Page 93 of Guardian

“No. Not kill. A demon came and took him out of the crib. Carefully, actually, as if he didn’t want to hurt him.”

“That’s a lie! There was blood. They didn’t even leave me his body to bury,” Cinead cried out. “Goddamn it! Get her out of my sight! My vote stands! Eliminate her!”

“That wasn’t your son’s blood. The demon had a flask with blood. Red. Like a human’s or an animal’s, but it was blood. And he spilled it over the mattress and the sheets in the crib. He didn’t harm the baby. He cradled your son to his chest as if he was precious. I followed him.”

“Followed him?” Cinead echoed.

“In my vision. I followed him down the stairs, and there in the hallway of this mansion, your home, he conjured up a vortex and disappeared with the child. And I was left looking at a portrait of you with your wife and an infant in her arms. I swear it’s what I saw. The baby was alive when the demon disappeared in the vortex.”

“But…” Cinead exchanged looks with his colleagues, confusion and something else spreading on his face: hope. Hope that his son was alive. “Are you aware how long ago this happened, Winter?”

She shook her head. “I can only guess from the type of furniture and the clothing you and your wife wore in the painting. Sometime in the Regency period.”

Cinead nodded. “Over two hundred years ago my son was taken from me. I buried an empty coffin, and I grieved for him.” Tears were welling up in his eyes. “Can I really believe that there’s hope? That my son is alive?”

Winter stepped closer to the table, and nobody stopped her. Right in front of Cinead, she halted. “He was alive when the demon took him. If he wanted to kill your son, why not kill him right there and then? Wouldn’t it have been worse having to see your son’s mutilated body, knowing the pain he had suffered?” Winter shook her head and reached her hand across the table to clasp Cinead’s. “I don’t believe they killed him. They just wanted to make sure you thought he was dead so you would never come looking for him.”

Cinead locked eyes with her. “Angus, his name was Angus.” Then he looked toward the center of the table, where Barclay sat. “I would like to change my vote. I want Winter protected at all times.”

Winter squeezed Cinead’s hand.

“Will you help me find Angus?” he asked.

She nodded, tears now streaming down her face. Moments later, she felt Logan put his arms around her and pull her into an embrace.

Suddenly everybody was speaking at the same time, until Barclay’s gavel sounded to call for order in the chamber.

“The vote has been changed. Winter Collins, you’ll be assigned a permanent guardian for your protection. We will discuss everything further in another session. Now for Logan’s punishment. Logan, considering the unusual events that have taken place, the council will reconvene at another time to discuss appropriate action, however, in the meantime the council will reduce the charge of treason to the lesser charge of insubordination. This meeting is adjourned.” Barclay hit the gavel on the table once more.

“Thank you, Primus,” Logan said and bowed.

Immediately the noise level escalated, while councilmembers rose from their seats, the doors opened, and Logan’s friends, who’d been waiting outside, entered.

“You did it,” Logan said to her. “You changed their minds.”

“With your help.”

He shook his head. “You didn’t need my help.” He smiled. “Why didn’t you tell me about your vision earlier?”

“There was no time.” She looked at Cinead, who’d now rounded the table and was heading their way. “I had the vision just after Zoltan tried to invade my mind, before he knocked me unconscious. I’d forgotten about it with everything else that happened in the last twenty-four hours.” She smiled at Cinead. “But when I recognized you from the painting, it all came back.”

“Was Zoltan the demon who kidnapped my son and staged his death?”

Winter shook her head. “I don’t know. It was too dark in the room. And he wore a cloak and a hood. I only saw his green eyes for a moment, but I couldn’t really see his face.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. But I’ll do everything I can to help you find Angus.”

“If he’s still alive,” Cinead said, though he smiled with hope in his eyes.

“If he’s not, I’ll find out what happened to him. So you can have closure.”

Cinead nodded and took her hands. “I misjudged you. Many of us did. I’m sorry for what we did to your grandmother. When we voted on you, we didn’t know you were her granddaughter. Different last name, different cities, you know, there wasn’t much time to look into your background. We were afraid that the demons would get to you.”

“Like they’d gotten to my grandmother,” Winter said. “I don’t blame you or the council. Now that I’ve met Zoltan and know what he and his demons are capable of, I understand that you had to do what you did. My grandmother had a weakness, me.” She glanced at Logan. “I’ll never succumb to Zoltan. Because all I feel around me is strength. I can be strong for you, for all of you. I will be your eyes and ears.”

Cinead squeezed her hands and released them. “You take good care of her, Logan. Winter is part of our family now. And we protect what’s ours.”

Part of our family. The words echoed in Winter’s head and made her heart swell with joy.

She was part of something now.

She wasn’t alone anymore.