“I wasn’t at risk. You know that,” he said.
She nodded, but he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks as she took hold of his hand.
“Don’t cry, love.”
She still didn’t say anything, but she held onto his hand, clutching it to her chest. Thunder continued to roll as the heavens opened and rain poured down on both of them. The pain in his side slowly dissolved. He knew without looking that his flesh was already busy healing itself. One great thing about being an immortal was that it was never taking a chance when he stepped in front of a bullet. Not that he had a chance to do it often. Or ever. He hoped never to have to deal with it again. While he knew he was healing, it hurt like the devil.
“Okay, I think everyone needs to come back inside and we’ll call the police,” the biggest of the security guards said.
“Why? There’s no reason for that,” Serena said.
“Mrs. McDougall claims you have stolen something from the vault. You are not leaving until you’re searched, and I have a feeling you would rather have an official do that.”
Serena opened her mouth to argue, but Fletcher stopped her.
“No, love,” he said. “Let’s just go along with what they want.”
One of the guards stepped closer and made the mistake of laying a hand on her.
“I think you need to get your hand off Ms. Fay,” he said, not raising his voice.
“Excuse me?” the guard asked.
“I’ve had enough of this insanity tonight, and if you do not remove your hand, I might have to take it off.”
The guard blinked. While Fletcher had not raised his voice, he did put enough of a threat in his tone to let the guard know he would have no problem doing what he threatened.
“Please, my friend had a fall. We are not trying to run off. We’re soaking wet. Just let us get back up to the house.”
He looked at Fletcher and dropped his hand. She stood and held out a hand for Fletcher. He frowned, but he accepted it. He rose to his feet too fast. The world around him started to spin and his stomach rolled over. Bloody hell.
“Fletcher?” she asked, but her voice sounded tinny.
“Rena, love?”
“Yes. What do you need?”
“Nothing, much, but I think I’m going to pass out.”
Serena screamed as he pitched forward, then his world went dark.
Chapter Seventeen
The guards helped carry Fletcher into the house. Serena followed them down the hallway to what looked like some kind of salon, praying that Fletcher would be all right. She knew he would survive, but she didn’t know how hard he hit his head.
As the guards lowered him to the couch, he woke up, her name the first thing he said.
She rushed forward, so he could see her, and he calmed down. That had been over an hour ago. They had been given towels, but they had been forced to sit there in wet clothes.
As they sat next to each other on the couch, his color improved, telling her he was on the way to being completely mended. For once, Serena thanked God for their dilemma of immortality. If it hadn’t been for that, she would be dead.
The guards had kept watch over them; although, they had not seen Aileen since they had been ushered into the house. Before the police had talked to any of them, they had been patted down, their items searched. She had held her breath as they felt through Fletcher’s pockets. They had come up empty.
“Thank you, Fletcher.”
He looked at her, his gaze warm. “Anything for you, Rena.”
She shook her head. “No. You could have gotten away with the ruby. You should have just gone.”
“Then you would be dead and I couldna handle that.”
She wanted to ask him more, to demand what he meant by that, but she knew it wasn’t a good idea to get into that. “Where did you put it?”
“It was in my pocket.”
“But they didna find it when they searched you.”
He shook his head. “Maybe it fell out in the struggle.”
She nodded and sighed. Before she could respond further, the door opened. In walked Aileen. If Serena didn’t already know it, she definitely assumed she had some kind of demonic agreement. Her makeup and hair had been restored. In fact, the woman looked as if she had been to see a hairstylist and was picture perfect.
A policeman followed her into the room. He was somewhere in the realm of fifty. A thinning mop of red hair was cropped short. Curious green eyes took in the entire room before his gaze landed on Fletcher and Serena.
“Mr. Lennon. Ms. Fay. My name is DI Mooney. Do you want to give me your side of the story?”
“We were leaving and were accosted by Mrs. McDougall. I’ve no idea what it was all about,” Fletcher said.
“You know bloody well what it was about,” Aileen bit out. Mooney glanced in her direction, a look of irritation slipping over his expression before he hid it. That was a good sign for them.
“No, I truly don’t. Do you, love?”
Serena glanced at him, then looked at the policeman again. “No. I really don’t know.”
“Lying bitch. Where is my bloody jewel?” she screamed.
“I’ve told you already that they were both searched, Mrs. McDougall. They had nothing on them.”
“I would really like to get back to our rental. We’re soaking wet and I’ve got an early start in the morning. We’ve got to be back in Edinburgh in the afternoon for business.”
“Lies,” Aileen screeched. “She’s a faery and she could have transported the jewel.”
A long moment of silence filled the room. “Are you saying that Ms. Fay here is a faery and stole your jewel...what was it, a ruby?”
“Yes.”
“And she somehow made it disappear?” There was no denying the disbelief in Mooney’s tone. He definitely didn’t believe her.
“Is that why you shot at Fletcher?” Serena asked.
“She shot at Mr. Lennon?” the policeman asked, alarm sounding in his voice.
