Gates of Rapture (Guardians of Ascension 6)

“Have all the competitors returned to their continents?”

“Diallo gave the order shortly after the last of the Militia Warriors folded to Nazca.”

Leto nodded, but his heart was heavy. So much for the warrior games.

He wasn’t under the illusion that Greaves had actually started the war, not by attacking one insignificant colony on Mortal Earth. Greaves had probably been testing the waters. But whatever this attack had been, it was just the beginning. The transmitters had been all around Nazca, one small colony in a relatively insignificant corner of the world. That meant that Greaves was probably tracking all the colonies.

He sent out a telepathic thread toward Grace. Where are you?

Leto? Are you back?

Yes.

He heard her sigh, or at least he thought he did.

Thank God. When you’re done with all your duties, I’m at the cabin, having a glass of a very nice German wine I found in your fridge.

Listen, I’m going to fold straight to the shower, but I don’t want you to join me. I don’t want you to see me like this because I’ve been battling.

Well, I confess you won’t have to twist my arm on this one. But, Leto, when you get here, I really need you to break open my obsidian flame power. I’m done with these headaches, and as I told you before, I’m done holding back from my role in the triad.

He felt a jolt go through him, an awareness that what Grace had just said to him was no small thing. Grace was staying. That’s what went through his mind. If she meant to embrace her obsidian flame power, it meant she was staying.

Something in his chest opened up, and he released a deep sigh. Relief washed through him. Grace was staying. He wouldn’t have to bid her good-bye anytime soon. Maybe things weren’t completely settled between them, but until this moment he had felt she could easily walk away.

On the other hand, would Casimir’s sudden return have an effect on her? Would the breh return? Jesus H. Christ, a Guardian of Ascension. What exactly did that mean? He wasn’t, that is, he couldn’t possibly be in a call to ascension to Third Earth, could he?

Battle fatigue had started settling in, however. He set aside this new development in his bizarre life and focused on Grace.

I’ll fold there after I’ve taken care of a couple of things.

Okay. I’ll be waiting.

He left orders that HQ was to contact him at his cabin if he was needed for anything. When he felt confident that the situation was stable, he thought the thought. The next moment he was washing blood and debris down the drain of his shower.

But as he washed his hair, and had to bend to get beneath the spray of water because he was still in his beast-state, he rose upright and looked at his arms and hands.

He wondered. In the midst of battle, he had so easily morphed into this state—and what do you know, he hadn’t passed out. And another thing, he’d folded without any repercussion.

As he thought about the situation, he realized that the major difference had been his level of acceptance. He’d wanted his beast to come, he’d focused on the change, and the next moment he’d become his beast-form. But could he return as easily?

He relaxed every muscle of his body, and as the hot water beat on his skin, he focused on his normal vampire state.

In stages, he felt the change come, a gradual reduction, an easing into his regular body. He held his hands and arms up and watched the transformation. This couldn’t just be a condition of having once been a death vampire—and what had the Third Earth pretty-boy said about morphing like a Third Earth warrior?

Not a Third Earth death vamp, but a Third Earth warrior.

Huh.

Much of Third Earth was a mystery, apparently even to the Upper Dimensions beyond Third. Third was cloaked in some kind of nearly impenetrable fog so it wasn’t clear what was going on in that world.

And here he was, having been described as a Third Earth warrior. He suddenly felt hopeful that his beast-like condition could mean something good for Second Earth. It certainly had in terms of battling Third Earth death vamps.

When he was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved ribbed T-shirt, he made his way downstairs. Much to his surprise, Grace sat at the dining table with a meal she’d prepared for him. She had a platter of cheese, fruit, and some cold fried chicken piled on a plate.

And suddenly he was starved. He apologized as he dove in, but he hadn’t known he was hungry until he’d seen the food.

She smiled at him and laughed a couple of times. She leaned back in her chair and sipped her white wine. “I’m so glad you’re back. I was worried.”

He nodded, swallowed, wiped his mouth. “It must be hard sitting around waiting to get word on something like this.” He took a nice swig of wine.

Grace sipped and smiled some more. “Go ahead and eat.”

He took her at her word and made quick work of his meal.

When only a few bones remained, he sat back. “I forgot what it was like. I haven’t been in a battle like that in a while.” He looked at her and held out his hand. Shit. He would have to tell her about Casimir. The bastard.

She took his hand. “You okay?”

He hardly knew what to say. “What happened tonight is just the beginning. I think we’re in for it.”

“Was it as bad as I think it was?”

“Parts were, yes. But in reality we had very few casualties and we took care of a lot of death vampires tonight who will never again harm a mortal or an ascender.”

“Did we … did we lose many colonists tonight?”

“Gideon set the number at around twenty. But, Grace, if obsidian flame hadn’t acted, it would have meant complete devastation.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“But there’s something else, and I have no idea what it means or how you’re going to feel about this. I know I’m pissed as hell.” He fell silent thinking about what Casimir had just done for him and the announcement he’d made.

“Hey, don’t leave me hanging.”

He blinked at least once. “Sorry. I think I’m still in a state of shock. Casimir showed up. In Nazca.”

She leaned forward in her chair, but she was frowning. “He did?”

Leto nodded.

“What was he there for? I mean, did you get into a fight with him?”

“No.” He shook his head because he was still in disbelief. “Actually, he saved my life.” He told her about Greaves arriving armed with a large squad of Third Earth death vampires. Then he dropped the bomb. “I don’t know exactly what this means, but Casimir said he was now my Guardian of Ascension, that he had it all arranged with Endelle.”