Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, a Paranormal Romance

by H. P. Mallory

  “Are you going to answer my questions now?” I asked, not sure what his plan was but not wanting him to sidestep mine.

  He turned to me and a smile brightened his entire face. It was so disarming, I nearly dropped my defenses. But I knew better. Odran couldn’t be trusted.

  “Aye, Lass, but furst let us break our fast.” He lifted a bunch of red grapes and pulled against the vine in a tug of war. It was like I was having breakfast with Bacchus or something. Once he freed the grape from the vine, he held it up to my mouth.

  “I prefer to feed myself, thanks,” I said and took the grape between my fingers. I dropped it into my mouth and the flavor burst into tiny drops of delight on my tongue. It was the sweetest grape I’d ever tasted and my stomach groaned with hunger. Odran eyed it with quirked brow and the flush of embarrassment claimed my cheeks.

  “Lass, afore we discuss yer reasons fer being here, cannae we discuss jist one other thing?” Odran asked.

  I nodded. “As long as we can talk about you joining Rand and me, yes.”

  “I doona need yer answer right away, Lass, boot I want ye ta consider livin’ with me.”

  I choked on nothing. “What?”

  “Not here, ah course,” Odran continued, completely ignoring my outburst. “Ma village is mooch larger an’ more…coomfortable than this one,Lass. Ye wouldna be unhappy there. Ye wouldna want fer anything.”

  Then it occurred to me—why would Odran want me to live with him? It wasn’t my pretty face, and it wasn’t my witty conversation. He wanted me for my talent. As usual, the creatures of the Underworld were always looking out for themselves.

  “Why?”

  “I find maself taken with ye, Lass.”

  What a load of…

  “Taken with me?”

  “Aye, Lass, yer fair face an’ amicable coompany…”

  “That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve heard in a long time,” I snapped. Odran’s eyes widened in surprise. I guess he was used to women jumping at his blatant lies. Well, I was human and used to players. Hell, I’d dated one.

  “Why don’t you drop the act, Odran, and tell me what you really want from me.”

  “Why, Lass, ye doona do yerself justice.”

  I shook my head. “Okay, granted, I know you want to have sex with me, but having sex with me and wanting me to join your village are two different things. You’re not smooth enough, Odran, I can read you like a book.”

  He sighed. “I shoulda known ye wouldna be easy, Lass.”

  “Okay, so why don’t we try this again. Starting with the truth, this time.”

  Odran nodded. “Very well. Ye have a unique ability. I want that ability. Ye would strengthen the fairy power, Lass.” Then he smiled. “An, as ye say, I would like ta bed ye.”

  Well, at least I was getting the truth now. But that didn’t change the fact that it pissed me off.

  “Well, regardless of what you would like, I’m not interested. Thanks all the same.”

  Odran chuckled. “Think on it, Lass. I know yer offended now, boot think on it. The fairy community is the oldest ah the creatures. We’ve the most power an we can offer ye safety.”

  My eyes narrowed. “Speaking of how powerful you are, let’s discuss why I came here in the first place. You are aware that Bella will consider you an enemy if you don’t join her?”

  He sat up straight and grabbed another grape, rolling it around in his hand aimlessly.

  “Aye, Ah’m not worried ‘bout Bella, Lass. She couldna defeat us.” He wound his elbow back and launched the grape into the air. We both watched as it hit the bark of a tree and disappeared into the undergrowth.

  “Okay, well that’s fine and good but what about the other creatures of the Underworld? Half of them are against her and she’ll wipe them out.”

  He faced me again and his eyes were sharp, predatorily so.

  “Aye, an she plans ta become Queen, herself.”

  Wait, what? I wore my shock. “What are you talking about?”

  Odran shook his head like I was stupid or something. Hmm, I could say that Scottish men didn’t hold quite the attraction for me that they had yesterday.

  “Doona ye think that Bella would’ve come here ta try ta get us on her side, Lass?”

  Well, crap and a half…no, I hadn’t considered that.

  “She did?”

  “Aye, threatened us might be the better word. Her plan is ta become Queen ah all creatures ah the Oonderworld.”

