“Cullen, what happened?” I mumbled.
“Ye keep passin’ out, darlin’. It’s not very hospitable.”
I opened my eyes wide. Jet-black hair caught my vision and pain lanced through my head. I put my hand up to touch the side of my face.
“Where are we?”
Then it dawned on me that he was attempting to bind my wrists.
The hairs on the back of my neck rose. Adrenaline pumped wildly through my bloodstream and I jerked my hands away.
“Liam, what the hell are ye doing?” Lucille screeched from the open doorway where she stood on the bottom step. I instantly recognized the basement of the chapel.
He jerked me upright and stood behind me. The rope fell away, but something sharp pricked my neck.
“Ow. That hurts.”
“Stay put, Ma, or I’ll slit her throat! I swear I will.”
I felt the blood trickle and I grabbed at it by reflex.
“Lucille! Thank God, but what are you doing here?”
“Cullen rang me.”
“Cullen!” I called out, searching madly about the room. I turned my head and my eye caught Liam’s. He glared back, a look of pure evil.
“Stop yer squealin’. I already took care of lover boy. He’s tied up in the back seat of the car, ready to be buried.”
Panic thundered through me like a herd of wild beasts, simultaneously tearing at my brain and my heart. Cullen. The love of my life, dead. Oh, Lord, no!
“I’m gonna throw up,” I said, falling to my knees.
“Cullen’s not dead,” Lucille shouted.
I let out the breath I was holding, turning on Liam.
“You drugged me,” I accused. His mouth was hard and firm, but it formed into a smile. His eyes, the dark gold of an antique frame—so similar to his brother’s, yet so much darker— remained dilated and fixed on me.
“Guess I’m not as harmless as ye thought. I wasn’t always a priest, was I, Ma?”
“No, ye were a dirty guarda,” Lucille screamed and ran at him.
His eyes blazed with rage. He pushed me away and kicked out at her, hard. His booted foot connected with her ribcage. I could hear the woosh of breath as the wind was knocked from Lucille and the sound of her ribs cracking as she flew backward, landing awkwardly on her side.
“Ma!” Cullen screamed, hobbling the last step into the doorway. His lip was split and bleeding and he looked as though he’d been three rounds in a ring. “Enough, Liam,” Cullen said, coming to stand in front of his mother.
“Brother. How nice to see ye got loose. Guess I’ll have to work on my knot-tyin’ skills. Ready for another arse kickin’?”
I looked across the room at Cullen, wondering if we both rushed Liam if it would be possible to take him down. Cullen narrowed his eyes and leaned his head, signaling me to the corner where Leslie and Penelope were tied up. Liam charged at him, dagger in hand. It was the dagger I’d had made for Cullen’s wedding present—the one Liam had offered to pick up. Cullen swung his arm back and punched Liam as hard as he could in the face. Bone crunched under his knuckles. The blow sent Liam sprawling. He skidded backward on the stone floor, the knife flying from his grip. I ran toward the corner as the boys exchanged blows. Leslie was unconscious but she still had a pulse. Penelope’s body was freezing and if there was life in it, I couldn’t find it. A note lay crumpled at their feet. I recognized it as my letter from Nick.
Liam O’Kelley removed from the Garda Síochána after three years. Suspected of stalking behavior and admitted to Central Mental Hospital, the psychiatric hospital in Dundrum, for multiple psychotic symptoms.
Liam must have killed Penelope because of this. I placed my hand on her face. God, Penelope, why didn’t you say something? Tears escaped, but I sucked in a breath, realizing I should pull it together and get Leslie out.
Nervous sweat slick on my fingers, I pulled at the knot, freeing Leslie as the guys continued to brawl, trading insults like hockey cards. I looked back up just as Cullen darted forward, and a second later he was standing over a kneeling Liam, blade in hand.
Liam’s crooked nose was bleeding, the blood a scarlet streak across his face. He reached up and pulled his sweater aside, baring his neck. “What are ye waitin’ for, little brother?” he said. “Just do it.”
Cullen glanced at me and saw I wasn’t having any luck waking Leslie. “Sophia, go outside and wait for Garda Connelly. Lead him down here, okay?”
