Sanctify: The Guardians Book 2 Read online

  Copyright © 2018 by K.B. Wheelock

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover by: Glasscrocodile

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  About the Author

  Where to find K.B. Wheelock

  Small Request

  Books by K.B. Wheelock

  To my husband,

  For not getting upset when

  The story took precedence over the house.

  To Beta readers

  Who took their time to advise me.

  To all the Readers

  Who read and enjoy this book.

  Chapter One

  Allowing himself to fade into the wall, he watched her twist and turn as she looked in the mirror. Her pale face contrasted starkly with her auburn curls. Green eyes clouded in pain as she touched her slightly rounded stomach. How he wished he could comfort her. Change the past sixteen months. But there was nothing he could do, and their secret could no longer be hidden.

  Rose

  She touched her stomach where a slight round bump was forming. It’s there. I can feel it moving; see it getting larger each day. I fear the looks I will get when I meet other Guardians. I know it is not long until they ask, until we have to tell. Her eyes filled with tears. The last sixteen months had taken her life, turned it upside down, trampled it, buried it, and now she was rebuilding.

  A noise caused her to look up and smile. In the mirror, she could see Gris entering the room. A look of love shone in his eyes as he looked at her. He came up behind her, trapping her in his embrace and kissing her neck. His hands covered her abdomen.

  “Hello, Muisje.” He rubbed his hand over her stomach and caught her gaze in the mirror. “What has you so upset?”

  Tears filled her eyes. “It’s moving. I can feel it.”

  Gris turned her into his arms and pulled her into a hug as Keyne floated over and sandwiched her up against Gris’ body, Gris' wing unfolding to surround them. Their love and protection flowed through the bond that they shared. “Oh, Muisje, it will be okay. We will protect you, with our lives, if we must.”

  “Well, maybe your life,” Keyne said with a grin. “My life is already forfeit.”

  Sixteen months ago, Rose had worked in the TOMBS, a magical repository of books and items that were deemed unsafe to be around the general public. She’d had the pleasure to be able to research for the various patrons of the library, finding information that few others had access to. It also allowed her to research her favorite topic, Angels and the cities they had inhabited and visited.

  But this had also led her to a fight for her life and had taken her job. When an innocuous request had been made via email for some information, Rose had been attacked, forcing the Guardians to expose themselves in order to protect her and get to the bottom of that email. It had taken them on a journey that had left its scars. For Gris, it was the mental and physical torture he had endured, watching his friend sacrifice his life to save his own. Keyne lost his life to return as a Ghost.

  But by far, Rose had endured the most. She had been forced into the role of a slave, and then wife, to the head of an organization called the Reditus Coelus, a secret organization that was said to originate from the Angels who had built their underground city. Women in this society, were no more than slaves to feed the desires of the men and learned to encourage every bit of Hedonism they could from the men–and the privileged women who were "married" to them–in order to survive. The experience had left physical and mental scars on Rose, and it had left her pregnant with the child of a demon.

  Gris scowled at Keyne. “Go away, ghost boy, if you’re not going to help.”

  “Feeling a little defensive? Rose knows that I would do anything for her.” He pushed his body to become more corporal and warm, running his hands over her arms, and nuzzling her neck. Rose let herself relax back against his chest, relishing in the feel of him and those short times that he could be there in a more physical sense. Not to be outdone, Gris took her mouth in a sensual kiss and slowly guided the trio towards the bed.

  It had taken a while for them to figure the bond between them out, to seal it, and to be able to accept each other. Humans talked about being soulmates and just knowing when they met their one and only. Most of the time that was something that they just said, having read about it in a story, and it would explain that instant attraction.

  But in the magical community, it had a much stronger meaning. When a magical being met their soulmate, they would feel a desire to be near that person, have protective thoughts that they couldn’t quite understand. When they physically touched, it would send a physical shock, alight their senses in such a way that they couldn’t deny the bond. With every physical act that led up to the mating bond sealing, they would begin to sense each other’s emotions, be able to sense the other’s location.

  Keyne had been the first. He had been assigned to guard Rose when she had come up in the convoluted system that the Guardians used to identify those who would be a catalyst for change. Her green eyes, curly auburn hair, and elf-like features had captivated him, and when he had caressed her back while she had been in her mouse form, the bond had started to form.

  Gris had come second when he had joined Keyne to protect Rose from the organization that had later captured and killed Keyne. Gris had fought the bond, not accepting that he would be mated with someone who was not a Guardian. Little did he know the twists life would bring him. After they had finally escaped from the Reditus Coelus, the three had spent the past four months sequestered in the safe house with their housekeeper Brownie, Thea. During that time, only Gris had left to go the meetings and search out the High Lord Esson from Reditus Coelus. But now, it was time for the three to go out together.

