Hound (Guardian)

Chapter 11

LORENZO DEVON

T wo and a half weeks away from Christopher shouldn’t have compelled me to take on more rounds across the grounds. Nearly eighteen days away from Christopher shouldn’t have exerted bone-tiring runs and gym sessions day in and out that wedged the already strained relationship between Nina and me. About four-hundred-twenty hours and thirty-nine minutes away from Christopher shouldn’t have me searching for a crumb of him in every corner like a madman.

But it had. Whatever I was fucking feeling—the blanketing rampant fever that seeped into my pores, pulled at the beast—was beyond hyper fixation. Past obsession. It was an addiction that sparked my veins to life, one I hadn’t known I needed but was damn happy to have obtained. Even if it tore me apart. Begged me to chase Christopher.

As a form to distance the thought of Christopher as much as I could, I forced myself to complete everyday tasks. The small chores that I wished I had more of. Shaving, for one, since my hair always rapidly grew back after transformations until it regressed to its normal stage.

And studying every map in existence day in and out thanks to Mallory’s damn note. Old. New. Fictional. Real. Silverman’s Island was nonexistent. The coordination pinned the middle of the Labrador Sea, inching closer to Northern Canada than Southern Greenland. Nothing breathed there. No one visited that area.

If I’d known this devious fuck’s disappearance would create more homework than humanely possible, I would have hunted him down. But Lace thought I had accomplished the mission. If I went behind his back, I would prove the failure that I was. And. . .

My stomach constricted at the thought of Christopher. The homework and headache Mallory was causing was worth it all for my doll, but there was a sliver of frustration that wanted to hate Sylvester Reynard-Mallory more than I did.

“ You are to tell no one. ” My doll rang distantly in my mind. He’d imposed this promise during a time I had to follow his orders as his employee, as a way to keep the CEG safe. But now, I kept that promise because it was one Christopher expected of me—of us. I kept it because if I told Nina, she’d potentially put my doll at risk by slipping it to Lace. She’d already done so with her little theory of my “feelings” for our boss, my comrade and best friend.

The fear of losing Christopher was greater than the unease that I wasn’t the only lycan alive.

Eyes stumbled on the diary hidden in the bottom drawer. Somehow, Sophia Sephtis kept proving she had all the answers. I’d already looked once—why couldn’t I look again?

I carefully scanned through, a sliver of guilt crawling into my chest. It vanished when I found exactly what I needed.

Flimsy and debatable, but it was a start, and if all roads pointed the same direction, the answer was right in front of me.

An eerie chill crawled up my spine as I stared at the diary. Questions tugged at me as details pieced together.

That lycan—Ian—had called Mallory a fox, too. Maybe this was a coincidence, but what wasn’t was the repeated names within bookmarked sections. I hadn’t read the diary from page to page, but I didn’t have to in order to see the repeated pattern.

NWE. Sonia. Ms. Hoko. Mir. Mallory.

Three were obvious: Mallory, the missing person. Sonia, the Senior Guardian on the Sephtis grounds. And one that filtered the screens all across the CEG and even here, on the employee quarters, the Premier of the Vampire Ministry, Mir Sephtis.

Ms. Hoko was a faceless person who definitely existed. But what about the NWE? There were no specifics as I flipped through. My take? Sophia, Sonia, and Ms. Hoko were a part of an organization with their own agenda, similar to the CEG. Lace had mentioned one or two existed in the beginning. Whatever it was, it connected to Mallory and Mir Sephtis, and unlike the CEG, it seemed to go against the world.

Had Christopher known about this? No, there was no way. Validation settled in my chest. But I still needed concrete proof; not a feeling.

Pocketing the diary in my uniform, I made my trek across the grounds, eyes vigilant on the surrounding guardians underneath the cloak of night. If I sped, I’d trigger them, so I kept a healthy pace although my feet craved to run. Once hidden below ground, I sprinted through the dark tunnel and silently met Christopher’s door. A fist rested in the air with no ounce of power in its hold.

How do I approach this? The last time I’d been here, I’d nearly burned the bridge I didn’t know had existed with Christopher. It was already enough that an offensive guardian was inside. Unless directed otherwise, we weren’t meant to step inside. If we got caught it would destroy?—

The light oak door stretched open, Christopher’s muted green eyes widening as they fell on me. They quickly snapped behind me as he removed his glasses, and before I could say anything—was my tongue nonexistent now?—he harshly pulled me inside and into his embrace.

