Ghosts of Culloden Moor 14 - Liam (Diane Darcy)

by L. L. Muir

  His arm shot out to brace Amber as his heart seemed to rise to his chest. As they dipped up and down, terror rose to his throat and he just about couldn’t believe it when the roller coaster looped upside down before speeding across the track again.

  He was screaming! Both in terror, and excitement.

  The ride was fast and furious, and incredibly short.

  Trying to catch his breath he turned to see Amber grinning at him.

  “Again?”

  She laughed.

  “All right. Again.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  They were still laughing when they seated themselves on the monorail. Liam talked Amber into taking him to see the sharks, after all, and when the door slid shut on the compartment, they glided over the tracks to Mandalay Bay. It wasn’t as exciting as the roller coaster, but still fun to glide across the city.

  The monorail stopped at the Luxor to pick up more people and drop some off.

  Liam could truly get used to all this. The excitement and fun. Everyone having a good time within their own groups. As a place to settle, it wouldn’t be his first choice, but as a place to spend time? Oh, aye. He wished his brothers could see all this.

  They stepped off at Mandalay Bay and walked through yet another casino. Liam was amazed that wherever they went, everything was full of luxury, anticipation, and amusements for all.

  Of course, he was with Amber. Her mere presence kept him in a state of anticipation. He’d seen naught that was more fun that being with her. She made everything exciting and special.

  He squeezed her hand, unwilling to stop touching her, never wanting to let go.

  Had his brothers had this same opportunity? He hoped so. He hoped they’d found some joy for however short a time. His hand tightened on Amber’s.

  Even if in the end they lost everything, as no doubt he’d lose Amber.

  “What is it?”

  Liam relaxed his grip. “’Tis nothing, sweetling. Simply a passing thought.”

  He rubbed the ring he placed on her finger earlier and, once more, wished she truly could be his. Forever.

  He was glad he’d given it to her. Perhaps she would remember him with fondness in the years to come. Mayhap they might be reunited one day, and she’d remember him, and still feel a tenderness toward him.

  He’d never forget her.

  He rolled his shoulders, trying to rid himself of mawkishness. Did he mean to waste the time he did have with Amber by worrying about the time he would not?

  When they arrived at the ticket counter he was glad for the distraction. They were quickly ushered up a moving staircase to get photos taken and then they were inside. A prickle of excitement raced through Liam. “Ye never told me how Jaws came to live here?”

  Her lips quirked. “You’re serious, aren’t you. Jaws isn’t here.”

  Disappointment had his mouth parting. “Ye mean to say there are not sharks here?”

  Her eyes narrowed at him. “You know, Liam. Sometimes I just don’t know if you’re joking or not.”

  “I do like to jest, but I wasnae just now.”

  “Jaws doesn’t live here. He’s too busy jumping out at people at Universal Studios. But yes, there are definitely sharks here. Does that answer your question?”

  “Oh, aye. I thought perhaps ye were teasing me and we wouldnae see a shark.”

  “We’ll see sharks.”

  And then it was their turn to climb the moving staircase. At the top near big columns and stone walls they stood to have their picture taken before moving on. They wandered past more stone walls and around a corner to see pools of water, until they came to the dragon lying on a rock. It looked more like an overgrown lizard than a dragon. A coiled snake was next, then some fish, but Liam was anxious for the sharks. They moved past people, ignoring the next few exhibits.

  Amber put her hand on his arm. “Oh, look! Piranhas!”

  “Where!”

  They made their way to the front and looked down into murky water. Squatting down they could see the flat fish floating harmlessly at the side of the tank. Liam glared at Amber. “Those dinnae look nearly as fearsome as ye’d described.”

  “Oh, yeah? Stick your hand in the water then.”

  He looked at the fish, still and staring, and the hair rose on his neck. He shook his head. “The water looks nasty else I would.”

  “Uh, huh.”

