Guardian: Volume 5 (4 page)

He
nodded. “Did you hear Luca got thrown out? Then Kai and Kate followed him to
join the renegades. My dad is furious. He is trying to make a bunch of
alliances against the renegades.”

“Is
that why he called the meeting?” It made sense now. He felt like he was losing
power so he was trying to find anyone that would join his cause. The werewolves
would be perfect since they had no alliances that he knew of.

“Ya,
the meeting is going to bring together all the groups including the renegades.
He is just trying to look good to everyone,” he said sounding disgusted.

“Why
are you still here? You should go with Luca,” I said watching him.

He
sighed. “I know. I have a feeling my dad is losing it. He won’t let anyone
leave. I am actually starting to get worried.”

“I
can take you tonight. I want you safe. Your father isn’t the man you think he
is,” I said quietly.

“Believe
me I know more than I let on,” he said softly.

“So
you will let me take you to them?” I asked hopefully.

He
shook his head. “I can’t leave my mom. I will be fine here.”

I
didn’t want to leave him behind, but I wasn’t going to force him to leave.
“Don’t say anything about me being here. I would rather you not be involved.”

He
smiled and nodded. “I’ll see you around. I will probably see you at the
meeting.”

“You
will,” I said and smiled. Within seconds I was back in my bedroom at Drake’s
house. I had a feeling Adam and Eric may have been right.  Everyone needed to
find alliances while they could. My uncle was planning something, and I needed
to be ready for whatever it was.

I
woke up to a light knock on my door. “Come in,” I said as I sat up.

Drake
came in and smiled at me. “The meeting is going to be starting in a couple
hours. I figured I would come feed you, then you can get ready to leave.”

“That
sounds like a good idea. Are Adam and Eric going to join us like planned?” I
asked as I watched him take his shirt off.

He
nodded. “They want to do a show of force. There is going to be several pack
members joining as well. We need to make it clear we won’t easily be swayed.”

“The
hunters think I am dead. The news that I have been turned hasn’t reached them
yet. I think that will be an advantage,” I said as he climbed on the bed and
laid down next to me.

“It
will be. There are also rumors among the renegades that you have gone crazy and
disappeared,” he said amused.

I
laughed. “I haven’t disappeared, but I am not going to say I haven’t gone
crazy,” I said as I moved next to him. I realized I wasn’t as desperately
hungry as I usually was. Maybe Cornelius was right. Maybe I had more control
because I fed on a regular basis instead of denying myself. I bit Drake and he
relaxed under me as I fed. I released him after a few minutes. His eyes were
closed, and he was relaxed. I felt like I had a burst of energy. “I need to go
shopping,” I said as I stood and walked over to the closet.

He
rolled on his side and watched me. “There should be something in there that you
can wear.”

I
pulled out a dark blue corset that matched my eyes, and a pair of black,
leather pants. “This will work,” I said and smiled. I laid the clothes out on
the bed then walked to the bathroom. I was going to shower and dress before it
got too late. I wanted to be at the meeting when everyone else arrived.

When
I walked back out into my bedroom Drake was gone. He was probably off getting
dressed himself. I put my clothes on then looked in the mirror.

“You
look lovely,” Cornelius said from behind me.

I
turned and smiled at him. I was getting used to him just appearing behind me.
He was dressed in a tuxedo and he looked incredible. “Are you going to the
meeting?”

He
smiled as he took my hand in his and kissed the back of my hand. “I am, I
figured you would be going as well. I thought you could accompany me.”

I
sighed as I turned back toward the mirror. “I am going to be a little
preoccupied this evening. I will see you there though.” I was trying to
politely brush him off. I wasn’t sure if he knew about my new alliances with
Adam and Eric. He didn’t seem to take my alliance with Drake seriously, but if
he knew about the others he might not be too happy.

He
moved close to me. His lips brushed my ear. “I know you have been up to
something. Like you, I have sources of my own. I know what goes on around
here.”

I
laughed. “I am not a threat to you Cornelius you should know that,” I said
quietly.

“This
has nothing to do with me and you. There are others to worry about. The
lycanthropes are getting antsy. The purpose of this meeting is to try to get
them to take a vampire guardian,” he said quietly.

I
looked at him confused. “The hunters want the lycanthropes to side with the
vampires?” That didn’t make any sense. The vampires getting lycanthropes
wouldn’t be beneficial to the hunters at all.

“Your
uncle seems to think it will strengthen the alliance between the vampires and
the hunters if he negotiates a deal with the lycanthropes,” Cornelius said
amused.

“I
suppose you are the vampire that gains from this,” I said angrily.

He
shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I might be. Of course Aubrey has sided
with your renegade friends. The hunters are on edge because of them. They just
want to even the odds, and I can help them do that.”

