Highlander's Beloved 02 - A Highlander's Passion (11 page)

Effie proceeded as if this were an everyday happening. “First, as a high priestess of our coven, The Protectors, it is my duty to bestow your Wiccan name. Some choose theirs. It’s always been our tradition to give out names as earned. These are for our realm. Whether you decide to use them in your everyday life is up to you. Most of us don’t, since we’re usually in a position that requires several layers of secrecy, such as government or medicine or law. Do you understand, Sparrow?”

Understand? New names. A luminescent white robe, embroidered with Wiccan symbols, appearing out of thin air. Bright lightning and booming thunder on a clear night. A lynx and a bear—wearing a ball cap, of all things—standing watch beneath the windows of this room. News her da wasna dead, but alive somewhere. All while she nervously nibbled on cookies she didna need, nor want. Och, sure, what wasna there to understand?

“Your first name was selected three nights ago at a secret meeting and is based on your life up until now. It is Macha, signifying feminine power within the Wiccan realm. You have been through more emotional and physical pain than most of us could dream of. Yet you have survived. There is great power within you, more than you can imagine.”

Kenzie jumped at another sudden clap of thunder so strong it rattled the pictures on the walls. Her nerves were fraying damn quickly. Where the hell was that strength Effie kept prattling on about?

As if nothing had happened, Effie took Kenzie’s hand. “Because you have defended me without hesitation, your second name is Verena, which is an old Polish term for ‘defender.’ Blessed be, ye are Macha Verena.” More thunder and lightning pierced and singed the air. While surely impossible, the winds blew from every direction in an angry rage, as if the house was the ill-fated bull’s-eye of its fuming forces.

“Repeat who you are as acceptance of the title. You needn’t use it, except when expending your witch’s power.”

Once again, Kenzie’s life transformed through no act or consent of her own. Would her world ever remain the same so she could have time to adjust? Have a sense of normalcy? An endless breath of joy with a man to love her and pamper her with affectionate gestures as she saw other women enjoy? She stared into Effie’s blue and brown eyes and leaped into the next phase of her life. “I am Macha Verena, your Wiccan sister, protector of anyone or anything that requires me help and those whom I am charged to shield.”

Effie smiled. “You make me proud, little sister. I am Philana Leala Dalukah.” She grimaced. “A mouthful, isn’t it? ‘Philana’ means ‘lover of mankind,’ ‘Leala’ stands for ‘loyal one,’ and ‘Dalukah’ is a high priestess name chosen for me many years ago.” She sat next to Kenzie. “Now, we begin with what I know about your background.”

Kenzie clasped a trembling hand around Effie’s cool one as if she needed an emotional stabilizer fer what she was about to hear. She nodded once to her teacher as a signal to begin.

“At his birth, your father was given the name Gerrund. His family was Romanian and their last name was Dragomir.” Effie inclined her head and stared at Kenzie as if the name was supposed to mean something.

Kenzie shook her head. “I’ve never heard any of this.”

“Your mother’s name was Anatol, a Druid name that meant ‘fiery and passionate.’ She was Wiccan, but had not finished her training. Gerrund had captured her heart, you see. Because of his jealousy of her future and the strength in witchcraft she already possessed, he altered her life’s path. He used her love for him as a weapon of control. Ultimately, she gave birth to twins. You and a boy child they named Rune.”

Kenzie extended her hand in a stop gesture. “Hold on. Are ye telling me I have a brother? A twin? How do ye ken this?” She took a deep breath and tried to catch up with her mind, which was racing like a locomotive.
I have a brother. A twin brother.

Shock was changing into anger. “Why wasna I told? The name ‘Rune’ has never passed me ears.” Why would her mum keep such a secret from her?

“Anatol was very happy being a mother. She loved both of her babies, even though she missed southern Poland, where she grew up.”

Kenzie forked her fingers through her hair, pushing it back from her face. “So I am of Polish and Romanian descent?”

