Ghosts of Culloden Moor 14 - Liam (Diane Darcy)

by L. L. Muir

“Now you say that, but when you come to realize that this alien has fooled you, you’re going to need therapy.”

  “I’m not an alien, laddie, I’m a ghost. Or I was one, anyway.”

  “What?” Both of them said and looked at him.

  Amber widened her eyes at Liam. “Uh…Liam. Roger is my friend and I’d really appreciate you not messing with his mind that way.”

  “I’m ready to tell you everything.”

  “Amber!” She could see her father walking toward her in the distance, Victor behind him. Though she was relieved that he was fine, she really didn’t want to talk to him right now.

  “Come on. Explanations can wait until we get home. Let’s get out of here.”

  ~~~

  In the end, they went back to Amber’s place and each took a long, hot shower, trying to rid themselves of the smell of Roger’s alien repellent.

  Roger and Velma returned an hour later.

  Liam explained everything, retelling the story he’d told her once before. The battle of Culloden Moor, haunting the place for centuries with his brothers and comrades, the witch arriving to set them free in exchange for a good deed. The chance at revenge and the choice he’d made.

  Amber finally spoke. “Let me get this straight. You died at Culloden Moor, 270 years ago?”

  “Aye.”

  Amber nodded. “Okay. And you had two of your brothers with you, and recently a witch brought you back to life to do a good deed. Which you did tonight.”

  “Ye did as well, lass.”

  She nodded. “And your two brothers went before you, and you think they might be around somewhere as well?”

  “They may or may not have remained.”

  “And you are sticking around?”

  “If it’s a choice between you and revenge I’d choose you every time, lass.”

  She blinked back tears and nodded. She looked over at Roger and Velma. “What do you think?”

  “We could call Jensen. He could find his brothers.”

  She was torn. Thrilled that Liam indicated he planned to stay, and worried he had some sort of mental illness.

  But he didn’t look ill, he looked sincere. But then wouldn’t someone with mental health issues look sincere? Especially if they believed the story themselves?

  “Amber, I can see what yer thinkin’ but I’m not batty. Every word I’ve told ye is truth.”

  She nodded, wondering if it even mattered to her. She wasn’t giving him up.

  As Roger and Velma went outside to make a phone call, Amber pulled her own phone out of Liam’s sporran. “What are your brother’s names again?”

  “Gareth MacGregor. Aiden MacGregor.”

  She did a search for them but found nothing. She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

  Liam shrugged.

  Roger came back inside. “Jensen is on it. He’ll let us know if he finds anything.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  October, a few months later

  A knock on the door had Amber springing up from the dinner table. “I’ve got it.”

  Velma and Roger stood outside, both of them smiling and excited. “Come in. We’re just having dinner and making plans for our next vacation. Are you hungry?”

  “We’re good.” They moved past her and Roger was openly grinning at Liam. “Jensen says hi.”

  “Oh? I thought the man was to be a secret.”

  “Yeah, he knows you both know about him, but it doesn’t matter anymore because he moved, just in case.”

  “Uh, huh.” Amber lifted a brow and glanced at Liam. “That’s too bad.”

  “It all worked out. He needed a bigger space, anyway. It took him a while to get his system up and running again, and then there was that UFO scare over Ohio, right? Anyway, he found Liam’s brothers.”

  Liam slowly rose. “What?”

  “Yeah. A website came up, listing both names. Jensen got an alert.”

  Amber picked up her phone and typed.

  Both names appeared.

  She went to the website, and there were some pictures to go along with the names. Pictures that looked very similar to Liam. According to the site, the men both lived in Washington State.

  She handed the phone to Liam. “There’s a phone number.”

  Liam was stunned. He looked at the screen. “They’re here? Alive? I could call them?”

  She nodded, not knowing what to say. A few months ago, she’d checked daily. Then less and less. She should never have given up, but between their quick marriage, the vacations they’d taken, and being head over heels with her husband, she’d let it slide. “Do you want me to dial the number for you?”

  She realized he was trembling, scared to death.

  “Aye.”

  She dialed and handed him the phone. A moment later he straightened, running a hand over his mouth. “Aiden?”

  There was a long pause. “Liam?” She heard the deep voice, loud and clear.

  Liam started to cry.

  ~~~

  Liam heard a struggle for the phone and next heard Gareth’s curt voice on the other end. “Hello? Laddie? Are ye there?”

  “Gareth?” Liam stuttered out his oldest brother’s name.

  “Aye.” Gareth yelled in his ear. “Aiden! It truly is him! ’Tis Liam on the phone!”

