Emma (Dark Fire) (39 page)

“Please, you've said enough. I get it.” Her heart tightened painfully.

“Do you?” He asked harshly, grabbing her arms, he lifted her until they stood eye-to eye. “He was everything to me and you people, you filthy exiles killed him. I was running toward the car when I saw the assassin port behind him. The assassin was a girl, a mere slip of a girl with white-blond hair. She looked straight at me. Her eyes glowed red in the setting sun. I swore I'd remember her face, but she was a pre-pub and after puberty she changed. Did you know he looked straight at me when she killed him? I shouted, but he never stood a chance. She thrust her sword through his back. Before I could take another step, they ported away.”

“Richard was older. A sword through his chest wouldn't have killed him,” Sarah said softly, aching with the pain she'd inadvertently caused Nick. Could fate have dealt her any worse a blow? She didn't think so, at least not until he spoke again.

“You’re right. A sword through his heart wouldn’t have killed him, but I'm sure over the next few weeks he wished he was dead. The assassin even sent us a lock of his hair wrapped in a black ribbon,” he said, glaring at her. “A black ribbon is Lady Sarah Trellick’s calling card. Isn’t it?”

Heat filled his eyes as he softly added, “I never told you his name.”

She stilled, knowing where this was going, knowing she couldn't argue. Pulling the Dyrst’Lye card had been the right decision after all. However, she had hoped at the time that threatening him with destroying her lifeBud would make him admit he loved her. She’d never been so wrong in her entire life. He really did hate her. He hated her with an intensity that few ever saw in an enemy, much less a lifeMate. Maybe finding one of the Dyrst’Lye wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“Having a lifeMate suddenly appear in my dreams threw me. Having you turn out to be an exile muddied the waters even more.” His hands tightened on her arms, pulling her up higher. “How you must've laughed at me. You would've only been twelve. The connection didn't click until a few days ago, not until after the explosion, but that's your calling card, isn't it?”

“I can explain,” she said, grief welling up in her chest. “Please, give me that chance.”

His eyes turned into bottomless pits of ice. She'd lost him.

“Black ribbon is your calling card,” he bellowed in her face. “A simple black ribbon delivered to the surviving family member's home. A bloody war token, a way for everyone to know Lady Sarah has killed again.”

A bloodcurdling scream of terror interrupted her answer.

Brianna ran toward them holding her arm, blood streamed down the length of it.

“Worms!” Brianna screamed.

Worms? Sarah blinked, cocking her head to one side. Then she saw what Brianna ran from.

Long, milky-white creatures dropped from holes in the ceiling, red spikes quivered along their fat backside. Six to eight feet long, and a foot around, they raced after the bleeding girl in an inchworm like manner.

Additional worms dropped from the ceiling. Snapping after their fleeing prey, rows of sharp teeth glinted under the luminous glow of the crystal tunnel. Dozens of ravenous creatures flowed across the floor.

Sarah snarled, but deep down she was thankful for the timely interruption. Without giving it a second thought, she reached for the synth surrounding them, and touched the energy.

She stifled a smile as synth crystal once again answered her mental call. Fleetingly, she weighed her options. One, they could try to outrun the synth worms. Not likely, as the poisonous worms, guarding the synth tunnels, were notoriously fast and rabidly protective of their home turf. Two, she could port the three of them out of the tunnels. Also not likely, as she would have to make them both disappear and at the moment she was hurting. She might make their vanishing act a bit too permanent. Third, she could activate one of the doorways. That, she decided with a careless shrug was unfortunately her best option. As far as myth went, synth worms never ventured through any of the doorways.

She briefly considered calling Mac, but decided she was angry enough that she wanted the challenge of whatever lay beyond the unknown doorway. Or perhaps, she simply didn’t care.

She knew from the former Chi’Kehra’s journal, the area she stood in was a Portal Hallway, a naturally occurring and very weird side effect that happened after the Ancients created the first ruins. His journal noted that once the ruins were operational, portals (or gateways) began opening without rhyme or reason - which, of course, presented her current problem.

She would only have enough time for one shot,
accidentally
triggering a single portal. Who knew where that portal might dump them? Knowing her current run of luck, they might appear on the lawn of the White House in the mundane world. Now, wouldn’t that create a massive problem?

