Firebrand (6 page)

His clothes pulled across a body now tightened and toned to athletic perfection. Thick brown hair curled onto a smooth face sporting depthless dark eyes, a straight nose and dimpled chin. He pressed a panel on the right door and new racks of clothes and shelves of accessories and shoes slid into place with a tinny whine.

He shed his oversized gray jacket and reached for a dark navy blue Armani. Donning it, he gazed at his reflection in the closet mirror. “Welcome Eric Sinclair, III. The quest is now yours.”

He stepped to his desk and pressed a button on a keypad that looked more like an instrument panel than a telephone. His assistant answered.

“Yes, Mr. Sinclair.”

“Has Ms. Drake arrived as yet?”

“No, sir. I’ll ring her office again.”

“You do that.”

“Sir…”

Sinclair heard the hesitation in her voice and another smile curled his lips. “Yes Miss Leary?”

“Is everything all right? Do you need anything?”

“Why?” He waited, nearly laughing out loud at her ignorance.

“You sound…well, different.”

“I could use some fresh water.”

“Right away, sir.”

He finished changing and stood in front of his desk, waiting. He knew what would happen when she saw him.

“Here’s the water, Mr. Sinclair. You sounded like maybe you…” Any more words were cut by the muffled sound of the crystal carafe hitting the thick carpet. Being of the finest quality it did not shatter but merely rolled to the edge of the bookcase on the opposite wall leaving a trail of liquid in its wake.

Eric used all the control he possessed not to chide the foolish creature standing wide-eyed in front of him. He waited until the surprised look cleared her eyes. “Barbara,” he paused and locked his gaze with hers, feeling her shudder and liking it. “I can call you Barbara, can’t I?”

He was amused at the woman standing before him with her mouth open like a great fish. He could sense her confusion and could easily infer the questions that were running through her mind, the why’s and the how’s and, more importantly, the who?

She looked around the room. “Where is Mr. Sinclair?” She tried her best to return to steadfast professionalism but failed.

“My father,” he said with measured slyness, “has gone away on business. He left the company in my hands.”

Her brows furrowed. “Mr. Sinclair never mentioned anything about having a child.”

He smiled arrogantly. “As you can see, I’m not a child. But I am his son.”

His gaze penetrated her body and he felt it turn her blood cold. He sensed the chill that ran up her spine and reveled in the fear that gripped her. “You’ll be working for me from now on,” he continued. “Is that clear, Barbara?” he drew out her name, long, threatening. He ran a forefinger through the water on the desktop forming a ‘G’ on the expensive wood as she slowly nodded her response. “And Barbara, the water will ruin the finish, don’t you think?” He glanced down at the desktop and broke contact with her eyes.

She gave her head a quick shake as though she was just waking from a daydream. “I’ll call maintenance,” she said, reaching for his phone.

He grabbed her wrist and raised his eyes to meet hers again, reconnecting an almost hypnotic link. “You clean it up.”

He saw a haze come into her eyes. “Yes, sir.”

Grabbing the edge of her Prada jacket, she wiped the liquid from the desktop.

Sinclair grinned, delighting in his control over her. “Pity. Now you’ve ruined your suit.”

She stared at him. “It’s all right sir, it’s only water.”

He reached out with his forefinger, placed it beneath her chin and held her mouth closed. He glanced at the carafe on the floor. “You had better get that.”

When she bent to retrieve the decanter and he moved with her. “My father didn’t say goodbye?”

“No-- No, he didn’t,” she replied, her voice trembling.

When she reached for the stopper he made sure his fingers tangled with hers. Looking into her eyes, he could almost see her heart beating. “Pity. I know how fond of you he was.”

He remembered the days and nights she’d submitted to his every whim in his persona as Eric Sinclair Sr. Her body, soft and pliable, her will weak. She was an innocent when he first took her but he’d made her a woman. And when she was ripe, he introduced her to even more of his dark needs.

She had resisted at first but he manipulated her with insignificant gifts and false promises and she gave herself over like a sacrificial lamb. He grew weary of her when her imagination waned and she could no longer find new ways to pleasure him. Her eager submission had left him bored and unsatisfied.

