The Guardian: Paranormal Fantasy New Adult Young Adult Angel Romance (A Fight for Light Novel Book 1) (17 page)

“No, but these are people who can be trusted. I have known them a long time…the Hummer came from them,” he replied hesitantly.

I stared at him for a minute. He wasn’t staying with his family? “You
lied
to me?”

He didn’t say anything and continued driving, looking very uncomfortable. I continued to stare at him, daring him to ignore me. He sighed.

“I didn’t lie exactly. I just…shared what I could and left out what I couldn’t.”

“Kellen, are you serious? That is the same thing as lying. Are you really trying to get out of telling me the truth?” I asked him, irritated and annoyed, and trying not to be.

“Rhiannon, don’t overreact please. It’s not what you are making it out to be,” he responded quietly.

Overreact? Now I was getting angry. He was purposely not answering my questions. I gritted my teeth for a moment and then continued.

“A lie is a lie. It doesn’t change because you want it to be something different. You don’t trust me. You are deliberately not answering my question. Why would you do that?”

His eyes narrowed. “So now you are going to hurl accusations at me because you are not getting what you want? That is very childish Rhia.”

That was it. I was done. I sat back against the seat and scowled.

“Rhiannon, please don’t do this right now.”

I didn’t answer him. I just sat staring straight ahead. He looked upset, glancing at me often. We finally reached the house and he pulled up into the driveway, turning off the ignition. He reached for me but I unbuckled the seat belt and moved away from him.

“Dammit, what do you need to know? She’s just a girl and they are just a family I know, ok? No big deal.” His voice was tense, bordering on yelling.

That perked my interest. “Who is
she
? Who is this
family
?”

“A family that has known us for many years. They chose to remain on this side of the portal. I was Guardian to…their family for a time,” he explained.

I still had the feeling he wasn’t telling me everything. By “us” did he mean his family or her or what?

“Who’s ‘us’?” I asked quietly.

“My family Rhiannon, in my world. Their family is from across the portal too. They made a choice to come here. It’s not that important,” he told me, betraying some annoyance in his voice.

“Were you…together?” I asked hesitantly.

“We dated a short time. It didn’t work out. She wanted different things than I did.”

“Like what?” I couldn’t imagine not wanting him.

“Rhiannon, that is not important right now. You’ll understand someday. Just forget about it, for now, ok?”

“But Kellen, why won’t you tell me?” I couldn’t help feeling a little hurt.

He looked even more upset. “There isn’t much to tell. Please believe me.”

I folded my arms and slumped back in the seat. I wasn’t happy that he still wouldn’t tell me the whole truth. What didn’t he want me to know? It irritated me since I told him everything. Really. I couldn’t think of one instance where I was hesitant or less than forthcoming. No lies. No secrets.

I didn’t like the idea of having words left unsaid between us. I instinctively knew there was more than he was telling me and his reluctance chafed at me. What was he hiding?

“Rhia, darling, please…stop pouting,” he chided me quietly.

“Kellen…I’m
not
pouting. I’m hurt. There’s a difference,” I told him sarcastically.

“Rhiannon, baby, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings.”

“Ok, then why won’t you confide in me and tell me the truth? What are you keeping from me?”

He looked surprised for a second and then quickly recovered.

“Rhia, I…there really isn’t anything…” He paused. “Will you please trust me?”

He sounded slightly annoyed again so I gave up knowing I was getting nowhere. I sighed and agreed, still not satisfied. We
would
talk about this later. I was not done with this conversation yet. We got out of the car and he took my hand, leading me inside. For now there were other things to discuss.

Kellen and I sat down in the living room on the sofa. I let my guard down and opened my heart. He wanted to discuss something important and I needed to listen. We talked a long time about his life. He told me about being a Guardian and reminded me about the oaths he took and how much it meant to him. He lingered on this subject a long time.

“I understand your commitment Kellen,” I assured him. I really did.

“Oaths are important in my world. I wouldn’t break my word Rhiannon, not for anything, ever. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep you out of danger and away from harm. Even if it means leaving you, I would do it. Your safety is my greatest concern.”

I couldn’t believe he was telling me this right now. It made me upset again and angry. I shook my head at him.

“Rhia, I don’t think you grasp the seriousness of the situation.”

Was he for real? I knew exactly how dangerous and severe the situation was, I had almost been killed several times now. I didn’t even dignify that comment with a response. I was only upset about him considering the idea of leaving me.

“So, just like that, you’d go? So easy for you to do, huh?” I was hurt, for the second time in the last hour.

“Rhiannon, don’t be upset with me please,” he begged.

I couldn’t answer him. I was too choked up. How dare he spring that on me? He was not going to be so noble just to save me. I wouldn’t let him leave me. I was furious. Tears were in my eyes and starting to brim over. He was still staring at my face. He noticed my tears and immediately threw his arms around me.

