Celtic Evil: A Fitzgerald Brother Novel: Roarke Page 16

  Roarke didn’t want her knowing about the injuries he had suffered so he tried to get her off the subject. “I’m sorry you were hurt, luv.”

  “I’m fine,” she yawned, still feeling tired but wanting to stay awake. “Are you okay?”

  Considering that for a long moment, Roarke finally smiled and nodded. “Yeah, a stor, I’m better than I have been in a long while,” he admitted, holding her hand loosely in his as he gently leaned over to kiss her cheek.

  “Roarke, can I ask you something?” she asked quietly, looking down at their meshed fingers.

  Feeling her nervousness, he nodded but kept her hand in his. “What, luv?” he asked, suspecting what it was.

  “Did I dream it?” she avoided his eyes at this question, afraid that her previous injuries had caused the hallucination before the attack.

  Knowing what that meant, Roarke smiled and gently cupped her chin so their eyes met. “Did you dream the attack or did you dream when I told you that I loved you?” seeing her eyes start and feeling her pulse jump in his hand. “You didn’t dream the beasts I’m afraid, but more importantly you didn’t dream the other either.”

  Being careful of her arm and head, he leaned in closer and this time his gentle kiss met her lips, deepening it carefully only when he felt it was safe to take her fully in his arms.

  The candles in the room flickered with sparks as more sparks shimmered from the couple in the room as desire flamed, but Roarke knew to use caution since, while he had his own issues, his friend was even more uneasy at times with physical contact.

  “I love you, Jessica,” he whispered against her mouth, shifting so he was sitting beside her on the bed and bringing her against his chest. “I may not show it as much as I should at times but I never want you to doubt that, luv.”

  Jessica stayed quiet as she let her head lay on his chest. “I love you too, Roarke,” she murmured, feeling her eyes close. “Stay, please.”

  “I’ll be with you, a gra,” he promised, listening to her breathing even off as she fell back to sleep. “You’ll be safe.”

  A soft knock made him move a hand slightly on instinct to protect but stopped at the mental sound from the other side. “Come in.”

  “Is she back to sleep?” Kerry asked upon entering, not saying how he knew their friend had been awake, and his brother didn’t ask. It was one thing Kerry would know.

  “Yeah, she’s relaxed.” Roarke looked down with a small grin as he let his fingers slide through her hair. “Once she gets some sleep, she’ll be fine.”

  Kerry brought a chair closer to the bed so he could watch his brother, seeing how tired his face was. “I know you’re tired, Roarke but if we want to get this sorted out, it’s time to finally settle some things.”

  “I don’t remember everything from that day, Kerry,” his brother was quiet and clearly hesitant.

  “We’ll deal with that,” Kerry assured him, pausing as he took something from his pocket. “This belongs to you.”

  Looking up in sudden surprise, Roarke’s eyes landed on the black obsidian stone that had been cleansed and also cleaned until it shined, and even the chain it was on had been replaced.

  Startled, he stared at it then up at his brother; the questions whirling unasked in his eyes and mind.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Kerry replied, seeing those questions as he placed the lucky stone on the nightstand and stopped at the door. “When you think she’ll sleep alright, come to the living room, please?”

  After his brother left the bedroom, Roarke looked at the stone for the longest time before reaching for it.

  He recalled his father giving him the stone for his sixth birthday, and that had been so special since Toryn had always been careful not to show more attention to one son than another yet on that day he did.

  There was a brief stab of pain as he remembered this and as he recalled the day this stone was taken from him.

  Hesitant to touch it because of what it could bring back, Roarke finally lifted the smooth stone into his hand but only felt his father in it and also felt the immense power of his baby brother who had cleansed it.

  Placing the chain back around his neck, he felt it warm against his skin as he actually felt his father close. “I won’t let you down again, Da,” he whispered, easing Jessica down on the pillows and reached for the quilt before laying a soft kiss over her cheek. “Sleep now, my love. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Don’t you sleep more than an hour?” Maggie Cavanaugh was demanding after she went to check on Patrick ‘Mac’ Fitzgerald.

