I hung up the phone and sighed. I stood and waited for James to finish his conversation with Asher. Poor Dante Jr., he never got to meet his father. And his father had not known about him until I marched right into to hell and demanded my brother’s soul. He was the hunter I gave my soul for, I still can’t bring myself to tell people I gave fifty years for him, so I just say I gave it for a Hunter, and of course Lucifer’s name. It was a good deal. I sighed and turned on the radio to the loudest music I could find. Some band from Iowa. Metal I think. Couldn’t place the name of the band, or the song, but the loud music helped drown out the voices in my head.

“Kari must you have that on music so loud?” James asked as he came up behind me and pulled me into his arms.

I pretended not to hear him. I was still contemplating Dante Jr.’s words. Why wasn’t I sharing with James? Why did I want to keep things from him? I fought to keep so many things from him. Fought against the instinct to tell him. I have spilled some of my secrets but there are so many more, and a couple more that I don’t want him to know. Mostly what I gave up for Asher’s life. What happened to prevent my changing to a demon. Things like that. I didn’t want him to know, and I knew I either had to tell him one day or lose him. There was a dull pain when I thought about losing him. It was like a part of my heart was dying.

“Must it be so loud?” James asked as he reached over me and turned it to some pop rock station. Some band singing about lost love and not being able to go home.

“It helps me to think.” I answered with a sigh.

“Well, let me help you not think.” James said as he bent to kiss my neck, and he started to pull me towards the bedroom. I let him lead me into the bedroom and for a few hours I allowed myself to be lost in him.

I woke with a start about three in the morning. I went and walked out to the balcony. It felt like I couldn’t breathe, I needed air. I didn’t even put on clothes. I needed to feel the cool air of the night. I looked at the stars. It seems like no matter how many years I have lived, the simplest things can calm me. My father use to tell me about the stars. And the nights I spent with Dante during wars, we use to point out constellations to each other, and tell the old myths of their origin. I put my hand on the tattoo of my arm. It was almost identical to the one that Dante had, it was a Marine Corps symbol; we were founding members in 1775; it was surrounded by thistles and music notes. His had my full name, and I had his name, along with the dates of his birth and death. I got some stares when I added the dates. I told the tattoo artist it was a family joke.

It was a point of pride, our tattoos. My brother and I together personified the seven deadlies. My other hand lay upon my hip, where a small colt was tattooed. I got it just about five days ago. It was on my right side; upon my left was Lucifer’s brand. He left it there when I marched into hell for my brother’s soul. First thing he did when I had agreed to the fifty year was to take his hand and brand me with a small pitchfork, where the handle ended with a pointed tail. He thought it would make me cry out, I didn’t make a sound. I was crying on the inside though, I never wanted his mark. He has only marked a couple other beings in his time, and he had children with both of them. Now I bear his mark as a daily reminder that he wants only what he cannot have, me.

“There you are.” James said and came to stand next to me. “Are you not cold? Do you want your robe?” He sounded upset that I would stand naked on the balcony where anybody could see.

Let them, I thought, after all I have been exposed in more ways than this in my existence. “I am fine.”

“I never really noticed your back tattoo.” James stated as he rubbed my back. “Why the dragons and the nine pointed stars?”

“The dragons represent a happier time, when my family was together, when I thought my parents were human. The purple represents my love for the mom that never truly existed. The green one for the father that created me. The stares represent the gifts of my life. My brothers, my nephew.” I told him and turned to the side and lifted my arm on my right side where two large flowers, a peony and a branch of lilacs. Within their branches were Asher’s and Killian’s names. “This is for the boys.” I took James hand and put it on my right hip over the colt. “This is for you.” I told him. “My life can be summed up by my tattoos. My mark of the wolf on the back of my neck. The Egyptian Hieroglyphs on my leg reminding me ‘In Life there is Death. But even in Death there is Life.’ The Saint Christopher medallion on my wrist, for safe travels in my life.” I wanted him to know me. Before the Deadlies killed me again.

“Oh.”

“You want to know why I know the deadlies? The truth?”

“Yes.”

