by Cara E Holt
“I’ll cloak us.” Drustan announces. He waves his hand and I feel the air ripple around us.
“Cloak us?” I ask in whisper to Lorcen.
He leans into my ear. “Magic. Should there by any chance be any humans around they will not see us or hear us.”
“Handy magic.” I reply impressed. I grip tightly onto Lorcen’s hand as I can barely see in front of my face. “I brought a torch.” I tell him, reaching into my coat pocket for it. I look up when I hear laughing coming from some of our group.
“Ebs we don’t need torches. Magical beings remember.” Lorcen tells me and I can hear the humour in his voice. I blush at my own naivety which thankfully no one can see in this darkness. A yellow glow appears from the palm of Drustan’s right hand and then one after the other I see Lorcen, Blaine, Noah and Megan’s faces lit by the glow from each of their hands. Only myself and Melantha stand without light.
“Show offs.” I mumble to Mel under my breath but stand back when she says “Lux” and she too has a light within her palm.
“So where are we?” I ask keeping my feet moving as I can feel the cold in them.
“We are at the hill of Tara.” He replies, he holds his lit hand into the air and the ball of light floats up above us. The others follow suit and the balls of light all join together and form a bubble of light around us so that we can see our surroundings. “This is where our ancient kings, your ancestors,” He says looking at me, “were crowned.”
I look around me and ahead of us is a mound with a stone stood at its top. The stone stands about one and a half metres high, like a mini version of one of the stones from Stonehenge. Drustan follows my eye. “The stone of destiny. This is believed to be one of the four treasures.”
Melantha squints looking at it. “It doesn’t look very magical.” The disappointment is clear in her tone of voice.
I shake my head in agreement. “It doesn’t, does it.”
Drustan smiles as if he understands where we are coming from. “It is believed to be but many scholars believe that the stone pillar once held a magic gem stone within it and that this was the actual treasure, not the stone itself.
“So how are we doing this? Do we split up and search?” Blaine asks. He has been quiet for most of the time we have been here. He looks keen to get on with things and I have a sinking feeling also a keenness to be away from me and Lorcen.
Drustan shakes his head in response. “If Ebony is Tuatha she will be able to sense the presence of any of the Tuatha treasures.”
Everyone looks to me expectantly and I bite my lip and look anywhere but at any of them. No pressure Ebs, I tell myself. I hear Drustan talking to me but the sound becomes muffled. I somehow start to feel a pull towards the stone pillar that I cannot explain and start to walk up the small hill towards it. I hear Lorcen say something behind me but it doesn’t register. My only thought is to reach the stone and touch it. As I near it a ripple of air passes almost through me. I feel my magic pulsing from inside my body, as if it knows what is near. It is the strangest feeling. I tentatively reach out to touch the stone and I see Lorcen out of the corner of my eye go to stop me but Drustan puts a hand on his shoulder and stops him.
I touch the stone and magic from it grips me and moves down my arm and into my body. I hear a loud screeching sound and then the landscape around me changes. For a start it is now daylight and a large crowd is gathered around the stone. The mood seems festive and celebratory. I can see from their eyes and pointed ears that the people here are Fae. Loud drums start to bang making me jump where I am standing and to my left a procession of Fae approach the mound towards the stone. At the head of the procession appears to be some kind of Fae in ceremonial robes and behind him is a beast of a man with huge silver wings at his back, His hair is as black as night and a groomed beard comes together in a point under his chin. His arms are covered in tattoos and he wears fine clothing in red and black colours. As they move towards the stone I move to step out of the way but I find I can’t and that I am frozen to the spot. I panic as they get nearer but gasp in shock when they pass right through me as if I am not there. I am standing there looking like a goon with my mouth open when the large bearded guy stops before me and looks me right in the eye.
“You can see me?” I ask him surprised.
He looks down at me from his towering height. “The stone is no longer here my blood. You are searching in the wrong place.”
I stand there and take all of him in. He is huge. His magic pours off him in powerful waves. This guy is seriously powerful. “I’m searching for the cauldron not the stone.” I tell him, my voice all shaky.
“Neither is here in your time.”
I decide to be brave. “Where are they?” I’m hopeful he can save me a lot of searching and give me their location. He smiles at me then, his brown eyes twinkling. Is it weird to say my ancestor is hot!
“They are where you choose them to be my blood.”
I frown in response. “I don’t understand.”
“You will.” He tells me firmly and then his dark eyes leave mine and he looks beyond me to the stone and walks through me as if I am a ghost. The people around me fade out and I am standing back in what I presume to be the present time as it is dark again and all my friends are standing looking at me with a mixed looks of worry, awe and unease.
“What?” I say staring back at them all. Lorcen comes over to and pulls me into a hug. “Your eyes glazed over and you were surrounded by a blue haze.” He tells me into my hair. “You wouldn’t answer me and I couldn’t get near you.” He cups my face in his hands. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I reply giving him a reassuring smile.
Drustan steps forward. “Well?” He is the only one who doesn’t seem to be surprised by tonight’s events.
