BOOK THREE in THE GUARDIAN'S SERIES
Book One: A Guardian's Touch, Book Two: A Guardian's Love
Disclaimer See Part 1
Dedication: As always this book is dedicated to all the faithful Guardian series readers out there (you know who you are). Your e-mails were a source of great inspiration and I was extremely thrilled by your comments and ideas. Thank you so much.
Feedback: Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, so feel free to drop a line or two at steinwillard80@gmail.com .
PART TEN
(conclusion)
Chapter 18
When the door swung open, Gabriella rushed in followed closely by Clarissa. The latter's eyes quickly summed up the situation as she purposefully walked over to where Trinity stood. Tristan growled under his breath at the sight of his sister.
“You are proving to be one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made, sister. I should have killed you instead of turning you.”
“As long as I'm alive, Tristan, the knowledge that Trinity chose me above you will always eat away at your black soul.” Clarissa smiled broadly. “And that knowledge gives me great pleasure.” She took a step closer to him, but Trinity held her back and she turned to look at Trinity. “I've had your love and devotion while he was tossing and turning in his cold bed at night, deviously plotting how to separate us. Let's see if he can finish what he'd started four hundred years ago.”
Trinity saw the sly look in the brown eyes and smiled thinly. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to take revenge for what he'd done to them and their parents.
“You're right. Let's see if he can pick on someone his own size.”
Clarissa stepped closer to her brother, her hands behind her back and Trinity could see the suspicious look in Tristan's eyes. He hauled Angel closer to him and roughly pulled her head back, exposing her neck.
“Stay put, Rissa, or I'll rip through her.” His fangs were showing now and Trinity could hear Fran's horrified gasp at the sight of them.
“He's a vampire! But…But vampires don't exist.”
Clarissa leant forward and hissed, her sharp fangs dripping with saliva and Trinity's body tensed in anticipation for what she knew was about to come. Clarissa had challenged her brother, a taboo in vampire society. Female siblings respected their male relatives and by barring her fangs at him, Tristan has been unmanned in the face of all the women present. His anger was what they'd hope to raise and they weren't disappointed.
Tristan dropped Angel like he would a stained cloth and lunged for his sister. Trinity quickly grabbed Angel and pushed her into her mother's arms.
“Take your daughter and go wait for us outside.” When Gabriella defiantly stood there looking at her, Trinity snapped at her. “You too, Gabriella.” The green eyes were swallowed up by the red rage of the beast inside of her.
“No, I'm staying here with you.”
Trinity heard a sharp scream of pain and turned to find Clarissa cradling her stomach while Tristan smiled at her with cruel satisfaction, his claw stained with blood.
“Go now, please. I need to help Clarissa.” She didn't wait for Gabriella to answer, but pulled out her guns and opened fire. Of the twelve rounds she'd fired only two found its mark as Tristan expertly dodging the rain of bullets. He crept up the wall and turning his head, glared at Gabriella. His intention crystal clear.
He pounced, but Trinity roughly pushed Gabriella behind her, the action making her lose valuable seconds before Tristan landed on top of her. His hands went for her throat as he slammed her head against the floor. Stunned by the impact of the blows, Trinity lost her grip on her gun and it clattered away, out of reach. Tristan was growling his satisfaction now, spittle running mouth.
“Now I have you exactly where I want you.” He bent his head and his fangs sunk deep into her neck. Alarmed, she heard Gabriella's muffled screams as if they were coming from far away. Tristan was sucking hard and Trinity felt her life force being drained and with a last ditch effort grabbed Tristan's long dark locks and pulled hard and kicking at the same time.
She saw him flew through the air and surged to her feet, swaying slightly from blood loss. She was going to lose consciousness anytime soon, but not before she'd dealt with Tristan.
Tristan landed on all fours a few feet away and slowly came to his full height, using his hands to rub over his bloodstained mouth, licking it vulgarly afterwards.
