by Kate Sweeney
“So Sister Michael brought her here? Why? I mean, thirty, forty years ago, it was the 1970s. I know Ireland is very Catholic, but I would think she could have had some help back in Ireland. And to become a cloistered nun. Something’s not sitting right with me.” Grayson saw the doubtful look on Irene’s face and smiled. “I was a cop back in Chicago for many years. I suppose I’m a little jaded and suspicious.”
Irene nodded. “Well, in this case, I’d say you were right to be so. On the surface, it does appear to be an extreme thing to do.”
“I suppose it’s just a coincidence that she’s now at the monastery.”
“You don’t believe that. There are no coincidences. Only a string of predetermined events that have yet to happen.”
“Okay, it’s time to tell me why it’s not a coincidence and why Sister Gabriel is at St. Brigid’s Monastery right now. It’s not as simple as her being alone and pregnant.”
“No. It’s not. It’s who the father of her child was. Or more accurately, not who he was, but what.”
“What he was? What do you mean?” Grayson asked, not sure she wanted to know, but somehow, in the back of her mind, perhaps she already knew.
“Mary told us of a fantastic story of a man she fell in love with, who promised her the world and everything in it. For a sixteen-year-old with no one, how wonderful that must have sounded. It’s not an unfamiliar story, but what happened after that is the fantastic part. He was a member of the IRA. A gunrunner, from what Mary said. He was wild and free, and Mary gave herself to him and naturally got pregnant. She told us at first, it was heavenly. He adored her and kept her. Then one night, she saw what he really was and it terrified her.”
“He wasn’t Catholic?” Grayson tried to lighten the mood.
Irene chuckled sadly. “Oh, if that was only it. No, from what Mary said, he was not human.”
Grayson knew she had an incredulous look; her mind was reeling at this point. She let Irene continue without interrupting.
“She said she saw him performing some ritual. She thought it was some coven, but he was alone as he knelt in the woods, looking around at the trees, as if he were talking to them. At first, she thought he was just a lover of nature. Mary said she desperately wanted to think of him that way. However, when he changed…”
Grayson knew then. “Into a wolf.”
Irene nearly fell out of her chair when she leaned forward. “How in God’s name do you know that?”
Grayson was sick to her stomach at the thought of him doing this to a young woman. She felt her anger rising, thinking of all Phelan had done throughout the centuries. She shook her head to bring her back to the situation at hand. “The ancient wizard I told you about. Phelan Tynan.”
Irene sat back in stunned silence. “That’s not the name Mary told us. She said his name was Padraic Thomas.”
“I doubt he’d use his real name. Not if he was running guns for the IRA. Please go on.”
“When she witnessed this transformation, she was terrified. She ran and didn’t remember how she got to the convent and Sister Michael. She only knew she needed to be far away from him. As far as she could get. So she was brought here. At first, she wanted an abortion. I will tell you, I didn’t believe this story in the slightest. But when Sister Daniel contacted me—”
“Sister Daniel from the monastery?”
“Yes. I was very surprised she knew of this. Sister Michael said she had only mentioned it to Sister Daniel but did not mention Mary’s notion of him being a changeling. I don’t know how she knew.”
“I do. Sister Daniel was a big part of all that has happened. She knew everything from the beginning.”
“I always thought she was involved somehow. Especially when she said the child must live. Mary must give birth and give the child up for adoption. Then she said something very odd. She said to me, ‘so it is written, so shall it be.’ She never explained that to me. And I, of course, did not ask. You just don’t question the Mother Abbess of a famous monastery. We advised Mary, and she agreed. I don’t believe she ever wanted to abort the child.”
“When did you start to believe Mary’s story?”
“When Sister Daniel entered the picture. She took a great interest in it and swore Sister Michael and me to secrecy, not to speak of this to anyone. We gave our word, and I have never told a soul. Once the child was born, we immediately took her to the proper channels, and I believe a very good family adopted her.”
“It was a girl?”
