Darian felt a thread of warmth in the hallway. It wasn't the cold power of the vamps and Jonny but the warmer magic of a Guardian. He turned, expecting to see Jenn. Darian stood at the other end of the hallway where it met the foyer. The Guardian was a man Darian didn't recognize, who spoke to Jonny for a brief moment before handing him a small note and disappearing.
After reading the note, Jonny, too, Traveled elsewhere. Darian walked down the hallway, uneasy with what appeared to be a summons, delivered by a Guardian. What would Damian want with Jonny? Why not send for Darian, too?
Darian shook off his unease. If Damian needed something, he'd contact him. It must not concern him, if Damian hadn't delivered the message personally.
Darian ascended the stairwell to the second floor and strode by Jenn's room. A glance through the doorless entry revealed no one there. He paused in the doorway, eyes going to the bathroom door. It, too, was open. He glanced at her backpack, which rested in the corner.
Something was up. He closed his eyes and Traveled back to Texas, to Damian's home. No one was in the White God's study. Darian peered out the window, where he had a good view of the barn that had been converted into a gym.
"Sofi says to tell you they're in the wine cellar."
Darian smiled to himself at his sister-in-law's Irish lilt. He turned to see Yully in the hallway outside the study, holding one of the dozen cats they'd adopted.
"Thanks," he said. He strode across the room and down the hallway. The wine cellar had been an addition to the sprawling house, accessible only by leaving the house and descending a set of stairs off the kitchen.
Darian opened the door into the wine cellar. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darkened room as he passed empty shelves to a second door. He paused to draw a knife, uneasy to feel who was inside the cellar.
An Other was there.
Darian opened the door and slid into the storage room. Not only was an Other there, but so was Damian, the messenger he'd sent, Jonny, Jenn, and Xander. The tension in the room was high, each creature bristling with magic.
"He doesn't need to be here," the Other said without looking at Darian.
"My brother goes where he pleases," Damian replied.
"He killed five Others yesterday. I'd rather have him here," Jonny seconded.
Darian moved away from the door and kept to the edge of the room, sensing he was only welcomed because he was in the unique position to defend everyone there if the Other started blasting people. Curious about what was going on, his eyes strayed from the Other to Jenn. She was almost too still to be breathing, her jaw clenched.