Bound by Dreams (Cauld Ane Series)

by Tracey Jane Jackson

  “Thanks for that, love,” Connall retorted.

  Pepper giggled. “Just admit I’m a badass and we can move on.”

  Connall ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

  “Can we find out what happened, please? I’ll call my mom on the way back to the house.” Pepper turned at the sound of Cody’s scream and held her arms out as Samantha approached with the baby.

  Connall intercepted them and scooped the baby into his embrace. “I’m angry too, son,” he crooned. “This is reckless on your mummy’s part.”

  Cody stared up at his father and then located Pepper and screamed again. “He’s hungry,” Pepper said, and took him from Connall. “Let’s go home, okay? I don’t get the impression Ari wants to hurt anyone.”

  Connall raised an eyebrow.

  “Just because he can, baby, doesn’t mean he will. Can we give him a chance?”

  “What about Jonesy?” Connall countered.

  “Right. Crap,” she complained. “Distraction will only get you so far, Con.”

  He sighed. “Why don’t you take time to feed Cody, and then Sam can take him home while you and I ride.”

  “You’re willing to let him in our home without us?”

  “No,” Connall ground out.

  “I will wait for you to do what you need to do,” Ari offered.

  Pepper glanced over to where her best friend was standing with Kade. “Do you mind watching Cody for a little while?”

  Samantha smiled and clasped her hands to her heart. “Alone time with my nephew? Really and truly? Oh, Pepper, don’t tease me.”

  Pepper laughed. “Okay, I get it…you’re feeling neglected.”

  Samantha closed the distance between them. “What gave it away?”

  “Let’s head to the barn. I’ll feed him while you get Jonesy tacked up.”

  Connall nodded. “Sounds good.”

  * * *

  “Max had a run-in at Connall’s place,” Niall said, as he set his phone on the kitchen island. “Nothing we need to worry about.”

  Charlotte sighed as she pushed a plate with a sandwich on it toward him. “Did you really think that was going to work?”

  Niall frowned. “It was worth a try.”

  “Let me get this straight. The man I’ve been dreaming about since I was six shows up at the docks in time to “heal” me, and then a man who resembles him just happens to end up in Inverness on Connall Gunnach’s property? Is it the same man? If so, what did he want?”

  Niall raised his hands in surrender. “That part I don’t know. Max either couldn’t or wouldn’t tell me.”

  “Being able to read your brother’s mind would come in handy right about now.”

  “I’m not sure I’d like the trade-off.” Niall grimaced. “Because the rest of the time would be disturbing, so I’m happy it’s not something we can do.”

  “I suppose you have a point.” Charlotte wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and sat on a barstool next to Niall. “None of this makes any sense…you’re with me on that, right?”

  Niall nodded and squeezed her knee. “Aye, lass. It’s all a bit crazy.”

  “Eat your sandwich,” she instructed, setting her elbow on the island, her cheek in her palm. “Who is this man, and why the heck would he go to Inverness?” She bit her lip and then added, “You don’t have to answer with your mouth full.” He nodded and grinned, and Charlotte made her way to the refrigerator. “Actually, you can’t really answer something you don’t know, so those were somewhat rhetorical questions, I guess.” She grabbed juice from the shelf and poured them each a glass. “Does he know Connall?”

  Niall shook his head and swallowed. “No. No one knows him personally.”

  “If he’s Pepper’s father…what does he want? Does he want her in his life? Like, does he want a relationship?” She put the juice back in the fridge. “Does he really expect that she will bow at his feet and thank him for finding her? Where has he been for more than twenty-five years?” She glanced at Niall. “Is he like you…us? Is he Cauld Ane?”

  Niall shrugged. “I don’t know, love. He’s obviously not human, but he also has powers greater than any Cauld Ane I know, so I don’t know what he is.”

  Charlotte narrowed her eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “What do you mean?” He stared at his plate. “Nothing.”

  “Nye.” She crossed her arms. “I can feel you’re holding back. Tell me.”