“Yes. And to answer your hopeful look, I don’t know what family adopted her. Just a wealthy family from Dublin. And after that, Mary became Sister Gabriel, and it was never spoken of again. Soon afterward, I left Our Lady of Sorrows. I asked to be sent far away, and I was granted that request. I was sent to a convent in Scotland. And now, I’m old and I suppose you could say I’m retired. My brother owned this house and the land. It was left to me when he died ten years ago. Coming back here was very hard, and when I found Sister Gabriel still here, virtually alone, it broke my heart. I tried to see her on many occasions, but she would not see me. So I stopped, but I always had one of the sisters let me know how she was doing. It was through them I found out she went to St. Brigid’s, and hearing what you’ve said, I can see why.”
“Yes, I’m sure she knew about my mother’s death. Phelan’s name has been in the news off and on for decades. He’s no stranger to the limelight. I think he likes it, the asshole.” Grayson turned bright red. “Sorry.”
“No need. I feel the same. So tell me now what will happen.”
“I have no idea. I was just trying to satisfy my curiosity about Sister Gabriel. This is something I didn’t expect.” Grayson stood and placed more peat on the fire. She stared down at the glowing fire. “What happened to the little girl, I wonder.”
“I don’t know. But if that man, Phelan, is still around, perhaps he knows.”
“It’s amazing he never found Mary after all these years. He could not have known.”
“Perhaps he didn’t care.”
Grayson laughed. “No. If he knew where Mary was, he would have done something about the child and Mary, trust me.”
Though the wind and rain had stopped, Grayson heard it, thinking it was her imagination; she hoped it was. But when she saw the look of fright on Irene’s face, Grayson knew she hoped for too much.
“What was that?” Irene asked, looking toward the kitchen.
“Just the wind,” Grayson said, patting her shoulder as she walked by. “I’ll go check.”
They both heard the noise at the front of the house now. It was a low growl, more guttural. Grayson stopped, and for a moment, her heart stopped, as well. She saw the latch to the door unlocked. Without breaking into a dead run, she quickly bolted the door.
Irene stood, leaning on her cane. “Look there. At the window.”
Grayson looked where Irene was pointing. At the front window, a shadow of someone, something stood outside. It looked as if it were trying to open the window. For a moment, the window rattled, causing Irene to let out a terrified scream; she stood perfectly still behind Grayson, who glanced back to Irene just in time to see her bless herself. Say one for me, Grayson thought.
She watched as the figure disappeared and instinctively put her hands on the front door and listened. When she put her ear to the door, she heard the guttural breathing; she could almost feel the hot breath through the door. A shiver ran down her spine when the growl turned to laughter.
“Mother of God, what is that?” Irene whispered.
“I’m not sure. I—”
The force sent Grayson reeling backward, but in the next instant, she flew back at the door, her weight full against it. She struggled for a moment, then feeling a surge of energy through her body, she pushed the door with all her might. She now heard more than the growling; something else was outside, as well.
Grayson, aware of poor Irene whimpering behind her, still listened. It sounded like two animals fighting, one snarl
ing at the other. Then, as quickly as it started, it stopped with a high-pitched squeal. Grayson and Irene stood in silence.
“Grayson.” She heard someone call her. “Grayson. It’s Sebastian.”
“Who’s Sebastian?” Irene asked. “Don’t let them in.”
“Irene, it’s okay.” Grayson opened the door.
Sebastian stood in the shadows and did not move. Grayson could tell she was breathing heavily.
“What are you doing here? Was that you out there all this time?”
“No, but you seem to have a wolf problem,” Sebastian said.
“Well, get in here.”
“I can’t. I must be invited.”
“Are you shitting me?” Grayson asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“I shit you not.”
Grayson shook her head. “Irene, it’s okay. Would you please invite my friend in?”
“Are ya sure?” When Grayson nodded, Irene said, “P-please come in.”
“A gracious invitation,” Sebastian said. “Thank you, madam.” She stepped over the threshold and into the living room.
