Page 50 of Veiled Yearning

“Dammit.” Gavril carefully lifts me off his lap and sets me back on the loveseat. “Where?”

“West of us, near Salem, New York. He was able to slow them, but one of the Custodians in pursuit is a Tracker, so Sam won’t be able to get away. He needs backup, but doesn’t want to lead them to us.”

Gavril stands, no longer relaxed, but tense and ready for action. “Only four? We should be able to take them out easily.”

“Agreed. But we can’t all go. I think it’s best if I stay here to guard Cait and Chiara.”

After a short pause, Gavril gives him a quick nod. “Yes.” His gaze shifts to me, then back to Frederick. “I’ll stay as well. I want to make sure the women are well protected. Larkin, Lucas, and Knight should be able to help Sam defeat the Custodians without much trouble.”

I’m relieved he’s staying with me, but I’m worried, too. Gavril is such a powerful fighter; what if him not going means that the others will be left at a disadvantage? Against my selfish desires, I start, “Maybe you should go—”

“No.” Gavril turns to look at me. “This could be a trick. A diversion. I won’t take chances with your safety.”

Frederick lifts his chin in agreement. “He’s right. And between Larkin, Lucas, Knight, and Sam, they’ll be able to handle most anything that’s thrown at them.”

I’ll admit I was worried.

Not about myself; with Gavril and Frederick at the house, along with the countless shields I’ve put up, I wasn’t concerned about my own safety.

But the thought of the others out there, fighting off the Custodians without one of their most valuable members? I couldn’t help but worry about them.

Gavril didn’t seem overly concerned. After my fifth circuit of the living room—pausing only to rearrange the little knick-knacks that have seemed to appear out of nowhere over the last couple of weeks—he swooped in and pulled me into his arms.

“They’re going to be fine,” he soothed, looking utterly confident. “Larkin is just as skilled as I am in battle. Knight, Lucas, and Sam are also excellent in combat. They can handle themselves.”

Cait nodded from her spot on the couch. “I’ve seen them, Chiara. They’re really good. I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

But I wasn’t so sure. It was my stupid anxiety all over again, rearing its ugly head.

Only when Frederick picked up his buzzing phone and reported, “Everything went as planned,” did I start to relax again.

Still, I’m eagerly awaiting their return, so I can see for my own eyes that they’re really okay. Not just because they’re Sentinels, and Gavril’s friends, but because I care about them, too.

I like Knight, who’s one of the younger Sentinels; he has a wry sense of humor and always greets me with a smile. And Lucas, who visits me in the solarium every day, just to chat, confessed the other day that he might not mind meeting a woman one day, if she was as great as Cait and I.

Sam, I don’t know that well, but he’s always been friendly and polite whenever we talk. And Larkin, who I’m gradually warming up to. Not only do I understand him better now, but he was the one who found Gavril, and brought him purpose again. So Larkin will always have my respect for that.

“Relax,” Gavril murmurs, tugging me against his chest. “They’ll be here soon.” We’re on the couch, staring into the fire that’s quickly becoming unnecessary as winter turns into spring. But I love it, so each day, Gavril lights it anyway.

“I know,” I whisper. “It’s just—”

The small stones set around the room start glowing yellow and my heart jumps into my throat. Even though we’re expecting our friends, I’m conditioned to worry each time they go off.

Frederick quickly says, “It’s Larkin and the others,” and flashes me a quick smile.

Why did I avoid being around these people for so long?

Gavril strokes my hair before rising from his seat. “I’ll go let them in.”

I can’t resist catching his hand and saying. “Be careful.”

His smile is like the sun busting over the horizon. “I will.”

A couple of minutes later, everyone comes into the living room, everyone but Gavril slightly bloodstained, but appearing to be all in one piece. Knight casts a quick grin at me. “I heard you were worried about me, Chiara. Does that mean I have a chance of stealing you from Gavril?”

Gavril levels a glare at him. “Not a chance.”

Larkin shakes his head at them, but there’s a hint of a smile on his face. “Everything went smoothly. How about if everyone cleans up, gets a drink, and we’ll meet in an hour to go over what happened.”

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