“You taste even better now. I want more.” He made a quick and unexpected lunge for her and Trinity tried to reach for her daggers, but her movements were made sluggish by her loss of blood and looking up at Tristan, knew that it was the end for her. With her attention focused on Tristan's imminent attack, she didn't feel the soft tuck at her jacket.
Tristan was upon her almost immediately. She fell back and heard a soft huff as she landed on something soft. Wild with bloodlust, Tristan's bloodstained fangs were going for her throat again. This time however, she felt him stiffen before his fangs touched her torn skin. She made use of the moment to roll over pinning him beneath her. When she looked down into his eyes, she saw shock in Tristan's dark eyes. It was then that she saw the blade protruding from his chest, exactly where his black heart was. His eyes moved from her, to look at something behind her and she slowly turned her head. Gabriella stood there, her face ashen and her body shaking like a leaf. Trinity reached out and grabbing Tristan's head between her hands and twisted hard, snapping his neck. The sound amplified by the stunned silence in the room.
Too tired to get to her feet, she scanned the room and located Clarissa where she was lying motionless on her side facing away from them. Gabriella came to kneel at her side and Trinity could see she was even paler than before.
“Tahlia and the rest are on their way. Just hang in there, my love,” she whispered in a shaky voice.
But Trinity shook her head.
“Clarissa…Help her. She needs help immediately.” Without a moment of hesitation, she saw Gabriella getting to her feet and walking over to where Clarissa lay. She felt her sight dim and she was engulfed by darkness. The eerie familiar scene the last image etched on her mind.
^^^^^^^^
Gabriella gently rolled Clarissa over and gasped at the large pool of blood which had formed under the renegade. The brown eyes were closed, but she could hear a soft rasp of breath. Clarissa was badly injured and weak from the blood she's lost, it would be a miracle if she'll survive. Where were the others? The longer they take to get here the more blood she loses, minimizing her changes for survival. She looked over to where Trinity lay. She too needs blood to replenish what she'd lost to Tristan. She looked down into Clarissa's face and was shocked to find two alert brown eyes looking up at her.
“There shouldn't be a choice to make. You love her. Go help her.” Clarissa whispered softly. “I have reached the end of my journey and there is nothing more to live for.”
Gabriella felt tears welling up in her eyes and quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Trinity wants you to live and I want you to live too,” she said softly. “This will hurt, but I have to bind the wound to stop you from bleeding out.” She searched the area with her eyes and found a table cloth amongst the remains of the crashed coffee table. She placed it on the floor next to Clarissa and as gently as she could she rolled the injured vampire over until the cloth was underneath her. She bit her lip when Clarissa grunted softly and the brown eyes darkened with pain.
“It's OK, now. The hard part is over,” she tenderly murmured to her. Lifting Clarissa shirt Gabriella almost gagged when she found a deep slash running across Clarissa's stomach, exposing her intestines. This was bad…really bad.
“I'm too far gone. Go help Trinity instead. One of us has to make it …and be happy.”
Determined, Gabriella shook her head.
“Trinity will be fine for now. The Royals will be here soon.” She quickly bound the wound, but pulling the edges of the table cloth tightly together to stem the flow of blood. She sighed deeply when it was done. Clarissa's eyes were closed. Now, for the hard part. She rolled up her sleeve and gently slapped Clarissa's cheek to wake her. The brown eyes were slightly unfocussed when they look up at her.
“You need to try and stay awake.” She pressed her wrist against the cold bloodless lips. “Now drink.”
The brown eyes stared at her as if she'd grown two heads.
“Why? After what I tried to do to you?” she murmured.
“Once you've had a few sips, I'll tell you why. Now drink!”
