Celtic Evil: A Fitzgerald Brother Novel: Roarke

by Sierra Rose

  “Jessica!” Maggie screamed when she saw the girl lifted off her feet and slammed into the ground a few feet away, but as she started to run to help a shadow demon was in front of her.

  Hoping she had enough power for one for shot of flame, she started to cast it when she watched it disappear in front of her.

  “I really need to start locking you in the house, Mary Margaret,” Mac spoke dryly from behind her, lowering his hand from where he’d raised it to deal with her attacker.

  “Lecture me later, Doc!” she snapped at him. “Jessica needs help now.”

  Mac caught her arm to keep her still. “He’s handling it,” he replied quietly, slipping the small fiery woman into his arms, and fought to ignore his deep relief at feeling her against him.

  Jessica Hadley had hit the ground hard and lay stunned, her head ringing and feeling her back burn, as she knew the thing was getting closer but couldn’t summon any power as she fought to breathe.

  “My master would have preferred you alive but he will have to accept your death as a tribute.” The shadow demon raised a hand to strike again when he suddenly seemed to jerk as the tip of the ancient Fitzgerald sword pierced its chest.

  “No, you’re both going to be disappointed,” a strong voice spoke from behind the creature as the sword blade twisted harder and it began to glow with power. “I am Roarke Michael Quinn Fitzgerald, fourth born son of Toryn and Brenna Fitzgerald and one of the Five who will see your maker destroyed.”

  Roarke’s usually calm and gentle smoky gray eyes were a pulsing black as his face seemed to shine in full power while he pulled the sword free in order to step in front of the snarling shadow creature.

  “Fifteen years ago, he tried to take my life but took my parents. I am not a child any longer and will no longer allow him or his accomplices to threaten or harm what is mine,” he spoke firmly as he locked eyes with the dying creature but knew its master could hear every word. “Be it my brothers, my friends or the woman I love. You didn’t beat me or destroy me this time, Sebastian, and you won’t do any of the same with my brothers, so deal with it.” The sword lifted with barely a blur and struck a killing blow to the creatures’ head.

  The scream it uttered seemed to echo in the wind as a voice howled in outrage from somewhere far off, and the evil energy the creature exuded seemed to blow into the wind as Roarke shielded as much as he could.

  “Okay, now that was neat,” Ian let out a breath as he watched the rest of the demon creatures vanish.

  “I’ll admit he handled that better than I thought he would,” Ryan shared a look with Kerry, as both knew this would only be a small victory for them.

  Roarke slowly lowered the sword after a moment of thick silence, then was on his knees a second later next to Jessica, who was struggling to sit up.

  A quick look showed him the bleeding scratches she had but he also sensed the wound on her back and other wounds gained from the last attack as his hands gently eased her up until she was leaning against him.

  “Don’t yell,” she warned, sensing his temper was on the surface but also feeling his fear. “I knew you needed the time.”

  Mac’s hand on his shoulder stopped him from speaking. “I guess Maggie’s excuse that she was just following you was true,” he sighed, starting to kneel down, but his brother just scooped the girl up easily but carefully. “Roarke, you are using too much power at once.”

  “I can do it, Mac,” his younger brother promised him, knowing his emotions weren’t level yet but wanting the girl out of the field as he felt her lean against his shoulder.

  Cameron Young wondered up, eyeing the pair. “Should I tranq him?”

  “Leave him be. Ryan or Mac will know if the fight gets too loud,” Kerry replied, eyeing the field even as Ian cleansed it without a problem. “Ry, we really need to test Ian’s power range.”

  Ryan laughed as he also watched their youngest brother. “Hell, I knew that when he was nine and like to reshape things while he slept.”

  Mac and Kerry both turned to stare at him. “I want to know just what you haven’t told us,” Mac muttered, feeling Maggie’s arm around him. “Let’s go back.”

  Fiona waited at the front door, her lips pursed in an amused smile. “Your brother isn’t happy,” she spoke calmly.

