Heart Of A Highland Warrior

by Anita Clenney

  Cody shook his head. “No. Marcas is still looking. But he found these in Malek’s things.”

  “Why do you think they belonged to my parents?”

  “There’s something engraved inside,” Cody said. “I don’t know what it means. It’s in a language I don’t recognize, but my father recognized the markings.”

  Shay rubbed her fingers over the worn gold and strange writings, and she felt something warm inside her. Another piece of the parents she hadn’t known.

  “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.” Nina stood beside Shay in front of the floor-length mirror, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “My little tomboy all grown up and getting married.” She and Matilda, along with Bree and Sorcha and Cody’s mother, Laura, were helping her get ready. Mostly they were reminiscing and trying not to cry.

  “Thank you, Nina. I think it’s just the dress,” Shay said, turning to look at the side. The dress was simple but stunning. A sleeveless creation in white satin that flowed gracefully to the floor. She and Bree had found it in a little shop in Albany. Shay wished she could have worn her mother’s, but everything from her parents’ lives had been destroyed to protect her.

  “It’s not just the dress,” Matilda said. “You are such a lovely girl. If I could have had a daughter, I would have wanted her to be like you. But I couldn’t have kids.”

  “I didn’t know that, Matilda. I’m sorry. You would have been a…fascinating mother.”

  “Thank you, dear. You’re sweet to put up with all my untapped maternal instincts. I know I frustrated you and the boys sometimes.”

  “Matilda, I adore you.” Even when she was driving her crazy. “Cody and his brothers adore you too.”

  “Maybe you could put in a good word for me with Jamie. I know he still has feelings for you even though you’re marrying Cody.”

  Shay still cared for him too. She’d almost married him.

  “Now, Matilda,” Nina warned. “Let’s not talk about Jamie. It’s Cody’s day. I always knew you two were meant for each other.”

  Matilda nodded. “Lachlan or Marcas would have made you a good husband too, but you and Cody were magic. Like a fairy tale.” Matilda started sniffling. “We’d better get out of here, Nina, before we ruin our makeup. It took me forever to look this good.”

  Nina gave Shay another hug, and she and Matilda left.

  “I’m going to look for Anna,” Sorcha said. “I don’t know where she could be.”

  “With everything going on, she probably just needs time alone.”

  “If she doesn’t hurry, she’s going to miss the wedding,” Sorcha said.

  “You do look beautiful,” Laura said. She took Shay’s hands. “I’m glad you’ll officially be part of the family. I always hoped it would happen.” Her eyes started glistening. “Oh dear. I should go before I have both of us in tears. I love you. We all do.” She hugged Shay and left. Only Bree remained.

  “So are you nervous?” Bree asked.

  Shay thought about it a moment and then shook her head. “Excited.”

  “Liar.”

  Shay smiled. “Well, maybe nervous too.”

  “I was the same way.”

  “You had good reason, marrying a man from the nineteenth century.”

  “At least you’re marrying someone from this century. And one hell of a man, if I might add.”

  “He is hot, isn’t he?”

  “Completely. Sorcha still drools over him.”

  “Not as much as she drools over Duncan,” Shay said rolling her eyes. Then she sighed. “I feel guilty getting married with so much happening.”

  “We’re in love with warriors. There’s always going to be craziness.”

  “Does it worry you knowing you’re bringing a child into this life?” Shay asked.

  A shadow crossed Bree’s face. “I try not to think about it. Instead, I think how lucky I am to have found Faelan. And you should think how lucky you are that you found Cody again after all these years. So, no guilt about the wedding. If Shane’s right, this might keep the Council at bay for now. You don’t want them dragging you off somewhere for questioning.” Bree frowned. “Or testing.”

  “Could they really do that?”

  “I don’t know. The Council makes me nervous.”

  “Cody doesn’t like them,” Shay said.

  “I thought he was going to walk away from his duty when they grilled him about telling you who you really were. But everyone in the room would have walked with him.” Bree touched Shay’s hand. “No matter what, you have people behind you. If you get married or don’t. If you have a baby or don’t. The warriors will always be there to protect you.” Bree giggled. “Actually we’re warriors. Isn’t that a hoot?”