  Niall sighed. “There is some evidence he might be Kalt Einn, but that’s only my personal suspicion, and I have nothing to back it up with, because the Kalt Einn are extinct.”

  “Kalt Einn? ‘Cold one’ loosely translated from Icelandic, but not quite right.”

  “Aye, lass.”

  She sat beside him again. “So, who are these people?”

  “Lore more than anything. Rumor has it, they were who we all came from. Back when Odin and Thor were prevalent gods in Viking life.”

  “So, did they exist, or were they just folklore?” she asked. “The Kalt Einn, not Thor and Odin.”

  He shrugged. “I was born in Scotland from Scottish parents who were born from Scottish parents. As far as my lineage is concerned, we don’t know of any direct link to the Kalt Einn. Kade and his brothers might be a different story, but right now it’s just a theory.”

  “I think we should go.”

  “Go where?”

  “To Max and Grace’s,” Charlotte said.

  Niall rubbed the nape of his neck. “Baby, I don’t want you mixed up in this.”

  “I’m already mixed up in this,” she pointed out. “This man obviously wants something, and he was willing to come to America to find me and then all the way to Inverness. Which is confusing. Why Inverness and not here?”

  “Because I’m smarter than Max,” he said with an enigmatic smile.

  “What does that mean?” she asked.

  “Our home isn’t in my name. His is. Pepper’s father…ah, whoever this person is…wouldn’t be able to find me easily. At least not with a paper trail. Max’s name, on the other hand, has always been attached to his property.”

  “What if Pepper’s father, or ‘whoever he is,’ is still looking for me and finds out I’m not there, then what’s to stop him from coming here? He seems to have an uncanny ability to find me.” She raised an eyebrow. “If we go to Max’s, we can keep him out of our private life a bit more than if he forces himself into our world here.”

  Niall took his plate to the sink and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “And if we go there and his aim is to hurt you? What then?”

  “He could have hurt me when we were at the terminal in Portland, Nye. He didn’t. In fact, he did everything he could to keep me safe, going so far as to heal me.”

  Niall grumbled something under his breath.

  “What?”

  He scowled.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” she demanded.

  “He was able to calm you,” he admitted.

  “What do you mean?”

  “When you were working with my brother to heal me, it wasn’t me who calmed you. It was him.”

  “Really?” she said. “Are you sure?”

  “Damn it, yes.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  He squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced.

  She tapped his chin. “What, Nye? Tell me.”

  “I think it’s possible he might be your father too.”

  “What?” she squeaked.

  He nodded. “I think all of this is more than coincidence, and I think there is some form of familial bond or he wouldn’t be able to calm you.”

  “Well, that’s more proof that he wouldn’t want to hurt me, wouldn’t you say?” She gave him a sympathetic smile. “It doesn’t make you less than perfect in my eyes, just to be clear.”

  “Oh, you’re hilarious.”

  She curtsied. “Thank you.”

  Niall frowned. “I still don’t like this, Charlo
tte.”

  She widened her eyes. “But we can go.”

  He sighed. “Aye, we can go.”

  “Thank you.” Charlotte smiled and slipped her arms around his neck, forcing him to relax. “Everything will be fine. You and Max will be there to make sure I’m safe. What could possibly go wrong?”

  Niall raised an eyebrow and patted her bottom. “Are you really saying that right now?”

  Charlotte giggled. “This is real life, Nye. Not a movie.”

  “Your point?”

  “My point is, what’s the worst thing that could happen?”

  “Charlotte,” he said with a groan.

  She smiled and kissed him. “Would you like some convincing?”

  He slipped her T-shirt from her body and grinned. “Yes. I think that would be a good idea.”

  Two hours later, Niall phoned his brother and let him know they’d be on the seven o’clock flight from Edinburgh to Inverness the next morning.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  NIALL KISSED CHARLOTTE awake at four…however, not particularly successfully.

  “What is this tom-foolery?” she snapped as she gently pushed his face away for the third time.

