Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series) (19 page)

The sun dipped deeply in the sky all too
fast for Nicole's liking.  She would be happy to spend the rest of her day
chatting with Sage as she came and went or sitting on the balcony alone like
she was now.  She stared out past the town below and into the pink and orange
sunset that decorated the horizon.  Her fingers absentmindedly stroked the
velvet of her dress as her mind drifted to Luke.  She hadn't heard from him
since she shut the door in his face this morning.  There was no doubt that he
was off somewhere fuming over her letting Slade into her room but strangely she
couldn't feel him anywhere around through their warrior link.  Letting out a
deep sigh she decided that tonight she was going to find him and talk this
out.  She couldn't say the words that he wanted to hear but she could tell him
that she wanted him to be her warrior. "Time to toughen up girl," she
mumbled to herself. "If you can't handle men then you sure as hell can't
handle this war."

A knock came at her bedroom door and she
knew it couldn't be Sage because she would have shown herself in.  Sage had
left over an hour ago to finish dressing for the night, she said would meet her
at the ball later.

Nicole opened the door to see a tense
Slade dressed in a classy, black tuxedo, "I was hoping you'd let me escort
you to dinner."  The meekness in his words took Nicole aback.  He wasn't
being the cocky and self-assured man she had gotten to know.  He rubbed the
back of his neck and avoided her eyes, "Listen I really want to apologize
for how I've been acting, Nicole.  I…didn't mean to be such a
—
"

"Jerk?  Egotistical male?  Power
hungry maniac…you choose but I'm sure they all fit the bill pretty well,"
Nicole interrupted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Slade gave her a small smile and lifted
his eyes to her face for the first time since she opened the door, "I
deserve each label and I promise if you'll give me a chance I'll prove that
wasn't the real me.  I've been working this undercover job in Loch's world for
so long that it's hard to turn off the man I had to be and be the man I am but,
Nicole," he reached out and pulled her hands away from her chest holding
on to just her fingertips, "I just need a chance to show you."

"Slade−" she started but
he jumped back in.

"You look beautiful tonight,"
he laced his fingers with hers and tugged her out the door.  "You will
outshine everyone there just as you always have."

**~***~**

Nicole pulled her hand away from Slade's
just as he opened the door to the ball room.  He looked at her confused for a
moment then nodded as they stepped into the eyesight of the other party goers,
"We are seated next to the queen for dinner." He said placing his
hand on the small of Nicole's back as they walked into the chamber.

The room was set up with white linen
covered tables, each with settings of gold embossed plates and gold flatware on
one side of the room.  Then on the other half, under the largest crystal
chandelier Nicole had ever seen, was a marble dance floor.  But what drew her
attention the most were the stairs leading up to two large thrones, one of
which was occupied by Queen Teya.

Slade lead Nicole to the foot of the
stairs and he bowed to the Queen while Nicole stood there staring up into the
beautiful woman's face.  She thought about how innocent and young Teya appeared
before the queen's voice pulled her back into the moment, "How beautiful
you look tonight my dear.  Though," she paused to rise from her seat and
descend the stairs to stand in front of Nicole, "you do not look like you
have gotten any rest.  Are your chambers not to your liking?"

"Oh, no, the room is wonderful. 
Thank you," Nicole smiled softly.

"Wonderful."  The Queen turned
her eyes on Slade, "I'm glad you are keeping an eye on our princess Slade
but let me suggest that you teach her proper etiquette for when she walks into
the room where the Queen sits."  She turned on her heals, "Oh, and
Nicole dear, Sage had some unexpected business to attend to so she won't be
joining us tonight."  She tossed the words casually over her shoulder then
climbed back up to her throne above the crowd.

Nicole's mouth struggled to form words
for a moment as she stared after Teya then when the words did come she had to
bite her tongue to keep them contained.  Slade took her hand and placed it at
the crook of his arm, "Come, let's take our seat love." He didn't
seem fazed by the Queens rudeness as he led her to their table.