  “You’re starting to talk like Matilda. You’ve been spending too much time with her and that cat,” Shay said. “You’re becoming as obsessed with it as she is.”

  “It’s a strange cat. I can’t figure it out.”

  “You don’t think it killed that vampire too, do you?” Shay asked.

  Bree shrugged. “Something killed it. I doubt it was Matilda’s holy water. OK, enough talk. We have a wedding in,” she checked her watch, “ten minutes, and a hot groom who won’t want to wait.”

  “I can’t believe Anna didn’t show up to help.”

  “She’s probably with Tavis.”

  “I heard suspicious noises coming from Tavis’s room last night,” Shay said. There was a tap on the door. “Maybe that’s her.”

  But it was Lachlan who stuck his head in. “Looking good.”

  “Thanks, Lach. Have you seen Anna?” Shay asked.

  “No. Thought she was up here.” Lach was supposed to escort Anna down the aisle.

  “No.”

  “She’ll show up. You ladies about ready?”

  “Another minute and we’ll be done.”

  Lach winked and stepped out.

  “There’s a walking heartbreak,” Bree said. “Just like Ronan.”

  “He always had some girl after him when we were growing up.”

  Bree made a final adjustment to Shay’s hair and gave her an almost hug and an air kiss.

  “What kind of hug is that?”

  “The kind that doesn’t want to mess up your hair, makeup, and dress.”

  “Forget that,” Shay said, and grabbed Bree in a tight hug. “I’m so glad to have a sister.”

  “Me too. Did you just sniffle?” Bree leaned back. “No crying. I worked too hard on this getup. OK, sister. Let’s go see that gorgeous groom.”

  The wedding party was waiting in the chapel wing. And from Shay’s quick glimpse, it was crowded for a spontaneous wedding. They’d worked miracles to pull it off. Cody’s father, Ewan MacBain, had offered to give Shay away. He had been like a father to Shay. Ewan was a retired warrior. His last mission had been to sneak Shay out of Scotland when she was a baby in order to hide her from an ancient demon who was trying to kill her. Ewan had moved his entire family and started a new life to protect her. His sons had taken part in the deception. Shay had resented them all for a while, but now she understood why they’d had to do it. She wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t.

  Ewan smiled and reached for her hand. “Are you ready to marry my hardheaded son?”

  “I am. And thank you for agreeing to give me away.”

  “It’s my honor. Before I do, I want you to know that with or without Cody, you’ll always be family. But I’m glad you two finally saw the light. I knew the first time I saw Cody trotting after you on the Big Wheel that you were meant to be.” He patted her hand.

  It took a minute to realize the rest of the wedding party were anxiously whispering. Faelan looked pissed.

  “What’s going on?” Shay asked.

  “We’re still missing a bridesmaid,” Sorcha said.
<
br />   “And a brother,” Faelan added. “Tavis and Anna are both missing.”

  “I hope they didn’t elope,” Shay said.

  “Tavis wouldn’t do that,” Faelan said, but his frown deepened.

  “That would be rude, eloping in the middle of your wedding,” Sorcha said.

  “Maybe they’re having a…talk,” Marcas said.

  “More like in a closet somewhere getting it on,” Lach said.

  The music started. “What do we do?” Shay asked.

  “Go ahead with the ceremony,” Bree said.

  “The numbers are screwed up without Anna,” Shay said.

  “No problem,” Sorcha said. “Lachlan, Marcas.” She held out each arm. The men each took an arm, and they started down the aisle. Sorcha gave Duncan a gloating look as she passed him. He shook his head in disgust.

  Faelan and Bree went next. When it was Shay’s turn, she stepped into the aisle on Ewan’s arm, and her eyes moistened to see her friends and family were there. Aunt Nina and Matilda were sitting next to Laura. She smiled at Jamie. He had been afraid Cody wouldn’t want him there. Cody probably didn’t, but Shay did. Jamie was part of her life. But he wasn’t Cody.

