21 Shades of Night, page 145
“All dressed, dear?” Ms. Graves asked through the door.
“Yes. You can come in.”
She came in quickly, business-like and eyed my pants. “Those are a little large. Would you like me to take them in?”
“No,” I said, rolling over the waistband of the soft gray pants. “I’m just glad you had something for me to change into. Thank you.”
“We’ll get the rest of your things tomorrow.”
She offered me a hairbrush and comb, as well as a small pack of other items. “How long do you think I’ll be here?”
“I can’t answer that, although Mr. Caldwell will make sure everything is safe before you return home.”
“How hard will this battle be? Do you think he’ll win?”
The older woman gave me a hard look. “I don’t know. Mr. Caldwell will secure the portal and eliminate any threats to your life, but this is only one group, Nadya. Surely there are others out there.”
I swallowed. “Groups that want to kill me?”
“You’re an anomaly of our kind. No one knows what to do with you, and you’ve been hidden for many years. Some will want to test your abilities while others will want to eliminate them.”
That information was enough to make me want to pack up and run away, but where to? I didn’t want to encounter another soldier on my own. Liam claimed I had my own powers, but even if I did I had no idea how to use them.
“I don’t mean to scare you. I just believe in honesty.”
I smiled. “So do I; thank you.”
“It’s one of your identifying traits and why your people monitor the portal.”
I ran the brush through my hair and looked at her through the mirror’s reflection. “Can I ask you something else?”
“Of course.”
“What do you know about this bond thing, Mr. Caldwell says we have between us? Is it real?”
Wrinkles creased across her forehead. “Does it not feel real?”
“It does, but I’ve never had a relationship with any boy—or man. I don’t know what is normal or not.”
“It’s real, Nadya, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to learn to protect yourself and your heart.”
“What do you mean?”
She hesitated and looked toward the door. “Mr. Caldwell has waited for you for a very long time, but he is a man of quick temper and impatience. His life has been solitary and singularly focused—on protecting you and the portal. I anticipate your transition into our world will be difficult. I can’t imagine how you two will manage the complexity of romantic entanglements while fighting for your lives.”
With that she left the room, leaving me with more questions than before.
* * *
STILL ATTEMPTING TO wrap my head around everything, I declined dinner with Liam that night. My stomach was full from the late afternoon meal Ms. Graves had provided, and I felt a distinct but conflicting need to be away from and with Liam at all times. For the sake of my own sanity, I chose away. The information from the last forty-eight hours was a bit more than I could mentally handle.
Ms. Graves nodded when I said no thank you, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She found me amusing, like a pet or something they’d rescued from the street. At least she was honest with me.
I climbed into the enormous bed and settled in the thick blankets that were so soft they must have cost a fortune. The mattress was heavenly. The sheets smelled like flowers. The pillows were soft and plush, but no matter how hard I tried to sleep it was useless. I’d slept more than half the day and admittedly, with every passing moment my obsessive need to know everything about Liam Caldwell was coming to a head. I was in his house. We were “bonded,” whatever that meant (I sort of thought it meant hot for each other but that seemed to undermine the situation). He knew everything about me and I still had limited information on him.
I slid off the edge of the bed and my toes sunk deep into the carpet. Quietly, I opened my door to the hallway and peeked outside. Nothing but a long hall, framed artwork mounted to the walls and five closed doors, including a set of double doors at the end. Crap. I stepped back in the room and looked around, my eyes finally settling on the dark wooden door that Liam had come out of earlier in the day.
I walked across the room and grasped the brass knob. The door opened easily, and immediately I knew this room was much more interesting. The room, a study or office I determined from a fast glance, held everything I needed to know about Liam Caldwell.
Shelves lined the walls with ancient books stacked neatly and in clearly in some sort of unrecognizable order. The lettering on the sides looked like hieroglyphics and the bindings were all cracked and torn. I ran a finger across a set and I would’ve sworn they shivered under my touch.
“It’s just a book, Nadya. Just a book,” I muttered to myself, but the Sidhe world was unfamiliar and there was so much I needed to learn.
I moved on a grand apothecary desk sitting on one end of the room. Tiny drawers covered the front, all labeled neatly in script. I tugged on one of the handles but it didn’t budge. Locked. Liam was smart.
On top of the wooden cabinet, three jars held what looked like a cluster of feathers and small bones tied in a bundle. Then, I spotted something I couldn’t believe I missed in the first place. A glass case filled top to bottom with shiny trinkets, displayed with the utmost care. I approached the cabinet and felt a hum—a warm vibration in my limbs. The charms were made of silver or gold, some etched with intricate designs. There were even two crowns and a ring, mounted with a magnificent green stone sat in the middle. I’d never wanted to possess a piece of jewelry so badly in my life. I reached for the lid but another ripple of energy shivered across my body.
“Rule number one,” a voice said from behind. I spun to find Liam standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. He wore an untucked button down with jeans and a pair of dark boots. I’d never seen him dressed so casual before. “Never touch something that belongs to a Sidhe without testing it first.”
