Visions of Vengeance: A Paranormal Romance (The Gypsy's Curse Book 2)

by Meg Anne

  Visions of Vengeance

  The Gypsy’s Curse Book 2

  Meg Anne

  Jessica Wayne

  Respect your curses, for they are the instruments of your destiny.

  -Joseph Campbell

  Visions of Vengeance

  The Gypsy’s Curse, book 2

  by Meg Anne & Jessica Wayne

  Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.

  ISBN 13- 978-1-951738-95-2

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, businesses and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, or actual events is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Edited by Jessa Russo of Russo Editing

  Proofread by Dominique Laura

  Cover Design by AV Fantasy Book Cover Design & Art

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  From the authors

  About Meg Anne

  Also By Meg Anne

  About the Author

  Also By Jessica Wayne

  Chapter 1

  Skye

  She was falling in love with him, and he was going to die.

  Skye watched the horrific scene play out for what felt like the hundredth time. Given that she’d only experienced the vision for the first time about forty-eight hours ago, that was saying something.

  Lucas crumbled to the ground, the silver blade protruding from his chest. Blood dripped down the front of his shirt as he stared at it in disbelief.

  Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she knelt on the ground beside him. As always, the Druid stood laughing over Lucas’ prone body while she wept. The cackling sound was so familiar she now heard it even when she was awake. No matter how hard she tried, the horror of this vision stuck with her. Not even whiskey would curb the pain. She’d tried. Excessively.

  Knowing there was no escaping this hell, not until it reached its tragic end, she braced herself for the final, gut-wrenching moments.

  “Skye,” he mumbled as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

  “I’m sorry,” she choked out, pushing away to wrap her arms around herself. Arms that would always be a pale imitation of his. He pulled in a ragged, gasping breath, and Skye slammed her eyes shut. She couldn’t watch this.

  Not again.

  Lucas MacConnell was going to die, and there was nothing she could do about it.

  Skye shot up like a bullet, her heart pounding in her chest. Easy. She risked closing her eyes, hoping lingering images of the nightmare wouldn’t be there to greet her, as she tried like hell to calm the surge of panic. No matter how many damn times she suffered through it, the vision’s echo always affected her like it was the very first time.

  Although, in a way, that did make an odd sort of sense. Skye didn’t think anyone who had to watch—sometimes on a horrifying loop—as the man they were falling in love with died in a pool of his own blood was going to walk away emotionally unscathed.

  Skye wiped away her tears before anyone could notice.

  “You alright?” Lucas asked from his side of the cab.

  “Yeah.” Skye’s voice was gravelly, the pain of her nightmare still fresh in her mind.

  Lucas’ brows scrunched with concern. He opened his mouth, but noticing the way their cab driver was staring curiously at her from the rearview mirror, he apparently decided now was probably not the best time to inquire further.

  They’d flown from Chicago straight to Edinburgh. From there, they’d had to catch a cab to take them the rest of the way to Lucas’ grandfather’s, which was about an hour outside of the city. It wasn’t the most economical option, but given the late hour, none of them wanted to deal with transferring buses or carting their luggage around further than strictly necessary.

  Skye must have dozed off shortly after crawling into the cab behind Lucas. Thankfully, it was big enough that all four of them could fit easily. Skye had claimed a forward-facing window seat. Lizzie was asleep next to her, her head resting against her brother’s shoulder. James, who had crawled into the back seat with their luggage, was also peacefully snoring. It seemed she was the only one struggling to find escape in her dreams.

  “We’re just about there,” Lucas informed her in a low voice. His eyes were still focused on her face, so she nodded and turned her attention to the beautiful scenery outside.

  She’d been barely coherent when they rode through Edinburgh, but Skye hoped there was a chance for them to go back and explore properly. The architecture had taken her breath away and already captured her imagination. For the first time in a long while, she longed to paint landscapes rather than just her own interpretation of the stars.

  “This might just be the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” Skye whispered in awe as the last of the night’s stars twinkled high above them. It was somewhere around four am, and still dark out, but the moon provided enough light for her to see the lush wildflowers and the tall green grass that covered the hills.

  “Aye ‘tis,” Lucas agreed in a heavy Scottish burr.

  Skye gave him a side-eyed glance. “No. Just no.”

  He chuckled.

  They’d been traveling for well over eleven hours, and that, combined with the six-hour time difference, had her all out of sorts. Not to mention the asshole Druid who haunted her dreams. Sleeping was a bad idea because it wouldn’t help her acclimate to the new time zone, but all she wanted to do when they arrived was find a bed and sleep for about twelve hours.

