Chapter One Read online

  2

  Jaden Sinclair

  FORGOTTEN SOUL

  GUARDIANS 2

  Jaden Sinclair

  EROTIC ROMANCE

  Secret Cravings Publishing

  www.secretcravingspublishing.com

  Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul

  3

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  Jaden Sinclair

  A Secret Cravings Publishing Book

  Erotic Romance

  FORGOTTEN SOUL (GUARDIANS 2)

  Copyright © 2011 by Jaden Sinclair

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-61885-005-8

  First E-book Publication: August 2011

  Cover design by Beth Walker

  Edited by Larriane Barnard

  Proofread by Belinda Barton

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2011 by Secret Cravings Publishing ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Secret Cravings Publishing

  www.secretcravingspublishing.com

  Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul

  5

  Glossary

  Bloodmate: a female born with a birthmark depicting a fang, somewhere on her body. Her system is designed to feed a vampire. Extra blood builds inside, she will experience intense pain and if not bled, she will drown and die.

  Guardian: one who protects the vampire race. They are the unwanted children of Noble families or of the poor. They are trained to kill.

  Nobles: high ranking vampires. They are old families with old money and old beliefs with a huge influence over the race.

  The Prophet: one male child born with the bloodmate mark and with the knowledge of an elder. He will bring balance to the race .

  Elder: oldest vampires.

  Breeds: humans turned into vampires for the sole purpose of killing anything they are told to kill.

  Transition: the metamorphous from child to the next stage of their development to full fledge vampire with drastic physical changes.

  Crossover: the change when a vampire becomes a Guardian, gaining extra strength and heightened senses by drinking blood of the ancients.

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  Jaden Sinclair

  FORGOTTEN SOUL

  GUARDIANS 2

  Jaden Sinclair

  Copyright © 2011

  Chapter One

  A lone figure stood on the sidewalk looking at the home of Lucian DeLuca and Julian Marino. At well past midnight, rain beat down hard on the hooded head. Lightning flashed brightly in the sky, and the sound of thunder vibrated through the ground, yet the figure did not move. He waited. Even when a sudden flash of red lightning lit the sky in the distance, an indication one of their kind had died not too long ago, the figure stood as still as a statue.

  Dimitri de Fiammetta stood as Guardian, one of three left. Renzo Ferrari went crazy and killed off every vampire he could find. He used breeds for the slaughter, creatures he created from a mixture of vampire, human, and bloodmate DNA. Though they knew he did it, they still didn’t know how and barely comprehended the insane why.

  Renzo had been whipped into a frenzy when Julian Marino took his daughter, Serina, and bonded with her. She was born a bloodmate and suffered greatly because of her father’s refusal to accept what she was and allow her to live the life that would save her.

  She was close to death when Julian found her.

  Dimitri didn’t know the whole story, but he did know Renzo had a major hand in her death and had taken one of her twin daughters at birth, one of the reasons Dimitri stood out in this hellish weather. Those inside were no longer safe, not with the Prophet as well Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul

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  as Julian with his other daughter living unprotected behind the walls. The Prophet, Lucan DeLuca, Lucian’s son, was the one who would lead them all and save the race—or so the ancient legends promised—if Renzo Ferrari didn’t succeed in killing them all first.

  As a full-blooded vampire in his prime, Dimitri stood at six-feet-two inches, with long black hair layered and feathered around his face giving him the look of an angel. His irises were dark chocolate. His features were chiseled, with a strong chin and a mouth with full lips, the latter gave all the women who saw him the desire to kiss him. At least that’s what he’d been told in the past. Dressed as a Guardian should be, he stood in tight leather pants, low cut on his hips, hugging his thick legs, and cinched with a thick belt. A black t-shirt stretched tight across his chest like a second skin. Over his clothes, he wore a long, leather trench coat with a hood, currently over his head to protect him from the rain.

  Leather shit kicker boots graced his feet, completing the protector’s uniform.

  Weapons of all kinds were strapped to his body in hidden spots, knifes stuck in his boots and a long sword hung at his back. The newest additions were two SR9 semi-auto 9mm in specially designed holsters on his hips and two small semi-auto machine guns on slings at his lower back. All were loaded with the latest ammo, designed by none other than Shadow, their weapons specialist.

  He was set to kill and ready at an instance’s notice.

  Dimitri had been told to meet the others at the house at midnight, and it was already twelve-thirty. Damn, he hated it when people were late.

  He looked around when he heard heavy footsteps as well as the tapping of a cane heading in his direction. A smile tugged on the corner of his lips as he recognized those steps.

  An old man with a cane in one hand and an umbrella in the other stopped in front of Dimitri. “Waiting long?” he asked, his slightly wrinkled face grinning with kindness.

  “Long enough, Ambrose.”

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  Jaden Sinclair

  Ambrose D'Abigne smiled, raised his chin up, and glanced at the house. “She isn’t here?”