  He kissed her fingers. “We need to head to the airport in less than an hour.”

  She rolled away from him. “Five more minutes,” she grumbled.

  Niall rolled her back toward him. “You’ve said that for the last fifteen minutes.”

  “And you’re obviously not listening to me.” She yawned. “Bad husband.”

  Niall chuckled, throwing back the covers. “Come on, love. Up we go.”

  “Why are we going so early?” she complained as she sat up with her eyes still closed.

  “Because you wanted to be there before lunch time,” Niall patiently pointed out.

  She opened her eyes and wrinkled her nose. “And you have to give me everything I want, right?”

  He leaned down and kissed her quickly. “Your wish is my only desire.”

  She giggled. “Well, next time, argue with me a bit.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Charlotte slid from the mattress and headed to the bathroom. “What’s the flight plan?” she called.

  Niall leaned against the doorjamb of the bathroom and crossed his arms. “We have to stop in Belfast, but it won’t be for long.”

  She caught his eye in the mirror. “Nothing non-stop?”

  “Not without my plane.”

  “Oh,” she whispered.

  He shook his head. “You’re not still afraid, are you?”

  Charlotte bit her lip. “A lot a bit.”

  Niall wrapped his arms around her and kissed the back of her neck. “You’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

  She sighed and leaned back against him. “I feel better already.”

  He chuckled and broke contact to start the water. “Okay, quick shower, love. We have to go.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know,” she retorted, as she pinned her hair on top of her head and stepped under the water.

  * * *

  Charlotte discovered she was extremely glad to have Kirk close by as they traveled to Inverness. Niall had understated just how popular he was in Edinburgh, and they were inundated with fans, some old enough to be Charlotte’s parents, others as young as her sister.

  The women in particular had no issue shoving Charlotte out of their way to get to Niall. Kirk was quick to guide her away from the fray, speaking with one of the security guards at the gate, who graciously offered up a private room to wait. Niall finished signing a few last autographs and then followed the guard to the gate, Charlotte and Kirk bringing up the rear.

  “What are you doing flying commercial, Mr. MacMillan?” the guard asked, and closed the door of the bare room. “Don’t you have yer own plane?”

  “Aye, I do,” Niall said. “However, it’s currently with my brother.”

  “Ah.” The guard nodded. “Well, I’ll collect ye when we’re ready to board.”

  “Thank you,” Niall said, and shook his hand after posing with him for a picture.

  The rest of the trip, thankfully, wasn’t quite as eventful. Even though Niall could now calm Charlotte without touch, he kept hold of her hand until they walked off the plane and climbed into the car awaiting them, graciously sent by Max. Kirk climbed into the front seat with Bruce.

  Charlotte’s mouth dropped open several times as they drove from the airstrip to Max and Grace’s home. Inverness was stunning, with rolling hills and glorious landscape. She could imagine exploring on horseback, the terrain virtually untouched by motor vehicles. All too soon, Bruce pulled the car through wrought-iron gates and up a long road shaded by large trees.

  “These trees are unreal.”

  “These are Birnam Oaks,” Niall explained. “It’s an ancient Scottish tree. Max had them planted over a hundred years ago.”

  “They’re very spooky looking.” She smiled. “In a good way.”

  Niall chuckled. “Aye, lass, they are. Especially in the dark.”

  The whitewashed brick of a massive house appeared before them. Ivy wove its way up one side of the house, adding to the historical façade, while the cobblestone courtyard offered the perfect welcome that led to the blue seven-foot-tall, six-foot-wide double doors at the front.

  “Wow,” Charlotte said. “It looks like something out of a Jane Austen novel.”

  “Max finished the house in 1900, I think. Maybe it was 1901. But he’s made several updates to it since then, obviously.”

  “It’s a very Grace house.”

  “Is it?” Niall asked.

  Charlotte giggled. “Most definitely. She used to draw pictures of houses all the time. She’d sign her name Lady Grace Annabelle Wilson. I used to tease her mercilessly and then hide the pictures I’d drawn under my mattress.”