“That’s right, dear.”

“Polish and Romanian. Not Scottish? See, I kent this was all a lie. I am Scottish.” She poked her chest with her thumb. Her anger grew, but changed directions from her mum to Effie. Wait, was this some kind of Wiccan initiation test? Let’s feed the new witch a load of bullshit and see how much she believes. It had to be. There was no way her mum could just erase her brother from her life. She wasna cruel like that. “I repeat, I am Scottish.” Her heart pounded so hard she feared it would leap out of her chest onto her lap.

“Hear me out, Sparrow.” Effie grabbed Kenzie’s wrists and held firm. “About the time of your first birthday, your father grew more enamored of the dark side of witchcraft. He began to follow Warlock Morpheus and to train under the all-powerful sorcerer, just as you are training under me. But the evil wizard taught your father spells and enchantments of dark magic for selfish desires. Not to help others as the good side of magic—our side—is charged to do, but for his own mental, emotional, and physical climaxes. When Morpheus gave him his warlock name, your father took it as his real name and forced your mother to use it.”

She jerked her hands from Effie’s grip. “What name? Not that I would recognize it, because none of this is true.” This was all an absurd lie, a test of some type.

Effie stood in front of her and placed her wrinkled hands on Kenzie’s shoulders. “Fauste. His name is Johann Fauste.” The house rumbled and shook with the force of the winds. Lightning and thunder crisscrossed the sky, illuminating it with an unholy heated energy field.

The hairs on Kenzie’s body stood on end. “But in mythology, Faust sold his soul to the devil.”
Please, God, dinna let this be true. Let it be some kind of made-up story.

The elements raged outside until it seemed the house would lift off its ancient rock foundation.

Effie paid the storm no mind. “Yes, my Sparrow, and though Warlock Morpheus changed the spelling ever so slightly by adding the e on the end, your father did, indeed, sell his soul to the devil. You see, he’d become a favorite of the malicious king sorcerer, and once the evil pact was made, Morpheus taught Fauste the secret ciphers written in the Dark Book. Just as the original Faust, your father was given twenty-four years of power to live in debauchery with no regard for whom or what he hurts. His sole purpose in life has been to seek self-satisfaction in deeper and higher ways than you or I can ever begin to imagine.”

She jumped to her feet. “Me father is owned by the devil? I’m not sure I ken it all.” Her forehead wrinkled, her arms wrapped around her waist, and she began to pace back and forth. “Nay,
ʼ
tis all lies. I’ve never heard a hint, an inkling of any of this.” What would such a thing mean, if it was true? What kind of life has her da lived?

“He planned to train both you and Rune in the arts as well. He told your mother he would start your training when you turned six. But he kept Rune with him much of the time and, without your mother’s knowledge, began teaching him early. The bond between father and son grew strong. When she realized what was happening and what would transpire with both of her children in the future, she took you—the untainted one—and left Romania. She told you your father was killed in a work-related accident.”

Slowly the details sank in as she stared off. “Dear God, I’m not even Scottish? I’m Polish and Romanian? If she lied about da, how did she explain away Rune, me twin?” What else about her life didna Kenzie know? She hurried to the window to see if Bryce’s bear was still there. He stood on his hind legs, raised a paw, and growled, even as strong winds bent over bushes and trees.

She leaned her forehead against the glass. “I need you, Bry.”

Without hesitation, as if he’d been waiting fer her request, the bear ran in the direction of the back of the house. Wood splintered. Thundering paws sounded heavily on the steps. Effie hurried to open the door to her sitting room. The bear charged in, oak splinters stuck in the fur on his head, as if he’d head-butted the back door open.

He roared, and with a sweep of one powerful paw drew Kenzie to his chest as if he meant to protect her from the world. In his other paw, he clasped his ball cap. He backed against the wall, slid down with her carefully in his grasp, and made a blowing sound.

