by Meg Anne
He scowled as Skye flipped another page in the mysterious spell book they had found. She wouldn’t let him anywhere near it. Well, at least not close enough to see anything properly.
Even though he knew better, Lucas couldn’t help but ask, “Find anything yet?”
Skye gave him an amber-eyed glare. If she could have, she probably would have shot laser beams out of her eyes. It was the seventh time he’d asked the same question since they’d got back to the house. “Do you want me to kick you out of here?” she asked. “Because I will.”
Her flash of anger only served to fan the flames of his own. “You gonna threaten to turn the car around, too, Mom?”
“And that’s my cue.” Matthews pushed out of his chair. “I’m going to see if Liz needs any help.”
“Coward,” Lucas growled.
His partner shrugged. “One of us is already in the dog house, mate. No need for both of us to be in trouble.”
Skye shook her head as Matthews walked away and let out a frustrated sigh. “I know it’s hard for you to just sit there, but I need you to trust me on this, Lucas. Please.”
Some of his irritation faded away. Sure, he was being unreasonable, but usually he was the one solving the mysteries. It felt like he’d been put on time out, and he was starting to crawl out of his skin waiting for people to give him something to do.
“I do trust you. It’s just—”
Skye rested her hand on his. “I get it, I do.”
He flipped her hand so he could hold it in his own. “Can you at least give me an idea of what you’ve figured out so far?”
She shrugged and sat back in her chair, her fingers slipping from his. “Not much, honestly. It’s like Lizzie said, the entire thing seems to be in some kind of code. I recognize a few of the runes, because they are symbols we’ve seen before, but their purpose isn’t clear. And here…” She flipped a few pages and shifted the book for him to see.
Lucas reached out to pull it closer, but she slammed her hand down over the page. “Not so fast, Detective. I’m letting you look, but don’t you dare touch.”
His brows dipped low over his eyes and he glared at her before an errant thought had his lips lifting in a smile. “When this is over, Giovanni, we’re going to play that same game in the bedroom. We’ll see how long you last.”
Color flooded Skye’s face and her pupils dilated as his words took hold. She licked her lips, and Lucas felt himself swell at the sight of that wet, pink tip dragging across her luscious bottom lip. Lucas sat back and adjusted himself, his smile turning smug when her eyes tracked the movement. Look but don’t touch, little Gypsy. At least for now.
Skye cleared her throat, blinking a few times as she tried to regain her train of thought. “Um… as I was saying. This rune shows up on a few different pages.” She flipped around, pausing on various pages to point out the same snaking symbol. “See?”
Lucas nodded. “So what?”
She narrowed her eyes, some of her sass returning. “Well, if you’d let me finish, I would tell you.”
He bit back a smile and waved a hand, gesturing for her to proceed.
“Upon closer inspection, the little scribbles above or below the rune are different on these various pages. I think the notations have something to do with changing the meaning of the runes.”
“Same rune, different meaning?”
Skye nodded. “Or different purpose.”
“How does that work?”
She shrugged. “I have no fucking clue. My gut says that a different incantation could change the meaning of the rune, or perhaps changing its placement when its drawn, or hell even changing the way that you draw it. There’s so many potential variables, but I think these notes describe how to achieve those variations.”
“Incantation?” Lucas asked, repeating the unfamiliar word.
“Yeah, like when you spoke in Gaelic to open that portal. Maybe if you’d spoken a different word, something else would have happened.”
“Shazam!” he whispered under his breath, his lips tilting in amusement when Skye snorted.
“Exactly.”
“So a different magic word can change the outcome?”
“I mean, I don’t have proof, yet, but yeah… that’s what I’m thinking.”
Lucas scrubbed a hand over his face. “Alright, why not? It makes about as much sense as everything else we’ve been going off of.”
Skye laughed. “True.”
“Any of them feel… dark to you?”
She considered the question, her eyes returning to the book. She hesitated for a second before answering. “There have been a few that have set alarm bells off in my head, but I’m not sure why. On the page, they don’t look any different than the others.” She shrugged helplessly. “I wish I had a better answer about what makes one safe and one not.”
“Probably the fucker using it,” Lucas muttered. He’d expected as much. The crime scenes back in Chicago already taught him these things could be used for evil. Why wouldn’t this random spell book have some of the same? From the sounds of it, his ancestors were a bunch of evil bastards. “Skye?”
“Hmm?” she asked, her eyes practically glowing as they met his.
He gestured to the book. “You think we’ll find the spell we need to take this bastard down?”
“I hope so,” she replied, her voice tight with emotion.
“Me too, Giovanni. Me too.”
Lucas stared down at the bowl of steaming stew his sister set in front of him. Chunks of beef, potato, carrots, and celery, all covered in a delicious broth. His stomach growled loudly.
“Don’t you dare touch that yet, Lucas,” Lizzie warned. “It’s rude to eat until everyone is seated.”
“It’s not my fault Matthews is such a girl about his bathroom breaks.”
Skye chuckled, and he shot her an amused glance. He liked making her laugh. They’d been waiting for his partner for the last three minutes. If Matthews wasn't out here soon, Lucas was going to go in there and drag him out.
