The Keeper's Vow (4 page)

“They don’t talk? At all?” Katie glanced at
the dark hallway. Glock was there lurking—listening.

“No one has ever chatted one up before. Not
that I know of.” Jim said.

Glock had spoken to her. There was no way
she’d made that up in her mind. No possible way she’d ever think
words like that:
“I’ve tasted your memories…I’ve drank the
horror that is your past.”
She started to say something but
stopped. She didn’t want anything more to do with Glock. She didn’t
want him touching her, there was something sick about him. But how
could she agree to become a guardian? She didn’t even know what
that meant.

She looked at Allison. Allison had been so
calm and collected when Katie panicked and cried over Tristan’s
bleeding body. Was that what being a guardian was like? Is that why
Allison always walked with confidence? Could it be so bad if
Allison and Brian, who she’d known her whole life, were apart of
it?

“You could always choose to be one of us,”
Jim said as if he were talking about joining a team. “Ignorance is
not always bliss, My Dear. Sometimes it can get you into odd
situations, like the one you’ve found yourself in today. What you
saw must have scared the daylights out of you. As a guardian, we
are secret keepers. We make sure that our human world stays
ignorant of the demons that live below us and amongst us—don’t look
at me like that, Henrietta. Demon is a perfectly acceptable word
these days.

“Anyway, Darling, if you become one of us,
you’d be professionally trained to spot a demon—“other being”—and
interact with them socially. We have many different departments in
our line of work, but most people like to patrol known areas
where—“other beings”—frequent to make sure they leave normal people
alone. That D-Range you saw was a perfect example of someone not
doing their job and some lawless demon thinking he can do whatever
he wants. That woman’s life was taken from her twice: once by the
monster that changed her and again by the evil it turned her into.
You, can protect people from that.” Jim smiled gallantly as if to
emphasis the pride he felt for his work. “You can be apart of that,
Katie.”

Katie stared blankly.

“In so many words,” Henrietta eyed Jim, “We
also broaden relations amongst our different communities—”

“Dress it up how you will Henrietta, they’re
still demons,” Jim laughed to himself.

“And we strive to learn the laws of each
community, as to keep peace between our world and theirs. Yes, we
save people from becoming victims of heinous crimes, but that is
only a small part of the bigger picture.” Henrietta said as if Jim
had never interrupted her.

Katie took in a breath. Her chair was
uncomfortably warm against her legs.

“Do you understand, the choice you have to
make?” Henrietta raised her eyebrows.

Katie nodded but did she really? Was it that
simple? No—it couldn’t have been, Tristan wasn’t human. Nothing was
simple about that. Nothing was simple about deciding her future
today—this very moment.

Katie looked to Allison—Allison who always
pushed her to take life more serious. No amount of perfect
attendance and completed homework could have prepared Katie for
this moment.

Katie wished she knew what Allison was
thinking.

Allison nodded and smiled.

“Miss Stonewall,” Henrietta said in warning.
Allison broke eye contact, but the smile was still there.

It was this or the monster.
This
, or
possibly not remembering the last year of her life. “I’ll do it,”
Katie said. “I’ll be a guardian.”

Henrietta nodded. “It’s not an easy choice.
You won’t be a teenager anymore. You’re expected to study hard.
Failing in the classroom isn’t an option—yes we’ve seen your
current transcripts—and you will be enrolled in a vigorous training
program that will also challenge you mentally and physically. Life
as you know it, will be over.”

“If I get my memory erased, my life could be
over anyway.” Katie said. What would life be like if she woke up
and didn’t know who she was?

“Fair enough,” Henrietta said, standing up.
“You were born with a gift, and gifts should never go unused.”

Katie shook her head without meaning too.
She had no gifts. She could barely color in the lines.

“If Will is right, and you were born with a
mark, you are an untouchable like the rest of us. You posses a
power that renders you untouchable to anyone who isn’t human.
However, it’s not something you can just do. It requires discipline
and hard concentration.” Henrietta paused, “She’ll need a mentor to
get her up to speed.”

