12 Affairs of the Heart

Thanks to Shelly for offering to proof read, if you've seen my other fic then you know that before I post my last chapter I have everything edited. So I might take you up on your offer then. It's a bit of reading, but look at it this way, you'll get to see the last chapter before everyone else does J

12 Affairs of the Heart

Luka's heart felt like stone as he walked through the airport, mists of dread shrouding him. As he headed for the main lobby he looked for the man who was at the center of his families troubles, when he found him he stopped dead in his tracks. His gaze falling instantly on the last person he'd ever expected to see here. In an instant he dodged behind the luggage rack that rolled by, using it as cover until he was safely out of sight. Immediately he saw that he would have to rethink things; if Kenneth Irons was here then his plans could indeed be compromised.

***

In the blink of an eye Luka disappeared, making Sarah wonder if she'd seen him at all, behind her, she heard someone clearing there throat. Dismissing Luka from her mind she turned back to Dovidi, "I'm sorry Mr. D'angitino, I've never taken very well to jet lag, I'm afraid I'm quite spaced out." Smiling politely she disentangled her hand from his and stepped back.

"Not at all Ms. Pezzini, Mr. Irons has told me about your loss, and I am very sorry. It's always difficult to lose someone we love. It's tragic when anyone dies but to lose your fiancé so close to the wedding. You have my sincerest sympathy" Sarah almost choked at what she heard, in truth it was with indignation at Irons manipulation of the truth while Dovidi thought that it was because he'd hit an emotional topic. Ian on the other hand knew that if Irons didn't tread carefully, he'd be in a wheelchair for a lot longer then he expected.

***

An hour later Sarah found them stopping at a large beachfront house, thirteen sleepy servants stood in front of the door in a bad imitation of Victorian formality. The house Sarah learned belonged to Irons, it wasn't dark and dismal like his home in New York, although the interior decoration consisted of contrasts between gray, steel, and alloy whites. He even gave her the room with the best view and largest windows, none of this however stopped her from yelling at him the moment Dovidi left. "What the hell did you think you were doing telling him Jake was my fiancé?! You're a lot of things Irons, but even I didn't think you were low enough to desecrate the memory of the dead."

Irons only looked at her levelly then said in a clear monotonous tone, "I'm sorry if I've offended you Sarah, but the death of your partner affected you deeply. I couldn't very well risk you telling anyone that you'd lost your partner, and that his name was Detective Jake McCarty. It just wouldn't do for them to learn you were a cop, better for you to be in mourning over a lover. Now if you'll excuse me, it's been a trying day and I truly need to rest." As if on cue Ian came in with the wheel chair, into which Irons immediately lowered himself. As the door closed behind them, Sarah wondered whether or not they'd locked her in as well. With a sinking feeling she began to realize just what it was Irons had tricked her into, now that she was here she was at his mercy. Almost expecting to find the windows barred and the door secured Sarah went and cheeked both, to her surprise the windows were easy to open and the door was unlocked. There seemed to be nothing in the closet and the wardrobe and cabinets all seemed empty. There was nothing on the bed and from what Sarah could detect nothing sinister such as sleep enhancing powders lined the sheets or pillows. Finally forcing her mind into ease Sarah changed into her own day clothes, still not trusting enough to risk being caught in an unpleasant situation lay down and slept.

A pearl necklace fell across an Ivory throat offsetting a long cream colored gown and tumbling brown locks of hair. "It suit you my dearest beauty," A smile attempted to creep onto the face of the woman underneath the necklace; it seemed her lover always had no end of compliments. "Would that your daughter could see this flawless vision."

A shadow crossed her face, marring the 'flawless vision' there. "Yien Yien wrote to me today, her youngest sister is pregnant. If it's a girl, it will be named after her." She paused and looked into her lover's eyes. "My daughter wrote to me as well. She thanked us for the gifts and begged me to come home. Kenneth, It was like reading the letter of a stranger… her tone, it was just so distant…" Her voice faded and he drew her close, holding her tightly as she blinked away tears.

"I'm sorry my love, I should never have been so careless. I tell Stephan to cancel our plans tonight, if you truly want to, then perhaps I should arrange a flight for you." He looked down at her sadly. "It seems that Egypt won't be graced with your radiant presence after all." He grasped her hand, and as if for strength she did the same. As he lead her back down the hall she leaned against him heavily and for the first time a look of worry began to appear in his eyes.

The scene shifts, a Chinese woman now holds a letter and the pearl necklace though she doesn't r read aloud the words sound clearly in Sarah's mind.

'I don't what to think anymore Yien Yien, his careless words wound me, but at times he shows such compassion and love. Showering me with gifts of affection. Sometimes though, he looks at me, and I wonder which he sees, Elizabeth? Or the Witchblade? Then I wonder what me loves, me? Or it? He's suggested I come home, and yet I know if I do, I'll never see him again, and if that happens, I'll never grasp the answers I seek.

'A week from now, he thinks that we should leave Cairo and head for a tour of the continent. I won't go, I can never do that, never set foot upon the soil of France or Germany ever again. If I do so it will drive me mad. I will remember him… you know who I mean… and if I remember, I will have to end this deception of my heart. And when I do so, I fear what I will find.

A tear of empathy slid down Sarah's cheek as she awoke, knowing the ending of the tragic love story to which her dreams bore witness. She knew now that in some capacity Irons had loved Elizabeth Bronte, and against her better judgement Elizabeth had done the same. Sarah wondered if she was going down a similar path, her eyes wondering over to where she'd left the necklace. Was it the one from her dream? Then with a start Sarah leapt out of the bed silently cursing herself for letting her guard down.