Midnight's Kiss (31 page)

They had a connection, a bond. It hadn’t been a figment of his imagination. He’d felt that bond, knew it had strengthened while in Edinburgh. Arran wished now he’d never let her out of his sight.

“Aye, I expect you to believe me. You saw the attack. I’ve been battling men since Charon took you out of the hotel. I made sure the police knew you were no’ involved, and I got information from the Warrior we were able to keep alive for a wee bit. I watched Camdyn get struck by bullets filled with
drough
blood and prayed that I got him out in time so Sonya could save him.

“Fallon jumped us back to MacLeod Castle so Camdyn could get healed and he could tell me what they’ve found. I returned to you as quick as I could. Tell me what I need to say so you’ll believe I didna steal from you.”

“Was it all a setup?” she asked as if he hadn’t spoken. “The attack, the story about the Warriors and Druids? Was it all some elaborate scheme to get close to me?”

Arran clenched his jaw as he felt his connection with Ronnie unraveling with no way to halt it. “Nay. What I told you was the truth. You’ve seen me and the others. You know I didna lie about being a Warrior, and you know you’re a Druid.”

“All I really know is that I’ve been used.” She blew out a shaky breath and put her hand to her forehead. “I want the items returned immediately, and maybe then I won’t report you to the authorities. I don’t know if anything you’ve done involves Saffron or not, but either way, I don’t want her funding anymore.”

“Ronnie, this has to wait.” He’d debated on telling her that she was bait after everything she’d said, but she needed to know. “There’s an at—”

“An attack,” she finished, and dropped her arms to her sides. “Yes, I’m sure there is. Now, get out of my sight, Arran. I don’t want to see or hear from you or anyone you’re associated with ever again. I hope I’m clear on that. Go away.”

Arran watched her walk away. He felt as if he’d been gutted. He was crushed, shattered.

Destroyed.

All by one woman.

He couldn’t think straight, couldn’t even begin to understand how this had happened. All he kept hearing in his head was her parting words. They echoed in his mind, getting louder and louder until he was deafened by them.

Someone touched his arm, and Arran spun around to find Andy. Only then did Arran realize he had Andy by the throat. He quickly released him. “Sorry, mate.”

Andy rubbed his throat and warily looked at him. “I don’t think you did it,” he said after clearing his throat several times.

“I didna.”

“She won’t listen to you, though.” Andy pushed his glasses up on his nose and gave a shake of his head. He seemed suddenly older than his twenty-something years. “Max really messed her up. There’s nothing you can do or say to make her believe it wasn’t you.”

Arran suddenly grunted. “There’s one way. I find the real thief.”

“That would work,” Andy said with a chuckle. “Where to start, though.”

“I begin with you.”

Andy held up his hands so quickly, he dropped the clipboard. “I—I wouldn’t dream of do-doing that to Ronnie. She’s like my si-sister, dude.”

There was no mistaking the honesty and distress reflected in Andy’s eyes. Arran slapped him on the back. “I believe you.”

Andy’s shoulders slumped in relief. “Dude, if I had the nerve, I’d hit you for what you just did.”

“Hit me anyway,” Arran said with a grin he could barely manage. “Besides, I’m doing this for Ronnie.”

“True.” Andy bent to get the clipboard.

“Who else could have stolen? Do you think Pete would know?”

Andy frowned. “Pete? Why ask him?”

“Because he’s here.”

“Ah … that would be a nope.”

Arran’s gaze moved around him. “Pete isna here?”

“That’s what I said.”

“He told Ronnie he had to miss the fund-raiser to help you.”

Andy laughed. “Yeah, right. Pete says a lot of things that he doesn’t always do.”

“Does Ronnie know?”

“No,” Andy said, and flattened his lips. “I try to keep those things from her. She’s been hurt too many times, and she thinks of Pete as a father.”

Arran ran a hand down his face. “Andy, think hard. Have there been things that have gone missing from other digs?”

“No—and I’d know, since I keep track of everything. I make the occasional mistake, but Ronnie forgives me.”

“Mistakes how?”

“I’ll give an artifact the same number on my spreadsheet, or accidentally put two of something.”

