by Tara Nina
Haunted Laird
Tara Nina
Book four in the Cursed MacKinnons series.
Lynn’s ghost-hunting trip to Scotland takes an unpleasant turn when she’s kidnapped from her camp by a group of men rambling about curses and a brotherhood. In a daring escape, Lynn falls over a cliff and awakens in a cave being guarded by a ghost, who insists she’s the key to freeing a man who has been cast in stone by an evil curse. And what a man he is…
Padon has been imprisoned for over two centuries, frozen in stone. He’s awakened when a sexy siren recites the anti-curse, but he’s only partially free. Stone by day, man by night. Passion ignites between him and his savior immediately, which makes falling to the curse each morning that much harder. He and Lynn seek a resolution by making the trek to Padon’s family castle. But the kidnappers have other plans and will do whatever they must to make sure this couple never makes it to their destination.
HAUNTED LAIRD
Tara Nina
Acknowledgments
I greatly appreciate the hard work of my editor, Grace Bradley. I am a work in progress and she’s a patient teacher.
I also want to acknowledge my dear friend and fellow EC author, Lynn LaFleur. She was a great inspiration for my heroine in this novel.
And to my MacKinnon Clan members, the rest of this series is on its way. I promise.
Prologue
Lynn Woodberry stretched and yawned as she lay in the hotel room bed. Total comfort surrounded her. It was one of the reasons she’d chosen to stay at the Radisson Blu while in Edinburgh, Scotland. She’d taken the red-eye from Dallas to London then hopped the first flight from there to Edinburgh. She was checked into her room by eleven and crashed for a nap by noon. Now rested, she scooted off the bed and walked to the window and opened the curtains. The late-afternoon sun warmed her face.
The view was magnificent. Ancient stone-faced buildings lined the street. Edinburgh Castle sat off in the distance. The fading sun gave it a haunting outline of red and orange hues and she couldn’t help but sigh at the glorious sight. Though she saw it with her own eyes, she still couldn’t believe she was finally fulfilling their dream. Her vision blurred as loneliness washed over her, producing a single tear she quickly brushed away. Now was not a time to cry but to rejoice in the closing of the final chapter on a perfect love story and opening the first chapter on a new beginning.
Breathing deep, she refused to let sadness consume her, but couldn’t stop the flow of thoughts. They were supposed to be on this trip together. But three years ago, life played a cruel joke and took Eddie from her in a horrific car crash. She squeezed her eyes tight, trying to flush that tragedy from her brain. It was quiet times like this that made her miss her husband the most. Her heart still ached for her high-school sweetheart and soul mate.
For years they’d planned this trip, plotted their course on a map and saved so they could explore the myths and ghosts of the mystical world of Scotland. She still pictured them together at the kitchen table hunched over travel brochures, maps and books chock-full of ghostly tales from Scotland.
Lynn willed her nerves to calm. She could do this. She could and would fulfill this dream and complete the final chapter on the life she’d shared with Eddie. She needed this trip and knew she had to do it alone. Though her sister suggested she accompany her, something deep inside implored her to do this by herself to prove she was ready to move forward, instead of forever mourning the love she’d lost.
Opening her eyes, she lifted her gaze heavenward and prayed for strength. Warmth surrounded her in an invisible hug as it always did when she prayed while thinking of Eddie. In her heart, she knew he watched over her and protected her. This was his way of letting her know he was still around. But for some reason, she couldn’t see him and it tore at her soul. She could see every other ghost, specter or apparition who lingered trapped between worlds.
But not Eddie. Was the reason she couldn’t reach him because he wasn’t trapped between planes? Did he rest in peace? She desperately wanted to know.
She sighed deeply, battling the urge to cry and simply crawl back into bed and stay there for eternity. It boggled her mind as to why she couldn’t see Eddie. She felt his presence, knew he was near, but couldn’t see him or speak with him though she tried. She’d even visited several supposed clairvoyants but their efforts had failed. Lynn huffed at her stupidity, doubting they were even what they’d claimed. Hopefully she’d learn something from this trip as to how to locate and speak with a departed loved one. Maybe someone here knew and could show her the way to complete the spiritual connection.
Lord knows those clairvoyants only showed her how to empty her purse. She was certain there were real mediums out there but so far she hadn’t found one. Eddie believed in the spirit world and helped nurture her ability of sight, seeing things that others could not, such as ghosts. If not for him, she would have never recognized the visions she’d had since childhood for what they were—a gift. She’d always considered herself different, but never unique like Eddie considered her to be.
“You have the gift of sight. Don’t ever be scared of what you see that others don’t. They look with blind eyes. You are unique and should be proud of knowing others walk among us in bodiless forms.” Eddie’s voice flowed through her thoughts as if he stood beside her, softly speaking in her ear. She hugged herself.
Eddie taught her the meaning of truly being loved. He was the peaches in her cream. A shiver shot down her spine at the memory of him calling her his creamy delight. Just thinking of how he completed her caused her cheeks to warm and brought an unstoppable smile to her lips. And oh lordy, their sex life could have filled an erotic novel. Lynn chuckled under her breath as a sensual sensation warmed her from the inside out.
