The Shadows Awaken (Guardians of the Night Book 1) Read online

  THE SHADOWS AWAKEN

  GUARDIANS OF THE NIGHT

  BOOK ONE

  Copyright ©2017

  The Shadows Awaken© Robyn Wideman

  Published: April, 2017

  Publisher: Magicblood Media Corp

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  http://www.robynwideman.com/books

  Originally released as the novels SANCTUARY and UPRISING

  Prologue

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  38

  39

  40

  41

  42

  43

  44

  45

  46

  47

  48

  49

  50

  51

  52

  53

  54

  55

  56

  57

  58

  59

  60

  61

  62

  Author’s Notes:

  AFTER DARK

  THE BLOODLANDS

  Prologue

  The hairs on the back of Erica’s neck rose to attention, as she walked into the apartment. Something was wrong. “Tomas? Are you home?” said Erica, as she closed the door and slipped out of her black, designer flats. She didn’t know what was bugging her, but something just seemed out of sorts. “Honey, I’m home,” she said a little more loudly this time.

  Tomas did not answer.

  Strange, thought Erica, she knew Tomas was home. His car sat in its normal spot in the building’s underground parking lot. Their apartment wasn’t large enough that her voice wouldn’t carry into the rest of the rooms. Perhaps he’s out for a walk, but why did she feel so strange?

  Making her way into the kitchen, Erica gasped when her gaze fell upon Tomas’s prone body. He was sprawled out on the kitchen floor, pale and unmoving. Erica rushed to his side, falling to her knees beside him. She placed her head against his chest. Erica couldn’t detect a heartbeat.

  Desperately, Erica tried to administer CPR. She cupped his head and forced her breath into his lungs and did chest compressions, trying to revive him. “No, no, no, please, Tomas, come back to me. Please don’t die,” she said, as her eyes filled with tears. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed 911.

  “Hello, 911. Please state the nature of your emergency.”

  “He’s not breathing, He is not breathing.…”

  …

  THE BRISK WIND NIPPED at the tall man’s clean-shaven face, stinging his cheeks. He rubbed his hands together as he stood in front of the old rundown estate. Even in its current state of disrepair, the old building was still worthy of admiration. The thick stone walls and sturdy oak doors were full of strength and character. Traits they desperately needed.

  His short companion stood silently at his side, anticipating any questions the taller man might have.

  “This is it? Do you believe it’s the one?” the tall man said, as his gaze carefully perused the exterior of the old mansion.

  “We’ve traced the records back as far as possible, historical documents, church documents, everything that we could find, none of them can give a definitive answer. However, my research indicates that this might be the original De Bello Estate,” said the short man.

  The tall man sighed. He had hoped for more than a strong maybe, but that wasn’t going to happen. They had no time to investigate further. He made his decision. “All right, purchase the estate. Have the mansion disassembled and moved to America.”

  “The cost shall be significant,” said the short one, “Is it really worth it?”

  The tall man turned and snarled. “Tomas was one of our own. If they’re targeting his wife because of his activities on our behalf.…”

  The second man stepped back warily, “But won’t our people in America be able to protect her? Surely, this is a bit much. We don’t even know for sure if it will work.”

  “How many of our own owe their lives to Tomas? Even the mere chance that it might work is worth every penny ten times over. Make no mistake; Tomas’ death is just the beginning. Other people we know have died, but their deaths could be questioned. They drained Tomas and left him in his kitchen. It was a message. Our enemies have declared outright war. We are going to be hard pressed to defend ourselves, let alone her. Get the mansion moved immediately! If that bastard god of man has any mercy left for innocent souls, our plan will work. Use our people to move things, and whatever you do, don’t let anything happen to the gargoyles. They might be her only hope.…”

  1

  ERICA

  It had been four months since Erica walked in the door of their penthouse apartment, to find her husband lying dead on the kitchen floor. Her almost-perfect world had been shattered. Tomas had been her everything. She could still remember every detail of walking into the apartment, the humid summer air and the way she had felt the hairs on her neck prickle as she walked into the kitchen. The vivid memory of small trickles of blood running down his neck from strange, matching puncture wounds was like a movie that kept playing over and over in her mind.

  She had rushed to his side and tried to save him. It had been too late. Neither she nor the emergency response team could bring him back.

  The memories of the days that followed were less vivid. The days were a blur. From dealing with the police, to calling his family then having to make funeral arrangements, it was as if she had been someone else she didn’t recognize. She had managed to get through it all, but even when all the tedious paperwork that comes with a death was done, more challenges remained.

  The police kept coming back, asking strange questions about Tomas. Asking about his business and who had he associated with? How their relationship had been? Did he have a lover? Did his work involve rescuing runaways from dangerous cults? She wondered whatever gave them that notion. The questions kept getting worse, the cops more aggressive. It seemed like they considered her the prime suspect! Even after the coroner’s inquest reported the time of death to be hours earlier, when she had been at work, she felt the suspicion. Her alibi had been solid. Who would have thought a map app on her cell phone could be tapped into and show her whereabouts, her movements?