  “Nope,” Dimitri said with sigh.

  Ambrose hung his head down and shook it. “Maybe this was too much for her.”

  Dimitri opened his mouth to agree, but stopped and raised his hands slowly when a gun pressed to the back of his head. He stiffened when he heard it cock, but let out his breath at a soft tsking sound in his ear.

  “I would have thought sneaking up on you to be impossible,” said a female voice, soft but with a detached quality. “And yet, I’ve done just that.”

  Dimitri turned fast, grabb
ed the hand with the gun, twisted, snatched the weapon from her hand, but froze when a blade touched under his chin.

  “You’re losing your touch, Dimitri,” she stated.

  “Look down,” he said. His gun pointed at her belly, cocked, and read to go off.

  “You’re late!” Ambrose snapped.

  “I had six breeds on my ass.” She sighed, took her gun from Dimitri, and slipped her knife back in the sheath at her waist. “It took me extra time to persuade them to move along.”

  Dimitri couldn’t stop the grin. “I bet it did.”

  The three of them walked up the drive. Dimitri looked up at the sky. “The rain will be stopping soon, which is good news. I hate trying to move a family in shitty weather.”

  “Do they know we are moving them?” she asked.

  Ambrose nodded. “I called Lucian a couple days ago. He said they would be packed and ready to go.”

  The girl cocked one of her guns, and Dimitri glanced over his shoulder at her. As always, his partner was collected and ready for a good fight. Her sunglasses were in place, hiding the brightness of her eyes from the world. Black leather pants hugged her legs and hips, her clothes identical to his with the one exception. She wore a zipped up Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul

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  tight leather vest, specially reinforced to block bullets. The hood of her trench coat covered her long black hair and the many weapons he knew were hiding all over her small frame. Hardly any of her face showed, thanks to the way she had the hood over her head. She was a shadow, hidden away from the world by her clothing, the sunglasses, and her status. Ahh, those sunglasses. She always wore them, because without the he could read her like a book, and without them one could always find her in the dark.

  “You going to be okay with this?” he asked her.

  She snapped her gun back into place. “I told you, I’m fine.” He nodded and turned his back on her. “Did you make sure Shadow didn’t fuck this one up?” she asked.

  “Shadow has transportation.” Dimitri stated. “How could he mess that up?”

  She snorted but said nothing more. The three of them stopped at the front door under the porch and shook the water from their coats. Ambrose knocked with his cane.

  A human, Corbin, opened the door. He was a child living off the streets when Lucian took him in. Ambrose knew the man. They shook hands before Corbin stepped back to let the three enter.

  Bags were on the living room floor, telling Dimitri the family took what Ambrose told them seriously.

  Dimitri watched his partner from the corner of his eye as she moved away from the group to stand at the other side of the front room. He worried about her. If they’d had a choice, she wouldn’t be assisting on this move because of her past with Julian. As it was, there were only three Guardians left and one Elder. They didn’t have any choice.

  “How have you been, Corbin?” Ambrose asked with his usual friendly smile.

  “It’s been hard,” Corbin answered. His eyes kept glancing at Dimitri. “Julian has been doing what he can, but the baby has been fussy, and a couple of those things have shown up here. I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad Julian and Lucian had the training they have.”

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  Jaden Sinclair

  Dimitri shot his eyes at his partner quickly. Unspoken words went between them, but he knew what she was thinking. Julian’s fate was still up in the air. Renzo had made it clear to all that he intended to see Julian dead just as Julian intended to see Renzo dead and his other daughter retrieved from the madman.

  “Don’t you worry about that now.” Ambrose patted Corbin on the shoulder. “Things will settle down once we have all of you in a safe place.” He extended his hand out toward Dimitri. “This is Dimitri de Fiammetta. He is one of the best. We only have three Guardians left. And over there…” Ambrose didn’t get to finish his introduction.

  “You!” Julian stood at the top of the stairs, a heated expression on his face directed right at her.

  Julian Marino stood, all six-feet-plus of him, glaring at Dimitri’s partner. He wore blue jeans ripped at the knees, boots, and a white t-shirt. His dark hair was a tangled mess, looking like he’d been running his hands through it. His brown bloodshot eyes told Dimitri the man was taking the death of his bloodmate very hard. He couldn’t blame him.

  If he’d had one for a short time and then lost her, Dimitri didn’t think he’d bounce back quickly either.

  Dimitri didn’t get the chance to say a thing before Julian charged, going at her, looking as though he wanted to kill. She shifted to the side, hooked her arm under Julian’s as he came in, swung around, picked him up, and body slammed him down on the floor. Her knee pressed in his throat, and a gun pressed to his forehead. The noise from the fall had Lucian and Tempest rushing up the stairs from the basement.

  “What the hell’s going on?” Lucian demanded.

