by Sierra Rose
“That’s the plan,” Ian grinned, zipping his leather jacket up against the chill in the air. “Of course, being allergic to poison ivy makes me wary of going out into some woods.”
Mac shook his head as he came out of the kitchen with a small bag over his shoulder. “You do know you can cast a spell to get rid of it, right?”
“I thought we weren’t supposed to cast spells for personal gain?” Ian frowned at him.
“That only applies to Ry using a spell to win in the casinos, not for an itching rash,” Mac told him, winking at Maggie as he paused next to her. “Keep the books close to you and stay in the house with Gran. No matter what, Mary Margaret, stay in the house,” he intoned firmly, hoping the woman listened to him.
Maggie merely nodded, leaning up to kiss his lips in encouragement. “Don’t worry so much, Doc,” she replied easily. “We’ll be fine here.”
Fiona Kerrigan had stood and watched her grandsons prepare for this act. “Focus on your task tonight and know that this house and those who dwell inside will be safe,” she lightly kissed each of them on the forehead.
“Aye, and I’d say so,” Lorcan slammed his fist into an open palm as his eyes shined with energy and mischief. “Been awhile since I’ve been in a good scrap but…”
“But all will be well,” Fiona soothed her husband. “Remember that your strength comes from your unity. Once united, he cannot harm you.”
The brothers knew that. It was just a question of having the time to do what would be needed to make that unit complete again.
Once the front door closed, some of Maggie’s cheer lessened. “He’ll try to stop them from doing whatever it is they’re doing, won’t he?”
“They will re-form a circle, a bond so to speak, between them that was last done when Ian was a babe. It’s how to begin the prophecy of the Five,” Fiona replied, her musical Irish lilt never wavering as a dog howled in the distance.
“It’s the issue about them surviving it that concerns me,” Cam muttered under his breath, making sure his handgun was close. “Nick’s reporting some bad vibes from outside the perimeter of the property line.”
Fiona knew what that meant as she walked into the living room to look out the window. “If they break the spell it will weaken them, but the danger is still there.”
“I hate magic,” Cam rolled his eyes, reaching for his radio. “I really hate it.”
“You’ve been saying that for years,” his employer’s voice spoke from the stairs causing the mercenary leader to sigh.
“Yeah, and I’ll keep saying it,” he returned, looking up as Jessica Hadley came down the steps slowly, and he noticed she had more color to her cheeks but he was wary about it. “Pete will yell.”
Jessica waved that off as she concentrated on hooking the shoulder holster of the 9mm Browning Hi-Power she usually wore. “So will Roarke but what they don’t know won’t hurt me.”
Lorcan laughed heartily. “There’s a lass after my own heart. Our boys need strong women to stand up to them now and then.”
“You better stop the matchmaking plans,” Jessica told the older man easily. “I’d think having twenty-two grandchildren already would make you happy.”
“Their Gran can never have enough babies to spoil,” Lorcan snorted, hoping his wife was far enough away not to hear that.
Maggie was still staring at that when the wind started kicking up and her sixth sense began screaming. “Something’s wrong.”
“They need time to make the circle ready, so Cameron, we’re going to play with the dark side,” Jessica announced, walking toward the kitchen.
It took a good five seconds before either Cam or Maggie realized what she had said and then both were racing to the kitchen after her.
“Whoa, boss!” Cam skidded in front of her, hoping he had heard wrong. “You didn’t just say what I thought you did, right?”
“I’m sick and tired of being a target of this bloody son of a bitch or some hateful old woman, Cam,” Jessica replied, not slowing down as her friend kept pace. “I also won’t let him or anyone else hurt my friends.”
As Young swore under his breath, Maggie was deciding the best tact to take with a girl who could be as hardheaded and stubborn as anyone else she’d ever met.
“Jessica, luv, I’m pretty sure Roarke and his brothers want you, well all of us, to stay inside during this,” she said quickly but when the girl turned to her, she saw the fierce determination and power shining in her eyes.
