Amethyst Destiny (16 page)

The viscount came to join his wife, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “You’re another of Hegarty’s lost bairns.”

Julia shook her head, confused. “Who’s Hegarty?” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Talon move, standing back from the small grouping, but moving fully into her line of sight. He didn’t appear nearly as relieved as she felt. If anything, he seemed more tense than before.

As she wondered at that, Brenna stepped forward and reached for her necklace, lifting it lightly between her fingers. “Where did you get this?”

The question confirmed her suspicions. “This is how I time-traveled, isn’t it?”

Brenna nodded. “Probably. You don’t remember being here as a child? In this time?”

“I wasn’t. But I think my cousin was. She’s the one who gave it to me, right after her wedding a few days ago. She wanted me to take it back to New York with me.” Julia grimaced. “She told me not to touch it before I got home, but I put it on during the drive back to Glasgow.”

Brenna winced. “Oh. Bad move. And, poof, here you are.” She cocked her head, her gaze immensely sympathetic. “So you’re here by accident.”

“Yes. But you’re not?”

Brenna shook her head. “Hegarty sent me into the future when I was five to save my life. I didn’t remember. I thought I was from your time. So when he called me home last year, it was a bit of a shock.” She shot her husband a sharp look wrapped in deep, loving layers. “Especially since no one told me I belonged here for quite a while.”

Rourke looked up and away, a flash of guilt on his face even as he stroked his wife’s hair. But when he looked down and met his wife’s gaze, his eyes were filled with as much love as Brenna’s were. “Aye, but ye forgave me.”

Brenna smiled at him, something warm and loving and private passing between them.

Rourke turned back to Julia. “Apparently Brenna wasn’t the only bairn Hegarty helped with his magic stones. The wee scamp willna say much, but he’s let slip that there were other bairns sent to the future about the same time as Brenna. Twenty years ago.”

Julia nodded. “That was my cousin Catriona. She was thirteen when she arrived out of nowhere looking like a barefoot street urchin.”

Brenna’s brows drew down. “Okay, I’m confused. If Hegarty called you back, why wasn’t he there to take the stone? Or send you home when he realized he had the wrong woman?”

Julia glanced at Talon, uncertain how to answer that. Uncertain what the right answer was. Had Hegarty called her back? Or had Talon’s ring?

She watched, dismayed, as Talon joined them with that affected walk, carrying one hand in the air. Why did he feel like he had to maintain the charade? These were friends.

Weren’t they?

It occurred to her it was only her own charade that was no longer needed. She didn’t have to pretend to be from this time. But Talon still meant to find and steal the chalice from this castle. From Brenna and her husband.

The thought settled like a stone in the pit of her stomach. How could she have forgotten lying was his life?

Talon launched into a tall tale with a flare worthy of an Oscar. “I was traveling to visit my sister in Aberdeen, I was, when a leprechaun, a wee little man, popped out of thin air and told me a bonny lass would soon appear. He could not wait for her himself and bade me take her to Picktillum Castle to await his arrival. If I granted him this boon, he would share his silver with me.”

A leprechaun? She noticed that neither Brenna nor Rourke seemed surprised by the description. Wait ... hadn’t Talon told her something about a
wee little man
giving him his ring when he was a kid?
Seriously?
A leprechaun?

But okay, now she was sure the two stones were tied together in some way.

Talon nodded toward Julia, warmth in his eyes. “’ Twas a vision that appeared. The beautiful lass at my side.”

“Where’d you get the dress?” Brenna wanted to know.

Julia glanced down at the brocade gown, hoping Talon had a reasonable answer, because she was clueless. She couldn’t exactly say she ran by the mall on her way to the castle.

“’ Twas my sister’s,” Talon said with an overly dramatic sigh. “I was taking the trunk to her, but had to leave it behind when the wheel on the coach broke. Thieves will have stolen the rest by now, I’m certain.” He shrugged, his gaze going back to Julia. “But one gown was put to fine use.”

Brenna took Julia’s hand, her eyes at once excited and sad. “I’m sorry you won’t be staying. I could use a friend who doesn’t think I’m talking about archery when I say I miss
Target
. But you’re here now and I’d love to hear everything that’s happened since I left.”

Julia’s mind was spinning. Brenna believed Talon’s story. That he’d met Hegarty and that Hegarty intended to send her home. Every word had been a lie. And yet ...

Could the leprechaun send her home? Excitement set up a fast thrum in her veins. She looked at Talon, then back to Brenna. “What if Hegarty doesn’t come back for me?”

