Veiled Guardian: A Borne of Angels Novel (The Awakening Book 1) Read online

  Veiled Guardian

  Book One of The Awakening

  Leigha Wolffe

  Veiled Guardian – Book One of The Awakening

  Copyright © 2020 by Leigha Wolffe

  All rights reserved. This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form, in part or in its entirety, without the express written permission of the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. Any unauthorized reproduction or use of the material or artwork herein is prohibited and will be subject to prosecution.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons (living or dead), business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  For permissions contact:

  [email protected]

  Acknowledgements

  To my husband, mother and sister, and to my girl gang, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Jade – ‘Thank you’ simply isn’t enough. You never doubted me. You simply lent me your eyes and ears and cheers. You have supported me so fully throughout this endeavor, made me feel strong and smart, creative and capable. More than that, you made me feel deserving, and I will never be able to repay you all for your kindness, support, love, and the ways you continue to enrich my life.

  It is said by many writers that the secret to becoming a successful writer is finding your tribe. I’ve found mine, and I think that, in itself, is the success.

  *Trigger Warning*

  This book contains scenes of a violent nature that some may find upsetting or triggering. There is no violent or graphic sexual content.

  Bibliography

  Series: The Awakening

  Veiled Guardian

  Also by Leigha Wolffe, writing as Leigha Stoirm

  Series: Rise of the Red Queen

  Demon Master – The Demons of Areth Saga Book 1

  Demoness – The Demons of Areth Saga Book 2

  Demon Knights – The Demons of Areth Saga Book 3

  Demon King – The Demons of Areth Saga Book 4

  Demon Queen – The Demons of Areth Saga Book 5

  Rise of the Red Queen – The Demons of Areth Saga Complete Omnibus

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1) Prologue - Andrew

  2) Chapter 1 - Alex

  3) Chapter 2 - Alex

  4) Chapter 3 - Alex

  5) Chapter 4 - Alex

  6) Chapter 5 - Ash

  7) Chapter 6 - Alex

  8) Chapter 7 - Alex

  9) Chapter 8 - Alex

  10) Chapter 9 - Alex

  11) Chapter 10 - Alex

  12) Chapter 11 - Alex

  13) Chapter 12 - Alex

  14) Chapter 13 - Alex

  15) Chapter 14 - Alex

  16) Chapter 15 - Alex

  17) Chapter 16 - Ash

  18) Chapter 17 - Alex

  19) Chapter 18 - Ash

  20) Chapter 19 - Alex

  21) Chapter 20 - Alex

  22) Chapter 21 - Alex

  23) Chapter 22 - Alex

  24) Chapter 23 - Ash

  25) Chapter 24 - Alex

  26) Chapter 25 - Alex

  27) Chapter 26 - Alex

  28) Chapter 27 - Alex

  29) Chapter 28 - Death

  30) Chapter 29 - Alex

  31) Chapter 30 - Alex

  32) Chapter 31 - Alex

  33) Chapter 32 - Alex

  34) Epilogue - Andrew

  Veiled Guardian

  Prologue

  Andrew

  Ihesitated in the hall outside my father’s study. My dark chocolate hair was freshly cut and styled in a contemporary yet conservative side part. My suit was impeccably pressed and lint free, and my shoes were flawlessly buffed. I’d worn my new navy Armani suit over a white shirt and red tie and paired it with my brown Ferragamo Derbies.

  This was just one set of the many designer suits, shirts and ties filling my closet. I hated suits. I hated dress shoes and collars and ties. But I’d tailored this look specifically for my father and my father loved two things: money and power. This was a power ensemble and expensive, much like the hair. Every inch of me exuded confidence, capability, and cash.

  Every bit but my sweaty palms. My mind was in total chaos, my heart pounding wildly, fear threatening to consume me, but I knew exactly how much was riding on this. Everything. It had to go well, or the cost would be my life. Or, at least, everything I wanted my life to be. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, taking a moment to slow my heartbeat and steady my breath. My mind whispered, Alex, over and over like an invocation, armoring me against what was to come. If I didn’t get this exactly right, if I couldn’t make my father see reason, the cost would be Alex, and she was everything.

  I rapped loudly on the study door and heard a clipped, “Come in,” ring out in my father’s rumbling baritone. I twisted the antique brass doorknob and gathered every bit of strength and resolve I could in the split second before I swung the heavy, wooden door inward and stepped purposefully into the oppressive study. My father didn't have an office, per say, so his study was where he did all his business, whatever that might be. When I entered, he was sitting at his desk behind his computer and shuffling through a file, his ever-present glass of scotch at the ready.

  “I was wondering how long you were going to stand out there before you grew the stones to knock,” he goaded, not bothering to look up from the papers he was examining and acknowledge me. Henry Tennyn was a true alpha male and one hell of an intimidating businessman. He would prod, belittle and provoke by any means necessary to gain the upper hand in any negotiation, and to Henry, everything was a negotiation. I knew that didn’t exclude his dealings with his sons and silently berated myself for that display of weakness. I had hesitated outside too long, and he had noticed. Allowing my father to sense any chink in my armor was only going to make this endeavor more difficult. I needed to seem indestructible.