I approached and he handed me his cell phone.
“Do ye really think ye’ll save her? Do ye really think a whiny, pathetic Mama’s boy like yerself is worthy of the Purple Delhi Sapphire?”
“Ye’re loony, just like yer mother,” Cullen said. “Everything they ever accused ye of was true. Da should have left ye locked up.”
A brief shadow crossed his face at the mention of his mother. I’d never noticed how crooked his nose was—like it had been broken more than once—I suddenly understood how he’d got the huge scar that ran down the side of his face.
“Everything they ever accused you of?” I repeated, thinking of the young woman in my dreams—the one who had fought so hard for her life. “It was you,” I choked. “You’re the one who killed Ann Switzer.”
“That’s right. I killed yer cousin. I found that bitch when I joined the Garda. I invited her here, anonymously of course, with the promise of a big story. She didn’t have the jewel, although it took a lot of torture to get that out of her. She was tough to break, Ms. Ann Switzer. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it, although I wished it was this one over here the whole time.” He motioned toward Lucille, who was unconscious on the floor. My heart fluttered and I hoped she’d only passed out from the pain and that I hadn’t missed him doing something fatal to her.
Cullen’s hand shook as he squeezed the dagger and I could tell he was on the verge of losing control. Now was not the time to leave the two of them alone.
“Stupid bitch,” Liam laughed and spat on the floor with precision before taking a pipe from his pocket and lighting it. “She’s the reason I turned out this way. That whore seduced Da from a perfectly happy home.” He blew out a ring of smoke and the smell of caramel tobacco hit my senses like a bag of two-pound bricks. “That whore killed my Mam!” Liam screamed in Lucille’s direction.
“Yer mother killed herself,” Cullen said, correcting him in a strained voice.
“True, technically she did.” Liam redirected his gaze at me.
Chills ran through me. The man was off balance; the way he could go from screaming to smiling was bizarre beyond belief.
“But she was driven to it. So embarrassed and shunned that she had no choice. Then the bitch had to take me in, didn’t she, but she didn’t want to. She poisoned my father against me. And then along came Cullen and it was clear that they never needed me.”
“Sophia, go!” Cullen urged.
I headed for the stairs but I couldn’t resist turning as Liam went on.
“You were a member of the Garda. You were supposed to protect and serve or whatever your oath is here,” I whispered, unable to fathom all that I was hearing.
“I only joined to male Da proud but the only thing he ever noticed was Cullen—do you remember when you found Great-Great-Great-Grandpa Tandy O’Kelley’s painting in Móraí’s attic? That’s when the dreams began, for both of us, wasn’t it, little brother?”
Surprised to hear this news, I fumbled the phone, dropping it. Cullen took a step toward me and Liam erupted off the ground, faster than my vision could handle, striking Cullen’s hand and sending the blade spinning out of Cullen’s grasp. The boys circled each other as Liam went on in his mocking tone. “I came across the old man’s notebook. It was all very dull until he mentioned the Purple Delhi Sapphire. Suddenly I understood my dreams, so I researched and guess what I found—another book—written by Ann Switzer.” Liam chuckled.
My heart froze as Cullen struck out first, but Liam was clearly the less injured of the two and it wasn’t long
before Liam had Cullen on the ground. I had to fight the nausea that climbed up my throat.
“You’re a monster. You stalked and killed her. You’ve been stalking me. How many others have you stalked? Oh my God, you were at Nick’s funeral, too. And that means you…”
“Beat him to a bloody pulp? Aye. That boy was nosin’ in where he didn’t belong. He got what he deserved but, then again, maybe I should have shown him some gratitude. It seems he did me a favor when he pushed ye off that cliff. I might never have found ye otherwise.” He turned to Cullen, rage filling his eyes once again.
“I should have been the one to pull her from the water. I saw her fall. Ye interfered and stole her from me so now here we are,” Liam said, picking up and caressing the sparkly purple chips embedded in the handle of the dagger.
Those damn cursed jewels, I thought. I should have just thrown them into the bottom of the sea. Rochus’s voice filled my head. You should have taken them back to the Temple of Indra. Liam looked up at me as if he could hear my thoughts.
