Guardian's Hope (32 page)

Nico was surprised to see their smiles. After
the way he’d treated Hope and Grace, he hadn’t expected it.

“Hey man, glad you’re back,” Nardo set down
his tray and extended his hand. “There’s a lot going on. You’re
needed.”

“This is fortuitous.” Broadbent somehow
seemed taller, stronger. “I’ve asked our Liege Lord for permission
to make my vows. I wanted to put it off until you returned as I
wanted you to stand for me, if you’d do me the honor.”

Nico was taken aback. Two Guardians were
required to stand watch while a trainee sought to make his vows.
The honor was usually given to close and well respected friends.
Granted, he’d stood for Nardo, but only because there was no one
else. Broadbent had a choice. Why choose him?

“I’d be most honored to stand for such a
worthy candidate,” he said formally.

“Good. That’s settled. It’ll be done as soon
as Canaan can arrange the church. Come on in, then. The others will
be glad to see you.”

“I doubt that. I’m surprised you are.” He
looked hesitantly toward the door.

“Ah, well, yes, almost everyone, I should
say. Our Liege Lord has made it quite clear we are to remain
neutral in this and I wholeheartedly agree. You are a Guardian
first and foremost and a member of this House. One should have
nothing to do with… the other. Come along now. It’s time to beard
the lionesses in their den. You’ll have to do it sooner or later
and now’s as good a time as any. You know how Grace hates arguing
at the table. They’ll all be on best behavior.”

Nico had fought demons and human soldiers.
He’d crossed mountains in the dead of winter and rivers swollen
with spring rains. He’d survived things few others could have and
he was able to do that because he’d never feared what other did.
The loss of his life was no loss at all. Now he feared losing
something much more precious than his life; losing Hope. He gripped
the handles of his bag tighter to control the shaking of his
hands.

“Look who we found sneaking into the
kitchen,” Nardo announced with a hearty and completely false
sounding cheerfulness.

“Good to have you back, Guardian. Welcome.”
Canaan nodded but didn’t smile.

Otto smiled broadly. “’Bout time you got
back. Have you eaten?”

Manon smiled slyly and nodded her head in
greeting. The twins nodded also, but didn’t smile or crack a joke.
It was obvious they were following orders.

Grace’s smile was genuine. “I knew you’d come
back.”

Had they thought he wouldn’t? He nodded to
each in turn, saving Hope until last. He looked into her eyes and
opened the bridge between them, sending her everything he thought
and felt for her. There was no answering wave across the bridge.
She’d closed herself to him.

“I had some business to take care of in
Geneva. I’ve brought you all something from my trip.”

He handed a large, flat, paper wrapped parcel
to Otto and Manon. It was a small painting of Lake Geneva in the
evening with lights sparkling off the water.

“Otto told me once that you’d been there
together. I thought you might like it.”

“It’s lovely, mon cher. Merci.” Manon eyes
softened when she looked at Otto. The old man gave her a salacious
wink at some shared memory.

For Grace, there was a box of the finest
Swiss chocolate for which she blew him a kiss.

“The way to a woman’s heart is always paved
with chocolate.”

For Broadbent, a bottle of El Tresillo
Amontillado which wasn’t Swiss, but gratefully accepted.

“I shall save this for a special occasion.
One should never drink the finest sherry without something to
celebrate.”

Nardo’s gift was an original Slayer, Hell
Awaits Tour t-shirt from 1986 with the band on the front and
tombstones on the back.

“Who knew you were into trash metal? Thanks
man.”

He handed the twins identical packages
containing six white silk t-shirts each. “I thought if I couldn’t
change your taste, I could at least change the quality.”

They tried to keep their faces unemotional,
but their eyes gave them away. Col gave in first.

“These are so cool. Thanks, Nico.”

“Yeah, from me, too. The ladies are gonna
love the feel of these.”

“My lord,” Nico handed Canaan a small dark
blue box, “For the honor you do me in allowing me to be part of
your House. I know you have your father’s, but I thought you should
have one to honor your House.”

It was a pocket watch with a black enameled
case. On the lid, Canaan’s House crest was worked in gold. It was
beautiful. Canaan ran his thumb over the gold.

