Day of Sacrifice (Day of Sacrifice #1) (3 page)

Julian scoffed. “Because of the hot tub thing?”

She shrugged again.

“Maggie obviously has no knowledge of magical ritual,” he said.

“And you do?” Flora asked. What did Guardians know of witchy ways? Humans were strictly forbidden from learning magic. Maybe after they became angels, they had a class or something?

He nodded. “I’ve been around. I’ve seen the At Peace ritual performed before.” He smiled. “Of course, I’m more familiar with the moonlight and lake version over the halogen and hot tub one you all performed last night.

Flora blushed crimson, sure that he thought she was a poseur.

“The pink floral bath bomb was a nice touch, though. A definite improvement over the original stinkweed.” His smiled broadened.

Crap. He has seen me naked.
In order to avoid any further embarrassing memories of the night before flashing through her brain, Flora took another sip from the mug. The stuff may have tasted gross, but her knee barely hurt at all anymore and she could tell the bone shards were fusing back together. She’d have to ask Mrs. Grant for the recipe for Fauna.

Julian gave her shoulders a quick squeeze and then stood up. “I’m going to go make some calls, report Maggie for one thing, and then find out what I’m supposed to do with you.”

“Do with me?” she looked up at him.

He sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “You know I can’t guard you.”

It was against the rules for a male to guard a female and vice versa. Still... “Don’t you think an exception could be made? I mean, I’m under real threat and Maggie totally screwed me. It’s three days.” She didn’t know why she was forcing the issue exactly, but Julian made her feel safe and like she was worth protecting. With all of her Guardians she’d always got the feeling she was just a job.

“I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask and I do have a little bit of leverage where you’re concerned.” He turned and left the room.

She watched him walk away, her gaze lingering on his back and then moving lower. Her face heated and she took another swig from the mug to bring herself back to reality. Now was not the time to be ogling cute angel butt no matter how nice Julian looked in his snug black trousers.

What had he meant by leverage? With her family, maybe? He’d been her cousin Roland’s Guardian before she and Fauna were born, before he’d become Aiden’s Guardian. It was weird to think that Julian had known her her whole life and yet still looked the same today at Aiden’s ceremony as he had in the photographs from Roland’s. Of course, the clothes were better now, but he had the same somber expression, the same full head of wavy blond hair, and the same athletic physique. Who knew how old he was really. He looked twenty-five at the most.

She sat the empty mug down on the floor beside the bed and decided to try out her knee. Scooting all the way to the edge, Flora pushed herself up with her hands, putting all of her weight on her good leg. Cautiously she lowered the foot of her injured leg to the ground and leaned into it.
A little sore, but so far so good
. She glanced around the room and set her sights on shuffling to the adjoining bathroom.

The visage that greeted her in the mirror had looked better. She splashed water on her face and then went about getting herself in order. Scrounging a ponytail holder out of her jeans pocket, she used Julian’s fancy boar bristle brush to sweep her hair back off of her face. The hoodie still looked okay, but her jeans were a disgusting mess. She ran her hands over the tops of her legs, and removed the stains from her pants. Satisfied with her appearance, Flora applied full pressure to her injured knee and was pleased to find it had completely healed.
Now what?

She went back into the bedroom and considered cleaning the bed, but didn’t, doubtful that her magic was strong enough to erase the pint of blood she’d lost.

Julian came back into the room, a panicked expression on his face for a split second before he realized she was standing next to the bed instead of sitting on it.

“You heal fast.” He looked her up and down. “And you’re clean.”

“Well,” she said, grinning, “I do know a few other tricks besides ineptly conjuring fire.”

“There wasn’t anything inept about that, Flora, your magic has always been proficient.”

Always, huh?
It was nice to know he’d been paying attention. Hell, it was nice to know that
someone
had been paying attention. “So, did you get in touch with my dad? Are we summoned?”

“We are.” Julian smiled and extended his arm to escort her from the room.

She hesitated. Beyond that bedroom door was Aiden’s room and downstairs the den where they’d played video games and drunkenly hooked up a few times before she knew how he felt about her. Any pleasant memories she’d had of him were forever trumped by her witnessing his last breath.