She felt Clarissa's hand clasp over her wrist and was surprised by her strength. The brown eyes looked up into her for final confirmation and Gabriella nodded. She felt Clarissa's fangs scrape over her skin before she bit down hard. With every second that passed, Gabriella felt her body beginning to relax more and more and drowsiness kicking in. Just when she thought that she would close her eyes and doze off, Clarissa pulled away. Shaking off the drowsiness, Gabriella was pleased to see a little color had crept back into Clarissa's face. She stumbled to her feet and had to hold on to the wall to steady herself.
“Take some water. It might help.” Clarissa said softly and Gabriella smiled at the guilt she heard in the vampire's voice. She did take a bit too much, but in the state she was in, it was excusable.
“I will do that. Now rest while I try to clean up the room a bit. The shots Trinity had fired must have echoed through the whole building.”
“We used a spell to insulate the apartment. No sounds escaped the room.”
Gabriella made her way to the kitchen.
“Vampire magic,” she murmured under her breath as she filled a glass with water and downed it quickly so she could return to the lounge and check up on Trinity.
The glass fell out of her hand when she felt the soft touch on her back and spun around. Jemima was standing there, her brilliant blue eyes, worried as they studied her face. Relief made her smile and Gabriella basked in the warm, loving look the Royal Vampiress gave her.
“You don't seem to be injured, daughter.” She carefully extended her arms and Gabriella walked into them and sighed when the woman's arms tenderly wrapped around her shaking body.
“I'm so glad to see you.”
“Same here, my child,” Jemima whispered and placed a soft kiss on her crown.
When they re-entered the lounge, Gabriella was stunned to find that the room was in pristine condition, everything was in place. Trinity and Clarissa had been moved and only Tahlia was waiting in the lounge for them. Her black eyes were cold, but softened the moment they came to rest on the two of them. Still careful so as not to spook her, she kept her distance, but Gabriella could feel the warmth the dark woman emanated.
Jemima gave her a soft nudge in the back and she slowly walked toward Tahlia. Maybe one day she will get completely comfortable around this dangerous woman, but every time she saw her she had to mentally tell herself to relax. Tahlia didn't break eye contact even when she came to stand in front of her. The black eyes softened further.
“My daughter…” she said in that distinctive husky voice of her and Gabriella took the two steps which took her into Tahlia arms. “You are very brave and I'm so proud of you.” She held her back from her so she could look into the amber eyes. “You had the strength and courage to defeat a master renegade and then have the compassion and love to save the life of a vampire who wanted to destroy your relationship with your mate. I am truly honored to be your mother.”
Smiling sheepishly, she pressed her face against Tahlia's chest. “I didn't know what I was doing. I guess I probably just acted on impulse.”
Tahlia smiled as she cocked her head slightly.
“Brace yourself, Inger is about to burst through the door any moment now.”
At that exact moment the door swung open and Inger rushed in.
“What happened? Paloma didn't want to tell me anything.”
Gabriella shook her head and turned to look at Jemima.
“Has she always been like this?”
Jemima nodded and smiled at the puzzled look on Inger's face.
“It's all Tahlia's fault. She spoilt her rotten as a child.”
Tahlia shrugged and Inger threw her hands in the air.
“What is wrong with you people? And what are you talking about?” she shrieked and chuckling softly, Gabriella took her by the hand.
“Let's go find Trinity and I'll tell you everything on the way down.” She pushed Inger through the door and down the corridor.
Left alone in the apartment, Jemima turned to Tahlia.
“I will never be able to thank you enough for giving me such a fulfilling life, Tahlia.”
Tahlia put her arms around Jemima's waist and kissed the tip of her nose.
“I should thank you for keeping me alive throughout the ages so that I could live to experience moments such as these.” She kissed her again. “Let's go check up on Trinity and then you can show your gratitude to me. What do you say?”
Jemima nodded and holding on to Tahlia, they dissolved.
EPILOGUE
Three months later…
She didn't have to read her mind, to know what Trinity was thinking as she stood there looking at her. The green eyes were literally devouring her. Looking around her, she could see that all the other vampires in attendance could probably sense Trinity's intention. Even Paloma turned around to look at her, her silver eyes teasing. When Tahlia and Jemima also turned to look at her, it was the final straw for Gabriella. She grabbed Trinity by the arm and marched her through the throng of occupied chairs to the back of the garden.
