Wilder: The Guardian Series (33 page)

Was Brian right? Is my
relationship with Roman destined to fail? Can I really be the Guardian and have
a normal life?

“Thank goodness you made it back safely,” said Stellan as
they rushed up the drive just as twilight set in.

“I’m so glad you guys are finally here. I’ve been so bored,”
said Dani Lynn, popping up from the basement.

“I’ll grab the bags from the car,” said Nico. “It looks like
it’s starting to rain.”

Without a word, Celeste went to her room to unpack her
things, and Roman took a bottle of vodka out to the back porch.

“Well, they’re in a mood,” said Dani walking away dejectedly.

“What’s the matter with them?” asked Stellan.

“Lover’s spat,” said Nico.

“This isn’t exactly an appropriate time for that.”

“Tell that to them.”

“Can we do anything to remedy the situation?” asked Stellan.

Nico replied, “Doubtful. I’m pretty sure they don’t even know
why they are fighting. If you want to know my opinion – Roman thinks that
Brian is better for Celeste than he is. Seeing them together just makes it
worse so fighting with her is easier. Celeste loves them both in different ways
and is having a hard time choosing the right path given her new supernatural
reality.”

“You are wise beyond your years my boy,” said Stellan with an
affectionate pinch to Nico’s cheek.

“I try,” said Nico with a
grin.
 

As Celeste hung up the last of her clothes, she heard a light
tap on her door. Her stomach clenched uneasily.

“Come in,” she said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

Roman walked in and she could smell the faint scent of vodka
emanating from his lips as he exhaled. “Do you love him?” he asked abruptly.

 
“What?” asked
Celeste, turning to face
him.

“You know exactly what I mean. Do you love Brian?”

“Roman, I am not having this conversation with you,
especially not when you’ve been drinking.”

“Please, just answer me. I need to know.”

She looked into his tormented blue eyes and felt like she had
been punched in the stomach. She knew she had to be honest with him.

“Of course I love him. He’s my best friend. I’ve known him
since we were three years old! He’s like a brother to me.”

“And you’re sure that’s it? You only love him like a friend,
a brother?” he asked desperately. “Because if it’s more than that, it’s okay
Celeste. I want you to be honest with me, and be honest with yourself.”

Celeste stood there speechless.

“You could have a normal life with him. You can be the
Guardian and still go to college, get married, have a family. I can’t give you
those things. I wish I could, I would want nothing more in this world than to
be able to.”

“Roman…” she said with tears running down her face.

“You need to think about it Celeste,” he said taking a step toward
her and wiping a tear from her cheek affectionately. “I love you, but your
future and your happiness is more important to me than mine is.”

“Roman, no--” she said.

He put a finger to her lips quieting her sobs and kissed her
sweetly on the forehead. “Just promise me that you’ll think about it.” And he
walked out the door.

“What do you think Fabian is really doing here?” asked Nico.

“I wish I knew,” answered Stellan.

“It’s odd right? He could have come after us ages ago. It’s
been decades since he killed our parents, and why come after us now?”

Stellan shook his head, gazing into the crackling fireplace,
deep in thought. He was trying to decide whether or not to share what he had
learned. Decision made, he took a deep breath and said, “I’ve heard some
rumblings from the underground. I can’t confirm their accuracy, but they say he
is attempting a spell of some sort.”

“A spell that he needs us for?” Nico asked, leaning forward
intently.

“Yes apparently. It’s very dark magic from the sounds of it.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“As I said, nothing has been confirmed, and I didn’t want to
worry you for nothing. I was hoping I’d be able to discover his purpose, but I
haven’t as of yet.”

Suddenly there was a loud burst of thunder and a brilliant
flash of lightning darted across the dark sky. They heard the rush of feet on
the stairs and Celeste appeared in front of them, eyes wide with panic.

“Something very bad is here,” she said as Roman came running
behind her.