He longed for someone new, someone who matched his hunger and his perversion. But for now, he would keep her bound to him and use her when the craving came.

He ran his hand up her arm and across her neck. “My father went to Donahyde Castle in Ireland, early this morning. To oversee the restorations.”

“But I usually make his travel plans. Why wouldn’t he tell me?” She asked, her breath coming quicker.

“My father is quite capable of getting where he has to go on his own.” His fingertips massaged her shoulder.

“Yes, sir but…” She stopped, her lips parting.

“He also said that you were very cooperative and would fit my needs well.” He ran his hand down her arm, pleased her gaze remained locked with his. He pulled her into his arms and lowered his head toward her waiting mouth. Her eyes closed slowly as she waited. She did not resist, could not resist but opened her mouth wider to receive him.

He leaned closer, his mouth a breath away from her lips. “My father had an appointment with Miss Drake this morning, Is she coming?” he whispered.

Her eyelids flew open. Her dark eyes grew round and wide and he could see a new flush of red rise from the vee between her breasts.

“Yes she should be here, I’ll go and check.”

He handed her the stopper. “That would be nice.”

Barbara took it and the carafe and edged toward the door. There was something about this new Sinclair that scared her. She knew there was no way she could stay in his employ. “Is there anything else?”

“Actually, yes. There is.” He walked to her and took her hand. “Look at me, Barbara. Look closely.”

Trembling, she swallowed hard and did as he asked. For a moment she seemed to swoon and, for his added enjoyment, he allowed her to see a little of whom he really was. He saw her eyes widen to accommodate the fear building inside her. When the scream began to come, he cut it off with a brutal kiss that drained her. He broke off the kiss and moved his mouth to her ear, biting it hard. “You wouldn’t thinking of leaving me now would you Barbara?”

“No, I — I…” But he cut her off.

“Because if you did it would be a mistake. I intend to treat you even better than my father did.” When he finally released her, she fled from his office.

He threw back his head and roared with laughter. He so loved this world. The females had wills that were easily bent. They wore their emotions like a hat and he could wear them all if he chose.

Eric Sinclair III sat back down in his chair and swiveled it to the window. He looked out over the New York skyline. Yes, he liked it here. When he took over the human world, maybe he’d make this place the center of his kingdom.

Almost as soon as Amber stepped into the reception area of Eric Sinclair’s penthouse office, Barbara Leary came through the inner office door. Gasping for air, she leaned against the wall and slid to stooping. She dropped her head and began to sob.

“Miss Leary, what’s wrong?” Amber knelt beside the shaken woman. “Are you ill?”

Barbara turned her head sharply toward Amber, her hair falling across her face hiding her eyes. “No-no… no.”

Amber touched her shoulders. She was shaking. “What happened?” Amber asked with growing concern as she held onto Barbara’s forearms and pulled her to standing. “You feel like ice.” Amber removed her jacket and placed it over Barbara’s shoulders before leading her to a side chair. She brushed Barbara’s long blonde hair back from her face and tucked the ends around her ears. “Sit here. I’ll get you something to drink. Mr. Sinclair must have some coffee in there.”

Barbara jumped up so quickly, Amber’s suit jacket fell to the floor. “
No
! I made a fool of myself. He won’t like it if you know that.”

To Amber, it sounded like a warning. Another came from Barbara’s wide eyes. Something was wrong. She picked up the telephone but Barbara disconnected the call.

“Don’t call anyone. I’m fine”

“I should get someone to help you.”

“No,” Barbara said firmly. “I’m just having a panic attack.”

Amber gently guided Barbara back to sitting and pulled a chair across from her. She took Barbara’s hands in hers. “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

Barbara nodded. “Just give me a minute. I’ll be fine.”

Amber shook her head. “No, it’s something more. You can’t stop shaking.”

When Barbara looked up, her face bore the telltale signs of stress. She pulled her lips into a thin line and shifted her gaze to Sinclair’s heavy office door. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Don’t go in there. It’s all wrong. He’s changed.” She looked at Amber with eyes that were filled with an icy terror. “He’s a monster.”