“Any last words, little brother?”
Cullen stared up at him, his mouth streaming blood, “Half brother!” he spat out.
Liam bent forward, leaning his weight onto the dagger. Its tip cut into Cullen’s side. Liam’s face was inches away from Cullen’s, his voice a hissing whisper as he turned his face to mine. “Stay put or I’ll slit his throat.”
He tossed his right hand through his dark black hair, enjoying Cullen’s pain.
The dagger slid another fraction into Cullen’s flesh. Liam was still grinning.
I couldn’t contain myself any longer. I threw up until the dry heaves took over and I was wringing wet with sweat.
“You’re delusional,” Cullen whispered through gritted teeth.
I looked up just as Liam pulled the dagger out and stuck his finger into Cullen’s side, wiggling it. Cullen twisted in pain before Liam picked his head up and banged it against the ground.
I let out a scream and ran toward them. Cullen’s eyes were closed now. Liam continued speaking like nothing had happened. He just shoved me hard when I ran at him, and the wind was knocked out of me as I landed hard on my butt.
“Mulligans Pub,” I whispered when I could finally speak again. The man in the sweater. I could see him so clearly now. Why hadn’t I figured that out? Somewhere deep inside I must have known it was Liam, especially when I smelled that pipe at the country house. He was staring at me. His eyes resembled that of a shark, dark and perilous, as he puffed away on his disgusting pipe.
“Aye that was me. After that I began dreamin’ intensely about the past, once again rememberin’ the history we shared—ye, with yer pretty, angelic golden ringlets. Yer name was pronounced a little differently back then, wasn’t it, Princess?”
I swallowed hard, trying not to react. He smiled, face devious and twisted in the candlelight, as though he was back there in 1857 looking for the hidden jewels.
“I dreamed of it all. I dreamed of ye and yer scheming friend, Rochus. That’s when I saw the book. Isn’t it ironic that ye led me to the very thing I needed?”
He grabbed me, his grip punishing. He locked one hard arm around my waist, capturing my wrists in his other hand. “Sh-h-h,” he muttered against my face. I could smell the smoke on his breath. “Too bad Cullen didn’t know it was me—that I was the snake. He could have saved ye.”
I thought of the first time I’d ever seen Liam. It had been at Lucille and John’s, where Cullen had taken me after the hospital. I’d woken to voices. Curious like a cat, I’d climbed out of bed and tiptoed down the hall to eavesdrop on Cullen and Liam’s conversation. “Speak up, boy. What else was in the dreams? It’s been years since ye mentioned them.”
“She’s there, Sophia, but her hair is light and curly as a pig’s tail. And there’s a man with eyes as angry as all hell. He wears an oversized silver ring on his finger with a viper symbol. I always notice the ring. There’s somethin’ inside me that needs to protect her. Like I’m the only thing between her and death.”
“Let me go!” I began struggling, jerking my arms around in an attempt to free them, throwing my body weight against him. He pushed me away and bent down, pressing the knife against Cullen’s throat. He spoke in Cullen’s ear, a voice as soft as a whisper. “Now she’s mine,” he said. “Keep that in mind while ye die.”
“Be sosa der hamin atashi taze,” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
Liam stopped and looked at me as if I was crazy. “Did ye really think that would work?” He pressed the blade back against Cullen’s neck.
I cried out again, “Wait, don’t. Please. What do you want?”
He pulled himself up to his full height. “Now we’re talkin’—I need that book. Ye’re going to take me back with you.”
“Fine. But you don’t need me. I’ll just tell you where the book is.”
“No. We both know that book won’t help me without ye there. What ye’re going to do is use the book to open up the portal and then we’ll leg it back to the Lerins Islands together and this time I’ll join ye for that swim.”
“But why? Sapphira and Nico are dead. We have no bodies to travel into.”
“Ye really don’t know much, do ye? No need to worry, I know just the spell. I had plenty of time to study yer little book.”
I gasped. “You couldn’t have read that much? I took it back at breakfast that morning.”
“Do ye really think that’s the only time I had with it? Yer hidin’ spots are that clever, dear? Not like yer hidin’ spot for the jewels. That was ingenious; I searched that house of yers for hours and came up empty.”
