Free Blood Of Fire (The Blood Burden Series) by Wenona Hulsey Page B

you
hate and it doesn’t bother you,” she chuckled hoping to get a reaction out of
the stone faced man.  She could see the tension flexing in his jaws and the
tightness in his muscles as he stood with a hand on the door.  “He keeps you
weak just like he’s doing me.  I mean really, how much good would you be if a
fight broke out while Slade was around to suck up all of your power,” she
clicked her tongue against her teeth, tsking him slyly.  “That makes you no
more than, I don’t know….Tinkerbell’s puppy, all bark and no bite.”
    A change in the wind around her was all
Nicole registered before the warrior was next to her, towering above the bed
with a dark look filling his eyes and anger shaking his body with each panted
breath he took.  His hands were held out to his sides, both glowing with red
flames, and his lips curled into a smirk as he realized he had startled her
with his display.  “But I thought you couldn’t use your power if Slade was
around,” she stammered as she tried to hold her ground under his glare.
    “Well, I guess you shouldn’t trust
everything that your told, now should you princess,” his smile became wide as
he realized that he had the upper hand in this conversation.  “Now, do you have
an answer,” he asked as he let the glow of his hands die out.
    Nicole bit the inside of her cheek to
keep the arrogant warrior from seeing how much he had gotten to her.  She shook
her head from side to side and bit out her words slowly, “It’s the same answer
he’s been told for two days so stop asking and get the hell out of here,” she
pointed towards the door and was relieved when the broad, muscle bound man nodded
and walked out, carrying her half eaten breakfast with him.
    Her fingernails dug into her palms
drawing blood as everything started to become clear to her.  Slade had planned
this entire charade out so well.  Even the fact that they were seated together
on the plane had been planned so perfectly by him.  He wanted me to feel
abandoned and weak so I would lean on him.  He made me think Luke had turned
his back on me at the airport and lead me to believe that he had no control
over his powers so he could keep me tamed.  I'm such a fool.  How could I let
him manipulate me like that , she groaned banging her palm into her
forehead.  “Big, bad, city boy — one, sheltered, trusting Alabama girl — zero,” she
muttered to herself as she leaned back across the bed.
    The day turned into evening as the light
in her room began to dim with the setting sun.  Nicole was vaguely aware of the
change as she lay unmoving on the bed.  She had settled into an unnerving
pattern of waiting.  Waiting for time to pass, waiting for an unknown hero or
waiting for the call that would send her into the hands of her enemy.  An
enemy, that at one time she was foolish enough to think that she could take on
alone.  Instead, she chose to ignore her years of police training that told her
how to research her target well: study his every move and desire before taking
him down.  Then there wouldn’t have been any surprises like this.  She would
have known what she was up against and avoided turning into a prisoner.
    The sound of heavy footsteps approaching
her door drew her attention from her thoughts.  It was too early yet for her
meal to be brought to her so her body tensed for the unknown as the door swung
open.  “Shower and dress for dinner.  I will be back in an hour to escort you
down,” the same stone faced warrior from earlier informed her.  She noticed his
eyes were still tight and cold like they were earlier when she challenged him. 
He laid a long garment bag across the foot of the bed then sat a shoe box
beside it before turning on his heels and exiting without another word.
    Nicole found a bit of joy in the fact
that she had gotten under his skin so easily.  “Nice talking to you again,
Rover,” she chuckled as the door slammed behind the gorilla-like