Dark Waters (Celtic Legacy Book 1) (11 page)

“
When did this happen?” Cora asked, her blue scales flashing as she zipped across the floor and peeked over the side of the tub.

“
Last night. I saw Ashling in the mirror, and then a Fomorii came through her cell door and attacked me. The mirror shattered and the arms fell off,” I said, pulling the top of my t-shirt up over my nose and breathing through it. It wasn’t much of a filter but it was better than nothing at all.

“
This might just work,” she muttered. Her tail flicked around and she pointed with it to my knife and then to the pool of black, rank blood in the bottom of the tub. “Dip your knife in the blood.” I did as she said, gingerly putting the blade all the way in. Steam rose and the blood bubbled, the boiling action only intensifying the smell. I gagged and nearly dropped my knife.

“
Don’t go soft on me now. You’ve got worse than this to face yet,” Cora said.

I shuddered. “I don’t mind facing it; it’s the smell that I don’t like.”

As I drew the blade out the black blood seemed to absorb into it. I held it up to the light, twisting it every which way, noting the edge was no longer shining. “It’s dulled the knife.”

Cora grunted. “The blade is not dulled, only stained. Now your clothes.”

I looked down at her. “Now my clothes what?” Again she flicked the tip of her tail at the tub. She had to be kidding me. I stared at the tub, then looked at Cora. “Are you sure?” I asked.

She bobbed her head. “Yes. And if I thought you could stomach it I’d have you drink some of it down. The more Fomorii blood on and in you, the better chance you’ll have.”

Stripping down, I tossed my white shirt and light-coloured jeans into the foul mess. They soaked the fluid right up and the smell lessened considerably. The white shirt was now a deep gray with flecks of red and black and the jeans looked as if someone had taken a can of rust coloured spray paint to them. I pulled them out and held them up. They were perfectly dry.

“
Put them on Quinn. And then it is time for you to go,” she said, slithering out of the bathroom and back up onto the king-sized bed.

With a grimace I pulled the shirt out and slipped it on, holding my breath as it passed over my face. Using my vanilla-scented body spray I made the attempt to improve the clothes, but it was no use. They smelled now like vanilla-scented rotting limbs—not really any better.

“
You won’t be coming with me?” I asked, stepping back into the bedroom. Already the fear was starting to build. I believed I could get through the Barrier, I just wasn’t entirely sure what I would do once that happened. I still had to face the water. If I couldn’t get into the water to save Ashling when I thought she was drowning, how the hell was I supposed to get into the water when I couldn’t even see her?

Cora’s voice brought me back to the present. “No, I will only be a hindrance to you. Luke was right, I am old and the battles are too much for me.” She yawned. “Likely I would fall asleep at an inopportune moment, leaving you to fend for yourself.” She slid underneath one of the pillows, her voice muffled. “Try not to get killed.”

Tucking the knife into my back pocket, I stood and took a deep breath, then gagged. That had not been a good idea. It was nearing ten in the morning and though I had a tentative plan, I really had no idea if it would work.

“
Only one way to find out,” I said to myself, striding from the room. Down the stairs I went, passing the hotel front desk. John wasn’t there, but a woman with short red hair smiled and gave me a nod. I gave her a quick nod in return, and the spit in my mouth dried up. Her smile froze me to the spot. Her teeth were sharp, serrated and filled her entire mouth as her grin stretched literally from ear to ear.

“
Hello Quinn,” she said in a deep, raspy voice. “I’ve been hearing about you, and I just had to see for myself.” I bolted for the front door, my newfound speed lending me the edge I needed. She let out a shriek; a quick glance behind me showed she was in full pursuit.

She ran like a dog, hunched over at the back, gills on the side of her neck as her uniform seemed to absorb into her body. Shit, this was the last thing I needed.

Leaping over benches and dodging people, I wondered why they weren’t screaming—freaking out at this large monster running through their midst. Of course. They couldn’t see her; they couldn’t see the Fomorii any more than the young couple had been able to hear Cora. They were just humans, without a drop of Fae blood in them.

I slid across the hood of a car and hit the boardwalk on the other side hard. Pumping my arms I sped down the walkway, the Fomorii woman close behind. Her heavy, wet breath came out in sharp bursts; she seemed closer than she truly was but several times her claws reached out and snagged at my jeans. When I was almost to the Barrier she started to laugh.

“
Oh no, you won’t fool me into taking you across,” she said, laughter bubbling out of her. I skidded to a stop, the Barrier still ten feet away. Facing her, I pulled out my knife. She continued to laugh, louder and louder, the birds going silent around us as her mirth filled the air.

“
That? You’re going to fight me with a steak knife?” She snorted and put her head down, cracking her neck from side to side, her gills flipping open and closed. “You’re going to die Tuatha.”

My breathing quickened and my hand tightened on the bone handle. “You’re right, I will die. But not today.” I flipped the blade in my hand, caught the tip and threw it at her—all in less time than it took to blink.

Like watching a slow motion screen shot, the knife spun through the air and landed with a solid thunk in the middle of her forehead, splitting open her single, protruding eye. A burst of fluid sprayed outwards, covering the foliage, and the Fomorii dropped to the mossy forest floor without a single sound.

I ran towards her but the body was sinking into the ground, the moss covering her up. I bent and yanked my knife out of her eye as the last of her was swallowed by the plant life. The blade came out with a sick popping sound that released another spray of fluid. Stumbling backwards, a strong set of hands gripped my arms.

