Celtic Evil: A Fitzgerald Brother Novel: Roarke

by Sierra Rose

  The fear that was building tripled over that comment yet she still couldn’t summon the strength to fight the spell, but as his finger slowly touched her skin did manage to scream.

  “Enough!” Sebastian snapped, capturing her jaw in his hand to hold it closed while running his finger across her lips and they seemed to seal. “This will keep you silent like a good slave until I wish you speak.”

  Bitterly struggling, she knew what was happening even as the bedroom door slammed open.

  “Leave her alone, devil!” Maggie Cavanaugh snapped, hoping to buy time for Mac to return but wasn’t expecting the power that launched her back out of the room and halfway down the hall.

  “Away little witch and you may survive this,” Sebastian laughed at the attempt as he sealed the room until he was ready.

  Maggie struggled to her feet, ignoring the blood she felt from her head as panic nearly set in. Knowing without Mac or his brothers to deal with the warlock, she wasn’t sure what to do to help when… “The books, there has to be something in them,” she ran back to Mac’s room for both Books of Shadow and hoped there was an answer in them.

  “Now, where were we?” he looked down curiously. “Did you know that even while I was banished I was able to see what my enemies were doing as they grew to manhood? I saw what Kathleen had done to the boy,” he stroked her face, leaning closer and slowly running his tongue down her neck. “Shall I show you?” he asked, rubbing a hand across her bare stomach before cupping her breast. “You will moan for me, girl.”

  Struggling against his power, Jessica tried to mentally get help but found that blocked as well as his will grew, and she heard the small moan escape her sealed lips.

  “Good,” he nodded, squeezing harder as he sat back. “Sit up and kiss me, slave,” he ordered, keeping a mental eye to how Kathleen was faring so he knew how much time he had. “Obey me or when I capture him, I will rape your friend like those peasants in Mayo couldn’t have dreamed of.”

  Between fear for Roarke and the spell, she didn’t have much chance of fighting the order as she was forced to move, sitting up and slowly kissing the evil warlock as slightly as possible but wincing as his fingers dug into her neck.

  “No. Kiss me as you would Fitzgerald,” Sebastian ordered, fingers squeezing her neck until he felt her mouth on his and his spell eased enough to let it open to kiss him. “Again, slave.”

  His mouth was harsh as it pressed against hers but his will won and she closed her eyes against the tears while being forced to kiss him as she had wanted to do Roarke.

  Growling, Sebastian pulled the limp girl against him as his mouth plundered and his hands and mind groped.

  “It’s been too long since I had a slave,” he groaned, rubbing his mouth over her neck as he bit. “Scream for him, girl,” he ordered. “Scream for Fitzgerald as you see him in your mind.”

  Trying to fight, Jessica was powerless as he forced the image into her thoughts and when she screamed this time, it was Roarke’s name.

  “Good, now moan for him.” He ordered, tearing one bra strap to free the cup so he could ravage the breast and hear her moan. “Moan, slave and hold onto me.”

  As he did this, Sebastian shoved her back on the bed and easily hovered over her. “Now, move slave,” he ordered, slapping her face. “Keep your eyes open at all times and squirm, girl.”

  Staring up into the burning eyes of the warlock, she felt her body move on the bed as he used his powers to feel, stroke, and poke.

  Hovering an inch above the helpless girl, Sebastian lifted a finger then placed it in her mouth. “Suck and squirm my little slave,” he murmured, licking his lips as he forced her to draw his finger into her mouth and suck on it. “Good, slave. Now, let’s see what else you do so well.”

  Sebastian took the finger from her mouth, which instantly resealed, and held it up so she could see, then positioned it and shoved it forward, and her body seemed to buck as she felt the finger between her legs and her scream was nothing but a dull moan.

  “Nice,” he crooned, moving his finger around so it would feel in her. “Now, grab the finger you feel,” he ordered her, seeing her hands move as if to grasp a hand between her legs but there was nothing. “Grab at it, on your knees and get it.”

  Trying to fight, she was unable as her body was forced on her knees on the bed while her hands struggled between her legs to get the finger she could feel but wasn’t there.

