“We live in Oregon. You’ll see it soon enough. On a vineyard.”
“So you drink all the time. Must help with the delusions you seem keen on having.”
“Actually I don’t drink at all. It’s a home for troubled teens. We’re taken in and taught how to work with others and behave in the world.”
“So, this is like
X-Men
. A bunch of kids living in a mansion who train with their powers until the time comes to save the world.”
Her analogies made him smile.
“I wouldn’t quite go with that. We’re not mutants for one. For another, we don’t live in New York City. And not all the children there are Astral Guardians. And how do you know about the X-Men?” He rose and grabbed his bag before rejoining her on the bed. Digging through, he found a picture of the vineyard and showed it to her. “This is where we live.”
“That’s beautiful. I know a lot of movies. When you can’t go out because people are hunting you, after a while there’s not much to do inside other than watch television.”
He hated that her own family was after her. “It’s even more so beautiful in person.”
“If this is such a battle, why would you have children who can’t defend themselves there?”
“They don’t attack there. I can’t tell you why. I suspect it’s part of their rules.”
“Whose rules? Who’s they?”
“
They
are the ones who want the world plunged back into darkness. I don’t know their names.
They
are the ones who don’t want us to succeed.”
“Again? What, is The New Order going to blow up the sun? I mean, really? That wouldn’t bode well for their survival either. The world isn’t going to be plunged into darkness.” She shook her head.
“I didn’t mean literally, Taylor.”
Although I can’t be positive about that.
“I mean as in anarchy will reign. Evil will prevail and no one will be safe. Anywhere. Death and destruction will be the way life is lived. Daily. Kill or be killed.”
“How do you know this?”
“The prophecy.”
“You have a prophecy?”
“We have one.”
“And it is what?”
“You really want to know?”
“I think so.”
He could detect the hesitation but was proud she didn’t run the other way. So he recited the prophecy to her, “
The parts to waken the world’s hope have been scattered far and wide to the winds and throughout the stars. It is from there the chosen ones are marked, becoming Astral Guardians. Alone their individual defeat has a greater chance than when paired with the amaranthine and genuine love of their mate. Those Guardians must find, defend and bind the pieces to call forth the hope of the world. It will take courage, strength, love and sacrifice. If the Guardians fail, swift death will arrive to the one who calms the beasts. With this outcome, the world shall descend into darkness, chaos and anarchy.
”
“Not exactly cheerful,” she mumbled.
Cale wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that, for she was completely correct. It wasn’t cheerful.
“Your brethren. Tell me about them.”
“The two who’ve been there the longest are Tiarnán and Dracen. Then Billy. I came around the same time as Roz, and Aminta has been there the shortest amount of time.”
“And they all have a mark of sorts.” She crossed her arms and rested her head back on his shoulder. “So why wouldn’t the
…
I’m not sure what to call them…things that sent the marks to you, match you up with each other? Wouldn’t you be stronger like that?”
“The things that did that are beyond our scope of age, Taylor. This began back when the earth was born. A battle for who would control it, and every so often the time comes to fight.”
“I still don’t know what I’m doing in the middle of all your craziness.”
“You were chosen for me.” He tipped her chin towards him as he told her that bit of information.
“So you say,” she muttered.
“So
you
know.”
He kissed her again and moaned deep into her mouth. When she tangled her tongue with his, he drew back. He wanted her so much, his cock was painfully hard. Instead of following his desire, he cupped her cheek and brushed a thumb along her skin. Such soft, smooth skin.
“We should get going,” he said, refusing to release her gaze.
She shook her head as she climbed away from him and off the bed. “I must be absolutely insane for believing this, not to mention that I’m going along with it.”
Cale watched her pace back and forth. The rainbow of colours had faded and only lingered in her hair. She was close to losing it, he knew that. And he understood it. This wasn’t easy for anyone to accept. Add to it the running for her life, and he knew she had reached the end of her rope. Dark circles were prevalent under her eyes.
