Awaken the Highland Warrior (23 page)

Ronan’s grin turned wicked, and Bree doubted it had either. “At first sight?” she asked, confused.

“Aye,” Coira said. “They know their mates as soon as they see them, in most cases, usually after their duty is finished, when they go on a different kind of hunt altogether, for a mate, not a demon. It’s always a distant cousin or someone from another clan.”

“Why?”

“Warriors can’t marry outsiders,” Coira said. “It’s clan law. We have to keep the lines pure. There’s too much at stake.”

Ronan smiled. “We don’t have to worry about divorce.”

Bree’s head rattled as if she’d head-butted Coira’s iron skillet. She struggled to keep her voice light. Faelan had known all along nothing could come of this thing between them and never once bothered to mention it.

Ronan grinned and leaned closer. “But one never knows where a distant cousin might turn up.”

Faelan came in and found them that way, Ronan’s hands on either side of Bree’s face, noses so close they were almost touching. Faelan’s face looked as volatile as a thundercloud. Served him right, with Sorcha hanging all over him like a cat in heat, when he wouldn’t give Bree the time of day.

“You must be Faelan.” Ronan reached for Faelan’s hand and then clapped him on both shoulders. “Welcome home, brother. You’re a legend here, you know. Not one that most believed, but a legend, nevertheless. I’ve just got back from Ireland. I can help you battle Druan. We’d wondered where he was lurking these days. If you have the time, I want to hear this fantastic tale.”

***

Tension filled the air as warriors gathered from near and far. The friendly homecoming was over. It was time to focus on the mission the clan had carried out since the beginning of time, protecting the world. A world most people—including Bree, until a few days ago—didn’t know needed saving. Keeping their normal, unenlightened lives safe from demons running around disguised as their neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Bree had learned demons were responsible for most of the diseases and viruses she’d always considered an ugly part of life. Wars, famine, natural disasters, all orchestrated from hell. It was as if her entire existence until now had been lived in a vacuum.

Ronan fell in step as she walked toward the library. “You look a bit nervous.”

“Are you kidding? I have to walk in there and tell them what I know about Russell. How many people can say they’ve been engaged to a demon?”

“More than you’d think.” He stepped aside and allowed her to enter first, then whispered close to her ear, “Don’t they say you should picture people in their underwear?” He glanced around the room, where most of the warriors, including Ronan, wore kilts. “Guess you’ll have to picture them without…” He gave her a devilish wink. Bree ignored Faelan’s brooding stare and politely refused Ronan’s offer to find her a place to sit. He squeezed her shoulder and moved to the back of the room. Still smiling, her gaze connected with Faelan’s. Something akin to despair crossed his face before he glanced away. What had happened? If she hadn’t seen him in the darkened room and smelled his intoxicating scent, she’d have thought someone else had slipped into her bed and ravished her.

Several times now he’d made love to her without protection, although she initiated the last. It seemed out of character for him, with his sense of propriety, to risk having a child with a woman he could never marry.

The room had already filled with warriors, all male, except for Sorcha. Bree hadn’t met any other female warriors yet. She’d learned they were far fewer than male warriors. The house had been bustling all day with arrivals, some coming after news of Faelan, but others already en route because of Bree’s call so soon after Angus’s message.

She took one of the few empty seats near the blazing fire, settling between Tomas and Brodie, the warriors she and Faelan had met when they first arrived. Brodie glanced over, and his sheepish grin confirmed a man’s suspicion that he was the one who’d gotten her drunk. Both warriors were tall and strong, with ready smiles, but underneath the charm lay deadly skill.

Faelan sat on a large leather sofa between Shane and Niall, warriors descended from Faelan’s sister, Alana. Niall, with a golden buzz cut and arms as big as a man’s thighs, looked like he could take on an army by himself. Shane was tall and slim, quiet but alert.

There must be some unwritten code that warriors be gorgeous or beautiful, Bree thought, looking at Sorcha lounging on an oversized leather love seat, flirting with Jamie, a warrior who’d just arrived. Maybe the warriors’ beauty was part of their defense, luring the demons until they could get close enough to grab them.

They all wore talismans, some Bree could see, some hidden by their shirts. The talismans were all similar, made out of the same metal, held on a thin leather cord, except Sorcha’s, which she wore on a chain. And they were all armed, despite being in a castle in the middle of hundreds of acres, surrounded by well-trained guards.

