by Donna Grant
* * *
Declan buttoned his coat as he got out of his car. He didn’t bother to thank the chauffeur for opening his door.
It had taken the simplest of spells to find the Druid nearest him, thanks to his help from Satan. He was short on time after all. Now, all Declan had to do was convince her to do as he wanted.
And if he couldn’t convince her, he had another way of forcing her to do as he commanded.
Declan walked into the tiny café and straight past the counter into what passed for a kitchen.
“Excuse me,” the heavyset woman at the register called.
But Declan ignored her, his focus on Kirstin. She was tall with an athletic build. Her dark blond hair was short, barely brushing the lobes of her ears.
She turned and gasped to find him behind her. “Can I help you?” Kirstin asked.
“Kirstin Maxwell?”
“Aye. That’s me. What do you want?” she asked, and tried to move past him.
Declan stepped to the side and stopped her. “I’m here for you.”
“Me?”
“Aye. I’ve a job offer I doona believe you’ll pass up.”
She looked him up and down then shook her head. “Sorry, mister. I don’t know you.”
This time Declan grabbed her arm as she tried to pass. “Oh, but you do. I know how you’ve dabbled in the occult. I know how you go out with the small group of supposed Druids to the stone circle and dance naked in the moonlight.”
Her brown eyes widened. “How do you know?”
Declan smiled. “I have magic, Kirstin. I’m here to tell you that you do as well. Come with me now, and all you ever wanted can be yours.”
“I’m a Druid?” she whispered.
“Aye. With real magic.”
“Shit. I always thought, but—”
“Come,” Declan urged, and pushed a small measure of magic into her to make her more biddable. “We need to leave. Now.”
Kirstin allowed him to lead her out of the café to his car. “Where are we going?”
“To my home.”
“I don’t even know your name,” she argued, but climbed into the car anyway.
“Declan Wallace.”
She gasped. “The Declan Wallace? Oh, my God. I’m in heaven.”
Declan smiled. It had all gone so easily.
Once in the backseat of his Jaguar with her, he turned to Kirstin and said, “Listen carefully. I’ve a story to tell you about Druids, Warriors, and Romans. The story is about where you came from. And where you are going.”
“I’m listening,” she said and leaned toward him.
By the time Declan was finished with the story Kirstin was practically eating out of his hands. Of course he altered the telling some. The MacLeods weren’t the good guys they pretended to be, and Deirdre wasn’t as bad as everyone made her out to be.
As for himself, Declan had led her to believe he was trying to save them all.
“So I need to get into MacLeod Castle,” Kirstin said thoughtfully. “There are other Druids there? And these things you call Warriors?”
“Aye. The only way you’ll know they are Warriors are when they release their gods. They are immortal, but remember what I told you, Druids can use their magic against them.”
“But I’ve never used my magic.”
“It willna matter. Warriors can sense the magic in Druids. That will be enough to gain you entrance. Once that is done, I want you to get friendly with the Druids. They will show you the artifacts they are going to use to end Deirdre. I want those artifacts.”
Kirstin frowned. “What are the artifacts?”
“The Druids will show you.”
“But—”
“Enough,” Declan said, his nerves on edge with her endless questions. “I’ve thought of everything. Including how to get you inside the castle. If you do exactly as I tell you, everything will be fine.”
For the next two hours they went over every detail again and again until Kirstin was able to repeat everything without hesitation. She sounded convincing even to his own ears.
Declan was more than pleased with his work. “You’ll do fine, Kirstin.”
“Thank you,” she said, turning away from the window. “When do I get to learn magic?”
“Never.” Declan raised his hands, his magic freezing her in place as he began to chant the spell that would make her sleep. And forget all about him.
“We’re nearly there, sir,” his driver said.
“Good. I’m ready to get her out of the car.”
In a matter of moments the driver had pulled the car to the side of the road. Declan blew out an impatient breath as his driver tugged the unconscious Kirstin from the car and half carried, half dragged her away from the road where she couldn’t be seen.
“It’s done,” his driver said as he settled behind the wheel and put the car in drive.
Declan drummed his fingers on his knee. It wouldn’t take long for his plan to begin to work, and once it did, he would have the MacLeods, the artifacts, and then he would have Deirdre.
* * *
Kirstin woke with her head pounding. She sat up and looked around. Where was she? She remembered quitting her job at the café and setting out to find … something.
She knew there was something out there waiting for her, but she didn’t know what it was.
A glance at her watch told her it was just after eight in the morning, and if she didn’t find shelter soon, she’d be buried under the snow.
Kirstin looked around for her purse, but couldn’t find it. Had she left it? Or had someone stolen it? With no money for food or lodging, things had certainly gone pear shaped.
“Great. It’s just what me mum always said would happen to me,” Kirstin said as she got to her feet. At least her thick coat insulated her from the snow.
The same couldn’t be said for her jeans.
Kirstin looked first one way then the other, trying to decide where to go. Something pulled her to the left, so she began walking.
Few cars passed her, but she didn’t bother to wave them down. It wasn’t until a car passed her, then skidded to a halt that she looked up.
