by Casey Morgan
Then I ran into them.
They were three ugly, hulking brutes that reminded me a bit of Ronald McDonnell. Their clothes were old, and rife with tears and stains. Their dark hair was oily. They spotted me and marched right up and got into my face, smiling dirty, ugly smiles.
“Oy! Here she is,” said the first. “What’s wrong with you, like?”
I stepped back but they cornered me up against a shop’s wall. I looked up into their cold eyes.
“What? Who are you?” I demanded.
The biggest one pointed a thumb to his chest.
“Name’s Peter. These are mi brothers Donnie and Billy,” he introduced.
“Ma’am,” said Donnie, tipping his cap and giving me a lopsided smile.
Billy hit him on the back of the head.
“Don’t tip your cap to her,” he chastised. “We’re mad at her, remember?”
“Oh, right,” he said, grimacing.
“Mad at me, why? What do you want?” I asked.
“We’re McDonnells, cousin. And we be hearing you givin’ the McDonnells a bad name,” said Peter. “Sleepin’ about. Having sex with multiple men. Are you some kind of travelin’ prostitute?”
“What? No! Who told you that?”
“We have our waves,” said Donnie.
“Ways, Donnie, ways,” corrected Billy, putting a hand to his forehead. He shook his head for a second and then looked back up at me. “You’ll have to excuse him; he dropped out of school way earlier than the rest of us. Anyway. Brother Ronald saw you eating and carryin’ on with two elf fellas at the Thistle and Sheep. You was touchin’ them both right in front of all the good folk of Luck’s Hollow to see.”
He put his hands on his hips and glared at me.
“Anyhow, that’s not proper behavior for a McDonnell, so clear out!” said Peter.
“I don’t have to listen to you,” I insisted. “This is a free country. Leave me alone.”
“This may be a free country,” said Peter, moving in front of me.
He sent out a spell to zap a few leaves nearby. It was a threat.
“But it’s ours, yank. Your kind ain’t welcome here.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I insisted. “Even if I did, what business is it of yours?”
“We’re makin’ it our business, on account of the family name, which I illucidated to previously,” explained Peter.
I knew he meant “alluded” but decided not to correct him as Billy had so rudely done to Donny.
“Don’t make me repeat myself. A whore like you will tarnish the McDonnell good name!”
“Don’t you call me a whore,” I yelled back.
I balled up my fists.
“You should stop repeating gossip. That’s libel. I can sue you!”
I had been studying for my paralegal certification so that Derek and I could have a nice life after we were married. In class I learned that Ireland had some of the strictest defamation laws in the world.
I was glad I could put my knowledge to good use, since I had no clue if I’d really follow up with finishing my degree when I got back home. I had been quite dazed and confused about my life lately, and the only thing that had made me feel safe was being in the arms of those Hennessy boys.
Now this asshole was trying to ruin that for me, too. I was mad enough to sue —that was for sure. Not that these guys had any money to pay damages. But just on the principle of the matter.
“What’s all this?” said a Were who was passing by. “Why are you boys botherin’ this woman?”
“She’s no woman, mate,” said Donnie. “She’s a prostitute!”
“I am not!” I insisted.
“She’s embarassin’ our ma!” insisted Peter. “Wreckin’ the McDonnell good name and all.”
“What’s going on now?” asked another elf, as he too was walking down the street.
The commotion in the street was drawing bystanders as they passed. Soon, my three cousins had half the village against me. They painted their mother as the victim and me as the weird outsider.
“I’m not embarrassing your mother,” I snapped. “And you have no good name for me to ruin. The McDonnell house is an embarrassment! I came all the way over here to see where I came from and all I hear is that the McDonnells are the worst. You’re like the White Trash of Ireland!”
That set them off. They moved forward, and rather than wait to see what they would do, I ran. I was a pretty decent runner, but I barely knew the lay of the village.