  The detective working the case told her it was likely her husband had been murdered somewhere else and his body moved. She hadn’t understood how the detective came to that conclusion and quizzed him on it. His answer had been that her husband’s body had been drained of blood, but only a few drops were on the floor. The gruesome detail did little to help her sleep at night. Nightmares became a regular occurrence. Dark circles shadowed her eyes.

  Erica started feeling like she was always being watched, seeing the same faces in crowds, over and over again. Her apartment had been broken into more than once, but nothing had been taken. In fact, whoever had been in her apartment the most recent time had tried to make it look like they weren’t there at
all. But her recent paranoia had her leaving items in distinct positions. Everything was in the right place but upon closer inspection, items had been moved ever so slightly, as if they had been inspected, and then returned to the same place.

  Thank God it is Friday, Erica thought, as she changed out of her work clothes and into a dress. She scooped her long shoulder-length blonde hair up into a sassy pony tail. Tonight, she was going to go to dinner with some of the girls from work and then out for drinks and dancing. It was going to be her first night out as a single woman. The thought struck her hard. God, she missed Tomas. His smile, his scent, the way he would talk to her while making love. She had stayed in for months now, shutting herself away from people, mourning her loss.

  Working out in the apartment building's private gymnasium until her muscles ached helped her sleep. She would work out late at night when she would be less likely to have to share the gym. Her body was fit and toned, even more so than it had ever been before. It was something she could control when everything else seemed out of her control. An army brat's inheritance, the appreciation of fitness and self-discipline, served her well. Erica squared her shoulders as she critically examined her appearance in the mirror. It was time to take control of her emotions. Enough was enough. She had indulged in self-pity long enough. Now she was going to dip her toes into the social world once more at her friends’ persistent insistence. She smoothed the form fitting black dress that hugged every curve to perfection. The dress was a stark contrast to the tailored suits she wore to work.

  While she wasn’t ready to even consider dating, she told herself it wouldn’t hurt to have fun with the girls. Have some laughs, do a little dancing and maybe, just maybe, if the opportunity came up, see if she remembered how to flirt and have a good time. Instantly, she felt guilty. Flirt? That would be disloyal, cheating, and false advertising. She sighed, knowing it was denial of her single status. Her friends were right. She needed to get out and have fun, before all the weird things going through her mind turned her into a complete paranoid shut in.

  2

  JESS

  AS MIKE AND TOM GOT CLOSER to the nightclub they could feel, as well as hear, the music spilling into the night. The old brick building pulsed with the deep bass as though it were a living thing. Once inside, they wove through the crowded room and made their way to the bar. Catching the bartender’s attention, Mike ordered two rum and Cokes and then turned to survey the crowd with a practiced eye. He knew what he was looking for.

  “I like her,” said Tom, motioning with his chin to a red-headed woman sitting alone near the dance floor.

  “No,” said Mike, quickly dismissing Tom’s choice when he noticed the half-empty beer glass sitting on the table next to her. “She’s with someone.”

  Mike took his time studying the people dancing, not saying anything to Tom. There were couples dancing, groups of women and a few singles. He watched each of the single women on the floor with careful attention.

  “Her,” he said, nodding in the direction of a tall, willowy woman with dark blonde hair that spilled just past her shoulders in thick waves. She was dancing by herself, hips swaying sensuously in time with the music. Her short black dress enticingly caressed the lean curves of her body. She looked about her as she danced, searching for someone, and Mike knew it wasn’t anyone in particular she sought. She had a lost look in her eyes and a desperate loneliness in the set of her smile. She was looking to fill a void for the evening. She’s perfect. His pulse quickened as a wave of excitement went through him. It’s been too long.

  They continued to watch the woman for a few minutes, but no one joined her. Mike took note of two well-dressed men sitting on the other side of the nightclub. They both had dark hair and similar facial features, and though the one was taller and broader than the other, it was obvious they were brothers. The smaller of the two watched the woman Mike had singled out with an intensity that gave him pause, but the woman never looked in the man’s direction. No, they’re not together.

  Mike drained his glass and set it on the bar. “Give me a minute,” he instructed Tom before heading out to the dance floor. When he’d made his way to the blonde woman, he stopped behind her and watched her body moving to the music for a moment before setting his hands on her hips, gripping her firmly and pulling her towards him. She looked over her shoulder at him, smiled with something like relief showing visibly on her face, and ground her buttocks into his groin. This won’t even be a challenge. Mike felt a flicker of disappointment, but his body responded to the firm pressure of her curves rubbing against him and he felt his cock growing hard.

  Tom joined them then and began dancing in front of the woman. She looked back at Mike and when he slowly nodded and smiled, she turned her attention back to Tom. After a moment of hesitation, she ran her hands up his chest while keeping her backside in contact with Brad’s groin. When the song ended, he guided the woman to the bar, his hands still firmly in possession of her hips.

