The sound of hooves beating the earth approached Ian from behind, and he assumed his brother had gained control of his mirth. Ian could only blame himself if his brother now thought him as addled as Mo Daol. Perhaps, speaking of the dreams, magical books and spells was not as helpful as he thought it would be.
As though nothing happened between the two earlier, Ian spoke. “Ye must be exhausted from your travels. Sleep tonight and in the morning I will share the rest of the news and we mayhap we can devise a plan to deal with Argyll’s threat.” There was more of an emphasis on the “we” and he did not miss the pleased look on his brother’s face.
“So long as ye do not have me chasing fairies and bogles. My shot is good, but not good enough to kill a wee ghostie.” Calum chuckled.
His lips drew into a tight line a sure sign he was reaching his breaking point. For a change, his brother ceased his taunts and he was grateful for the change in subject.
As they drew closer to the keep, his brother asked him. “So ye think Argyll and his nephew are up tae something then?”
Ian nodded, as they continued to approach Moy. The crepitating sounds of the rusted chains creaked in protest as the gate rose.
“Well? Ye cannot think I will sleep a wink while I wonder throughout the night on your thoughts.”
Ian’s chuckle echoed as they passed through the portcullis at Calum’s impatience. “Ye are the most impatient of the lot.”
His brother shrugged his shoulders and did not argue with the statement. Two stable lads were waiting in the bailey when they saw them approaching.
As they entered the keep, Ian turned to his brother and said. “I have given a lot of thought to Argyll’s motive for several days. I did not want to give voice to my opinion, though I did share my thoughts with Seamus. I think King William intends to secure Scotland for his own purposes that much we already know. With Argyll to the south, and our allies to the north, Moy is the perfect location to set up camp. It is centralized and the position is strategically placed on the loch. It would all but seal Scotland’s fate when she falls to the English, especially if we are unsuspecting.”
The typical boisterous Calum stood in earnest as his words sunk in. “Aye. I think ye may be on tae something. Though it will warrant closer inspection, Lochbuie would be the perfect place to land galleys without being seen.”
Ian nodded his head.
“Come Calum. We can talk on this tomorrow, but tonight I will honor ye with a bit of Fergus’s uisge beatha. They say tis the finest in all the Highlands. Well, if it does not kill ye first.”
“Aye! I have not tasted Fergus’s whisky in over six months. Our supply at Dunnideer has seemed too vanished into Uncle Graham’s gut.”
Even as they walked up the steps to enter the keep, Ian could not help but feel his mood lighten a bit. The talk with Calum had gone better than he anticipated, despite him not giving credence to the Tir Nam Famhair. It felt good to share some of the heavy burdens that weighed upon his shoulders, and for the first time in three days, he anticipated a dreamless, uneventful night’s sleep.
Chapter Six
With the foul weather, it didn’t surprise Caroline the streets were devoid of activity. As she left the safe haven of the library, she took a breath and was relieved the shortness of breath left. She hummed as she walked, but it halted at the abrupt sound of a revving engine. She assumed it would have faded by now. Caroline had already walked a block and a half, but the sound remained the same…or was it getting closer? With every step she took, the sound of the car’s motor drew closer. Caroline quickened her pace again. Steady white billows escaped with each breath she exhaled. The rapid beat of her heart pulsed so hard she thought it would leap from her chest. In another fifteen feet, she would pass the tiny courtyard behind the town hall. It was the halfway point to home. The metallic taste of her own blood filled her mouth, as she bit through the flesh of her lower to lip in an attempt to stop the tears that burned behind her lids from releasing.
A strong gust of wind roared loud in her ears. She didn’t hear the car pull up along beside her until the driver spoke. “Do you need a lift, sweetheart?”
A small screech escaped her lips at the unexpected voice. Without turning her head, she gave a sideways glance and recognized it as the car parked across the street from the library. One look at the driver and her heart sunk. It was the stranger in the leather jacket that came into the library earlier. She stammered. “I…No! I’m fine. I don’t need a ride, thank you.” Caroline didn’t wait for the driver’s response, but continued to walk forward, and quickened her pace. All she wanted was to be home, warm and safe in her apartment.
