Lizzy Ford (28 page)

These people – Guardians or whatever – feared him. She’d seen the dangerous side of him the other night, when he effortlessly killed the three people who attacked her. He admitted to killing people and monitoring her. He was a
vampire
, one that seemed content to toy with her
.

One she kind of found herself liking for more reasons than he was the sexiest man she’d ever seen and his touch made her want to throw herself into his bed. He was also the most fascinating person she’d ever spoken to, in a terrifying, otherworldly way. He was good with her cousins, which shocked her, and he helped her, despite knowing she was there to do something bad to him.

The longer she sat and watched them, the more upset she got. What if there really was a way to protect her cousins without pissing off the vampires who marched uninvited into her life? Could she send them to Texas then face Jonny alone and let him do whatever he wanted to her? Were these people really able to protect them?

She dialed Jenn.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Jenn. Jessi. We just met.”

“Hey, hon. You okay?”

“Great. Never been better.”

Jenn laughed.

“Listen, I’m trying to figure out a few things. Trusting complete strangers to take care of people I care about isn’t exactly something I want to do,” Jessi said with some effort.

“Completely understood. Something made you call me, though.”

“I have no idea what my alternatives are.”

“Well, why don’t we do this? Meet me downstairs at the restrooms. Tell Xander you’re going to walk around for about half an hour and you’ll meet him back at the food court. You definitely don’t want him finding out you’re hanging out with me,” Jenn said.

“You’re not really helping things,” Jessi said, perplexed. “Who the hell should I trust?”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but both of us. He and I don’t get along, but he
likes
you. He won’t let anything happen to you, even if he’ll still kick my ass for trying to help.”

“So complicated.”

“Meet me downstairs?”

“I suppose.”

“See you in five.”

Jessi hung up and texted Xander.

Walking around for a bit. Be back in half an hour. I got the keys – promise not to leave without you.

She glanced towards him. His attention dropped for a second before he met her gaze and gave her a nod she took as either permission or understanding. She rose and walked away.

Jenn was waiting for her downstairs. The tall woman gave a smile. Something about her put Jessi at ease, despite the watchfulness.

“So, I’m gonna ask you to trust a stranger,” Jenn said. “Walk with me.”

Jessi followed her down the narrow hallway leading to the restrooms. She waited, curious and uncertain if she really wanted to know more about the strange new world she stumbled into.

“Take my hand and close your eyes,” Jenn said, holding out her hand to reveal a perfect French manicure.

“Um, okay. Why?” Jessi asked.

“Trust me.”

She sighed. “I might as well. I spent the week with a vampire.” She did as Jenn said. Nothing happened after a few seconds, except it felt like the mall shut off the air conditioner.

“Okay, open your eyes,” Jenn instructed.

Jessi did and froze. They weren’t standing in the hallway anymore. They were somewhere else completely: a sprawling compound with low buildings, a huge barn and a massive, two-story hacienda style house. The sun overhead was blinding, the air light but hot.

“Texas?” she asked.

“Welcome to our headquarters.”

Jessi released Jenn’s hand and looked around. There were people … Guardians? …wandering the compound and a corral nearby with a horse and donkey in it. Beyond where the compound ended, she saw the tan sands of the desert punctuated by short, round shrubs

“It’s called Traveling. It’s a gift a few of us have,” Jenn explained. “We can move between places with I guess you can call magic. This is the compound of Damian, the White God. I live here, too, with my mate, the Grey God.”

“White God kills vampires,” Jessi recited from her talk with Jule.

“Exactly. We’re due to move our headquarters, but his wife had a baby six months ago. So, we’re staying put until the kid is a year old. She’s an Oracle. I wanted you to meet her.”

Panic filtered through her. Jessi sucked in a deep breath, held it for a count of five then released it.

“Okay, let’s go,” she said.

Jenn studied her. “You’re okay with this?”

“I’ve got two teenagers. I’ve learned how to wait until I’m home in bed to have a meltdown,” Jessi replied.

“Wise woman. C’mon.” Jenn struck off towards the barn. “Sofi is trying to learn to fight. It’s not going very well.”

Jessi had no idea what to say. She wasn’t certain her meltdown would wait, but this place seemed real enough. She could accept there was a magic way to move between places, if she was able to accept being the personal assistant to a vampire. If she concentrated on the here-and-now and dealt with the aftermath later, she might survive this experience.

