The snow came down harder as the sky turned the color of gunmetal, nothing but countryside around them, passing through the occasional tiny town or catching a glimpse of one of the cute shaggy highland cows alongside the road, it was warm inside the car. The lulling rumble of the engine, the warmth of the car, and fatigue from the last few days caught up to her as she fell fast asleep.
Glancing over at Emily, Colin was struck by how peaceful she looked sleeping. Her head tilted to the side, using her scarf as a pillow, her full lips parted slightly as if she had fallen asleep mid-sentence. She approached life the same way, meeting whatever challenges came her way head on, listening to what she was told, weighing the facts before deciding to believe or not…she believed him. He surprised himself by realizing it mattered what she thought.
He hoped Rawlins and his merry band of misfits wouldn’t bother them—granted it was as likely as pigs flying but still, a man could hope. The fact he was after Emily meant he had to know about her ability. Possible he also knew about the curse…that was more troubling. Rawlins wouldn’t think Colin would go to Ravensmore, since it was the obvious choice, he hoped that thinking would buy them some time, time to get Emily safe, prepare for whatever was going to happen. He’d called Thorne, but it went straight to voice mail. Speeding up, the tires grabbed the road, the car purring as they sped along the deserted, snowy roads.
Pulling over to refill since they’d likely not see another open petrol station; Emily woke up as the car came to a stop. Watching her stretch, desire flared to life. He pulled her across the seat, crushing his mouth to hers, his kiss demanding, hungry. Blinking at the rapping on the window, they broke apart, Colin jumped out of the car.
“Easy lad, didn’t mean to interrupt your snogging. I’m getting ready to close so if you need petrol, better fill her up now.” Running a hand down the side of the Porsche, the attendant whistled, “Now that is one fine piece of machinery.”
Emily had gone inside to use the ladies room and stretch her legs.
The snow was coming down in big, fluffy flakes. Slipping, Colin caught her arm, holding the door for her.
“Can’t believe I’m going to admit this, you were right, I’m hungry. Think you might share your wee road trip food with me?” He gave her his most charming smile. Could admit when he was wrong, wasn’t a complete dolt.
“Won’t even say I told you so.” Emily handed him food and hot chocolate. He’d never admit to anyone but he liked the chocolate drink. As his stomach rumbled, she passed him a potato pie. “Would you tell me about your home? I’ve never been to a castle before.” She’d turned in her seat to watch him. The small gesture pleased him.
“Ravensmore has been owned by a Campbell since it was built back in the thirteen hundreds. It burned to the ground at one point but was rebuilt, though uninhabited for a long time. It’s made of gray stone and sits on the edge of a cliff. Behind the castle is the sea, in front, open ground sweeping down to the forest. The walls have never been breached. It has over a hundred rooms. Some of the wings aren’t used so they’re closed off unless we need them. You’ll meet the staff; they keep it running and clean when I’m away. This is where I prefer to spend most of my time though I have a place in Edinburgh.”
“I can’t wait to see it. I’ve always been fascinated with castles. Will it be terribly cold inside like Edinburgh Castle?”
“’Tis cold but nothing like most old castles. The Roman’s figured out how to run water through ceramic pipes, heating the floor, so your toes won’t be cold.”
“I remember the guide at the museum saying you were ahead of your time partially due to the castle being built upon an old Roman fort? Is that where the heated floors came from?”
“Aye, the Romans were so advanced in their construction and building techniques. They had figured out heat, running water, and bathing chambers. These were all intact and the castle built utilizing them. My ancestors were thrifty and didn’t want to waste anything that might be useful. Ravensmore has gardens, both flowers and edible things such as vegetables, fruits and herbs. The castle boasts a large greenhouse or as it used to be called an orangerie, where oranges, lemons, and other fruits difficult to grow in Scotland flourish. You’ll see the old mosaics in the bathing pool and yes, we have electricity and hot water along with toilets. We’re not complete savages.” He told her. “See it was expensive even then to maintain such a large holding. My father had squandered the family fortune, so there wasn’t money for repairs and upkeep. I couldn’t bear to let go of the place. It has secret passages and rooms that as a boy were exciting to explore. One passage leads from one of the old garrison buildings down to the sea.”
