by Laura Lee
Ah crap, he was totally pissed. Not only did he rarely curse, but his British accent rarely came out. At worst, his sentences were punctuated by it. Right then, it sounded like he walked straight out of Parliament. Clearly, my previous statement about his emotions was incorrect.
I took a deep breath. "Leo, I'm sorry. I don't mean to continuously bring the subject up; I just feel so bad because you're suffering and I can't do anything about it."
"Can't? Or won't?"
"Can't," I insisted. "Not now...not after everything that's happened over the past few weeks. I'm still so...raw."
He reached over and enveloped my hands with his own. "My love, let's agree to disagree on this. I don't want to spend my time with you fighting about things that neither one of us are willing to change." He pulled my hand towards him and kissed the inside of my left wrist. "Can you do that? Will you do that?"
"Yeah, I guess I can—"
"Excuse me, sir," Brooke interrupted as she handed over his scotch. "The captain asked me to tell you that we're beginning our descent into Dublin. We should be on the ground in about twenty minutes. Is there anything else I can get you?"
Leo cleared his throat. "No, that will be all. Thank you."
"Very well." She disappeared behind the galley door, giving us privacy.
"Leo, I—"
He held up his hand, prompting me to stop. "My sweet, please let's end the discussion. I'd like to rest a bit before we land." He leaned back and closed his eyes.
I decided to do the same and before I knew it, the wheels were touching down on the ground.
The co-pilot opened the door for us just as a small set of stairs was being connected to the plane. Leo and I descended the steps, officially setting foot on foreign soil. It was dark, so I couldn't see much more than the main building with planes parked at each gate. The air was chilly and filled with mist, causing me to shiver. The ground attendant handed something to Leo, which he promptly placed over my shoulders. It was a wool shawl that I was incredibly thankful for at the moment.
A short man with a light complexion came up to me, tipping his hat in greeting. “'Oweya, love? Ya look tired; let me take yer bags for ya.” It took me a moment to translate through his thick brogue. How are you, love? You look tired, let me take your bags for you. “That's yer car,” he said, jutting his chin to the right. “Why don't ya take a load aff?” That’s your car. Why don’t you take a load off? Hmm. English, but not English.
The man loaded our bags into the car. Leo had arranged for a nondescript black midsize sedan that was very un-Leo like. He was addicted to fast and flashy when it came to cars. I raised an eyebrow in question.
Easily reading my thoughts, he said, "The majority of the roads in this country were built for horses or are in poor repair, making them difficult to navigate with a larger or sportier vehicle. Not to mention the fact that we will need to be discreet, and a more ostentatious vehicle would not allow us to do so."
"Makes sense." I made my way to the car, wanting to get away from the chill that soaked into my bones. I opened the passenger side door and found myself staring at the driver's seat. I was such a dumbass; I knew better. Habit, I supposed.
Leo chuckled as he opened the actual passenger door. “It’ll probably be easier to let me drive, my dear.”
I tried to cover my blunder. “Go for it. I’d like to look around anyway.” His only response was another laugh.
We headed straight for the motorway after a brief lecture on some electronic toll system that was spread throughout the country. There was heavy construction outside of the airport leading towards the city center, but Leo navigated the roads like a pro. Driving on the opposite side of the vehicle and roadways was clearly not a problem for him. The highway bled into rows of older, brick buildings on both sides, with large cathedrals interspersed throughout.
Before I knew it, we were passing the iron gates of Trinity College. I’d almost signed up for a study abroad program during school, so I’d know this building anywhere. It was a gray brick behemoth decorated with intricately detailed pillars. Its most recognizable feature was a blue Roman clock centered inside a triangular roof truss. Directly below that at ground level, was an arched wooden door. I knew from my research, courtesy of Google, that the main courtyard was located right behind it. The intersection out front was incredibly congested, even at this late hour. It reminded me of Vegas a bit with the heavy mix of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. That was where the similarities ended though; this was a completely different world.
Our hotel was located directly across the way, in the heart of the city. Leo pulled up to the curb as a valet ran out to meet us. “Good evening, sir. Are you checking in?”
Leo stepped out of the car and handed the keys over. “Yes, we are. Our bags are in the back.”
“Very well, sir.” The valet popped the trunk and began unloading our luggage onto the sidewalk as a bellman transferred everything to a rolling cart. The valet handed Leo a claim ticket and said, “Dial this number for valet reception whenever you require your vehicle. We will have it waiting for you.” He nodded towards the bellman. “Sean here will take your bags for you.”
Leo took the card and shook his hand. I was pretty sure he was doing that discreet tipping thing he was so good at. “Thank you.” As he opened my door he asked, “My love, are you ready?”
I took his hand and joined him. “Let’s go.”
The bellman followed us over to the front desk and waited for us to check in. Not surprisingly, Leo had reserved the Presidential Suite. We took the elevator, or the lift, as they called it, up to the top floor. After he opened the double doors, Sean rolled our luggage inside and began to offload everything into the master bedroom, as Leo had instructed. Making his way back out front, he asked, “Is there anything else I can do for you?” At least that’s what I think he said. It sounded more like, “Is dare anythin’ else oi can doo for yer?”
