by Hazel Hunter
“Love denied becomes hatred. Bind them in water, lad. ’Twill open their hearts to their minds.” He gave us a sterner look. “You may journey anywhere together in the nightlands. Learn what you may of the calpa, for they cannae dreamwalk.”
Suddenly I was submerged in freezing water, and then Sorley dragged me up to the surface. Good thing my hands were tied to his, because I would have… jumped him.
“Jess.” Sorley kissed me.
Kendric waded out and cut the ropes he’d used to tie us together, but looked worried. “You shouldnae forget your love for each other now.”
“Right.” I drew back, and then smiled at my dream lover. “Birdbrain.”
“Twit.” Sorley held me close. “Thank the Gods.”
I had no problem waking up after that. Sorley always helped.
Chapter 14
Scrupulosity
Numbers are my thing. My earliest memory is counting my Cheerios before I ate them. I went to bed fifteen minutes before Gilmore Girls came on so Grandmom wouldn’t miss any of it. By the time I was eight I was balancing Granddad’s checkbook and budgeting his pension. We figured out by then that I would never be like norms (normal-brained people) but that was okay with them.
My grandparents home schooled me until I learned how to smile, laugh, look into norms’ eyes, and talk like them. That took a lot longer than numbers.
Grandmom had a fatal heart attack right after I graduated high school, and Granddad died a month later. The doctor said it was grief, but I didn’t know what that was. My parents had died in the crash that made me what I am, so I had no one left. I didn’t know what else to do but go off to college, so I did that. After I moved into the dorm, two norms came and introduced themselves as Coco and Tory, and asked if I’d like to try out for cheerleading.
“I don’t know how,” I told them. Things like this weren’t covered in my chemical engineering textbooks.
“Can you do this?” Coco asked, and jumped up into the air with her arms in a V.
I can easily mimic other people, so I copied her moves.
“Come with us, Sweetie,” Tory said, and took me to meet the other Angels.
I made the squad, but Coach Jennings asked to have a private meeting with me.
“Hannah, we would love to have you on the squad,” Coach said. “But why do you want to join the Angels?”
“I can learn to be more like norms—I mean, people who aren’t neuro-atypical,” I said, because I’ve never been any good at lying. “Is that okay?”
“Of course.” She looked as if she were seeing me for the first time. “Just promise you’ll let me know if you have any trouble.”
I never had trouble; I just did what the squad did. Cheerleading was strenuous, but I was in good shape, and I learned fast. Me being a tall, blue-eyed blonde helped, too. When we time-traveled to the fourteenth century I kept a headcount of the girls. Most of the clan guys were nice to me, but I ignored them. I liked numbers better. When the squad voted to go back to live with the McGillean, I went with them. Although medieval Scotland seemed inconvenient, I wasn’t going to lose my new family.
I didn’t like the plane crash part, and I didn’t get a super power, but otherwise it was okay.
The calpa, these shape-shifting demonic water horses that attacked and ate people, were what really bothered me. I started counting them, beginning with the one that attacked Tory. Then a week later a calpa attacked Miranda, and another one killed a village norm. Grace and Roxanne got jumped next, and the clan also found parts of two norms from two other separate attacks that week. Seven days later there were eight different attacks around the island.
I went to the scroll room to get some parchment, as norms always needed to see numbers. The laird’s archivist, Morven, gave me the supplies. I liked Morven because he had black hair and green eyes, and lots of muscles, but he wasn’t extra nice to me or any of the girls. He also had a big scar on his head.
“’Tis twinning,” he murmured, and when I frowned at him he pointed at the figures I’d written down. “The calpa attacks, aye?”
I nodded. “I have to warn the laird.”
I explained my theory, and then Morven came up with the same answer I had. He didn’t seem upset, though, which is when I realized he might not be a norm. There was a way to find out, although I knew it might make him emotional.
“What did that to your head?” I asked.