  The cab driver turned up a long winding drive, and a stunning four-bedroom cabin came into view. The outside was made entirely of stone and a flowering vine climbed up along the side.

  “Perfect,” she breathed, appreciating its seclusion. This would be the perfect hideout for the four of them.

  “Absolutely,” Lucas agreed. She turned to him with a smile, surprised by the heat in his eyes. It made her wonder if he’d been referring to the house at all.

  Skye’s smile faltered and she looked away. Fate could be a real bitch.

  The driver stopped, and Lucas paid the fare. Lizzie awoke with a squeaky yawn and stretched her arms. She blinked a few times as she looked out the window at her grandfather’s cabin.

  The house was dark, without any light to indicate that someone was inside.

  “Does he know we’re coming?” Skye asked as she climbed out of the cab.

  Lizzie shook her
head. “We haven’t been able to get a hold of him. Hopefully we don’t scare him half to death when we knock.”

  Skye frowned. “That would definitely put a damper on things.”

  The others got out of the cab and together they walked to the front door.

  The bushes to the side of the house rustled, and Skye froze as a bright orange tabby cat scampered out.

  Lizzie giggled. “Oh, it’s Haggie! That cat has got to be almost twenty years old!”

  Skye eyed the cat warily. She loved animals, but for some reason cats just did not like her. Haggie hissed, proving her theory before running away.

  “Shall we?” Lucas asked, before holding up a hand and knocking on the door.

  Skye shivered slightly in the chill air as Lizzie fidgeted with the lapels of her light jacket.

  When there was still no answer, Lucas knocked again. “Hmm,” he murmured, his brows lowering.

  “It’s not all that odd,” Lizzie said. “He could be sleeping.”

  “Perhaps.”

  After about thirty seconds, Lucas pulled a set of keys out of his pocket.

  “Didn’t think to start with that?” a sleepy James asked.

  “And just walk in on the old guy without warning? No. I didn’t.”

  “Fair point,” James said with a yawn.

  Lucas opened the door, then walked in. Given the musty smell of the place, Skye didn’t think anyone had been here in quite a while, but she wasn’t about to say that. Lucas turned on a light, bringing the rustic interior to life. Handmade quilts and furniture gave the space a decidedly homey feel. Skye loved it instantly.

  “Pop?” Lucas called. “It’s Lucas and Lizzie.”

  The small cottage was completely silent around them, and they stepped further inside.

  “Huh. I guess he’s out.”

  “He must be on one of his trips.” Lizzie shrugged.

  “That’s normal?” Skye asked.

  Lizzie nodded. “Oh yeah. Pop travels all the time. It’s one of the reasons we have our own set of keys.”

  Skye studied Lucas. His brows were furrowed, and he studied the empty space with the attention of someone searching for clues. Something told her that he wasn’t feeling nearly as calm about his absence as his sister.

  “Shall we claim rooms?” Lizzie asked.

  “Dibs on my old one,” Lucas answered instantly.

  Lizzie scowled, turning toward him with her hands braced on her hips. “No way! It’s the biggest, and it has its own bathroom. You know it’s only right that one of the girls gets that one.”

  Lucas shrugged. “Fair’s fair, sis. I called dibs. Be faster next time.”

  Lizzie sighed, her shoulders slumping with defeat. “Fine, I’ll take the blue room. You want to share, Skye? There are two beds in there.”

  “Skye’s staying with me,” Lucas said, as if it had already been decided.

  “Uh, she is?” Skye asked, lifting her brows in surprise.

  “Well, aren’t you?” Lucas asked with a puzzled frown.

  Skye was tempted. Frankly, she slept better when Lucas’ strong arms were wrapped around her. But the image of the knife protruding from his chest had her stomach rolling and she shook her head. There was no way she could hide her dreams from him if they shared a room, and a bed. If anything, she needed to put some distance between them to figure out her feelings. Now was not the time to let things go any further, no matter how badly she wanted them to.

  “I’d rather have my own bed,” she said carefully, hoping he wasn’t about to force the issue.

  “Whatever you want,” Lucas replied, but she could have sworn he was calling her bluff. “Just remember, Pop’s room is off limits in case he returns.”

  That settled, she and Lizzie went to dump their stuff in their room, while Lucas and James claimed the other two.

  “Anyone hungry?” Lizzie called out.

  The guys responded with a resounding, “yes,” but Skye shook her head.

  “If I don’t get at least a few more hours of sleep, it’s not going to be pretty.”

  “I hear you. I’ll get out of your hair,” Lizzie said with a smile, already halfway out the door.

  “Have I told you today that you’re a goddess?”