Grayson was astounded when she saw the blood on Sebastian’s face and her fangs protruding. When she heard Irene screech again, Grayson was at her side with lightning speed just as she fainted.
“Oh, dear.” Sebastian raised an eyebrow as Grayson glared at her. “I seem to have that effect on women.”
Grayson easily picked up Irene and gently placed her in the chair. “You scared the shit out of her, the poor thing, coming in here all bloody and fanging…”
Sebastian called after Grayson, who disappeared into the kitchen, “Do not test me.”
Grayson came back with a towel for Sebastian. “Wipe your face before she wakes up. I hope she hasn’t had a heart attack.” Grayson then put another cold cloth on Irene’s forehead; she immediately moaned.
Sebastian wiped her face. “I just had a run-in with a very large wolf outside, which seems to be following you around.”
Grayson’s head shot up. “What do you mean?”
“I had a feeling you were in trouble.”
“A feeling? About me?”
“Yes, it nagged at me all day. It was annoying,” Sebastian said with a scowl.
Irene moaned again; her eyes flickered open. “Okay, lose the fangs, she’s waking up.” Grayson gently wiped Irene’s brow. “Hey, you with us?” she asked softly.
Irene smiled and looked up at Sebastian. “I’m not dead, am I?”
“No, madam. I am—” Sebastian’s last word came out as a painful grunt when Grayson quickly stood, pushing her out of the way.
“How do you feel, Irene?”
“I’m fine. It just scared the wits right out of me.” She laughed and put her head back. “What was that, Grayson?”
“Just an animal, madam,” Sebastian said.
Irene gave Sebastian a skeptical glance. “Who are you?”
Grayson and Sebastian exchanged quick glances. “A friend of mine,” Grayson said quickly when Sebastian started to speak. “She scared away whatever animal was out there.”
“Thank you,” Irene said, but Grayson knew Irene didn’t believe her. Irene kept her eyes on Sebastian.
“My pleasure,” Sebastian said with a bow, much to Grayson’s ire.
“You don’t know what type of animal it was?” Irene asked.
“I believe it might have been a wolf.”
Grayson closed her eyes and hung her head.
“We don’t have any wolves on this island,” Irene said to Sebastian.
“Perhaps not now,” Sebastian said.
“What Sebastian means, Irene, is—”
“We both know what she meant,” Irene said, still watching Sebastian. “Where are you from?”
Sebastian seemed to ponder the question. “From a distant land.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” Irene asked.
“I don’t know.”
Grayson rubbed her temples before turning to Irene, who spoke first. “It was him, wasn’t it?”
“Irene…”
“God help us,” Irene whispered. “How do we know he isn’t still out there?”
Grayson quickly knelt next to her when she heard the terror in her voice. “We don’t know what that was. And I won’t let anything happen to you. Sebastian and I will stay the night.” She glanced back at Sebastian, who was now scowling deeply.
After Irene finally fell asleep, Grayson and Sebastian stood by the fireplace.
“It was Phelan, right?” Grayson asked.
“Is there another shape-shifter you’re not telling me about?”
“No.” Grayson heard the doubt in her voice. Apparently, Sebastian heard it, as well.
“You don’t sound convinced. Why?”
“Irene and I had a very interesting conversation.”
“About?”
“Sister Gabriel. It seems before she was Sister Gabriel, she was Mary Reardon, and at the impressionable age of sixteen, she fell in love with a gunrunner for the IRA and got pregnant.”
“Something tells me there’s more to this story.”
“Oh, yes.” Grayson glanced at Sebastian’s curious face before continuing. “It appears the gunrunner was Phelan Tynan. Mary Reardon found him in the woods one day, shape-shifting.”
“And ran screaming into the night, heading for a nunnery to become Sister Gabriel.”
“Yep.”
“And she gave birth to this child?”
Grayson nodded. “A girl, immediately taken and given up for adoption.” She watched Sebastian shake her head. “And to answer your next question…no, we have no idea what happened to the child.”