“So all these people have magical powers,” she said as they passed a muscular man jogging with his ear buds in.

“Yes,” Jenn answered. “It’s our job to protect people against Jonny, the Black God.”

“Looks like a nice kid, until he breaks your arm.”

Jenn frowned. “I hope you haven’t met him.”

“Yeah, well, sorry. I have.”

“That’s not good.”

“I figured that much out.”

They walked into the barn through a side door, and Jessi paused to let her eyes adjust. While it was huge and red from the outside, the inside resembled a boxing gym with several rings, training equipment and a wall of mirrors. In the center ring was a petite woman with her long, blonde hair back in a ponytail. She wore headgear and boxing gloves and faced off against a man with the chiseled features of a Greek god, blond hair and sharp blue eyes. Their skin coloring and complexions were similar enough for them to be brother and sister, despite the size difference.

Beside the ring was a man the size of Xander with blond hair and golden eyes and skin. He watched closely, appearing amused and cautious, like a husband watching his wife learn to box.

Jenn stopped beside him.

“How goes it, D?” Jenn asked the large man.

“I keep telling her to hit him the way she does me,” he replied.

“I do not hit you!” the woman in the ring retorted.

“Jessi, this is Damian, the White God and head of the Guardians. His wife, Sofi, is in the ring with Dusty, who heads up the vampire fighting operations for the Western Hemisphere,” Jenn said quietly to Jessi.

“Right.” Jessi leaned around Jenn to see what a god looked like. Damian definitely had the body and weird, glowing amber eyes. He unfolded his arms and faced her, studying her closely. Jessi gazed up at him, overwhelmed by the compelling aura around him without understanding it.

“This is Jessi,” Jenn said. “She’s a Natural, if nothing else.”

“What does that mean?” Damian asked.

The two in the ring had moved to the edge to see them. Jessi glanced up, taking them in. The blonde woman maneuvered through the ropes. Her husband helped her down. Her face was flushed, her blue eyes bright. They were surrounded by silver that seemed to flare and swirl as Jessi watched.

“Xander,” Sofi said.

“No shit?” the man named Dusty asked from the ring, leaning over the ropes.

“I’m not following,” Jessi said.

“Put your hand out like this,” Sofi told her and held out her hand, palm up.

“She’ll look at your future,” Jenn added.

“Like a gypsy?” Jessi asked, confused.

“I like this one.” Damian snorted.

Sofi’s gaze grew cold. “I’m
not
a gypsy.”

Sensing she offended the petite beauty, Jessi held out her hand as directed.

Sofi touched her palm to Jessi’s. The silver of her eyes grew brighter and swirled faster, mesmerizing Jessi. When she finished whatever it was she did, she dropped her hand. Jessi felt like she’d been mentally hit by a truck.

“Can you read her?” Jenn asked.

“Yes. Not easy, but yes,” Sofi replied, tilting her head to the side.

The others seemed to be waiting for something. Jessi grimaced and rubbed her temples. She had a sudden, mild headache. Not understanding why everyone was quiet, she pulled out her phone to check the time.

“Bring them here,” Sofi said at last.

Jessi glanced up, not realizing she was being addressed. Sofi’s penetrating blue-silver eyes were on her.

“Bring what here?” Jessi asked.

“Before tomorrow at noon,” Sofi added. “You know what. It’s why you came.”

Jessi stared at her.

“You’re going to make a very stupid choice soon,” Sofi said in a quieter voice. She drew closer.

Jenn stepped away to give them some privacy.

“If I could make Xander miserable, I would,” Sofi said, a flare of anger in her eyes. “You are the next best thing. He will become the lesser of two evils. In the meantime, bring them here. If things don’t blow up, then Sunday at midnight, you can give him a message from me. Tell him, Sofi said,
I told you so
.”

“By blow up, do you mean literally or figuratively?” Jessi asked in dismay.

“Both. Xander is the vilest creature on the planet. But” Sofi drew a deep breath “I’m over that. Months ago, I foresaw you coming here today. I’m satisfied with how things are turning out.”

“Great, because I’m freaked out,” Jessi said.

Sofi’s gaze softened. “It’s a lot to take in. Sometimes I forget what it’s like to be involuntarily inducted into the Guardians.” She gave her husband a cool look.