“I took an ax to the skull during our final battle as mortals.” He started to tell me the details, then stopped. “Forgive me, Mistress. I ken ’tisnae seemly to speak of such.”
I lifted my hair to show him my scar, and told him how I got mine. “It made you different, right?”
“I dinnae feel as others do. The druids call thus scrupulosity.” He peered at my scalp. “You?”
“Same. I’d rather feel with my skin and my hands and the rest of my body. I like your body, too.” Since I was curious I leaned forward and kissed him. “Do you like that?”
“Aye.” He looked very interested in me now. “You dinnae long for words of love?”
“Nope, but we should have sex first and see if we like that as much.” I rolled up my parchment. “Let’s go tell them.”
Morven asked if he could first kiss me back, and we did that for a while. Then we met with the laird and Coach, and gave our presentation.
“The calpa attacks are doubling every week. Every time one dies, two more come here.” I could see even with the parchment the laird didn’t understand, so I added, “If my theory is correct, then there will be thirty-two attacks next week.”
“And sixty-four the next,” Morven said.
“How long will it take before there are enough calpa to attack all the mortals here?” Coach asked him.
He glanced at the laird, who nodded. “In two moons, my lady, they’ll overrun the island.”
“That’s eight weeks,” I said.
“Thank you both for telling us about this.” Coach rubbed her forehead. “Gill, we need to talk to Kendric.”
“Then Morven and I are going to have sex now,” I told her, and smiled so she wouldn’t freak out. “He’s like me, but we want to be sure.”
The laird grinned. “A good match.”
Sex with Morven was even better than numbers, so we got married the next day. The end.
Chapter 15
Night Watch
The first time my cheerleading squad and I time-traveled back to fourteenth century Scotland, nothing bad happened. I fell for this guy named Ualan who looked like Brad Pitt with black hair. Luckily when our plane went down on our second trip we crashed into a sacred oak grove, which healed all our wounds before taking us back again. Afterward my eyes felt funny, but I blamed it on the smoke from the plane.
A few weeks later I sat in the infirmary, but all I could see was a blur where Doc’s face should have been. Even the faint light from the one candle she’d lit hurt my eyes.
“Your pupils have become permanently dilated, Stephanie,” the doc said. “I can’t tell you what’s causing it. I’ll talk to the druid healers and see if they have any ideas.” As she rebandaged my eyes she added, “I heard that you and your guy broke up.”
Thanks to my improved hearing I’d heard Ualan telling Gayla that I revolted him, which had made it easy to dump his vain, insensitive ass.
“He’s not into the handicapped.” I stood up and used my cane to make my way into the great hall.
When I heard voices talking I stopped and picked out Coach Jennings, the laird, his war master Sorley, and Griogair, the captain of the guard.
“If Morven and Hannah are right about the calpa attacks doubling, then we don’t have enough time to relocate the population,” Coach was saying. “Master Gowan said his tribe won’t leave the island. We have to focus on protecting these people.”
“Too many to bring here,” Gill told her.
“We may go to them,” Sorley said. “Send sentries to stand guard at the settlement and the vil
lage.”
“Aye, but what of the farms?” Griogair asked. “And we’ve dozens of fishers and cargo boats in the sound. ’Twould take the full garrison to guard them all.”
The discussion ended soon after that with nothing decided, which left me with the fun choice of tapping my way back to my room or loitering in a dark corner of the hall. Neither appealed to me.
A big, gentle hand folded around mine. “Just the lady I wished to find.”
“Hey, Duncan.” I hadn’t met Ualan’s brother while I could still see, but I recognized his deep voice. Head of the night watch, he often found me wandering around, thanks to my insomnia. He’d even carved my cane for me. “What are you doing up this early?”
“Eamas takes the watch tonight, Stephanie.” He laced his fingers through mine. “I reckoned you’d favor a ride.”
I loved the idea—I hadn’t been outside in weeks—but I couldn’t use my cane in the saddle. “You have a seeing-eye horse?”
