The Guardian's Keeper (The Guardian Trilogy, Book 1) (23 page)

A horn sounded across the
Camp. The ladies spoke amongst themselves as they hurriedly gathered up their things. Each one stopped to give Claire a quick hug and a few words of encouragement as they left. She graciously accepted their kind words. She did not care about her wedding, but she appreciated the effort they had made to help her.

“Come, we go now. You are ready?”
Anya asked her anxiously. Claire nodded and braced herself for what was to come.

Chapter 30

They walked through the empty
Camp, Anya helping to hold up Claire’s long train to keep it clean. The ceremony was to be held just outside the Camp circle, in a section of young birches nearby. Anya explained that Garridan had selected the spot, thinking Claire would enjoy its beauty for their special day.

As they approached the birch grove Claire could see the whole
Camp had turned out to witness the union of Garridan and the Keeper. Garridan stood at a make shift alter, his back to them. A man Claire did not know stood before him, ready to perform the ceremony.

Anya stopped and care
fully laid out Claire’s train. “You stay back here, when it is time for you to come Garridan will turn around, you walk to him,” she instructed. She hugged Claire tightly and kissed her cheek. “This is what you will do? You are sure- marry Garridan?” She studied Claire seriously.

Claire nodded and
managed a smile for her Anya. “Yes, this is what I must do. It’s okay, Anya, everything will be fine,” she said confidently. Anya nodded and left Claire to join the crowd gathered behind Garridan.

Claire stood rooted in place, watching closely for Garridan to turn around. Her heart thudded duly in her chest, her mouth was dry. Of course it wouldn’t all be fine. She despised Garridan, she would never love him. But Renka was right- she was of
Gypsy descent and with her family and Nikoli gone, her place was with them. By marrying Garridan she was cementing her place in this society, her new home. She would adjust-somehow.

Lost in her thoughts she did not hear some
one approach her from behind.

“
I hear there’s a wedding today, and the bride’s not to be missed,” a familiar husky voice said to her.

Claire’s bouquet fell to the ground, forgotten, as she whirled around. There he was, casually leaning against a nearby tree, smiling that tight-lipped smile she knew so well.

‘Nikoli!’ Tears poured unbidden down her cheeks as she rushed to him and threw her arms around him. He held her tight, nuzzling her hair. “How are you-you can’t be-you’re dead.”

Nikoli chuckled. “
Well, I guess I was, but not anymore.” He pushed Claire back, looking her up and down. “So what’s with this get up, eh?” He fingered the crown of flowers on her head.

Claire turned scarlet, thoroughly embarrassed.
“You were dead,” she whispered.

Nikoli nodded. “
I know, lovely, I know. I’m sorry I left you, but it seems I’m back now, in one piece.”

“
So you’re not…changed anymore?”

Nikoli kissed her lips softly. “
No, my Keeper, that is done with now, I am me again.”

Claire leaned in and stole another kiss from him, this
time passionate and forceful.

“Hey now,”
Nikoli teased as he pushed her away playfully. “What’s your new husband going to think?!”

“Nikoli, I-”
Claire was cut off by a collective gasp from the wedding audience. Turning her head she saw the whole Camp had turned, anticipating her walk to the altar. Many began chanting prayers and crossing themselves when they saw Nikoli.

Claire’s eyes foun
d Garridan. He stood at the altar, turned to face her now in anticipation of their union. His fists were clenched by his side, a grimace of rage on his face. With a loud snarl he strode down the aisle, his eyes never leaving Claire and Nikoli. He broke his stride only to grab a handgun out of the holster of a man he passed. Claire tensed in Nikoli’s arms as Garridan raised the gun as he approached.

Suddenly a fl
ash of light in between them blinded everyone. Claire squinted against the glare. There stood Circe, her yellow curls radiating light as bright as the sun.

