Craving-First Thirst

by Claudy Conn

  I bloody well would have m’revenge for m’bride’s murder and m’bride’s immortal warlock brother, Jeremy Ascot, would discover me and aid me in m’efforts.

  Ye see, Jeremy, though he probably wouldna be able to free me, I knew he would try, and would still be able to speak with and see me. He was a supernatural. He would see the transparent wall and me on the other side immediately.

  And Jeremy did come looking for me.

  And Jeremy’s investigations to discover Lisa MacForly’s immortal daughter finally paid off, but too late. It had taken years because she had married and had another name and had somehow obscured the name MacForly from the records. No doubt when she heard of her mother’s disappearance. The poor woman was cruelly, freakishly killed in an accident…but her granddaughter, who calls herself by a boy’s name, Bobbie Skye, was alive and well.

  Jeremy decided we had to get her here and see if she could help us and thus he made her an offer she could not refuse.

  Which brings us to this day.

  Bobbie Skye has arrived.

  Would she be able to break me out of this realm? I have not seen her use much of her magic yet and cannae be certain she possesses her grandmother’s abilities.

  However, after Jeremy’s phone conversation with her, he said that her magical aura was something he had felt even over the airwaves during their short conversation. He was sure that she owned the ability, if nae the knowledge, to free me.

  But as I watched her happily bounce about her room, I realized she was an innocent.

  Was I putting her in danger? Of course I was.

  Also, she had nae been trained in the arts of her heritage. How could she have been when both grandmother and mother had been taken from her?

  Jeremy said her aunt was a mortal witch with limited light powers. Was the lass equipped to stand up to Allora should Allora return here?

  I would have to make this lass aware of the dangers.

  Jeremy had said we needed to walk her through it all slowly, but I dinnae agree.

  This lass must nae be harmed. We have to tell her what she is up against and allow her to choose her own way. Aye, we brought her here to help me, but at what cost?

  Looking at her now, the thirst burns through me. Why? I haven’t felt this intense need since I discovered the orchard, Wolf-Rose. Something about everything she is makes me want to taste her—her tongue, her lips, her skin…her blood.

  Luckily, I had the dried bulb and root cuttings in an old snuffbox I carry around with me in case of an emergency. I planted them and within the month, I had a veritable forest of it growing around the place I made m’own.

  Twenty-two years I have been here.

  Suddenly, I had to tell the lass and plastered m’self to the shield, but she did a thing with her finger and transported herself to the Great Hall.I had to take a few steps on m’side of the wall to follow her from the Great Hall as she made her way to the library. Bloody hell, I can’t seem to take m’eyes off her.

  Right then, I forced m’self to think of something else and concentrated on the problem at hand and Jeremy’s insistence that we keep her in the dark until she has acclimated to the estate and to the fact that I am a vampire trapped in another realm.

  I dinnae agree with this plan.

  I kept poor Sarah in the dark. She knew I was a vampire, aye, but she dinnae know about Allora. This bonnie lass needs to know and be prepared.

  Jeremy is afraid she will bolt and that is nae a good reason to keep her ignorant of the dangers ahead. She moves in a way that makes me hard and hungry.

  I want to feel her near. I want to reach out and touch her cheek…when I suddenly realized that I had picked up on her scent.

  Impossible! I havena been able to smell anything on the other side for all these years. Was I imagining this? I took another whiff. She was honey sweet with a touch of pine and something else, something I couldna name. She wore nae perfume. This was her own scent.

  She looked up and across to me.

  Nae, nae, impossible. Jeremy had spelled the shield so that she would nae be able to see me. She walked right up to me and stared.

  And damn, bloody damn, her violet eyes slay me with warmth and innocence and drags out m’humanity, which says I must make her run far away.

  As her frown deepened and she continued to stare at the shield, I found I couldna keep m’eyes off those full breasts demanding attention. Och aye…beautiful and womanly and her nipples were begging for a kiss—m’kiss.

