A Touch of Fire (Meridian Island Book 1)

by Jennie Dah

  “Yes it is,” Nicholas grunts his face twisted in irritation, a wave of that buzzing energy fills the air again making everyone jump.

  “Hey stop doing that,” I grit out and he grunts again but without the suffocating energy this time. I point at Robbie looking around. “What do you mean this isn’t it?”

  “Because, there’s nothing here to indicate that this is anything but a huge slab of stone,” he say running his hands all over to the rock again. “Unless of course the same magic words from that thieves book will work.”

  “You can’t be serious,” I huff in frustration when he just shrugs. “Open Sesame isn’t going—”

  I’m cut off when the ground beneath us shakes and the center of the rock swirls and spreads until the portal widens enough to fit two people at the same time.

  “Umm… uh… did that just work?” I ask no one in particular and curse the very next second when Nicholas disappears through the portal leaving us behind.

  “Come on,” I yell and jump through the portal the air whooshing in my ear and then I’m on the other side. I screw my nose in disgust at the foul overpowering smell that slaps me in the face when I get my bearings.

  I look around and my jaw hits the floor. This is a total health hazard for even ants. Dead trees, rotting animals by the side of the road, sweltering heat and the air so hot you can feel it sucking the moisture from your skin.

  What is this place? It looks like no one has been here in centuries. The few spattering of houses look so rundown raccoons won’t live in them if you paid them to. Movement catches my eyes and I look more closely at the house closest to me and I swear I see a pair of eyes staring at me.

  “This whole place is under a glamour spell,” I whip around to Nicholas whose eyes are darting everywhere. “Remember what we learned in wizardry class?”

  “No, not exactly,” I scratch my head sheepishly.

  “Well look past the glamour and you’ll see past it. Imagine it as a curtain then pull it open and you’ll see it,” he grunts starting down the lone road.

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath and almost gag. I concentrate and do what he said. I look at it intently and then my vision starts to swim. A few seconds later and then I see it.

  I gasp at the cages holding several people and anger boils in my veins. I sniff the air and distinguish the smells. Humans, shifters, Feys, witches and a faint smell of something I’ve never smelt before. Fire and sulphur.

  “What the hell?” I don’t turn to acknowledge whoever said that. “Come on, you guys free those people.”

  “Yeah, sure,” Charlie says already opening the first cage. “Logan you’re the fastest, get these people to safety.”

  Logan speeds around opening several cages within seconds.

  “Looks like I was right, the missing women are all here,” Charlie breathes looking around and I leave them to it.

  I run down the cracked road that Nicholas just disappeared down a few moments ago and catch up to him in seconds. I look warily at him not getting to close to him but just enough for him to know I have his back, my balls shriveling at the look on his face.

  I’ve never seen him look anything like this before. Whoever was stupid enough to steal such a powerful being's mate I wouldn’t wish to trade places with. Even though I don’t know exactly what he is, the power radiating off him leaves no doubt he’s something you don’t want to piss off.

  The person better start praying before we get there. Adrenaline shoots through my system my heart beating in overtime when I see the half decent building on top of the hill at the end of the road. Here we go.

  Chapter 15

  MAKAFUI

  I groan coming to, to find my hands chained to the wall and my legs shackled together. I squint at the harshness of the lone fluorescent light hanging from the ceiling.

  I look around the dark holding cell with the single cot with the overused mattress in the corner and the uneven concrete floor and shiver in disgust.

  I don’t even want to think about the wet stickiness between my bare toes. The sounds of shuffling footsteps reach my ears and I look intently at the bars waiting for the person to round the corner.

  “I see you’re awake,” Ugly sneers on the other side of the bars leering at me and I look down realizing my top is gone leaving me in just my bra and undershirt.

  “I see you still haven’t introduce yourself to soap and water,” I snark with an eye roll. He opens the cell door and walks up to me and I grunt at the stinging slap to my cheek with a rough laugh.