“Maggie, I’ve been fighting things for a very long while so I know what to expect to some extent, but as a reporter, I’m not sure what you’re willing to risk,” Jessica knew she had missed some things but the one thing she had noticed was the sparks between the Mayo reporter and Mac Fitzgerald. “I know Mac can be a huge pain, but all of them can be that. They need to prepare to form their link again so that means Sebastian’s monsters or whatever he sent needs to be distracted to buy them time.”
The red haired reporter bit her lip as she considered that while thinking of the voice in her dreams as of late, as well as what else she’s seen. “Well, at least I can tell Mac I just followed you into the bowels of hell,” she reasoned easily enough even as she was pulling her unruly mass of red hair back.
“Sure, they’re used to that,” Jessica smiled, knowing Cam would follow.
“The lads won’t be likin’ this turn,” Lorcan knew, feeling the increasing evil on the outskirts.
Fiona knew this as well but also knew some things meant to be weren’t always what may be wanted. “As you yourself said, our grandsons will need strong women to stand with them in the coming days,” she looked fondly at a small photo hanging. “There were many a time when Brenna stood by Toryn even when he would have had her safely away.”
“Aye, I know,” Lorcan sighed, laying a hand on his wife’s arm. “We’ll wait and see and help where we can.”
Stepping outside the kitchen door, Jessica Hadley looked around and felt the strain in the air. “Kerry’s spell won’t hold for long. It will once they do it together, but this one won’t last much longer.”
“Translated, shoot anything that comes near us,” Cam’s Magnum was out and cocked as he directed his team. “Most of the baddies should be centered near the Druid clearing.”
The girl knew this but she also knew that was what they needed to stop. “Depending on what Sebastian’s sent, the dumber ones will be scenting on magic and I can probably lure them to the meadows.”
“Roarke’s going to flip if he finds out about this,” Cam muttered, but knew they were out of time when he saw the first shadow. “Nick’s magic bullets better work or we’re screwed.”
Maggie had seen a lot since she had originally taken the assignment to interview Patrick Fitzgerald, but nothing had prepared her for the massive group of shadows that were entering the empty meadows, much less the wave of power that simply shot from Jessica’s fingers.
“If you can cast fire then use that, if not go inside,” Jessica told her, knowing what type of things these were. “Shadow creatures can’t stand fire or light or…” she paused as one imploded after a bullet hit it. “Or a magically coated .357 slug.”
“I can handle it,” Maggie replied tersely, hoping she was right, but couldn’t help wondering what Mac and his brothers would face.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The walk from the manor house took a little under twenty-five minutes on foot and through dense woods until they reached a clearing from the woods that had nine large stones standing in a circle and surrounding a center stone that was flat on top.
The stones radiated an easily-felt energy as the five brothers stepped into the center of the circle, and it seemed like thunder cracked in the distance.
“That a good sign or a bad one?” Ryan wanted to know, already removing his black coat to lay it off to one side.
Kerry Fitzgerald simply eased his cloak over a shoulder as he listened to things only he could hear. “No, we still have a little time
. That was just a way to acknowledge us.”
“Y’know Sybil and Brandon took me to Stonehenge a few times and I’ve seen other circles, but none that have had the energy I feel from this one,” Ian was looking around in an almost awe. “It’s weird.”
Roarke touched a hand to one of the standing stones and felt the power pulsing from it. “This set has been on the land since the house was built,” he told the boy, shooting Ryan a look before he could smirk. “You could say each of us was christened here.”
The sudden howling made them glance toward the woods and Mac frowned. “We have company.”
“Then let’s do this,” Ryan muttered, shifting a look to Kerry and knowing he saw what he was seeing.
Kerry took the bag Mac passed him and began to lay out items like candles, a box of salt, stones of varying color and finally a ruby encrusted dagger.