She interrupted him, “Is that where the smuggling took place?”
“Aye, there’s a hidden cove where small ships could dock without being seen and load the whisky. There’s another passage leading down from the kitchen, it goes to three chambers. One was used for refrigeration, one for freezing and the last for ice. It was so cold in the rock, the way the sea water came in, created these ideal temperatures. Wine was stored there along with homemade cheese. It truly is a wonderful place. I’m planning to bring back the wine and cheese making—as you know, the whisky is still being produced. Many of the families who relied on me then…” His voice was strangled. She saw the emotions play across his face as he composed himself.
“They had a rough time of it after I was gone. One of the first things I did when I came back was to make sure they were being taken care of. Hamish stopped all whisky production, turning the families—rather what was left of them…he’d had most of the men hanged—the rest he put out into the streets. I tracked down every one I could find, set them up in an abandoned hunting lodge owned by my family but forgotten, on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Told them I survived, had to keep my existence a secret. Eventually, I told some of them the truth. To this day, descendants of those families still work for me.”
“The guide said Hamish was killed at Castle Gloom while Abigail was away. Did they ever figure out what happened?”
Looking down at her hand on his arm, he clasped her hand tight. “Abigail was to blame. She’d decided she was done with Hamish, having spent his gold, had no further use for him. She had him murdered while she left, bound for the West Indies to marry a wealthy plantation owner. She never made it, the ship was attacked by pirates and said all perished…though it was Robert who attacked the ship. He was going to sell Abigail to a whorehouse for what she did. As much as I hated her, I couldn’t let that fate befall her. Instead, she was sold to be a maid in a fine house.”
Emily snorted, “You were nicer than I would have been, I don’t know what I would have done, but a maid in a grand house was much too nice for her after what she did.”
Pulling in to a snow-covered drive; a well-lit, cozy cottage came into view. Parking in front of the door, Colin came around to let Emily out.
“The snow’s getting bad, we won’t stay long. This is the MacGregor family. They’ve worked with me since the beginning; all three sons are part of the business. I wanted to drop their check off since I know they’ve wanted to put a down payment on a new boat.”
The door opened, Alistair greeted him. He was growing up fast. Sixteen looking twenty.
“Colin, you didn’t have to stop by tonight, it could have waited. Come in. Mam’s got tea on.”
The boy gave Emily an appraising glance as she came in, taking off her coat. Catching Colin’s look, he blushed and looked away.
Mrs. MacGregor came bustling into the room, a plump woman, in her late forties, with gray streaked liberally through her auburn hair which was in a messy bun, wisps escaping.
“Welcome Colin! Come, come, sit by the fire, warm your bones while I fix some tea. ‘Tis a lovely snowy night, isn’t it?” She fussed in the kitchen, getting tea and cookies ready while he and Emily made themselves comfortable.
“Emily, this is Mrs. MacGregor, her sons—Alistair, he’s sixteen. Hugh is eighteen, and Colum i
s twenty.”
“Pleasure to meet ya’ll.”
Colin suppressed a guffaw at the dumbstruck looks on the lads faces. All smitten by the looks of it.
Finishing their tea, Mrs. MacGregor thanked him for the check, patted Emily’s cheek, telling Colin, “You’ve got a good one here, even if she is a Yank. Now be off with you before the snow gets worse. I’ve packed you a full thermos of hot tea and there’s rolls, still warm from the oven.”
Heading out, the snow scraped against the low-slung car. “We’re an hour, maybe two with the snow, from Ravensmore.”
“I’ll cross my fingers we don’t get stuck. Take my mind off the weather, you said the MacGregor’s all work for you, do they all make whisky?”
“Nay, Alistair has the knack for it while Hugh works on the vineyards, and Colum works on ways to continue to modernize operations and the castle. He’s an engineer, always tinkering with some new gadget.”
