Midnight's Promise_Dark Warriors Read online

“There is,” Evie said. “The ancients told me. They just didn’t tell me what it was.”

  “Then we find it.”

  “You’re always so confident.”

  Malcolm felt anything but confident.

  “The rest of the story,” Brian quickly signed before Malcolm could respond.

  Evie took over then, telling Brian about the site and someone hacking in, and her being on the run. When she came to the part of living in Cairn Toul, Malcolm saw Brian’s eyes narrow for a fraction of a second.

  “You talk to rocks?” Brian asked with his hands.

  Evie nodded. “I’ve always heard them.”

  “And Cairn Toul is where Deirdre lived? Was that wise?”

  Malcolm grunted. “Those were my exact thoughts, which is why I followed her to the mountain and confronted her.”

  Evie held up her hand when Brian began to sign again. “Let me finish the story quickly, then you can ask your questions.”

  When Brian gave a quick nod and leaned back against the wall, his hands shoved into the front pockets of his jeans, Evie continued.

  Malcolm saw her hands tighten into fists when she spoke of doing the ceremony to become drough. She skipped over the part of them making love, much to Malcolm’s relief.

  “Which brings us to tonight,” Evie said. “You know the rest.”

  Brian ran a hand down his face. “You’re really pregnant?”

  “It’s still a few weeks before I’d have guessed,” Evie said. “But there’s definitely a chance.”

  Malcolm rubbed his jaw. “Wallace seemed awfully sure of it. Use your magic to check.”

  “No,” Evie said hastily. “I don’t want to hurt the babe with the black magic if I am carrying a child.”

  Malcolm opened his mouth to answer when there was a knock at the door. Brian pushed away from the wall and opened it. Malcolm wasn’t surprised to find Guy and his wife, Elena.

  “We thought you three might be hungry,” Elena said as she placed a tray on the table. “We’re glad you’re back, Evie.”

  Evie’s smile was weak. “I seem to bring turmoil wherever I go. I don’t think I should remain.”

  “Aye, you should,” Guy said. He turned his gaze to Malcolm. “Know that all of you are welcome to stay for as long as you need.”

  “I’m no’ sure that’s wise.” Malcolm stood and faced Guy. “You and the others have done enough. The longer we stay, the more likely it is that Wallace will come.”

  Elena shrugged. “Let Jason come. Anyone who thinks to fight the Dragon Kings is a fool, and he’ll learn that soon enough.”

  “Aye, but trying to harm you and letting your secret out are two different things,” Malcolm said. “We’ll stay tonight and leave in the morning.”

  Guy took Elena’s hand. “Where will you go?”

  Malcolm met Evie’s gaze. “The only other place we can—Cairn Toul.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Guy asked. “I know Con wants to talk to you three. After you’ve eaten and rested, come downstairs.”

  Malcolm nodded and softly shut the door behind the couple. When he turned around, Evie was wringing her hands. “What is it?”

  “I don’t think I can go back to Cairn Toul.”

  “You didna mind it before.”

  “I wasn’t a drough before. You said it yourself, evil was there. I don’t want to chance anything.”

  Malcolm glanced at Brian to see his gaze was on the floor. “Then we’ll go somewhere else.”

  No more was said as they sat around the tiny table and ate. All Malcolm could think about was the babe growing inside Evie. His child, a child he thought he’d never have. He couldn’t turn it over to Wallace, nor could he allow a child of pure evil to enter the world. There had to be a way to change the outcome.

  Evie suddenly set down her fork. “If Brian was able to stop Wallace’s magic from controlling him, does that also mean Jason can’t hurt him if something happens to the baby?”

  Malcolm stopped mid-chew and looked at Brian. The lad shrugged in response. Malcolm finished chewing and swallowing before he said, “A Druid might be able to tell if Wallace’s magic is attached to Brian.”

  “I could try, but I think you already have a Druid in mind.”

  He inwardly winced. “I do, but I doona want to reach out to her.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Dani, Ian’s wife.”

  Evie’s hand came to rest atop his. “Ian was Duncan’s twin.”

