As she landed on her feet a blue glow pulled her eyes up. A tall, sharp featured woman held her hands above her head calling a massive ball of water into an orb above her. Nicole bolted forward seeing her opening while the warrior was collecting her energy. Half way to her goal a red glow to her side caught her attention. It was Luke. He was running parallel with her across the field.
With a hard look he released the fire at her. Tossing her hand up, she sent an identical ball of fire knocking into his, sending it off course. Two more were right behind it so she prepared to release another as she ran but gorilla guy bolted in front of her making her stagger and trip as she tried to correct her path. Without a second thought she sent a blast of wind at the approaching orbs slapping them to the ground.
Struggling to pull herself from the ground she rolled to her stomach to try to get an eye on all her attackers. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Luke just before he released flames like a dragon's breath from his palms. Nicole froze unsure of what to do. She tried to right herself on her feet but the flames were getting close fast. There was no time to flee so she called wind to herself and created a shield around her body. The raging winds cut off her view of the world outside but she felt the heat of the flames as they tasted each inch of her barrier, dancing up one side and over the top casting an orange glow on the dirty gray walls around her. Just when she thought her idea was going to fail and that she was going to suffocate in the inferno it stopped. It was over.
With a relieved sigh Nicole set the winds free with a dismissive flick of her wrist. She pulled herself up on her knees and studied the area around her as the dust started to settle. The grass that had been inside of her protective ring was still vibrant and green but the area around her was black. Red embers glowed as small fires spread slowly across the field filling the air with gray smoke.
"What the hell was that," screamed Nicole as Luke walked towards her.
He cocked one eyebrow giving a smug look, "Training."
Nicole stood up dusting the dirt from her jeans and t-shirt, "You were trying to kill me! That was excessive."
"Do you think anyone is going to go easy on you in a real battle?"
"I don't think I'll have three people attacking me at once," she retorted.
"Three?" Luke laughed drily. "You couldn't handle three people attacking you."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Nicole asked placing her hands on her hips.
Luke took a step back with a smug smile stretching his lips. He pointed one finger up causing Nicole to look into the air just in time to see the giant orb of water floating above her head. She gasped as it opened up and dumped a waterfall of cold water over her, drenching her completely and, at the same time, putting out the remaining fires.
Luke's face twisted as he tried not to laugh but he couldn't contain it. He doubled over with amusement over Nicole's shocked face.
Nicole watched him enjoying her frustration until she had enough. While his eyes were on the ground she raked her hands through the air then lifted them above her head. Within seconds the water had beckoned to her call and a huge blue ball dangled dangerously close to Luke's head, "Hey tough guy," she purred in her sweetest voice grabbing Luke's attention.
Luke was still trying to contain his laughter when his face took on a stoic look, knowing that he had asked for what was coming, "Damn it," was all he muttered when the first drop of water hit him. The downpour drenched him to his skin and left him dripping.
Laughter erupted from behind them as the other two warriors came to stand beside Nicole.
"It would seem you have your hands full with this one, Luke," chuckled the bear like man as he patted Nicole on the back. "My name is Braden"
Nicole shook his hand then turned to receive a warm hug from the tall, slender woman, "I'm Harlo. Sorry about the bath but you looked like you could use something to cool you off," she joked.
Nicole looked down at her wet clothes then back a Harlo with a smile, "Next time a glass of tea will work just fine."
Luke chuckled as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, "You still have so much to learn." The air around him heated and steam started to rise from his clothes. He was using his fire like a dryer to evaporate the water from his body.
Nicole narrowed her eyes, "I can do that." Mimicking Luke's actions Nicole was happy to hear the hiss of water evaporating off her. After a moment she opened her eyes rubbing her hands along her clothes, "See, all dry." She gave Luke a smug wink.
"Only one little problem," retorted Luke. "You're shoes are on fire." He smiled and turned away.
"Oh crap!" Nicole danced out of her shoes then patted out the small flames that were working their way around the strings of her tennis shoes.
"When you're done playing we will get back to training," Luke called over his shoulder.
"Asshole," mumbled Nicole under her breath.
Luke turned on her, "You know if you'd keep your mind on the training this would go a lot smoother."
"My mind is on the training"
"To hell it is. When you're focused on defending yourself you let the guard down inside your head so all those thoughts of yours flow out for all hear. You're broadcasting your next move so loud you might as well give everyone a hand-out."
"This isn't easy, Luke." Nicole stepped up to him, toe to toe. "You don't know how hard it is to control this many abilities," she poked a finger against his chest as her temper started to reach its peak.
Grabbing her hand he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "It seems to me that you're worried about Slade. Lots of nice images of him keep popping up too." His words seeped with venom.
She yanked her hand back and didn't try to keep her voice low, "If you bothered to snoop long enough you would see that I'm worried about him and Sage. If you haven't noticed both of my friends have disappeared. You're jealousy is blinding you, Luke," she hissed
Without hesitation Luke pulled her into his arms and crushed his lips against hers. She pressed against him roughly at first then as the seconds ticked by her anger melted into desire. The tension had been too much to bear for both of them.
