Midnight's Promise (32 page)

“What was it?” Constantine asked tersely.

She shrugged, wishing she could forget, but knowing what transpired would be with her until the end of her days. “A person, a thing? I don’t know. It was just there. It was so tempting that I couldn’t help myself. I went to it, but when I tried to leave the flames wouldn’t let me.”

“As soon as she began to burn, all the healing she’d done for Malcolm reversed,” Guy said.

Evie lifted a shaking hand to her forehead. “I just wanted to help Malcolm, but now the ancients won’t aid me. They called me a traitor.”

“Rest, and then try again later,” Phelan said as he took her hand and pulled her to her feet. “The ancients may just need some time.”

Evie had one last thing to tell them. She resumed her seat in the chair and said, “Wait,” when Con and Guy began to leave. “There’s more.”

“More?” Phelan asked, a frown marring his forehead.

“I asked the ancients if there was some way to end Jason Wallace. They said there was.”

“Well? What is it?” Guy asked.

Evie swallowed past the lump in her throat. “They refused to tell me.”

CHAPTER
THIRTY-SEVEN

Phelan stared out the large windows in the sitting room not seeing the rolling green pastures of Dreagan before him. His thoughts were centered on the Druid upstairs.

He hadn’t been able to convince Evie to leave Malcolm’s side. Phelan wanted to think it was because she cared for Malcolm, but he knew how deceptive
droughs
could be.

A wave of exquisite, seductive magic washed over him, instantly making his cock harden. He turned on his heel and stalked to the front door to greet Aisley. As he opened it, Charon parked his Mercedes CL65 AMG Coupe and Aisley climbed out of the back and rushed to him.

“What happened?” she asked once she had her arms wrapped tightly around him.

Phelan squeezed her, his gaze meeting Charon’s. “Malcolm isna doing well. Neither Con nor I have been able to heal him as we should’ve.”

“No’ what I wanted to hear,” Charon said as he walked up with Laura.

Aisley pulled out of Phelan’s arms and cupped his cheek. “What do you need from me?”

“Actually, there is something you and Laura might be able to help me with.”

He walked them into the manor and told them everything that had happened after he’d reached Dreagan, as well as why Malcolm had been helping Evie.

“Evie,” Laura repeated the name and frowned. “What’s her surname?”

Phelan shrugged. “I didna ask. Why?”

“Just thinking,” Laura said and shrugged it off.

Charon took his wife’s hand in his. “I’m more concerned with how Evie and Malcolm met.”

“That’s no’ a part of the story I learned,” Phelan said as they started up the stairs.

“You’re hurt he didn’t contact you,” Aisley said, knowing him better than anyone else.

Phelan couldn’t deny it. “Aye. Guy reckons it’s because of Evie.”

“Is she
drough
?” Charon asked. “I doona feel
drough
magic as I should.”

“It’s…” Phelan hesitated. “It’s difficult to explain. I sense
drough
magic in her, but it’s no’ overwhelming like with others.”

Laura reached the first landing and said, “Maybe it takes some time for the black magic to build up and be sensed by a Warrior.”

Aisley shook her head. “I’m sorry, but that’s not how it works. Once the ceremony is completed, you’re
drough
. There’s no waiting period, no buildup. The force of the black magic is there waiting to be used.”

“Guy did say Malcolm tried to stop the ceremony but was too late.” Phelan put his hand on Aisley’s lower back and guided her up to the third level.

Charon’s lips twisted in frustration. “Obviously Malcolm failed if I can feel any part of
drough
magic.”

Aisley stopped at the third-floor landing and faced the three of them. “If Evie really had no choice, we should give her a chance. Malcolm saw something in her. We need to do the same.”

“Precisely,” Laura said. “Jason has a way of twisting the truth to suit his needs. We have no idea what he told Evie to get her to perform the ceremony.”

“He used her brother,” Phelan said. “Brian is all Evie has.”

Charon blew out a breath. “Just as Larena is all Malcolm has left. Perhaps that’s what drew Malcolm to Evie.”

“Which we won’t know until he wakes.” Aisley gave a reassuring smile to Phelan and turned to the hallway.

Phelan led the group to where Malcolm and Evie were. Rhys stood at the door, his arms crossed over his chest and his expression bleak.

“She’s no’ said a word,” he told Phelan as they approached. “She’s no’ eaten either.”