  How the hell had she avoided being taken by some strapping young man for a mate? How was it she had no man in her life—no man at all.

  M’dick was hard with need and dripping. M’eyes were riveted on her, on her every move. I watched her pull her sweater down, as it had ridden up from her waist and displayed the creamy skin of her midriff. She would soon make her way to the library to meet with Jeremy, but he wouldna tell her what danger she might be in. He needed to tell her. She eyed m’shield once more and then grimaced and turned away. What had she seen? What had she sensed?

  I had to keep her safe from Allora, which meant she needed to be told, and then whatever she decided, we needed to do before Allora found out about her existence.

  Once Allora knew there was a descendent of the witch who put me here, all hell would break loose and she wouldn’t rest ‘til that descendent—Bobbie was dead.

  The thought of Bobbie being hurt…of Allora taking her life, made me physically ill.

  Jeremy had kept tabs on Allora all these years and we were lucky she had nae thought to return to Scotland yet, but I know her and I know one day she would want to come back and see MacLeod in ruins. She would want to taunt me. That day was coming.

  Besides that, she always returned for a time to Brently Manor. It was almost a compulsion of hers.

  “Bobbie, lass,” I called out loud.

  She turned from contemplating the shelves upon shelves of books and went still. “Did someone call me?”

  She heard me? How could she hear me?

  “Bobbie…go home,” I hurriedly told her. “Ye are in danger here.”

  “What? I can’t quite hear you. Wow, you sound miles away. Are you talking through some device?” she pursued as she began examining the room.

  “Nae, not a device,” I said.

  “Ah shit, really?” she said, which made me chuckle. “Is this some trick to scare me?”

  “Nae then, nae tricks,” I answered.

  She frowned. “What then? Are you the ghost I was told about?”

  “Listen to me, lass, ye best go home and far away from here,” I told her.

  I couldna survive another tragedy and the thought that Allora could destroy this innocent would be now the worst thing that could happen, and it would be because I selfishly brought her here.

  I can be content with m’lot. Why not? I am accepted in our community, even though they know what I am. I can speak their language, though it took some months and effort to accomplish that. I have had female companionship from time to time, m’lot is nae awful.

  Many of this race are quite exceptionally beautiful. Their delightful almond shaped eyes are a lovely part of their features. The race accepts one another whether dark, white, or gold as all the same. Indeed, I would rather stay here where I dinnae really belong, here with m’Trinity people, rather than cause the lass harm.

  Bobbie Skye moved closer to the shield and whispered, “Where are you?”

  I have never felt before, not even with m’darlin’ sweet Sarah, this degree of desire. What is wrong with me?

  Bloody hell, she licked her cherry lips and a surge of red hot blood flowed through m’brain and made me put m’hands on the shield again and shout, “Go home, lass. This is nae the place for ye.”

  She stared and calmly asked, “Why?”

  Jeremy had said she wouldna be able to break through his shielding spell, but she was the granddaughter of a most potent immortal witch and while she couldna see me, she could hear me.
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  “Okay, ghost, if you need something from me, you’ll have to speak up. Where are you?” she said unafraid, only concerned.

  I dinnae answer. This wasnae working.

  I watched as she pulled a face and spoke to herself, “Not imagining this.” Her eyes narrowed, “Does Mrs. Tunny want me to leave so badly that she would try and scare me?”

  She came right up to the wall and stared right at me.

  Could she see me?

  “Okay, ghosty, or whoever is trying to scare me, know this—I don’t scare off easily.” She waited and as I dinnae make another sound, she narrowed her eyes.

  “What the hell is going on here?” she asked no one in particular.

  I had to speak to Jeremy. He had to send her home.

  ~ Four ~

  Bobbie:

  I DON’T SCARE EASY. I never have. The worst thing that could happen…already did when I lost my parents. With all the magic between my mother and myself, we were unable to stop fate from exploding our world.