  “He’s no’ forgiven me, and I doona blame him.”

  “Everyone was angry last night, Malcolm. Don’t hold them to words spoken during a heightened time.” She sat back and wiped her mouth. “Besides, I want to talk to the Druid who asked me if I was Evie Walker. She knows about my site. I want to know why.”

  “That was Gwynn,” Malcolm said. “I think she asked because she hacked into your site. That’s what Gwynn does. She’s a master at it too.”

  Evie nodded. “Ah. That makes sense. I had a feeling I was hacked by two different people. Now I know.”

  “What now?” Brian signed.

  Malcolm sat back in the chair. “Good question. We need to figure out what will kill Wallace, protect you, and keep the bairn from being born evil.”

  “So, not a lot then,” Evie said with a wink. “We should be able to take care of that by morning.”

  Malcolm found himself smiling. How could someone with a soul as bright as Evie’s be with him? But he knew it was because of her that he had changed, that he was feeling.

  That he had hope again.

  CHAPTER

  FORTY-SIX

  Larena was in the last bunch Fallon jumped back to MacLeod Castle. She was still reeling from seeing Malcolm—who looked almost like the man she’d known before the attack that had taken the use of his arm.

  “I warned you,” she told Fallon as she paced the great hall. The others remained, each finding places at the long table, near the hearth, or just leaning against the walls. “I told you it wasn’t wise to confront Malcolm with everyone.”

  “I did what I thought was best.”

  Larena whirled around to face her husband. She bit back the angry retort because of her frustration. Instead, she took a deep breath and counted to ten. “You’ve backed him into a corner. None of us reacts well to that, and you pushed him. Why?”

  “I’d like to know that as well,” Quinn said.

  Lucan folded his arms over his chest and looked at his elder brother. “I think we all would. You can no’ tell me you didna see a difference in him, Fallon.”

  Fallon ran a hand through his hair. “Phelan said he didna trust Evie.”

  “And Phelan should’ve trusted Malcolm,” Aisley said before she leaned over and kissed Phelan from their spot at the table. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you did the right thing. You kept knowledge of me from everyone.”

  “I had a reason,” Phelan argued.

  Larena turned her gaze to the couple. “And Malcolm didn’t? Did you see how he protected Evie? Can you tell me you wouldn’t have done the same had we shown up as a group to confront you and Aisley?”

  Phelan slammed his hand on the table. “I was trying to help a friend.”

  “He willna thank you for it,” Ramsey said.

  Charon propped an arm on the back of Laura’s chair from their place near the hearth. “I agreed with Phelan on calling Fallon, and though I hate to admit it, but maybe we shouldna have been so hasty. The Kings were looking at Evie with impartiality.”

  “And we weren’t?” Marcail asked.

  Isla shook her head of black hair. “No, we weren’t. Phelan said she became drough, and we reacted. We should’ve listened. After what happened to me and Aisley, we should’ve waited to hear their side.”

  “I just wanted Malcolm here,” Fallon said. “He belongs with us.”

  Larena walked to her husband and took his hand. “I know. We’re a family. Families make mistakes. What we need to do now is show Malc
olm we’re behind him.”

  “Then we need to know what happened tonight at Jason’s,” Ronnie said. She leaned her head back against Arran’s chest, her forehead furrowed. “Whatever it was had to have been devastating. Evie looked as if the world was coming to an end.”

  “And Malcolm looked as if he shouldered the world,” Camdyn said.

  “Let’s no’ forget Evie’s brother in all of this,” Ian said. “He was just a lad and as white as a ghost. There’s no telling what Wallace did to him.”

  “I’m sorry,” Fallon said as he pulled Larena against him. “I thought if we all went we could make him come back with us.”

  Larena squeezed her eyes closed. “I need to go to him.”

  “I’ll jump you and Ramsey in the morning.”

  She nodded, hoping Malcolm would want to see her by then.

