“I need something to write with,” she began but trailed off when Grant handed her what she needed.
“Thank you,” she murmured as she opened to a blank page. She didn’t blame everyone for watching her so closely. After all, she was about to do what was behind so much of this. Behind their wild adventures.
Jessie glanced at Bryce one more time, glad to have him there, before she closed her eyes, visualized her grandmother, and started sketching. After a few moments, she opened her eyes, stared at the fire and began chanting. She used the flames to enhance her gift as she accessed the spiritual realm. At first, nothing happened, but soon enough she felt the shift as did everyone else based on their startled expressions.
“We exist in both realms now,” she whispered as she added more details to the picture. The curve of her grandmother’s cheek. The tilt of her nose. The plushness of her lips. Then, last but not least, her eyes.
It was that, giving her the ability to see that completed the summoning because moments later, her grandmother appeared by the fire. Though transparent, her features were very clear. Especially her eyes as they locked on Jessie and she whispered, “You have his looks, child.”
Nobody said a word as Jessie stood and faced a woman she had never met. “Thank you for coming, Grandmother.”
“Thank you for finally reaching out, Jessie,” she replied softly, tears in her eyes. “I’ve been waiting a verra long time.”
Though her brogue wasn’t as thick as Bryce’s, it was certainly there.
“What do you mean you’ve been waiting for me to reach out?” Jessie asked. “Why not just reach out to me like other spirits have?”
“I couldnae, lass.” Anger flared in her eyes. “Not with that bloody bastard’s curse hanging over me.” She shook her head. “He made it impossible.”
“You mean my grandfather,” she murmured, not all that surprised that he might have blocked anyone who cared from reaching out to her.
“Och, no, never your grandfather.” She shook her head, a heavy frown on her face. “The bastard who killed him.”
Jessie narrowed her eyes as a strange sensation rolled over her. “What do you mean? He died in a fire when I was ten.”
“No,” her grandmother whispered and stepped closer. “He didnae, Jessie and I’ve been eager to tell you that for years.”
She was grateful when Bryce stood as well, and his hand slipped into hers in support.
“Tell me what, Grandmother?” she managed to say, her mind already spinning not just in confusion but a host of other directions. She had an overwhelming feeling she was about to receive life-changing information.
It turns out she did.
“The truth,” her grandmother replied softly. It was clear she wished to touch Jessie but was unable. “A year or so before I gave birth to your mother, I met two men. Best friends. Both were tall and handsome, and we all became friends.” An unmistakable sparkle lit her eyes. “But only one of them ever caught my attention. And only one ever held my heart. Your grandfather.” Her chin notched. “Your real grandfather.”
Jessie barely breathed as she continued.
“He was from Scotland though he had gypsy blood like you, so he possessed mystical gifts indeed. It was those gifts that made him a wizard. Yet he was more than that...” Her eyes stayed with Jessie’s. “He also possessed dragon blood.”
Jessie offered a jerky nod as the pieces began to fall into place.
“It was their mutual possession of magic that made him and the other such close friends,” she continued, muttering something about never mentioning his cursed name aloud. “But I’m afraid it was their mutual love for me that drove a wedge between them.”
Her grandmother released a shaky sigh. “I tried...” She shook her head. “Both your grandfather and I tried to make it easier for his friend, but nothing we said or did made a difference. And not loving one another simply wasn’t an option.” Wariness lit her eyes. “As it turned out, his friend was a certain sort of man with what soon proved to be a very dark soul.” She clenched her jaw. “When he learned I was pregnant, any last shred of goodness in him was wiped away entirely.”
Jessie tried to be strong on her own but ended up leaning against Bryce for support. Honestly, she was somewhat surprised her legs still held her up given she had a pretty good idea what was coming.
“Where your grandfather was most certainly strong in magic, his best friend was more so,” she went on. “And that’s no small thing considering your grandfather was half dragon.”
As her grandmother spoke, she felt not only Bryce but his kin and her friends within her mind offering support. Not in a way that cluttered her thoughts but in a fashion that kept her level. Grant and Adlin respectfully presented questions she could ask if she were so inclined.
“So he was half dragon,” she whispered, swallowing hard. “So he shifted?”
She felt both Bryce and Sven’s alertness at that particular question.
“He was dragon, and he did shift.” A small smile ghosted her grandmother’s face. “And what a sight he was.”
“So was Mama a dragon too?” she murmured. “As far as I knew she didn’t possess any magic whatsoever.”
Her grandmother gave her an odd look, almost as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t. Instead, she continued on about her real grandfather.
“Your grandfather’s best friend ended up being the worst kind of coward.” Her eyes narrowed as she seemed to peer into the past. “Corrupt with jealousy, he didn’t end up fighting your grandfather like a man but spent an evening making him believe that he had come to his senses. That their friendship was too important to lose over a woman.”
She hesitated a moment, her eyes welling before she continued. “I told your grandfather not to trust him, but he was too good a man. Too trusting in the end when it came to those he loved.”
Jessie couldn’t fight her own emotions as she listened to her grandmother go on.