  I am also a realist, well, within the borders of my magical world. So, first thing I told myself was that I had not imagined that faraway voice in my room.

  Second thing I knew was that I had to get answers to my questions.

  In a wayward moment, I gave in to my Shama and transported myself to the Great Hall, and realized that had not been a wise thing to do. Either, or both, Davis or Mrs. Tunny might have caught me suddenly appearing. I would have to be more careful.

  As both Davis and Mrs. Tunny weren’t anywhere to be seen, I wondered briefly where they were and what they did during the day. I headed down the long wide hallway to a set of double doors and opened one of the doors and walked into a huge room. I sighed with relief and satisfaction that I had found the right door. Judging by all the books, I was certainly in the library.

  My first reaction was joy. Pure and simple joy. Why? Because of the books and more books on shelves and shelves everywhere I looked. I love books.

  This room was for me nirvana and sent me into a state of ecstasy, which made me forget ghosts and magic.

  From what I could see, this huge chamber housed every classic book known to man. Hell, here was the most exceptional use of space I have ever seen.

  Out of nowhere, Davis appeared at my back and stood to one side. I gave him the smile I was feeling and his eyes opened wide.

  I explained, “Books.”

  He apparently couldn’t help himself and gave me a half smile. “Yes, miss.”

  I put my hands together and tried to restrain my squeal of delight, which only made it explode out of my mouth as a loud squeak.

  I looked at Davis again as I went to a wall of shelves that had a circular ladder to its second story and added, “This is…a book heaven. This is a dream. A…a bookworm’s paradise and here gushing before you is a grade A bookworm—that’s me, bookworm.”

  I think he grunted at my declaration, so I naturally winked at him and moved to finger as many books as I could whilst reading their titles out loud. I turned back to him and said, “Davis. These…these are…magnificent.”

  “Yes, miss,” he agreed.

  I went towards him and ignored the startled look on his face as I grabbed his arms. “Davis…many of these are first editions.”

  He inclined his head. “It is what I have been told. His lordship’s family collected them over the centuries you see, and I believe his lordship was also an avid collector.”

  “Damn, will I ever be able to read all of these?” At the moment, that was the only problem I foresaw in my future. I got on tippy toes and dropped a kiss on his cool cheek, as I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm, and I believe that shocked the bejeebers out of him, but I also think I saw a twinkle light up his eyes.

  I moved along the shelves, unable to restrain the sounds of delight as I continued to read title after title of classics bound in old leather.

  I turned back to inspect the rest of the large room.

  Bookshelves closeted long lead-paned windows with cushioned window-seats that overlooked garden beds alive with spring color.

  The furniture in the dramatic room gave it a cozy feel, as brown leather chairs and small sofas were scattered with occasional tables throughout. You could pick out a book and plop yourself down for a read anywhere you chose.

  A fireplace dominated the back wall, though it was not presently lit, and at the front end of the room set in a bowed window was a gothic desk facing the length of the room and the fireplace.

  The computer, fax machine, and printer all looked out of place set up in an L-shape beside the desk.

  The room had various reading lights set up throughout, but the light from the windows would have been more than adequate.

  I was so caught up in this wonderful room that I didn’t notice that Mr. Ascot had arrived and stood watching me until I turned back to Davis, who inclined his head to both of us and announced that he would bring refreshments.

  That allowed me time to inspect the new arrival. He was not at all what I had expected. For one thing, I had assumed he would be if not elderly, at least of mature years. He wasn’t. He couldn’t be more than in his late twenties.

  He was also quite tall, lean and if not exactly handsome, very easy to look at. His eyes were gray and warm. His hair was long and a bit windblown in style, framing his pleasant face. His smile was easy. No. He was not what I expected at all.

  He stretched out his hand in welcome and said, “Hallo, Miss Skye. I hope you had an agreeable journey.”

  His accent, I had already noted when we spoke on the phone, was British, in person, it seemed more so, and quite gentlemanly.

