Dual Release

by Tara Nina

  She must’ve felt his body tense as she shifted and mumbled something so softly he missed it. Donnell stroked her back until she was comfortable. Once the whisper of her snore fell back into its melodic rhythm, his thoughts returned to his family.

  The redhead knew of the curse and of his clan. She’d have the answers he sought. When he and Cait escaped, she’d be the second person he found. Dour would be the first. Donnell did his best to relax but his mind refused. He silently calculated possible plans of escape, none of which he knew would work since he didn’t understand this thing in which they were held captive. Frustration ruled his thoughts.

  The little that he’d seen of this new world so far seemed fueled by magic. Strange light dotted the ceiling of the building they had been in. The people dressed in unusual clothing. Their attackers wore black hoods. The van—as she had called it—rumbled beneath him, making him wonder if it was hungry and if so would its driver stop. That would give him the opportunity he needed to fight for their freedom.

  Donnell lay in wait, listening and hoping he’d be able to keep his word to the lass. They would survive.

  Chapter Six

  Jameson escorted May to her hotel room. Belvedere was excited to see her. He lunged off the couch where he snuggled with the sitter, Iris. May was so happy to have found her. She was the hotel owner’s daughter. May liked that the family lived in a suite on the main floor and worked together to run the business.

  Belvedere jumped up and down, barking until May squatted and gave him a comforting hug.

  “Hello, Belvedere. I missed you,” she said as he licked her face. His nubby tail wagged a mile a minute.

  “Ms. May,” Iris interrupted as she rubbed sleep from her brown eyes and pushed away a strand of dirty-blonde hair that had escaped her ponytail. “Belvedere is an awesome friend. We went for a walk around ten p.m. as you suggested. Would you like me to walk him again before I leave?”

  “No thank you, Iris. It’s late,” May replied as she stood to face the teenager. “He’ll be fine until the morning.” She dug in her purse for money to pay Iris but Jameson beat her to it.

  “Here, young lady, its obvious Belvedere had a great time.” Jameson handed her a couple of hundred-pound notes. The teenager’s eyes widened.

  “That’s way too much,” she proclaimed, trying to hand it back. He covered her hand with his.

  “Keep it. You earned it. Look how happy he is.” He nodded at Belvedere, who seemed to know it was his cue to wag his tail and appear to be smiling with his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. “Besides, we were much later returning than anticipated.”

  She turned to May, holding the money out to her. “Ms. May?”

  “Keep it.” May smiled. “You really did make a friend in Belvedere. Would you be willing to help me with his walks for the rest of my visit here in London?”

  Iris bounced excitedly, then lowered to her knees to rub Belvedere behind his ears. “Yes, Ms. May. I’d love to help with him.”

  “Great. Are you available to walk him in the morning?”

  “Of course,” she said as she stood and followed May to the door. “What time?”

  “Whenever you get up and moving will be fine.” May opened the door to find Charles parked outside in a chair. She raised an eyebrow but he simply nodded as if that were all the answer she needed.

  “I’ll escort the young lady to her family’s suite and return momentarily.” When he reached the elevator he looked back at her and sternly commanded, “Close the door and lock it.”

  Automatically, May did as instructed. She turned to face Jameson. “Is there a reason Charles was sitting outside my door?”

  Jameson shrugged. “He’s nutty that way when it comes to protecting me. I think he’s feeling a bit guilty for what happened at the warehouse. He’s pissed at himself for not making sure the door was locked before he left. Seeing as I plan to stay here tonight with you, he intends to guard that door.”

  May feigned annoyance. “I don’t recall asking you to stay. That’s mighty bold on your part.”

  He reached for her hand and tugged her toward him. “You and I have been friends a long time and I can tell you’re on edge and worried. There’s no way I’m leaving you alone tonight. I’ll sleep on the couch.” He pulled her into his lap. “I want you to rest, knowing I’ll keep you safe and I’d never let anyone hurt you.”

