by Laura Lee
I thought about everything that had happened since I’d been in Ireland. Every moment I’d shared with Leo. Could I really regret being with him? The answer I found inside myself was a resounding no. In spite of this realization about Vance, I loved Leo. I saw proof of that in my aura. Being intimate with him was so special for both of us. I refused to be ashamed of it and I refused to ping pong back and forth anymore. Neither man deserved to be treated like that. Despite the circumstances that led to it, I chose to take my relationship with Leo to the next level and I had to see that through. God, how was I going to tell Vance? Could this fucked up situation get any more complicated?
“Vance, I can’t. Too much has happened. I’m so sorry I didn’t see it before. I really, truly am. Maybe things would be different…maybe not, but I need to move on now.”
He scoffed. “Move on, with Leo?”
My jaw dropped. “I didn’t say that.”
His fists clenched. “You didn’t have to.”
I straightened in my seat. “I’m not discussing this with you.”
“But there’s something worth discussing?” he insisted. “I’m not an idiot, Karli. Something’s different with you two. What’s changed?”
We stared at each other in a standoff as the waitress delivered our drinks.
She took out a small pad of paper and clicked her pen open. “Are you ready to order?”
Vance looked away from me. “Could we have a few more minutes please?”
“Of course. Just holler when you’re ready.”
I waited to continue our conversation until she was out of earshot. “Vance, I’m really not going to discuss this with you. At least not right now.”
He sneered. “Are you serious?”
“Of course I am. Why would you think otherwise?”
His jaw ticked. “Okay, let me put it this way. Hypothetically, if I started seeing someone,” he said those last two words like he’d eaten some bad fish, “you’re saying that it’d be none of your business? You wouldn’t care one teensy bit that some other woman was in my bed?”
“Are you seeing someone?” Dammit! Why’d I let that slip out? I knew he wasn’t but I fell for his trap anyway.
He grinned triumphantly. “Exactly my point. Now answer the question.”
Leo and I hadn’t even had the chance to discuss our relationship status. I certainly wasn’t going to talk to Vance about it first. I stood up from the table. “Thanks for the lunch invite, but I’ve lost my appetite.”
“Karli, wait.” He grabbed my retreating elbow. “Dammit! This wasn’t supposed to be this way.”
My eyes watered as I turned to face him. “Life doesn’t always work out the way we thought it would.”
He nodded towards the booth. “Please, sit down. Don’t go. I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight or if we’ll get another chance to talk.” He sank into the booth and sighed. “I just traveled five thousand miles to be here. Can’t you spare a little time?”
I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d want me to stay if he knew that I’d slept with Leo. He certainly suspected it, but suspecting and knowing were two entirely different things. “I don’t know, Vance.”
He held up his fingers in a Boy Scout salute. “I promise no Leo talk. No Maria talk. Hell, I’ll even throw in no relationship talk.”
I slid into my seat. “Okay.”
Vance and I actually managed to have lunch without any further incident. Our conversation was surprisingly pleasant…some might even say friendly. He filled me in on what had been going on back home, his version of everything with Erica, and even some memories of his time spent on Faerie. He was really excited about the possibility of going back there again. He even spoke about my parents’ deaths, and how it affected him. Of course he’d be affected when he learned they had passed; we just never really discussed it. I was a bit ashamed of myself because I was so wrapped up in my own drama that I never really thought about his feelings. God, I really was an asshole sometimes.
He dropped me off at the hotel and agreed to return right after sundown. I stepped into my suite and stood there for a moment, confused. All of the lights were off and there were no sounds coming from anywhere. Weird.
“Leo?” I called.
“In here, my love.”
His voice came from the bedroom so I walked over and opened the door. “Hey, wha—”
He smiled as he pulled me into the room. “Welcome back.”
I stood there in awe as I looked around. There were at least two dozen candles on every available surface with red rose petals scattered across the bed. “Oh, Leo, it’s so beautiful!”
He trailed a finger down the side of my neck. “You’re so beautiful.” He studied me for a moment and frowned. “Is everything okay? You seem…preoccupied. How was your lunch?”
I gulped. “I don’t want to talk about lunch. I just really need to be with you right now.”
Without another word, we undressed one another, taking our time, tasting the salt on each other’s skin as each layer of clothing was removed. I arched my back as he dragged velvety soft rose petals over my sensitized flesh, and gasped when he took my painfully hard nipple into his mouth while kneading my breasts. I moaned when he entered me slowly, filling me so soundly I screamed in delight.
Leo’s movements were soft and sweet, much different than our previous encounters. It seemed like he was committing every second of this experience and every inch of my body to memory. He loved me and worshipped me with every ounce of passion he possessed. We maintained eye contact almost the entire time, making each sensation that much more intense.
As I came, a shadow fell over his face. He looked…miserable. He exuded deep pain, regret even. I couldn’t pinpoint where the sudden shift in mood came from, but it was breaking my heart.
“Are you okay?” I stroked his face, looking deeply into his eyes.
He searched my eyes. “I love you, Karli. More than anything. Don’t ever forget that.”
