Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series) Read online

  Blood Of Fire

  By Wenona Hulsey

  Copyright© of Wenona Hulsey 2012

  All rights reserved

  The right of Wenona Hulsey to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988

  Cover art purchased via 99designs.com and all copyrights are owned by Author Wenona Hulsey

  Dedication:

  To those who dare to live a dream.

  "Obsessed by a fairy tale, we spend our lives searching for a magic door and a lost kingdom of peace." ~Eugene O'Neill

  Table Of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Works By The Author

  Chapter 1

  Nicole stared out the airplane window while tapping her fingers on the arm-rest in a fast, steady rhythm. The other passengers were slowly filing in. Some struggled with carry-on luggage while others towed small, fussy children by the hand behind them. She glanced around, taking in the faces, and then leaned back into her seat to resume drumming. For the moment she was sure she hadn't been followed but that uneasy, on-edge feeling wouldn't stop tugging at her mind.

  Her gaze settled on the early morning sky. She took in the vibrant oranges, soft pinks and deep purples coloring the horizon as the sun began its daily journey. Nicole was still amazed that no matter how bad things were in her life, or how downtrodden she felt, or how lost she was, that the world could continue on so beautifully, unscathed by her pain. Not that she really thought the world would stop for her, but it would be nice if the sky would pour down sheets of heavy rain hiding away the cheerful sun. It would be much more fitting to her current situation. Maybe then she would feel like Mother Earth was being sympathetic to her plight and could be her silent ally in the lonely world she had created for herself.

  Her mind rolled back over the past few months as she wondered how things had gotten so out of control. One day she's the best cop her small Alabama town has ever seen then the next she's a fairy/warrior hybrid with her world completely upside down. All while falling in love with Luke, her partner in the police department, who also turned out to be an ancient warrior sent to protect and train her. In the end she had to turn her back on him and everyone she cared about; it was the only way to protect them. She had to keep Loch from using her loved ones in order to lure her to Ireland where he expected her to join him in some master scheme of his. Exactly what that was, well, she wasn’t quite sure. Nor was she sure where she fit into his plans but she was positive it wasn't good for her or anyone else. Loch only cared about ridding the world of the fairy race and he didn't care who he had to step on or use. Not even Luke, his own flesh and blood, was held higher than Loch's obsession with putting the warriors on top.

  The best solution she could see was to beat Loch at his own game by surprising him in Ireland and putting an end to him. The hardest part would be finding him; she didn’t even know where to start looking for the ancient warrior who was planning to kill all of fae kind. Nicole also knew that if he found her first and she refused to help him that she would be killed. Her only option was to beat him at his own game.

  The banging of the overhead luggage compartment above her seat snapped Nicole back into the moment. She turned her attention away from the rising sun and her depressing thoughts, as someone took the seat next to her.

  “This must be your first time flying?”

  Nicole found herself staring into the most beautiful pair of ice blue eyes she had ever seen in her life belonging to a face that was as equally heaven sent. The man that had just occupied the seat next to her had light blond hair that framed his face, reaching just below his broad jaw line in silky strands. Her gaze was drawn to an adorable dimple forming in his cheek as he gave her a one sided smile. “Yes,” she finally stammered, “This is my first time.” She lied thinking it was better for him to assume her anxiety was due to her fear of flying and not the fact that she was going into a viper filled snake pit blind and alone.

  He laughed softly, “I figured so, since you seem determined to drum a hole in your armrest.” He extended a hand towards her, “I’m Slade.”

  Nicole shook his hand and gave a small, nervous laugh before replying “Nicole.” As she leaned back into her seat, she laced her fingers together to control her anxious energy. The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself and acting as if she was about to have a nervous breakdown was a sure way to turn all eyes on her.

  “So where are you heading?” Slade asked casually as he adjusted his seat.

  She turned to look at him, this time paying more attention to all of him, and not just his cover model face. He was dressed in a dark suit that looked expensive, maybe Calvin Klein she surmised but then again she wasn't an expert on designer clothes. Underneath the tailored jacket was a perfectly pressed, white dress shirt and a black, silk tie. His shoes were gleaming like black onyx and his hands were smooth and looked too soft to belong to someone who did physical labor. His overall appearance was certainly alluring but something in his demeanor hinted at danger yet she couldn’t pin down where the feeling was coming from.

  “Ireland,” she said giving him a weak smile as the memories of why she was traveling pushed to the front of her mind, “How about you?”

  “Dublin, Ireland. I’ve been here on business for a while but Ireland is my home.”

  “Really? Your accent sounds American to me.”

  Slade shrugged, “I’ve been fortunate to travel all of my life. I've lived years in France, Germany, Africa and America but the place that always felt closest to my heart was Ireland. It’s such a beautiful country with a rich history.” He smiled at her showing dimples in both cheeks. “You’ll love it there, I promise.”

