Malcolm remained at the castle for a while, and then left. Only to be captured by Deirdre and his god unbound. In exchange for doing as she wanted, Deirdre promised Malcolm Larena would never be harmed.
But even that hadn’t saved Deirdre, for it had been Malcolm who ultimately served her the killing blow.
“As I said, I had things to do,” Charon stated to Arran. “I’ll stay next time.”
“Nay, you willna. And neither will Phelan. I understand though. If you need anything, you call me. I’m serious.”
“I know.”
Charon hung up and made his way up the stairs to the third floor. He shut the door behind him and listened to the silence.
It had cost a fortune to make sure the second and third floors were soundproofed from the pub. But the silence was deafening tonight.
He tossed aside the tee Laura had gotten for him and pulled open the glass doors that led to his deck. In one jump he leaped over the railing. He landed with one foot in front of the other, knees slightly bent.
Without looking back, he took off for the woods. He had to find peace before the sun rose.
No matter how far he ran through the dense forest, there was one thing that kept calling him back to the village.
Laura.
CHAPTER FOUR
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland
Aiden MacLeod adjusted the strap of his messenger bag on his shoulder and eyed the building in front of him. He stepped around a couple standing on the sidewalk as his gaze surveyed the area.
It had taken some talking to convince his father that he didn’t need to have someone with him. Quinn MacLeod had given up a bit too easily in their argument.
Somewhere among the huge buildings of the university, his father stood watching him, Aiden was sure of it. He also knew his father wouldn’t be alone. He’d probably brought his uncles, Lucan and Fallon, as well.
But that’s what happened when a person grew up in a castle hidden by magic filled with Druids and immortal Warriors.
For four centuries, Aiden had been protected because he was immortal only in the magical shield surrounding MacLeod Castle. He’d watched his parents and family go off to fight the droughs while he stayed at the castle, worried and frustrated.
No longer would he allow that to happen.
As a mie, or good Druid, he had magic. It was time he contributed to the cause everyone else was fighting.
The evil they fought had taken things up a notch, and it was only fair that the MacLeods do the same.
Aiden pulled the heavy door open and stepped into the building. He stopped and looked at the stairs that would lead him to answers he desperately needed.
Someone bumped into his shoulder, sending magic skidding along Aiden’s hand, ready to use as defense. When no threat appeared, he sighed and lowered his hand. He took one more look around before he started toward the stairs.
Finding just the right person to help them had taken tons of research from him and the resident hacker at MacLeod Castle, Gwynn. Gwynn didn’t consider herself a hacker, but her skills with the computer were unmatched by anyone else there.
She was from Texas, but as a Druid she found sanctuary—and love—at the castle. Gwynn and Logan, like the other couples at the castle, only made Aiden realize how lonely he was.
Others might call him fortunate because he had lived four hundred years. What they didn’t know was that each time he left the protective shield over the castle, he put his life on the line.
Yet he didn’t fear dying. He yearned for a family of his own. It was something he knew he’d never have, not that he blamed his parents.
They had done what they could to ensure he was kept with them and allowed to mature. What they didn’t know was how he craved to go out in the world alone and experience all the wonders he saw on the computer and TV.
That wasn’t possible, not with the new threat of Jason Wallace. Aiden knew Wallace could find him and use him against his parents if he was able.
So he remained at MacLeod Castle, venturing out into the world when he could. And when he needed to clear his head.
This time was different. This time Aiden decided he could help solve one of the problems plaguing the Warriors. He took the last flight of stairs two at a time until he reached the landing. He looked down the brightly lit hallway and the numerous rooms on either side.
“Gwynn, I hope you’re right,” he mumbled as he turned to the left and searched for the room numbers.
He was beginning to wonder if Gwynn had texted him the wrong room as he reached the end of the hall. And then he noticed a door slightly ajar to his right.
A glance at the numbers confirmed it was the room he searched for. As he approached, he recognized the music of Godsmack coming from within.
Aiden leaned around the door and peered inside to find rows upon rows of tables filling the entire room. Each table had at least one microscope on it and numerous vials and other equipment whose use he couldn’t begin to guess.