A Guardian's Love Read online

  But at 4 a.m., there was no sign of Paloma. Swallowing back bitter disappointment, Inger sat down heavily on the bed. Slowly, she took off her earrings. There was a soft knock on the door.

 

 

  Jemima materialized in front of her and took a seat next to her on the bed. Wide blue eyes took in her appearance.

  “You look beautiful, Inger. I haven’t seen you in a dress in a very long time. I believe the last time was on your prom night.”

  She gave Jemima a weak smile. “I just felt like wearing one today. By the way, Grandpa insisted that I buy it.”

  She felt Jemima’s gaze on her and looked up into pensive blue eyes.

  “She will come. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that Paloma is crazy about you.” She smiled when she saw Inger’s shocked face. “I know that you like her, too. Your mother told me, and I asked Paloma herself a few days ago.”

  Inger smiled weakly. “Yes, but I doubt if anything will come of it.” Inger reached up to unclasp the string of pearls. “If Paloma were really as crazy about me as you say, she would’ve been here already.” Jemima reached out and stilled her hands.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “She asked to see me tonight, but she still hasn’t shown up. We...we…”

  “I know. You made love last night,” Jemima said quietly and Inger’s eyes widened.

  “How…we…” She closed her mouth and a dark red stain crept up her throat.

  “When you were younger both Tahlia and I took some of your blood. That way we knew exactly where you were every minute of the day. It also enabled us to communicate with you mentally. We can feel what you feel at any given moment—fear, pleasure, anger. We usually block out most of it to grant you privacy, but some of the feelings are very strong and we cannot discard them. Last night was one such example. We blocked it, but we knew what was happening.”

  Good heavens, both her mothers knew she was having sex last night. They surely experienced the powerful orgasm she had, too. This means they also must’ve felt the butterflies in her stomach whenever Paloma was in the vicinity.

  “You needn’t feel ashamed at all, my child. What happened between the two of you was an act of love. As strong and powerful as Paloma is, she would not provoke the wrath of your mother for a fling. Tahlia would never allow that.” She gently lifted Inger’s chin and looked searchingly into her eyes. “There really isn't much difference between your mother and Paloma. Both are honorable, passionate, and loyal. Believe me, child, Paloma will show.”

  “I hope you’re right, Mom, because right now I feel like an idiot for dressing up and being stood up.”

  Tenderly kissing Inger’s brow, Jemima came to her feet.

  “Sleep tight, my love. Your mother has just arrived, and I’m sure Paloma is not far behind.” She disappeared in a cloud of mist.

  Inger had walked to the bathroom to wipe off her make-up and change into her pajamas when the bathroom door opened softly. She heard the faint buzzing and turned away from the mirror. There in the doorway stood Paloma, beautiful, sexy, and slightly sheepish-looking. The silver eyes were unusually bright as they moved over her body, and Inger felt her anger and disappointment evaporate. They stood looking at each other for a few seconds before Paloma broke the silence.

  “I am sorry for being late, Cara.” She brought her hand from behind her back and Inger stared at the single red rose. “We were kept longer than we anticipated, but I rushed over as soon I could.” She held out the rose.

  “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you. Nothing compares to you, you know.” Smiling, Inger looked up at Paloma. The silver eyes were serious, and, looking closer, she saw the dark shadows under underneath.

  “You look tired.”

  “It was a busy night.” The silver eyes slowly traveled over her again, lingering on her long exposed legs and then back to her blue eyes. “You look beautiful. I love the dress.”

  They looked at each other once again, but this time Paloma stepped closer and pressed her lips against Inger’s. “I have missed you a lot.”

  Inger placed her hand against Paloma’s cheek. “I missed you, too.”

  Paloma took Inger in her arms and kissed her gently. When they came up for air, Inger took Paloma’s hand and led her to the bedroom.

  “You really look exhausted. Let me hold you for a while.”

