“How much do you want for it?” he asked suddenly turning to look up at me while he closed the chest’s lid.
“We are asking for…fifty-thousand pounds,” I blurted out hoping he’d refuse.
“Agreed. Is a check acceptable or do you prefer cash?” He stood up, reached into his vest pocket pulling out his billfold, and regarded me questioningly.
“A-a check is fine.” He began to take a pen out and pose it over a blank check. “You’re honestly going to pay the price we’re asking?” I asked in disbelief.
“I would have paid ten times what you asked, but a deals a deal.” He smiled curtly and continued to write out the check as I eyed the closed chest. I wanted my dagger. No, I needed that dagger. I felt a connection to it I couldn’t explain. I hastily made my decision.
”Would you mind if I took one last glance at the belt? It’s been in my family for a long time and holds a lot of memories,” I lied.
He eyes narrowed. “Very well, one last look can’t hurt. I’ll wait in the foyer.” He laid the check on the coffee table and departed the room. As soon as he left, I swiftly opened the chest running my fingers along the belt until they closed around the ruby dagger’s hilt. I lifted the belt slightly up--enough to pull out the dagger--and slipped the small knife in-between my jeans and my back, covering it with my shirt.
“Finished, Ms. Murray?” Mr. Lachlan briskly asked as he stepped back into the doorway.
“Yes, thank you for your business,” I said calmly, even though my stomach jumped uncontrollably. In all likelihood, he’d probably kill me if he realized I stole from him. He radiated power and control in the way he walked, talked, and carried himself. I didn’t think anyone would be stupid enough to cross him, well, except me, I thought foolishly.
He strode past me and my heart practically stopped beating when he briefly examined the chest’s contents. Satisfied with what he saw, he closed the lid. I slowly released the breath I held. Thank goodness the dagger I took lay behind the belt when in the chest. I prayed earnestly he’d never know I stole from him.
He lifted the bulky chest under one arm and regarded me. “Ms. Murray,” he said with a tight nod before he strode toward the door. He paused at the threshold of the living room and without turning around said, “Take good care of that painting. It’s an original.” I glanced over my shoulder up above the fireplace at the painting I just hung the other day. I quickly peered out the window as I heard gravel spray in all directions and watched Mr. Lachlan speed away in his expensive black beamer. My mouth fell open and my eyes grew huge. Quickly, I whirled about and ran up to the painting. It was him, er, I mean an ancestor. The resemblance was uncanny. I sunk down onto the couch as I accepted the fact I had just met a distant cousin. I chewed on my lip. He had to have realized we were related. It was painfully clear; he didn’t want to know anything about me or my deceased family.
I told Gerdie about the check, how much extra we made, and headed up to my bedroom. I skipped informing her about the bloodline I was sure I shared with Mr. Lachlan. It would just make Gerdie upset if she discovered Mr. Lachlan didn’t want to learn more about me.
I took the dagger out from its hiding place. My back felt like it was on fire. Every place the dagger brushed left my skin burning hot. I stared at the beautiful dagger in my palm and lightly slid my finger along the blade. What had I done? I’ve never stolen anything before, and here I was, playing games with a man who could snap me like a twig!
* * * * *
By ten o’clock, my body begged to go to bed. I wore myself into exhaustion, jumping at every noise thinking Mr. Lachlan lurked around corners waiting for me. I went to my room and over to the dresser drawer where I tucked the dagger away. I held the small knife close to my chest and laid it under my pillow, holding on to the hilt as I drifted off to sleep.
“Where is it, lass!” an angry voice hissed in my ear. My eyes popped open to find Mr. Lachlan leaning over me with his hand covering my mouth and his enraged face an inch from mine. “You took it! Give the dagger to me or I will kill you,” he seethed. My mind was groggy with sleep, but when my life was threatened I seemed to wake up pretty fast.
“You wouldn’t kill family,” I mumbled through his hand. I tried to pry his iron grasp from my mouth when he abruptly removed his hand.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. And yes…I would. Give me my dagger!” he demanded. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard once, snapping my head back.