Bree was included in the meeting, since she was the one who’d known Druan best in his human form and the one who freed Faelan. Sean introduced Faelan and Bree to the warriors they hadn’t met then turned the meeting over to Faelan, who explained to those who hadn’t heard, how he discovered the war Druan was trying to incite was a cover for his virus. He told of the night he’d planned to put Druan in the time vault, pausing to clear his throat when he spoke about the urgency, not having time to wait for his brothers.

Bree would have thought these warriors had seen almost everything, but not a sound was uttered. Even the ones honing and polishing weapons sat spellbound as Faelan described seeing the other three demons of old riding with Druan, how he’d felt the blow to his head, then awoke what he thought was a moment later to Bree’s shocked gaze and found himself in another time.

Curious faces turned to her, and she saw almost everyone in the house, even those who weren’t warriors, had crowded around the door listening to his story. There must have been a dozen questions at once, everyone wanting to know about the legendary demons, why Faelan hadn’t been killed, why he’d been sent alone.

Conall, a young warrior who couldn’t be a day over twenty, asked her with a gentle smile, “How did you know where Faelan was hidden?”

Bree faced the room of warriors and opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Ronan coughed once, and when she looked at him, he waggled the bottom of his kilt and winked. Bree couldn’t help smiling. From the corner of her eye, she saw Faelan glance at Ronan and frown. She wouldn’t dare think of Faelan’s kilt. She knew all too well what was under there.

“I found my great-great-grandmother’s journal. She wrote about a visitor who thought there was a lost treasure hidden nearby. We know now he was someone the clan sent. I’d also found the map he drew. When I saw the crypt was missing on the map, I knew it was important. I think I’ve always known that crypt was special. It’s haunted me since I was a child.”

“Has it now?” Sean asked, watching her.

“I’ve always found it… disturbing.” An image formed in her mind, a little girl reaching for the burial vault with bloody hands. Bree pushed the thought away and focused, describing how she’d believed the missing treasure was hidden inside the burial vault and discovered the locked chest. The three days she spent trying to open it, and the shock of finding Faelan. She then talked about the dreaded part. Russell. How charming he’d been, how dark and disturbing he became at the end. It was embarrassing to admit to these brave warriors that she’d been engaged to a demon, but they needed to know if they were going to fight this battle.

“How do you know Russell is Druan?” Duncan asked.

“Druan sent halflings to the house. We traced their vehicle to his castle. I thought he’d captured Faelan, so I sneaked in and saw Russell talking to an old man.”

Niall, in the process of taking a drink of water, spewed it all down his shirt. “
You
sneaked into the demon’s castle to rescue the Mighty Faelan?” He turned to Faelan. “Sounds like you got yourself a warrior.” He chuckled as he wiped his mouth. Most of the others joined him, except Faelan. Even Sorcha wore a look of respect.

“Maybe the old man was the demon, or someone else inside,” Tomas said, next to Bree.

“Russell’s description matches how Druan looked as Jeremiah,” Faelan said. “And Druan’s too vain to take on an old body.”

“Most of them are,” Duncan muttered. “Makes sense he would target Bree. He’d need access to the place.”

Sorcha crossed one booted leg. “Were you and Druan lovers? If you mated, you could’ve had halflings. I assume Faelan filled you in on what an unpleasant quandary that would have presented.”

Bree’s bitch alarm went off. There was some relevance, but she doubted it was the reason for the question. Sorcha was a bitch on the surface, but Bree had a feeling her behavior was a cover for something else. “There were no children,” Bree said, holding Sorcha’s gaze until the female warrior blushed and squirmed in her seat.

Duncan watched Sorcha’s cheeks warm, and he leaned back with a satisfied smirk. Faelan looked like he might throw up.

The uncomfortable moment was averted when Ronan walked into the room wearing jeans, apologizing that he’d arrived late. Bree looked at the back of the room where Ronan sat in his kilt, polishing his sword. There were two of them? Faelan had told her twins ran in the clan. God help the female population.

“Faelan, Bree, this is Declan, Ronan’s twin,” Sean said. He asked Declan, “How did the battle go?”

“I got him in the vault,” the handsome warrior said, “but he was a whiner.”

“I hate the whiners,” Niall agreed. “I’d rather have one fight to the death.”