  “First lesson, remember?” she said to Julian. “Never charge unless you intend to kill.” She cocked her head to one side, and Dimitri knew those bright eyes of hers were roaming up and down over Julian. “And since it appears you have no weapon…” she cocked the gun, “…you’re dead.”

  Ambrose cleared his throat and said, “Carissa.”

  Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul

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  She uncocked the gun and stood slowly, backing away from Julian. Her arm with the gun in her hand hung down by her side.

  “I don’t think I have to ask if you remember Carissa, Julian,” Ambrose said, sounding a bit uncomfortable.

  Julian got back up on his feet, and Dimitri held his breath. He’d known it was going to be tense when the two of them came face to face. He just didn’t think it was going to be this tense.

  “Carissa.” Julian glared at her. “Carissa Morrisroe?” He rubbed his chest and shook his head, but something in his manner suggested that much hadn’t surprised him. He spun to face Ambrose. “Bullshit. No way. You explain how to me. There has never been a woman vampire, let alone a woman Guardian.”

  “Her vampire heritage began developing when she entered puberty, Julian,”

  Ambrose told him. “From her father, even though her mother was human.”

  While Ambrose spoke, Carissa turned to Dimitri who only shrugged his shoulders.

  Pushing the hood off, she lowered her head to remove the sunglasses. When she straightened, her eyes met Julian’s. The color drained from the man’s face, stilling any comment he had to make. Her bright silver, vampire eyes fixed on Julian, the detachment Dimitri was very used to there for all in the room to see.

  “Hello, Julian,” she said in that soft voice of hers.

  “Son-of-a-bitch.” Lucian whispered from the corner.

  “And this is Dimitri de Fiammetta.” Ambrose went on. “As I was saying, they are the two of the last three Guardians. Renzo has killed the rest as well as the other Elders, leaving us four.”

  “We also have Shadow.” Dimitri added. Carissa snorted. He turned to her, one eyebrow going up. “He is one.”

  She gave him a smirk. “Not if he keeps fucking with my toys, he won’t be.”

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  Jaden Sinclair

  “Shadow is more our tech guy.” Ambrose quickly told them. “He runs the computers and designs our weapons.”

  Julian wasn’t finished. “So that’s where you’ve been all this time,” he snapped at Carissa, getting everyone’s attention back on him. “You left without a damn word, and now you stand here as a fucking Guardian!”

  He moved to charge at her again, but Dimitri quickly put himself between them. He learned over the years what kind of damage Carissa could inflict if she wanted to make a point.

  “All the time you’ve been following me! You couldn’t tell me who the fuck you are?” Julian shouted.

  Carissa turned to Ambrose. “Yeah, this is going real well.”

  “I hate to be the one to bust up this happy reunion.” Dimitri shoved Julian back, ignoring the glare Julian gave him. “But tim
e isn’t on our side. We need to move you right now. Breeds are on our asses.”

  Headlights flashed into the front room window. “That should be Shadow,” Carissa said. “This should be interesting.”

  “Carissa.” Dimitri warned.

  She flashed him a quick smile, one not reaching her bright eyes. “Don’t worry so much. I haven’t killed him—yet.” She slipped her glasses back on and walked out the front door with a quick exchange of looks between her and Julian.

  Dimitri knew some of the past between the two of them. They were close at one time. For whatever reason, she left to become a Guardian and never looked back. Dimitri told her over and over again that she needed to go back and fix the mess he was pretty sure she created. One didn’t join the Guardians willingly without breaking a few hearts or stepping on toes, and from the heated expression coming from Julian, Dimitri guessed she’d done both.

  From outside, Carissa yelled “Are you out of your fucking mind?”

  Guardians 2: Forgotten Soul

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  “Excuse me.” Dimitri said through his teeth, leaving the house quickly.

  Carissa stood next to the motorhome Shadow drove up. Shadow, a third born son, was the only survivor of his family. In Australia, local villagers killed everyone because they believed demons were living among them. How Shadow had survived the villagers attack was a mystery to Dimitri. For all his computer skills and weapon genius, the man wasn’t much of a fighter.

  Like himself, Shadow was six-two and built like a brick. Shadow’s blue eyes sparkled with life and laughter all the time, and he kept his blond hair cut short. He also wore leather, but instead of the long trench coat, he wore a waist-length leather jacket. He spoke with a thick Australian accent and loved to tease Carissa every chance he got.

  “What?” Shadow remarked. “I was told to get a large car.” He extended his hands out the window. “This not big enough, love?”

  “This is not a car, you moron! It’s a god damn bus!” She hit the side of it with her fist. “How the fuck are we supposed to get away fast in this shit?”

  “Calm down,” Dimitri said.

  “Oh, I’m going to calm down, right after I beat the shit out of him.” She grabbed the handle and yanked the door open. Grabbing hold of Shadow by the lapels of his coat, she jerked him out.