre shrugged.
“If our so-called champion is defeated in a staged fight by some underdog who is ‘supposedly' not affiliated to us, we could set him up. If he is as competitive as I think he is and is collecting fighters, he could actually be tempted into contacting the victor. This way we can plant our mole.”
There was a soft knock on the door and two tall vampires strode into the room. They quickly bowed and stayed in that position until Tahlia spoke up.
“Greetings, warriors, thank you for answering our summons so quickly. Please have a seat.”
Tahlia's dark eyes studied the newcomers intensely. Akita was a tall, muscular woman with cool blue eyes. She was one of Tahlia's students and the Queen herself can attest to the woman's deadly fighting skills. Crux on the other hand was the total opposite. He was tall and though not as muscled as his comrade, he was just as deadly, if not deadlier. Unlike other warriors, Crux reminded her so much of Pierre , their sunny disposition hid a very dangerous predator.
She knew that the warriors were aware of her close scrutiny, but Tahlia still took her time before addressing them again. She was proud to see that they weren't even squirming under her perusal, but just sat there looking back at her in silence.
“We have a slight problem and we need your help.”
“We are at your service, your Majesty.” They both expressed in clear voices.
Tahlia bowed her head in acknowledgement. “I appreciate your selfless offer, warriors. We have just recently found that we have another cunning enemy that we need to neutralize. Pierre has an idea on how we could approach this threat.”
Pierre nodded. “This is what we have in mind …”
********************************
Izi stared at her sister where she sat, her azure gaze riveted on Jemima. Slightly uncomfortable with the look on her sister's face as she stared at the regal blonde, she tried not to squirm in her seat. What the hell was Leo thinking, ogling the Queen's mate? She discreetly cleared her throat, trying to draw her sister's attention to her. Dazed blue eyes turned to her and Izi shook her head.
“Uh … Leo, do you have a moment, please?”
Leo threw one last look at Jemima and nodded. “Just a minute?”
Izi's jaw dropped at the remark and out of the corner of her eye saw Nimiri grinned broadly. What had come over her sister? She rose out of her chair and reached for her sister's large hand.
“Yes, just a minute,” she gritted out between clenched jaws. She pulled Leo with her until they were outside in the hall. Looking around discreetly, she stepped closer, into her hulking sister's personal space. “What do think you are doing?”
Leo's eyes were wide in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“Tahlia will rip you apart for staring at her mate the way you have been doing.”
Leo frowned and then suddenly her eyes lit up and she smiled at her sister. Her smile broadened even further when she saw Izi's eye darkened in anger.
“Easy, little sister, it is not what you think it is.”
Izi took a few steps back so she could look into Leo's eyes without straining her neck. “Then tell me what is going on, Leo.”
“Jemima is carrying my life mate.”
Izi's mouth fell open. “What?”
Leo shrugged. “According to the prophecy, the baby Jemima is carrying is my life mate.”
Shaking her blonde mane, Izi turned her back on Leo as she dropped her face into her hands. She felt a soft hand on her shoulder, but refused to face her sister.
“This whole prophecy thing is so confusing. First you were in danger of being killed by the Queen and now you are telling me that you are her future daughter-in-law.” Izi spun around, startling Leo a little. “I want our lives to go back to the way it was, Leo. I want to be safe again. I especially want you to be safe and … and normal again.”
Leo's mouth twitched as she looked at he sister. “But we are safe and happy and … normal.”
Izi inhaled deeply. “Are we really safe?”
“Yes, little one. We are under the protection of the best warriors alive.” She placed a soft kiss on Izi's brow. “For the first time in my life, mortal and immortal, I am happy and I feel loved.”
Izi's big blue eyes stared up into her sister's pleading ones. It's true , she thought. Leo was always the one taking care of others, placing their needs above hers. Selflessly, she had given of herself. She was engulfed by guilt all of a sudden. It was time for her to take a step back and let Leo taste a bit of the happiness she experiences in the strong arms of Jonas. She walked into her sister's arms and held on tightly.
“I understand, sister, and I am happy for you. Now let us go back so you could stare at Jemima some more before Tahlia comes to collect her.”
Leo threw back her head and laughed deeply. She mussed her sister's hair. “Yes, let's go do that.”
____________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 13
The alley was dark and deserted. Deeper in the dark abyss two figure were entangled in a macabre embrace. The taller of the two, held on tighter to the much smaller one as it drank deeply from the warm, thick, lifesaving brew. Slowly the shadow stepped back, allowing the smaller one to crumble to the dirty concrete floor. Wiping its mouth with the back of its hand, the shadow stepped out of the shadows and into the weak overhead light of a nearby apartment building.
