Finding Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book One

Chapter 12. Damned All Around*

I pleaded with my eyes, backing down from my offensive stance a bit, trying to let her see I was willing to give her a chance to speak. The blonde vampire stood up, but looked like a deer on the verge of fleeing.

"I haven't done anything, honestly. I feed only where I am supposed to, I clean up after myself. I haven't made any newborns. You should talk to Romley about newborns." Her wild reddened eyes were darting past me and around us at the trees. It was as if she expected something to be coming at her after she said the words. She crouched low to the ground as she clutched a large tree.

"I was informed that you were in danger of exposing our presence to humans; that you were hunting indiscreetly. I didn't hear anything about newborns. What information do you have about them?" My interest was piqued as she mentioned new creations, especially after my encounter the other night.

"I don't know if I should say what I know," she said nervously. "Romley will kill me himself if you don't do it. I've said too much already. He'll know it was me if you go looking into this."

I wasn't sure what to tell her, but I definitely wanted more information on what Romley was up to. She no longer looked like she would attack me, but I could trust her about as much as a cornered cat. "Is that why you are out here in the woods? Is this your territory or maybe you are a wanderer?"

"I just came back here recently. I have been in the Ukraine taking advantage of the chaos in that area. I got tired of the taste of Vodka though, made the blood thin and sour. So...I came back and the first vampire I met was one of Romley's newborns. He was hunting rather incautiously, so I thought I would try to teach him a few things. He was worse than a normal newborn though. He seemed crazed. I asked him if he knew who had created him and he just nodded. He wouldn't speak, but led me to Romley's lair. You know that ostentatious place of his out in the middle of nowhere?"

I nodded. "Do you think you would be willing to share this with the Brethren? I can't do much on my own, based on what you say, but you would be safe until we could check it out. You know as well as I do that if this is just a ploy to delay the inevitable, it will only be worse for you? I am very merciful. I don't cause pain, but I can't say that about the executioners at the Enclave."

At first I did not think she would stay. Her eyes darted back to the way from which she had come, but she also knew the reputation of the Brethren. She hung her head then said, "I will go with you and tell them what I know. Are you sure they will protect me?"

"I know I will until you are in their custody, and that we haven't lost anyone yet that didn't deserve their fate." I tried to sound reassuring. She must be telling the truth, because the reminder of the consequences of false accusation did not seem to faze her and the colors around her stayed muddied, but not full of lies that she had earlier. "Do you need to get anything from your hideout?"

She shook her head, and walked toward me slowly. I quit trusting my quarry decades ago, after the first one to try to evade me left me with a scar on my shoulder. I reached out and manacled her wrists in one of my hands. "Sorry, just a precaution."

Her strength would not be a match for mine. Her eyes let me know she hadn't fed in awhile. I walked with her back through the woods to my car. I let her into the passenger seat and a second later was in the drivers' seat. "Don't make any sudden moves. I believe you, but I don't trust you. Don't misunderstand my gestures to help you as friendship."

She nodded and looked straight ahead. I sped out of the woods and called the Brethren to inform them of what I was bringing in. I was to meet them at the Enclave. My office was in the middle of too much human traffic, and I wanted to keep it as separate from my work as a Guardian as I could. We were nearly to St. Louis and I was eager to get the female and her unfamiliar scent out of my car. She was in Evan's seat.