Celtic Evil: A Fitzgerald Brother Novel: Roarke Read online

  Now he watched as his mother sat on the swing, dressed in a soft lilac dress that she had adored with her long blond hair hanging loose down her back, she smiled at her eldest son.

  “You did your best to protect them, my darling boy,” her words were in his head, as he looked deep to be sure if this was real or another trick. “Don’t doubt that your father and I know how you tried but now is the time to bring back what she helped to tear apart.”

  Brenna lifted a hand as he had seen her do so often to brush a cheek or stroke a flower but now it was like a stirring of the air. “Kerry, you were always the strong one. The one Toryn and I never worried about, and I know you will carry on and defeat this evil when it’s your time.

  “Mac, you were always my little mediator who tried to help maintain the peace as much as you caused your own fights,” her eyes shifted to her second born with a smile. “Your place has never been questioned but you must learn to accept help and know that others will help carry this burden if only you let her.

  “Ryan, now you my lad were a mother’s stroke waiting to happen,” her soft laugh was musical but it was only now that her sons were starting to focus on what their brother was seeing. “You have your Da’s temper as well as his looks, but both of our stubborn streaks. Your temper will serve you well with the dangers ahead, but you need to let go of your pain and start to forgive. Forgive yourself and your brother.

  “Ian. My sweet little boy, you were our last, and I feared for you the least as you have so much potential and strength of will. All of that will be needed to help your brothers through this.”

  Brenna’s eyes went back to Kerry and he read the sadness. “I can’t reach your brother since Roarke still carries so much pain, guilt and shame inside him for what happened, Kerry. He needs to let it go and heal. The lass can help so much but he needs you and brothers.”

  “I know, Mum,” he sighed, frowning when he saw her eyes flash and he felt the pain in his head as he had once before.

  “No, Roarke needs you now,” Brenna’s tone was firm as she began to fade. “Focus, my sons. Focus past the walls she put up to block you from one another.”

  As the vision seemed to fade, Ryan blinked a few times. “That real?” he asked in a strained tone, refusing to show how much that had hurt since he hadn’t actually pictured his mother in some time.

  “I heard her in my head,” Ian whispered, wincing as he felt the pain build and heard something.

  “I think we all did,” Mac sighed then blinked as he heard something else. “Kerry?”

  Kerry had heard the voice and felt the building terror. “It’s Roarke,” he turned quickly. “Something’s wrong. He’s afraid.”

  “There are some really big dogs near the stables,” Ian could see that by just focusing slightly, then pulled back as the power jumped at him. “He and Jessica are in trouble. What are they?”

  Looking for himself as he was now picking up the frantic call more easily, Kerry felt his blood running cold. “They’re demon dogs of the Abyss. They’re Sebastian’s pets. They’re what attacked him on the island.”

  “Shit!” Ryan hissed, stepping away from them. “I thought this place was protected.”

  “It’s always been,” Kerry was quiet as he thought how this happened. “He’s not strong enough to face this alone, much less against two of them.”

  Ryan cursed soundly, whirling as he jerked off his jacket to allow him access to better movement. “Get to the stables!” he snapped, making an instant choice. “I’ll meet you there.”

  “How do you…” Mac started to ask when his brother waved a hand and cast a spell only he and Kerry could do easily. “I hate when he teleports,” he muttered, breaking into a run.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Seeing the jumping beast from the corner of his eye, Roarke Fitzgerald waited until the last possible second to twist out of the way, but still felt the hot snarl pass him.

  “Jessica!” he had used the biggest portion of his remaining power to deflect the second beast who had been about to attack his friend.

  The wind had deflected it but she had still fallen under a brief contact and had yet to move.

  Chancing a quick look, he could tell she was breathing but bleeding from where her head had struck the path.

  “Shit!” Roarke swore to himself, figuring he could handle one of these things if he kept his head and didn’t panic but knew he didn’t have the power to handle two and protect himself along with Jessica.

  Making the only choice that he could, Roarke quickly diverted his most strength to shield his friend from any attacks since he knew that even one of the things could tear her apart within seconds.