“It’s a great deal more than I deserve. Thank
you.”

“No, it’s a great deal less,” Nico said. He
took a deep breath. “You and your House have given me something I
haven’t had since I was a child. I wasn’t seeking it. I didn’t even
know I wanted it. You and your lady have made me a part of your
family. It’s I who thank you.”

“Oh, sweetie, you don’t have to thank people
for loving you. You’ve been on edge since you walked in the door.
We can be angry with each other. We can be disappointed. It doesn’t
mean we stop loving.” She pointed to the twins and laughed. “Heaven
knows, those two would try the patience of a saint. If we love
them, we’re certainly not going to turn on you.”

“Here, here,” Broadbent seconded, “Why don’t
I open this marvelous sherry and we can all have a sip to
celebrate.”

“Celebrate what?” Dov groused, “That she
always uses us as an example of the bad guys. Shit. Oops, sorry
Hope.”

It was then everyone remembered Hope had been
left out. She sat, so quietly, staring at her hands folded in her
lap.

“Hope?” There was a plea in that one
word.

She raised her eyes to meet his and winced
with the pain.

“This last is for you.”

Nico removed a thick folder of papers from
the satchel and placed them, along with a fountain pen, in front of
Canaan. Lastly, he removed an old and worn leather box. It was
small, only about four inches square. The cracked and scuffed
leather was tooled in bold scroll work and what looked like a
family crest was worked into the center.

“My lord,” Nico said bowing deeply. “Herein
lies a full accounting of all my worldly goods. As Liege Lord of
this House, and as Hope has no relative to speak for her, I ask
that you act as her representative in this proceeding.”

Canaan’s reply was just as formal. “I stand
in her father’s stead.”

Hope had no idea what was happening and was
surprised to find Grace holding her hand tightly and smiling. There
were tears in Grace’s eyes.

“Are you making a public declaration of your
intentions?” Canaan asked.

“Yes, my lord, and I intend to honor my
commitment.”

“Atta boy!” Dov cheered. He looked like he
was about to say something else, but Canaan glared him into
silence.

“As Hope is not a member of the Race, it is
my duty to see that she is protected under the law. In front of
these witnesses I ask, have you seen to her security and
protection?”

“Yes, my lord, I have.”

“This is a full accounting of all worldly
holdings of Paenitentia Nico ad Nimeni, Guardian of the Race and
member of my House.” Canaan opened the folder and made a ceremonial
show of looking at each page. At the last page he hesitated. His
eyebrows rose as he read it through. He looked at Nico, who nodded,
and signed it with a flourish.

“This is not the standard agreement. At the
end of the contract, whether through termination or death, Hope
Parsons, Daughter of Man, will receive not three-fifths, but all of
these holdings and any others accrued during the contract. I am
satisfied with the contract.”

He passed the paper to Nico, along with the
pen, and said to the others, “This contract must be signed by both
parties and any witnesses to these proceedings. It will become
binding at the completion of the mating ceremony. Guardian Nico ad
Nimeni, sign and pass the document to your future mate for her
signature.”

Nico signed and brought the paper to Hope. “I
offer you all that I have. Will you sign?”

Hope looked at Grace who smiled and nodded
for her to sign. She looked at Manon who shrugged. She looked at
Nico and her eyes filled.

“No, Nico ad Nimeni, Guardian of the Race,”
she answered just as formally, “I will not sign.”

Nico froze. Grace gasped and out of the
corner of her eye, Hope saw Col jab Dov in the ribs. Otto was
nodding solemnly and when she looked at Manon, the older woman
raised her eyebrows in question and shrugged. Hope reached for
Nico’s hand and held his fingers tightly.

“You never asked. You think I want some
public declaration and I do, but this, Nico, is a business
arrangement. Your goods for my services.” She looked around the
table.