Arran looked to the sky as he began to put two and two together. He lowered his gaze to Andy, fury boiling his blood. “You were no’ making mistakes. Things were being stolen.”

“That’s not…” He trailed off. “Oh, shit.”

“Who is always on the digs? There has to be the same people every time.”

Andy scratched his head. “The only ones on every dig who are the same are Ronnie, me, and Pete.”

Just as Arran thought. It was Pete. All he had to do was find Pete, get the missing items, and tell Ronnie the man she thought of as a father had been stealing from her.

“Oh, God,” Andy said, his devastation at figuring it out showing in his eyes. “It’s Pete. This will destroy Ronnie.”

It would, and Arran couldn’t have that. She’d been through enough already. “Andy, I need you to keep this between us. I’m going to find Pete and get the artifacts. I’ll make sure he doesna dare to steal from Ronnie again, but I need a couple of things from you.”

“Name it.”

“Doona tell Ronnie any of this. And second … if anything is suspicious again, you tell her immediately. And then call me.”

Andy jabbed his pencil behind his ear. “You’re a good man, Arran. I wish you’d tell Ronnie what you’re doing so she wouldn’t let you go. You’d be good for her.”

“I’ll keep watch over her from afar. She needs the man she thinks of as a father more than she does me.”

“I think you’re wrong, but I’ll do as you ask.”

Arran grabbed Andy’s arm when he began to walk away. “One more thing. There are some men after Ronnie. They tried to get her last night in Edinburgh. It’s why I wasna with her when she returned. I’ve taken care of them, but there could be more coming back. Matter of fact, I’m sure of it.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Arran liked Andy, and knew he could count on him. “Regardless of what Ronnie said, I’m no’ leaving. No’ yet. I’m going to be near, but I need you stay beside her at all times until this thing is over.”

“Should we tell her about the men coming back?”

“I tried. I’m also no’ sure exactly when they’ll attack, but I think it’ll be soon.”

“What do these men want?”

Arran knew he couldn’t tell Andy the truth. Instead he told Andy what he’d told the police. “They think Ronnie has the money from the fund-raiser. They doona understand the funds are transferred to an account. Or maybe they do and they want access to that account. Either way, they want Ronnie, and I’m no’ letting them near her.”

Andy gave a firm nod. “I’ll stay by her.”

Arran didn’t move once Andy left. All Arran could think about was Ronnie. He’d seen the desolation on her face when she thought he was the one who’d stolen from her. He couldn’t imagine how she’d react if she discovered it was Pete.

“But she willna learn that,” Arran murmured.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on Ronnie. It took no time for him to discern her magic easily through all the rest.

It was the same brilliant, thrilling magic he’d felt when he first arrived, but it was stronger now, more potent. He still felt the magic of the chamber, and there was a trace of more magic. But Ronnie’s was prominent in his mind.

Once he located where she was, Arran put himself on the opposite side of the site and began to patrol. Most people knew him and spoke with him. It gave Arran the reason he needed to stop and talk to others and determine how long they’d been at the site.

Almost two hours later, everyone had been accounted for. There were no Warriors waiting in surprise among the volunteers and workers.

Arran made sure Ronnie was well away from her tent before he went inside. He looked at the cot she slept in. His body heated as he recalled how wonderful she’d felt in his arms, how responsive her body had been to his touch.

How fitting, how suited they were for each other.

He pulled her necklace from the front pocket of his jeans and held it in front of him. The gold trinity knot twirled before him, its magic making a dull hum in his mind.

Slowly, he lowered the necklace until it rested on the table next to some papers. As much as it hurt him to do so, Arran would stay away from her as she’d asked.

That is, unless the Warriors went for her, as he knew they would. Then he would be near her, and only to save her.

He could fight for her. He could tell her about Pete and all the thefts, but to do so would be to wreck her. Ronnie meant too much to him to do that.

She reminded him so much of his sister. Shelley would’ve liked Ronnie. Just as Shelley had been beautiful and good and so brilliant, it hurt to look at her, Ronnie was the same.

Ronnie deserved a good life, a life he’d not been able to give his sister. He was a Warrior now. He could—and would—ensure that Ronnie got what had been denied his sister.

