Celtic Evil: A Fitzgerald Brother Novel: Roarke

by Sierra Rose

  Roarke knew what he’d see if he turned, but in his heart the fear was still too huge until he felt the warm hand actually close over his shoulder and he glanced over, into his father’s smoky gray eyes. “Are you real, Da?”

  Chuckling, Toryn’s eyes were amused. “You see me, don’t you?” he countered then grew more serious. “Your mind is clear, lad. Look for yourself.”

  He did just that and probably would have collapsed again if his fingers hadn’t closed on the table to keep him standing, and he felt the emotions swell. “Da, there’s much I wanted to say. To do or apologize for…”

  “Roarke, I said before you needed to let go of the guilt and that’s true.” Toryn kept his hand on the boy while his eyes looked into his fully. “Brenna and I did what was needed to save you and it’s time to let the pain go.”

  Pausing as he considered things, the senior Fitzgerald saw his son’s pain. “I should have allowed for my mother’s downturn but I didn’t think she’d do what she has. Especially what she’s done and had done to you.” He held on when his son went to move away. “Roarke, what happened wasn’t your fault, and none of it could have been prevented. Now, you need to stay with your brothers and deal with what I couldn’t.”

  Swallowing hard, Roarke stared at his father. “I never wanted you to be ashamed of me or hate me because I caused you to die.”

  “Saints, boy!” Toryn gave him a slight shake. “Your Mum and I have never stopped loving you and we’re not ashamed of you,” he assured him. “I wish I could say things would get better overnight but there’s still much pain you all will need to handle, but Sebastian will never be able to hurt her this bad if you give her your protection.”

  He let go to walk away slightly, as if looking around the room. “I gave Brenna a silver hair comb to protect her but our protection can only do so much,” he warned, looking back. “You need protecting too. As each of your brothers and those who are involved with you lads will also.”

  “You mean Maggie,” Roarke snickered, seeing his father’s familiar smile. “Mac’s got really possessive without knowing it.”

  “Perhaps, but that will come as it comes.” Toryn came back to him to take both the lucky stone and the Trinity medal his son wore in his hand. “These will protect you as my power is still in the stone, but you will need to finish the closure with your brothers so you all can begin the healing.”

  “I know, Da,” Roarke sighed, blinking when he felt his father’s arms close around him as solid and firm as when Ryan did the same. “I…love you, Da.”

  Toryn let the embrace hold longer than he had planned when he felt his son holding on. “I know you do, son,” he returned, giving one final squeeze before letting go. “Listen to Kerry and love that girl as I did your Mum.”

  Roarke blinked suddenly when he realized he was alone again. “I will, Da,” he whispered, quickly wiping the tears he hadn’t known were there when he heard the quick knock before his brother stepped in.

  Kerry started to ask if he was all right when he caught the feeling in the room and knew he wouldn’t be.

  “I wanted to give you this,” he held out the small black velvet box. “It’s better to bless this for Jessica than to lessen your protection by giving her your stone.”

  Not understanding, Roarke took the box and felt his pulse jump when he saw the lovely rose quartz heart necklace he had once given his mother. “This is…this was Mum’s.”

  “Yes I know, but I think she’d like it if you gave it to Jessica,” Kerry replied, feeling his brother’s emotions falter and knowing he was recalling when he’d given it to their mother. “She’d want this to go to someone you love and unless you really don’t…” he left the rest unsaid as sharp eyes snapped up to pin him. “That’s what I thought.”

  Looking back at the necklace, Roarke nodded his thanks. “Kerry, I still don’t know if I can do this.”

  “We’ll all get through this, lad,” Kerry assured him, pausing at the door. “Can you do this alone?”

  Knowing he meant the spell, Roarke just shot him a dry look. “I may be a failure at a lot of things but even I can handle a simple protection spell on a necklace,” he assured him, waiting until the door closed to add a quiet “I hope.”

  Gathering the items, he knew he would need to cast the spell over the trinket; Roarke slowly began adding things to the small caldron his father had in the fireplace.

