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

by Meg Anne

  “You know I will, right?”

  She angled her head up to look at him. “Will what?”

  “Protect you. I know I don’t have any power or wizard heritage, but I promise you, Liz, I will protect you with my life if necessary.”

  Lizzie leaned up and kissed him again, wanting to erase all talk of their mutual fear. “I know you would, but I’d rather you stay alive, too.”

  “I want that, too, but if anything were to happen to you…” He sighed. “I like you, Liz. A lot.”

  Lizzie smiled. “I like you, too.”

  James pulled her onto his chest, and Lizzie buried her hands in his hair. Unlike moments ago, this kiss was anything but soft and sweet. It was so full of raw emotion and burning passion that Lizzie poured all her hopes for their future into it.

  James had seen her at her absolute lowest, right after her ex had beaten the crap out of her. He’d wrapped his arms around her and held her while she’d cried when Lucas stepped out to speak with the doctor. She’d never told him how much that simple gesture had meant to her, how it had helped erase a little of the pain she’d felt.

  Now, his kisses were erasing all of her past and replacing it with promises of a future she wasn’t sure she’d live long enough to actually experience.

  “I want you, Liz, but not here. Not like this.” His words were breathless, and he pulled her down on his chest. She felt the thundering of his heart as he held her body tight against his. “Fuck, I want you.”

  “I want you, too.”

  They laid there, her listening to his racing heart while he ran his fingers through her hair, until the scent of breakfast wafted into the room.

  “Is your brother cooking?”

  “God, I hope not.” Lizzie laughed and rolled off James.

  He linked his fingers with hers, and she stared down at them. Perfect fit.

  “Tell me something about you?”

  The question caught her by surprise. “What about me?”

  “What’s something you’ve always wanted to do?”

  “Hmmm. I’d love to visit Greece.”

  “That’s on my bucket list, too.”

  “What a coincidence,” Lizzie said with a smile.

  “So, what do you say when all this is over, we go there together? Seeing as how we both want to go anyway.”

  “Why, Detective Matthews, are you asking me on a date? In Greece?”

  “I definitely am.” There was no humor in his eyes, and her heart soared.

  “I would love to go with you.”

  James smiled, looking more than a little relieved. “Good, it’s settled.” He got to his feet, revealing a sculpted torso that had been done no justice when he’d been lying down. The sight of his shorts riding low on his trim waist made her mouth water. If only he’d climb back into bed.

  “If you keep looking at me like that, I’m not going to be able to keep my promise to myself.”

  “What promise?” she choked out, her mouth suddenly dry.

  “To keep my hands off you until after our first date.”

  “First date?” she repeated. Her mind went completely blank as she stared at him, wishing like hell he’d forget the promise and put his hands to good use.

  He nodded. “Greece.”

  Lizzie blinked up at him. “You want to keep your hands off of me until we can go on a date… in Greece?”

  “I thought we’d already settled this?” James pulled on a shirt. “How about we go see about breakfast.”

  Lizzie wrapped herself in one of his sweatshirts and followed him out of the room. “We might have agreed on Greece, but we definitely did not agree to keep our hands to ourselves until then,” she muttered.

  Chapter 6

  Skye

  Bacon crackled on the stove as Lucas prepared breakfast. He seemed so happy, relaxed even, for a guy who was on the run from a powerful being. Watching him dance goofily around the kitchen was doing its part in helping her relax too.

  As if he could read her thoughts, Lucas turned around and grinned. “Enjoying the show?”

  She shrugged and bit back a smile. “I’ve seen better.”

  “Didn’t anyone ever tell you that you shouldn’t lie, Giovanni?”

  “You going to arrest me, Detective?”

  “Don’t tempt me. I brought my cuffs.”

  His wink had all sorts of naughty thoughts popping into her head. She knew just what they could do with those cuffs.

  Before she got a chance to retort with a smart-ass remark, Lizzie and James shuffled into the kitchen.

