The Highlander Next Door

by Janet Chapman

  Titus lifted his gaze. “For such intelligent men, you MacKeages are uncommonly suspicious of the magic.”

  “Likely because it’s caused us more problems than it’s solved.”

  “You can blame Pendaär for bumbling his spell and bringing your father and the others here along with Greylen. Also blame de Gairn,” Titus added dryly, “for upsetting the Continuum to the point he nearly wiped out mankind. And if I’m not mistaken, it was Winter MacKeage who finally set things right.” He arched a regal white brow. “Maybe it’s the women who should be kidnapping you warriors.”

  “I’m not so sure Duncan and Alec would agree with ye, as they seem content with the way their courtships turned out.”

  “Speaking of intelligent women,” Titus went on with a grin, lifting his other hand, which held the decidedly sarcastic note. “Some might consider your Miss Callahan as being more abrasive than spirited.”

  “Aye,” Niall said on a sigh. “She does seem to get riled easily. Last night when I asked to take her to dinner at Aeolus’s, Birch informed me that police officers can’t afford to spend an entire week’s salary on one date, after which she accused me of trying to buy my way into her bloomers.”

  “But is ending up in bed together not the very point of dating?”

  Niall couldn’t help but crack a grin. “Well, aye, eventually.” He sobered. “I just don’t care for being accused of having ulterior motives when all I wanted was a date.”

  “Have you considered that Miss Callahan might not be all that enamored with men in general and maybe police officers in particular?”

  “When we were trapped in Vaughn’s cellar yesterday, Birch made a point of saying she doesn’t hate men. Although she did admit she doesn’t care for macho idiots who think every problem can be solved with brute force.”

  Titus eyed him speculatively. “And yet you seem quite attracted to her.”

  Undecided where this was going, and thinking only a suicidal idiot would outright lie to Titus Oceanus, Niall merely nodded.

  “But you find modern courtship difficult to fathom.”

  That made him chuckle. “Modern science is easier to fathom. Back in my old time, all that was required was for a man to declare his interest in a lass, prove he could protect her and the babes they would have, and do a bit of wooing.” Knowing the powerful magic-maker had access to all the knowledge contained in the Trees of Life, the past as well as the present and future, Niall hesitated, but then decided he didn’t have anything to lose by asking. “I would probably have a better chance of wooing Birch if I knew what had happened in her past to make her so short-tempered with men in general and police officers in particular.”

  Up went that regal brow again. “So you’re willing to endure several days of pain rather than let me heal your shoulder, but you don’t have a problem using the magic to help you get in a woman’s bloomers?” Titus shook his head. “You must embrace the entire journey, Niall, to truly appreciate the destination.”

  “It was just a thought,” he said with a shrug, only to immediately regret the action when sharp daggers shot across his shoulder blade. He hadn’t wanted to feel beholden to the elder theurgist, anyway—not that bringing him to this century hadn’t indebted him enough already. “So, do ye recognize the hairclip?”

  Obviously not wanting to leave the subject of women in general or Birch in particular, Titus frowned down at the clip. “This barrette was in one of the satchels of provisions I manifested for Rana when we were hiking back from our shipwreck on Bottomless several weeks ago.”

  “And you think a seagull found the bags and took a liking to a shiny object?”

  “No,” Titus said quietly, slipping the hairclip in his pocket. “A gull would have immediately recognized its origin and brought it directly to me.”

  Niall felt the fine hairs on his neck stir. “The new god,” he said softly. “You told us ye saw him fighting the demons not far from where you were forced to abandon the satchels.” He nodded at the note Titus was still holding. “But if the bird was the new god or his emissary, why give the hairclip to Birch?”

  “Likely to let us know that he did indeed survive,” Titus said, also slipping the note in his pocket. “And personally, I couldn’t think of a better way to prove that I had gained command of the magic than to get within a mile of another deity’s home.” He went back to looking speculative, despite his grin. “As for giving the barrette to Miss Callahan, maybe the forest god is also attracted to pint-sized spitfires.”