  Rose looked up at Gris. “They’ll know as soon as they see me.”

  “No, they won’t. It doesn’t show that much, and even if they say something we can say that it is mine. They all know about our bond. The bigger surprise will be Keyne. Niall kept it quiet that Keyne is . . . alive?”

  Keyne chuckled darkly. “Alive, is it? I can’t even stay semi-corporeal unless I am touching Rose.” To prove his point, he ran his hand down Rose’s bare back. She arched into him, and he laughed.

  A dark look came into Gris’ eyes. “The fact that you are twice bonded will be the bigger surprise. That is another ‘never happened before’ occurrence.”

  “That is true. Guardians are traditionally monogamous and bond for life. I do not remember anywhere in history that we have recorded more than one bond,” Keyne said. “It just proves that they were right in sending me to protect you. You are a catalyst for change.”

  “Yeah, but what kind of change? Did you forget that this . . . thing in me is part demon? How am I supposed to reconcile with that?” Tears fel
l down her cheeks.

  “Shh, my Little Mouse. It will be okay, you will love it. And remember that it is not biology that matters but the love that is given, that does,” Keyne said, pouring love through their bond.

  But would she be able to accept this child? It was conceived in violence, alien in DNA, and yet something in it tugged at her, drawing her in.

  “We really do need to get to the meeting,” Gris said. “As much as I enjoy our times together, Niall cannot stall any longer. The directors have to have our full report and ask their questions.” He rose from the bed and went to the bathroom.

  Keyne eyed Rose. “You’d better get up, Rose. I think I will just sit here since all I have to do is think about changing, and, oh yeah, I am stuck in this horrid outfit they had me in.” He looked down in disgust at his bare chest and the loincloth that covered him. The Reditus Coelus sure knew how to make a man either feel really good or really bad, and how to prevent escape. Running through their halls in this get-up had been a good way to get beaten or worse.

  Rose looked at him and giggled. “Have you heard me asking you to put more on? I haven’t exactly minded the view.”

  Chapter Two

  Rose

  Rose rubbed her damp hands down the dress she had on. Thea always seemed to know what fit every circumstance. The light-gray skirt had a slight herringbone print, and the lilac colored blouse did a good job of hiding the slight rounding of her stomach. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  The three of them walked into the conference room. The walls were a honey-colored wood, and the long table was a dark mahogany. Black chairs circled the table. Three men and a woman sat on one side of the table.

  “Please come sit,” the woman said with a frown, pointing at the chairs across from them.

  Gris placed his hand on Rose’s back, guiding her to the table. She sat with one of her men on either side of her.

  “Thank you for coming. This is really just a formality so that we can make sure we understand everything that occurred.”

  Rose wasn’t comforted by her words. She wished that the woman had offered her hand—at least then she could get a read on her thoughts.

  “For the record, I need both of you to state your name,” said one of the men.

  “Don’t you want my name as well?” Keyne asked with a devilish grin. He had kept himself invisible until that moment.

  With a shout, the men and woman jumped from their seats.

  “What the hell?”

  “Who are you?”

  “My name is Keyne. I believe your records state who I am.”

  “But, you died!”

  “Well, yes, I apparently did, but I also am here, so I didn’t die completely.”

  “Gris, what is the meaning of this? You did not put ‘Keyne is a ghost’ anywhere in your report?”

  “The decision was made to leave Keyne out of the reports. He is here in an . . . unofficial capacity. He is Rose’s protector now.”

  “This is unheard of. I want Niall in here immediately!” shouted the older gentleman, his gray hair standing on end, fire in his eyes. He clearly was very upset.

  “I’m sorry, but I believe my brother is not here today,” Gris said.

  It had been a carefully thought out plan to have Niall unavailable for questioning at the same time that Gris, Rose, and Keyne were being questioned. With Esson on the loose and having so much power, they were not sure if he would have a spy in the Guardians. Some odd things had been happening over the past few months, requests for information in the TOMBS regarding angel cities, other repositories being attacked, and items stolen. It was as if someone was trying to draw Rose out into the open.

  “Can we please sit down and get this over with?” Keyne asked. “I really do not fancy spending all day here.”

  The woman in black gathered her thoughts. “Let’s start over, please. My name is Ms. Ans. This is Mr. Pian, Mr. Camus, and Mr. Faciana.” She nodded to each of the men. “For the record, please state your names.”

