The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook* (22 page)

My eyes narrowed, “You mean bored before I came along in your life.”

He moved closer, causing me to lose focus for a minute. That was the thing with Mathias, one minute I was relatively fine and the next I was breathless with stars dancing in my eyes.

“Perhaps, but at least I knew what my job was and what was expected of me. Now I’m playing nursemaid to a young woman who is a major pain in my ass."

“Nursemaid huh? Candy stripes would look so hot on you. I smell a Halloween costume."

Mathias just shook his head and sighed. “Stay behind me and don’t make any sudden movements. Control yourself and your emotions.”

“I will promise to keep my arms and feet inside the ride at all times,” I vowed

“Your scent Willa,” he reminded me

“Oh, right”:

Earth, Air, Water and Fire

I call upon thee

Unmask my scent with this charm

This spell has protected me from harm

I release it now, with your blessing

As I will so mote it
be.

Saying a silent thank you, and I then released the elements. We proceeded down the long, winding flight of stairs beneath the garage. We went through two separate steel doors before finally coming to a room filled with about fifteen guardians. Frank and Riah looked up mildly surprised.

“Mathias you didn’t tell me the princess was accompanying you. If you had, I would have dressed better and…” Riah’s voice trailed off as he took in my unmasked scent.

Mathias immediately pushed me behind him and positioned himself in a protective stance. I peeked out from around his shoulders and saw fifteen vampires stand eerily still with their nostrils flaring.

“I shouldn’t have done the spell so soon,” I murmured

Mathias ignored me. “Princess Willa has come down to see the prisoners. I had her unmask her scent, and I assumed this would not be an issue for anyone of you. If there is, please excuse yourself now, or I will be more than happy to escort you from the room.”

His announcement was greeted by apologies and shuffling of feet as the Guardians shifted around uneasily.

“Sorry Willa,” Frank said sheepishly

“It’s ok Frank. I know you wouldn’t hurt me. Besides if I walked into a chocolate factory, I would have probably reacted the same way."

He smiled at me but when he looked at Mathias, his smile faded. “Take a good whiff now ladies and gentlemen. If any of you react that way again, you will be dismissed from the island.”

“Mathias, please, I’m sure I just caught them off guard. There’s no need to threaten them."

His only reaction was to roll his eyes at me, which made me laugh out loud. “You’re catching up pretty quickly with my mom on the whole ‘eye rolling at Willa thing.' Maybe we should do a little contest?"

“I’m reasonably confident I would win,” he said with a smirk

“Winner, winner, chicken dinner,” I sang. “Oops, probably not the best term to be throwing around with this crowd."

It was then I noticed the silence that had come over the place. The vampires were all looking at Mathias with shocked faces. Apparently they have never witnessed the head of security acting without a big stick up his ass and joking around with someone.

“Sooo...” I emphasized. “Are we going to go harass some Rau or what?"

“Follow me and do not say a word. This is strictly an observation exercise for you,” he said sternly

“Whatever,” I answered with a flip of my hair

He shook his head and grabbed my hand roughly before pulling me through another door where Riah was standing. I glanced over my shoulder and Riah gave me a quick smile before the door closed, and we walked down a long hallway.

On my right, we passed about five cell doors before stopping at the last one. Mathias placed his palm on the computer panel and much to my surprise the door slid open. I cautiously walked through after Mathias but was relieved to see a small threshold before a set of thick bars.

The relief was replaced with terror when I got my first look at the Rau.

Two men leaned against the opposite wall from us. They paid no attention to Mathias but fixated their predatory gaze upon me. They were both of average height and build, but the mediocrity stopped there. What caught me off guard were their eyes. Black as night, but accentuated by a bright, red pupil. It was terrifying and almost hypnotic at the same time.

“Well, well, well. What have you brought for us Mathias? Is this a last meal to tantalize us with before you kill us?” The one with blond hair said mockingly

“No, sorry Vladimir, I simply brought you someone to meet,” Mathias said

“Vlad?" I whispered, “Seriously? Talk about a walking advertisement. I’m assuming he doesn’t blend in well."

Vlad, the cheesy, as I began to refer to him in my mind walked a few steps before he hissed. I saw his nostrils flare right before his fangs came down, and he flew at the bars trying desperately to break them.

