A Guardian's Passion Read online

  Clarissa turned away from the window. This time her dark eyes held an acute expression of torment. “I can give up anything you ask of me, but not Trinity. I love her too much.”

  Gabriella slowly moved over to where Paloma stood and the Assassin pulled her close and gently shoved her behind her tall frame. Inger’s heart warmed at her lover’s protectiveness.

  “They are mated already. If you want to cause any problems for them, then you will have to answer to the Clan Royals,” Paloma said curtly. Her head lifted and she sniffed the air. “We have company.” She turned to look at Inger. “Will you be okay in the house? Genevieve is patrolling the back of the house. I will be out front. Call me if you need me.”

  She bent her head and placed a soft kiss on Inger's lips. “Protect your sister.”

  Then she was gone, leaving the two of them behind with a jealous renegade vampiress. Inger aimed her guns at Clarissa, who was staring at her with an odd expression on her face.

  “You humans are strange. Why would a young beautiful girl like you mate with a dangerous vampire like the Assassin? Is it the power? Or the sex, perhaps?” The dark eyes narrowed slightly. “Or even perhaps the money. She must be unbelievably rich.”

  Inger regarded the woman calmly, knowing what she was trying to do, but she wasn't going to allow this woman to distract her with her taunts.

 

  She heard a soft chuckle and smiled humorlessly.

 

