by Angel Lawson
“Did you always know about mom being Sidhe?”
“Not at first, but when things became serious she told me the truth.”
“Just like that? So easily?”
“We loved one another and had no plans to separate so she had little choice. She couldn’t leave the portal so I stayed with her. I never realized how dangerous it was for the two of you until she was killed.”
“Why didn’t you just tell me?”
“I was afraid,” he confessed, looking down at his wrinkled hands. “I asked Liam to hide you from that world.”
“Which he only did because of the guilt he had over mother’s death.”
Pop’s eyes narrowed and his face turned red. “He should feel guilty. It was his job to protect her and he didn’t. It’s his fault.”
“I don’t believe Liam didn’t do his best.”
“His best wasn’t good enough, and I refused to allow the same to happen to you.”
“So you hid me away from both worlds, tying me to the airport, to a life with no friends or dates. You had no right, and because of your fear I could have been killed.” Feeling bitter I added, “Liam didn’t fail me that time, did he? He’s the reason I’m alive.”
“Liam Caldwell is a dangerous man. He brings death and destruction to all things. Stay away from him, Nadya.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I said. “And you’re no longer making these decisions about my life. I allowed it to go on longer than necessary because I felt bad about mother, but not anymore.”
“Nadya, I am only trying—“
“No, Pop. Listen to me,” I said carefully. “I love you and will continue to stay with you, because this is our home, but I am an adult and you’re not in control of my life, do you understand?”
“Yes.” He sighed and I noted how he looked several years older than he did just a few days before. “I still think you’re making a mistake.”
“That’s what growing up is all about, making mistakes and growing from them. I’m ready to grow up, Pop, and you can’t stop me.”
***
When I returned to work, everything looked normal, other than the eerily calm portal hovering over the airport. It looked normal but obviously that wasn’t true. My entire life had been tossed upside down.
I settled behind my counter and looked over the schedule. Deep breaths, I told myself. It was just work, no soldiers were going to fall from the sky. No battles or ancient fights over land. Just when I was about to have a meltdown over the whole thing, Colleen waved from her spot in the diner. She held up the coffee pot that I took as a gesture of peace. I found my cup and nodded.
“How are you?” she asked, pouring the steamy hot liquid into my cup. The scent was strong and strangely, it grounded me.
“Good, I guess. At least physically.”
“That healing thing is pretty handy.”
“Can you do it?”
She shook her head. “Nope, that’s pretty unique for you and Liam.”
Silence bloomed between us other than the typical noises of the airport. Everything was weird. Colleen was my friend but she’d kept a lot from me. How could I reconcile that? Finally I said, “I told him we had to take things slow.”
Her lips twisted in amusement. “Oh yeah? How did that go over?”
“I’m not sure he has any choice.”
“Good girl,” she said, this time with a genuine smile. “You’ll figure all this out, Nadya, and if you need any help I’ll be right here. Like always.”
Colleen walked back to the snack area. A flash of light passed over the front window and a shiver ran down my arms. Liam was on the flight list for today. He would be flying out as though everything was normal. I wanted to laugh. As if anything was ever going to be normal again.
Colleen called out, “Read me your horoscope.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m dying to hear what it says.”
I picked up the paper and flipped past the front page with photos of the storm that rolled through two nights ago. The city was still cleaning up.
“Okay here we go: Although close partnerships may be on your mind today, you're not satisfied with simply meeting your commitments. You want to increase the intensity and depth in your intimate interactions, and won't be completely satisfied until you do. But don't place all your hopes in one basket or you could miss out on the possible pleasure that's right in front of your nose. Cultivating your relationships methodically creates the environment necessary for the kind of emotional connections you crave.”
Colleen raised her eyebrow and I folded the paper back up, shoving it under the counter. The front door opened and Liam walked through it, clean and unblemished. Like he’d never fought an epic battle two days ago. Or that he and I hadn’t shared a level of intimacy that went beyond the laws of nature. He wore his same dark pants and dark sweater. His leather jacket was still looked smooth and expensive. His bag hung easily over his shoulder. Everything about this moment was the same as every other moment he’d walked through that door. I pulled out my clipboard and checked the weather for the day. For the first time since I met Liam Caldwell I was confident that today would be a different day.
I was right.
Chapter 14
Nadya
The bag swayed reluctantly in front of me, heavy with sand. Sweat pooled on the floor beneath my feet. My sweat, specifically, produced from endless hours of training inflicted by Colleen at Liam’s instruction. He’d notified me that I was “weak” and had the muscle tone of a “twelve-year-old-boy” before tossing me a new pair of sneakers and workout clothes that left little to the imagination.
Sometimes I suspected my father was right, that Liam Caldwell was very dangerous. Just not in the way he thought.
“Five more minutes,” Colleen shouted. I pounded away on the punching bag, arms wobbly like jelly. Colleen lived three doors down from an old-school gym on Main Street. A sparring ring stood in the middle of the gym and there wasn’t an elliptical machine in sight. To my dismay, the owner thought Colleen was an amateur boxer and gave her unlimited access to the equipment. This allowed us to come and go at all hours of the day and night.