“They tortured me for fifty years, in exchange for my brother’s soul. Dante was a fool. But I loved him. So I marched into hell after the second world war ended and offered myself to Lucifer. I would give fifty Earth years, in exchange for my brother’s soul. He was thinking about saying no. Then I asked for something else. His true name. In exchange I would stay silent, not a cry, not a scream, not a whimper, a moan, a tear at the pain, and he would let my brother’s soul go to judgment and eventually heaven, and I would have his true name. Giving me power over him. I know the deadlies because I use to personify them. Between me and my brother Dante we had them all covered. They had to love us. So it was a treat for them. They knew they couldn’t break me with their powers; I had already fell to them on Earth without breaking from them. Greed was the worse of them all. He never did anything more than to carve symbols full of poison into my body. The poison of the toads. Look.” I told James and pointed to the toads outside. “He is who I have to fight, and his sin is the one I fall to most of all. I have a greed I cannot control. My greed is a weakness, they never knew.” I told James, being honest for him. And waiting for him to leave me.

“Fifty years? For your brother?” Is all James asked.

“Yes.”

“Lucifer’s real name is?”

“I will not tell you that. I have a greed for power. And his name gives me power. It is the name on our weapons from hell.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why a greed for power?”

“Power is key to prevent heartache. I have enough; my soul is black with heartache. I do not want anymore.”

Don’t forget to check http://www.kariaguardian.blogspot.com for the Prologue / Prequel for The Seven Deadlies!!! Posted a couple entries today and will post about 10 within the coming week, will have the Prologue / Prequel done by end of first week in July so I can edit and put the sketches in it and photo shop everything to get the book ready!

Senka Elizabeth Poe was born September 21st 1979.  To her parents Elizabeth Lua (Austen) Poe and Rion Ryion Poe.  From a young age she showed a great power.  She is an Earth Elemental.  In 1988 she started at Bridgette’s School for the Magical Arts where she first met Richard James Solomon and became obsessed with him.  She loved him.  She sought him out at every turn, and got her parents to help her arrange a special marriage between the families.  (Which though was common place within older magical families, had become a rarity at that time, but still occurred to secure the magical bloodlines.)  So thus on October 31st, 1995, with special permission she quit school and married Richard James Solomon (who was a professor at St. Bridgette’s school and had been born in 1921.)  It did not take long for them to start their family.  Their first child was Riley James Solomon born on June 17th, 1996.  They lived in the Solomon Mansion and waited until 2002 to have their second child.  Katherine Lillian Solomon was to never be… Richard had told Senka that he meant to destroy the child, as he had a vision it would be full of darkness.  Senka told him that their child was so powerful, that the surge in her own power was most profound.  She knew with Wesley Solomon being released from Dastardly, she would have to run to save her unborn daughter.  She stopped using her magic and adopted the last name Fitz.  She gave birth to her daughter Katherine Lillian Fitz on December 20th, 2002.  Do to the need of hiding from the Solomons they moved around a lot, and ended up living on the streets of New York City.  There was an explosion that the non-magical world stated was from a gas leak on July 15th, 2009.  Which took the life of Senka Elizabeth Poe-Solomon. 

Edgar Allan Hepburn Jr, was born in 1630 on December 12, to parents Edgar Allan Hepburn Sr. and his wife Elizabeth Mari (Poe) Hepburn. He was born near modern day London. He is a Fire Elemental. When he was 9 he started The Elizabeth Magical Institute, graduating in 1449. He fought for the Queen’s Army from 1649-1659. He, then studied under Magical Defense Master Catherine Grey, Pyrokinesis Master Saraf Tyson, and Elements Master Amell Kano. He entered the European Guardian’s Guild as a Trainee in 1685. He took quickly to his job, and moved up with in the Guild. He became a Rookie Guardian in 1705. He then moved into the Professional Guardian role in 1715. He became an Expert Guardian in 1725. He finally achieved Veteran status in 1755. Becoming the go to guy within his department Unnatural Deaths (both creature and human) *note it is kinda like the homicide department in the non-magical world. In 1765 he traveled to the American Colonies and partnered with Running Bear, until the American Revolution. During this time he was torn between his homeland and his new home, he ended up siding with the American Rebels and fought for their freedom. In 1981 he was chasing a set of poachers killing unicorns for their horns and blood, and had rushed a baby unicorn to Creature Care, where he meet Jane Nancy Whiteson. He showed up everyday, after meeting her, and convinced her to go on a date with him. He eventually got down on one knee and begged her to marry him. They married on June 27th, 1983. On July 30th, 1996 their first son, Jerome Allan Hepburn was born. At that time he was also promoted to the Head Guardian for the North American Guardian’s Guild. On August 14th, 2002 their son Gaivan Joesph Hepburn was born. TO BE CONTINUED….