  Obviously thinking that she was distracted, since her eyes held a faraway expression, Clarissa took a tiny step forward and without batting an eyelid, Inger pulled the trigger.

  ~~~~

  Chapter Thirteen

  Paloma sounded panicky.

  Inger calmly looked at a stunned Gabriella who was staring at the growing red stain on Clarissa's side.

 

  Paloma materialized next to her, her silver eyes boring into Inger’s before she turned to look at Clarissa. Clarissa had her lips pressed tightly together and her chocolate brown eyes stared back at Inger with hatred.

  “I will make you pay for this, human,” she bit out between clenched teeth. But the words had barely left her lips when her head violently jerked to the side. The room resounded with the slap. With a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of her lips, Clarissa looked up at Paloma. Even Inger was shocked by her lover’s reaction. Paloma stood there, quiet and cold like the Angel of Death. She reached under her long coat and drew out a dagger.

  A collective gasp sounded from both Inger and Gabriella. The silver eyes flashed as Inger saw Paloma’s hand tightened around the hilt of the dagger. Paloma unexpectedly tossed the knife at Clarissa, who caught it expertly.

  “When you threaten my mate, you threaten me.” She turned her back on Clarissa. The subtle challenge between the two vampires puzzled Inger. Why would Paloma give the woman a weapon and then turn her back on her. Just in case, she kept her finger on the trigger.

  †

  Clarissa looked at the knife in her hand and at the Assassin's exposed back. This could be the end for her here. Confident in her prowess to kill her, Paloma was giving her an advantage, a slight one she wasn't going to take. No matter how angry and jealous she was, she wasn't stupid. Nor was she stupid enough to tangle with Paloma. Over the centuries she had killed, but not because of the thrill—never. As much as Mary was trying to make her into something she wasn't, she had refused to let go of her conscience. It was the only part of her that made her still feel human.

  As for her jealousy, she settled her eyes on the beautiful dark-haired woman, there were other ways to deal with that. She just needed time to formulate a plan. She looked down at the dagger in her hand. She wanted to live. She wanted to see Trinity again, talk to her, touch her, and feel loved again. She loosened the grip on the dagger and it clattered to the floor. She felt the tension in the room drop almost immediately and she took a step away from Paloma.

  “I apologize for threatening your mate,” she said to Paloma's rigid back. The blonde head turned and acknowledged the apology with a curt nod.

  “Apology accepted. Sit down so that I can look at the wound.”

  Clarissa took a seat and Paloma came to kneel in front of her. The Royal lifted Clarissa's t-shirt, studying the wound. Clarissa merely glanced at the wound. It was a flesh wound, but the edges around the torn flesh were darkening quickly. When Paloma looked up at her, the silver eyes were somber. “The bullet was made of silver. We will have to clean up the wound to stop the poison from spreading, but I need to go back outside too.”

  “I will dress the wound.”

  Three heads turned to look at the raven-haired human.

  “No.” Clarissa snapped. “I do not want her touching me.” She would rather die than have those same hands that caress Trinity touch her person. Clarissa turned a pleading look on the Assassin only to find her looking at the dark-haired girl with pure admiration.

  “Are you sure?” Paloma asked with a frown. “I will not be gone long.”

  Gabriella nodded and Clarissa felt like screaming.

  “But in the meantime she would have to suffer. No, I'll do it. I’ve volunteered as a paramedic while I was in college.”

  Paloma came to her feet and looked down at Clarissa.

  “Whatever you do, never forget that she is the Queen's daughter. Contrary to vampire folklore, I am a lamb compared to her.” Paloma walked over to where her mate stood, both guns still trained on Clarissa. “If she tries anything, I give you permission to shoot her again. Not to kill, though. Tahlia would want that honor.”

  “The first aid kit is in the small cabinet in the study,” the assassin’s mate said to the dark-haired woman. The woman left the room with the Assassin in tow, leaving Clarissa with the trigger-happy brunette.

  †

  When Gabriella returned she stopped a few feet from Clarissa. Their eyes met and Gabriella felt a shiver run down her spine at the cold look in the vampire's eyes.

  “I will try and be as quick as I can. Could you please move over to the long couch and lie down?”

  The vampire stared at her for a full minute, her face set in a cold mask of anger and pain, before she slowly came to her feet and went to sit on the other couch. She lifted her t-shirt and stared at Gabriella, who was looking at the dark, angry-looking wound with wide eyes.

  “You offered to do it, now get on with it.”

  Swallowing hard, she came to kneel next to Clarissa and briskly started to clean the wound. Inger wasn't far away, standing behind Gabriella, her guns trained on Clarissa.

  “How did you meet?”

  Gabriella looked up into the cold dark eyes. “How did I meet who?”

  A hard smile formed on the vampire's lips.

  “How did you meet Trinity?”

  Inger stepped closer and cocked the gun, drawing both Gabriella and Clarissa's attention.

  “That’s on a need to know basis. Finish up, Gabriella, I don't trust this woman.”

  Gabriella nodded meekly.