Arran jerked as he felt Ronnie’s magic drawing closer. He hurried out of her tent, and just managed to duck behind a caravan when she came into view.

He wanted to watch her find the necklace, or at least see her with it on once more. Arran waited for her to go inside, but someone called out to her, drawing her away from the tent.

The new mobile phone in Arran’s back pocket vibrated. He pulled it out and answered it.

“Why are you no’ with Ronnie?” Gwynn asked.

Arran squeezed his eyes closed. “Some artifacts were stolen, and she believes it was me.”

“It wasn’t you.”

Her indignation made him smile. “I know.”

There was a pause before Gwynn said, “You know who did it.”

It wasn’t a question.

Arran walked from Ronnie’s tent toward the parking area. “I do. None of that matters now. Nothing has changed.”

“I know.”

“Good. Has anyone seen anything?”

“Nothing so far.”

Arran looked at the sky and the rolling landscape before him. “They’ll come tonight when it’s the darkest. Be ready.”

He ended the call and continued to make his rounds, continually keeping out of sight of Ronnie.

But he always knew where she was.

The afternoon progressed into evening and then into night without incident. When everyone found their beds, Arran set up watch so he could see Ronnie’s tent and a vast area of the site.

And just as Andy promised, he stayed near Ronnie. He was outside Ronnie’s tent in a chair, dozing.

Arran smiled inwardly, impressed by how far Andy was taking his pledge. Ronnie had done well to put her faith and trust in Andy.

The sounds of the evening filled the air as midnight approached. The summer sun ducked behind the mountains, giving Scotland its few hours of darkness in the summer.

Headlights occasionally could be seen on the distant road as cars weaved around the curves and up and down the hills. But none approached the dig site.

It was around 2
A.M.
when something in the air caused Arran to sit straighter. It didn’t take him long to realize it was danger.

And it was approaching fast.

Arran shifted from sitting so that he was squatting with his hands braced on the ground. With his enhanced vision, he could see something moving in the tall grass.

It would have been easy for one of his brethren to take out the Warrior coming for Ronnie, but a trap had been set. And a trap they would close.

Arran crept closer to Ronnie’s tent. He knew the feel of her magic, but the Warriors attacking would be disoriented and not know for sure. It would take them time to get to her, and Arran would use that to his advantage.

Andy was sound asleep when Arran reached him. He covered Andy’s mouth so he wouldn’t cry out upon waking.

“It’s me,” Arran whispered. “Is there a way to alert everyone?”

Andy nodded, and Arran removed his hand. Andy looked around and then turned in the chair to Arran. Arran put his finger to his mouth to quiet him.

“I have a bullhorn,” Andy whispered back.

Arran saw the shapes of Warriors coming closer. These weren’t his friends, these were enemies who needed to be killed.

“When you see the signal, use the bullhorn. Until then, keep out of sight,” Arran said, and pulled him to his feet.

Once Andy was away and in his own tent, Arran melded into the shadows. Hiding didn’t do much good around Warriors, but hopefully they had no idea he awaited them.

One, then two came into the center of the site. They had their gods released, and Arran recognized the light green Warrior as Dale. The other was a rust color.

The two turned one way, then the other, trying to decipher where Ronnie was.

Arran flexed his hands as he released his god. Fangs filled his mouth, and claws extended from his fingers. Memphaea roared with the need for battle, for blood.

For death.

And for the first time in a long time, Arran was in agreement.

When a third Warrior joined the other two, Arran readied himself. They would soon sense magic coming from Ronnie’s tent.

And just as he expected, Dale turned in the direction of Ronnie’s tent, his head cocked to the side. He stared at it a moment before he searched the area.

Arran waited to be spotted, but the Warriors were more interested in the magic they felt than in any attack that might happen. They were overconfident, which would work to his benefit.

Dale took one step, then two toward Ronnie’s tent. When he had taken a half dozen more, Arran moved out of the shadows. There was no way anyone would get near Ronnie. Not while he guarded her.

Dale bared his fangs and growled. Arran smirked and motioned the Warrior toward him.

The battle was about to begin.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-TWO

Arran watched Dale approach, but he kept the other three in his sights as well. They would attack at once. It was their only course if they wanted to be rid of him. And it might work except for one thing.