  Niall didn’t know which bothered him more: that they had a new and obviously powerful magic-maker to deal with or that the bastard had taken a shine to Birch.

  “Forgive me for intruding, gentlemen,” Rana said as she walked out the driveway—her smile implying she wasn’t the least bit apologetic as Shep pranced beside her like the besotted beggar he was. “But I didn’t want our hero to leave before I added my own admiration to what will surely be a throng of adoration in town today.”

  “Be mindful of his arm,” Titus said when Rana clasped Niall’s sleeve. “As I believe that’s the one he injured saving young Miss Vaughn yesterday.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” Only instead of letting go, Rana gently ran her hand up his bicep and patted his shoulder, her smile turning as lopsided as her unpainted and crooked little seaside cottage. “But then, I imagine you don’t mind pulling a few muscles to save the life of a young girl, do you, Laird MacKeage?”

  “Nay,” he said, fighting an urge to roll his shoulder again when each gentle pat she gave him sent hot pinpricks pulsing down his arm.

  “I happened to be at the clinic visiting Maude yesterday when you brought in Reggie and the Vaughn women,” she went on, her eyes crinkling with mischief as she reached up with her other hand and used the sleeve of her fleece to polish the badge pinned to his jacket. “And your Miss Callahan told me that Misty wasn’t the only damsel you rescued. You also apparently demolished a cellar foundation just like your ancestors used to crumble castle walls. Yes, I believe she specifically said castle.”

  Niall wondered if his Miss Callahan had been snickering as she’d related that part of their adventure. “Did Birch also happen to mention that she has the riding skills of a newborn, the temper of a termagant, and a vocabulary that I suspect would have me blushing if I knew French?”

  “She did mention something about galloping to the rescue on a plow horse,” Rana said, her eyes now sparkling with laughter as she gave his shoulder one final pat before dropping her hand. “And I wouldn’t have thought anything could make a big strong highlander blush, much less a pint-sized spitfire.”

  Was there a reason his romantic pursuit of Birch had become a spectator sport?

  “If you’ll excuse me, ma’am,” Niall said with a slight bow—proud of himself for finally learning not to use “her highness” but still not quite brave enough to call the regal woman by her first name. “But I’d best be getting into town to make sure the traffic is moving smoothly, as I heard the grange ladies are putting on a bake sale in front of the church again this morning.”

  “Yes, leave us to finish our business, wife,” Titus said, making Niall wonder about the edge in his voice. “And please reheat my breakfast.”

  Niall couldn’t tell if Rana was scowling or smiling as she glanced toward the licked-clean plate sitting on the porch. “Yes. Well. I believe I’ll work off my breakfast by walking into town to see what baked goods might catch my eye. As for your breakfast,” she added as she strode to the house, “I’m sure you remember how to work the cookstove, don’t you, my love?”

  Nay, definitely not smiling, Niall decided.

  “I’m sorry, MacKeage,” Titus said, the edge still in his voice as he watched his wife walk away. “But I swear three-year-old Ella has more restraint when it comes to using the magic.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “That roof was o
nly half as crooked before Rana decided to try straightening it herself,” Titus went on, gesturing toward the house as he shook his head. “I have no idea what possessed me, after forty years of wedded bliss, to persuade my wife that she is just as capable of working the magic as I am.” He looked at Niall, his grimace ruined by the gleam in his eyes. “I can put the pain back in your shoulder if you wish.”

  Niall snapped his gaze to the house in time to see Rana disappear inside, even as he flexed his perfectly healed shoulder. “Sweet Lord,” he whispered, looking at Titus, “she has command of the magic?”

  “A rudimentary command,” the theurgist said dryly. “Couple that with a burning desire to fix everything, and I assure you I wasn’t jesting when I said my granddaughter has more restraint. Don’t worry, MacKeage,” he added with a chuckle, “your arm isn’t going to suddenly fall off.”