Why was he saying this? “Leo, what—”
He silenced me with a kiss more passionate than any before, his tongue mimicking his lower body. His thrusts became harder, faster, and deeper until he reached his own completion. My body was humming in pleasure, but I couldn’t help feeling like something was horribly wrong.
He stood up and started pulling on his discarded pants. “We have about an hour before we need to leave. Why don’t you get ready? I have some calls to make.” He blew out the candles one by one.
I sat up in bed, clutching the sheet to my chest for armor. “Leo, what’s going on?”
“Nothing, my sweet. I simply have a few loose ends to tie up before we head out.” He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. “Get cleaned up. I’ll meet you out front when you’re done.”
I couldn’t hold back my sob as he walked out the door. My body was still slick with sweat from our lovemaking yet I felt a disturbing chill from his abrupt change in demeanor. It didn’t make any sense but I felt like he was saying goodbye. I got out of bed and peeked into the sitting area. Leo was already on the phone with his back turned. I ducked into the bathroom and showered on autopilot. After getting dressed and applying minimal makeup, I stepped out to join him.
“Perfect timing. Vance is waiting downstairs.”
I reached for his arm but he stepped away too fast. “Wait. Can we talk for a minute?”
He made a show of looking at his watch. “I’m sorry, my dear, but we don’t have time. We can talk later.”
The cemetery was a short twenty-minute drive outside Dublin. We parked the car in a small lot and began hiking up a rather daunting hill. Dozens of Celtic crosses rose over the Irish countryside, highlighted by the half-moon. This place would have probably been really pretty during the day, but right then, it was creepy. I kept expecting rotted corpses to rise out of their graves, limping towards me moaning, “Brains…must eat brains!”
We spotted two women waiting in front of a large Virgin Mary s
tatue. Both had their hair pulled back into tight buns and wore long, dark robes and stoic expressions.
The one on the left lifted her chin towards me. “I am Hannah and this is Heather.”
Huh. What strangely perky names for such serious women.
“It’s nice to see you again,” Leo said.
Heather nodded towards me. “Is this her?”
Leo nodded. “Yes, this is Karli Lane.”
Hannah stepped forward and took my hand, momentarily closing her eyes. “She is pure, as you have promised. We will talk.” She cocked her head towards Vance. “And you are?”
He stepped forward and offered his hand. “Vance Alexander.”
She placed her other hand over his. “You have a wealth of power, Warlock, but I sense Fae as well. What is your family background?”
“My mother was half witch, half fairy. My father was a warlock.”
She assessed all three of us. “I find it odd that you two would associate with a vampire.”
“You and me both,” Vance muttered.
Hannah clapped her hands together. “It’s none of my concern. Anyhow, the High Priestess has agreed to a meeting.” She handed Leo a folded piece of paper.
He opened it. “Where does this lead?”
I peered over his shoulder and saw a set of driving directions...I think. It was a little too dark to make out the words. I didn’t have Leo’s super deluxe night vision.
“It will lead you to our home, Quinmore Abbey. Exactly five miles out, the road will appear to end. My sister, Talia, will be waiting for you. She will temporarily lift the wards so you may pass.”
Leo folded the paper and tucked it into his pocket. “When?”
“Tonight. You must leave now. It will take you about three hours to get there.”
Leo looked at his watch. “I need to arrange for nearby accommodations first. We will not have time to return before sunrise.”
“No need,” Hannah replied. “The High Priestess will allow an overnight stay. She has taken certain…precautions that will dull your abilities while you’re within the protection of the abbey. If she approves after meeting you, you will head to the portal the following evening.”
Leo scowled, obviously not liking the power dampening part. “I will do whatever is necessary to give Karli what she needs.”
Hannah nodded. “I will let the High Priestess know you have an extra guest in your party and have agreed to her terms.”
Leo got us there in just under two and half hours. I couldn’t see much along the way beyond the headlights, but I could feel lots of rolling hills and curves. Leo slowed the vehicle when we spotted a dark sedan up ahead. A woman dressed in the same drab robe stepped out as we pulled off to the side.
Leo put the car in park and stepped out. “Talia, I presume?”
“Yes.” She looked inside our vehicle. “I need to see the Fae. I understand there are two now.”
Leo nodded to me. I exited the vehicle with Vance right behind me.
Talia gestured for us to come closer. “I need physical contact to read you.”
I stepped closer and offered my hand. Vance did the same. She took both of our hands at once and clasped them between hers. She paused for a moment in concentration and released her hold.
“Very well, you may pass. Return to your vehicle. It will only take a moment to lift the wards.”
We did as instructed and watched her through the headlights. She made a fist and released it, spreading a trail of fairy dust across the entire width of the road. It was so strange seeing someone else use Fae magic, especially someone who wasn’t technically Fae. She held her arms out wide and began chanting.
“What’s she saying?” I wasn’t very fluent in Latin, but as a warlock, Vance was.
“I can’t tell,” Vance whispered. “That’s not Classical Latin. It’s something much more ancient.”
I sensed the disturbance in the air before I saw it. At first, I thought my vision was blurring but then I realized the landscape was. A loud crack boomed through the night and suddenly, we had miles of road in front of us, instead of the rocky shoreline we saw before.