Strapping on his weapons, he continually peered up at her. She hadn’t tried to leave the room and she wasn’t cursing him. Bag in hand, he walked to her and the door.
“You can sleep more in the car.”
“Whatever,” she muttered, chewing on her thumbnail. She wouldn’t look at him, just waited for him to open the door.
He did and stepped out first, keeping her inside. Senses alert, he searched for any lingering stench that accompanied those damn things. Nothing reached him, but he wasn’t entirely sure there weren’t members of The New Order out there waiting. Humans smelt like humans. He couldn’t always distinguish good from The New Order.
They walked swiftly across the parking lot to where his stolen vehicle waited. As she climbed in, he continually checked the sky. Although the prime of the morning was still nearing, he didn’t trust that the treetops didn’t hold some creatures out to stop them.
He got them on their way and watched her from the corner of his eyes as she eventually slumped over and fell asleep. With each second he spent in her company, his protectiveness grew exponentially.
“We should be there by afternoon. I have to be careful, driving a stolen car.”
He sent the call out to his siblings.
“And your woman?”
Roz posed the question.
“Currently sleeping. She’s exhausted and wiped from everything that’s happened. It hasn’t helped she has been running from her cousins who want to kill her as well.”
“I’ll get a room ready for her. Or is she staying with you?”
“She can have her own room, Roz.”
Even as he sent the words, he wanted to growl in frustration. He wanted her in his room with him.
“Are either of you hurt?”
Dracen asked.
“We got injured in the attack but I healed her, and by the time we get there, I should be fully healed. I need more
shruiken
though, I lost a bunch in those we fought.”
“Travel safe, brother, and we’ll see you when you get here.”
“See you soon, Billy.”
He was closest to Billy. They shared almost everything, and Cale would feel better when he was back surrounded by his friends and family.
Turning on some music, he kept it low so as not to disturb Taylor. He could see the chain that held her pendant clasped in her hand. It brought her strength—a blind man would be able to see that.
* * * *
She woke when they went over some bumps. Careful not to show she had awakened, Taylor sneaked a glance through cracked lids. It was dark out and she couldn’t make out much more than a parking lot and a few lights.
Cale parked them in an empty spot, in the back, then shut off the engine and killed the lights. She sat up.
“What are we doing here?”
“Waiting for a ride.”
Her belly clenched, but she ignored the nervousness which grew. “From?”
“Billy.”
She might be tired, but that name was familiar. Another of the Astral Guardians and a man he considered a brother. The knowledge helped to calm her a bit.
Right, unless you’re being taken to a place for some kind of sadistic, freaky murder ritual thingy,
her subconscious chimed in with that most unwanted piece of news.
Keeping her head against the rest, she closed her eyes. Suddenly her life didn’t seem so bad. Her old one. Running from those who wanted to kill her to running from others who wanted to as well. The ones she knew gave her a bit of an edge. These New Order psychos she knew nothing about. Nor the demons that were suddenly after her as well.
“Come on.”
Cale got out, grabbed his bag then walked away.
“Don’t bother waiting for me, or anything like that,” she muttered. Following suit, she stepped from the interior only to run smack into Cale’s chest. “Oomph.”
She grabbed at him to keep from falling backwards. He slid a hand behind her, drawing her close to him.
“I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“Tell me you can’t read my mind.” If he could, she was in so much trouble.
“Heard you muttering. Although with the way you say it, makes me wonder what kind of things you’ve been thinking about, Taylor Kenyon. And just how much they have to do with me.” He leaned close and kissed the tip of her nose. “I can’t wait to find out.”
“I’ve not thought about you at all,” she blatantly lied.
“Don’t start lying now, sweetie. You talk in your sleep.”
She’d forgotten that. And on the way here she’d had some lovely dreams of her and Cale in bed together.
Okay, so it wasn’t just in bed. Shit, I really need help. On a massive scale.
“I can’t refute what may or
may not
have been said while I was asleep. For all I know, you’re full of it and I didn’t say anything.”
“She knows you well. You have always been full of it.” A new voice entered the conversation.