He chuckled. “I’ll keep you safe, lass.”
Duncan steered me out to the stables, where he lifted me into a roomy saddle, and then climbed up behind me. As his arms came around me I leaned back against his chest, which felt pretty massive, and savored his warmth. I already had a huge crush on him, but after Ualan I didn’t need another failed relationship. I just wished I could see him.
I felt his chin brush the top of my head. “You’re a lot bigger than your brother.”
“Aye, but no’ as handsome.” He walked the big horse for a while, and then wrapped one arm around my waist. “Ready?”
“Aye.” I laughed as he urged the mount into a gallop. “Whee!”
We rode like that until the air grew cooler and salty. As Duncan slowed the horse to a walk I heard waves crashing, and gulls screeching. My bandage had slipped almost over my mouth, so I tugged it down and without thinking opened my eyes.
I saw the night sky, filled with stars, stretching over the ocean. I could see all the details, too, from the crests of the waves to the scatterings of seashells.
“Oh my God, I can see in the dark now. Like everything.” I started to turn around, but he stopped me. “What’s wrong?”
“’Twillnae please you.” Duncan swung off the horse and kept his face averted as he lifted me down. “I’m no’ as Ualan, Steph.”
“Your brother is a jerk.” When he glanced at me I went still. “Oh, Duncan.”
A rough-textured port wine stain birthmark covered most of his face and neck. I could see more of it peeking through the laces on his tunic.
“’Tis all over me,” he muttered. “Dinnae stare.”
“You’ve been my friend because I couldn’t see you? Stupid me. I thought you actually cared.” I walked past him to the edge of the water, where I stood watching the waves.
Duncan came to join me. “Friendship, ’twas all I dared hope, even after you broke with Ualan. I ken how I look.”
I wanted to tell him how I felt, and how beautiful he was to me, but something glowing in the water caught my newly-working eyes.
“Do you see that?” I pointed, but he shook his head. “It looks…oh, crap.” I met his gaze. “It’s a herd of calpa.”
Too many for us to fight alone.
He pulled me behind a big rock and pressed me against him. “Dinnae make a sound.”
I held my breath as the shape-shifters came galloping out of the water. As soon as they made it to land they took on the appearance of villagers and fishermen, and scattered in different directions.
Once they were out of sight Duncan hugged me. “We’ll warn the clan and track them, my love. Thank the Gods you’ve the power to see them.” He hesitated before he said, “You could begin anew with Ualan now.”
“Sorry, but I’ve already fallen for someone else. Big guy. Super sweet. Huge beauty mark.” I kissed his dark cheek. “I’d like to see the rest of it, too.”
Later that night I did—and mapped every inch with more kisses.
Chapter 16
Cornered
Becoming a laird’s wife turned out to be a bit more complicated than simply surviving a plane crash to travel back in time to fourteenth century Scotland. Helping my husband manage his clan of immortal warriors while watching out for my girls (twenty-first century cheerleaders of Scottish descent just developing their own powers) kept me constantly busy. Many of Gill’s men had fallen for my Angels, but squabbles sometimes tested their relationships—and my patience.
We were just finishing up breakfast one morning when Gill’s weapons master and the best tumbler on my squad got into an argument.
“You neednae visit the village,” Eideard said to Regina. “With the calpa sneaking onto the island ’twillnae be safe.”
“I’m not scared of the shape-shifters, Eddie,” she countered. “I need to shop.”
He made a casual gesture. “You’ve all you want here, lass.”
I bit back a groan. Reggie might look like an adorable little brunette version of the battery bunny, but lurking inside her was a slumbering volcano—and Eideard was prodding it.
“You think I wanted this rash from wearing wool?” She extended her spotty arms. “And the stuff you call soap, yeah, I adore washing that slime out of my hair. But those furs you piled on our bed are the best thing ever. I just love walking around smelling like dog.”
Eideard scowled. “’Tisnae the fur of–”
Coco got to them before I could. “I have a spare linen gown I can lend you.”