The God winked at his small wife.

“I’m supposed to make Xander miserable, drop off my cousins to a compound filled with complete strangers who have magical powers, and wait for things to blow up this weekend,” Jessi summarized. “I’m not feeling it.”

“Jonny plans on snatching Ashley and Brandon Friday at one,” Sofi replied. “He’ll succeed, if you don’t bring them here, and things will get bad fast. Xander can take him, but he shouldn’t, because Jonny won’t be alone when Xander faces him, and Xander can’t face the creatures with Jonny without help, which he refuses to ask for, because he’s a complete ass. It’s not the way things are supposed to happen.”

Jessi’s mouth dropped open.

“Need more?” Sofi asked. “When you were sixteen, you slept with your history teacher. That makes three men you’ve been with, not two, like you told Xander in the car today. Two days ago, Jonny broke your arm, and Xander healed it.” Sofi paused then continued. “Yes, Xander is right. You are going to sleep with him.”

“Enough. I get it!”

“Convinced now?” Sofi challenged.

“Holy shit!” Jessi exclaimed, backing away. “Okay, fine. I believe you. Let’s stop there before I pass out.”

“See what I have to deal with?” Damian said dryly.

“If you survive the weekend, we’ll sit down and talk,” Sofi offered.

“Xander’s on the move,” Jenn reported, listening to whatever was being said across the earpiece. “We gotta go. I’m not getting my head taken off by a vamp.”

“Thank god,” Jessi breathed. “No offense, Sofi. I think I need … some time away. It’s not you. It’s me. I’m just not ready for whatever this is between us. So, we’re not breaking up, just taking time apart.”

Damian laughed. A smile tugged up one corner of the blonde woman’s lips. Her eyes sparkled.

“Jenn, get me out of here.” At the end of her wits, Jessi held out her hand to the tall brunette.

“You may not want to tell Xander you talked to me,” Sofi suggested.

“No problem.” Jessi was a few seconds from all out panic.

Jenn took her hand, and Jessi closed her eyes. She had no sense of moving, but the air around her grew heavier, cooler.

“You’re back,” Jenn said, laughter in her voice. “Way to make an impression.”

“I think I’m gonna pass out.” Jessi sagged against the wall.

“People usually do that the first time Sofi reads them. She can read souls, so she knows basically everything about you in two seconds. It’s a little disconcerting. Breathe deeply until the buzzing in your ears stop.”

Jessi concentrated on her breathing and not the tunnel vision.

“Not to rush you, but my guys are reporting that Xander is about fifty meters away. You probably want to head out,” Jenn said.

Jessi nodded. She wanted to run. Xander suddenly was tame, compared to an Oracle who read her past and future in two seconds.

She fled Jenn and emerged from the hallway into the mall. It seemed loud, overwhelming, and she realized she was still close to passing out. Jessi sat down on a bench and breathed deeply. She pressed the meat of her palms to her eyes and willed herself not to cry. In a matter of twenty minutes, her whole world imploded.

“What happened?” Xander’s voice carried a note of caution.

“This is not my day,” she said truthfully.

He sat down beside her. Jessi didn’t realize she was shaking, until he took her hands. They trembled in his large palms. He squeezed while studying her carefully, as if making certain she wasn’t hurt.

“Maybe you should tell me what’s going on,” he growled.

“Maybe you should stop dragging my kids into this mess!”

“Is that what this is about?”

She sighed and pulled her hands free to wipe her eyes.

“I’m guessing no,” he said. “C’mon. We’re leaving. I told Ashley she could drive the car.”

“Why does she get to drive?” Jessi snapped, meeting his gaze at last. He was watching her still. His thigh was against hers, his large frame taking up most of the bench.

“Seriously?” Xander raised an eyebrow. “You’re a train wreck. We’ve got an after party to go to. Ashley’s driving us to your place to drop them off, then we’re gone.”

“You’ll know where I live,” she objected.

“I already know.”

“This is the worst day ever. I’m not going to the after party.”

“I can stay back and fuck you. Might make us both feel better.”

Her startled laugh surprised her. Was he trying to cheer her up in his own, special way again? Jessi said nothing as another thought emerged. She’d forgotten Jonny’s call. The hidden threat that something bad was going to happen, if Xander stayed home.