Unknown Magic

Evelyn M. Byrne

Award winning author

A Daughter of Prophecy Novel

White Bird Publications

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual person, living or dead, business establishments, event, or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author.

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UNKNOWN MAGIC

Copyright©2010 by Evelyn M. Byrne

Excerpt from Stolen Magic Copyright©2010 by Evelyn M. Byrne

Cover art by Theresa Gibbons

http://reesegibbons.blogspot.com/

ISBN:  978-0-9828024-0-3 (Paperback)

ISBN:  978-0-9828024-1-0 (Electronic)

Visit Evelyn at her website.

http://www.evelynmbyrne.com/

In loving memory of my parents,

Thomas and Doris Byrne

Acknowledgements

There are so many people I have to thank for their help and support of this book:

Pat, my sister-in-law, who told me after she read the first three chapters, “You are not allowed to do anything else, but write.” Thanks for all your support.

Theresa, my daughter, and Pam, my life-long friend, for the first edits that helped this book win first and third in two contests. You are both great.

Margaret, my cousin, for the translations from English to Gaelic. Without you, I would not have been able to get it done.

My critique group for all the knowledge and support they gave me. You are the best.

Kassy, my editor, for the wonderful job you did to make this book into the finished product. Thanks

Theresa for the great cover. You did an extraordinary job.

Beth our cover model. Thank you

Kevin, my loving husband. Thanks for everything.

But, most of all to my readers. Without you it would be all for nothing.

Unknown Magic

A Daughter of Prophecy Novel

White Bird Publications

Prologue

Captivated by the story of her mother’s first transformation, Megan settled next to her on a flat rock overlooking the stream. The slight breeze rustled the leaves on the trees, swirling the scent of pine around her. The squeal of a hawk overhead had Megan imagining herself a great eagle—soaring over the trees, caught in the wind currents, gliding with not a care in the world.

She wanted to change now, not wait until she was twenty-five. But Mommy said it didn’t work that way. Well, she’d just have to dream till then.

Her mother stopped speaking and placed her hand to Megan’s lips.

Megan listened but heard nothing out of place.

Her mother slid from the rock and pulled Megan into the cold water. Shivers exploded through her, and her teeth chattered.

They crept downstream. Rushing water tugged at Megan’s ankles. The hair on the back of her neck shot to attention, as Bandit, her one-hundred pound black lab, started barking and growling. He ran back up the path and disappeared. Then he yelped once and went quiet.

“Bandit!”

“Shhh.”

“But Mommy…Bandit…he’s hurt!”

“Keep moving, little one. Stay as quiet as possible.” Her mother cut off any further protests.

They slipped further downstream. Something resembling an arrow, but much smaller, hit her mother’s arm. Her mother gasped and stumbled to her knees. As she yanked the dart from her arm, fear flashed in her eyes. She whispered, “Run Megan. Run!”

Megan hesitated, but her mother pushed her and begged, “Baby, please run!”

She started to plough through the water and tripped. As she fell, she took one last look backward. A huge dark-haired man with a scraggly beard picked up her mother and carried her away. Megan saw another man coming after her. She scrambled upright and started running again. But gaining traction on the mossy rocks was impossible. Her tiny legs were no match for the man pursuing her. Just as she reached the edge of the embankment, a big arm hooked her waist.

“Gotcha,” a gruff voice whispered in her ear.

She kicked and screamed, wishing she were twenty-five and could turn into a fierce lion or tiger. A strange tingling sensation came over her for a quick moment, and then it vanished.

“Settle down, whelp.”

Megan continued to lash out at him.

“Settle down, I say. It ain’t no use, you know. We already gots your mama.” Then he called over his shoulder, “I got the pup!”

Megan felt a small prick; then everything went black.