A few of the other bystanders joined in the chase, unsure who was to blame but just wanting to be part of the mob out of boredom or general righteous indignation, as is often the case with mobs.
After a few minutes, I found myself hiding behind a shack on someone’s property, while my three cousins and the bystanders were fighting about whether they should fight each other, and trying to figure out who was on whose side. Some hexes and spells zipped back and forth between the chaos.
“If you need to go to the bathroom, I have an outhouse,” said a voice that seemed to come out of nowhere.
I turned around. The voice belonged to an old man dressed all in green, with a red cap and a pipe. But he was only about two feet tall. The knees of his pants were covered in soil and there was a trowel in his hand. He must have been gardening when I ran into his yard.
We stared at each other for a few minutes. I realized I was looking at a real live leprechaun.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I apologized, shaking myself out of my amazement and finding my manners. “This mob from town was chasing me.”
Just then, I heard the mob approach, and I looked to hide again. The leprechaun called the magic in the air around him, wove his hands in an elaborate pattern, and did a very powerful invisibility spell.
It was the most impressive bit of magic I had ever seen. The little man held a finger to his lips, indicating that I shouldn’t speak. Then he turned to the mob. My new friend greeted them.
“Hey, what’s the commotion?” he asked.
“We’re lookin’ for a girl! A young witch. She come by here?” demanded Peter.
“Can’t say that she did,” the leprechaun replied.
He pulled his pipe from his lips and emptied the ash on to the ground.
“Now get your ugly carcass off my property, Peter.”
Peter glared at him. My brute cousin towered over the tiny man, but the leprechaun didn’t look scared at all.
“Shut up, O’Mally!” Peter retorted.
With a wave of his hand, the leprechaun cast another very powerful spell. The air around us shimmered and rippled. The mob suddenly became confused.
“What are we doing out here?” one man asked.
Peter scratched his dirty black hair. “We were looking for something.”
Donny looked over at his big brother.
“It was a lass, me thinks. But I barely remember.”
He blinked his eyes a few times.
Billy grunted. “I see somethin’ shiny in the fields over yonder.”
He pointed.
“Let’s try over there!”
And with that, the mob went to find me elsewhere, even though, thanks to the leprechaun, they couldn’t remember why they were looking for me.
The leprechaun waved his hand, disrupting the invisible spell. I felt a brief zap of electricity run through me, but otherwise I was fine.
“Thanks,” I said gratefully.
“I’m Devin O’Mally, miss?”
He held out his little chubby hand. I shook it gratefully.
“Shanna… McDonnell,” I said carefully.
I didn’t really want to tell him my name but figured he might find out eventually, and I didn’t want to be dishonest.
“Oh, I see,” he said.
He took a little pack of tobacco and started to refill his pipe.
“Well, I don’t care much for your kin, Ms. McDonnell, but you seem polite, at least. Why were they chasing ya?”
“They thin
k I ruined the family name and reputation.”
Devin laughed so loud and so long, I actually thought he might pass out. Finally, he wiped the tears from his eyes.
“Oh, Sweet Lord,” he finally said. “I haven’t had a laugh like that in a long time. Your kin is a villainous lot. Stole mi gold on two different occasions. Weren’t even sorry about it.”
“Well, I’m sorry,” I said, apologizing for them. “The McDonnells in America are much more law abiding, I can assure you. That’s where I’m from. Love’s Hollow, New York. I came here in search of my relatives but he had no idea they were like this. I’m just having the misfortune of finding that out recently, now that I’m here.”
“That is certainly very misfortunate and I can’t imagine what it’s like to have relatives like that. My apologies on your behalf, miss. What did they say you did, if you don’t mind me asking?” asked Devin.
“They — There was a misunderstanding between — I’m friends with the Hennessey brothers, Brody and Ryan,” I explained. “Seems like the village has decided that us hanging out together is some kind of mortal sin.”
“Oh, aye,” said Devin understanding.