  “And you as King?” I put the final puzzle piece in place.

  “Aye, Lass.” He picked up another grape and launched it again, this one missing the tree and disappearing into the pine needles.

  “And? What was your response?” I demanded.

  Odran chuckled. “Ma response, Lass, was ah no. I doona need ta join with anyone, we’re powerful enough as it tis. We prefer ta keep ta ourselves. Let the other creatures war among themselves. If they kill each other, it matters noothing ta me.”

  Okay, that didn’t sound good. And it surprised me. You’d think that creatures of the Underworld would have more of a care for one another, but the more I got to know them, the more I found that wasn’t the case.

  “You don’t care if the other creatures destroy themselves? What of the Lurkers?”

  “Lurkers?” He said with a laugh, shaking his head. “We’ve never dealt with them, Lass.”

  “Okay, then what about the other creatures of the Underworld?” I repeated. “You don’t care what happens to them?”

  “They matter noothing to us. They are the squabbles ah children.”

  It was beginning to look like there was no light at the end of this tunnel. Frustration and fatigue beat down upon me until my shoulders sagged.

  “So, you won’t join us?”

  Odran held my gaze, strong and relentless.

  “No, Lass, I willna.”

  “Because you don’t care what happens to us?”

  He shook his head. “I doona care what happens ta the rest ah them. I care what happens ta ye.”

  “Because you want to use me for your own needs,” I finished as any warmth I might have harbored for him dried up within me like water in the desert.

  “Those are yer wards, Lass, noot mine.”

  “If I agreed to help you, would you consider it then?” I asked, my tone suddenly hopeful.

  “I willna consider it at all, Lass, it would mean the death ah many ah ma men. I doona think yer side is capable ah defeatin’ Bella. An puttin’ the lives ah ma men under yer lead…I willna think on it.”

  “Rand is very powerful,” I said, my lips tight. “We alsve one of the strongest vampires who has hundreds in his lead. And I thought you believed me to be powerful?”

  “Rand was taught magic from the fairies, Lass. Vampires are destroyed by the light ah the sun an’ ye, Lass, ye are powerful boot not in fightin’. Ye are powerful in creatin’, not destroyin’.”

  I stood up, furious. Furious with Odran but more so, with myself. How stupid I’d been to actually believe this asshole would help me. What a waste of time. And what would we do now? Fight Bella and die? Give in and join her?

  “How can I prove to you that I’m powerful enough?”

  Odran shook his head. “Ye couldna, Lass.”

  I wasn’t taking no for an answer. The futility of my situation echoed through me until I could feel it in every part of my being. Odran was our only chance to beat Bella.

  “There must be some way I could prove myself to you. You name it.”

  He was quiet for a minute. “I would believe in ye if ye could defend yerself against ma best fairy…in magic.”

  Well, crap, that sounded doable, didn’t it? It wasn’t like he was asking me to defeat someone, just defend myself. I’d think my magic advanced enough that I could handle such a task.

  “Defend myself? Against magic?” I repeated.

  “Ay, Lass, then I would believe in yer magic. But, tis silly discussin’ it. Ye couldna take on a master ah m
agic. It’d surely kill ye.”

  I ignored him. In fact, I’m not even sure I really heard the “kill ye” part. My mind was completely stuck on the fact that I’d found a chink in Odran’s armor, a way to get him to join us. That was all that mattered.

  “Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that I did take on your fairy and was able to defend myself from him. Would you join us then?”

  Odran was quiet again. Finally, he nodded and my heart swelled.

  “Aye, Lass, I would join ye if ye could defend yerself against ma fairy.”

  I guess everyone did have his or her price.

  “Then I accept.”

  Odran’s eyes grew wide. “Nay, Lass, I thought ye were speakin’ in generalities. Tis too dangerous. Ye would be killed. I’ll not ‘ave that oon ma conscience.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “Are you taking back your word, Odran? Does the word of a fairy mean nothing?”

  His face colored and his jaw was tight. “I am no fibber.”

  “Then it’s set.”

