Luke's Gold

by JoMarie DeGioia

  Brianna’s heart clenched and the amber grew so hot she had to release it.

  “Violet!”

  Strong hands grasped her arms and she jerked back to herself.

  “Brianna,” Luke said.

  She opened her eyes and she was in her home once again. In Luke’s arms once again.

  “I saw the place, Luke,” she whispered. “I saw Violet.”

  He uttered a blessing and gazed heavenward. “Thank God, lass. Where is she?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not sure. There were lots of buildings, low and close together. That can’t be right, though. The place was dirty and cold and… foggy, I think.”

  Luke looked thoughtful, finally shaking his head. “’Tis nothing to me. There be few buildings in Ulster. Aye, but it is cold and dirty.”

  Brianna sat on the couch and Luke joined her, holding her hand tight in his.

  “The feeling was… close, like there were lots of them,” she said. “Wait! There were lines of metal tracks. Train tracks.” She faced Luke. “There were train cars all around her, Luke. I think she was inside one of them.”

  “Poor sprite.” Luke shook his head. “These… trains pass through the city all the time, don’t they?”

  She nodded again. “Yes. I think he took her to where there are lots of trains, though.”

  “You’ll have to be tellin’ me where,” he said. “I’ve no notion of trains.”

  She knew he was right. Now was her time, but she didn’t know the area around Indianapolis any more than she had when she first arrived months ago. She was as lost as Luke in this. Her heart sank.

  “Oh, I don’t know what to do,” she murmured. “How will we find her?”

  “Jim.”

  “Jim?”

  “Aye, lass.” Luke wore a smile on his face. “Jim will know where these trains are.”

  “Brilliant!” She hurried to her room, stepping over the debris her battle with Daniel had left behind. The fight had done no good and now Violet was trapped, held by that devil. Her hands began to shake. “Just…” She swallowed. “Just let me get dressed.”

  “Brianna,” he said.

  She stopped in the hallway and turned to him.

  “Dress warmly,” he said.

  His touch of concern was the last she could take. She sank to the floor in the hall, her arms wrapped around her knees. In an instant Luke was beside her, holding her and stroking her as she had done to Violet so many times during her illness.

  “Shh,” he soothed, kissing her hair, her cheek.

  Brianna cried now, fat tears that soaked Luke’s shirt. She could feel his heartbeat against her cheek and she let herself sink into his strength. “God, please let us find her well.”

  “We shall, lass.” He held her chin in his hand as he had before and gently wiped her cheek. “We shall.”

  He helped her up and she dressed, a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth as she donned a sweater. There was so much to him she hadn’t realized. Charm and cunning, yes. Strength and heart, too. She shook her head. She didn’t have time to entertain thoughts of love at the moment. Violet was her concern and would remain so.

  Just please God, let her still be alive.

  They stepped onto the porch and Brianna turned to lock the door.

  “The windows are open, Brianna,” Luke said.

  She let out a breath. “I know. But your gold, Luke.”

  “‘Tis under the spell.”

  She latched the door and pocketed the key. Again she thought of the crystal Daniel had stolen. Would he be able to use its magic?

  “The gold is concealed now,” she said. “But if anything were to happen to me—”

  “Nay!” Luke held her arms. “Don’t say it.”

  “If the spell was broken, Luke, anyone could steal it.”

  Luke released her and ran his fingers through his hair. “Aye.”

  “Your gold is too important to lose.”

  He suddenly smiled and her heart jumped at the sight. “You called it ‘my gold,’

  Brianna.”

  She smiled. “It is, isn’t it?”

  Luke took her to his apartment building, close to the canals where they’d ridden in the paddleboat. He negotiated the glass elevator with practiced ease. He impressed her yet again; he was smart enough to get along in a time and place so different from his home. Well, they needed his strength and cunning tonight. With his charm and her magic, they had to find a way to best the vile Leprechaun who took her sister.