His room was an organized disaster. Books were stacked into towers, some tall, some small. I knew the ground was there based on the small path in-between the stacks that led to two staircases at the end. Even the stairs were covered in books, all up to the loft. But somehow, unlike Lace’s, it was organized. It fit him.

“How did you know which one was my chamber?” he whispered into my ear, the touch of his breath intensifying the heat on my skin.

“I—” The blueprint wasn’t a plausible reason since it didn’t state whose room belonged to who, aside from Nina’s, of course. And, deep down, the thought of lying unsettled my stomach. “I can hear you.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Slightly, if I’m close enough to the door.” I cleared my throat. Damn this stupid knot. “But. . .I’ve also been watching you.”

The heat grew, especially in my cheeks. Was it normal for them to get so hot?

Christopher pulled away. I was taller than him by two centimeters, but as a small smirk stretched across his face, he appeared taller. Bigger than life. “Is that a fact?”

“I had to know why you were ignoring me for almost three weeks,” I teased, but the words barely concealed the bitterness in my tone. With the increased rounds, I was able to sneak peeks into the mansion. As a guardian, it was normal to keep an attentive eye on the visitors that were in and out throughout the days.

What if whatever they were doing with those pins and needles were used as weapons? What if one turned out to be another attacker like the one Nina handled? What if they snuck into Christopher’s room late at night or to his library early in the morning?

Guardians protected with body and heart. While Sonia or Tristan were near in most fittings, it didn’t hurt to be cautious.

But you’re not doing this as his guardian.

The realization pinched at my chest as Christopher studied me, the cheery glint in his gaze gone. His skin was always pale, but somehow, he was gray. Vampires didn’t typically get too much sun, but he desperately needed it with the way his dark purple veins were about to pop out.

The room froze over. “What’s going on?”

“My apologies, Lorenzo. The Christmas Ball is upon us and it was not my intention to keep you in the dark of this. There has been?—”

Christopher’s voice diminished as his body tumbled onto me. My legs leveled us before I could fall onto one of his stacks, arms wrapping around him. His skin grew colder and clammy. He tried to keep his eyelids open, but his eyes rolled back.

Just like Nina when she’d gone months without feeding.

“Christopher,” I muttered, “when was the last time you fed?”

His words were strained. “Not since our night together.”

Guardians didn’t need to feed. To upkeep their enhanced abilities, the CEG administered steroids—or crossbred injections like Lace’s brothers called them—every few months. It removed the aspect that teetered guardians closer to half-vampires and ensured they stayed half-humans. But, I didn’t know how often vampires needed to feed. Was it weeks? Months? More or less? Fuck, maybe doing my homework during the CEG training days could have benefited me more than I?—

Wait.

Nina fed. Thanks to Lace’s hints, I knew she needed to feed at least twice a month. While her situation was different from Christopher’s, it was the only thing I could pull from. Maybe vampires needed blood more often? Whatever the case, I would give Christopher all the blood he needed.

I unzipped the tight guardian uniform and exposed the shoulder with his bite marks.

Thankfully, they hadn’t vanished.

Christopher’s nostrils flared as I brought him to the spot—his spot. His fangs stretched and punctured, adrenaline racing through my veins as he took from me. A sense of lightness coursed through my body and soothed all nerves and thoughts. When he stopped, disappointment swallowed me.

“Why haven’t you fed?” I bit out. Christopher’s gaze focused as he straightened, color flushing his skin. Although the idea of him feeding on someone else stained my eyes with red, I’d rather him do it than be like this. That pain would be manageable. This was not.

“I’m not sure. . .” His eyes shook as they stumbled on mine, veins still obvious under his temples. These were different, though. They weren’t a sickly purple anymore. They were black and webbed across his face and into his eyes, drowning his scleras in pools of darkness.

This happened the first time he’d fed, too.

Did all vampires look like this when they fed? Did they hold the same captivating beauty as my doll?

I shook my head. There was no way anyone could match Christopher. No one.

He cleared his throat. “However, what I have discerned recently is that, ever since we met, my ability to feed on others has ceased to exist.”

