The Guardian (8 page)

Until Noir had turned the evil Oneroi against their brethren. He’d almost succeeded in destroying every

one of the Dream-Hunters.

Almost.

And they were stil recovering from his attack. Madoc was one of the few prisoners Noir had taken who’d

survived. He, Delphine, who had been instrumental in saving them, and Zeth, one of the evil Oneroi Noir had

turned, were now the leaders. And while Delphine led them, in this, he knew Madoc was his best hope.

As for D’Alerian, he’d been the Dream-Hunter Noir had tortured and kil ed to find out that Solin had been

the one who hid the key in the world of man. Bloody bastard for not keeping his mouth shut. And in the end

what had it gotten him?

A slow and painful death.

Madoc pushed himself upright and crossed his arms over his chest. Annoyed, he let out one feral breath.

“Fine. I swear on the River Styx that I won’t destroy the key. Now where is it?”

Solin swal owed as another wave of pain ripped through him. He blamed himself for this. He should have

known what would happen. But it was too late now to focus on what should have and could have been done.

They had to fight and fight hard.

“It’s currently in the hands of Noir’s guardian.”

Lydia paused as the demon reappeared in the room with her. Even though he stood as proud and fierce as

he always did, she saw the shame and self-loathing in his icy blue eyes before he blinked and averted his

gaze, then slowly limped to his desk.

As he sat down in the ornately carved chair, she started to ask him if he was al right, but didn’t want to

wound his pride any worse than it already appeared to be. There was no need to ask that when she could

already tel he was embarrassed and upset.

And it was painful y obvious that he wasn’t al right. He was hurting and she didn’t mean the physical pain

of his injuries. An air of hopeless despair, and utter grief and sadness clung to him. She’d never seen

anything like it. Not even in nightmares.

Without a word, he careful y wiped at the fresh blood trickling from the corner of his nose and swol en

mouth. There was more blood from his ear, running down his neck in a bright red stripe that matched his

makeup. The fact that he ignored it completely told her just how often this happened to him. He no longer

reacted to it.

For some reason she couldn’t name, that image of him sitting there, looking so lost and yet fierce,

touched a part of her heart and made her ache for him as if it were her own pain.

He wore a mask of tough, unshakable power and yet …

She didn’t see the demon’s painted-on face right now. She only saw the man who hid himself behind it.

And even though they were enemies, she wanted to soothe that side of him.

Maybe, just maybe, if she could reach it, he might help her and Solin. The gods knew he had no reason to

side with Noir. Not when the bastard abused him so.

There was a flesh and blood man inside his soul. One in eternal pain. And having been wounded and

orphaned in a world that was suspicious of and angry at her kind, and hateful beyond belief, she understood

the need to draw inward and hide. The proclivity to strike out and hurt them before they hurt her.

It was a survivor’s instinct. A fighter’s way.

But for Solin and his love, she wouldn’t have been any better or kinder than the demon was. There was no

tel ing what she would have become ultimately.

One person could make such a difference in someone’s life. Either good or bad. With their actions and

words, a single individual had the power to save or destroy another.

She’d been so lucky. Solin had appeared when she needed him and taken away her pain. He’d taught

her to laugh again and to love, even when her past told her to keep her heart closed.

But the demon …

He didn’t have a Solin to hold him and tel him that everything would be al right. That he would kil anyone

who harmed him, and protect him no matter the threat. A Solin who promised him that in time the pain of the

past would fade to a dul ache and that he would learn to love and laugh again.

Solin had been her greatest gift.

Instead, too many had attacked this demon and tried to destroy him, and they had failed.

Perhaps it was time someone tried another tactic besides violence. One he might not be able to defend

against.

She crossed halfway to where he sat, afraid to get too close lest he put his defenses in place and repel

her. “What’s your name?”

Licking at the cut on his lip, he furrowed his brow as he final y turned his attention to her. “Excuse me?”

So the beast had manners after al . It was refreshing to see them.

“Your name. What is it?”

Seth sat in silence as he pondered how to answer what should be a simple thing. No one other than

Azura’s servant, Jaden, had used his given name since he’d left the human realm.

To his face—whenever he wasn’t pinned down and unable to strike back—the demons cal ed him

Guardian or Master. Noir and Azura only cal ed him by insults or Slave, so much so that he wasn’t even sure

if they knew his name.

Bastard was probably the most common or least offensive epitaph he bore.

Stil …

Why would she want to know his name when no one else ever had? Not even Jaden had asked. He’d

merely plucked it out of Seth’s head, without his permission, the first time they met.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear it on her lips. A part of him was even afraid of that smal

intimacy and what it might do to him. No good could come of her cal ing him by name.

None.

“Why do you want to know it?”

Lydia sighed wearily. “You are ever suspicious of everything. Are you real y that afraid of me? What in the

name of Olympus could I, as smal as I am, do to you?”

She could weaken him, and here, in this hel where he was forced to live, that could get him hurt a lot

worse. To care about anything or anyone …

Those were the most lethal of weapons. It was exactly why he was holding her.

To weaken and control Solin.

I will never be such a fool. Not for anyone or anything.

He’d come into this world alone and alone he would forever remain.

“I’m not afraid of you, woman,” he sneered. “I fear nothing.” How could he? His entire life was nightmare

after nightmare. If he feared something, it was used against him.

So any fear he might have once held had been purged centuries ago.

Now …

He was empty at best and furious at worst. Those were the only two emotions he had. The only two he

was capable of understanding anymore.

Her topaz eyes fil ed with sadness, she shook her head. “Exchanging names is what people do when they

meet.”