  Mac was just finishing dressing when the little red headed whirlwind entered his room. “Don’t you knock?” he countered, trying to sense out to see what was going on, but all he was picking up was Maggie’s irritation.

  “I spent the past few hours wondering if you were comatose and learning that your innocent baby brother has a wicked weak spot for junk food of any kind. Ryan’s been the even minded one because your big brother took himself off somewhere and all I could get out of Ian was that at least he didn’t fry the woman,” she rambled while pacing his room. Taking the time to figure that out, Mac finally picked out the important parts as he put his watch back on and ran a careless hand through his short hair.

  “Each of us has different ways to recharge after using our powers for extended periods or at certain levels,” he told her, leaning on his dresser to watch the woman. “Kerry usually broods or meditates, Ryan always, even as a lad, played cards or something, Roarke will sleep or withdraw into himself and I sleep. Ian clearly goes for food.”

  “Don’t you guys have anything in common?” Maggie asked, still pacing when suddenly a hand snagged her arm and she found herself off balance and then in Mac’s arms. “Well hello to you too, Doc.”

  Figuring he could blame still being tired and weak on this move, Mac laughed that nothing seemed to faze this woman, as she seemed to fit in his arms perfectly. “Y’ know, any smart woman would have run screaming from this mess, Mary Margaret.”

  Usually having anyone call her by her given name made her mad but when Mac used it, she really didn’t seem to mind. Nor did she mind when he held her.

  “Let’s just say I’m not one to leave an assignment unfinished, and you still owe me an interview,” she countered, loosely wrapping her arms around his neck and looking up at him with sparkling green eyes. “Ian’s about to knock, you know.”

  “I know,” Mac muttered but instead of letting go he moved quickly to kiss her, but was surprised when Maggie met his kiss fully and deeply before the knock was heard.

  Maggie broke this kiss, muttering about little brothers and frogs. “Come in, Ian.”

  “How’d you know it was…?” Ian started to ask but something about the mood in the room made him stop and look. “Ah, yeah, Kerry wants you in the living room, Mac,” he explained, backing out of the room. “I need to go pay Ryan twenty-five pounds since he bet me Miss Cavanaugh would be in here.”

  “Get yourself out of here, boyo!” Maggie snapped, swearing she was going to hurt that black haired devil the minute she got the chance. “I hate your brother.”

  Smiling down at her, Mac was surprised at what he was feeling as he gently pushed a stray strand of unruly red hair behind her ear. “I’ve had those feelings since our Mum had him,” he admitted, opening the door for her. “Let’s go down.”

  “I’m sure this is just for you and your brothers,” Maggie told him, not reacting when he reached for her hand.

  “I don’t know why, but I think you should be there too,” he shrugged, not sure he wanted to open himself up this way. “You have some connection to this, Maggie and you need to hear it all.”

  Remembering the woman in her dreams as of late, Maggie slowly nodded. “Alright, we’ll see what happens.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Deirdre O’Connor sat a tray with various drinks and snacks on the coffee table before going to start dinner, knowing what was said in that room, a simple housekeeper didn’t have
a need to know.

  “See, didn’t I tell you that perky little reporter would be up with big brother Mac?” Ryan was nudging Ian’s arm as the boy was counting out the wager. “You need to pay more attention to me, lad.”

  As Ian was muttering under his breath, Roarke turned on the couch to watch. “House rule used to say something about not conning younger brothers, Ry, and since it’s pretty clear the sparks between Mac and the reporter, you suckered Ian so he doesn’t have to pay up.”

  “You’re still a tattletale,” Ryan stuck his tongue out at his younger brother but was glad to see him more at peace with himself and them.

  “Never bet with Ryan, Ian,” Roarke told his younger brother, smirking at the older man. “He cheats.”

  Kerry watched this scene from the reflection in the French doors of the living room; relaxing at the sounds of his brothers bickering as they had when things had been normal.

  “Ry, you better duck because Maggie wants blood,” Mac announced as he entered the room a brief step ahead of the redhead.