Chapter One

Seventeen years later

Eyes…yellow-green eyes staring at her, everywhere she turned they were there. She had to get away. She ran, but she couldn’t outrun those eyes. “Leave me alone. Go away. What do you want?” Panicked, she ran faster, her heart jack hammering against her ribs and her breath coming in gasps. Something wrapped around her legs. She fell, kicking out trying to dislodge whatever it was.

Megan Tully woke with a start. Sweat covered her body and her heart pounded like a base drum. Tangled sheets trapped her legs. Kicking the linens off, she eased up in the bed. Her gaze searched the dim room, but no eyes peered back at her. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and her heartbeat gradually slowed.

For months now, the same dream plagued her. What did it mean? What did those eyes want? Why did they just stare at her the way they did? She hoped getting away from home and coming here would stop them, but instead the nightmares intensified.

Knowing she would not go back to sleep, she climbed from her bed and slipped into a cool shower to wash away the remnants of the dream. The water helped ease her angst.

She dressed, strode into the kitchen, and made some coffee. Sitting at the table, cup in hand, she stared through the window and watched the sun crest the mountains. Her thoughts traveled back to her recurring dream. Why did those eyes plague her? Were they trying to tell her something? If so, what? Did it have something to do with her lost childhood memories? She had to talk to someone. But who? Her father? No, it would just send him into a frenzy and he’d have her back in therapy. Her Uncle Donovan? Yeah, he would be here in a week. No…her Uncle Sean, he always listened and never judged her. Damn, he wasn’t coming for another two or three weeks though. Well, she would figure it out.

Heading out for a walk to clear her head she ended up on the ledge she discovered the previous day. She sat there, struck by the loveliness of her surroundings. Home, this felt like home. Untamed beauty, or maybe untouched would be a better word. A place man had not destroyed with bulldozers and concrete. Even the air smelled clean, carrying a hint of pine and earth.

The lake stood blue and serene; its surface as still as glass. Trees extended for miles in every direction; so dense in places that walking through it would seem like treading from day into night. The sun warmed the ground upon which she sat. She felt safe, complete, and at peace here.

Dad said her mom liked to come here. She loved the wild. “It was in her nature,” he’d said. Megan guessed it must be in hers, too. Something stirred deep inside her. She could vaguely hear a familiar voice spinning mystical tales. If only she could remember the events of that day—the day her mother died. The doctors said at some point she might, but after twelve years, she doubted she ever would.

A memory pushed forward—in front of her stood an enormous jet-black wolf. When his head lifted, he stared back at her with yellow-green eyes. Her heart raced. “Oh God. The eyes from my dreams.” Even with the bars separating them, fear coursed through her. But, those yellow-green eyes just stared. They held great intelligence, more human than canine. Then his teeth crushed down on the lock holding the bars together.

“Megan!”

Her father’s voice pierced her thoughts, pulling her attention back to the present. Her heart rate slowed, though the images left her edgy.

“I’m over here, Dad.” She scrutinized her father as he climbed up to the ledge she sat on. He was a good-looking man, not tall, but runner-trim with sandy-colored hair that just touched his shirt collar, which made him look much younger than his years.

“You scared me half to death. I woke and you weren’t in the cabin. I’ve been searching for you for almost an hour.”

The look on his face had her stammering. “Sorry, it’s just...I don’t know...it’s like the wild is calling to me.”

Sadness crept into his chestnut-brown eyes before he gazed out over the water. “You know, sweetheart, you sound just like your mother. I still miss her so much, Meg. Even after all these years, it hasn’t changed. Why—why did God allow her to die so young?”

“I wish I knew, Dad. But, sitting here, I can almost feel her with me.” She paused. “Dad, were there any wolves around where we lived?”

Whipping around to stare at her, the sadness in his eyes turning to amusement, he said, “Meg, you know there’re no wolves in Chicago.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“What makes you ask?”

“I’m not sure. Just before you came, I was thinking of Mom and trying to remember that day. Then, I’m not sure what happened, but I felt much younger sitting in a cage and this wolf ran up to me.”

Her father ran his fingers through his hair. “Go on.”