  Lips curling in disgust Liam moved on. He was starting to think Amber might be teasing him somehow, but did not ken how. They rounded another corner to see sharks swimming in the water and rounding a large rock. His eyes narrowed once more. “They’re small. Their mouths dinnae look big enough to eat a man. They’re nothing like Jaws.”

  She shrugged. “They’re babies. Let’s see if we can find some bigger ones.”

  They rounded another corner and came to a tunnel made of glass. Fish swam on every side he cared to look. Small sharks, as well. The noises of the other tourists echoed in the enclosed space. “All this is inside the ocean?”

  Amber nodded. “Pretty impressive, isn’t it.”

  “Aye. It is. It was impressive, he couldn’t deny it. But it certainly wasn’t the scare he’d expected.

  In the next room they encountered what a guide told them were sting rays gliding over a sandy bottom. They were encouraged to touch the beasts and Liam bent down to run fingers over an animal.

  It felt like leather.

  A rounded tank filled with jellyfish was next, glowing pink and blue. They were most disturbing to look upon. Another reason to stay out of the ocean.

  “Come on, there’s another shark tank.”

  They went into the next room and the tank in front of them was filled with sharks. Again, not very big or frightening. Most were small. Some swam, some lay on the sandy bottom, and the fish in the tank remained unbothered.

  When he moved to the next tank, a man floated in the water wearing some sort of contraption. Liam could see bubbles floating above him. “Is that a scuba diver?”

  “Yep. Are you wanting to try it?”

  Hardly. The man remained unmolested and Liam was truly starting to believe that Amber had tricked him into a fear of sharks. They paid the man no attention at all.

  Amber pointed to another glass tunnel. “That looks like the biggest shark.”

  Liam wandered into the tunnel to study the beast. It was big compared to the others, with sharp teeth, cold eyes, and leathery skin. But nowhere as big and intimidating as Jaws. Still, he’d not want to get in the tank with it, but it didn’t bother the diver, so again, not so alarming.

  He sighed.

  “You seem disappointed.”

  Liam shrugged. “I suppose I expected more. The sharks were small for the most part, and unaggressive.”

  “Not every shark can be Jaws. They all bite though. Does that make you feel better?”

  “They’ve taken swimmers before, ye say?”

  “Not very many, but every year someone gets bitten or killed.”

  “Dinnae worry, I’ll keep ye safe.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m not exactly worried. I do live in Nevada. Also, since Jaws is a fake mechanical shark made of rubber, I’m not as afraid of it as some people I know.”

  “What?”

  She started to back away toward the stairs. “It’s a fake shark in the movie.” She giggled. “It’s not real. Everyone knows that.”

  Liam stalked toward her and she laughed, swung around, and ran up the stairs.

  He was right behind her, taking the stairs two at a time.

  She ran through the store at the top, and out into the hotel beyond. He caught her easily, swung her around and pulled her into his arms.

  He frowned as she shrieked with laughter. It was hard to control his own mirth, but he kept the frown firmly in place.

  “So yer telling me that ye’ve been teasing me, scarin’ me, all to giggle behind my back?”

  She threw back her head and laughed as his fingers gently dug into her
ribs. “There is no such thing as a shark that big. Everyone knows that too!”

  He tickled her some more. “So this was how ye got me into yer bed last night, aye? Do ye regularly go about frightening poor Scottish lads out of their wits?” He tickled her again.

  She laughed, hysterical now. “Stop! Please, stop! No more!”

  He stopped. “I’ll be havin’ that apology now, won’t I?”

  She clutched him, weak now with only the occasional giggle. She looked beautiful, lying back in his arms, happy and smiling.

  She reached up to tuck his hair behind his ear. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Liam. I thought you were teasing me at first about not knowing about sharks so I was teasing you back. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “Hmm.” He straightened, hauling her upright. “The apology was fine enough, but the merry look in your eyes betrays you.”

  She chuckled. “I didn’t say I didn’t enjoy it.”

  He smiled, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and headed toward an exit. “All right. All is forgiven. But I claim the right to repay ye in kind.”

  She giggled. “Bring it.”

