The Guardian's Keeper (The Guardian Trilogy, Book 1) (11 page)

Nikoli caress
ed her face gently and sighed. “Oh Claire, you don’t know how much I want that too. Let’s get out of this alive first, shall we?”

Claire nodded in agreement. She realized she really was getting ahead of herself. But Nikoli made her so happy, made her feel so safe. Her world had been turned upside down in the last few days but already she couldn’t imagine life without him. She just wanted to be with him always. But how could they make that work, with him vampire and her a human? She didn’t think she wanted to be turned, but she knew she didn
’t want to be without Nikoli.

“
I guess we’ll figure it out later, after we’ve saved the world,” she said ruefully.

“Can we get to Budapest first?”
Nikoli teased, ruffling her hair and giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

They did just
that hours later. Claire was mesmerized by the Danube River, the city unfolding from both sides of her banks.

“
Now you know why they call it the Pearl of the Danube,” Nickoli mused.

“
Will we have time to see some of the city?” Claire asked hopefully as they prepared to land.

Nikoli checked his watch. “
Not really. We’re landing later than I would have liked to. We have to get going to the safe house and we’ll leave the city in the morning.”

“
Safe house? We won’t just stay in a hotel or something?”

Nikoli shook his head. “
No hotels for us on this trip. Think about it- in a hotel, any vampire can come and go as they please, it’s a business, not a residence. But a safe house- it’s a privately owned residence a vampire needs permission to enter. We’ll be safe from the Myrmidons there.”

Claire tensed at the mention of the foul
Myrmidons. “How do you have permission, then?”

“
Joyce’s husband made many friends and allies throughout the years. One of the ways he has helped our cause is by using his good name to set up a network of safe houses throughout Europe and the world. It has been willed in some families for generations that anyone with a certain code word is to be given explicit permission to enter the family property as needed. The safe houses are all vacant properties, making it easy for a Guardian and their Keeper to have safe lodging for the night, even far from home.”

“
And where are we going tomorrow, out of the city?”

“So many questions, you,” Nikoli teased. “
Tomorrow we’re headed east, to Romania. We need to head to Transylvania to catch up with Renka and her clan.”

“
Transylvania? As in Dracula- Transylvania?” Claire laughed. “Seriously? That’s where we’ll meet the Gypsies? Wait- why didn’t we just fly in through Romania then?”

“
Because the Myrmidons will be expecting us to do just that Claire. No doubt they’ve watch on the capital, waiting for us. Budapest seemed a safer option.”

Horace stuc
k his head out of the cockpit. “Welcome to Hungary! I hope you enjoy your stay. Joyce will alert me when you’re ready to go back to the States and Rocco and I shall pick you back up here at your convenience, Sir.” He opened up the door to the plane and ushered Nikoli and Claire down the steps.

After collecting their bags Nikoli hailed them a cab. He spoke fluently with the driver as he placed their bags in the tru
nk, and then slid into the cab next to Claire. He was visibly worried.

“What is it?”
Claire asked worriedly.

“The time,” Nikoli explained. “
I had hoped to be here hours ago so we could be in the safe house long before dusk but our stop in Paris took far longer than I expected it to. We’ll need to be quick about getting to the safe house. Dusk is coming on now,” he observed as he watched the daylight fade away from the city. “First we need to get the key- a word about that, Claire. When we get to our next stop stick close to me, don’t talk to anyone unless I say so.”

“
Where are you taking me, Nikoli, and what makes you think you can tell me who I can and cannot talk to?” Claire demanded to know.

Niko
li chuckled. “We’re going to Fogak, a local pub. The English translation of the name would be ‘teeth’, and it’s full of them. Fogak is a popular hang out with the vampire crowd after dark Claire, so its best you stick with me and keep quiet- it wouldn’t do to draw attention to ourselves. You need to act like I’ve persuaded you.”

“
Okay, I get it. Stay with you and keep quiet,” Claire conceded. “But didn’t you say the Myrmidons are in Romania right now, waiting for us?”

“
I’m sure some are, but we can’t take any chances. There are only 8 of them left but that doesn’t mean they’re all together. Caution is key.”

Night was fast approaching and Claire could sense Nikoli’s anxiety rising with each passing minute. They turned down a narrow cobblestone street into a neighborhood with a distinctive
medieval flavor to it. The driver stopped at a narrow building with a pair of pointy toothed gargoyles guarding the entry way. Nikoli gathered their things and paid the driver. He pulled Claire close to him.

“
Remember,” he reminded her somberly, “close to me and speak to no one unless I give you the go-ahead. You need to act like I’ve persuaded you.”

Claire nodde
d silently.

“Try to calm down,
” Nikoli insisted. “I can hear your heart pounding away already, that’ll do nothing but invite unwanted attention.”

“
I can’t help how fast my heart beats,” Claire grumbled, but she focused on taking deep calming breaths in an effort to relax herself.

“
That’s my girl,” Nikoli praised her. “It’s better now. You can do this Claire, I’m right with you and I won’t let anything happen to you.” Placing his hand on the small of her back, Nikoli guided Claire out of the dark night and through the solid wooden door of Fogak.

Chapter 14

The pub’s interior
was dimly lit with hundreds of candles everywhere. The small flames flickered from the tabletops to the sconces on the walls. An elaborate bronze chandelier filled with tiny candles cast a soft glow over the bar. The pub was quiet at the moment with only a handful of patrons scattered at the tables here and there. Nikoli kept his hand on Claire’s back and guided her to the bar without a word.

“Sit down,” h
e commanded gruffly, pulling out a blood red velvet covered stool for her.

Claire sank
down onto the stool obediently and Nikoli remained standing beside her.

The barkeeper turned from the glasses she was poli
shing with a yelp of delight.

