Witches of Skye_So It Begins

by M. L. Briers

  Back and forth those whispers went, getting more hissy by the moment on Helena’s side, as Gran filled her in. I knew the moments when Gran told of Mr. Croon and Leonna’s deaths because of the over exaggerated way in which Mrs. M reacted, and then there was more hissing, just like when my parents were arguing in their bedroom.

  I caught a few words on either side, but if Jack had overheard them, then he couldn’t have garnered much from the broken conversation. Speak of the devil, and there he be.

  “I lost Duncan,” he admitted, and I could have chuckled. Jack not being able to catch the vampire was no real surprise to me. “I couldn’t see anything. Who’s that?” He nodded towards Helena who was still standing with Gran at the doorway, but now the two of them were relatively silent, eyeing him back.

  “An old friend of Gran’s,” I offered with a small shrug.

  “Does this belong to one of you?” Duncan asked as he appeared through the darkness with Ross at his side.

  I heard Gran hiss something to Elenor and the woman clicked her tongue against her teeth. I guess she’d just been informed that Ross’ werewolf gene had been triggered.

  “Well, I must be going,” Helena announced. I guess she didn’t like werewolves, or vampires, or policemen, or us.

  That was no skin off my nose. In my opinion, the woman was up her own backside.

  “Moira,” I said in answer to Duncan’s question, making sure that Helena heard me and got my meaning. Ross was family, and as long as his beast never hurt anyone then, he was protected by our clan.

  “Protective, aren’t you?” Duncan whispered as he walked by me.

  “I came to see your Gran, Maggie. Tell the man,” Ross bit out, and I could see that he was none too happy.

  “But does Fiona want to see you?” I heard Duncan say as he marched Ross towards the door.

  “I wondered when you’d come,” Gran said.

  “See, expected,” Ross bit out as if he was dying to go a few rounds with the man.

  The alpha gene in men was a wonderful thing – not.

  “I still need to interview you, Mrs. McFae,” Jack put in his bid, and Gran’s eyes flicked to me.

  “Why don’t I answer some of those questions you’ve been dying to ask me, first?” I offered, waving my imaginary red flag right in front of him like he was a bull. Bull-headed.

  I could see him considering it, so, I did what Isla suggested and pushed my girls out. Jack blustered.

  “I do have a few…” he started, and I mentally groaned.

  Still, I couldn’t really expect Jack not to be male, now could I?

  ~

  “This sign,” Jack flicked through the photo’s on his mobile, before flipping it in my direction, and I knew what I was going to see even before the picture flipped over and corrected itself. I’de seen it for myself at Leonna’s house.

  “It’s not a sign…”

  “Symbol, magic emblem…”

  “It’s several symbols together.” I reached for the phone, and he snatched it back. “Like a dog with a bone. I’m not going to keep it, you numpty.”

  “There are some photo’s on here that you don’t want to see,” Jack said, and I got the idea.

  “Leonna…”

  “The scene, but it’s a little distressing…”

  “For a girl?”

  “For anyone, Maggie. I’ve seen a lot, and it still turns my stomach sometimes,” he said, looking suitably genuine.

  He was probably right. None of us knew how we would react to death.

  “Well, you hold it, and I’ll point,” I teased him.

  I did just that, but when his hand moved, I admit, I stupidly touched him to hold it still. His skin was warm and soft, nothing like the man himself then, with his rough around the edges character.

  Still, I regretted that moment’s touch because it made something that wasn’t my magic burn a little brighter within me.

  “That there,” I pointed and waited for him to look back at the picture. I hadn’t looked at him, but I could still feel his eyes on me. “That’s the symbol for Water. That one is Air. That’s Fire, and that one is Earth.”

  “Those are all elements,” he said, and I was impressed.

  “You’ve read Eileen’s book.”

  “Google is my friend,” he admitted. “Your sister’s book is…”

  “Compulsory reading for all witches…”

  “Really?”

  “No.”