Aisley smiled a greeting at Rhys before she walked into the room, Laura right on her heels. Phelan and Charon took positions across from the doorway so they could watch what happened inside.

“You’re wrong no’ to trust her,” Rhys said.

Charon turned his gaze to the Dragon King. “After all the run-ins with
droughs
, it’s hard no’ to distrust them.”

“What of Isla? What of Aisley? Both are
droughs
.”

“No’ Aisley anymore,” Phelan interjected.

Rhys dropped his arms to his sides. “So there are exceptions, just no’ for Evie.”

“Why are you defending her?” Charon asked.

Rhys turned his head to glance into the room. “You two were no’ there. You didna hear Malcolm talk of Evie, and you didna see her stand up to Wallace. It took Guy, Hal, and me to get her away from Urquhart as Malcolm asked. She wanted to get back to him.”

“You can no’ believe everything a
drough
says.”

Rhys’s aqua-colored eyes landed on Charon with deadly intent. “I’ve been around long enough, Warrior, to recognize when a human is lying. They are no’ that good at it. Evie wasna faking anything.”

“Maybe, Dragon, but we’ve been dealing with
droughs
for many centuries. We can no’ help but be skeptical,” Phelan calmly stated.

Phelan met Charon’s guarded gaze. Malcolm had known how Warriors would react to Evie. It all made sense now why he’d contacted the dragons. The Dragon Kings had seen what Malcolm hadn’t wanted the Warriors to see—himself.

*   *   *

Evie stood when she saw the two women come into the room. It was on impulse that she took a stance to guard Malcolm.

“We’re friends,” said the one with the long, wavy black hair and fawn-colored eyes. “I’m Aisley. And this is Laura.” She motioned to the woman beside her. “We’re Druids.”

Evie nodded to Aisley before turning her gaze to Laura and her unusual moss-green eyes. “I spent many years of my life thinking I was the only Druid. Now, within days I’ve encountered three.”

“You look dead on your feet,” Laura said in her English accent and motioned to the chair.

Evie sat once more and rubbed her eyes. “Are you from MacLeod Castle?”

“How do you know of the castle?” Aisley asked.

She glanced at Malcolm. “He told me. I thought I knew all there was to know of Druids, but either my grandmother didn’t know, or chose not to tell me.”

Laura squatted beside her. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, the end of it draping over her shoulder. “We don’t live at MacLeod Castle, but we are part of the group of Druids.”

“We heard you had an encounter with Jason,” Aisley said. “He’s my cousin, Evie. A nastier man never lived. I’m sorry he’s hurt you.”

Evie couldn’t look at the Druids anymore. She focused on Malcolm and tried not to feel the hatred for Jason that threatened to consume her. “He kidnapped my brother. Brian is mute. I thought he was safe from everything in school. It never crossed my mind that someone would go after him.”

“He’s doing it to get to you.”

Laura said, “Aisley’s right. Jason wants you for something, Evie, and he won’t stop until he has you.”

“He’s waiting for me at his mansion.”

“What?” Aisley and Laura said in unison.

Evie closed her eyes and placed her hand on Malcolm’s leg. “Jason said he’d release Brian if I came to him.”

The sound of footfalls moving from the rug onto the hardwood floor and then onto another rug sounded as Aisley walked around the other side of the bed. “You can’t be seriously considering going to him.”

“What choice do I have?” Evie opened her eyes to look at Aisley. “If I wait, he could kill Brian, or do this,” she said and motioned to Malcolm with her other hand. “The only reason I’m holding it together as I am is because I know Malcolm has a chance to pull through. Brian won’t.”

Laura rubbed her hand up and down Evie’s back. “It’ll be all right. Trust us, Evie. Aisley and I have each had confrontations with Jason.”

“And it’s never pretty,” Aisley mumbled angrily.

Evie felt her eyes prickle, but there were no more tears to shed. “You know I’m now a … a…”

“Drough,”
Laura supplied. “Yes, we know.”

Aisley gave a frustrated shake of her head. “Jason has a plan for you. It’s why he forced you into doing the ceremony. I just wish I knew what that plan was so we could try and stay a step ahead of him.”

“I expected you two to distrust me as Phelan has.”

Aisley’s head jerked to her. “He didn’t,” she said in a low, dangerous voice.

Evie glanced at Laura and shrugged. “It’s understandable. His friend was hurt. I’m to blame.”

Aisley stalked out of the room. Evie watched as she grabbed Phelan’s arm and dragged him out of sight.

