Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series) (11 page)

Nicole's eyes were wide and her mouth
agape as she tried to fathom the words that had just oozed from Slade’s mouth. 
She took in his serious and expecting eyes as he waited for her to respond and
realized that he was delusional enough to believe that after all that had
happened in the past few days, she would consider having a real relationship
with him. “You have got to be kidding me.  You are a power-hungry, deceitful
psycho that has no trouble kidnapping and roughing up a woman.  Where I come
from, the only thing you would get out of this relationship is the business end
of a shotgun.”

Slade’s face turned hard for a moment. 
He leaned back into the smooth leather seat staring forward in silence until a
smirk softened his glare, “Well, you still have time to come around to the idea
and...” He let his eyes meet hers as his smirk turned into a full grin, “In the
mean time we will have to keep the shotguns put away.”

**~***~**

As the limo came to a stop in front of
the large estate where Loch would be, Nicole's stomach balled into a tight
knot.  The building was constructed of beautiful white stones and stood three
stories high with enormous white columns marking the entryway.  Gleaming
windows adorned the face of the luxury home and a large balcony sat high
above.  The lawn was groomed with vibrantly colored flowers and green bushes all
placed precisely, creating a picture perfect view to the casual eye.  It was
all beautiful, but Nicole saw so much more.  One look around and she noticed
armed men tucked away just out of sight from the untrained eye.  Two men were
on the roof, one on the balcony and she had spotted four more guards along the
edge of the yard who were blurring their way to the limo.  "Warriors with
semi-automatic weapons.  Wonderful," muttered Nicole as the men surrounded
the car.

"Just keep your mouth closed,"
Slade shot back at her as Claude opened the door.  Slade stepped out with the
confidence of a man who owned the world, "I believe your master is
expecting us."  He held out his hand and waited for Nicole to take it as
she emerged from the car.

Nicole begrudgingly took his hand and
let him let him help her from the car but before she could get her bearings she
was shoved against the door by a warrior dressed in black.  He held her tight
against the car as another warrior moved to restrain Slade with surprising
ease.  "Slade my sweet, it doesn't seem we were expected guests after
all."

"We've been expecting you,"
said the guard with a shove to the back of Slade's head.

Slade jerked his body in an attempt to
break the warrior's hold on him but with little effect, "Then you should
know that this is unnecessary of you." He jerked his arms again but was
pressed harder against the car by the guard.

"I'd say it's quite
necessary." A shrill and familiar voice caused goose bumps to dance across
Nicole's skin.

"Morena, so nice to see you
again," Nicole purred.  She couldn't help the smile spreading across her
face like honey when she noticed the dark bruises on each side of Morena's
nose.  The woman had made a valiant attempt to conceal the black and purple
marks but had failed horribly.  Nicole had wondered if Morena had any powers,
other than being a super bitch, but judging by the slow rate she was healing it
was clear to her that Morena was a simple human.

Morena gave Nicole a dismissive glance
as if she didn't exist and then turned her cold glare onto Slade.

"Slade..." she clicked her
tongue against her teeth as she stopped a few feet in front of the limo. 
"What a peculiar situation you've allowed yourself in.  I had such high
hopes for you…for us, but now," she shook her head as she turned around
and began to make her way back up the path that lead to the door of the
elaborate estate.  "Lock them up," She ordered over her shoulder to
the guards holding them at the limo.

"You can't do this.  You can't let
your jealous ways come between what we are trying to accomplish," Slade
shouted.

Morena stopped where she stood but did
not turn around.  She seemed lost in thought then with a shake of her head she
started forward again, "You have made your choice and I've made mine."

The sound of the tumblers clicking into
place and the key sliding out of the lock was like a death sentence to Nicole. 
"This isn't working out at all," she mumbled cradling her head in
both hands.  Her steps echoed on the cold concrete floor as she paced the small
room.  The smell of mildew in the stale air coated her throat and left a thick
film in her lungs.  She walked back up to the steel door and banged her fist
against the metal, "I came to you so you shouldn't be locking me up.  This
is crazy!"  She listened intently for any response but silence filled the
space around her.  She was completely alone.

A single guard had taken Slade up to a
higher level while two guards escorted Nicole to the basement level; they
refused to speak to her or answer any of her demands to see Loch.  Both guards
kept their handguns aimed on her until they shoved her inside the dark room and
closed the door quickly behind them.  She guessed they must have heard about
her powers and were scared she might turn on them.  Nicole's mind began to spin
around the idea that there had to be a limit to Slade's power.  She wondered
just how far away he could be and still keep her powers from her.

She placed her hand out in front of her
and tried to call the powers from their hiding place deep within her. She
closed her eyes digging deep to where the power usually lay inside her while it
waited for her call.  She cracked her eyes open just a slit to look into her
open palm.  No glow of power met her gaze but she wasn't deterred.  She closed
her eyes again and widened her stance bringing her left hand out in front of
her and pointing both palms towards the cold, steal barrier holding her in this
room.  Taking a deep breath she opened her mind to let any waiting power pool
to the surface but just as she began to push she heard the click of heals on
the concrete floors outside of her prison.

The echo of steps ended on the other
side of her door so Nicole dropped her hands and took a step back toward the
far wall as the door swung open.  Morena stood in the doorway with her hands on
each hip.  Her red fingernails, a perfect match to the crimson sheath dress
that hugged each curve of her body, were tapping a smug rhythm as she glared at
Nicole.  "Oh my dear friend, what an awful situation you find yourself
in.  But it's your lucky day because I'm willing to forgive our difference over
a silly man and help you find your way out of this place."

