“Oh, yeah. That would be wonderful. What are you two doing tonight?”
“Just a night out for dinner.”
“And he’s coming here to pick you up?” Anice nodded. “Brave too.”
“Brave?”
“Would you want to deal with four very grumpy men who see it as their duty to protect you?”
“No. Only three. We have that benefit in town,” Rena said. The McLennan’s didn’t go out often, but when they did, it was usually Anice’s brother Fletcher. Now that he had Rena by his side, Anice no longer had to deal with those things.
“Still. I know that Callum has been grumpy about it all day.”
“He can just get over it,” Anice said.
“That’s what I told him,” Phoebe said.
“Either way, I will take your suggestions to heart,” she said.
“Did Rena do your hair?” Phoebe asked.
“Yes.”
“Figures. At the moment, I can’t do a thing with my hair. I don’t have the energy or the patience.”
There was a flash and Phoebe’s hair was in the neat chignon she usually wore. Once a tangled mess, it was now smooth and sleek.
“Thank you,” she said.
“No problem. Just tell me if you need help with that again,” Rena said. “I think we should leave Anice to get ready for her date.”
“Okay,” Maggie said, walking forward and giving Anice a kiss on the cheek. Both Meghan and Rena followed suit. She was finally left alone with Phoebe. Her cousin-in-law sat on the bed, her feet dangling off the edge. They were swollen, as were her ankles.
“Does Callum know you’re in here?”
Phoebe’s husband, and the laird of the Clan, had been acting overprotective of his wife and their new baby. It was understandable. She was carrying the first known baby to be born to them since the curse had been enacted. There had also been a passage warning them about the next generation. Everyone’s level of worry had heightened in the last few weeks, as they moved closer to the birth. Anice just hoped she could live up to the task of getting the last jewel.
“I’m a grown woman. I can walk around on my own.” She patted the bed beside her. Anice walked over and sat down.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ve deciphered a little bit more in the diary I think has to do with you.”
“Why didn’t you say anything in front of the others?”
“Because you already have so much stress on you being the last.”
She sighed and nodded. Phoebe pulled out a scrap of paper and unfolded it.
“The best of the five, the one with the truest heart, is the one who will decide their fate. She is the connection to everything that could save them from themselves.”
Anice blinked. “How do you know that’s about me?”
“First, you are the only one left. It also mentions the amethyst, and I have heard all of the cousins and your brother make that remark about you.”
“What remark?”
“You are the best of them. They have all said it one way or another. Anice...you are the key to all of this.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You need to contemplate your role in this entire story. You’re the one who kept the idea of ending the curse alive. You are the one who is the gentlest of hearts, but also the bravest.”
Embarrassed, she shook her head. “Don’t go barmy on me, Phoebe. I need at least one of us to stay sane.”
Phoebe shook her head. “You are the bravest. I still cannot understand how you handled traipsing around all your idiot cousins and idiot brother all these years. The fear, the absolute terror of being a woman in those times...” she shook her head. “It’s still not fantastic, but throughout the last two centuries, we have come a long way.”
Again, the backs of her eyes burned, and she tried to blink the tears away. They fell down her cheeks nonetheless.
“Oh, sweet Anice, don’t cry. It’s all going to work out.”
Anice nodded, not truly convinced. For the first time in all the years they had been pursuing this idea, she was starting to doubt it would conclude the way she wanted or hoped. And worse, they had no idea what was going to happen to Phoebe or her unborn bairn if Anice failed.
Phoebe took Anice’s hand in hers. “I know it’s scary, but there is a different way the witches talk about you. They talk about you as if you are the most precious of gifts. It’s almost as if they revere you as some kind of goddess.”
Anice snorted and Phoebe chuckled.
“I know you might not believe it, but you are. They call you the key. I just need to figure out what that key means. Key to what?”
“I’ve never heard anything about a key.”
“Nor I in any of my translations. The barmy witches seem to have some hold over the book.”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems I gravitate to a passage or two when they want me to. There is no rhyme or reason for the way I’m working through the book. Instead, I flip through the pages and they tell me where to stop.”
“Odd,” Anice murmured.
“Right?” She sighed. “Anyway, I just want you to forget all of this and go have fun tonight. Kiss the man, and much more if the mood strikes. You deserve it.”
“I will.”
“Now, help me up.”
Anice did just as there was a knock on the door before it slammed open. Phoebe’s husband Callum stood in the doorway, his regular scowl in place.
“You know I could have been naked, Callum.”
He tossed an irritated look in Anice’s direction before zeroing in on his wife. “I couldn’t find you.”
“Apparently you could, because here you are.”
His frown turned darker. “You should be in bed.”
“The doctor said a little walking was good.”
“Not alone.”
Phoebe rolled her eyes. “Have fun tonight,” she said before kissing Anice on the cheek.
Before she could take another step, Callum was by her side. He took her hand and led her out of the room. Anice smiled and shut the door behind them, then leaned against it. It was hard to believe how fast their lives had changed, thanks to hiring Phoebe. Most people would say being immortal would be fun, but they never had much fun. Living year after year, watching those people you care about die, or worse, the need to cut yourself off from people so you are not hurt.