  Lizzie paused in the doorway and grinned. “Not yet, but I’ll take it.” Just as she was about to close the door, she popped her head around and whispered, “Sweet dreams, Skye.” Her honey-blonde head disappeared and the door closed with a soft click.

  From your lips. After removing her shoes, she climbed into the bed and pulled a soft wool blanket up and over her shoulders. The second she shut her eyes, Lucas’ death came back into view, and she had to force herself to think of literally anything else.

  Grasping for a happy memory, her thoughts returned to a stolen night on a Chicago balcony. A contented sigh escaped as she snuggled deeper down into her cocoon of blankets.

  Chapter 2

  Lucas

  Lizzie walked into the den and Lucas looked over her shoulder for a familiar tumble of dark hair. He frowned.

  “She’s taking a nap,” Lizzie said, answering the question that must have been written on his face.

  He contemplated playing it off but decided there was no point. “She probably needs it.”

  Lizzie nodded her agreement. “Yeah, it’s got to be hard seeing what she does and then having to live through it. I don’t think I’d handle it half as well as she does.”

  “Me either,” Lucas agreed.

  Lizzie walked by, squeezing his arm as she passed by him and into the room that housed an ancient television and a slightly more modern DVD player.

  “Whatcha watchin’?” she asked James, who had staked out a place on the plaid couch.

  “I have no fuckin’ idea. I just hit play and this came on.”

  Lucas checked his watch. It was about a quarter to eleven pm back home, which meant that he still had time to call the captain and see if there were any updates in the case. Grabbing his phone off the counter, he left his sister and partner behind and walked through the kitchen and out onto the patio. He smiled when he saw the old deck chairs his dad had helped build. There was something about being back in this place that made him feel a little more nostalgic than usual.

  After punching the number for Hank’s speed dial, Lucas lifted his cell up to his ear.

  “Daniels speaking.”

  “Hey, Cap, how’s it going over there?”

  “Lucas,” he said, his voice surprised. “I hadn’t expected to hear from you so soon. The flight was okay?”

  “Yeah, as good as could be expected when you’re crammed into the human equivalent of a flying sardine can.”

  Hank laughed. “That’s why you gotta spring for first class.”

  “You wanna pay for the tickets home? Because on my detective’s salary, first class is too rich for my blood.”

  They chuckled again before sobering.

  “Any news?” Lucas asked.

  He could practically hear his captain run his palm over his face as he sighed. “No, nothing. It’s like our perp just up and vanished after his last scene.”

  “Hmm,” Lucas murmured. That surprised him. Almost three full days had passed since their run-in with the Druid at Lizzie’s shop. Usually, he’d have surfaced again by now.

  “Yeah, shocked me, too. Makes me uneasy when our guys go silent like this after being so busy. I smell trouble.”

  “You and me both.”

  “I’ll give you a ring as soon as that changes.”

  “Thanks, Cap.”

  “Yeah. So, how’s wherever you are?”

  Lucas hesitated for a second. He hadn’t actually told anyone where they were going. He didn’t want to make it too easy for the Druid to track him down. Not that the plane tickets would be hard to uncover with a bit of minor digging. But the less anyone knew about the details, the better. That way they couldn’t accidentally give anything away, or be forced to under duress.

  �
��Copenhagen,” Lucas said, spitting out the first city that came to mind. He grimaced and shook his head. Good going, dumbass. Now he was going to have to brush up on Denmark’s geography if he had any hope of pulling off that lie.

  “I thought your people were Irish or something?”

  “Scottish, actually. But we’re visiting the other side of the family.”

  “Ah, well. Bring me back some of those wooden shoes. Cynthia will go crazy over ‘em.”

  “You got it,” he promised, mentally reminding himself to check for a pair online. “Give my love to Lucy.”

  “You’ll be lucky if you get her back.”

  Lucas laughed, not remotely concerned. “You two having fun?”

  “It’s nice to have somebody so excited to see me when I get home. Usually, Cynthia and the girls are already in bed.”

  “Fair enough, enjoy the unconditional love while it lasts.”

  “Talk soon, MacConnell.”

  “Bye, Cap.”

  Lucas hung up the phone with a sigh. So far so good. He wasn’t sure how long it would take the Druid to discover they weren’t in Chicago, but given his resourcefulness, Lucas didn’t imagine they had much lead time before he was hunting them down.

  All they could do now was make the best of the head start they had, which meant as tired as he was, it was time to see what he could find out about his heritage.

  “Hey, Lizzie, you know where Pop keeps the old family stuff?” Lucas called as he walked back into the house.