  Doing simple spells like this was second nature to him as they had been the first time his parents had taught him, though fire had actually been the first spell he’d done on his own.

  Taking a few strands of his friend’s hair that he’d taken from her brush, he let them drop into the now boiling liquid of fragrant herbs and crushed powder before removing the rose quartz necklace from the box and slowly lowering it in and taking a deep breath.

  “I am born of the Five and I ask those that have come before me to guide my hand as I cast this spell to protect what is mine for all time.” Roarke spoke the words in Irish as he took the small silver-coated dagger and sliced it over his palm to allow several drops of his blood to mix in.

  “Blood to blood, life to life, I cast my power and love into this given item so the wearer will know no harm from my enemies. All shadows, all-evil, no darkness will harm this girl as she wears this charm and ask that no harm shall come to any. As I will, so mote it be. Blessed be.”

  Flames and energy shot from the cauldron as he closed the spell, making him waver a bit under the intensity, yet when he looked in, only the rose quartz necklace remained.

  “Thank you, Mum,” he whispered, picking up the necklace and feeling it seem to pulse in his hand a few seconds before he placed it back in its box, and went about the task of placing everything back in its proper spot in the room. “I’ll try to make you proud of me this time, Da,” he spoke this as he closed the door and didn’t see the shimmering form.

  “You already have, my boy,” Toryn spoke to the empty room.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “The man is charming one second and bloody frustrating the next,” Mary Margaret Cavanaugh complained as she paced the former master bedroom, tugging on a strand of her fiery hair as she did when frustrated. “Plus, do any of them have the same traits or anything in common?”

  Jessica Hadley had woken up to find Maggie sitting in the room, muttering about stupid, hardheaded Irishmen.

  Having been around the Fitzgerald brothers for years, the girl was more accustomed to them, their ways and little habits than Maggie was, clearly.

  “Are we picking one in particular or just all five as a general rule?” she asked through a yawn, sitting up against the headboard to sip the orange juice Maggie had brought with her.

  “I’m speaking of Patrick MacKinley Fitzgerald for the most part,” Maggie replied, rolling her eyes at the thought. “He’s keeping things from me and…”

  “There’s your common trait,” Jessica replied. “All five of them are protective. Mac and Kerry feel the most responsible since they’re the oldest. Ian has the same traits but hasn’t really had a chance to get annoyingly overprotective. Ryan can be but you need to catch him in the right mood, though he is about the others.”

  Maggie stopped pacing long enough to stare at the British girl. “What about Roarke?”

  While there was a small smile, there was also some concern in the girl’s blue eyes. “Roarke can be protective if he gets past his own doubts and guilt.”

  “Oh, I think he’s past those in some regards,” Maggie murmured, watching the girl try to stand. “The Doc probably wouldn’t like that move.”

  “You probably drive Mac nuts by calling him that,” Jessica grinned, knowing that Mac had always been the most serious of the five, but wanted to be up and moving.

  That made Maggie laugh as she turned when the door opened. “Well, hello there, handsome,” she greeted Roarke cheerfully, already sensing that he seemed more relaxed than he had before. “Have ye come to tell me that your brothers are bi
ckering, drinking or gambling with your dear old Grandda?”

  “Hell, that could happen at any given time on any given day with my brothers, lass,” he returned easily with a smile and he could see why his brother would be attracted to her, assuming they didn’t kill one another. Then his gaze moved to the bed. “Bucking to give me or the lads a bloody stroke, Jessica Jayne?”

  “I feel well enough to get up,” Jessica countered, managing to stand on her own but feeling her legs still shake slightly, even as his hand was holding her arm to steady her. “Roarke, I feel fine.”

  Shifting a look over his shoulder, he saw Maggie only nod her understanding and slip out of the room, leaving them alone.

  “Did she eat anything?” Mac was waiting in the hall when she stepped out, and he saw her jump at his unexpected voice. “Nervous are we, Mary Margaret?”

  Glaring, she slapped at the hand he extended. “No, I am not nervous. A bloody body should be expected to jump in this house when you blokes seem to pop out of thin air anytime you want to,” she snapped at him, then seeing his eyebrow lift slightly, she sighed. “Sorry. Not enough sleep last night. She drank the juice.”