“Vladimir, what is the meaning of this?” his brown hair counterpart asked disdainfully. He decided to assess the situation and got a whiff of me. He walked over to the bars with much more elegance and control than his counterpart.

“What is she?” he breathed

“Vladimir, Cosmo, allow me to introduce to you, Princess Willa. She is the daughter of Prince Cormac of Fairlia and Princess Cecily of the clan of Skye."

“Impossible,” Cosmo said staring at me in wonderment. “She is a Fae and Gypsy child? A royal one at that?”

“It’s not possible. Everyone knows the Tuatha De Danann and the Gypsies cannot conceive a child. This is trickery, witchcraft trickery. Did you expect us to fall for such nonsense?” Vladimir asked with a sneer.

“Willa, give me your hand, please?” Mathias asked while giving me a silencing look which was also strangely comforting.

I knew what he was going to do, but part of me wanted to run screaming bloody murder down the hall and out of this basement. There was something odd about these two vampires. It wasn’t that they were scary as much as downright, hair standing on your arm creepy.

I reluctantly gave Mathias my finger and flinched when he pressed down lightly on my skin with a small knife he had pulled out of his pocket. The second my blood welled up on my finger Vladimir and Cosmo both started growling and pulling on the steel bars violently.

“Do I have your attention now? Yes? Have you ever smelled such rich blood before in your long, pathetic lives? My theory is the combination of two such powerful magical genes coming together produced this unusual and intoxicating scent.” Mathias had smiled before he licked my blood off the knife. He closed his eyes for effect and then plastered on a satisfied smile.

His little show began to drive Vlad the cheesy and Cosmo nuts. I hoped those thick bars could hold them in because I swear these two were trying to rip them apart with such ferocity I took a small step back.

“One drop, that’s all I ask Mathias, is one drop.” Cosmo pleaded as he sank to his knees

“I’m going to rip these bars off and suck her dry.” Vladimir yelled as he started to scratch his nails up and down his face. Dark red, almost black, blood appeared and began to drip down to his neck and chest.

Mathias stood calmly smiling while they begged and screamed for my blood. When they both started to tear at their flesh, I had to turn away. Even though, I knew these two would have killed me and my parents in a heartbeat back in Yuma or kept us as some blood slave, to watch their insanity driven by hunger take over their whole being was a gruesome and almost sad sight.

I heard Mathias chuckle and then something hit the ground. I turned to see him lean down to pick up the knife that he must have dropped, leaving a few faint drops of blood on the concrete floor.

Mathias, who was so careful and vigilant though, had made a grave mistake. He got too close to the bars and turned his back on his enemy. Vladimir and Cosmo both reached for him through the bars at the same time. Before I could even call out a warning they had him in a death grip, trying to pry his head from his body with their strong fingers.

I stood frozen in shock. Mathias’s eyes were screaming a warning at me "
Run,"
his voice exploded in my head. “
I’m fine. I’ve got this. Go."

I had a split second to react. I knew that I would never make it in time to call out for the Guardians down the hall nor could I physically help him break free.

Without a conscience thought I flung my hands out, called upon my fire, and aimed for the two Rau who was clawing at Mathias madly.

The purple flames hit them squarely in the face and neck, and before any of us could even register what had happened, their whole bodies began to become engulfed with my magic. They were screeching in agony until the flames I shot at them eventually disintegrated their flesh.

Their remains littered the floor with smoldering ash.

Mathias stared at the floor before turning his gaze at me. “What the fuck Willa?" he asked in bewilderment.

“My fire, I have freaky fire.” I replied almost drunkenly, “Purple flaming fire.”

“What?" Mathias asked again confused

“Freaky fire,” I answered as stars began swimming in my vision and my eyes rolled back in my head. Darkness took over as I crumpled to a heap on the floor.

Chapter Fifteen

Low voices cut through the darkness that was surrounding me, and I had the sensation that I was floating through the air. I tried to push against the weight that seemed to be paralyzing my eyes and limbs, but it was too much. Instead of continuing to fight I let my other senses take over to assess what was going on around me.

“Mathias!” my mother shrieked. “What’s happened? What’s wrong with Willa?"

“Oh dear God,” asked my father. “What’s going on?”

“She’s fine, she fainted. I’m going to lay her down on the couch. Winifred, you may want to have a look at her. Is Oliver here yet?"