  “What are you? A fairy? My grandmother hits me harder than that,” I taunt and his face twist in outrage and he hits me again. I hear someone running frantically in our direction and then Gruffy appears at the entrance of the door and gapes in horror as Ugly hits me again.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he bellows before looking down the hall hurriedly stepping inside the cell. “Do you know what the Count will do to you if he sees those bruises on her face? Are you fucking suicidal?”

  “She was making fun of my new cologne man—”

  I laugh loudly cutting him of my stomach spasming. “Oh my God, you mean that foul stench is your perfume? Where did you get it? Countess Rat’s mother-in-law’s funeral?”

  He growls and I laugh harder but clamp my mouth shut when he comes closer and the smell becomes too much for me to breathe.

  “Can you step back a little? Maybe all the way over there?” I wheeze nodding over to the other side of the bars. “It’s getting kinda hard to breathe in here and I’d like to be able to appreciate other smells when I get out of here.”

  “See what I’m talking about?” he points at me anger radiating off him in waves.

  Oh nice more people, I think dejectedly as more feet shuffle our way. Who is it this time? My arms are going numb being spread like this and I wiggle my fingers.

  I wince when sharp needles shoot down my arm. Something catches my eye in the corner and I squint trying to get a closer look but even with my advanced sight it’s difficult to tell what it is.

  Is that a person? Are they seeing this too? I look at my captors but they seem to be involved in some argument and I turn back to the corner.

  My eyes widen when they meet green big ones set in a small face that’s looking straight at me. I open my mouth to ask my captors what a little girl is doing in here and clamp it shut at the slight shake of her little head. Ookay.

  I turn back to the two idiots and a slap meets me in the face and I grunt. What the hell was that for?

  “Awww, looks like someone’s an attention whore,” I don’t even finish the sentence before I get another slap.

  “Oh come on, that’s all you got?” I taunt and cry out softly when he hits me in the stomach this time.

  Damn that one hurt. My eyes water and I wheeze sucking in a harsh breath.

  “That’s a low blow man,” I croak my throat parched. He slaps me again in the face but with enough force to split my lips making me head whip to the side. The coppery taste of blood fills my mouth and I gag.

  “How’s that? Huh,” he breathes in my face and I gag again. I let the blood pool in my mouth and spit it in his face. His eyes flash red and I worry I might have pushed him a little too hard.

  I’m completely helpless with my powers not working right now and I think it might have something to do with that thing they injected me with. I wonder how long it’ll take before it wears off.

  I watch with wide eyes as he snarls his teeth turning into a billion jagged sharp mess before he charges towards me. I brace my body for the impact but he disappears into a puff of smoke before his teeth can rip into me.

  Thank God, my beautiful skin is okay. Gruffy's eyes widen in fear and he steps back into the corner. Someone’s standing in the doorway and I don’t remember ever seeing him before.

  His skin a little lighter in color than mine and most people would say he’s handsome with his warm chocolatey eyes, caramel colored lips and refined features but
to me he’s just another one of these jackasses that is holding me captive. Something niggles at the back of my mind and it clicks when he speaks.

  “Sorry about that Makafui,” he says softly his voice that soothing bass I remember all too well. The real face of Gideon Snow in his own flesh.

  “Ugh, can I talk to someone who doesn’t make me want to puke?” I groan looking up at the jagged stone ceiling. “And why did you change back? That other face didn’t make me want to burn my eyeballs with bleach.”

  Fucking shape shifters.

  “Is that anyway to talk to the man you love,” he crosses over to me and I burst out laughing and then laugh harder at the look on his face.

  “Of course I’d never talk to Nicholas in such an abominable manner, my grandmother raised me better than that,” I say around my laughter. “He deserves all of my respect.”

  “You still don’t remember,” he say rubbing his chin gazing intently at me. “I didn’t think the spell would erase all of your memories along with your feelings. I’ll go work on the potion that should restore at least some of your memories.”