  * * *

  Luke glanced at Brianna as they rode up in the glass box to his apartment. He had closed his eyes when she placed her hand on his amber, his senses tingling. He’d watched her as she went to Violet in her mind. Such anguish had twisted her features it had nearly broken his heart. And the worry was still visible, though he’d coaxed a smile out of her on the porch.

  “’Twill be all right, lass,” he said.

  She leaned against him and he held her close. Like before in the hallway, as her tears had soaked his shirt, this felt right. They were right and they would get Violet back.

  “I pray it will,” she said.

  He kissed her, a gentle kiss to wipe away her frown. The metal wall slid open and they stepped out into the hallway. He passed his own door to go further down the hall. A glance at his watch told him it was nearly four o’clock in the morning. No matter. He’d forget the manners Seamus had taught him just this one time and call without prior announcement.

  “Here’s Jim’s door.” He rapped on the door.

  He took Brianna’s trembling hand in his as he waited for his mortal friend to answer, stroking her palm with his thumb. No answer came from the other side so he knocked again.

  “All right!” he finally heard from inside the apartment. Shuffling footsteps toward the door. “Who the hell is it?”

  Luke glanced at Brianna. “It’s Luke.”

  The door opened and they found a rumpled Jim standing there, his fair hair mussed and his lids heavy.

  “What’s up, Luke?” He noticed Brianna and his brows raised. “Bree?”

  Luke ushered Brianna into the apartment, an exact replica of his own temporary dwelling, and closed the door. “We need your help, Jim.”

  “My help?” Jim rubbed his face and nodded. “Right. My help. What do you

  need?”

  Luke reined in his impatience. “We need to know where the closest train yard is, Jim. Do you know?”

  “The train yard?” Jim asked. “Here in Indy?”

  Luke glanced at Brianna again. She was wringing her hands.

  “We need to get to the train yard right away, Jim,” Luke said.

  “Well, I don’t know much about anything but downtown.” Jim glanced at the closed bedroom door, close to the living room. “Hey, Lori?”

  Luke and Brianna exchanged a puzzled glance. Brianna’s mortal friend opened the bedroom door. She was also tousled from sleep but appeared quite comfortable in one of Jim’s large shirts.

  “Jim, what are you—?” Lori blinked at them. “Bree?”

  Brianna went to her friend. “We need your help, Lori. You’ve lived in

  Indianapolis a long time, right?”

  Lori nodded and yawned behind her hand. “About five years. Why?”

  “They need to know where the train yard is, honey,” Jim said.

  Lori spared a smile in Jim’s direction before facing Brianna again.

  “What happened, Bree?” she asked. “Oh! It’s not your little sister, is it?”

  “It is,” Brianna said.

  “Oh God, she isn’t worse, is she?”

  Brianna shook her head. “No.” Her voice cracked but she held her shoulders straight. Pride filled Luke at that moment. Aye, she was a worthy lass.

  “Do you remember that dark little man, Lori?” Brianna asked.

  “From the coffee shop? Yeah.” She gave a shudder. “Always creeped me out a little, with his black eyes. What does he have to do with your
sister?”

  “He took her,” Luke stated.

  “What?” She looked from Brianna to Luke. “Why?”

  They couldn’t tell these mortals the truth, not now. Jim and Lori wouldn’t believe them, anyway. They didn’t have time for a lengthy discussion of Leprechauns and time

  jumps.

  “I… We can’t say,” Luke said. “But we believe he took her to the train yard.”

  “Did you call the police?” Lori asked. She pointed toward the phone on the desk.

  “Jim, call 9-1-1.”

  “Nay,” Luke said quickly. “They can’t help.”

  “Why not?” Jim asked. “This makes no sense.”

  “Pray, don’t press me, Jim,” Luke said. “There is no time to get them involved.

  Brianna can find her.”

  “All right.” Jim turned to Lori. “Do you know where the train yard is, honey?”

  Lori sat at the table and rubbed the sleep from her face. After a few moments she lifted her head. “That would have to be west of the city.”