“I’m here. Tell me what happened. Rhoswen, get my bag please, it’s in the foyer," Oliver’s steady voice said

I decided now was probably the time to announce that I was conscious. I cracked my eyes open and let out a groan as everyone around me rushed over to where I lay on the living room couch.

“I’m fine,” I croaked.

"Mathias, please tell us what has happened,” Winifred asked in a no nonsense voice. “Surely she didn’t just faint from seeing the Rau?"

“No, that isn’t what bothered her. It was the power of her witch fire that she threw at them and disintegrated their pitiful existence that knocked her out,” Mathias replied in a grim tone.

“What? That’s... that’s... impossible.” Cecily stammered.

“Willa, can you tell us what occurred? It’s crucial.” Cormac asked

I looked at Mathias for a moment; I didn’t want to deliver a blow to his pride, but
I had no choice. Luckily he answered before I tried to say anything.

“I turned my back for a second and they caught hold of my neck through the bars. Instead of letting me handle the situation and running for help...”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” I interrupted. “Handle the situation? They had you by the neck with your back turned. I couldn’t waste the time trying to get help; I did what I had to do.”

“I had everything under control. If you would have listened to me and run like I told you then I could have slipped out of their puny grasp, and taken them out,” he replied coldly

"Oh, I’m sorry. I must have misinterpreted the whole eyes bulging out of your head, and Jedi mind trick of you yelling for me to run in my little brain.” I said sarcastically

“Jedi mind trick?” Rhoswen asked confused

“Star Wars?” Jeremiah prompted.

“Never seen any of them.” she replied ruefully

“What the hell do you mean you’ve never seen Star Wars?" I asked

“That’s amazing.” Jeremiah agreed

“I haven’t watched a movie in over thirty years. They’re all a bunch of crap if you ask me. The moment the Duke died this whole world went downhill.” Cuddy said

“The Duke?" Cecily’s brow furrowed

“John Goddamn Wayne,” Cuddy said

Winifred sighed. “Dear Gods, can we please, please, get back to the matter at hand?"

“Willa used her witch fire and toasted them.” Mathias said

"I prefer to call it my purple freaky fire,” I said

“Purple flames?” Winifred repeated. “Let me get this straight, you called upon your fire and it was powerful enough to destroy the Rau?"

“Yeah, so what? Hasn’t anyone ever killed them before with their fire?"

“No Willa. No witch fire or even Fae fire has ever been known to kill the Rau. While it can be used to slow them down no one has anyone been able to…” her voice trailed off in shock.

“Disintegrate them into little piles of ash in a matter of seconds?" Mathias asked

“What does this mean?” Cecily whispered

Everyone was quiet. Great another thing for me to stand out for, I thought, my freaky fire.

"It means Willa’s a badass.” Jeremiah said smiling

“I told you she was a firecracker,” Cuddy said laughing

“Oliver, I want you to run a few tests on Willa tomorrow.” Winifred. “I think most importantly, blood work.”

“I agree,” Oliver said quietly

“I think Willa should rest. We’ll sort this out more in the morning.” said Cormac

“I’ll take her upstairs to her room,” Serena offered but her eyes widen as she backed up and took in Mathias’s glare.

“I got her,” he all but growled

“We really need to work on how you talk to people. For example, what you could have said is, ‘Thank you Serena, I will take her up if you don’t mind’.”

Mathias swooped down and picked me up while staring daggers at me. Apparently the big boss man didn’t like to be told how to do his job.

“Thank you Serena, I will take this pain in my ass upstairs but she’s all yours after that,” he said sweetly

Serena just stared at us open-mouthed, as a matter of fact; everyone was pretty much unabashedly enjoying our little repartee.

“Well, you certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet.” I rolled my eyes.

Mathias grunted and then took off out of the room and up the stairs in a blur. We reached my room in about five seconds. He set me down on my bed ungraciously and shut the door.

“Why did you tell everyone I spoke in your mind?” he roared at me

“Because you said you told me. You didn’t speak to me. I heard your voice loud and clear in my head; it’s not like you were in any position to talk. Oh wait, is speaking in someone else’s mind another sign of ‘True Mates’?” I asked as I put my fingers in quotation marks

“What the hell are you talking about now?”

“Oh, Serena and I had a nice conversation this afternoon about vampires and how they can only fall asleep with their mates.”

