by Donna Grant
“I know Charon likes it here.”
Cassie beamed as she stood and motioned for Laura to do the same. “Come. I’ll take you to him.”
As they walked to the stairs, Cassie leaned close and said, “Charon is a handsome man. Men like him don’t stay single for long.”
Laura missed a step and nearly fell on her face. She glanced at Cassie and shook her head. “Charon is my employer.”
“Then why do you look at him the way you do?”
She was saved from having to answer when they reached the stairs and started up them with Charon watching. As always, Laura was caught off guard by his dark eyes and the way he held her gaze.
It was easy to forget everything, including her past in England, when she was drowning in his eyes. It was easy to forget she was just his employee and not the woman he desired.
It was easy to forget that he would never be hers.
“Thank you for your tenacity, Miss Black,” Con said, breaking into her thoughts and shattering the haze that had taken her. “Charon will now be selling Dreagan whisky.”
Laura smiled, but it was directed at Charon. She alone knew how much this had meant to him. “Congratulations. I told you it would all work out.”
The boyish grin Charon wore made her stomach flutter. He was pleased, and if she wasn’t mistaken, the look that passed between him and Con was full of a deeper meaning that alluded to the conversation they’d had before she left them.
With a handshake and farewells, Charon was soon walking toward her. When he reached her, Laura found his hand upon her lower back as he walked with her down the stairs.
His touch was light, barely grazing her clothes, but she felt it all the way to her bones. She slowed enough that his hand came in full contact with her. It was such a small pleasure, but she would take anything she could.
She was torturing herself. Yet in these few moments, she could pretend Charon was hers. There would come a day when she knew she’d have to face the fact that he’d fallen in love with someone else. Until then, however, she had her fantasies that got her through each day.
There was so much she wanted to ask Charon about his visit with Con, but she would have to wait until they departed the mansion. Just when she thought she’d get the chance, Cassie and Hal offered to walk them out.
“They want to make sure we doona snoop,” Charon whispered as she passed him while he held the door open.
Laura coughed to hide her laugh, but she couldn’t stop the grin. Charon’s dark eyes twinkled with merriment as he spoke to Hal.
By the time they reached the car, Laura had already promised to call Cassie in the next few weeks to set up a time to visit. She was so dazed at having made that promise without grasping that’s where Cassie had been heading her that she didn’t realize Charon was opening her door for her until he reached for the handle.
He was always a gentleman, but he had never opened her car door for her before. She looked up and was ensnared by his eyes.
“Laura!” Cassie yelled.
Out of the corner of her eye, Laura saw something small and furry rush by her feet, and then she spotted something huge coming at her.
In an instant, she was hauled against the car, Charon’s body pressed against hers. Laura inhaled deeply, letting the spicy sandalwood scent of Charon fill her senses.
Her hands automatically took hold of his shoulders, and the feel of the thick sinew beneath her palms caused her heart to race.
But it was nothing compared to the amazing feel of the entire hard length of him against her.
It was the loud, deep bark that brought her eyes open. Laura spotted a harlequin-colored Great Dane skid to a halt and collide with Charon.
The dog went down on his front paws and ducked his great head beneath the car with his butt in the air and tail wagging. A moment later, the dog stood with a small solid white kitten held loosely in its mouth.
“Duke,” Cassie admonished as she rushed to them. “I’m so sorry. Duke doesn’t understand he isn’t the momma to the kittens. He won’t let them out of his sight.”
“Are you all right?” Charon asked softly near Laura’s ear.
“I’m not the one who almost got taken out by a Great Dane. Duke ran into you.” Though she had barely felt the collision.
Charon’s face was inches from hers. He was so close she could see the black ring around his deep brown eyes. Her breasts were crushed against him, causing her blood to sear her veins.
If she were the take-charge kind of girl, Laura would close the space between them and kiss him as she’d been yearning to do. Instead, she stood there, hoping, praying he’d be the one to kiss her.
Charon knew he needed to step away from Laura, but he couldn’t. His body was ablaze. For her.
Her large pale green eyes watched him carefully, hiding her emotions perfectly so he had no idea what she was thinking. Was she appalled that he was so near her? Did she enjoy it?
Damn, but Charon hated not knowing. Even that couldn’t put the distance between them. Laura’s luscious curves called to him, begged him to learn more of her.
He’d been careful never to get too near her. Now he knew why. Somehow, someway his body had instinctively known its reaction to her. But now that he’d had that amazing curvaceous figure against him, he wanted more. Needed more.
Charon didn’t know how long they stood there looking at each other. He was desperately trying to get his body under control when all he wanted to do was lean down and take her full lips in a fiery kiss.
It was the crunch of rocks as Hal drew near that managed to bring Charon to his senses. He took a step back and looked away before he screwed up everything by kissing Laura.
“Is Laura all right?” Hal asked, concern marking his face.
Before Charon could form an answer, Laura said, “Yes, yes. I’m fine.”