  “Would it be foggy there?” Brianna asked.

  Lori shrugged. “Sure it gets foggy. The land kind of dips down in spots and it’s been cold at night.”

  “No wonder the imp took her there,” Luke said.

  The mortals both looked at Luke in question, but he shook his head. “Where is it?”

  Lori told them which road to take out of the city and to go west. “Just stay on thirty-six and you’ll run right into it. It’s just south of the thirty-six.”

  “I’ll drive you,” Jim offered, grabbing his keys from a bowl on the counter.

  “No,” Luke said. “We’ll not involve you in this.”

  Lori looked at Brianna. “She’s in danger, Bree. Why won’t you let us help you?”

  “Thank you, Lori,” Brianna said. “But no. Luke’s right. The danger would be greater for you both. I promise we’ll explain later.” She looked at Jim. “May we borrow your car?”

  “Yeah.” Jim gave Brianna the keys. “The car is on the second level, near the back.

  A silver Nissan.”

  Before they left, Lori gave Brianna a hug. “You’ll find her, Bree,” she said. “Luke will see to that.”

  Brianna nodded and looked at Luke. “I know.”

  The faith in her eyes nearly knocked him to his knees. Luke prayed he could live up to it.

  Chapter 20

  Brianna drove Jim’s car, a luxury edition probably furnished by his employer. It took her some minutes to adjust to driving on the right side of the road. Luckily traffic was light at four o’clock in the morning.

  Luke sat transfixed beside her, his eyes on the lights and gauges on the dash. She smiled a bit at his awe.

  “A little different from the carriages back home, I take it?” she asked.

  He met her gaze and smiled. She felt that now-familiar jump in her heart.

  “Aye,” he said. “‘Tis true I’m glad you’re driving.”

  So was she. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, the lacing around the leather-wrapped wheel biting into her palm. “It helps to keep me focused, I admit.”

  He gently touched her hand and she felt his strength. She relaxed her grip.

  “We’ll find her, lass,” he said.

  She looked at him again, at his green eyes bright with MacDonald honor. “I pray we will.”

  “O’Shey is no match for the two of us.”

  “You know him, Luke.” Brianna swallowed hard and gave voice to the fear that had been in her mind since finding Violet gone. “Would he… Would he hurt Violet?”

  Luke gave a shake of his head, his face fierce. “Nay. He’s a greedy bastard but a coward, too. I don’t think he’d try to hurt a Pixie of Violet’s power.”

  Brianna raised her eyes heavenward. “Thank God she’s recovering.” She forced her focus on the road. “I don’t know what she can do to him, but hopefully she’s strong enough to make a protection spell.”

  “She’s your sister, Brianna.” He winked at her. “Nothing would surprise me.”

  She nodded and drove up to a traffic light that had just turned red. Tapping her

  fingers on the wheel, she gathered her strength. This was a long time coming, but she owed him this much.

  Finally, she looked at him. “I’m so sorry about the gold, Luke.”

  “Never mind that now, lass.” He placed his hand at the back of her neck. His capable fingers worked her tense muscles, stroked her shoulders. “We’ll sort it out later.”

  It was there again in his eyes, his love, his nobility. She wished she could surrender all her worry, all her responsibility. The beep of a car horn behind her brought her out of her reverie and she moved forward beneath the green light. “Yes.”

  She wouldn’t give voice to the fear that when all was done he’d have little to save his uncle and she’d have little of him.

  The city was soon left behind. Strip malls and grocery stores took the place of tall buildings. Brianna could feel Violet, could feel herself drawing closer to her sister. They reached the city called Avon, which made her think briefly of her beloved England. This place, more stores and gas stations interspersed with dark, empty corn fields, bore no resemblance to home. She soon spotted it, the sign directing them to the train yard.

  “Turn there,” Luke said.

  Brianna jerked the wheel and turned left, going south of the highway. The sound of clattering wheels and whistles broke the silence.