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you when we get outside.” Julian offered her his hand instead.

Oh, yeah
. Beyond this house there was a pissed off Supernatural family who had it in for her. “I actually wasn’t even thinking about that.” She peeked around him into the hall. “I’m a little afraid of seeing Aiden’s room. I know that’s totally stupid.”

Julian took her hand. “It’s not stupid, he meant a lot to you. I know he cared for you, too. The door to his room is closed. Come on.” He pulled her into the hall, both of them keeping their faces forward. They hurried down the steps to the main floor and went through the kitchen to the garage.

Julian nodded for her to get in the backseat of Aiden’s dad’s armored car. He was still a little shocked that Flora hadn’t thought to be at all scared of a hit man, but had started shaking at the prospect of seeing Aiden’s room. Gods, that made him want to protect her even more and for himself, not for his former charge.
Easy, man.
He shook his head to rid it of that strange thought.
For himself?

“Is there a reason we’re not just going to transport like we did from the ceremony? Are you sure Mr. Grant wants us to take his car?” Flora had apparently decided against the backseat and got in front instead.

He shot her an annoyed look. “Edgar Grant will be fine with us borrowing his car. I’m not sure he will even notice it’s gone and besides, with the goodwill and financial gain he’s about to have because of Aiden’s sacrifice, he could afford a fleet of these vehicles.” Julian reached across her and pulled the seatbelt out, fastening it at her hip.
Better. Safer
. “If you’re not going to ride in the backseat, at least humor me and put this on.” He started up the car.

“You didn’t answer my first question. Why aren’t we transporting?”

Embarrassed, he pushed a button on the visor above his head and the garage door opened behind them, stalling. He should just be straight with her. She wasn’t going to think less of him. At least he hoped not.
Why did he care?
“Because,” he said, looking in the rearview mirror, “the adrenaline rush weakens me and I can’t do it very often. Transporting with someone is a lot more difficult than doing it alone.” He backed the car out slowly, constantly checking all the car’s mirrors. “Not all Guardians are even able to do it,” he added, lest she think him a total weakling.

Flora turned to him, tears pushing their way out of the corners of her eyes. “Julian, you risked handicapping yourself to come to my rescue?”

He nodded
. Damn, she thought he’d been rash.

“That is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Honest.” She snorted then, in a bizarre half laugh half sob. “How fucking pathetic is that shit?”

The drive to her dad’s office was uneventful. Clearly, the hit man had had enough of her antics for the day. Still, she noticed Julian breathed a soft sigh of relief when they drove into the underground parking garage and he stayed close to her on their walk toward the elevators. They rode in quiet, both of them watching the floor numbers light up as the elevator climbed. When they reached the twenty-fourth floor, Julian stepped out into the hallway and put his arm back to keep her from following. Assured that there was no immediate threat, he took her hand and pulled her around in front of him.

“Is this how you guard everyone?” Flora asked, pleased to feel Julian’s palm against her lower back, guiding her down the dark green carpeted hall. “Because I’m thinking Mags was a total slacker.”

“I’m being more vigilant than usual due to the attack, but the elevator thing is protocol. Did Maggie never do that?”

She shook my head. “Not once.”

Julian scoffed. “I’m getting her fired. That is unacceptable. It’s a good thing you can protect yourself well. Your Guardian wasn’t doing you any favors.”

They turned the corner and walked through the double mahogany doors that opened into the expansive lobby of her dad’s private office. Fauna and Clark were sitting on a light green velvet couch closest to the hallway. Fauna jumped up and launched herself at Flora the second they made eye contact.

“Oh my Gods, I’m so glad you’re okay! Those guys were so scary, Flor!” She eased her sisterly death grip hug and looked over Flora’s shoulder at Julian. “And you have got to be her Guardian now. If Daddy doesn’t agree to it, I can be very persuasive.”

Clark pried Fauna from her sister and gave Flora a peck on the cheek. “Glad you’re all right, fireballs.”

She chucked him on the arm. “You know I love it when you call me that.” She surveyed Fauna. She seemed to be all in one piece. “What happened after Julian transported me? Fitzgerald’s guys didn’t come after you, did they?” She’d been so caught up in what was happening to her that she’d barely had time to register what could’ve happened to Fauna and Clark after her vanishing act.