  For the next three hours, Keyne, Gris, and Rose told of the events that led up to finding the Reditus Coelus and of the horrors that they had endured. But they did not speak of the one thing that would start a war within the Guardians and threaten Rose’s life–the child that was growing in her womb. It had never occurred in recorded history for a Guardian to be impregnated by a demon. Many would want to kill the child before he or she ever took a breath. But they couldn’t allow that to happen, for all life was sacred.

  “Thank you for coming in. It seems that we have everything we need here. Gris, you may continue with your assigned duties. Keyne, we will need to have some meetings to figure out your duties. We have never had a ghost Guardian before. Rose, you will need to be trained as a Guardian now that you have earned your wings.” Mr. Camus looked down at the papers in his lap and then looked at Rose. “It says here that you haven’t had any training. What did you do the for the past 4 months?”

  Rose bit her nail and was about to speak when Gris interrupted. “It was decided that she would stay in the safe house and have time to recover. She has been seeing a therapist to deal with the emotional trauma.” He didn’t mention that Thea was the therapist or what safe house. They still felt that the fewer who knew about Rose and the baby the better.

  “Who decided this?”

  Gris stood and looked down at the suits sitting at the table. “I did, her mate.”

  Keyne stood as well, forcing his body to appear more solid. “I also did, her other mate.”

  The suits started to talk over each other. But Keyne ignored them and took Rose’s hand, leading her into the hallway.

  “If you have any other questions, you can talk with me, but Rose will not be joining the Guardians yet. Not until Niall and her therapist agree she is ready,” Gris said, and walked out of the room. He joined Rose and Keyne to walk to the elevator.

  Keyne held Rose as they waited for the elevator, his form flickering in and out. To anyone looking on, it would appear that Rose was leaning into thin air, her arms around nothing.

  Gris ran his hand through his hair. “Well, that went as well as could be expected. I think it best that we get Rose home.”

  “Gris, what if they find out–”

  “Shh, not here. You never know who will be listening.” He took Rose’s hand and pulled her into the elevator as the doors opened. Stepping in, he pulled her into his embrace, the doors closing behind her. Keyne floated through the metal doors and joined in the hug. The warmth of their love flowed through the bond and energized Rose, the scent of pine, maple syrup and peppermint soothing her. Her head fell back onto Keyne’s shoulder, leaving the sensitive spot on her neck for Gris to kiss.

  “Why have they not invented transporters yet?” Rose mumbled. She could feel the rumble of Gris’ laughter.

  “We will finish this when we get back to the safe house.” He reluctantly drew back from her.

  She shivered at the loss of his warmth and pouted at him.

  Chapter Three

  Rose sat at the table, her laptop in front of her. She missed working and searching out information in the TOMBS. But, a year in captivity had left her with no job and no apartment. Her friends all thought her dead–well, the few that she had.Thankfully, Mum and Dad were already gone, so they didn’t worry or feel the loss.

  Warm hands massaged her shoulders, and she moaned.

  “What are you doing?” Gris asked.

  “Just checking my email.”

  Gris looked over her shoulder. “You were emailing the TOMBS?”

  “Well, I was hoping I could maybe get my job back. I miss working, researching.”

  “Rose, how could you? You know that we can’t let anyone know you’re alive outside of the Guardians,” he said, his voice rising with each word. “Tell me, did you contact anyone else?”

  She opened the other browser and showed him what she had been working on. It was an online journal of her adventures.

  “You wrote about this
? Put it out where everyone can see? Do you know the damage you could be doing? Do you want Esson to find you?”

  “I’m sorry, Gris. I need something more than these walls. Need to feel productive. Writing, at least, gives me that. Anyone reading this would see it as fiction.” But, she knew he wouldn’t see it that way. She closed her eyes, tears running down her face. He would never understand, couldn’t understand why she needed more. He was just too black and white.

  Gris just looked at her and turned away. Stomping he went to the office, grumbling, “I’ll fix this. But, please, don’t be so stupid again. You put everyone in danger.”

  Keyne had remained hidden during the conversation, but he appeared in front of the sobbing Rose. “Come with me.” He sat down and pulled her into his arms. His hand ran along her arm. “I know you feel useless here, you need something to do. But, Gris is right in that what you did put us all in danger.” He kissed her neck, soothing her. “If anyone finds out about the Guardians or even figures out where we are . . .”

  They sat there, Rose soaking up the peace that Keyne always gave her, the scent of peppermint and maple syrup infusing the air.

  He nuzzled her ear, nipping gently. “Hey, I have a idea. We haven’t talked to Mags about your family history. How about we go look for those documents you thought you had?”

  Rose turned to him. “Oh, could we? I would love to get some of my things from storage.”