  “She’s here, Luke.” Once more Brianna had to force herself to loosen her grip on the steering wheel. “I can feel her.”

  The train yard was a vast place full of engines and freight cars. Fog blanketed the yard, thick and yellow in the light from the street lamps. Brianna swallowed her fear and glanced over at Luke.

  Where would O’Shey hide Violet? Luke was silently observing the place, his eyes narrowed. She could almost feel his cunning. She prayed he would find her.

  She pulled off of the main road onto a gravel one. The tires crunched over the rutted road, the car rocking back and forth as she pulled to a stop. She killed the engine and turned to face Luke.

  * * *

  Luke caught Brianna and pulled her to him. She trembled for a moment and he

  stroked her back. “It’s time, lass.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes. As he watched closely, she sensed the place with her powers. Her eyes drifted closed and she stiffened. He could do nothing but continue to watch, tamping down his own worry.

  This place of trains was strange and quiet. Metal tracks wound over the scrub covered dirt, some holding train cars, some glinting in the half light. The yard felt close and tight, as close as the bogs of Ulster. It was dark and cold and dismal. A fitting place for the bastard O’Shey. But what of sweet Violet?

  “She’s so scared,” Brianna said.

  Her voice chilled him, soft and low. Again she trembled. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and she clutched his arm.

  “She’s here, Luke.” Her gaze darted out the front window and she glanced

  quickly around the place. “But I don’t know… Where is she? My magic is as clouded as this bloody fog!”

  “Easy, lass.” Luke took her shaking hands in his and rubbed them. “We’ll find her.” Perhaps if he kept saying it, it would be so.

  He helped her from the car and they stood on the gravel, each of them searching for some sign of O’Shey or Violet. The ground shook beneath his feet and he braced his legs apart. Trains moved along the tracks just west of where they stood, and the grind of metal on metal echoed eerily in the thick night air. He forced himself to hold on, to let

  Brianna focus on her sister and not his unease.

  He took Brianna’s hand in his again and dropped a kiss on her knuckles. “Search for the key, lass.” He wrapped her fingers around his amber. “I pray this will find it.”

  She gazed up at him, her blue eyes glistening from the moonlight and her tears.

  Her fingers
stroked the stone and for the second time that night he felt the jolt once more.

  She closed her eyes again and he studied her beautiful face. He saw her brow furrow, saw her mouth purse. Then she brightened, releasing the amber.

  “You saw her, lass?” he asked.

  “She’s over there,” she whispered. She pointed toward overgrown tracks and boxy shapes. “Where those abandoned cars sit, Luke. I saw her!”

  She ran but he caught her and held her hand. “You can’t be chargin’ in there, Brianna. And if your magic is affected by this fog…”

  She muttered an English curse and he almost smiled.

  “I’ll need you, Luke,” she said. “Your cunning.”

  He felt the faith she had in him and was humbled. “Not my charm?” he teased.

  She let out a breath and gave him a grateful smile. “Let’s go.”

  They crept toward the train car Brianna had indicated, their hands still clasped tight. He wasn’t going to let her go. Not now. As they drew closer, he could hear someone pacing back and forth on the rotting boards, creaking and knocking. He could hear someone muttering and cursing, and Luke knew it could only be Daniel O’Shey.

  Violet’s voice, soft yet strong, reached him and his heart leapt. Brianna jumped beside him and he was glad to be her anchor in this.

  “Quit yer muttering, ya’ damn Pixie!” Daniel shouted.

  Ah. Violet wove a protection spell. His Brianna had taught her sister well. Once again pride filled him. He shot a look at Brianna and she spared him a nod of

  understanding.

  “Violet is safe for now, lass,” Luke whispered. “We can attack the bastard without worrying over her.”

  She nodded again. They went around to the back of the train car, keeping their footfalls as quiet as possible on the gravel. He said a silent prayer of thanks for his sneakers as they made their way.

  They came up to a gap in the boards forming one wall and pressed their faces against it. Luke smelled the dankness, the scent of smoke. He peered inside.