Kenzie had learned, in childhood, when a bear blew, it meant the animal was either nervous or afraid. By his demeanor, she suspected he was afraid—for her. Cooing rumbled from his chest as a paw rubbed her head. His claws were withdrawn and, although he didna smell the greatest, she kent she was safe.

“Effie is telling me about me family’s history. I dinna ken whether to believe her or not. She says I’m not even Scottish.” She pressed her palm to the side of his face and his glowing eyes bored into hers, indicating he kent what she was telling him. “Bry, according to her, I’m Polish and Romanian. I have a twin brother I ken nothing about. Me da isna dead, but alive, and has sold his soul to the devil. I dinna ken who or what I am. If me da is evil, am I?” Her sobs started and she couldna stop them. She kept talking as she wailed, and, just like her whole life, not one word made any sense.

The bear quit rubbing her head and both his upper legs wrapped around her, as if they were arms, and tucked her against his heart. His jaws made comforting popping sounds.

Effie sat on the sofa and petted the spotted lynx, which had followed the bear inside. Mittens, the skittish kitten who resided in Effie’s quarters, had nearly tripped over its tiny feet running into the bedroom to hide under the bed. “I must admit, even though you ripped the hell out of my back door, I’m glad you’re here. I have more I must tell Sparrow. You’ll protect her and help her accept this, won’t you?”

A low growl emitted from the bear’s chest and his head dipped once.

“You know you could go into the bathroom and shift. There are large bath towels in there you could wrap around your waist.”

Kenzie tightened her hold on his fur. “He’s fine the way he is. I…I need him.” She hiccuped from all the fierce crying. “I’ve always needed him. Tell me what else I must know.”

The bear rubbed his head over hers, purring, his eyes closed.

“Very well. When your mother realized your father had already charmed your twin brother, teaching him things about the dark side of witchcraft that he shouldn’t have for another couple years, she made a very difficult decision: She left Rune with your dad and ran off with you. Knowing Fauste would scour one end of Romania and Poland to the other for you, she brought you here to Scotland, to her mother’s cousin, Una. She’d never mentioned Una to Fauste and felt safe raising you here in the Highlands.”

“But wouldna I still know how to speak Romanian, or even a little Polish? After all, I was old enough that I recall moving here. Bry was one of the first friends I made.” She shifted in his grasp. “Do ye recall if I talked using different words?”

The bear wouldn’t look at her. He glanced around the room, at the ceiling, the open door, but would not make eye contact. If he didna look bear-guilty, she didna ken what did.

Kenzie pulled back and planted her hands at her waist. “Okay. What are ye hiding from me? What do ye ken that I dinna?”

Bryce’s bear made a blowing noise again and cast sad eyes on Effie, almost as if he were asking her fer help.

“Sparrow, one of the last things Bryce’s father did before he died was to erase your memory. It’s a skill a bear shifter has, but uses rarely. In your case, erasing the memories of your father and Rune included erasing your language skills. He replaced them with the speaking and understanding of the Scottish dialect of this region so you would fit in, making it that much harder for Fauste to find you. Duff Matheson made you Scottish.”

“And ye kent this?” Kenzie scowled at the bear. “All these years, ye kent these things about me and yet never saw fit to tell me?” She jerked from his grasp and stood. “We created a bairn together and yet ye werena going to tell me the truth? Just how much have ye kent all these years?”

“I have more to tell you, Sparrow. There’s more you must hear.” Effie’s agitation was nearly palpable in the sitting room.

Kenzie kept staring at the bear. “Say it then and be done. As soon as I get me security deposit back from the apartment manager, I’m leaving this place. I dinna belong here.” She had no clue where she’d go but, for once and all, she’d leave this man she loved and the influence he had over her. How could a woman adore and be so completely disappointed in a man at the same time?