“I’m curious, what’s the boat for?”
“Alistair wants to also transport goods for Robert. A small boat comes in handy for some of the locales. The family shares in the profits of Ravensmore Whisky. I decided a long time ago; all profits would go to the families who were betrayed along with me.”
Seeing her shocked look, he continued, “The distillery makes a decent profit, helps them, and I don’t need the money.” Cut off from telling her anything else, he swore, swerving hard to the right to avoid a red Range Rover bearing down on them as the sound of gunfire shattered the stillness.
Chapter 16
“Tell me that was a car backfiring.” Emily slunk down in the seat.
“The glass is bulletproof; make sure your seatbelt is tight.” He narrowly avoided the oncoming car, only to hear a loud pop, as the car hit something, puncturing a tire. Coming to a stop in the deserted road, he warned her, “No matter what, stay in the car, keep the doors locked. Do you know how to use a gun?”
“Yes…I learned to shoot when I was five,” she stuttered.
“Safety’s on, gun loaded. Shoot to kill. It’s after sunset, the Day Walkers will be weakened. Hitting us after dark, they must be desperate.”
Getting out of the car, he hit the door locks, striding to the Rover as four men jumped out. Colin didn’t know whether to be relieved they weren’t Day Walkers and this wouldn’t take long or offended that only minions had been sent after him.
Throwing his dagger at the first man, he caught him in the throat, dropping him by the still-open SUV door. The second dove for cover in the vehicle. The other two hunkered down and started shooting. Pulling out his Glock, Colin dropped the guy crouching by the passenger door when he stood to fire, posing like he was some kind of cheesy action star. His cohort fired at Colin, the bullet grazing his upper arm and nicking his side before Colin reached the third man. Popping a blade out of the toe of his boot, he kicked up, catching the loser minion across the throat, blood soaking the white snow on the ground.
Now this is what sucked about killing minions, they didn’t disintegrate into dust, you had to clean up the mess or the authorities would start nosing around.
Grumbling, Colin opened the hatch to throw the bodies into the back of the Rover when he was kicked in the chest as the last coward jumped out of the SUV and started running. Must have been the guy who dove for cover when the shooting started. Easily catching the weasel, he decided to question him first.
Grabbing the minion by the neck, lifting him several feet in the air, the guy’s face was turning red, his feet ineffectually kicking, hands clawing at his throat.
“Stop. Tell me what I want to know and I’ll let you go.”
The man’s eyes were wild; he stank of fear and desperation. Prison tats covered his face and arms; Colin figured he had been somebody’s bitch on the inside by the way he cowered in the back of the Rover instead of fighting with his partners.
As the man motioned to his mouth, Colin eased his grip enough for the fool to speak. “Man, we was just following orders. Said to kill you and bring the girl back alive, that’s all I know, I swear.”
“Take Emily back to whom?” he demanded, squeezing the man’s throat for emphasis.
“Rawlins wants her. Said we better not touch a hair on her head. He didn’t tell us anything else.” Colin’s gut heaved. This was about Emily. Rawlins was indeed after her. Somehow he’d learned of her ability to see Walkers, putting her in danger. He swore, sending up a plea to the gods Emily had stayed in the Porsche with the doors locked. Before he could check on her, he had to finish dealing with this situation.
Hearing a sizzling sound, he looked down, seeing piss drip from the man’s pants, steam rising up from the warm stream hitting the snow. Disgusted, he threw him to the ground, wasn’t worth killing but if he didn’t, the loser would scurry back to tell Rawlins which would point the way to Ravensmore.
Breaking the man’s neck with one quick clean snap, he heaved him into the Rover with the others. Colin got in, thankful the keys were still in the ignition. He drove up the road a ways toward the cliffs, jumped out, stripping off his bloody clothes and throwing them into the back before he put his shoulder to the SUV and pushed…the vehicle went over the edge, tumbling end over end, hitting the rocks and exploding. By the time anyone investigated, the bodies would be burnt to cinders and it would be chalked up to an accident due to the weather conditions.
