Healing Fire

Dedication

Special
thanks to the staff at Rogue Phoenix Press for encouraging me to write another
Kell book, my proof reader, Serena, and the supportive ladies of the MRWG.

Rejected again, Melor clenched his
fist as he watched his friend kneel down and present the protector's bracelet
to the woman they both had been courting the past four days.

Chosen by Jane, with the aid of the
Ruby of Worth, it would glow every time a woman worthy to live in Kell came
into the dating agency.

The beautiful ebony-skinned woman had
now chosen the youthful warrior, Kina. Melor turned away, marching quickly
through the narrow halls. He had obviously wasted his time.

In the city of Los Angeles, he met
many beautiful earth women, of different sizes and personalities, the most
desirable ones, soft tall with attractive curves to drive any sane Kell man mad
with desire. His smiles and words of flattery; nothing but wasted breath for
all eight women had chosen other Kell men, over him.

Was he too gruff or tall for the
smaller human woman? The other Kell men had been a few inches shorter. They had
also cut their hair to attract a female, while he refused to change anything
other than his clothing. Was he really so different and undesirable as a
protector?

He left the embracing couple, making
his way to the adjoining comfortable room set up for Kell men. The larger sized
room held a plain wooden table, a few chairs, some bookcases and a row of
lockers. One to hold their weapons and another with larger sized human clothes
so the Kell men could make themselves appear more human before they greeted the
human women.

He yanked open the cabinet which held
his blades and clothing. He wanted to get back to the familiarity of his home;
to ride his stag again and train with the other men. He needed to work out his
angry disappointment before his rage got the better of him.

"Melor?"

A soft hand touched his arm. He spun
around to stare straight at Lady Jane, wife or protected of his Kell commander
Drystan.

Concern shadowed her lovely blue gaze.
He had been with the warrior party the day they found her. Jane had defied
death after falling though a portal, which connected their worlds. Every
warrior had desired her. She was the first female they had seen since the
brutal murder of their own women and children by the Drac. But the Commander's
fierce possessiveness over the earth woman made them all keep a safe distance.

A pang of envy mixed with his rage.
His hopes and expectations of finding one woman seemed to crumble at his feet.
He longed to find a woman who looked at him the same way the other women looked
at their Kell men. Every rejection left him feeling bitter and hollow inside.

"Forgive me, Lady Jane." He
stepped back to give her a respectful bow. "I wish to return to Kell.
There is nothing for me here."

"Don't lose heart, Melor. Just
because you have not found your protected today, does not mean you won't. These
things take time."

"Do you know why? … Have any of
the ladies told you why I am not worthy?" He needed to know, to
understand.

"I am sorry, Melor. One of them
did mention you tended to scowl a lot, but you are far from unworthy. You are
brave and handsome. I just know there is a lady out there for you. You should
not let a few rejections make you give up. I know you would never give up in a
battle." She raised a challenging eyebrow.

Melor shook his head. "A battle
and the blade is all I know. This battle of the heart is a very different
matter. Not everyone is destined to find someone. My place is on Kell, to
protect and guard the people, including the new women."

Jane studied him for along moment. "I
think you are wrong. I strongly believe there is someone for everyone. You need
to believe it too."

The conviction of her words did
nothing to relieve the lonely ache in his heart. But he had made his choice.

"I have been a warrior for too
long; have witnessed and been the cause of too much death. Women from this
world are not for me. I thank you for your concern and for your efforts, but I
must insist on returning to Kell."

Her chest heaved in a soft sigh. "Very
well if that is what you want. There is another lady who's just come into the
office, maybe…"

"No," he snapped with a
little more force than he had intended. He immediately regretted his burst of
anger. Jane had worked tirelessly to help the men of Kell; to find them brides
from among her people. Women who could accept the fact they were from another world.
Women of great value and worth.

"Forgive me. I would appreciate
it if a portal back to Kell could be opened."

"I
shall go fetch the crystal and tell Drystan you are leaving." She turned
away.

Melor watched her walk out of the
door. He ripped off the t-shirt, replacing the coarse fabric with the softer
Kell shirt; put on his belt and attached the blade. His crystal dagger, he
slipped into his boot.

From his
pocket, he pulled out the golden promise bracelet; the same one his father had
given his mother. The gems gleamed even in the dull light of the artificially
lit room. He shook his head before shoving the bracelet back into his pocket.
Perhaps he would gift it to one of the younger warriors. His life and duty was
to protect the Kingdom of Kell. He would continue to do so until the end of his
days.

Jane
returned and close behind her was his commander, head of the King's warriors.
They had fought many battles side by side and Melor was proud to see his
commander so content with his protected lady. Cupped in his large arms, a
little infant girl wiggled and fussed. The large man handed the babe to her
mother.

They named the first human-Kell child,
Joy. He still remembered the week-long celebration; much Kell wine had been
drunk by all.

Kina walked
in from the other room, tightly holding his new wife's hand.

"Lady
Jane, I wish to take my protected Lady Maria to Kell."

"This
is so exciting. I can hardly believe this is real, that I'd ever find someone
as wonderful as Kina," the dark-haired beauty exclaimed, smiling up at her
new protector.

Melor
stiffened and gave a curt bow to the couple. "Congratulations. May the
Moon Goddess bless your union."

Drystan stared
at him. "Jane tells me you wish to leave too, Melor."

"Yes,
Commander. I think it best."

"Not
everyone finds their match first try, my friend. I hope you will come back and
try again."

Melor held
his tongue not wishing to have another conversation as to his reasons in
wanting to return to Kell.

Drystan nodded.
"Very well."

Thankfully,
his commander did not say anything else, but must have seen the unspoken words
in the other man's eyes. No doubt the commander would speak when it was time to
return to Kell.

"Oh,
isn't she the cutest little thing you ever saw?" Maria broke away from
Kina to coo over the infant. Her round chubby face and wide, dark blue eyes
made her the center of attention wherever Jane and Drystan took their daughter.

Jane's
smiled with loving pride.

Another
pang of envy hit him knowing he would never know the feeling of holding his own
child. It did not matter anymore.

"If
you please commander, a portal." He did not wish to sound insistent, but
being in the room with the happy couples made his stomach knot.

Drystan pulled out a long slim shiny
black box from his back pocket. Opening it, he saw several gleaming blue gems.
He picked one out, handing it Melor.

"Proceed, and the portal will
close after you. See the Palace courtyard in your mind and will it to open; and
it shall."

Melor took the gem, smooth and cool in
his palm, and did as Drystan instructed. In his mind, he saw the wide expanse
of calming grey stone of the floor, the tall walls of the palace imbued with
colorful crystals. Before them a blue swirling mist began to grow rapidly until
it was large enough to accommodate his size.

Kina retrieved Maria, scooping her up
into his arms. She gazed in awe at the amazing display of gently swirling blue
mist.

"It is a new custom to carry our
protected through the portal." Kina grinned at Maria, carrying her
forward, vanishing into the portal. Melor made to follow, but the infant's
sudden screams jolted him, and he turned to look at her.

Jane rocked her child trying to calm
her, just as the ground began to shake under their feet.

"Earthquake! Get under the door
frame!" Jane yelled.

Drystan grabbed hold of Jane and the
baby, pushing them under the door frame and holding on to the edge.

Melor lurched forward, unstable on the
shaking ground. He braced his feet apart to steady himself. From the corner of
his eye, he saw the normally placid swirling portal begin to spark. The swirl
turned into a fast churning vortex. Bright blue and white lightning bolts shot
out in haphazard directions. The lightning struck objects at random, exploding
chairs into splinters, and shredding the books on the shelves.