The bear stood on a growl. His gigantic size forced her to step back. Shimmering transposing cosmic waves commenced his shifting process as he transmuted from bear back to human shape. The air in the sitting room crackled with mystical energy, a low buzzing intermingled with the popping of matter. Deltoid prisms of psychedelic dust bisected and contorted. His facial features changed as his long snout gave way to a straight nose and full lips. His ears retracted from the top of his head and extended from the sides. Bones shifted, muscles and tendons snapped and twisted. Fur withdrew, leaving smooth skin.

He panted from all he’d just gone through; even so, the weak words he groaned were understandable: “Ye willna leave me.”

Kenzie hurried into Effie’s bathroom and grabbed a large pink bath towel. When she marched back out to the sitting room, the old woman was all eyes. Bryce, who was always comfortable in and out of his skin, stood there as if being naked was no big thing. Only, in his case, it was.

“Here.” She shook the towel at him. “Show some decency and wrap this around yerself.”

He snatched it from her. “Pink? Me whole fukin’ life is ruled by pink.” He wrapped the towel around his hips and tied the ends. He scooped his ball cap off the floor and jammed it on his head. “Kenzie, ye are not leaving Mathe Bay.”

She pointed her finger at him. “Ye are not the boss of me!”

“Fer God’s sake, woman, listen to reason. Yer safe here. Me family—hell, our whole clan—will protect ye.”

Effie clapped her hands twice. “If you two lovers will stop arguing for ten minutes, I have more things,
important
things to tell you.”

Bryce sat in a wing-backed chair by a fireplace and motioned for Kenzie to sit on his lap.

He’d kept information from her, significant and vital facts. No way in hell would she indulge him and his macho desires.

She’d barely taken two steps toward the sofa when his large hands encircled her waist and lifted her backward and onto his firm lap. Lips touched her ear. “Move and I will paddle that beautiful arse of yers.” His erection started poking her hip, and the heat of a blush practically slapped her cheeks. “That’s right, me sweetheart, just the thought of fukin’ ye turns me on, and I’m betting it turns ye on too.”

“Kenzie!” Effie displayed her impatience. “We fear your father is hunting you. Over the years, when he had your brother to control, his interest in you waned. Two months ago, Rune went down in a private jet over the Mediterranean Sea. No survivors were found.”

“So, me brother is dead?” In the span of less than thirty minutes, she’d found and lost a twin sibling she’d never kent she had. Instead of grief and loss, she experienced naught. Where was the sorrow she should feel? Instead, she was angry, filled with betrayal, and numb in the oddest of ways.

Effie nodded. “Your brother’s death puts you in more danger. Fauste will need your blood to renew his twenty-four-year pact with the devil. While he’d trained Rune in the dark arts, he kept a couple very important details from his son. One, he needed Rune’s body and soul corrupted with evil. Two, he had plans in place for a total blood transfusion so he could rejuvenate his dark soul, even if it meant killing Rune. Now, with Rune dead and no way to recover his body, Fauste’s attention has turned to you. He needs your blood—all of it.”

“What kind of man would kill his own child?” A chill ran through Kenzie. No wonder her mother did what she did. She was trying to keep her daughter safe. All these years, Kenzie had believed one thing about her da when something diabolically opposite was true. He was a hedonistic bastard who would kill his own son in cold blood to renew his pact with the devil.

“You have two months before yer twenty-fourth birthday, sweetheart.” Bryce’s arm tightened around her waist. He turned to Effie. “What can I do to protect her?”

“We actually have fourteen months, since she was a year old when Fauste made his deal with the devil, or, in this case, Warlock Morpheus. He will do all kinds of cunning things to turn her to the dark side. He will assume false identities, hurt those she loves, charm her as another man, or simply capture her and drag her off somewhere to convert her. We don’t know how, only that he will.”