  “I know how valuable your time is, Father,” I began, standing in front of his desk. “I simply wanted to ensure I had my thoughts in order before disturbing you.”

  At my words, he finally looked up, and I had the fleeting thought that I might’ve been better off when he was ignoring me. Now I had his undivided attention, and I had to fight the urge to fidget and wiggle like a worm on a hook under his scrutiny.

  “Insolence won’t get you very far in my presence, boy. You may be my heir, but I'm still the one with the power here.”

  “I meant no disrespect, sir,” I assured him, bowing my head and averting my gaze in a show of deference, even as I stood tall. Challenging him would get me nowhere. He needed to see that I was strong and capable, stronger than everyone else…

  Except him, of course. If he thought for even a moment that I fancied myself his equal, this would end badly. He had to feel respected but be honored by having the respect of someone who was only fractionally his lesser. I dealt with men like him every day. Well, similar to him. There were no other men like Henry Tennyn.

  He stared at me with hard blue eyes almost the same shade as mine, eyes that seemed worn far beyond his years. If possible, their crystal blue seemed even brighter against his salt and pepper hair. “Alright, then,” he grunted like he didn’t quite believe me but would accept my flimsy explanation for the moment. Returning to the file on his desk he asked, “How're things looking for the third quarter?”

  “Excellent. We're on track to finish eight percent ahead of last quarter and trending northward.” I had gr
aduated magna cum laude from my father's Alma Mater last spring. I'd earned the MBA my father never had, and my father had rewarded me by making me CFO of one of his holdings. He'd fired the former CFO just two months before his pension was fully vested. Of course, none of my father's senior officers were what you might call ‘clean,’ so there wasn’t much anyone could or would do.

  “Eight? Not bad,” he mumbled, nodding his approval while never tearing his stare away from the papers in front of him. “But I expect no less than twelve by year end. Now, have a seat. What brings you here in the middle of a business day, Son?”

  I nodded but remained standing. My father rarely called me son. It put me on edge, though I couldn’t explain why, but I also knew my father would respond to strength and resolve, and I felt stronger standing. I felt ready for the fight that was undoubtedly coming. “Just a simple proposal. Shouldn't require much of your time.”

  “Very well. I have some news for you, as well, but it can wait. Go ahead.” Henry studied me as I stood there, admiring the spine it took to come to him like this. I could see it in his eyes. He was a harsh man, but he was trying to mold me into the leader he thought I needed to be.

  “I know we've discussed this before, but circumstances have changed. I’ve finished school. I have my MBA and a successful position within the family business. In four months’ time, I've pulled TennynCorp out of a financial freefall and made it profitable again. It’ll soon be time for me to take over, Father. I know I will need your guidance, but I’ll also need a strong partner by my side. I'm here to ask for your blessing to marry Alexis.”

  “Oh, in the name of—”

  “Father—”

  “—every unholy thing—”

  “—please just listen!”

  “Are you stupid?” my father roared. Roared. I’d never heard that sound come out of his mouth before. He yelled, sure, but this sounded almost inhuman. His face was blood red, and the dark veins in his temples and forehead—which looked almost black now—throbbed unhealthy rhythms against his skin.

  The silence in the room following our simultaneous outbursts was deafening. No one spoke. My father always taught me that he who spoke first in a negotiation lost, so I held my tongue as long as I could. I knew I’d be the first to break the silence. I also knew my father would see it as weakness, but in the end, I needed this conversation to move forward. I opened my mouth to get it over with, but the sound of my father’s voice silenced me.

  “Andrew,” he began, but sat there rubbing his temples for a few seconds before he continued. “I know you remember the last time we spoke about this. What, exactly, do you think has changed? She is not a suitable match. The end. What is so difficult to understand about that?”

  “Father, I understand your point of view. I just disagree. I’m asking you to see from my perspective or, at the very least, to trust my judgment. I have proven time and time again that my judgment is sound, and Alexis is strong and intelligent. She’s compassionate and brave and, most importantly, she makes me stronger. Having Alexis at my back makes me feel like I can take on the world. Together we are unstoppable. She is my true mate…” My father held up a hand to stop me, then he did something shocking, at least for my father.

  He wiped his face with both hands, then raked them through his perfectly coiffed hair. To the average human, this wasn’t a huge show of emotion, but I’d never seen a crack in my father’s perfect shell before. Never. Henry was one of those people that never left his room, let alone the house without every hair in place, perfectly outfitted and perfectly manicured.

  “Son...” he began, sighing heavily. “Listen, I understand your feelings for Alexis. I too was once a young man, believe it or not. I had a fling or two before I married your mother.”

  And after, I thought, making sure my face betrayed nothing as he continued.