At least appearing in the mundane world would keep her occupied and away from Nick’s condemning stare.

She turned to the nearest doorway and quickly ran her hands down its frame.

“Blast it Sarah, come on,” Nick snarled, reaching for her arm. “Those worms are fast.”

Sarah easily slipped away from his outstretched hand. While, he was busy snarling at her, she simultaneously tapped her finger against a small key-like indention in the middle of the solid doorway. It didn’t do anything, but the mental order she sent to the synth within the portal did do something. It shimmered, blooming with life.

The solid wall disappeared. The silent hum of power reached-out and touched the edge of her mind, as if the synth crystal was a sentient creature and curious about her.

Black filled the doorway as an active gateway opened inside the frame.

Sarah hesitated. She couldn’t see beyond the inky blackness. The portal could have opened anywhere, even a dhark lord’s courtyard.

Brianna ran up beside them, her shoes slapping against the floor.

Nick obviously didn’t share Sarah’s hesitation.

“Go!” he snarled.

Brianna gave a startled cry.

She glanced to the side, briefly catching a glimpse of Nick shoving the girl forward. Brianna flew past Sarah’s elbow and into the black void.

Sarah whirled, but she was so surprised at his actions, he caught her off guard.

With both arms wide, he swept her up in them and charged through the pitch-black portal.

He stumbled, falling to his knees.

She jerked out of his arms and scrambled to her feet. Waving her arms in front of her, she smacked against thick curtains. She shoved her way through them, leaving Nick and Brianna struggling on the floor.

Sunlight blinded her, long enough for her to realize she had a slight problem.

The sharp edge of a sword touched her neck. “That is quite far enough, Lady Sarah,” a deep voice said.

She froze, inhaling the scents around her. Irritation churned in the pit of her stomach. Of all the places for them to appear, she had to pick a portal that dumped them in a dragon's lair.

Chapter - Olitiau Portal

Nick clenched his hand in the bark of a blue furble tree. The spongy surface crumbled under the pressure. Morags buzzed in the forest around him. An owl or a hibbet, he wasn't sure which, hooted from within the limbs high above him. It had been hours since Sarah disappeared. He knew she had to be with Guardian Alexander. The thought didn’t sooth him.

The dragon lair had been a suite of rooms inside the guardian’s castle. Alexander had not been pleased with the intrusion, even less so when he realized Nick, Sarah, and Brianna had been separated from their cabin mates.

The guardian flew them across the Sídhí forest and found the missing teens, including Clarisse and her dragon escort, Harry. As usual, the red-haired vamp created even more problems, revealing a portal that opened into the Dhark Empire.

Nick ground his teeth together in anger as Clarisse and Harry admitted to being member of a terrorist organization. He had wondered at the true reason behind the camp. Never, not in a million years, would he have guessed it had something to do with Dragon Valley terrorist problem. The bomb that truly blew Nick was Harry’s belief the Khr’Vurr hunted for Chi’Kehra, a creature out of nightmare. A Chi’Kehra, after four thousand years, was nearly worse than a horde of umbra suddenly appearing in Clan Valley.

Now, Nick and everyone else, except Alexander and Sarah were cooling their heels in a small grove of trees in the middle of nowhere. He searched the pre-dawn forest for any sign of Sarah. Time had burned the mite poison from his body so the dark night was not an obstacle for his enhanced vampire eyes.

Yeah, he could see just fine, but he was so angry he could barely think straight. He didn't doubt for a minute, Sarah had followed Alexander on his wild goose chase into the Dhark Empire's worst prison.

He shuddered, unable to consider the thought of losing her.

Without warning, Sarah ported into the middle of the clearing. She reeked of blood, both human and other wise. Red globs splattered her clothes. Thankfully, none of it smelled like hers.

He charged to her side, relieved she was in one piece.

“Where have you been?” he snarled, unable to keep the anger from his voice.

She danced backward, avoiding his touch.

“How did you get your bracelet off?” Beth asked furiously, pointing at Sarah’s bare wrist.

He glared at the small shifter as she leaned aggressively toward Sarah. Too bad the fairies had tinkered with the silver, allowing the shifters the ability to change shape anytime they wanted. Tackling a hundred and twenty pound girl that turned into a deadly Sídhí animal, a werewolf or khatt three or four times her size was not encouraging.