“Please,” I whimpered. He pushed me away from him with a look of disgust. Standing up, he began to pace back and forth in my small bedroom.
“You don’t understand,” he said running his hand through his hair. “I need the dagger. I paid you for it, now hand it over.”
“I can’t, I…have to keep it. And you’re lying. You resemble the man exactly in the painting. It could’ve been you who they painted!”
He stopped pacing and stared at me. “Fine, I am related to you, but it’s very distant. Now, hand it over! I need the dagger to use the belt.”
“Then go use it!”
“That seems to be where the problem lies. I need all the daggers in their slots for the belt to work.”
“Well see, it doesn’t matter if you don’t get this one. There were four missing when I found it. What’s one more gone?”
“It just so happens I have three of the missing daggers and know where to find the fourth. This is the last time I’ll ask, hand-it-over!”
I sunk back into my pillow. “Wait!” I yelled holding my hands in front of me as he stalked toward me. “Can’t we work out an arrangement? It’s the least you could do for family.”
He laughed menacingly. “All right, if you’re not going to give me the dagger…you can ‘run an errand’ with me.”
“Where to?”
He brought his hands up to his hips and glared at me with cold green eyes. “You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into Ms. Murray.”
“I’ll go with you and cooperate,” I said sitting up in my bed. “Just promise not to hurt me a-and return the dagger to me when you’re done.”
A sinister smile slowly crossed his lips. “Fine, agree to go get the fourth dagger with me and after I use the belt, you can…have the dagger back, deal?”
“Deal,” I said with a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Family or no, I just made a deal with the devil.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow night at nine o’clock sharp. Make sure you have the dagger you stole from me,” he sneered. He reached my bedroom door when he shot me a look over his shoulder. “Oh, and Ms. Murray, wear all black.”
“All black? What are we doing?”
“Ever hear of breaking and entering.”
“Wait!” I quickly moved the comforter back and sprung from my bed. “I thought we were going to buy the other dagger!” I said to an empty room. Freaking Great! What had I gotten myself into? There was no way I’d willingly break and enter into a building. I’d tell him I changed my mind when he came to get me. Yeah right, he wanted the dagger as badly as me, if not more so.
I lay in bed holding the dagger in both fists to my pounding chest. My mind ran through the bazaar situation I got myself into. Why couldn’t I just let him have the dagger? And what the hell would tomorrow night bring?
* * * * *
CHAPTER FOUR
The next day crawled by and when nine o’clock finally arrived, I did as Mr. Lachlan requested and put on a pair of black jeans, a black crew neck t-shirt, and gray tennis shoes. I hoped we wouldn’t be outside for too long. I’d probably freeze in a t-shirt, but I didn’t have anything else to wear on such short notice.
I prayed the good luck I had earlier this evening would continue with me through the night. Gerdie had gone to bed early, so thankfully, she wouldn’t know about my strange outing I planned to go on. At exactly nine o’clock, Mr. Lachlan’s headlights shone into the sidelights of the front door. I grabbed the dagger, locked up, and walked over to the shiny
black beamer. I opened the passenger door to find Cameron sitting in the driver’s seat wearing black S.W.A.T. gear. He briefly glanced up at me with a very dangerous smile across his mouth. The little voice in my head screamed, “What the hell are you doing! Even if he is related, you don’t know him! He could be a pervert, a murderer, a sicko, give him the dagger and leave!”
“I hope you’re ready Ms. Murray. You know, you can still change your mind. All you have to do is hand over the dagger. What do you say?”
“I’m ready when you are and please, all my friends and family call me Jilly.” I got in the car sinking down into the plush tan leather seat and shut the door.
“I might be related, but I’m not your friend, Ms. Murray.” He hit the gas pedal and we sped off into the night.
After driving for a little while on a dark deserted highway, I decided I wanted some questions answered. “How did you know where to find me?” I asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“We’re related, remember?” Like that answered anything. I cleared my throat.
“Yes, Ms. Murray, what is it?” he asked sounding impatient keeping focused on the road.