Brenna squeezed her hand, then released it. “We know how to get in touch with him. Old Inghinn in the village has some connection to him we don’t quite understand. But he’s told us if we ever need him, she’s the one to go to.”

This was it.
The way home. All she had to do was ask them to call Hegarty for her and he’d send her home.

Her gaze flew to Talon. Though he didn’t break character, she could tell by the tightening of his jaw and the lack of a gleam in his eyes that he wasn’t pleased.

For an unguarded moment, warmth lifted inside her at the thought he might miss her. Then she remembered why he’d called her in the first place. To perform some task.

Except ... God, she was so confused. Who had really called her back here and why? Talon’s ring? Catriona’s necklace? Hegarty? Or a combination of all three?

Was she here to perform some task for Talon as he’d believed? Or had she simply, accidentally, punched Catriona’s return-trip ticket?

The viscount rescued her from the swirling whirlpool of her thoughts. “You’re welcome to stay at Picktillum as long as you wish, Julia.” He smiled. “If ye wish to delay your departure and learn a bit about the past, I’m sure Brenna would enjoy the company of someone from home.”

Brenna grinned. “You have to meet our son. He’s almost a month old, but I think he’s going to look just like his dad. I thought he was going to have blue eyes, but every day they get lighter.”

Julia smiled, unable to resist Brenna’s warmth. “I’d love to see him.”

The viscount turned to Talon. “I thank you for bringing her here. For helping Hegarty, whatever your reasons. You’re both welcome to stay until the wee blighter arrives.”

Julia noticed the difference in their invitations. Hers for as long as she wished. Talon’s only until Hegarty arrived. But if Talon noticed, and she knew he had, he didn’t react. Again he gave that ridiculous bow.

The viscount started toward the door. “Come, Hertford. We’ll allow the women time to talk.”

Julia’s gaze leaped to Talon’s, unspoken questions in her eyes. When was he going to steal the chalice? And after he did, would he leave her here, disappearing from her life once and for all? Or would he take her, too, in case he still needed her?

The gaze that met hers possessed a sharpness she couldn’t read. A promise. Or perhaps a warning for her not to betray his true mission.

She sent him back a message of her own.
We need to talk. Please don’t leave me before we talk.

She knew she had to go home, but it was all happening too fast. Had she really talked to Talon alone for the last time? Had she already kissed him for the last time without knowing?

The old Julia laughed at her caustically. So what if she had? It wasn’t like she’d ever wanted him to kiss her. It wasn’t like she’d
wanted
him to hold her.

She didn’t need anyone in her life. She never had.

But those old, defensive thoughts no longer worked. She knew better now.

She needed someone in her life, someone to hold her. Someone to care about her.

And God help her, she wanted that someone to be Talon.

THIRTEEN

Talon stole through the passageways of Picktillum, the light from scattered oil lamps flickering on the walls, lighting his way. Julia had only recently gone to bed, but the time had come to take the chalice and leave and he’d not go before he saw her one last time.

It was her chambers he sought now.

He knew where to find the chalice. The ring had given him another vision of it during dinner, which had proved a wee bit awkward. He’d excused himself as having a headache, but Julia had understood the truth. He’d seen the unhappiness in her eyes.

All evening he’d watched her natural diffidence slowly melt beneath the friendly regard of the viscountess. She’d lit up when she’d realized Brenna was from her own time, clearly feeling a kinship with Brenna and her husband that he’d envied. He’d felt ... apart. Even jealous.

But then he’d watched the way Julia’s eyes had lit with laughter at something the viscountess said. Her sweet laughter had fallen over him like gentle rain, soaking into his heart, making his chest feel as if it were shrinking and filling at the same time, tightening until he feared his heart would soon cease to beat.

How in the name of all that was holy was he supposed to leave without her?

Yet he would not take her against her will. Even if he still needed her, dammit. She’d come to him for a purpose, and until he knew what that purpose was, he didn’t want to let her go.

He needed her.

His life would be so lonely without her.

Finding her bedchamber, he slipped inside.

The fire’s embers still burned, illuminating the small, golden-haired beauty sitting up in bed, her arms wrapped around her knees.

At the sight of him, she didn’t move, but watched him, something deep and raw in her eyes.

“I was hoping you’d come,” she said quietly, her voice tight. Unhappy. “Who are you now? Hertford or the Wizard?”

He crossed to her and slowly lowered himself onto the edge of her bed. Though he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms, he did not touch her.

“Who do you want me to be?”

“Talon. Just Talon.” She watched him with pensive eyes. “I need to know the truth. Did Hegarty call me back? Or did you?”

“’ Twas me. ’Twas my ring.”

“But Hegarty gave you the ring all those years ago, didn’t he? The amethyst.”