Leo did the handshake/tip thing again. “No, that will be all, Sean. Thank you.” He closed the door and looked towards the master bedroom. “There’s an extra bedroom for me adjacent to the loft upstairs.”
“Wait, what? I’m not taking the master. It’s all yours.”
Leo briefly walked into the bedroom and came out with his suitcase in hand. “Nonsense.”
“Nonsense?” I repeated. “What the hell kind of reply is that?”
He walked over to an end table in the seating area, picked up a leather-bound book, and flipped through the pages. “Would you like something from room service?”
That was Leo’s way of saying that it was not open for discussion and I should choose my battles wisely. I didn’t feel strongly enough about our sleeping arrangements to push it any further. Fine by me if he wanted to take the smaller room; you couldn’t say I didn’t offer. I looked at the clock on my phone and quickly calculated the time difference. It was almost midnight in Dublin but only mid-afternoon in Vegas. I contemplated calling Erica but decided against it when I thought about our last conversation. She was mourning the betrayal and subsequent loss of her husband, Jake. Add in raging pregnancy hormones and you had a recipe for an emotional train wreck. I tried being supportive, but she’d pushed me away. She’d turned to Vance instead because she said I reminded her of everything she’d lost. She didn’t think Jake would have ever come into her life had Maria not been obsessed with orchestrating such an elaborate revenge scheme. Erica resented me for pulling her into it. The truth was that Maria got her involved, not me, but she wasn’t exactly thinking rationally in her state, and there wasn’t much I could do about it. She’d said she needed time, so time was what I was going to give her, whether I liked it or not. I wasn’t going to risk losing my best friend because I wanted things to be on my terms.
“No, I think I’ll just take a shower and hit the hay,” I replied. “I’m pretty wiped out from the flight.”
He walked up to me, cradled my head in his hands, and kissed me on the forehead. “Sleep we
ll, my sweet.” He nodded towards the circular staircase. “I’ll be upstairs if you need me for anything.”
His words were harmless enough, but the intent behind them was anything but. He wasn’t the only Empath in the room. My psychic abilities were becoming more pronounced as I approached immortality. Reading emotions had become almost second nature at that point, and Leo’s emotions were screaming lascivious thoughts that made me shiver from the intensity. “Uh…okie dokie.”
Leo’s chuckle echoed throughout the room as he climbed the stairs. “Goodnight, Karli.”
“N-night.”
All righty, cold shower it is!
I woke up the next morning smelling something wonderful, and went out into the living area to investigate. Leo was pacing the room, speaking to someone on the phone. He pulled out a chair at the small dining table and gestured for me to sit. I took a seat and surveyed my options. There were several dishes spread out but one in particular caught my eye. It was piled high with thick strips of grilled meat that looked like they belonged in my mouth. I grabbed a piece and rolled my eyes back into my head as I took the first bite. “Omigod, I think I have to change my panties.”
“What did you say about panties, my love?” Leo joined me at the table.
Shit, did I say that aloud? “Uh…this is really good. Any idea what it is?”
He smirked. “It’s bacon. I thought you liked bacon.”
“I do,” I managed to say around a mouthful of deliciousness, “but this is not bacon. This is heaven.”
He laughed. “I assure you, my dear that is bacon. They cut it from a different part of the pig over here.”
I shoved two more pieces in my mouth. “Well, if that’s true, I’m ruined for crappy American bacon forever. I can’t go back to that after this.”
He grinned as he pushed a bowl of fruit towards me. “Try this.”
I scooped out some honeydew and took a bite. Juices and flavor exploded in my mouth like the Fourth of July. “Sooo sooo freaking good!”
He smiled as he popped a piece of cantaloupe into his mouth. As a vampire, Leo didn’t need to eat food, but he enjoyed the taste of sweet things like fruit or chocolate. “It’s because the food is fresher than you’re used to.” He took another bite. “Where have you traveled before here? You had a passport, so I assumed you’ve experienced some other cultures already.”
I took a bite of steel cut oats swirled with an incredible red berry concoction. “I went to Cancun one year during spring break. There was no culture involved during that trip; just drinking. Lots and lots of drinking.”
“Well, lucky for you, I happen to enjoy traveling. We’ll have to work on adding some stamps to your book.”
“Really?” I murmured around the spoon in my mouth. God, I really wasn’t concerned about table manners right then, was I?
He pulled the spoon out of my mouth and placed it back in the bowl. He waited until I swallowed before leaning across the table and placing a chaste kiss on my lips. “Of course.”
I blushed. “Um…thanks?” I reached for a piece of toast and began spreading butter on top. Needing to steer this conversation away from his lips I asked, “Who were you talking to when I came out?”
“Takk.” Leo’s longtime assistant. He is a werewolf and can take care of any business during daytime hours or provide backup security if need be.
“What did he have to say?”
“He’s tying up some loose ends for me in Vegas before he boards the plane to Dublin in a few hours.”
“He’s coming to Ireland? Why?”
“I’m still waiting to hear from several contacts about the legitimacy of this portal. I need Takk close by to act as my proxy in case I need to meet someone during the day.”