  “Please don’t think me heartless. I understand the desire to find a partner, create a home, find love... but a love like that makes you vulnerable. You can’t be trusted to make sound decisions when you would sacrifice everything for one girl. It’s not the safe choice, and people depend on you to make the safe choice.” He sighed deeply, suddenly looking very old and very tired, but I knew my father too well to buy into this facade.

  Then Henry continued with a sigh, “On the other hand, I do think it's time. You’re ready...”

  For one beautiful, devastating moment, my heart soared. Hope bloomed in the deep recesses of my aching heart, delivering a vital reprieve from the constant pain that shadowed my every waking moment. Was he giving in? Could this be true? My Alex, finally mine after all these years.

  “Just not with Alex.”

  I couldn’t breathe. My heart fell, as did my face, but I couldn’t be bothered with appearances, and I couldn’t manage to care what he said next as the room closed in around me. The idea of life without Alex by my side was unbearable, but I knew I had to keep it together if I was going to salvage this effort or try again. I mentally slapped myself and refocused my attention on the room in front of me.

  “It's time you put away your childish fancies and take your responsibilities as a man and as a leader more seriously,” my father was saying, and I hoped I hadn’t missed anything important. “You'll be taking over for me sooner than you think. Which brings me to my news. I’ve found you a suitable match.”

  “A suitable match?” What was he on about?

  “A wife, Andrew. One who'll help you lead when you’re in charge. Her parents and I have reached agreeable terms, pending a meeting and trial period, of course. I know it's not what you think you want, but it's the way it has been done for generations. Thousands of years’ worth and for good reason. This is a good match, Son. You’ll come to love her in time, just as I did your mother. You'll get everything you want, and eventually, you’ll forget all about Alexis.”

  My father was still talking, but I couldn’t hear him, not over the sound of my heart breaking. There it was, the bitter truth. I'd always known an arranged marriage was my parents plan, but I'd hoped that if I pitched my marriage to Alex before my father found a match, if I proved her worth and mine, I'd have a chance at choosing my own life. That was all I’d been working toward for a decade. More.

  This wasn't the first time I'd informed my father of my intention to marry my childhood friend. At the age of eight, I’d waltzed into my father's study unannounced to inform him of my intentions, much to my father's entertainment. I had proposed the match again at age sixteen, when it had become clear my brother would never inherit our father's legacy. In my adolescent hubris I'd attempted to use this information as leverage to ensure my pairing with Alex. My father had beaten me unconscious. Then he’d waited by my bedside and, when I woke, informed me he wouldn't be intimidated by a child.

  But I was no longer a child. I was a man, and I treated him with deference out of respect, not out of fear.

  “No,” I whispered so quietly my father didn't hear me at first.

  At first.

  Henry cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. “What did you just say?” It was a barely audible whisper, but still enough to send shivers of the fear I’d claimed not to have scrambling down my spine. I closed my eyes, took a breath and released it slowly. Then I held my head up high and met my father's gaze with a fire the old man probably hadn't seen there before.

  “I said, no.”

  For a moment, he just stared at me. He was deceptively calm and quiet, but I could see the veins at his temples swelling and throbbing again, so dark against his skin they looked almost black. Was he well?

  “I love Alex, Father. I'm not interested in marrying some random woman because she comes from the right family. I will marry Alex, or there will be no wedding. At least not one you’re invited to.”

  “You think I will allow you to disrespect me this way? Disrespect our family? Our legacy?!”

  He shot out from behind his desk before I even registered the movement, grabbed the front of my shirt and
threw me across the room where I smashed into the family portrait hanging on the wall. I knew I hit it because I could feel the frame snap against my back and the glass shards tearing at my jacket. How did he move so fast? But I didn’t get to explore that thought. My father was on me before I even hit the floor, lifting me by the throat and pinning me to the wall. What the fuck?

  “You think you have a say in the matter? A choice? Let me assure you, you don’t,” Henry hissed in my face, so close that spittle landed on my cheeks and eyelashes as I fought to draw breath.

  Then I caught sight of Henry’s face and froze, momentarily losing track of the fact that I was struggling to breathe. His eyes. They were burning a sinister red rather than the frosted blue that matched my own.

  “What's… wrong with... your... eyes?” I barely managed to choke out.

  Just like that, he dropped me and turned away, returning to his desk. I collapsed on the floor, coughing and sputtering and trying to catch my breath as he took his seat. Henry turned to face me as I began to breathe more normally and tried to find my footing on the glass shards beneath me.

  “What have you done?” The horrified whisper escaped my lips before I could stop myself. Whatever Henry was now, whatever he’d done, I couldn’t fight it, and Henry had no intention of answering for himself today.

  “The girl’s name is Claire,” he continued, like this was business as usual. “To be clear, this trial period is simply a formality. You will marry her next fall. Your mother and I will take care of the preparations. This wedding will happen, and you will be every bit the doting groom between now and then, so I suggest you wrap your head around it and fall in line.”