Bryce leaned forward and pierced Effie with a determined glare. “I am a Matheson. The name means ‘son of the bear.’ Centuries ago, when we bears ran over the Highlands, free as the deer and rabbits, the Vikings traveled to our shores. They killed every male bear in our sleuth. Then the black-hearted bastards captured the mumma sows and cubs and buried them in one of the caves along Mathe Bay. Our ancestors were kept prisoners in a cave for years, drinking from freshwater pools and eating roots of trees and plants. When the Vikings, led by Olaf the Yellow, returned and rolled away the stones that blocked the entrance to the cave, to their great surprise, men and women walked out. Humans, yes, but humans who could shift into bears. After surviving all that, do ye think one fukin’ bat-shit-crazy, soulless man can take someone who belongs to us? Ta me?” His shouts reverberated off the walls. “This woman is mine and, as such, is part of our clan. I love her, do ye ken?”

He glanced at Kenzie, despondency and determination mixed in his features. His lips formed a thin line and his hand rose to cup her cheek. “I love this woman.”

He brought Kenzie’s hand to his lips and kissed it. “Since she belongs to us, she has our protection, as does Paisley, as do ye. Make no mistake about it, Effie. I will bloody hell kill the fukin’ bastard who lays a hand on her. I willna think twice. I will do it.”

“If you can see him.” Effie’s eyebrows rose in warning before she stood and extended her arms upward. The white embroidered robe jetted from her thin form toward the ceiling, where it neatly folded and vanished in a puff of golden smoke.

Bryce shook his head in disbelief, as if his recent shifting from one species to another had been no big deal. Evidently her words finally registered, fer his dark eyes narrowed. “What do ye mean, if I can see him?”

“Because of his covenant with the devil, Kenzie’s father is more than a man. He’s a force.” Effie sat and shoved some throw pillows behind her back. She struggled with catching her breath. “He…he can make himself invisible, change shape from human to gas to liquid. Like you, he can shift, but to
any
animal or human form. Make himself look old, young, male, female.” She extended her hand, opening it for emphasis. “He is of the devil and, as such, can turn himself into anything or anyone.” She exhaled a shaky breath.

“Effie, are ye all right? Yer out of breath.” Kenzie stood. “Can I get ye anything?” Had all this excitement been too much fer the old woman?

She pointed toward her bedroom. “On my nightstand is a metal container with some pills in it. Bring them here, Sparrow, and some water.”

Kenzie hurried to get the pills and water, her mind jogging down the road of fear.
If what Effie says is true, Fauste could take me before anyone knows what’s happening.
Kenzie’s stomach clenched and a chill slithered through her system like the evil snake her da was.
I canna dwell on this. I willna turn into a nervous numpty. I must be strong. I canna let this man who sired me ruin me life.

When she stepped back into the sitting room, Bryce was on the settee, his arm around Effie, his hand gently pressing her head. “I’m concerned, Kenzie. Her breathing’s not slowing any.”

Effie sat straight, reached for the small metal canister, and removed a pill. “Of course I’m breathing heavy. I’m in the arms of a half-naked Scot and I want to flick my fingernail over his nipple so damn bad.” She palmed the pill into her mouth and drank the water Kenzie offered her.

“What water ye dinna drink, I’ll pour over your head to cool ye off.”

“Sparrow, it’s not my head that’s hot.”

Bryce’s eyes widened before he moved to the chair he’d sat in earlier. A blush covered his cheeks.

Kenzie had a question for her Wiccan instructor. “Effie, I’m confused. After being safely hidden in the Highlands all these years, how will he ken where I am, when, or even if, he comes for me?”

“Oh, he’ll come, Sparrow. He needs your blood to renew his pact with Morpheus.” Her eyes barely opened when she spoke.

Bryce enveloped Kenzie against his warm, strong chest. “I’m guessing the storm isolated over this estate tonight is sure to cause some major attention, especially from those who watch for strange climatic events, kenning what they could signify.” He aimed midnight eyes toward Effie. “Why did ya hold yer ceremony here? Why not travel somewhere to throw Fauste off track? London, the white cliffs of Dover, Stonehenge. Even yer home in Virginia. Pardon me for being damn blunt, but ye didna think this through where Kenzie’s safety is concerned.”

