Saving Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book 2

Chapter 24.

Chapter 24.

Standing over Marie protectively, Xavier exuded power, as his posture spoke of years of training and battle. Despite his nakedness, he stood his ground as he stared down the unknown intruder who was now glaring at the woman huddling behind his legs. As he took in the other man, he noted the black shoulder length hair, falling in waves around his face, lean muscles which spoke of agility and speed, and the keen green eyes so out of place in the face of the indigent people.

Xavier relaxed his posture slightly, standing taller. Cocking his head to one side to get a better view of the man before him, a half smile quirked his lips. "Marco?"

He felt Marie peek out from behind him and looked down. He was enamored by the red flush covering her face. She would not look at either of them. "Marie, is this your Uncle Marco?"

She looked over her shoulder at him and hissed, "Get me some clothes! And yes, that is my Uncle Marco."

Xavier seemed to just realize he was standing naked in front of everyone, including Aiden and Nathan, who had just run up behind Marco. He was not so concerned about himself, but he did not want the others to see Marie. In a flash he retrieved the poncho she had worn, as it would cover her completely. She grabbed it from him and quickly pulled it over her head while he blocked her from their view.

Marie turned around, her coloring back to normal and said, "Put some clothes on, Xav. Nobody needs a show."

He obliged quickly, donning his trousers and pulling his shirt back on, leaving it unbuttoned. He turned to Marco, who had remained silent during their brief exchange. He said, "I wondered if you would find us before we found you. I'm sorry you found us this way."

Marco looked at him and replied, "I did not think to ever see you again, Xavier. Now I see you are back and cannot seem to get enough of the females in my family still. I do not know what this will mean to Marie."

"What do you mean, what it will mean to me," Marie said as she stepped in front of Xavier, to come face to face with her uncle.

"There is much you do not know. I suspect there is more at play than coincidence since Xavier is with you. Has he told you of our relationship?"

She looked back to Xavier with a questioning arch to her brow. Turning back to her uncle, she answered, "Yes. He told me he knew your mother and that he brought you to your father's family when you and my grandmother were still infants."

Marco seemed surprised and looked up to meet Xavier's eyes. "You told her the truth? I'm impressed. I figured you might have made up some excuse as to why you abandoned us."

Xavier stared with hard eyes at the grown man before him. He knew Marco was as old as Marie said the legends claimed, because he had been there the day he was born. He still could recall in detail the days spent caring for the cub when he was young and impetuous. "I tried to take care of you and your sister. It was difficult for me because you were so independent early on with your ability to shift, and your sister needed constant care. It was a very difficult time for me, Marco. I cared deeply for your mother. Her loss hit me very hard. Seeing Beatrice grow...she looked so much like Missy. And I knew you needed to be around others of your kind, so they could guide you as you grew and perfected your shifting and abilities. I was just learning about the 'were' species. I was not in the right mind to raise babies."

Marie stood beside her uncle, a look of sadness in her eyes Xavier never wanted to see. He moved forward toward her, but she drew nearer to her uncle, who put a protective arm around her. "Did you bring her back to me, because you cannot handle her, too?"

Xavier felt the anger rise in him, and he forced himself not to allow the feral vampire he could be in anger show its fierceness. "No, Marco. We came for protection. We came here for answers. I came because I wanted to see what kind of man you have grown into."