The Willow (2 page)

“Witch and Guardian,” he said concisely.

“And you’re telling me I’m going to have magical abilities?” This was just all types of ridiculous.

“Indeed you will. We will not know the level of witch magic you hold until it comes in, and I am afraid I cannot tell you when that will be. However, your Guardian powers are not so difficult to discover.”

Before I could ask what the hell any of that meant, Zia said, “The Council welcomes you to the Otherworld, Nexi.”

Startled, I chuckled at the absurdity that I had totally forgotten we weren’t alone. Then, I repeated. “The Council?”

She nodded toward the others. “We are the governing body of the Otherworld.”

As if to prove that thought, the wolf began to vibrate. Then, he wasn’t a wolf anymore. He was a man.

My hand flew to my mouth. “Holy shit!” I said beneath it.

Zia adamantly ignored my shock and continued, “Brax, Master of Weres.”

I’d consider him a softy with his sweet soft features and long dark hair. That is if the two hundred and fifty pounds of muscle on his body didn’t put him into the category of scary as hell.

“Talon, Master of Guardians,” she said next.

He stepped forward and bowed his head. When his gaze rose to mine, it’s a surprise I wasn’t blushing. His short brown hair, bright green eyes, and hard jaw only added to the rest of his handsome features. He wore gear similar to Drake’s—just a little more extravagant, which sat deliciously against one rock hard bod. Pretty obvious, Guardians were warriors of some sort, but warriors against what was the question?

“Zade, Master of Vampires,” she finished.

He was the tall guy from the vision, and he indeed towered over me, but that was the least of my concerns. His black sinful eyes couldn’t pull a fast one on me. He was a vampire.

I began to tremble. My breath coming out in short gasps as fear instantly consumed me.

“You have nothing to fear from me, child,” Zade said, reassuringly.

Yeah right, trust a vampire—sounds like a brilliant idea. One had killed my mother, for flippin’ sakes.

“Not to worry, sweetie,” Zia interjected as she took my hand. “Here, this will help.”

The moment her hand closed around mine, a surge similar to an electric current tore through me. “Bah,” I gasped, snapping my hand away. “What the hell was that?”

“I used my magic to release the block I had put on you to hide your Guardian power. You will feel more settled now.”

“Right, you used your magic.” I rolled my eyes. “What, is the Leaky Cauldron around here somewhere?” When scared shitless make jokes—Frank’s number one rule.

“Wish it was.” Zia laughed. “Those Harry Potter movies are fabulous.”

But as my mind cleared of thought, it was apparent that something had changed within me. I took a few deeps breaths trying to understand it. Then, the realization hit. My reason for living, my purpose, had suddenly been answered. For the first time in my life, I felt at home.

And that wasn’t all it fixed. Zade wasn’t so scary. In fact, why had he been so scary? After a moment of contemplation, I came up blank. “This is—wow—I.” Yup, that was me stumbling all over the place.

“This has been a long day for you,” Zia said. “I think it’s best for you to get some rest. Everything will be easier to process after that.”

Yeah right!

“Zia is right. Come Nexi,” Drake said, raising his hand toward the door.

The moment we exited, I gasped a deep surprised breath at the room before me. Essentially a long rectangular room made up of pure white stone walls that seeped into a ribbed vault. On the left sat a large wooden door with wrought iron handles. To the right were four tremendously large windows with intricate stone carvings decorating the sides.

“This is the Council’s foyer,” Zia said. “Quite remarkable isn’t it?”

“Very.” Hand me a goblet of ale, call me
wench
, and I’d fit right in. “What’s that room called?” I asked, nodding behind me.

“The Council’s Hall.”

“Wow.” I laughed. “Someone busted a vein coming up with those names.”

She grinned. “It is what it is.”

We passed through an arched doorway and the word
Guardian
was etched into the stone wall. Before I could voice my question, Zia said, “The Otherworld is home to many of us. We each have a part of the castle that is ours. This is the Guardian’s House. Since you will be training among the Guardians, it is only right for you to stay with them.”

“Training to do what?”

“Baby steps.” She smiled softly, patting my shoulder. “Let’s get you settled first.”

As we went through another doorway, a giggle escaped me. What was this a medieval hotel? The hall was lined with thick wooden doors on the left and pointed arched windows on the right. Each door we passed had a name written in pretty gold calligraphy on it.
Keir, Drake, Nexi.

Wait, rewind!

I skidded to a halt. “Why is my name on this door?”

“Because this is now your home,” Zia answered, opening the door.

Don’t know what I expected, but it definitely wasn’t this. Matching beige sofas were huddled around a stone fireplace that reached from the top of the ceiling to the bottom of the floor and in between them was a thick dark oak table with a vase full of yellow tulips on top.

