“Jesus, Rònan.” She tried to shove him away, but he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kept her close.
“Sorry, I cannae help my dragon senses.” Rònan kept grinning. “While I’ll admit to wanting you for myself, what you feel makes me verra happy. Niall isnae only my cousin but my closest friend.”
Nicole rolled her eyes and gave up. “So what if I like sleeping with him. It doesn’t spell love so you need to give up hoping.”
“Och, dragon-shifters dinnae hope but know.”
“I don’t love him,” she mumbled.
“I do.”
“You’re supposed to.”
Rònan eyed her. “And you’re not?”
“No, not if I don’t want to.”
“He once said something like that to me about lasses.” Rònan leaned his head back against the tree.
Nicole couldn’t help it. She took the bait. “What do you mean?”
“That he would never be forced into love like his parents were,” Rònan said.
She frowned. “But I thought his parents totally fell for each other and weren’t forced.”
“They were. They did,” Rònan said softly. “But when things grew difficult between Niall and Malcolm, he started to rebel against his Da in more ways than one I suppose. When Niall wouldnae become Laird, Malcolm focused on him taking a wife and starting a family. ‘Twas yet another thing my cousin felt he was being urged to do, something that was expected of him.”
“Niall was so damn lucky and had no idea,” she said. “I would’ve killed to have even one parent who cared so much.”
“Aye, to a degree,” he said. “Whilst I’m saddened by your hurt, I cannae speak for your upbringing. But I can speak for understanding a lad wanting to find his own way despite the path already laid for him.”
“You didn’t though,” she said. “You became laird.”
Rònan remained silent for a long moment before he murmured, “Aye, but mayhap I would have liked the choice.”
Nicole was about to respond but stopped. Something inside told her that he was not up for talking too much about it and she got that. Everyone made their choices in life and she, for one, never wanted to be questioned about hers. Which made her reflect on everything she apparently told Niall. She might have said otherwise, but she believed him when he said he didn’t intrude on her thoughts. If she had learned nothing else about Niall, it was that he was pretty honorable.
Then there was the real reason.
The bereft sensation she felt when his mind pulled away from hers.
It was a feeling she knew wasn’t there before that first night but had somehow formed after it. A wonderful, safe, irreplaceable feeling that left her cold and lonely...and missing him when it vanished.
And he had severed it when she asked.
Instantly, without question, without argument, he ripped it away.
“Nicole?” Rònan murmured.
“Yeah?”
“Are you all right, lass?”
“I have no idea,” she answered honestly as she rested her head against his shoulder. “Do me a favor?”
“Aye?”
“Stop sniffing because who arouses me is none of your damned business.”
Rònan leaned his head against hers and squeezed her hand. “Aye, I’ll try my hardest.”
She was about to say thank you when a hot wind blew up and their dismal surroundings changed. The tree limbs and mountain tops burned green and the riverbed flowed red.
“Here they come, lass,” Rònan whispered and pulled her closer. “Come to find us in what can only be the Celtic Otherworld’s version of hell.”
Chapter Thirteen
NICOLE HAD NEVER been a big reader because she didn't have much of an imagination. She was a fighter, a survivor, a girl who knew how to make her way in the world. But that had been a world she understood. One made of busy streets and tough people. One made of Boston smog and predictable outcomes. At least for an inner city girl like her.
What came at her now was far beyond that.
Far beyond anything she could wrap her mind around.
Not just Brae Stewart walked toward them but something indecent. Something made of lewd shifts and grotesque manifestations as it became her backdrop…her fuel. Maybe what made it so surreal was how beautiful Brae appeared draped in black from head to toe as it fluctuated behind her like oily, slick wings she had no control over.
Brae stopped within feet of them, her eyes narrowing on Rònan. “Did yer white angel save ye then, fool?”
Nicole had purposefully not said a word about Rònan’s mumbled words when she found him because she happened to know a gorgeous woman with white hair…or white-blond hair.
Jackie.
