Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series) (3 page)

"I will make this right, I swear
it."  Luke looked at Sage and Rhys then started walking to the pasture
behind the house.

"Where are you going?" asked
Kat.

"To save Nicole," Sage rolled
her eyes at having to answer such an obvious question.

Kat ran up to the group and fell into
step, "Not without me."

Everyone stopped as Sage let out a loud
groan.  Luke and Rhys turned on Kat who was standing with her hand on her hip. 
"Bloody hell woman, we won't be baba sitting ya so get your arse back ta
da house," said Rhys stepping in front of her and waving an arm in the
direction of James' house.

Kat pulled her long black hair back
behind her and in one smooth motion tied it into a loose bun at the base of her
head then smiled, "Good thing I don't take orders from male chauvinistic
pigs in skirts."

Sage let out a small laugh, "Oh, I
like you."  She looped her arm through Kat's and moved forward without the
guys.  Anyone who was game for giving a warrior a hard time instantly had
Sage's respect.

Luke shook his head and reluctantly
started moving forward again with Kat now part of the group.

"Ummm…Not to be the bearer of bad
news or anything but the cars are parked in the driveway not the pasture.  I'm
not walking all the way to the airport."

"Stop ye whining.  Ye wanted to tag
along kitten."

"It's Kat not Kitten," snapped
Kat.

"And this," Rhys swept a hand
across the lower half of his body, "Tis a kilt not a skirt."

"Will you two lay off already? 
We're almost there."  Luke turned into a thicket of trees when they
reached the far side of the pasture.  He ducked below the low hanging branches
then disappeared into the trees.

Kat stood staring after Luke and Sage
with a twist of disgust to her lips, "But there are ticks and snakes in
there."

Rhys gave her a pat on the butt as he
strolled past making her squeal and spin around while holding her rear. She
glared at him with wide eyes as he turned back to look at her, "Ah Luv, ya
can't let a wee bug keep ye from da Princess."

Luke was at his limit with the game he
could see building between Rhys and Kat.  Kat may not see it yet but Luke had
seen this game play out in Rhys' favor many times before and it would only be a
distraction for Rhys.  Luke spun around to face the two who were glaring at
each other as they crossed the tree line, "Listen, we aren't thinking
clearly.  We can't leave James unprotected."

Sage caught onto where Luke was going
fast. "Nicole would be pissed at us if we let something happen to her
dad."  She stepped to Luke's side crossing her hands across her chest.

"How about if Sage and I go to
Ireland and you and Rhys looked out for James?  I think that would be the best
protection for everyone."  Luke placed his hand on Kat's shoulder as he
talked.  "Nicole would never forgive us if we just left him here
alone."

Kat eyed Luke suspiciously, "Are
you just trying to get rid of me?"

"No…I wouldn't do that,"  Luke
lied.  He didn't need Kat tagging along and distracting Rhys from the job.  It
was best to leave them both behind.  It would be safest for everyone.

"My brother is right.  I'll stay
with you and James until I'm summoned."  Rhys nodded toward Luke as he
guided Kat back toward the pasture.

"What?  Like I need you to protect
me?  I don't think so."  Kat argued but didn't resist following Rhys out
of the woods.

Luke got the feeling that Kat was
relieved to not have to go.  He didn't doubt that she loved Nicole and wanted
to help but she had been through so much in the past two days.  He was sure if
it wasn't for Nicole's healing touch Kat would be curled up in a hospital right
now if she had managed to hang on to a thin thread of life when she was shot. 
Luke turned his attention back to Sage, "Let's go."

Nicole was in awe as she stepped out of
the limo.  The hotel was amazing, with its large towers and gleaming windows. 
It was just like a modern day castle had been set down in the middle of the
Garden of Eden.  Her eyes danced across the vision of an artist’s dream as she
took in all of the vibrant reds, blues, pinks and greens in the landscape.  She
recognized giant azalea bushes, white roses and royal blue iris’s but there was
still so many flowers and trees that were new to her.

“So glad to see you back, sir,” said a
tall, slim man in a blue suit as he motioned a young bell-hop towards the
trunk.  “Your room is ready, exactly as you asked.”

“And have the spa appointments been
arranged?” Slade asked.

“Yes sir, everything is in order.”

“That’s wonderful, thank you,” Slade
offered his arm to Nicole as they made their way into the hotel.  She wrapped
her hand into the crook of his arm and fell into step with him.

An elaborate chandelier glistened in the
center of the lobby immediately drawing Nicole's eye's up into the dome shaped-ceiling
high above.  Each crystal shimmered like a diamond casting reflection's against
the walls and down onto the floor.  Slade led her past the lobby and down a
long hallway.  "This is a beautiful hotel."  Nicole chatted as she
let Slade guide her along.

"It is my favorite of all the
hotels in Ireland.  It has a kind of story-book quality to it like it was
pulled from the history and fables of Ireland by someone who lived in those
worlds hundreds of years ago."

Within minutes they were entering a room
the size of an apartment filled with lush, tan carpet.  A large, cream-colored
leather sofa and chair were centered in the room and came with beautiful,
ornately carved side tables and there was a matching desk in the corner.  Slade
walked to the far side of the room and opened two French doors revealing another
room.

“This will be your room, Nicole.” He
pointed back across the room to another identical set of French doors, “That
will be my room.  Both have their own bathrooms so you won’t have to deal with
me in your space.”