A chorus of sniggers told her the man was not alone. The car continued to follow her as its driver taunted. “Come on sweetheart, we don’t bite. Well, not hard anyways.” Driver’s last words earned him a roar of raucous laughter from the vehicle’s other occupants.
Another voice laughed out the window when she ignored the man behind the wheel. “She doesn’t seem to like you, Tim.” The brakes of the vehicle screeched to a halt, and Caroline heard the distinct sound of a car door open and close. Her heart pounded so hard, it felt like it would burst from her chest at any moment. A tiny voice within Caroline said time was up. Catching her tormenters off guard, Caroline darted into the darkness of the dense shrubs that outlined the park boundaries. Between the overcast skies, she was able to easily camouflage between the large shrubs of the well-manicured landscape of the town park.
Survival mode took over, and she never looked back as she weaved in and out of the sparse landscaping, careful to avoid any of the street lamps that could tip her pursuers off. When the sound of men’s voices drew closer, she became overwhelmed with panic. Each time she inhaled, she could not achieve the cleansing breath she desperately needed. As she fought the waves of dizziness, she scanned the area for a place to hide. She spotted the hideous sculpture near the town hall. The well-intended work of art was supposed to be a lobster, but everyone in town said it resembled a cockroach.
With a strength she didn’t know she possessed, she reached the hiding place. Caroline slipped between the spiny, steel legs of the lobster and tried to gain control of her breathing. Between her panic attack and running for her life, she clung to her metal refuge and willed her dizziness away. There wasn’t much protection from the elements, but her dark jacket and hair camouflaged her from the strange men. She was safe for the moment, but the first chance she got, she was running with no intention of stopping until she was safe at home.
Only a few seconds passed, when an indiscernible shout came out of the distance. The sound of heavy footsteps approaching caused her to push further into the recesses of the sculpture. Caroline bit back a sob that threatened to release. Closing her eyes, she prayed they would give up their pursuit. She did not know how much longer she would be able to stand the pitch-black. Why was this happening?
A warmth radiated between Caroline’s shoulder blades where her backpack hung. It was as though a gentle unseen hand caressed her back, and for a few blissful moments the sensation—
Though odd—gave her a sense of rejuvenation. The tension gave way to an inner peace. This time when she inhaled her lungs filled to completion. The strong energy emerging from her backpack continued to flow through her body. Despite the chill of the frigid gust of air, she no longer shivered, but there was something else. Something she’d never felt before. Caroline couldn’t help wonder if the ancient book was the source of her newfound sense of strength.
She tried to wiggle the life back into her frozen toes, and the water from the puddle she stood in penetrated through the soles of her boots. Though the heat coming from her backpack was a welcomed relief from the weather, the unknown energy defied all logic. When the strong surge of power intensified, Caroline started to wrestle the bag from her back, but stilled when the sounds of her predators rang out over the roar of the wind. “I thought I saw her run this way!”
Caroline was helpless
, but relieved to have her breathing back in control. The men’s voices shouted all around her.
“Hey, did you guys hear that? I thought I heard something?” The last voice was different from the driver’s that taunted her earlier, and it was a lot closer than she first realized.
Standing as still and silent as possible, she willed them to go away. The frantic pace of her heart quickened, and she realized what the men heard. Humming. Her humming and she clamped her hand over her mouth and held her breath. From what she could assess, at least two of the vehicle’s occupants stood a couple feet away. She hoped her mindless humming did not give away her location. Please God make them go away.
A second voice yelled out over the wind, and the distant sound of thunder, “I didn’t hear shit Barry. Go back to the car, in case she heads back to the street. Teddy you cross to the opposite end of the park, and I’ll flush the little fox out.”