  “Look who finally decided to join us!” Lucas crooned entirely too loudly.

  Ass. But Skye grinned. Seeing his little sister walk out hand in hand with his partner couldn’t be the easiest thing for him, but Lucas was handling it in his own way.

  James ignored Lucas and aimed his request at Skye. “Coffee?”

  She pointed to the pot on the counter.

  “I’ll get you some,” James told Lizzie, who smiled in thanks as she took a seat next to Skye.

  “Good night?” Skye asked her quietly, grinning when the other woman’s cheeks flushed.

  “Nothing happened,” Lizzie assured her, but the blush on her cheeks had Skye wondering just what had changed between the two of them. “Turns out Lucas was right… all we did was pass out.”

  “Uh-huh,” Skye whispered.

  Lucas turned to face them, his arms folded over his broad chest. “Get some good sleep, you two?”

  He was trying to keep his tone light, but frustration leaked out in the deep vibrato of his voice and the narrowed glare he leveled on James while he served Lizzie her morning coffee.

  “Yeah, the scotch knocked me out,” James assured his partner, meeting his gaze without blinking. Skye watched the stare-down, impressed by the silent conversation that took place between the two men. How well must they know one another to be able to say so much without saying anything at all? The thought left a decidedly hollow feeling in her chest. Skye had never allowed herself to get close enough to a person to find out.

  “So, what’s the plan for today?” Lizzie asked.

  Lucas turned back to plate the rest of the pancakes he’d made. “Skye and I found some books in Pop’s bedroom. The study is locked and I couldn’t pick it, so we think he might have magically sealed it.”

  “Pop had magic?” Lizzie asked, her jaw dropping open slightly in surprise.

  “It runs in the lineage, so it wouldn't be too far a jump to assume so,” Lucas answered, and Skye grinned at him. Copycat.

  “Well, that’s hard to imagine. I don’t remember him well, but somehow I can’t picture him with powers like our Druid friend.”

  James smiled softly at Lizzie. Something definitely changed between them. The secret smiles were coming much more frequently, not to mention easily, between them now. No more sneaking glances here and there like before.

  Lizzie eyed the pancakes her brother set down on the table with caution. “Those edible?”

  Lucas shot her a glare. “I can handle making pancakes, Lizzie.”

  “Sure you can.”

  Lucas took a seat next to Skye, and she reached down to grip his hand beneath the table. They had enough going on; there was no need to add unnecessary animosity between him and his sister to the mix.

  Especially when no one knew how long they had left.

  James was the first to grab a pancake from the plate and went to work slathering it with butter. “Your Pop have any peanut butter?”

  “Peanut butter?” Skye asked dubiously. “On pancakes?”

  James shrugged. “Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it.”

  “No peanut butter,” Lucas said as he plated a pancake.

  Lizzie’s forehead creased as she worried at her bottom lip. It was like she was caught in the middle of some internal debate. Probably one that centered around her brother’s pancakes. Food won out, though, and it wasn’t long before Lizzie was spreading her own toppings onto
her breakfast.

  “They aren’t Lizzie pancakes, but they’ll do,” James stated after he’d finished his bite.

  “I think I did a damn good job, fuck you very much,” Lucas retorted.

  Skye snorted. “Can you two go five minutes without insulting each other?”

  “Not likely,” James said.

  “Keeps life interesting,” Lucas added.

  Skye took a bite of her pancakes–ones that hadn’t been tainted by something that should only go in a PB&J–and nearly groaned. They were damn good, and she was impressed. Sinfully sexy and he can cook? Yes, please. The fact that he could whip up a delicious batch of pancakes made him even more alluring.

  Did the guy have any weaknesses at all?

  “So, we’ll be doing some reading this morning, but what’s on the roster after that?” Lizzie asked before taking another bite.

  “Well, first you need to admit I kicked breakfast’s ass.”

  Skye grinned when Lizzie rolled her eyes and admitted, “Fine. They don’t suck as bad as I thought they would.”