Chapter Four

Amber’s skin began to prickle as soon as she entered Eric Sinclair’s office. “Mr. Sinclair, you wanted to see me?” she asked using every bit of willpower she had not to scratch her forearms. He sat with his chair facing the glass wall behind his desk. Slowly, lazily, he spun around.

Amber’s brows furrowed when it turned fully toward her. “And you are?”

The dark eyes of the man seated glinted with what she could only describe as malicious amusement.

Elbows on the black leather armrests, fingertips touching in a pyramid, he waited until she finished studying him.

“Eric Sinclair,” he replied. Then after a pause. “The third.”

“Indeed,” Amber said, slipping into the chair opposite him. The tingling she first felt upon entering the office changed to a crackling sensation that ran up and down her spine. It took every bit of concentration she had to ignore it. “I didn’t know there was even a Sinclair the second, let alone a third, Where is Mr. Sinclair?” She paused as long as he had. “The senior.”

She watched a half-smile curl his lips as he spoke. “My father has gone to Ireland. We’ve acquired an ancient castle there and he is finalizing the deal. You work for me now.”

Amber raised an artfully sculpted eyebrow. “Do I?”

While she waited for his answer, she took stock of the man across from her. He was slim, handsome, with dark hair combed back and layered in thick waves that almost touched his collar. Her gaze journeyed back to his eyes and she saw a familiarity there and yet, also something more, something dark, something that teased along the edges of malevolence.

Sinclair rocked back and forth in his chair, his fingertips still resting on his chin. “That is, of course, if we can come to an agreement about your next assignment.”

She felt her soft mouth tighten. She didn’t need a power-play in her life right now. It had become complicated enough over the last twenty-four hours. She forced herself to smile. “It depends on what it is.”

Sinclair gestured to the marble bar. “Would you like a drink?”

“Not while I’m working.”

“Water, perhaps? With lemon?”

Amber suddenly felt as though a hundred feathers were being passed across her upper lip. The urge to either sneeze or rub her nose was nearly unbearable. “Water will be fine.”

Sinclair rose and walked to the bar. His back to her now, Amber took a moment to tend to the annoying itching sensation that had suddenly engulfed her entire body. She ran her index fingers along the sides of her nose before brushing the back of her hand across her mouth. The feeling subsided a bit just as Sinclair turned back to her and handed her a crystal glass filled with sparkling water and a lemon slice.

“Thanks,” she said. When she reached out to take it from his, the back of her hand was covered with sparkles. She saw him look at it and quickly changed hands. “Sorry. I was…”
What could she say?”
She glanced down. The sparkling seemed to be everywhere. “We were going over some PR materials and some of it was, shall we say, a little over the top in its presentation. I’ll call someone to clean the rug.”

Eric handed her a cocktail napkin from the bar. “No need. Maintenance can take care of that later.”

When she turned to take it from him, she noticed his gaze had shifted to the shimmering powder. She couldn’t imagine how it got there but didn’t rule out the possibility it had something to do with the sensation crawling along her skin. She slid her glass onto the desktop to cover some of it. “You look nothing like your father,” she said to reclaim his attention.

“And you look like your mother.”

His quick reply surprised her. “How do you know that?”

“Because you look nothing like your father.”

“I didn’t know you had met him. He retired more than a year ago.”

“His ID photo,” Sinclair said quickly.

A sensation like someone whispering a warning in her ear, raced through Amber. “You checked his personnel file?”

“It’s important to know the background of one’s employees,” he replied.

The look in his eyes was Machiavellian and Amber felt her heartbeat rise in response. For a brief moment, the amulet around her neck vibrated slightly, then stilled before a bitter cold centered beneath where it lay on her chest.

Reacting to a sense of urgency building inside her, she squared her shoulders. “We can discuss family lineage another time,” she said. “Why am I here?”

Sinclair returned to his seat opposite her. “Before my father left, we discussed the fate of the Ireland venture. It’s vital to the success of the organization. I’d like you to oversee the renovations at Donahyde Castle. I plan to turn it into a hotel.”

