The Golden Bell (5 page)

Her father had told her that mixed-blood
children rarely survived the first trimester, as the seed did not
mix gracefully. She’d been born two months premature and her mother
had never really recovered from the pregnancy. She’d died when Rain
was five, leaving a grieving husband and a sad little girl in her
wake. Her father had concealed the knowledge of what she was from
her when she exhibited little of his race’s characteristics,
thinking that she’d be happier believing she was fully human. He’d
been right, for the day she had learned otherwise had sent her
world into a tailspin from which she’d never recovered.

The murmur died down. Azion considered her
thoughtfully, and she had the sudden suspicion that he already knew
about her mixed blood.

“Interesting revelation, but to my mind it
makes little difference. You’ve got our blood. As rare and
impossible as that may seem, when combined with your susceptibility
to the male charmer, it makes you our responsibility. I do not
believe you will be happy here. Indeed, it’s clear that you’ve been
miserable for some time. I move to extradite you to the Dark
Lands.” One by one, the Elders voted to send her through the gate,
sealing her fate.

Her lips parted on a silent protest. They
were crazy! She was not about to meekly go along, dumbly complying
with their stupid decree. She knew nothing about the Dark Lands,
only that it had a creepy name and was inhabited by a race of
beings her father had warned her wouldn’t appreciate her existence.
Gritting her teeth, she fought the urge to tell them where they
could shove their verdict. The less she said, the less they would
know of her plans.

She wasn’t going to the Dark Lands.

Azion’s eyes shifted inquiringly to her
left.

That brought Rain to her feet. Fists
clenched, she gritted, “I’m twenty-two years old and past the need
for a guardian.”

“I accept the responsibility,” Fallon’s calm
voice cut off her tirade.

She whirled on him, within a fingernail of
attacking him. “I don’t want you as my keeper, so why don’t
you—”

Azion cut her off this time. “Lord Fallon
will be protecting you until such a time as you find a mate and he
can hand the responsibility over. He will help you to get
established and will see to your well being until you are settled.
This is the will of the Council. Good luck, and good day.”

Mute fury riveted her to the spot as the
screen went blank. Ignoring Kirk and her new “guardian”, she
stalked to the exit, whipped open the door, strode down the hall
and slammed into her room. Locking the door, she threw herself on
the bed and screamed into her pillow.

“That went well.”

Fallon shot Kirk an annoyed look and dropped
into his office chair. He could see the hallway and Rain’s bedroom
through his open study door.

He hadn’t known she was a half-breed. It
explained a lot, but made little impact on his decision to protect
her, other than to make him more certain that she needed it. Elder
Azion was right; she wasn’t happy here. No matter how she felt
about the move, she was sure to have a better chance of survival in
the Dark Lands.

Retirement had been looming for some time,
and he’d be glad to go home. Kirk was ready to replace him, and
there few of them left on this side of gate to warrant Fallon’s
continued presence. He had lands and duties in the Dark Lands, both
of which had suffered his absence for over a decade. Dealing with
one small woman wasn’t going to tax him.

Toying with the latch on his laptop, he let
his eyes wander over the shelves of books. The sun shown through
the window Rain had almost leapt through, reflecting off the snow
and illuminating the red velvet couch. Three moons rode the sky in
the Dark Lands and the climate was tropical. He’d miss this place,
but it had never held his heart like his home.

He pictured Rain there and smiled. She’d
probably attack the first shifted soldier she found, and since all
males remained in their more powerful, mute form when on duty,
she’d see one almost immediately. Growing up around humans might
even have made her fearful. Frowning, he considered how long it
would take her to become acclimated…

CHAPTER 4

It was still dark when Rain woke up, but that
wasn’t unusual for Alaska. Sunrise wouldn’t happen until
ten-something that morning. Growling at the dark, she flipped back
the covers and hunted for her socks.

She wanted to slap herself for her tantrum
last night. Granted, for the last year she’d been hunted,
sleep-deprived, half-starved and almost seduced by the bad guy, but
that didn’t excuse her childish behavior. You’d think the last year
would have pistol-whipped the remains of giddy youth out of
her.