She sighed and pushed those thoughts aside. Tonight was about fun and seduction and nothing else.
Chapter Two
Brody Stewart looked at himself in the mirror and tried his best not to be nervous. It’s not like he was a virgin. He’d lost that decades earlier or he would definitely be barmy by now. Their kind didn’t do well going for long periods of celibacy. Maybe that’s why he was such a mess at the moment.
One whole month. It seemed like a lifetime since he’d started dating Anice. As with every time before, thinking her name left him a bit weak. It wasn’t odd for his kind to experience this, especially since he had yet to take her to his bed. But the intensity bothered him. She was his mate, but it wasn’t as if she was the only woman who could be his mate. He’d met a few along the way, but with Anice, he seemed to get the shakes every time he thought of her. He felt like an alcoholic needing a pint to cure his need. Only, he didn’t think a little taste would do the trick. There was a very good chance he would fall into bed with her and lose himself for days. Not a bad thing in point of fact.
His phone buzzed in his pocket and he hesitated. He really didn’t want to deal with his cousin Gavin McWalton. Other than the fact that his cousin still thought Brody was doing this for him, Brody couldn’t stand the bastard. He also didn’t trust the other man’s fixation on Anice. Why the hell had so many of his family seemed to be obsessed with her, he didn’t know. It had lasted for centuries, and each generation worked against the McLennans. But there was always one laird, every now and then, who would become obsessed with Anice.
A growl rumbled in his chest as possessiveness flooded his blood.
She is ours.
As he attempted to ignore his wolf, Brody rolled his shoulders but couldn’t fight the need vibrating within him. She tempted him in the worst way, and he needed to keep his head about him. He didn’t need to lose his perspective, but he found himself drawn to her more and more. If she lived in town, he would probably spend every possible moment with her.
The fact that she was his mate further complicated things. He shut his eyes and tried his best to ignore the primal need to challenge his cousin. Gavin wanted to possess her in a way that was unnatural. It didn’t make sense. Not really. He had been a normal man, just living his life. In fact, Gavin had been more accepting of Brody’s arm of the family tree. Then, he had become the Laird. Since that moment, he had slowly tipped off the deep end into weird behavior. All of Gavin’s machinations against the McLennans took a back seat to humiliating Anice.
“You think too much,” Cayden said from behind him.
Brody looked at his brother’s reflection in the mirror. Older by only thirteen months, they were closer than other brothers in other packs. As Alpha, Cayden was supposed to keep himself separate. At least, that was what occurred in other packs. It would never be that way with the Stewarts. It was impossible after what they had been through.
“I don’t think too much. Thinking is just part of my job.”
As Beta and helper to the Alpha, Brody’s position was to make sure every plan had been thought out.
“I don’t know why you think we need this.”
He turned to face his brother. People said they looked so alike they could be twins. Well, except that Brody now sported a beard, and Cayden’s facial scar set him apart. Usually, those marks would have faded. They tended to heal faster than their human counterparts, but there was one claw mark left. It sliced down his face. To this day, Brody was surprised Cayden didn’t lose his eye.
“You sanctioned the action. Are you against it now?”
He shook his head. “But I do believe that we have other ways of gaining back our land. I don’t trust Gavin.”
He snorted. “None of us do. The man is definitely getting barmy.”
“More than usual?”
He nodded. “You remember he was kind of odd as a child, but not anything to worry about. When he gained control of his Clan, he started plotting. Recently, he’s become obsessed with Anice.”
“Understandable. She’s a gorgeous woman.”
His chest rumbled.
Ours, his wolf proclaimed.
Cayden studied him for a long moment. “Whoa, brother, maybe you should take a few days away from the woman. You’re getting too attached.”
The idea of being away from Anice caused a shot of pain to lance through his body. She was his mate, he was sure of it now. They had not consummated the act, but he had definitely gotten attached. It wasn’t like he couldn’t find another mate. There wasn’t just one mate for every wolf, but never before had he been this attached to a woman.
“No. We need to see this through. We need to bring the others home.”
His brother nodded. Most of their family had scattered centuries ago. Wolves were no longer indigenous to Scotland, so if they did not have their own lands, they couldn’t hide. Most of them had gone to Ireland or the Americas, but their homeland tugged at them constantly. Living apart like this was painful to all of them.
“There are other ways, Brody. I could approach Robertson Clan Pack.”
“That would mean you would marry someone you did not love, and we would have to work with the Robertsons. I don’t trust them any more than I trust Gavin.”
They had been at odds with their old neighbors for a few decades. A truce would allow them some freedom, but he didn’t like the fact that his brother would have to make the sacrifice. He had already sacrificed too much.
“While you betray a woman you are falling in love with?”
Brody hated the look his brother was giving him. He knew that he had taken liberties with Anice. That he should have walked away, but he couldn’t, not without hurting himself, he had been a coward. For this one time in his life, he wanted to take the time.