“It’s not my area. I’m in marketing,” she said coolly.

“I guess that means you’ve been promoted.”

“That’s very nice of you but I’m not sure I would be of much help to you or the company in Ireland.”

“Quite the contrary I assure you.” He seemed genuinely amused. “I need you at Donahyde Castle as soon as possible.”

“I don’t see why.” Amber picked up the glass from the desk and prepared to take a small sip but stalled as she caught a glimpse of Eric’s hands through the crystal and the water. They looked different, bulky with gnarled knuckles and long, cracked fingernails. She gasped and bolted upright in her chair, dropping the glass. She must be hallucinating again.

“Is something wrong, Ms. Drake?” Sinclair asked as the glass stopped rolling at the leg of his desk.

“No. Everything’s fine.” She said shaking her head to clear it. “Your offer is enticing but I’m not sure I’m the right person for the job,” Amber replied, sitting once again.

“What matters is that I think you’re the right person for the job and I had hoped it would have at least piqued your interest,” Sinclair said. He walked around to the front corner of his desk and leaned against it, shifting his body toward her. As he did, his thigh brushed the calf of her crossed leg. A spark crackled between them, the ember falling to the thick carpet. In a fluid motion, he covered it with his shoe. “It’s quite imperative that you take the position,” he continued, holding his left palm a few inches in front of her. “I insist.”

As he did, Amber felt a dull throbbing on her chest where the amulet lay. From somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind, a voice rose.
Leave. Now.

“I need a little time to think about your offer,” she said rising and backing to the door.

He mirrored her steps. “Ordinarily I’d say take all the time you need, but Time…’ he drew the word out and hesitated a moment, “ is critical.”

The way he’d said it suggested that it had little to do with her renovating a stuffy old castle and it made her feel edgy and unsettled. She extended her hand backward, searching in the air for the doorknob. “I’ll let you know.”

He stepped closer and put both hands on her arms. A sensation of extreme pleasure and intense pain ripped through her. As he began to tighten his grip, the tips of her fingers found the door knob. She pulled away from him with a violent tug and then slammed the door on his surprised face.

A few people in the outer office looked at her with furrowed brows as she leaned against the wall, her hand rubbing her forehead.

Once back in her own office, she dropped into her chair, crossed her arms and rubbed her forearms with her palms to try and get the feeling back. “This is all wrong,” she said, shaking her head.

She pressed her hand to her heart, a rapid throbbing met her palm. Slipping a thumb under the gold chain of the amulet, she raised the necklace, lifting the adornment to her eyes. No longer gilded, the charm was now totally black with tiny sparkles of light flashing inside the bottom third.

“I don’t care what Serina said, there’s something alive inside this thing and it’s coming off now.” She twirled the chain around but could find no clasp. Grabbing it with both hands, she tried to pull it from her neck but each tug only seemed to encourage the links to thicken.

With an anxious sigh she dropped her hand onto the desk. Light coming in through the glass wall of windows caught the shiny flecks on her skin, each one looking like a tiny rainbow. She held her hand up to her eyes and stretched out her fingers.

“And what’s with all this glitter?”

* * * * *

In his office, Eric dropped to one knee and ran his hand over the rich carpeting. He gathered a handful of shiny sparkles and stood. Slowly opening his hand, he looked at the small mound in his palm. He’d seen it before. Fairy dust. Amber was the one, but he was sure she didn’t know it and what’s more, she was evolving and she didn’t know that either. Time was running short.

She didn’t appear to know who he was but he could not take a chance with that assumption. He’d come to learn that fairies were more clever than they allowed some to believe and the blood of one ran in Amber’s veins.

If he had it his way, he would simply take her to the Obelisk and destroy her and the key. But the prophecy warned that the key taken by force before the rite began would invalidate the power it held. He could not take that chance.

Besides, these foolish humans were so protective of each other. If he simply snatched Amber away, someone would surely start looking for her, raising suspicion and possibly impeding him from carrying out his plan.

No, she had to go willingly to her fate. At the proper time he would seize the power key and become invincible. There would be one world, one king.

