SHADOWLOVE--STALKERS

by Claudy Conn

  Shawna’s lips curved slightly as she inclined her head and then looked away. “Hmm, I usually find that walking does something wonderful for the soul.”

  “Yes, but good company over a meal does so much more. Come on then, Shawna, walk with me to my home, and then I’ll drive you to the cottage after you have properly satisfied your appetite.”

  Shawna saw a sexual gleam in his eyes and inwardly paused. She liked him, and she wondered if she could like him more? But—no point in that. She shook her head. “I would love to, but I have to get back and unpack a few more boxes.”

  “Right, I won’t press you any longer on this now, but soon, Shawna MacBay, you will take tea…at the very least, tea with me.”

  She inclined her head. “Okay, you have a deal.” Before she could stop herself she dove in and asked, “Kenneth, do you have wild boars in this region?”

  He laughed. “Boars? No, no. Why do you ask?”

  “When I was in the wood, I thought I saw something…foraging, and I thought I saw a dark shape that might have resembled a very large wild boar.” She gave him a half-truth. She was actually fishing. She wanted to know if he had seen anything unusual recently in the woods.

  The squire looked puzzled. “It was probably just a trick of light and shadows. No doubt, it was one of the younger bucks.” He eyed her quizzically. “Do you feel uneasy?” He chuckled and reached for her arm. “Come then, I’ll walk you home.”

  “No, that is silly. I can’t let you do that.”

  “You don’t have a choice—besides, I have always wanted to rescue a damsel in distress. You will be doing me a great service as it will keep me away from my desk and the stack of work waiting for me.”

  She laughed. “Damsel in distress—I don’t see her.”

  He winked. “Nor do I.”

  She allowed him to walk her back to the narrow path that led to her cottage, and there she turned to him. She couldn’t allow him to take her to her door. She didn’t want him to see all the wire and contraptions she had laid out all over the floor.

  “I can’t take you any further out of your way,” she said as she extended her hand.

  “Can’t you now?” He arched a look at her and then decided to let it go. “I suppose I do have to get back and give myself over to my attorney for an hour or so before he leaves.” He already had her hand to his lips.

  She felt a wave of relief, as she half expected him to insist taking her to her door, and then she would have been obliged to ask him in. “Thank you, Kenneth, for the company.”

  He smiled and she started off. She turned, gave him a wave, and watched as he cut a path through the tall grass, back towards the woods.

  She liked the squire. He was personable, friendly, easy to talk to, and by the time she reached her laundry room door, she was sighing over him. It was just too bad that she would have to cut off their friendship at some point.

  ~ Six ~

  SHAWNA LOOKED OUT the window and scowled over the grayness of the day. It held a sure promise of rain, heavy rain, and the air was cold and damp. She hugged her pretty cream-colored sweater around herself. She had unpacked the last of her ‘weapons’ and had them scattered throughout the house where she could easily and readily get a hold of each.

  She had laid out all her wiring and various other materials the day before when she returned from her walk with the squire but hadn’t set them all.

  She looked at what was left and sighed. Traps—she needed them at every window, although she did not believe any vamps were even in the area of Stockton.

  She was setting an alarm at the kitchen window when the cell phone rang and made her jump. Frowning, she looked in its direction. It was still on the brown leather sofa where she had thrown it the other day. Off—she was sure it was shut down. It shouldn’t be ringing.

  She hesitated, but curiosity got the better of her, and she moved to pick it up. She flipped it open—yup, it was off. The next ring jingled right through her, and her fingers trembled. How was this possible?

  Out of habit, she pressed it on (sure that was probably unnecessary), and murmured a tentative, “He…llo?”

  A familiar, oh so sexy brogue came back at her. That brogue, that voice that she would know anywhere, was soft, and enticing, and made her body melt. “Hello, Shawna—miss me?”

  “Chadwick MacFare…how…my phone was off.”

  “Aye, I know that, lass—no matter.”