Luke ended the kiss leaving her breathless. He leaned his head against her forehead, "I'm sorry I'm such a fool but it's your fault."
Nicole's eyed him confused, "My fault?"
He smiled her favorite one sided smirk, "Loving you has made me this way."
Nicole giggled, "Maybe you should find a good therapist." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he hugged her tight.
"Nope, all I need is you." He kissed her lips again but this time it was soft and tender.
Nicole's heart felt full to the point of bursting while she was wrapped in Luke's strong arms. She wanted to stay like this forever but just as the thought drifted through her dreamy haze Luke's muscles went stiff where her arms were wrapped around his neck.
"Nicole, can I talk to you?"
Nicole spun around to see Slade standing at the edge of the field. His face was hard and his forehead lined as he glared past her to Luke, "Slade," She gasped in surprise as she walked over to where he stood. When his eyes met hers she could see genuine worry in his features, "What's wrong?"
"Have you seen Sage?"
Nicole's heart sank, "Not since before the ball, why?"
He ran a hand across the back of his neck, "I heard that she was sent out on a mission but…" his voice trailed off.
"But what?"
"I asked Moyer when she would be returning and he didn't know she was gone."
Nicole's brows crumpled together, "What does that mean?"
Luke walked up placing a hand on Nicole's shoulder, "I wanted to tell you after today's training but it's true, Moyer told me the same thing when I asked."
She shrugged off his hand and stepped away from him, "You knew and didn't tell me? Why would you do that?"
"You have enough on you already and very little time to focus on your training, Nicole. Plus it could be the truth that the queen sent her on a m
ission."
Slade snorted, "I doubt that. She doesn't dirty her hands with things outside of this realm." He turned to Nicole, "Can you reach her mind?"
"No, I tried already." Her heart was pounding, "What does that mean?"
Slade shook his head, "Only two things, either she's locked in the dungeon or—" his emotions choked off his words. He took a deep breath, "Let's just try to find her before we let our minds jump to anything else."
"Where do we start," asked Nicole.
"We go down to the dungeon of the castle and have a look."
"It's not that simple," whispered Luke as he looked back toward Harlo and Braden who had taken a seat under the shade of a tree at the far end of the field. "The dungeon is guarded."
Slade started walking away with Nicole on his heels, "You managed to help your dear ol' dad out of there once so I'm sure that getting us inside should be easy for you."
Nicole turned back in time to see Luke's concerned scowl turn into a pained grimace thanks to Slade's reminder that he had set Loch loose from that same prison years ago. He had suffered both mental and physical torment due to that one mislead act of family loyalty. Nicole thought about the jagged scars that covered Luke's back. He had been whipped continuously for days in an attempt to lure Loch back but it turned out that Loch wasn't as loyal to his son as Luke had been to him. He didn't return and if Queen Titania hadn't come out from hiding when she did he would have been killed.
Nicole shook the heartbreaking thoughts from her mind then reached for Luke's hand, "Please, Luke. Do it for Sage."
He pulled her fingers to his lips and kissed her knuckles, "I'll do it for you."
**~***~**
The group entered through the kitchen of the castle. The modern day stainless steel appliances and bustling staff of cooks seemed out of place to Nicole compared to the ancient and magical world portrayed by the outward appearance of the fairy realm. She wondered if the need for technology was due to the thinning powers of the race or if it was just to fill a want for the queen.
Nicole followed Luke and Slade through the large, busy kitchen without much more than a glance being passed between them and the cooks preparing lunch. They took a right when they emerged into the hallway and tried to walk casually down the passage.
A knot was forming in Nicole's stomach with each step deeper into the castle. A mixture of anxiety from not knowing what would be waiting for them when they made it to the dungeon and guilt for not trying to find Sage sooner was eating away at her, "What's the plan?"
Luke placed his hand on the small of her back urging her to keep moving, "We keep acting like nothing is up—after all, we do belong in this place, then we talk to the guard."
"Wow, you just made that sound really simple. Why didn't I think of this plan," Nicole rolled her eyes but kept her pace with Luke. "But how do we get past the guard?"
"For once would you please trust me?"
A strength and confidence radiated from him in a way that Nicole hadn't seen since the night they were fighting to save Kat's life at the airfield. Sometimes she let herself forget that he lived for moments like this. Now she understood why her great grandmother had chosen Luke to guard her bloodline. He was unwavering and unfazed in the face of danger in the way that true warrior should be.
Nicole nodded then fell in behind him as the hallway started to descend down a staircase. The walls were the original cold stone on this level and there weren't any touches of remodeling that Nicole could see outside of the long, florescent light fixtures that were dotted along the ceiling. She could feel the growing pin dot in her head that told her a warrior was not far ahead.
Luke held out a hand signaling Slade and Nicole to stop, "I need a minute. Wait here until I call."
"But--" Nicole started to protest but Slade took her hand so she stopped where she was.
Slade gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "Let him go. He knows what he's doing."
Luke glanced back at Slade and Nicole's intertwined fingers then gave Slade a nod, "Keep her close."