  Reaching out more easily, Mac placed a hand on her shoulder and felt the tiredness and stress the young woman had. “You should get some sleep,” he encouraged, but did ease some off her.

  “No, I told Deirdre I’d help her today, plus I’m interested in speaking with your grandparents since my Gran always spoke so highly of Fiona Kerrigan,” Maggie saw him roll his eyes and she laughed, patting his cheek. “Don’t worry, Doc. I won’t ask about you as a toddler.”

  Placing a hand over the one she had on his cheek, Mac looked down in to her eyes. “I want to apologize for how I’ve been acting the past day or so,” he saw her surprise but went on. “It’s been awhile since I had to deal with this much emotion and stuff, and it’s hard to handle all that plus concern for Roarke protecting himself, etc., that I get cranky.”

  “Doc, you’ve been more than cranky,” Maggie replied with a grin, leaning up on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. “But you’re still cute, so I’ll let it go this time.”

  “Gee, that makes me feel better,” he returned dryly, tightening his arms as he lifted her off the floor into his arms. “Give me time, Maggie,” he requested, letting his mouth touch hers softly.

  Returning the kiss fully, she drew back to look him in the eyes. “Don’t wait too long, Mac, ‘cause I could take Ryan up on his offer to sail away to paradise.”

  “He’s been making that offer since he was old enough to talk and proposition his nanny,” Mac snorted, setting her back down, and walked downstairs with her. “Gram’s in the living room with morning tea,” he told her, feeling Kerry’s thoughts. “Don’t drink anything my grandfather gives you since he spikes his drinks.”

  “That’s nice to know,” Maggie sighed.

  Back upstairs, Roarke Fitzgerald had gotten his friend to sit down again as he sat next to her on the bed, and saw she’d only picked at the food.

  “You need to eat,” he winced as he could recall his own mother and Deirdre saying that to them.

  “I’m not hungry yet,” Jessica Hadley replied, seeing his fingers spread through hers. “You took too much.”

  Taking the time to look at their meshed fingers, Roarke slowly met her eyes, then used his other hand to push hair out of her eyes. “I took what was needed to help you,” he told her then slowly moved his shirt up so she could see. “You did some healing yourself according to Kerry.”

  “Bloody hell, Roarke, where did they…?” she whispered upon seeing some of the many scars were gone and those that remained seemed less severe.

  “The going theory is through our link when I healed you, your powers came on and healed some of these.” He felt the light touch of her fingertips where his wounds had been. “When I used to say that you saved me all those years ago, that wasn’t fully a joke.”

  As her eyes lifted to his, Roarke gently leaned over to kiss her; careful this time to keep it light as he reached into his pocket for the velvet box. “This is for you,” he told her when he eased back.

  Looking at the box he’d pressed into her hands, Jessica frowned at it then up at him. “You and Ry didn’t kill Cam and this is a bribe, is it?” she asked suspiciously.

  “That’s cute, Jess. You’re very funny,” he laughed dryly then turned more serious. “Open it.”

  “What is it?” Opening the box, she blinked upon seeing the rose quartz heart necklace. “It’s beautiful.”

  Roarke slowly took the necklace from the box so it could dangle in the light coming in the window. “I’ll be honest from the start, luv,” he began slowly, wanting no secrets between them. “I wanted to give you something as a token of my love but I also want you to wear this for protection.”

  Looking from the necklace to his eyes, she could feel his concern, but also wondered if he was aware of the vibes the necklace was giving off. “This was your mothers’.”

  “Yeah, but like Kerry said, I don’t think Mum would mind if I give this to you,” he shrugged, adding, “I love you, Jess, and that will never change now that I told you.”

  Considering, Jessica finally nodded. “Can you put it on?” she asked, not certain how sore her arm would be on the side where the gunshot wound had been.

  Gently easing her hair aside, Roarke slipped the necklace on and fixed the clasp, surprised by the sound of the wind chimes outside the window ringing even though there was no breeze.

