Veined (A Guardian of the Angels Novel) (25 page)

I slept long and deep, waking up to the late afternoon. I jumped out of bed, my body light, and I hummed while I showered and dressed. My face glowed as I dolled up my eyes and something within me itched to find Attic.

I was ready. So ready to embrace my Guardianhood.

My steps tapped like rain over the balcony as I made my way to his room. Attic exited, a warm smile on his face, and beckoned me to follow him.

We spiraled down two sets of stairs I’d never been down before. In the underground mansion, we twisted and turned down hallways until we stopped outside a set of heavy gold-leafed doors. “The
ballroom,” Attic announced, and flung them open.

I sucked in air so hard I almost choked. This didn’t belong here at all. It was something out of a fairytale. The long, narrow room was lit up by dozens of low-dropping crystal chandeliers. The walls cut into coves, each a beautiful arch with golden pillars, and in the middle of the marble floor was, embellished with blue glass, the shape of a Vein.

How much about this motel didn’t I know? Judging by the twists and turns we made to get here, probably a lot.

“I did tell you not to judge it by its appearance,” Attic said. “It’s a wonderful place, really, isn’t it?”

It sure was. I ducked into one of the coves next to the door. Velvet red cushioned benches lined the inside. Cozy. I faced Attic, who’d followed me in. “How does this ritual work, then?”

Attic looked me up and down. “Wait there a sec.” He disappeared. I wondered how long it’d take me to get used to that. Dammit, I had to get it into my head. He had responsibilities that wouldn’t disappear now I’d become a Guardian. He’d go back and do his princely duties. Why did I have to like him so much?

I slumped onto the bench and ran my hand over the velvet, leaving dark red scratch marks where the material folded against the grain. I rested my head on the wall.

Something soft landed on me. I sat up straight. Attic stood at my feet, his head cocked watching me, and a gold dress lay on my lap. “What’s this for?”

“Just put it on, Lark.”

Attic sauntered off to the other side of the ballroom. I looked at the halter neck dress. Nuts, I’d have to take my bra off to wear this. I heard Attic chuckling. It was probably exactly what he’d intended.

“Just a benefit, sweets.” Attic’s voice trailed over the room.

Mentally shaking my head, I slipped into the dress leaving my other clothes piled on the bench.

Music iced the air in the ballroom. The dress should have already clued me in. “Attic. Are you messing with me? Seriously, Tango?” I called out.

His voice, suddenly right beside me, lifted the tiny hairs on my arm. “Dancing pleases the Angels.”

“Can’t you just cut my wrist and I absorb the blood?” I asked.

“That only helps one party. You take some of my Angel Blood and I weaken, but when we dance, both our Veins are refilled.”

“So, only if our dance pleases them we get blood? Shouldn’t I be having lessons then?”

Attic roared with laughter. “You’ll dance all right with me,” he said, pulling my waist to his. “Once you’ve accepted being a Guardian, as long as you do the steps, the Angels will always fill you. Even if you’ve turned bad and sided with the demons. You do the steps, you get the blood.”

“Huh?”

“Because it’s what they’ve sworn to do,” Attic said.

“Even if a Guardian turns bad?”

Attic nodded solemnly. “They respect our free will. They allow us choices. They’ve pledged an Oath that once you accept becoming a Guardian they’ll always fill your Vein, every time you dance.”

Attic reached over his shoulders and pulled up his T-shirt.

“What the hell are you doing now?” I said, stepping back and diverting my gaze from his perfectly sculpted stomach, all the muscles clearly defined, his skin smooth.

“It’s part of the dance.” Attic chucked the T on top of my clothes. “You’re blushing, Lark.” His voice sounded amused. “Like to see more?”

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado
. . .

Attic’s laugh mingled with the music. “I’ll take you trying to cover your thoughts as a yes.” He lifted my face.

This time when I looked at him I flinched. The silver pendant he wore sent a shudder rippling through my body. It shone in the light like the demon’s blade at Maddy’s funeral.

Death and destruction,
it whispered,
I killed your friend and I’ll get you, too.

Just staring at it zapped me of energy, my knees trembled and I sat on the bench. I wasn’t going to be able to dance with Attic with that hanging round his neck.

“Then I’ll have to remove it,” Attic said, unclasping the pendant and placing it under our clothes. He extended his hand. “Shall we?”

I grasped it and let him practically carry me onto the dance floor. He stopped in the middle of the glass Vein.

“Is it possible to do the steps alone?” I asked. Not that I wanted to.

“No. That’s why Guardians live at least in pairs, but even that can be dangerous, should one die.” The skirt of the dress swished as Attic twirled me around so my back was to him. He placed his palm between my shoulders. “The most important step of the dance is Vein on Vein contact.”

