doing
this from the kindness of your little, black heart, Morena. What's the
catch?"
Morena took a step closer to Nicole with
a grin on her red lips, "Nicole, honey, you've got me figured all wrong.
I just want to help you make it back home to your 'normal little country girl
life' that you had before all of this," she waived her hand around the
small brick room with a look of disgust on her face. "I'm sure deep down
that's all you want too…a chance to go back to your dad, your friends and your
normal routine in your safe life. That's what I'm offering you, all you have
to do is say yes and I'll have you on a plane within the hour."
That was the closest to the truth Nicole
had heard anyone speak since she arrived in Ireland. The chance to turn her
back on all of these troubles and go back to the normal life she once had was
like holding the winning ticket in the lottery between her fingers. All she
needed to do was cash in and walk away into the sunset. "What happens if I
walk away right now and never look back? Where does that leave my people if I
take the coward's way out?" Nicole watched the smug smile fall from
Morena's face and her glare turn ice cold.
"What do you care? You can't
really claim to be loyal to either warrior or fae so why make yourself choose.
Just take what I'm offering, you stupid girl and walk away. This is your
chance to go back to what you had before all of this war pressed its way into
your life." She stepped forward again so her face was only inches from
Nicole's, "Don't be a fool."
Nicole raised her chin and met Morena's
hate-filled gaze, "I'm not a coward like you, hiding behind whichever man
I can get my claws into just to use his power. I will fight."
The anger radiating from Morena was
almost tangible in the air around her as she took a step back. "Have it
your way, you stubborn bitch," the angry woman spouted before turning away
from Nicole. She walked back through the prison door stopping just outside,
"I had a feeling you wouldn't see things clearly so I've brought you a
gift to keep you company while I give you a little more time to think my offer
over.”
Nicole watched Morena nod down the hall
to someone out of her line of sight then step clear of the doorway. A warrior
dressed in black army fatigues came through the opening with a body slung over
his shoulder. He dropped the lifeless form onto the floor at her feet causing
Nicole to gasp when she got a look at the person crumpled on the floor,
"Sage."
Nicole dropped to her knees on the floor
beside her friend unsure of what needed to be done. She slid the ebony hair
away from Sage's face and tucked it behind her pointed ear, "What the hell
did you do to her?" The question rang out loud and fierce as Nicole
turned her hardened eyes towards the closing door. She caught sight of Morena
watching the scene with great pleasure, "She's not dead but if you don't
make the right decision, for both of your sakes, she may not be so lucky next
time."
The door closed just as Nicole was ready
to lunge after the smug lady in red so she turned her attention instead to her
friend. "Sage, come on honey, wake up," she shook her shoulder then
patted her cheek gently but didn't get a response. Nicole leaned in close to
Sage's face to listen for air leaving her nose because she couldn't see any
movement resembling breathing coming from her chest.
"Umm, you smell nice," was
whispered in Nicole's ear causing her to gasp. Sage gave a weak smile as she
rolled herself out flat on the floor. She reached a hand up and rubbed a spot
on her head tenderly before letting her hand rest on the cold concrete below
her.
Nicole shook her head trying to clear
away some of the fog from being startled, "Are you okay? What happened to
you?"
"Well, I had to get to you somehow
so I let that dumb brute warrior catch me. He got a bit rougher than I
expected," she groaned as she pushed herself up on her elbows. The
this from the kindness of your little, black heart, Morena. What's the
catch?"
Morena took a step closer to Nicole with
a grin on her red lips, "Nicole, honey, you've got me figured all wrong.
I just want to help you make it back home to your 'normal little country girl
life' that you had before all of this," she waived her hand around the
small brick room with a look of disgust on her face. "I'm sure deep down
that's all you want too…a chance to go back to your dad, your friends and your
normal routine in your safe life. That's what I'm offering you, all you have
to do is say yes and I'll have you on a plane within the hour."
That was the closest to the truth Nicole
had heard anyone speak since she arrived in Ireland. The chance to turn her
back on all of these troubles and go back to the normal life she once had was
like holding the winning ticket in the lottery between her fingers. All she
needed to do was cash in and walk away into the sunset. "What happens if I
walk away right now and never look back? Where does that leave my people if I
take the coward's way out?" Nicole watched the smug smile fall from
Morena's face and her glare turn ice cold.
"What do you care? You can't
really claim to be loyal to either warrior or fae so why make yourself choose.
Just take what I'm offering, you stupid girl and walk away. This is your
chance to go back to what you had before all of this war pressed its way into
your life." She stepped forward again so her face was only inches from
Nicole's, "Don't be a fool."
Nicole raised her chin and met Morena's
hate-filled gaze, "I'm not a coward like you, hiding behind whichever man
I can get my claws into just to use his power. I will fight."
The anger radiating from Morena was
almost tangible in the air around her as she took a step back. "Have it
your way, you stubborn bitch," the angry woman spouted before turning away
from Nicole. She walked back through the prison door stopping just outside,
"I had a feeling you wouldn't see things clearly so I've brought you a
gift to keep you company while I give you a little more time to think my offer
over.”
Nicole watched Morena nod down the hall
to someone out of her line of sight then step clear of the doorway. A warrior
dressed in black army fatigues came through the opening with a body slung over
his shoulder. He dropped the lifeless form onto the floor at her feet causing
Nicole to gasp when she got a look at the person crumpled on the floor,
"Sage."
Nicole dropped to her knees on the floor
beside her friend unsure of what needed to be done. She slid the ebony hair
away from Sage's face and tucked it behind her pointed ear, "What the hell
did you do to her?" The question rang out loud and fierce as Nicole
turned her hardened eyes towards the closing door. She caught sight of Morena
watching the scene with great pleasure, "She's not dead but if you don't
make the right decision, for both of your sakes, she may not be so lucky next
time."
The door closed just as Nicole was ready
to lunge after the smug lady in red so she turned her attention instead to her
friend. "Sage, come on honey, wake up," she shook her shoulder then
patted her cheek gently but didn't get a response. Nicole leaned in close to
Sage's face to listen for air leaving her nose because she couldn't see any
movement resembling breathing coming from her chest.
"Umm, you smell nice," was
whispered in Nicole's ear causing her to gasp. Sage gave a weak smile as she
rolled herself out flat on the floor. She reached a hand up and rubbed a spot
on her head tenderly before letting her hand rest on the cold concrete below
her.
Nicole shook her head trying to clear
away some of the fog from being startled, "Are you okay? What happened to
you?"
"Well, I had to get to you somehow
so I let that dumb brute warrior catch me. He got a bit rougher than I
expected," she groaned as she pushed herself up on her elbows. The
Similar Books
