Briannas Prophecy (11 page)

One of the workers called out, his voice heavily accented. “We cannot work here, Niklas!” He flung his arms about him frantically. “This place, it is cursed! We should leave here and never come back. Or
we
will be cursed.”

Niklas scowled, looking around the yard at the broken wood. Blue paint crept across the lawn toward the flowerbeds and the railing for the balcony hung drunkenly from one corner. He shook his head and stepped quickly from beneath the swinging balustrade. “It is not cursed,” he growled, pointing at them. “Every one of
you
are bumbling idiots!” He shook his head with disgust as he gazed around the yard, taking in the damage. “I take you from your regular jobs, and you become total incompetents.”

Brianna watched as he ran his fingers though his hair, causing it to stand on end in an adorable way. Her fingers itched to smooth it back down, feel the silky softness of his unruly hair between her fingers, to feel the heat of his body soaking into her flesh.

“Put the tools away for today, you fools. You’re going to have to use the disks tonight. Or you will draw too much attention to yourselves.” Niklas paused and stood very still for a moment as though he knew someone watched them. He turned slowly to look toward her.

Leaning back, Brianna crab-walked away from the window, moving into the shadows where she knew he couldn’t see her. She watched as he searched the darkness beyond the pane of glass, then shrugged and turned away. Her brows drew together in confusion. She knew she shouldn’t have eavesdropped. But they’d been so close to the property line, she couldn’t help but hear. It had been so much fun, it hadn’t seemed wrong at the time.

What had he meant by using disks? And why was he worried about them drawing attention to themselves. Were they here illegally? Way too puzzled to sleep now, Brianna collected Killer from the backyard and fed him. He sniffed his food, then looked at her as though saying,
is this all I get?

“Yes, that’s all you get, you little beggar.” Reaching down, she scratched him behind the ears. Knowing she’d never sleep with the racket still going on next door, she decided to clean the house. It always seemed that there weren’t enough hours in the day for her to get her own housework done. It was strange, considering it was what she did for a living. Today it didn’t take long to scrub the whole place top to bottom. With a feeling of accomplishment, she prepared her dinner and spent a quiet evening reading a book, her stereo playing soft music.

Occasionally, her mind wandered to the conversation she’d heard earlier in the day. Why shouldn’t they speak their own language? It sounded quite beautiful. Brianna frowned, wondering what language it was. She couldn’t remember hearing anything like it before in her life.

Chapter Six

Brianna stood on the edge of the churning sea, knowing all she had to do was call and they would come. Never would she have believed it was she who would have the power to call them forth from their hidden realm. She longed to see their crystal island, yearned, with everything within her, to see the island fortress that was called both Avalon and Atlantis.

Chill wind blew in from the water, pressing her nightgown against her legs. The mist wet her gown, causing the darker vee at the juncture of her thighs to show through the thin fabric. The salt spray dampened her face, glistening on her skin like tiny gems. She inhaled deeply, loving the pungent smell of the cool sea air, and the tangy taste of salt on her lips. Raising her arms into the air, swaying with the wind, she tilted her head back and called to the Fae.

“Hei lei agh taleena orrrrr, hei lei agh taleena orrrrr.”
Brianna knew in her heart she needed to make this request at the edge of the sea, to beg those of the Fae and Elvin realms to return from Tellegh Moor, their name for Avalon.

The winds grew stronger, pushing Brianna away from the edge of the roiling water. Her white gown whipped around her, drawing tight as the wind rushed past. Her nipples pebbled in the cold night air as she stood on the edge of the tall cliff and stared at the roiling water below her.

The waves crashed upon the shore in a deafening crescendo, the water bubbling against the cliffs like a brew in a giant caudron. Her golden hair whipped about her like a silken web, twisting about her as the wind continued to swirl around her. Leaves and dead grass whirled by, dancing in little eddies as she stood fearlessly on the edge. Brianna raised her head, saw the towering spires of crystal buildings and wondered how she came to be in this magical place. She laughed gaily. She’d done it! This was Avalon, the elusive magical city on the sea.

Brianna rolled up onto her elbow, startled. The wonderful dream dissipated like a waning mist facing the burning sun. Not sure what caused her to awaken she squinted through the darkness, trying to see around the dim room. Where in the world was Killer? He usually barked at strange noises.

She bit her lip and whispered, “Come on, boy. Come on, Killer. Where are you?” She looked around again. Still, he was nowhere to be found. Maybe she’d left him running the house. If so, she was going to be in trouble in the morning. He would certainly make her pay for locking him out of her room all night. Brianna groaned and flopped back down onto the bed, her arm flung over her eyes. That was all she needed, a Yorkie with an attitude.

A slight movement in the corner startled her and she shivered with fear. Swallowing thickly, she tried to talk around the giant lump in her throat. “Is someone there?” She sat up, pulled the sheet up to her chest and squinted into the darkness, trying to see around the shadowy shapes she knew was her furniture. The sound of breathing from the corner made her heart pound even faster.

Brianna’s hands fisted in her sheets, she hadn’t been this frightened in her own bedroom for years. The old fears and insecurities rose up, bound her to the bed, making it nearly impossible to move. She was torn between running and pulling the covers up over her head like a frightened child.

She inhaled sharply when a person stepped from the shadows, even opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Reaching for her throat, she wanted to claw at it and force it to comply. She tried again, still nothing.

Is this another dream?
The intruder stepped fully into the moonlight and she could see him, or her, very clearly now. Whatever it was, it couldn’t possibly be human. It was tall and thin, with long silver hair and long pointy ears. Brianna resisted the urge to giggle. Hysterics were not an option. She needed to keep her wits about her.