“Why is that?”
“Nothing is ever as it seems. Drinks can be spiked, ingredients charmed and jewelry is most susceptible to spelling.”
“Spelling?”
“All Sidhe or fae can cast magic. It just depends on the nature of the person whether or not it’s good or bad.”
“How do you tell?” I asked. I followed his every movement. It was almost too good to be true, having him here amongst his things.
He opened the case and plucked out the ring. The light glinted off the green stone. “There are a variety of ways. Other spells, the occasional liquid. Many of us have a heightened sense of smell.” He sniffed the ring and held it out to me. He nodded and I sniffed too. Man, everything about this was weird. “What do you smell?”
“Metal? But I guess that’s obvious. Maybe a hint of dirt.”
“Dirt?” he asked.
“Yeah, like the ground after it rains.” He nodded again and placed the ring back in the case. “Was I right?”
“You weren’t wrong. Curses tend to leave behind a foul odor—like sulfur or something rotten. A basic spell, which isn’t as harmful, but still annoying, is usually sweet—sickly sweet like—“
“Cotton candy,” I interjected. “It always makes my head hurt when I smell it.”
Liam stared intently at me—too intent. I felt exposed. He didn’t have x-ray vision did he? He placed the ring back in the case and shut the door. “Were you looking for something in particular?”
“No,” I said, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. “If you want the truth, I was snooping.”
“On me?”
I shrugged. “Pretty much.”
“You could always ask.”
I skirted around him, focusing on the shelves that surrounded the room. On anything but him. Liam had many paintings and the occasional photograph mounted for visibility. “You’re not the most forthcoming person I’ve met.”
“It’s a lot of information for you to take in all at once. I don’t want to overwhelm you.”
“You’re hiding things.”
He tilted his head. “Like what?”
“Like whatever this is between us.”
“The bond? I’ve told you it joins us and combined it made us very powerful. You’ve seen the healing abilities.”
“There’s more than just that. I feel very…intense. It’s something I’ve never experienced with someone before.”
His eyes had never left me, not once as I moved around the room. I stopped in front of him and tentatively placed a hand on his chest. The current ebbed and flowed between us. He swallowed and said, “It’s a unique connection.”
Just being this close to him made me feel bold—powerful. My muscles tensed and something inside, confidence maybe, bubbled beneath the surface. God, I wanted to kiss him. I tilted my head upward and asked, “If we’re to challenge this group coming for the portal, what do we need to make ourselves strong enough?”
“Nadya, you’re not ready to fight in this battle. It’s too dangerous and it’s too soon to test your abilities in a situation like this.”
Normally, I would have fought him. I had no interest in taking a backseat in this fight, not when I could feel the change inside of me, but even I knew needed more information, and I needed Liam to let down his guard. “Then what can I do to help you become stronger?”
His jaw tensed and I felt his hands move restlessly on either side of my body. His eyes would not meet mine. “I will become stronger if I feed on you.”
“How? I’m assuming that does not actually mean eating me, since you know, you’re not a zombie.” The truth was that I felt the hunger myself, churning deep in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to consume him. Taste him. “I already did the healing thing. Isn’t it like that?”
“No,” he said, without humor. “It’s a way of passing energy to one another. It feeds our souls as well as our body. It happens every time our flesh meets.”
With that information I took his hand and spread his fingers wide with my own. Warmth flowed between us. “Like that?”
“Yes.”
I reached behind his neck, brushing against the soft skin just below his hairline, before working my fingers into his hair. Liam dropped my hand and pushed the hem of my shirt up, grasping the flesh above my hip. A tingling sensation rolled across my skin. His other thumb grazed my lip, leaving a trail of heat.
“More?” I asked, licking my lip, seeking his taste.
He bent down slowly, painfully so, and pressed his lips to mine. Liam’s touch was gentle but firm. Hunger tested my will and I deepened the kiss, parting my mouth, feeling his tongue on mine. The air between us turned warm and to my shock, tinged with the colors gold and blue.
“What the—“ I said, pulling away to see what was happening. A trail of visible light passed between us and I was overcome, mind and body, with the intense feeling of euphoria. “That’s not normal is it?”
“No. Well, for us it is, but for others, no.”
I looked up at Liam and noticed with surprise that he had color in his cheeks and the final scars on his chin had disappeared. I wasn’t sure but it seemed like this energy sharing went both ways. I felt stronger too—unfortunately, like Liam said, I had no idea what to do with it. “It worked, didn’t it? You’re stronger.”
“I am. Thank you.”
“Do you need more?” He appeared hesitant, frowning slightly. I pressed myself to him. “You can if you need to.”
“Maybe, that isn’t such a bad idea,” he agreed with a small grin. He lifted me in his arms as though I was light as a feather. My mouth found his and again I fell into the depth of his kiss, of his mouth and arms and everything. Yeah, maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.