My eyes meet his. “The cauldron’s not here. Nor is the stone.” He nods in response as if he expected this. “Did I just travel back in time? I was here but not here. It was daylight. I spoke to a man. He had huge silver wings.” I tell him my eyes wide.
Drustan nods and continues to look unsurprised. “Your ancestor. Likely a Tuatha king at his coronation.”
“Wow.” I say still dazed.
Blaine coughs and steps forward. “I don’t suppose your ancestor told you where we could find it?”
I shake my head. “If only it were that easy but no. He said something strange though. He said the stone and cauldron are where I choose them to be.”
They all look as puzzled as I am.
“Any ideas Drustan?” Lorcen asks.
Drustan looks deep in thought. His shrewd brain ticking over, he eventually shakes his head. “I honestly don’t know.”
Melantha breaks the silence by yawning and stretching. “So are we done here then? Because it’s late and this beauty needs her sleep.”
“We’re done.” Drustan confirms and we all trundle back down the hill. I hear Mel say to Noah that the whole evening had been a waste of time but for me it hadn’t. For the first time since my powers awakened I felt a connection to the family I had never known. I also felt the power of my magic. More than that though I had seen and spoken with an ancestor, possibly many, many generations back. As Drustan opens the portal and the others move through, I pause and look back at the stone pillar. Lorcen squeezes my hand in his.
“You okay?”
I smile but don’t take my eyes off the stone. “I need to come back here sometime. Can we come here again, just us two?”
Lorcen smiles and leads me towards the portal. “We can go anywhere you like love.”
Chapter Four.
That night I dream. In my dream I am a child again. Feelings of happiness and being carefree surround me. I am at one of my favourite places we visited regularly as a child. It is a local stately home with a park and woodland walk. My parents, Scott and I would go a few times a year. Scott and I loved the little train there that took you through the woods. We would always play crazy golf and then go through the m
iniature village.
I wake up in the morning and smile to myself as I recall the dream. My parents gave me a very happy and loving childhood. I must be feeling homesick
“What’s put that beautiful smile on your face, love?” Lorcen asks and I open my eyes to find him lying on his side watching me with an equally beautiful smile on his face.
“Morning pretty boy.” I tease.
“Morning wifey,” he replies grinning. He moves close until our noses are virtually touching.
“I dreamt of a place we used to go for days out with our family. I’ll take you there one day.” I tell him before letting out a big sigh. “It’s strange isn’t it. We know so little about each other but yet we know we are meant for each other.”
He nods in understanding and kisses my nose. “That’s the fun part, we have all of our lives to get to know each other.”
“You think we’ll get that time though, with all this “Save the realm and avoid Lucifer” business?”
He smiles at me. “I know we will. It won’t always be like this. We’ll have our fun and make memories, I promise.”
He leans in then and kisses my lips every so softly, causing goose-bumps down my arms and my heart to start beating erratically. “How about making some memories now?” His voice is thick with heat. I smile against his lips.
“I’m down for that.”
An hour or so later after lots of memory making I’m sitting in my mum and dad’s kitchen at the island, sipping on coffee. Dad has already left for work, so it’s just me mum and Scott. Scott is sitting there in joggers and no top with messy bed hair, downing a large plate of bacon, eggs and sausages. I’m sitting across from him watching him and waiting. “So?”
He looks up and grins. ”So what?”
I flick a cheerio at his face knowing damn well he knows exactly what I am talking about. “Don’t be an ass. How was the date?”
Mum puts down her phone and looks suddenly interested in the conversation.
“It was good,” he says, not looking up from his food.
I look at him exasperated. “Come on, you have to give me more than that! Just Good?”
He glances up at me with a hint of a smile and shrugs. Boys! They are so frustrating. “It was fun. The movie was great we chatted a lot.”
Mum meets my eye and smiles clearly chuffed. “Stop smiling like that mum.” He rolls his eyes at her.
“What? I’m pleased for you. She is a lovely girl.”
“Will there be a second date then?” I ask him pushing him for more. Honestly it’s like pulling teeth trying to get information out of him.
He fills his mouth with bacon and between chews grins. “Probably.”
I clap my hands excited. “I knew it! Well you can hold out on me all you want but Taylor will give me all the details.”
“Exactly. So stop badgering me.” He’s trying to be grumpy but I can tell he’s amused. The doorbell rings and I shoot up and race to the door and fling it open, smiling.
“Well hello boyfriend.” I greet him, holding the door open and gesturing for him to come in. My gorgeous boy stands there leaning on the porch post looking like he belongs in a Calvin Klein advert. His jeans hang low on his hips and his black tee hugs his sculpted arms. I could look at him all day and not get bored.
Lorcen grins at my greeting. “Hello trouble, you ready?”
“Not yet, come on in I’m just eating breakfast.” I hold out my hand and when he takes it and enters the hallway he pulls me against him and leans in for a kiss. “Miss me?”
I grin and cover my heart with my hands dramatically. “Always.”
My Mum looks up from her coffee and smiles when she sees Lorcen walk in with me. “Ah Lorcen, nice to see you. Have you eaten?”
He smiles politely as he takes a seat on the bar stool beside me. “I have thank you, Mrs Lockhart.”