Nicole crossed her arms over her chest,
"That's so very kind of you but I have a feeling that you're not doing
this from the kindness of your little, black heart, Morena.  What's the
catch?"

Morena took a step closer to Nicole with
a grin on her red lips, "Nicole, honey, you've got me figured all wrong. 
I just want to help you make it back home to your 'normal little country girl
life' that you had before all of this," she waived her hand around the
small brick room with a look of disgust on her face.  "I'm sure deep down
that's all you want too…a chance to go back to your dad, your friends and your
normal routine in your safe life.  That's what I'm offering you, all you have
to do is say yes and I'll have you on a plane within the hour."

That was the closest to the truth Nicole
had heard anyone speak since she arrived in Ireland.  The chance to turn her
back on all of these troubles and go back to the normal life she once had was
like holding the winning ticket in the lottery between her fingers.  All she
needed to do was cash in and walk away into the sunset. "What happens if I
walk away right now and never look back?  Where does that leave my people if I
take the coward's way out?"  Nicole watched the smug smile fall from
Morena's face and her glare turn ice cold.

"What do you care?  You can't
really claim to be loyal to either warrior or fae so why make yourself choose. 
Just take what I'm offering, you stupid girl and walk away.  This is your
chance to go back to what you had before all of this war pressed its way into
your life." She stepped forward again so her face was only inches from
Nicole's, "Don't be a fool."

Nicole raised her chin and met Morena's
hate-filled gaze, "I'm not a coward like you, hiding behind whichever man
I can get my claws into just to use his power.  I will fight."

The anger radiating from Morena was
almost tangible in the air around her as she took a step back. "Have it
your way, you stubborn bitch," the angry woman spouted before turning away
from Nicole.  She walked back through the prison door stopping just outside,
"I had a feeling you wouldn't see things clearly so I've brought you a
gift to keep you company while I give you a little more time to think my offer
over.”

Nicole watched Morena nod down the hall
to someone out of her line of sight then step clear of the doorway.  A warrior
dressed in black army fatigues came through the opening with a body slung over
his shoulder. He dropped the lifeless form onto the floor at her feet causing
Nicole to gasp when she got a look at the person crumpled on the floor,
"Sage."

Nicole dropped to her knees on the floor
beside her friend unsure of what needed to be done.  She slid the ebony hair
away from Sage's face and tucked it behind her pointed ear, "What the hell
did you do to her?"  The question rang out loud and fierce as Nicole
turned her hardened eyes towards the closing door.  She caught sight of Morena
watching the scene with great pleasure, "She's not dead but if you don't
make the right decision, for both of your sakes, she may not be so lucky next
time."

The door closed just as Nicole was ready
to lunge after the smug lady in red so she turned her attention instead to her
friend. "Sage, come on honey, wake up," she shook her shoulder then
patted her cheek gently but didn't get a response.  Nicole leaned in close to
Sage's face to listen for air leaving her nose because she couldn't see any
movement resembling breathing coming from her chest.

"Umm, you smell nice," was
whispered in Nicole's ear causing her to gasp.  Sage gave a weak smile as she
rolled herself out flat on the floor.  She reached a hand up and rubbed a spot
on her head tenderly before letting her hand rest on the cold concrete below
her.

Nicole shook her head trying to clear
away some of the fog from being startled, "Are you okay?  What happened to
you?"

"Well, I had to get to you somehow
so I let that dumb brute warrior catch me.  He got a bit rougher than I
expected," she groaned as she pushed herself up on her elbows.  The black
leather pants, matching black corset adorned with small silver spikes and knee
length leather boots Sage was wearing should have sent a clear signal to anyone
that this fairy shouldn't be taken lightly but Nicole didn't think it was the
right time to point that little fact out.

"You let him catch you?" 
Nicole asked as she helped Sage up into a sitting position on the floor, "Why
would you do that?  Have you lost your mind?"

Sage rolled her eyes as she tried to
stretch some of the soreness out of her petite body, "Okay, I love you
girl but I've not gone crazy.  Now Luke…he may be a different story." She
snorted sarcastically before letting her eyes meet Nicole's again.  "We've
been trying like hell to get to you for days but your boyfriend's hotel is too
heavily guarded and..." she sighed, "Slade's power is a real fucking
downer so this was the next best thing we could come up with."

Nicole stood up and started to pace
beside Sage, "Okay first of all, your brother is not my boyfriend.  He
managed to trick me into thinking he was just a nice guy who wanted to show me
around Ireland and I needed time to figure out where Loch was so I didn't
—
”

"Wooaa girl, hold up and take a
breath.  I'm not pointing fingers.  I know how twisted Slade can be when
there's something he wants.  After all, he is my loving brother," she
laughed dryly.  "It just looked to us like you were enjoying his attention. 
And the night that I managed to get into your head for just a few moments,
well, let's just say your body was running pretty damn hot."

Nicole leaned against the wall and slid
to the floor.  She cradled her head in her hands, "I don't know what happened
to me.  I was like some hormone enraged teenager when his eyes locked on mine. 
Everything else didn't matter and all I could think about was him." She
raised her head from her palms and studied Sage's questioning face. "What?
You don't believe me?  I wouldn't lie to you, Sage."