  “That’s very good,” Sebastian smiled, pleased at this. “Now, let’s see how much Toryn’s favorite son is willing to give for his whore,.” he sneered, sitting back at the bedside, but his hand waved and her eyes went dark. “You will not fight, you will not speak,” he whispered against her ear, wrapping his hand in her hair. “Let us go greet the boys.”

  Slamming through the front door with more panic than even he had thought possible, Mac felt the evil but he also felt fear and anger.

  Hearing all this commotion had caused Deirdre to come from her room. “What is all this noise, boyos?” she demanded, tightening her robe.

  “Mac, wait for us!” Ian shouted but knew it was useless as he quickly turned to the housekeeper. “Go someplace safe that isn’t in this house,” he urged, hurrying up the steps after his brother when he found himself hurled back down. “Damn!”

  Before Deirdre could go to the youth, Kerry had her arm. “Go to the guest house and stay there until it’s over and keep the Mavericks back too,” he ordered her, turning to see his brother was back on his feet and mad.

  Looking up the steps, Kerry felt the power radiating back at him like a slap but he closed his eyes. “Not in my house,” he vowed, lashing out a hand that had windows rattling. “Find Mac. I’ll go for Jessica.”

  Ian just nodded and was off, dodging the black tendrils that felt like ice when one touched his leg. “Light of good versus dark of evil, your power holds no sway here or on me so back off.”

  Maggie had gotten back to Mac’s room just in time to hear the snarls. Slamming the door against whatever was out there, she lunged for the books but didn’t have a clue what to look for.

  Hearing the door come down, she screamed even before she saw the dog. It was normal-looking except for the blood red eyes and foaming mouth.

  “I’m not lunch, Fido,” she snapped, using powers she hadn’t in years, and soon came to see they were too weak to deal with magic on this level. “Oh, bloody hell,” she whispered, looking for a weapon even as the dog jumped for her.

  Flame shot from the door, striking the animal in mid-jump and turning it to ash on the floor a mere few inches from her.

  Looking through the fingers she had covered her eyes with, Maggie blinked, then threw herself across the room into Mac’s arms. “God, I thought that was it and my powers didn’t hurt it and I didn’t know if you’d get back in time and…”

  “I know, luv.” Mac let the woman ramble as his arms tightened around her. “I shouldn’t have left you and…”

  “Jessica!” Maggie’s eyes shot to his, panic clear. “Mac, he’s here and he threw me out of her room and I think he’s going to…” she broke off with a sob as for the first time her fear showed. “Mac, I think he’s going to rape her.”

  Swallowing the emotion that brought, Mac eased her back and for the first time saw the blood. “You’re bleeding, Mary Margaret.”

  “Damn devil tossed me down the hall when he shut me out,” she huffed, waving away her head wound to pull him to the bed to show him the books. “Your Da left this one. The answers to this are in here, Mac, but I don’t know where.”

  “They were given to you so it’ll be you who finds it, luv,” He knew that even as he moved a hand through her red hair to find the wound and stop the blood. “God, Maggie. You could have cracked your skull.”

  Looking up at him, she smiled to reassure him. “Too thickheaded for that, Doc, and we need to stop him before…” she stopped as Mac took her face in both hands as he knelt down.

  “I don’t want you hurt,�
� he told her, not yet willing to admit why that was important to him yet.

  “I’m fine, Mac,” she promised but sensed his worry, and sat the book down long enough to ease into his arms, needing it as much as he did. “So long as you’re here I’m safe.”

  Nodding, he gently brushed a kiss over her mouth. “Always, though I’m not often good at it,” he promised as Ian skidded to a halt in the door. “This boy has timing down pat doesn’t he?”

  “Well, you did say he’s an actor,” Maggie laughed shakily as she reached for the books again. “Go, Doc. I’ll find you an answer.”

  Hoping it was that simple, Mac saw his youngest brother’s concern. “Call me when you do. Don’t come near us since Sebastian will know he can use you.”