“All right.” Matthews stepped from the hall in the nick of time and took a seat at the table beside Lizzie. “This looks delicious; you guys didn't have to wait on me, though.”
“Tell that to Lizzie,” Lucas muttered, smiling at his baby sister. She looked so happy, and even though he’d been more than against their relationship from the beginning, he honestly hoped whatever was between them was the real deal. From the look of it, they were definitely heading in that direction.
It meant a lot that Matthews was able to put such a genuine smile on his sister’s face.
“So, who’s up for more games tonight?” Lizzie asked as she slathered some butter on a piece of homemade bread.
“I definitely am, as long as they aren’t drinking games,” Matthews replied around a mouthful of stew. “This is amazing, Liz.”
“Thanks.” She beamed, and Lucas forced his eyes down to his bowl.
“Can’t hang, James?” Skye teased.
“It’s not that I can’t, but I forgot nearly everything from last night. I definitely don’t want a repeat of that.”
Lizzie blushed, and Lucas shot his partner a glare. “Dude, I’m sitting right here.”
“I’m not talking about anything other than the conversations we all enjoyed while intoxicated,” Matthews answered quickly before refocusing on his bowl.
It relaxed Lucas to see all the people he cared about sitting around the table enjoying such easy conversation. Days like this were getting harder to come by, and he had the sneaking suspicion it was only going to get worse before getting better.
The Druid would find them soon, and if they weren’t ready, they’d have to run again, which put a bad taste in his mouth. Lucas was not a runner when it came to fighting, but if the lives of the people at this table depended on it, he would gladly set his pride aside for them. Every fucking time.
“Lucas?”
“Hmm?” He glanced over at Skye, who watched him intently.
“Perfectly fine. Why?”
“You’re just being quiet, which is somewhat out of character for you.”
“That’s the truth,” Lizzie added, sticking her tongue out at him.
“Hey, I can be quiet.”
“Rarely,” Lizzie responded with her characteristic eye roll. “Anyway, is there a game you want to play tonight? We’ve got cards and then there’s always Yahtzee or Monopoly.”
“So you can cheat again? No thanks.”
“What about poker?” Skye asked.
“You play poker?” he asked around a mouthful of stew.
Skye narrowed her eyes. “I could kick your ass at poker.”
Lucas grinned. “Bring it.”
Matthews and Lizzie broke off into their own conversation, so Lucas leaned close to Skye and brushed the hair away from her ear. Bringing his lips to her ear, he whispered, “Maybe later we can take those cards to my room and play a little high stakes strip poker.”
She shivered slightly, just enough that he noticed goosebumps forming on her skin.
“If you want to lose,” she responded lightly, turning her head to his. Their mouths were only inches apart, and his heart pounded in his chest. He didn't care that they weren’t the only two in the room. Hell, they weren’t the only two at the table, but he couldn’t stop himself from pressing his lips to hers.
The kiss was quick, but when he pulled away, her heavy-lidded eyes told him everything he needed to know. She’d been just as affected by it as he had. It didn’t take more than a brush of her lips on his and he was primed. Fuck, it took less than that.
“Even if you won, I still wouldn’t lose,” he whispered.
Appreciating the way her cheeks flushed, Lucas winked before straightening in his chair and finishing off the stew in his bowl.
Chapter 11
Skye
Skye shot up in bed, heart racing, and looked at the readout on the clock. She cursed under her breath; it was only four in the morning, and there would be no more sleep tonight.
Thanks to the nightmares that made themselves present every time she closed her eyes, Skye averaged only three to four hours of sleep a night, and she was really starting to feel the strain.
She pushed the heavy multicolored quilt off and slipped on a pair of slippers she kept near her bed. After pulling her new heavy knit sweater over her head, Skye crept through the dark house and out onto the back patio.
In the small amount of time they’d been there, Skye had discovered one thing: Scotland was the most beautiful place on the planet. Not only had it more than made up for the fact she’d had to take a plane to get there, but it was also a country that had managed to strike up a creative streak in her unlike any she'd ever felt. The new sketchpad she’d brought was already half filled with drawings.
The air was crisp and sweetly scented. She wasn’t certain what made Scotland smell so good, but she’d noticed it as soon as they exited the airport. Perhaps it was just the lack of city pollution, in all its forms. Whatever the secret, she wished there was a way to bottle it and bring it back when she went home. As she breathed in another deep breath, she settled into one of Oliver’s handmade patio chairs.
She leaned back against the wood and stared out at the rolling hills beyond the cabin.
“Care for some company?”
Skye jumped, one hand going up to cover her mouth and stifle her cry while the other pressed against her racing heart. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't heard the back door open.
“Sorry!” James laughed and held up his hands.
“You and Lucas have got to stop sneaking up on people.” She relaxed again but let out a laugh. “Between the two of you, I’m going to run out of tampons or die of a heart attack long before we have to worry about the Druid.”
James laughed. “I’m not sure I follow.”
Skye waved him off. “Don’t worry about it.”