“I can see that this is some kind of
tradition and I truly mean no disrespect,” Her eyes locked with
Nico’s, “but for me, it isn’t enough. I don’t want your worldly
goods or your security or your protection. Nowhere in all of this
has the word love been mentioned. I don’t expect it to be in that
document. Those are just printed words. I want a declaration from
your heart, Nico, in front of these witnesses. They only need to
hear it once and for the rest of our lives, I’ll never make you say
it again, but I need to hear it now, Nico, in front of your family.
I love you and I want the whole world to hear it. I need the same
from you. I need you to ask for my heart and offer yours in
return.”

She opened the bridge between them and let
all the love in her heart flow across. She saw his eyes light with
happiness and knew he heard her thoughts. He saw her and all that
she offered.

He pulled her to her feet and held her hands
in his. “This is my woman. She has seen me as I truly am and still
she has given me her love. In all my life, I never thought I’d find
a woman such as this. I love her and with or without this paper, I
will cherish her and protect her for the rest of my days.”

He kissed her then and it was long and lovely
and passionate. And she kissed him back, not the least bit
embarrassed to show the world how much she loved him.

“Should we leave? Because this looks like it
might be going to places these innocent eyes of mine just shouldn’t
see.”

Hope broke the kiss and laughed. “No Dov, you
shouldn’t. I have to sign that paper and you have to witness it.
You all have to witness it.”

The paper was signed with hugs and kisses all
around. It was decided that Broadbent’s sherry should be kept to
celebrate his coming ceremony and Nardo was sent to retrieve a
bottle of champagne from Manon’s refrigerator. Grace got out the
glasses, the old fashioned kind with a broad bowl, and when Nardo
returned and the drink was poured, Canaan held up the leather
box.

“Forgetting something?”

“No. Just waiting for the right moment.” Nico
took the box and held it out to Hope. “I know that for humans, a
ring is traditional and I’ll buy you any ring you desire, but I
wanted you to have this. It’s the only thing I kept that belonged
to Boris and Kurt, the two Guardians who first took me in,” he
explained to the others. “It always hung on a peg over the mantle.
It was the only thing that was hung on their walls, so I knew it
was special, but they never told me why and I, like a fool, never
asked. It was precious to them and so, in remembrance, became
precious to me. You, too, are precious to me and so it seems
fitting that you should have it.”

Hope opened the box and found a broad, gold
pectoral cross within. It was old, very old and it was studded with
huge cabochon gems cut and polished before the art of faceting was
perfected. She’d seen things like this in articles about the
ancient crown jewels of Europe. She held it up, dangling from its
sturdy gold chain, for the others to see.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever
seen,” she said as Nico helped her place it around her neck.

“
But not nearly as beautiful as the woman
who wears it.”

The thought was clear in her mind and she
blushed at the compliment. “I’ll treasure it always,” she said
aloud. She looked at him with shining eyes.
“But not nearly as
much as the man who gave it to me.”

Buffy, the cat, sat in the corner of the
dining room purring so loudly that the room seemed to vibrate with
her pleasure.

Chapter 33

Hope stepped out of the bathroom, freshly
showered, her hair braided neatly and wearing the long white cotton
nightgown. She’d had two glasses of that lovely champagne and the
effects were enhanced rather than diminished by the heat of the
shower. She raised her arms over her head and did a little dance
into the bedroom.

“You’re turn.”

Nico, sitting in the chair in the corner,
flipping through the pages of a magazine, laughed at her. “Is that
an invitation?”

She giggled. “For the shower, you naughty
man.”

He crossed to her and gave her a quick kiss.
“Someday, I want to share the shower with you.”

“Someday, when I don’t have to do all those
girlie things I’d rather you not watch, I might let you.”

“There’s nothing you could do in that shower
that I wouldn’t find sexy as hell.” He held her at arm’s length.
“Speaking of which, Hell that is, you’re sure this doesn’t bother
you. This living in sin, I mean. I want to mate with you, Hope. I
want this to be right.”

“I want that, too, and the minute my sister
is safe, we’ll make our pledge. I promise.” She held his face in
her hands and smiled up into it. “
I see your heart, Nico ad
Nimeni, and you see mine. God sees them both. There is no
sin.”

“I’m glad,” he whispered aloud. He began to
unbind her hair from its braid, running his finger through the
silken strand as they loosened from the plait.