“What's wrong with you?” she hissed sharply. “ You have the dirty thoughts, but everyone is staring at me .”
The green eyes slowly looked down her frame and when they came back to her face, Gabriella shook her head and smiled. She'd expected a reaction akin to what she saw on Trinity's face when she'd put on the red dress. She knew that Trinity would remember what had happened in the fitting room when she'd tried it on the first time. But she didn't expect her partner to go hormonal like this. Trinity had been kept busy by Inger while she'd dressed for the ceremony and Trinity only saw her again in the garden with more than fifty vampires in attendance.
“You know what that dress does to me.”
Gabriella looked down at the dress.
“I know, baby, but I want you to try and behave until after the ceremony and then I promise to reward your restraint.” She'd planned a sexy striptease show for Trinity later tonight and just thinking about it herself, made her wet. Trinity's eyes darkened and Gabriella knew instantly that she had picked up the scent of her arousal.
“What surprise?” Trinity asked huskily and Gabriella waved her finger in front of Trinity's nose.
“It's a surprise and don't you dare try to read my mind. Now do we have a deal?”
Trinity's eyes leisurely traveled down the red dress.
“OK. But the minute the ceremony's over, we go someplace quiet.”
Gabriella quickly nodded. They will be expected to hang around a bit after the ceremony, but to tell that to Trinity now would be a big mistake. She will just have to go with the small lie for now.
“OK.”
They rejoined the guests and just in time, because the Judge called for the rings in his booming voice and Gabriella quickly stepped closer.
“Shameless hussy,” Inger hissed under her breath. “I hope you didn't lose our rings while you and Trinity were doing heaven-knows-what behind those bushes.”
Gabriella laughed softly and handed the rings to Paloma.
“Please just get on with the ceremony before Trinity forgets her manners and drag me away by my hair. It was your idea that I should wear this dress, remember.” She quickly stepped back and gasped when she felt her heel buckle. Two strong hands curled around her waist and she didn't have to turn to see who it was. The hot hands lingered longer than necessary and she shamelessly leaned backwards until she was brushing lightly against Trinity.
<Ah, it's unfair, love. I gave you my word and cannot take it back, but you are not playing fair.>
Trinity's voice brushed through her mind and Gabriella smiled.
<You can punish me later, Stud.>
*******************************************
Sitting in the last row, hidden in the shadows, Clarissa watched the couple, her brown eyes sad. As painful as it was to see them together like this, she knew now that they belonged together. It was clear that the two of them were made for each other. Her eyes touched on the hands lingering around Gabriella small waist and how close they were standing to each other. She too had sensed Trinity's lustful thoughts earlier and the pain was almost paralyzing. It could've been her.
Her eyes rested on the Gabriella. At least Trinity will be happy and that was the perfect revenge. She prayed that where he was wallowing in the pits of hell, Tristan could see how happy Trinity was. He'd failed again the second time round. Bastard!
She slowly came to her feet and the redhead turned quickly. Green eyes met brown ones and they stared at each other for a long moment. They were good together, but fate gave them only a few years together in such a long lifetime.
Gabriella, so attuned to her mate's mood, followed Trinity's gaze. There will always be a link between the two of them – a blood link.
Looking at the woman she felt her admiration for her growing. She was strong, brave and compassionate. Trinity was truly lucky to have her. Over the course of the three months as she was recuperating, she had looked in on her everyday and they'd become well acquainted. Maybe they will never be able to call each other ‘friend', but never will they ever call each other ‘enemy' either.
Nodding curtly, Clarissa turned and disappeared into the shadows. She'll travel the world one last time and then she'll do what she should've done a long time ago. Life had no more purpose for her.
Death was the best gift she could bestow upon herself.