“They’re closing in on our position!” Desire exclaimed.

“Quickly!” Donovan begged. 

Desire’s voice trembled with panic as she uttered, “I can’t!”

“Yes, you can,” he reassured her. “We don’t have much time… please?” Donovan pleaded, his hands cradling the sides of her face. His eyes pierced into hers, searching the depths of her soul. She hesitated a moment more, and he placed his hand over hers, guiding the blade to its home in his chest. 

Donovan whispered, “De Ondrogia” to her, meaning ‘my love’ in Fomorian, then collapsed as the Sanctum soldiers kicked in the door.

 

Six Months Earlier

Desire Walsh stood outside on the brick stoop, chewing the crimson paint off her already ragged fingernails as she craned her neck in search of her ride. A black Camry pulled up to the curb a moment later, and Desire heard a clicking sound signaling the driver had popped open the trunk for her. Carefully placing her duffle bag inside, she closed the trunk, walked over to the car’s rear passenger side, and slid in, closing the door behind her. Knowing her destination, the driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror and, with a nod, pulled away. Desire looked back at the brick, ranch-style building that had been her home for the last seven months, let out a defeated sigh, and sank further into the cold leather seat. 

​

Desire Walsh was beautiful by anyone’s standards, with emeralds for eyes and a dainty nose sprinkled with freckles; there was no denying her Irish roots. Her long, auburn hair was haphazardly twisted up in a messy bun. Starring numbly at her reflection in the tinted window, she began gnawing on the corners of her nails again. The almost two-hour ride home ended abruptly when she saw the dense canopy of twisted evergreens that marked the entrance to Whistfall. A small secluded village located on the border of Kildare and Dublin, Whistfall held many secrets, one of which was the Walsh family cabin. The massive wooden structure was nestled on 120 acres of otherwise undeveloped woods, built entirely from sturdy native Irish Oak. It appeared more like a wooden castle than your typical cabin. Although it was centuries old and fortified by Sanctum snipers in each of its four towers, it had a modernized gate with a security keypad and facial recognition software. In many other ways, it was a storybook castle minus the drawbridge and moat. 

​

As the car came up the driveway, she saw her mother, Celeste, waiting for her on the terrace. One look at Celeste, and it's clear where Desire got her looks. She had the same gemstone eyes, but they were less intense. Celeste kept her auburn hair in a cropped pixie cut, making her appear younger than her 52 years. Desire practically leaped out of the car at the sight of her and ran into her mother’s eager arms. Celeste hugged her tight and whispered, “You’re home now, sweetheart; everything is going to be fine.” Desire sighed, but it wasn’t entirely a sigh of relief. After all, there was still her father to contend with.   

​

Warren Walsh peered out the second-floor study window at the women. As they embraced, he heard the knock on the half-open door behind him. Turning, he saw his driver, Murph, standing there. Warren made a quick double-check to ensure the electromagnetic counter-surveillance device was active before speaking, even though he had no reason to believe they had been compromised in any way. They both subscribed to the ‘better safe than sorry’ policy. Once they were satisfied, Warren nodded, signaling his approval to proceed.

“I put Desire’s bag in her quarters,” Murph informed. 

“And the other task?” Warren asked.

“Must have been tipped off, nowhere to be found,” he reported.

“Well, that is unfortunate, for everyone’s sake. Inform the Sanctum.” Warren resigned.

With marching orders, Murph slipped back out of sight. 

​

Kade Murphy had been Warren’s driver, bodyguard, and right hand for the last twenty years, and there wasn’t anyone that Warren trusted more. Growing up together, they had been best friends and even served as guards in the Irish Defence Forces before being recruited to Sanctum. Warren wasn’t a part of the Sanctum organization for long before he realized he would need someone he could trust at his side. He quickly went about the business of wooing Murph for the job. Although it didn’t take much convincing, he was practically in at the word go. Warren’s faith in Kade Murphy was not without warrant; he was a fiercely loyal mate. 

​

Warren turned back to the window, too deep in thought to hear the women enter the room, and was briefly jarred when Celeste cleared her throat gently. 