“I hate you,” I spat, wiping my forehead. Insults only encouraged her, but it was the only thing I had left. Insults and crying, which I planned to do later that night in the safety of my own bed.
“Is all of this even necessary?” I asked on the way out the door. My clothes were drenched in sweat and I smelled like the inside of an athlete’s gym bag. “I don’t get why turning me into a warrior is so important. You guys are in charge of guarding the portal. Not me.”
“All Sidhe learn basic fighting skills as a child. It’s time you caught up. Plus, the extent of your impact on the community is still unknown. You should know how to protect yourself if you’re ever alone.”
I snorted. “That’s unlikely. I haven’t had a moment to myself in weeks.”
“Liam thinks that testing you will be the best way to figure out your exact abilities.”
I was pretty sure my abilities were nothing more than being able to see glimpses of the past, which so far hadn’t been very helpful other than to prove everyone around me was a liar. Oh and the weird bond-connection I had with Liam which felt more like some sort of strange sex curse than anything else. “What if I don’t have any grand abilities?”
“All Sidhe have abilities—to some extent. Sure, some are weaker than others, and some—like Liam or the royals—have extreme power.”
“What kind of power?”
“Most draw from the elements. Water or fire. Some use materials from the earth, like being able to infuse magic into precious metals. Others can take plants and turn them into potions. There’s really no limit. Sidhe have the ability to charm and manipulate, use glamours to change the environment or compel others. It’s why you always have to be on the alert. Anyone could be a threat. Like you. All you have to do is touch someone and you can read their past.”
&n
bsp; “Yeah, like that’s scary.”
“It is! The Sidhe operate on half-truths. Someone like you can cut away all of that and extract the real story.”
“Maybe,” I said, trying to wrap my head around everything.
Colleen dodged a group of inebriated men and women walking down the sidewalk toward a waiting cab. “Drunk humans are the best humans,” she declared, watching them laugh and stumble their way home. Her tiny efficiency apartment was located directly over a crappy bar. This suited her fine, she said, since she required little sleep and the humans below amused her with drunken antics. “It’s a little bit like being back home.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“Otherworld is famous for its parties and feasts. Spirits flow freely, as well as magic-infused potions and sweets. The kings and queens hold court and the goal is for everyone to have a good time.”
“So this happens often?” I’d told Liam when we first met that I wanted to go to Otherword and see where my mother was from. So far he was opposed to the idea. Like everything else that sounded fun.
“If you live in Otherworld it’s common, but that is not the life of a Sidhe Guard, though. We’re sent to Earth where it’s all work and no play.”
“So you’re implying I’m no fun to be around? Because that wicked grin on your face when I’m crying in pain makes it seem like you’re having an awesome time.”
She gave me a sideways look. “I don’t enjoy your pain, Nadya, but I do know it’s good for you.”
I stopped near the corner of her building. The bar had closed an hour before and the street was dark and deserted. “It’s not my fault I’m exhausted all the time. I’ve never worked out this much in my life.” I pushed up my sleeve and revealed the long row of bruises. Dark purple ones covered lighter fading ones from earlier. I had bruises on bruises. “My entire body looks like this. All I want to do is eat and sleep.”
“There’s a way to fix that, you know.”
“No, there isn’t.”
“Yes, there is.”
“It’s not an option.”
“Why isn’t using Liam to heal you an option? Better than a bottle of extra strength aspirin and that disgusting smelly stuff you keep rubbing all over your body.”
“Because I don’t need him to fix me,” I said. I didn’t add that I had the feeling these intense workouts were just another way for him to get me in a compromising position, make me come crawling to him. He wished.
“I thought you would have learned your lesson by now that part of being Sidhe is the need to feed and that regular people food isn’t going to cut it. You need Liam whether you like it or not. It’s okay if you use him to heal your body. I’m sure he’d understand any conditions you set.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, I bet he would—“
My sentence was cut short by a sharp whack against the back of my knees, and I collapsed forward, scraping my knees. Recovering quickly, I spun to face my attacker. His face was cloaked by a dark hood, but I saw the glint of a blade near his hip. We jockeyed, dancing in a tight circle before I kicked him twice, once in the knee and the other on the hip, hoping to knock him off balance. He lunged instead.
“Colleen,” I cried but a quick glance to the alley confirmed that, she was fighting another attacker. Looking for her had been a mistake. I lost time and felt the tips of the blade graze my side as they caught the fabric on my jacket, shredding it like tissue.
My attacker was fast and big; even in better conditions it wouldn’t have been a fair fight. With the sound of my own wheezing breath and the fight behind me clamoring in my ears, I made one last attempt at his weak spots, jabbing at his knees and eyes. A leather gloved hand caught my wrist and spun me around, capturing me against his body.
“Do it,” I dared him, wincing at the pain in my side. “I’m not afraid.”
“Do what?”
The voice rolled over me like honey and ignited a fire to the low lying anger simmering in my veins.