  Maggie already knew that as she settled down to try to a spell-finding spell but couldn’t figure out what would be needed in this instance, even as she felt the house shake. “Damn, what spell does it take to stall or put down a centuries old warlock?”

  “A spell that may not yet have been written, Mary Margaret Cavanaugh, or one that the lads will have to create,” a voice from the door had Maggie looking to see a rather small but spry-looking older man with silvery blond hair and twinkling blue eyes looking at her. “Or one that may just need a little modern tweaking.”

  “Does everyone know my given name?” Maggie complained, not getting any bad feelings from this grandfatherly looking man as he laughed.

  “I pick up a thing here or there but don’t tell my wife as she’s not fond when I do that,” he came over to plop down next to her just as easily as she’d seen Ian do downstairs. “Name’s Lorcan, lass, Lorcan Kerrigan and we have a task ahead of us to put some walls ahead of that wily devil so the lads can do what must be done.”

  Blinking at him, Maggie decided to wait for answers later then settled down to business.

  Mac saw Ian was bleeding from the hand but sensed now wasn’t the time to ask about it as they ran back down the hall to the other side of the house when a violent tremor shook the whole manor and nearly knocked them to the ground.

  “Is that an earthquake or temper?” Ian questioned, grabbing the wall to stay upright but feeling the same evil as he had in Dublin. “He’s here.”

  “Yeah and I’m sure there are generations of our kin rolling in their graves that Sebastian’s in this house, which is supposed to be protected,” Mac sighed, rounding the corner and diving back to shove Ian to the floor just as a wall of flame shot at them. “I hope Kerry’s insurance is up to date,” he muttered after seeing the damage.

  Ian had slid forward to peek around and blinked. “Kerry!” he shouted, seeing his brother in an all out power war with a smirking evil witch.

  “Get out!” Kerry snapped without sparing either brother a look as he concentrated in a battle that was too one-sided.

  He had known that when he saw the upper hand that their enemy had on them.

  Sebastian’s power was great when he focused or at certain times, but he also had the edge of a hostage that he knew that none of them would want to harm as he kept his hand wrapped tightly in Jessica Hadley’s hair, using her as a shield.

  “Oh, damn it to hell and back,” Mac groaned on seeing this turn of events. “We’re screwed.”

  “Why isn’t she fighting?” Ian asked, not liking how pale the girl was.

  Wondering about that, Mac looked and swore violently. “He’s cast a spell on her. She can’t fight him and…” he drew off as he saw what else their friend had had done to her. “Kerry! We need more space!”

  “Well, almost all the involved parties are here,” Sebastian launched another wave toward Kerry and this time the blow hit him in the shoulder. “A pity your grandmother couldn’t keep your attention longer. I really wasn’t done enjoying my new slave, was I my dear?” he spoke as he pressed a kiss into the girl’s neck.

  A shot of light and power struck from the other side as Ryan entered the hall while Mac got to Kerry’s side. “Let her go, Sebastian.”

  “Do you regret not taking my offer now, Ryan?” Sebastian countered, tightening his grip on the still girl. “Giving up all this?”

  Rolling his eyes, Ryan snorted. “What? Molesting a girl you had to use a spell to control because you know damn good and well she could fry your ass if you didn’t? No, thanks, I can find my own women.”

  “Like young Annie?” Sebastian taunted, pulling Jessica tighter against him when he saw the boy’s hand flash. “Hurt me, and I will hurt her. Where’s your brother, boys?”

  “If he’s smart, he’s halfway back to America,” Ryan shot back, needing his ever useful sarcasm to fight down the fear and anger he had right then.

  Ian looked between them, not sure what would happen, when he saw Mac close his eyes.

  “Your Family book says each one of the Circle must break and reform his own,” Maggie was tearing through pages while her companion snooped through Mac’s dresser. “There is no one spell for this, Mac.”

  “It makes sense in a bad way,” Mac spoke back to her silently, while sharing that with his brothers. “For the Circle to fully form, each point must prove his strength and worth so each would react differently to the threat and since this is Roarke’s fight then…”

  “Then it must be Roarke who finds his path,” Kerry finished, wincing as his arm still throbbed from the blow.

