He blinked. “That sounds demonic.”
“Exactly. My father was well-known for his abilities, but he didn’t earn a living off it. He was a farmer, a proud one,” she said with a sad smile. Sad. Again, there was that word. It was something he associated with her all the time. He tamped down on the empathy that rose up. He didn’t need to feel sorry for her. He didn’t need to sympathize with her. She had betrayed him, and he needed to remember that.
“Go on.”
“Breck had offered him a fortune for the spell, but my father refused. It went on for a few months. Each time he appeared, he would offer them more money. Then one day, he stopped coming. He just disappeared.”
“What do you mean?”
“He left. He didn’t return, and my parents thought that he had given up.”
“Wouldn’t it have been easier to just give him what he wanted?”
“That’s dark magic. My father was a faery, but I am not sure what his abilities were. For faeries, you are born with them, like the color of your hair or eyes. But either way, what I know of my father, he didn’t dabble in dark magick.”
“I take it Breck returned?”
She sighed and nodded. She started to pace around slowly, looking at the roses. He thought she did it more to keep from looking at him. “He did, but he wasn’t in the same form. Seems that he found a witch who performed the spell he wanted. He could jump from body to body, possessing the person, sucking their soul from them. He appeared as a young man looking for work. My father invited him in. My mother must have known what was happening because she hid me away. He slaughtered my family.”
He heard the pain in her voice. She might have been young at the time, but there was no doubt in his mind that she remembered that day clearly. Her lover, the man who wanted nothing but to love her until the end of days, wanted to hold her, to comfort her. He couldn’t and that angered him even more. He should be able to offer her some sort of comfort but for her treachery.
“You were a baby. How do you know all of this?” he asked, not even trying to hide the skepticism in his voice.
She stopped and closed her eyes. “I could feel it all. I was connected to my father and brother. As I said, empathic. I could feel them die, along with my mother. I guess she wasn’t as strong of a connection because she was human.”
Again, he wanted to give her comfort and, again, it angered him. He needed to keep his distance.
“How do I know this is true?”
She opened her eyes to look at him. Not one tear, but when she spoke her voice was strained.
“I heard my brother crying. Sobbing, begging for his life. I felt his life force slip from him. To this day, I can remember what it felt like as life drained from my family.”
On this, he could not doubt her. Anguish punctuated every syllable and he felt it. How long would that go on? How much longer would he have to endure this?
“And you’re telling me that Aileen is this man? The one who killed your family?”
She locked her gaze with his. “Yes. I’ve no doubt about it.”
He wanted to believe her, but he knew now to question it. Bloody hell, how had she slipped beneath his defenses? She had seduced him, made him think that she loved him and wanted forever with him. He had fallen for it again.
“How can you be so sure?”
She rolled her eyes. “She knows my name.”
“But she’s a woman,” he said with a frown.
“The fact that she is a woman right now doesna mean her soul is female. Her soul is male and evil. I told you she knew my name.”
“Deva?”
She nodded.
Irritation marched down his spine, but he refused to let her know it. He shrugged. “So what?”
She fisted her hands by her sides. “No one, not even Meghan and Maggie know that name. I’ve never told a soul. They gave me the name Clarice at the orphanage. I didn’t correct them.”
He thought about that. “And you came here to kill Aileen because you believe she is Breck?”
“Yes.”
“You used me.”
She shot him a withering look. “I think we both used each other but coming here had been my plan all along. The fact that she has the ruby has to be a coincidence.”
“It can’t be.”
“She sought us out because she saw me with you. It has nothing to do with you. She didna know a thing about the quest. She truly thinks that I’m here to kill her.”
It could be true, but he had doubts.
“What?” she asked.
“You plan on killing the woman. Were you ever going to get the ruby?”
“I plan on getting you the ruby. Always did.”
He wanted to believe her but that was with his heart. His head told him differently. She had a plan and he had been a means to her end.
“I don’t believe you.”
“That’s obvious. I spent all of yesterday and today finalizing the plans. I’ve drawn up several different plans, in fact, in case we needed them.”
“Could have just been for show.”
She rolled her eyes again and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. He tried to ignore the way her breasts rose slightly with the movement.
“You would have me believe that you would get the ruby first? You would take a chance of doing that for someone you just shagged?”
If he hadn’t been watching her so closely, he would have missed the flinch, but she recovered fast. Ice filled her expression and her smile was downright chilly.
“No. I’m doing it for my best friends.”
“Who don’t even know your real name?”
“I didna tell them for their own safety. I’ve been tracking the bastard for years. Decades. If they knew too much, he would come after them. I couldna have that happen.”
Well, he had asked. What did he expect? Love proclamations? Of course not.
“So, you still intend on going through with the plan to steal the ruby.”
She nodded.
“Then let’s get on with it.”
She said nothing in response and turned toward the house. He grabbed her hand, unable to let her go so fast. She turned slightly, but she didn’t look at him directly. He didn’t want to ask the question, but he couldn’t help himself.
“What?” she asked.