“Do you know more of the Murray Clan?”
He regarded me out the corner of his eye as his lips turned up in a chilling smile. “No. I like being left alone.” I stared out my window at the trees zipping past. “We’re almost there. It’s off this road up ahead.” Great, I couldn’t wait.
As it turned out, a huge sprawling estate was our target, not a business as I thought. A tall wrought iron fence surrounded the estate with a guard at the gatehouse and Dobermans walking around off in the distance. We got out of the car a block down from the gatehouse with my dagger tucked nicely in-between the back of my shirt and jeans once again. I tiptoed behind Cameron, following him to the side of the fence around the corner where the guards couldn’t see us.
Next thing I knew, Cameron jumped up grabbing hold of the top of the fence and pulled himself up and over. “What are you doing!” I hissed. “Those guards most likely have machine guns. We’re going to get killed, not to mention the dogs will probably rip us apart!”
“I’m going to make my hands into steps of a sort,” he said ignoring my concerns. “Step on them and I’ll help you over, unless you want to hand over the dagger…. I’ll return you safely home right now,” he said cupping his hand through the fence, two feet from the ground. It seemed as if the dagger knew we discussed it as a blast of heat shot up my back.
“Let’s do this,” I grumbled through my clenched teeth. I put my foot in his cupped hand and held on to the fence. He effortlessly lifted me up the fence. I pulled myself slowly up and over the top of the fence, landing with a hard thud next to him.
We crept toward a grouping of bushes near the edge of a pool house, when two dogs in the distance began barking. The ferocious snarling grew louder and louder, and I became closer and closer to wetting my pants.
“Don’t move,” Cameron whispered, “I’ll take care of the dogs.” He left me crouched behind the bushes as he made himself seen by the canines. I heard two barks, an awful thud, a yelp, and absolute silence. I jumped and put my hand to my throat when Cameron silently slid up next to me. “It’s all right now, you’ll be safe.”
My eyes grew huge. “Did you kill them?” I didn’t want to get attacked by dogs, but I’d feel awful if they were dead.
“No, they’re knocked out. They’ll only be unconscious for a little while, so I’ll have to hurry.” He began to creep away.
“Wait! You’re not leaving me here alone, are you?”
Cameron turned and placed his hands on my shoulders gently pressing me back so I sat. “Listen, they do have guns. I don’t want you to get hurt. Stay here and don’t move. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I let out a “humph” and sat down on the cold ground crossing my arms as Cameron ran off into the night. As the minutes ticked by I grew worried. After fifteen minutes I was ready to run and get the police, but I put an end to that idea just as fast as I conjured it up. How the hell would I get back over the fence without Cameron to help me? I didn’t think the guards would just let me out of the compound peacefully. I leapt out of my skin as loud popping noises suddenly thundered in the distance. Oh No! They were shooting…at Cameron. I crept up enough to peer over the hedges and saw him running straight toward me.
“Start running to the fence Jillian, now!” he roared, gaining on me fast. He didn’t have to tell me twice. I took off and we both reached the fence at the same time. A spark ricocheted off the fence about three feet away from me, the same time a gun shot joined the chaotic night sounds. I turned and stared straight into the face of an angry guard carrying a machinegun twenty feet away from me. He half-hid behind a cluster of trees by the fence line. He must have waited for us. A disturbing smile crossed his bearded face as he cocked his gun and aimed it straight at my head. Shit, I was going to die!
Slowly, I raised my hands up and slid down the fence ending up on the cold hard ground. My breath showed itself in the air as I panted terrifyingly. I slowly brought my hands down to my sides.
“Jillian, what are you doing?” Cameron whispered from the other side of the fence sounding furious. “Get your ass out of there!”
“I can’t,” I whispered trying not to move my mouth. It didn’t seem the guard knew Cameron hid behind me. “Go on without me. I’ll be fine.” I seriously doubted what I just said. A growl sounded from behind me as a large rock was shoved into my hand.
