Finding Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book One

Chapter 24. On Fire*

Chapter 24. I'm On Fire cover by Lady Antebellum (so sexy)

I set to work opening the trunks around me. I was so surprised they were here, and curiosity was tugging at me to dig in and see what was left of my human heritage. The fact that Evan had not discarded them was not lost on me. She either had not had the time, or was sentimental. I guessed the latter. For a moment I perused the contents of each crate, the familiar items bringing on bittersweet nostalgia.

I listened to her movement downstairs and thought of what I had shared with her this morning. The memory of her hot hand running across my chest and down my stomach aroused me. That was a curious reaction, as I had not given thought to anything sensual in a very long time. Something about the way she had inspected me like a piece of horseflesh irritated me at first, but I remembered my excitement at discovering something new when I was a young physician, so I let the irritation turn to interest.  As she studied me, I realized her intensity had changed from that of scientific exploration to appreciation for my body. Evan did not strike me as a woman who would consciously try to be seductive, so when I tested her a bit, I truly enjoyed her response.

Scolding myself, I thought of the ramifications of my actions. If the Brethren ever found out about all I had disclosed to Evan, both of us would be in danger. We vampires were forbidden from sharing our existence with humans. It was a crime punishable by death, both for the vampire and the human they told. There were very few humans who knew of our existence, beyond our myth, and they were held to the same strict demand of secrecy. Officer O'Reilly, for instance, was allowed knowledge of our existence. He had come upon one of the Guardians in the midst of disposing of a body, and something he had said struck a chord with the Elders. He had been granted a pardon for death, and is now our liaison with the human police. Information sharing went both ways through him.

My thoughts strayed back to this morning. When Evan had traced my scar, she had burned me more hotly than she ever had before. I was surprised she didn't ask me about it. That was one of the stories I'd keep to myself for now. She did not need any more reason to fear me for now.

Her delicious blush when I mentioned taking all of my clothes off, or rather, not taking them all off was reward enough for my uncharacteristic comment. As the flush spread across her cheeks and down her chest, the heat caused her fragrance to wash over me like fine incense. Closing my eyes, I allowed my thoughts to wander briefly to what it would be like to have the freedom to seduce Evan. I struck all thoughts of that from my mind, knowing there was no way I would ever risk her safety, just for a few moments of pleasure. She was too pure for that. Besides, I did not deserve pleasure. Cursing fate, I opened my eyes that had drifted shut with the delicious thoughts of Evan's touch, and began to gather up the evidence of what I had shared.

I put the microscope back in its small wooden box, and slipped the glass slide into my pocket to dispose of later. I could not risk it falling into human hands. Placing the small box back into the trunk I had retrieved it from, I put the old school books back on top, thinking they were only good for a laugh now, with all the advances that had been made in medicine in the last century. The information they contained would seem almost mythical in comparison to the detail that had since been brought to light by modern science. Last, I gathered the stack of newspapers Evan had been reading when I arrived last night. Sadness washed over me as I realized my family had not given up looking for me, hoping I would someday come back home. Only my brother knew what had become of me. His rejection still stung, but what did I expect? I was not of the light, but of the dark, and he had always been good.