Bernie (Guardians In Love Book 3) Read online

  “Big, beautiful, and boning?” I asked out loud as I read his shirt, causing the man near me to laugh loudly as the other shook his head and dropped it into his hands with a groan. I looked over to Carl, bemused. “What does it mean exactly?”

  Bernard leaned towards me, drawing my eyes back towards him. “I’ll show you, princess. Just come to my room later.”

  I touched my sword, causing Bernard to laugh uncomfortably and reach across, stopping me as he pushed the cup towards my face from the bottom and effectively distracted me. My insides went fuzzy when his hand brushed my thigh before I lifted the cup to my lips and stared at the eager Guardian beside me skeptically before tasting the warm drink hesitantly.

  Oh dear delicious heaven!

  “It is acceptable,” I said, unable to keep from licking the liquid from my lips.

  Oh god, I wanted to bathe in it. It was taking all of my willpower not to moan in appreciation after a second taste.

  I dared to take a larger sip, humming to myself as the sweet drink filled my belly with a warmth that was not only soothing, but quite literally the most satisfying sensation any drink had ever given me. I would have to force Anric and Yaniv to drink this while watching their faces closely. Surely even they would take notice of how utterly satisfying this warmth was. How unbelievably delicious and sweet this hot chocolate was.

  Bernard covered his coughing laugh, grinning from ear-to-ear. “Um, princess,” he started, pointing at me rudely. I took hold of his finger, bending it painfully backwards until Bernard was crying out and laughing quickly when I finally released him.

  “Holy smokes, you’re so strong. Hurts so good. But seriously, princess, your mouth,” the erratic Guardian started, rushing to explain when I took hold of my sword. “It’s got chocolate on it!” he finished loudly, leaning forward after he had retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped my upper lip.

  My face instantly reacted, warmth flooding into my cheeks as he wiped away the hot chocolate and showed me the brown spot on the handkerchief to prove it had been there. Then, Bernard’s head tilted to the side and he squealed out in glee, looking from me to Carl, and then Carl to me quickly.

  “Oh my sweet stars! She’s blushing, Carl. She’s actually blu—”

  There was another high-pitched squeal before a loud thump resounded within the room, leaving Bernard on his back with my sword aimed at his throat. Eyes narrowed on him, I pressed the sharp blade closer. Bernard’s hands went up in surrender as he swallowed, pointing down to the weapon currently pressed dangerously close to his throat.

  “I mean…princess, how about I tell you who Danny is and why we got surrounded,” the Guardian offered quickly, causing my eyes to light up with interest before I controlled my expression and withdrew.

  “Explain,” I said shortly, propping the weapon against the couch once more and taking hold of my cup, eager to taste the sweet warmth again.

  I sipped on it as Bernard crawled onto the couch, his forehead beaded with sweat. Satisfied with his level of distress, I crossed a leg over and watched him get back onto the couch and reclaim his seat a few inches farther from me. Mouth twitching, I did everything I could to keep from smiling as Bernard sighed and slumped onto the couch, fingering through his hair in a silent moment of recovery.

  It was quite literally the most adorable thing the man had done after I’d punished him, aside from his mad rush to get out from underneath me. That was also quite adorable. It made me anticipate the next time I could reprimand him with another swift hit.

  “Who is this Danny and why would he wish to challenge you?” I demanded over the rim of my cup, voice laced with its usual command.

  Bernard smiled, rubbing his throat absently. “Glad you asked, princess. It’s a long story, but it’s full of adventure, handsome cowboys—that’s me!—and snarling, fighting tigers!”

  Tigers?

  I nodded, gesturing for him to go on, effectively making the overly eager Guardian beam with exhilaration to impart his tale to me.

  Chapter Six

  ~***~

  “I guess I should start by telling you a little bit about how Carl and I grew up,” Bernard started, combing through his disorderly hair with his fingers and smiling brightly at me.

  Carl crossed a leg over, sighing with resignation as he overlapped his arms across his chest. “Make it the short version. The princess has other things she could be doing.”

