Celtic Evil: A Fitzgerald Brother Novel: Roarke Page 18

  A step sounded from her left and Kathleen found herself staring into Mac’s cold eyes. “Evil you caused,” he threw back at her. “You knew what was going to happen on that island yet you prevented Kerry from being on time. Now release him.”

  “You do not give me orders, boyo,” Kathleen shot back, whirling to turn back to deal with Roarke, but bumped into Ian who had come from the right.

  “Why hurt him?” he asked, eyes chilly as he looked at this woman he felt nothing for. “He’s of your blood.”

  Kathleen’s eyes flamed yet her youngest grandchild didn’t flinch. “He is of her blood!” she snapped. “That no-good Galway whore seduced my son.”

  “So why hate Roarke more than the rest of us?” Ian demanded more firmly. “All of us shared the same parents so what did Roarke do to you?”

  Silence answered the youngest Fitzgerald as the only sound heard was the effects of her spell on Roarke.

  “Damn it.” Ryan went to go to his brother but found himself shoved away.

  “Leave him!” she snapped, anger fueling her powers. “Let him suffer before he dies or begs for death since Sebastian will claim his woman if he doesn’t submit to him.”

  Glances between the brothers told that none of them liked what that sounded like when Kerry stepped into view, his eyes flashing in a way that said he’d heard everything

  “I could forgive your hatred of our mother if there had been some reasonable effort behind it, but you hated her for petty jealously that she took Da away from you and replaced you in the manor,” he spoke quietly while motioning Mac and the rest to stay in place as he crossed closer.

  “What I will never forgive you for is the knowing that you not only tore my family apart for your own reasons, but you put hands on my brother, you used magic to hurt your own grandson!” Kerry saw her eyes slit and knew the risks but his anger was too huge.

  Kathleen rolled her eyes. “Kerry, let all that go and accept this is a better path,” she urged, shrugging. “Besides, for all your powers you still couldn’t defeat me.”

  “I know,” he agreed, stepping back slightly to look toward the gate. “I wasn’t planning on it, Grandmother. I was planning on leaving that up to her.”

  Confused, Kathleen followed her eldest grandson’s extended arm to look at the approaching, stooped and cloaked figure and she began laughing. “Darling boys, you four would have more ability to stop me from killing this boy than calling in some crone.”

  Lightning flashed in the distance as Kerry chuckled, feeling the power build as this new arrival got closer. “No, not a crone,” he smiled easily as he held out a hand that was accepted.

  It was when the lightning flashed on the jade ring that Kathleen stepped back. Doubts turning to concern as the cloak was tossed back to reveal a rather tall, striking older woman who showed some age marks as she didn’t see the need to hide her wrinkles, long flowing reddish blond hair and sharp green eyes that flashed with power and restrained temper.

  “Kathleen Murphy Fitzgerald, I believe you should recall our maternal grandmother Fiona Kerrigan.” Kerry saw the fear for a moment. “She’s less than pleased.”

  Fiona stared hard at the opposing woman before moving easily and without aid to kneel next to Roarke, who had curled into a tight ball.

  “You will never raise a hand to one of my grandsons again, Kathleen,” she spoke with a distinct accent while softly running a hand over her grandson’s hair. “You were spiteful and bitter as a girl and you haven’t changed, only grown more so, but to take that hatred out on mere lads is beyond even you.”

  As she stood to confront her former childhood friend, Roarke seemed to grow still and she spoke without looking. “Ryan, stay by your brother. Mac, the pretty red-haired girl you brought with you is about to get in over her head as Kathleen’s canceling of the protection spells has allowed Sebastian access to the manor. Both she and the child are in danger.”

  “What?” Mac blinked and quickly sought to get an image from Maggie but found himself blocked. “Damn. Kerry?”

  Kerry was hesitant to break them up farther until Fiona shook her head. “You and Ian go with Mac back to the house, lad,” she replied easily. “I’ll help Ryan with your brother as soon as I deal with this.”

  “Go,” Ryan jerked his head, seeing the concern in Mac, then just had to put in his usual sarcastic remark. “The brat would never forgive us if anything happened to Jessica.”