Betrayal, passion, family secrets, murder, and vampires…

What else would one expect during their freshman year of college?

After her birth, Danielle Vaughn, and her mother were ushered out of town in a surreptitious attempt to save her life; vampire prejudice can be deadly.
Like any normal nineteen year old, her biggest worry in life was blending in and working hard to keep her grades up. Her departure from a small town in search of a higher education causes a domino effect; she quickly finds herself maneuvering through a maze of enemies and lovers who are all hell bent on capturing her at any cost.
Danielle’s life is turned upside down by the return of her father and the society of vampires that shattered her human mother’s life. She must find a way to survive in the new world she is thrust into by a power hungry rogue on the hunt for gifted vampire youth. The hierarchy of the vampire nation is rocked by the existence of a demi-vamp who has challenged their narrow-minded views of the human race.

Warning: Adult Content

I really liked this book. I love vampires in fact there is not much about vampires I don’t know (classes taken, many many hours of research done.) The only problem with that is I tend to not like many vampire related books (shows I will watch because I end up being able to play the same dvd for background noise for days) but books they can get a bit much for me. But lately there is a great group of paranormal writers out there and this is one of them! I would suggest checking this book out! For 2.99 you can’t go wrong, and it will give you hours of entertainment… In fact I may go back and read this one again soon! I loved the characters, they seemed so real! Characters are not only dealing with the drama of a hidden secrets, love hexangles (like a love triangle but with the number 6!) class structures, but they also they are growing up, coming into the adult world of serious commitments, college, the loss of innocence, and many other things that takes you from child to adult. I thought it was great that the author allows the characters to, for lack of a better description, have multiple relationships, this is rare with romance or almost any other novel, which makes them seem more real to the read, at least this reader! So you 18+ crowd check this book out!!! I did give it only 4 1/2 stars because of a few parts that did have me skimming over them, but nothing to major!!! Check it out!!!

Born Senegal Jalil in 1639 on June 15th.  He is a Water Elemental.  Little is known about S.J.’s past.  It is known that he Graduated from Cleopatra’s School for the Magically Gifted in June of 1669. Not much is known after that, there are rumors of a dark beginning, and the blood of many innocents spilled in a hidden war for freedom.  In 1750 he apprenticed under Hydrokinesis Master Naida Ren, Elements Master Raquel Lawless, and Martial Arts Master Bryan Pratt.  He had first applied to be a professor at Bridgette’s School for the Magical Arts in 1780, however there were no available openings at the time, so he went back to his homeland.  Again there is a cloud of darkness as civil wars broke out among his people, he fought for unity.  In 1900 he requested to join the African Guardian’s Guild program as a trainee.  In 2012, as Expert Guardian, he requested a transfer to the North American Guardian’s Guild.  At this time his partner is Edgar Hepburn a Veteran Guardian, until he learns all the additional laws for North American Witches and Warlocks.  To Be Continued…

“You can’t fight who you really are, Jonah . . .you are wolf.”

When Jonah unknowingly creates an unnatural creature, he is thrust upon a path of unremitting shadows and unrelenting torment from the creature he becomes connected to. In stark contrast, seven teens, the youngling pack from the tribe of Tibolt, join forces with Jonah, their newest member. Together, they must stop the “unnatural,” who brings horror wherever he travels. As the murderous creature makes his way east to Tennessee, it becomes a race against time to save a small child of destiny known as the Dream Maker. Will Jonah reach her before the creature is able to turn her for his evil purposes?