Nope. She had to make this trip in order to complete her memory of Eddie and their incredible love story. Some people called it closure, but not Lynn. It was just the final chapter in a phenomenal romance. If she was ever going to learn how to communicate with beings on the other side, Scotland was the place to do it. Seeing them was one thing, but having a conversation with them was an entirely whole new adventure. One she was ready to embrace.
“I can do this,” she whispered to no one in particular, while secretly hoping Eddie’s spirit heard her.
Seeing the tour bus pull up outside the hotel, she realized she needed to get a move on. The itinerary for this tour was set and she didn’t intend to miss one moment. A quick glance at the clock let her know the bus would leave in thirty minutes, with or without her. Tonight’s tour—the underground vaults. She couldn’t wait to see them and hear the tales of the ghosts who roamed that underworld.
Chapter One
By the time they finally took a break, Lynn had heard enough. The three men bickered worse than a group of old women sitting around with nothing to do but complain about what ailed them. She still couldn’t believe one of them was Fin, Travis’ partner at MacShain’s Guided Tours—the company she’d employed to explore the greatest haunted locations in Scotland. If she’d known one of them was a kidnapper, she never would have joined their group.
Travis. Where was Travis? He’d completely slipped her mind. What had they done with him? It made her stomach churn not knowing if her friend was dead or alive. Though she’d listened closely to every word they’d said, they’d never mentioned what happened to him. And she had been so intent on fighting them when they took her captive, she hadn’t noticed if he lay unconscious or in a pool of blood at their campsite.
She fidgeted but couldn’t move much, being as they’d tied her hands and feet, then secured her to a makeshift litter with the sleeping bag from her tent that they wrapped thick tape around until she was wedged tight. All she could think when she looked at the contr
aption they had her in was one word. Papoose. She was being hauled up a mountain in a giant papoose. They’d covered her mouth with a piece of the same tape so she couldn’t scream. Though she tried, she couldn’t push it off with her tongue or wiggle her lips enough to loosen it.
So she resolved herself to lie there, listen and reserve her strength. They were bound to make a mistake and when they did, she planned to use it to her advantage and escape.
Fin had hidden his face at the campsite she shared with Travis by keeping his hood tucked low over his head so she didn’t get a good look at him then. Now he didn’t even try to hide from her as she glared at him while he carried the foot end of her prison. The other two, Lonnie and Timothy, she couldn’t see well from her position. One of them was at the head end of the litter while the other apparently led the way. From what she’d overheard, she was beginning to piece together some of what they were up to, but still didn’t understand why it involved kidnapping her.
What did they want with an American from Texas?
If they planned to ransom her off, the joke was on them. Her family wasn’t rich. The only surviving blood-related member was her sister, who was married to a small-town pharmacist, and they had a set of triplets. Definitely no money left there. Absently she shook her head. As to her, when Eddie died, he left her comfortable but not extremely wealthy by any means. If she lived frugally, which she did, the money would last for years. So as far as exchanging her for money, they were out of luck, but she didn’t think they had taken her for that purpose. There was this one thing they spoke of several times.
Who or what was this brotherhood they mentioned?
Lynn inhaled deeply through her nose. Apparently this brotherhood wanted something they were willing to pay steeply to obtain and didn’t care what methods were taken to get it. But these guys were out of their minds if they thought she had anything of worth for this brotherhood. She doubted it was her they wanted. It sounded as if something was hidden somewhere on this mountain. If they thought she knew where it was, they were crazy.
Unless… She scrolled through everything she’d learned so far. What if they were after something in the cave Travis was taking her to visit? Had they captured her as a trade-off for the cave’s location? Did they think that particular cave held whatever it was they were looking for? Did they think Travis shared the coordinates with her and she’d be able to lead them there? Questions tumbled through her head as she swallowed the lump of growing fear in her throat. She didn’t know anything. She closed her eyes, wishing she’d never taken Travis’ offer to introduce her to a ghost.
She lay there reliving the conversation she’d had with Travis several nights earlier. She must have looked like the biggest sucker going, sitting across the table from Travis at a pub after their tour of the underground vaults. Lynn inwardly reprimanded herself for hanging on to his every word as he’d shared his tale of a night he’d spent in a cave with an ancient Scotsman’s specter. Travis claimed he would take her there and she’d be able to communicate with a ghost. The one thing she had yet to achieve in all her years of seeing apparitions was actually speaking with the dead and somehow he’d figured that out and used it against her.
Had he noticed her reactions to the lingering souls wandering the vaults? There had been so many, she felt certain she hadn’t been able to hide her excitement. Had he read her desires and played her for a fool? Throughout the tour, she’d noticed Travis seemed to watch her more intently than any of the others. At the pub, he’d explained he’d been waiting for the right person with whom to share his spiritual find. She’d fallen for it completely and even did her best to assure him she was the one he needed, a true believer in everything paranormal.
Was he somehow a part of this whole kidnapping ploy? Lynn shivered. She hadn’t thought of that before. Was Travis not really her friend but an instigator in this ruse to capture an American? She couldn’t think straight as ideas of subterfuge and dastardly deeds tormented her thoughts. No. She refused to believe ill of Travis. He was innocent in this whole scenario.
