Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series) (14 page)

"Ummm, I promise I'm not coming
onto you but your skin is beautiful," Nicole stopped walking and pulled
Sages arm up to her face like she was a scientist inspecting a great find. 
"You're freaking glowing like a lighting bug," she gasped with a
large, teasing grin on her face.

Sage pulled her arm back, "I'm not
a freak, Nicole.  You're the only mutant here," she snorted with grin. 
She took Nicole's hand and lifted it up in front of her friend's face,
"You're doing it too so don't get all jealous of my fairy sexiness,"
she winked.

Nicole gasped as she stared at the light
radiating from her hand.  She turned her hand from side to side then lifted her
other hand up to see the same glow on her hand and up her arms until the point
where her sleeve hid her skin away, "I've never done this before,"
she whispered.

"That's because you've never been
near a Fae gateway before.  Our magic is the strongest in our own realm.  You
will love your kingdom, Nicole," Slade spoke from behind her in a proud
tone.

Nicole turned to see that Slade also had
the glow that she and Sage were emitting.  It was as if she was seeing his
spirit on the surface of his skin in all its captivating beauty.  There was so
much she was still learning about the world and it made her wonder how she
could possibly save a world from war when the basic workings of the very people
she was trying to help were so foreign to her.  She looked from Slade to Sage
then finally let her eyes rest on Luke who had taken his place up in the back
of the group.  He stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he took in the
spectacle playing out in front of him.

"It's time we get moving again. 
She's not safe here," Luke demanded looking straight at Nicole but
speaking around her.

"Damn Luke, you don't have to be so
snippy.  We don't have far to go," Sage retorted with a roll of her eyes as
she tugged Nicole's arm to follow her.

"I guess the chap is just feeling a
bit left out right now.  I don't blame him…all warriors should envy the fae
powers," Slade winked at Nicole then fell into step behind her.

Luke snorted laughter, "If I wanted
to be a sparkling fairy tale creature I'd find a vampire to bite my arse."

A chuckle escaped Nicole's lips before
she could hide it away.  Sage gave Nicole a cross but playful look causing
Nicole to giggle harder.

"You've got to admit that was a
good one, Sage.  And Slade does keep that look of constant pain and despair on
his face like those twinkling vamps from the movies."  The more she
talked, the more she laughed and with one glance back at Slade, Sage nodded and
joined in with her bell-like laughter.

Slade gave a groan from where he stood
shaking his head.  Nicole chanced a glance back at Luke and caught a fleeting
glimpse of a smile as he stared at the ground around his feet.  When he looked
up his eyes locked with Nicole's for a brief second then any hint of his
happiness in the moment was gone.  Hurt and anger lined his face again,
"Let's move."

**~***~**

Another ten minutes the group traveled
in silence.  Nicole shadowed Sage as she followed a trail that could only be
felt by a pull deep inside the soul of a fae.  She knew they must be nearing
the end of the journey because the trees were unusually vibrant green and there
was an abundance of animals: from large, beautiful deer to small, bright green
humming birds darting about. There was also a vibration of energy in the air
and at times she could see small electric orbs appear only to disappear again
like tiny, blue fireflies dancing under the shade of the trees that sheltered
them from the midday sun.

The thick forest gave way to a large
clearing blanketed in small yellow flowers and in the center of the opening
stood a huge Weeping Willow with its long, dangling limbs creating an umbrella
that covered the entire center of the opening.  Nicole stood in awe of the
magic she could feel dancing in the air around her but at the same time a
strange sense of familiarity swept over her.  "I've been here
before," she whispered.

Sage shook her head, "That's
impossible."

Nicole took a few steps into the
clearing then turned taking in all that was to be seen, "It's the same but
different," she shook her head her brows pinched together in thought. 
"I have these dreams…no, more like visions because they are so real and
I've seen this tree," she pointed to the willow just as a breeze caressed
its green limbs causing them to sway like the full skirt of a pirouetting
ballerina.

"Are you sure it's this exact place
or is it just the tree that's familiar to you," Slade asked as he came to
stand at Nicole's side.  He had long ago dropped his sports coat and was
wearing the top three buttons of his white dress shirt undone.  His long blond
hair was hanging in a disheveled frame around his sweat beaded face.

"The place is different but the
tree is the exact one.  I would know it anywhere."

Slade and Sage looked to each other before
Sage spoke, "This is the spirit tree.  It," she pointed to the willow
with a smile, "is at every fae gateway."

"It," repeated Nicole with a
shake of her head.  "The same tree is moved from placed to place?"

"Not exactly and yet, yes." 
Slade took Nicole's hand and lead her to the tree with a proud smile. 
"This tree is the embodiment of the fae spirit and magic.  It is the only
way that one can travel in or out of the realm.  This exact tree is located in
two places in your world and two places in mine at this moment because it is
made of spirit.  Spirit can divide, protect and grow."

"It's easier to think of the tree
like the feeling of being in love," spoke up Luke from behind Nicole.

Nicole's heart sped up as he barely
spoke above a whisper.  She didn't dare turn to face him for fear of meeting
his cold eyes again so she laced her hands in front of her and looked down at
her feet that sat on a pillow of bright yellow flowers and green moss.

"You can be in one place but your
heart is always with the one you love.  A part of you is with her always and
you can feel her worlds away, sending you strength and filling your soul with
happiness," He stepped up to Nicole's side but never looked at her.