  Niall firmed his slackened jaw and wiped what he assumed was a look of horror off his face. “Are you and Mac truly not going to do anything about the new god?” he asked, deciding to get back to the original subject and save worrying about his arm falling off for later.

  “What is it you think we should do?”

  “Maybe find out if he is friend or foe? Despite only speaking with the colony’s leader a couple of times,” Niall went on when Titus merely looked at him, “I can’t say that I trust Sebastian. It’s my understanding the original group formed on the belief the earthquake four years ago was a magical event, and that they came here hoping to find a way to harness it to aid mankind. At least that was their intention until Sebastian showed up and persuaded them to call forth a new god to help control the energy.”

  “But you believe Sebastian has another agenda,” Titus said quietly, “other than helping humanity?”

  “I think the man is only interested in his own pursuit of power. Did Dante not say that more men of his ilk have been joining the colony these last few weeks?”

  Titus nodded. “It appears Sebastian is moving his followers from a previous commune to this one. Dante feels the slow migration is deliberate so as not to call attention to themselves.”

  “And if Sebastian has the power of a god backing him?” Niall asked. “Ye said yourself that the new entity already has a strong command of the magic.”

  Up went that imperial brow. “So you’ve decided he will be Sebastian’s puppet, rather than wonder why he hasn’t let the colony know he’s already here?”

  “I assumed he was learning the extent of his power before showing himself.” Niall blew out a sigh. “I’d just like to know what to expect, is all, before the people I’ve promised to serve and protect find themselves at the mercy of a madman who has the backing of a powerful new magic.”

  “We can’t really help you with Sebastian, but you have my assurance, Niall,” Titus said quietly, “that should your new god prove an adversary rather than an ally, mankind will have Maximilian’s backing. And mine, should my son need assistance.” He grinned. “You’re on your own, though, if the entity has taken a liking to your Miss Callahan.”

  Not willing to return to that subject, Niall opened the door of his truck and motioned for Shep to jump in, then turned back to Titus. “Ye called him a forest god; are you saying his energy is rooted in the land?”

  “From what I’ve seen of him so far, that would appear to be the case.” Titus hesitated, then added, “The majority of the colonists who called him forth are original settlers, meaning it was their altruistic intentions that caused him to manifest. And because we have vowed not to interfere in man’s free will, Maximilian and I must content ourselves with waiting to see how this plays out.” He nodded. “While keeping Dante at the colony as our eyes and ears, of course.”

  Niall merely nodded back and got in the truck.

  “Meanwhile,” Titus continued before Niall could close the door, “I plan to take a stroll along the shoreline this morning. And if my timing is such that I happen upon Miss Callahan on the beach and thank her for helping return my wife’s barrette, I could also mention that an anonymous citizen has provided you two free dinners at Aeolus’s as a reward for your heroics yesterday.”

  “Thank you, but I’m going to give your suggestion to ‘embrace the entire journey’ a try first.”

  “Very well,” the theurgist said, grasping the door to hold it open. “Oh, by the way; did I hear correctly that you’ve hired two new officers?”

  Niall nodded. “Sam found them, actually. I believe they were in his old line of work and were supposed to have arrived last night.”

  “That leaves you with only one position to fill.”

  “Aye. And with luck, the right man will happen along before I’m forced to hire one of the women applicants.”

  “Times have changed, Niall, and keeping the peace requires more brain than brawn in this century.”

  “Firearms may be great equalizers, but there were still many instances when Jack Stone would have left a scene in an ambulance if not for his brawn.”

  “You can’t fight progress, my friend.”

  Niall closed the door, started the truck, and rolled down the window. “I can damn well keep it out of my police force,” he said with a grin. “And if ye happen upon my Miss Callahan on your stroll today, maybe you could point out to her the difference between a seagull and a large bird of prey that probably would have gone after her dog if she hadn’t been holding that pie. You might also suggest that if it ever gets close to her again, she might want to give it a good douse of bear spray to keep it from returning.”