“So as I said, his friend was a coward and went about things in a very devious way that night. In a way that kept him from having to face your grandfather’s full wrath.” Her brows drew together in renewed anger. “From what I gathered in the last few moments of mental connection I had with my love, his friend literally stabbed him in the back. Angered and confused by the unexpected attack, he immediately embraced his dragon. When he did, his friend used those brief few moments to destroy him.”
Her eyes dropped to Jessie’s notebook as she continued. “With that.” Pain flickered in her gaze. “And wherever he sent him in the afterlife or somewhere in between, he’s been lost to me since. Dead in a way that has no closure.”
“I’m so sorry,” Jessie whispered. When she started to set the book down, her grandmother shook her head. “No, lass. Hold onto that until you’re freed from this curse. Until all of you are.” Determination notched her chin again. “Use that to end this and perhaps free your grandfather.”
Jessie nodded and clamped her hands around it tighter though she wanted to toss it into the fire.
“After your grandfather vanished everything changed,” her grandmother continued softly. “Insane, determined that I might become his after all, his friend never left my side. But I would never become his.” She shook her head again, more fiercely this time. “I could never love another.” Her expression turned to one of both relief that she was free of him and perhaps melancholy that she had to leave her child behind. “In the end, as Fate would have it, I was taken away from him anyway.”
Her eyes grew haunted as she stepped a bit closer to Jessie. “After that, I was blocked from reaching out to you or your mother. Both of you were horribly repressed.” Pain flickered in her eyes. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for the life you led. For the things he did to you both. The abuse.”
Then pride lit her grandmother’s eyes. “But you were strong, Jessie. So very strong.” She nodded. “And he hated you for it.” Her eyes grew angry again. “He was a madman with a mis
construed way of looking at things. He hated your mother for killing me in childbirth and hated your grandfather for impregnating me, to begin with. And as all that hate grew, it transformed. He began seeking a way to change everything.” She gave Jessie a telling look. “Just maybe he could stop your grandfather from existing altogether.”
“Oh, God,” Jessie whispered, as she realized where this was going.
“Aye,” her grandmother murmured. “In all his hate and dementia, he decided the best way to get rid of the Scotsman was to get rid of the country that birthed him.” She shook her head. “I don’t think it ever occurred to the fool that Scotland being annexed by England might not necessarily do away with your grandfather’s bloodline. No, he had but one goal in mind.”
“To curse Scotland,” she whispered.
“Aye,” her grandmother responded. “A curse so profound and intricate that it could only unravel upon his death. That way his very essence could be part of it.” Her brows swept up. “A curse created not just with his magic but even elements of your grandfather’s. Parts he somehow captured in that book to give the curse even more strength.”
Well, that would certainly explain the remarkable power the curse had. Power enough to often leave wizards the likes of Grant and Adlin in the dark. The dragon magic alone would have masked quite a bit from them as neither were dragon.
“That must be why the warlocks have a Scottish accent,” she whispered, as a tear fell. “Because of my grandfather’s magic.”
What an awful thing to have had his magic used for evil after his death.
“Aye,” her grandmother said softly, her eyes sad but determined as they stayed with Jessie’s. “But hear me well, child. You have a tremendous amount of your grandfather in you. Not just your appearance but your very magic and the goodness at your core. He would want you to be strong right now. Not mourn for him but embrace what he gave you and use it to keep this country safe.” Her eyes flickered between Jessie and Bryce. “He would want you to cherish the love you’ve found and never let it go.”
“No risk of that,” Jessie murmured, brushing away another tear as she glanced at Bryce.
Though she wanted to get to know her grandmother better, she knew they were running out of time. It seemed summoning a spirit was sustainable for only so long. The energy it took for her grandmother to stay manifested was limited. And she was using it up quickly with her passionate nature and anger at the enemy.
“Is there anything else you might be able to tell me to help us defeat this last warlock?” Jessie asked. “Anything at all.”
“Only that you must put love before all else,” her grandmother replied as her form began to waver. “And that you must not make the same mistake as your grandfather and let love blind you.”
That sounded awfully similar to what Adlin had said earlier.
“I love you, Granddaughter,” she whispered. “Fight well then finally live the life you deserve.”
“Goodbye, Grandmother,” Jessie murmured. “Thank you so much.” She had nearly vanished when she thought of one more thing. “What about my sister? Do you know what happened to her? Where she is now?” Then she thought of even more questions, rambling despite herself. “And why did my grandfather’s killer ever allow my mother to have children? Wasn’t he concerned her offspring might possess magic to threaten his? If all that isn’t curious enough, why allow one to be taken away and out of his control?”
But it was too late.
Her grandmother was gone, and her questions would remain unanswered.
Jessie slowly sat again and stared at the fire, dumbfounded by everything she had just learned. Bryce sat beside her, still holding her hand as Grant handed her a skin of whisky. After a solid swig or two, she finally turned eyes to everyone and released a shaky sigh. “Well...”
That was it. That’s all she managed to get out before her feelings bombarded her and annoying tears started falling again. While she might be enjoying making up for lost time sexually, the endless emotional overload was starting to wear thin. But she just couldn’t stop it. Her emotions were determined to be felt, so she had no choice but to ride them out.
