by Donna Grant
“That won’t go back nearly far enough,” Kyran said.
Baylon ran his thumb along the edges of one stack. “And these are only mortals. We’ll need Fae records, as well.”
“We’ll get that,” Neve said as she looked at Kyran.
And then they were gone.
When the others began discussing how to trace the line through generations when the humans didn’t keep records, Daire took the two piles of papers and found an empty room.
He started with the most recent family and began to trace the line as far back as he could. Then he moved on to the next family, and the next, and the next.
Using the walls, he gave each family a section and different colored thread and worked his way down the line until he could go no more. He didn’t know how long he worked. He’d found something he could focus on, and he dove right into it.
After he’d completed each of the families from the mortal stacks, he began on the Fae after Neve and Talin returned with the files. He was halfway through the Fae when Cael and Fintan walked into the room.
“Damn,” Fintan murmured.
Daire stood back and looked around the room. He hadn’t remembered using the ceiling and floor, but then again, he’d been utterly engrossed in his task.
He turned to Cael. “Do you have news?”
“It seems Bran left five children behind,” Cael announced.
Daire had known it would be difficult finding one, but five? Their task just got that much harder. “Do the others know?”
“They do,” Fintan said.
Cael walked into the room and looked around as he spoke. “Three of Bran’s children were Fae. Two were Halflings.”
“We have to trace each of those five children,” Daire said.
Fintan made a sound at the back of his throat. “This gives me a headache. Find me someone to kill, and I’ll do it. But I’m useless in this.”
Daire waited until Fintan was gone before he turned to Cael. “Five?”
“Five. We don’t speak of our pasts, so why would we talk of children?”
It was true, but still. Daire narrowed his gaze on Cael. “Do you have any?”
“Kids?” Cael asked and then promptly shook his head. “Not that I know of.”
“Me either.”
And it was something Daire was thankful for. He wasn’t sure he could keep from checking on them if he did. Not even being a Reaper would prevent that.
“Bran left his wife and three kids behind when he became a Reaper,” Cael said.
Daire frowned. “I left no one behind, so it was easy for me to choose to be a Reaper. How did he do it?”
“I don’t know. Maybe that’s why it was hard for him to be alone.”
Though it was an unspoken decree that they not ask each other about their pasts, Daire couldn’t help himself. “Did you leave anyone behind?”
“Yes,” Cael said, his gaze going distant. Then he seemed to mentally shake himself. “We’ve got work to do. There are descendants of Bran out there, and we need to find them.”
“You really think they can help us?”
“I’d rather they be on our side than his.”
Damn. Daire hadn’t even thought of that.
Chapter Four
The available men lacked in . . . well, everything. Ettie’s head throbbed from the loud noise of the pub. She craved fresh air from the press of bodies and the odor of someone that made her gag.
How in the world did her sisters find taverns even remotely entertaining? Ettie had long ago stopped trying to figure her siblings out. They were vastly different than her, and she accepted that.
Though it made her feel isolated and incredibly . . . lonely. She would never tell them that, though. They had enough on their plates to deal with. This was her burden.
She looked through the crowd to find Carrie. Her youngest sister wore a thin, soft pink sweater that made her skin look as if it glowed. As soon as Carrie planted her jean-clad butt on a bar stool, man after man flocked to her. Carrie had yet to pay for a drink after almost two hours at the pub.
At least Ettie wouldn’t have to worry about her youngest sister not finding happiness. Carrie was a free spirit who liked to follow rainbows. She didn’t see the gritty, ugly world as it truly was. No, Carrie only saw possibilities and hope.
And who was Ettie to crush that?
She turned her head to look out the window and spotted Jamie holding hands with her new beau as she gave him a dazzling smile. None of the men who dated Jamie seemed to mind that she loved engines and grease. They only cared about her.
Ettie sat back and watched until Jamie and her man disappeared from view. So many nights, she’d silently griped to herself about chasing her siblings around to make sure they were safe, but now, knowing that their time with her was about to end, she longed for them to remain.
“Am I interrupting?”
She jerked her head up at the sound of the deep voice to find a man standing at her table. He had a nice smile, silver eyes, and thick, gorgeous black hair that was pulled back at the base of his neck. “Do you need a chair?” she asked.
His smile widened. “Aye. I suppose I do. But to sit with you.”
Ettie was so shocked that she blinked up at him. No one ever wanted to sit with her. “Ah . . . sure.”
“You seem surprised,” he said as he lowered himself into the chair and set down his ale.
She shrugged, unsure how to respond.
“Would you like another ale?” he asked.
Usually, her limit was one, but she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to have someone buy her a drink. “That would be nice.”
She couldn’t take her eyes off him as he stood and waved to the bartender. The man was tall, wide-shouldered, and had a voice as smooth as velvet. And he was gorgeous.
Stunningly so.
It made her nervous to have such a man pay attention to her. When he sat back down and turned those eyes of his to her, she lost her train of thought.
“Why is a woman like you sitting alone?” he asked with a grin.
Her ale was passed from the bartender through the crowd to her. She accepted it and took a long drink, hoping it would calm her nerves.