Beira Vesti smiled, remembering the horror on the teenager's face when she had caught up with him. She had been waiting outside a popular nightclub for her prey. Anyone would have sufficed; the youngster had the misfortune to leave the rave club at the exact time that her hunger had peaked. She had stalked him as he had walked down the street, unsuccessfully trying to hail a cab. She had wanted him to know that she was tailing him. She wanted him to be scared, to have him in a panic, to have his blood course through his veins. That, in the first place, was why The Techno Cave, was her favorite hunting place. All those youngsters dancing until their heartbeats echoed through the night. The pulsating rhythm of their blood called to her Hunger, taunting the Beast. He was a great kill. Maybe she should come back again later and find another before dawn.
But first things first, she had a fight in less than an hour. With the invigorating life force of her latest kill coursing through her veins she was sure that she was going to have a great night. Dissolving quickly, she only took shape again outside a non-descript building. Looking around quickly she hammered on the door and almost immediately an eye was visible through the peephole. The door quickly swung open and she sauntered past the cowering doorman. She loved intimidating weaklings such as him, because it was great for her profile as the one and only fighter to have reigned here in this arena for close to a decade.
Stepping into a well-lit room, she almost immediately found Copernicus. As always he was surrounded by a group of scantily-clad, drugged-out-of-their-minds sluts. She had often wondered why a powerful man such as he did not try and find more socially accepted companionship. The answer came to her one day when she stumbled upon him and one of his floozies. Copernicus had strange habits, but what she had seen that night had shocked even her. There was the great Copernicus Bohm, lying on the floor with the skinny, drugged little slut, urinating all over him. At first she had wanted to rush to the rescue only to hear her employer moan, begging the woman to waste it all on him. She had left as quietly as she had appeared. She couldn't imagine those high society women who frequented his little soirees doing to him what that little floozy had done, but then again, to each their own. If it made the boss get off, why should it bother her?
Copernicus' eyes met hers and he gave her a brief nod which she returned before walking over to the bar in the corner of the bar. Usually Copernicus had a ‘special' bottle of deep red wine stashed for her at the bar. Tonight, however, she ordered a glass of whiskey and tossed it back. The overhead lights flickered, a sign that the fight was about to commence and that the seats should be filled.
Beira waited until the audience was all seated, before she slowly strolled down to the ring. Before she slipped through the ropes, she divested herself of her ankle-length leather jacket. Clad in a tight leather pants and a black tank top, she entered the ring and stood as motionless as a statue. She could feel the anticipation in the air, hear the whispered words of awe directed at her, and smell the bloodlust. Yes, tonight she will slake their lusts, inspire more words of awe and fulfill their expectations.
Ear-deafening music sounded and Beira knew that her opponent had entered the arena. She turned slowly and watched as the cocky fighter come over to meet her.
*********************************
Copernicus watched the fight with almost bored interest. He had sat through so many of these fights already knowing the outcome. From the minute the bell had sounded he had known that the fight wasn't going to last long. The young and cocky kick boxer was simply no match for Beira . She had already knocked him down in the first five seconds of the match.
A soft vibration in the breast pocket of his jacket made him reach for his cellphone.
“Yes.”
“The note has been delivered.”
“Good. Now all we have to do is wait,” Copernicus muttered into the phone.
“Yes, sir. Do you still want me to be prepared?”
“Yes, at least only until we have heard back from them.” He flipped the phone closed and looked up just in time to see Beira knock the other fighter's teeth down his throat. The referee immediately stepped in to stop the fight since the fight was not marked as a mortal combat. Paramedics suddenly appeared out of nowhere are they rushed to the aid of the fallen fighter. Looking on with a bored expression, Beira leaned against the ropes.
A referee walked into the center of the ring and lifted the microphone to his mouth. “As a result of a disqualification, Bohm Industries will be fine $500 000 as a result of the injury sustained to Sweeney Corp's fighter. The match result is therefore declared null and void.”
Copernicus closed his eyes. Hell, this woman will be the death of him one day. For the past weeks she had been nagging him for a mortal combat, but none of the fighters or their sponsors wanted to lose any more fighters. Over the past decade she had killed 15 fighters in the ring. Those who have lost fighters at her hands had learnt their lessons. Good fighters were difficult and extremely expensive to replace. Fight clubs around the globe had hiked up prizes of their best fighters and some even started to just loan out fighters at astronomical amounts. The death of a fighter while on loan could run into millions of dollars in compensation.
Beira slipped through the ropes and came to stand before him. Copernicus shook his head, his lips pressed tight together, forming a forbidding line.
“You do realize that you will have to foot half of the bill,” he snapped at her and saw her eyes frosting over as she regarded him.
“Get me a mortal combat and we can easily cover the expense and then some.”
Copernicus looked at the women sitting around him, noticing that they were avidly listening to their conversation. “Leave us,” he ordered curtly. He watched as the women scrambled away and turned his attention back to Beira .
“How many times must I tell you this? Mortal combats are very expensive. Sponsors don't want to risk their fighters anymore.”
Beira looked at Copernicus with an unblinking stare. He could see the bloodlust in her eyes.
“What about the Royals?”
Copernicus frowned, irritated by the vampire's gall to question him. “Back off, Beira . I will decide when and whom you will fight when the time is right. Now leave the arena and go find a way to rustle up $250,000.”