“I’ll do it,” Lucinda said. All the heads in
the room turned—even Brian looked up form the table. “I’m ready to
come back. She needs someone she can trust.”

“Lucy,” Will said.

“Will, I can do it. I’m okay now,” Lucinda
ran her hands across the table cloth.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Henrietta said,
putting her glasses back on. “Will, I’ll do the paperwork for her
school along with your nephew’s. Tristan, was it?”

“It’s so rare we get transfers. To think,
all of this in one day, what are the odds?” Jim laughed. “Where did
you say he was from?”

Lucinda smiled tightly, gesturing for them
to follow her out of the room. “The—”

“Southern part of Texas,” came a voice from
the hall. Tristan walked in to the room looking pale as ever, but a
smile stretched across his face. Everyone except Henrietta and Jim
froze. His hair was wild and his shirt was wrinkled and blood free.
He strolled into the room as if he hadn’t had a blade in his chest
an hour ago. He sat down in the chair next to Katie.

“A bit pale for Texas, aren’t you?” Jim
reached out to shake Tristan’s hand.

“Well I’m originally from the northeast.” He
flashed a set of white teeth at Henrietta.

“That’s a lot of transferring for someone
still in training,” Jim said.

“Yeah, it is. I only left the northeast
because our house burned down. My dad said it was time for a new
start. I had to agree, I felt like I was living in a prison cell.”
Tristan laughed at himself.

“That’s too bad,” Henrietta said.

“Yes, absolutely terrible,” Lucinda said,
still gesturing for Jim and Henrietta to follow her out of the
room.

“Not as bad as the tornado that hit our
house in Texas,” Tristan hung his head.

“String of bad luck you’ve got!” Jim said,
sitting next to Tristan. Fury flickered in Lucinda’s eyes.

“No, the bad luck hit when my mom found out
my dad had an affair with the guy who burned down our first house.
My poor mom. Broke her heart. Literally.”

Henrietta blinked a few times and glanced
between Will and Lucinda. “I—I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“Dear, God. That’s a—a tough situation,” Jim
said. He patted Tristan’s shoulder with a heavy hand.

Tristan grabbed his chest and bent over. His
face contorted with pain.

“Are you okay?” Henrietta said as both her
and Jim moved in closer.

“It’s just so hard,” he said between his
teeth.

Katie’s mouth dropped. This kid was a
class-act. A nut case. A whack job. Who told people that? Complete
strangers no less. Was he even serious? Is this why Lucinda never
mentioned him or his parents?

“Okay, well if that’s all we have to
discuss,” Lucinda said, moving to the hallway. “I’d love to have
you both for dinner, but it’s been a long day and I still have to
get Tristan situated.”

“Oh. Yes, of course.” Henrietta looked
relieved to leave. “Will, you’ve got a bit of paper work pilling on
your desk.”

“Gone for one day, and you can’t get on with
out me.” Will left the room with Henrietta, Lucinda and Jim in tow.
There voices moved slowly down the hall.

“That was intense,” Allison exhaled when
their voices were indistinguishable.

“Of all the knives to use, you used an iron
knife. My blood is on fire.” Tristan sat up. He pulled his hand
away from his chest; there was a small blood stain. He was sitting
so close, Katie could see it rise and fall. Brian got up and left
the room without uttering a single word. Tristan’s eyes zoned in on
Katie as if Brian hadn’t moved at all.

“What do you want from me?” she said,
watching him. He couldn’t have been the same boy from before. A boy
who dragged her with no effort across her lawn. A boy who threw her
out of the way as Brian ran up to him with a knife. A boy, who was
more concerned with getting her out of the way than saving
himself.

“
Now
you want to talk?” He tilted his
head back and studied the ceiling.

CHAPTER THREE

Lucinda stormed
into the dining room. “I swear to God Tristan, if you do anything
like that again, I will lock you in a basement until you’re old
enough to wear diapers again.”

