by S Lawrence
“I needed to touch you this one time, just for a moment.” His hand wipes away the tears from my face. I feel the heat of his skin, and I lean into it.
“Daddy, please,” I beg staring into his crystal blue eyes, eyes so much like my own. I see the pain and longing, longing for my mother and for peace and I force a smile to my face, shaking my head in acceptance I whisper, “Do you miss her?” I already know the answer, but I want to hear his answer one more time.
My heart is broken into a million pieces in the time it takes for him to say three words. “Every single day. I love you, nighean. ” Then he was gone, stolen from me for a second time. Kai wraps me in his arms. I want to curl into a ball and ignore the world. I cry for everything I have lost, feeling like the tears will never stop. The roars of dragons fill the air; it is a mournful sound that shakes me to my core.
We are all sitting there, each of us mourning when we hear footsteps pounding toward us. We both look up and see Jason and Patrick racing to us.
“I’m so sorry for the interruption. “ Patrick is visibly upset.
“She isn’t going to care, Patrick, I told you.” Jason is glaring at him, very upset about something, then turns his face to me. “Aislin, when did you last talk to Emma?”
“What? Why?” I shoot to my feet, looking at Kai.
“WHEN girl?” Jason is yelling now.
I stutter at his outburst. “It was when I called her to tell her about the joining, telling her I really wanted her here even though I knew she wasn’t supposed to come because of she wasn’t supposed to know about the Guardians. I told her I would call her in a few days. That we could plan the big New Orleans wedding. I was upset she was missing it. I knew I shouldn’t talk to her while I was upset but I had to tell her.” I feel fear skate down my spine, and I rub my arms my eyes jumping back and forth between them.
“Do you have your phone? Please call her.” Patrick is calmer than Jason, who is pacing.
I pull out my phone and call her; it goes to voicemail. I check Facebook, nothing. I’m beginning to get very worried. I call her mom. She tells me Emma wanted to surprise me and that she was coming to Scotland. No way would she miss the wedding.
My heart is pounding. My eyes are wide when I hang up. I spin looking at Kai, begging him silently to help me. “She told her mom she was coming here. That she was going to surprise me at the joining. Oh God, where is she?”
“Sammy found an email from someone at the hotel by the stones; it said that a woman came asking about you. It also asked if they should proceed on taking her, to use her as a way to draw us out. We don’t know if they did, there was no further talk of it.”
“I need to GO right now! Kai, you have to get me to the other portal.” I’m running, where I don’t know, when I feel the wind of his wings, skidding to a halt I turn and feel his claws close around me. The closest portal is at Skar Brea, where we buried Chris. Kai’s home is just forty-five minutes away driving, Jason is already running to his car. It is an hour to the stone circle on the wings of a dragon.
Down below us, I could see Jason’s black sports car careening around corners on the road, he might beat us there if he doesn’t kill himself in a crash. Other dragons join us in the air; I see my boys clinging to their backs. The Goddesses are staying to take care of my father’s body; they will take him back to the Isle. I try calling Emma at least a hundred more times while we are in the air. No answer.
Kai whispers through my mind, stroking it, trying to ease my pain, lessen my worry. My anger at myself is raging; I’m so stupid for not realizing what she would do. I know her, no way would she hear my voice and think I didn’t want her here. After everything that has happened, she would know I needed her to be with me. She wouldn’t give one fuck about what anyone man or God said about her seeing the ritual.
Dorran’s words play on a loop in my head that he was going to steal everything from me. We land in the circle and Kai shifts back, running to catch me, as I race for the hotel. Throwing open the doors I go to the check-in counter and pound on the bell. A harried clerk comes from the back, trying to straighten her hair when she sees Kai.
“I’m looking for my friend Emma Connolly; her mother said she was coming here.” My fingers are drumming on the counter, and I feel my patience begin to fray as she SLOWLY searches her computer. “Listen, she is memorable. Petite, gorgeous red hair, bright green eyes with a thick southern accent like mine. Surely, you remember if she was here or not.”
“I’m sorry, miss, I normally don’t work the counter, the guy who normally does just up and disappeared a day ago.” An apologetic smile curved her lips as she shrugged.
“”Well?!!” Jason races in, his hair is blown, and he is clenching his hands into tight fists. At some point, my brain will wonder at his anger, but right now I’m glad for it.
“Fuck! She came here; I should have known.” I look helplessly at the two men with me. “They have her, don’t they? The Order took Emma!”
Tears begin to fall as Kai and Jason pull me outside, dragging me up the hill to the stones, it is then I realize Jason had to of gotten here through them, pulling me through they drag me running to the next portal one that will take us back to Skar Brea. The portals themselves on this side are set in a huge circle each stone taking you to place in the real world. When I say, huge think Stonehenge on steroids. We are still running as we exit on the other side, we are back to where we buried Chris. Jason’s car is sitting with its door open, the engine running.
