by Donna Grant
“Then tell me why you seem so sad? And where the hell is Arran?”
How she wanted to tell Andy everything, every amazing, scary detail. Instead, she faced her friend and said, “He’ll be along soon. He had some business in Edinburgh that held him there for a bit.”
Andy’s gaze probed hers. “There’s more to this story you aren’t telling me.”
Ronnie didn’t deny or agree.
After a moment Andy said, “Just tell me if he’s really coming back.”
Ronnie blinked away tears. “Yes, he’s coming back.”
“Good. I was thinking I might have to unload a can of Andy whup-ass on him.”
She laughed along with Andy, but she knew he was deadly serious. That’s what family did for each other. He was her family, just as Pete was.
How she hated lying to them, but the deception was for their safety.
She took a deep breath and realized she had two choices. She could sit on her cot, catatonic until she heard from Arran, or she could dive into work to help pass the dreadfully long hours she knew were ahead.
Ronnie pulled back her hair and wound it into a bun before placing a couple of pins to hold it in place. Her body was sore from the incredible lovemaking she’d experienced at Arran’s loving hands.
The soreness made her miss him all the more. There was an ache in her chest that would only be filled when she saw him again.
“Show me what was dug up yesterday. Seeing it on the screen was one thing. I need to hold it.”
Andy ducked out of her tent and said, “I’ve already started to get everything logged and categorized, just as you like it.”
“Good.”
She followed him to where several long tables had been covered with white material and set under a specialized tent with four sides, all of which could be rolled up as necessary.
Ronnie was impressed with how Andy had gotten everything going. “Great job, Andy. You’re one of the few I can trust.”
“Anything for you,” he said with a wink.
She ran her hand over a piece of rock about the size of a sheet of paper that looked as if it had been broken off a larger piece. The knotwork was extraordinary as it interlaced around the edges.
It reminded her—eerily—of the prophecy she had found in the chamber: The female Druid will be the bringer of doom. Only to be ended by a man-god.
She was the bringer of doom. Those ash-colored monsters weren’t just hideous, they were lethal and quick.
“Pretty, isn’t it?” Andy asked regarding the rock.
Ronnie pulled herself from her thoughts. “I’d love to see the rest of this.”
“We all would,” Andy said. “I’d hoped to find it already, but we haven’t.”
“It’s all right,” she said, and straightened from the table. “It gives me something to do today.”
Ronnie let her gaze look over the pieces on the table one more time before she headed out to the dig. She couldn’t be idle, not now. Not today.
* * *
Arran found a mobile phone from one of the dead men at his feet and called Fallon. Fallon teleported to the hotel room and got Camdyn out right as the police came charging into the room from the opposite roof.
Arran kept to the shadows on the rooftop and watched the police while they looked through the room. Ronnie’s stuff was still in there, and the room had been in her name, so they would be contacting her.
Unless someone spoke to them first.
He waited until the police had their backs to him, and then Arran jumped across the distance to the hotel, landing quietly on the balcony. He hurried to sit down, his back against the wall and his eyes closed.
It didn’t take long for the police to find him. He opened his eyes, making sure he looked dazed for their benefit.
“What happened, sir?” someone asked.
He looked around. “We were attacked. Tell me Ronnie got out of here all right?”
The police began to talk amongst themselves, and it wasn’t but a moment later that they came back to him.
“The only people here are men. Why did they attack you?”
“They thought she had the money on her,” he lied. “The fund-raiser, it was for Ronnie. Dr. Veronica Reid.”
“Ah,” one of the men said. “I’ve read about her. She’s an archeologist, and a damned fine one at that.”
“So, the men thought you had the money she raised from the event?” another asked.
Arran dutifully nodded his head. He let one claw lengthen to slice his side. Blood spilled through his fingers. “I’m hurt. Can I get to hospital, please?”
“We have someone who needs medical attention!” one of the police shouted.