“Bastard!” I yelled, lifting my foot and slamming my heel down as hard as I could. At the same time I rammed my elbow into his gut, spinning to kick him directly in the balls. He regained his balance just in time to avoid my assault but not fast enough to keep the hood over his head.
Liam Caldwell rubbed his stomach and grimaced. “Better,” he declared. He was so freaking smug. “But I could have killed you ten times over.”
“And I could have mangled your balls for the rest of eternity. You’re lucky I realized it was you before I unleashed my wrath.”
“I’d like to see your wrath someday,” he snorted. “And if you mangle my, uh, man parts, there’s only one way to fix that and I’m pretty sure you’re not ready for those consequences.”
I thought about how healing Liam involved touching his body and running my hands over his flesh. The familiar buzz of energy rolled through me at the thought. Healing and feeding equaled increased power between the two of us. The more we fed, the stronger we became, to the extent, Liam theorized, we could possibly become invincible. A chill ran down my spine.
Okay. Right. No mangling.
I tried to make a snappy comeback but I felt a little dizzy. My fingers brushed the rough brick wall for support but slipped. “Nadya!” I heard Liam call through a foggy haze.
“Come quick,” he called, and I heard footsteps pound against the pavement. My eyelids felt like weights so I let them close and fell into a deep, heavy sleep.
***
I woke flat on my back, staring at the cracked and peeling ceiling in Colleen’s apartment.
“Hey.” I propped myself up and found Liam’s concerned green eyes. Yellow daylight slashed into the room through the edge of the curtains. “Wait, what time is it?” I asked.
“Eleven.”
“In the morning?” I fumbled with the blanket, but Liam had already moved to the end of the couch and stopped me. “I’ve been asleep since last night?”
“Yes.”
“Crap.” I rubbed my eyes. “I’m late to work.”
“I notified your father that you wouldn’t be in today.”
“I’m sure that went over well.” The room tilted sideways and spun in a circle. “Whoa.”
“Rest. You’re dehydrated and exhausted. Plus those cuts on your side are worse than I’d intended. I’m sorry.”
I didn’t argue. I wasn’t really sure I could without passing out again or puking. “Colleen’s been kicking my ass lately.”
“I take responsibility for that. I pushed you too far, too quickly.” He picked up my hand and a warm tingling sensation rippled through my body. I eyed him warily, taking in his soft, pink lips. One taste and I would feel a thousand times better. “Let me help you, Nadya.”
I felt the tacky blood on my ribcage. “You didn’t do anything while I was out of it? Not even any of that sleeping mojo?”
“No. I won’t heal or touch you without permission again. But please let me heal you now.”
His proposal was no different than asking a junkie if they wanted a fix. God yes, I wanted it more than I could express. But like an addiction, there had to be a downside to this, even if I hadn’t figured out what it was yet. Liam’s eyes darted downward as my tongue wet my lips. “Only to make the cuts and bruises go away,” I said. “My father will freak out if he sees those.”
Liam leaned close and ran his finger over the purple spots on my arms. They turned red and then back to the normal pale white of my skin. I lay flat on my back and lifted my shirt, just enough for him to take care of the cuts. “You got a little rough with that blade,” I said. I felt his warm breath first, then his lips as they kissed the wounds.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I just want you to be ready for the next fight.”
I inhaled and my fingers gripped the edge of the cushion. Every kiss sent waves of energy through my body and as my body healed, my strength returned. My fingers wove into the fabric of Liam’s shirt and I pulled him from my belly closer to my face. “This w
ill never be easy for us will it?”
“It’s only as difficult as you want to make it.” His nose brushed against mine and his hair tickled my forehead. His mouth opened again, ready to speak, something smart I suspected from the glint in his eye.
“Don’t ruin this,” I suggested, stopping whatever asinine comment he wanted to make with my lips. Energy boiled between us, like a hit of meth to a junkie. He had me. He knew it. I knew it.
As much as I wanted to, I didn’t care.
Chapter 15
Liam
Nadya’s body repaired quickly, perhaps faster than my own. There were no signs of our fight and the ongoing effects of her workouts had vanished. The connection lingered long after we’d completed feeding, and I felt the bond between us stretch and pull as she left my car and entered her house.
I couldn’t deny the impact feeding with Nadya had on my own body. After a lifetime of using standard fae feeders that I did not share a bond with, the experience with Nadya was hard to define. Her energy made me faster, stronger and more powerful than before. With each encounter our power increased. I wanted to push the limits and eventually, Nadya would, too.
“Is my schedule ready?” I asked Mrs. Graves when I entered the house.
“You need to be at the airport at 4 PM to assist in a transport,” she said, following me to my office with a tray of tea and two local papers. I picked up one on top and noticed the bend at the corner of the paper. She’d already read through them.
“Anything out of the ordinary?” I asked.
“Nothing in particular that could be attributed to unaccounted-for Sidhe activity, but right now is not the time to be lax. I did find this interesting.” She pointed to a small article on the right side of the paper. “A dozen windows broken on two different homes on Barnes Street.”
“Sounds like vandalism.”
“Possibly. The police found no rocks or signs of trespassing.”