  †

  Clarissa looked down on the bent dark head. The girl was very beautiful and she had an attractive body. Could that be the reason Trinity had fallen in love with her? Did they meet at a party somewhere and couldn't fight the attraction? She felt her jealousy peaking again at the thought of this woman lying in Trinity's arms. Was she good in bed? Has she managed to wring out that soft growl Trinity made just before she came?

  Clarissa’s hands shot out and she quickly pushed Gabriella away from her. The girl’s eyes were wide in shock from where she sat on her behind, staring up at her. She hadn't fed tonight and her current emotional state was e
scalating her thirst. She slowly came to her feet.

  “If you ever lay a hand on my sister again, I’ll put a bullet in both your knees,” the Assassin’s mate said coldly. Clarissa held up her hands, knowing that was no idle threat.

  “I have not fed tonight and having her so close is too tempting.” She walked over to the window and stood there. Why was she taking so long? She needed to see Trinity and talk to her. Maybe she didn't even love the girl. She saw a shadow in the garden and when it stepped into the moonlight she gasped. What was he doing here? She knew his way of thinking. He was keeping the Royals busy elsewhere, sacrificing his band of renegades, while he sneaked up on the house to kill the humans. Should I warn them? She had to be realistic too. With the dark-haired girl out of the picture, she could claim Trinity and win back her heart. She turned to look at the two women staring at her. The longer she stared at them the more she realized that what she was thinking of doing was cruel and not part of who she really was. Tristan was the monster Vermont, not her. This was a great opportunity to pay him back for what he'd done to the family and to her and Trinity. She turned back to peer out of the garden. He was gone, but where to? She turned back to Inger.

  “Give me a weapon. Tristan is in the garden.”

  She saw an amused smile form on the blonde’s lips.

  “Do you think I'm stupid? You want me to hand you a gun so that you can use it on us. I don't think so.”

  Clarissa walked over and came to a halt a few meters from Inger. “I am a vampire. I do not need a weapon to defend myself against humans. If I had wanted you dead, you would be dead.”

  †

  Tahlia wiped the blood from her face and turned, as was habit with her, to look around for Jemima. Body parts lay strewn all over the place. Tristan had brought almost a hundred renegades to the battle tonight. She scanned the area again, doing a quick body count. Everyone was accounted for except Jemima. She felt her stomach dip and roll, as she started to run through the dead bodies littering the area, looking for rich blond strands.

 

  Silence greeted her desperate request and she felt the anxiety intensifying.

 

  This time she heard a soft sigh and came to a stop. Her black eyes scouring the area again and she felt Pierre and Jonas coming to flank her.

 

  Tahlia's head snapped around to the tree and she saw a movement in the trees.

 

  There was a soft gasp. Alarmed, Tahlia scaled the tree in record time.

 

  Pierre and Jonas immediately set off for the house with Tahlia and Jemima following on their heels.

  †

  The house was booby-trapped with powerful protection spells and Tristan knew he would never be able to enter, except of course if someone invited him in. Clarissa was inside. He could use her to gain access to the house. From where he stood in the shadow of a big tree, he could see her standing at the window and he knew she'd seen him. He could also feel her anger towards him. The fighting was nearly over and he had to hurry if he was to get inside the house. Clarissa turned away and using the shadows as cover, he crept up on the house. Just as he was about to call out to his sister, he felt an ice-cold breeze brushing his face and he swore under his breath.

  There was a dangerous Royal in the area. He slowly turned and stiffened. The Assassin stood behind him, her hands folded behind her back and her blood red eyes stabbing into his. Knowing he was outclassed, Tristan quickly stepped back and dissolved before Paloma burst into action. As he was streaking through the air, trying to put distance between him and Paloma, he swore at himself for having been so negligent. He was so close to achieving his goal, only for Paloma to thwart his plans. He’d thought she was distracted by the fight. She must've slipped away undetected to protect the house. He will have to devise another plan.

  His failure tonight is largely due to his impatience. The more he'd thought of Trinity, the hotter his lust for her became. He'd hoped to catch the Royals unaware, but Clarissa's appearance spoilt his surprise. Damn Mary to hell for letting the girl escape. Clarissa was to be leverage to get Trinity to come to him out of her own free will, but since she spoilt that surprise too, he didn't need her anymore.

  After four hundred years of existence, it was impossible for him to have any brotherly feelings towards Clarissa. She was just another pawn in his master plan. A plan which, when coming together, should see him cooped up with Trinity somewhere at one of his many castles in Europe. He felt his loins tighten at the thought. Yes, I will have her again…soon.

  †