  Hearing his brother’s voice, hard and real for the first time in centuries, had Liam’s throat seizing up as disbelief coursed through him.

  “Liam?” It was Aiden again.

  Liam nodded, but couldn’t speak. His brothers. Here. He wanted to see them. Needed to. He pressed a fist to his mouth and tried to stop blubbering like a bairn.

  “Liam? Are ye there, lad?”

  Roger, Velma, and Amber watched him, hopeful, excited, and smiling for his sake.

  He tried to pull himself together.

  “Laddie?” Aiden pressured.

  It didn’t work. He had no control and started to weep again. Amber came up behind him. She rubbed his back and he turned and wrapped an arm around her, pressing his face into her stomach. She held him close, warm and real, giving him back his much needed control. He took a steadying breath.

  “Aye,” he finally choked the word out. “’Tis me. I’m here.”

  He heard his brothers yell out in triumph, then Gareth was back. “Where are ye? We’ll come for ye. No matter where, we’ll find ye.”

  “Las Vegas.”

  There was more talking on the other end of the line.

  “We’re to fly to ye. Give us yer exact location and we’ll find ye.” Gareth’s determined voice, so much like him, made Liam smile.

  Aiden was back. “Ye are stayin’, aren’t you, laddie? Soncerae has given ye a choice?”

  He cleared his throat, gaining another level of calm. “I am.”

  Another yell of triumph and he could hear both brothers laughing, celebrating in the background. There were female voices as well.

  “And ye have a lady?” Aiden wanted to know.

  “Aye, her name is Amber.” He gave her a squeeze. “’Tis Amber MacGregor now. “Come and get us, will ye?”

  “Hand Amber the phone. We’ll get directions from your lass and be on our way.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Christmas in Harmony Falls, Washington.

  Amber was helping her sister-in-laws in Lissa and Gareth’s new kitchen. This was the third time she and Liam had come to Washington. First for the reunion in October, then for the renewal of their vows in November, and now for Christmas. They’d be moving here soon and she couldn’t wait.

  Male laughter exploded from the living room once more as Gareth, Aiden, and Liam played some sort of game. At least they weren’t outside admiring Liam’s new Aston Martin again. The man treated it like a precious child.

  Still, she loved the sound of their laughter and exchanged smiles with Lissa and Zoey. She adored having so much family, and the two women had become like the sisters she’d never had. Last October, when Liam’s brothers’ retrieved them
from Las Vegas, the reunion had been incredible. Not only for the three men, but for the women in their lives as well.

  Yes, their story had been hard to swallow at first. Common sense and practicality ruled her. She’d had to be sensible, what with her father acting like a child her entire life.

  All the same, accepting there were magical and unexplainable happenings in the world had given her a new sense of wonder and open-mindedness.

  Roger had an easier time with it. In fact, he’d had no problem whatsoever believing Liam was a former ghost. Though he had been a little disappointed that Liam wasn’t an alien. Still, in his mind, a ghost was better. As he’d said, at least the dude belongs on our planet. Plus, Liam and his brothers had all donated to his plant the trees fund, and for Roger, that had pretty much cinched it. Aliens were notoriously cheap, and wanted to harm the planet and its occupants. Aliens simply weren’t charitable, ergo Liam wasn’t one.

  Liam had proposed to her gratifyingly fast and they’d eloped within weeks of meeting as Liam refused to live with her unwed. The second time they’d married near Aiden and Zoey’s house at a small chapel in the woods in front of a priest, all three couples renewing their vows.

  It had been crazy romantic.

  Ian and Samantha MacGregor had even come all the way from Scotland, though how they were related was still sort of vague. Ian, though very likable, was quite bossy and constantly fussing over everyone and everything and generally acting as if it was his right to do so. His wife, Samantha, was a sweetheart and a famous archaeologist. They were an interesting couple.

  Roger, Velma, and Amber’s father had attended as well. Her father walked her down the aisle. He’d been a little disappointed in the quaintness of the ceremony as he’d had big plans to marry her off in style.

  “Amber, what are you smiling about?” Lissa asked as she scooped German chocolate pie onto plates, her pregnant belly getting in the way.

  Amber dried another of the glasses Zoey handed her. “I was just thinking about the wedding, and how beautiful it was. I love that church. If it had been up to my father, we’d have been married at the Bellagio.”

  Both girls chuckled.

  “I love that church, too,” Zoey said. “And it’s sweet the way we all renewed our vows there.”

  “Has your father become accustomed to the fact that you’re moving here?” Lissa asked.