“You’re
so noble,” I said dryly. He didn’t realize I already had the lycanthrope’s
alliance. I knew he wouldn’t be happy once he figured it out.

“I
agree,” he said smugly then he disappeared.

I
was furious, but I was trying to ignore it. I couldn’t believe he was siding
with my uncle. I could see things going south quickly. There was a light knock
on my door. “Come in,” I said briskly as I continued to examine myself in the
mirror.

Eric
came in and looked me over. I was a little surprised that he was coming up to
my bedroom. He looked good. He was wearing black leather pants and a dark red
shirt. He was dressed for the meeting like everyone else.

“I
didn’t expect to see you so soon,” I said as I turned back toward the mirror.

“I
came to speak to you before the others were around,” he said quietly.

“Oh,
what about?” I asked as I turned back toward him. He was a lot closer to me
than I thought. I was a little surprised by his sudden brazenness. Before, he
acted like he could barely stand me touching him.

“About
bonding. I think I made a mistake the other night. I should have bonded to
you,” he said quietly.

“Why
the change of heart?” I asked confused.

“I
have a feeling things are going to get intense tonight. I want to be able to
communicate with you without relying on speech,” he said as he watched me.

“Fine,
I will bond to you,” I said as I held out my hand. I figured he would offer me
his wrist like he had before. He grasped my wrist and pulled me against him. I
was a little startled by the sudden closeness. I looked up in his eyes. I had a
feeling he wanted more than a bond with me. “A bond is all I can give you,” I
said softly.

He
smiled. “I have heard about the vampire you desire. The one who wants control
of Adam’s pack and my pack. I figured after tonight he wouldn’t be competition.
Master vampires, like him, tend not to like competition. You are his
competition.”

“I
think we should focus on business,” I said trying to deter him.

He
tilted his head to the side. “Then let’s get down to business.” His words had a
seductive hint to them, but I attempted to ignore it.

I
leaned in and bit his neck. His blood was hot. He tasted different then Drake
and Adam. His blood seemed hotter, almost more exotic. It was intoxicating. I
had to force myself to pull away from him.

He
suddenly moved quickly and pinned me to the bed. He bit my neck, and I stifled
a cry. His bite hurt, but the weight of his body on me was intoxicating. The
warm sensation of the bond being made came over me. He groaned as he continued
to encourage the blood to flow from the bite on my neck. After a few minutes he
released my neck. I lunged forward and ripped his shirt open. I sank my fangs
into his chest. He cussed as I rolled him onto his back. I laid on top of him
and continued to drink slowly. I felt the wound on my neck start to heal. I
reluctantly pulled away. I didn’t want to take too much and make him weak. I
moved off him and walked to the bathroom. I cleaned the blood off my neck and
face. I hated it when I got blood on my skin. It made me feel like a monster.
It brought back memories I didn’t want to think about right now.

I
walked back out to the bedroom and Eric was gone. I sighed and turned back
toward the mirror. I had to finish getting dressed. I didn’t want to think
about the men in my life right at that moment.

I
walked downstairs. Drake, Adam, and Eric were waiting for me. My eyes met
Eric’s and he looked away. “How are we getting to the meeting?” I asked looking
them over.

“I
brought my truck. The others will follow,” Adam said as he looked me over.

I
knew the outfit was a little revealing, but I didn’t think it would attract so
much attention. “Let’s go,” Drake said gruffly as he stalked out.

I
kind of wondered why he was so irritable. I didn’t focus on the thought long. I
had other things to worry about, like the fact that Cornelius was about to be
furious with me. I didn’t like that I was going to make him angry. I felt like
I was going down the same path with Cornelius as I had Aubrey. I always ended
up doing something to screw up my relationship with whatever man I was with.

The
meeting was being held at Cornelius’s house. I figured it would have to be held
somewhere big enough to contain everyone. I looked up at the house as Adam
drove closer. “Is there a plan?” Drake asked sounding as unsure as I felt.

I
sighed. “Even if we have one Cornelius will fuck it up somehow. I think it will
be best just to wing it. If we just stand together everything should be fine. I
really don’t understand what the hunters hope to gain. Something seems off
about the whole thing.”

“I
agree with Rayne. There are too many variables to come up with a solid plan,”
Eric said speaking for the first time since our encounter in the bedroom.

“So
no plan, we just wait for everyone, then we walk in there and stand our
ground,” Adam said as if he was trying to build up the confidence to go through
with it.

“I
doubt Cornelius will hurt anyone. He and I still have a relationship,” I said
hoping I wasn’t just being optimistic.

“This
is really all a pissing contest between Aubrey and Cornelius over you know
who,” Drake said dryly.

