Page 9 of Guardian

Katerina.

It was an echo that traveled slowly within the icy, dark water. One that had the power to pull me through the drowning depths of my mind and cage me within the terrors of buried memories.

I inhaled sharply, and my eyes widened, the weight on my body quick to vanish as I regained consciousness. My first instinct was to look around, the papers scattered across the seat and the car still moving. I met the driver's gaze as he called my name again.

“Ms. Eli,” he said. “You’ll be arriving shortly.”

I glanced outside. We were surrounded by rocky hills that seemed to last forever. Slowly, trees began to appear one by one, the single sight of life multiplying as the car drove deeper into a never-ending road. In the distance, mountains enclosed the devouring forest, their trees towering above us as their branches entangled.

And who could ignore the broad gates that expanded in front of us?

The driver’s tone was low as he said, “Welcome to the Sephtis side of Woodstale, where humans and most vampires don’t know of its existence.”

I was familiar with Woodstale, the small settlement outside Syracuse. But there was a side dedicated only to the Sephtis? Completely isolated from the rest of the world? Vampires were known to stick together, their kind notable for being a collectivistic society compared to humans. It was why there were rarely smaller cities for vampires.

How bad were these men that no one could be around them?

The car halted, mahogany gates seizing the view from the windshield. A green light lashed from beside the security house, and the gates started opening into the swallowing forest, showcasing the roaming guardians.

Guardians were split into two classes: defense and offense. Offensive guardians were typically hired for ground protection. Their post included the freedom to roam and investigate since offensive guardians were engineered to maintain control because of their superb strength, build, and agility.

The car paused before another gate, this one tall and almighty, as it pierced through the high branches. Small gaps allowed light to seep through, yet the forest continued to encompass darkness that almost barricaded the late morning.

“You’ve arrived, Ms. Eli.”

In a flash, I collected the papers across the backseat and pushed them into their designated piles. Lace and I had spent hours organizing them since he had mixed them up— I wasn’t going to go through that again.

I lifted my book bag and immediately noticed a couple of small orange jars at the bottom of it. Before I could grip them, I shoved the papers into the bag in hopes they’d remain correctly separated. I had finally arrived at the place I was anticipating, one that wasn’t just a job but also an escape fromher.

Once I stepped out with all my stuff, the taxi made its way down the road and back to the first gate. It vanished beyond the grasslands, the gates closing soon after.

I stood before the second towering gate, my senses pulling my attention to my surroundings.

The wind traveled across twisted branches, emerald green leaves rustling while a fresh salty scent tickled my nose. My tongue watered from the sight of blue that hinted through the trees to my left. My shoulders tensed at the sweet aroma that lingered as the gate in front of me widened.

Another reminder that as much as I ignored the unsettlement in my stomach,shestill craved more.

Whispers echoed in the distance, the opening gate giving a view of the guardians that stood along the inner fence. They weren’t meant to be seen by the naked eye, but I could hear their shuffling feet and murmurs.

Defensive guardians had limited purposes. For the most part, they were hired alongside offensive guardians, as those on the defense were meant to defend if an attack couldn’t be controlled. That required them to be posted for hours, waiting for a command or an ongoing situation. They were known to be the second in line for reinforcement since their dedicated patience, skillfulness, and senses allowed them to dictate the best outcomes to win.

A woman in the sleek, black guardian uniform walked toward me, her steps drawn out while her broad shoulders straightened. She had a refined pose to her stature, her body towering the closer she stepped. Her dark hair swayed in the air in a high ponytail, the length touching her waist once she stopped. Her eyes were concealed by black, rectangular sunglasses that met her cheekbones, her cool amber skin complimenting her bold red lipstick.

It was a statement, one that implied the confidence that a leading guardian always displayed. It varied depending on the person, but the bowing guardians were enough to affirm my thought.

“Ms. Eli,” she said, her voice monotone while she bowed her head. “I’m the Senior Guardian, Sonia. Before I begin, I wanted to thank you for your rapid arrival.”

Although this was our first meeting, I already knew about her from Lace and practically everyone from the CEG. She was one of the oldest guardians and held the strongest ranking. I was stronger, but no one knew except Lace and me. It was how he wanted to keep it.

“You must settle your things before Mr. Amelle can take you through the grounds. Follow me.” She made her way down the dispersed road, the dirt mingling with the gravel driveway as I followed. The sight was overwhelming, the landscape one that differed from the forest and grasslands— and anything I’d seen before.

A grand fountain stood in the center of the driveway, perfectly trimmed grass outside the gravel spanning to the bushes that encircled the gate. Trees spanned across the yard, branches expanding to the sky rather than onto each other. Shrubs belted the lower trunk, each shaped identically, opposing the forest I had walked through.

Nestled on both sides outside the gravel were two pavilions, the smaller one on the left of the driveway with the biggest on the other side.

And right smack in the middle was the mansion. One that caused my neck to crane to really capture it all. It had varying windows and floors that I could tell apart by the contrasting Gothic architecture. Broad, slate stairs met the entrance, the tall stature shadowing the grounds.

“Mr. Amelle will reach out to you soon. Your room is located on the second floor, in the left wing, the first door to your right. I would advise you to stay inside for the time being,” Sonia commanded. “You can’t explore the home and the grounds without Mr. Amelle’s approval.”

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