  Nicole nodded as the pilot chimed in announcing the flight was about to depart. She quickly buckled herself in, hoping everyone would do the same so they could get off the ground. She knew there was a good chance Luke might try to stop her and she wasn’t sure how long the prison of wind she had created would hold him.

  Though her powers were great, she was still learning how to control them. She had actually been quite impressed with herself when she realized she was able to trap two powerful warriors and one fairy in her barrier of wind. But her pride in the discovery didn’t ease the pain of leaving them there so she could fight this war alone. The memory of the hurt she saw in Luke’s hazel eyes as she trapped him and then walked away was still in the forefront of her mind haunting her.

  She turned her attention back out the window as she settled in for the long flight. The sight that met her eyes had her gasping. Luke stood at the edge of the runway, his dark blond hair disheveled and his black t-shirt torn from the night’s battle, staring back at her. She wasn’t sure how he managed to get so close without her sensing him. Maybe she had been too distracted to notice the pull she normally felt when a warrior was near. Her heart started to beat painfully fast as she stared into his sto
ne set face. Dried blood was still streaked across his tanned cheek but the cut that was there was now healed. She wished all wounds healed so easily. She wanted to run to him and away from him at the same time. The very sight of him was ripping her apart.

  The plane began down the runway, moving away from her love as he stood, watching her go. She leaned closer to the window, desperately reaching out to his mind, wanting to hear what was going on inside his head. She wanted to tell him this wasn’t farewell forever but she couldn’t reach his thoughts. She was being blocked from connecting with his mind. Blocked or ignored, she wondered. Punished, she thought, her heart began to break as realization set in. Luke didn’t want her to hear him; he was saying goodbye in the most painful way he possibly could…silence.

  She closed her eyes, hoping to trap the tears fighting to escape as the plane took to the sky, leaving Alabama and everyone she loved behind. For the first time in her life she was truly alone.

  **~***~**

  Nicole ran water into her hands and splashed the cold liquid across her face, trying to clear away dirty film that was covering her skin from the long flight. She stared at her reflection in the mirror; the dingy florescent lights didn't help make the dark rings under her ghostly blue eyes look better as she dabbed her face dry with a paper towel. She didn’t get much sleep on the flights because she kept trying to figure out what her next step should be but it was ultimately pointless. She still didn’t have a clue where to begin. This was the first time she had ever been out of the south, let alone flying to a country that she scarcely knew anything about. Unless eating cereal with a little leprechaun on the box counts as research there was little locked away in her mind that could help her here.

  After quickly combing her fingers through her tangled mass of long, brown curls, she walked back out to the bustling airport and made her way to a rack of tourist brochures. She picked up one and began searching the pages.

  “I’ve got to find somewhere to sleep and something good to eat. I feel like a bum,” she mumbled to herself as she scanned the pages. While searching for accommodations a scream rang out in the distance followed by the sound of gunshots. Her body tensed and her police officer instincts kicked in as she scanned the airport for the shooter among the swarm of running people. Just as she began to reach out with her mind to find her target, another gunshot rang out. Nicole found herself being pressed to the floor and covered by a hard, masculine body.

  “Damn it woman, you're either very brave or very stupid,” Slade whispered in her ear as he used his body to shield hers.

  Nicole ignored the man hovering over her and tried again to use her powers. She reached out to the shooter’s mind but there was nothing. Not a whisper returned to her, not an image of a thought or a twinge of the gunman’s emotions even though she knew he was still out there. The crowd in the airport was in hysterics so someone had to be causing the violence. She frantically reached out her powers trying to touch anyone’s mind, not just the gunman's. She didn’t care who, she needed to hear a thought, any thought, so she would know her power was still working. Just a small taste to confirm nothing had changed since she left Alabama.

  Panic filled her as a lump formed in her throat. Nothing returned to her. Not even the tainted thoughts she had heard for years when her powers first emerged. Her mind started to race back to the last time she had heard anything. She had tried and failed with Luke before her plane took to the sky but the last time it had worked was when she had wrapped her friends in a chamber of wind to keep them from following her. Did I lose my powers? She wondered as Slade moved off her and offered her his hand.

  “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

  Nicole nodded as she tried to push away the anxiety that was begging her to test more of her powers. “Yes, thank you. What happened?”

  Slade shrugged, “I’m not sure but it looks like security has it under control now.” He pointed toward a swarm of uniformed men escorting someone out a door.

  “What a welcome to Ireland.” Nicole laughed as she straightened her wrinkled shirt. “Guess I better get moving. Thanks again Slade, and it was nice meeting you,” she offered him a handshake.

  Slade took her outstretched hand and pulled it to his lips, kissing it softly before letting go. “I was wondering, since we are going the same way and all, if you would allow me to take you to your hotel?” Slade asked giving her a small, one sided smile as he took in her stunned face.

  “Oh, that’s very nice of you Slade but I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

  “It’s no trouble at all, I promise. So, where are you staying?”