Mathias shook his head and walked to the window turning his back on me. “Willa I’m not speaking of this.”

“Oh really? I would never have guessed that you would say that.” I mocked

He turned around and stared at me. “For one, I don’t believe in that nonsense. Two, I told you do not go romanticizing me. I’m not your hero; I’m not your mate, and I’m not playing star-crossed lovers."

“I’m not asking you too. All I’m asking for is the truth. Do you know what happened earlier?"

“What are you talking about?” he said uneasily

“When I saw them try to tear your head off all I could think was there's no way I’m letting them take you away from me.”

“You’re attached to me because I’m the one who came and got you from your home. You are confusing me acting protective with what I am."

"Perhaps,” I agreed. “But I’m pretty sure I'm not the only one who’s attached."

Mathias came around and sat next to me. “When we were all gathered, or were recruited, by Queen Sidra, we made an agreement not to feed off any of the clan or develop any intimate relationship with them. We are here to protect and in turn we are fed and giving an opportunity for normalcy that was denied from us by our makers.”

“You mean to tell me that in a several hundred year time span there have been no deviations of this pack by the Vampires or Gypsies? No stolen kisses or private moments? I don’t buy that.” I scoffed

“The only time it has happened was with Robert, who was my mentor and my friend. That is why he is Denver not just because he was burnt out, but because he claimed he found his mate."

“With a Gypsy?” I asked hopeful

“Katya and her family came here from Russia seeking refuge about twenty years ago. The minute she arrived, it became apparent that she entranced Robert. It wasn’t long before their relationship was discovered.”

“How?” I asked completely enthralled by the story

“They were discovered by me and Winifred. I had accompanied her for her weekly ritual of casting the protective spells around the island and on our way back we stumbled upon them in an embrace,” he answered. “I had suspected something like this was going on but Winifred was shocked. She demanded that Robert stop seeing Katya and his response was basically fuck you, and they left the next morning.”

“Robert was a good Guardian, the best we had. Now he is off with Katya, who does not speak to her parents, and they are all alone. No family, no real friends, and just each other,” he finished

“Sometimes that’s all you need,” I said

"Spoken like a girl who has never been alone in her life. You are a girl who has always had the support of her loving parents and a circle of friends. You have no idea how hard it is. How difficult it must have been for your parents. How with each sunrise you breathe a sigh of relief that you are alive."

“Even though it may have been hard on them, they have never once regretted it as I’m sure Robert and Katya don’t either."

“I would,” he said bluntly

Those two words, two little inconspicuous words, shattered me. No matter what, no matter how many signs, no matter how many searing looks, Mathias would never give in to our attraction. If he did, he would lose his honor and break his word. I may have only known him for a week or so, but I already realized those two things were more important to him than the girl he just met.

“Does this mean we can’t hang out and have a movie night now and then?” I asked with a little smile

"It all depends on the movie,” he said

I pulled my iPad from the charger and opened the case. “I’ve got ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’.”

“That’s playing dirty,” he grinned

“Why is that playing dirty because I’m tempting you with movies from the eighties?"

His eyes went sad and solemn. “You tempt me every day.”

For a moment, we just stared at each other. So many unspoken words between us, so many things I wanted to do and say but couldn’t. I didn’t know what was in Mathias’s past. I never had the courage to ask him the big question on how he became a vampire, but I sensed somehow that played a part in this.

Resigned, I pulled out my secret stash of chocolate and offered him one. “I’ll let you share my chocolate if you get the popcorn.”

“Deal,” he said right before he sprinted out of the room

Later that night as we lay side by side, watching a movie and munching on candy and popcorn, I could tell the air was different between us. Unfortunately, I had no clue if that was good or bad.

The next morning Serena and I went to the hospital to meet with Oliver. I was impressed by the modern hospital facility on the island. Although it wasn’t large, the small two story gray and white craftsman style building looked inviting but businesslike.

I let my Uncle and Aunt, poke and prod me for almost a half hour before they began to draw blood. Serena stepped out of the room while Rhoswen looked for a vein.

“So is this where the vamps come to eat?” I asked unsure of the politically correct term.

“Yes, the whole basement is a blood bank for the vampires as well as anyone on the island who may need it,” she smiled

“So when do I start my donation? I’m assuming we all pitch in, including the royal family?"