Effie appeared somewhat revived, and nodded. “That’s one way of looking at it, but we typically hold the naming ritual in the witch’s home.”

Bryce’s muscles tensed as if he were a wild animal ready to attack. “But this is no normal circumstance, is it? I wager none of the other witches have a relative who has sold his or her soul to the devil. A da who is desperate to find his daughter and steal her blood like some demented vampire.” Even as he snarled his negative opinion, his hand gently stroked Kenzie’s cheek and neck in comfort.

Effie sat on the edge of the sofa. “I’m being watched, Bryce. Warlock Morpheus has sent some of his minions to keep track of me since I’ve moved from the States to Scotland. I’ve upset the balance he likes in his Wiccan world, both the good and the evil fragments.”

“What?” Bryce’s gaze zipped from Effie to Kenzie, his eyes narrowed. “This Warlock guy…are ye saying he has control over both the wicked and the virtuous sides of witchcraft? He rules it all?”

Effie nodded. “He used trickery and any devious means his brilliant mind could concoct to eliminate the rulers of both sides.” Her arms made a large arc. “Yes, he commands it all. Talk about a control freak.”

Bryce pulled Kenzie closer in his embrace. “Bloody hell.”

“I could sense evil in my presence, but couldn’t see these entities since they hid behind me. Kenzie saw their force field and later their dangerous tentacles as Morpheus increased their capabilities. You see, the minions were sent to disable my powers and then kill me. By doing away with a witch now and then, the old man keeps the rest in line; fear can be a powerful motivator. Plus, he didn’t want the two of us together. United, we carry more power within than he can comfortably handle.” She snorted. “As if a woman, natural or Wiccan, isn’t powerful in her own right.

Effie’s gaze swept affectionately over Kenzie. “She chanted olden words to those minions the other night and, in a fury, they disappeared. No doubt they’ve reported back to their high sorcerer about the young witch living with me. If Morpheus has investigated and learned Kenzie’s identity, he’s passed along the information to Fauste.”

Kenzie sat on Bryce’s lap and told him about the specter, how it had grown and changed over the last few days. Then she stared into his eyes. “I still dinna understand why ye were here? I was so shocked when I looked out the window and saw ye and the lynx. How did ye ken something was about to happen?” She glanced at the spotted cat sitting next to Effie on the sofa, his azure eyes focused on her. “I must thank ye for being here, too.”

Remember what I told ye about yer strength. I will be hiding and watching, as will the shifter who wants to mate ye. Dinna worry.

“Ye asked how I ken to come as a bear. Our owl flew to the lodge. He fluttered against the dining room window to get our attention while we were having dinner, pecking the glass and flapping his wings. He claimed the lynx ordered him to come get me and I should shift first. No one orders the owl to do anything, so he was right pissed.” Bryce scowled at the lynx, who nonchalantly raised his leg and licked his arse as if to offer his silent opinion on the owl’s sour mood.

Effie stood and pointed toward the hallway for the lynx to leave. “Kids, I’m exhausted and heading to bed; I need my beauty sleep. Bryce, you’re welcome to spend the night. I suspect you and Kenzie have things to discuss about her safety.” She waggled her eyebrows. “I’m sure I won’t hear a thing, except for your fixing my back door in the morning.” She hugged them each good night before she entered her bedroom and closed the door. Suddenly, Bryce and Kenzie were hearing the lyrics to “Get Down Tonight”—loud and a shade off-key.

Bryce threw his head back and laughed. “That woman is one of me favorites in this entire world. God’s blessings on her rapscallion soul.”

“Ye are not spending the night.” Kenzie popped off Bryce’s lap. “Even if ye are, ye are
not
sleeping with me. I need time alone to think, to process all this. Besides, I ken how ye behave around a woman. Ye have no condoms and we arna having unprotected sex.”