Guardian Of Fate (Fate Series) (17 page)

He stayed inside of me as he came up on his elbows, his face flushed from the efforts of our love-making. His eyes roamed over my face as he gently pushed aside strands of my hair from it. Lowering his lips to mine, he kissed me softly, sweet flutters from one corner of my mouth to the other. When he was done, he raised his head to look lovingly into my eyes.

"You're beautiful, Cassandra," he said in the barest of whispers. I felt the back of his fingers lightly brushing my cheek, causing my skin to tingle from his touch. "I'm afraid you've created an addiction in me. I could never get enough of you. I already want more. I will always want more."

Every inhibition I had seemed to have escaped its prison with every explosive wave of pleasure he brought out of me. "Then take more." I moved beneath him. There was a renewed passion in his eyes before they closed. They remained that way for quite some time before he finally opened them. The passion was gone; replaced with... regret?

"I'm afraid there's no more time, Cassandra. I must go."

CHAPTER NINETEEN

"
What?" I cried in disbelief.
Hunter was leaving me? Why?
Up until now, I couldn't do anything without him under my heels. Now, after we'd been as close as two people could get, he was going to leave me? Anger quickly built up and lashed out through the palms of my hands as I shoved at his chest.

He rolled off me and I stood, intending to let out a litany of questions and accusations when he held his T-shirt out to me.

"I must go away for a bit, but I promise, I'll come back to you, and there will be much more. Here, put this on. Quickly, Cassandra!"

I was about to protest when three huge men appeared out of nowhere and stood before us in the park. Two of the men's torsos were covered in what appeared to be some kind of steel armor and they both wielded sheathed swords at their sides. The other was dressed as Hunter normally did with a T-shirt and jeans. The two armored men also wore lecherous smiles as their eyes roamed over my naked body. Hunter stood up faster than I'd ever seen anyone move to stand in front of me, blocking their view, in all his naked glory. With shaking hands, I scrambled to put the T-shirt on.

"Awww, c'mon, Hunter. Move aside and let us get a peek of the little beauty. After all, she'll be famous for this," one of the armored men said, laughing. His armored twin laughed along with him. The third man didn't share in the others' humor, it seemed, as he stood with a grim expression.

Hunter continued to glare at them as they laughed. "If you even think of looking at her," he said in a deadly voice, "I promise, I will gut you both. You'll be praying to let me end your immortality. She's mine."

Both men's smiles faded quickly. The one that had spoken became red-faced with anger as he caught the third man unsuccessfully hiding a chuckle. Tersely he said, "Yeah, about that... You've been summoned back. We are to escort you at once."

Hunter looked over his shoulder at me. Seeing I was covered up enough, he moved towards his jeans and put them on. The escorts must have taken his words to heart because their eyes never once wandered towards me. They continued to watch Hunter and his every move. After getting dressed, he walked back up to them and I gasped as they brought out a pair of chains, metal shackles hanging at their ends. Hunter quickly said something to them that I couldn't hear, they nodded their heads, and he walked back over to me.

I didn't give him the chance to speak. Clapping his chest with my hands, I barraged him with questions. "Hunter, what's this about? Who are these men and why do you have to go with them? Where—"

He grabbed both of my hands in his and squeezed. "Cassandra, shhh... Listen to me. I have to go with them for now, but I will be back."

I started to protest, but he cut me off once again.

"There is no negotiation in this. It's something that must be done. See that man in black? He's one of mine. He'll be watching over you for me while I'm gone."

"What? I don't need a babysitter, Hunter!"

"Yes, you do. Caleb can show up at any time, anywhere. When are you going to accept that?" Gripping my arms, he pulled me hard into his chest. "I've tasted you now, Cassandra, and I'm going to crave more for a long, long time. So there is no way I will allow anything to happen to you. Eric will be watching over you while I'm gone. I trust him with everything that I am. He will do whatever he can to protect you, and if he feels he can't do it, he'll find a way to get to me. You're in good hands. I promise you."

I looked down, both scared and sad at the same time. "But I want to be in your hands," I whispered, still looking down at my bare feet in the grass, maybe a bit embarrassed over my candor.