“Yes, but I’m not a…” he stopped just short of saying “person.” They had long ago stripped that last bit of

dignity out of him. He didn’t know what he was anymore. Not real y. But she didn’t need to know that either.

“You’re not what?” she asked after a minute.

“Human.”

Lydia sensed that that wasn’t what he’d started to say. “But you do have a name, don’t you?”

He nodded. “You may cal me Master.”

Fire burned bright in her eyes as she curled her lip derisively. “I cal no man Master. Ever. And that

includes you, for the record, buster. So get over yourself. Gah! I can’t believe the nerve of you.”

Those words angered him. “Are you mocking me?”

Lydia seethed at his ridiculous question. “Aren’t
you
mocking
me
?”

He actual y managed to appear stunned by that. Several other emotions she couldn’t identify flickered

over his features as more blood trickled from his nose. Absently, he wiped it away before he spoke again.

“How so?”

She closed the distance between them, wanting to strangle him for it. Was he real y that dense? “Tel ing

me to cal you Master? What kind of bul shit is that? No one owns me and they damn sure don’t control me.”

Her anger didn’t seem to faze him at al . Of course, he lived and served Noir who, she’d been told, lived in

a state of constant PMS. He was probably immune to any form of heated words.

“Fine then,” he said in a calmer tone. “Cal me Guardian.”

She made a deep sound of disgust. Like that was any better? Good grief. Was that real y the only choice

she had? Master or Guardian?

She shook her head at him. “Your mother named you Guardian? Real y? She must not have thought much

of you for that.” She’d meant it as a joking barb, but he went ramrod stiff as pain flared deep in his eyes—

something that told her she’d unintentional y struck a nerve.

Crap …

“I’m sorry, Guardian. I didn’t mean anything by that.” She reached out to touch him.

He shot to his feet and stepped back so fast, he almost tripped over his chair. “Don’t touch me.” Those

snarled, angry words came out like rapid gunfire.

She bal ed her hand into a fist as she saw a huge, fresh, ugly bruise on his cheek through the white

makeup. It reminded her of al the others marring his flesh—the bite marks she’d seen on his chest, thighs,

and neck. And it was then she ful y understood his secret.

His true pain.

“Has anyone ever given you a touch that didn’t cause you pain?”

Seth didn’t move as her question slapped him hard in the face. But the most painful of al was the harsh

truth. Once, a long time ago, he’d lived like a normal person. He’d had people he thought loved him. A family

who said he was a part of them.

But that had been a cruel lie. He’d have been far better off without knowing their fake kindness. Al that

had done was show him what he was missing. Show him what other people took for granted.

Show him what he was unworthy of having.

It doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as I, never mind share my name! How dare you name such a

wretch after me. If you think by whelping it you would endear yourself to me, think again
.

With his father’s words ringing in his ears, Seth started away from her.

But she stepped in front of him, cutting off his retreat. Before he realized her intent, she laid a gentle hand

on his cheek that stil burned from Noir’s fist. The tenderness of it shocked him.

Closing his eyes, he savored the warmth of her touch, and tried to imagine a life where such a thing

wasn’t a rarity. But the truth wouldn’t let him have even that much comfort. It shouted angrily in his head,

reminding him of who and what he was.

Who could ever love a mongrel like you?

You’re disgusting. Pathetic.

Worthless.

Get out of my sight, wretch, before I vomit.
Even when he pleased Azura or a she-demon, they threw him

out of bed the minute they were finished with him. He was only a tool to pacify a bodily urge.

Nothing more.

He mattered to no one and no one mattered to him.

Seth opened his eyes to see her staring up at him with kindness burning bright in her topaz gaze.

That lie slammed into his stomach with the force of Noir putting him through a wal . She didn’t give a

single shit about him and he knew it.

Solin was the one she loved. He was the one she’d come here to save.

A woman like her would never risk her life to save something like him.

Rage tore through him as he realized her ruse. He knew what she was trying to do and he hated her for it.

He snatched her hand away from his face. “What kind of fool do you take me for?”

She actual y managed to look shocked. “I don’t understand.”

Yeah, right. She knew and she was trying to play him. To weaken him. “I’m nothing to you, but an enemy to

get past. Don’t insult either of us by pretending otherwise.”

Lydia winced as his grip tightened on her wrist and he dragged her toward his bed. Panic swel ed inside

her as she feared his intent.

She started to fight him, until she realized he wasn’t going to attack her. Rather he manifested a chain that

ran from the bedpost to her ankle.

His eyes glittered like ice as he released her and then returned to his desk.

“You’re just going to leave me chained here?”

“Yes.” He opened his laptop.

“Real y?”

He refused to look at her. “Is that not what I said?” He started typing something.

She was flabbergasted by his overreaction to a simple question. “Are you honestly that afraid of a touch?”

Turning his head, he glared at her over his shoulder. “I told you, I fear
nothing
.”

But she knew better. He wouldn’t give her his name. He wouldn’t let her see his real face or offer him

comfort of any sort …

“You can lie to yourself al you want to, Guardian.
I
know the truth about you.”

A deep scowl lined his brow. “What truth?”

“You fear people. Why else would you live like this?”

He slammed his hands down on his desk with enough force that it made her jump, and it lifted the laptop

a good inch before it clamored down and landed sideways on the desk.

“I don’t fear people,” he said between his clenched teeth. “I fucking
hate
them.” She could taste the venom

he spat out with that one word. “Do you understand? They lie. They steal. They cheat and deceive. There is

absolutely nothing about them that I can stand … And if you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to take your

voice away again.”

A part of her was tempted to test him on that, but the saner part of herself won out.