“Was it all about this? Your revenge?”
She didn’t say anything for a long time, but when she looked up, her eyes held unshed tears.
“No. It was so much more.”
She slipped away leaving him standing in the garden, his heart in tatters, his soul demolished.
* * *
Serena crept down the hallway to the vault. From what Angus had found, she knew it was on the first floor at the back of the house. House, she thought with a snort. It was a house like the McLennans’ mansion was.
She sighed. She had lost everything tonight. Serena had known there was no future with Fletcher. Not with her deception, and she had thought she was prepared for it. She hadn’t been. His look of betrayal and hatred had pierced her heart a thousand times. For the first time in her life she wanted more, and the one man who could give it to her now hated her.
She shook off that melancholy. No time to worry about that now. It was ruined and any hope of a future with Fletcher had vanished. But, she could still give him this. Hearing the footsteps of one of the guards, she closed her eyes, reappearing in the room where the vault was kept. Ignoring the jangle of nerves, she concentrated on her task. All that mattered was getting that bloody ruby. Then it would appear in the sword and all would be well. Afterwards, she could kill the bastard.
She pushed out all thoughts of revenge and concentrated on opening the vault. Closing her eyes, she pressed her hands against the vault door spoke handles. Just like the times before, she easily forced it to turn through the numbers. It opened with ease. She had been amazed that it had been so simple, but apparently Aileen kept what her husband had with the house. It was a goo
d safe, but there were no electronic markers to make it difficult. Part of her thought it to be because of the demon soul inhabiting the body. Maybe some of the newer electronic measures didn’t allow for things like that to work.
She shook off those thoughts and opened the door. She slipped inside and easily found the ruby. Almost too easy. The hairs on the back of her neck shivered. Someone was in the room just outside the vault. Bloody hell.
She ordered her heart and mind to settle as she opened the lid on the clear box that held all of the artifacts that Aileen had put on display that night. She slipped the ruby into a pocket she had sewn into the dress.
Another shuffle of feet outside of the vault caught her attention. She shut the door, without locking it. If she locked it, there would be no way out. She’d found that out the hard way early on in her career. Locks on safes kept her contained. Bloody inconvenient.
“I thought I heard something in here,” a male said. It had to be the guards. She held her breath and thought about transitioning out.
“You’re hearing things,” another man said. Their footsteps neared the vault. Her pulse increased. Sweat trickled down her back.
She had no choice now. She didn’t want to leave the vault unlocked, but she had no choice at this point. It could set off the alarm earlier than she wanted, but at the moment, it was that or possibly get arrested. She touched the ruby in her pocket to make sure it was still there and then closed her eyes. She reappeared in the hallway outside the door.
She had the ruby, now she hoped that she could make it to Fletcher, and they could escape before the true alarm was raised.
Serena stepped back into the ballroom and easily found Fletcher. He was standing on the opposite side of the room, but he was easy to find due to his height. He was easily one of the tallest men in attendance. He was alone, looking over the gathering. Their gazes locked. She started walking through the crowd, as did he. He motioned with his head to the exit and she followed his direction. She was hurrying along, something telling her they did not have much time. The same fine hairs on the back of her neck seemed to rise as a slither of dread slinked down her spine. They met up at the entrance to the hallway that led out to the garden.
“We have to go.”
“Why?” he asked, suspicion filling his tone. Of course. She deserved it though, even if she wanted to weep for the reason. She might not get her happily ever after, but she didn’t want Fletcher to hate her.
“I had to leave the vault unlocked. Two guards showed up.”
He nodded and took her hand. They hurried out the door into the garden. “From those blueprints, there’s a gate out here somewhere.”
They hurried along the paths, hand in hand, until she could see the gate. They were within a few feet of it when Serena heard steps on the path. Panic filled her. It was Aileen. There was no doubt in her mind. She had to get Fletcher out of there with the ruby. She slipped her hand into her pocket to retrieve the jewel.
“Fletcher. Take it and go.”
He stopped walking and looked down at her hand. “What?”
“Go. They’re coming now, and I cannae have you get caught. Take the ruby. Save your family.” She rose up and kissed him, pouring all the love she had for him in that one kiss. When she pulled back, she slipped the ruby into his hand. She would not get her revenge, but he could have his happy ending. The McLennans deserved it. “You and I were never about the job. I love you, Fletcher, go.”
“Rena,” he said, but he didn’t finish. His gaze lifted to look at something behind her.
“Little Deva.”
She turned and found the enemy she had spent a lifetime searching for holding a gun on both she and Fletcher. Aileen’s mouth twisted into an evil smile.
“Now where do you think you might be running off to?”
Chapter Sixteen
Fletcher’s heart stuttered to a stop. No. That couldn’t truly happen because he would be dead. The thought of Rena in danger made him want to die himself.
He watched the woman who had been so charming, so seductive in front of the crowd transform in front of them. Physically, she looked like the same woman, but the evil emanating off of her slithered toward them. It slipped over his flesh. He thought he might throw up any minute now.