His fingers lifted my chin so I would look into his beautiful eyes. "I've wanted to hear you say that since I first met you." He ran his thumbs lightly over my jaw. "I've got to take care of something, but I'll be back, and you'll be in my hands over and over again, Cassandra."

I panicked, knowing that no matter what I said, he'd be leaving now, but I tried anyway. "But where are you going? What do you need to do?"

Hunter shook his head and looked at me with what almost seemed like pain in his eyes. "I can't explain right now."

Before he could say anymore the men came over, flanking him, and pulled his arms back to shackle him.

"All right, that's enough. Time to go, Hunter. Let's make this nice and easy for her, eh?" Hunter showed no resistance towards them as they finished with their mechanical prisons. Eric walked over and stood next to me. I looked up at him with anxiety, but his friendly face somehow managed to put me at ease.

I looked back at Hunter as they pulled him away. His last words hit me in the heart, "Trust me, Cassandra. I'll be back for you." And then all three of them disappeared.

***

The walk back to the apartment was awkward to say the least. Eric was not very talkative. I attempted to get him to tell me where Hunter was going and who had summoned him, but all he would tell me was it was up to Hunter to fill me in when he returned. I even tried to ask him how he knew Hunter, but apparently, that information remained classified too. Much to my dismay, the old adage that guys stuck together was true no matter what worlds they came from. The only information he gave was that he was there to protect me from Caleb, and that he'd be staying in Hunter's apartment.

When I got back, Nora's door was still closed. I peeked in at her and saw that she was fast asleep, sprawled out amongst all of her books on her bed. I quietly closed the door and went into the bathroom to take that shower I'd originally planned on.

I turned the shower on and pulled Hunter's T-shirt over my head. The smell of lavender and musk caught me off guard as the shirt rubbed against my face. I held it to my nose, breathing in his heady scent. Closing my eyes, I re-lived the glorious events in the park. I pictured him over me, his steel eyes penetrating mine as his body made me feel things that I never imagined. As I washed, I remembered his hands in all the places that made me burn for him. Everything had been so perfect, as if fate had finally brought us together.

But as wonderful as it felt right now, remembering the way he felt, the way he looked, the way he touched me, the beautiful things he said, I worried if this was fate's final act. Would we ever have those wonderful moments again? The reality of him being gone, hit me hard. Would I ever see him again? He told me that he'd come back for me, but it sure didn't look like he had a whole lot of control in those shackles. Was he just saying he'd be back so I wouldn't argue?

I walked out of the bathroom, considering going over to talk to Eric before I went back up to see my mom. I would try to get him to tell me more. Maybe there was a way I could persuade him.

"Hello, Cassie."

I jumped at the greeting that had come from the sofa, where Caleb sprawled casually in the cushions. My body tensed as his eyes moved slowly over it, stopping at the lacy bra and panties I tried to hide with my hands, his lecherous smile proving I was unsuccessful.

"I've got great timing lately," he said, sitting up straighter.

I looked towards my bedroom, gauging the distance it would take me to get in and close the door before Caleb got to me. He must have recognized my intentions because as soon as the thoughts were out of my head, he flashed over to the room and leaned his arm casually against the doorway. Shaking with fear, I pushed back against the wall in the hallway, as if it would somehow allow me to melt into it and disappear.

"Now, c'mon, Cassie. Let's be adults about this. I want you, and I know you want me. I'll help you get over this phobia you have about going to Hell. No one has to get hurt, and we'll live happily ever after. We can start right now." He waved his hand back towards my room and candles appeared everywhere, creating a chillingly romantic setting. "I can make it the best night of your life, Cassie, but if you fight me, I can make it the worst." His easy smile turned into a grim, cruel leer.

I couldn't speak. I just stood against the wall, panting in fear, trying to think of how I was going to get out of this. Would Eric sense Caleb as Hunter did? Would he come to my rescue? I turned my head quickly towards the door, hoping to see him coming through it.

"Don't even consider Eric," he dismissed my hopes with a lazy wave of his hands. "He's got his own problems to deal with over there, thanks to my... associates. Oh, and if you're waiting for your knight in shining armor to save you again, he won't be coming this time either." He shook his head, tsking at me as if I were a child. "See, he's got quite a bit of explaining to do to our boss as to why he hasn't completed his mission yet. He's going to be there a while."

