~ EXCERPT BELOW ~
Vampire Guardian Marcus Dagotto is sworn to safeguard humanity. With the death of his mate, and a curse that will catapult him into bloodlust, he focuses on surviving each day. The gods destine him a new mate, but she is human. He tries to resist Cassandra Jensen, but when she ends up in trouble, instinct demands he protect her.
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"Zarek, he touched you, didn’t he?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “What the hell, Gwen? You come in here like Hades himself is chasing you, only to inquire if the god touched me?” He rubbed a hand through his hair and tossed the dagger on the table. “What? Did he give me the plague or something?”
She grabbed him by the arms, her body trembled. “Zarek has blessed you.”
“You’re not making sense. What do you mean blessed me?”
She released him and wrung her hands together, took a step back and sucked in a breath.
“What is it? What are you afraid to tell me?” He leaned closer. What has the bastard done to me now?
“I had a vision. She came to me.”
He scrubbed a hand across his face. “Who came to you?”
She folded in her bottom lip and chewed. “Your mate, I have seen her.”
He knocked over a chair when he stormed across the room, his muscles flexed. No. No. No! “You’re mistaken. I have no mate, remember? I killed her!” His heart burned at the thought of Eliza. Her laughter still rang in his mind as he recalled their walks on the beach. She always loved the waves lapping over her toes. Blood bathed his vision as he walked through the castle. Eliza’s eyes looking at him when he sliced off her head. Why was Gwen doing this to him? He didn’t want to remember.
“Marcus?”
“Huh?” She jostled him, and he shook free of the visions.
“I never meant to hurt you.” Her palm caressed his cheek. “She came to me in a vision right after the ceremony. Zarek has blessed you with another mate.”
His jaw ratcheted several inches. The gods were giving him another chance. “Who is she? We have so few females left now. I can’t believe I haven’t sensed her presence.” Could she have been living in the human realm all this time? Possibly. There could have been children born that he was unaware of. It certainly would explain why he hadn’t known about her.
She lowered her gaze. “She is human.”
“What? What kind of fucked up shit is this? Do the gods despise me so much they would torture me with a human mate?”
“I don’t understand, I thought you’d be happy with the news. What’s wrong with a human mate?”
“Well, let’s start with the fact I have to watch my wife grow old and die. Not to mention how the hell I explain what I am. ‘Oh by the way, dear, I’m a vampire. I help a bunch of gods protect humanity from things that go bump in the night.’ Did I mention the growing old and dying part?”
“Yes, yes, you did.” She kissed his cheek. “I have faith it will work. Perhaps you can turn her into one of us.” Her eyes glowed with excitement. “I will help you find a way to turn her, there must be a way.”
“Gwen, I’m not sure how to do it, or if it can even be done. Not to mention we have never had human mates before.” He snapped his fingers. “Maybe she’s the daughter of a Chosen one.” The Chosen were humans who had helped the guardians for centuries. The duty passed down from generation to generation. In exchange for their loyalty, the guardians made sure they were well cared for.
“Maybe you're right, which would certainly solve one problem.” He hugged his sister. He loved her more than his own life, and she meant well. “Go on back to the meeting, I’ll follow shortly.”
Gwen nodded and flashed from the room. After she left, he balled his fist and slammed it into the wall. He wanted to kill someone. His mate was dead, damn it!
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “What the hell, Gwen? You come in here like Hades himself is chasing you, only to inquire if the god touched me?” He rubbed a hand through his hair and tossed the dagger on the table. “What? Did he give me the plague or something?”
She grabbed him by the arms, her body trembled. “Zarek has blessed you.”
“You’re not making sense. What do you mean blessed me?”
She released him and wrung her hands together, took a step back and sucked in a breath.
“What is it? What are you afraid to tell me?” He leaned closer. What has the bastard done to me now?
“I had a vision. She came to me.”
He scrubbed a hand across his face. “Who came to you?”
She folded in her bottom lip and chewed. “Your mate, I have seen her.”
He knocked over a chair when he stormed across the room, his muscles flexed. No. No. No! “You’re mistaken. I have no mate, remember? I killed her!” His heart burned at the thought of Eliza. Her laughter still rang in his mind as he recalled their walks on the beach. She always loved the waves lapping over her toes. Blood bathed his vision as he walked through the castle. Eliza’s eyes looking at him when he sliced off her head. Why was Gwen doing this to him? He didn’t want to remember.
“Marcus?”
“Huh?” She jostled him, and he shook free of the visions.
“I never meant to hurt you.” Her palm caressed his cheek. “She came to me in a vision right after the ceremony. Zarek has blessed you with another mate.”
His jaw ratcheted several inches. The gods were giving him another chance. “Who is she? We have so few females left now. I can’t believe I haven’t sensed her presence.” Could she have been living in the human realm all this time? Possibly. There could have been children born that he was unaware of. It certainly would explain why he hadn’t known about her.
She lowered her gaze. “She is human.”
“What? What kind of fucked up shit is this? Do the gods despise me so much they would torture me with a human mate?”
“I don’t understand, I thought you’d be happy with the news. What’s wrong with a human mate?”
“Well, let’s start with the fact I have to watch my wife grow old and die. Not to mention how the hell I explain what I am. ‘Oh by the way, dear, I’m a vampire. I help a bunch of gods protect humanity from things that go bump in the night.’ Did I mention the growing old and dying part?”
“Yes, yes, you did.” She kissed his cheek. “I have faith it will work. Perhaps you can turn her into one of us.” Her eyes glowed with excitement. “I will help you find a way to turn her, there must be a way.”
“Gwen, I’m not sure how to do it, or if it can even be done. Not to mention we have never had human mates before.” He snapped his fingers. “Maybe she’s the daughter of a Chosen one.” The Chosen were humans who had helped the guardians for centuries. The duty passed down from generation to generation. In exchange for their loyalty, the guardians made sure they were well cared for.
“Maybe you're right, which would certainly solve one problem.” He hugged his sister. He loved her more than his own life, and she meant well. “Go on back to the meeting, I’ll follow shortly.”
Gwen nodded and flashed from the room. After she left, he balled his fist and slammed it into the wall. He wanted to kill someone. His mate was dead, damn it!