  “Be careful and use your bleedin’ head for once, Ry,” Kerry urged, seeing that Ian had already broke into a run with Mac close behind. “Gram?”

  Fiona waved his concern off as she looked at the other woman. “I knew from day one you despised Brenna, but I never thought your hatred would allow you to do what’s been done.”

  “My power is still more,” Kathleen started to sneer but stopped when the spell died.

  “You’ve kept your strength and youth by using the same methods as that devil,” Fiona countered, shaking her head sadly. “You tried to kill Roarke at birth to assure your power base and that’s why you want him dead more than the others because Roarke, you believe, inherited that which grants the Fitzgerald clan long life and power, but all five of the boys have that,” she replied, seeing the truth start to dawn on the woman. “Leave this place and never threaten these lads again, Kathleen, or next we meet I will remind you of why you shouldn’t have caused harm to my kin.”

  Kathleen knew enough to know when things had turned against her and backed away, but not without a final word. “You haven’t won, Fi,” she said. “It takes five to form the Circle and if Roarke wants to save the girl he’ll have to sacrifice his life, so either way, I win.”

  “Don’t be too quick to claim victory,” Fiona Kerrigan murmured as the other woman slowly vanished, allowing her to focus on her two grandsons. “Now, let’s see about this.”

  Ryan had only been paying partial attention to the near altercation between his grandmothers since most of his attention had centered on his younger brother.

  He had been quick to kneel next to him once Fiona had eased the spell but was hesitant to touch him fully since he could both see and feel the emotions he had been dealing with.

  While the spell vanished, Roarke still fought both the visions and memories of his past.

  “Hush now, lad,” Fiona Kerrigan had been a hereditary witch since birth and had passed those powers to her daughter, and therefore a part of her grandsons abilities were also from her.

  A vibrant, healthy woman in her late sixties, she still flowed with energy and power. Even though she was quite happy being settled in Galway with her husband and spoiling her other grandchildren, it wasn’t said she still didn’t practice the Craft.

  Easily kneeling on the grass next to the boys, she gently touched Roarke’s forehead as he relived his youth.

  “He was almost at peace with himself again and us,” Ryan muttered, hating the pain he heard in the soft whimpers of his brother. “Can’t you stop this?”

  Fiona heard the unspoken pain and guilt in Ryan’s tone and lightly touched his face as she once had done. “You can stop what he’s feeling, my darling boy,” she replied, seeing his look, and seeing so much of her own sweet Brenna in these two boys even though they resembled her son-in-law.

  “Kerry or Mac or, hell even Ian, maybe, but he’d never let me,” Ryan scoffed, nearly cringing under those sharp eyes. “We’re not close, Gram.”

  “Which is why you hover when he’s been sleeping or you hurt when he hurts?” Fiona shook her head. “Ryan, your Mum always said you were her most stubborn child and she was right, but it’s time to get past this and start to heal, for the both of you.”

  Ryan looked at the older woman then slowly, hesitantly, let his fingers touch his brother’s face and forced his own temper down when he felt the tears.

  It had never been a secret that out of the five brothers, Ryan and Roarke had always had the strongest rivalry and it was hard after all the years, the sarcasm and bitternes
s between them to let go, but as Ryan knew, he made damn sure usually to know what his brother was into.

  “Damn,” he whispered, closing his eyes before reaching down to do the one thing he’d done only once in their lives.

  He had been nine and Roarke seven the time he had dared his little brother to climb the apple tree in the back of their house even though he knew their mother had forbidden it since his brother had never been as strong then.

  Ryan had climbed that tree all the time and knew the best branches to go up so he’d done so easily and was high up when he dared his brother to do the same. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to, but not counting on him getting halfway up before a branch he knew was weak did break and Roarke fell to the ground.

  To this day at times, he could recall hearing his brother’s shout as he fell and landed, breaking his arm and three ribs. Ryan also recalled getting back to the ground himself quickly while screaming for his parents then holding his brother still in his arms so he wouldn’t hurt anymore.