  “That’s probably the understatement of the bloody year, Gran,” Ryan laughed, heading for the parlor and a drink.

  Roarke had remained silent until he got to the bedroom upstairs where he gently placed his friend on the bed, then stepped into the bathroom for water and towels.

  “Are you going to say something soon or just brood?” Jessica finally asked, head hurting from where it had hit ground.

  Sitting back beside her, he pushed his long black hair out of his eyes as he took one arm to start cleaning the scratches manually, but did remove the sting. “Did the part where I told you to stay in the house escape you or what?”

  The absent, tense tone to his accent told her he was angry and hiding it, yet his touch was gentle.

  “You needed the time to do the spell and I knew Sebastian would send his goons so they needed a distraction,” Jessica shrugged, wincing slightly as the long red scratches on her back pulled. “Just wasn’t expecting so bloody many of the buggers.”

  “They knew that if you were hurt I’d feel it and lose concentration,” Roarke sighed, sitting the towel aside and motioned to her shirt. “Let me see your back.”

  Clearly hesitant on that, Jessica’s fingers fiddled with the material for a few moments then slowly then lift it over her head and shift so he could see the minor wound back there.

  The other scratches had come from the lesser demons, but these he knew came from the stronger one. These he wanted removed totally, so he carefully placed his fingers on them and worked on removing them.

  “Roarke, what…?” Jessica felt the sudden power and shivered but didn’t move as his other hand stroked through her hair.

  “Just breathe through the pain, luv,” he murmured, gritting his teeth as it hurt to take these wounds, but felt it ease as she took his free hand in her own and closed them over the rose quartz heart he’d given her.

  Smiling as he leaned his face into her hair, Roarke felt the wounds going away, and when he ran his fingers gently over her back and shoulders, he felt no pain or anything else except for her soft skin.

  “We need to come to an agreement about your plans that give me strokes,” he commented, looking back at her eyes and seeing the concern. “I’m not angry, Jessica… well I was, but it scares me now to know how easy you can get hurt.”

  “Roarke, we’ve been friends over twenty years and we’ve worked together on cases where we’ve both been hurt,” she reminded him with an eye roll that usually made him smile.

  Nodding, he couldn’t disagree with that. “The difference being here is I’ve accepted being in love with you and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  “Then I see a lot of fights because you can’t baby me, Roarke,” Jessica replied firmly, lightly touching his face. “I love you but you have to trust I know what to do.”

  “I do trust you, luv but…” Roarke closed his eyes. “I’m scared.”

  Jessica had known that was his biggest issue. The fear of losing those he loves again. “I trust you, Roarke, but you need to trust me and yourself.” With that, she took his hand in hers and placed it lightly over her heart then let it slide down.

  “I know a gra,” he whispered, frowning slightly as she pressed his fingers so that they slid over the swell of a breast. “Jessica…”

  “Trust is a two-way street, Roarke, and it isn’t only about sharing the danger of facing either magical bad guys or modern urban terrorists. It’s also about letting you trust in other ways too,” she spoke quietly, holding his hand still as she saw his indecision, then she leaned up to kiss him lightly. “Trust and love don’t have to be scary, but we both have seen the bad sides of both.”

  The young Irishman remembered he’d h
eard those words from his mother recently as he gave in slightly to return her kiss, his fingers gently molding her flesh while going on sudden instinct and moving forward until he was lying next to his friend, but kept his hand on her.

  Lifting her eyes, Jessica let her fingers touch his long black hair, then murmured lowly as his fingers stroked over her breast and she felt the nipple strain the fabric of her bra.

  “Bloody hell,” he whispered, sitting up on the bed for a moment before looking back at her, then pulled his t-shirt off in one quick movement, then his mouth was on hers for a long deep kiss.

  The one thing he had always made sure of since his childhood experiences was that whenever sex had been in his life, it had usually only been a release for him or part of an assignment. This would be the first time that it was important to him, that it would matter to him that his partner also enjoys it since he knew she’d be more wary of it.