“Up until a few weeks ago, Aisley was
drough
,” Laura said.

Evie’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? So is there a way to reverse it? Malcolm said there wasn’t.”

“There isn’t,” Laura said sadly. “I’m sorry.”

“Then how?”

Laura rose and leaned against the footboard. “Aisley betrayed Jason to Phelan and the others. So, Jason wanted Phelan to think she betrayed him. It almost worked. There was a large battle, and Jason was winning. Except Aisley stepped between Jason and Phelan and took a hit of magic meant for Phelan. It killed her.”

Evie gave a choked half-laugh. “But she’s alive.”

“Magic,” Laura said with a grin. “Turns out Aisley is a Phoenix. It’s something passed down through her family line and hasn’t been seen in ages. She’s able to regenerate like a mythical phoenix.”

“That’s truly amazing. I didn’t know such a thing existed.”

“Every Druid and Warrior from MacLeod Castle has had an encounter with Deirdre, Declan, or Jason. It’s been a constant battle against these powerful
droughs
that seems to never end.”

“It can end. At least with Jason.”

Laura licked her lips slowly. “Phelan told me what happened with the ancients. Have you tried to talk to them again?”

“No.” And Evie wasn’t keen on trying anytime soon. She feared the figure might show once more. Yet, she knew she would have to attempt it again.

For Brian.

For Malcolm.

“Perhaps Aisley and I can try as well,” Laura offered. “One of us should be able to learn how to kill Jason. We’ve asked before, but none of us has gotten the information you have.”

“I think they were just really pissed at me,” Evie said with a lift of her shoulder.

Laura turned and softly walked around the bed until she took the chair Phelan had occupied earlier. She caught Evie’s gaze. “Rhys and Malcolm are convinced you are a good person despite now being
drough
. There is a Druid, Reaghan, who can look into your eyes and determine if you’re lying or not. I don’t have that kind of magic.”

She paused and took a deep breath. “You see, Evie, the Warriors and Druids at the castle are my family. Many have died in these battles, and I don’t want to see anyone else killed. So I need to know, did you want to use black magic?”

Evie rubbed her thumb along the tattered remains of Malcolm’s jeans. “You know, Malcolm spoke of you all. He carries such guilt for what he’s done that he doesn’t think he belongs at the castle. I disagree with him. There’s no other place for a man such as him.” Evie stared into Laura’s moss green eyes and said, “No, Laura, I don’t want Satan to own my soul, but yes, I wanted the black magic to use on the person or people responsible for taking Brian. I wanted it to protect the spell Jason is adamant about getting, a spell that could be dangerous or even deadly to all. How could I have deaths on my conscience? Deaths that I could prevent by giving up my soul?”

She let her gaze fall to Malcolm’s face and sat forward to move the lock of golden hair that kept falling over his forehead.

“Sometimes we want things to be simple,” Evie said. “But they rarely are. Nothing is really black and white. There are many shades of gray. Am I evil? No. But I am
drough
.”

CHAPTER
THIRTY-EIGHT

Malcolm was trapped in Hell.

There were no windows, no doors. Only mind-numbing blackness and the ever-present shadow figure that slashed his flesh again and again.

Malcolm wanted to fight the figure, but it was as if his limbs were stuck in honey. He couldn’t move them quickly enough to do any damage to the individual.

Not even Malcolm’s enhanced sight allowed him to see what was attacking him. It melded with the darkness as if it were part of it, controlling it.

Malcolm bellowed in fury as his back was cut. His leg buckled and he fell to one knee. Blood poured down his back and his chest. His hands were covered in it, which made it impossible for him to grab hold of anything.

His entire body hurt. It wasn’t just the slashes. It was inside. His bones, his muscles … everything felt as if it were dying.

He threw back his head, his arms out to the side, as he called up Daal. But his god didn’t answer.

It was as if Daal had ceased to exist.

Malcolm braced his left hand on the ground since his right arm refused to work. His mind turned to Evie. She was safe, safe with the Dragon Kings. No matter what hell he had to endure, at least Wallace wouldn’t get his hands on her.

Malcolm’s chest ached as his lungs struggled to drag in air. He thought of Evie’s clear blue eyes, of her soft touch and her smile.

Suddenly, off to his right, he could’ve sworn he caught a glimpse of her running past him, her curls trailing behind her as if ensnared in the wind.