  “It’s me you want, you bloody demons!” he snapped, speaking directly to the large beasts. “You wanted me fifteen years ago. Well here I am, so take me!”

  Throwing a hand out, blue energy shot from his fingers to strike both creatures but at his current levels, it was more of a taunt to get them to face him than to actually hurt them.

  The first beast, the large of the two, seemed to snarl as it began to circle but the smaller one was still eyeing Jessica Hadley’s prone form.

  “Leave her be, damn it.” Roarke shifted to watch the first beast but saw the other was preparing to launch itself at the girl. “No!” he started to focus all his strength when the growls close by made him look, and for an instant, he was eleven years old again.

  Knowing its companion creature had the boy’s attention, the largest one had circled around until it found the perfect spot, then took its shot.

  Jumping with a lunge and snarl, its massive teeth snapping, it jumped at Roarke, who only had a split second to act.

  Whirling to barely avoid getting those jaws in the neck, Roarke still felt the sharp burning pain as teeth tore into his shoulder and back. Both he and the creature rolled to the ground with him bearing the full weight as his arms struggled to keep the beast from ripping his throat out.

  He could feel the claws digging into his arms and chest as he fought to shove it off him even as his mind, assaulted with images of his past of his parents dying, and then seeing the second beast nearing closer to his friend.

  Sudden burning pain was too intense to prevent the scream as long claws dug deep into soft flesh as his shield around the girl faltered with his own dwindling strength.

  “Leave…her…be,” he gritted, feeling his arms started to lose strength as those snapping jaws were close to his face, but he didn’t fear his own death, but that of failing to protect his friend.

  Feeling the beast finally escape his grasp and knowing this was it, Roarke’s last thought was of Jessica and his brothers when suddenly the beast jerked and screamed as if in agony and then the weight was off the young Irishman.

  Gasping as air was finally able to get back into his straining lungs, Roarke barely saw the bright blue energy that struck the beast as it went to lunge at him again.

  “Get the hell away from him, bastard,” Ryan’s voice had no accent, just anger and power.

  Teleporting was something he only did on rare occasions since it could leave him too weak, but knowing the risk to his brother was greater than the one to him, he used the spell in order to get to the scene more quickly.

  Arriving, he had taken in the scene quickly and judged which threat was greater.

  Jessica was unconscious and bleeding slightly and being stalked by a smaller creature, but he could tell that his brothers would be there in seconds to deal with that.

  Ryan’s eyes went to pure black as his anger took over upon seeing the large beast on top of his younger brother and feeling what he did.

  Reacting on that anger, he grabbed the beast both with a wave of energy and with his hands and pulled it back and away. Lashing out with blue energy, it started to lunge again.

  “I said, get the hell away from my brother.” He looked at the beast and felt the evil coming from it. “You couldn’t have him then and you won’t have him now.”

  Th
e beast seemed to be looking at Ryan curiously, then it raised its head and with a howl, launched itself right at him.

  “Stupid,” Ryan sneered, letting his powers flow and meet the beast fully and as it rolled back in screeching yelps, it slowly began to dissolve into a thick black slime on the spot where it landed. “Yeah, the gardener won’t bloody well care for that.”

  Another growl had him turning to deal with the remaining creature, but a sharp bolt of red flame struck it as it was going to attack the helpless girl.

  “It’s about damn time,” Ryan muttered then whirled to check on his brother. “Damn it.”

  A quick look didn’t make Ryan very happy as he gently laid a hand on Roarke’s pale face.

  He didn’t study well but had listened to his father’s stories of the ancient creatures and demons, so he knew for good and well what a serious wound from one of those creatures could do.

  “Damn it, brat, open your eyes!” he snapped, not liking the shallow breathing or paleness of his brother and seriously not liking when he moved him a little and saw the torn shirt and skin on his back and shoulder where both claws and teeth had struck. “Roarke? Look at me.”