“Aye.”

“And he gave Catriona the purple garnet. And Brenna the sapphire. I know Brenna was in trouble. Presumably Cat was, too, though she never said.” Her head cocked. “Why did Hegarty help you?”

Talon opened his mouth, then closed it again and rose, moving to stand before the fire. His past was just that ... past. And he’d no desire to discuss it ever again.

But a need rose past that hard lump of old misery in his chest, a need to give her a glimpse into that darkness. To give her something he’d never given another.

But not this. Though she claimed she wanted him to be merely Talon, she was wrong. The true Talon was a man she would not wish to know.

The truth was nothing he would ever give anyone.

“It was a bad winter,” he told her without turning around. “Hegarty’s magic helped me to survive.”

“He didn’t send you to the future?”

“There was no need to. The ring protected me.”

“Why won’t you tell Rourke and Brenna you were another of Hegarty’s bairns? Because they know Hegarty, right? And you don’t ever intend to give the ring back to him.” The censure was thick in her voice. “And because you don’t want them to know you’re the Wizard, the thief who intends to steal from them.”

The last came out harsh, cutting him. As he suspected she’d meant to.

His temper pricked. He returned to the bed to sit where he’d been moments before, and reached for the jewel that nestled between her breasts, lifting it to rest on his fingers. “You knew all along this was the true means by which you came to me, yet you never told me.”

She watched him warily. “It turned hot and started to glow right before I time-traveled. I’ve been confused about what role it played, especially after I saw the magic your ring could do. But, yes, I suspected it played a role in bringing me here. Especially when I figured out Catriona, who had given me the necklace, had probably come from this time. But I didn’t know anything for sure.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

A single brow lifted, the displeasure in her eyes sharpening. “I’d already figured out you were a mercenary in Castle Rayne under false pretenses. Looking for something you intended to steal. Why would I tell you I suspected I was wearing a powerful, magical stone? I was afraid you’d take it from me. And I’d already suspected it might be my only way home.”

Talon dropped the stone and lifted his hand to scratch his jaw with a frown. His stomach soured. “Ye think little of me.”

She looked away, her gaze going to the hearth, the coals glowing softly in her eyes. For minute upon minute, she was silent.

He waited for her to speak. Waited for ... what?

“Julia-lass,” he began quietly, then stopped, uncertain what he wanted to say. Unsure what needed saying. He ached to hold her again, yet she’d made it more than clear that even the Wizard was beneath her contempt. His instincts told him to pull her into his arms and kiss her anyway. She would melt for him as she always did, whether she wished to or not.

But he didn’t want to feel her resistance this time. Even knowing what she thought of him, he wanted nothing more than to pull her against him one last time and bury himself in her sweet, warm scent.

He’d known her but a few days, yet already she’d sunk into his skin, into his blood, as no woman had before her.

His chest cramped and he surged to his feet. He was being a fool to let a wee slip of a lass turn his life upside down. The sooner he was free of her, the better.

“Good-bye, Julia Brodie. Good journey to ye.”

He turned toward the door and had taken only two strides when her soft voice sounded behind him.

“Talon.”

He stopped and slowly turned back to her, steeling himself against the fierce pull she had on him. She watched him. He stared at her, wanting to turn away, yet unable to break the hold of her velvet gaze. And when she reached out to him, he was helpless to ignore her. He took her hand, the brush of her flesh against his fingers like a soft whisper against his heart.

Lifting his hand to her mouth, she placed a kiss in the center of his palm. His heart contracted. Warm need rushed through his veins. A need to kiss her. To hold her.

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I’m going to miss you.” The truth shimmered in her eyes. Turning her face, she pressed her cheek into his open palm as if seeking a comfort only he could give.

“Julia.” When she looked up at him, he cupped her face with his hands. Something thick and warm passed between them.

Sinking onto the bed beside her, he pulled her into his arms, crushing her soft breasts to his chest as his mouth covered hers, as his tongue swept inside.
Home.
The word reverberated through his head, singing in his blood. This was where he belonged, with this lass in his arms. The only place he wanted to be.

He tasted her sweetness, sliding his tongue across hers as his hands pressed her closer. With a desperation born of knowing their time together was almost over, he wanted to feel her against him. Skin to skin. Flesh to flesh. His hands shook to know the feel of her satin skin. He’d touched her, but not enough. Never enough.

Tearing his mouth from her sweet lips, he tasted her cheek and her eyes, grazing his lips across her eyebrow, her forehead, her temple. He longed to taste every inch of her, to suckle and lick and tease.

With a growl, he swept her into his arms and deposited her in the middle of the bed.