  “Why don’t you tell her yourself?” Titus asked as Niall put his truck in gear.

  That made him chuckle. “You read her note. Did you get the impression she’d be interested in anything I have to say right now?”

  “No,” Titus said as he stepped away from the truck. “In fact, I got the impression she wouldn’t mind spraying you. Enjoy today’s leg of your journey, MacKeage,” he called out as Niall gave a nod and drove away.

  Niall lost his smile as he twisted and flexed his right arm, undecided how he felt about Rana healing him, then gave Shep a not-so-gentle nudge. “Ye wolfed down a whole bowl of kibble before we left home, ye big beggar; are ye deliberately trying to piss off the one person who can send me back to my original time? Because I hope ye know that would mean you’d have to live with Matt and Winter and their growing tribe of heathens.” He scowled when his obviously unconcerned passenger licked some errant egg off his snout. “Or do ye like wearing ribbons and doll bonnets and having little Fiona call ye Muffin Face?”

  Niall turned his scowl to the road ahead and also tried to decide what he thought of the revelation that the new god had already grown powerful. Because even though Titus had assured him they would have Mac’s protection, Niall also knew that neither theurgist would interfere in man’s free will—which meant he was on his own should Sebastian gain control of even a small amount of the god’s energy.

  Well, maybe not completely on his own, Niall thought with a grin, as Duncan and Nicholas were not bound by the same oath. In fact, both his cousin and the mythical warrior would likely relish a bit of magical sport.

  Then again, maybe he should simply send his Miss Callahan after Sebastian.

  Niall lost his grin again as he brought the truck to a stop at the main road. Why in hell had the new god given the hairclip to Birch? A forest god, Titus had called him. Well, the bastard certainly had manifested in the right place, seeing how Bottomless was surrounded by thousands of square miles of forested wilderness in Maine alone, and more than a couple hundred thousand if he included Canada. Hell, maybe he should persuade Sebastian to move his colony and the new god twenty miles northwest and let them be Canada’s problem.

  Seeing the women were already setting up tables in front of the church, since their grange hall was too far off the beaten path to catch all those tourist dollars, Niall pulled across the road and pa
rked in front of the post office.

  “Oh no ye don’t,” he said, pushing Shep back over the console, then reaching into the backseat. “Today we’re going to see what kind of response ye get wearing your vest. You know, the one that says Working police officer; do not pat or feed on it,” he drawled, having to drag Shep up off the floor and onto the seat again. “Oh, quit your grumbling,” he said with a chuckle as he slid the vest over Shep’s head. “It makes ye look important, and little Fiona said the stitching brings out the yellow in your eyes.” He cinched the straps under Shep’s chest, making sure they were snug. “And not only will it get ye inside the stores and craft shops; it’s also bulletproof in case someone doesn’t particularly like being run to ground by a four-legged police officer.”

  Niall got out of the truck, opened the back door, then reached inside and started gathering up all his equipment and paperwork, only to sigh when he saw Shep still sitting in the passenger seat. “Do you think I like walking around with a badge pinned to my chest? It comes with the job, so either man up and get out of the truck or sit there staring out the window all day watching the world go by.”

  Shep crawled over the console with another grumbling growl, and Niall finished filling the box he’d brought along this morning, then set it on the ground beside his disgruntled partner. He closed both doors and crouched down, grabbed Shep’s snout, and looked the dog in the eyes. “When we meet Cole and Jake today, I don’t want ye taking it personal that they’re going to be my first officers,” he explained, figuring he’d probably better lump the two men together until he took their measure.

  When all he got for answer was what he could only describe as a canine glare, Niall picked up the box and straightened with a chuckle. “At least give it a day to see if that vest doesn’t get ye into places you couldn’t go before,” he said, heading across the road. “I’m willing to bet instead of chasing ye off, the lifeguards won’t stop a K-9 officer in uniform from making the beach part of your daily patrol, and you’ll miss little Fiona less if ye spend some time playing in the sand and swimming with the children.”