“Duke is a good lad, just doesna know his own size,” Hal said with a laugh as they watched Duke allow Cassie to take the kitten.
Charon forced a smile when Duke came trotting back to him. More words were spoken, but he didn’t hear any of them as he absently rubbed the Great Dane. He concentrated on his breathing in an effort to stop himself from hauling Laura against him again.
God, what was wrong with him?
No woman in six hundred years had affected him so. Why did it have to be Laura? Why couldn’t it be a Druid, so at least Charon had the hope of something more?
Charon waited for Laura to get in the car before he closed her door and walked to his side. He slid behind the wheel, wondering how he was going to sit alone with her for the next few hours and not touch her.
They had just driven away from Dreagan when Laura asked, “Did you get everything you wanted?”
It took Charon a moment to realize she was referring to the whisky and not her. He scratched his jaw and nodded. He’d come away with much more than he expected. And a lot to think over. “Aye. Con seems like a reasonable man.”
“I shouldn’t have gone in the office with you. I didn’t realize there would be things to discuss I didn’t need to hear.”
“Neither did I.” That had come as quite a shock to Charon, and he couldn’t wait to tell Phelan about it. “You did nothing wrong. I asked you to come, and if I had no’ wanted you in the meeting with Con, I would’ve asked you to stay back.”
“I know,” she said, and fiddled with her purse strap. “The entire time we were there, it was like there was an undercurrent of something going on everyone knew but me.”
Charon didn’t answer, because he didn’t know what to say.
“Does this have to do with our conversation yesterday? The one where you were telling me someone was trying to do something bad?”
He briefly squeezed his eyes closed and wished like hell he had kept his mouth shut. Laura shouldn’t know that little bit, but he’d needed to talk about it. And then she was there. How could he resist?
“You know I’ll keep your secrets,” she said in a low voice.
Charon glanced at her. “Aye, I know. If I didna trust you, you wouldna be working for me.”
“Then why don’t you tell me what’s going on? I might be able to help.”
“If only you could. It’s better if you know nothing.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out her window. “I hear the whispers around Ferness about you.”
“People talk.” He didn’t care what others said, but he didn’t want Laura to know the monster that he was.
There was only one fortunate thing about the entire mess that night a year ago, and that was that Laura had gone to Inverness to get some legal papers from his attorney.
Charon could only imagine her expression had she seen him shift into his Warrior form.
Laura made a sound in the back of her throat. “You’re a powerful man in the community, but even you can’t stop people from talking. Nor could you make all the damage disappear. Something attacked the village. People were killed. And then you left.”
Charon turned to see her reflection in her window. She had her head averted, which kept him from looking into her green eyes and telling her everything she wanted to know.
“Will you tell me what really happened? Not the story that there was a freak storm, but the truth?”
“I can no’.”
“I didn’t figure you would.”
The entire drive back to Ferness was made in silence from that point on. Laura wouldn’t even look at him. Charon could practically see the distance between them growing, and he did nothing to stop it.
If he were smart, he’d keep that distance between them by keeping as far away from her as he was able. She was asking too many questions. As intelligent as she was, she might very well put it all together.
The thought of not seeing her daily left him sick to his stomach. It’d be easier if he could get her to leave. But she loved Ferness as if she’d grown up in the sleepy little town.
Charon might be a monster, but he wasn’t completely heartless. He wouldn’t make her leave.
By the time he pulled up in front of her flat, he already had a plan in place. “Good luck with your date,” he said as she opened the car door.
Even that couldn’t get her to look at him. She hesitated for just a moment before she murmured a thanks and got out of the car.
Charon waited until she was inside her flat before he pulled away. Hating himself more every minute.
The only thing that kept him on course was knowing it would save Laura’s life in the end.
CHAPTER NINE
Laura knew it wasn’t Ben’s fault. No one could compete with someone like Charon. And even though she was angry with Charon, she still couldn’t stop thinking of him.
Not a good thing when she was on a date for the first time in years.
“I thought you liked sushi.”
She jerked her head to Ben, his voice dragging her away from her thoughts again as they walked down the streets of Ferness. “I do. I’m so sorry, Ben. It’s just been crazy at work lately. We only today learned we’ll be a seller of Dreagan whisky, and there are a million things I need to do.”
He shrugged, but she saw how irritated he was by the way he held his mouth. “Doona worry about it.”
“No, I feel terrible. You deserved better than this.”
“Aye, I did.”
At first she thought he was kidding, but when there was no smile, she knew he meant every word. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him to allow her to make it up to him, but she suddenly realized she didn’t want to be around Ben anymore.
The entire date was spent listening to him go on about himself as he stuffed sushi in his mouth. Not once did he ask her about her family or her past. She should have been grateful since she didn’t like to tell people why she left her family.
What kind of guy isn’t interested in his own date?
Laura breathed a silent sigh of relief when her flat came into view. She couldn’t wait to get rid of Ben and forget about the entire, painful night.