The front door flung open and landed in the living room with
a crash as its hinges went flying through the air. Roman ran to Celeste and
placed himself as a barrier between her and the open doorway, while Nico
appeared at her flank seconds later. Outside two dark figures slowly approached.

“Get back,” said Stellan as he muttered a few words and a
glimmering force field appeared where the door used to be.

“Oh Stellan, don’t make me laugh,” boomed Fabian’s voice from
outside. He held up his hand and swiped it to the side and with a flash the
force field was gone.

“What do you want?” asked Roman stepping forward.

“Roman Constantin, my, my how confident you’ve become –
or is that just stupidity?” asked Fabian. “You’ve come a long way from that
sniveling little brat I met over a century ago.”

Roman’s fangs dropped and a terrifying growl emanated from
the depths of his core. Celeste had never seen that vicious look in his eyes
before; an icy chill swept through her.

“You are not welcome here Fabian. Leave now or there will be
consequences,” warned Stellan.

“I believe he has threatened you, my liege,” said Alek, his
small frame overshadowed by Fabian’s impressive one.

Fabian let out a wicked chuckle and continued, “I don’t want
to hurt you Stellan or that human girl. Get out of the way. This is not your
fight. This is between me and the Constantins.” Fabian and Alek moved
inexorably closer, two dark ominous shadows, as the wind and rain whipped
around them, bending to their will.

“We are right here,” said Roman. “Again I ask
,
what do you want from us?”

“That is something you will find out in due time. But for
now, I need you both to come with me without a fight.”

Roman looked at Nico, who gave him a faint nod. “Fine. As
long as you don’t hurt them.”

“No!” said Celeste. She hurled herself in front of the brothers
and unsheathed her sword, thrusting it into the air.

Roman lunged after her trying to hold her back, but as she
pointed her sword at Fabian a blinding white light shot out of it that sent
both Fabian and Alek flying back onto the wet lawn. Stunned, Fabian and Alek
remained on the ground for a few seconds scrambling to get back to their feet.

“Stellan, get her out of here!” roared Roman.

“No, I’m not leaving you,” she said, reaching for his hand.

“Celeste go now, please!” he begged.

Fabian and Alek were back on their feet and they were racing
towards the open door. Nico stood in front of it, fangs
bared
,
poised to attack. The wind was picking up and Celeste had to dig her heels into
the ground to keep from getting swept away by it. She clung desperately to
Roman’s hand, as he pulled her towards Stellan.

“Stellan, now!” Roman yelled.

Stellan waved his hand and a swirling blue portal opened
before them. Celeste squeezed Roman’s hand and released it with one last look
at his frantic face. Alek had reached Nico, and the two were grappling on the
ground. Celeste prepared to jump into the blue abyss, Stellan right behind her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Fabian lunging toward her, but Roman
threw himself on top of him. Fabian dodged the assault and sent Roman sprawling
through the air with a flick of his finger.

“No!” cried Celeste, pausing to look back as Stellan
attempted to force her through the portal.

Fabian sprung up, faster than human or supernatural eyes
could follow. He shoved Stellan out of the way and grabbing Celeste, they
jumped through the portal, leaving everyone else behind.

“No!” growled Roman as the portal disappeared before his
eyes, and he crashed onto the cold tile floor. As he pushed himself up, he felt
something familiar on the ground. Picking it up, he saw it was Celeste’s
key which
must have come off in the struggle. “Stellan,
quick—open the portal. We have to go after them!”

“I can’t Roman. Fabian hijacked control of it. I have no idea
where they went,” said Stellan.

“Where’s Alek?” asked Nico.

They looked around but it was no use, Alek had disappeared
into thin air.

“This can’t be happening,” said Roman throwing a chair across
the room and smashing it to bits. “How could we lose Celeste?”

“Roman, you must calm down. Destroying my house isn’t going
to help her,” he said, placing a wrinkled hand on his shoulder.

“Then what can we do?”