“Considering my current lifestyle, I’d say
that might be a few hundred years,” Tristan said, closing his eyes.
He was the poster child of spoiled brats. Everything about him made
Katie hate that she wanted to know more about where he came from
and what he was and—desperately—what he wanted to tell her.

Will appeared from the hallway and leaned
against the door frame. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Tristan,
you’re wearing out your welcome. Go back to your room before that
wound opens up more.”

“Do you know what you just put us through?
Or Katie through? Will had to lie for you. He put his job on the
line,” Lucinda said. Her arms twitched and Katie was sure Lucinda
was going to smack him,.

“
He
didn’t ask me to lie, Lucy. Don’t
put that on him.” Will said stared at Lucinda. Silence passed
between them.

Lucinda slunk into a chair. “Will, what else
did you expect?”

“For once in your life you could have—”

“Not now, Will,” Lucinda said between her
teeth. “We have company.”

“When don’t we?” he said.

Katie blushed. She had never really seen
them fight before. The look on Allison’s face told her she hadn’t
either. Tristan’s eyes were still closed as if he were asleep,
unaware of everyone in the room. The slight smile creeping on his
face said otherwise. This was all his fault. This entire day.

“You know Lucy,” Will exhaled. “The funny
thing about damage control is you have to cause damage first.”

“What
are
you suggesting?” Lucinda
said under her breath.

Tristan opened his eyes and sat up. “Don’t
worry, Will. Every good guardian family has a dirty secret,” he
looked at Katie. “Like Katalina.”

Though she could feel all the eyes in the
room on her, the only ones that mattered were his. She couldn’t
decide whether he was being rude or willing her to understand
something. A voice in the back of her mind rattled; a thought had
appeared and vanished before it could be heard.

Will rubbed his temples. “Tristan, you
haven’t even been here one day. I’m regretting my decision.”

“Okay. Okay. I’m going back.” Tristan got
up. He frowned at Katie as he pushed in his chair.

“Will—” Lucinda started.

“I’m getting tired, Lucy.
Really
tired,” Will said, running his hand down his face. He left the room
behind Tristan, and with them Katie’s courage to look Lucinda in
the eyes. Though it was obvious, she didn’t want Lucinda to know
she had heard what he really meant.

Lucinda cradled her head in her hands.
“Today is a fine day for a glass of wine. Don’t you think girls?”
She looked at Katie for a second and sighed. “I’m sorry, Katie.
Today must feel like a nightmare for you. How about some ice cream
and a movie? We can have our girls night early this month.”

The last thing Katie wanted was ice cream
and a facial. How could Lucinda think ‘girls night’ was the
solution to spending—what felt like—hours soaked in more blood than
she had seen in her entire life, meeting a deranged lunatic of a
boy, watching the worlds most perfect couple admit they aren’t so
perfect, and worst of all, agreeing to be something she didn’t know
a thing about. She looked at Allison for help—for some desperately
needed sanity.

“Maybe we can take the ice cream to-go and
call it a night,” Allison said. Her eyes were wide and in them,
Katie could see, a plan stewing. They needed to be alone. They had
a lot to talk about.

“I don’t want Katie alone tonight,” Lucinda
said, eyeing her. “You might still be in shock. Why don’t you both
just stay over? I’ll get the guest room upstairs set up.” Lucinda
sighed deep as she raised herself up and started pushing in all the
chairs. The invitation wasn’t a suggestion but a command.

“My dad—”

“Don’t worry about him. We’ll let him know
you’re staying over. Everything else can wait until the morning.”
Katie knew Lucinda wasn’t going to call her dad. She’d get Will to
do it, even if he was mad at her. Lucinda hadn’t said a word to
Katie’s dad in three years—the year she was supposedly supposed to
learn about all of this—today wasn’t going to be different. “Help
yourselves to anything in the kitchen. I don’t think I’m up to
cooking tonight,” Lucinda said, leaving the dining room.