  “What’ll you have?” he asked. “We’re buying you a drink.” He left no room for protest on her part.

  “I’ll have a double vodka soda.”

  Mike ordered their drinks as well as three shots of tequila. “I’m Mike, by the way, and that’s Tom,” he said as he handed her a shot glass.

  “I’m Jess.” She raised her glass to her lips, tossing the shot down her throat quickly.

  “Nice to meet you, sweetheart,” said Mike, holding her gaze until he saw Tom hold up her drink behind her. He nodded towards Tom and Jess took the glass from him, taking a long drink from it to chase down the tequila.

  Mike leaned down to speak in her ear. “It’s getting hot in here, why don’t we go outside for a little fresh air.”

  She looked at him and then at Tom, who gave her a mischievous grin. Jess turned back to Mike and slowly nodded. She took another swallow from her glass, shrugged, and said, “Okay.”

  “Finish up,” he said, looking at her drink. Jess tilted her head back and drained the glass. Good girl. He looked at Tom over the top of her head and motioned in the direction of a back door with a nod. Mike turned and led the way through the throng to the door, while Tom steered Jess with his hands on her shoulders.

  The three of them stepped out into the cool, dark alley and the door slammed shut behind them. Brad looked down the alley and saw that a large garbage bin blocked the far end. They were all alone with little chance of being interrupted.

  He turned to Jess, grabbing her and pressing her up against the cold brick wall. “Ready to have some fun, baby?” he asked before kissing her roughly, forcing his tongue past her lips. Tom was beside him, clumsily pawing at her body and mauling her breasts.

  Jess struggled against their assault, moaning at the back of her throat in panic. His lust was amplified by her fear and in his excitement, Brad bit her lip, tasting blood. He continued to kiss her, swallowing her scream.

  Tom hiked up the skirt of her dress and pulled sharply on her panties. Jess went limp with the tearing of the flimsy fabric. “Such a slutty little fucking bitch. Can we keep her?” he asked as he jammed his hand between her legs.

  “Maybe if she screams enough,” said Mike with a sinister smile. He licked the side of her face, his tongue wet and sloppy. He looked in her eyes, wanting to see fear and repulsion. It was like a high for Mike, he couldn’t wait to make her feel pain. It was a pity they couldn’t take her somewhere else where they could take their time and be more thorough.

  Jess stared back at him with unfocused eyes. The fight had gone out of her, leaving her body limp and lifeless. “Don’t pass out yet, bitch,” Brad hissed in her ear. “Not until we’re done fucking you. I want to hear you scream.” He shook her roughly and her head rolled back, eyes resting for a moment on the night sky before she brought them back to his, struggling to focus, surrender written on her face.

  “Stupid humans. Why take forcefully what is so freely given?” rang out a voice from behind them.

  “What the fuck? Who
the fuck are you?” said Tom, spinning around.

  Mike released his hold on Jess as he turned to confront the unwelcome stranger. It was the well-dressed, dark-haired man who had been watching Jess inside. Mike’s eyes flicked up and down the alley, looking for the man’s brother, but he was obviously alone. “Why don’t you go away before we fuck you next, pretty boy,” he said as he pulled a switchblade out of his pocket.

  The man smiled as if Mike had said something amusing. “How cute, the little rapist pig has a knife. Am I supposed to be scared now?” His eyes sparkled and his smile grew.

  “Brad, maybe we should go. This guy is fucking crazy,” said Tom nervously.

  “It’s too late for that, I’m afraid,” said the stranger, still smiling. His perfect teeth shone, even in the low light of the alley.

  Mike was getting frustrated. “Oh, yeah? And why is that?” And why can’t you just fuck off so we can continue our fun?

  “Because now that you’ve threatened me, my brother can feed.”

  Mike snorted. “So your brother can—”

  He stopped short as a dark shadow dropped from the sky. Cold hands firmly gripped the back of his head and his shoulder, effectively exposing his neck where a vein pulsed furiously from the adrenalin coursing through his body. He watched with dawning terror as a gaping mouth with long fangs descended on his neck. Fuck.

  Tom’s agonized scream was the last thing he heard.

  3

  Brad

  Brad stared at the computer screen. The numbers gave him a headache. Computers had never been his thing. He was more of an action person. Tomas had been the computer guy. Hell, Tomas had been a computer guru. He’d created his own software, managed all the files, taken care of all the organizational details. They had been the perfect combination. Brad would handle the danger, Tomas all the paperwork. It was an arrangement that made Brad happy.

  But his partner was dead. Murdered by enemies from his past. Enemies that were playing a dangerous game. Tomas had known the risk, they had both know them. But they had gone unmolested for so long that it seemed like the risks had faded into the night. He knew there was nothing he could do to bring Tomas back, but he would honor his friend by continuing his legacy. Continuing his legacy and insuring that Erica was safe. Neither task was going to be easy, but since when was life easy.