  Maggie closed the book slowly as it dawned on her. “He’ll offer her life for his,” she realized, looking up to see the spry little man frowning at a piece of Mac’s underwear. “Oh, and by the way, Doc? For someone so level-headed, you have some rather interesting underwear.”

  “What?” Mac nearly choked as he ducked another blow from the wizard, as he was distracted. “Mary Margaret, what the bloody hell are you doing?”

  “Not me, Mac,” she laughed. “The little old leprechaun that’s been helping me is going through your dresser.”

  The four brothers exchanged looks in between blasts and Mac simmered. “Just stay in my room, Maggie.”

  “I’m getting bored, lads,” Sebastian sighed, beginning to walk away from them toward the steps but always keeping Jessica in front of him. “I know the lad’s a coward but I really do have an offer for him.”

  “What is it, Sebastian?” Roarke spoke from the bottom of the steps, his voice hallow as he looked up.

  His blood had gone to ice upon seeing Jessica in Sebastian’s grasp, but his temper sizzled as he fought to see past the shields and saw the spell that held her, blinded her and… he couldn’t look further right then.

  “Ah, there’s the boy I’m looking for,” smiling, Sebastian focused his attention on him as he pulled the girl’s head up. “You can’t see him but your friend has arrived.”

  “Let her go, Sebastian. Jess has no part in this,” Roarke struggled to look into this man’s eyes even though he could still feel his friend, deep through the spell, and that was what he needed. “It’s me you’ve been wanting for fifteen years and here I am.”

  Mac watched this grimly, wondering if they could catch the older man unaware, when Ryan laid a hand on his shoulder.

  “Let the brat handle it,” he seemed grim as he looked on. “Either way, it’s up to him, but you may want to brush up on your medical skills.”

  Sebastian dragged Jessica down the steps with him but stopped on the first landing, shifting his gaze both up and down. “Kerry, if you or they try anything, I will rip her heart out,” he warned as if knowing what his foes above him were thinking. “Before I forget, Patrick—that interesting little reporter has guts but no brains. Teach your woman better before we meet.”

  “You son of a …” Mac’s eyes had gone to slits but Kerry shoved him back, not liking that he couldn’t feel his brother.

  “Sebastian!” Roarke’s eyes flashed and little blue lights danced on his fingers as he shot it toward the wizard. “No games! Release her and face me or say your peace!”

  Ian stared as his brother’s attack came within an inch of Jessica.
“What’s he doing?”

  None of the brothers had an answer as Sebastian narrowed his gaze at the black haired man. “You take great chances with your woman, Roarke.”

  “Kill her, kill me. In the end, we all die, so what’s the difference?” He countered as he struggled to maintain a poker face, keeping Kerry out of his head but hooking a link to Jessica just once. “You said you had an offer, so make it.”

  Surprised by the tone and attitude, Sebastian finally nodded. “It’s quite simple. Even though I was looking forward to having this cow as my slave, I will release her if you surrender to my will,” he explained easily, holding Jessica’s head up by the hair as he cupped her chin. “She’s very beautiful, Roarke. Have you had the chance yet to taste her?”

  A low rumbling could be heard but his face didn’t change expressions as he locked eyes with the man responsible for his parents’ deaths. “And if I refuse?”

  “Why, I keep her until I grow bored and kill her,” Sebastian laughed. “Another death for you to live with, knowing you could have spared her if you hadn’t been so selfish. Just like you could have spared your parents if…”

  “No, you won’t use that on me,” Roarke replied firmly, swallowing the sour taste in his mouth. “Being here, dealing with you, them, things since then have let me see that I wasn’t the cause of my parents’ deaths. You and my grandmother were. Not me.”

  The wizard seemed to consider, looking hard down at this boy. He’d been expecting to see some emotion by now from him yet there was nothing but an icy calmness.

  “So you’re willing to give this one to my mercies?” he taunted, letting his hand slide down to part the torn shirt. “My demons and I could enjoy her for a long time.”