Jogging back to the car naked, dangly bits bouncing, he rapped on the window. “Emily, are ye all aright?”
She screamed, her face was pale as the moon on a winter night. “Colin! You’re naked—and bleeding, again. I heard gunshots…are we okay?”
Her teeth were chattering and peering closer at her, Colin could see her eyes looked glazed as she struggled to process what had happened. She was in shock. “The men won’t bother us again. I took my bloody clothes off to destroy them with the bodies. Had to be done. Roll the window back up. I need to change the tire and we’ll be on our way.”
Colin quickly replaced the flat, slipping in the snow, cursing as he worked. Finished, he opened the trunk, pulling on a change of clothes. He kept clothing stashed around his homes and cars in case he needed them on his death anniversary.
Tapping softly on the window so he wouldn’t scare her again; Emily looked out at him, her face blank. Popping the locks for him, her hands shook.
“What is it with men trying to kill you? I’ve never seen so many bodies, I feel like I’m in the middle of an action movie or maybe a horror flick.”
Starting the car, he put the heat on high to warm her and poured a cup of tea.
“Drink, Emily. Will help warm you.” Running a hand over his face, he exhaled hard, “I know it’s difficult to see. I’ve killed so many men over the centuries it doesn’t register. We are always at war, always fighting, I’m sorry you had to go through this. And yes, my clothes were spattered with blood, best to burn them.”
“Are you hurt? You’re covered in blood.”
“Aye, nicked me in the side and grazed my arm. ‘Twill be fine. Were you ogling my hot bod?”
“I’m so not going there. And I’m sure you think the wounds are minor, but I want to bandage them when we stop.”
“As you wish.”
The car was working hard against the deep snow. Colin downshifted, the car protesting as they pushed onward, almost there. The lights of Ravensmore blinked in the distance. The car came to a thudding stop at the outer wall; snow too high to drive through, the Porsche wasn’t a snowplow but a high-performance machine. Not meant to plow the damn stuff.
“We’ll have to walk from here.” The snow was knee deep and still coming down hard. They’d have a foot by morning.
Banging on the heavy wooden doors, Emily looked around at the forbidding castle.
“Wow, I’d hate to be the kid dared to ring your doorbell on a dark and stormy night. It’s a little scary, like the turrets are looming over us. I’m waiting for a wolf to howl or a raven to fly by.” Emily shivered as the wind blew through h
er jacket, ruffling her hair.
His breath caught. Emily looked like some ancient goddess set against the silvery light of the moon with the snow falling on her.
The doors opened. “Who’s there, banging away this time of night?”
Colin started seeing the old man in the doorway. Worthington had aged a great deal over the past few years. The butler had been born at Ravensmore, taking over once his father passed. It was lonely—always being the one left behind. Worthington peered through the fluffy flakes, scowl changing to a genuine smile when he spotted Colin.
“Ah Milord, come in out of the cold, we weren’t sure you were coming. Let me make sure your room is ready,” Worthington told them, frank curiosity on his face at seeing Emily. “Come in lass, warm yourself by the fire, you look ready to fall over. There is a visitor in the kitchen, a policeman from Edinburgh, named Monroe, unexpectedly arrived a few hours ago, looking for you and the lass, said he’d wait.” The butler stood nervously looking at Colin.
“A police officer is here? Whatever could he want?” He was puzzled. How did the cop even know who he was? He kept a low profile. What did he want with Emily? Maybe there was some clue that had come to light regarding their room being ransacked at the hotel or when her friend Kat was pushed—he doubted it as he suspected the cause of both—didn’t expect a mortal cop to know anything. He’d find out soon enough.
Meg came rushing in, fussing over them, “Oh dearies, ye look half dead. Come in to the kitchen and get warm. Worthington’s told ye about the visitor, has he? I made the lovely officer some tea. He’ll need to stay the night; the snow’s too deep to drive back to Edinburgh.”
Lost in Shadow (A Shadow Walkers Ghost Novel) Page 16
