Angus (12 page)

Because it was quiet and she was turned slightly away from him, he had time to study her. In the week since they had arrived, her hair had turned to bright red, but now darker strands of mahogany filtered through it. Luxurious was the only word that came to mind when he thought about it. The straight strands that reached halfway down her back in the beginning now only reached mid back because it had gone to curl.

He wanted to know how soft it was.

He must have moved because she gasped and turned around. "Bloody hell, Angus, you scared me."

She was a goddess. Angus had never been one for goddesses. He tended to go for women who had quiet beauty...waiting to be uncovered. But at the moment, he wondered why he had thought that was more appealing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you."

She drew in a sigh. "I take it you couldn't sleep either?"

He shook his head.

"Thinking about the Gala?"

He shrugged, not wanting her to know that she had been the reason he hadn't been able to sleep. Smart men didn't tell goddesses that they were becoming obsessed.

"I think we'll be fine. I'm just worried about Dylan. He really doesn't like me. I should have avoided the whole family, but then, I wouldn't have my Jack. Want some tea?"

"Sounds good."

She set about making the tea and he realized he liked watching her putter around the kitchen. It wasn't the act itself, but the intimacy of it.

"So, you were saying about your husband and his brother?"

She made a face as she poured the water over the tea to steep. "First, I've said we were never officially married. But, yes, my mum dinna like them. Especially Dylan. She said he had the mark."

"The mark?"

"Yes. Mum always believed she could tell who had the weakness. The ones who would do anything to make a fortune or gain more power."

"Meaning, turn to the dark side," he said in an ominous voice. She laughed like he wanted her to. "Yes. He was...well, not settled. Ian wasn't either but there was good in him."

"So, your mum was a witch like you."

She finished with their tea and handed him his mug. She took her own and leaned against the counter.

"Yes, and I think you have a basic understanding of our kind, but don't understand that we are all different in our abilities.

"Why don't you explain it to me?"

She sipped her tea and studied him. "Okay, why not. Well, Mum, she was a foreseer. She knew when she was going to die, even though she didn't tell me. My grandmother was very good at spells."

"Like love spells?"

She nodded. "Although she didn't like doing that much. She was also very good at healing. She was well known in most circles as the expert."

And you?"

"I am good at conjuring and have limited ability at telekinesis."

He took that in for a minute. "So, you’re saying your abilities are much like humans. Some of you excel at things while others do not."

"Yes. Unfortunately, Jack seems to have a little bit of everything, which is going to be hard for me to control."

"Even though you gave yours up, you will not do that to him."

“First, I didn’t give mine up. They just faded away. Secondly, I don't think I could do that to him even if I wanted to. That would be like removing a child's greatest ability. And right now, he can’t do much.”

He thought of what Jack had told him earlier that week and she laughed. “I know he can do spells but they are basic and he can make things move. But, he doesn’t have enough control to bring them up under stress. They would either completely fail him, or he could hurt himself or others. He will need to be trained.”

He should just take the tea she had given him and go back upstairs, but he could not. Instead, he nodded toward the small kitchen table. "Why don't we take a seat?"

She looked toward the door and he knew she wanted to go. Just as he had thought, that would be best, but in a couple days time they had to pull off a heist. They had to work better together. And that was the only reason. Not because he wanted to spend time with her in a darkened kitchen.

"What are you wanting, Angus?"

She had always been direct with him. At least in this she had. He knew there were still a few more things she was holding on to, but he was too, so he couldn't fight her on that.

"I think we need to talk a bit more."

"Why?"

"Because if I better understand who you are, I will be able to work with you more easily."

He thought she might leave then. From her expression, he assumed she was trying to come up with a reason not to stay, but in the end she surprised him. With a nod of her head, she walked over to the table. They settled across from each other.

"So, Sir Angus, what would you like to know?" she asked, drawing a reluctant smile from him by using Jack’s name for him.