My heart felt like it was beating to the rhythm of the music. Attic, touching my Vein with his gloved hand, sent shivers spiraling through me. How the hell was I going to handle his Vein on mine?

“And why does it have to be Tango?” I asked, wishing the music was less suggestive.

Attic twisted me to face him, a naughty grin on his face sent waves of heat downward. “It doesn’t. It can be any dance as long as our Veins touch and we circle each other before and after.” He sniffed the honeysuckle leaking through my pores. “I think you can guess why I chose the music.” He whipped my leg by the thigh to his hip. “I think I’ll make up the steps, though.”

“Careful,” I whispered, as my leg slid slowly down his. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself.”

Attic’s expression fluctuated between desire and wariness. Looked like I wasn’t the only one having difficulty. He concentrated on moving me in time to the music. Thankfully, he was strong enough to lift me anytime I was about to mash his toes.

“Does it always feel like this? With everyone you’ve danced with?” It surprised me how much jealousy streaked my voice.

“It’s always a wonderful feeling,” Attic said, “being refilled with Angel Blood.” Attic dipped me, my back arched over his arm. I lifted my head to meet his gaze. “But it’s never felt like this.” Attic kissed my collarbone and in a movement to fast to comprehend had me back upright.

I felt extremely dizzy. In a good way.

Attic winked.

“I’m mad at you, you know,” I said as he circled me.

“Your turn.” Attic motioned for me to circle him. “Aren’t you always mad at me, Lark?” I let my fingers trail over his chest, his arm, his back, as I circled him.

“The way you behave isn’t fair. It’s a tease.” When I brushed over his Vein, snippets of his emotions surged through me, as strong as my own. A warm sweetness filled my mouth, exactly as it had the first time I’d touched his Vein, when he’d taught me how to greet a Guardian.

“Why are you so frustrated?” I asked.

Attic held my hands and swung us both under one arm so we were back to back. Our Veins sizzled together, locking on like a French kiss. It felt like warm liquid honey pumped through my body. With every beat of my heart it circulated deeper through me and I felt closer to Attic, like we were sewn together.

Flashes of images of me skipped through my head. Whoa. I could see what Attic was thinking. Attic pushed the answer to my question into my mind.
I’m frustrated because I’m torn between wanting to have you and needing to force more distance between us.

Why do your responsibilities have to clash with us?
I pushed back into his mind.
Will your parents not like me or something? You’ve been with other girls, did they have a problem with them?

Attic stepped away, keeping a grip on my hands as our Veins unlocked. It felt like an essential part of me had been ripped off. I held my breath to fight voicing the pain. Attic spun me round, still continuing the dance. I noticed light from his Vein shimmering around him, illuminating his bleached hair blue.
He’s so beautiful.

“At the moment, my parents have no problem with me dating whoever I please.”

“At the moment?” I was afraid to ask, but the need to know got the upper hand.

“I have to go back to my family before my 135
th
birthday at the end of the month.”

Attic motioned for me to circle him first this time. As my fingers swept across his glowing Vein, I tasted Attic’s sadness.

“What happens then?” I asked, staring at him.

Attic sighed and circled me. “That’s when they announce my engagement.”

CHAPTER 21

I COULDN'T HAVE
heard him right
.
“Your
what
?”

“They’ll announce who they’ve chosen to marry me,” Attic said.

I pushed myself away from him. “Do you know who it is?” It was a stupid, unhelpful question, but it was what popped out.

Attic shook his head. “It will be a daughter of the Head Guardians of another country.”

“And you have to do this? But you can’t want to do this, right?”
This is the responsibility he’d been running from?

“It’s business.”

I flashbacked to English Lit at how smoothly and with absolute conviction Attic had agreed with Algernon.
Marriage is business.
And I had thought he said that just because he was a player.

“And my responsibility as the eldest son,” Attic added.

“But you’re not even really related.” My back bumped into a wall. I hadn’t even noticed I’d been moving. Attic had mirrored every move, he remained an arm’s length apart.

“Guardians get adopted into a family. We may be small compared to the human population, but we still are a society. We have families, traditions, beliefs, and laws.”

“You don’t follow our, I mean, human laws?” I was interested in the question, yes, but it wasn’t what I was fixated on. Attic was almost engaged?

Attic sighed. I knew he’d read my thoughts, but he chose to answer my question. “As much as we can, yes. But we must abide by a couple of other laws, such as never letting a human find out about us. It’s why we have the ability to Lethe them. You’ll be able to Lethe, too, by touching humans.”

My gaze went to his gloves. “You don’t have to touch to Lethe, do you?”
Focus on other things. Just not the fact he’s going to be married.