“What do you mean?”

“Before you, I habitually fed. After you, the appeal and the drive to fulfill my hunger receded, until our night at the cave.” His eyelids lowered as his gaze traveled from my face, down my neck, and onto his spot—his bite. The wound closed the moment his fangs withdrew from my shoulder, but the bite marks remained. Were they permanent? The idea drove me crazy. I fucking hoped so.

His tongue lapped his lips, removing remnants of my blood. The sight multiplied the need to take him, resistance thinning by the second.

His tone lowered as he said, “The very thought of feeding from someone other than you is repulsive to me.”

All reason left my body as I aggressively took Christopher’s lips. Fangs and tongue met my exchange as I lifted him off the floor and beelined for his bed. Somehow, I didn’t mess up the stacks around us as we reached the second floor.

Christopher shed his clothes the moment I deposited him in his mattress. I made quick work with my uniform, a thud rebounding on the floor as everything came off.

Fuck. Why did I come here in the first place? There was no point in figuring it out when Christopher jumped onto me and wrapped his bare legs around my waist. His length pressed against my abs, frigid skin melting against my growing heat. My hands trailed down the sharp angles of his stomach until they gripped his hips. Before he could fully settle, I flipped us, our bodies never parting from our kiss. My doll rested on top of me, those eyes shadowed with need meeting mine as his eyebrows met.

“Ride me.”

Moonlight painted Christopher’s fair skin, black veins webbing around his lust-filled gaze and emphasizing the delicate contours in his stomach and arms. My fingers traced them in slow strokes. Fuck. His beauty was otherworldly. I equally wanted to tear him apart as I wanted to protect him, both tethering on a fine line.

Christopher lifted his hips in his straddle and I cupped him, fingers working his entrance until I could rest my tip against it. Maybe I should have been more patient, but how could I when I wanted every single piece of him? Especially when he prepped without me as he accepted my length.

“You were ready?”

“I must, especially when missing you is as great as the need for release.”

He settled down slowly, taking me inch by inch. Our moans vibrated against the walls and with each minute, my restraint snapped.

“You sure no one will hear us?”

“Lorenzo, the chambers are soundproof.”

I smirked. “Then prove it.”

He didn’t respond with words. Instead, his hips rolled with abandon, taking me exactly as I was—his. A cold hand rested against my chest as the momentum grew, my hands searching. One wrapped around his length and stroked with rough pressure. The other grabbed his waist and pressed down. My eyes rolled back as he squeezed around me, rolling and taking.

“Fuck.”

He took my lips, fangs poking through my thin skin. Our breaths became one. His moans became mine. Mine became his. We were a whole piece that neither of us knew was missing.

Pleasure erupted from the base of my spine, waves crashing until they settled. Christopher followed soon after with convulsions, ropes of his release painting my skin. Mine dripped from his behind as he fell into my arms, the two of us settling in our mess. Before either of us could grow too comfortable, I carried him off to the dimly-lit bathroom where I settled him underneath a lukewarm shower—just like he liked it.

After minutes of silence, I said, “You know what’s one thing I’ve noticed? You guys love low lighting.” Thankfully, with my sharp vision, I could make out every curve and line on his face. But the light made it easier.

His chuckle vibrated off the walls. Was it possible to bottle up someone’s laugh? Or just voice overall? “Our mother was quite sensitive to it after her transition. Though we didn’t harbor such attributes, the habit translated over to us. Vampires aren’t particular about lighting except for the sun since we are sensitive to it.”

It’s why half-human guardians wore sunglasses outside. “Kind of like an allergy, yeah?”

“Exactly like that. But with sunscreen, sunlight doesn’t burn as much as it used to.”

“Vampires wear sunscreen?” I smirked and rubbed the foamed soap across his torso.

“Many do. Unlike humans who are supposed to use it as well, it’s become a common practice.” He rolled his eyes, but a glint shone in them as he took the soap and returned the favor. “My skin is the only shield I harbor. I want to protect it as best as possible.”

We stepped into the running water and I brought him into a hug. He fit just right as his cheek rested on my shoulder, our bodies molding into each other. I nuzzled my nose into the crown of his head, a floral scent itching against my nostrils as my finger twirled his hair ends. “Then I’ll be your sword.”