When she overheard their plans to separate, Caroline held back from releasing her pent up sigh. This could be her one and only opportunity, and she was going to take full advantage of it. Standing as completely still as possible, she tried to listen over the pounding in her ears. A dark figure unknowingly stood inches away from where she hid. She smiled to herself. These jerks had all but told her their positions with all their shouting. Now if the dirt bag would just…That’s it walk away. Just wait a little longer Caroline. Make sure you can make a clean run for it, but where? Think?
Fear kept her feet pinned to the soggy ground as she realized she had no real plan. After a few heartbeats, she gathered her wits. Her best chance to be victorious would be to make it to the opposite end of the park. From there, she could head down the alley behind the barbershop, and she would have a better chance of losing them. Augie’s barbershop was four buildings away from her apartment. Determined, she slung the knapsack over one shoulder and prepared to run.
The opportunity presented itself, and Caroline forced her trembling legs to move. Caroline ran blindly into the rain, but she hadn’t gone far when the tip of her boot caught on a root that protruded out of the ground. The fall caused the contents of her knapsack to empty onto the ground. She was out of breath and scared, but the adrenaline that pulsated through her veins kept her going. She was up and off again, oblivious to the sting of the torn, bleeding flesh of her palms and knees. She looked back for a heartbeat at the backpack, and its spilled contents. An odd green light surrounded the few items, but she didn’t have time to investigate. Her life was on the line, so she left the pack and her other belongings and ran toward the dim light of the bakery’s delivery door. It was close, and she wasn’t stopping for anyone. For the first time, since the chase began she felt a sense of triumph. It was empowering for someone who was afraid of her own shadow.
Caroline halted when a sharp pain cut through her side as she entered the back alley. “Not now damn it! Not now!” I’m so close. Caroline cursed under her breath, as she squeezed her eyes shut, and bent at the waist. Placing a hand on her knee for support, she grasped at her right side. Tiny shards of light flitted from the corner of her eyes, as she gulped in a few deep breaths. As soon as the pain at her side dulled to an ache, she didn’t hesitate and took off running again. The red, white, and blue swirls of Augie’s barber pole came into view, and she wanted to let out a victorious shout. My God! I’m going to make it, but her elation and breath cut short when a large hand that smelled of grease and filth came from out of the darkness and covered her mouth.
Caroline thrashed wildly, as her abductor fought even harder to gain control of her. The more she resisted, the tighter his grasp became around the middle of her body, and cut off her breath. When her captor’s hand pressed harder upon her mouth, she scratched and clawed like a feral cat at the roughened hands that deprived her of oxygen. Stars formed all around her, as the images of her other two assailants faded in and out. When she realized his strength was no match to hers, she went limp in his arms hoping that he would release her before he strangled her to death.
The creep let his guard down for a brief second, and Caroline kicked, in an attempt to hit his shins.
The distraction was brief, but he loosened his filthy hands, and she took full advantage of his error. Caroline clamped her teeth down, as hard as she could, onto the meaty portion of the creep’s thumb, and palm. Bile rose in the back of her throat, as the metallic taste of warm blood, and motor oil filled her mouth.
“Owwww! You sleazy whore!
The howling sound came from deep within the man’s throat and echoed in the alley, but she refused to relent. Using his opposite hand, her assailant took a closed fist and slammed it into the side of her face. Her whole world spun as she fell to the ground from the unexpected impact.
Disoriented and desperate, Caroline managed to get to her knees and was about to let out a bloodcurdling scream, but was halted by a slight prick, and the feel of cold, wet steel along her neckline.
Grasping at her long, chestnut hair the man they called Tim yanked her to her feet with a single jerk. She screamed in pain. When he continued to jar her around, she cried out. “Please stop! I’m up! Just stop pulling.” He stopped and pressed his body to hers. Caroline’s stomach churned and the urge to vomit increased.
The smell of her assailant’s hot, putrid breath assaulted her nose, as she attempted to catch her own breath. Bile rose at the back of her throat again.
He tightened his grip and spat out. “Do what I say and I won’t hurt you?”
Gradually, she lowered her hands and ceased the struggle.