“I’m sorry love, I made you cry.”

I pushed back with my hands against his chest, frustrated and angry. What was with him today anyway? He looked down at me, sighing.

“Kellen you can’t do this. You can’t even consider it. I won’t be able to handle it. I…”  I couldn’t finish the sentence.

The tears were really coming now. He wiped them away with his fingers. I could see the struggle in his face. It wasn’t easy for him either. Then why was he saying this to me? Why would he put us through this kind of pain?

“Kiss me,” I told him urgently, “please.”

His mouth came down on mine with a fierceness that took my breath away. I wound my fingers up and through his hair, pulling him closer to me. It was always the same, lightning and heat, fire and passion. My body reacting faster than my mind. I wasn’t the only one.

He responded immediately, wrapping me in his arms and picking me up. He never stopped kissing me as he walked across the house and into his bedroom, and then as he laid me gently down on his bed. I didn’t have time to think it through. I only knew that the ache burning inside me, crushing my chest, would only be lessened by being with him.

He lay down and pulled me down on top of him, his hands clenching around me, his face a mask of concentration. He continued to kiss me passionately, his lips searing my mouth with heat. I felt the plunge of his tongue into my mouth and I melted into him. His hands were at my waist, clutching my body close to his. He rolled with me in his arms and I was suddenly lying back against the bed. He was careful not to let his weight crush me as he continued to press his warm lips against my flushed skin. My shoulder. My neck. Back to the spot beneath my earlobe.

“Don’t leave me,” I half moaned, half pleaded, “not ever.”

“My beautiful darling…Rhiannon…” His lips were at my neck again. “I won’t.”

His hand dropped from my waist and slid down past my hip to my thigh where he grabbed my bare leg, the dress shoved to the side, and placed it around him. His hand slid back up my thigh to my waist again and I gasped. I pressed myself against his chest as both of our heart rates picked up. My fingers traced up the muscular lines of hard abdomen, then his chiseled chest, and rising higher, until I twisted my hands around in his hair as he whispered my name.

“Kellen,” I whispered back.

I would have done anything right then. It didn’t matter if I thought I was ready or not. I was completely lost in the passion of the moment. I think that’s why he suddenly stopped. He pulled himself back quickly and rolled over beside me. We both lay there panting and gasping for air.

“I’m sorry Rhiannon. That was completely out of line.”

“I’m not sorry,” I said. And I wasn’t.

He propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at me with a smirk.

“I have a hard enough time staying in control without kissing you. I nearly wasn’t able to pull away just now.
You
certainly weren’t helping any,” he accused.

I sighed. “I know. I can’t help it. It’s your fault, you’re just too good of a kisser.”

He laughed. “I think we need to agree that things are moving a little too quickly in the uh, physical aspect, and we need to cool it down a little.”

I stuck my lower lip out and pouted. He laughed, lifting his thumb to my lip. He leaned closer and then seemed to catch himself. I felt his body tremble next to mine.

“I don’t trust myself at the moment. We need to leave this bed and go back into the living room.” His breathing was accelerated as he continued to gaze at my mouth. “Now.”

His eyes were burning with passion again, a mesmerizing liquid green, and I understood.

“Um, Rhiannon, please compose yourself while I go out there and wait for you. If I don’t get up I’m going to lose control again.”

He glanced briefly at me, his eyes roaming from my head to my feet, and then hopped up and left the room quickly.

I glanced down at myself and realized that my dress had bunched itself up around my upper thighs. I was dangerously close to exposing my lower half. I giggled momentarily at the thought. Then I sobered up, certain that temptation was a heady intoxicating feeling, and I needed to avoid it altogether. Or next time I might give in.

I jumped up and shook out the dress. I smoothed it down all around me. Then I shook out my hair and composed myself. I put a smile on my face and skipped out of the room. He was waiting for me on the couch.

“How’s this?” I asked, twirling around in front of him. My laughter floated around us.

He stiffened. “Ugh, awful. This isn’t helping my control at all. Your hair is all wild, your cheeks are flushed, and your eyes...You couldn’t look more alluring if you wanted to.”

I smiled. “You’ll be fine.”

“I’m dangerously close to dragging you to the nearest justice of the peace. Marriage doesn’t sound half bad right now. At least I would keep us both honest.” He folded his arms across his chest and scowled at me.

I was completely in shock though. “Did you just say marriage? You would want to marry me?” I asked.

He looked at me very seriously and his scowl disappeared. Then he stared at me incredulously. “Why
wouldn’t
I want to marry you?”

“Um, I don’t know. You took me by surprise,” I answered sheepishly.

“Rhiannon, I would marry you in a heartbeat,” he smiled, “just to prove my heart is yours.”

I think I fell in love with him even more when he said that. Was I breathing? I felt light as a feather. How could my heart contain such a declaration?

I sat down. “Wow,” I whispered, “is it only because of, you know, just now?”