Chapter 10
Liam
THE AIRPORT WAS quiet, other than a quiet rumble of thunder near the mouth of the portal. It was 3 a.m. and the storm signaled enough trouble that I’d called the guardians to meet me. The others were in position when I arrived, but I’d called them over to fill them in on the situation. None were truly taken by surprise. Once Nadya’s cloak of secrecy fell it was only a matter of time before the soldiers made an attempt on her life and for control of the portal.
“Is everything secure?” I asked, tossing the bag of weapons on the floor of the airport lobby with a loud thud.
“All of the wards have been increased,” Brayden said, reaching for a long sword.
Daniel bent down and rummaged through the bag, looking for the weapon of his choice. He took a long blade out and then began handing various objects to the guardians standing behind him. Ten guards worked at the airport; the rest had assimilated into the town, preparing for this day. “There is definite activity on the other side, though. Several of my alarms have been triggered. That thunder and lightning is just the beginning of it. They’ll attack by dawn.”
“We’ll be ready,” I told them, presenting more bravado than I truly had. Yes, I was stronger after feeding from Nadya—stronger than ever before—but I was also burdened with an additional distraction, the girl herself. I’d left her in the care of Ms. Graves, who was more than capable, but now that I’d experienced the bliss of feeding with her my ability to think of much more was impaired.
“Was it worth it?” Colleen asked. I looked up at Nadya’s friend. She wore battle armor and attached two blades to her wrists and held them up. She was one of our strongest guards. “Risking all this to finally have her as your own?”
“Fate made that decision,” I refuted. “I am merely accepting it. She couldn’t hide forever.”
Colleen rolled her eyes and mumbled low under her breath. I heard the word selfish. “I will not deny my selfish motivations in this situation, but Nadya opened this wound, not me. I discouraged her. You were there as she picked at the scab, Colleen; don’t pretend you made any efforts to stop her.”
She took a step in my direction. “I agree Nadya needed to embrace her destiny—her own power. She should be here protecting the portal. It is her fight, not yours, Liam, that’s what bothers me. That you’re feeding from her for your own gain and nothing else.”
I narrowed my eyes and clenched the dagger I was holding tight in my grip. “How dare you presume to understand the gravity of my bond with Nadya and to this place? Everything about her is mine and everything about me is the same to her. This is not simply for my selfish gain, Colleen. Understand that or leave now.”
We faced one another, tense and ready for a fight. Her eyes narrowed with hatred and distrust but there was no backing down. Colleen might be a worthy guard but she was not up to my strength, not today. A bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by an earthshaking roll of thunder.
“Liam,” Daniel called, pointing to the sky.
The soldiers were near. It was time to assemble the guard.
Chapter 11
Nadya
THE SKY LIT up like the fourth of July as we raced across town toward the airport. Now that I was “aware” I could see clearly and the impending storm coming directly from the portal, not the surrounding sky.
“How pissed is he going to be that you brought me here?” I asked.
“He’ll be furious, but don’t worry about me. I can handle Liam.” The glint in her eye told me she spoke the truth. “This is your fight as much as his and once you asked it was my obligation to bring you here. Good luck, dear.”
“Thank you.” I exited the car and quickly ran to the employee entrance of the airport. Using my key I entered the building and slipped into my father’s office. I kept the light off and listened to the voices the lobby. Liam spoke in a loud, tense voice. I peeked out the square window in the door to see who he was commanding.
To my shock and surprise I saw Colleen inches from Liam’s face. Her forehead was lined and she had a mean set to her jaw. I heard the accusation she made toward Liam about me—about his selfish motivations. Collen was a guard? How many people in my life were lying to me? I pushed back anger and listened because I wasn’t without my own suspicions.
The thunder cracked overhead and Liam directed the guards into position and the men in front pushed through the doors to the runway. I spotted Brayden and Daniel among the leaders in the group, but there were other familiar faces, some from the airport and others from around town.
Once more my reality spun and I realized my entire life had been a farce. Every person, place and thing in my existence had been a sham. A cover up for a greater universe that I’d barely scratched the surface of. Anger coursed through me and I bit back my rage as lightning flashed outside and thunder shook the ground under my feet. Papers toppled off my father’s desk and I swore I heard the sound of hoof beats echoing across the runway. I pushed through the office door and searched for Liam, only to see the back of his head as he charged into the storm.
I raced across the room and stopped short, barely recovering before falling over a large canvas bag. Metal glinted from the inside and I reached in. Careful not to cut myself, I pushed aside several blades until I found one sheathed in leather. I revealed the blade and saw there were two—one to strap to each wrist. The metal hummed for me and I sniffed it, finding the familiar and comforting hint of earth.
I had no way to prove it or any reason to think so, but I knew those weapons belonged to me. I strapped them on, tightening the leather cords, just as the sky cracked open with a flash of yellowish-green light. Tiny dots filled the sky and I watched, mesmerized, until they hit the ground running. They were Sidhe, soldiers identical to the one in my home, and they were on the attack, claws slashing at the guards.