  He leaves the room after that statement with Gruffy locking the cell on his way out too. He shoots me an apologetic look before moving away.

  I turn back to the corner on my right and stare at the little girl hurdled there looking intently at me. Why’s she looking at me? And why can’t they see her like I do or have I finally gone crazy?

  I shuffle nervously when she still doesn’t look away after I glower at her. She gets up off the floor and walk over to me and wrap her arms around my legs burying her face in my thigh.

  “Ookay,” I say slowly and awkwardly looking around because what the hell?

  “You came back,” I freeze at the soft voice. Say what now?

  “Uh-uh…ummm…”

  “You actually came back for me,” she whispers hugging my legs tighter.

  Okay someone needs to explain what the hell is happening.

  “Umm… I-I-t-they…” I clears my throat with a little head shake to clear the cobwebs and try again. “I think you got the wrong person little girl,” I say slowly and close my eyes in case she starts crying.

  “No silly,” she giggles and it sound like a hundred tinkling bells and then it feels like someone socked me the guts when she looks up at me her big green eyes sparkling with a toothy smile and a dimple in her left cheek.

  Pain rips through my skull as images after images flash rapidly through my head and I gasp harshly. The Bunker.

  “Little Ash?” she nods enthusiastically with the smile I use to hold onto during my time in the Bunker.

  Oh God.

  How could I have forgotten her? Even though I know it’s not my fault my memories are gone but I still can’t help feeling guilty that I didn’t remember her. I rattle that chain hoping to loosen them a little so I can wrap my arms around her and bury my face in her soft neck and suck in lungful of her delicious baby smell.

  “How are you baby girl?” I curse myself when I ask the question. Of course she’s not fine. Who would be if they’ve been locked up their whole life and never even seen the sun before?

  “Yeah I’m okay I guess,” she mumbles into my thighs with a shrug of her little shoulder.

  What is she doing here? This place is quite far from the Bunker. I listen closely and there seem to be a lot of activity upstairs and several cell doors opening and closing. The air smells faintly of chemicals too.

  Wait, we’re in the TU—Testing Unit— area? What for? Dang it. Why did my memories have to evade me now? My eyes widen in horror when it hits me.

  “What are you doing down here?”

  “They moved me here for testing after you were gone. They said you were dead,” she mumbles into my thighs squeezing me impossibly tighter.

  My heart pounds at her words. They are still continuing with this madness? If mother nature wanted to create one being with the abilities of several supernaturals, she would have done so a long time ago. Why do people always have to be power hungry bastards?

  “Is everyone else down here too?” I ask dreading the answer.

  “No, only the people they stole,” she mumbles.

  I suck in a sharp breath at her words. Oh my god, seems like he’s fallen even farther into his madness to become the most powerful. I tense at the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.

  “Baby girl, I need you to go back in that corner for me and pull up your cloaking shield again okay?” I say softly trying to keep the panic out of my voice. I shake my legs when her grip gets even tighter.

  “But I’m scared,” she whispers brokenly and my stomach drops at the look of terror in her eyes.

  “I know baby, I know,” I say soothingly my heart speeding up when the footsteps reach the top of the stairs. “But I’m right here. I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”

  “Please,” I add pleadingly when she stare up at me too long. I sag in relief when she finally releases my legs and hurries back into the corner and pull up her shield.

  I remember how hard she used to practice with it. Because she’s so young, the guards and doctors there never suspected a thing. If I remember correctly, you have to be at least twelve for your abilities to start developing and she was only three so she never had to take the evaluation test. She used to be so dejected when I could see through the shield because she thought she wasn’t doing it right.

  I don’t know how I manage to see past it but I’ve always been able to. She disappears from sight and I couldn’t help but feel proud at how much better she has gotten at cloaking herself. I can barely see her now.

  I let my head drop suddenly tired from all this. Where are you Nicholas? Why isn’t he here yet? Maybe he didn’t get the directions? Or he didn’t understand it? I don’t raise my head when the door swings open again creaking loudly. I keep my head down when someone’s boots appear in my field of vision.