  Arm in arm they left the bathroom. Inger, vaguely puzzled by how heavily Paloma leaned on her, remembered how tired the vampire looked and discarded the thought. They were but a few feet away from the bed when Paloma’s knees suddenly buckled and she crashed to the floor. The sliver eyes were almost white as they lifted to look at her. Inger fell to her knees next to Paloma.

  “Paloma! What’s wrong, Paloma?” Her voice, laced with panic, as she gently stroked her lover’s clammy forehead with a trembling hand. Paloma reached out to touch her face, but halfway through the action, the silver eyes rolled back in their sockets and the hand dropped limply.

  Inger rushed to the door and down the hallway to her parents’ bedroom, descending the stairs to their underground chamber. Tahlia and Jemima stood in each other’s arms. She vaguely remembered her mental link with her parents and she could’ve summoned them from her room.

  “Mom, something’s wrong with Paloma. She…she just passed out.” Not waiting for a reply, she rushed back to her room only to find both her parents there already. Paloma was lying on the bed, her beautiful face pale and beads of sweat forming on her upper-lip.

  “What’s wrong with her, Mother? Is she injured?”

  Tahlia took Inger’s hand and led her away from the bed.

  “She will be fine. She just needs to rest well tonight.”

  Looking frantically between the bed where Paloma was lying and Tahlia, Inger shook her head. “There’s something you're not telling me. What happened to Paloma?” Inger now shook like a leaf. “Please, tell me what's wrong with her?”

  Tahlia pulled her closer.

  “Paloma will be fine. Will you watch over her? I will carry her to her underground chamber.” Inger saw the genuine worry in Tahlia’s black eyes, and Inger looked toward Jemima, who was gently brushing a stray tendril from Paloma’s forehead. “Dawn will be upon us soon. Let us get to work.”

  Inger watched as Tahlia tenderly tucked Paloma in. She had to take the stairs down to the chamber, but her parents transported to the underground chamber. Dawn was about to break. She sensed its approach by the sluggish movements of her parents, but she also knew that they would not leave her until she was comfortable before giving in to their daylight sleep. If need be they would stay awake. She had seen them move around during the daylight hours on a few occasions. Tahlia turned to her, and her eyes were sunken deep in their sockets, a sign that she was feeling the rays of the sun and needed to go to ground.

  “Call me any time you need me.” Tahlia gently cupped Inger’s cheek. “She will be okay, baby.”

  “I will, Mother. I promise.”

  Nodding, Tahlia took Jemima’s hand and they kissed her goodnight. Once they left, Inger slowly walked over to the bed and looked down on Paloma’s face. She was very pale, and Inger felt her panic rise.

  She shrieked in surprise when a hand shot out and pulled her closer. The silver eyes cracked open slowly.

  “I will be fine. Do not worry too much.” The husky voice was soft. The silver eyes fluttered closed again, and Inger sat on the bed next to Paloma. She needed to get some sleep, but she would wait a few hours or more to be sure, that Paloma was resting comfortably. The chamber was underground so no sunlight would reach down here. It was almost impossible to think that just last night she had been kissing those beautiful lips. Her eyes moved to Paloma’s large hands, and she shuddered lightly. The things those hands had done to her last night. She blushed. Here she was fantasizing about what they had done while Paloma was so obviously ill.

  She picked
up a cool pale hand and rubbed it between her warm ones. Inger gently nudged Paloma and was surprised to see the silver eyes open briefly. It was already dawn and still Paloma was awake. Maybe she should call her mother. But then her mother would also be asleep right now.

 

  With one final look at Paloma’s pale face, Inger left her bedside and walked to the stairs leading to the upper floor and the bedrooms. At the door, she turned again. Will Paloma be okay down here alone? Her eyes swept the room. Except for the large bed in the center of the room, it was barren and impersonal. She looked back at Paloma’s stiff form and a shiver ran down spine. She looked like she was dead.