  They walked out of the building and back onto The Strip. “What would ye care to do now, lass?”

  “We could go back to the room.”

  Liam didn’t think that was such a good idea. He wasn’t sure he could keep his hands off her and thought perhaps it was better if they continued to walk around. “What else is there to see?”

  “We could go down to Fremont Street. We could video some artists for Roger. He likes to keep track of those things, and I think you’d like all of the—”

  Something shocked Liam in the back, and pain radiated throughout the area as his body arched in pain, and confusion. Weakness dropped him to his knees.

  Weakened, he turned to see the men he’d defeated earlier.

  Amber screamed and he reached for her, needing to protect her.

  They shoved him down, grabbed Amber, and when she resisted, shocked her as well. They stuffed her inside the car.

  They turned to sneer at him, but he was already moving, slower than usual, but he was almost upon them.

  One man squawked.

  The other said, “The big SOB recovered fast. They jumped in the car and accelerated before the doors were even closed.

  Hate and fear rushed through him and, fists clenched, he ran faster than he ever had in life.

  The car pulled farther and farther away and he finally slowed to a walk, feeling impotent.

  He’d lost her.

  He had no idea how to find her.

  Only now, too late, he understood he should have killed them.

  ~~~

  Amber fought, kicked, scratched, and tried to bite. What did you do to him! Did you hurt him! I’ll kill you!”

  “Stop it! Or it will be all the worse for you.”

  The driver laughed as he watched her struggle in the rear-view mirror. “Is that little girl too much for the two of you to handle?”

  Screaming, trying to kick, she wrestled with the two men on either side of her as they tied her with duct tape at wrist and ankles.

  She screamed louder and more duct tape was roughly plastered over her mouth. “Shut up.”

  Amber tried to calm as she sucked in air through her nose. She felt like she was strangling, choking, and she tried not to cry in case her nose clogged and she suffocated. Panic dug sharp claws into her as she forced herself to relax and focus on breathing. Using her shoulder, then the back of her tied hands, she tried to remove the duct tape from her mouth.

  One of the men wrenched her hands back onto her lap. “Knock it off.”

  “Who are you? Why are you doing this? Where are you taking me?”

  “She sounds like a mummy.” One of the men made muffled noises and all three laughed.

  She jammed her shoulder into Mr. smart mouth, and was elbowed hard for her efforts. “Calm down!”

  She didn’t calm. She fought harder than ever, bashing her shoulders into both men on either side of her.

  “Just use the Taser on her again.”

  “I don’t want her peeing in the car.” The man to her left leaned his face close to hers. “If she doesn’t knock it off!” He yelled the last three words. “I’m going to punch her in the side of the head.”

  She considered bashing her head to his, but knew she wouldn’t escape anyway, and that he’d quickly get his revenge and hurt her worse.

  Exhausted, wanting to conserve her strength for whatever ordeal lay ahead, the last thing she needed was to be incapacitated when she arrived at her destination.

  Whereever that was.

  ~~~

  Liam put his hands on his head and turned in a circle, feeling sick, powerless.

  How did he find her?

  Would they hurt her?

  He had to get her back!

  He couldn’t bear it if anything happened to her. His one task, his one job had been to keep her safe and he’d failed!

  He looked up at the sky. “Soni! I need ye, lass.”

  She’d surely be as disappointed in him as he was in himself. But that didn’t signify now. He needed help. He’d lost Amber. Released her hand. Shame washed through him in a wave. “Soni!”

  She was nowhere to be found. He cursed the noise of the city. The people staring at him. Himself.

  Mayhap Roger could help, or her father?

  He scrambled to open his sporran and dig out his phone.

  Amber’s mobile was in there as well.

  He grabbed his phone, pushed the button, found Roger’s name, and called him.

  Roger answered on the second ring. “Liam? Why are you calling? Seriously, dude. It’s our wedding night, remember?”

  “Amber’s been taken. Stolen away. I dinnae know how to find her.”

  “Are we talking aliens?”