“Ian, make a circle of salt around the center stone.” He handed the box of salt to his youngest brother while motioning to the candles, but Ryan had already taken them while Mac laid a bowl on the center stone and poured a bottle of holy water into it.
As this ancient ritual was occurring, none of the Fitzgerald brothers could deny the ominous feeling that seemed to be coming closer.
“They breached the property line,” Roarke whispered, having felt the intrusion, but couldn’t see past the fog. “I thought he’d focus on us.”
Seeing him shake his head lightly, Kerry squeezed his arm. “By going close to the house he seeks to distract us.” He knew that wasn’t fully the case but didn’t need his brother more worried than he was.
A deep growl from outside the stone circle made Ian look and whistle. “Well, Fido came back.”
“Oh, go away,” Ryan waved a hand and the large black beast vanished with a yelp. “We need to do this because he’s not playing this time.”
Kerry knew this but needed Roarke focused on him. “I know what you see, but he’s using your fears to attack you from within. Focus on this,” he urged, nodding as Mac lit the candles just as a scream came from the woods.
The same black shadow creature that Mac had seen at his house in Cork stepped from the woods with blazing red eyes.
“You cannot cross into this place, demon,” Kerry’s voice was stern as he made sure the circle would hold. “Go back to your master.”
“If he ever got that bullet my brother shot him with out of him yet,” Ryan smirked, feeling the evil from this thing.
The creature seemed to stare at them, then smiled cruelly as his blazing eyes landed on Roarke. “Your woman will die in agony as my master’s minions shred her flesh,” he bragged. “The foolish little mortal seeks to draw us to them in order to give you time to do this hopeless little act.”
“What?” the young man frowned and soon saw the violent images of the bitter fight in the meadow. “No.”
“Go back to hell!” Ian snapped, taking a sharp stone he had in his pocket and hurling it at the shadow mass.
Ryan and Mac grabbed Roarke before he could lunge but he remained steady, his temper sizzling, but he didn’t move. “I want this done,” he muttered.
“Join hands around the stone altar,” Kerry ordered, feeling the wind pick up as beasts stalked outside the circle. “Don’t let go until we need to and just say the words that will come.”
The tensest moment Roarke had was at the sight of the dagger, and it seemed like a hand closed on his shoulder in a reassuring move yet when he looked, no one was there.
“We are born of the Five, to create the Five to send this demon back to hell where he came from,” Kerry began, feeling the energy pick up and power start to flash. “We five gather in this place of nine stones to recast what was cast years ago and torn asunder by greed and jealousy.”
Mac shuddered as wind howled outside the stones. “The stones have always represented a magical energy as nine has been a symbol of good. It represents the nine grains of salt we use to exorcise evil or the nine months to bring a new life into being.” He felt the blow that struck him in the back but ignored it. “We call on that energy and power now as we five seek to add it to unite our strength.”
“Separate we each share a part of the Five but we ask those that have come before in this place to guide and shield as we seek to combine those parts into one as it was long ago.” Ryan’s eyes had gone black as he took the blow to himself but managed to shield the raking claws that would have struck his two younger brothers.
“Combine our powers as we combine the blood we share so that the Five may fight the evil that comes.” Ian took a deep breath as Kerry lifted the dagger and ran the blade over the scar he had on his left wrist, a scar they all shared.
One by one, they each re-cut the small scar they had had since childhood to allow blood to trickle into the bowl of holy water.
When it was Roarke’s turn lastly, he looked at the dagger as lights and flame shot around them while the beasts outside the stones howled. “My choice is freely made as I share this blood in order to unite our power and strength to make five into one and to form our circle into one whole.”
Again, the images came vividly to his mind but he shoved them back as he felt Ryan and Kerry grip his hands again.
The combined blood had mixed instantly and a blast of white light exploded from the bowl up into the air, then shattered into glimmering lights that floated to the ground.