I am surprised on how detailed this book is with the lore, but I found it highly enjoyable, though a bit much at times. I love details, and can tend to blog down my own writing with details (thank God for editing) so I didn’t mind it so much. I read this really fast, (just a couple of hours) and can’t wait to read more. This book takes you on a ride that will take your breath and leave you gasping for more. And Ralph may be creepy, but is easily one of my favorite characters (I always seem to like the characters that are considered darker or the villain, their development and storyline seem to always fascinate me the most). And the dreams… well you should read it for your self. I love the scene setting and the character development, it made this reader feel like she was there, and she really knew these characters. There was an emotional layering that really connected you to the characters. And that connection is what will draw this reader back to the 2nd book! So the reason for 4 stars and not five? Because though I love details, there was just a bit to much of the lore and at times I found myself skimming over it.

Who is this? Read to find out

It was a silent walk to the house and then to the graveyard. When we got there, I moved my boys to the edge of the graveyard, and trapped them in a circle of salt. It would prevent Beelzebub from killing them. “Sorry boys. I told you I would allow you to be bait, didn’t say you could fight this one. I have too many secrets and I am a grown woman who made the mistake of being a selfish being, but you know what? I would do it again.” I said with a sly smile and ran from their safe spot to my grave. “BEELZEBUB!!! Come and get us!”

He didn’t come. Go figure. My boys were yelling about something, and I turned and watched as Beelzebub hovered over their protection trying to break it. “Glutton yourselves! Eat yourselves. DO IT!” Thankful the salt and herbs protected them, and of course of their Guardian blood.

“BEELZEBUB! You can’t touch them. Come for me!” I called to him.

My voice got his attention. “You, of course it would be you that father sent to bring us back!” He came at me, but I was prepared. I dodged his attack.

“Who else, after all he wants to make me his wife!” I yelled at him, sword drawn.

“You will never be!”

“Of course not. But that doesn’t stop his want!” I was baiting him and I knew it. And he attacked.

I don’t know how long the battle went on. All I knew was I felt my insides burn with his poison on his claws. I knew that my desire to keep my boys alive will turn them against me one day. But not today. I hoped, as I fought for my life. For each hit I made with the sword he made a slash on my body filling my blood with a poison that not only boiled my blood, but affected my nerves and brain. I knew I had to end this soon. I was going for the kill when I saw my protection fell around my boys and they rushed to my aid. I couldn’t allow them to be killed, I saw Beelzebub take a swing at them cutting them opening and poisoning them. And something inside me broke.

Darkness overtook me, my eyes turned black as coal, then the black was drowned out by yellow; I could see their reflection in Beelzebub’s eyes. The only black in them that remained was slit where my pupil once was located. “Wrong move.” I told him, but my voice was not my own. I felt a brief moment of pain as claws grew, and fangs of a werewolf replaced my teeth. “Now you will die.”

I attacked him, I ripped him apart. I barely remember it. I remember the black purple blood of Beelzebub. I remember the shock on his face and I noticed my boys stood with their weapons ready to fire. But not at Beelzebub, but at me. I tore of Beelzebub’s head with my new teeth and claws. I stabbed a hell made pocket knife into his heart and dropped his head as his body turned to ash. His head, I staked, with a silver stake from hell, and it too turned to ash.

I dropped to my knees and I felt myself change back into human. What had happened?

“Kari, honey…” James had fear in his voice and I cried.

“Mom, that was bloody awesome!” Asher yelled out.

“Mom?” Killian had more concern in his voice.

“Honey?”

“What have I done?” Did I let darkness win?

“You sent Beelzebub back to hell.” It was Bes’s voice I heard. “Knew you had some darker powers in you, and now I know the trigger. Wonder why they didn’t show up back in the war?”

“Huh?”

“Everything has a time and place.” Bes said. “I think you all need to go home.”

I just nodded, and allowed James to help me up. But I knew in my heart this was only the beginning of what was to come. What else lurked inside of my soul? And how could I prevent it from destroying the only good in my life? My husband and sons. I don’t know, but I knew right now this one thing Lucifer was rejoicing at the slip. But I was a grown woman and it seemed I no longer and any secrets from myself. Nobody knew what I felt inside. Nobody ever would. Nobody, could know the pain in my soul over this revealed secret. I almost have no secrets from the world now. But I knew that I wanted to love the man who called me angel. And right now I would hold onto that love. That would be my only hope for salvation… God help me…

So I promised a couple Excerpts so her is the first one! Meet Mary!