Once seated Nicole nodded and smiled
politely at the other people sitting around them then leaned in to whisper to
Slade, "What the hell was that about?"

Slade smiled as if she had said
something funny then leaned back to her, "Not now, love.  After dinner we
will take a walk."

"Well, what about Sage?"
Unease crept under Nicole's skin.  She knew that Sage had planned on coming to
the ball when they last spoke a few hours ago.  What could be so urgent that it
would pull her away?

"I'm not sure but it's not unusual
for assignments to come up suddenly.  It's all part of being one of the Queen's
elite.  Don't worry, I'm sure she will be back soon."

Nodding in agreement Nicole turned her
attention back to the room.  She searched the chatting crowds for familiar
faces…well one in particular but he was nowhere to be seen either.  The people
were still filing in two by two, all men stopping to bow and women doing polite
curtsies in front of the queen before making their way to the tables.  She
hoped to see him enter the door as she watched.

"He left."

Nicole turned back to Slade and was
shocked at how close his face was to hers.  She could feel the warmth of his
breath caressing her cheek, "What are you talking about?"

"Luke left.  He asked the Queen's
permission to use the gateway shortly after we arrived at the palace and then
he left," he studied her reaction as he took a sip of his champagne.

Nicole's heart sank though she fought to
hide her disappointment.  She knew that she hadn't been able to feel Luke's
presence for a while but deep down she had hoped that it was just that she was
getting good at blocking out that awareness.  How could he just walk away from
her?  Then the reality of what he did hit her.  He left her behind just like
she had him.

Feeling Slade's eyes still studying her
as he waited for her to speak she reached for her own flute of golden courage
and took a deep drink.

"I'm sure he has a good reason.  He
doesn't have to check in with me when he makes a move," she stared ahead
for fear that Slade would see through her tough front.  Her mind was spinning
between fear and hurt as she tried to reason away his sudden disappearance.

Slade grabbed the bottle of champagne
and refilled Nicole's empty glass then his own, "I'm sure he does."

**~***~**

The meal went forward without Nicole
stepping on any more royal toes.  She played things safe by nodding politely as
the Queen spoke and smiling to the various people who introduced themselves as
the night progressed.  Everyone at her table played a role in running the Fae
kingdom but she was most intrigued by General Moyer.  He was a hard-nosed
warrior with dark, deep eyes.  His body was broad and thick with muscle but,
unlike most gym rats Nicole knew back home, his demeanor was wise and
intelligent.  When he spoke he commanded the whole room's attention with the
gentle roll of his voice.  People were eager to cling onto his every word no
matter if the subject was the decadent chocolate desert he was eating or the
rotation of the warriors around the kingdom.

"Tell me, princess," the
general turned his dark, lined eyes on Nicole, "how has your training been
with the warriors that were sent to you?"

The mention of her warriors brought the
question of Luke back to the surface again, cutting deep and threatening to
pull her mind into spiraling, worried thoughts.

"They have been very helpful for
what time we've had to train."  She tried to clear her mind of the past
and thrust herself into the moment as she focused on the general.

He studied her face then nodded,
"Yes, I have heard that things turned ugly very fast.  I only wish that
we'd been allowed to retrieve you sooner."

Nicole's brows furrowed together,
"Sooner?  What do you mean?  Luke has been there since the day my real
powers surfaced."

"Ah yes, but you did have some
powers before the day you were shot.  I was denied the request to bring you
here and start your training after the incident in Florida.  Seems some were
still doubtful if your power would ever fully surface," he glanced
sideways to the Queen as he casually ran his finger along the condensation on
the crystal flute in front of him.

The reality of his words hit her like a
knife to the chest, "How long did you know?  How long did you leave me
fumbling my way around in the dark before you decided to send help?" 
Nicole fought to keep her anger under control as hushed whispers echoed around
her.  She felt Slade's hand give a gentle squeeze on her knee as she locked
eyes with Teya.