“I can see why you don’t sound convinced. What are you feeling, Grayson?”
“I don’t know.”
Grayson looked at Sebastian; their gazes locked.
What is it, Grayson?
I’m not sure.
You feel something, someone else, don’t you?
Yes.
Trust these powers. Trust what you feel.
Grayson nodded and flopped back in the chair by the fire. She was aware of Sebastian’s scrutiny. “Tell me.”
“I’m not sure. I had an overwhelming feeling there are others or more exactly, one other. I-I don’t know why.”
“It’s been my vast experience, where there is one, there are many.”
Grayson looked up and groaned. “Please don’t say that.”
“It’s true. Tell me, what did Phelan look like when he morphed into a wolf? Did he look human? Larger than an ordinary wolf? Did he walk upright or as a wolf?”
“He looked exactly like a wolf. No human aspects at all. No, he did not walk upright.” Grayson gave Sebastian a wary glance. “Please don’t start with werewolves.”
Sebastian laughed outright. “Don’t worry. I know one when I see one.”
Grayson’s jaw hit the floor. Sebastian cocked an eyebrow. “Let’s not go there right now.”
Grayson waved her off. “Let’s not. Phelan morphed into a brown-eyed black wolf.”
Sebastian’s head shot up. “Black?”
“Yeah, big, well over a hundred pounds and black with a gray muzzle, why?” Grayson felt the hair on the back of her neck bristle so much, she shivered uncontrollably.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. We got up close and personal a couple months back. Now tell me why you ask.”
“Because the wolf I tangled with was much smaller and gray with blue-green eyes. I sensed it was—”
“Female.”
“Yes. I take it you did, as well.”
“And I don’t know why,” Grayson said. “This is getting worse. Is it possible we have two shape-shifters?”
“It would make sense if Phelan spawned a child, it would have his genes, hence some of his capabilities.”
“Make sense?” Grayson asked angrily.
“I certainly understand your anger and resentment. I too am in a position I wish not to
be. But you’d best get over this petulant anger, and in your own vernacular, grow the fuck up.”
Grayson quickly rose and stood in front of Sebastian, who held her ground. “Look, no one asked you to be here, you ghoul.”
Sebastian sighed. “So much for not being childish,” she mumbled. “What is it that you want—your life back? You can’t have it. Trust me. I spent the better part of three centuries in search of it. It can’t happen. Your life as you knew it back in Chicago is over. Just as mine in Romania nearly five hundred years ago. At least you have memories. Imagine,” she said and looked into Grayson’s eyes, “not remembering your wife, your mother, your childhood. And knowing you had all of it.”
Grayson said nothing while she absorbed what Sebastian said.
“So what say you live right now and move forward? Because if all you do is piss and moan about what you don’t have, you’ll miss all you possess and your sense of purpose.”
Grayson remained silent as she stared at the peat fire.
“You absolutely hate it when you’re wrong, don’t you? You’re so human.”
Grayson hid her grin and shook her head. “I’m sure you’re the picture of maturity when Alex brings it to your attention.”
Sebastian didn’t flinch. “We’re talking about you.”
“How is Alex, by the way? I only met her once, and that was a couple years ago. She was dating a detective at the time. Alex seemed very nice. Too good for Carey Spaulding, as I recall. I expected them to break up, but not in my wildest dreams did I think she’d go for a vampire. She must have been so distraught she’d go to anyone and—”
“Let’s ride this maniacal train to its destination without derailment. We were talking about wolves.”
Grayson grunted and stood. “Okay, so now what? We have two wolves? How can we know who it is?”
“Well, we did scuffle. I believe I got a good bite in.”
Grayson grinned. “And if you did, it would leave a mark?”
“Perhaps. I know I heal quickly. But I have no idea about shape-shifters. Perhaps your historian can shed some light. If he knew about vampires, he may know about Phelan and his kind, as well.”