  “Men in black suits. They tried to take us after yer wedding as well. I should have killed them.”

  Roger sighed. “Believe me, without proper equipment, they aren’t easy to kill. Okay. Where are you?”

  “Mandalay Bay.”

  “All right. I know how to find her. Jump in a taxi, and come to the Sahara. Call me when you get close and we’ll be waiting outside.”

  Liam hailed a cab the moment he hung up. “Take me to the Sahara, and quickly, man.”

  “Will do.” The young man merged into traffic.

  “Faster.” He threw a paper bill over the seat. “There’s more money in it for ye if I get there quickly.”

  “You’re the boss.” The driver swung down a side road.

  Liam decided to call her father next. He was, after all, working for DeLuca, and suspected she’d been taken by the man’s enemies.

  Regardless of DeLuca’s certain wrath, he’d take all the help he could get.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  He’d alerted Amber’s father. The man screamed abuse, accused Liam of all sorts of vile deeds, and hung up on him.

  Liam picked up Roger and Velma outside the Sahara and Roger instructed the driver to take them to the trailer park. They urged him to ever greater speeds and, when they arrived, paid him handsomely for his efforts.

  Liam ran to Amber’s for his weapons, and Roger to get his computer. Velma sprinted, more agile on high heels than Liam could have imagined.

  Liam changed into his kilt and boots, strapped on his knives, and found Amber’s gun. He was ready for battle.

  He hurried to find Roger, who was also compiling an arsenal of sorts. The big squirt gun, two smaller ones, bottles filled with liquid.

  “Did ye find her?”

  Roger looked at him, his gaze man-to-man. “Of course I did. And I have my friend Jensen monitoring her. We’ll know if they find her tracking device.”

  “Tracking device?”

  “I put one in her necklace, remember?”

  As long as they found her, Liam didn’t need to know the specifics. Sometimes Roger seemed impractical and silly. But he was obvio
usly a man to be counted on.

  They went out to Roger’s car, stowed their weapons, and climbed inside.

  Velma, having helped Roger with the weapons, threw her arms around him and gave him a kiss. “Be safe. Come back to me.”

  Roger held her tight for a moment before letting her go. His jaw tight, he pulled away. “Don’t worry, I’ve been training for this for years. We’re going to bring her back. Have something warm to eat, blankets, and plenty of Gatorade. She’ll probably need a hot bath as well.”

  Velma nodded, her expression determined. “I’ll be ready.”

  Liam checked his knives.

  Roger, his computer open beside him, glanced at a picture with a flashing dot. “I hate to be practical, but we’ll have to stop for gas.”

  Liam nodded, not bothering to hide his impatience as they pulled out of the trailer park.

  They’d find her. He had to believe that.

  ~~~

  After gassing the car, Roger drove them to an area where the homes gradually grew bigger and bigger until they all resembled small castles without ramparts, towers, or turrets.

  Liam stayed on alert as Roger continue to glance at his computer until he pulled over, stopped the car, and turned it off. “I believe she’s up ahead.”

  Just then, a man in a black suit crossed the driveway, his eyes alert and searching.

  Liam didn’t recognize the rogue, but he didn’t need to. He looked just like the other villains who’d taken Amber.

  “How are we to get in?”

  “Ye are to stay here.”

  “I’m not staying here. Amber is a good friend of mine. No way am I leaving her to be studied and probed. The only thing is, I have no doubt they have advanced technology, so we’re going to have to be careful to get the drop on them.” He looked around at the homes and cynicism crossed his face. “I should have known they lived in this area. Why have I been looking in the desert? That’s probably where they landed years ago, but why wouldn’t I consider the fact that they’d be living among the elite, the wealthy? It’s so obvious now. Stupid, stupid. I need to think.”

  Liam was already getting out of the car.

  “Wait, man. What are you going to do?”

  “My life, for hers.”

  Roger stared as Liam opened the back door and collected his weapons. “I know I’m the one who married today, but that’s just romantic, dude.”