  She looked up and saw him waiting for her. Looking gorgeous, just as Bree had said. Shay’s stomach did a roller coaster flip as Cody’s intense hazel eyes watched her move closer to him. His lips were slightly parted, his hair a bit too long. He’d worn his kilt, at her request, and he looked so handsome she wanted to cry.

  Finally, after all the deception and betrayal, it had all turned out perfect. The wedding was a little rushed perhaps, but perfect.

  Shay was still only halfway down the aisle when the back door burst open. Everyone turned. Tavis stood there with his hands covered in blood. “He’s taken Anna.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  EVERYONE ROSE, AND several of the warriors hurried toward Tavis. Shay tried to go to him, but Ewan and Cody held her back.

  “Tristol,” Tavis panted. “I think Tristol has her.”

  “You’re mistaken, warrior.” The voice came from the front of the chapel. It was soft, but powerful. Tristol stood at the altar, next to the minister.

  Tavis let out a savage cry and ran toward Tristol with murder in his eyes. Faelan tackled him, and they both crashed into the pews, scattering people like startled doves. Tavis tried to get up, but Faelan held tight. “Don’t, Tavis. He’ll kill you. I can’t lose you again.”

  Immediately, the warriors went into action. Kilts swirled and swords rang as they formed a barricade between Tristol and the rest of the chapel.

  Shay was scared, but she was also angry. She and Cody had suffered hell because of demons. Now they were screwing with her wedding? She felt the lightness that came over her when she moved like a vampire. She easily broke through the line of warriors and streaked toward the demon. “How dare you interrupt my wedding! I’ve waited all my life for this.” She felt a wind as Bree appeared next to her, followed by a roar that could only be Faelan.

  Tristol smiled, and Shay’s anger dampened at the sheer beauty of the demon. What happened to ugly demons?

  “My sincerest apologies, but I came to offer my help.”

  “Your help?” Tavis yelled, struggling to free himself. “You tried to kill me in that dungeon. You hurt Anna.”

  “It wasn’t me,” Tristol said. “My guard did it, and he’s been eliminated.”

  Cody and Faelan stepped between Shay, Bree, and the demon. Several other warriors followed. “Get back, Shay,” Cody ordered.

  “I don’t think you can control your women,” Tristol said, looking at Shay and Bree with admiration. “I hope you both know how special they are.”

  “We know,” Faelan said. “What are you doing on our castle grounds?”

  “It was mine before it was yours.”

  “How can you enter a chapel?” Cody asked. “This is holy ground.”

  “I have my secrets,” Tristol said. “Just as you do.”

  Tavis broke free and rushed Tristol. Faelan tried to stop him, but he was moving too fast. Tristol moved faster. One minute he was at the front of the chapel, and the next he vanished in a black mist and materialized at the back of the chapel.

  There were gasps of alarm. Shay’s heart skipped more than one beat when she saw Matilda’s red head peeking around the corner not ten feet from where Tristol stood.

  Tavis stared at the demon, his face pale. “What the hell are you? Demons can’t move like that.”

  “Vampires can,” Bree said.

  Tristol smiled and opened his mouth. Two long, sharp fangs extended, and then immediately retracted. “I guess my secret is out.”

  “You’re a bloody vampire,” Tavis said. “Those were your vampires in the fortress.”

  “Correct.” Tristol moved like a streak of light back to them, this time staying behind the line of warriors. “If we’re finished with show-and-tell, I’d like to get down to business.”

  “Where is Anna?” Tavis growled.

  “Voltar has her.”

  “Voltar.” Tavis paled. “How do you know?”

  “I saw him take her. I came to help you get her back.”

  “Why would you do this?” Lachlan asked.

  “I have my reasons.”

  “I don’t trust you or your reasons,” Ronan said. “You’re a damned vampire.”

  “And you would trust my reasons more if I were a demon? Think about it. Demons are your enemy. And mine.”

  “So what, you’re saying we’re on the same side?” Duncan said.