  May wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Ending the kiss, she pressed her forehead to his and said, “I’m so tired. I can’t promise anything.”

  “Not asking for anything, just here to protect.”

  Jameson wheeled them into the bedroom. May slowly stood and excused herself to the bathroom. Leaning against the closed door, she stared at the mirror above the sink. One exhausted human stared back at her. Her night had started off strong, having dinner with Jameson. It only got better when the statues turned out to be the lost MacKinnon twins. Seeing them freed gave her momentary joy until the evening took a turn for the worse and both brothers disappeared into the night.

  May moved to the sink, washed her face and brushed her teeth. She changed into her favorite sleeping attire, a soft cotton t-shirt-type nightgown covered in puppy pictures and paw prints. She didn’t bother with a fresh pair of panties. Going commando at night was the healthier option in her opinion. After removing what was left of the pins in her hair, she ran a brush through it.

  Exiting the bathroom, she wobbled as she leaned and tucked Belvedere into his doggie bed. At home he slept with her. Most hotels respectfully requested no animals in the beds, so whenever they traveled this bed came with them. Belvedere didn’t seem to mind and somehow understood the rules when they weren’t home.

  Looking at the big empty bed, she decided she wasn’t ready to lie down, not without checking on Jameson. Part of her wanted to bring him to bed and show him how much she wanted him. The other part of her wasn’t sure they were at that point in their relationship. Not yet. When she entered the sitting room, Jameson was in a quiet discussion with Charles. She couldn’t hear what they spoke about and by the time she got closer, Charles took the laptop, nodded to her and retreated to his post in the hallway. Jameson had made himself comfortable on the couch. His shoes and socks were off and his feet were up on the coffee table. He looked as if he belonged.

  She couldn’t help but smile.

  “I’m sorry, were we too loud?” he questioned. “We tried to keep our voices low so as not to disturb you.”

  “No,” she answered. “I’m too wound up to sleep. Do you think the police will find them?”

  He patted the cushion beside him. “Come sit. I hope you don’t mind, but I chose not to leave it in the hands of the authorities to find them.”

  She pursed her brows. “Care to explain?”

  “Let’s just say I’ve made many friends with special talents, Charles included. He’s a former Navy SEAL with great location skills. It’s just a matter of time before we’ve got something tangible to go on.”

  “Do you think he can find them? We have no clue where Brother Leod is holed up or where he’s directed the twins to be taken.”

  “I believe with the technology we have access to,” he nodded as he spoke in an encouraging tone, “we will find them.”

  She wanted to believe him. The determined look on his face eased the angst in her chest a smidgeon. But she knew how devious Leod could be when it came to the destruction of the MacKinnon clan.

  “How about a glass of wine?” she asked as she walked over to the minibar. She wasn’t sure what to think at the moment. She’d been so close to bringing Donnell and Dour home only to lose them. Confusion and disappointment warred with exhaustion. “I could use one right about now.”

  “It’s not polite to let a lady drink alone.” He grinned.

  May poured two glasses of merlot, then moved to the couch. He laid an arm along the back of the couch, motioning her closer. Having his shoulder as a place of rest was too inviting to ignore
. Once she was settled, she lifted her glass and touched it to his.

  “Here’s to renewing old friendships once we’ve found the boys.”

  “We will find them, May.” Jameson’s tone was filled with confidence.

  “I truly hope so.” She took a sip, then leaned her head on his shoulder and snuggled closer.

  He sensed the worry wafting off her as he brushed a kiss to the top of her head. Questions cluttered his thoughts. There was so much she hadn’t told him about those statues. Never in a million years would he have believed curses were real, until she’d proven it to him tonight. At dinner, she’d asked him to believe in the unbelievable. He’d taken a chance and trusted her even though doubt had lingered in the back of his brain. She was beautiful, talented and insightful. The women at the country club were wrong. May wasn’t crazy. Just outright smart and wonderful to the fault of loving and living her life to the fullest no matter what the cost.