“That isna my name,” Serena said.
He glanced at her. She didn’t look scared, but he felt her fear. It was stronger than the malicious intent from Aileen. Was it because of their connection? Fletcher wasn’t sure he could figure that out. He still hadn’t wrapped his mind around what had just happened before Aileen’s appearance. Rena had given him the ruby and told him to leave. She had been ready to face Aileen on her own. Without him. Why?
“What, you don’t want the very sexy and young Fletcher Lennon to know your real age?”
Serena snorted. “This is between you and me. He has nothing to do with it. Let him go.”
He glanced up at the sky. Was that thunder he heard, or anger from the two women?
“I think you have something that belongs to me,” Aileen said.
“We don’t know what the bloody hell you’re talking about,” he said, trying to draw her attention from Rena to him.
“You don’t?” Aileen asked.
She raised her gaze to Fletcher, but she kept the gun trained on Serena. He had to fight the urge to rush the woman. She might shoot Rena in response. He could not have that. Instead, he took small steps closer.
He shook his head. “Neither of us do.”
Aileen gave him a sad look, then she turned her gaze back to Rena.
“Really? Where do you find the dumb ones? He’s so sexy but dim. This one is amazingly stupid if he had no idea you stole a jewel from me.”
“He has no idea,” Serena said. “This is all about me. I wanted revenge.”
Aileen tilted her head to one side, her look of innocence so deceptive. He knew that most people would see a sweet woman. She was standing there with a white dress as pure as the first snow. But he now knew what Rena had talked about. There was something off about her. It was the look in her gaze and the tone in her voice. It was almost as if evil was personified.
“No,” Aileen said as she straightened her head. “If you don’t know, you are stupid. But even with that, she loves you.”
He glanced at Rena. Panic was coursing through him as he watched her. Part of it was his own. But a bigger part of it was from Rena. She was scared, but she was more afraid for him. She was ready to lose this battle, but she wanted him safe.
“Yes. You see it, right?” Aileen asked, her voice a bit sing songy. He looked at her and she nodded. “Hurting you might make for a good appetizer to the full course I have planned.”
“He was nothing to me. I was using him.”
He heard the words and just moments earlier he would have believed her. Instead, he had a ruby in his coat pocket that proved him wrong. She had tried to get him out of there. She had told him that she loved him.
Then why did she tell him to leave? What did she think would happen?
She thought she was going to die.
“You do care about him. What? Did you play a mark and fall in love with him? Stupid Deva.”
“My. Name. Is. Serena.” Another rumble of thunder, this time louder with a flash of lightening. It wasn’t coming from both women, but from Rena. Her emotions were rumbling through the atmosphere as clouds began to gather. The wind picked up.
Aileen shook her head. “You know, your mother, as I said before, was stupid. She didna deserve your father.”
There was a beat of silence and he glanced at Rena. A devilish smile curved her lips.
“Did you have a thing for my father?”
“No.” Aileen’s gaze softened. “But he was truly a special man. Working in the fields like a common worker. She made him do that. He shunned his family for her. He could have been so powerful. He had the makings of a great faery who could have ruled his family.”
Serena stilled beside him. �
��You were in love with him.”
“Shut up,” Aileen shouted.
“No, you were, and in those days, you could not live like that. Besides, he didn’t like other men. He only liked woman, and he adored my mother.”
“I said it before. You are as stupid as your mother.”
“So, you wanted him to make you into a soul-sucking demon. You wanted to take over my mother’s body.”
“Shut the fuck up,” she screamed as she straightened her arm and pressed the trigger of the gun.
He heard the click of the pistol and knew he had only a second or two to react. He couldn’t lose her. Rena might be ready to die, but Fletcher knew in that moment, he wasn’t ready for her to die. She was raising her hand, the electricity in the air intensified. Why didn’t she try to hider?
He didn’t wait. He threw himself in front of Rena, taking the bullet in his side. Pain seared through his flesh. He hit the ground hard, his head practically bouncing off the paved walkway. Stars appeared before his eyes and he gasped for breath. Serena screamed as if her soul had been split in two. Fear, pain, he felt it, but he knew it wasn’t his alone. It was hers entwined with his.
Had she been shot? Bloody hell, he would never forgive himself if she were hurt. Before he could find out if Rena was okay, he heard shouts from people. They seemed to be everywhere, filling the garden. He watched as Aileen transformed, the evil being pushed back so she could put on the innocent facade.
“Fletcher,” Serena said as she knelt down beside him as the thunder rose in volume and lightening crackled in the air around him.
“You’re okay?” he asked, his voice seemed a bit slurry as if he had been drinking.
“Of course, I am. What the bloody hell did you think you were about, Fletcher?”
“I was saving you.”
She shook her head. “Stupid man.”
“Well, I did, didna I?”
People found them in seconds, the group of security folks arriving first. He ignored them and the woman they worked for. Instead, he looked up at Rena.
Fletcher: The Cursed Clan: Book 4 Page 14