  “Lass…”

  “My mind is made up, Odran. ”

  He stood up and towered over me. “Ye are too big fer yer britches,” he said in a thunderous voice. Color stole his cheeks and just as quickly, bleached away into golden skin. His lips relaxed into the slightest hint of a smile. He ran a finger down the side of my face.

  “Sooch courage.”

  Well, courage or no courage, all I could do was hope and pray that I’d be able to defend myself against fairy magic. We needed Odran on our side, but I also wanted to live.

  #

  Twenty minutes later, I stood in what looked like a Roman amphitheatre—like the Coliseum. Only much smaller. Instead of holding fifty thousand spectators, this one could probably hold two hundred, maybe. I guess that included me and the fairy who was going to kill me.

  The buzz of excitement filled the air. As soon as I walked into the arena, the crowd grew silent and as one, turned to watch me approach their King. I imagined there were fairies here from neighboring villages because the fairies in Glenmore alone never could’ve filled all the bleachers. Odran sat in his throne looking as stoic as a statue—staring straight ahead, his eyes focusing on nothing. I had yet to see Christa or Rand.

  “Where are my friends?” I asked. He dropped his gaze to me, but his mind was still elsewhere, his gaze just as vacant as it had been.

  “Comin’, Lass.”

  I nodded and glanced around, extremely uncomfortable with the fact that I’d have an audience. I’m not sure why, but it seemed like it made the task at hand that much more real. Or maybe I was just embarrassed with the idea of losing in front of two hundred people. Course, if I lost, I’d probably be dead, and it’s hard to be embarrassed when you’re dead.

  “Lass, please reconsider this foolishness.”

  I shook my head immediately. “If you won’t reconsider joining us, then I won’t reconsider taking on your fairy.”

  I’d made up my mind. Well, really, it seemed the only way to get him to join us and when you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place…you get it. Maybe I was just being stupid, but defending myself didn’t sound like it would be too difficult. It wasn’t like hand to hand combat like it had been with Ryder. Yeah, a piece of cake.

  “What’s going on?” Rand demanded.

  I turned to find anxiety written in his wide eyes and tight lips. The little man who’d met me this morning had led Rand into the amphitheatre.

  I started toward him. “It was the only way, Rand.”

  “What was the only way?” He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me as if trying to get the words out faster than I could say them.

  “What the hell have you done?”

  “She’s agreed ta defend herself against my best fairy,” Odran said.

  Rand glanced up at him, fire spitting from his eyes.

  “She can’t do that; your fairy will kill her.”

  A surge of anger spiraled through me. Why did everyone doubt me? I wasn’t sure if my own sense of bravado was misplaced or stupid, but either way, it hurt to be constantly reminded that I wasn’t powerful enough merely to defend myself.

  Odran nodded glumly. “Aye, Ah’ve told the Lass boot she is determined.”

  Rand faced me again. “Jolie, you will die, do you understand that?”

  “I just have to defend myself,” I repeated what I’d been telling myself over two hundred times already.

  Rand shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. His strongest fairy could kill you without even trying.” He faced Odran again. “Call this off, Odran, Jolie won’t fight against your fairy.”

  Odran shook his head. “I cannae call it ooff, it tis doone.”

  “Goddamit!” Rand yelled and then immediately fell silent, his eyes pensive. His jaw was so tight, it twitched.

  “Let me take her place.”

  “Rand, no.” This was my fight. “I have to do this.”

  Odran shook his head again. “I grow tired ah this argument. Either step aside or I’ll ‘ave ye restrained.”

  Rand’s eyes were wild. “Jolie, run. Run away as fast as you can.”

  No sooner did he say it, then two fairies grabbed his arms, pulling him away from me. Rand’s face was an angry mask, outrage etching his lips and eyes. He broadsided one fairy with a burst of magic but as soon as he did so, another four surrounded him, all of them livid. Tears blossomed in my eyes as I watched him struggle to free himself.

  What in the hell had I gotten myself into?

  “Run, Jolie,” he yelled, still flailing against his captors.

  “Remove him,” Odran ordered and then faced me. “Doona attempt runnin’, lass. Ye have made yer bed.”