"My dear," chimed in Queen
Teya, "You have always had someone checking in on your family from time to
time for generations long forgotten.  The power had never fully surfaced in any
of your ancestors so there was no reason to think you would be any
different."  The queen patted Nicole's hand, her voice was haughty and
patronizing but at the same time sweet.

"But I am different and I have been
for years.  Loch knew it so that tells me you did too," she pulled her
hand from the queen's embrace and passed a hard glance between both Teya and
the general waiting for answers.

Slade cleared his throat, "Love, I
think I've had a little much to drink.  Do you mind walking with me into the
garden for some fresh air?"  He stood and pulled out Nicole's chair not
giving her a chance to respond.

Nicole let Slade guide her past the
filling dance floor and out the doors that lead into a softly glowing garden. 
Though the anger was still swelling inside of Nicole's chest she couldn't help
but to be taken aback by the beauty of the star filled night sky and the
enchanted garden surrounding them as they walked down the stone path.  Every
plant, large and small, glowed with a mesmerizing light.  The deep crimson
roses gave off a slight echo of red light and the violet iris left blue trails
like a small comet as they swayed in the soft, summer breeze.  Nicole let her
eyes take in everything from the smallest blade of grass to the tallest apple
trees as Slade lead her farther away from the swarms of people.

Nicole let out a deep sigh when she
could no longer hear the sound of the music playing or the chatter of uppity
royalty.  She looked down at Slade's fingers intertwined with her own as they
walked and felt a ping of guilt.  She pulled her hand from his, "Thank you
for getting me out of there."

Slade smiled as he put his hands into
his pants pockets, "You're welcome, love.  I could feel the heat radiating
from your temper," he chuckled.  "It's a wonder you didn't catch your
chair on fire.  You've really got to work on controlling your powers before it
gets you into trouble."

Nicole gave a small laugh, "Yeah,
I've been told that before."  Her mind drifted back to the afternoon she
almost caught her dad's couch on fire because Luke had made her mad.  He was
trying to talk some sense into her about her destiny in life not being a burden
but a blessing...but she didn't want to hear it.  She had wanted to be left
alone to live her mediocre existence as a cop in her sleepy country town, not
be forced to master the powers she didn't want or to defend a world she didn't
care about.

She shook her head when reality hit
her.  Selfish and living in denial didn't even begin to scratch the surface
when analyzing who she was back then.  Adding obstinate and a pain in the ass
into her title would get you moving more in the right direction but things were
different now.  She understood that if she didn't put an end to the war there
would never be peace for anyone around her.  It was time to put her
self-serving wants and needs away so she could be the person that those she
loved needed her to be.  No more crying or bitching; it was time to dig in with
both feet and do what was needed to be done.

"Hey," Slade touched Nicole's
shoulder, "What are you thinking so hard about?"

Nicole looked up to see they had emerged
from the garden into a large opening that looked out across the sea.  The smell
of salt water was refreshing; filling Nicole with a sense of freedom from the
weight of the world.  The moonlight glistened off the crest of each wave as it
danced up towards the beach below. "I was just wondering..." Nicole
struggled to regain her focus on the night's excitement and not reveal that her
mind was on Luke, "Why do I get the feeling Teya doesn't care for
me?"

Slade pointed to a bench placed at the
cliff's edge, "Sit with me and I'll give you my thoughts on her."  He
led her over and removed his jacket, placing it on the dew covered seat.
"Here, so you won't get your dress damp.  Did I tell you how beautiful you
look tonight?"

Nicole couldn't help but admire the
tenderness Slade was showing.  He was so different from the man she had met
back in Ireland, surrounded by all the best money could buy and all the power
hungry people.  She wondered which persona was the true side of Slade: the
playboy who was out for power or the gentle, caring man she had seen since he
helped everyone escape Loch's grasp.