Her words registered, and he realized the shifter was correct. Sarah had ported into the middle of the clearing. A feat that was impossible with the restrictive silver bracelet they all wore.

Sarah chuckled softly. The sound sent a shiver of dread up his spine. It was only then that he noticed her eyes looked flat, void of emotion. Not her normal ice princess look, but completely dead.

“Guardian Alexander needed a guide through TèVarrn Prison. My price was the immediate and permanent removal of the silver bracelet.”

“He had no right to risk your life like that,” Nick said harshly, furious the dragon dared jeopardize her life.

“You no longer have the right to question anything I do. We’ll be free of each other soon enough.” Lacking all emotion, her lips curled upward. Her dead eyes never flickered. “That is what you want, isn’t it Nicholas Andrews, to be free of the filthy exile? Fine. Your wish is my answer. I will never bond with you.” After a slight pause, she softly added, confusing the hell out of him. “You can thank me when the synth in your blood sings for a sweet little clan vampire. I’ve been promised you’ll probably meet your new lifeMate within the month.”

Her words registered and he felt his heart shatter. He didn't want anyone but her. She darn well knew that. He shook his head, refusing to listen to her. His animalistic growl bounced around the silent clearing.

She stared at him, coldly watching him. “You only want me when I’m hurt or you think you have lost me.”

She chuckled and he heard the depth of grief in the sound, a touch of near insanity.

He cursed. What the bloody hell had he done to her?

Sarah turned, avoiding his eyes. “Guardian Alexander changed the Olitiau Portal to exit at the main camp grounds.”

He heard her soft, dead words but he didn't care. He had to make her listen to him. He'd figure out a way to fix things.

Sarah turned and walked into the surrounding trees, leading them to the portal.

“Sarah,” Nick said, hurrying to catch up with her.

A creature of the night shrieked, a dozen more screams of hunger quickly followed.

^___________

So ends the prequel to
Exile
.

Nick and Sarah's story will be available 2013 (late fall). As release day approaches, a notice will be posted at Sídhí News & Gossip (blog), Facebook, and Twitter.

Excerpt - Forbidden Temptation of a Vampire

The Exile turned her gaze to Katie.

Katie’s new promise to herself: Don’t feel left out when psychotic people ignore her. She shivered, not from the cold, but from the Exile’s glacial gaze. She felt Jared move even closer.

The Exile stared for several seconds. Then her eyes narrowed and she glanced back to Mitch. Her nostrils slightly flared, catching his scent on the afternoon breeze.

“You’re Gwen McQuillen’s children.” The Exile’s expressionless face didn’t twitch when Katie gasped in shock. “Not hard to figure out.” She nodded toward Mitch. “You smell and look like a halfling. Yet, you’re both the image of Gwen with your pale green elfin eyes and golden hair.”

The revulsion on Mitch’s face reflected Katie’s own as he asked, “How would an Exile know our mother?”

“The Sídhí world is very small.” Her eyes, chunks of red ice, never wavered as she studied the brother and sister. “Many years ago my mother’s name was Lily McQuillen.”

Katie couldn’t contain her gasp.

Mitch’s jaw dropped, looking as shocked as Katie felt. Everyone thought Lily McQuillen, their older sister, had died a hundred years ago.

“Are you saying our sister is a prisoner in the Dhark Valley?” Katie’s voice shook with anger.

Mitch took an angry step toward the lethal Exile.

“Mother is no one’s prisoner.” Her lips lifted in a slight smirk. She reminded Katie of an animated ice sculpture with her satin white skin and pale hair. “My parents are bonded lifeMates. Her name is now Lady Lily Trellick.” She paused, less than a heartbeat and added, “And my name is Sarah.”

Glossary of Sídhí Terms

Condensed version - Complete glossary at author's website and blog

Chi’Kehra
– Chi’Kehra is the title for the true elf monarch. In known history, there have only been two. Every elf baby is tested at birth; the baby’s hand is sliced open and dipped into pure synth crystal. Any child that has a scar after this process is declared as the ultimate elf leader, Chi’Kehra. The Chi’Kehra is the only person that can completely manipulate synth crystal in its pure form.