  “Thanks, sis.” He took a sip of his coffee. “I was thinking we could head into town about lunch time, maybe check out the library there and see what they have.”

  “Think I can grab some art supplies while we’re there?” Skye asked. She’d been itching to paint since they’d arrived.

  “Absolutely,” Lucas answered.

  “Any chance we’ll be seeing some of Scotland while we’re here?” Lizzie asked.

  “I hope so, but we really need to use any advantage we have to get ahead of the Druid,” Skye responded. Who knew how much time they had before that bastard popped back up. When they did face him again, Skye wanted to make sure they had what they needed to kick his ass for good. Then she might be able to find out if she and Lucas had something permanent going on between them.

  After finishing his plate, Lucas leaned back and reached under the table to rest his hand on her leg. His touch sent a jolt of heat straight to her core.

  The effect he had on her both frustrated and intrigued her. She’d been with men before, brief relationships to pass the time here and there. But she’d never wanted anything more. Was it possible that when people said everyone had someone who was meant for them, it wasn't actually a load of shit? Because ever since she’d met him, Lucas called to a part of her soul she hadn't known existed.

  Flashes of his death ran through her mind and she shut her eyes for a brief moment, hoping no one would see the pain there.

  She couldn’t let him die. No matter what she had to do to stop it, she absolutely would. Lucas MacConnell would not die.

  Chapter 7

  Lucas

  Lucas glanced up from the book he’d found tucked away in his grandfather’s bookcase. It was a book about Scottish folklore and ancient cultures. He’d been hoping to find out something more about the ancient Druids, but so far, the only things he’d found matched what his internet search turned up back in the States. Checking the clock on the wall, he saw that it was nearing three in the afternoon.

  “Anyone else feel like they’re going cross-eyed?” Matthews asked from his corner.

  “I could use a break,” Lizzie admitted, sitting up from where she’d been laying with her head in Matthews’ lap.

  Lucas bit back a growl. It wasn’t just the fact that she was his sister. He really wanted to be happy that she was happy, but he was jealous over their easy intimacy. Especially since he craved intimacy of his own with a certain Seer, and that wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon. Skye all but running away from him last night in the kitchen when he’d asked for a kiss had proven that.

  If we are being responsible adults and putting the mission first, why the hell shouldn’t Matthews and Lizzie have to also? Lucas silently fumed, annoyed that he was no better than a two-year-old that couldn’t play with his favorite toy.

  “Should we walk down to the little town and grab something to eat?” Lizzie asked.

  “We probably should stop by a store and grab some groceries at the very least,” Skye said, looking up from her grandmother’s journals. “There’s hardly anything in the fridge, and I don’t think we can live off of scotch alone.”

  “Spoken like a Yankee,” Lizzie crowed, tossing a pillow at her.

  “A Yankee?” Skye sputtered, batting the pillow away. “You’re from Chicago just as much as I am, sweetheart. I hate to break it to you, but you’re hardly a Scot.”

  “Blasphemy!” Lizzie cried.

  Skye laughed, the sound wrapping around Lucas and easing some of his tension. Just being around her would have to be enough for now.

  “It’s a quick enough walk, and I wouldn’t mind the exercise,” Lucas said, letting the book in front of him fall closed. “It’s not like we’re getting anywhere anyway.”

  “Speak for yourself,” Skye said. She’d been reading through the last of her grandmother’s journals while the rest of them checked out the books his Pops had in his room.

  “You find something?” he asked, moving to stand next to her.

  “Maybe. It’s too soon to tell.”

  He lifted a brow at the cryptic answer.

  Skye rolled her eyes at his silent demand for information. “My grandmother wrote about her visions almost exclusively up until journal number three. In this one she starts talking about her family and more mundane day-to-day kinds of things. She references a woman from Scotland calling to ask for her help. I’m wondering if there’s anything to indicate who she spoke with. It might be someone we can look up while we’re here.”