The kitchen was just off to the side—a rustic oak island matched the large cabinets with brass decorative handles, and a thick pine country table rested in the corner.

On the other side of the living room sat the bedroom, which fit the country charm perfectly. Centered against the back wall was a huge white iron king size bed with a frilly white duvet on top. Two aged wooden tables sat on either side of the bed, which held pretty, decorative lamps, and to the left was a walk in closet that happened to be stocked full of clothes. Beside it, was the bathroom.

“Is this to your taste?” Drake asked. “Your mother liked this look. I thought…”

“It’s perfect.” And it was—the country motif was just my thing.

His body relaxed from the tense one it had been in and a grin rose to his face. “I’m sure you need a moment. Join us when you are ready.”

After they left, I made my way to the bathroom. When I entered, I grinned to myself. A huge—perfect for two bodies huge—claw foot bathtub sat against the wall with a toilet and pedestal sink off to the side. An antique bookcase rested beneath an oval mirror filled with washcloths, thick white towels, and bath products.

This room, I was sure to enjoy. Baths and I got along real well.

Meeting the sink, a complete and total meltdown threatened to rise. I was sure as shit entitled as far as I was concerned. The question weighed heavily for a moment, but I eventually gave up. It wouldn’t get me anywhere. I’d still be here and have to deal with this. So, I quickly washed up and went back out to join them.

As I drew closer, Zia was preparing some toasted sandwiches with a spinach salad. I was beyond delighted. Who knew what they ate here? Very relieved it wasn’t something with a heartbeat.

“I hope you are hungry,” Zia said as I sat.

“Starving,” I responded, grabbing the sandwich and took a bite. After I swallowed I asked, “Out of curiosity, what happened after I disappeared from Carson City? I mean, did anyone notice?”

“The police were contacted by a neighbor who hadn’t seen you in a while,” Drake responded.

Probably Mrs. Taylor, the wife of my former employer, Dr. Taylor. Days answering phones and filing documents was a cushy job. I could never complain. And the Taylors’ are wonderful souls. At the funeral, they told me to take off as much time as I needed and my job would be waiting for me when I was ready to return. But they also fed me and let me shower at their house. Going back to the home I shared with Gloria and Frank wasn’t an option, and it was a need they understood. Completely kind and sweet people they are, and nothing felt good about having them worried sick right now.

“The search for you continues,” Drake continued. “But it will likely end soon and they will declare you a missing person.”

After trying to imagine my face on the back of a milk carton, awkwardness began to sink in as silence filled the air. I hadn’t expected to meet my birth father, and wasn’t prepared for it. I had no idea what to say.

Bless Zia for stepping in. “Tell us a little about yourself, Nexi.”

And that was the beginning of an hour conversation as we learned every little detail of each other’s lives. It was amazing to see how much I was like him—his voice, gestures, even in his smile.

When the conversation had run its course, Drake stood. “It is time for us to be off, you need your rest.”

I held back a laugh. As if that was going to happen—sleep was pretty much written off until I got a better grasp of this insane situation. Of course, as I followed them to the door, I didn’t voice the thought.

Just as Zia stepped out, she took my hand and smiled. “Sleep well.”

Suddenly, a wave of relaxation washed over me, my eyes drooped heavy with sleep, my body felt a thousand pounds and as the door closed, Zia’s laugh came loud.

Quickly, I made my way to the bedroom, threw on pajamas and climbed into bed. I was dead to the world before I even hit the pillow.

The sun was just going down when I hesitantly poked my head out from under the blankets.
Was it a dream?

Scanning the area quickly, the moment my gaze hit the stone walls, my question was answered. No matter how insane this all was, and trust me, this ran right into nutty-ville, this was happening. I sucked in deep breath in an attempt to find bravery and rolled onto my side. Only to find someone lying in bed beside me.

She reminded me of sunshine. Happiness and warmth radiated right out of her. Around my age with curly brown hair that just kissed her shoulders. Her nose was small, her lips were plush, and her big blue eyes made up most of her heart shaped face.

“Who the hell are you?” I screamed, startled.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Haven,” she said, in a high voice that was almost as cute as she was. “How do you like it here so far?” She hesitated, waiting for a response.

She didn’t get one.

Not like that stopped her. “Well I love it! When I finished my training Zia asked me to stay on and work for the Council. Of course, I said yes. Not just for her, but for Finn too. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had to leave him. That would’ve been horrible.”

My breath froze when she began talking and now my air had run out. I gasped out, looking around quickly. She was alone, which relieved me. When I met her gaze again she was smiling.

“I’m just so happy you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting so long.” She nudged my arm. “I was beginning to think you’d never come.”

Waiting for me…what?

That got me talking. “What do you mean waiting for me?”

“We’re soul-sisters.” She cocked her head. “Don’t you feel it?”