  And now I would lie in it. I said nothing but nodded, resigning myself to my fate. I watched the fairies drag Rand from the pit and disappear with him around the wall of the amphitheatre. It was just as well. It would be easier for me to focus with him absent.

  “Where’s Christa?”

  “I didna think it right fer her ta be here, Lass.”

  “Thank you,” I said, thinking at least he’d done me a good turn there. I couldn’t handle the possibility of Christa watching something bad happen to me. Suddenly it occurred to me that I really hadn’t thought this one through. Defending myself didn’t sound like death. Why hadn’t I listened when Odran had said I could be killed? Goddamit, I’hought he’d been exaggerating.

  I was a freaking idiot.

  Half of me wanted to beg him to change his mind, to let me go. But then I’d sealed my fate when I’d demanded he stand by his word. I was so dumb and now I might even end up dead. Or, as everyone else seemed to think, I would end up dead.

  I didn’t know what was happening when two fairies took me by both arms and walked me into the center of the pit. Coming from the other side was a man, a fairy man. He was tall though not as tall as Odran. His hair was a dark red and fell to his knees. Muscles littered the landscape of his body like afterthoughts. But, it wasn’t his muscular build that really got me. It was the tattoos. They looked Celtic in design and ran the length of both arms and legs in a band of black criss-crosses. The largest one, in the shape of a cross, occupied the majority of the fairy’s chest, the black standing out against the otherwise white of his skin.

  “I am Dougal,” the fairy said in a deep voice.

  “I’m Jolie.” I was surprised I could find my voice.

  “Dougal,” Odran called from the sidelines. He motioned Dougal forward with his index finger. When Dougal reached him, Odran whispered something in his ear and the man nodded. God, hopefully it wasn’t strategy.

  I was dead, a goner.

  Jolie, just focus on protecting yourself. Focus on nothing else, do you understand? Rand’s voice broke through my thoughts.

  At the sound of his voice, tears sprung to my eyes.

  I’m sorry, Rand. I didn’t realize what I was getting into.

  That doesn’t matter now, just focus on protecting yourself.
/>
  Okay, I will.

  I don’t know what he plans on doing, but don’t be frightened; don’t let anything take your focus away from your own protection. Whatever he does, you must ignore it.

  I lifted my gaze and noticed that Dougal had finished his silent communion with the King and was returning to his side of the pit.

  “Begin,” Odran commanded.

  I did nothing as Dougal approached me, his eyes fixed on mine, his stride purposeful and intimidating. He didn’t wear a smile, but neither did he frown. He waved his hand in the air, starting near his shoulder and bringing it down to his leg. As soon as he did so, the sleeve of my dress ripped itself from me.

  Jolie, protect yourself, dammit, I thought.

  I pictured a blue glowing orb circling me and as soon as the thought left my mind, I could see the perimeter of my haven. The fairy just laughed and opened his hands, launching what looked like a glowing ball of energy toward me. Luckily, it burst into a fizz of nothing upon encountering my circle.

  Dougal frowned and strode to me, placing his hand on the transparent blue sphere. His fingers sunk through it and with a balled fist, he shredded my cocoon like it was as delicate as the skin of a grape. I backed away, bile thick in my throat and cried out when he grabbed hold of my dress, yanking me toward him. My blue sphere disappeared, taking with it my protection.

  He lifted me by my neckline and with a flick of his wrist, sent me flying through the air. I yelped and hit the ground a good fifty feet from him, my back and elbows absorbing my fall. I stared up at the sky, willing the air in my lungs to return. The sting coming from my elbows bore evidence to the fact that they were bleeding. I inhaled deeply and forced myself up, knowing time was a luxury I didn’t have. The air burned my lungs as it filled them, and tears caught at the corners of my eyes. Crawling onto my hands and knees, I stood and braced myself for Dougal’s next attack.

  He held his hands about shoulder-width apart and what looked like a current of electricity emanated between them. With a malicious smile, he pulled one arm back as if to launch the bolt of electricity. I immediately pictured a stone wall before me. A buzzing sounded from the other side of the wall as the electricity erupted against it.