“You will leave them be,” s
he commanded Garridan. She squinted her eyes at him. “You. Hades has business with you soon.” Garridan faltered and lowered the gun, awestruck by the Goddess before him. The crowd fell to its knees as murmurs of disbelief swept through it. Circe turned to Claire and Nikoli.

“
Your reward, brave Keeper.” She gestured to Nikoli. “I possess great magic, including the art of necromancy. Nikoli is your love, and you are his. I have returned him to the living, given him back his free will, and cleansed him of the curse he ingested with your blood. You have made the world safe for all again, Stavros is gone, the least I can do for you is reunite you with your love.” Circe smiled gently at Claire.

Claire c
ould not find the words to express her gratitude. “Thank you Circe, I cannot-”

Ci
rce turned in a flash and sparks flew from her graceful fingers. The sparks hit Garridan, who had tried to race around her to shoot Nikoli. He wailed in agony as he began shrinking and transforming before their eyes. Over an agonizing few seconds he went from a strapping young man to a pig.

Claire gasped in wonder, her h
and to her mouth in shock.

Circe laughed. “
Don’t worry, it’s only temporary. In 3 days’ time he will become human again, until then we are all better off with him as this.” Circe turned to address the Camp.

“
Nikoli is back by my hand. He is no longer a threat you, I have removed the curse of the Gypsy blood,” she announced. “This swine,” she gestured to Garridan, “will stay in such form for three days. Keep him safe, keep him fed, and you shall have your Garridan back.” Garridan squealed and fled from Circe to cower behind Anya.

“You go now,”
Circe commanded Claire and Nikoli. “You will not be welcome here any longer, I fear. There are two horses saddled for you outside the Camp circle. Ride hard and you may reach safety not too long into the night.” Nikoli nodded and took Claire’s hand to lead her back to Camp.

“Wait!”
a voice called. Anya ran to them, careful to keep her distance from Circe. She flung her arms around Claire. “I am happy for you now,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “I will miss you, my Gypsy sister.”

Nikoli released Claire’s grip as she r
eturned Anya’s strong embrace. “Thank you, Anya. I will miss you too.” She released her friend and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Anya grinned at Nikoli.
“Until we meet again, my friend.” Nikoli smiled and nodded in return.

“One more,” c
alled an abrasive old voice. Renka hobbled over to them as fast as she could. She stood before Claire and patted her cheek softly. “You did well, Keeper. I am sorry you will not stay.” She glared at Nikoli but addressed Claire. “You chose Death and its danger over a safe life here with people to look out for you. You are sure it is what you wish?” Claire nodded seriously. “So be it then.” Renka huffed at the pair before hobbling back to her people.

Ni
koli reclaimed Claire’s hand. “Come on, lovely, we’ve got some hard riding to do. Let’s get out of here.” He swept Claire into his arms and carried back towards Camp, to their horses. Claire snuggled into him, inhaling his familiar scent, safe in his arms once again.

Once they reached their steeds Nikoli gently lowered her onto her feet. He took out a large pocket knife and cut off the bottom of her dress, l
eaving the train in tatters.

“There. You can ride in that,” h
e proclaimed, admiring her now knee length dress. He boosted her onto her horse. “Are you ready?” Claire nodded. “Good, we ride and we ride hard. If we’re lucky we can make it back to Akos and Firenze’s cottage not too long after dark.” He grinned up at her and kissed her hand. “I love you, my Keeper. It’s so good to be back.”

Claire smiled ba
ck at him, full of the joy she feared she’d never feel again. “I love you too, my Guardian, and it’s good to have you back.”

Chapter 31

They rode hard
the rest of day, galloping where the trail allowed, trotting where the terrain wouldn’t. They paused briefly to allow the horses drinks at the rivers and streams they crossed, and then saddled up again. When they came to the last river before the cottage, the one where the bandits had attacked them, Nikoli made Claire stay on her mount while he checked the area for danger.

“It’s safe,” h
e announced as he took back the reins to his horse. Claire dismounted and followed Nikoli to the river bank. He headed in the opposite direction from where the bandit attack took place. Dusk was approaching so they were mindful to keep this break as short as they could.