The rest of November was spent chewing over how to bring up everything to Christopher: his mom’s diary, Mallory’s location, the connection between him and Sophia Sephtis. A piece of me craved to blurt everything out during our late nights. But how could I ruin the peaceful moments when he was curled into my chest whispering sweet nothings? We’d just pieced ourselves together. I couldn’t bring myself to ruin it. For once in my life, I was a selfish bastard.

And while it took up most of my headspace, the rest was spent being hyper aware of one thing: Nina.

Not only had she been ignoring me—effectively at that—she was spending more and more time with Alek. They were constantly together—by the lake, on the grounds, inside the mansion—and even having dance lessons. Actually, he was giving her lessons from the looks of it. And besides, I knew my cousin. She was good at fighting, but not dancing. Lace had teasingly diagnosed her with two left feet—even though he was not any better.

They’re known to. . .play games on their indoor guardians, Lace’s voice echoed.

My gaze fell on Christopher’s window as I stopped in the trees inside of the second gate. Sweat coated my back and temples. In the distance, I could make out his outline next to his desk, hovering beside the very brother that my cousin had eyes for. At Alek, the deeply rooted dislike for vampires reignited. Doubt flooded my system alongside pure disgust.

The feeling had always felt like it was instilled by someone. But it never made sense. Especially now with Christopher. He was still a vampire like his brothers, part of the same family that treated their guardians like shit. So what was setting Christopher apart from the rest? Why didn’t I hold him with the same doubts I had for vampires?

The same questions irritated me whenever I was away from him. Although my mind was still clouded when not with him, I could force myself to think straight. . .even if I craved to focus on him and only him.

Any plausible answer felt wrong. Nothing fit him. Us. It was illogical and absurd. Somehow, though, not having an explanation felt like the most natural reasoning. But it didn’t diminish the tug of war that waged inside of me.

Like the prickly concern for Nina.

Noon sun rays shone across the grounds. She wasn’t on her usual round route. Where was she? She wasn’t in her room, either—a quick eavesdrop told me so after sneaking out of Christopher’s room.

We hadn’t talked ever since I’d taken out my anger about Christopher on her. When I projected my feelings onto her—even though we were not far apart.

She was showing signs of liking Alek.

“ Okay, what’s up? ” She’d blurted out after we’d finished our run.

“ What ?”

She motioned her head at me. “ There’s a lecture brewing; I literally feel it. What’s wrong? Not satisfied with the four laps you cursed me with ?”

“ I’ll curse you with more if you don’t watch your tone, Katerina.” Frustration with everything piling—my feelings, the diary, Mallory’s disappearance—had been piling, but for it to tip over and like this . . .it was unnecessary. At the moment, I didn’t realize this. Now I did.

I’d concealed the projection by opening a constant wound.

“ You’re off .”

Yes, I’d notice her lack of concentration. The exhaustion that darkened her eye bags. But to throw it in as a deflection of my own problem was cheating—especially when our time was limited and needed to be preserved. Not thrown out the window.

I couldn’t blame her for ignoring me. The last time I caught her outside after that debacle, she ran from me, luckily saved by Alek calling her over to their massive garden. Even with the tall sunflowers, I’d noticed the way he glared at me until Nina met his side.

Bitter with a hint of confusion.

Mom’s voice, distant and staggering, hummed after six years. Distant memories with her hazy face shadowed my mind. But my bones still housed the hollow hole she left after her death.

What if Nina was gone just like Mom?

Rapid heartbeats thrummed in my veins and drowned my ears. A sudden numbness rendered me motionless. Short breaths escaped me as my throat tightened. Darkness erased my surroundings and crumbled the ground beneath me.

“Katerina’s missing.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

A blurry figure stepped in front of me as a muffled noise filled the air. Fuck! I needed to focus. I forced my throat to swallow through the tightness, shoving away at everything that seemed to close in on me.

Mr. Amelle’s cool voice penetrated through my heartbeat. “I’m sorry, Mr. Devon, but there have been no?—”

“She’s my cousin. You need to find her. Please.” Slowly, the darkness broke apart, Tristan’s light tan skin paling as he nodded. He left before I could tell him something—anything—else. I needed to walk. I needed to do something before this fucking panic attack took over.