  She could almost see his smug expression. “What are you?” Shawna demanded.

  “It isn’t important.”

  “It is to me.”

  “It shouldn’t be. All that should be important to you is surviving, and you won’t until you come to me.”

  “Ha! Give it up, buddy.”

  “You know that is what you have to do.”

  “Fat chance, fella—I don’t trust you.”

  “Then, I’ll just have to come to you.”

  She heard the hinge creak and spun around to find Chadwick MacFare standing in her doorway. As he stepped through into her small cottage, she couldn’t help but admire the height and breadth of the man. He wore a heavy wool-lined leather blazer and jeans. His tawny hair fell in thick layers and framed his handsome face. His eyes—she couldn’t help but notice his green eyes were alight with mischief. He looked so damn proud of himself.

  And he was so damn hot, it made her body quiver, and she found herself taking a step towards him, instead of away. “How—how did you find me? I know I wasn’t followed…I know…”

  He came right at her, scooped her into his arms, and molded her to his body for his kiss. His mouth pressed at and parted her lips. He had no problem there—her lips gave way before her brain could stop them. His tongue teased at the tip of her tongue as though teaching her what he wanted from her next. Again, no problem; her tongue was in league with her lips.

  She found that his kiss evaporated all conscious thought and swept through her body until she pressed herself against his rock-hard maleness, waiting hungrily for more. He did not disappoint.

  But then, and without warning, he pulled away and set her aside. She looked at him and felt the fool when she exclaimed, “How dare you?” How dare you—she repeated silently in her mind. He dared because you let him.

  He gave her a smirk, and his voice was low, husky when he repeated her thoughts. “I dared because you allowed it.”

  “HA—need you, I was just testing you!”

  He was momentarily diverted from his purpose. “Testing me—for what? You let me kiss you, lass…nay, you more than let me.”

  She smirked at him. “Only to see how you compared…” She let the words fade off.

  He frowned darkly. “Compared? Hell and fire…” he started to growl, and then he suddenly eyed her and grinned. He wagged a finger. “Ah lass…nice bluff.”

  “Don’t bluff…truth—I was curious.” She turned on her heel and took a step away.

  He had her arm, allowed his hand to slide down the sleeve of her sweater and take her hand as he shook his head. “Shawna…you can’t stay here alone. Come with me now.”

  “I’m doing just fine.”

  “I found you, lass. So will they.”

  “They haven’t.”

  “No, not yet, but you don’t know who you can trust around here.”

  “I know who is a vamp and who is not.”

  “There are more than vamps you have to worry about.”

  She snorted. “I know—because in the mix there is Mr. Chadwick MacFare.”

  “Correction—not Mr. but Lord.” He inclined his handsome head, and his green eyes twinkled at her when he brought them back to her face. “I am the Earl of Darby—Lord Chadwick MacFare.”

  “Oh—give me a break.”

  “No, honestly, I am, not that it matters to me, but there it is…I am titled…and independently wealthy, so ask yourself, why would I want to harm you? What would be the point?”

  “You want to put me out there as bait.”


  “Yes, I do mean to use you as bait—and I have been honest about it, so ask yourself, why you should doubt me?”

  “It is because you want me for your own agenda. I don’t know when you will be willing to sacrifice me to achieve that agenda.”

  “I won’t sacrifice you,” he said gravely.

  “But you want to dangle me as bait. Out…just get out.”

  He backed her further into the room. “No.”

  “No? What do you mean—no?” She wagged a finger at him. “This is my place, my space, and I want you out—now!”

  He swept past her and went into the kitchen. There he took the kettle, filled it with water, and put it on the stove. Shawna’s jaw dropped, and her mouth opened with words that didn’t seem to find a voice. She spluttered.

  He turned, and his lips curved into a ‘death by smile’ with eyes that tempted with ‘come hither’ lights.