It didn’t.
She wasn’t going to tell him she was there to watch over her sister. God. That would make him realize just what a loser she really was.
“Are you new in town?” She hoped to change the subject, but she also wanted to know more about him.
A man who looked as delicious as he did would be whispered about all over town. And Ettie had heard nothing. Neither had her sisters because they would’ve been all over him.
Just then, Carrie’s gaze landed on the stranger. Her eyes widened when she saw his face, but she couldn’t extract herself from her gaggle of men. And for once, Ettie was thankful.
“I am new,” the man said. “Is it obvious?”
Ettie found herself smiling. “A man who looks like you can’t come here and not cause a ruckus.”
“Do you like what you see, then?”
She laughed and relaxed as their banter continued. “You’re very confident, which means you have no trouble getting any woman you want. That leads me to believe that you know exactly how handsome you are.”
“I just want to know if you think I’m handsome.”
“I do.”
His lips curved into a smile. “Good. Because I think you’re beautiful.”
Now she knew something was wrong with him. His interest would change as soon as he got a look at Jamie or Carrie, but Ettie was going to bask in his attention for now.
She stuck out her hand, “I’m Et—”
“No names,” he said over her.
Frowning, she lowered her hand, suddenly wary. “Why?”
“Let’s get to know each other differently. Everyone introduces themselves with their names first. People then make assumptions on those names.”
“I suppose.”
“You know I�
��m right.”
“So, you want to talk without knowing my name?”
He gave a nod and crossed an ankle over his knee. “Up for the challenge?”
Ettie watched him for a moment. Why couldn’t she have some fun? Her sisters didn’t think twice about it. And she knew what to look for in a Fae, so she’d be more careful than either Jamie or Carrie.
“Sure.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me down,” he said with a wink as he brought his glass to his lips and held her gaze as he drank.
Feeling more carefree than she had in years, Ettie sipped more ale. “What brings you to Killarney?”
“I’ve been traveling all over Ireland and even a bit of Scotland,” he replied.
“How interesting.” She hadn’t been outside of Killarney, and she was dying to experience more of the world than just through pictures. “Where is your favorite part?”
“I’d have to say right here.”
Ettie knew he was flirting. And it felt wonderful! She returned his smile, intending to play along. “Our countryside is quite beautiful.”
“I was referring to you.”
She felt her cheeks heat. No wonder Jamie always had a boyfriend, and Carrie was dying to date. This attention and, yes, even the attraction, gave Ettie’s confidence a boost she hadn’t realized was lacking.
He put his forearms on the table and leaned toward her. “If I’d known a compliment would make you blush, it would’ve been the first thing I did.”
“Hey,” Carrie said as she walked up.
The smile died on Ettie’s lips. Whatever fun she’d been having would be dashed after her visitor got a look at Carrie’s beautiful face. “Hi.”
“Who’s this?” Carrie said as her gaze moved to the man.
He gave Carrie a nod, but to Ettie’s surprise, his gaze returned to her.
“I’m a new friend,” he replied.
Carrie snorted. “Ettie doesn’t have friends.”
Not only had her sister embarrassed her, but she’d also given her name. Anger bubbled within Ettie. She stood and put her back to the man as she leaned close to Carrie.
“Really?” Ettie said through clenched teeth. “I don’t bother you. Do you have to have every fekking man around sniffing at you? Can’t I have one hour of fun?”
Carrie jerked back, fury contorting her face. “What the hell is wrong with you? I was just coming to say hello.”
“No. You were flirting. It’s not enough that you have every single man—and even the married ones—staring at you. You had to come over and see who wasn’t paying you homage.”
“Get over yourself,” Carrie said angrily and spun away.
For a long minute, Ettie remained where she was. It wasn’t like her to lose her temper like that, but she wouldn’t apologize.
“Let’s go for a walk.”
She hadn’t even heard the man stand, much less come up behind her. Ettie turned to him and looked up into his silver eyes. “I can’t go far.”
“We won’t. I promise.”
Without a backward glance at Carrie, Ettie walked out of the pub, grabbing her coat on the way. As soon as they exited the building, she drank in the quiet. She lifted her face to the sky and took a deep breath as the cool air brushed against her cheek.
She shrugged into her jacket and looked at the man with his wide shoulders and stunning smile. “You know my name now.”
“I do. It seems only fair that you know mine.”
They began to walk slowly along the sidewalk. “It does.”
“I’m Bran.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Bran,” she said as they grinned at each other.
His smile was a heart-skipping combination of charming and sexy. “It’s very nice to know you, Ettie.”
He walked with her with nothing more on for warmth than his thick, cream sweater. Ettie ignored Jamie, who stopped in her tracks when she spotted them from across the street.
“You’re being stared at,” he leaned close to whisper.
She threw Jamie a look. “Gawked at, actually. That’s my sister.”
“Ah. I see. And the young lady in the pub?”
“My youngest sister.”
He gave a nod of his black head. “They’re protective.”