“Yes. She must be a bad shot because she missed.”
“I didna miss,” she said rushing toward them. Before they knew what she was up to, she grabbed Fletcher’s shirt and ripped it open. Buttons flew everywhere. There was just a little mark, barely visible.
“What?” she screamed. She pointed toward Serena. “She did this.”
“Because she’s a faery?” the detective asked. This time he sounded like he was talking to a mental patient.
“Yes.”
“Ah...Okay. Mr. Lennon, we have your things in the next room. You and Ms. Fay are free to go.”
“They stole it I tell you,” she said running after them. She launched herself at Serena, but she was too quick for the woman. She flung out her arm, smacking the crazed woman to the ground. Aileen landed with a thud against the wooden floor.
“I’ve been nice enough about tonight, but if you come after me again, I will protect what is mine.”
“You fucking cunt.”
A couple of the sergeants standing around grabbed Aileen before she could launch herself at Serena again. The crazed look in her eyes had Serena almost feeling sorry for her. Almost.
“My apologies, Mr. Lennon. Ms. Fay.”
“Doona worry, DI Mooney. We understand,” Fletcher said, but she could hear the anger in his voice. It wafted off of him, reaching out to her. Serena rubbed his arm and urged him out the door. There was no reason to start another fight or raise suspicions. As it was now, the police were looking at Aileen as if she had gone mad. Fletcher and Serena said nothing else as they hurried down the steps to where the car was parked. The valets were gone, as were most of the guests.
They reached the car just as there was a horrible scream that filled the air around them. Turning, she saw that Aileen was running toward them with a gun in her hand.
“I will seek my due,” Aileen bellowed, her voice sounding demonic.
Serena’s anger surged as she watched Aileen run to the edge. She starte
d down the stairs. Police ran after her, but there wasn’t going to be time to save them. Serena tried to step in front of Fletcher, but he cursed and shoved her behind him, shielding her with his body. No, this was her chance. She could avenge her parents. She stepped in front of him again and he growled. They struggled before he said, “Stay behind me, you barmy woman.”
It was for nothing. The stairs were slick from the earlier rain. Aileen slipped, her face contorted in horror as her body flung forward. She landed three steps from the bottom.
The police reached her, but even without their response, Serena knew Aileen was dead. The unnatural position of her neck and the glassy stare told Serena that there wouldn’t be a problem anymore. The gun lay a few feet away.
DI Mooney came toward them.
“Did she say anything to you?”
Fletcher shook his head. “Other than something about getting her due.”
Mooney looked at Aileen, then back to them. “I think she did. We’ve got your mobile number if we need to ask you anything further.”
Serena nodded.
Fletcher opened the door for her, waited for her to sit down before slamming the door. He hurried around the front of the car then slipped into the driver’s seat. They were a mile down the road before he said anything.
“That bloody bitch.”
She sighed. “Yes. Poor thing never had a chance against Breck.”
“You mean the original Aileen?”
She nodded.
“Do you know how he takes over?”
“He slips into their body either by invitation or by force. Usually invitation. He usually picks a person who is naive and wants more out their lot in life. He has to do it before the being he is using dies.”
“So, you’re safe.”
She nodded. “We need to get back in there and look for the ruby. We must have it before we leave.”
He opened his mouth, but his mobile rang. She picked it up and saw that it was Callum. She also noticed that he had called four times in the last thirty minutes.
She clicked it on. “About bloody fucking time,” Callum said.
“Language,” Phoebe said.
“Well, we’ve been worried. You’ve been pacing, then when the ruby showed up, but they didn’t call, you panicked.”
Relief stole through her. The ruby was there, and they had completed the quest.
“I did not. I was worried. A lot,” Phoebe said. “So, you are both okay?”
“Yes, but I think we will pack up and get out of here as fast as possible,” Fletcher said. Of course, he wanted to leave. Their romantic holiday was over, and they had the ruby.
“Good. Be careful and you can tell us all about it when you get here,” Callum said.
“But I want to know more,” Anice said in the background.
“They need to get home, then they can tell us everything. Be careful,” Callum said, then the line went dead.
“Well, that’s good,” Serena said, trying to sound positive and knowing it fell flat. At least Fletcher didn’t respond.
“Yes. Now we have only one more stone to get.”
She nodded and looked out the window. She just wished she knew what it meant for them.
* * *
They had their rooms packed up in record time by Fletcher’s estimation. They stowed their luggage in the car, then he did one more sweep through the house to make sure they didn’t leave anything behind.
Serena did the same and he found her in the dining room. She hadn’t said much since the phone call from Callum.
“Do you think we got everything?”
She nodded as she glanced at the dining room table. It was then that it hit him, it was the first place they made love.
“Rena, I think we need to have a talk.”
She sighed. “Let’s not. I think we’ve said enough tonight.”
He frowned. “I don’t think we did.”
She closed her eyes. “Please, don’t make me go through it again. I know I lied to you. I understand that you don’t want me around. I would just transport back but then, if you get stopped, you would have to explain yourself.”