  I immediately gave him my hand. “Yes, yes, thank you.” People always say yes when asked that question by a host, even if your flight was from hell. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “Indeed, I should have made myself known, but it was very pleasant watching your enthusiasm for his lordship’s book collection. I am quite enamored of them myself.” He released my hand and in old world style, seemed to bow ever so slightly. I was struck again by the fact that he appeared to be no more than in his late twenties, yet there was something old world about him and…something else that rang a bell in my head. I wondered how long he had been attending to the MacLeod estate. As I smiled at him, I was tickled by another odd sensation, something elusive. What vibe was I getting off him?

  “Well, it is great to meet you so soon after arriving here,” I said in response to this.

  “And for me, Miss Skye,” he answered, “it is lovely to put a face to the voice.”

  He was dressed for business in a three piece brown suit and I wondered what he would look like in casual clothes.

  He moved towards one of the brown leather winged chairs and with a slight movement of his hand, invited me to take a seat.

  I did and he pulled the matching chair up closer before he sat and leaned back. “Well, Miss Skye, you must have a great many questions?”

  He gave me an encouraging smile so I dove right in. “Questions?” I almost snorted but controlled myself. “Oh yeah, I have a whole lot of ‘em. But first, I have to admit to you, Mr. Ascot, I haven’t a clue how to begin my job here at MacLeod.”

  “Yes, of course. I believe that once you have been here a week or so, you will get a feel for the estate and be better equipped to take on the responsibilities associated with its smooth running.”

  “Right,” I said doubtfully. “But while I am getting acquainted, I would like to know what needs the most attention. What do you wish me to handle first?”

  “Yes, of course, perhaps I can draw up a list of duties…?” he said as much to himself as to me as he fingered his bottom lip.

  “Yes, good, but I hope you don’t mind if I pester you with questions, not only today, but day after day and until I get my bearings,” I said.

  “Pester me away, Miss Skye,” he said, and his hazel eyes twinkled warmly. “I welcome questions.”

  I sighed with relief and said,
“Call me Bobbie. Or is this like Downton Abbey and we need to stick to the formalities?” I wasn’t being funny. I wasn’t sure.

  He laughed and said, “Ah, Americans and their nicknames. Bobbie for Roberta, of course. No, we don’t need to do the Downton Abbey thing. Indeed, so I shall, if you will return the favor and call me Jeremy.” He pyramided his fingers and paused our conversation to turn and smile at Davis, who had just entered with a huge tray.

  I watched the tray filled with delectables and realized how ridiculously hungry I was. Davis set the tray of refreshments on the coffee table and as he unbent, I stared at tiny sandwiches and frosted little cakes and scones!

  I said, “Wow…this looks great, thanks, Davis.” I immediately took up a cucumber and cheese sandwich and popped it into my mouth. As I swallowed, I looked up and once again saw the hint of a smile tickle Davis’ lips, but he soon bowed himself off. I turned back to Jeremy who was chuckling softly before he asked, “Did they not feed you on the plane?”

  “Oh, they did, but I have a really big appetite, and seem to need food every couple of hours,” I explained casually, as I couldn’t very well tell him that my inner witch was forever burning up my calories. I took up another sandwich and apologized, “I’m famished.”

  He laughed out loud and said, “Indeed. I think I’ll join you.”

  I swallowed the small sandwich whole and noted he appeared to eat with relish as well. He took up a plate and piled it on, scone, jam, and butter, and I giggled and did the same.

  We ate in comfortable silence for a few moments before he brushed his hands together and sat back, indicating he was ready to resume our discussion.

  He smiled and said, “Hmm. There now, that is better.”

  “Yes,” I agreed, and poured two cups of tea and handed him one.

  He sipped and I noted his hazel eyes regarding me curiously as he put down his cup and brushed away a stray auburn wave from his forehead.

  I could see he was looking for a way to restart, so I kept quiet and allowed him to find it.

  “Miss Skye…” he started.

  “Bobbie,” I corrected.