Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series)

by Wenona Hulsey

  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."

  "No, I know that. It would seem my brother has learned a few new forbidden tricks since the last time we were together," the venom when she said “brother” was thick in her mouth. Sage pushed herself up off the floor and walked to stand beside Nicole offering her a hand up.

  "What do you mean?" she asked as she took her hand and let Sage help her up. Standing beside her friend again gave her a small amount of confidence back. Up until that moment it felt like it had been years since she was near someone she cared about. Just a few days secluded from everyone had been weighing on her more than she had realized and, though the situation wasn't a good one, she was grateful to have Sage with her.

  “Centuries ago there were some dishonorable fae abusing certain powers. These fae were eventually punished and said powers became illegal for any other fae to use. The dishonorable ones were some barbaric fae who would use persuasion to gain power and, at their darkest and most destructive moments, to take the bodies of unwilling partners."

  Nicole's eyes widened as Sage's words started to make sense, "They would use their powers to rape women," she gasped. "Do you…I mean…you're not saying that Slade."

  "You would remember if he did. Your mind is half warrior and so far you have gotten every
good power of both warrior and fae. Meaning that if this theory holds true to this as well, you may not have been strong enough to not be affected by his power but you were strong enough to break the spell," she reached out and pulled Nicole into a hug. "I'm sure that he would want you to come to him willingly."

  Nicole nodded into Sage's shoulder as she processed the night that he had drank so much and tried to kiss her. It was like reliving a shameful moment that burned deep in her heart but she was sure that Sage was right.

  "I remember everything from that night and he definitely wants me to come willingly. He thinks that he and I will destroy the warriors then reign as king and queen of the Fae Kingdom."

  Sage hugged Nicole tight then stepped back to look her in the face, "That's my brother through and through. Always was stubborn about getting things he wants but he's crossed the line…again." She walked to the far wall and stared out the small barred window as silence filled the room.

  "Does his power affect you like it does me?" Nicole asked softly. She wasn't sure if that was an appropriate question to ask in the magical world. She didn't want to make Sage mad at her but she needed answers. The princess fae/warrior had learned the hard way that she had no real clue what she would be facing now that she was under Loch's roof. Not being rude was shoved aside as she was hard pressed to learn as much as she could in the little time she had left to prepare.

  Sage didn't face Nicole, but instead kept her gaze on the small ribbon of moon light filtering through the dirty glass and bars, "You know, when you’re a kid, even in the fairy world, everything is happy and the whole world is yours for the taking. You have dreams, you have friends and good times, but that's all you worry about. Slade and I were the same growing up. I loved and looked up to my big brother, he was my best friend." She turned toward Nicole slowly, wrapping her arms around herself then leaning against the wall. The beam of light reflected off the strands of silky black hair hiding Sage's face as she gathered her thoughts.

  "But once we became teens our power, like all fae, started to really develop and it began to drive a wedge between us. We both have the speed and strength that matched our parents but my telepathy was at a level unheard of in our family history. Not only could I hear thoughts but I could control others through their minds. Be it as simple as compelling someone into changing their views on a subject by tampering with their memories or as extreme as taking complete control of a person's body and have them walk up to their best friend and slit his throat."

  Nicole reached up and covered her neck with her hands as Sage's words took hold of her mind. She knew that her Gothic fairy friend looked dark and dangerous but she had thought it was all a play for attention, like a teenager with green spiked hair. Now she was looking at Sage in a whole different light.

  "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you Nicole," she said with a slight smirk. "It would seem a power of this kind found the right fae to live in because those few who have come close to touching this amount of energy used it for vain and selfish reasons. Ruining lives and destroying all that was good around them," she sighed deeply then brushed her hair away from her cheek with a black fingernail. "Slade, on the other hand, was gifted with the power to level the playing field. He can neutralize anyone's powers so no one can use them. I thought it was a wonderful gift but he despised it. He said the Gods were laughing at him and had spit in his face by give his power to a mere girl." The pain was easy to hear in Sage's voice though she was trying hard to seem unaffected by the memories.

  Nicole's own heart ached for her friend's hardship and ruined relationship with her brother. She had never known what it was like to have a sibling but she knew it hurt like hell to have Kat mad at her so she could imagine it was much worse with your own flesh and blood. "Is that when you stopped talking to Slade?"

  Sage nodded, "Pretty close. After a little while I thought things were getting better between us. He started coming around again and spending time talking to me but before long all talk turned towards my powers. Seems he thought he could learn how to create the power in himself if he could understand how it worked. He started dealing with shady people in the magical world, people you don't ever want to meet, let alone end up owing anything too. He tried to pry information from me but once I knew what he was up to I walked away from him." She gave Nicole a weak smile, "We haven't spoken in half a century."

  "I'm sorry Sage."