  The house was quiet as Trinity made her way up the stairs to Gabriella's room. Paloma informed her about Clarissa and Gabriella's interaction. Angry, she had confronted Clarissa where Tahlia had her secured in a secluded area downstairs. She stood at the entrance for a few moments, watching Clarissa who was unaware of her presence at first. Trinity couldn't help but feel melancholic as she looked at the woman who was once the only person she'd ever loved. Clarissa had her blonde head bent where she was sitting on the bed. She suddenly looked up stunned, Trinity almost stumbled back at the hatred she saw in the dark brown eyes.

  “What do you want?” Clarissa had snapped at her, her hands clenching into fists.

  “I came to see how you were doing? Is there anything else you need?”

  There was a silence for a few seconds while they stared at each other.

  “Yes,” Clarissa had answered, her brown eyes narrowing slightly.

  “What is it?”

  “I need you,” Clarissa said firmly, her brown eyes challenging Trinity as she came closer. She stopped when only a few steps separated them.

  Trinity could only stare at the woman in front of her. Her green eyes studied the beautiful face, the lips, the mocha eyes and the small ears. All of them features that she'd adored so many years ago. She had mourned the death of this woman for centuries and even went so far as to look for lovers who closely resembled her. But all that had changed in the past few decades. She had met the woman of her dreams and looking at Clarissa, it was impossible to feel anything for her but guilt. Guilt, because Clarissa had rushed to her as soon as she found out that Trinity was alive, while Trinity was basking in the warmth of her newfound love interest. Now Clarissa was here and from what she'd heard from Paloma, she was insanely jealous of Gabriella. She needed to make it clear to Clarissa that she'd moved on.

  “I cannot, Clarissa. I love someone else now.” Her tone was gentle so as not to cause unnecessary pain, but firm enough to let what she was saying sink in. Clarissa's eyes hardened slightly.

  “You promised me that you would love me forever, Trinity, and that nothing and no one would ever come between us. You lied to me.”

  Trinity shook her head. Clarissa was becoming more agitated, her hands clenching and unclenching now. Trinity inwardly thanked Tahlia and Paloma for putting up the protection spell, which kept Clarissa in her invisible prison. Only a Royal vampire can move through the invisible barrier. Clarissa will literally get the shock of her life if she tried to reach beyond the barrier.

  “It was four hundred years ago, Clarissa, and I thought you were dead. I mourned you for centuries, before I met Gabriella.”

  Clarissa had stared at her long and hard before she turned her back on her and went to sit on the bed, looking so forlorn that Trinity felt her own heart aching.

  “Please leave. I need to be alone,” Clarissa said in a hollowed voice.

  Trinity had been so caught up in reliving her conversation with Clarissa that she found herself in front of Gabriella’s bedroom. There was still a light on in the room and she softly knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again and got the same result. She tried the doorknob and t
he door swung open. A quick scan of the room showed that Gabriella was not in bed. Trinity closed the door behind her and made her way to the door leading to the bathroom.

  The shower was running. She rounded the corner and came to an abrupt halt. Gabriella stood naked in front of the full-length mirror; her hands hoisting her full breasts, while her eyes critically examined them. Trinity felt a shiver run down her spine and her nipples started to push against her white cotton t-shirt. She lifted a hand to rub them softly and the movement caught Gabriella's attention, making her spin around while her hands covered her breasts. The amber eyes softened in recognition and she dropped her hands, boldly staring back at Trinity, completely exposed.

  “I didn't see you standing there?”

  Trinity had to swallow first before she could find her voice, her green eyes still fixed on the soft luscious mounds of Gabriella's breasts.

  “I thought I would come around and bid you goodnight. The debriefing took much longer than I thought.” Her eyes strayed again and this time she saw the nipples were hard.

  Trinity took a step forward, dazed by the intense desire she felt for this woman. Her hand reached out and she gently cupped the weight of a breast in her hands. She'd expected Gabriella to be angry with her because she'd omitted telling her about Clarissa, but only now she realized that she didn't give a damn if Gabriella was angry or not. Tonight she will try to get her to channel all that angry energy somewhere else. She looked up and saw the amber eyes were smoldering with passion.

  “I want you, Gabriella,” she purred.

  When Gabriella didn't answer immediately, she gently squeezed her breasts, drawing a husky moan from Gabriella's lips.

  †

  Gabriella was semi-paralyzed from the waist down. Never before had she wanted anyone as much as she wanted Trinity now. She was still angry with Trinity. Anger was too mild a word, to describe what she felt inside. But tonight she didn't want to fight, unless it was in bed and the both of them were naked. She placed her hand over Trinity's where it was squeezing her breasts. She looked into Trinity's eyes, and felt giddy seeing the dark passion in the green eyes. Her eyes carefully studied the beautiful face. Gabriella was astounded by the light bruises, which were already starting to fade. Vampire magic, she thought absently. An amused look came into the green eyes.