He nodded and put his pipe back into his mouth. He lit it with a snap of his fingers.
“This is still a rather close-minded, backwards community. There are quite a few people in this village who love to gossip and talk. Can’t say I’m surprised. I wouldn’t put too much stock in what they think.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t,” I agreed. “But they did chase me down the street and down over here. They seemed to have very bad intentions, if they caught me.”
“Aye,” said Devin. “That’s a pickle. Well, maybe the Hennesseys could escort you around. Those elves know their magic. That’s what I would do.”
“Good idea. Thanks for the invisibility spell,” I said.
“And thank you for keeping my secret,” he said, pointing to the ground.
I looked down and for the first time, I noticed I was standing on a pile of gold. I blinked my eyes and looked down again. Yep. It was gold. Millions and millions of coins were spilling out of the shack I was standing next to.
“I don’t trust banks, you understand,” he explained, with a wink. “So, I stick to a spell of no-notice. Usually keeps people from seeing mi pot-of-gold unless they are standing right on top of it. That breaks the spell.”
“Oh, I won’t tell. I promise,” I assured him. “Thanks for your kindness.”
He smiled. “You watch yourself, heading back for the Hennesseys. That mob sounds like they want to drag you all the way to Cork.”
“Why would they do that?”
“I suppose because that’s where they’d try to get the police involved,” he figured. “Although, the cops would probably be glad to see them, since there are probably several warrants out for their arrest! So, who knows? Can’t make any sense of mobs. They tend to be unruly by nature.”
“True enough. Thanks, Devin,” I said, and then said goodbye.
I started down the dirt road back to the village. When I turned around later, Devin and his shack of gold were gone. It was as if they had never existed at all.
I made it back to the village, but then I turned a corner and there were my three cousins. I guess the rest of the mob had gotten bored.
“There ye be,” said Peter hungrily. “Get ‘er ,lads!”
“Hey now!” called a sprite shopkeeper, who had been in the middle of using magic to sweep his porch. “What are you boys doin’ now?”
“This ain’t none of your business,” said Donnie. “Go back to your sweeping, moth!”
The sprite’s face reddened under the insult.
“You three, clear out! Or I’ll call the police and you’ll get the business end of my broom a few times before they get here,” he threatened.
Reluctantly, the boys walked away. I was finally safe.
“Thank you!” I beamed, wanting to give the shopkeeper a hug, although I was unable to do it because he was too small.
He frowned at me.
“No, thanks,” he said. “You best be clearing out as well. I don’t want any trouble.”
“But I didn’t do anything!” I cried.
“Yeah, right,” he said skeptically. “Just do us all a favor and go back to the States, succubus.”
That’s when I started to cry, and I didn’t stop. I felt like suddenly I was being punished for following my heart. I burst into Hennessey House and almost ran into Ryan’s arms at the front desk.
But then I thought, “He’d be better off without me!”
I ran upstairs, locked myself in my room and started crying into the pillow.
Chapter 16
Shanna
As soon as I got into my room, I heard a knock at my door. I made sure to be really quiet, hoping that whoever it was would go away. A few minutes later, I heard the door unlock. Ryan and Brody had gotten in with their master key.
“What are you guys doing in here?” I demanded.
I was sitting cross-legged on the bed, dabbing my tears away with tissues.
“Checking on ye,” said Ryan, looking a little bit sheepish. “Ye were crying.”
“Well, that’s my business,” I cried. “You can’t just barge in here.”
“Calm down,” said Brody.
He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.
“We’re on your side. Remember?”
“The whole village is saying terrible things about me,” I sniffed. “What did I do to them? Nothing! Stupid McDonnells accosted me in the street!”
“Did they touch you?” asked Brody, his ears starting to turn red.
He balled up a fist.
“Because if they laid a finger on you, I swear—”
“No, but they chased me,” I explained. “If Devin O’Mally hadn’t hid me, I don’t know what would’ve happened!”