“‘I guess because I can’t touch a human without killing them, I’ve been given the ability to Lethe with my mind. Still, I have to be in close proximity.”

“Now that I’m a Guardian, officially, can you touch me sans gloves?” That was something I really did want to know.

Attic shook his head. “Not yet. Firstly, after the dance you’ll need a full day before your Vein is completely replenished and ready to be used. Secondly, it usually takes a while before a Guardian grows in strength. It took me the first fifty refills before I got to be as powerful as I am. My touch would most likely kill you right now.”

A tear escaped, running like mad down my cheek. I hoped others wouldn’t follow its disobedience. So, I would never get to feel his naked hands over me? I closed my eyes, unable to stop the thought that some other Guardian, his
wife
, would soon have that pleasure.

“I wish I could touch you with my bare hands,” Attic said.

What? And he was still reading my mind while I experienced this emotional whiplash? “I thought you said my mental shield would work again once I had Angel Blood.”

Attic gave a slight grin. “Your shield will get stronger and stronger as more blood is generated. It’ll take a whole day before your Vein is full, then your shield will be back.”

I sidled into a cove that looked identical to the one in which I’d dressed and slid onto a bench. The wooden backs curved into an arch like that of the pillars leading into it. Symmetrical. Like Attic’s features, save a scar under his ear.

There were still so many things I wanted to know about him, like what his Phoenix moment had been. And there were so many things I had to learn about this new world I’d now accepted as my own. Attic said Guardians had families. Did I have a Guardian family now, too?

Attic knelt in front of me. “I have some influence and I’ll use it to get you the family you’d like, if you let me. There’s a committee to decide what family a new Guardian goes to. But I’m owed a favor, so you could live with any family in the States.” He grinned. “Just name where you’d like to live and I’ll find a family for you.”

“Is Albelin’s family already too big?” I asked.

“You could imagine this as your family?” Attic’s voice caught.

“Well, he’s been so kind to me and my friends. And you trust him so much. Plus, I just like him.”

Attic’s radiant smile sucked my energy away. I was in danger of melting. “If I could have chosen my own family, I would have chosen his, too.”

He rested his hands on my knees. His voice grew low and husky. “Thoughts like that make it hard for me not to have you right here.” He ran one hand under my dress, up my thigh.

Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia . . .
“How did you get allocated into the Head Guardian family?” I asked, effectively freezing Attic’s fingers from tip-toeing higher.

“My Guardian family had a head son killed by three Araes. After that, the head Guardians decided they should have numerous sons in case it should happen again. Because of their position they could choose who they wanted. They chose me because my powers are strong. Like theirs.”

“Are they portals, too?”

“No.
They are healers, like Albelin, but more powerful. Even on the brink of death they can bring someone back to life. Of course it costs them a hell of a lot of Angel Blood to do it.”

I swallowed. “It must have hurt them that even with such power their son died.”

“It does,” Attic said.

“And your brothers all came after you?”

“Yes. They—Prudence, the Queen especially—didn’t want to get emotionally tied to one son again.” I heard the hurt in Attic’s voice.

“Can’t your brothers take over the responsibilities?”

“Only if I became a rogue Guardian. And rogues don’t live long. It’s difficult for them to refill their Vein. And my family would punish anyone who’d offer.”

“But do you have to marry?” I blurted. “Can’t you compromise with your family?”

“Believe me, I’ll try to barter with any responsibility to get me out of an arranged marriage.”

“So there’s a possibility?” I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but it was too late. That little slither of sunshine wasn’t going to go away.

“I certainly hope so.” But his voice was heavy with doubt and sadness.

I laughed out loud.

Attic raised a questionable brow.
Hardly the time for that now, is it?
it read.

“It’s just
. . . I finally get it. I get why you go from girl to girl, fling to fling. Although, I have to ask, does it matter you’re not a virgin? Don’t you have to wait until after you’re married and all that?”

“I told you, marriage, at least for me, means business. We can have sex with whoever we want, do whatever we like with whoever before we are married. It’s only once the bonding ceremony has taken place that affairs are
. . . frowned upon.”

“Frowned upon?” But he
could
have me right now.

“I’ll get to that second point in a sec.” Attic kissed my forehead. My heart fluttered. “But first let me explain. Married Guardians share a strong bond, they share each other’s power. They become doubly powerful, if you like. And they share each other’s emotions, even the most extreme ones. Who’d like to experience the sexual feelings of their spouse when it’s not happening with them? I imagine the bond makes you incredibly
possessive
.” Attic’s words barely registered. His fingers were still waiting on my mid thighs. And although I tried to concentrate on the fact he was almost engaged, I couldn’t shake my need to have him.