The next thing Arran knew, Ramsey and Galen were beside him.
“It’s all right,” Galen told the police. “We’ll take our friend to hospital.”
Arran clenched his jaw. “I need Ronnie’s necklace first.”
“Already swiped it,” Ramsey whispered.
“Good. Now we need to find the bastards who did this.”
The three exchanged looks, and just as Arran was about to get to his feet, a man took a step toward them.
“We need to find Dr. Reid,” a policeman said.
Galan clapped the policeman on the shoulder and exerted his power to control minds. “She’s with us. She got out and called us to help.”
Arran was pulled to his feet and they rushed out of the suite.
“Are you really injured?” Ramsey whispered.
“Nay,” Arran answered. “It was for show.”
As soon as they were in the lift, Galen tossed a backpack at Arran. Arran caught it and quickly shed his blood-soaked clothes for new ones. He wiped the blood from his face, arms, and hair with a damp towel.
By the time the lift opened on the ground floor, all evidence of an attack had been erased from Arran and stuffed into the backpack he now carried.
“Is Ronnie safe?” he asked as they walked through the lobby.
“Charon just delivered her to the site,” Ramsey said.
“And Camdyn?”
Galen punched open the hotel door harder than was needed. “Sonya is still healing him, as far as I know.”
Arran didn’t say more until they rounded the corner into an alley and he spotted Fallon. “Camdyn?”
“Going to be fine. The X90 didna penetrate his skin far,” Fallon said. “What happened, Arran?”
“There were Warriors.”
Ramsey raked a hand down his face. “That’s what Camdyn said. Three of them?”
“Four,” Arran corrected. “The first was the same man I saw yesterday as I walked the city, and then I saw him again at the event. Before I could question him, he was gone. The next time I saw him was when he sneaked into the suite and tried to take Ronnie.
“Camdyn arrived and he left. Before we could get Ronnie and Saffron out, the Warrior came back. With two more. Another came at Ronnie and Saffron as they tried to leave, but Charon was there.”
“Charon?” Ramsey asked.
Arran nodded. “I called him.”
“I thought you hated him,” Galen said.
Arran shrugged. “He got there in time to save the girls, and that’s all that matters.”
“Tell me you got some information,” Fallon said. “Camdyn passed out before we could ask.”
Arran glanced around them. “Get me out of here, and I’ll tell you.”
Fallon placed his hand on Arran’s arm, and the next moment he was standing inside the great hall of MacLeod Castle. He’d rather have been at the dig site with Ronnie, but that would have to wait.
“The others are guarding Ronnie,” Fallon said as if he knew Arran’s thoughts.
Arran sank onto a bench at the table, the same table he had eaten numerous meals at. The same table where there had been laughter and tears, rejoicing and anger.
For a year they’d had peace, but that was gone now. How much more anger and tears would there be before
this fight was over?
“Arran?” Galen urged.
He cleared his throat. “The Warrior didna tell me the name of his master, but I did learn they were all newly made.”
“So their gods were in control,” Ramsey said.
Arran shook his head. “That’s just it, they were no’. Apparently, whoever released their gods managed to curb that.”
“That’s no’ good,” Galen said, uncertainty lacing his voice. “No’ good at all.”
Fallon slammed a fist on the table. He closed his eyes for a moment and whispered, “Damn.”
“The leader of these new Warriors is pale green. Look for him. His name is Dale. The other Warrior was too afraid to tell me the name of the person who released his god. He feared his master more than me.”
“Yet, it was his master who killed him with X90s,” Fallon pointed out.
Ramsey grunted. “This new master must no’ be worried about losing so many Warriors in one night.”
“One more thing,” Arran said. “The Warrior told me that I’d been watched since I arrived at the dig.”
“Which means they’re watching the castle.” Fallon straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. “I doona like being spied upon.”
“They know when we leave by car,” Galen said.
“But no’ when Fallon jumps us,” Arran finished with a smile.