The black Range Rover’s reverse lights came on as it rolled back toward her. It pulled off the road and the driver’s side door opened. Kirstin could only blink at the man who emerged. He was gorgeous with his black hair and silver eyes.
“Hello.” He spoke calmly, his voice deep and rich. “Are you lost?”
Kirstin shook her head. She knew better than to talk to strange men. “Nay.”
“My name is Ramsey MacDonald.” He took a couple of slow steps toward her. “I’m no’ trying to frighten you, but when I felt your magic I had to stop.”
“Felt my magic?” Kirstin repeated, her ears ringing in disbelief. “You can feel it?”
“So you know you’re a Druid?”
“I’ve always wanted to be. I had hoped.”
Ramsey smiled and held out his hand. “I can take you to other Druids if you’ll allow me.”
He paused, his brows lifted. Kirstin laughed. “Sorry. I’m Kirstin Maxwell.”
“Hello, Kirstin.”
She looked at his offered hand. It went against everything she knew to get into his SUV, but she desperately wanted to be a Druid. He had said he felt her magic.
Warriors sense a Druid’s magic.
Where had that thought come from? And how did she know about Warriors?
“Kirstin?” Ramsey called, concern marring his strong, angular face. A face that she could stare at for all eternity.
There were things coming into her head, things she hadn’t known before. She didn’t know how she knew them now, but it frightened her.
Every fiber of her being told her not to get in the SUV, but a stronger sense urged her to get inside quickly.
But why? What was going on?
“We willna harm you,” Ramsey said patiently. “We protect Druids.”
Unable to walk away no matter how
much she wanted to, Kirstin found her hand in his without knowing how it happened.
“You’re shaking,” Ramsey commented as he led her to the Range Rover.
“I’m frightened.”
“Donna be. Everything will be all right now. You’ll be with others who can help you with your magic.”
Yet, even as they drove away Kirstin felt it was wrong to go with him. Not because she thought he might hurt her, but because some unknown force was making her.
She swallowed, her fear growing as the miles were eaten up by the tires.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Deirdre stared at the four wyrran in front of her. Of all the ones she had sent to find Ian Kerr, only four returned. She seethed, but she kept her anger in check. For the moment.
“What happened?” she demanded of the four.
“Warriors,” one hissed.
Warriors? That wasn’t possible. “There should only have been one. Ian. There were fifty of you. You should have had no trouble subduing him and bringing him to me.”
“A Druid,” another answered.
Warriors and a Druid. Deirdre took a slow, measured breath. “Who was the other Warrior?”
The wyrran closest to her blinked its large pale yellow eyes at her. “Charon.”
Deirdre whirled around and sent a blast of magic into the rock, which shattered at the impact. The stone screamed its rage at her for harming it, and Deirdre hastened to the spot to soothe it.
She looked at the wyrran. “Charon will pay for interfering. I need Ian though. If he hasn’t yet gained control over his god, he could easily become mine. The power of his god to either absorb another Warrior’s power or cancel it is one I will need when the MacLeods try to awaken Laria. Find Ian!”
Then she recalled the Druid. “Wait,” she called after them. “Bring the Druid with Ian. I always have need of more magic,” she said with a smile.
The wyrran grinned back at her, saliva dripping from their lips that couldn’t close over their mouthful of teeth.
With the wyrran gone, Deirdre sank to her knees and caressed the stone. She knew better than to take out her anger on the rocks. They were all she had, and she needed to remember that in the future.
* * *
Danielle opened her eyes to find herself in a car. A very luxurious car if the black leather seats said anything. A glance to the dashboard showed the well-known Mercedes emblem.
She shifted her gaze to the two seats in front of her and smiled when she saw Ian. His head swiveled toward her, and his sherry eyes warmed when they noticed she was awake.
“I was getting worried,” he said.
Danielle pulled herself into a sitting position and smothered a yawn. “I don’t know why I fainted.”
“It was the use of your magic. I warned you it would drain you.”
“But I didn’t fail you.”
“Nay,” Ian said with a grin. “You were amazing.”
“Aye, you were,” Charon said from the other seat. “I thank you for helping us.”
Danielle leaned over to see him. “You’re welcome. I didn’t expect you to come with us.”
“Someone had to drive,” Charon said with a smirk at Ian.
Danielle laughed and settled back in her seat. “Did we get all of the wyrran?”
The smiles faded from the men’s lips.
“Nay,” Ian said. “Some got away.”
“To tell Deirdre they no’ only found Ian but a Druid as well,” Charon finished.
“Wonderful,” Danielle muttered.
Ian reached back and took her hand. “It will be fine. We’ll be at the MacLeods’ soon. Deirdre can try to get us there, but she’ll fail as she has the times before.”
Danielle grabbed the key in her pocket. “Will Deirdre or the wyrran be able to get to the castle?”
“Aye,” Ian said, but his smile was confident and eager. “But they willna get you, Danielle. There are plenty of Druids and Warriors there to stop her.”
“Her Warriors were killed,” Charon said. “So that gives you an advantage.”
“No’ all her Warriors,” Ian corrected him. “There was one she had locked far below the mountain. His name is Phelan.”
“And he didna side with you and the MacLeods?”