  One day, as a child, Inger had slipped down to her parents’ sleeping chamber during the day and found them both lying on their big bed. When she got closer, she was scared by the stiffness of their bodies and the fact that there was no movement coming from their chests. She had rushed back up to her room, hiding in her closet, not knowing what to think. That was when Tahlia’s soft and gentle voice caressed her mind, reassuring her that they were fine. They had a very late night and were exhausted. An hour later, her parents came to her room, and they’d spent a large portion of the night with her, playing games and telling her bedtime stories. She smiled at the memory. She had always been loved.

  Looking at Paloma lying there alone made her heart constrict. She was alone. Had been for centuries except for last night when she had lain in her arms. Moving quietly, she eased herself onto the bed and placed her head on the pillow, curling her body around Paloma’s body.

  “Thank you.” Paloma’s voice was soft, but the immense gratitude in the croaky voice was unmistakable. Her eyes welled up, and she pulled Paloma into her arms and closed her eyes. She was surprised to find herself dozing off almost immediately. Tahlia must have had a hand in it.

 

 

  Chapter 8

  The silver eyes missed nothing. She saw the tiny laugh lines forming around the beautiful mouth and the pout that formed when she slept. She had the overwhelming urge to plant a soft kiss on those luscious lips, but was reluctant to wake the slumbering woman. She woke an hour earlier and was pleasantly surprised to have found the soft, warm body of Inger curled around hers. She could definitely get used to waking like this. She shifted her weight and placed her ear over Inger’s heart. A soft smile curved her lips upwards. She would never tire of hearing the steady sound of Inger’s heartbeat. It was the sound that led her to Inger in the first place.

  Realization dawned suddenly. It was the middle of the day and she was awake! The sun was up and she didn’t feel the sleep paralysis that normally kept her prisoner in her own body during the day. She gently untangled herself from Inger’s limbs, and, not using her powers, slowly made her way to the stairs and up into the room above.

  Inside the room, she stared at the heavy curtains covering the high window. What if the drug didn’t work? She could almost feel the pain inflicted by the sun’s rays. Over the centuries, she had experienced that venom countless times.

  Giving the curtains one last look, she strode over to the windows, grabbed the thick material in both hands, and yanked them apart. She hadn’t seen the sun in its full, shining glory in over 2000 years, and she was going to see it again, even if it meant she would have to endure the pain to appease her curiosity. She gasped when a ray of sunlight burst through, hitting her face. Stunned momentarily by its brilliance, she waited for the pain to register and for the room to fill with the acrid smell of burning flesh. But the pain didn’t come nor did the odor. What she felt instead was warmth caressing her face and a faint burning sensation behind her eyes. But she didn’t close her eyes. She couldn’t, even if she’d wanted to. The sight before her was too overwhelming even to blink. The sky was blue, the exact same color of Inger’s eyes. The blazing sun basked the landscape with its shimmering light. She felt a sudden wetness on her cheek and wiped the tear away.

  There was a soft gasp behind her and the next moment Inger pushed past her, and yanked the curtains closed shutting out the sunlight. “What are you doing?” Her voice was shaky and she raked Paloma’s body with sharp blue eyes to determine her injuries. “Were you trying to destroy yourself? Why?”

  Paloma smiled gently, her eyes devouring the disheveled beauty standing before her.

  “No, I was not. You have given me reason to live again.” She reached behind Inger and pulled the curtains open. This time her gaze was not on the sunlit scenery outside, instead it rested on the beautiful girl standing in front of her. Her raven black hair gleamed under the rays of the sun and her startling blue eyes seemed even bluer in the light of day. Inger’s appearance eerily resembled both Tahlia and Jemima who weren’t her biological parents. She had Tahlia’s dark complexion and Jemima’s almost transparent blue eyes. She was unbelievably beautiful. And she was hers. She had to make sure that Inger knew it too...soon.

  Inger was staring at her with an open mouth. She looked adorable with her face pulled into a confused frown. “But…but I thought—”

  Paloma bent her head and placed a hard smacking kiss on her lips. “I have volunteered to test the daylight drug and to guard you during the day.”