“Hey,” Dani said from atop the stairs, her silvery hair in a ponytail. “I think you need to see this. Gwynn hacked into the cameras at the Wallace mansion.”
“And?” Arran asked.
Dani cut her eyes to him and grinned. “Get up here and find out.”
With a snort of laughter, Galen was the first up the stairs, followed by the other three. Arran wanted to know what was going on, but he couldn’t stop thinking of Ronnie.
If he’d been watched at the site, that meant whoever watched him also knew all the comings and goings at the dig. They would know when to strike to get Ronnie and when to wait.
Arran paused, struggling to keep his patience and wait before going to Ronnie.
Fallon stopped beside him. “If it makes you feel better, there are ten Warriors watching Ronnie. And Larena is staying by her side, though Ronnie doesna know it.”
Arran released a long sigh. The fact that Larena was staying invisible and near Ronnie did help. “Thank you. Wait. Ten? Does that mean you got in touch with Phelan and Malcolm?”
“Charon found Phelan. Malcolm never answered my calls to his mobile, but Larena texted him and he showed up at the site.”
Arran nodded at the news.
“Now come, let’s see what Gwynn has found,” Fallon said.
He followed Fallon into Gwynn’ chamber that she shared with Logan. Gwynn was sitting in the middle of the leather couch with Dani on one side of her and Tara on the other.
“What did you discover?” Fallon asked as he moved behind the couch to see over Gwynn’s shoulder.
Gwynn lifted her head of black hair, her violet eyes filled with worry and anger. But her gaze didn’t stay on Fallon for long. They moved to Ramsey.
Ramsey raised a black brow, but before he could ask anything, Tara rose and went to her husband.
“Tara, love, you’re scaring me.”
Arran glanced at Gwynn to see her worry her bottom lip with her teeth.
Tara leaned back and ran her fingers through Ramsey’s long black hair. “I thought we got everything.”
Ramsey’s gray eyes cleared as understanding dawned. His face grew hard and a muscle ticced in his jaw. “What? Tell me now.”
“We knew Declan’s fortune would go to someone,” Dani said.
“And?” Arran urged.
Gwynn tapped her fingers on the keyboard of her laptop. “I already told you his name—Jason Wallace. The more I watch him, the more I’m sure he’s doing magic.”
“What did we leave behind?” Fallon asked.
“That’s just it, I don’t know.” Gwynn rubbed the back of her neck. “We were so thorough in grabbing every book of magic we found of Declan’s.”
“No’ thorough enough,” Ramsey stated angrily.
Arran knew how Ramsey felt. All of them had battled Deirdre, and then Declan. There were many times when it seemed all was lost, but they had won against both Druids.
“It makes sense then,” Arran said. “Whatever we left behind has allowed him to control the release of the gods inside the Warriors to his benefit.”
Galen nodded. “How do we stop him?”
“First things first, we need to know why he wants Ronnie,” Fallon said.
Ramsey slashed his hand through the air. “That’s the easy part, Fallon. He wants her because she’s a Druid.”
Arran rocked back on his heels. “Maybe no’, Ramsey. That could be part of it, but Ronnie’s magic is that she has the ability to find magical items in the earth. They call to her.”
Gwynn cut her eyes to him. “Don’t forget the prophecy found in the chamber, Arran. We’ve all had a look at it, and it’s disturbing.”
“What’s this Jason Wallace looking for that he would need Ronnie?” Galen asked.
“I say we ask him.” Arran wanted a fight, and Jason seemed just the bastard to have it with.
Fallon turned to Ramsey. “We’ll be back soon.”
Ramsey nodded, and then looked at Arran. “Be careful, my friend. It’s easy to let emotion get in the way. That’s when the ones we care about get hurt.”
Arran didn’t have a chance to respond as Fallon touched him and teleported them to the dig site.
“What the hell,” Fallon muttered.