I
looked at him a little startled. He sounded a little annoyed with me. “Are you
blaming me for this?”

“No,
I am just stating a fact. Maybe if you would pick one, they would quit,” he
said and climbed out of the truck. Adam followed him out.

“Don’t
make any decisions because they are fighting. You are not bound to either of
them,” Eric said softly, then followed the others.

I
got out of the truck. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to go through with going to the
meeting now. I didn’t think about the fact that Aubrey and Cornelius were doing
all this over me. The more I thought about it the more annoyed I got.

“Are
you ready?” Drake asked as he watched me. “Everyone is already inside, they are
just waiting for us.”

I
nodded and walked toward the entrance. “Lillian,” Tanner called to me from near
the house.

“I
will be right behind you,” I said to the others as I changed direction to go
speak to Tanner. The others continued into the house, and I went to Tanner.

Tanner
glanced around nervously. “I thought I should warn you. Julian is back in
town.”

Julian
was banned from the hunter’s years ago. He wasn’t the most reputable hunter,
and he was unusually good at killing. I had no doubt my uncle was behind him
being back in town. “Do you know why?”

He
shook his head. “I think he might have heard rumors that you were a vampire.”

I
smiled. “He thinks Julian is going to protect him?”

Tanner
smiled sheepishly. “I guess he figures you are pretty angry at him.”

“Thank
you for telling me. You should go before you are seen with me,” I said then
hugged him.

He
nodded and hurried toward the back of the house. I turned back toward the
house. I walked up the stairs and into the house. I knew exactly where I was
going. I had been in the house many times. I walked to the main room. The doors
stood open. I stepped into the room and the room quieted. Directly across from
the entrance the hunters sat. My uncle paled when he saw me. My aunt cried out
and put her hand over her mouth. Damon was sitting at the head of the table and
he shot my uncle a look. Obviously they thought I was dead. Julian smiled like
he was expecting my arrival. He was a decent looking man, and I probably would
have liked him if I didn’t know what he was about.

Next
to them Cornelius and his crew were sitting. Cornelius watched me with a look
of annoyance and amusement. He mentioned he knew something was up, but he never
said what he thought I was doing.

To
the right the renegades were seated. Colin, Luca, Kai, and Kate were at the
head of the table. Luca smiled in relief when he saw me. I take it the rumors
Drake mentioned were probably really floating around.

The
lycanthropes were seated to my left. I walked toward them. A murmur went
through the crowd as I approached the table. Several of the lycanthropes
surrounding the table touched me as I walked through. It had to be obvious
there was a bond between the packs and me by the amount of affection they were
showing me. Lycanthropes didn’t normally act affectionate to random vampires. I
took a seat between Drake and Eric.

“Is
everything ok?” Drake asked quietly.

“Of
course,” I said forcing a smile.

My
uncle cleared his throat and the room silenced to listen to him. “I have to say
this is quite a surprise. We were under the impression my niece Lillian had
died.”

“In
a way you could say she did,” Cornelius said amused.

I
looked over at him. I thought he would be angry, but he didn’t look it. He
looked like he thought the whole thing was funny.

“Is
there any point to this meeting now? It is obvious Lillian has control of the
lycanthropes,” Aubrey said as he stood. The renegades murmured agreement. I
didn’t think about the fact that I would be helping the renegades out. If I
controlled the lycanthropes, then Cornelius and the hunters would not have the
alliance they wanted.

“I
find it amusing that the lycanthrope leaders believe she can protect them. She
has not been a vampire very long. Perhaps it would be wise of them to
reconsider their choice,” my uncle said impatiently.

“I
will not reconsider,” Eric growled speaking first.

“Neither
will I,” Drake said gruffly.

“I
stand with Rayne as well,” Adam said as he stood up next to the other two.

There
was a lot of arguing among the hunters and Cornelius’s group. Obviously they
thought they had the lycanthropes alliance. They didn’t consider the
possibility that the lycanthropes would choose another vampire.

“We
should leave,” I said quietly. “Order your people to go.”

They
all stood and started directing the others to leave. I wasn’t about to wait
around for a fight to break out. Once they were all heading toward the exit I
stood and followed. I hesitated when Cornelius appeared in front of me. “You
could have saved me a lot of time and annoyance if you told me you already made
alliances with the lycanthropes.” He didn’t sound angry. He actually sounded
amused.

“You
could have told me earlier that you were making a play for them,” I countered
as I went to move past him.

He
caught me by my arm and smiled down at me. “I didn’t expect any less from you
Lillian.”

I
smiled slightly. “I know,” I said amused. I pulled away from him and followed
the others out. We made our stand, and that was all that mattered. I had a
feeling my uncle didn’t like it, and he was going to find a way to retaliate.