Nicole looked around uneasily as she
twirled her finger around a curl, “I don’t mind getting my own room, Slade.  I
mean, you barely know me.  I can’t just let you pay for all of this just so I
have my privacy.”

Slade smiled, “It’s no problem at all,
plus it will make things easier for when I pick you up later.” He walked to the
table near the door, picked up a paper and then turned back to Nicole. “Here. 
I hope you don’t mind but I set up a few spa treatments to help you get over
the long flight.  I’ve some business to attend to but I’ll be back in time to
pick you up.” He handed her the paper then walked back to the door.

Nicole glanced down at the list of
treatments she would be receiving then back up at Slade’s beaming face.
“Ummm….Thank you, but I can’t accept all of this Slade.”

“You and your Alabama girl pride,” he
rolled his eyes. “This is my hotel so I’m free to use anything I want and since
you’re my guest you will receive the best,” he winked at her as he backed out
of the door. “Oh and if you need me just have me paged.  I won’t be far,” he
shut the door behind him.

Nicole sat down heavily into the
oversized leather chair, "Great, this is getting me nowhere.  I'm
surrounded by luxury with Mr. Money bags when I should be figuring out what to
do next." she sighed. 
I need somewhere private to test my powers
,
she thought. 
I also need to find Loch but how?  I don't know enough about
him do I?
She rubbed her temples as she tried to make a mental list of what
she did know:
 He wanted me to come to Ireland, he is very damn old, and
that most likely means he's powerful.

She sat up
straight in the chair as her mind worked toward a growing light of an idea. 
Powerful
means he has money.  After all, he sent a jet to retrieve me from Alabama so
that means he has lots of money and he must run in high class circles.  Circles
that could be at this cocktail party tonight
.  She smiled as she looked at
the list she had dropped onto the coffee table.  "Guess having a massage,
manicure, pedicure, and my hair and makeup done is all part of the job today."

**~***~**

Nicole lay face down as the massage
therapist kneaded the knots in her back.  She had to admit this was a wonderful
treat.  She sat through the manicure and pedicure, which she did enjoy but
having her legs, along with other places she didn’t plan on anyone seeing, get
waxed was a horrifying experience.  There were many moments when she thought of
punching the smug little woman who she suspected to be enjoying her whimpers
each time she ripped another sticky strip off her skin.  Nicole swore she saw
the esthetician smirk with each “yip” out of her mouth.

She exhaled deeply as the woman’s
fingers worked their magic on her tight muscles.  She began to relax, taking in
the smell of lavender incense and the sound of water flowing from a small fountain
in the corner of the room.  She closed her eyes and let her mind drift without
purpose.  Within seconds a vision started to form.  It was a haze at best but
it was the first sign she had gotten from her silent powers since leaving home
so she grabbed onto the image tightly.

Nicole tried to focus the vision but it
remained fuzzy and dark, it reminded her of looking through a dirty window at
dusk.  She could see the silhouette of a man with his back to her.  He was
standing behind a desk with a cell phone pressed against his ear.  His dark
hair and broad frame didn’t look familiar but the power that radiated from him
did.  She had felt a similar power the night her mind reading ability had
surfaced, ultimately ending the evening with her in the hospital.

She pressed her power harder trying to
hear the man’s words.  The energy warmed her veins as it pooled into her palms
—
a feeling she
had thought was lost to her just hours ago.  Jumbled words started to dance in
her ears, like she was flipping the dial on a radio.

“
Soon….this time
…
Don’t lose
her or you will regret it.
”  The last block of words was enough that she
knew he was talking about her.  The shadow of the man in her vision had to be
Loch.  She tried to latch on to the graying image, wanting to know more;  she
needed more time to look for clues to his location but the vision liquefied and
Nicole found herself listening to the soothing trickle of water again.

“Damn it,” she cursed punching the
massage table.  “Who was he talking to?”

“Oh, sorry Miss.  I didn’t mean to hurt
you,” The therapist whispered with wide eyes.

Nicole shook her head as she got off the
table, “Sorry about that.  Guess I just have too much on my mind to relax.” 
She looked down at her palms expecting them to be glowing with power but she
only saw normal hands.  Not even a tingle remained as proof that her energy had
been there.  She wrapped the sheet around her body then turned to the therapist
to apologize for her interruption.   The masseuse was busily cleaning up her
supplies and humming; obviously happy to move on to her next client.  Nicole
reached out with her power, trying to hear the woman’s thoughts but heard
nothing.  She sighed as she thought of the possibility that the vision was all
just in her imagination.

An hour later after all her spa services
were over, she made her way back to her room.  She had kept her appointment for
hair and makeup so she would be ready for the night without having to fight the
long curls she hated to style.  She let herself into the suite and started to
make her way to her room when a knock sounded on the door shortly after it
closed behind her.  She was instantly on edge, and tried to push her powers
outside the door to see if the visitor was friend or foe.  Reluctantly, Nicole
was forced to do it the old fashioned way and used the peephole when her magic
failed once again.

“I have a delivery for Miss. Keenan,”
came a voice through the door.

Nicole could see a teen boy in a red
bell hop uniform, holding a garment bag over his arm and a shoe box in his
hand.  She opened the door and smiled nervously, “I’m Miss. Keenan.”  Nicole
took the bag and box with her brows crumpled together, “I wasn’t expecting
anything.” The boy shrugged his shoulders and turned back down the hall.  He
didn't even hang around for a tip.