Now that they were sitting there, he wasn't truly sure. He just wanted to know about her, how she felt about the job, how she felt about being a single mother. But none of that was relevant.

"You have the plan worked out?"

She nodded. "Wasn't that hard after Fletcher gave me the security information. He's going to double check and make sure they didn't change anything."

It was his turn to nod. "You might not be able to count on Fletcher when it comes to his taste in women, but you can always trust him with security."

Maggie cocked her head to the side, studying him with those green eyes of hers. All of the brown had faded and just a few little sparks of blue tinged her irises.

"What?" he asked.

"There is so much love when you talk about each other. It's nice to hear."

"Did you have that?"

She took more than a moment to think about it. "I did with my mum and grandmother. But, in a way, you expect that, yes?"

He nodded. "You've been using her book."

"Yes. I've kept it all these years even though much of it is useless to me. Our abilities were different. This, though, is helping me again."

He sipped his tea, even if it had gone a little cold. He wasn't ready to head back up to bed. "How so?"

"When I lost my abilities, some of my memories dissolved too. As if...well the simple conjuring spells I used were gone. Erased."

"That must have been...weird."

"And frightening. Just like losing sight."

"So these are helping."

"Yes. My mum put the spells I used when I was just teenager in there. And it comforts."

"Comforts?"

"Yes. There is a...I know you will find it weird...but there is the scent of my mother. It makes me feel closer to her somehow."

He hated hearing how sad she was. "So, do all witches keep books like that?"

"Yes. Well, I am assuming. I think just about every one of my friends had one at one time."

"Including your husband?"

She shrugged. "Ian's powers...it was more of what you would call a siren ability. He could sway people with the sound of his voice. He was good but he wasn't as good as some."

"You knew others like that? What could they do?"

"They could convince people to give them money, jewels, jump off cliffs. They are always a little scary. I knew one years ago...she was really scary. I was just happy she was my friend and not my enemy."

"Are you sure she was?"

She laughed. "Yes, Meghan was definitely a friend. One who tried to warn me away form Ian and his brother."

"A lot of people in your world seemed to have done that."

She snorted. "Yes, I was a wee bit hard-headed in those days."

"You mean you were worse?"

She looked at him, then her lips curved slowly until she was laughing out loud. The sound of it moved through him and sent a rush of delight and lust coursing through his blood. He couldn't stop himself from leaning over the table and kissing her laughing mouth. It was just a peck, a little peck, but heat burst through him and need built and clawed at his belly. It took every bit of his control to sit back down in his chair.

“Why did you do that?” she asked.

“I couldn’t help it.”

She stared at him for a moment longer, then she got up from the table. “I think you need to start
helping it
.”

She rinsed her cup out at the sink and he followed her. He stopped her by grabbing her arm. He turned her around and pulled her close. He didn’t think of the consequences, just the need. Angus couldn’t deal with being dismissed like that. Something primal opened up in him, urging him to claim, to let her know he wanted her in a way that was driving him utterly mad.

Slamming his mouth down on hers, he backed her up against the wall. Angus hoped he would have let her go if she had resisted, but she didn’t. She moaned, opening her mouth to him. He stole inside, tasting her, teasing her, driving them both to a fevered pitch with just a kiss.

There was a sharp clang behind him and they both jumped apart. A pot that had been hanging on the wall had fallen to the floor. When he looked back at her, Maggie looked shell shocked.

“That cannae happen again.”

Again, she turned to go, but he did not try and stop her with his hand.

“Don’t go away mad.”

“I can’t deal with this, Angus. I have too much to lose, for me, for Jack, for your family. I can’t deal with losing it all because you couldn’t help yourself.”

“I would never force you.”

She sighed and pulled away so she could turn and face him. “That’s the problem. You wouldn’t have to. Just…we have to stay sharp. Please.”

He heard the need mixed with recrimination and he could do nothing but nod. It went against everything his body was pleading for, but he knew in this, he had no choice. He had to give her what she needed.