“Nikoli!” she exclaimed. “
How long has it been, old friend, 50 years?” She leaned over the bar and kissed Nikoli on one cheek then the other.

Claire felt he
rself go rigid with jealousy but worked hard not to show it.

“
Ramona! Not fifty, more like sixty or seventy.” Nikoli corrected her good naturedly, returning her cheek kisses.

Claire remained quietly seated, a small smile on her face, doing her best not to betray the emotions that ran through her as Ramona leaned across the
bar and toyed with her curls as if she were some kind of doll on display.

“
Ah, Nikoli, you always did have exquisite taste. Where’d you find her?” Ramona asked.

Claire stifled a shudder when she saw Ramona’s fangs glinting in the candlelight. She maintained her expression despite the rage and disgust coursing through her
. Ramona smiled sweetly at her as she twisted Claire’s curly locks around her fingers before releasing her hair and giving her a soft pat on the head, like a dog. Nikoli’s palm pressed firmly down on top of Claire’s thigh under the bar- a warning to behave as they had discussed.

“
I found her out and about the city. Those tourists just wander everywhere. I couldn’t resist scooping this one up,” Nikoli replied. “I’ll take a Bloody Mary, B+ if you’ve got it, and a glass of wine for this one, no, make that a Coke please.”

“No problem.”
Ramona went about making his order. Claire watched her as she reached into the drink cooler and fished around until she found what she was looking for- a bag of blood labeled B+. She dumped the blood into a tumbler along with some vodka and various other ingredients, mixed them all together and presented it Nikoli. She reached under the counter and pulled out a glass bottle of Coke for Claire. Claire accepted it mutely, biting back the ‘thank you’ that automatically rose on her lips.

“
You have anything here for me, Ramona?” Nikoli asked quietly as he sipped his drink.

“Yes, hang on.”
Ramona looked under the counter and produced a sealed white envelope. “This was outside when I came in today with a note that someone would ask for it tonight. Is that what you’re looking for?”

Nikoli opened the
envelope and held up the key. “Perfect.” He turned to Claire and his eyes bore into hers. “Claire, you will keep this for me until I ask for it. You will not lose it.”

Claire turned to him and nodded. She recognized he was acting like he had compelled her and she wanted to play along as he asked her to. She accepted the key from him and tucked it safely
away in her pocket.

“
Anyone new in town lately, Ramona?” Nikoli asked casually.

“Well,”
Ramona began, “Fabricio’s in town, taking a bit of a holiday. He says he’s sick of the Italian vampires, they’re all very boring and no fun at all so he wanted to see what’s happening over in this neck of the forest. Marika’s left town, too many women in Vac starting to talk about the ‘vampir’ seducing their men and drinking their blood…you know what a flirt Marika is, and she’s always been a sloppy persuader. There’ve been a few new faces in here recently, though I’ve never caught their names.” Ramona waved her hand dismissively.

“
How many new….” Nikoli began before he was cut off.

“I knew it was you!”
a short curvy red head with extensions down her back purred as she pressed herself against Nikoli from the side and ran her fingernails down his back and chest.

“
Giuliana!” Nikoli greeted her as slid out of her grasp and put some distance between them. Claire inwardly fumed. If she didn’t need to act like persuaded pet she would have ripped Giuliana’s fake extensions right out of her scalp. Who did she think she was?

“
Why don’t you ditch the human and come party with me tonight, hhmm?” Giuliana offered as she closed the gap Nickoli had put between them. “It could be just like old times.”

“
Go find a police officer to amuse yourself with,” Ramona shot at Giuliana. “I swear you’re worse than a cat in heat. Shoo, you mangy thing.” She flicked her glass cloth at Giuliana.

G
iuliana drew up her upper lip, showing her canines, and actually hissed out loud at Ramona. “Go back to work, peasant girl. Nikoli is none of your concern.”

Claire sat rigid in her seat as she concentrated again on easy deep breaths.
No problem, she thought to herself. I’m sitting in a vampire bar acting like Nikoli’s puppet while two vampire chicks fight over him.

Nikoli placed his hand on the small of her back but
this time under her shirt and made small slow circles against her skin. Claire concentrated on the feeling of his fingers against her and the heat it created within her. It helped block out the fanged cat-fight beginning right in front of her.

“
Maybe he’s not my concern, but he sure doesn’t look like he wants to be any of yours tonight,” Ramona dug back at Giuliana.

Nikoli held up his hand, signaling for the l
adies to stop their bickering. “Ramona, it’s been lovely to see you again but I really must be going.” He unfolded a stack of currency and left it on the bar to cover their drinks. “Guiliana, it’s been a real surprise to see you here, but I’m afraid my night is booked.” He gestured to Claire next to him.

Giuliana looked Claire over. “
She is a tasty one indeed. Perhaps we could share her?” Giuliana asked hopefully, licking her lips in anticipation.

“I’m afraid not.”
Nikoli shook his head as he pressed his fingernails gently into Claire’s skin. She got the message loud and clear- keep calm, keep steady, keep quiet, no matter what Guiliana said.

“
Damn it, Giuliana, if you don’t get your ratty ass out of my bar I’ll stake you myself,” Ramona warned.

Claire cheered silently on the inside- she was starting to really like Ramona.

Giuliana hissed again at Ramona then stalked off without another word.

“Up Claire, we’re leaving now,”
Nikoli bade her as he grabbed their bags. Claire stood, relieved they were getting out of Fogak and away from its blood thirsty, flirty patrons. “Say goodbye to Ramona.”

“
Goodbye Ramona,” Claire intoned, her fake smile on her face still.

As they walked to the front door Claire heard Ramona
laugh and call out “Oh Nikoli, you know it’s rude to play with your food!”