  “Keep your eyes open, Jessica,” he knew what she’d be expecting as he was careful to lay next to her to go back to feathering his fingers across her ribs then up to her breast. “I do trust and I will love you forever.”

  The words she’d started to say dried up when he pressed a kiss to the swell of that same breast, then closed on the nipple through silk. “Roarke...” she whispered, fingers automatically running through his hair.

  He gently tormented her for what seemed, to her, like hours as he kissed, caressed, stroked her until finally he lifted his head from where he’d been laying gentle, lazy kisses across her stomach and saw her eyes had gone from blue to a deeper blue.

  “Tell me now, luv,” his voice was tight with emotions he was keeping in check along with his desires.

  Jessica wasn’t sure she could talk but finally focused on his eyes until she could nod, though she tensed when he touched her jeans.

  “Sshh, relax now,” he soothed, speaking Irish as he often did when it was just the two of them.

  Roarke was slow as he slid her jeans down and off, then stood to remove his own, smiling when he saw her eyes move on him.

  “Let’s keep the thoughts clean, luv,” he laughed, leaning down to kiss her mouth as the bed shifted with his weight when he laid back down, but drew her closer to him to let her adjust to this slowly, and his hand had slid to unsnap the bra.

  “The sun’s coming up, Roarke, we can’t do this now,” she replied hastily, concern turning to fear as his slowly slid the bra straps down to free the silk.

  Catching her hands, he leaned up to kiss her more gently. “I want to see you, Jessica,” he explained, leaning over her to deepen the kiss while lightly teasing her lips with his tongue until he felt them part.

  Shivering slightly as her body seemed to throb under his touches, Jessica whimpered under his kisses and wasn’t really aware when he finished undressing them both.

  Needing her relaxed, Roarke continued to kiss and stroke until the young woman was twisting restlessly, then he moved to position himself. “Look at me, muirnin (sweetheart).” He waited until her eyes were on him. “Trust me to make this good for you.”

  “Roarke, I know what you need to…” her words cut off as his mouth claimed hers hotly just as he slipped inside with a strong solid push.

  Swallowing her sudden cry at the unexpected pain, Roarke held his own control tightly while holding his friend still until her body adjusted to the first act of sex since her assault several years prior.

  Jessica had gone rigid; her first instinct was to fight and escape, but Roarke’s hold remained gentle, and he did not attempt to move until she had calmed down some.

  “It’ll be alright soon, luv,” he promised tightly, taking as much of her discomfort and fear as he dared right then.

  Several moments passed before she opened an eye to see him watching her carefully, unsure what was happening or what he wanted her to do. “Now what?” she finally asked, seeing him smile.

  “Now we both feel,” Roarke replied, kissing her gently as he made the first gentle thrust and saw her eyes go wide.

  It was easier than he thought it would be, teaching Jessica that making love could be enjoyable and not cruel. “Easy,” he soothed, feeling her tense at times when she wouldn’t know what to do. “Do what you feel is right, Jess.”

  He groaned when her long legs moved and on instinct rolled on his back, doing the one thing he’d never done with anyone else, and that was allow someone else control.

  “Roarke?” her eyes snapped to him as his fingers spread to hold her gently when she straddled him. “I don’t know…” she knew he didn’t like to be like this since it often reminded him of his confinement in Mayo. “You need to…”

  “Just move a little, luv,” he urged her, fighting not to show how his emotions were twisting at being on his back and feeling the weight on his body. “I’m alright.”

  That was a lie and she knew it but to make him happy, she did let her hips shift a little and felt her body tighten more around him. “Does it hurt?” she asked softly, seeing his eyes had closed, but his fingers were moving on her legs.

  “No, not in the way you mean,” Roarke fought the urge to push up and lay still as she found a nice steady rhythm to move against him with. “God,” he groaned, not aware when his fingers gripped her hips tighter or when they cupped both of her soft breasts and began squeezing.