They stood together as the horses drank their fill. Nikoli slung his arm around Claire and kisse
d the top of her head. “Lovely,” he murmured. “I am so sorry for what happened at the cabin.” He pulled back and looked right at her, his eyes searching hers. “I had no idea, I never would have fed from you if I had known. I would never intentionally put you in harms’ way.”

Claire gave
him a quick peck on the lips. “It’s okay, Nikoli, I know that wasn’t really you. I’m sorry too, for almost marrying Garridan. You were dead, everything had gone wrong, I…I just didn’t care. Renka and Anya wanted me to stay, Garridan wanted me to be his wife….I-”

Nikoli placed a finger to her lips
. “I understand, it’s okay. I’m just glad I stopped the wedding in time.”

Claire glanced down at her
left hand and removed the ring Garridan had given her. The opal flashed brilliantly in the fading light. She flung it into the river and watched it disappear under the calm waters.

“
There is no one for me but you,” she promised Nikoli.

He kissed her hard in response then pulled back to smooth her raven curls that had c
ome unbound during their ride. “When we get somewhere proper, I can’t wait to show you how much I’ve missed you,” he declared, his voice full of promise of things to come. “We need to get going again. The sooner we get to Akos and Firenze’s place, the safer we’ll be. No more Myrmidons to worry about, but there are still other vampires out here too.”

They rode onward, pushing their exhausted
horses as much as they dared. The miles sped by until finally they approached the fields bordering the cottage. Nikoli slowed his horse to a walk and Claire followed suit.

“The cottage is dark.” He frowned. “
I expected they would be back by now.”

Claire giggled. “
I wouldn’t mind having the place to ourselves again.”

Nikoli smiled
back at her over his shoulder. “Come on, we’re almost there. There should be some firewood left inside, I’ll get the fire going.”

They rode
the horses at a walk to let them cool down after their hard day’s work. The breeze ruffled the hay in the fields and the stars shone brightly overhead. Claire sighed with contentment. She could not believe her Nikoli was back at her side.

They dismounted in front of the cottage and Nikoli tied their horses to the post out front as Claire unsaddled them. Together they entered the quiet, dark cottage. Nikoli removed a ligh
ter from his pocket and used its meager light to find a nearby candle.

“Something’s wrong,” he said quietly. “
You stay here, don’t go outside, I’ll get another candle.” Nikoli lit a second candle he found on the hearth and gave it to Claire. “I’ll be right back, just stay here while I take a look around.” Claire nodded.

There was a
faint odor in the air, one she could not place, but it was unpleasant. The cottage hadn’t smelled like that when they had been there not so long ago.

Nikoli left Claire to look about the cottage. Nothing seemed amiss
at first but his sensitive vampire nose picked up the stench of death that hung in the air. He found Firenze behind the kitchen counter, her dead eyes staring at the ceiling, her throat torn out. Nikoli bit his lip. From the looks of her body she had been dead a few days as bloating and discoloration had set in. With a sigh Nikoli leaned down to close her eyes with his fingers.

“
Goodbye, my friend,” he whispered softly. “Claire?” he called.

‘Still here.”
Claire called from the entryway.

Nikoli wanted to find Akos before letting
Claire know what he had found. “I’m just going to check upstairs, then I’ll be right back. Don’t move,” he called to her.

“
Okay! I’m not going anywhere.”

Nikoli climbed the narrow steps to the upper level of the cottage. There wasn’t much up there, just a small bathroom
straight ahead and a bedroom on each side of the narrow hallway. The smell of death was worse up here.

The first bedroom was filled with bloodstains on the wood floor and
splattered on the walls. Nikoli’s stomach dropped. Akos would not have survived such an attack. Nikoli looked into the second bedroom and found it to be untouched, no sign of Akos. He finally found Akos slumped in the corner behind the bathroom door.