Including Bree in his welcome, Declan walked over to Faelan and clasped his hand. “The legend lives.” He searched Faelan’s face with wonder. “Welcome home. I’ve heard stories about your suspension since I was a lad, and I have to admit, I believed they were fables the trainers made up to keep us in line. ‘Pay attention. Don’t underestimate the demons. Remember what happened to the Mighty Faelan,’” Declan said, his voice theatrically gruff.

There were chuckles and commiserating nods from the others as Faelan grimaced.

“Soon the legend will be the Mighty Faelan on wheels,” Brodie said. “You think he’s good with a sword? You should see him drive. Left Tomas in the dust.”

“Like you weren’t right beside me,” Tomas grumbled.

Bree had watched them racing their vehicles over the fields like little boys playing with toy cars. Faelan learned fast.

“I would be honored to help you fight Druan,” Declan said, “but now I want to hear this story. I’ve heard at least five versions in the last twenty-four hours. My cell phone hasn’t stopped ringing. A warrior in Sweden said he heard Faelan had found the virus and had it in the time vault with him all along.”

“You’ve just missed it, but it wouldn’t hurt us all to hear it again, so we’re clear on the facts.” Sean waited for Bree to agree. She pulled out a smile and nodded at the grand opportunity to relive her stupidity before an audience of superheroes.

“Wait up. Anna’s right behind me, and Cody MacBain’s with us. I know they’ll want to hear this too,” Declan said.

“Cody MacBain’s the one who suspended that demon of old last year,” Tomas whispered to Brodie, his voice hushed with admiration.

“Two legends in one room. It’s enough to give a man an inferiority complex,” Brodie replied.

A woman with black hair and the most incredible turquoise eyes Bree had ever seen stepped into the room. She was followed by a dark-haired man that made Bree’s jaw drop. His eyes were intense, radiating danger. He scanned the room, gaze settling on Faelan before moving to her. The room faded, and Bree saw a wispy image of a woman standing next to the man. Not Anna. This woman was blond, her green eyes dull with pain and loss and fear, and she bore a scar. A letter carved into her skin.

The room resurfaced as the vision faded. Bree was slumped against Brodie, who stared at her, his expression puzzled. Only he and Tomas had noticed.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “Too much wine last night.”

“I told you that you were overdoing it, but do you ever listen to me?” Tomas quipped.

Brodie blushed as red as his hair but continued to watch Bree.

“I think most of you know Cody MacBain from America,” Declan said. “He’s here looking for Angus.”

Cody nodded to everyone, then to Faelan, the intensity in his eyes replaced with curiosity and respect. “There isn’t a warrior alive who hasn’t heard of the Mighty Faelan. Can’t say I believed you were real.” He shook Faelan’s hand and nodded to Jamie, whom he seemed to know. Sorcha scooted closer to Jamie, offering Cody a seat.

Anna greeted the warriors and approached Faelan. Before he could jump up, she leaned down and shook his hand. Her white T-shirt lifted as she bent. Bree could see symbols on Anna’s back, similar to Faelan’s, but starting above her hips and opening to a vee below her waist.

She rose, and every male eye followed as she moved to sit cross-legged on the floor in front of Bree. Every male except Faelan, still staring at Bree, his face a maze of secrets, and Duncan, glaring at Sorcha, who preened between Jamie and Cody like a cat who’d stolen the cream.

Brodie tapped Anna’s shoulder, and when she turned, he gazed hard into her eyes.

“Not in this lifetime, Brodie.”

“Humph. You never know.”

“I’d dive into a volcano first.”

“Spoilsport. The snake wasn’t real.”

“Put another one in my bed, and you won’t be, either.”

“What’d I tell you?” Tomas muttered, nudging Brodie.

“Watch out for this trickster,” Anna said to Bree, then glanced around the room as Brodie mumbled about people not having a sense of humor. “Where’s Angus?”

Duncan dragged his gaze from Sorcha. “He’s not here. Last time he checked in, he was looking for you. Said he’d see you back here. He was upset, wouldn’t say what it was about.”

“He tried to call me, but I’d didn’t have my phone.”

“You? With no phone?” Brodie said.

“The demon I was battling ate it.”

“That’s two phones you’ve had eaten in the past six months,” Brodie said. “What are you doing, trying to choke the demons to death?”