When Luke disappeared around the corner Nicole leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Her heart felt as though it had taken up residence in her throat causing her to swallow hard. Her anxiety was tripled by the fact that she was left hand in hand with Slade who had tried to kiss her the last time they were left alone.
"Nicole," Slade whispered.
She could feel the heat of his breath on her neck but she kept her eyes closed, "What?"
"You're breaking my fingers," he chuckled.
"Oh," she let him pull his hand away and watched as he rubbed along each finger to ease the pain. "Sorry."
"Don't forget," he pulled out the large silver medallion from inside his shirt, "with this thing on I'm only as strong as a human. Even my immortality is forfeited if I was to be severally wounded." His words were soft but serious.
"It must be hard on you to not have your power while you're here. I know it almost drove me insane when you held mine away from me."
A small regretful smile touched his face, "I should have never done that to you but I hope you understand it was only for my undercover persona, not because I truly wanted to hurt you.”
Nicole took a deep breath and let it out. She found herself wondering who was the real Slade but his apology had lifted a small amount of the weight from her shoulders. She gave him a warm smile then leaned her head back to listen for Luke. She let her mind stretch out to the pull that was uniquely his in her mind. He was still and she could hear his mind spinning ideas of what to implant in the warrior's head as he got closer to his destination.
"So that's his plan," she laughed.
"Hey, Luke's fine but us on the other hand," Slade looked back down the hall in the direction they had just come. "Why don't you scan the castle and see if anyone is onto us."
Nicole closed her eyes again and began to urge her power farther out. With each growing wave she picked up more and more minds. Thoughts of working staff reached her loudly. One was worried about dusting the massive chandelier in the throne room while another was half thinking about the bed she was making while she dreamed of a young man who lived next to her family.
She ran along some warriors as she pulsed outward, most were focused on making their rounds along the perimeter walls of the castle while a few where thinking normal guy stuff like projects around the house and getting home to his family. The thoughts made her shake her head. For a magical kingdom, it seem very much normal, almost like home. It was filled with people just like her small Alabama town was, all trying to carve out a living for themselves and their families.
The thought of family had a sudden plan come to her mind. She needed to get Kat and James away from this realm right now. Everything felt wrong. As if the kingdom wasn't safe for her let alone her dad and best friend. She pressed out searching for the mind of Rhys because she knew he wouldn't hesitate to protect them. After a moment his mind became clear as he was consumed with a thought about how beautiful Kat was.
For the first time Nicole actually felt herself blushing from hearing the private thoughts of someone. She noticed Slade was watching her curiously, "Ummm, I've got a plan to get Dad and Kat out of here. Give me a second." She waved him off and stepped back down the hall a few feet so she could concentrate. Rhys, can you hear me, she called out inside her own mind.
Ey, I can princess, His old Irish accent was thick even in the voice of his thoughts.
I need you to sneak Kat and Dad out of this realm. It's not safe for them here.
What do I tell ye father?
Tell him…I love him. That was all she could think to say. There were no guaranties that she would be coming home, no promise of a reunion in a few days nor was there another way. They had to leave without her. I'm depending on you to keep them safe, Rhys. Don't fail me.
Ey, princess.
With that, she closed the connection between them just in time to hear Luke, It's clear. Come on.
"Let's go," She
fell in behind Slade as they made their way down the musky, dim corridor. When she made the turn she stopped gaping at the guard laying in the floor, "What did you do to him?"
Luke was blocking a door open with a metal folding chair, "I needed the chair so I told him to take a nap on the floor."
"Okay," she stared down at the man snoring on the floor then back at Luke. "Is Sage in there?"
"Yes but the dungeon is charmed just like Slade's necklace so powers are useless inside there."
Nicole started past the door without a second thought. Sage was inside and that's all that mattered, powers or not, she was getting her out.
"Hey," Luke stopped her, "One of us needs to stand guard."
"I'll do it," said Slade.
"No offense, but you're already powerless so it has to be me." Luke kissed Nicole's cheek, "Be fast, no matter what kind of shape she's in, you have to be fast."
Chills danced up Nicole's spine. The sense of urgency was clear in Luke's words. She could tell there was something he wasn't saying but there wasn't time to talk now.
"In and out, gotcha." She walked past the threshold of the doorway and immediately felt her powers drain away like her very soul was being pulled from her body but she pressed on down the small set of stairs that ended on a dirt covered floor.
The room was dimly lit by small rays of sunlight creeping through one long, narrow window near the ceiling. The stench of the room assaulted Nicole's nose with a smell that intensified with each disturbed grain of dirt beneath her shoes. A few steps in and her eyes fell on a heap under dangling chains.
"Sage," she whispered as her feet froze and refused to move forward. Slade rushed past Nicole and dropped to his knees by his sister's side. He attentively brushed strands of her black hair off her forehead. Nicole could hear him whispering his sister's name again and again building in desperation with each attempt to rouse her from slumber. He didn't have to say the words for Nicole to understand. Sage was dead.
Chapter 19
Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series) Page 16