  Shawna took a step backwards and pointed a finger this time because he was already in her refrigerator, pulling out cheese and biscuits. “Ah, these will do,” he murmured.

  “Will do?” she managed to shout. “OUT—out…you…out.” Oh, she thought, she had a wonderful way with words.

  He moved towards her again, but even as his body brushed against hers, he didn’t stop. Instead he went to relax on her brown leather couch. He patted it. “Come, sit with me, lass, and be comfortable until the kettle whistles.”

  She stood with her arms folded across her middle. “You have no right to come in here and make yourself at home.”

  “Ah, perhaps no right, but I have decided it is the only way for us to proceed.”

  “The only way—the only way to proceed to what?”

  “Sit and I will tell you.”

  Reluctantly she took up a ladies’ chair facing him. “Okay, I am sitting.”

  “What kind of research did you do on your neighbors, lass, before you decided to settle here for a time?”

  “Research…neighbors? I—I only investigated the area for…what I call reports of unusual murders. No vamps—at least none that I could find.”

  “Not very thorough, are you. That is your problem. You have tunnel vision. You are looking for a threat from just one narrow trail.”

  She nodded, and she glared at him. “Yeah, I can see that. I’ve got a threat from another angle as well.” She cocked a look at him, and he laughed out loud and slapped his knee.

  “Cute—very, but you know I mean you no harm. When will you get that through your beautiful head?”

  “When you leave me alone.”

  “Not going to happen.”

  The kettle let out a long scream for attention. He got up and ignored her as he went into the kitchen, took out a couple of tea bags and asked, “Sugar, milk?”

  She got up. “I can fix my own.”

  “Oooh, stubborn wench it is.” He watched her as she huffed past him, took her mug, steeped her teabag, grabbed a biscuit and a napkin, and made her way back to the living room and sat with a thump.

  She spread her food on her lap, put the tea on the side table, and without looking at him began to eat.

  He put out his spread, with butter and jam and cheese and an apple that he had cut up into perfect wedges. She eyed his selection but turned away from it as soon as he glanced her way.

  He finished his tea and the spread he had made himself without bothering to engage her in conversation. Then all at once he stood up and jovially announced, “Well, I’m off.”

  Shawna was flabbergasted. “You’re off? What do you mean you’re off? You barge in here, and then off you go without even telling me why you came in the first place?”

  “I have come to realize that you wish to continue living the way you do until they catch up with you and turn you. So be it.” He started for the door.

  “They won’t find me—and they won’t turn me.”

  “They will do both…” he snapped as he reached the door. “They will find you, and you will be alone, without anyone at your side to help you. You are an annoying, silly, and stubborn little fool. I have lost interest in helping you. I can get to Pentim in other ways.”

  “Stubborn…silly little fool?” Shawna was on her feet and rushing for the doorknob before him. She pulled the door wide open and with one dramatic gesture hissed, “Right—so go—just go, Chadwick MacFare, and leave me alone.”

  His lips curved, his eyes glittering with annoyance. He inclined his head and stepped outside.

  She watched him walk down the flagstone walkway to the silver Jaguar parked on the gravel road beside the cottage lawn. She watched him get inside and start his vehicle. She heard the engine purr and click as he put it into gear, and she watched him make his U-turn and drive away without a backwards glance.

  “Good riddance,” Shawna said out loud, but oddly enough, it wasn’t how she felt. Something in the back of her mind told her she might need him one day soon. Her body actually quivered with disappointment. She really hadn’t wanted him to go…

  She closed her eyes for a long moment as she gathered all her resolve to forget him and his awful ‘tea time’ visit. She closed the door and looked around. She had to get back to her booby traps inside the house. The rain would be in her way; she would have to leave setting the traps around the outside of the cottage till tomorrow.

  Tomorrow…would be a big day. First she would have to set all the traps completely around the entire cottage. She would have to be careful when repeating the ancient spells. That should stop any vamp in his tracks and give her enough time to get the upper hand.