  Lucas' lips dipped in a frown. “It’s more likely the person’s dead. I mean… how long ago did those entries take place?”

  “They range from about twenty-five to thirty years ago.”

  “Alright, so maybe not dead, depending on how old they were at the time. It’s worth looking into,” Lucas admitted. “Anything else in there that might be helpful?”

  Now it was Skye’s turn to frown, her amber eyes darkening with worry. “I don’t know if it’s helpful, but my grandma referenced some curse a handful of times. She doesn’t blatantly say what the curse is, just obscure references to how she wished she knew another way to break it.”

  Joining them at the table, Lizzie asked, “Don’t you think she’s just referring to the visions? I know I would certainly consider them a curse. No way would I want to see people dying all the time if there was a way out of it.”

  “That’s what I thought at first, too, but Gran never referred to our visions as a curse. It seems weird that she would do so in her journal, when she only ever said it was a gift I must learn to use when talking about them with me.” Skye’s frown deepened. “I feel like there’s got to be something else, or at least something more, that she’s talking about.”

  Lucas rubbed a hand down her back. “Well, keep reading; maybe there are some more clues you haven’t discovered yet.”

  “Spoken like a true detective,” Skye quipped, stealing Lizzie’s earlier expression.

  Lucas shrugged, glad to see some of the shadows fading from those brilliant amber eyes. “What can I say, we are who we are. Seriously though, I can take a look at them after you. I do have a knack for seeing what other people miss.”

  Skye scrunched up her nose, clearly still uncomfortable with the idea of someone else reading her grandmother’s journals. “Yeah… maybe. Let’s see how I feel once I finish the last one.”

  Lucas nodded, respecting her wishes. “Whatever you need.”

  Skye’s cheeks turned pink and she cast her eyes away, telling Lucas all he needed to know about the direction her thoughts had just taken. Interesting. A bubble of hope expanded in his chest. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be only about the mission after all.

  Lucas held Skye’s hand as they made their way down the road toward Loch Calluna’s main street. Lizzie walked a few feet in front of them leaning against his partner, her arm looped through his. She laughed at something he said, and Matthews grinned bac
k at her.

  Shit. Lucas sighed. His baby sister could do worse. Hell, she’d done much worse before.

  “Where are you?”

  Skye’s soft voice pulled him from his thoughts, and Lucas looked down to smile at her. “In the most beautiful place in the world with the—”

  Skye snorted and lifted her hand. “Do not finish that sentence.”

  He grinned. “What? I was just going to say it’s nice being here with you.” He pulled her against his body and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

  “Yeah, okay.” She rolled her eyes. “Talk about being corny.”

  Lucas shrugged. “I find that I’m oddly okay with it.”

  They continued walking, and Lucas watched as a flock of sheep grazed behind the rock wall they walked beside. The air was crisp here, and the fact that he could breathe deeply without smelling exhaust made him grin.

  Damn, I love Scotland. Maybe I should just fly back to get Lucy and move here permanently.

  The weather was cool enough that they’d all opted for sweaters and jeans, and Skye had traded in her patented skyscrapers for a pair of flat boots. Without the heels, she didn’t even reach his shoulder. Lucas bit back a fun-sized joke. Although, seeing her flush would be amusing.

  “Do you think we’ll find anything? At the library?” she asked him.

  He wasn’t sure what came over him, whether it was the sight of his sister’s happiness after the shit storm of the last few days, or the fact that his fingers were interlaced with Skye’s, but Lucas had no interest in talking about powerful madmen or ancient magic. Right now, he wanted to be Lucas MacConnell and Skye Giovanni, two tourists taking in the beauty of the highlands.

  “Let’s not talk about that right now.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a lingering kiss to the top of it. He held his lips there, looking at her through half-lidded eyes. Fire flared in her eyes. “Right now, let’s just take in the view,” he spoke against her skin so that his lips could continue to brush against the silky surface. He hoped she grasped the meaning of his words, and based on the way her gaze traveled to his mouth, she had.