Arran looked over to find Gwynn had grabbed hold of Fallon just as he jumped them, allowing her to tag along with them.
She lifted her chin and looked Fallon in the eye. “I’ve heard plenty of times how much magic this place has. No Warrior will even be able to determine I’m here. Besides, you’re going to need me.”
“She’s got a point,” Arran interjected before Fallon could talk.
Galen shrugged. “Her communicating with the wind could give us an advantage.”
“Fine,” Fallon said. “Then you two be the ones to tell Logan why his wife is here.”
Arran hid his grin and looked around. They weren’t far from the dig site, but not as close as he’d like.
“There’s no cover,” Logan said as he walked up. “A few trees would be ni—” His voice trailed off as he caught sight of Gwynn. “Baby, what are you doing here?”
She smiled and lifted her face as a gust of wind surrounded her. “Need I say more?”
“Dammit, woman, you’re going to be the death of me,” Logan said as he pulled her against him for a quick, hard kiss.
Arran knelt in the tall grass and looked out over the land to the dig site. Sound carried well on the wind, and with that added to his enhanced hearing, he deciphered a lot. He heard the sound of metal hitting rock, laughter, and conversations.
When he caught sight of Ronnie he let out a sigh. The viselike grip around his heart released. For now, she was all right. Danger was coming, but his friends had been there, watching out for her.
Logan clamped a hand on his shoulder. “We’ve had eyes on her since Charon dropped her off.”
“What has been going on at the site?” Fallon asked.
Logan pointed to the left. “Nothing much over there. That’s where the chamber is, where all the magical items were stored. But over to the right is where everyone is at.”
“Andy phoned yesterday to tell her they’d discovered some artifacts,” Arran said. “I’m sure she got to work as soon as she got here.”
They all turned and faced each other in a tight circle. Logan began pointing to where everyone was set up, and just as Arran had requested, the entire site was encircled with their Warriors.
“Has anyone else been around?” Arran asked.
“No’ that we’ve seen. They may be staying farther off.”
Arran scrubbed a hand down his
face, his mind running with possibilities. First, he needed to get to Ronnie and try to get her out without anyone seeing.
The problem was, he couldn’t do that. Not yet.
Fallon caught his gaze. “Does Ronnie know she’s bait?”
“No’ yet.”
Gwynn tsked and shook her head sadly. “Bad move. You should’ve told her.”
“There was no’ time.”
“Then tell her now.”
Arran looked at the site and saw Ronnie. Her lovely hair was once more pulled back in a bun. She was directing people this way and that, her focus entirely on the dig.
She would be angry about being bait, but she was also the type of woman to assess the best course of action. And this was it.
They needed to know why Jason Wallace wanted her. As soon as they did, Arran would know how to keep her safe.
And keep her from becoming the bringer of doom.
CHAPTER
THIRTY
Aisley sat in the corner of the dimly lit office below the mansion and watched her cousin’s face turn red and his nostrils flare as anger took him. At one time Aisley would have laughed. At one time she would have reveled in his torment.
But she’d learned the hard way just how powerful Jason had become.
She touched the scar on her left side through her shirt. That had been an agonizing, grim lesson. But nothing compared to what Jason had done to her mind with his magic.
Or to her parents.
Aisley might be defiant, but there were limits. She’d reached them quickly with Jason. The woman she had been ceased to exist months ago. There were times her past life seemed almost a dream.
She wasn’t sure what was worse. Her past. Or her present. She’d been living in hell for so long, she hadn’t realized she traded one devil for another in Jason.
“How could you?” Jason bellowed.
Dale’s eyes blazed with fury, but he kept his gaze on the floor in submission just as Jason expected. “My men were no match for the others.”
“I gave you all you needed to best him,” Jason said as he paced the length of the private office he used beneath the house, the heels of his boots hitting the floor hard.
“Arran wasna alone!” Dale paused and said in a calmer voice, “Two more were with him.”