“We fogged the scene, we’re totally fine,” Fauna explained. In the way that Flora used fire, Clark and Fauna used water and could manipulate the atmosphere. “Those goons didn’t even see us when they ran past. After you two transported, they got lost in the crowd.”

“And the man they shot that was standing next to me?” Flora asked.

“Mrs. Grant insisted that the ambulance that was going to take Aiden’s body to the morgue be used to transport him. They were waiting for another one when we left.”

Julian nodded. “So you just got here, you haven’t spoken to your father yet?”

“We got here right before you did. It takes longer to get from one side of town to the other when you can’t angelically transport,” Clark said, grinning.

“And I hadn’t figured out what I was going to tell Dad about my eavesdropping on his business deals,” Fauna said. “I mean, I know he knows there was an attempt on your life, we could hear him through the door screaming at someone.”

“Probably me,” Julian said, gesturing for us all to move toward the reception desk.

“Why would my dad yell at you?” Flora asked.

“Powerful men don’t like threats and they don’t like it when their Sacrifices are put in harm’s way, Flor.” Julian marched up to the reception desk to announce their presence. Fauna grabbed her sister’s arm and mouthed “Flor?,” wiggling her eyebrows at Julian’s back.

Flora shrugged, which was twin telepathy for, “Yes, the hot Guardian that we’ve all been lusting after since we were thirteen has used my nickname twice today, let me enjoy it while it lasts.”

The receptionist buzzed them in and the door to Michael Hamilton’s office opened automatically. Their father met them all with a steely gaze. He didn’t get up and run to Flora or tell her he was glad she was safe, instead he addressed Clark. “Thank you for making sure that Fauna wasn’t injured in her efforts to protect her sister.” Clark nodded and gripped Fauna’s hand tightly.

 Their father’s eyes brushed over Flora for a second and then settled on Fauna. He exhaled for a prolonged moment. “I understand your motives, but your lack of trust in my ability to take care of the situation is appalling.” Fauna studied her feet.

The urge to yell at her father gripped Flora’s throat, but she knew that her speaking would only infuriate him. To him, she wasn’t a person, his daughter, but a means to an end.

“Fauna, look me in the eye when I’m talking to you. For Gods sake, Hamiltons don’t cower.”

She snapped her head up, her jaw set. She was itching to yell at him too, Flora could tell.

He nodded. “I’m aware that you heard about my failed deal with the Fitzgeralds. May I suggest that the next time you choose to eavesdrop you come to me to discuss what you heard? This whole mess at Aiden Grant’s Day of Sacrifice could have been avoided.”

“Flora wasn’t safe, Dad!” Fauna blurted.

Their father exhaled at length again. “As far as you knew.”

“Then there was a plan to keep her safe?” Julian asked, moving closer to Flora’s side, his hand grazing hers.

“I had men en route to the hotel.”

She couldn’t help it. Her dad was such an amazing asshole. “You are aware,” she said, “that if Faun hadn’t warned me that Fitz’s goon was coming that I would have been caught even more unprepared than I was? I barely made it out of that hotel alive! When did ‘your men’ show up? After I’d already fled for my life?”

“What I’m aware of is your despicable behavior, Sacrifice. You and you alone are responsible for your being unguarded. If--”

“Her name is Flora, Sir,” Julian choked out.

“I know what her name is.” Her father pushed his chair back from the desk and swiveled toward the wall of windows that overlooked the city. “For some reason, you’re invested in keeping her alive. This is also what I want for the time being. I’ve spoken to your superiors and they are willing to make an exception seeing as her Day of Sacrifice is only three days away. Take her somewhere secluded.” He stood, still facing away from them. “If you even think about crossing me and she does not show up to her ceremony, I’ll have your wings severed from your body. You will be on a fast track to humanity before you even know what happened. Do you understand me, Guardian?”

Fuck it.
She wasn’t going to see her father until the day she died anyway. “His name is Julian, you horrible son of a bitch,” Flora shouted, throwing a fireball at the back of his office chair, igniting it.