“Devin’s a good egg,” said Ryan. “I’m glad he was there to help you, since we weren’t. I’m sorry you had to go through that though, babe.”
“What are we going to do?” I asked.
I sniffled a bit and whipped my eyes. I didn’t want to cry in front of the boys.
“We need to pretend like nothing happened,” said Ryan.
He started pacing around the room.
“If we keep doing that, eventually the entire thing will blow over. We just have to lay low a bit.”
“I don’t like that,” I said. “Feels like we’re ashamed. I don’t want to be ashamed of this. Ever.”
Brody leaned forward and rubbed my knee.
“I’m sorry you’re bearin’ the brunt of all this,” he said. “What do you want to do?”
“I just hate it that people are so judgmental. What right do they have to look down on us?” I demanded, bitterly. “Especially the McDonnells. They have the bad reputation, not me.”
“Maybe that’s why they got things stirred up,” suggested Brody. “Maybe that’s the whole point.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“The McDonnells have a terrible reputation because of their name, but you have it too just by association — You’re a McDonnell. If they can push that bad reputation onto you, then they don’t look as bad. So, they make it sound like you’re the corrupting influence. Not them,” speculated Brody.
“That’s diabolical!” I said. “And the sad thing is, it’s working, if it means I have to lay low to avoid the heat and the hatred. The whole reason my ex even booked this place at this time was so that we could be here for the Turnip Festival. He made it sound so great that I wanted to come here on my own, just so I could go. Now you’re telling me I’m going to have to lay low and miss it? I’m proud to be with you two. I don’t care what other people think, but I don’t want to cause you trouble, either.”
Ryan and Brody looked at each other and smiled.
“No harm will come of us,” assured Brody. “And I’m used to trouble. They can’t hurt Hennessey House with their nonsense. It
’s the tourists that pay mi bills. What say ye, Ryan?”
“Maybe it’s time we shook things up, brother,” he said, and scratched the blonde stubble on his chin.
“Ryan, I do say I’m rubbin’ off on ye, lad,” smiled Brody. “I thought for sure you’d be too embarrassed.”
“I don’t like it when people hurt Shanna,” he said, annoyed. “I’m not going to sit here and let them scare her and make her cry.”
Ryan went to the bed, took me into his arms and kissed me. Then Brody leaned over and kissed me, too. I knew right then and there that we were in this together.
Who cared what the rest of the village or the McDonnells thought? We were going to live our lives on our own terms.
I fell back onto the bed and Ryan started kissing me harder. Brody got up and made sure the bedroom door was locked. (The last thing we needed was one of the maids walking in on us!)
This time, we would be quieter. Although, come to think of it, we didn’t have to be as quiet, since Ryan told me that the Davises had left.
Ryan’s kissing went down my neck and he unbuttoned my shirt and kissed between my breasts. Brody came to the edge of the bed and slid off my jeans.
He kissed up to my panties and pulled them down, too. Then he placed his rough, two-day beard against my pussy. Oh, God! That felt great.
I was moaning into Ryan’s mouth, as Brody slobbered all over my pussy and lower lips. He didn’t waste any time. His tongue dove deep into my folds and tickled the hood of my clit.
I started pulsing under the wet, rough feel of his tongue. Brody cast a quickness spell on his tongue and it started to vibrate. Every area of my skin that he licked tingled with pleasure.
I wanted to get out of my shirt and bra, so I could be completely free to move. Taking the lead, Ryan stood up and started stripping off all his clothes. Brody and I took his cue and did the same. Soon, we were all completely naked and our clothes were in heaps on the floor.
My two elves stood before me. I ran my eyes up and down their hard, cut, muscular bodies. Brody had slightly wider shoulders, but Ryan’s six-pack was more defined. I loved how they resembled each other but were also slightly different. It was just like their personalities. Ryan was more serious, and Brody was more laid-back, but they both could joke and have fun.