“Talon.” She tensed, but he grabbed her around the waist, holding her to the bed while he situated himself on his stomach beside her and kissed the lobe of her ear. Her shiver shook them both. As his mouth moved lower, teasing the tender skin of her neck, the tension flowed out of her and a low moan rose from her throat, making him smile with fierce satisfaction.

His hand slid to cup the side of her neck as he looked down into her passion-drugged face. Jesu, but he wanted to make her his.

“Let me love you, Julia. This one time. This last time.” His hand slid down her shoulder, his thumb grazing the side of her breast. “Let me show you what it can be. What it’s supposed to be.”

Her gaze pierced his. “Are you going to steal from them?”

He felt the question like a douse of cold water. “Dinna ask me that,” he begged.

A look of disappointment tightened her features.

Talon sighed. “The Wizard never fails, Julia. Ye ken that.”

She sat up, forcing him to do the same.

“Screw the Wizard, Talon. You don’t have to do this.”

“Screw?” He shook his head. “I must complete my task. I’ve been paid good silver to fetch the chalice. It belongs to my client. I dinna ken how it came to be here, but it must be returned to its rightful owners.”

Her mouth compressed. “How do you know who it belongs to? What if the guy who hired you was lying? What if he simply wanted you to steal it?”

Her questioning annoyed him. “It doesna matter. The Wizard made a commitment. The chalice must be delivered and so it shall be.”

“I won’t condone this. You can’t steal from them.”

He gripped her shoulders. “If ye tell them why I’m here, they may kill me.”

“Rourke wouldn’t ...”

His fingers contracted. “Are ye so innocent? Thieves are executed. Or their hand’s cut off.” He shook her. “You cannot tell them.”

She stared at him with a deep, bitter disappointment that made him feel ill.

He released her and rose. “I hope ye get home.” Then he turned and walked to the door.

“Talon ...” Her voice sounded of regret. But not of compromise. “You can be a better man than this.”

She had her own ideas of right and wrong and they had no place in his world.

“Good-bye, Julia.”

He was the Wizard. And if he was not, he was nothing.

Julia lay on the bed, watching the firelight dance across the exposed rafters crisscrossing the ceiling. Chilled and miserable, she’d put another log on the fire, but still couldn’t sleep.

She swallowed back the lump of tears in her throat, refusing to cry. As she’d believed when she’d first met him, Talon wasn’t one of the good guys. He stole. He killed. He was a mercenary through and through, doing whatever he was hired to do.

How pathetic was she that the thought of never seeing him again was crushing her heart?

She finally had what she’d been looking for from the moment she arrived here—a way home. From what Brenna had said, Hegarty would surely send her, taking the necklace as payment. But even if Hegarty showed up right now, she wouldn’t be able to get back to New York in time for her presentation in the morning. In her time, it was already Wednesday night and Brenna had confirmed that time moved evenly in both centuries.

She wasn’t sure she cared anymore.

After all she’d been through, that presentation no longer seemed very important. Maybe they’d let her give it later. Maybe not. For years, she’d been working toward this promotion to investment banker. Yet the thought of it no longer excited her. If anything, it left her feeling hollow.

She adjusted her hands behind her head and stared at the ceiling as she thought about Talon’s comment that she seemed to like to teach. He’d asked her why she’d changed her mind about becoming a teacher.

Why
had
she?

It had happened in high school. Right around the time ...

She remembered now and it all made a horrible sense. Up until that awful day when her father learned about her sexual adventures, she’d wanted to be a teacher. But when he threatened to send her away, she’d vowed to both of them to make him proud of her. The only way she’d known to do that was to try to follow in his footsteps.

Fisting her hands, she pulled them around and pressed them against her forehead. God, she hadn’t even realized what she’d done. She’d followed him to Princeton and Harvard, not to major in education, like she’d always dreamed, but in finance, like he had. She’d done it for him, not for herself. And all the years since, she’d busted her butt to succeed. Worked long hours to climb the ranks.

In the hopes that just once,
just once
, he’d look at her and say,
I’m proud you’re my daughter, Julia. I’m glad you were born.

But he was dead now. She would never make him proud, no matter what she did.

Maybe it was time she started living for herself.

She sat up and crossed her legs in front of her, staring at the coals. If she could do anything she wanted, what would she do?

A small rush of excitement fluttered in her chest. She’d be a teacher, just as she’d told Talon. High school. She’d teach math. And, if the high school was big enough, economics or accounting. She’d always been good with numbers.

A small smile pulled at her mouth at the thought of it. She glanced at the door, wanting to tell Talon. Wanting to share her revelation.