She wasn’t going to make things awkward by telling him he was wrong. Let him believe what he would. It wasn’t as if she’d see more of him. Bran was a wanderer, and it wouldn’t be long before he left.
“Do you have siblings?” she asked.
He briefly met her gaze. “Sadly, no. I bet it’s nice to have such family.”
“Well, it depends on who you ask and what day you do the asking.”
Bran laughed, their gazes meeting. He stopped and faced her. “I wish I’d traveled to Killarney much sooner. You’re a delight I hadn’t anticipated.”
“Do you always know what to say?”
“Hardly,” he said with crooked smile.
Her brow rose. “I doubt that.”
“Why do you say that?”
She shrugged and put her hands in her coat pockets. “It’s that confidence I spoke of earlier.”
“The same kind you have, you mean?”
That made her laugh out loud. “If you only knew the truth.”
“Tell me,” he urged.
She widened her eyes while shaking her head. “I think I’d rather you believe the fiction.”
“All right. How about I tell you something about me first.”
The dare was out there, and she found she didn’t want to let it pass her by. “I accept.”
“I’ve not had a woman catch my eye in . . . some time. Then I saw you.”
She was drowning in his eyes. Even when he stepped closer, she didn’t back away. When was the last time a man who was interested in her was this close? She craved the attention, hungered for it.
Like she needed air to breathe.
“I was at the pub to watch over Carrie. Once people see my sisters, I’m forgotten.”
He closed the distance between them and lightly skimmed his fingers along her cheek to her jaw. “I only saw you.”
“Yes, you did.”
Her eyes slid closed as his head lowered to hers. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, someone cleared their throat right beside her.
Ettie jerked back and looked to find Jamie standing with her arms crossed over her chest and her lips pinched. Beside her was Carrie with a murderous expression on her face.
“Can I help you?” she asked her sisters.
Bran pulled her hand from her pocket and kissed her knuckles. “I’ll see you soon, Ettie.”
She watched, helplessly as he walked away. Then she swung around to her sisters. “What is wrong with you two?”
“That’s funny since I was about to ask you the same thing,” Jamie said.
Chapter Five
Time was against them. No matter how long Daire worked, he felt as if the hands of time were ticking faster and faster. After two days, he’d managed to trace four of Bran’s descendants.
Talin, Neve, and Kyran were checking those offspring who were Fae. Meanwhile, Fintan and Daire had each chosen a mortal family to inspect.
Daire intended to follow another lead. He was veiled when he teleported to Killarney. He remained that way as he walked the streets, getting to know the people and the city.
There were a fair number of tourists, but oddly, few Fae. Why would the Fae steer clear of the area when they didn’t do that with any other place in Ireland? It gave him pause, especially since a direct line of Bran’s descendants were supposed to live in the area.
He was about to turn away when a flash of color caught his eye. His gaze locked on a woman with a peach plaid flannel shirt and jean-clad legs that went on for days.
She gave a shake of her head, moving the strands of blond hair out of her eyes while she and another woman carried what looked like a part to an engine inside a building.
It wasn’t long before she
returned, tucking her golden, shoulder-length hair behind her ear and shrugging into a black coat that had seen better days.
She lifted her gaze skyward and looked up at the sun before closing her eyes as if she were soaking in the rays. Before Daire knew it, he was walking toward her. He had no idea what drew him, only that he needed to get a closer look.
Standing five feet from her, he couldn’t tear his eyes from the woman. Her heart-shaped face was mesmerizing. With skin almost luminescent, she was a shining light in a sea of dullness. His gaze ran over her incredible cheekbones down to her mouth. Full, tempting lips beckoned him to taste her.
Large eyes so deep a blue they were almost otherworldly lowered and looked around as if searching for something or someone. Without even trying, he’d found a Halfling, and he had a suspicion that she was the descendent he searched for.
Suddenly, her face lit up as a smile pulled at her lips. Daire followed her gaze to find the woman staring at none other than Bran. Daire was so shocked that for a moment he couldn’t move. He could only glare in consternation as Bran approached the woman and placed a kiss upon her cheek.
“Hi,” she said, smiling up at Bran.
He wrapped an arm around her. “Hi.”
Daire was going to be sick. His mind was trying so hard to come to terms with Bran once again beating them to the punch that he didn’t listen to the exchange between the Halfling, Bran, and the other woman from earlier who joined them.
It wasn’t until the second woman got into a vehicle to drive away that he took in her features. There were similarities enough for him to realize that it was another Halfling and kin to the first.
Daire clenched his fists, the need to lash out at Bran surging through him. He thought of Eoghan, of seeing his friend disappear in the maelstrom of magic. Daire moved closer to Bran and the woman. It was hard to be so near Bran and not attack him, but Daire knew it wouldn’t do any good.
He was gaining information for the other Reapers and Erith. And while it killed him not to dole out violence upon Bran, he kept the bigger picture in mind—Bran’s death.
Daire kept a healthy distance from Bran’s woman in case Bran attempted to see if anyone was veiled around him.
The couple had only gone a few steps before Bran said, “Ettie, it’s going to be fine. Jamie just isn’t used to you not always being there.”