Taylor jumped and stifled her scream. Cale chuckled and that was all he did.
Must be Billy.
She loosened her grip on Cale and waited for him to do the same. He didn’t.
“Billy.” The man’s name was said with affection.
A leanly muscled Asian man stepped into the small shaft of light there. His inky black hair had a rakish, messy look. The wide grin on his face immediately put her at ease.
Cale released her and the men embraced. None of that half-assed one-arm thing men tend to do when they’re worried how showing affection will make them look. This told everyone of their affection, and it told her how deep it ran.
When they separated, both men glanced at her.
“Introduce us, Cale.”
He didn’t hesitate at the order. “Billy, this is Taylor Kenyon. Taylor, meet my brother, Billy Kwan.”
She offered her hand, but Billy gave her a grin as he shook his head. “I’m getting a hug. And it’s lovely to meet you, Taylor.”
True to his word, he enveloped her in his embrace. Tentatively, she put her arms around him in return. Cale stood by watching with a matching grin on his face. Billy didn’t keep her there long—there was nothing untoward about it. He smelt like the outdoors and a hint of spice. It was nice.
“I like her, Cale. Don’t fuck this up. Come on, let’s get home.”
Billy walked away to the waiting SUV and hopped in the driver’s seat. Cale guided her to the back and held the door while she climbed in. Before he shut the door on her, Cale leaned close and murmured, “Just so you know, I have no intentions of fucking this up, but I have every intention of fucking you.”
She flushed and ducked her head. His chuckle lingered as he made his way to the passenger side to sit in front of her. Their soft chatter had her dozing off and on. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when they turned onto a road with a large sign that read
Tennesol Winery
.
Taylor sat up and stared out of the window. A thick mist covered the ground, but she could see the vines through it. Hills and flats added to the scenery. The majesty of it took her breath away.
Holy Hannah. This looks like something out of a magazine from Italy or France.
She felt calmer the deeper onto the property they drove. Around a final corner and she stared at the house.
“It is so like the X-Men mansion,” she said. “Or maybe Hogwarts.”
“We’re still not mutants,” Cale replied. “Nor witches and wizards.”
“Picky picky,” she retorted.
Truth was, it wasn’t like either. The estate was massive and gorgeous, however.
I feel for whoever has to clean this place.
She sat back and tried to absorb it all as they reached the door. Billy shut off the engine and got out, as did Cale. Taylor took her time before stepping out onto the drive.
The minute she closed her door behind her, the front one to the mansion opened and a man stepped through, his right hand curved about a cane. Middle-aged with a spot of grey at his temples, he too, was Asian. His race didn’t bother her, what did was the way he watched her, as if he were assessing her. He carried himself with such presence, she felt overwhelmed. There was endless knowledge in his dark eyes.
“Cale,” he said affectionately.
Cale went up the steps, taking them two at a time. The man’s entire visage changed when the two embraced. She swore there was fatherly pride on his face. This man had to be one of the six. He seemed so strong and imposing.
And I’ve not said a word to him.
Together he and Cale walked down the steps, the man’s gaze fixed upon her the entire time.
“Welcome, Taylor.” A bow. “I am Lian Yang. It is my sincerest pleasure to finally meet you.”
Drawing on her youth—growing up how she did—and the people she’d met then, she offered him a bow in return. “Thank you. It is also mine to meet you, Mr Yang.”
A slight smile turned up the corner of his mouth. She laced her hands in front of her and waited. Cale moved back to stand next to her and she couldn’t ignore the feeling in her that told her to lean against him. It told her how much she wanted him.
“Do come in. We will allow you to get settled then we must talk.”
Mr Yang spun around and walked back up the steps he’d just come down.
I should have gone to him so he didn’t have to walk them not once but twice.
Disgusted with herself, she remained mute when Cale guided her up them as well.
The inside of the mansion took her breath away, as had the outside. Opulence was the name of the game here. And she’d thought her grandmother’s home had been nice. While it had been, the fact remained it would have fit inside this place.