“Boys why don’t you go get some pigs blood. I don’t want the vamp forgetting any key details.” I said with a nasty glint in my eye. I knew the vamp. She was around America during the Revolution. She was the one that turned Guiran’s love. She is the one that staked me to a tree.

“Ok.” Killian said, he noticed the look in his mother’s eye and didn’t want to be around. “Come on Ash.” And he knew she just wanted them out.

“James you should go as well.”

“No.”

“Fine.” I waited until the boys left. Then I walked right up to the vampire. I lifted her head and looked her in the eye. “Well, if it isn’t Mary.”

“Catherine?”

“Haven’t gone by that name in a long time, vamp.”

“I see he was reborn.”

“Doesn’t matter, you still are going to tell me what I want then I am going to destroy you.”

“Figured. Damn pure blood demons. You are only half blood, like me. You are like me, you know?”

“Never. I know good from evil.”

“You lines are blurred. How many mortals have you killed? More than even I.”

“Whatever.” Her words were hitting close to home and we both knew it. Before I fought her first time, we already had known of each other. In fact, she was my cousin, many times removed, but we figured out we were related one night before she was a vamp, and before I was a Guardian. As we sat in a Hunter’s Bar. She was my family, her and her husband Phillip. “Cousin.”

“Oooo… not afraid to let him know you are you? I am shocked you married him, told him, made him a Guardian. You hate this immortal life.”

“You use to kill beings like yourself.”

“Yeah, but killing you and torturing that ‘person’ you cared about during The Revolutionary War was fun.”

“I am sorry I never told you how much you and Philip meant to me, Mary.”

“You are a demon.”

“My mother was a mortal once, turned demon.”

“You never cared. You used us!”

“I LOVED YOU AND PHILLIP YOU WERE MY FAMILY!” I yelled in her face and then sliced her with a thin blade dipped in a dead man’s blood.

“Shit! That hurts. But you never had a stomach for torture. You always went for the quick kill.”

“I have been in hell enough to know a thing or two.” I said as I let the sharp tip of the knife carve into her skin.

“Damn…” She took a sharp intake of her breath. “What do you want to know?”

“Where is he?”

“Don’t know who you are talking about.”

I cut carved a chunk of her flesh around her thigh out and listened it fall to the floor before I asked again. “Where is Beelzebub?”

She spit in my face. “Don’t know bitch.”

“Wrong answer.” I dipped the knife into a jar of dead blood and used it to carve small symbols, holy symbols of course, into her body. The dead man’s blood made sure they hurt as hell all through the healing and burning process.

“Fine!” She screamed when I got to the bottom of her feet. “He is held up in the location you burned to the ground!”

“The burial grounds?”

“Yes!” She screamed as I continued to cut holy symbols into her body.

“Where in the grounds?”

“Fuck you Bitch!” Mary spit in my face again and pissed me off more.

“Wrong answer.” I said as started to skin her bit by bit. The skin fell to the floor in sickening splats.

“Your burial place! Where that bloody Guardian Bes buried your body!”

“Thank you!” I said as I drove the Aspen stake through her chest and used the sword at my side to cut off her head, and then I sank to the ground and cried. My Hunter family really was gone. First Phillip and now Mary.

James came over and hugged me to him, and I just cried into his chest. Taking deep breathes, but I couldn’t control my sobbing. I killed her. I finally killed her. I knew the second she was turned to a vampire I would have to be the one that would kill her. But I killed her I couldn’t believe that day had come. I killed her. I got up and pulled myself away from James and ran. I just kept running into the middle of the desert. I could not take it. I lost the last link to my old life. My life before I was a Guardian. That last link was now forever gone. I had nothing else. I was only what I looked at in the mirror. A selfish Guardian. I took what I was offered. I was selfish; I should have never allowed James and the boys to become Guardians. I should never have allowed it. I can’t believe what I had done. I had destroyed so many lives. How was I going to fix this?