“Silly girl,” he admonished, “I would marry you because I love you more than anything in the whole world. The other part is just an added perk.” He grinned mischievously.

“Oh,” I said, slightly in awe, “good.”

“We have more urgent things to discuss right now. I promised your Gran. Now, can you behave yourself?” He asked.

I winked at him. “I’ll try.”

“I promise to try to control myself as well. Now, how old do you think I am?” He asked.

His question took me by surprise. I just looked at him for a moment.

“Um, eighteen like me right?” I didn’t sound sure even to myself.

He grinned. He knew that was what I was going to say.

“Physically, yes, I am about that age. Maybe a little older. I’m actually in my nineties. I’m still in the prime of my youth.”

My jaw dropped open. He was seventy years older than me. He was almost a hundred years old and still
young
. Wow, I really didn’t know what to think about that.

“How long are you going to live?” I asked.

“My father is three hundred and fifty one. He still isn’t old yet.”

“Wow,” I told him. It was the most I could think to say. I remembered when I thought my Gramps should have lived longer. He
did
pass away way too young. If Guardians lived to be hundreds of years, then my grandpa should have too. Why was he taken? What happened?

Kellen did not notice my distraction.

“How long do you think
you
will live?” He asked me.

I looked at him questioningly. “In my eighties or nineties, I hope.”

He shook his head slightly. “Rhiannon, did your Gran tell you about your bloodline?”

“My bloodline? Not much.” I had no idea what he was talking about.

“I’ll take that as a no then. My mother and father are descended from the same bloodline as your parents. My mother has angel descendants the same as you but not as strong. I can’t fly. My father is descended from the Nephilim, as was your father. Have you ever heard the story?”

“Um, I think so. Angels? From the bible?” I asked, remembering Gran saying something along those lines.

“Yes, the Nephilim was a race that was created by the joining of human females to the sons of God, basically they had children together. It is believed the sons of God were a super race of men, like angels, enhanced with special abilities. They reproduced with the daughters of mortal man and had children who were called the Nephilim.”

“Wow, that’s your bloodline?” I asked.

“
Our
bloodline, Rhiannon,” he corrected. “You are also descended from them. The Nephilim were believed to be giants. Many cultures and races have stories similar to this. However, the Christian view is the most accurate.” He paused and took a breath. “My world, our world really, is the dimension that we reside in. Our home. It breathes life into us, sustains our abilities, and prevents the aging process.”

That was it then. The reason my grandfather passed away. He left home, left the security of a long life with Gran, left everything, to give me life. To save me. A flicker of guilt ran through me. It was
my
fault. Gramps died because I needed to live. How fair was that?

Before I had a chance to wallow in those feelings I let them go, releasing them into the back of my mind, saved for another time, when I could consider the implication in more depth. For now I glanced back at Kellen.

“Wow,” I whispered. Did that mean I was going to live a long time too?

“What are you thinking?” He asked.

“I was wondering if that meant I was going to get to live a long time too,” I told him truthfully.

He laughed loudly. “Rhiannon, you never cease to surprise me. Yes, it does. In fact, you will probably outlive me.” He grinned wider.

“Cool,” I told him, “then we get to spend even longer together.”

When I told him that, his smile disappeared, replaced with a look of heat that sent a wave of lava through my veins. His eyes started to smolder green fire again, and my pulse quickened in response. “I promised to be good but you don’t make it very easy on me,” he said huskily.

He had moved right next to me, his lips at my ear. I shivered slightly. “Your beauty staggers me.” He kissed along my jaw. “It makes my heart skip a beat.” Then against my lips softly. “Makes me weak.”

“Kellen, please, I…” My voice trailed off as he placed another kiss at the base of my throat.

“Yes?” He answered.

He was teasing me now but he straightened up. We went back to our discussion but I had a hard time concentrating on everything he said after that. Oh my how his kiss, his heat, made me forget the world around me. I literally melted at his slightest touch.

We were talking about the bloodlines again and what that meant. I focused on his words.

“So, with all of that comes enhanced abilities.” He was saying.

I looked at him. “Enhanced abilities?”

“Yes, take me for example. You know I am a Guardian. What you may not know is that it makes me a great warrior because of my strength, agility, and speed. But I am also a quick healer and I don’t get injured as easily.”

“That’s awesome,” I told him.

“We are like two sides of the same coin, forged under the same steel, but different. I think you have some enhanced abilities as well. You have the ability to manipulate gravity and air and control some of the elements of nature, of course, which is super cool. Your Gran told me you have truth dreams. I believe it may be more, I think they’re premonitions.” He grinned and winked at me. “You also have your angel dust, for lack of a better name, which has a lot of uses and special powers you don’t even know about yet. I think…” His voice trailed off as he looked at my face.

I was shaking. My face was frozen in surprise. Something he had said just now about the premonitions had clicked it all into place for me.
It was all related.