  “In this we are.”

  “I think you need to prove yourself, more than just darting around the room,” Cody said.

  “I proved myself by not destroying you. I know each of you. I’ve been alive longer than your great-great-great-great-times-one-hundred-grandfathers. I’ve watched you for many years. I could have destroyed you at any time, but I didn’t.”

  “If you’re so old and powerful, why don’t you kill Voltar?” Faelan asked.

  “It would be best if I’m not involved in his demise. This way, you get revenge for your brother and your father.”

  “Our brother?” Tavis asked. “Voltar killed Ian?”

  “I meant Liam.”

  “Voltar?” Faelan’s voice trembled. “Voltar killed Liam?”

  “He found out that Liam would destroy him,” Tristol said. “So he destroyed Liam first.”

  That must be the secret Tavis’s guard had planned to tell him. Tavis and Faelan were obviously stunned. “But we know what Voltar looks like,” Tavis said. “We didn’t recognize him.”

  “It was an illusion. He plays mind games.”

  “How did he get Liam’s name?” Sean asked.

  “Someone gave him the name,” Tristol said. “I think there was a traitor. Voltar has been trying to infiltrate your clan for a long time. He’s done quite a lot of damage. He killed Nigel Ellwood. I rescued the Book of Battles and hid it where the others couldn’t find it. I knew if any of them got it they would wipe out your clan, and that wasn’t my goal. So you know my secret, and I know yours. Now I’ll tell you Voltar’s secret. He has a daughter.”

  “Voltar? There are no records of him having a daughter,” Sean said.

  “Not many know. Voltar didn’t until I told him.” Tristol smiled, and Shay felt her insides turn to mush. She didn’t know if it was longing or terror. “He still doesn’t know who she is. I want to be the one to tell him.”

  “Where is his daughter?” Duncan asked.

  “She’s with him, but he doesn’t know it.”

  “So you’ll lead us to him and his daughter, and we’ll kill them,” Niall said.

  “You might want to know his daughter’s name before you decide whether or not to kill her.”

  “Why would it matter?
” Duncan asked.

  “I believe you know her as Anna.”

  Anna looked at the chapel where Cody and Shay would marry. She had sat here all night, her head and body numb. She didn’t know what time it was. After reading Angus’s notes, she’d rushed out without her phone. Angus must have made a mistake. Her father couldn’t be a demon. An ancient demon. Walter was the one who’d told Angus. The Watcher was the only one who knew the truth.

  Anna’s mother had been assigned to destroy Voltar. Before she even told anyone about the assignment, she discovered that the demon had been spotted at a bar in New York City. She went in pretending to be a patron, hoping to get him alone so she could destroy or suspend him. A biker struck up a conversation with her. She didn’t realize he was Voltar. No one had seen his human shell. But Voltar knew of the great female warrior.

  He hated women and wanted to humiliate her before he killed her. He dragged her into the back alley and raped her, then left thinking she was dead. But she survived. And she found out she was pregnant. After the baby was born, she went after Voltar again, and this time she saw him shift from the biker into Voltar, and knew that she had given birth to a halfling. The knowledge nearly destroyed her. Walter was the only one she’d told, and he’d kept her secret, until he told Angus.

  Anna remembered the looks of horror she’d sometimes glimpse on her mother’s face. The looks of fear and the way she watched Anna constantly. Rape was devastating, but it shouldn’t ruin a woman’s entire life. Not a powerful warrior like her mother. Who was even strong enough to rape a woman as strong as her mother had been?

  An ancient demon?

  She wanted to believe it was a mistake, but it explained some things Anna had never understood about herself. She was stronger than other female warriors, and she had some unusual abilities. Angus had always said she did things that weren’t possible for a human, even for a warrior. And there were other things. Strange dreams. Warriors sometimes had prophetic dreams, but hers were dark. And she’d always felt so compelled by beauty, though she despised it in herself. Demons were drawn to beauty. Probably because they were so ugly. And she was one of them. Half demon. She was a bloody halfling.