I sat up and immediately sensed this bond she was going on about. “Oh, this is er…weird.” A connection as deep as it was needy. Right now, I needed no one else but her, and knew if she left I’d only want her to return.

And that wasn’t the only thing I noticed either—she was a witch. Obviously, the release of the Guardian Power gave some sort of built in supernatural detector because it was irrefutable.

“Oh goodie, you feel it. Isn’t it wonderful?”

I wasn’t totally convinced of that yet. “What’s a soul-sister?”

“Well, it’s like a soul-mate, but without the lovely-dovey stuff. We’re sisters destined to be together.” Then, her smile grew and little flickers of happiness spread through me. “Our bond allows us to feel each other—sense emotions. Stuff like that.”

This place sure makes relationships easy. Can’t doubt a father’s love when it’s seen in a vision, and it’s hard not to trust someone instantly with this kind of connection shared.

“You better get up,” she said, slapping my leg.

“What time is it?”

She looked at her watch. “Quarter after two.”

“In the morning?”

“Yup, the Council likes to stick to the same routine as the vampires.” She jumped off the bed. “Zia told me to let you sleep a little longer. She thought you might need the rest.” Then, her cheeks flushed a little as she twisted nervously. “I just couldn’t wait anymore—I needed to come see you.” Without waiting for my response, she bounced out of the room.

Well, that was certainly weird!

I dressed quickly and by the time I came out, Haven had cut up some strawberries, mixed them with yogurt, oats and honey granola on top. I grabbed the bowl and dug in, famished.

Sadly, before I could even finish, Haven ripped it from my hands. “Hey, I wanted that,” I blasted.

“No time,” she said throwing the bowl in the sink. She grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room. “Kyden’s waiting for you to begin training.”

“Who’s Kyden?”

“He’s your mentor.” Then, she wiggled her brows. “Can I give you a bit of advice?”

“Sure.”

“Enjoy how you’re feeling right now, cause it ain’t gonna last.”

From there, Haven proceeded to drag me down the hall until we reached what she called the,
Guardian’s Hall.
Basically, another cathedral with similar architecture to the other one—curved archways, large stain-glassed windows, huge flamboyant pillars that supported a lierne vault. The difference was, this cathedral was half the size and for some reason it made it prettier.

But that’s not what captured my attention, a Guardian stood in the center with his back to us, and if one thing can be said about the Otherworld, it’s this place isn’t lacking in the muscle department.

“Hey, Kyden,” Haven called out.

Kyden spun around, started toward us, and disguising my wide eyes was impossible. He was brawny and all male. His body was thick—each muscle chiseled to pure perfection, and his silky smooth bronzed skin gleamed against the light.

My gaze roamed past his rippling stomach, up his bulging chest, along his burly shoulders to see a strong nose, flawless lips, and a square jaw that gave him strength as his light brown hair softened him a little by hanging messily across his forehead. My focus slid back down his gorgeous body as I watched his steps intently. He wore tight silver shorts under a kilt that hugged his body in every way they should.

I gulped deeply.

“Nexi, this is Kyden,” Haven introduced.

When he stopped in front of me, my five-five frame seemed tiny in comparison. By the angle of my head, he had to be at least six-four.

Just as I met his light green bedroom eyes, he said, “Hello, Nexi.” Lord he had a voice that was too sexy to be real. Then, he glanced at Haven and I quickly reached up to make sure I wasn’t drooling. Thankfully, I wasn’t. “Go on, Haven. She’ll be fine.”

“Fine with what?” I asked, annoyed. Why wasn’t anyone telling me anything? I gave my foot a stomp. “What am I going to do?”

Haven didn’t answer. Instead, she just gave a grin and sauntered off.
Traitor!

Kyden chuckled low and deep, at what I had no idea. “Come on, you.” He pulled me into the center of the hall, sat on the wooden floor, and ran a hand through his hair. “Hmm, best start at the beginning I suppose.”

I followed the movement of his hand, but then quickly glanced to the floor before he noticed. He was delicious. Like, lick your lips and fan your face, delicious.

“Guardians of the Otherworld investigate crimes against mortals that have been caused by other supernatural beings,” he explained. “The Council has strict laws on evil acts against mortals and the punishment is severe.”

“You mean they’re killed?”

“Yes,” he answered, but seeing the horror in my eyes, he quickly added, “What would be worse—an innocent child being saved or a crazed vampire dealt with?”

“Okay, point taken. So, you fight against vampires?”

“Weres too, but yes, vamps do give us the most trouble.” He sounded almost annoyed. “It is difficult for them to control their instincts to kill.”

“Some can control themselves?” The idea sounded ludicrous.

“Most do, yes. Vampires usually only take what is necessary to survive, leaving humans none the wiser. The vamps we deal with enjoy the fear too much. They can’t live on blood alone. They need to make the human a victim too. That is what we call bloodlust.”