  Seeing the blood and marks, Ryan swore bitterly and was about to see where Mac was when his brother’s body suddenly convulsed a few times before struggling to sit up.

  “Whoa there, bucko, you ain’t going anywhere yet.” Ryan easily restrained his brother but sensed his fear and agony. “Brat, lie still until Mac or Kerry gets over here,” he urged.

  Roarke’s mind and body were fighting the agony he was in from the wounds he’d gotten, but his biggest concern wasn’t himself. “No.” he struggled to move but found that even that tiny effort made it worse. “Jessica…Ry, she…”

  Not wanting to move him anymore than was needed, Ryan kept his touch light as he moved enough that Roarke could see. “Ian and Mac are handling Fido, brat,” he replied easily, needing to keep his tone even because he didn’t want his brother to see how worried he was getting. “Mac, quit playing with the puppy and c’mere.”

  “Puppy my ass,” Mac muttered under his breath, cursing soundly that he’d gotten out of actively practicing his more strenuous powers.

  Upon arriving, Mac’s experience kept him from hesitating, but it was easy to see which one needed their attention.

  Shooting red flame, Mac’s attack had just diverted the thing’s attention from Jessica so Ian could get into a better place to defend the girl while his older brother handled the now snarling beast.

  “Where’d Kerry go?” he asked after kneeling next to Jessica and checking for wounds, seeing her head bleeding from striking cobblestone, and the one bite on her arm that was bleeding black.

  “He said to get something,” Mac tossed back, leaning away as the creature lunged for him. “Ryan, keep him from going into shock!” he yelled over, feeling his brother’s wounds from there.

  Ryan rolled his eyes. “Too late for that I’m afraid, brother,” he muttered, sitting next to his trembling brother who was still trying to get to his friend. “Ian’s with her, brat. Stay still,” he urged, frowning as Roarke went still.

  “Ah, bloody hell,” Mac hissed, feeling Roarke’s pain to Ryan’s growing unease.

  This distraction had allowed the creature to shift quickly and snap at his leg but before it connected, light reflected off metal as a sword stabbed through the creature’s head.

  “Be gone, foul demon of the netherworld.” Kerry twisted the sword that had been his father’s into the beast’s head as it let out a long howl before dissolving into another pile of black slime.

  Mac blinked at the sword, which he had never seen used, then hurried to where Ryan was sitting, his fingers unknowingly going through their younger brother’s hair in a calming motion.

  “It got him on the back and shoulder and looks like his arms have been clawed pretty badly.” Ryan didn’t look up as Mac knelt down. “How’s Jess?”

  “Minor bite, but anything with these things is bad,” Mac frowned deeply as he first looked at the scratches on Roarke’s arms.

  These he wasn’t too concerned with; it was when he gently rolled the boy toward him that his concern tripled. The gashes or bites on his shoulders and back were deep and nasty looking.

  “Roarke, are you with us?” Mac spoke gently, lightly touching his brother and feeling the fever.

  “Will he be alright?” Ryan asked, honestly surprised that it mattered to him this much. “Mac?”

  His brother was silent for a long time. “I don’t know,” he admitted slowly, looking up as Kerry came closer. “We need to get him back to the house, and hope I can counter this.”

  Kerry nodded, looking to see that Ian had picked Jessica up already. “How fast can you run?” he asked, recalling something he’d seen in a letter from Ian’s foster family.

  “According to the coach, I was the fastest sprinter in high school,” the boy replied, catching on as he eased Jessica off into Kerry’s arms. “Who do I tell what?”

  “Find Deirdre, tell her to prepare Roarke’s room with the fireplace, plenty of water and clean towels and our father’s satchel,” he explained, thinking. “Tell Cam to find Peter ‘cause Jessica’s hurt, but either he or their mystic should be able to help her.”

  Nodding, Ian took off quickly for the house to do as his eldest brother instructed.

  “Can we move him?” Kerry asked, not liking the look of the wounds or the lingering black slime on his lawn.

  “We don’t have a choice,” Mac returned, standing to reach down for his brother and frowned as an arm blocked his hand. “Ryan.”

