Embrace the Highland Warrior

world. He left her sleeping and walked outside to check on the guards.

“Any problems?” Cody asked, approaching the young warrior guarding the north side of the castle.

“Nothing’s getting past me,” Conall said, his grin wide. He was barely twenty, still reeling with excitement that he, along with Bree, had rescued the Mighty Faelan. Not many could say that, Cody admitted. He remembered his early warrior days, feeling like a hero. Countless battles later, and countless lonely nights later, knowing he couldn’t go after Shay until his duty was fulfilled, it quickly lost its grandeur. There was no glory, only necessity, and necessity usually included sacrifice and harsh reality. After Conall had killed a few halflings that looked human—a teenager or a kid—that would take the edge off his good humor. And if he was lucky, he wouldn’t meet his mate until his duty was finished, wouldn’t know the anguish of years spent watching in silence, knowing if he revealed his heart, it could get her killed.

Cody walked the inner perimeter to make sure all the warriors were in position. There were two lines of defense: one just inside the wall that surrounded the castle, and this one, along the edge of the woods closer to the grounds. When he was sure everything was in order, he started back. After spending most of the month getting the castle in New York ready for use by the clan, it was shocking to see this place again. The two castles were so alike. Bree was looking into the history of both castles for clues. If there was a traitor in the clan, it would be devastating for them all.

Cody checked his watch. It was almost time for the meeting to reconvene. He was in enough trouble without showing up late. The fact that he was respected in the clan, a warrior who battled an ancient demon, should have some bearing on the outcome of the hearing, but if the elders tried to restrain him while Shay was in danger from an ancient demon and vampires, to hell with the clan. He’d go rogue.

***

“Ellis was a serial killer?” Shane asked as they waited for the Council to return. He was a quiet one, like Marcas, but fast as lightning with a sword.

Cody rubbed at the knot of tension in his neck. He wished the Council would hurry so he could get this over with. “They’ve linked Ellis to seven bodies in four states. All female. Blond. Midtwenties. That’s not counting Nick, Shay’s clients in Scotland, or the woman in the woods.”

“You think he’s connected to the demons or vampires?” Declan asked. Clad in kilts, with their hair pulled back, it was hard to tell the twins apart.

“Probably demon. I think he was a minion,” Cody said. “But he could be working with the vampires. He wanted to kill her, but I think the truck accident was an attempt to get me out of the way.”

“You sure he wasn’t a vampire?” Niall flexed his fingers, the muscles in his massive arms bulging. “All we need is for him to crawl out of his grave.”

“He was human. I made sure. Before he was cremated, I cut his head off.”

“Bloody hell,” Brodie said.

Coira, walking by with a tray of cookies, thumped him on the shin with her foot. “Language, dear.”

Brodie rubbed his leg and snatched a cookie before she got out of reach. “Who was his boss? I wonder if he knew he’d hired a serial killer.”

“Anson Masters. Some reclusive rich guy. That’s all I know,” Cody said. He adjusted his kilt. He usually wore jeans or combat pants, but everyone dressed formally when meeting with the Council. Judging from Sorcha’s raised eyebrows and pink cheeks, he was fairly sure he had just flashed her.

“I’ve heard that name somewhere,” Jamie said.

“Sam’s trying to find him,” Cody said. “We want to see if he can tell us more about who Ellis associated with and where he spent his time so we can figure out how he was involved.”

Faelan’s brows gathered into a frown. “There are too many pieces to this puzzle. If Bree is right and Malek is the one who tried to kill Shay when she was a baby, we need to find out why. Revenge or something else?”

It was the something else that Cody didn’t want to think about.

“If Malek believes Shay has the Book of Battles. Maybe he believes Edward had the book and gave it to his child,” Declan said.

Sorcha studied the other warriors, eyes narrowed in thought. “Has anyone considered the fact that one of Edward’s children did have the Book of Battles? Bree.”

“True,” Declan said. “Wonder if Malek knows about Bree.”

God forbid,” Ronan said, his tone grave, causing Faelan to frown.

“We’ve got to get rid of him,” Faelan said. “One way or another.”

They all knew Malek had to be assigned.

“Bree also believes Cody is in danger as well as Shay, that they pose some kind of threat together,” Faelan said.

“But I heard the vampire say they didn’t care about me,” Cody said.

Declan’s brows drew together. “So the demons are after you and Shay, but the vampires are just after Shay?”

“How’d they even find out about our book?” Shane asked.

Faelan drummed his fingers against his kilt. “It was missing for a long time before turning up in Bree’s attic. It’s possible other members of her family knew about it. Any one of them could’ve told someone else.”

“Let’s not forget Angus mentioned a traitor,” Duncan said. “Maybe someone found out about it long ago.”