  No! Make it the long one!

  I was desperate to know everything, but I merely nodded for Bernard to go on and repressed the desire to demand he give me every little detail that could possibly be uttered of their history. I was so bloody interested in where they came from and how they came to be Promiscus Guardians.

  I desired to know all there was to know about Bernard and what had shaped him as the individual he currently was—someone that was never beaten down in spirit. It was a quality that many of my kind lacked, even at our best. Not one person had I met that had such an undeterred spirit. Quite simply, it was mesmerizing this personality and will of his.

  Oddly enough, our current situation reminded me of all those times Big Brother would tell me stories as a child. Since he was monumentally older than I was, he was already well-grown when I was young. He would tell me stories every night, and it was the very reason my yearning to become a warrior was so potent from such a young age.

  I wanted to be the hero of those tales—the whispered name on peoples’ lips like Brother when they spoke to their children and imparted stories of fortitude, skill, and most of all, valor.

  “We used to be vigilantes, Carl and I,” Bernard divulged with a chuckle, “Our daddy left us before we were born, so Ma raised us and never said much about him until we were well-grown and manly. We knew he was a were-tiger, but we didn’t know much more than that. Ma was a witch, pureblood, so she was a little out of her element when we started to shift.”

  Bernard cackled with glee, pointing at Carl. “Hey Carl, remember the first time we changed into tigers?”

  Carl’s lips lifted into an impish smile. “You couldn’t figure out how to change back,” he declared, unable to keep from laughing.

  Oh, how cute!

  “Yeah, and you didn’t tell me how for three whole days ‘til Ma whooped you red and made you tell me how,” Bernard said, still laughing. I was mesmerized by his adorable, childish giggles.

  Carl shook his head, sighing. “That’s because you had torn the house to shreds with your claws, and she was getting tired of cleaning up after your sorry ass.”

  “Were-tigers?” I asked, unable to keep from interrupting, “Are those the forms you took upon our first meeting?”

  Bernard rubbed his stomach, panting through residual laughter. “Yeah, it’s a sort of animal here. Powerful animals. Were-tigers are able to do lots of different things, but mostly, healing is one of our most common abilities.”

  Healing?

  Carl leaned forward, peering at me. “Slow healing in Bernie’s case. Must be because idiots heal slower.”

  “Hey!” Bernard whined.

  “Since we’re mixed, we have magic as well from our mother. Much like your kind, we all have gifts signature to us. But since Bernie and I are twins, our powers sync when we fight,” Carl explained, ignoring Bernard’s interjection.

  “Like we’re the Power Rangers in final form!” Bernard yelled out with another loud laugh, causing Carl to shake his head with a smile.

  Power Rangers? Was that some sort of beast as well?

  “Anyway,” Carl interrupted, scowling at his laughing twin, “we weren’t raised among our own kind; so when we grew older, we went looking for our father with our mother’s permission.”

  “It’s how we met Danny and his group,” Bernard finished, looking at me with a smile, “He helped us look for our daddy. Lots of things happened, and I might’ve ended up killing the King of the Tigers.”

  What?!

  Carl scoffed, shaking his head again. “Bernie, you
left too much out.”

  “The details aren’t important,” Bernard said, his eyes growing startlingly sharp in a brief second before he was smiling again, “But all you need to know, princess, is that I’ll handle it. I’ll save you from the evil tigers.”

  “The only one she needs saving from is you,” Carl interjected dryly, standing from his chair. “I want to save you the long explanation, Nyla, but Bernie is something of a figurehead to our were-tiger kind. He didn’t happen onto it on purpose, and he gave up the title when we joined the Promiscus Guardians. It’s one of the reasons Danny is upset. He feels like Bernie threw him away.”

  Something about what they said and how they said it gave me the feeling that there was much being left unsaid. As if I was only given half-truths and versions of what was true. The creasing of Carl and Bernard’s brow when speaking about Danny suggested that they had left on less than friendly terms, but I couldn’t quite figure what part of what they said was truth and what was toned down for their convenience.