He shrugs at my look, shaking my head I climb in back, letting them get in front. We are doing ninety as we hit the highway. My mind is doing that thing it does, creating a story, a nightmare this time. I see Emma, tied to a table and I cringe, feeling sick. Next an image of her hanging, beaten like Chris her face turning towards me, eyes begging me to save her. My breath catches in my throat, and I’m panting.
Kai looks back at me sympathy and anger etched on his face, reaching his hand over his shoulder, I grab it holding on for dear life. Jason is pounding on the steering wheel. We reach the house in record time, sliding to a stop as rocks fly. We climb out, not running now, I wrap my arms around Kai, needing his support. The boys are waiting for us on the porch.
“We managed to get a little more information, we know a helicopter had flight plans that took it to the island, and it was there for one hour before taking off and going straight to Edinburgh.”
“She’s in Edinburgh then; we can go find her, get her.” Even I can hear the desperation in my voice.
“I don’t think they will keep her there, Aislin.” It's Michael who has spoken; his eyes linger on mine and speak volumes. He imagines Emma the same as I have, he was the first in the room on the ship, and he saw in stark detail the damage done not just to me, but Chris as well. “We just infiltrated the motherhouse here in Scotland; I don’t believe they will feel safe keeping her in this country.”
“Fuck” It is Jason this time, and I can’t agree more.
“We don’t know where all the offices are yet. How are we going to find her?” Pacing I look out at the mountains; I did this, my best friend, my sister, my anam cara, is in the hands of killers, rapists, and torturers because I didn’t warn her.
“EMMA!” I scream it, it echoes back to me, and I crumble to the ground once again broken. I turn my face skyward, “Are you listening, anyone, I lost my momma, hours ago I lost the dad I just found, and now Emma. You can’t take her from me. It’s too much for you to ask of me. Help me, if you are listening, please help me find her. Keep her safe. Keep her unbroken.” Tears fall down my face. Kai’s warmth scorches my back as he moves behind me, pulling me into the circle of his body.
“We’ll find her, love. I promise. Nothing will keep her from you while I have breath in my body.”
Shifting, I wrap my arms around him, breathing in his spicy scent, clinging tightly to his confidence.
“I love you so much, babe. I can’t lose her.”
I wonder how these
moments will shape Emma.
The End
Acknowledgements
There so many people to thank. I’m sure I will forget some.
First my family, my kids who entertained themselves for hours while I locked myself away. Who already think I’m a superstar just for writing this finally.
My husband for saying, don’t go work somewhere write your book.
My very own Emma, Jennifer, who spent countless hours reading and editing with me. Soul Sister till the end.
Leiha Mann for editing this with an honest brutality just like I needed.
To Susan Garwood from Wicked Women Designs thank you not only for the amazing cover but for also pointing me in the right direction when I was clueless.
To Elizabeth for taking this mess on.
Thank you to my beta readers, for the words of encouragement that kept me writing.
Thank you Mom. For everything.
If you loved the story so far keep an eye out for Greek Fire coming in the fall. It is Emma and Jason’s story but we get to see more of Aislin and Kai. And of course my favorite druids will be along for the ride. See sneak peek below:
Chapter One
It was the silence that woke me. Growing up in New Orleans, there’s always noises. I have never heard such silence. Rolling over, I realize I have no idea where I am. All I know for sure, is I’m not in the hotel room where I fell asleep. Looking around I see I’m in a room with no windows; I don’t fail to notice the camera in the corner near the door. I see the tiny red light flashing, telling me that someone is watching me. I might not know where I am, but I know who has me, the mysterious Order that took Aislin. My heart pounds at the thought, images of what she described to me running through my head. I know she glossed over what happened to her, and I shudder thinking of what might be coming for me. Sitting up I scoot to the back corner of the room, pulling my knees to my chest. A disembodied voice comes over a hidden speaker, “I see you’re awake.” I try and fail to school my face; I know my terror is stamped upon my features. “Fear not, my girl, I can tell from the look on your beautiful face, your friend told you of her time upon the ship. The one who had her isn’t here; we are not deviants. You are merely here to draw the ones we want to us.” I raise my chin, pulling a look from my dancer’s arsenal, a look of disdain. “Please excuse me, if I don’t take your word for it, but you’ve drugged me obviously and brought me here against my will. In my book, that makes you no better than the one who had my friend.” I lace my voice with contempt. Silence greets me; I look around my, well, cell. That’s what it is a jail cell, a white cell with nothing but a bed in it. Thinking back to Aislin’s story, I’m super grateful I didn’t wake tied to a table. I’m no fool though; I realize that could happen any moment. I wonder how long I’ve been here, how long before someone realizes I’m missing.