Author's Note - Thank you all soooooooooooooo much for the feedback, it really helps to inspire. Sorry this is so short... =(

Chapter 4

Sara Pezzini stood in the hall outside Rhiannon's door for what felt like hours, but was truly only minuets. She had gotten a call, through Jake, asking her to stop by when ever her schedule permitted, but nothing had been said as to what this meeting would be about. The way the Witchblade was acting, swirling and pulsing, Sara wasn't sure she wanted to know either.

After a few deep breaths, she lifted her left hand and knocked. At the muffled "come in", she opened the door, stepped inside and would have bolted if someone hadn't closed the door behind her. Before her was Ian Nottingham. While she didn't really hate the man, his attitude made her uncomfortable. Looking away from his face Sara met the gaze of the woman who had hit Jake, Rhiannon. After the paramedics had transported Rhiannon to the hospital she and Danny had managed to drag the story behind their relationship would of Jake.

Jake and Cian had been friends since meeting, through their Aunts, ten years before. From the moment they had been introduced Jake and Rhiannon had fought like opposing sides during a world war. So when Jake had asked Cian's help on one of his cases, Rhiannon had been a bit opposed to the idea. A trap had been set using Cian as bait to lure out a killer. Only the killer had found out about the plan some how and managed to almost kill both Jake and Cian. If not for the quick thinking and accurate shooting of another F.B.I.. Agent, they both would have bled to death. From there the details of their relationship became even more scarce. After Cian had been well enough he had moved back to Ireland supposedly to be closer to his sister. Jake had been left with the threat of what would happen should he ever involve Cian in another F.B.I. operation hanging over his head.

When she and Danny had expressed doubt over Rhiannon's ability to kill him Jake and quickly put their doubts to rest. Rhiannon, he had explained, had been recruited by a special forces program at the age of sixteen because of her above average intelligence and physical ability. She had spent five years as a member of the English and Irish squad, having only left the service a year ago, after the squad had been disbanded. According to Jake, Rhiannon was as dangerous as Nottingham if not more so. Another fact Jake had revealed was that Rhiannon was married to a former Black Dragon, Aidan O'Conner.

Looking at the petite woman sitting on the hospital bed Sara still had her doubts about what Jake had said.



Looking at the woman before her Rhiannon was again struck by her resemblance to the wielders who had come before her. It wasn't so much her looks as many of her mannerisms, the look of irritation, the way she crossed her arms or leaned against something when nervous or irritated. Looking beyond the surface, as she had with Ian, Rhiannon almost groaned aloud. Just as Ian was shadowed by Iron's spirit, so was Sara Pezzini. Looking up towards the Heavens she muttered a cures in Gaelic and asked the question that had been plaguing her, "Why can't the bastard's spirit journey to hell where belongs and leave the living alone?!"

Ignoring the curious glances from the rooms other occupents Rhiannon looked at Sara and Ian again, trying to see how bad the taint was in each. Untrained wielders was a simple problem compared to the problem the taint of Kenneth Irons' spirit presented.

To fulfill their destiny the wielder of the stone and the wielder of the blade needed to find the passion, and perhaps love, that lay between them. The taint from the bastard's spirit was serving to keep the passion at bay and them apart.

Picking up Oriana, Rhiannon settled the border collie rottweiler mix on her lap before shifting into lecture mode. There was much that needed to be said and little time to say it.