“I’d thought you see things my way, sweetheart.” He licked his filthy tongue from her earlobe across her cheek.
The sound of the other men approaching drew her attention toward the street and her assailant spoke again when they came into sight. “See boys, I told you this looked like a friendly little town.” He laughed as he gave one of her breasts a rough pinch. A lingering sting remained and Caroline could already feel the beginning of a bruise. His vulgar prodding caused the other two men to burst out in laughter.
His rotted teeth nipped at her earlobe, and whispered, “Are you looking for a little fun sweetheart?”
The burning tears behind her lids begged to release, but she continued to stare straight ahead refusing to answer his question.
Starting at her temple, he slid one of his grubby fingers down Caroline’s face. He jerked her and forced her head to turn toward him. “Don’t worry little one. I promise it’ll be a night you won’t forget for a long, long time.” He lowered his head and prepared to press his foul mouth upon hers, but halted when a bright flash of light lit up the sky, as a thunderous clap reverberated against the closed walls of the alley. Caroline prayed God was in her midst and that he had just rendered an immediate judgment straight down from the heavens, and upon her captors.
A second flash of lightening, and a robust clap of thunder followed in its wake. The ground beneath their feet shook. The shorter, rounder guy named Teddy was the first to shout, “Holy Shit! What was that?”
From behind her, the assailant placed a tighter hold around her middle, but his response to the other man, belied its usual confidence. “Relax! It’s lightening you friggin’ pussy.”
The sensation that penetrated through her knapsack earlier was building inside her again, except she no longer had her bag. It still lay where she tripped, so how was this powerful emotion escalating down to her core, and squeezing at her heart. It was her heart. The medallion pulsated over her chest and the energy buzzed in the very air she breathed. Twice in one night Caroline’s sacred necklace prickled with a power she had never before experienced. The words of the glowing, green angel came back. When you need him the most he will come.
Great gusts of wind surrounded them and caused the dead, skeletal leaves to swirl around her ankles. Caroline released an audible gulp. The thunder. The lightening. That’s when the energy shifted around them. Something or someone was out there, as though they had blown in with the storm. None o
f it was from the storm, the source was from something far bigger than she could even fathom, but what?
Then from some long ago hidden place in her soul, she felt it. Hope. It was hope she felt and it started to swell within her, but one look around at her situation she was quick to dismiss it. Hope wasn’t for people like her, only tragedy. Maybe this emotion crashing through her was actually, God’s way of preparing her to die. Yes, that was more in line with her family’s history, than hope or happiness. Death and the darkness seemed to be her destiny.
Caroline’s twentieth birthday was two months away. She hadn’t been looking forward to spending it alone for the first time in her life. In a matter of a heartbeat, all that changed, as did her outlook. The torrential rain continued to fall around her, as the knife pressed to her neck. I’m about to die. No one would fault her if she fell to the ground and begged her captors to spare her life. Sometimes she dwelled on God’s reason for bringing her into this world at all, if all he ever did was take all she loved and knew away.
A thick lump caught in her throat, and realized that she was already dead. Perhaps not physically, but her entire emotional existence was d-e-a-d. She allowed fear to rule her life, and it robbed her of the experience of friendship, excitement, adventure and falling in love. She sent a silent prayer upward. Please, God I don’t want to die.
Tears burned behind her lids, but she refused to release them. Instead, she began to pray aloud. “Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed be they name. Thy kingdom come. They will be…”
One of her captors, a short stalky man burst out in laughter. “Pray all you want, but that won’t help you now.”
Despite the dire predicament, the walls of fear she spent her entire life building around her soul began to collapse, and exposed her strength and will to live. She may not have the physical strength of her adversaries, but she did have the strength to overcome her past trials and she was still very much alive now. She didn’t want to die and though the unknown still frightened her, sitting at death’s door brought on other emotions long hidden within her psyche. Anger. White-hot anger flowed through her veins.
Kissed by the Laird (First Ladies of the Fae Book 1) Page 8