“Give me a moment. We must think rationally. Up until a few
moments ago, Fabian had no idea who Celeste was. Assuming he will soon figure
it out, he will then realize how valuable she is.
 
He dare not kill her and incur the wrath
of the Council.”

“We need to tell the Council what happened,” said Nico.

“Yes, that is exactly what we have to do. And remember,
Fabian doesn’t really want her; it’s the two of you that he needs. He has to
know that without her he would lose his leverage.”

“So you think she is safe for now?” asked Roman, a glimmer of
hope in his weary eyes.

“Yes, I truly do.”

“Well, since no one else brought it up, what in the world was
that burst of light that came out of Celeste’s sword?”

“I am not sure to be honest,” said Stellan. “I have never
seen a guardian do anything like that.”

“So it wasn’t the Wilder sword?” asked Roman.

“No, Celeste’s father Kristof never wielded that power.”

“So you’re saying it came from Celeste?”

“Yes, it would appear so. We will have to take a look back in
the guardian journals to see if anything like it was ever recorded in the
past.”

“Whoa, what in the world happened in here?” asked Dani coming
up from the basement.

“Fabian happened,” said Nico. “Where have you been?”

“I was hiding in the basement. I heard all the commotion up
here and I got scared.” She looked down feeling embarrassed.

“They took Celeste,” said Roman.

“Oh no! What are we going to do?”

“We are working on it.”

“Actually Dani, if you’d like to help, you could do a little
research for me,” said Stellan.

“Sure, I’ll do anything.”

“Very good, and I am going to contact the Council right now,
and then work on a tracking spell to find where Celeste has been taken. Roman,
find me an article of her clothing to use for the spell.”

“I have something better than that – I have the Wilder
key.”

***

Celeste opened her eyes and looked around groggily. She was
surrounded by impenetrable rocks and towering mineral formations. Due to the
damp, chilly air, she reasoned she was in a subterranean cave. But exactly
where, she had no clue.

Are those stalactites
or stalagmites? I should have paid more attention in geology class.

Celeste stood up and searched frantically for
a way out, but the only exit was blocked by an enormous boulder
.
She pushed against the cold, rough surface with all her strength, summoning her
newfound powers, but it was no use; it wouldn’t budge. She suddenly remembered
the flash that had emanated from her sword before Fabian had forced her through
the portal, and began searching wildly for it. It was gone. Celeste had no idea
what caused the flash of light, but whatever it was, it was powerful enough to
have stunned both Fabian and Alek.

Too bad it ended up
backfiring on me and getting me captured. But it was worth it if Roman and Nico
are safe.

As she searched around the cave she found nothing but a few
rocks and a torch to provide some light. Not finding anything she could use as
a weapon, like Roman had taught her, she slumped down on the ground hopelessness
setting in.

“Oh wonderful, Fabian will be so happy to see that you are
awake,” said Alek, appearing where the boulder had been just seconds ago.
Looking at him closely for the first time, Celeste noticed how young he
appeared. And had he not been the apprentice of an insane wizard, he might have
even been attractive. His platinum hair contrasted his dark sparkling eyes and
his mischievous grin was quite appealing – in a frightening way.

“What does he want with me?” asked Celeste, quickly getting
back on her feet. She stared at the young man contemptuously; his platinum hair
slicked back perfectly not a single hair out of place.

“Originally, you were simply a means to an end. But after
that light show that your sword produced, he has some questions for you.”

“I have no idea what that was,” she said truthfully.

“Right. Come this way, then, we don’t want to keep Fabian
waiting.”

Celeste could hear the echo of her footsteps as she followed
Alek through a dark passageway, which opened up, into another cavernous chamber
similar to the one where she had woken up. Seated before her on an impressive
throne carved out of the rock was Fabian. A smug smile crossed his face at her
approach.

“Please excuse our humble abode. I would have taken you to
our motel but I couldn’t risk you being tracked there, not that it was any
better than this honestly.”