“I would appreciate it if you did not think of me as an it
or
as a female.” The creature straightened. “I am Larin of the Fae. Messenger of Morgaine.”

“Huh?” Brianna sat up, holding the sheet to her chest. Now that she knew she wasn’t looking at a specter, whoever it was, had to be human. Fear came bounding back. She cast furtive glances around the room, hoping to find something she could use as a weapon. What the hell, if she was going to die anyway, she was going to go out with a bang. Maybe literally. “First of all, how did you know what I was thinking? Two, how did you get in here, and three, just who in the hell are you?” Brianna waggled three fingers, glaring at him. She didn’t give a crap if he
was
gay. She just wanted him out of her house.

He sighed. “I am most certainly not gay. Not in the manner you mean at any rate.” He hedged. “I am gay, meaning that I am happy.” He smiled and spread his arms wide, his hands palms up.

Like
that
was supposed to clear things up? Brianna slid backward across her bed to put more space between them. Turning her back, she dropped the sheet, grabbed her robe and put it on. Maybe he was a weirdo surgically altered to look strange. One who needed to make the acquaintance of the guys who wore the white coats, perhaps?

She held trembling hands in front of her, in what she hoped resembled a placating manner. “I’m glad that you’re happy being gay,” Brianna said with a smile. “Really, I am. I just don’t know what it has to do with me or why you’re in my house.” She blinked and eyed the telephone, wondering if she would be able to dial nine-one-one before he could take it from her and make her eat it.

Larin closed his eyes, running a long slender finger up and down the most perfect nose Brianna had ever seen. He smiled and opened his eyes. They had the most devilish twinkle.

“I am pleased you like my nose, madam, but it is far from perfect.” He leaned back and sighed. “Ah. Now, my Queen, she is another story.
She
is perfection personified.”

“Will you stop that?” Brianna shook a finger at him. “Just stay out of my head, dammit! You weren’t invited.” She glared at him, furious, her eyes becoming slits. “How do you do that anyway?”

“Do what?” Larin asked, feigning wide-eyed innocence. The glacial blue of his eyes was prismatic, reflecting what little light there was back at her.

“Ack!” Brianna threw her hands in the air. She was never going to get a straight answer from him. The creep was more slippery than a politician.

His silvery white brows drew down in a fierce scowl. “I beg your pardon!”

“If you don’t like my thoughts, stay out of my head,” she said with a smirk.
Ha! That got him.
What in the world did the guy want, anyway?
And why aren’t you scared out of your wits because he just popped into your house?
The strange thing was that she really wasn’t scared of him. She felt more like sticking her tongue out at him than running for her life. It was probably because she got the vibe that the guy was more likely to talk her to death than anything else.

Biting her lip, she eyed the phone and frowned. Why had she forgotten to try and find a way to call nine-one-one? What’s more, why should she care if he’s gay? That was his business, not hers.

“I am Larin of the Fae! F.A.E.” He spelled it out to her slowly. “You know, the faeries!” He all but screamed the last.

Brianna tilted her head to the side and looked on with interest. He wasn’t quite so beautiful when his face turned purple like that. His eyes did strange things, too, almost glowing orange, then suddenly changing back to the brilliant blue they’d been before his tantrum.

“Faeries do not have tantrums!” He stomped his foot. Then, when he realized what he’d done, he looked toward the ceiling and rolled his eyes.

She stifled the urge to giggle. This would be hilarious if she could be certain he wasn’t an axe murderer.

“I cannot abide your fear any longer,” he growled. “Rules or no rules, watch this.” He snapped his fingers and disappeared. Then poof! He was back again.

Brianna nearly fainted. If she’d been standing, she certainly would have fallen. “Wha—”

Larin sighed again and shook his head. Bowing his head, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Humans. Why must
I
always be the one she sends to deal with humans?”

She was getting so tired of his holier than thou attitude. He acted like he thought she was stupid or something.

“How can you call yourself a witch and not believe in faeries?” Larin scowled again. It was hard to think of someone so pretty as being dangerous. Maybe that was why her fear dissipated so quickly.

Brianna watched him, still a bit wary. If he hadn’t had that eerie glowing eye thing going again, it would have been comical. He was just too pretty to make those faces.

“Males. Are. Not. Pretty.” He emphasized each word.

She made a face. Well, two could play at that game. “Stay. Out. Of. My. Head,” she huffed. This yelling match was going absolutely nowhere.

“You’re right.” He conceded. “This
is
going nowhere.” He held up a hand at Brianna’s scowl. “Do not say it! I cannot help hearing your thoughts. You think too loudly. All faeries can hear you.” He waved a hand as if that should explain everything. Then he looked thoughtful for a moment. “Perhaps a visit to my Queen would help. Come with me.” He held out his hand.

“Come with—What? There are more of you?” Brianna’s eyes widened. Her heart started to pound again. How many people did he bring into her home? She glanced toward her bedroom door, wondering just how many people were in her living room.

Larin dropped his hand to his side. “You should know.
You
called us forth.” He growled and gave her that look again. “And they are not waiting for me to bring you to your living room so we can kill you.”

She glowered at him. “Stop looking at me as if you think I’m dense. You do have to admit that this
is
a bit overwhelming. Give a girl time to adjust.” Brianna wasn’t sure she could ever adjust to the thought that there were really faeries in the world. Did that mean there were elves and gnomes as well?

He dipped his head slightly, for once not answering her question before she asked it. “As you wish. I shall concede that point, Brianna.” He held out his hand once more. “Will you please accompany me to behold my Queen?”