I glared back at him now, angered at the thought of the home invasion I’d experienced last year.
“I don’t think you’ve thought of everything. The spell will open the portal but only one of us can hold the dagger as we pass through.”
“Yes, and that’ll be me.”
“Then I’ll die and why should I cooperate with you if I’m going to die?”
“Well, for one thing there’s her,” he said, pointing to Leslie. “And for another ye have yer little engagement ring, don’t ye?”
“Why do you want to go back there so badly?”
“To kill the Prince, of course. Then we can rule together.”
“And if I don’t help you?”
“Then I’ll kill Cullen.”
“You probably already have.” I spoke the words, but I refused to believe them.
He nodded once again as if he was proud of himself. “He’ll survive. Besides, I’ll kill Leslie, I’ll kill that bitch Lucille. I’ll kill everyone. Do you want all of their deaths on yer head?”
I said nothing and he marched toward them, picking up Leslie’s head by her hair. She moaned but her eyes were still closed.
“I really liked ye, Leslie, more than yer chubby little friend there, but c’est la vie.”
He brought the dagger to Leslie’s neck, pressing it into her skin until beads of red broke free. Her eyes shot open.
“No, wait, fine. I’ll take you.”
He forced me to rouse Leslie and I was only too happy to cooperate since it meant getting us all out of that dark scary basement alive. All except for Penelope. Her poor body was growing stiff. I bit down on my cheek to keep from becoming hysterical. I got Leslie to her feet and she swayed as we walked toward the stairs. I whispered to her to hang on and I headed for Cullen. He hadn’t moved in a while and I was worried about his blood loss.
“Where are ye goin’?” Liam screamed.
“To help your brother. What do you mean?”
“No. He’s stayin’ here.”
“But I said I would help you. I’ll take you to the book,” I reasoned.
“I know ye will and that’s the only reason they’re still alive.”
“So you’re just going to leave them down here to die? Cullen is bleeding to death. Leslie can take them to a hospital…or I won’t go.”
His hand shot out, faster t
han I thought possible. He grabbed me by the neck. “Do not tell me what to do. Ye understand?”
Icy fear impaled me like a spear and I nodded, panting to get my breath back as he let go.
“Now move,” he yelled, shoving the tip of the dagger into my back.
I jumped at the sting and Leslie took my hand, leading me up the stairs.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Playing with Fire
The cut on my neck throbbed viciously and I was pretty sure I had somehow twisted my ankle, which was starting to puff up.
We reached the top of the stairs and were halfway across the chapel floor when Leslie dropped to her knees.
“What are ye doin’ now?”
She was balled up and holding her stomach. “I’m cramping.”
“Nice try. Get up.”
“No. I mean it,” she gasped. “I’m pregnant, you idiot.”
I dropped to the floor beside her. “Oh my God.” I knew she was lying. Leslie hadn’t even been dating anyone, but I decided to play along. “How far along are you?”
“Just over a month—I must be miscarrying.” She looked up at Liam defiantly. “An act of God, I’m sure.”
“We’ll call an ambulance and leave her here. We don’t have to tell them what happened and by the time they get here we’ll be gone. It won’t affect your plans. Please?” I begged. I knew Leslie would run for Cullen’s cell phone downstairs and call for help as soon as we left.
“No. She’s comin’ with us. I’ll carry her.”
“But she’s bleeding,” I said, pretending I could see blood.
“That’s just fine. Blood is needed to complete the spell.”
A gasp escaped Leslie’s lips.
“What spell?” I asked.
“The one to kill the Prince.” He smiled. “I intended to use Penelope, but, well, she didn’t make it.”
Leslie turned on him as if she were no longer afraid. “You bastard. How can you talk about her like that? She was pregnant with your child.”
“How many people are pregnant around here?” I asked.
Leslie looked at me with regret in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Sophia. I only just figured it out before he caught me and she woke up long enough to fill me in on some of the details. She was secretly dating him for the last six months. I feel like such a fool. He fooled us all. I slept with him, too—after your bridal shower.”
Temple of Indra's Curse (Time-Traveling Bibliophile Book 2) Page 22