  * * *

  Gwynn stared up at the ceiling letting everything about Evie and the site roll through her mind. It was keeping her from sleep, but there was something nagging at her she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  “I can do without sleep, love, but you can no’. What is keeping you awake?” Logan asked as he rolled toward her.

  Gwynn turned her head to him. “It’s Evie and Malcolm.”

  “I think Larena and Ramsey will get everything straightened out in the morn.”

  “No, it’s not that. It’s the site. I told you I thought there was another hacker, and I believe it was Jason.”

  Logan rose up on one elbow and reached over her to turn on the light. “Tell me.”

  Gwynn scooted up on the pillows. “We all know Wallace wants revenge, right?”

  “Aye.”

  “We also know he likes to make us think he’s doing one thing while he’s actually doing something else.”

  “Aye.”

  “So.” She paused and shrugged. “What if we’ve done it again?”

  Logan frowned. “You lost me, love. What do you mean?”

  “I mean, what if we underestimated him again?”

  Logan’s hazel eyes narrowed. “You mean he’s doing exactly what it looks like he’s doing?”

  “Yes. We kept looking for hidden meanings, but I don’t think there is one. I don’t think he has a clue as to what the necklace does. I think he wanted it because he suspects it does some magic.”

  “But he doesna know what,” Logan said with a nod.

  “We won’t know if he did until we talk to Malcolm.”

  “If Wallace knew the necklace could bind our gods forever, he wouldna care about turning Evie drough right now. He’d have her release the spell and get us out of the way.”

  “Exactly!” Gwynn shouted and crossed her legs beneath her. “So if he doesn’t know about the spell, then he does want Evie and Malcolm for the prophecy as Aisley suspected.”

  Logan leaned back against the headboard. “And therein lies the problem. We can no’ allow that child to be born.”

  Gwynn slid down until she lay her head on his chest. “If it was us in Malcolm and Evie’s shoes, what would you do?”

  “Protect you and pray to find a way that our child wouldna be born holding all the evil of the world.”

  Gwynn’s heart pounded in her chest so loudly she expected him to hear it. “What would you think about becoming a father?”

  There was a beat of silence before he shifted so that he leaned over her. “Gwynn? What are you saying?”

  “Answer my question.”

  His brown hair fell forward into his face, the shadows keeping his eyes hidden. “I would like nothing more than to have my child fill your womb.”

  “But just not now,” she finished, trying to hide her disappointment.

  Logan shoved aside the covers and placed a hand on her flat stomach. He looked back at her. “Gwynn?”

  A lone tear slipped from her eye. “I didn’t skip the spell on purpose, Logan, you have to believe me.”

  “Gwynn,” he said in a soft, too quiet voice. “What are you telling me?”

  She covered his hand with hers. “I’m going to have your child.”

  He tenderly wiped away her tear. For long moments he stared at her with an unreadable expression. Just when Gwynn was about to beg him to say something, he leapt from the bed and scooped her up in his arms as he spun about the room.

  “Logan,” she said with a giggle. “You’re going to make me sick. Stop, please.”

  Instantly, he stopped and rained kisses upon her face. “I’ve never been so happy. I could shout it to the world.”

  “Don’t,” she said before he could. “I’m not ready to share with everyone else yet.”

  “How long have you known?”

  She shrugged. “A week. I was trying to find the right moment to tell you.”

  “You thought I’d be angry?” he asked with a frown.

  “Yes. I know you didn’t want me pregnant while we battled droughs.”

  He held her close. “Nay, my love, we’ve put our lives on hold long enough. Larena and Fallon taught me that.”

  “I’m glad you believe that, but don’t start thinking you can keep me out of any battles.”

  “Gwynn,” he began.

  She leaned back and put a finger over his lips. “I won’t purposefully put myself in danger, but we’re going to need all the Druids we can get to fight. You know this.”

  “All right,” he said and started back to the bed.

  She let out a shriek when he tossed her on the mattress and quickly followed. He held himself up by his hands, a wicked grin on his lips as he leaned down and flicked his tongue over her nipple through her silk nightgown.

  Her eyes rolled back in her head. “Logan,” she whispered.