  “I think so. I think he’s happy I’ll be out of reach of his enemies.”

  “They kidnapped you over a real estate deal?”

  “Yes, they were trying to force him to sell some prime property he didn’t want to sell. They all act like a bunch of two year olds. It would be funny, if they weren’t so deadly.”

  Zoey shook her head. “I bet.”

  Lissa shot her a sympathetic glance and called out, “It’s time for pie!”

  Three men traipsed into the kitchen, each one going directly to his wife. Liam wrapped an arm around Amber and squeezed her against his side as he kissed the top of her head. “It looks good.”

  Aidan bent to give Zoey a long kiss before lifting his head. “I’ll not say no to pie.”

  Garreth pulled his wife against him and cupped her belly. “How is our daughter this day? And her sweet mother?”

  Lissa giggled. “That’s the fifth time you’ve asked me that since breakfast. We’re still fine.”

  “And I’ll continue to ask, every day, and often,” Gareth chided.

  “So, Christmas in Scotland next year?” Liam asked. “At the new place? Ian thinks it will be ready by next summer.”

  “Ha.” Lissa snorted. “As if you boys can ever agree on what our home-away-from-home should look like.” She sighed as she leaned against Gareth. “But I have to admit, I can’t wait to go back.”

  “I’m not so sure.” Aiden pulled Zoey close. “With Zoey expectin’ twins and Samantha trying for another babe, we may have to adjust the date.”

  Everyone started to scream at once. “Zoey is expecting twins?” Liam whooped.

  Amber grinned. “That’s wonderful!”

  “You’re to have two, rather than one?” Gareth smiled, obviously pleased.

  “My goodness! Congratulations!” Lissa clapped.

  Zoey glowed under the onslaught of well wishes, her hand firmly enclosed in Aiden’s. “At least it explains why I was getting so big, so fast. We’re incredibly happy about it.”

  Amber smiled. She didn’t dare look over her shoulder at Liam or he’d give them away for sure. They’d just found out they were expecting as well, but she wanted to keep it between them for a bit longer. She hugged the secret close as she leaned back against her husband.

  After they’d calmed, Lissa insisted they take the pie into the living room.

  Liam picked up two plates and Amber followed, enjoying the huge space with its stone fireplace, log beams, and comfortable furniture. A huge Christmas tree dominated the space reminding her of the fun morning spent opening gifts and she touched the Scottish pendant around her throat and smiled.

  Roger implanted another tracking device at Liam’s instruction. As he’d said, I’ll not have my wife disappearin’ on me now I’ve finally found her.

  She sank close to Liam on the overstuffed sofa, and, as they ate, once again conversation turned to the new real estate venture the brother’s were involved in. Liam had chosen the property, and when it turned out to be much more valuable than what they’d paid for, no one was in the least bit surprised.

  His brothers had teased him mercilessly about his good fortune, though Liam claimed the luckiest day of his life was the day he’d met Amber.

  She finished her pie and curled close to Liam, her head on his shoulder. He held her close with one arm wrapped around her, and rifled through the travel magazine she had an article in. He paused for a long moment. “Did ye know there is a large mountain to climb, the tallest in the world, called Mount Everest?” He glanced up. “Has anyone heard tale of it? Should we go there and see?”

  His brothers groaned.

  Amber chuckled.

  With Liam, life was always about the next grand adventure.

  She wouldn’t have him any other way.

  A NOTE ABOUT THE SERIES

  Although the individual stories of Culloden’s 79 need not be read in strict order, The Gathering should definitely be read first to understand what’s going on between the Muir Witch and these Highland warriors from 1746. The Reckoning, Number 79’s story, will finish the series.

  The names of Cullen’s 79 are historically accurate in that we have used only the clan or surnames of those who actually died on that fateful day. The given names have been changed out of respect for those brave men and their descendants. If a ghost happens to share the entire name of a fallen warrior, it is purely accidental.

  Watch for GERARD next!

  Links for the other ghost romances can be found on the book list page.

  Sign up for my newsletter at www.DianeDarcy.com to be notified when all the ghosts get their turn.

  If you’d like to know these ghosts better, the website for the series can be found at: www.ghostsofcullodenmoor.weebly.com

  https://www.facebook.com/GhostsofCullodenMoor

  And if you care for any of Culloden’s 79, be a sport and leave a review.

  Copyright This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Liam: ©2015 by Diane Darcy The Ghosts of Culloden Moor series ©2015 Lesli Muir Lytle *All rights reserved.

  Cover Art design by Kelli Ann Morgan

 

 

 
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