Free See No Evil (Alpha Guardians Book 1) by Vivian Wood Page A

ritual sacrifice. The offering of one’s lifeblood, or much worse. Echo must have used a long-stored buildup of energy from within, completely tapping herself out, because she didn’t move a muscle all the way back to the Manor. Gabriel offered to help Rhys carry Echo upstairs, but Rhys declined. He’d only just found her, and he’d already managed to nearly lose her once. Rhys needed to touch her, needed to keep her by her side, and he didn’t want to share that privilege with anyone else.
    Not tonight, and if he could help it, not ever.
    Echo finally stirred as Rhys pulled off her shoes and tucked her into his bed. She opened her eyes the faintest bit and squinted at Rhys.
    “You’re… good…” she slurred. “Not hurt…”
    Rhys sat on the bed next to her with a sigh, tucking a long blonde tendril of hair behind her ear. His bear was fighting to surface, wanting to touch her, taste her. Claim her.
    His bear was an asshole who didn’t understand context, and he’d be unsatisfied tonight.
    “I’m not hurt, thanks to you,” Rhys said as he peered down at Echo.
    “Good.”
    Her eyes started to drift closed, and Rhys thought she would sleep again. She surprised him by struggling to push herself up a little bit, her eyes opening wider.
    “Tee-Elle,” she said, her voice growing thick with concern. “Where’s Tee-Elle?”
    Rhys paused, unsure how to answer.
    “I don’t know who that is, lass.”
    “We were at her house,” Echo said. Rhys could tell what an effort it was for her to speak clearly, and he pressed her back into the pillows with a gentle touch.
    “Just relax. Is that your friend?” he asked.
    “My aunt,” Echo said, her words coming out as a whimper. Her lower lip trembled, those big amethyst eyes filling with tears.
    “Okay. It’s okay. I’m going to get Gabriel and Aeric, and they’ll find your aunt. Don’t worry, lass.”
    Echo studied him for a long moment, then gave a nod of agreement. Some part of Rhys was pleased that she trusted him with this, to care for things when she could not. He brushed a thumb over her cheek and withdrew before he could seek more of her warmth and softness.
    After he alerted Aeric to the situation, Rhys shucked his boots and tactical pants, climbing into bed beside Echo. He couldn’t resist pulling her close and inhaling her sweet, bright scent as his eyes grew too heavy to stay open.
    Rhys drifted off, his sleep deep and dark and dreamless.

8
    Chapter Eight
Echo
    W ake up , darling…
    Wake up…
    Wake up, Echo, darling…
    Echo floated up into consciousness from a lovely dream. A dream in which she’d wildly kissed a tall, dark, and handsome stranger, someone who made her whole being tingle with pleasure and excitement. A dream that she was not very happy to end, thank you very much.
    She frowned, not quite ready to open her eyes and deal with the world. Where did Rhys get off waking her up after she’d expended herself protecting him?
    Also, where did he get off calling her darling?
    When Echo finally peeled her eyes open, she found the room dark. It took her several seconds to identify her location as Rhys’s bedroom, and Echo nearly swallowed her tongue when she turned her head to find Rhys sprawled out beside her. She couldn’t help but lift the heavy comforter and peek underneath; when she found that he still wore a t-shirt and boxer briefs, she wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.
    Dropping the blanket back over their bodies, Echo felt a flare of shame for ogling Rhys in his sleep. Even if she hadn’t gotten much of a look, she had zero doubts that every since inch of Rhys was impressive.
    She froze as something moved in her peripheral vision, a ghostly flicker. Echo turned her head oh so slowly, and nearly screamed when she saw the one ghost she’d never anticipated. Floating beside Echo’s bed, brow knitted with concern, was the ghost of Cadence Caballero, Echo’s mother.
    Echo’s mouth opened in a shocked O . Of the