  And then, then she had to go into Inverness. There could be no putting it off any longer. She needed her supply of pig’s blood. Blood sausage was popular in Scotland; no one would wonder at it.

  She could only store it on a weekly basis, as she needed it to be fresh. In New York she was able to use many different butchers, and each was given a different story.

  She couldn’t use the butcher in the village—they would wonder what just one person needed with so much pig’s blood.

  She would leave that for a one-time deal, perhaps in an emergency. However, Inverness was a large enough metropolis, and she had found three butchers there between whom she planned to alternate. The quart of butcher blood that she had placed in a refrigerated container and paid for to go with her luggage would soon be finished.

  She hated relying on blood. She knew that she could hunt, if she needed to, but that wasn’t an option for Shawna. She loved animals, and killing any had to be the very last resort.

  Sighing as a wayward picture of Chad MacFare slipped through her mind, she picked up a roll of the electric wire she had purchased and got to work.

  * * *

  Shawna maneuvered her Jeep from the Stockton country road onto the A9 and headed north to Inverness. It would be an easy drive. She had her list, a map, and a GPS, so she was confident she would find her way.

  She was excited about her first real excursion into Scotland. She meant to head towards the city centre, even though it meant diverting off course just a little to have a peek at the Inverness Castle, which overlooked the River Ness.

  Chadwick MacFare’s face tickled her mind’s eye. He thought he knew what she was, but he didn’t. All he knew was that Pentim Rawley had fathered her. There was so much more he couldn’t possibly know—so much even Pentim did not know, because he hadn’t known what her mother had been, or what her grandmother was.

  Rachel had been the daughter of a long line of powerful white witches. Rachel had not reached her full maturity, and she was only just coming into her mana when Pentim decided to turn her.

  She had been able to fight off Pentim’s blood with her magic, and that was why she had not turned, but in the end, it was his blood that finally killed her.

  Shawna had inherited all her maternal family’s magical prowess. Her grandmother had trained her in the use of same. Her grandfather was a sorcerer whose magic was unparalleled. Shawna’s innate skills were made even stronger bec
ause of the vampire blood that was a part of her DNA.

  Shawna was probably the most powerful witch of her time, and she knew it. She had to constantly remind herself to keep it in check. She wanted the edge of ‘surprise’ to be on her side, when she finally had to face Pentim and take him down. She knew that eventually there would be no other option…

  She was afraid, however, because Chad had been correct when he told her that Pentim’s clan not only outnumbered her but had ‘special’ abilities. Against great numbers, she could be subdued.

  He was also right about not being able to run forever. She didn’t want to. She knew one day she would have to face her father in a ‘to the death’ battle. She just wasn’t ready yet.

  For the time being, she had to lie low. She wouldn’t be at full power until she turned twenty-five years old. Would she last that long?

  She had more than vampire magic—more than white witch magic—going for her. She was a fighter. She had the speed, the technique of a super ninja, and the acrobatics of a gymnast, skills she had acquired from her grandparents’ vigorous training.

  She shook off these thoughts and concentrated on the list of things she needed. One: a new phone for sure, not that it would stop Chad MacFare—who no longer needed to be stopped as he had walked away from her.

  That still irritated her. She had not expected it. He had not called or showed up, and so he was presently out of the picture. She discovered that disturbing on levels she didn’t want to contemplate.

  She missed her grandparents and the long talks she used to have with them. She needed a new phone. Her grandmother had the power to see through airspace and find her, but Shawna knew that her grams did not like to use that power. Her grandmother was concerned that Pentim might feel the power in the air and lock onto it.

  “So there, Chad MacFare—I can manage quite well without you,” Shawna said out loud as she drove. “You think I am running, but I am not. I am honing my skills until the day comes when I can stop running—turn around, and take Pentim out. He is surrounded by his clan, but I’m going in, and I am going to be the one to kill him!” That belief curved her lips with satisfaction.