Damn. The predicament she’d managed to get herself into all in the name of ghost chasing. This addiction of hers was finally going to get her killed.
“Lonnie,” Timothy griped loudly. Lynn stirred from her musings and concentrated on their conversation, hoping for a thread of information she could use in her favor. “We need a break. Carrying this chick up the mountain isn’t easy.”
“Yeah,” Fin chimed in, “when’s your turn ta help carry her?”
“Quit your grousing,” Lonnie snapped. “We don’t have much farther and we’ll be at the campsite.”
“This better be worth it,” Fin stated heatedly. “The society offered a tidy sum. How do we know this brotherhood will keep their promise? The society will pay, there’s no question there. But this brotherhood seems a bit shady ta me.”
“You’ve pointed that out before, Fin. How many times I got ta tell you?” Lonnie’s growing frustration was evident in his tone. “Me and Tim helped save Brother Leod from a fire at a club in London. He promised ta make us rich if we joined his group.”
Lynn felt the foot of the litter lower as Fin set her down. He moved to stand face-to-face with Lonnie, who now stood near her shoulder. It was apparent he was the one in charge of this operation. She could sense the tension between them. This was something she could use to her advantage. Fin didn’t speak much during the week of her guided tour through the haunts of Edinburgh. He’d let his partner Travis do all the tour guide stuff while he drove the bus. Now he didn’t seem to hold his tongue.
“I just find it mighty strange this Brother Leod knows so much about the clan we swore ta protect.”
“We,” Lonnie screeched, leaning to within millimeters of Fin’s face. “I don’t know about you, but I took no oath. It was a fairy tale, a myth handed down from our forefathers that suckered us into believing in a curse on a clan that no longer exists.”
“There must be some truth behind it or why would so many before us stand together united?” Lynn saw Fin’s stance change as if making ready to fight. “And best o’ all, why would this newfound friend o’ yours be so interested in what the society protects? Think maybe he’s up ta no good?”
Lonnie shook as he waved his hands in the air in frustration. “I think you be backing out on us, Fin. You be in too tight with the society.” He poked Fin in the chest with his forefinger as he bellowed, “Are you with us or are you not? You might want ta be thinking about it afore you answer.” He nodded toward the side of the path that was a steep drop-off into a ravine. “Looks ta be a mighty long fall.”
Fin’s shoulders tightened and it appeared as if he was reining in his anger, taking a step back. She heard his heavy exhale as he replied, “I’m in.”
“Good,” Lonnie spat. “Now pick up your end and let’s get going.”
Lynn couldn’t help but wonder about Fin’s connection with these two.
Silence fell between them, which gave her time to sort through the limited details. Apparently they all belonged to some sort of society sworn to protect some nonexistent clan. Lonnie had a new friend with lots of money and a desire to own something the society protected. But what? None of them had let that slip.
Fin wouldn’t look at her. Instead his gaze seemed to glance occasionally behind him as if expecting to see someone there at any moment. Travis, maybe? Momentarily a spark of hope for his safety gave her an instance of relief that Travis might be tracking them or gone for help. When Fin wasn’t looking behind, his eyes stayed straightforward and she could only imagine the hole his glare would bore through Lonnie’s back if he had such a power.
And from what she’d figured out, Timothy did whatever Lonnie told him to do. So even if Fin had changed his mind about being a part of this team, he was outnumbered. She focused on Fin. He was the weak link. Something didn’t seem right with him and this little adventure. Something she hoped she could twist in her favor when the time was right.
It was after dark when they reached the designated campsite on the ridge. Tents were already erected. It appeared as if they had set up camp before they invaded her campsite and took her captive. They set her down. Timothy stacked wood in the pit to build a fire. Fin disappeared into one of the two tents. Lonnie plopped onto a large rock beside the pit.
When Fin came out of his tent carrying a lit lantern, she tried to talk against the tape to get his attention. Though it was nothing more than a mumbled noise, he squatted beside her and set the lantern on the ground near her head. In a low tone, he spoke to her. “I’m going ta remove the tape. If you scream, I’ll have ta put it back. You no going ta scream are you?”
Lynn shook her head and he slowly removed the tape from her mouth. She wiggled her jaw and wet her lips. It felt good to have that off her face. Now if she could just get him to unwrap the tape that bound her to the stretcher and release her arms from behind her back, her shoulders would be forever grateful.
“Can you untie me please?” she asked softly. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
Fin glanced at his partners then pulled out a pocketknife and started cutting the tape. He hadn’t gotten far when Lonnie jumped up and ran over to him.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Fin didn’t stop. He continued cutting without looking up from his task. “The lass is in need o’ a bathroom break.”
Lonnie commanded, “Then she’s your responsibility. Make sure she doesn’t get away.” He turned on his heels and stomped over to the other tent and went inside.
“Real friendly guy,” Lynn stated coolly. Fin smiled at her wisecrack and the tension in the back of her neck eased. Once he freed the tape from across the sleeping bag, he lifted it off her and helped her sit upright. After cutting the tape binding her ankles, he untied the rope from around her wrists.