And if for whatever reason this evil bitch was trying to latch onto her, Nicole had every intention of blocking her first. Not even aware she was doing it, she twirled her ring until the heart of it was facing her palm, turned away from everything heading this way. Honestly, she was surprised the ring wasn’t already gone or even her entire finger.
“Say nothing,” Rònan whispered.
“She will say what I ask of her, dragon,” Brae ground out.
“The name’s Rònan, if ye recall.” He narrowed his eyes. “Ye knew it well enough when we grew up together.”
“Och, Rònan.” Brae crouched and eyed him over. “Ye were as fiery then as ye are now, but it didnae do ye much good, aye lad? Now yer chained as ye always should have been.”
When Rònan lurched forward, Nicole tried to grab him but it didn’t matter. The chain stopped him short. Roaring with frustration, he was forced to his knees as Brae stood and chuckled. “Ye cannae win here.”
“Where are we, ye bloody traitor,” he growled.
“Where ye belong,” she spat before turning her eyes to Nicole. It almost felt like a tidal wave was coming at her as the evil demi-god fluctuated and threw hundreds of frightening faces in her direction at once. But one way or another she had seen shadows of those faces. Their ugliness just as clear in many of the people she’d encountered when growing up. Because of it, she did not shy away.
No, she did her best to look at every evil, demented face.
To show them...it, that she wasn't backing down.
She was pissed that Rònan was so beaten up. She was pissed that Robert wasn’t allowed to live a normal little boy life. If those reasons were not enough, she was downright furious that this woman and her pompous, nasty boyfriend had tried to hurt Cassie. So she stood and narrowed her eyes. “What’s your plan, bitch?”
“Ye cannae even begin to ken.” Brae moved so swiftly that Nicole had no chance to move before the woman snagged her wrist.
“Nicole, where are ye, my lass?”
She released a small breath at Niall’s words in her head. Holy hell, it was really him. She just knew it. Making no movement, she kept her hand and mind very still as the creature fluctuating around Brae moved closer. Nicole hitched her chin in defiance as the shadow slithered over the woman’s arm toward the ring.
“I’ll say the same words I’ve been saying for days,” Niall whispered through her mind. “I’m here. I’m coming. Ye are never alone, my lass.”
Though tempted to tell him she was not his lass, his words were far too comforting as the dark fog slipped and slid over her hand. It felt like someone was rubbing an ice cube over her and her flesh was freezing solid in its wake. As if whatever the shadow was doing was infecting her mind, Niall’s words became impossible to understand. But not the last few.
“Ye need to love.”
Really? This was like some corny love story gone psycho. Love would save the day? She didn’t buy it. Not at all. There was no such thing. Nicole refused to say it, never mind think it. Again, refer to bad movie plot.
“Nicole,” Rònan growled, frustration rising in his voice. “I cannae help ye, lass. Not at all.”
The chill wrapped tighter around her hand as the shadow tried to work the ring off h
er finger, twisting it so the heart faced outward. Hell, this hurt. Really bad.
Okay, so she refused to love Niall but she did love what he stood for. Protecting those he cared about most. Never giving up. Making sure Robert would never be…
Robert.
She might not have known him long, but she loved the little wannabe king. No doubt about it. So she focused on that. How scared he was and how much she cared about him. How no kid deserved to deal with all the crap he did now, especially being so young. Having been there, done that, she knew better than most. Closing her eyes, she focused on how much she cared about Robert…and even Niall.
He just sort of crept in there.
All the times he protected her. One, two, three, okay, so she had stopped counting. But in the midst of everything she recalled being beneath him first on the stairs then in the armory. How determined he was that she learned how to fight. Not like Darach tried to teach her but different. More her style…more cutthroat. Take or be taken in a really bad way.
A way she understood.
A way she respected.
“No,” she said through clenched teeth as unwelcomed feelings started to wash over her. “I don’t love the brute.”
“Nay, ye dinnae,” Brae whispered.