  “I thought you said she was awake,” the soft melodious voice send shivers down my spine making my blood chill in my veins and the temperature in the room drops to the negatives.

  The fucking Count. Could this day get any worse?

  “She’s awake Master,” someone says nervously.

  “Why is she not looking at me then?”

  “Because,” I drawl my voice barely above a whisper. “You don’t deserve to have my eyes on you, you fucking baboon and of course I want to be able to sleep at night.”

  I hear someone suck in a sharp breath and I roll my eyes. I wait for the slap to the face but it never comes. I jerk when a hand softly brushes my cheek and hiss when he touches the bruise on my jaw.

  The room starts to pulse with energy but not the addicting one Nicholas exudes, this one feels suffocating and punishing. I close my eyes and think of Nicholas, his barely there smile, his deep smooth laughter, the surprise on his face when he tasted the very first meal I made him and the heat in his stare every time he looks at me. The way his lips feel on my skin, as his hands trail up my—

  “Who fucking touched her?”

  My head flies up at the soft whisper. Can he read minds? Why does it feel like he just bellowed that question? I laugh when my eyes land on the man in front of me and I blurt without thinking, “Who the hell are you supposed to be? Darken Rahl?”

  His eyes widen in shock at my words and twin spots of color appear on his cheek. Ohhh, looks like someone’s a fangirl. My eyes trail down the perfectly combed straight flowing blinding white mane that looks so soft any woman would be jealous, the soft looking porcelain skin, a face that looks a little feminine and piercing blue eyes. The pristine white, sky blue and silver robe covering his lithe body matches perfectly with his eyes.

  Dang, he’s not that bad on the eyes. I forgot just how good looking the women at the Bunker said he is but with as black as his soul is, you start to see the ugliness after a while. Confusion sets in when a look of worry flashes in his eyes and he clasps my chin tenderly. I move my head out of his grasp and frown when his
eyes flash with hurt.

  What the hell is happening?

  “I’m not gonna hurt you love,” I snort before he even finishes the sentence. Not gonna hurt me, my fucking ass. I rattle the chains holding my arms to the wall and raise a brow at him.

  “Uh-huh I totally believe that,” I mutter drily with an eye roll.

  “I asked who touched her?” he says softly his gaze roving over my face tenderly.

  “Stephen did that Master but he’s been taken care of already,” Gruffy answers drawing my eyes to him.

  He eyes me nervously and I huff. Does he think I’m gonna rat on him? I give a slight shake of my head and he relaxes slightly. He standing back with two other guys who are dressed in black tunics.

  Come on, what era is this? The tension in the room intensifies making my skin pull tight. I look at the guy with the black hair and what looks like a permanent sneer on his face with a frown.

  He looks familiar. Maybe he’s one of the guards on patrol at the Bunker? He’s eyes widen when they meet mine and he snarls at me. My eyes raise to the four inch long jagged scar on his cheek. I wince at how pink and raw it looks. That must have hurt something fierce.

  “Good,” he nods a look of satisfaction on his face.

  “Get off that fucking high horse would you? It’s making me dizzy,” I deadpan, shooting him an unimpressed look.

  “Uh...”

  “You had me kidnapped, beaten and lord knows what else has been done to me while I was unconscious,” I shriek looking down at my uncovered form and his eyes drop to my boobs and stick there. I growl and his eyes snap back to my face and he just shrugs. “I don’t know if I’ll ever see the man I might possibly be in love with anytime soon and you stand here in a fucking costume pretending you care about me?”

  “Angel—”

  I scoff. “Your acting needs some work.”

  “Love, you—”

  “Ha!” I cut him off with a hard laugh. Love? What’s with this guy? And why the hell is he calling me love and angel? Too curious for my own good I blurt out, “What’s with the endearments?”

  Even his frown looks perfect. He cocks his head to the side studying me contemplatively.