“You’re a foot taller than me,” Regina told her flatly.
The weapons master grimaced. “Aye, and much shapelier.”
“I’m not curvy enough now?” The tumbler threw out her arms. “I can’t go to the village, I have to put up with this rash, I smell like dog, and you’re drooling over her.”
“’Tisnae dog fur,” Eideard bellowed.
“Don’t you yell at me,” Regina said, stamping her foot. “Who do you think you are, you oversized lecherous…” She went still. “Everybody run.”
Her druid power kicked in a second later, and she burst into flames. So did all the wood and everything else flammable around her. Fortunately, Coco shoved Eideard out of the way as she flipped over Reg.
“Andrea,” I shouted, but our team doc was already running into the hall. She used her heat-drawing power to snuff out the fires instantly.
Eideard coughed as he threw his tartan around Regina, who was now standing naked in a smoldering pile of burned wool.
“Thanks, Eddie. Way to go, Doc. Sorry, Coach.” She kicked the ashen remains of her skirts. “Can I still borrow that gown, Coco?”
Once we cleaned up the worst of the mess I had a long talk with Regina and Eideard about anger management, and then went to get some fresh air. Since we’d doubled the patrols around the island Gill had been joining them daily to share the duty; he was that kind of laird. That left me in charge of Dun Dorchas and the clan while he was gone, and I knew I wasn’t doing a very good job. When he saw the condition of the great hall I’d have to explain, and he’d be even more worried.
I walked around the stronghold’s outer walls as I brooded, and stopped as I saw Gill and a half-dozen riders heading toward the stables. Might as well face the music, I thought, and sprinted over to meet them. That was when I saw Jaime, Conor and Lacey sprawled unconscious in the herd pen, with the half-calpa stallion we’d captured standing over them.
“Hey, Velvet.” I walked up slowly, glancing at the three bodies until I saw they were all still breathing. “You remember me, right?”
The stallion rushed at the fence, shifting into human form as he did, and yanked me up and over into the pen.
“Demons,” Velvet said, and then shifted back into horse form.
Next thing I knew I was in Gill’s arms, and his men were chasing the stallion back from us. “Thank God.”
He held me tightly, pressing my face into his broad shoulder. “Come, we must hurry.”
“I need to tell you about a fire,�
� I said as I followed him into the stables. I glanced back to see his men still trying to lasso Velvet. “They should really get Conor and the girls out of there first.”
“They shall.” Gill swung me up and over his shoulder. “You’re what I came for.”
Hanging upside down made me chuckle, until I looked down.
“I’m so glad you did,” I lied as he carried me up the ladder to the hayloft. “Since you started patrolling we hardly have any time together. By the way, Kendric says the druids figured out how to stop the calpa from attacking us.”
Gill put me down on my feet, and kissed the top of my head. “Tell me.”
“Have to show you.” I turned his back toward the loft window, and took a few steps back. “Like this.”
Running at him and slamming my body into his knocked him through the open window. He grabbed at me as he fell, but I wrenched free. I watched him land on his back, but before he could get up Velvet reared over him.
“My son,” Gill said. “You belong with us.”
A few minutes later he was just a trampled pile of goo, and the other calpa had shifted into horse form and were trying to escape. That was when my real husband and his patrol arrived to deal with them.
Gill still wouldn’t let me out of his sight for the rest of the day, and that night I sat on his lap by the fire and told him about what the calpa had said to Velvet.
“How could you ken ’twasnae me?” he asked.
“I saw that he had horse hooves instead of boots.” I kissed him. “And if I was wrong, I knew you’d survive the fall.”
“My wise, beautiful lady.” He kissed me back.
Chapter 17
Haunted
“Hey, Mother of Dragons, get your butt over here and help us,” I heard Deb call to Reggie as she and some other girls started unloading a wood cart.
The tumbler scowled as she stalked past me. “Keep shading me, Sparkles, and you’ll get your bonfire night way early.”