“Please call me Jenny.” She tells him. It is strange hearing Lorcen convert back to the American accent. I had been puzzled when I first heard Blaine and then Lorcen speak in an accent that was similar to my British one. Lorcen had explained that it would have been odd for four new students starting the same high school within the same term, all sporting British type accents so they had all agreed that they would act as if they were from America.
“So Lorcen, you and my sister are official now huh?” Scott asks him with a grin.
“Yep.” I reply before Lorcen even has chance to open his mouth. “Please don’t give him the big brother talk.” I plead.
Scott smiles. “Who me? Never. Besides Lorcen seems like a decent guy.” I breathe a sigh of relief.
My Mum pats Lorcen on the shoulder as she passes him to the fridge. “Think yourself lucky Lorcen. I think you’re the first boyfriend Scott’s ever approved of.”
I groan and roll my eyes. “Mum! You make it sound like I’ve had loads of boyfriends.”
Lorcen laughs and Scott sniggers and tells him. “Trust me they were all total dicks.” This earns him a clip round the ear from my mum. I quickly grab my bag and pull Lorcen from his seat.
“Let’s go before this gets any more embarrassing.”
We leave to the sound of my mum and Scott chuckling, clearly embarrassing me is fun for them. Evil, they are!
“So are we off relic hunting tonight?” I ask as we climb into his car.
Lorcen frowns as he starts up the engine. “Not tonight I have some realm business I need to take care of.”
I look at him intrigued. ”Realm business huh. Can I tag along?”
He takes my hand across the gear stick. “You’re coming, as are the others. We are going to club Elysium tonight in New York.”
“New York! seriously?” I say excitedly. I have never been to New York but always wanted to.
That evening after school Megan and Melantha arrive at ours so we can get ready together. I have showered and washed my hair. Lorcen had told me not to worry about a dress as Megan was sorting it for me. Megan blow dries my hair and it falls loosely down my back in soft waves. She insists on doing my make-up which I don’t complain about as I am rubbish at it. I had tried numerous times to do a smoky eye and always ended up looking like I had been punched in the face. Megan however has make-up down to fine art with the result of me sporting the perfect smoky eye. She pulls out a dress from her bag and holds it out for me. My eyes look it over and I give her a ‘you’re kidding me’ look.
“That is way too short.” I protest. The dress, if you can call it that, is a red velvet body con dress with a sweetheart neckline meaning my girls will be out on show tonight as well as the legs. I take it from her and hold it in front of my body. “Well this won’t leave much to the imagination.”
Megan laughs. “That’s the idea. Trust me if you want to blend in then this is what you need to wear.”
“Okay.” I state taking a brave breath and I shimmy it over my head and down over my hips. Melantha whistles.
“Wow you look smoking Ebony. Lorcen will have a boner all night with you in that.”
“Mel!” I hiss at her blushing. Mel laughs and holds her hands up in defence. “What it’s true.”
I take a look at myself in the mirror and well yeah I do look pretty good and yeah maybe even a bit sexy. The dress hugs my body and accentuates my hour glass curves.
Melantha looks pretty good herself tonight. She is wearing red hot pants and a black bracelet. Her hair which is always normally up in pigtails or plaits is loose down her back. Megan sifts into her dress which is a black mini. Megan in heels towers above myself and Melantha. We make our way down the stairs and into the living room where Lorcen and Noah are waiting for us. Lorcen stops mid-conversation as his eyes fall on me and he slowly drinks me in from my feet to my face. He grins that shit-eating grin that melts girl’s panties. I take the time to admire him as he stalks towards me. Lorcen is wearing grey trousers and a white shirt that is rolled up at the sleeves and the top button undone. He looks too flipping good. How will I be able to concentrate on
anything but him tonight, I will never know. He reaches me and pulls me to him, wrapping his arm around my waist.
“You look delicious wifey.” He whispers huskily into my ear giving me shivers from head to toe. He takes my wrists in his hands and when he releases them my mate band on my wrist is visible and I look at him questioningly.
“Just so it is clear to everyone in there that you are taken.”
I like it when he is possessive like this, it gives me the warm and fuzzies. “So this is a Fae club then?”
“It’s a hangout for all other realm beings but yes it is a favourite haunt for Fae when they are in the human realm.”
I nod and nervously pull the hem of my dress down. “So why are we going there?”
“I’ve had some info that Fae have been feeding on humans at the club.”
I look at him puzzled. “Feeding? As in like story books where they feed on the essence of a human. What is it they call it in the books, err Fae fucked?”
Lorcen mouth curls in amusement. “Yes like in your story books. Feeding on human emotions is forbidden.”
“Why do Fae do it?” I ask curiously.
Noah pipes up then from where he is standing with his arm around Megan. “It gives Fae a high, a rush a bit like some of your human drugs. It makes them feel good.”
“Do the humans they do it to like it?”
Noah grins and chuckles. “Oh yeah, it’s orgasmic to humans.”
I blush as I register what he is saying. “Oh, Okay.” I look at Lorcen then who is closely observing my reactions. “Have you, you know erm, fed from a human?”
Lorcen shakes his head. “It’s illegal Ebs, Fae get their wings clipped if they are caught or sometimes worse.”