“You know Gavin is going to think something is up. Maybe we could bring Esme in for a spell or two.”
The cousin on the witchy side of their family still lived in the area. Another blessing was that she wanted to maim and/or kill every laird of the McWalton Clan. Her side of the family hadn’t been treated any better than his.
“I don’t know if we should make her a target.”
Cayden nodded. “We have options, so remember that. Before you make any moves, the pack is important, but our souls are just as important. If you do anything to Anice, then you would definitely lose her. Having the land isn’t important to me if you lose yourself in this fight.” He studied Brody. “Why are you so nervous tonight?”
“I’m meeting the family.”
“You work for the family. They know you.”
“I’m picking her up at the mansion.”
As a long moment of silence passed, Brody had to fight the urge to fidget. “You’re declaring.”
“No. I’m just making a point.”
But he knew that was a lie. He knew that when he had insisted, he hadn’t been in control. His wolf had come to life with a vengeance.
You just don’t know what you need, his wolf whispered.
Shut up, you idiot.
“Listen, while this has been fun, I thought maybe I should show up on time.”
A smile curled Cayden’s lips and for a brief second, he reminded Brody of the brother he had known before the accident. “You seem particularly antsy tonight.”
Because Anice had been increasingly overt in her need. More than once she had tried to entice him to take her home with him. If he did that, he’d have no way to control himself. It was just impossible for a wolf in heat.
Ease your needs. She’s yours.
Bloody hell. His wolf was getting worse by the day.
“Gavin called me earlier. He’s getting more and more insistent.”
“What I don’t understand is how seducing Anice would help him.”
“I think he thinks my bedding Anice would give him some power over her.”
“Again, still makes no sense. If he were doing the bedding, then I could understand.”
He knew that was true, but it seemed easy enough when Gavin had first approached him about it. She was a beautiful woman and an enemy of his cousin’s Clan. Once he got close to her though, he had known he had made a mistake. She was his mate, and while they said there wasn’t one mate for every wolf, Brody couldn’t imagine wanting another woman. Ever. And that scared the bloody hell out of him. Still, the need to be with her tugged at him constantly.
“Either way, I have a date tonight and I need to get going.”
His brother nodded.
“Anything else?” he asked, anxious to get out of the room. He couldn’t tell his brother that he was plotting another path. Brody knew that Anice was some kind of key to whatever Gavin was plotting. If Brody could figure it out, then he might be able to discover a way to get their land back and not betray Anice. He hadn’t told his brother; although, he had a feeling that Cayden knew he was plotting something.
His brother shook his head. “Be safe.”
Unsettled by the knowing look his brother gave him, Brody said nothing else as he left his room. Being late to the McLennans was not an option. He hurried down the steps and out the door of their house. It was a far cry from the mansion they had spent their early years in, but he liked it. In fact, he liked living in town now. He liked the hustle and bustle of the streets and easy access to things he liked. He enjoyed city life, even so, he knew they needed to be careful. It wasn’t like his time in America where roaming just outside a major city would go unnoticed. People would notice a wolf running the perimeter of a city in Scotland.
He was about to pull out of the
driveway when his phone buzzed again. Dammit. He knew he couldn’t ignore Gavin because his cousin would just show up.
“What?”
Gavin was apparently taken aback by the growl in his voice.
“Is that the way you answer the phone all the time?”
“Only when you’re about to make me late for a date with Anice.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Brody said nothing because he could not bring himself to. He could not openly deceive Anice. First, he didn’t want to. Second, he couldn’t. As she was his mate, deceiving her would be painful, even deadly. They hadn’t mated yet, or it would be worse.
“Yes? I thought we covered this earlier today.”
“We did, but I wanted to make sure that you bedded the bitch soon.”
Tell him to bugger off.
“I told you that it wasn’t going to be that easy. Anice is very guarded, as many of our ancestors found out.”
“My ancestors didn’t truly understand her place in our history.”
He ignored the growl from his wolf. He was from the same line, albeit some of it questionable. Truth was with witches on one side and wolves on the other, Brody knew they would never be in line for control of the Clan. But the fact was, he didn’t want it, nor did his brother. They wanted their pack back on their lands and safe from hunters. For that, he would work through this mess.
Besides, each little nugget of information garnered him another hint of what Gavin was up to.
“I get that, but I need to make sure I make it there on time. I’m meeting her at the house tonight.”
There was another long pause. “Indeed? Well, that’s promising. I’ll let you go, but make sure you report in to me.”
Then he hung up without saying goodbye. Brody clicked off his phone and dropped it on the passenger seat. As he pulled out of the driveway, he made his way toward the Lennon mansion. He had never lived in such lavish surroundings. They had always been a small pack, not big enough to threaten others, but large enough that they could stand their ground. That is until one of Gavin’s cousins from way back had thrown them off the land. They had been a pack without a homeland, and when Cayden tried to challenge the Robertsons, he had been left marked for life. Now he was talking about going back to them? Not acceptable.
Anice: The Cursed Clan Page 2