“I love Robert the Bruce,” Nicole bit out but kept her eyes closed, determined to remain focused on him. She loved the kid good and true but still Niall’s face rose up in her mind. How happy he had looked when she enjoyed herself in the Viking King’s claw marks the night before. The look in his eyes when they weren’t fighting each other but…doing something else.
Something she still didn’t understand.
Something she was terrified of losing.
Her throat thickened as she opened her eyes, as she looked Brae square in the face and felt the woman’s dark Celtic demi-god slowly but surely try to swallow her whole. All she could do was shake her head and mouth, “No.”
Rònan tried to help her. She knew he did. But whatever was happening now had everything to do with destroying her and taking the ring.
“No,” Nicole croaked even as she knew she was giving up. She closed her eyes. All she had left was something she didn't understand yet she held on to.
Niall and how she felt about him.
A loud screech started and her eyes shot open. She didn't focus on Brae or even the dark shadow, but the low glow coming from her hand. A glimmer flickered. So low and dull she could barely make it out.
But it was enough to make the darkness start to pull away.
Infuriated, Brae’s hand shot out and wrapped around her neck. “Yer a fool! Ye could have saved…” Her words faltered and she screamed, “My Laird always had ye and that has not changed!”
Nicole stumbled back as Brae pulled away and turned. Eyes wide, she watched as the glen slowly filled with color. The mountains became gray and their snowy tips white. Tree trunks turned brown and leaves bloomed and turned green. Crystal blue water started to pour down the dry riverbed.
Life returned from death.
Brae shook her head and kept backing up, eyes enraged before she flung out her arms and the darkness took her. The dark laird whipped her away. As if she had never been there, she was gone in an instant.
Nicole kept stumbling and shaking her head until Rònan caught her. Then, as if she came from a creek as her name implied, Vika raced forward, her hooves roaring through the water. Nostrils flaring, she was nearly as ferocious as the man riding her.
Niall.
Eyes wide, confused, Nicole tried to pull away, murmuring to Rònan, “You have no idea how worried he was about you.”
Rònan stepped aside but kept a supportive hand against her lower back as Niall swung off of Vika and raced their way. “Aye, but I think that look on his face has more to do with you, lass.”
Nicole tried to step away, but it did no good. Niall yanked her against him so hard she lost her breath. He grabbed her ass and wrapped one arm around her back, pulling her so close she thought she was done for as he murmured, “Ye bloody fool. Ye bloody damned fool.”
She meant to push him away but instead wrapped her arms around his waist and shot back, “Took you long enough, Brute.”
They held each other tight for several moments before she remembered to say, “Besides being a little beat up, Rònan’s okay.”
It seemed that was Rònan’s opening because he flung his arms around them both and leaned his head against theirs. “Aye.”
Niall wrapped an arm around Rònan and pulled him closer into the circle, his deep words emotional. “Aye, brother. I knew ye werenae gone. I just knew it.”
Nicole tried to step aside to let the guys embrace, but Niall was having none of it. Instead, she remained smushed between two men that were easily twice her weight. When she peered up between all the muscled arms she swore she saw a glistening in Niall’s eyes. So she cozied in and rode out the group hug. She supposed there were worse things in life.
“I dinnae like to break up a good time, but even I cannae keep ye safe in this place for long.”
Though Rònan pulled away, Niall kept a firm arm around her waist as an old man with white hair and a cane led Vika past them. There was nothing but a smile in his sparkling blue eyes as he walked. “’Twas a bonnie creek the horse helped save ye at, aye?”
Niall and Rònan seemed equally dumbfounded at they watched the man lead the horse along the creek. He chuckled as he threw over his shoulder, “Come now lads, follow Vika and she will see ye well indeed.”
Then he flicked his wrist and the link around Rònan’s ankle snapped open.
Nicole had no idea what that meant, but obviously Niall and Rònan did because Niall grabbed her hand and they pursued the old man. The only problem? He vanished.