  Nicole bit her bottom lip as she debated on what to tell him. She was a bit embarrassed, she had nowhere to stay yet and she didn’t know how to explain the sudden trip without it being obvious that she had left the United States in a hurry.

  “Well, I’m a spontaneous kind of girl. I was hoping one of the hotels would jump off the brochure and I would take a taxi to it,” She waved the pamphlet out in front of him to validate her story.

  “Wow, I wish I could be a little more daring like that,” he smiled, “But to be honest, I had some ulterior motives in offering to drive you to your hotel...”

  Nicole’s eyes got wide with shock and her cheeks flushed, “Really. Well, I’m afraid I must decline your offer.” Pulling her backpack up from where it leaned against her legs, she slung it over her shoulder and turned to walk away.

  “Oh God, no…That’s not what I meant,” Slade stammered as he stopped her escape by gently grabbing her elbow. “That came out completely wrong,” he continued, “See, I was wondering if you had plans tonight?”

  Nicole crossed her arms over her chest to make it clear that she wasn’t up for any games. She wasn’t that type of girl and she was by no means looking to play the dating game with Fabio’s hotter brother. The nine plus hours of plane hopping, layovers, and the need for a hot shower wasn't helping her mood either.

  “I’m expected at a cocktail party tonight and I was hoping that you would come with me. I had a friend accompanying me but she just canceled,” his eyes pleaded with her as he waited for her answer. “I can call ahead and have you a room booked at the hotel where I’m staying,” he offered in hopes it would sweeten his proposal.

  Nicole let her bag drop down to her elbow as she weighed her options: get lost in a city that she had never been in or go with the super hunky guy who could act as her guide and ultimately keep her from sleeping on a park bench somewhere… She sighed deeply as she slid her arms back through the straps of her backpack, “Whose party are we going to?”

  Slade smiled broadly at her, “Let me get that for you.” Mr. Handsome took the bag from her shoulders and placed his hand on her lower back to guide her towards the exit.

  “Where’s your luggage?” Nichole asked as they walked out the airport doors and among the swarm of travelers scrambling to hail a taxi. Chatter about the shooting was loud and frantic. Nicole overheard one woman saying it was an attempted robbery gone bad. She had to pull her attention from the chatter that her police side wanted to cling to and focus on the changes around her. She was taken aback by the softness of the air in her lungs. The thick humidity that Nicole had always known from Alabama’s summers didn't exist here. It was pleasantly warm and felt more like spring. Nothing at all like the smothering August heat she had left back home.

  “My driver has already put them in the car,” he motioned towards a sleek, black limousine sitting next to the curb. The driver, a large muscular man who had a deeply lined, stone face, stood holding the door open.

  Nicole’s police training kicked into gear as she studied the man’s strong demeanor. “He looks military to me. A man doesn’t get a cold look like that without seeing some hard things,” she whispered to Slade as they walked towards the waiting car.

  Slade nodded with a mix of surprise and admiration playing across his face, “You are a very observant woman, Nicole.” He handed her bag off to the driver then offered
her his hand so he could help her into the limo.

  She took his hand politely and ducked inside the car. Slade sat across from her with a smirk on his face, “So tell me what you do for a living?” He put up his hand to stop her from answering. “Wait, let me guess. I’m pretty good at reading people too,” he leaned back, rubbing his chin as he studied her face. “You are either government or law enforcement. I’m willing to bet money that you’re a police officer.”

  She smiled softly as she thought of the best way to answer, “Let’s just say that I don’t know who or what I am anymore. I’m on a path of discovery in a far-away land,” Nicole's smile broadened as she thought about the underlying truth behind her explanation.

  “I change my answer…you’re a hippie,” he chuckled as the car began to move. “Fine, I’ll give you the self-discovery answer but there has to be some truth to my guess. I mean, you did peg Claude in less than ten seconds. He’s ex-military, of sorts, and one hell of a bodyguard.”

  “Of sorts?” Nicole’s curiosity was thick in her voice, “Are we talking IRA?”

  Slade smiled, “You’re changing the subject. Fine,” he shrugged, “I won’t pry... I was just curious.”

  Nicole chuckled, “Okay, you’re correct. I’m a police officer, well, was a police officer but things have changed and now I’m here.” Nicole looked out the window at the passing buildings and changing scenery, it was all so different from her home town. All the buildings stood five stories tall with bricks in unusual shades of red, orange and yellow catching her eyes. Various statues dotted the open spaces; each one telling of its own moment in time with a frozen stare. After a few moments a sly grin crept across her lips, “So would you say Claude wears a large t-shirt?”

  Slade’s brow furrowed in confusion as he studied Nicole’s face, “I guess so, why?”

  “I’m thinking a Megadeth t-shirt would be the perfect gift for him,” she smirked, “I hear they are the IRA’s favorite band.”