“Use this and we’ll both get out of here!” Cameron whispered close to my ear. The guard lowered his gun, relaxing the barrel so it now aimed at the ground. He took a step toward me and with reflexes beyond what I ever expected to have; I quickly grabbed the rock from behind me and whipped it as hard as I could toward the gunman. A sickening thunk sounded as the guard stared at me in disbelief falling backwards onto the ground. My mouth dropped open and I could’ve sworn Cameron mumbled, “Holy shit” from behind me.
“Quickly, Jillian,” Cameron yelled with his cupped hands ready. I shook my head snapping out of my daze and put my foot in his hand. He hoisted me up and over as other guards shouted, getting closer. Once over, we both ran to the beamer. Cameron jumped in the car and started the engine as I got in and we hightailed it out of there.
“You were great, Jilly!” Cameron laughed displaying a big smile which transformed his face.
“I think I’m going to throw up. Can you stop the car for a minute?” I asked covering my hands over my mouth.
“There’s a spot up ahead, we can pullover there,” he said struggling not to smile. “The trees there will hide us.”
We pulled off of the road and onto a dirt lane leading into a wooded area. He stopped the car and I immediately jumped out. I walked a few feet in the beam of the headlights and dropped to my knees. I hunched over digging my hands into the sticks and leaves covering the ground and waited for the urge to vomit recede.
“Are you all right?” Cameron asked coming up behind me. He placed his hand on my back kneeling next to me.
“I just need some air.” I took a few more deep breaths feeling better and sat back on my heels. “That was by far the craziest thing I ever did. My heart’s going a mile a minute.”
“You were great. I never thought you had such a throw in you. I gave you the rock thinking you’d distract the guard while I took him out. Shit,” Cameron said and laughed. “You took out a guard with a rock!” Cameron laughed again. “I didn’t think you’d even get out of the car and here you are saving the day!”
“Wait a minute!” I said turning around to glare at him. “You mean to tell me, you would’ve let me sit in the car and wait for you? You made me go, hoping I’d change my mind and hand over the dagger, didn’t you!”
“I wasn’t going to let you get hurt!” he said reaching for me. I put both hands on his hard chest and pushed him backwards. He fell back onto his butt laughing once again. I stood up disgusted with myself and
noticed my hands felt wet and sticky. Inspecting my palms in the path of the headlights, I clearly spotted blood covering my hands.
I felt fine. No pain, no burning…Oh no! Cameron. I quickly glanced up at his chest which now stood in front of me. Two perfect circles marred his shirt right where his heart would be. I shook my head feeling dizzy all over again. “Cameron, you’re hurt! We need to get help, now! Let me help you to the car. Tell me where the hospital is. I’ll take you there.” I grabbed his arm attempting to pull him over to the car.
“Jilly, I’m fine,” he said smiling.
“No, you’re not. Your blood is all over my hands! You’ve been shot, here, let me—“
“Jillian,” he said taking my hands in his, “I’m immortal. The wounds are healing as we speak.”
“What?” I shook my head rigorously side to side. “Cameron, it’s clear you’re not getting enough blood to your brain. Please, let’s go get help,” I said tearing up. I’ve never dealt with gun wounds before and I felt dangerously close to falling apart at any minute.
“Here,” he said pulling his shirt up and over his head, “look for yourself.” Two little red dots where bullets had entered marked his skin. He grabbed my hands and rubbed them over the wounds…or where the wounds should’ve been. Nothing remained except a smudge of blood I smeared over his unharmed skin.
“B-but…I saw…you…there were two bullet holes. I have your blood on my hands…that’s impossible.” I ran my hands over his chest again, nothing but smooth perfect skin over a hard chiseled chest. I turned him around and witnessed two small holes just closing up with new skin right before my eyes.
I sunk to my knees. “I can’t…breathe,” I said gasping for air.
Cameron knelt down beside me. “Take deep breaths in through your nose letting them out through your mouth. You’re having a panic attack.” I did as he instructed and my breathing evened out. “Come on, we need to leave,” he said leading me toward the beamer as sirens blared in the distance.
Immortal of My Dreams Page 4