He chuckled again, but the sound was empty, and Skye could all but see the tension in the tightness of his shoulders. It rolled off him in waves, making her wonder if he’d gotten any sleep at all.
“Couldn't sleep either, huh?” she asked.
He was perfectly illuminated by the moonlight as he shook his head. “I feel so helpless. I mean, you See things before they happen, Lucas is a fucking wizard—sorry”—he added at her narrow-eyed glance—“and Liz is a part of it too. I’m just over here on the sidelines.”
“You’re as much a part of this as we are. He wants you dead, too.”
“Yay me,” James muttered dryly.
Skye knew how he felt. Ever since the premonition of Lucas’ death, she’d been feeling the same way. She thought for sure they’d done enough, seen enough, to stop the Druid before it came to their deaths. But now, she wasn't so sure.
“Lucas is going to learn how to use his power, it’s just a matter of time. Pretty soon we’ll be able to stop him, James. Besides, we have the book now. I’ll crack the code and maybe there will be something that will help us.”
“I damn well hope so. I can’t watch them die.”
When she winced, he reached over and touched her arm gently. “I’m sorry, I can’t even imagine what it must be like to have to watch people die all the time.”
“It is what it is. I just hope we can stop it this time.”
“We have to.”
They sat in silence for a while, just listening to the sounds of the night around them. Bugs chirped, and the breeze lifted stray leaves, pushing them across the brick patio. In a weird way, it was sort of like watching Mother Nature’s very own ballet.
The absurd thought caused her lips to twitch.
“It sure is beautiful here isn’t it?” James asked, breaking the silence.
“It is,” Skye agreed. “Speaking of beautiful things…” She turned her head to James and smirked. “How are things with Lizzie?”
Skye laughed at the look of shock and embarrassment on his face.
“Oh, come on,” she said on a laugh. “Friend to friend. I know there’s something going on. It’s not like the two of you try to hide it anymore.”
He ran a hand through his dark hair. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“I find the truth is always acceptable.”
He gave her a look that was half grimace before sighing and opening his mouth. Just as he started to speak, the door opened again and Lizzie stepped out.
“Morning, guys,” she greeted with a yawn. “Coffee is started.”
“Morning!” James jumped up, and Skye bit back a laugh. His voice had practically gone up a whole octave when Lizzie stepped out. It seemed big bad Detective Matthews had a major soft spot for her.
“Did I wake you?” Skye asked, her brows dipping in a frown. The last thing she wanted was to start interfering with Lizzie’s sleep as well. They didn’t all need to be sleep deprived to hell and back.
“Nah, I was getting up anyway.” She smiled and took James’ vacated seat. “You have another nightmare?”
Skye nodded. “Maybe they’ll go away soon.”
“Want to talk about it?”
Skye still hadn’t told anyone about how the vision of Lucas’ death had turned into a recurring nightmare. The fact that she’d seen him die once had been enough to nearly send Lizzie over the edge of panic. So, she’d kept the nightmare to herself in hopes that eventually it would go away.
“Nah, no big deal.” Skye shook it off and got to her feet. “Coffee anyone? I can bring it out.”
“Yes, please.” Lizzie yawned again, and James nodded.
“Three cups of black magic coming right up.”
Confusion flickered across their faces as if they weren’t quite sure if she was joking or if she really was going to perform some kind of strange Gypsy magic on their coffee. Skye couldn’t blame them; with the way things had been going lately, what they knew to be real had been entirely turned on its head.
Skye stepped into t
he house, grateful for the reprieve from questions. She was making her way into the kitchen when Lucas rounded the corner.
Her breath caught in her throat. Standing there in sweats that were slung low on his trim waist, the black T-shirt he wore stretched taut over his chest, and his hair still mussed from sleep, Lucas could have stepped right out of a magazine. Skye’s stomach tightened.
“Morning,” he greeted with a little wave, and Skye swallowed hard. His typically clean-shaven face had a few days of stubble on it, and her fingertips itched to reach out and feel the new texture against her skin.
“Morning. Um, Lizzie made coffee.” She gestured toward the kitchen.
“Hell yes,” he all but groaned, and Skye smiled.
“Sleep okay?” she asked as they made their way toward what Skye lovingly referred to as her go-juice.
Lucas shrugged. “I don’t know that I’ll get a full night’s sleep until all of this is over.” He leaned back against the counter and ran a hand over his face.
“Same,” she practically choked out, spinning around so he wouldn’t see the emotion she knew would be plastered on her face. After watching him die yet again, seeing him standing in front of her now was doing strange things to her. She felt like crying, which was not something she did often, even though these days she felt more like a watering can than a grown-ass woman. Get it together, Giovanni.
“I find that hugs sometimes are a great way to start the day,” Lucas said behind her. “Interested in testing the theory?”
Skye started to decline, but her traitorous body was already turning and stepping into his embrace.
His body was warm and hard against hers, and she breathed in the spicy scent of him. Here in his arms, there was nothing to worry about. No psychotic Druid hunting them down like they were game. No deaths looming over them. Nothing but peace and a blooming love her stubborn heart hoped would be returned. Now she just needed to find a way to keep him alive long enough to find out the answer.