She was going to the Dark Lands. She hated to
admit it, yet there it was. With the entire bloody Council against
her, the Cult’s deathwatch waiting for her to show her face and
Fallon and Kirk babysitting, there was no way she was going to be
able to run. Then there was the little matter of the trinket she
carried…

Rain slipped her hand into her frayed leather
jacket and pulled out a red rubber ball. A lopsided smirk curved
her lips as she peeled it apart at the seams and spilled the
contents into her palm. As heavy as gold, the intricately carved
metal ball slowly warmed in her palm. Topaz gems winked at her from
their settings, inviting her to touch, to wake them from their
slumber. Giving in, she held the device next to the bedside lamp,
giving it just enough light to operate.

With a hum, the device lifted from her palm
and hovered, slowly rotating. The gems lit up, began their opening
notes.

Rain shivered as unearthly music, barely
heard and intensely felt, vibrated in the air. Designed to
physically pleasure the listener, the sounds shivered with the
radiance of the aurora, seductively sweet. Piercing. Addictive.

Rain shivered. She hadn’t meant to make the
Bell. It was supposed to be a gate key, a door to the Dark Lands
that would allow her to take a peek without being trapped. She
realized too late that one actually had to go the Dark Lands before
it could be set, which was problematic, since she’d had no
intention of applying for her green card. By then she’d been
addicted, unable to abandon her seductive little toy. The idea of
it falling into another’s hands put her into a cold sweat.

Her father had been killed for merely hinting
that the Bell existed.

Someone on the Council had committed murder
to possess it, and if she weren’t careful, she’d be next. Stealing
was the least a man could do with the gate at his disposal. Murder
would child’s play if he could learn to set it. Imagine the
devastation if the Bell fell in the hands of an assassin. She
wasn’t blind to the potential disaster.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t destroy it;
physically couldn’t do it. Her nerves went weak every time she
thought about smashing it…the thing had become her lover. The
resonance bound even as it gave sweet pleasure, and like a puppet,
she danced attendance. God forbid a man should ever have such
sensual power over her.

Shivering at the final whisper of notes, she
closed her hand over the Bell. Breathing deeply, she sealed it in
its hiding place and shoved it in her pocket. At least she had an
out if things got ugly in the Dark Lands. No one would think to
look for her here.

It was time to go and face Fallon, and her
future.

“I’d rather drive.” Rain eyed the snow
machine as Fallon strapped on his saddlebags and duffle. She knew
how to drive one, but she had serious misgivings about letting him.
He had that look that said he only had one speed—warp velocity. His
full-face black helmet hid his face and his winter gear only
emphasized his height. Kirk was just as bad, and together they made
her feel like a round midget.

Glowering at Kirk, who was strapping on his
skis, she grumped, “The machine will bog down.” Not that she would
mind the delay.

“Not this one, baby.” Fallon’s eyes crinkled,
though his grin was hidden. “We’ve added a few Dark Lands upgrades.
Things are a little more advanced on the other side of the gate.
Hop on.”

Arms crossed, she eyed him and grudgingly
gave in. No doubt his weight on the back would overbalance them
should they go up any hills. Settling on back, she lightly grasped
his waist, holding on with her legs by habit. She’d spent much of
her childhood on snow machines and hated to ride double, preferring
to be the one in control. It was no fun staring at the back of
someone’s head, or in Fallon’s case, at his back. It blocked out a
huge chunk of scenery, and if he hadn’t set the shocks stiff
enough, guaranteed a jarring ride.

Fallon took off slowly, and she was relieved
he wasn’t novice enough to dig a hole by gunning it. The thought
had no more crossed her mind when he opened throttle. Rain grunted
and held on, rolling her eyes at Kirk’s whoop. The blinking idiot
was going to find himself wrapped around a tree and he was enjoying
it.

Frosted birches and snow cloaked spruce
flashed by, giving Rain more enjoyment than she wanted to admit. It
had been a long time since she’d rode, and Fallon proved a better
driver than she’d suspected. He took jumps like a madman, laughing
all the while, darting off into the powder now and then for the
sheer thrill of it. Kirk shouted encouragement, unintelligible over
the roar of wind and engine, but understood. Their pleasure caught
under her armor, sinking into her blood until it sang, too. Were
all men like this in the Dark Lands? Maybe it wouldn’t be so
bad.