I gave my head a shake, putting two and two together. “So, what you’re telling me is, I’m going to be training to kill vampires and weres?”

“That’s right.”

A nervous shout of laughter erupted from me. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but I run from scary and dangerous things.”

He leaned forward, dead serious. “You won’t anymore.”

Just because he said it, didn’t mean I believed it.

He arched a brow. “Any questions?”

Oh no.
This was going to be embarrassing. Trying to stop was pointless. I was locked in. My gaze connected with his raised brow, and instantly I was lost in his strong cheekbone that lingered down to the edge of his square jaw.
Damn, he’s sexy.

I blinked, coming back to my senses, and met his gaze again. He’d taken notice of my admiring him and gave me a sexy grin in return. I bit my lip—hard. “Nope! No questions.”

“Let’s get started.” He pulled me up and positioned me directly in front of him. “Your fighting stance will prepare you for the fight. Always go to it first.” He placed one hand on my lower back and the other on my shoulder. “Keep your back straight. Shoulders square over your hips. Being centered is the key to standing strong.” He stepped back. “Legs out—shoulder-width apart.”

I wriggled them out, inch by inch. “Is this good?”

“Wider.”

The subtle purr in his voice made my heart do a little pitter-patter. Then, it stopped—literally stopped beating.

My hands flew to my neck. “Oh God!” Nothing. There was nothing there.

“Alright, Álainn?”

What did he just call me? “I—I don’t know.” I grabbed my wrist, and searched both quickly. There was nothing. No steady beat. No thumping on my fingers. I looked to Kyden frantically. “Where’s my pulse?”

“When Zia released the block on your powers you became immortal.” He rubbed my calves, and not in a ‘
where’s the bedroom kind of way’
, but more like ‘
let’s calm the nut case’
. “Humans have heartbeats. Immortals don’t.”

It hadn’t dawned on me until right now, but he was right. Drake didn’t look a day older than I saw in the vision. Not one wrinkle, a single grey hair or even a sunspot.

Panic caused sweat to bead against my skin as hot flashes swept across me like a woman going through menopause.

“Alright?” he asked again.

“I’m—fine. I—I just need a minute.”
Just breathe. You’re okay.

He gave me that minute, plus, a couple more.

The panic started to ease and I couldn’t help but notice the way he was looking at me. So protectively. Seeing me afraid had clearly upset him. I melted just a little, the perfect distraction I needed to calm down. I took a few necessary deep breaths.
That’s odd.
“I’m still breathing?”

He nodded in full agreement. “You are.”

“Why?”

“We still draw life from air,” he explained. “The difference is we live off the earth’s energy not a heart.”

“Do I still have blood?” I asked, examining my arms for veins.

“Yes, everything in you remains. It is just the need for a beating heart is no longer necessary.”

I drew in another deep breath because it felt good too—at least I still had that.

“Better?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.” Not much I can do about it anyway. If it’s gone, it’s gone. After the initial shock, it actually didn’t feel all that weird. Truthfully, having a heartbeat was abnormal. This felt oddly normal and very much right.

He jumped to his feet, placed his hands on my shoulders and pulled them back a bit. “Again, your shoulders should always be square over your hips and your back straight.” His hands ran down my arms. “Bring your left arm up close to your body, this arm will block any body hits. Your right arm to block any hits to your face.”

He dropped his hands and I exhaled the breath I’d been holding.
Holy shit!
If he touched me like that again I might actually shudder in front of him.

“The main points to remember are to never take your eyes off the enemy, never let your guard down, keep your arms and elbows close to your body and always react first.” He took a couple steps back, calling me forward with his hands. “Alright. Let me have it.”

I blushed. “What?”

“Come on. Let’s have a hit.”

I needed to get my mind out of the gutter and quick. I took those words in a totally different meaning. First, I gave myself an internal slap for being such a pig, then I stepped forward positioning myself in front of him.

This was ridiculous. I’d never hit anything in my entire life. I raised my arm, swung it back and hit his shoulder. The impact didn’t even make him flinch. “Well, that was pathetic.”

“Give yourself time. You need to learn the moves properly before you can put power behind it.”

He took my hand in his and curled my fingers in. “Keep your fingers tight within your hand. If they’re loose you’ll likely break them.” He knelt down and slid his hand down my leg. “Transfer your weight onto this side.” When I did as he asked, he glanced up and smiled. “Yes, that’s it.”

Now, I shuddered. Dear lord, why did
my
mentor have to look like some guy off a novel cover? This would be a hell of a lot easier if he was less than perfect.

He stood then ran his hand up my arm. “This arm needs to be level with the floor, your palm facing down. In a fluid motion rotate your body and use it to follow through with the hit. The power doesn’t come from your arm. It comes from the use of your entire body.” He arched a brow. “Got it?”