  “I told you Mum would approve,” he whispered, letting his forehead touch hers as the chimes sounded.

  Looking at his eyes, Jessica saw the emotions he wasn’t speaking. “Love you, hotshot,” she whispered back, surprised when his arms slid around her from where he sat.

  “There is one more thing we need to do that will leave you in the house alone, even though Gran and Gramps will be here” Roarke told her, hoping the recasted protection spell on the property could keep any danger away. “So I need you to promise me that you’ll stay inside no matter what you see, hear or feel.”

  Frowning slightly, she considered that. “You think Sebastian would try to enter the Stone Circle that’s inside the woods?” she asked, knowing that to fully begin the cycle, the five of them would need to redo a ceremony originally done years ago. “Is he that powerful?”

  “Against the five of us once things level out, maybe not,” Roarke admitted then faced the one thing he hated facing. “If he has teamed up with Da’s mother, then I’m not sure what his scope is.” He leaned around so he could meet her eyes. “I don’t want you to…”

  “Roarke, I’m expecting his tricks now and I won’t just be waking up,” Jessica interrupted him, smiling gently to put him at ease. “I’ll be fine. It’s you I worry about.”

  Pressing a kiss into her hair, Roarke closed his eyes. “I’ll be fine, a gra,” he promised, then slowly shifted so he could lay her back on the pillows. “Let me stay with you for awhile?”

  “Avoiding your brothers?” Jessica teased but moved slightly so he could lean against the headboard next to her.

  “No, avoiding my grandfather’s probing,” Roarke countered, easing an arm around her when Jessica snuggled against his chest. “You still need to rest and I need to think.”

  Jessica nodded, letting her eyes drift closed as she listened to his heartbeat. “Remember after that job in Vegas?” she asked sleepily.

  “Aye, I remember.” Roarke did recall that job he’d been asked in on in Las Vegas several years earlier.

  He recalled his friend, seriously injured and emotionally wrecked, while he sat with her and sang to help get her over the traumas.

  The gentle Irish song had been one his father had taught them as boys and he sang it softly to her now as his arms tightened to hold the girl closer until his own eyes got heavy and he slipped into sleep.

  This was how Ryan found his brother several hours later when he had come looking for him.

  Le
aning in the doorway, he stayed silent for a long while just watching the couple then walked over toward the bed, being careful to make enough soft noise to wake his brother without alarming him but not to disturb their friend.

  “Brat, Kerry wants to head out since it’ll take a couple hours to prepare the site and all that other rot he muttered on about,” he announced, seeing his brother’s eyes open slowly, and was silently pleased to find them clear and alert but without the wariness they’d been having.

  “I know I felt him,” Roarke sighed, clearheaded and alert for the first time in a long time since coming home. “Stay safe, luv,” he whispered kissing Jessica’s cheek softly and brushing a hand over the necklace she now wore. “Protect what is mine.”

  Ryan had seen the necklace but stayed silent as he watched his brother close the bedroom door with a quiet click. “She’ll be fine, Roarke,” he assured the younger man but behind his back did place a hand on the closed door to softly add his own protection.

  In the foyer, Cameron Young was clearly unhappy as he paced. “You redid the protection spell on the property but advise me on what could come knocking?” he demanded, having pulled all his current team into a closer watch area near the manor.

  “Not knowing what else Sebastian or Kathleen may have planned, it’s hard to say,” Kerry Fitzgerald replied as he tightened the clasp on the cloak that he only wore at certain times. “No matter what, don’t let anyone inside the main house unless Nick or someone can assure they’re real and not a spell-image.”

  “I knew I should have stayed in New Orleans when all this happened,” Cam muttered seeing Roarke roll his eyes. “Don’t start the ‘I told you so’ crap.”

  Simply holding his hands up, Roarke shrugged. “You made that choice, mate.” He looked to where Maggie was standing. “Jessica’s sleeping but every once in awhile could you…”

  “I’ll check on her, mate,” Maggie assured him with a smile, pointing a finger at him. “You blokes just better all come back in one piece.”