  Now that he had her back in his life, he planned to be a part of her future. In order for that to work, he needed to know the facts. Jameson asked softly, “May, will you tell me everything that’s going on with the statues, the curse and the MacKinnon Clan? Who is this Leod?”

  May repositioned, shifting more upright, and turned to look at him. Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. He could tell she hesitated, as if deciding if he should know the answers. Her expression darkened as she started explaining and he got the sense the person she spoke of was hated. “Brother Leod, as he calls himself, is a direct descendent of the man who placed the curse on the MacKinnon brothers in the first place. He believes in a sort of rite of passage from the Book of Shadows.”

  “Book of Shadows?” Jameson stroked her hair, trying to soothe her angst.

  “Leod’s ancestor, Hume MacGillivray, felt jilted by a woman named Tavia, who married the eldest MacKinnon, Gavin. According to Gavin, Tavia never had any feelings for MacGillivray. But he didn’t see it that way. He disappeared deep into the mountains and joined an obscure monastery. Instead of seeking solace, he plotted revenge.”

  May took another visibly deep breath and held Jameson’s gaze. He read the sincerity in her eyes as she continued. “The monks were the keepers of a dark secret, which he discovered. They were the caretakers of a book of black magic, the Book of Shadows. It was their job to safeguard it from the likes of MacGillivray. But he found it and stole it.”

  “I’m guessing the curse he used on the MacKinnons came from that book,” Jameson said.

  She nodded. “From documents we found in the monastery’s archives, he forced them to pledge their allegiance to him, thus calling his order, The Brotherhood of the Sons of the Servant of Judgment. The monks felt MacGillivray slipped into insanity out of fear of the darkness that lived within the book. Apparently, he became obsessed with the book’s power and tested several of the spells. We found a notation about some sort of experiment he was performing from the book that went terribly wrong, but the monk’s documentations aren’t clear as to exactly what. Something scared him so badly he hid the book. Not long afterward, he fell down a steep stairwell and broke his neck. The monks believed the book reached out from its hiding place and killed him.”

  “That’s a pretty powerful book. Why does Leod feel he’s entitled to it?” Jameson questioned. The book didn’t belong to anyone. And if it contained black magic incantations meant for evil use, then it needed to be left hidden or found and destroyed so no other nutcase like Leod could chase after it again.

  “MacGillivray created a prophecy after he hid the book. It basically stated one day a descendent of his would be born with magical talents, who would rid the world of Clan MacKinnon. Once that person found and destroyed the statues, the book would reveal its hiding place to him and the power would be his for all eternity.”

  “How did he have any descendents? Didn’t he die soon after hiding the book?”

  “He took steps to make sure a descendent would be born. He hired several men to bring three young maidens to him. He married each in a self-administered service and forcibly had sex with them until they were pregnant. His actions went against everything the monks represented. I wouldn’t doubt if one of the monks helped him down the stairs.” She shrugged. “After MacGillivray’s death, the monks planned to deliver his wives to the closest church. The night before they were to leave, the few men loyal to MacGillivray disappeared, taking the women with them. As far as the monks were concerned, the women were in God’s hands.”

  “Talk about vengeance from the grave,” Jameson quipped, giving May a smile.

  “Damn, I hadn’t thought about it that way before.” She laughed as she shook her head. “Leave it to you to point that out.”

  “That’s what I’m here for,” he jested. “Comic relief.”

  “No, you’re more than that. You’re my best friend.”

  “I think Belvedere might contest that statement.”

  “He might,” she replied. “Can’t a woman have two best friends?”

  “I don’t see why not,” Jameson said, leaning closer to her. Before their lips connected for a kiss, he wanted her to know one thing. “May, I intend to use every resource available to me to locate the twins. We will find them and bring them home safely.”

  “I believe in you, Jameson,” May whispered against his lips, then kissed him lightly. Laying her head in the crook of his neck and shoulder, she said on a sleepy yawn, “We will find Donnell and Dour. Your determination is one of the many attributes I love about you.”