She hesitated for a second before she turned on her heel and left the arena. He would really have to find a way to rid himself of that woman. She was becoming a liability. No one wants to fight her anymore because of incidences such as what had happened tonight. He really hoped the Royals come up with a champion soon so he could rid himself of Beira . He didn't expect the Royals to seriously up and trade the Pillars in a fight. No, he just wanted to distract them for the time being, while his other plan is slowly being finalized. Valiant was right. With the women dead, there would be no babies. And with no Beira , he could have more peace of mind. He saw Jeremy Sweeny pushing through the crowd, coming straight for him and he cursed Beira again for putting him in this situation.
*********************************
Molan stiffened as he entered the hotel lobby. Since arriving in the city, he immediately picked up the Prime's essence and it had led him here to this very luxurious hotel. He didn't know how, because he had tried so hard to blend in, but he had barely stopped at the reception, when he felt the presence of two men on either side of him. Looking sideways, he saw two large men dressed in black suits boxing him in.
“Please, if you would come with us, sir.”
Looking at the receptionist, she flashed him a warm smile, as if to reassure him that he was in no real danger. He shrugged, hoping she was right and nodded. Together they walked to a bank of elevators. After a short ride, they stepped out on a very non-descript floor, with a vacant receptionist desk. One of the men walked over to a panel in the wall and pressed in a code. Immediately the whole reception area lit up and a warm tingling feeling surged through Molan.
“You are cleared,” a deep voice sounded and Molan looked around him to detect the strange voice. He was steered over to a glass panel which swung open to reveal a large conference room.
“Please have a seat, sir. You will be assisted in moment.” The men quickly left the room. Looking around the room, Molan couldn't help but feel as if he was being watched. He wondered if Leo knew that he was here. He closed his eyes and using mind-sight, tried to track down the Prime. He searched each and every nook of the 50-floor hotel, but picked up nothing. All that was left were the lower floors, just as his mind touched the elevator which led to the basement and the safe house, a blinding pain in his mind made him reel back in agony. Gasping in pain, fine sweat beads formed on his forehead and he quickly dropped his aching head into his hands.
“I'm sorry about that, but the area below is private and off limits to everyone,” a voice said suddenly and he jerked upright, a soft moan escaping his lips as the sudden move aggravated his pounding headache. Through slightly blurry eyes, he looked at the woman sitting in a chair at the head of the table. Where did she come from so suddenly? The woman came to her feet and Molan was surprised to see that the woman was actually very small in stature. It was when she was closer to him that he sensed the powerful aura of the woman. Her hazel eyes were cool as they studied him.
“I'm Gloria Hanzle, the director of the Human Slayers Consortium. And you are Molan Kulum, the Druid priest.”
Molan nodded carefully, not knowing what to make of the fact that the strange woman knew his name.
“Why was I brought here, milady?”
He saw a faint flicker of amusement in the hazel eyes at the title, but it was gone quickly. She leaned against the table, crossing her delicate ankles as she looked at him.
“You are safer here with us than out there on your own.”
“Why would I be in danger out there? I have no enemies,” Molan said with a frown on his face. “By the way, this is my first trip to the New World .”
The hazel eyes studied him intently and an unexpected soft smile formed on the woman's lips.
“Sometime you don't need to have enemies to have your life threatened, Molan.” She sobered up almost immediately. “The Rogue Outlander is here and if he got wind of your presence here, you could be in grave danger for your part in fulfilling the prophecy and releasing his mortal enemies.”
At the mention of the Rogue, Molan had felt an ice-cold band form around his chest. Dear heavens, how did he find out about the babies so quickly? It has only been … what … almost two months and word was already out on the street.
“I … I understand your concern now. Thank you for your protection. However, I need to urgently speak to the Prime.”
Gloria nodded. “It will not be a problem, but as you can see the sun's still up and that means that she would be indisposed now. We can however keep you entertained for a few more hours until the dusk. Have you had lunch yet, by the way? If you like we can go down to the restaurant for lunch.”
Molan's eyes widened. “It sounds good, but there is a slight problem though.” He grinned when he saw a blonde eyebrow arch. “Your eating utensils are rather confusing. Could we maybe get something less complicated for lunch … like bread, cheese and wine, perhaps?”
Gloria smiled at the Druid's refreshing honesty. “Sure. I could have the restaurant deliver a platter with finger food. In the meantime I would love to know how a 1000-year old Druid priest survives in this day and age.”
Molan smiled charmingly at the petite woman. “I would be honored to entertain such a lovely lady as yourself with stories of my patterned past.”
Gloria chuckled softly, completely captivated by this ancient man with his Old World charm.
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Across the street from the hotel a large black Harley Davidson purred to life, its black-clad rider staring at the entrance of the hotel with intense eyes through the visor of a shiny black helmet. A thin smile graced the rider's lips. The old man made it. Good. With a final look at the hotel, the rider rode off.