I ran. I picked up speed as everything hazed around me—as the feelings kept swallowing me until I crashed onto familiar cool skin. Hands gripped my shoulders and pulled me forward, my body meeting a lean figure.

“Lorenzo!” A faint, powdery scent covered the damp air around us.

“Christopher.”

Arms wrapped around my shoulders and tightened. “Bloody hell, are you well?”

I snickered, my vision slowly coming back. “What do you think?”

He didn’t respond. Instead we settled into a comforting silence until my surroundings came into focus. The darkness was gone, alongside the crushing feelings. A stale aftertaste settled in my tongue as I pulled away and met the cave’s bumpy wall, my body sliding until I sat on the ground. Christopher followed and took a seat beside me. Slender fingers caressed my thigh softly.

“How’d you know where?—”

He cut me off. “I felt you.”

That wasn’t the response I was expecting. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself, but the only explanation I can offer is. . .” He turned to me, sincerity lining his expression. “I harbor this sixth sense when it comes to you. I can sense you without qualms even as you harbor no presence. It’s a sensation like no other.”

“Really?”

“I wish I could give you a more concrete answer, Lorenzo, but it’s the only truth I possess.”

“I know.” I rested my head on his shoulder, the coolness emanating from his skin easing me. “I also have it with you.”

It rooted itself into me before I could pinpoint it. It had existed the first night we met and continued to grow with every meeting. The moment we fed from each other, it exploded into an instinct that called to the beast and me.

Addiction didn’t cover it anymore.

“Generally, it’s a sudden pull that I let dictate me. But this time, it was a sharp pain that hijacked my being into a haste-like state.” His heartbeat was at a normal pace, but as he spoke, it amplified. “What’s occurred?”

No one knew of my blood relation to Nina. Since the CEG didn’t require more than immediate family members to be on file for guardians, we opted to keep it between us and Lace. He was the only one who needed to know since he was the one who helped us.

“My cousin, Katerina, is missing.”

“Ms. Eli?” I leveled to look at him. There, in his gaze, a shimmer coated his eyes. “That explains why she seemed so familiar.”

I grinned. “That better be a compliment.”

“Let’s say it is,” he responded, his tone mocking, but it suddenly dimmed. “Is she also like you?”

I hadn’t moved, but my body froze. “No, she’s not.” The air stilled as my words cemented. No, Nina wasn’t like me. Thankfully, she never will be because of her medication.

“She shares many attributes that are like you,” he noted.

“Like what? Our good looks?”

He shook his head, but amusement bounced off his words as he said, “More like her directness. She’s quite outspoken, though not to your extent.”

“What did she do?”

He recounted a day when they received a sudden visit from one of the Vampire Regal Families. She’d stumbled onto the scene when she wasn’t supposed to. I could imagine her face faltering the moment she was called over. She was professional, but at times, careless.

Laughter rolled off me. “She did learn a lot from me. I’m not surprised she stands her ground with pompous vampires.”

“Pompous vampires that extended an invitation to her and other guardians to the Christmas Ball.” He scooted back, hesitation lining his expression. “An invitation I would like to extend to you, Lorenzo.”

Parties weren’t my thing unless a mission required it. And even then, it was an in-and-out situation. This wouldn’t be quick.

I’d be stuck in a room jam-packed with vampires. The potential ways the night could end sent a wave of unease. But the thought of letting Christopher attend without me by his side tightened my stomach. With the current tension between humans and vampires, what if something happened to him?

Anger swelled as the beast's growls itched my throat. I cleared it but the beast persisted. Maybe. . .it would be best if I did attend. Plus, my Doll has proved not all vampires could be pompous fucks.

But I couldn’t fully agree as distrust filled my system. “I’ll think about it.”

Late that night, Mr. Amelle gave me the best news: Nina was recovering in the Sephtis’ private infirmary after rescuing Alek from drowning in the lake.

On the first day of December, I bit the bullet and visited Nina.

The moment between my room to hers was a blur. Once the door shut, I finally took her in.

The dim light in the room contoured Nina’s umber skin and highlighted her green eyes that brightened the moment they fell on me. Her long, black hair poured around her and cloaked her body, nearly touching the ground as she stood.

Nina wasn’t gone like Mom. She was alive. She was safe. And after what felt like an eternity, I finally breathed.