“As this blood mixes, we call on all the Fitzgeralds of the past to offer their guidance and protection as the Five are formed and may nothing tear this bond apart again,” Kerry slowly met the eyes of his brothers as they finished the spell. “As I will, so mote it be, blessed be.”
As they closed the spell, the lights that had been shimmering down seemed to glow brighter and the shadow beasts blew up with screams and yelps as if touched by acid, leaving everything in an eerie silence.
Blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dimmer light again, Ian stared around, never experiencing anything like that before. “What did we do?”
“We just reformed the bond we had originally and started the path to forming the Five,” Mac told him, seeing Roarke’s eyes tightly closed. “Are you alright, lad?”
“That cleared them from here but there are still some on the lands,” he replied quietly, frowning deeply. “Jessica.”
With a wave of his hand, Kerry took the circle down properly and easily cleansed the area. “Now we finish this part by kicking those things off our land.”
“Mac, that red head of yours doesn’t listen well,” Ryan spoke easily, seeing Mac scowling and muttering.
“I thought Sebastian would make an appearance to stop us,” Ian felt concerned by this lack of attention.
Roarke had been moving out of the stones when he stopped dead. “He sent his proxy,” he whispered, seeing the images from the meadows clearly.
Mac scowled more now. “I hate that thing,” he snarled, looking at the others. “Roarke needs to…”
“I know what I need to do,” Roarke sighed, eyes changing as his powers took full control and he looked at what Kerry held out to him. “Help Maggie and the lads. This thing touches Jess and I’ll handle him.”
At this firm promise, Ryan nudged Ian’s arm. “Want to have a friendly wager after this is over they have one hell of a fight over her not listening?”
Ian just rolled his eyes. “Sucker bet, mate. I’m not touching it this time,” he refused with a laugh, following Roarke with the others close behind.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Wishing she’d actually been a more active student when her grandmother had wanted to teach her more, Maggie Cavanaugh was cursing herself soundly as she felt herself getting more tired, yet the shadow shapes didn’t seem to be slowing.
“Get back to the house,” Cameron Young stopped to reload his weapon but knew the red-haired woman was growing weaker. “They’ll target you more if they sense a weakness.”
The Mavericks had regrouped in the meadow where most of the shadows had concentrated
their attacks. “The bullets are working on them but it’s taking too long,” Michael White complained.
“How long will they do this?” Maggie asked, gasping as one lunged at her but was blasted apart.
“Until they’re called back or we’re all dead,” Jessica Hadley replied grimly.
The young British warrior knew there was a limit to even her power, which still hadn’t gotten back to full strength yet, but was willing to risk it in order to buy her friends the time they needed.
She was bleeding from several scratches and seemed pale but her eyes still showed the power, which seemed to darken as she turned to look over her shoulder.
“Cam, take Maggie and the team back to edges,” she saw the lone shadow man and knew what it was. “Sebastian’s sent a mouthpiece this time.”
Maggie knew it was the same creature as what she had seen at Mac’s house when this first started. “You can’t be considering…”
“Go back to the house or stay with the Mavericks, Maggie,” the girl spoke quietly as she took several steps forward and felt the evil energy blasting out toward them. “Your boss too busy to come and play or does he only show when he can cheat?”
Even though merely a shadow, his eyes blazed red while the smile seemed to sneer. “My master will lay claim to what is his in due time but sent me to handle those such as you,” he spoke arrogantly. “He also wishes me to remind you of what he can do.”
He raised a hand but this time, Jessica shifted her own hand and repelled what he sent out.
“I’m ready for him this time,” she told him, still feeling the edge of the power and shuddering at the memories it dredged up, but forced them back.
Even as she did this, she saw the sudden flash of lights from over the tree line and knew what it meant even as a lot of the single shadows began vanishing but several others remained, including the one Jessica faced now.
“The circle has been formed, the Five will be united and your master will burn,” she spoke firmly, seeing the rage in the thing’s burning eyes she knew instantly she wouldn’t have the power to deflect this attack even as she felt it strike.