  Their father, as another example, neither of the Guardians had said whether or not they had found him. I assumed they must have in some way, since Bernard had stated that his hat was a gift from their father. But the way they spoke about him, it was as if he hadn’t truly impacted their lives more than an acquaintance, which left me with an unsettled feeling in my stomach.

  Simply, there were too many questions left unanswered. But it would be impolite to pry into affairs that had very little to do with me, even though I wished for nothing more than to pick apart what they had said and identify the discrepancies that they were clearly creating with their story.

  Instead, I nodded my head curtly, putting an end to their concern. “Very well. I will ask nothing further on the subject. I am here simply to retrieve my brother and nothing more.”

  Amber eyes gleamed at me when I turned to regard Bernard, who had continued to smile much like normal but was very obviously interested in my indifferent response. I had delivered it evenly and without expression, but I worried for a moment that he saw through the dry response and perceived the true desire dwelling within. Thankfully, a second later, he was chuckling heartily and rising to his feet.

  Putting his hat back on, Bernard winked down at me. “Let’s get you settled then,” he said, offering me his hand. There was a sparkle in his eyes that held my own captive before I recovered and took hold of his hand to be helped out of my seat.

  “I’ll show you to your room.”

  ~*~

  Nearly a week had passed with almost no interaction from either the leader of the group of tigers or the Promiscus Guardians. Anric hadn’t returned either, but I was told that the time between the realms was significantly different. And if my brother intended to let me do this without Anric’s aid, then there was little my teacher could do to convince him. Though he had left with an agreement to rely on the Guardians, I knew better than to believe Anric would listen. If anything, he probably took Simon’s words as a challenge to be more persistent with my brother.

  Yaniv easily diffused Anric though, and I doubted very seriously that my tutor would be able to convince Brother with the mere discovery of the Dark seeking me. Yaniv knew to what end I was gifted for battle, and I trusted that Brother would remind Anric of that, since my teacher had conveniently forgotten a time or two when it suited him.

  While the first day in the barrier-protected estate had been full of intrigue and conversation, I felt it best to keep to myself for the last five days. Until they could get more information on my brother, Vlad, I didn’t want to end up inadvertently involved in something here. It was my intention not to build any lasting ties, though my brother wished to. Bonds would only complicate matters, and I was already way too involved with the pair than was appropriate of my social status.

  It was frustrating.

  I wasn’t sure what drew me so strongly to Bernard, aside from his unparalleled enthusiasm for a good beating. However, my fascination was growing and harder to keep at bay with each day that passed. So, in an effort not to be anything but the perfect princess, I stayed away whenever I could. I went out to the training yard every morning at dawn and returned every evening with just enough time to bathe and dine with the two Guardians.

  Conversation was light—mostly Bernard did the talking while Carl took every opportunity to either insult the self-proclaimed cowboy, or excuse his idiocy and offer to let me escape at my own discretion. Eating quickly, I would excuse myself before Bernard could get anything more from me as soon as I finished my meal. Although, there had been a few times where he would catch me on my way back to my given room, subsequently ending up on the floor, coughing and injured. But even still, I could sense what little distance I was putting an effort towards keeping between the men and I growing slimmer with every day.

  On the fifth day, I returned from my normal routine of training, my entire body humming with the satisfying ache of the grueling regime I had adopted from Anric, when I felt something amiss in the area around the estate.

  The static in the air made my steps quicken as I reached the house and walked through the door. I slid a hand over my hair and retightened my ponytail, peering into each room. Neither of the Guardians were anywhere to be found, and as I reached the front door, I knew that something was happening just beyond it.

  Demons.

  Yanking the door open, I flew through it and outside, seeing for myself the reason my Guardians were occupied. There were a great many demons clamoring at the barrier of the estate, their glowing eyes radiant as the sun fell from the sky and began to disappear behind the far-off hills.