“Nay,” Niall and Rònan said at the same time, looks of awe on their faces.
“What?” Nicole said, trying to keep up. “Who was that?” She kept eying the changing landscape. “Better yet, why the heck did hell just turn into heaven?”
“That was Adlin MacLomain.” A heavy frown settled on Niall’s face as he turned back. “And dinnae worry over our surroundings.” He swung her up onto Vika and looked at Rònan. “Ride with her. I’ll catch up.”
“Nay.” Rònan shook his head. “You go. I’ll stay.”
“You’re injured. I’ll run,” Niall said before he bolted. “We will do as Adlin asked.”
“What the…” Nicole tried to lean down and stop him. With a hearty grunt, Rònan swung up behind her. “Don’t bother. When Niall gets something in his head, there’s no stopping him.”
“I get that,” she cried as Vika took off.
There was no chance to tell the brute he was a fool.
No chance to tell him he was putting his life on the line.
Because one way or another, she knew something was off.
“Niall, you jackass!” she yelled as he raced to keep up. “Take my hand. Vika’s Wonder Woman. She can carry us all!” But Vika didn't slow and Niall shook his head. When Nicole tried to hold back a hand, Rònan yanked her arms tight against her chest and kept going.
“Rònan,” she wailed as Vika ran straight toward a cliff. “You can’t leave Niall behind!”
“Run, Cousin, run!” Rònan roared as Vika plowed on.
The cliff grew closer and though the world seemed to grow brighter around them, she knew something was very, very wrong. It was too bright and too perfect.
Just like the idea that she could love.
“No,” she cried and tried to fling herself off of Vika but it was too late. The horse was cruising and Rònan was strong as hell.
“Niall,” she said softly, looking back as he trailed after them. “Niall,” she said a little louder when she realized her gut was right. Something was wrong. He was fading in more ways than one. From her vision, yes. More importantly, she couldn’t hear him.
Screw being cool, she arched and screamed, “You asshole, Niall. C’mon!”
Then it di
dn’t matter anymore.
They sailed straight over the cliff.
Not this again. Nicole plastered herself against Vika’s mane and Rònan covered her. This was it. Death. Straight in the face. She should look up. Something. She should be brave.
But she wasn’t.
Not at all.
Instead, she pressed her cheek against Vika’s mane and cried. Not because she was going to die. Who cared? It was bound to happen eventually. No, what got her was…
Niall.
In that singular moment everything was over, she knew what she wanted. Truly, without question, wanted.
Her brute.
She cried and cursed him the whole way down. Why the hell did she want that dirtbag? Because he was so a dirtbag…aside from him saving her time and time again of course. She grit her teeth, shook her head and cried some more.
He was such a jerk for sacrificing himself for them like this.
But then it seemed they'd all be dying anyway.
Maybe them faster than him.
Unless Vika pulled another one of her miraculous avoid the water tricks and again ended up at MacLomain Castle.
That was the last thought she had before Vika crashed into the ocean. Fast, violent, water rushed up and swallowed her. Everything ripped away. The horse. Rònan. Liquid sucked and thrashed around her as she sunk. Tumbling. Over and over.
Down.
Down.
Down.
Then all went still as she gazed up at the sun shining through the water high above. Vika drifted closer to the surface, her mane and tail swaying weightlessly. Rònan floated as well.
Strange how none of them struggled. Though everything started going dark, she never stopped searching for Niall. Never stopped thinking about him until everything snapped away and there was nothing but complete darkness and silence.
Death.
Nothingness.
At first.
The distant sound of crashing waves started to echo from far, far away. The whistle of wind on rock. The faint cry of Seagulls. Then everything grew louder...closer. Confused, Nicole cracked open an eye. Vision blurry on and off, she watched a woman with long, black hair walking in the distance. Did she see them? Where was she going? Inhaling deeply, Nicole slowly sat up and blinked several times before her vision cleared.
Honor of a Scottish Warrior Page 19