  “Brenna told her father and me later that when she and Toryn got outside you were holding your little brother and rocking as she often did,” Fiona spoke as if knowing what her grandson was thinking. “You were always the one who needed to hide the emotions away, but you did it more with Roarke.”

  Ryan sighed, feeling his brother go rigid as he held him but ignored it to focus on him. “It’s okay, brat. Push past it and come back,” he spoke firmly but knew when his brother tried to curl tighter that Kathleen Fitzgerald’s spell had done more damage than they thought.

  Muttering under his breath, Ryan reached for both the obsidian stone and the Trinity medallion his brother wore, and closed his fingers tight around them while keeping his hand closed over Roarke’s hand.

  “C’mon, Roarke, open your eyes and listen to me.” He tightened his grip on the boy and silently wondered how this had landed on him.

  Roarke’s labored breathing had started to level off but his body was still rigid and his eyes closed tightly.

  Not knowing what to say to make this better or even if any of them even could, Ryan just held his brother tighter and said the only thing he could think of.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered, unaware of opening powers he rarely used as he recalled what it had been like that day in the garden. “None of us can take it away or say we know what it feels like. Only Jess can say that to some extent but what you’re seeing now isn’t real, Roarke. It’s just some bitter old woman’s attempt at hurting you and I won’t let that happen to you or us.”

  Letting the shields down, Ryan held his brother tighter and took the waves of emotion and pain into himself and off his brother. Unlike the little bits that Kerry or even Mac may have picked up on earlier, Ryan received the full versions and fought down his temper and own rolling stomach.

  “Easy does it, lad,” Fiona knew the dangers of this act for Ryan since he had rarely done this like Kerry or Mac had.

  “I’m tired of seeing him scared,” he gritted, feeling the pain take a toll but also feeling his brother’s body relaxing, but hearing the soft hidden sobs of a child. “You’re still safe, brat. Just let it go. I’m here.”

  Roarke’s mind and body slowly felt the attacks easing but was confused for a short while until finally his tired, worn thoughts recognized his brother’s voice even though it was softer than he normally used.

  As if waking from a stabbing nightmare, his body jerked upright and felt the strong arms holding him but instead of fighting as he had trained himself to do since childhood, Roarke’s arms slowly, lightly, tentatively slid around to hold on; just needing that connection for a time.

  “God, Ry. It still hurts,” he finally spoke, voice quiet and fighting to bury the sobs that wanted to escape, though he knew his brother was never going to let him live this down. “Still makes me want to die.”

  Eyes sharpening, Ryan remembered what Kerry had warned about using his head before speaking and bit his tongue. “No you don’t because you’re not a coward,” he did finally say. “Let it out, Roarke, but if you ever tell the others I did this I will hurt you, brat.”

  Shifting his eyes to lock on his older brother’s, Roarke didn’t see the sarcasm to match the tone. He saw the pain and concern in them and felt the shame burn that, out of all of them, Ryan knew it all. “I never wanted you to…” he started to push back and was surprised when Ryan’s grip tightened.

  “It wasn’t your fault and we’ll cope with it after all this is settled,” Ryan told him, holding his eyes and letting his brother make the next step.

  Realizing what his brother was offering made Roarke blink but before he could take that step something else hit him. “Jessica,” he whispered, frowning. “Ry, what’s happening?”

  “Sebastian’s in the house, Roarke,” his brother replied slowly, knowing he wasn’t ready to face this yet. “Kathleen’s spell that broke the barriers allowed him access and he’s…”

  “He’ll go after her to get to me,” Roarke tried to stand quickly but fell back then felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Who?!”

  Fiona knew that this hadn’t been fully settled between the brothers but a gap had been closed. Now it was time to deal with the first hurdle. “Sebastian will barter the child’s life for your own, lad.”

  Staring at the older woman, Roarke struggled for a moment then seemed to relax as he allowed Ryan to help him stand. “Gram.”

  “Ah, you two were always the charmers,” Fiona reached up to lightly pat his cheek and in doing so took the rest of the pain and angst. “Does an old Irish woman’s heart good to see her five favorite grandsons in one place for a change. It takes too many seeing stones to keep track of just you two.”