Attic’s fingers started creeping up my thighs again. “Now to that second point of yours.” He slipped one finger under the edge of my undies, brushing my hip. “I’m still debating it.” He eyed me hungrily. My breathing quickened and my hands trembled. “I know I shouldn’t. It’ll make it harder for me, but
. . .” Attic’s nose brushed my knee and my legs relaxed with the pleasure. As his kisses followed the same path his fingers had, the scent of honeysuckle burst from me. I twined a hand in Attic’s hair, pulling him closer. The smell of fresh rain and intense heat poured out of him. With my free hand I lifted the skirt of the dress higher. Both nervous and excited, I ran a hand over his bare back, decorating him with pink scratches.

At a stray thought, I paused.
Even without this I would miss him so much.

My hand, that had been securely on Attic’s back, fell against my knee. Attic had gone.

“I’m sorry.” He stood ten feet away, slouched, his chin against his chest. “That was so selfish of me.”

“Attic,” I said, frowning, “I liked it. I wanted you, too.”
Want you still.

Attic closed his eyes and his chest rose as he breathed in deeply. “Do you really? Could you really live with it?”

Yes. I could.

I stood up and strode toward him. “Attic. Even if it’s the only time I ever get to be with you, I want my first time to be with
you
. Yes, it will be hard for me when you leave. But that would be the case, with or without sex.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt his body relax. “You told me to wait until I meant it.”
I mean it, now.
“And this feels
right
.”

Attic bowed his head and kissed me, softly at first. I parted my lips, opening myself to more passion. Attic responded, but after a moment, pulled away. “Then let me do this properly, Sylva.”

His use of my first name fell intimately off his tongue. I leaned back enough to see his face. “How’s that?”

“First, I want to take you out on a date.”

To make it a memory we wouldn’t forget.

“Exactly,” Attic said.

“Sounds perfect.”

He inclined his head to the cove where we’d left our clothes. “I’m a tad chilly,” he said. Too true. His arms and chest were covered in tiny goose bumps. I stored all worries and disappointments and desires in the waiting room of my mind and laughed.

Strong, powerful Guardians still got something as lame as cold.

Attic nudged me as we walked toward the cove. “Wipe that smile, Lark—” He slowed down, his face drained of color. I followed his gaze to our clothes, strewn over the floor. Not the way we’d left them. A sickening feeling entered my belly.

“Impossible.” Attic spat the word.

I was still processing the scene when Attic raced to the cove and chucked the clothes out the way. He felt the floor, but even from here I could tell it was useless.

The pendant had gone.

Attic slammed his fist on the bench, breaking it in two. “How could I be so careless?”

I swallowed. He’d taken it off for
me
.

Tentatively, I drew nearer and placed a hand on his shaking shoulder. He shrugged me off.

“Don’t.” His voice was cold, hard. Frightening.

He punched the pillar, spraying white stone all over the floor and our clothes. He didn’t seem to care. Just kept going at it, even when blood ran to the floor, staining the stone.

I’d never seen Attic panicking before. Even outnumbered and surrounded by demons, he’d remained calm. In control.
But losing the pendant is worse. Much worse. If it gets into the wrong hands.

My logical side told me to make him stop, get him to think clearly. Maybe the offender wasn’t far off, we could chase them. But the more dominant part of me stood frozen with shock, fear, guilt. This was partly my fault.

“Partly?” Attic huffed as he ripped his T-shirt off the floor. “Being around you makes me weak. I should have listened to my better judgment about you. It would’ve made
all
things a lot less complicated.”

The words hit me harder than his punch had hit the pillar. All I wanted to do was double over with hurt and cry.

Attic went to pass me, when the image of pair of a golden eyes appeared before me.
Bekay
, the last Moirae Angel.
It has begun.
Gold, Silver, Bronze will merge again,
her words sliced through my head, cutting through my shock. I gripped the upper rim of Attic’s glove. His every muscle stiffened, afraid my finger might brush his skin.

“Let me go.” Attic’s jaw twitched.

“It has begun,” I repeated. I wanted to pull myself away from his horrified expression, a mixture of fear, panic and shame, but first I had to tell him. My voice shook, but the words rang painfully clear. “Gold, Silver, Bronze will merge again.”

Attic closed his eyes.

Although millimeters from his naked wrist, I didn’t let go. The golden eyes still bored into me. I knew there was something else I had to tell him. My mind whizzed like someone flicking through a catalogue. The conversation I’d overhead between Albelin and Attic came back to me.
And there’s the original left. I’m getting it after the funeral.

“Did you get the prophecy?” As soon as I asked, the golden eyes vanished.

“No,” Attic’s voice sounded detached. “I helped you instead.”

“I think you’ll need it. Go tell Albelin, get help.” I let go of him.

And Attic instantly disappeared.