All too soon, the wild ride slowed.
Disappointed, she looked around at the unassuming stand of birch,
seeing nothing more interesting than a fleeing grouse. Fallon
dismounted. Twisting on the seat, she watched Kirk dusting off
snow. Fallon took off his helmet, tossing it to his friend, then
stripped off his snowsuit, tossing it for sport, too. Kirk laughed
and tossed it back. “Feeling the heat already?”

Fallon grinned. “Know it.” He turned to Rain.
“Take off the helmet and suit and follow me. I promise you’ll be
more than warm enough in a minute.”

Wary of his wicked grin, she slowly obeyed,
glowering as the cold bit into her exposed skin.

He unbuckled her duffle and slung it over his
shoulder. “Leave the boots and gloves on; Kirk will get them later.
There’s less for him to carry this way.” He held out his hand.
“Ready, Dorothy?”

“Careful, Toto. I might just make a coat out
of you to keep from freezing out here.” Taking his hand so he could
help her through the knee-deep snow, she followed, grimacing as
powder worked its way down her boots. At least it was growing
warmer.

A shadow caught her eye, and she froze,
staring at the unusually big tree to her right. Was that a
wolf?

Fallon tugged her on, and she noticed the
snow thinning under the shadow of the trees. The warmth continued
to build, and she looked up as the light dimmed, greened. Well,
that explained it. The trees had grown huge, and their leaves
blocked the sun…

Rain stiffened and looked around. Redwoods.
She was in a redwood forest. Ferns and moss provided a soft cushion
on either side of the faint dirt path. Mushrooms the size of
ottomans dotted the forest floor, adding splashes of red. A
wolf-like creature wove in and out of the trees, a silent watcher
to her personal drama. Rain just stood there, looking, ignoring the
snow melting into her socks.

Fallon smiled and handed her a pair of shoes,
then slowly peeled off her gloves. “Welcome to the Dark Lands.
We’ll pitch this stuff back through the gate, then I’ll take you up
to the Citadel and introduce you around.”

Dazed, she looked at him, blinked when she
noticed him stripping off his sweater. Underneath was a black
leather vest that buckled across his chest. A red embroidered
Celtic knot decorated his left breast. She recognized the black
pants from this morning, but she’d never seen the weapons belt he
buckled on, or the gun in the low holster against his right thigh.
A silver dagger hilt rode his left hip. She stared.

He grinned. “Standard uniform, you’ll be
seeing a lot of it. Come on, let’s go blow your mind.”

He’d originally intended to take her straight
to her quarters to settle in, and then slowly introduce her to his
world. Seeing the wonder in her eyes changed his mind. Why not
build on it? This magic, the mystique of stepping into an alien
world that was now her own, this is what she needed. Let her first
moments be full of pleasure and the rest of her days would be
colored by it. Tossing aside his mental itinerary, he took her
hand, threw her a grin, and headed for the path that led to the
market.

The path through the woods wasn’t long.
Rain’s eyes lit up when she first caught sight of the colorful
tents and booths nestled against the curve of the Citadel’s
stonewall, facing the bay. Rows of merchants selling everything
from produce and crafts to weapons and livestock greeted shoppers
with cheerful invitations to try their wares. Women with baskets
did the household shopping, haggling with shopkeepers as their
children scurried around, ogling the goods. By the look on her
face, Rain couldn’t wait to explore.

Fallon grinned, congratulating himself on a
great idea. All women loved to shop and this one was no
exception.

Rain was in awe of the colorful costumes and
elaborate hairstyles of the local women. While the men seemed to
prefer darker colors and simple pants and tunics, the women swept
around in the full spectrum of the rainbow, in styles ranging from
harem pants and cropped vests with tulip or full sleeves, to exotic
robes and Grecian style gowns. The crowd wove around them, the
packed sand under their feet muffling some of the noise as the
scent of baked goods and savory delights filled the air. Butchers
with their logs of hanging sausages and crocks of cured meats stood
next to vendors with colorful jars of layered dried fruits and
nuts, glass cases full of confections and rows of fat-bellied wine
bottles. Several stands with steaming kettles and carved wooden
boxes full of bread served customers in a pavilion-covered dining
area, filling their wooden bowls full of something that smelled
good. Dishwashers accepted the bowls and cups, keeping the area
clean as diners left.