Midnight's Captive(49)
Laura looked at Dale, who watched her with no emotion on his face. His bald head and dark goatee gave him a sinister look.
“You have a Warrior working with you,” she pointed out.
“I do,” Jason said. “He wants to undo what has been done to him, so he’s helping me.”
She shook her head, feeling … peculiar. It was almost as if someone were in her mind, pushing this way and that.
Laura gave her head another shake and fought to hold on to thoughts of Charon, of all the good he had done for Ferness and the people. How could she believe what Jason said when Charon was willing to sacrifice himself for her? Nothing evil would do that.
“Evil never looks like we expect,” Jason said, as if reading her mind. “They are beautiful, gorgeous creatures who worm their way into our lives and trick us. You’ve been tricked, Laura. Let me show you the way,” Jason said as he held out his hand for her.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Near Inverness
Malcolm stood on the shore of Loch Ness and watched the tourist boats leave the dock, the announcer’s voice blaring over the speakers while the water amplified the sound.
But Malcolm didn’t need the aid of the water to hear the voice. He was able to do that all on his own, thanks to the god inside him.
He squatted and dipped his fingers in the cool water. Loch Ness had always been dark. The stories of some creature living in the depths had been around long before Malcolm ever entered this world.
“Are they true, though?” he murmured.
The stories his nurse had told him of Druids and Warriors were meant to frighten him and keep him on the path of good. But they had been truth.
Well, partly. His old nurse hadn’t known the entire truth. Yet all stories originated somewhere. It left him wondering if there was a Nessie, and if she felt as out of place as he did.
Malcolm slowly released a deep breath as his mobile phone rang. He knew without looking that it was Larena who called.
His cousin liked to check up on him. He didn’t have the heart to ask her to stop. Every time he spoke to her, she begged him to return to MacLeod Castle and once more be a part of the family of Warriors and Druids there.
Larena didn’t understand that he couldn’t. Just being within those ancient stone walls made him feel as if his skin were ripping at the seams.
It wasn’t the potent magic of the Druids. It wasn’t the Warriors and their power.
It was what he had done while in service to Deirdre.
The man he’d been, the one who had sacrificed his very lands to protect Larena, was gone. He was a distant memory, and one that faded every day.
Malcolm looked down at his hand. It would take the briefest of thoughts to have his claws shoot from his fingers. The deep burgundy his god favored hid the stain of blood, but Malcolm knew it was there.
He had killed Duncan. Deirdre had commanded it, and Malcolm hadn’t hesitated. He’d expected Duncan’s twin, Ian, to exact his revenge. It was his due.
But Ian had forgiven Malcolm.
Malcolm ran his hand through his hair as he straightened. Forgiveness. He didn’t deserve it, hadn’t sought it out, but those at the castle had given it to him freely.
How did he tell them it didn’t matter? He felt nothing anymore. Not remorse, happiness. Not even hope.
His phone rang again. Malcolm answered the mobile with a tired, “Hello?”
“Thank God you answered,” Larena’s voice said through the phone. “I’ve news on Jason.”
Malcolm stood gazing at the loch as Larena filled him in on Laura and Charon. There was an odd note to her voice, but he attributed it to Wallace.
When she finished he said, “What do you want me to do?”
There was a pause before she said, “I don’t want you to do anything. I wanted to let you know what Jason was up to. He’s likely to target all of us.”
“No doubt he’ll try.”
“Malcolm, where are you?”
He looked over the rippling waters of the loch. “Does it matter?”
“I worry about you.”
“I ken, Larena, but you need to stop. I’ve given my word that I’ll help in taking down Wallace.”
“But you don’t want to be with us in the meantime.”
He hated the sadness he heard in her voice. He was staying away to keep what he had become from her. If Larena realized he was dead inside, she’d make it her mission to fix him. And there was no way to repair him.
“It’s better this way,” he said. “Trust me.”
“I do. You know that. I just … I miss you, Malcolm. I need you here.”
Her words tugged at his heart, and the old Malcolm would have immediately gone to her. “Keep me posted on Wallace. I’m no’ far from Ferness. I’m here if Charon needs any help.”