  There was a ripping sound. She looked down to find he had ripped her nightgown in half, but she didn’t care, not when he kissed her and his knowing hands touched her.

  * * *

  Jason Wallace held the necklace he’d taken from Evangeline—Evie, as Malcolm called her—Walker in his hand. The pendant dangled from his fingers, the ornate Celtic cross beautiful in the design, but nothing more than that.

  What could the necklace do? There had to be magic in it or why else would Evie have put it on her site? For hours he used spell after spell trying to get the pendant to reveal its purpose.

  But it had remained silent.

  If it was ancient, he would feel that magic. It was powerful and residual, and even a Druid could detect it. So if it wasn’t ancient, and none of his spells worked, maybe it was just a trinket. A trinket used artfully to gain his interest.

  His quest to get it made him appear a fool. And that was something he couldn’t allow to pass without retribution. The more he thought on it, the more he was undecided about all of it.

  “Nay. Ms. Walker didna want to be parted from it,” he said to himself.

  Then again, some people were sentimental about things handed down from family. He should’ve asked Brian about it when the lad was there.

  Whatever the spell was, Jason knew he would get to the bottom of it sooner or later. There was no rush. His chessboard was almost complete. Once all the pieces had been moved into place and he captured the king—Malcolm—the game was over.

  There were just a few more moves Jason needed to push Malcolm, Evie, and the Warriors and Druids into. It would be so simple, so easy they wouldn’t realize anything until it was too late. By then Malcolm would be dead.

  And Evie would do whatever he wanted.

  He tossed the necklace on the coffee table and stretched out his legs, crossing one ankle over the other. So far his plan was working magnificently. Evangeline was drough and carrying the babe of prophecy. Malcolm, who was obviously smitten with the Druid, would do anything to keep both mother and bairn safe.

  Yet, he wouldn’t endanger Brian’s life either. It was too perfect.

  And with Malcolm and the drough together, it would ultimately split those at MacLeod Castle. Their once-solid bond broken by one person—Evie.


  “Oh, I wish I could be a fly on the wall at the castle now,” Jason said with a chuckle.

  The Warriors would try to kill Evie, Malcolm would battle them for her safety, and Malcolm would leave them forever.

  The only kink was those damn dragons. Otherwise Malcolm and Evangeline would be on their own. The dragons were an issue, but one that didn’t pose that big of a problem for him.

  Jason sat forward and held his hand, palm down, over the glass coffee table as magic formed in his palm. “Where do the dragons come from?”

  A 3-D version of the Earth filled the space between his hand and the table.

  “Here?” How was it he’d never heard of them before now? “Where do they live?”

  The image changed from the planet to a range of mountains. The mountains could be anywhere, and nothing he saw showed him any indication of where they hid.

  “Show me on a map.”

  Again the image shifted to a map of Scotland, with a red dot pinpointing the dragons’ location.

  “And how many are there?”

  Image after image of dragon appeared, each a different color until he lost count.

  “Enough.”

  The dragons were going to be an issue unless he could turn them against Malcolm and Evie. He’d demanded Evie kill them, but he knew she wouldn’t even attempt it. That would fall to him. In a manner.

  He needed the couple on their own. As long as Evie and Malcolm had friends, hope, and—most especially—love, the child wouldn’t be the one from the prophecy.

  It was a small thing no one needed to know, especially not the expectant parents.

  CHAPTER

  FORTY-SEVEN

  In his chair near the hearth, Malcolm looked to the bed where Evie lay curled. He wanted to climb in beside her, to pull her against him, and make love to her until neither could move. But the strain of the day had battered her endlessly until she had barely been able to keep her eyes open.

  He’d managed to get food into both her and Brian. Only after Evie had fallen asleep and he’d moved her to the bed did he then work on convincing Brian they were safe.

  That had taken another hour, and in the end, the lad had been asleep on his feet when Malcolm walked him next door. Brian had fallen face-first on the bed, his feet hanging off the side. With a grunt, he had grabbed the pillow and turned his head, already lightly snoring.