Nicole stared up at the eloquent limbs
of the beautiful willow.  She fought to whisper past the lump of emotion in the
back of her throat, "I know what you mean."  Taking a deep breath she
tried to clear her head of Luke's words. "Where are all the gateways at? 
I mean, couldn't just anyone run up on this place?"

Sage smiled a knowing smirk at Nicole,
obviously enjoying the building tension radiating from Luke. "Well, the
placements of the gateways were based on prophecies made centuries ago and it
would seem the old bat was right.  One gate is," she did a perfect curtsy
that almost looked lady-like if it wasn't for her tight, black leather pants,
"conveniently located just miles from where we needed to escape from
today.  Another is in the forest that connects to your father's land back in
Alabama."

Nicole's eye's got wide, "I
wondered how you and Rhys seemed to just appear at my house out of
nowhere."  In the same second another question ran to the front of
Nicole's lips, "Where is Rhys?  He's not here too is he?"  The
thought of the crude but incredibly sexy warrior brought bittersweet feelings
rushing to Nicole.  He had fought by her side and helped her save her best
friend but his pushy advances had caused her to say some harsh things to him
and she never got a chance to apologize.

"He's with your father and Kat.  He
and Kat wanted to come with us but Luke sent them back to be with your
dad," Sage said as she placed an impatient hand on her hip.  She didn't
like to be interrupted and she wasn't afraid to let it be known. "Now, if
you would like to let me finish or do you already know this story?"  She
raised her eyebrows waiting for Nicole's response.  Nicole tossed her hands up
in front of her as an apology for her rudeness and waited for Sage to
continue.  "There was a forth gateway but….it was lost."

"How do you lose a gateway?"

"Not really sure but it would seem
that it was sealed away from us.  The fae and warriors have searched for years
for the gate but it was never found."

"Why would someone want to hide
it," asked Nicole.

Slade, who had grown silent after Luke
had joined the group, spoke up, "The gateway led to the fae burial
grounds.  It's how those fae who chose to give up immortality can pass on their
powers to the next generation.  The spirit tree recycles the power into the fae
children, which are very rare now.  No child can be conceived in the fae world
unless there is power waiting to be granted to the baby.  The tree is near
empty so the fae race is weakening with each fairy who chooses to pass on
without being allowed to give back the power."  Slade shook his head as if
shaking off the depressing topic, "Right now it's important for us to make
sure you're safe inside the fae realm then we will figure out how to defend our
kingdom from the war that is sure to come."  He leaned forward so he could
see Luke, "I'm sure we can at least agree on that one thing."

Luke nodded then moved the low hanging
branches so Sage and Nicole could step under the canopy.  "Just one
question," he turned back letting the branches block Slade from following,
"Do you think your people are going to welcome you with open arms?  Surly
they know what kind of traitor you have been to the kingdom."  Luke
crossed his hands over his chest, "You're not going to cause Nicole any
more trouble.  I know what you are."

Slade went toe to toe with Luke, not
backing down from his challenge. "Where do you think I got my orders
from?  I'm overdue to report in anyway so this little trip is perfect timing. 
Though the welcoming may not be warm for you when I tell that you personally
fucked up a plan that has been years in the making with your little show of
heroics."  Slade moved in to whisper in Luke's ear, "You're not going
to win this fight…or the girl."  He pushed past, bumping Luke's shoulder
roughly with his own.  After a moment of muttered profanities Luke ducked
through the green curtain to follow the group.

"It's pretty simple really, you
place your hands on the tree and the portal opens," explained Sage to
Nicole as she placed her hands on the thick, rough bark around the large base
of the willow.

Nicole stared with wide eyes not wanting
to miss the second the magic started to happen but as time ticked away she
realized that Sage had forgotten one key thing, "How can you open a magic
portal without your magic?"

Sage placed her hands a little closer
together then closed her eyes tight with a frustrated snort, "I was hoping
that I could at least make this work."  She sat still and focused for
another moment then groaned, "Damn it Slade.  Where's your off switch? 
Pull your power back so we can open the doorway."

"We could just get rid of
him," Luke turned toward Slade, "he's only going to turn on us again
anyway.  Let's save ourselves some suffering now and end this."

The edge of Slade's lips turned up into
a taunting grin, showing the glimmer of his perfectly white teeth, "You
could try."  He motioned for Luke to try him with a flick of his finger in
a “bring it” motion.

Luke didn't hesitate, moving forward
with a guttural roar, but a squeal from Nicole stopped him in his tracks.  He
spun on his toes and lunged forward, ready to attack the unknown enemy without
a second thought but the sight he beheld stopped him cold.

"I did it," gasped Nicole as
she beamed.  The center of the tree had liquefied into a swirling pool of blue
and white that pulsed with a heartbeat of its own.  "It's so
beautiful," she whispered as she pulled her hands away from the tree.

Sage put her arm around Nicole's
shoulder and kissed her on the cheek.  Turning her eyes on Slade she said,
"Well, it would seem you aren't as strong as you thought, dear brother. 
Looks like Nicole is becoming resistant to your overpowering charm."

Slade stared into the vortex with
tension showing with each flex of his jaw, "She's unlike any I've ever
known."  He tried to conceal his unhappiness but Nicole noticed the flash
of anger in his eyes before he pasted on a smile, "Shall we move
then?"