  Maggie stepped in and pinned the black haired security consultant with a blistering look. “You just wait until this mess is over, Ryan Fitzgerald, and then I’ll show you what a girl raised with nine brothers can do.” She jabbed a finger into his chest.

  “This should be fun,” Roarke grinned at the dark look Ryan was giving him. “Hey, at least she can’t order Cam to shoot you.”

  “That is true, brat,” Ryan agreed, eyes looking toward Kerry as he stepped away from the doors. “I know, I know. Quit picking on females that can fry me with a spell.”

  Ryan had slumped down on the sofa next to his still smirking younger brother while Ian went to look at some photos on the mantelpiece, and Mac snickered as Maggie sat down in a chair in the corner.

  “You know not to torment your brothers, Ryan,” Kerry spoke as he stopped behind the sofa but let his hand rest on Roarke’s neck to squeeze lightly.

  “You know how Ry is,” Roarke grinned, turning to look and frowning.

  “Listen to her and let go of the guilt,” Kerry spoke but the tone was deeper as was the amount of energy in the eyes. “There is no need for it, my son.”

  Ryan saw his younger brother go pale and heard the change in Kerry’s voice but it wasn’t until he looked up that he suddenly swore. “Mac!” he snapped, rolling over the back of the couch to push his brother away from Roarke and up against the wall, keeping an arm across his chest to hold.

  Checking on Roarke, Mac went around the couch to look and saw what had caused Ryan’s reaction. “Let him go,” he spoke quietly but firmly.

  Smoky blue-gray eyes but with a much deeper intensity stared back at them with a smile that wasn’t their brother’s. “It’s time to face the past, for all of you but especially for Roarke who blames himself. Face it, face him and deal with her but one battle will not defeat this evil,” he replied, “for the Five to form the Circle it will take all Five to face their fears and battle the evils that you will face.”

  “What’s going on?” Ian couldn’t figure this out but did know that Roarke was still pale and staring.

  Ryan’s arm went harder against Kerry’s chest. “We’ll figure it out, now let him go,” he ordered, lowering his tone. “Da, leave Kerry alone because it’s just going to upset Roarke more.”

  “I know,” the tone was sad but finally as he looked around the room, his eyes settled on Mac with a silent message. “Blessed Be, my boys.”

  With that, Ryan and Mac had to be fast, as Kerry seemed to go limp quickly. “We need to cast another protection spell on this house,” Ryan muttered as they got their brother to a chair while Maggie poured a glass of Scotch.

  “Doubt if it would work on our own parents, lad,” Mac sighed, turning to check on Roarke. “It’s fine, he just wanted to reassure you.”

  “I know but…” Roarke was fighting not to shake but had unknowingly reached to touch the stone he wore again, and some of the emotion evened off. “It’s still so raw, Mac.”

  Kerry shook his head as it finally cleared, frowning when he noticed Ryan so close. “What happened?”

  “Da paid a visit,” Ryan returned, rolling his eyes. “Can we get some things sorted out so Roarke can sleep tonight and…?”

  “Ryan!” Mac snapped, catching the thought and hoping Maggie hadn’t as his brother smirked.

  “I’ll hurt him later,” she promised, looking at the brothers. “Like I told Mac, this is probably something you should do together. I can go help Deirdre or…”

  Kerry looked up at her as if considering, then shook his head. “You were involved in this the moment you saw the visions at Mac’s home and clearly your Grandmother sought to prepare you somewhat by giving you her Book of Shadows, so you should hear this.”

  He paused as he looked at his brothers. “Jessica already knows most of this, I’m sure, since the O’Malley brothers like to keep tabs on magical or demonic events, so there’s no need to wake her.”

  “Guess there’s no way to keep her out of this, huh?” Roarke sighed, not wanting his friend involved anymore than she had been.

  “I wish there was, lad, but Jessica’s abilities and her closeness to us already has attracted it to her.” Kerry felt his brother’s concern. “Now that we know the danger and know to expect anything, it’ll be easier to protect those close to us.”

  “Easier said than done until we recast the protection spell the grounds have had for centuries. That needs handled soon.” Mac muttered under his breath, settling on the footstool closest to the sofa while waiting for the oldest of them to begin.