  Jessica whimpered as his fingers molded as she leaned into his hands, which also deepened her hold on him as her hips lifted slightly then slid back down more and she felt his control getting looser. It was when her hands splayed on his bare chest to rub lightly that it cracked.

  “A Dhia dhilis! (My God!)” Roarke groaned, sitting up quickly and locking her to him with a strong arm as his hips began to move quicker and his mouth was hot and hard as it took hers.

  Fighting for control, he bent Jessica back over one arm so his mouth could find her already hard nipple and heard her cry his name as he sucked it gently, tongue swirling on it until he heard her moan.

  “You are so sweet, so soft,” he watched her twist and climb higher as her nails raked across his chest and back, as his mouth continued to make love to both breasts. His hands stroked her back and stomach, when he placed one hand flat on her stomach between them he felt her cry out, her body exploding against him. “There’s my girl,” he smiled as she moved then waited until she was still, then flipped her onto her back and surged forward.

  “Roarke, wait,” she tried to regain some breath but he was pushing her up again. “I can’t…”

  “Aye, you can,” he replied hoarsely, thrusting forward and up as he sought his own release, soon felt her moan his name as he brought her up closer, and felt her own small lips close on his nipple to do what he had done.

  She felt his emotions changing but kept up his pace as she lowered her head to kiss his chest then up to his jaw, feeling him grow harder inside her until she moaned; falling back as his hips moved but his hands were still gentle on her skin.

  Tightening his grip, Roarke’s long fingers massaged her body until she was writhing under him again, then when he felt she was about ready, brought her up to him again.

  “I love you, Jessica,” he whispered against her mouth, then pushed and felt her second climax hit her and he let himself follow her.

  There was a long silence in the bedroom that had unknown lights flickering throughout from the energy that that been expended by the couple.

  Finally bringing himself back to reality, Roarke knew he was too heavy and sought to shift some of his weight, but felt her cling to him.

  “Not letting go, luv,” he promised, reaching for the blanket to spread when he felt her shiver as her body cooled.

  Jessica snuggled closer to his chest, her hand laying flat over his heart as she listened to it. “Did I do that right?”

  Grinning, he was about to laugh until he saw the honest concern in her eyes. “Jessica, my love, you did everything just fine,” he assured her, brushing a thumb over her cheek, as he turned more serious. “Thank you.
”

  Frowning as her eyes began to droop she was confused. “I should be thanking you for being patient.”

  “No.” Roarke let his fingers run through her hair as he laid next to her. “This was the first time I could let myself feel. I’ve been with the occasional hooker or a woman if the job called for it, but this was the first time I ever really could say I made love and meant it,” he smiled into her eyes. “You gave me that and for all things you’ve ever given me, this is the one thing I will treasure always.”

  Blushing slightly at the intensity of his gaze, Jessica met his gentle kiss then let herself fall to sleep; knowing Roarke would be there when she woke up.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Deirdre O’Connor was preparing dinner in the kitchen as she did every day, but this time it felt different.

  Hearing the voices of her young Lords reminded her that things would never be as silent as they had been the past decade or so.

  After the events of the prior night and early morning, none of them had seen a Fitzgerald brother until late in the afternoon, then Ian came stumbling into the kitchen looking for chocolate, his favorite after-power snack.

  “You’ll be ruining your dinner, boyo,” Deirdre chided, clucking her tongue only when he inhaled a whole piece of cake in less than five seconds and went for more.

  “Remind me to x-ray his stomach,” Mac decided when he entered and saw what his youngest brother was eating. “I think it’s lead.”

  Maggie Cavanaugh, who had been up all morning, sat drinking coffee and watching the boy. “He eats anything coated with sugar, yet won’t drink tea or coffee.”

  “There’s way too much caffeine in that junk,” Ian replied, lifting an eye at Mac who had stopped to lay a casual hand on Maggie’s shoulder. “I thought there was an earthquake earlier.”

  Mac saw Maggie’s cheeks turn a light pink, knowing she must have figured out what was behind it. “No, Roarke just needs a little more practice controlling his emotions.”