  “Oh, really? Why?”

  “Because I’d draw castles, and believe me, they looked like really bad stick houses. I do not have Grace’s artistic bent.”

  Niall chuckled. “How about I show you the real thing once we get this mess sorted out.”

  “A real castle?”

  He nodded.

  “Like a tour of one?”

  He shook his head. “No, like Kade and Samantha’s other home.”

  She clapped her hands. “Yes, please.”

  “You’ll love it,” he promised as the car came to a stop and Grace rushed outside, followed by Max, despite the rain.

  The driver pulled open the car door and Charlotte slid out into the waiting arms of her best friend and sister. “Hi.”

  Grace smiled. “Hi. I missed you.”

  Charlotte grinned. “It’s been all of two days.”

  “So?”

  “Yeah, yeah, I missed you too,” Charlotte admitted.

  “Come inside. I’ll show you your room and then we’ll eat.”

  “And when, exactly, will you tell me what’s going on?”

  “When we eat,” Grace said. “We’ve promised Con and Pepper we’d all be there for dinner.”

  Charlotte frowned but chose not to press Grace until lunch. She followed her up the winding staircase and to a door at the back of the house. Intricately carved wood stood before her, and when Grace pushed the door open, Charlotte couldn’t stop a gasp. “Wow, Gracie.”

  “I know,” she said. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”

  The bedroom was the size of Charlotte’s entire apartment in L.A., with plastered walls in a light yellow, almost cream, and ancient iron windows that took up an entire wall overlooking an expansive property with intricate gardens below. A large bed sat adjacent to the window wall, offering a pretty incredible back drop to wake up to.

  “You have a full-sized bathroom in here,” Grace said as she walked through one of the doors. “And the other door houses a closet and dressing room. If you need anything, you can press this button here”—she showed Charlotte an old-fashioned intercom panel—“and someone will call to find out what you need. Seriou
sly, Charlie, anything. It takes a little getting used to, but the staff is awesome.”

  “Okay,” Charlotte said distractedly as she took in her surroundings.

  “Chuck?”

  “Hmm?” Charlotte glanced at Grace from the window and smiled. “Sorry, what did you say?”

  Grace laughed. “Nothing. I’ll leave you two to get settled.”

  Charlotte saw Niall standing by the bed. “I didn’t even see you come in.”

  “I noticed,” he said good-naturedly.

  “We’ll eat in twenty minutes, sound good?” Grace asked.

  “That’ll be good, lass, thanks,” Niall said, and closed the door behind her.

  “This place is unreal.”

  Niall grinned and joined Charlotte by the window. “Aye, lass, ’tis.”

  She looped her arms around his neck. “Did you ever live here?”

  “No’ this house, no. But my childhood home still stands on the property.”

  “It does?”

  “Aye.” He slid his hands over her bottom. “It’s not really livable, but Max does his best to keep it from crumbling.”

  “He didn’t want to restore it?”

  “No.” Darkness flittered in his eyes. “The memories are unpleasant.”

  “Oh, sorry.”

  “Don’t be, love. It’s time to make new memories.” He smiled and kissed her quickly. “Do you want to visit it tomorrow?”

  “Seriously?”

  “Aye. I’d love to show you where I grew up.” He raised an eyebrow. “We could even ride over if you’re interested. Horseback, that is.”

  “Oooh, I haven’t ridden since I was a teenager. Yes, please.”

  He smiled. “Perfect. Let’s eat.”

  “Okay. I’m starving.”

  He pulled his shirt from his body. “Feast away, sweetheart.”

  She giggled. “We are expected at the table. But I’ll make you a deal. For dessert, I’ll use your body as a plate.”

  He nodded and she headed toward the door. “Are you coming?”

  “Not quite.”

  “Niall,” she said with a giggle. “I’ll take care of that later, I promise.”

  * * *

  Niall led Charlotte downstairs and into the kitchen. Max was setting the table while Grace put the finishing touches on what looked like a chicken Caesar salad.