  Kerry wasn’t sure where to begin then, finally decided it best to just start from the beginning. Taking a deep breath, he waved a hand toward the fire and it roared to a soft flame.

  “Sebastian Donegal, according to the legends passed down in our family, was a very powerful Irish landowner back when Ireland was still very young. He kept his massive hold on what he owned by being very strict, frugal and powerful since he was also a very cruel and powerful witch,” Kerry spoke quietly and slowly, recalling the stories he’d been told as a lad. “He had few who could compare to him except for Angus Fitzgerald. He founded this town and built this town. He and Sebastian’s rivalry began then and Sebastian has kept his rivalry with our family to this day.”

  Ian considered this so far. “So he’s an Immortal witch?” he blinked, not caring for that. “Great.”

  “He’s not immortal. He uses spells and sacrifices to keep his life going,” Kerry corrected, going on. “Once a generation he has issues with the Lord of Fitzgaren. The last was our father. Sebastian and Da sparred a lot but it wasn’t anything too serious until it became clear that Da’s sons would be the chosen ones to finally defeat him. That was when the fun and games ended.

  “We’d been touring and performing for years. Ian had only joined us on stage about a year earlier when he was two,” Kerry saw Roarke begin shifting restlessly and was pleased when Ian sat down next to him. “That fall we were back here because we always stopped touring before the Fall Equinox, ‘cause Mum always felt it was the most important Solstice.”

  This was what Kerry knew would be the hardest on his brother. “I was nineteen, Mac was sixteen, Ry would have been thirteen, Roarke was eleven and Ian was three. Mum and Da were a bit stressed with some things but I didn’t realize until later how bad it was. I know that they were fighting a lot about his mother and that Mum was talking about taking Ian and Roarke up to see her family,” he paused to meet Roarke’s eyes.

  “Roarke had wanted to go to Skelling Michael to see the island and the sights for months. Ryan had been on him about wasting time exploring a rock but he constantly asked to go.” Kerry felt the tension as he moved closer to the sofa.

  “There was just so much tension in this house that I thought maybe a day out together would make us normal,” Roarke murmured, not looking at his brothers. “I knew you guys didn’t want to go and Ian was too sick, but when Da decided to go al
ong I was thrilled, because I didn’t always get both their attention very often. We took the tour boat out and it was the best day I’d had with them and the last ‘cause they died all because of my stupid idea.”

  Maggie couldn’t help but feel sorry for the little boy who had endured so much and was still feeling it. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Ryan move, knowing full good and well how sharp his tongue could be and how he enjoyed tormenting his brother.

  ‘Let Kerry handle it, luv,’ Mac’s voice spoke in her mind even though he hadn’t moved.

  Kerry had been watching his younger brothers and had positioned himself in case he felt he needed to step in as Ryan sat on the sofa arm and punched his brother in the arm, but not as hard as he normally would.

  “They died because of some evil bastard, not because of you, brat,” Ryan’s usual cockiness was plain in his tone but when his hand lay on Roarke’s shoulder, it wasn’t rough. “They knew what was happening and did what needed to be done. Stop hating yourself.”

  Roarke paused to look at his brother as if considering. “You hated me for it.”

  The simple comment made Ryan close his eyes and his fingers flex but instead of shooting off a sharp comment, he slowly took a deep breath before opening his eyes to meet his brothers. “I never hated you, Roarke,” he sighed, knowing that Kerry was waiting to see how he handled this. “After it happened we were all hurting so damn bad and you just shut down so I couldn’t even pick a fight with you like I would. What I said the day we were all last here was just rage and grief. Not at you but at Mum & Da for failing to be perfect like I wanted, at Mac and Kerry for not being there but mostly at myself for being too selfish and not going that day. You were just the easy one to lash out at but I didn’t hate you then and I don’t hate you now,” he finished firmly, letting the words go out as casually as he could but also shared a long silent connection between just the two of them.

  Roarke was quiet for some time, unsure then finally nodded. “I know I was meant to die that day.”