One look from Warren to acknowledge their presence, and Celeste quietly excused herself. She knew her husband and daughter’s discussions could become heated and learned years ago that it was best to let them sort it out themselves. Besides, her stance on the family business was the less she knew, the better. The French doors were barely closed when Warren started in.

“How in the world did this happen?” he demanded.

“I, I don’t know, I was so careful,” Desire stammered, then she asked, “What is the Sanctum saying?”

“Nothing yet, they’re still investigating, and Murph just went to inform them you are home.”  

“Daidi’, I was so close. You have to believe me!” she begged. 

“It’s not a question of believing you. You got sloppy, you hesitated, you never hesitate…” he started to mumble to himself, “I told them you weren’t ready...I said,” She stopped him before he could continue. “I am ready. You don’t understand!” she insisted, but Warren was already dismissing her with a waved hand before she could finish that statement.  

“The best we can hope for is that he will turn up. We’ve got our folks looking in all the underground places. In the meantime, we will wait for new orders. Go get some rest,” he ordered as he walked out of the room. 

​

Tired from her travels, Desire did not come down for dinner that night. Despite the peace and tranquility the secluded compound usually offered, she slept restlessly. Racing thoughts of the Fomori were swirling in her subconsciousness. Using her Tuath Dé gift of dual sight, her spirit traveled the in-between until it landed on her intended, Donovan Ronove. Deep in thought, he was sitting at a table with a glass of whisky. She didn’t recognize his surroundings, but the chatter of voices and music in the background revealed that it was a nightclub of some kind. Donovan looked up then, meeting her eyes, and a slight smile crept up at the corners of his mouth. An eerie feeling washed over Desire, and she gasped, thrusting upright in her bed. Had he seen her? Was he aware she had been watching him?

​

Desire showered and got dressed for the day slowly. She knew her father would be busy with work in his office, and her mother would be waiting with questioning eyes for answers she wasn’t quite ready to give. She looked in the mirror and thought for half a second about applying some makeup and styling her hair, but then decided against it, opting for a clean face and her messy bun go-to style instead.

When Desire finally came downstairs to the formal dining room, her mother was at the table eating breakfast. Desire’s stomach grumbled at the sight of the spread that lay before her, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in a while. There were muffins of every flavor, hard-boiled eggs, strips of crunchy bacon, sausage links and patties, fluffy buttermilk biscuits, a bowl full of peppered gravy, fresh-cut fruit, a carafe of orange juice, and a pot of coffee. She poured herself a large cup of coffee and piled her plate full of goodies before sitting opposite Celeste.

“I’m glad to see your appetite has returned this morning,” Celeste commented. “I was beginning to worry.”

“Don’t, I’ll be fine,” Desire reassured her. “Besides, I need my energy. I’m going back to the field today.”

“Like hell you are!” Warren said vehemently, having overheard Desire’s statement as he entered the room. “We will wait for orders from the Sanctum.”

“Dad, I was this close.” Desire held two fingers in the air pinched about half an inch apart for emphasis. “If I can get back out there, I might know where to find him. I saw him while sightwalking last night, so I know he has to be near…”

“That’s enough! I don’t want to hear anymore! I said we would wait for our orders, and I meant it!” Warren said. And with that, he considered the matter over.

​

Warren bent down to kiss Celeste on the cheek before taking his usual spot at the head of the table. Desire scowled and wanted to protest further, but knew that anything she said would be met with further opposition. Warren Walsh was a stubborn man and a good soldier. He always followed orders, but he was sadly mistaken if he thought the matter was over. Celeste looked at Desire and knew that the issue was not resolved. They silently ate the remainder of breakfast, with Desire deep in thought, plotting her next move.

​

After eating, she took the stairs two at a time back to her room. She had an idea of where Ronove might be hiding out and didn’t want to waste any more time. Desire could only travel short distances of a few hundred miles with her dual sight unless the intended were thinking about her, then the vision gate would be wide open. Since she knew the latter was highly improbable, that could only mean one thing—he was close. The only question was—why would he be anywhere near Whistfall? There weren’t any known Formori this far northeast of Limerick. In any case, she had made up her mind. Desire was going after Donovan Ronove with or without her father’s approval and the support of the Sanctum. If they didn’t believe in her, they would when she brought them his cold, dead heart on a platter.