Talia came up to my open window. “Follow me. Make haste, because the wards will only be lifted for another ninety seconds.”
With that, she got into her car and began driving. Leo shifted the car into gear and followed closely behind.
We cruised through more winding roads until we reached a small lake. The moon was reflecting off the surface, allowing me to see a large castle-like building in the distance. As we rounded the bend, we drove down a narrow road for another quarter-mile before pulling to a stop in front of wooden double doors.
I climbed out of the car, taking in the enormity of Quinmore Abbey. At first glimpse, the impressive palace was like a near-translucent alabaster and charcoal sculpture, almost too stunning to be real. It was built using a mixture of different architectural styles that appeared to be predominantly Gothic. There were several imposing towers, each covered in windows and topped with decorative battlements. On either side of the main house, set back into the hills, were rectangular outbuildings that resembled old college dormitories. Perched snugly alongside a glassy lake in the folds of a tree-covered mountainside, the entire thing was utterly romantic and reminded me of times long gone.
“Wow.” I was in awe.
Vance joined me. “This is incredible.”
Talia opened the front door. “This way.” Her tone was all business, all the time.
The three of us followed her into a large foyer. Dark chestnut paneling lined the walls from floor to ceiling. Above, a rose-colored chandelier hung from a pale blue coffered ceiling.
Talia stopped in the doorway of a large sitting room off to the right. “Wait here in the parlor. The High Priestess will be in shortly.”
Vance, Leo, and I each took a seat in delicate mauve chairs. I tried making small talk as we waited, but Leo silenced me with a look that warned, don’t say a word, someone could be listening.
A few moments later, Leo’s body went rigid as he gripped the arms of the chair.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
He clenched his fists. “I feel…woozy, I think.” His already pale complexion became more pronounced and a sheen of sweat formed along his forehead. “I haven’t been ill since I was human. I’m not quite sure what’s happening.”
I knelt in front of him as he swayed forward. “Are you okay?”
I could see Vance’s nervous expression in my peripheral. Karli, maybe we should get out of here. I don’t like this.
Ooh, I’d almost forgotten that Vance could speak to me telepathically! That could certainly come in handy.
I placed my hand on his forearm. “Leo? Do you want to leave?”
He stood up and fell. Vance jumped forward to brace him so he didn’t topple over me. “Whoa there, Vampire. Easy now.”
Leo clutched his chest. “My heart…is pounding.” Sweat began dripping from his brow. “Maybe…maybe I need some fresh air.”
“Fresh air?” I repeated. “We can do that. Vance, help me get him outside.” Leo was a ton of bricks. There was no way I’d be able to carry him out the door by myself.
“That won’t be necessary,” an authoritative voice said.
The three of us looked up in unison and saw a woman standing in the doorway. She was also wearing a long gown but hers was dark blue with swirling gold trim. Her auburn hair was not tied back like the others we’d met. Instead, thick waves fell slightly past her shoulders. She carried herself with quite a bit of clout; I was pretty sure this was the head honcho of the abbey.
“Who are you?” Vance demanded. “And what’s happening to him?”
She waved her arm dismissively. “I am the High Priestess. You may call me Michaela. As for the vampire, he will be fine. He simply needs to stop fighting the loss of power. Once his mind accepts his weakened state, his body will comply.”
“No one said he’d get sick!” I shouted.
>
“He’s not sick; he’s weakened,” she said haughtily as she swept her gaze over the three of us. She cocked her head to the side, studying Leo. “He accepted the conditions. Now he must suffer the consequences.”
“And what exactly are those consequences?” I asked.
Leo could no longer support his weight and crumpled to the ground, despite our best efforts to hold him up. I joined him on the floor. His eyes were frantically scanning the room, searching for something.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” Michaela exclaimed. “Leo, is it? Relax! You’ll be fine once you accept your limitations.”
“And what limitations are those?” he panted.
“While you’re within these walls, you are no longer a vampire.” What? She could do that? Just how powerful were these witches? Vance and I shared a troubled look.
“And what…exactly am I?”
“Human.”
“A what?” Leo stretched his arms out and slowly pulled himself up into a sitting position. I slid one of the chairs next to his and sat down.
Vance continued to stand. “I think we need to leave.”
Michaela walked into the room with a confidence that none of us could hope to match at the moment. These witches had a terrifying amount of magic at their disposal. She looked at Vance. “You’re the warlock, yes? But with Fae blood?”
“Yes,” Vance said defiantly. “Are you going to take away my powers too?”
“Don’t be an imbecile,” she scoffed. “You are one of us. Your powers may stay as long as you don’t try to use them against us. Besides, the vampire isn’t technically human. He just has the weaknesses of one.” She looked at Leo. “Think back to a time before you became immortal. Your abilities will be the same as they were back then, except you still cannot tolerate sun exposure. Once you stop panicking and accept that, you’ll be able to function normally.”
“So he has one of the only disadvantages of being of a vampire and all of the human ones?” I was incredulous. “Why would you do that?”
“I take no chances. My duty is to protect my coven and the entire Fae population. Your people, in case you have forgotten! You have such strange loyalty to a vampire. I do not understand it. Do you want my assistance or not?”