He studied her for a second or two, then he took her hand. She opened her eyes and looked at him, surprise lighting her eyes.
“I let you explain, so can you let me have a chance to explain why I reacted the way I did?”
She looked down at their hands, then raised her gaze to meet his. She nodded.
“Back before the curse, I was in love. Or I thought I was. Her name was Laire, and she was from a neighboring clan. I was always sneaking out to meet with her. She seemed sweet and beautiful.”
His mind went back to that time as memories flooded him. The kisses, the passionate moments in the forest. The duplicity. Odd how it didn’t hurt him like it had before.
“But she hid a treacherous side. She was evil.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“She sold us out. She told the McWalton’s we were trying to escape. My grandfather was sneaking us out of Scotland, and we had the McWaltons on our heels.”
“This was before you were cursed?”
He nodded. “She had told her father when we were leaving. I was stupid enough to think she would come with us. She never showed. It’s why I was so angry with you. I thought you had betrayed me.”
“I did in a way,” she said, her voice filled with self-loathing.
“But when it counted, when I needed you to stand up for me, you did. You got that ruby and you gave it to me. You really thought I would leave you there, didn’t you?”
She shrugged.
“Rena. At that moment, I thought I was going to lose you. I thought you were ready to die and the only thing I could think was that I would give up the ruby for you. Anything to save you. I love you, Serena Fay.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I love you too.”
“I know. You told me when you threw the ruby at me.”
“I didn’t throw it at you.”
“You did.”
“But it appeared in the sword.”
“I guess that means we have to get married now.”
She rolled her eyes and brushed the tears from her face. “It means no such thing.”
He pulled her into his arms. “Does that mean you won’t?”
“You didn’t give me a proper proposal and no. Not now. I want you to have some distance from the threat against our lives and then you can propose. Properly and with a ring.”
“It’s a deal,” he said, lowering his head to brush his mouth over hers. He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue against the seam of her lips, then dipping inside when she opened her mouth.
Heat rose up and the lights flickered around them. He pulled back.
“Maybe we should stay overnight,” he said.
She shook her head. “No. Let’s get out of here. I don’t trust that woman. Besides, you have that wonderful massive bed back at the mansion.”
He laughed and gave her a big, smacking kiss on the lips. “Then let’s get on the road because I plan on getting you there and keeping you there for a week.”
Epilogue
They arrived back at the McLennan mansion just before dawn the next morning. They were greeted by the entire family. After hugs and assurances that they were okay, everyone gathered in the kitchen for a celebration.
After telling the story, Serena was pulled aside by her friends.
“So it all worked out and you are staying here with us.”
Serena nodded and drank her champagne.
“Yes,” she said, glancing at Fletcher. He was watching her, and she smiled. He responded in kind. The look, the knowledge that he was now her family, sent a wave of heat through her. She finally belonged. She turned back to find the M and M’s watching her. “What?”
“You would have killed her?”
“Oh, no. It was more important that we get the jewel for Fletcher and his family. For you two also. That was all that mattered
to me.”
“And then he jumped in front of that bullet, and the shot was heard by everyone?”
She nodded.
“Oh...wow. It’s just like that bloody book again,” Maggie said.
“What do you mean?”
“The book said you would both have to trust each other, to sacrifice. Remember? You both put each other’s needs before your own. That’s the sacrifice and trust.”
“Yes.” As the ramifications hit her, she smiled. “Fletcher is insisting that we get married.”
“Yay!” Meghan shouted, clapping her hands together. Of course, she did it loud enough to garner the attention of the other McLennans.
“What?” Anice asked.
Fletcher apparently knew what they had been talking about, or figured it out from her friends’ reactions.
“I believe that Rena has told her friends that I proposed to her.”
“Congratulations,” Angus said, holding his glass higher in the air.
“Not so fast, cousin. Rena hasn’t answered me.”
“Yes. I believe it had something to do with the fact that you said, ‘Well, I guess that means we have to get married now.’ Not really romantic.”
“Oh, Fletcher,” Anice said laughing. “It figures the man who is known for romancing women screwed up his proposal.”
Fletcher sent his twin a dark look, then he downed his champagne, set his glass down on the counter. He strode over to her. She expected a demand. Fletcher had other ideas.
He dropped down to one knee and took her hand in his.
“Rena, you are my love, my life, my soul. I’ve spent centuries looking for a woman like you. Please, say you’ll marry me and be my family.”
Tears filled her eyes. She tried blinking to keep them at bay, but they spilled over on her cheeks. The lump in her throat caught her off guard too. She was finding it hard to speak. He caught on and rose to his feet. He cupped her face, brushing away her tears with his thumbs.
“Love, don’t cry.”
“I hate it.”
He smiled. “I know.”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He looked heavenward as if to thank his maker, then he bent his head and pressed his mouth against hers. Just like the very first time he had kissed her, her head spun, her body came alive and the air sparked around her.
Fletcher: The Cursed Clan: Book 4 Page 15