Gorash.

* * * * *

“They know! We can’t stay here. We have to find her.” David paced the living room floor of Amber’s townhouse.

Serina stepped in front of him. “Jolinax said that Gorash suspects. The troll king has spies everywhere and Eric Sinclair may be one of them but drawing attention to Amber will put her in even more danger. The trolls know that human reaction to the unexplained is unpredictable. They will not do anything to call attention to themselves here in the upworld.”

“Strange things happen in New York all the time,” David countered.

“And so do heroic things.” Teezal’s dark curls danced around her face as she shook her head. “Trolls are bulky but small and they do not move quickly. They will not risk trying to snatch her until they are sure she is completely alone.”

“Then when she gets home, she’ll never be alone again,” David assured her, his gaze riveted on the front door. “She should be here by now.”

“She’ll be here,” Serina reassured. “If she was in impending danger, I would know it.”

“Why don’t you just use your fairy powers and tell her to get back here.”

“I can’t. She’s evolved beyond the point of me being able to plant a suggestion in her mind that she would follow.”

David frowned and averted his eyes so Serina could not delve into his mind and see what he was planning.

She didn’t have to see his eyes.
Don’t do it, David. Don’t go storm-trooping her office. If Gorash gets a positive ID, he’ll come for her himself. He’s a pureblood, very powerful. He has been shrouded in mystery for eons. Even we don’t know what he’s capable of doing. It’s not worth risking the life of everyone on three worlds on the slim chance you can save hers.

“Get out of my head, Serina,” David demanded. “You don’t have to pry around in the gray matter to remind me what’s at stake here.”

She nodded her apology. “Bad habit. What did her assistant say when you called the office?”

“Only that she went home.” He turned in a circle, arms outstretched. “But she’s not here.” He stiffened. “God Serina, it seem as though we just found each other. How can you take her away from me like this? We should have more time. Years. Decades.” He would hold steadfast to his dream, refusing to accept the inevitable end he knew was coming until there was no more hope. “We should have children and grandchildren.”

Serina put an arm around his shoulders. “You knew what had to be done when you were sent here.”

His broad shoulders heaved. “I didn’t mean to fall in love with her. I didn’t mean for her to fall in love with me. I swear I fought against it. It just happened.”

“The best kind of love always just happens.” She saw David smile with remembering. “But we always knew Amber’s time in this world was limited. She’s not totally human. You have to remember that.”

“I have a hard time remembering that you’re not human and I’ve seen you in your other form.”

The present persona Serina had assumed suited her well. But the thick dark hair, sparkling eyes and the soft curves of a coffee-skinned body was just an illusion, nothing like the ethereal being she really was. “Amber will be devastated,” he said. “This world is all she knows.”

“Not for long. The Mage is preparing to greet his granddaughter as we speak. Her true mother is readying the ceremonial robe.” She shook her head in response to the hope she saw lying bare in David’s eyes. “There is not a lot of time left for you to get the Sword of Adam and bring Amber to the Triad.”

David drew his brows together. “How long?”

“You’ve seen the signs. The strange weather, the sightings. The barrier edges are blurring, beings are crossing the planes.”

“How long?” David repeated.

Serina shook her head sadly. “A few weeks at the outside.”

His eyes fell closed even as the words were spoken. “Less than a heartbeat in the realm of time.” He inhaled deeply to recapture his scattering thoughts. “The other swords. Who will bring them?”

“The Mage’s family has the Sword of Light well hidden. It will be retrieved when necessary.”

“I have heard rumors that the Shadow sword is lost. All three must be in place.”

Serina nodded. “The foolish trolls have misplaced it over the years. They search the globe frantically.” She reacted to the anxious look on David’s face. “But not all trolls follow the king. We have our spies among them. When the sword is found, we will know it and take it from them. The Triad will go on as prophesized with pureblooded emissaries of the three worlds setting the keys in place.”

“So much to do. So much on the shoulders of one woman,” David said with a sigh.

“We will learn from this,” she said. “And we will become stronger. Our worlds will become stronger and, hopefully, survive.”