  I looked at him then, with a big old teasing grin on my face, and regretted it immediately. He was close, so close that if he hadn’t of been him, and I hadn’t of been me then we could have quite easily kissed.

  That thought shouldn’t have thrilled and excited me as much as it did, but the man was a sex God. I suppose there was an attraction there. I might have liked to deny it, and yet, I couldn’t seem to brush it away like I had on my hands the other day.

  We hadn’t yet begun, so how could we be finished?

  “The…” he tried, bless him, but he seemed just as lost in my eyes as I felt in his.

  “The?” I urged him on, snapping my gaze back down to the picture with a brain like mush.

  “Other – one?”

  “Other symbol?” I played for time. Did I really want to tell him what that symbol meant?

  I knew it was old magic, and it might even have been lost in the pages of Eileen’s book somewhere, but I think he’d be hard-pressed to find it on a search engine.

  “Aye,” he still sounded a little lost.

  I did contemplate kicking him in the shin. Pain tended to wake most folks brains up.

  “A claim, but for what?” I shrugged my shoulders. I told half the truth. I was a cup half-full kind of a witch.

  “Would your Gran know, do you think?”

  “Probably not. You see, the thing with magic is that it’s very personal. There are symbols like the elements that denote the basics, but we can all incorporate elements of ourselves, of flair and uniqueness into our spell work. And then there are people that believe they know what they are doing who know nothing at all.”

  “So, this could be someone playing at magic?”

  “Aye, could be.” I lied, and I think he knew it because he went all quiet and narrowed his eyes at me for a wee bit.

  “Interesting.”

  “Yes, I am – it is,” I corrected myself, and I no longer wanted to kick him, but I did want to boot myself up the backside.

  Talk about eejit.

  “Indeed,” he grinned, and I mumbled something to my boots. “I’d still like to speak to your gran.”

  “Look at the time,” I blustered. “It’ll be her off to bed by the time she’s done talking to Ross about him and Moira.”

  “Moira?” He showed more interest than the gossips, and I had to wonder if he’d been thinking of throwing his hat in that ring.

  Yes, the green-eyed monster jumped up and bit me, so sue me.

  “You’ll be wanting your bed, soon enough,” I said.

  “I’ve more stamina than that, woman-Maggie,” he winced as he corrected himself.

  “And what makes you think that I needed to know that, Detective Mackie?” I blustered again because I was deflecting from his attempt to see Gran, from his attempt to make light conversation with me, and from the fact that my cheeks had gone hot and redder than a scarlet woman’s panties.

  Jack grinned; it was a lazy grin that held my attention. It was also kind of cocky in the way that it was designed to make me hotter than the sun.

  “I like to share,” he said, and those sexy eyes of his were sparkling with laughter at my expense.

  “I’ll share a walk with you to the front door.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Maggie.”

  Deflection complete – bonus points for me.

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  ~

  Not if I see you first, Detective, that’s what I should have said, but instead, I smiled like a girlie and let him walk with me to th
e door. I escaped back down the hallway after closing the door on a man that, no matter what I tried to tell myself, still made my pulse race and other things.

  I turned my back towards the wall and put my hot sweaty palms against the refreshing coolness. I considered turning and rolling my hot cheeks against it when I overheard Ross talking to my Gran in the greenhouse.

  It wasn’t like I was listening for it, but I wasn’t going to ignore it either. If Gran had reached out to Ross, then I had to assume that, just like with the vampire being around, she wanted his blood.

  It was strange that I wasn’t more wary of Ross and his newfound ability to catch his own food, but I’d known the man all my life, and I truly believed that Ross was a gentle soul. I wouldn’t say that he couldn’t hurt a fly because we all had that killer instinct within us given the right circumstances, but I didn’t fear the man’s intentions when it came to my family or me.

  Of course, Ross’ alter ego was a different beast entirely, forgive the pun, I just didn’t know how much control Ross had over his wolf side. It wasn’t like I was going to adopt the beastie as the family pet – either Ross or his wolf, that slot seemed to be filled by Mac-Vampy – but I’d still trust Ross with my life.