She thought to say goodnight next to his car, but he continued walking to her door. Laura glanced around to find the streets deserted.
Ferness was small, and it was after midnight, but usually there were people around. At least the pub was down the street a ways and she could go there if need be.
Odd that she never felt so uneasy around Ben before. It was something she should have picked up on. Laura discreetly dug out her keys in her purse and kept them in her hand.
There was a feeling lodged between her shoulders that she hadn’t been able to get rid of all evening. It took her a moment to recognize it as the apprehension she’d felt her entire life while living under her mother’s roof.
Only now, after being away from her parents and sister, did she understand what that feeling was that had always plagued her.
And now it was back again. Not a good sign.
“Thank you for dinner,” she said when they reached her door.
Ben smiled, his hazel eyes holding none of the charm she was used to seeing. “I thought we might have a nightcap.”
“All right,” she said, thinking fast. “I don’t have any liquor, but the pub is just up the street.”
“I wanted some alone time with you.”
Laura’s heart began that slow, sickening beat as fear filled her. She’d thought—hoped—to never feel that kind of fear again.
“Ben, it’s been a really long day, and I’m tired. Can we do this another night?”
He took a step toward her, crowding her against the door as she stepped back. “Is this what you do, Laura? Do you string guys along for weeks before finally giving in to dinner, and instead of paying attention to your date, your mind is elsewhere? You flirt and promise things only to fall through on them.”
“I didn’t promise you anything.”
Ben’s voice had become low and dangerous, which caused Laura’s blood to turn to ice in her veins. She prayed someone was around, that anyone would suddenly come out onto the sidewalk so she could ask for help.
“I think you owe me, Laura.”
“I don’t owe you anything.”
A scream lodged in her throat as he grabbed her arms and started to drag her to his car. Laura fought for all she was worth. She’d taken self-defense classes after striking out on her own, but no one had bothered to tell her that she would have a difficult time remembering anything through the terror that seized her.
She scratched his face, and kicked out with her foot, hoping to connect with something.
“Help!” she screamed, only to have her head jerked around when his meaty fist slammed into her cheek.
“Get in the bloody car,” Ben growled as he continued to drag her to his car.
* * *
Charon was in the woods, leaning against a tree when he felt mie magic. The panic mixed in the magic had him rushing toward it.
It was instinctive. As a Warrior, he could sense the magic of Druids. A mie’s magic was soft and gentle, and a drough’s magic felt vile and oppressive.
There was no doubt it was a mie he felt, and the Druid was in danger. In his village. Charon might not live at MacLeod Castle, but he fully supported the Warriors who fought to keep the few remaining Druids safe.
He was surprised to find the feel of the magic came from Ferness. But more surprising was that as quickly as the magic had washed over him, it disappeared.
Charon came to a stop in the alley between two buildings and tried to pick up the Druid again, but whoever it was, was long gone.
“Damn,” he muttered.
He was turning away when his enhanced hearing heard a scream and then a struggle. Charon whirled around and raced toward the voice, a voice he recognized all too well.
Laura.
With his speed, he was out of the alley and racing toward Laura’s flat a heartbeat later. He could see some man with his hands on her while she fought him off like a wild animal.
Charon heard the god inside
him roar with rage. He growled, agreeing with Ranmond. And in an instant, something barreled into him from the side, sending Charon crashing into another alley.
He rolled and came to his feet, ready to battle whoever dared to get between him and helping Laura.
“Enough,” Phelan said with a growl.
Charon started to move past him only to have Phelan grab his arm.
“You can no’ go to her looking like this.”
“Like what?” Charon demanded.
Phelan lifted Charon’s hand to show him the copper skin and claws. It was then Charon felt the fangs in his mouth. He had shifted without even knowing.
“Laura needs help,” he argued.
“No’ anymore.”
Charon peered around the corner to see the man still had a hold of Laura, but Brian from the pub was suddenly running toward her.
He huffed and leaned against the building wall as Laura got free and rushed into her flat. The man, who Charon assumed was her date, fled away in his car.
“I think I’ll go for a run,” Phelan said, and chased after the car.
Charon knew Phelan would discover who the man was and why he’d attacked Laura. It took a moment, but Charon was able to get his god back under control.
That in itself shook him. It had been centuries since he struggled with his god. He was in control, and had been since the days of Deirdre and Cairn Toul Mountain.
But the thought of Laura in trouble had sent all those centuries of restraint flying on the wind like a feather. It was because of Laura that he had gone to the forest.
Charon drew in a steadying breath and walked out of the alley. He frowned when he saw the door to her flat was barely hanging on its hinges, which told him she had tried to get away and the bastard hadn’t let her.
He stood in the doorway, the sound of her scream echoing in his head. Charon stepped over the threshold to find Laura standing in the middle of the tiny kitchen, staring at nothing.
“Laura,” he called as he approached so he wouldn’t spook her.
Yet she didn’t appear to hear him.
Charon came to stand in front of her. She blinked and lifted her head, her eyes coming to focus on him.