  "Don't be," she shrugged then reached into her back pocket and pulled out a tube of lipstick, "He chose his life and I've chose mine." Sage opened the gold cylinder and started smoothing the crimson color over her plump lips. Nicole had long ago come to think of that red as Sage's trademark color. The way it glowed against her pale white skin reminded her of a portrait by a skilled artist who only accented one piece of the puzzle and left the rest in black and white for the observer to interpret.

  "Well, I hope you have more than lipstick hidden on you if we are planning on breaking out of here."

  Sage capped her crimson lip paint then shrugged her shoulders, "Sorry, this is all I've got. You want some," she winked and blew a kiss in Nicole's direction.

  "No thank you," Nicole rolled her eyes as the playful Sage that she remembered started to surface. "Now what do we do? Please tell me you had a plan when you let that guard capture you," begged Nicole. She leaned against the wall and picked at the edge of her warn white t-shirt. The feeling of being confined was starting to close in on her with each second that ticked away while she was in the tiny room that served as her prison.

  Sage bit the edge of her lip and squinted her nose up slightly, "Well, it was kind of a split second decision on my part. I just knew I needed to be inside here with you but…no, I didn't really think much past getting here." She put her arm around Nicole giving her a hug. "But at least you're not by yourself anymore."

  Nicole giggled, "You and your bright sides." A moment of silence settled over the room as Nicole thought. "Is Luke alone?"

  "Yes. He and I have been trying to get to you—"

  The sound of approaching footsteps had both the women focusing on the door. Nicole could feel her body's reflexive reaction gravitate to the spot in her chest where her powers once lived but unfortunately came away without the slightest tingle of energy.

  The door slung open quickly and three muscle bound guards, dressed in all black military fatigues, came barreling inside. One took hold of Sage's arm and the other two guards each took one of Nicole's arms. Neither woman struggled; although Nicole was sure she heard Sage mumbling profanities under her breath as the goth fairy turned her attention on the hall outside of the doorway.

  "My dearest sister, how nice to see you again after all these years," Slade stood in the hall with his hands casually tucked in his pockets and a slight grin on his face.

  Sage tried to take a step forward but the guard pulled her to a stop, "If you weren’t blocking my powers right now I'd have these gorillas rip you to shreds but we all know that my big brother doesn't fight fair."

  Slade let out a deep, rumbling laugh, throwing his head back and revealing his perfectly white teeth, "Now that's the Sage I remember." He turned his attention to Nicole, "Love, we have an audience with Loch. I've gotten all the confusion straightened out for you so there's nothing to fear." He reached his hand out toward her, "You're not going to cause any trouble right?"

  Nicole studied his eyes for a moment. She starred into the depths of his ice blue orbs searching for hope that he was still on the side of the fairies and hadn't really joined up with Loch. With a heavy heart and a large lump in her throat she reached for Slade's hand. The guards released their hold but still kept a cautious eye on her every movement as they started down the hall. Nicole glanced behind to make sure that Sage was coming too and was met by the anger filled gaze of her friend. There hadn't been time to explain so Sage would just have to trust her.

  The pressure was eating away at Nicole as she walked fingers laced with a man whom she knew had his own motives for helpin
g her. She just couldn't be sure if he was on her side at all anymore. The warmth of his body heat next to her own was a torment, knowing that she couldn't ask questions even with them being this close to each other.

  Seeming to sense Nicole's turmoil Slade gave her hand a slight squeeze then began to trace small circles on her hand with his thumb. The sensation caused Nicole's stomach to knot even tighter as a confusing sense of longing started to tug at her heart.

  The group came to the top of the stairs that brought them out of the dark basement area and into the brightly lit and posh interior of the estate. Nicole was in awe of the exquisite oil paintings lining the eggshell colored walls. One in particular caused her to drag her feet as they passed so she could study it. It was of a beautiful woman with long flowing, brunette hair standing on a balcony that overlooked the sea. A white stone castle was perched on the edge of a high cliff but the beauty in the strokes of the masterful painter wasn't what held Nicole's attention: it was the look of deep sadness on the woman's face— a face that Nicole had seen in her dreams.

  "Nicole," Slade gave a gentle tug on her hand trying to encourage her to keep moving, "come on. We are expected and it would be very rude of us to be late." His voice was soft but firm.

  "Who is that woman?" Nicole asked, gesturing toward the painting with a nod.

  Sage spoke up, "Oh does she look familiar to you? She should and I pray to the Gods that you are half the woman she was," hissed Sage. "Queen Titania gave up everything to save the Fae Kingdom and I hope your grandmother didn't do it in vein."

  Sage's words shot threw Nicole's heart like ice cold daggers but before she could respond Slade turned to her, "That's enough out of you, sister. If you can't be quiet I'll send you back to the cell I just saved you from." He stood nose to nose with her in a battle of unspoken words until Sage took a step back but she did not try to mask the hate radiating from her. Slade nodded then started down the hall again, taking Nicole's hand in his just as they reached two large oak doors with guards standing at attention on each side.