  “Old woman my butt, bet you could still handle us,” Ryan rolled his eyes, finally having the chance to lightly kiss her cheek.

  “Oh, that goes without saying, my lad,” she smiled then grew serious as she centered on Roarke. “You’re his target. What will you wager?”

  Roarke knew what that meant as he tried to feel for his friend but got only static. “It’s me he wants. I won’t let him touch her.”

  “You die or surrender to him, and what they gave is wasted,” Ryan went to grab his arm but stopped suddenly when his brother looked at him with pained eyes. “Brat, don’t do this.”

  “I let Mum and Da die because of me, Ry. I won’t let him take anything else,” Roarke looked at the stone he was holding as he made a choice. “Trust me for once to do what’s right.”

  As he walked away into the night back toward the manor and his destiny, Ryan swore under his breath. “He’ll let the bastard kill him to save her.”

  “To save you all will be his risk,” Fiona corrected, taking his arm. “What your brother faces will require all of you to be there to support him for the choice he makes may cost him both life and soul before it’s over.”

  “No, because we failed to protect him before, we aren’t failing this time,” Ryan vowed, knowing he’d give anything to protect his family if it meant not making the same mistakes he had as a youth. He didn’t plan to lose his brother like he had Annie.

  With a smile, Fiona waved a hand to take them back to the manor and to the danger that waits.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Jessica Hadley stirred restlessly, uneasy as she woke up alone.

  Looking around she saw she was still in Roarke’s room but he didn’t seem to be there. “Roarke?” she called, thinking maybe he’d stepped into the bathroom or something.

  Standing slowly to avoid the dizziness that came often when she was hurt, she looked when the door opened and her friend entered.

  “You keep disappearing on me and I’m going to have Cam or your brothers put a tracker on you,” she told him with a grin, putting off the sudden chill to being tired and still hurt.

  “I couldn’t sleep,” Roarke replied, shrugging as he neared the bed. “Decided to walk the house for awhile to see if that helped.”

  Knowing her friend could o
ften be ill at ease that didn’t sound strange, yet for some reason Jessica was ill at ease the closer he got.

  “I was hoping you’d be awake when I got back,” letting his finger trace her jaw, Roarke slowly closed the distance between them until he was next to the girl.

  Yawning again, she looked closer but frowned a little when their link seemed dull. “You alright, luv?” she asked, wanting a little space when his arm slid around her waist. “Roarke?”

  The strength in his arm felt wrong to her but her thoughts were going fuzzy and they didn’t clear again until she felt the pressure of the mattress as she was eased back down.

  “No, I…I need up,” she shook her head to clear it but something now seemed very wrong. “Roarke, let go.”

  “Do you know how easy it is to manipulate those boys when it’s really needed?” the words spoke from her friend’s body, yet the voice wasn’t Roarke’s soft lilting Irish tone any longer. “Much less how easy it is to get past your own shields when hurt?”

  Jessica’s eyes shot up and saw the image shimmering and blinking between the one she saw and reality. “Shit,” she hissed, realizing the truth and trying to use what strength or power she had to fight back.

  “Ta-ta, young lady, be still now.” Sebastian had been expecting that, easily restraining her as he waved a hand over her.

  Normally able to resist such spells, her wounds had weakened her to the point where his anti-resistance spell made her body go limp under him.

  “That’s much better,” He nodded, sitting back to look over his latest prize and seeing her inner struggle. “No use fighting, child. You’ve been too weak and concerned over the boy to allow your powers to build back up so until I release the spell, you will do whatever I wish you to and since all of Toryn’s sons are busy elsewhere, I don’t think we’ll be disturbed right away.”

  Laying a smooth hand on her face, the ageless sorcerer smiled as he slowly stroked it down her body. “Young Roarke chooses his mate well,” he surmised, nodding to himself, and with a wave of his hand, the nightshirt she wore opened. “Been several centuries since I allowed myself the pleasure of a slave, but I may make an exception in this case even though I promised Kathleen I would make the boy that.”