  “Many attributes?” he teased in the form of a question. It warmed his heart to hear her say she loved something about him. Now if he could just get her to love all of him.

  “Yes,” she answered sleepily. “You are a man of infinite wonders.”

  Jameson smiled, reaching for her empty glass and setting it on the end table. One day, he hoped to show her how he felt. Unfortunately, tonight was not that night.

  Chapter Seven

  When the van finally stopped, Cait jerked upright. How long had she been asleep? Where was she? The slam of the doors rocked the vehicle and made her jump. Footsteps on gravel could be heard walking away. Oh god! It hadn’t been a bad dream. She really was being held hostage.

  “Are ye okay?” he asked.

  She shifted her head from side to side, trying to stretch the kink out of her neck. “Yeah. Just a bit stiff.”

  Donnell handed her clothes to her and she dressed quickly. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen asleep in his arms. There went her brilliant plan to weaken his defenses with sex and question him. But then again, she did stay up all night the night before following the idiot of a lead that had gotten them into this predicament. A body might get tired after an all-nighter, not to mention she’d topped it off with a bout of phenomenal sex with a man who claimed to be cursed. She cut a slanted gaze his way before snapping her head toward a noise.

  Voices echoed in the distance, softly at first but growing louder as they got closer. The sound of many footsteps followed. The grind of the lift lowering at the rear of the van made her skin crawl. It marked the impending moment of facing the leader of their captors.

  She lifted her arm to shield against the bright floodlight filling the cargo space. She blinked to focus. The sight that fell upon her eyes made her gasp. A rather large, barrel-chested man with scraggly red hair stood directly in front of the door. Behind him stood two of the men who had taken them captive. On one side of the redheaded man’s head, the hair looked as if it had been scorched in a fire. The hair on one arm was missing and the skin seemed singed, with an angry red hue on his forearm. One of his eyebrows was gone as well, giving him a very strange, yet scary appearance.

  The fact he made no effort to hide his face made Cait ill at ease. Did that mean he meant to kill them? She stood and squared off with the man. There was no way she was going to make this easy for them. She held her chin tilted and refused to let the redheaded man’s menacing stare shake her.

  “
I demand to know what’s going on.” Cait hoped the nervousness twisting her insides didn’t sound in her voice. She felt the heat of Donnell behind her and knew he had her back, which gave her a bit of strength to face this redheaded goon.

  The platform rose with him on it. He clasped her waist, lifted her as if she weighed nothing, turned and dropped her off the side of the platform. It wasn’t a far distance so she managed to land on her feet, but not before her cell phone bounced free of her pocket. Before she could grab it, one of the bad guys stepped on it, shattering any hope of contacting help. She turned her glare on the asshole who’d tossed her off the lift. He glared down at her and growled in a thick Scottish brogue, “You be learning nuttin’ from me.”

  Donnell plowed into the man, took him completely unawares and knocked him off balance. The man flailed his arms, trying to grapple for a hold on something as he fisted Donnell’s kilt. They both fell off the lift, landing in a heap at Cait’s feet. She jumped back. Quickly, Donnell pushed up and straddled the man before he could move.

  “Ye don’t treat a lady like that. Don’t ever touch her again,” Donnell threatened as he gripped the man’s shirt with one hand and poised the other to strike if necessary.

  “Whatcha going to do about it?” the man spat as he struggled to punch Donnell.

  In a move that would have wowed an audience at a wrestling match, the burned man managed to dislodge Donnell. They sprang to their feet, swinging at one another. The man hit Donnell square on the cheek, opening up a cut under his eye. He didn’t even stumble. The blow was hard and would’ve knocked over a normal person. But Donnell was far from the norm. He didn’t falter, instead he puffed his chest and squared off, taunting his opponent.

  “Mi piuthar—sister—hits harder than ye do.” The pair was close to the same height but the bad guy was much stockier than Donnell. The others gathered around, egging on the fight, spouting obscenities and placing bets on who would win, the man they called Roy or Donnell.