“I’d better get back to bed and try to get some sleep. We’ve only a few days left.”

She left then, leaving him in the kitchen alone. The warmth seemed to seep way at her departure and he sighed. Angus had always been a man who could control his needs. They had all been taught to be gentlemen when it came to dealing with women. Still, this was different than just stealing a kiss. He had wanted her with a force that had his hands shaking even now.

He shook his head as he walked over to pick up the pot and hang it back up. He needed sleep too, but he decided a cold shower would be best first.

Chapter Seventeen

Dylan’s palms were sweating. The benefactor had arrived at his flat unannounced. He splashed more water on his face to rinse away the evidence of last night’s drinking. He looked in the cracked mirror, watching the water dripping from his chin. Bags darkened the flesh beneath his bloodshot eyes and his skin was sallow. He looked like fucking bloody hell.

Dylan looked at the crack on the top right corner of his mirror. The little space was disgusting, dingy, and depressing. And there was Maggie O’Conner, living in a mansion, as pretty as she fucking pleased.

He pushed that aside. It was better to let the anger simmer, boil beneath the surface. It would serve him well. When he felt composed enough, he stepped out into the hall that led to the minuscule living area. The Benefactor sat there, wearing a suit that cost more than Dylan had earned in the last six months.

“Sorry you had to wait.”

He nodded but said nothing.

“Is there something you needed?”

The Benefactor looked at his manservant, who glanced at Dylan, then left the flat.

“I understand they have been invited to the Gala. You will ensure they do not steal the jewel?”

There was something in his voice that made Dylan pause. Something wasn’t right, but he couldn’t put his finger on what was bothering him.

“Yes. If they do, I have a backup plan.”

“Good. I have some business in town tomorrow, but will be heading back home before the Gala starts. Please inform me when you are done.”

He nodded.

“You understand this is your last chance.”

Not a question.

He nodded, but apparently it wasn’t enough. Searing heat blazed through his blood, then he felt the skin in his right hand split apart. He tried to fight the scream but the pain was overwhelming.

The Benefactor stood and walked over to him. He pulled a knife from his belt, and slit his hand. Without asking, he grabbed Dylan’s hand. The moment their blood mixed, a sharp sense of evil tore through his body, tainting every cell and molecule. Bile rose in his throat as he fell onto his knees on the floor. The Benefactor leaned down, his fingers dug into Dylan’s hand.

“You are one with me, now Dylan. You will do my bidding and if you succeed, you will be rich beyond your imagination, your power will grow.”

As the last of his humanity seemed to seep away, Dylan felt a surge of power so strong he screamed. In the next instant, the Benefactor released him and Dylan collapsed to the floor.

“Inform me when you have succeeded.”

He left as Dylan lay on the floor, curled into a ball as pain radiated through his body. The only thing in his mind was that it was worth it. Everything was worth it to watch Maggie suffer.

****

The next morning, Angus wandered down the hallway to the room they had given Maggie to practice her work.
Work
…inwardly he snorted.

As he neared the door, heat rose. It wasn’t normal. In fact, this part of the house was usually ice cold.

“I think you should be careful, sir.”

He turned and faced Belvidore. “Indeed?”

“She’s powerful, that one.”

“Yes, but that’s what we need.”

He nodded. “But that isna what I’m talking about.”

“Then what are you talking about?”

“You’ll learn.”

Then he moved on down the hall.

“Belvidore?”

“I’ve got an appointment with Master Jack.”

He smiled as he watched the old retainer walk down the hall. Jack had definitely livened up the place in the last week. The somber child he had met in New York was running them all like his puppets. Even Callum was spending time with the lad. Of course, Jack didn’t give anyone a chance to say no. He just barged right in and took over the place.

He looked at the door and decided to take a page out of Jack’s book and opened it without knocking.  As the door opened, a blast of heat hit him first. It was as if he were in the tropics. Stepping over the threshold he had to duck out of the way of a flying book.