  The swaying dark mass attempted time and time again to tear through the barrier, but each one of their attacks was rebuffed with a violent surge of power. Many were killed instantly, while others were left injured and struggling on the floor after the electric blast erupted from the surface of the barrier.

  I removed my sword, flitting to stand beside the two Guardians who were just at the edge of the barrier, talking to one another. Both were sporting their normal sort of dress—Carl in a smart vest and pair of slacks, and Bernard wearing his typical pair of pants, denims as he once referred to them, and a uniquely phrased t-shirt. I didn’t have time to read it though, because Carl was barking angrily at Bernard, who remained smiling even as the barrier throbbed with the numerous attacks being made on it.

  “A high-demon. I know you can smell it. We need to get the princess to safety.”

  Bernard looked over his shoulder at me, tipping his hat. “Let’s ask the princess what she wants to do.”

  Carl stiffened, glancing my direction before he sighed with exasperation. “We need to get ahold of Victor. A high-demon is too much for us right now, Bernie. I’m sure he’s here for the princess, so who knows how powerful he is. If he came for the princess, it’s probably not worth it for us to put up a fight. It’s better to escape.”

  “Says who?” Bernard questioned with his amber eyes still pinned to me. “What do you think, princess? Feel like fighting?”

  Carl growled before he took a device from his pocket—a cell phone as they once referred to it—and hit the keypad vigorously, placing the phone to his ear as he panned around at the horde of enemies. He slicked back his hair with irritation, speaking into the communication device shortly before pocketing it once more.

  I ignored Bernard as I addressed Carl, knowing that Bernard was quick to fighting and Carl was the tactical one. “What sort of demon do you speak of?”

  “A high-demon,” Carl reiterated in a low voice strained with frustration, “He’s probably powerful, too. We don’t have the means to go up against him. It’s best to let the angels handle this one.”

  From my conversations with Carl, I knew he could feel one’s abilities to a degree. He could also sense the strength of their power, and so I trusted that he spoke true of this high-demon that intended to attack us. I didn’t want to argue with him when I knew they had dealt with more high-demons than I had.<
br />
  I nodded curtly. “If you feel it best to flee, I trust your judgment.”

  Bernard pouted, slumping his shoulders as he trailed over to my side. “You guys are no fun at all. Okay, then I get to take the princess to the next safe house. I’ll be Mario and you’ll be Luigi today, okay, Carl? You stay here and wait for the angel boss.”

  Mario and Luigi?

  Carl’s eyebrow rose as a burst of red collided with the barrier and disappeared. I watched the mass of demons disperse as a figure loomed across from us, the body of a man just barely forming as Carl clicked his tongue with agitation. The once shapeless mass of dark smoke collected and solidified, long hair blowing with the wind and striking a beautiful, yet deadly image.

  “You’re an idiot. Just get going already,” Carl hissed quickly, “I’ll wait here for Victor. You take Princess Nyla to a safe house he won’t go looking for. We don’t have time to do it any other way.”

  My jaw clenched, unhappy with the very notion of leaving a man behind. “I fight with you. I will not leave one of us here, alone, to fight this horde by themselves. My life holds no greater value over yours.”

  I would die before I left someone to fend for themselves against these daunting odds. Not to mention, if the demon was unmatched by our three, then Carl would most certainly be overcome with his one.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I watched the demon tread over dirt and stone leisurely, preening its nails with glowing red eyes and a smirking mouth. While I wouldn’t say I was terrified, I did feel the immense power in the air from his mere presence.

  I gripped my sword, even more wary of leaving Carl on his own with the look and feel of this demon. I knew a formidable foe when I saw one. But Bernard took hold of my wrist and attempted to drag me off the other direction. Before I could release myself, Carl cleared his throat and nodded towards the direction of the large home.

  “Don’t worry about me, Nyla. I’ll have Victor here in no time. The barrier will hold for that long. It’s you he wants. If he gets ahold of you, it will be even riskier for us to fight him off,” Carl insisted, eyeing me meaningfully as he squared off with the demon opposite of us.