“
Quinn, it smells like you’ve been playing with ta enemy,” Bres said, his voice taunting me. I reacted without really thinking, spinning my body around and throwing my elbow up into his face. The bony point caught him square in the jaw, and he stumbled away from me with a curse, his hand to his face.

“
What ta hell is wrong with you?” he growled at me, violet eyes flashing.

“
You know, if you’d just been doing your job I wouldn’t have had to face that Fomorii on my own. And where the hell were you when I really needed to be protected?” I asked, feeling my anger rise; far better than the fear that had been coursing through me.

“
You did fine on your own Quinn, though Luke should have been here to help. I only just be relieving him of his watch,” Bres said.

I tried another route, still angry and not willing to give up on my anger just yet. “If you are truly on my side, why don’t you help me across the Barrier. You do have Fomorii blood in you if I remember correctly. You are Balor’s son, aren’t you?”

“
Unfortunately yes, I am
.” He stared at me and I could see him trying to figure out who’d told me. He let out a snort. “
No matter how you be baiting me Quinn, I won’t take you across ta Barrier,” he said, rubbing his jaw.

I scowled at him, angry that he wouldn’t help me.

“
How do you be enjoying your integration into the world of the Tuatha and Fomorii? Hmm. Do you like ta sea monsters and ta powers that be wanting to control your life?” He bent to get a closer look at me, the proximity of those violet eyes reminding me fiercely of his father’s. “You’ve been Quickened. You understand what that means?”

I nodded.

He smiled down at me, white teeth flashing. “How do it feel to be one of ta elite?” He was too close and I pulled away, noting how his eyes narrowed, his lips tightened.

“
It’s fine,” I said, not wanting to look him in the eyes.

Bres stepped up close to me, his body very close, very claustrophobic. “If you are going to be angry at anyone, I think it should be Luke. He’s ta one that be keeping secrets from you, not me.”

I lifted my eyes. “What do you mean?”

He smiled. “I’m not allowed to tell you Quinn, they be Luke’s secrets. I just do as I’m told.” He stepped back and bowed at me, his eyes laughing at me though his lips remained still.

“
Then what good are you to me?” I asked, poking him in the chest.

“
Command me, oh great one, leader of ta armies, battle queen of ta Tuatha. Tell me what you will and let me, ta lowly Fomorii half blood, grovel to do your will.” He winked, but I refused to be pulled into his game.

I put my hand on my hips. “Are you here to help me or are you just here to get in my way?”

“
You can’t be going after her. It’s too dangerous and you mean too much to ta Tuatha. They will never risk you for her,” he said, his tone changing from mirth to sombre in a split second.

“
She’s my sister. I won’t leave her there. And they have my mother too,” I said. He frowned and I frowned back at him, though I noted he was having far too much fun at my expense.

“
I won’t let you go Quinn. It’s me job to protect you. Come, we have to leave now.” He reached out and grabbed my hand, all but yanking me to my feet.

“
Hey!” I yelped and snatched my hand back from him. What was it with these men anyway? They seemed to be stuck in the past, when a woman could be bullied and pushed into doing what the men wanted.

I turned my back to him and strode the last ten feet to the Barrier. Bres was muttering behind me but I ignored him, ignored the fear that rose when I thought of what came after the Barrier came down. I grit my teeth; I was going to get Ashling back. Right now.

~~

13

Lifting the knife, I drove it forward with all my strength, the blade biting deep into the Barrier. The shockwave of the weapon hitting such a hard surface ricocheted up my arm and rattled my teeth, but I hung on. The shaking continued and I realized it was another earthquake, one that had me hanging from the blade, my body swinging like a pendulum, until both I and the knife were thrown clear of the Barrier. Timing was everything I suppose.

I hit the ground hard, the wind rushing out of me in a single whoosh.

Bres started to laugh and that only spurred me onward. I stood, dusted my clothes off and tried again. And again and again. Each time, the blade would bite into the Barrier and each time the Barrier seemed to force the blade out.

“
Ah, give it up Quinn, I could have told you that it wouldn’t work,” Bres said, laughter filling his voice.

Lying on the ground for the fourth time, I fought with the tears that threatened to spill over. I had been so sure it
would
work; Cora had been sure it would work. No, that was wrong, she’d said possibly. I stared at the spot where my knife had entered the Barrier and couldn’t see anything. I ran my fingers over the Barrier, there wasn’t a single crack I could feel—not even a small depression. I hadn’t done a thing to it.

Bres’ face hovered over mine. “You aren’t going to get in there Quinn. So stop trying.”

I sat up and rubbed my arm. The pain was already fading, which was good. I shook my head at Bres. “I’m not giving up on her.”

He stared down at me and the air seemed to thicken between us. Bres was far too much like his father for my comfort. I pulled away from him, again seeing hurt in his eyes before he hid it with a laugh. “You pull away as if I be having a disease; being a Fomorii isn’t contagious.”

My face heated up and I pushed myself away from him. “That’s not why I pulled away.” I stood up and dusted my clothes off.

He chuckled. “No? Then what is it, my stunning good looks?”

I snorted, and decided to tell him the truth. No point in trying to spare his feelings. “You look like your father.”

Bres grabbed my upper arm and started to drag me towards the hotel. “Hey, let me go!” I yelped.

“
You are not going to go anywhere. I’m taking you back to ta hotel and then I will arrange for a flight out of here,” he said, seemingly unconcerned with the fact that he was dragging me along. His jaw was twitching and I realized that I’d hit a sensitive spot when I’d compared him to his father. Too late to take it back now.