I thought about the chapter in my book that mentioned the portal. It listed its exact location. “Why can’t we just use the coordinates from the book?”
“My love, that passage could be a decoy in case the book ever got into the wrong hands. I’m not going to let you run off half-cocked into what could be a trap.”
“Oh. Good call. Sorry, I didn’t even think about that.” And now I felt like a complete dumbass.
“There’s no need to apologize,” he insisted. “The book does indeed appear to be a genuine Fae artifact, and I doubt that any decoys exist. I’m just being cautious. I’ve heard mention of a supposed Fae expert. She lives in an old abbey about three hours west of Dublin. I’m waiting for my contacts to find her so we can secure a meeting.”
“What do we do until then?”
“We remain in Dublin, read through the book more thoroughly, and wait.”
We spent the day waiting for calls and looking through the book, not really finding any more information about the portal. Around ten in the evening, there was a knock on the door.
Leo opened it and stepped aside to let the man in. “My love, this is Takk.”
I walked towards him and offered my hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Karli.”
He ignored my hand and gave me a quick once over with his large hazel eyes. Not in a perverted way… more like he was assessing me. “I know who you are.”
I had to step aside so he wouldn’t bump into me on his way over to the seating area. At about five foot ten, we were roughly the same height, but his breadth was substantially greater. “Oh please, let me get out of your way,” I deadpanned. I had known this guy for one minute and I already didn’t like him. I was trying my damnedest to keep that from Leo since I knew he relied on him so much.
Takk didn’t waste any time. He dug some papers out of the messenger bag he carried and spread them across the pine coffee table. It appeared to be a map of the country with several red dots on it. He pointed to the largest marker and looked up at Leo. “This is where the coordinates claim the portal is. According to my research, it’s nothing more than an open field.” He pointed to another dot. “This is where our sources say the expert is hidden. It’s supposedly an old abbey that houses a bunch of witches, but I don’t have visual confirmation yet. I think you were right about the wards.”
“What wards?” I asked.
Takk crossed his arms over his chest. The sleeves of his white button down were rolled up, his Native American skin a stark contrast to the light fabric. “We sent someone to scout the location earlier today. The road ends about five miles out, so we couldn’t get any proof that the abbey exists. Leo suspects that the witches have placed wards around the perimeter to conceal the abbey’s location. We believe it’s an illusion but haven’t investigated further at this point. The terrain appeared rather treacherous.”
“I thought wards were more like magical padlocks,” I said. “I didn’t think they could weave illusions.”
“If these witches live up to legend, they can do a lot of things that you wouldn’t expect,” Takk replied. “We’re currently putting a team together.”
Leo leaned over the map and studied it for a moment. “How long will that take?”
Takk started folding the map and smoothing out the wrinkles. “I’m not sure. It could be hours, days, or weeks. I need an incredibly powerful sorcerer, but it’s been difficult finding anyone willing to cooperate. They’re quite suspicious of anyone outside of their inner circle.”
Sorcerers practiced black magic, which I knew to be rather dangerous. Why couldn’t we use a warlock who practiced light magic instead? The only reason I could think of was that sorcerers typically had a specialty. Could there be one out there who specialized in complex wards?
“Isn’t getting a sorcerer involved risky?” I asked. “Can we really trust someone so dangerous?”
Takk looked irritated. “We don’t have much of a choice. They’re the only ones besides the witches capable of removing wards this powerful.”
“Why?”
Takk rolled his eyes. “Because if our information is correct, the wards are comprised of blood from the women who have protected the abbey for thousands of years. A sorcerer knows blood magic like no oth
er. Our only other hope is to drop word that we are seeking a meeting with the witches and hope they take the bait. We’re exploring both options.”
I tried asking another question but Leo cut me off. “Make it fast, Takk. Call me when you have something.”
Takk stood up from the golden-colored sofa and started walking towards the door. “Of course, sir. I’ll be in the suite next door making calls if you need me.”
After he left the room, I took a deep breath to calm down. That guy really rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. Leo seemed to sense my irritation. “I think we need to get you out of this room. Care to take a walk with me?”
“Sure.”
We made our way through the Temple Bar district. The roads were lit up by street lamps and window signs from ground-level businesses. It had recently rained so the cobbled streets were covered in a beautiful sheen. Most of the buildings were magnificently restored Old World elegance. We continued walking until we ran into the Temple Bar Pub. I recognized it easily once I saw the red-painted trim wrapped around the corner of an old brick structure. I couldn’t resist being a little touristy as I dragged Leo inside. The interior formed a maze made up of several different rooms with wooden tables scattered throughout. We finally found an open one towards the back and sat down. Irish music playing in the background was practically drowned out by all the voices. Our section was shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from a single votive candle placed on each table or the fixtures behind a thirty-foot bar that lined the wall. The ambiance was great though. Sure, it was touristy and there were probably more non-Irish people here than not, but the craic was buzzing through the air. I once read that the city of Dublin had more than one thousand pubs! Maybe that was the reason behind this weird energy that was floating around, but I doubted it. Everyone just seemed so alive. I had never seen anything like it before.
A waitress came up to our table. “Gran’ evenin’! What can I get for you?”
