If a warrior’s mate was destined, Bree’s resentment should be toward a woman long dead, a woman who had lost her mate without ever knowing he lived. Who was this woman buried in the cold ground, who’d never even met her mate, who should’ve been the mother of Faelan’s children? Where did that leave him? Or had a mate been chosen from the time he would awake in, like Sorcha?
His family seemed to think so, from the way Bree had seen them whispering over the pair of warriors. She had to face the truth. Her time with Faelan was over. It was probably best. She wasn’t ready for a relationship, much less an intense one, and there would be no other kind with him.
She rounded the corner, stopping short. Faelan stood with his back to her, outside Sorcha’s room. Long, red- tipped fingernails moved up his arm as Sorcha drew him closer to her door. How could a woman kill demons and still look like she’d just gotten a manicure? The door opened, and Faelan put a hand on Sorcha’s back, ushering her inside.
Bree’s heart felt like a wrung-out sponge. She had a sudden longing for home and Jared. Maybe he’d gotten back from his trip. She walked to the phone and punched in the number. “Is Jared there?” she asked, when a man’s shaky voice answered.
“Who’s this?”
“Bree Kirkland. Is this Jared’s uncle?”
There was silence and then a whisper. “You shouldn’t…” A noise sounded in the background, and he spoke louder. “Here he is.”
“Bree.” Jared’s voice slid over her like a warm hug. “Hey. How’s your trip?”
“Great. But I miss home. How’s everything there?”
“Fine,” he said. He didn’t sound fine. He sounded worried. “I met with my backers. They’re on hold for the moment.”
“I’ll be home in a day or so.”
“That soon? I wish you’d stay longer. At least until they catch the killer. Peter’s not eager for you to come back either. Besides, Scotland is nice this time of year.”
“You’ve been here?”
“Years ago. Seems like another lifetime. Are you making progress with the documents?”
“Yes… they’re old family papers.” It wasn’t a complete lie. There was the map Faelan’s brothers made, but she hated not telling Jared the whole truth.
“Sounds interesting. Wish I were there with you. Enjoy the job and the scenery. The house, and me, we’ll be here when you get back.”
Thoughts of Sorcha and Faelan, destined mates, and Angus’s bloodied body made her want to bawl. “I miss you, Jared.”
A noise sounded behind her, and she turned. Faelan stood there, his face tight. He’d changed to jeans. He must’ve given Sorcha a quickie. Bree turned her back to him. “I should go,” she told Jared. “You’re sure everything is okay?” There were so many things that could go wrong. Dead bodies, demons, and halflings.
“It’s all good. I’ll take care of things here, and we’ll talk when you get back.”
“Jared, be careful.” She hung up and turned to blast Faelan, but she was alone.
Bree grabbed her coat and walked outside, following the stone path to the flower garden Coira had shown her earlier. She sat on the bench and tried to let the fragrant scents wash away images of Faelan naked in Sorcha’s bed. Footsteps shuffled behind her.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Sean asked, dropping next to her on the bench.
“I had a lot on my mind.”
“I come here when I’m troubled. Helps me put things to right. Could be the scent of Coira’s roses or maybe the night air. Gets a mite chilly in these parts.”
“That’s for sure.” Bree shivered and pulled her lightweight wool coat closer. “Don’t your legs get cold?” she asked, looking at his kilt.
“A bit. I usually wear trousers. Most warriors wear jeans when they’re not here. The kilt draws too much attention. We have to protect the clan, protect what we do, and we don’t want to announce our presence to the demons. But as soon as the lads come back, they put on the kilt.”
“I’m not complaining,” Bree said, smiling. She sobered. “How’s Angus?”
Sean sighed. “Not good. Blessed idiot drove himself here.”
“How did he get through the front gate?”
“He didn’t. There’s a hidden entrance, a tunnel that leads to the secret passages. Angus left his car there and walked.”
“Why didn’t he call someone?”
“His cell phone’s missing.”
“What do you think he meant about a traitor?”
“I don’t know, but I fear there’s something bad brewing. Cody said he’d felt it too. Even before Angus called him.”
“What do you know about Cody?” Bree asked. She still needed to talk to him.
Sean watched her for a minute, and Bree knew he was judging what to tell her. “Fierce warrior. His brothers, too, from what I hear. They’re private. I’ve heard their secrets run deep. Cody finished his duty a few weeks ago.