Ian shook his head. “It was Isla that tricked him into coming to the mountain when he was just a lad. Deirdre kept him there until he reached a score of years.”
“Then she released his god,” Charon said with a curse. “Who freed him?”
“Isla. Phelan helped Broc and Sonya against Deirdre, but as far as I know, he never joined the MacLeods.”
Charon snorted. “Anything could have happened in four hundred years. He may be there now.”
“Where you should be,” Danielle told him.
Charon looked at her through the rearview mirror.
She shrugged. “I’m only speaking the truth. You know they will need you. And as you’ve said, four centuries is a long time. Let the past go, Charon. Help us end Deirdre.”
He frowned, but he didn’t respond.
Ian squeezed her hand. He gave her a small nod as well.
Danielle still felt weak, but no longer did she feel as if she might pass out as she had on the roof. She’d tried to tell Ian, but by that time it had been too late.
When he’d said her magic could drain her, she hadn’t really believed him. Now she knew exactly what he meant. And it wasn’t a good feeling.
She could feel her magic swirl inside her though. And that was enough to put her at ease.
“We’re here,” Charon said as he slowed the car and turned off the main road.
He drove over raw land for about fifteen minutes before he stopped the car and put it in park. There were no words spoken as both he and Ian got out of the car.
It was Ian who moved the seat so she could climb out of the back. Danielle walked to the front of the dark gray two-door CL65 AMG where Charon stood.
Charon faced toward the ocean, a peculiar look on his face as if he weren’t sure he wanted to be there or not.
“You know they would welcome you,” Ian said.
Charon looked down, a half smile on his face. “Would they? After what I’ve done? I think no’.”
“They would, and you know it.”
Charon ignored Ian and turned to Danielle. “Guard yourself well, Druid. If Deirdre ever feels the strength of your magic she’ll stop at nothing to get you.”
“I don’t plan to ever meet her,” Danielle said. She walked to Charon and hugged him. “Thank you. For everything.”
He awkwardly patted her back and quickly stepped away. He cleared his throat and glanced toward the sea again. “I need to get back to my village.”
Ian held out his arm, and Charon hesitated but a moment before they clasped forearms. “You are a good man,” Ian said. “Remember that.”
“Be careful. And vigilant,” Charon said in answer. “If Deirdre did bring you forward in time it’s because she has a plan for you. A plan you’ll want no part of.”
They released each other, and as Charon walked away Danielle stepped closer to Ian.
“Charon.” Ian stopped him. “What did Deirdre do to make you spy on her?”
Charon lowered his eyes, but not before Danielle saw the torment in their dark depths.
“Do you recall how crazed you were when your god was first released? All the fury and the power? It was too much to take at times.”
“Aye,” Ian answered softly.
“Even through all of that I denied Deirdre. During a particularly rough bout with my god, she put my father in the dungeon with me. I didn’t recognize him, Ian. I thought he was one of Deirdre’s men. Only too late did I realize who he was.”
Danielle turned her head and pressed her face into Ian’s arm.
“You killed him,” Ian said. It wasn’t a question.
Charon nodded. “She had the rest of my family as well. If I didna do as she said, she threatened
to put the others in with me as well.”
“But you had control of your god.”
Finally Charon lifted his eyes to Ian. “Barely. Deirdre knew what to say to send me into a rage. I feared she would do it just to make me suffer.”
“Had I been in the same situation I’d have spied as well,” Ian said. “I would’ve, and did, do anything for my family.”
Charon visibly swallowed and forced a smile. “Good luck to both of you.”
Danielle waved as Charon got back in the car and drove away. She had been wary of him at first, but her heart ached for the anguish she heard in his voice.
“I wish we had known what Deirdre had done to him while we were in the Pit,” Ian said.
“It’s in the past. Let it go.”
His sherry eyes looked down at her. “As Charon has?”
“Charon has to live with what he’s done. Until he forgives himself, he’ll carry it with him always.”
Ian waited until Charon’s car drove out of sight. It felt odd being back on MacLeod land, especially when he knew Duncan wouldn’t be waiting for him.
“How do you feel?” Danielle asked.
“Hard to say.”
“And your god? Do you have control?”
Ian rubbed his jaw. “He still fights me, but I’ve no’ blacked out since I met you.”
“That’s good then.”
“Is it? Or is it because I’ve had wyrran to fight. It felt good to kill them, Danielle. It felt right.”
“Because it was. They are evil, and they meant to murder innocents. They would have taken you to Deirdre.”
He shook his head. “I will no’ ever be in her hold again.”
Farmire was strong, and he continued to try and break through, but somehow Ian managed to stay in control. Mostly.
He still wasn’t sure how, but it was enough that he did. He suspected it had something to do with Danielle’s magic, because when he was around her his chaotic world filled with agony and grief righted itself.
Everything came into focus again, as if he were the man he had been before Duncan’s death.
“Ian?”
He turned and gestured to the rolling landscape before him and the sea beyond. “You are on MacLeod land now. Have been for some time, I imagine.”
“Where is the castle?”
Ian chuckled. “It’s hidden by Isla’s shield. It keeps others away, making them feel as if they need to leave.”