I jerked my head at Caleb's assertion. Their boss? His mission? "You're lying!" I yelled.

"Oh, c'mon, Cassie. I thought you were smarter than that. Did you think he was any different from me?" He laughed, but when he looked at my shocked expression, his eyes grew wide. "Oh my, you really did. Wow, I guess he hasn't lost his touch after all. He's a Seeker, just like me."

I refused to believe him. "I know what you are, but Hunter is
not
like you. Why would he be protecting me from you if that were true?"

He sauntered over and leaned his hands against the wall on either side of me, making me cower even more. "Because
you
are the ultimate prize in Hell, Cassie." he hissed. "A Seeker with angel blood. Can you imagine the damage you could do for Hell? And, well, the one that turns you is sure to be richly rewarded for it. Hunter and I have a little competition going on. You know, may the best man win, and all that good stuff."

My mind was processing everything he was telling me, but my heart refused to listen, and all I could do was shake my head in denial.

"It's all true," he continued. "Hunter is a Seeker. He was sent here to turn you. Look, I'm sure he told you that I was one, right? Did he tell you how we get Guardians to trust us? We seduce them. Tell me, Cassie, how far has he gone to seduce you?" His finger slowly made a trail down my cheek, and continued down my jaw line until it stopped under my chin. When I grimaced from his touch, his gentleness disappeared as he yanked my chin up to face him. I looked into his glowing blue eyes and suddenly realized I'd seen that radiant hue in someone else's - Hunter's.

No. I refused to believe I could have made that big of a mistake. I was a Guardian with angelic blood, damn it! My instincts would have warned me. What we shared in the park was real. There was another explanation for the similarities between Caleb and Hunter. Caleb was just trying to bring me to Hell any way that he could right now.

But there was that little inkling of doubt now and it pissed me off. After the park, I thought I knew whom I could trust in all of this, but now Caleb had planted a seed. I didn't want it, but it was there, and I was angry that it had invaded my one source of security. The anger inside of me felt different than ever before. I felt it build up and find its own momentum, until I shook with the urge to release it.

And Caleb was the perfect recipient.

"Get... away... from... me," I fumed, looking him in the eyes with determination.

"Aww, don't be that way, Cassie. You had to know. I'm just sorry that I had to be the one to tell you," he said with a fake frown. "So what do you say, we do this nice and easy? Get this all over with?"

"I said, get away from me!" A beast within me let loose as I shoved at him with a force I'd never possessed before. I watched in awe as he sailed backwards through the air, clearing my bedroom doorway. He hit the far wall hard, and slid to the floor in a heap. I stood rooted to the spot in the hallway, trying to comprehend what just happened. Where had that power come from? I looked around, wondering if Eric had come in and used some type of telekinesis or something, but there was no one else in the room. Nora's door had remained closed. The only other explanation was too unbelievable. I just didn't have that kind of strength. Or did I?

Caleb remained motionless against the wall in the bedroom. Was he faking? Was this a trick? I had no choice but to check. Just before I started moving towards him, I realized I had nothing to defend myself with if he were to get up suddenly. I looked around the room, but realized how stupid that was. How did one go about killing a demon from Hell anyway? So I trusted, and prayed at the same time, that this newfound power that I just exhibited wasn't a fluke. Slowly, I made my way towards his lifeless body.

When I reached it, I leaned back as far as I could with my body and kicked my foot out at him, hitting him hard in the side. He didn't move, except for the jostling my foot had caused. I have no idea why I decided to check for some form of life from the immortal, but it was a bad move. Real bad.

Caleb's eyes opened wide as his hands shot out and pulled me into him.

"No!" I screamed. Adrenaline rushed through my body and an instinct that seemed to come from somewhere deep in my soul took over my entire being. I straddled him, and my hands wrapped around his head of their own accord. I watched my movements in confusion and horror as my hands were strategically placed at opposite sides of his head. He screamed for his life as I pictured twisting his head with such force as to snap his neck and take it right off. I didn't think I had it in me, but it was there, and it was about to happen when I heard a beautiful female voice behind me.