The next thing she knew her friends were all around her offering hugs and just being there in general. She wasn’t sure whose shoulders she cried on. At one point probably all of theirs before she finally managed to get herself under control, took another swig of whisky and rallied her strength.
That’s what she needed to do from here on out.
Not cry what felt like every other minute, but get a grip and set aside her emotions. It might seem impossible, but she had to do it. For goodness sake, she had spent most of her life perfecting detachment so she should be able to do it now.
“I must say that I agree, lass,” Adlin finally broke the silence, his words soft as he followed her thoughts. “’Tis time to rally the strength we both know you have and try to fight some of these emotions.” His eyes grew stern as they stayed with hers. “You need to be strong whilst you face what’s ahead.”
While it was obvious by their expressions and mutterings that Bryce and her friends thought his words were a little strong, Jessie knew he was right. She nodded that she understood and would try harder from here on out.
“I think Adlin’s right.” Grant’s eyes went from Bryce to Jessie as her friends, convinced she was okay now, finally returned to their men. “As your grandmother said, though, you need to embrace love now more than ever. ‘Tis verra powerful in its own right.”
Everyone nodded as Milly chimed in. “Just look at what it’s accomplished so far.”
Jessie’s eyes met Bryce’s, in total agreement. It certainly had accomplished a lot, hadn’t it? Not just what it had done for the other couples, but what it was doing for them. Though she had loved a piece of him for years, now it was so much stronger. And that was changing her in ways she never saw coming.
He was helping her transform into the person she was always supposed to be.
More than that, he was giving her a glimpse of a future she desperately wanted.
A life with him.
As she thought about how she might be able to make that happen, a nugget of an idea formed. “I was in control of so much for so long that it was jarring not to be when the warlocks split off.” She pondered as she eyed them. “Yet as time has gone on and I’ve grown stronger via my dragon magic and of course, Bryce, rather than weaken as I anticipated, I’ve begun to wonder.”
“Wonder what, darlin’?” Christina asked from Graham’s lap.
“Why I’m still looking at things as if I have no control,” she replied. “Why I’m waiting so patiently for the warlock to make his move.”
Intrigued, Grant cocked his head. “What are you thinking, lass?”
“I’m not entirely sure yet,” she murmured. “All I know is I’m sick of being on the defense when I could be on the offense. And I’m sick of feeling like this warlock holds all the cards.”
“That a girl.” Lindsay grinned. “Just tell us how we can help, and you know we will.”
Jessie nodded. “I will.” She looked at everyone again. “All of us should give it some thought tonight and make a move sooner rather than later.” She tapped the book. “After all, I’ve got a tool that can double as a weapon, wouldn’t you say?”
Adlin and Grant grinned as Bryce wrapped his arm around her shoulders and nodded. “I’d say we’re verra much on the right path now, lass.”
“Aye,” Grant said as they all set to eating. “We’ll sleep on it then in the morn join King Robert. He’s eager to see you all.”
The rest of the evening was a pleasure as everybody enjoyed being together once more. Though her emotions were still turbulent, she better managed them by firmly keeping revenge in mind. Not only for everyone here but for her grandparents and her mother. For all the lives affected by one weak, cruel man.
As she and Bryce curled up beneath a blanket later that night, his front to her back, she felt incredibly content.
And, as always, aroused with him so close. Who would have ever thought she was so sexual? But she couldn’t seem to get enough. Not with him around.
“If ye werenae so vocal,” he murmured, a grin in his voice, his hand already minutes into roaming her leg. “I’d take ye here and now.”
“We’re not even near everyone,” she reminded. They had found a little cave set apart. Though in truth, it did connect to the area everyone else slept in. Nonetheless, she pressed her butt against his erection, reminding him how ready he was for her. “And I can be quiet.”
Or so she hoped.
Either way, it seemed he needed no further prompting.
“To hell with whether yer quiet,” he growled, blowing past any reservations he might have had as he yanked her dress up. The blanket never moved but half a breath later he certainly did when he finally took her.
She bit back a groan and gripped the blanket as she savored the feeling. He didn’t thrust hard but slow and rhythmic. His small, deep movements built a whole new type of pleasure as did the feeling of him taking her like this. His front to her back.
In a way, it was more raw and erotic than when she could actually see his face. She gauged everything she felt off the soft sounds he made. Off the way his hand clenched around hers as their passion built.
She shut her eyes and just felt. Sometimes he rolled his hips where other times he barely moved. When he went to touch her clit to enhance everything, she whispered, “No.”
She didn’t need that. Not now. Not as she focused on where they joined and the astounding sensations that alone caused. Moments later, warm waves of pleasure began rolling through her. When he pressed deep, issued a low, muffled groan and released, those warm waves became a deluge.
A harsh shudder of pleasure ripped through her before her body relaxed entirely and she simply floated in his arms. For a moment in time, she had no worries at all. Life was stress-free, and the two of them were all that existed. Blissful, reveling in that utter contentment, she drifted off to sleep.
Avenged by a Highland Laird Page 21