  “Your grandfather was a good man,” Gran said, “but when he lost your Gran he went a little cuckoo.” Way to go, Gran, she couldn’t have been subtle if she tried. “The same thing with your father. A wolf mates for life, and while you can’t foresee what will happen in the future – you can choose wisely and make sure she’s your mate.”

  “How do I know?”

  “You’ll be drawn to her. You’ll practically tingle with excitement whenever you’re near her, and not in a randy dog way.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle at that one. Trust Gran to come out with that. I heard Ross groan.

  “Your thinking brain will want to mate with her, and not just your little brain.”

  Ross groaned again, and I sniggered into my hand. Poor Ross; it was akin to my Gran sitting him down and having the birds and the bees talk with him. And there was him, a big, grown man with more notches on his bedpost than a sailor on shore leave.

  You had to pity the man.

  I swear, if she started talking about safe sex, I think I was going to howl with laughter, pun intended.

  “You’re a randy beast, Ross, it’s in your DNA,” she said, and I snorted a chuckle. “You’ve been sowing your wild oats, but now that your wolf side is out there, you’ll be wanting your mate.”

  “So, you’re saying I should leave the Isle and look for my mate?” Ross sounded confused, like when Moira added something extra to his breakfast order, and it took him a moment to figure out what was different.

  “Are you daft, man?” Gran chuckled. “She’s right here.”

  My ears pricked up at that one. I willed Gran on, edging towards the doorway and stupidly catching the wall with the heel of my shoe.

  “Who is she?”

  “Maggie!” Gran announced, and I almost legged it out of there. The only thing that stopped me what that my whole body froze in place.

  Me?

  Ross and me? Dear sweet Goddess but I hadn’t seen that one coming.

  “Maggie!” Ross exclaimed, and it sounded as if he was as shocked as I was.

  “Stop eavesdropping and get in here,” Gran berated me.

  I bit down on a curse. The last place I wanted to be was in there with Ross.

  I didn’t even care that I’d been busted, I just needed to escape.

  But I was a grown woman. I put my best shaky foot forward and pushed into the room. Ross looked at me with a lot of confusion and swallowed his tongue a few times.

  “My mate?” Ross said, and I rushed to denial, but gran roared with laughter.

  “What are you, daft man? T’is nae Maggie, it’s Moira!” she announced, and I’m not sure who was more relieved, Ross or I, we both gulped in a huge breath, and chuckled with embarrassment.

  “That’s good,” Ross chuckled, and I had to agree. Ross had always felt like a big brother to me, and now he was.

  That’s if Moira played ball.

  “Why?” I asked, putting my hands on my hips and fixing him with my best scowl.

  “What now?” Ross said, tilting his head to one side and obviously playing for time as his brain rushed to find an answer.

  “Why good, Ross MacNabbie, what’s wrong with me?” I demanded, and Ross flicked a pleading look towards gran as he swallowed hard again.

  “Well, you’re … you, Maggie,” he was reaching for an answer, the poor eejit.

  “I can see I’m me, Ross, but why would you be so relieved that I wasn’t your mate? Not good enough for you?”

  I heard Gran chuckle, and Ross flicked a rather desperate look in her direction. I knew Gran, and her eyes were sparkling with amusement. She loved watching him squirm on the hook as much as I did and let’s call it payback for all the teasing he’d shown me over the years.

  “No!” he rushed out, his voice pitching higher. He cleared his throat and tried again. “No, Maggie. I would be honored to have you as my mate…”

  “Would you now?”

  “Aye,” he half nodded, and half shook his head.

  “Then why did you look pig sick about it?”

  “I did nae.”

  “You did.”

  “I did nae.”

  “So, you did.”

  “Nope.” He managed to shake his head that time. Poor Ross, but that man had always teased me mercilessly.

  “Do you want to change the subject?”