  Ryan feared moving his brother would cause him more pain but knew Mac was right. “I have him,” he spoke evenly, not seeming to have any trouble lifting his younger brother. “Let’s go.”

  Kerry hesitated before following as he looked at the blackened lawn, waving a hand and dispelling the leftover darkness; fearing the reasons his land could have been breached and hoping he could make it right again.

  “Calm down, boyo. Take a breath,” Maggie was trying to slow Ian down as he rapidly sought to explain what had happened. “Sit down and… bloody hell!”

  The petite redhead whirled as the back door slammed open, bombarded with both emotion and sounds as Cameron Young quickly took his employer from Kerry.

  “Ryan, don’t snap at anyone,” Mac was rolling his eyes as he followed his brother. It was good that he was close because both brothers nearly went down when Roarke suddenly began convulsing again.

  Grabbing quickly before Ryan lost his grip, Mac knew this was going south fast. “No time for his room. Lay him on the floor in the office,” he ordered, seeing Maggie’s concern. “He’s bad.”

  “What do ye need?” she asked, knowing that Deirdre was preparing in the wrong room.

  “Get the water and towels from Deirdre and have her tell Ian where she put the satchel our father used,” Mac replied, frowning as Kerry entered. “Those things should not have been able to cross the border.”

  Kerry understood that but before he could say what he suspected, they were all interrupted a low vibration.

  “Was that an earthquake?” Maggie blinked feeling Mac’s hand on her arm.

  “No, that’s Roarke’s powers,” Kerry murmured even as Ryan shouted for them.

  Mac had picked the office for this since it had the most floor space, and he was hoping it still had some energy left from his father.

  Right then as Maggie and Ian went to get the various things required, and Mac and Kerry entered the room, it wasn’t clear if they weren’t already too late.

  “I swear, if he makes me bleed one more time this week alone, I’m hurting the brat,” Ryan was scowling as he fought to keep his injured brother from doing himself more damage as his body convulsed.

  “Get his damn shirt off,” Mac ordered, having no time to set up, as he would have liked. “Whatever infection these wounds have caused is killing him, just like Sebastian wanted.”

/>   Kerry was moving to open the windows that surrounded the room to give them fresh air. “I’m not sure Sebastian sent them this time,” he sighed, turning when he heard the awful sound of his brother trying to breathe and be sick at the same time.

  “I’ll ask when I can afford to split my attention,” Mac scowled even as he was literally moving Ryan aside. “I can’t cope with him and your temper. So check it or leave.”

  This order came as Ryan began swearing in their native language after removing their brother’s torn, bloody t-shirt and for the first time saw fully the massive amount of scars and other injuries he had gathered since childhood on his back, chest and arms.

  Mac’s hands shook despite his best efforts to keep them still as Maggie came in with towels and a bowl of water while Ian had a worn leather satchel.

  “Kerry, talk to him and see what’s in the bag,” he instructed, feeling the depths of the pain his brother was feeling. “Ry, getta grip and light the fireplace because we need heat. Ian, I need you to help Ryan hold him still because this will hurt.”

  Maggie laid the towels down but didn’t move away from Mac as she knelt beside him, a feeling in her heart telling her to stay.

  “Will this hurt you?” she asked, seeing him frown but understanding that he’d do this anyway even if it did hurt him.

  As the pain increased, Roarke’s powers were trying to protect him and the threats his fevered mind perceived, but he was too weak to do anything but cause the low vibrations that were often an aftereffect of his abilities.

  “Sshh, quiet” Maggie shushed gently, knowing she should leave, but the voice in her thoughts was still speaking.

  Kerry knelt by Roarke’s head, careful to keep his hand on the top of his head while he spoke quietly to him.

  “Just remind me to hurt someone when this is over,” Ryan complained, doing one thing before doing what Mac told him to, and that was to light candles around the room in a certain pattern. “Alright, brat, listen up. I got more to do than deal with you, so let’s heal you up and get things moving.”