  This time, Inger’s scowl held menace. “You did what?” Her voice was calm, but Paloma could hear a steely undertone.

  “I volunteered that they test the drug on me.”

  Inger stared at her and Paloma found herself backing away slowly. Not out of fear, but because she wanted a better view of this spectacular woman as her, anger slowly gained momentum. But she was disappointed. Inger’s initial anger faded quickly, and she merely stared back at her, a strange look in her bright blue eyes.

  “You were willing to put your life at risk so that you could guard me during the day?” Inger asked softly, closing the distance between her and Paloma.

  Completely confused, Paloma sent out her senses trying to read Inger’s thoughts, but she ran into a strong mental block. Tahlia has taught her well, Paloma thought.

  “Yes, I volunteered to look after you, because Gene and Carlos do not stand a chance.”

  Inger laughed softly. “Gene and Carlos? Those two are total pushovers. I’ve run circles around them since I was six.”

  Paloma raised her eyebrows. Gene and Carlos were over 600 years old and considered ancients, but it is true, they really were no match for the unpredictable Inger. Even hidden in the background, she’d helped them on numerous occasions to keep tabs on a teenaged Inger. Last night she recalled seeing the relief in their eyes when Tahlia informed them that Paloma would head the operation with them as security detail. She fully understood their trepidation. No one would want to have anything happen to the Queen’s beloved daughter on their watch.

  “My point exactly. Your mother knew that you would prove to be too much for them.”

  Inger took another step closer and this time she was standing so close to Paloma, her breath brushed the vampire’s face. “What are we going to do while we wait for the day to end and night to fall?” Inger’s blue eyes were calm, but her energy was predatory. Paloma knew she was being seduced and reveled in it. However, the warm rays of the sun were calling out to her, wanting to caress her pale skin.

  “If you promise not to laugh, I will tell you.” Paloma gently brushed a stray black lock from Inger’s face. She smiled faintly when Inger nodded eagerly. “I would like to go for a walk in the park. Afterwards you can show me all the sightseeing spots in the city.” She saw the surprise in Inger’s eyes. “What? I have never seen the city in daytime before.”

  Inger stared at her for a while; her eyes sparkled with merriment. Paloma reached out and touched her cheek gently.

  “Maybe later, we can go somewhere where we can be alone. Just the two of us.”

  Inger looked at her and Paloma felt the presence of the little minx i
nside her mind. She didn’t block the gentle intrusion; instead, she cracked open the vault that contained all the erotic dreams and thoughts she’d ever had about her.

  Inger blink a few times before a red stain crept up her neck. With a final look into the smoldering, silver eyes, she turned and walked away. At the door, she turned to look back at Paloma.

  “I will take a quick shower and then we can leave.” Her blue eyes hooded.

  †

  A gnarled hand slammed down so hard on the table that all those in the room jumped. Everyone, that is, except the redhead who looked at the man with pure hatred blazing in her green eyes. She could smell the humans’ fear as the same gnarled hand pushed back the cape that covered the man’s face. He was bald with dark veins running over his egg-shaped head. His snake-like eyes, set in a severely wrinkled face, coldly swept the room.

  “How could this have happened?” His voice was gruff with emotion. “You promised me that everything was under control, and you would bring me the assassin’s head on a silver platter. Instead I have lost my son to her.” The eyes hardened further. “My heir.”

  No one of the group of expensively dressed men seated around the table was able to make eye contact with the creature.

  “Somebody needs to tell me what went wrong or at least whose fault it was. If I do not have an answer by the end of this meeting, I promise no one will leave this room alive.” The snake-like eyes held icy determination. “I am waiting.”

  Tired of the bloodshed after centuries of being in the presence of this—thing, the woman stepped forward. She was the only person in the room who was safe from the pale vampire’s wrath. She stifled a mocked yawn.