  “More than words can say, Maggie McFae.”

  “Oh, leave the poor lad alone. He has Moira to deal with for the rest of his life, is that not punishment enough?” Gran chuckled.

  “She has a point, Maggie,” Ross said.

  “Oh, does she!” Moira announced.

  I know I cringed, I saw Ross’ lower jaw practically hit his chest, and as my sister clomped into the room on high heels, her hands on her hips, and a flash of murderous intent in her eyes, I have to say, I pitied Ross, and did feel guilty for leading him into the path of her wrath.

  “Well, that’ll be me for the escape hatch,” I said, and Ross’ pleading eyes snapped to me, begging me for help. “Gran, let’s go.”

  I wasn’t good at lifelines, and if Moira was his mate, then he’d better learn the art of grovel and duck.

  ~

  “What did you tell Detective Jack?” Gran asked as she made me hot chocolate.

  I could pretty much mainline chocolate in any shape or form, so when she offered it I thought; she wants something, and then I decided that the lure of the hot chocolate was just too good to turn down.

  She knows me too well.

  “Meh, he’s still a mushroom,” I said, as my dad walked in and cocked a curious eyebrow at me.

  “Mushroom?” he asked.

  “Kept in the dark and fed on shi…”

  “We get it,” Gran said. “He seems like a good man, pity he’s a policeman.”

  Only my Gran could rally someone up and then beat them right back down again on the same breath.

  “Gran,” I chuckled as she pulled a face.

  She was still smarting from our own Constable Dougie pulling her over for reckless driving last summer. She still swears it was a ninja sheep that jumped out and made her overtake four caravan’s in a row. Needless to say, after arguing with Dougie for forty minutes and threatening to call his Gran, he let her go with a – nice and polite – warning.

  “Now, you know they have their uses,” Dad said.

  “Aye, herding cattle off the road,” Gran bit back.

  “Ninja sheep too,” I muttered, and she shot me a quick glare.

  “So, he’s none the wiser then?” Gran asked, holding my cup to ransom.

  “Dumb as an ox.”

  “And he’ll stay that way?”

  “He’ll not hear it from me,” I said reaching for the cup.

  “You like
him,” Gran said, eyeing me with her hawk’s eyes and sharp senses.

  “Not so much,” I lied, and snatched the cup from her hand, getting burning hot chocolate over my fingers. I swapped hands and licked it off as I made my getaway from the kitchen.

  Mmm, it was worth the burn.

  ~

  I thought upstairs would be a safe zone. The perfect place to escape all the goings on and drama that was taking place in our family at the moment.

  How wrong could one girl be?

  Was there something in the air tonight? Aside from dark magic that seemed to be stalking us that is.

  I could hear voices coming from Eileen’s bedroom, and getting a foot in the door in there was like getting a letter from the Queen, it didn’t happen often. But that wasn’t the perplexing bit, the fact that the second voice was male – now, that was a bloody shocker.

  Not only that, but that melodic tone belonged to none other than our very own boy-band lookalike vampire, and what was he doing in Eileen’s room? Did she need rescuing?

  “You’re not how I’d thought a vampire would be…” she said.

  “Not brooding and serious enough for you?”

  “I … thought there’d be more…” she went all quiet, and I wished my heart wasn’t beating so loudly in my ears.

  “Bloodlusting,” he said, and I snorted. I’d have thought that as well.

  “You’re sort of…” she stopped again, and I wished she’d spit out a whole sentence for once. Geez!

  “Sexy as hell and tempting as a hot chocolate?”

  My first reaction was to screw up my face in disgust, but then my brain kicked into gear, and my eyes snapped down to the cup in my hands, and I grimaced.

  Busted!

  I pulled a sour face and started to creep down the hallway to my room. There was definitely something in the air or the water.

  I stopped and eyed my hot chocolate – what if there was? I certainly didn’t want to catch the love bug … what if Gran had spelled everyone?

  I eyed that cup in my hands like it held the devil’s essence.