Page 61 of Guardian of Shadows

Atlanta was a bustling city on a normal night, but throw in a holiday, and traffic was a beast. As she did every time they drove around town, Elle took in the scenery. She had driven to several large towns when she was stealing money, but according to her, she was still in awe of how expansive each place was. Anthony couldn’t imagine living somewhere like Evyndral, then being thrown into a new world with high-rise buildings, thousands of cars, and millions of people, not speaking the language. At least she’d been able to create a translator. His mate was smart and had learned English over the last four years. She had also taught herself to read which, to Anthony, was astonishing. She had explained that they didn’t have schools in Evyndral. They were taught by their parents. The more he learned of her past, the more amazing he found her.

When they arrived home, Nekoma was sitting on the front steps, a beer dangling from his fingers. Elle had cooked supper for him before they left after he declined them bringing something back from Colden’s Key. His blue eyes glowed in the headlights, and he raised a hand in greeting but didn’t move to get up. Anthony continued on to the garage. He never left his Corvette out in the elements if he could help it. After helping Elle from the car, they walked to the front of the house instead of entering through the side door.

“Everything okay?” Anthony asked.

Nekoma nodded. “Grevolus hasn’t moved in three days. I sent a raven to scout the area. He’s at a farmhouse exactly as Connor depicted.”

Elle sat down next to her brother. “Do you know where?”

“I know the direction, but I don’t need the exact location. The raven flew overhead, showing me the property. It’s secluded, so I can open a portal.”

Anthony dug his phone out of his suit, sending a text to Carleigh, asking her to forward the information on to all who had asked to join them in taking down the male.

Nekoma placed the bottle on a lower step, then angled his body toward Elle’s. “I won’t ask you to stay behind. This is your fight more than anyone’s, but I do have to ask, are you ready for this?”

Elle took her brother’s hand. Anthony’s beast was oddly silent at the gesture. Maybe it finally got the memo that Nekoma was no threat to Elle.

“I’m ready. Grevolus should have been among those darks who were taken to Zarina’s brother’s realm. Then again, I think even that is too good for him. He’s evil, Nekoma. He tricked my mother into sleeping with him. He dragged me from my home, taking me to Winterhaven where I was made to wait on him and his family while living in fear every day. He made me steal money. He killed Mr. Johnson, an innocent man. Who’s to say he didn’t kill someone else living at this new farmhouse? He takes what he wants with no regard for anyone other than himself. But the worst? He tried to kill me with the sigil. When that didn’t work, he paralyzed Tony and me, leaving us for dead. So yes, I’m ready.”

Nekoma brushed a tendril of hair off Elle’s shoulder. “I am proud to call you sister.” Turning to Anthony, he said, “Gather your Clan. When the time comes, I will open a portal into the woods well away from the house. For tonight, I am going to visit my mother. I will return before this time tomorrow.” Nekoma stood and walked down the steps. He swirled his arms, and a vortex appeared. From one second to the next, Nekoma became Novus, and the raven flew through the opening.

Elle stared at the spot where her brother had disappeared. “Do you think he’s okay?”

“Yes.” Anthony joined Elle on the steps, pulling her against his side. “I believe he has questions for Nykeela regarding their powers and how best to use them against Grevolus.” He kissed her hair, inhaling her scent. “I also think he is telling her he has a new home.”

Elle snuggled closer. “Really?”

“Mmm hmm. He has watched over you for a long time, and now he has the chance to interact with you as himself, not Novus. He has found a strange, new world that is more exciting than Evyndral. He does love his power tools,” Anthony joked. “If you were free of Grevolus, and you and I hadn’t found each other, would you want to go back?”

“Yes, but not to stay. I would want to see my father and tell him all about Earth and its wonders. I would ask him to come back with me though.”

“Do you think he would? Have Yari and Thran not visited him in all these years?”

“I don’t know. With everything going on, I forgot to ask them.”

“You’ll get the chance soon. I’ll text Brent and tell him we’re going after Grevolus so he can let Yari know.”

“Won’t Brent be asleep?”

“Probably, but he needs to know sooner than later in case Yari is in Evyndral.”

Elle got quiet, so Anthony allowed her to just be. His first Valentine’s Day spent with someone he loved had been better than he could imagine. Now that they had the house to themselves, he figured they would make love and then snuggle, but Elle had a different idea.

“Would it be okay if we had another fire out back? At least for a little while. And maybe you could hook your phone to the speaker again?”

“Anything you want, Sweetheart.” Anthony stood and led Elle through the house so they could change out of their date clothes. It was a good thing they hadn’t gone straight to bed because while they were changing, his mom called. Carleigh and Luna texted before he could get his jeans on. By the time they made it outside, Brent had texted, and Tabitha had called. He handed the device to Elle. “You’re in charge of communicating while I get the wood ready.”

Anthony understood everyone wanting to get in on going after Grevolus. It’s what they did as a Clan, but he wished they would consider he and Elle were technically still on their date. It was the first night they’d had alone in almost two weeks. He should have known when Carleigh relayed the message that he would be inundated with messages, but still.

As he was stacking logs over the kindling, Elle chuckled. Then she laughed, and the sound of her joy went straight to his gut. Elle’s happiness was the most important thing in the world to him. While she was occupied with whomever was making her laugh, Anthony went up on the deck and lifted the glider, taking it down to the fire pit so they could snuggle. The chairs Nekoma had built were gorgeous, but they were intended for one person. Elle could sit in his lap, but this way, she would be more comfortable.

Elle handed him the phone, threw some fireballs at the kindling, then ended up on his lap anyway. He opened the music app, telling Elle to choose what they listened to. Where Anthony preferred hard rock most of the time, his mate enjoyed all genres. She chose what he referred to as island music.

“Why island music?”

Elle snuggled against his chest as the fire caught. “I like the sound of steel drums. As bad as living with Grevolus was, when we were in South Carolina, there was a restaurant where a band played on the patio overlooking the water. I used to walk along the beach to get away from him, and I always ended up outside that restaurant. The music mixed with the waves rolling in was peaceful. It wasn’t until we moved to the farmhouse and I had access to a computer that I figured out what steel drums were called.”

“Our Clan owns a lot of property all around the world, including Atokos Island in Greece. When the weather gets warmer, you and I can take a vacation there. We’ll have to provide our own music since it’s secluded, but I think you’ll enjoy the scenery.”

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