“I think I was remembering something from my past. The wolf was part of it.” As she said it aloud, she realized how strange it sounded. “Sounds kind of stupid doesn’t it?”

“No, Meg, not stupid.” He stopped as if to gather his thoughts. “Possibly sitting out here in the wilderness got your imagination going.”

“Yeah, that’s probably it.” Megan looked toward the lake not sure how to proceed.

“Meg, do you remember any more of your past?”

“No. I wish I could, but it’s just one big blur.”

“Maybe it’s time you just let it go. It’s been a long time, sweetheart. Some things are best forgotten.”

A sense of aggravation sliced through her. “That’s just it, Dad. Maybe if I could actually remember, then I could let it go. But those years of my life are missing and I want them back.”

Her dad ran his hands through his hair. “I know, God, I know. I was in hell that week you and Bernadette disappeared. Then, for the five years you were in the coma. I was forced to accept I might lose you both.”

“Dad, I know talking about this bothers you, but I just can’t let go. Even after all these years, it haunts me. I lost my memory. Not just of the kidnapping and the years I was in the coma, but my whole childhood. I can’t remember anything about Mom or you before the day I awoke. It’s like I didn’t exist before my thirteenth birthday. Somehow I have to get it all back.” She fought the burning tears welling behind her eyes, but losing the battle, she murmured, “Dad, please help me. I need to remember.”

“I wish I knew how, Meg. I wish I knew how.”

He wrapped her in his arms and held her as she wept. She couldn’t stop the sobs. They raked through her for what seemed like hours. Her tears finally depleted, she managed to pull herself together. “I’m sorry, Dad.” Megan rubbed her hands over her face, wiping away the tears.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Her father whispered as he helped her to her feet.

They climbed off the ledge and walked back to the cabin in silence.

The dream assaulted her again, only this time it was different; it was like watching a movie—a movie about a young girl. The child sat in a cage, crying for her mother. An enormous wolf bounded up. He broke the lock with his teeth and pawed open her cage. Fear seized her at the size of him. But, looking into his eyes, she realized he was there to help and said, “Please don’t let them hurt me anymore; I just want Mommy. You’re like us, aren’t you?”

As her distress eased, she climbed out of the cage. He guided her out of the building. Her legs wobbled as the wolf pulled her toward the woods. He nudged her under some bushes. The look he gave her communicated he needed her to stay and be quiet. The wolf turned and ran back toward the building in a fast spurt. An explosion rocked the ground as flames shot from the building. “NOOOO, MOMMY. NOOOO!”

“Megan.” Her dad shook her. “Megan, wake up!”

“Dad,” Megan’s breath came in gasps, she grabbed her pillow and held it to her breast like a security blanket. When she came fully awake, she realized she dreamt of her escape after she and her mother’s kidnapping. “Dad, it was a wolf that helped me that night. I saw it in my dream, and it went back for Mom, but the place exploded.”

“Megan, that is not possible! Honey, they found you two days after the fire. You were in the woods, not even a half-mile from the house. From what we could tell, you got lost trying to get home. You were unconscious, and you stayed that way for five years. When you woke up you mentioned a dog, but we thought you meant Bandit. He was the one that found you in the woods that day. No one knows where you headed after your mother was kidnapped. We didn’t know if you were hiding or just wandering. Meg, you couldn’t have been with your mother that night. They found her in a warehouse, more than thirty miles away.”

“What! You never told me that. Dad, I know I was with her.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Meg, you and your Mom went out that day for your usual walk. When I got home that night, you and Bern weren’t there. Donovan and I scoured the woods for days, finding nothing. It was four days later when we got word of a fire in a warehouse. The police found your mother’s body inside, but they found no trace of you. Two days later, Bandit found you.”

“Dad, I know I was there. The wolf pulled me out of the warehouse.” She buried her face in the pillow she clutched to her breast.

Jim placed his hand on her head. “Honey, it’s only a dream. I know you want so much to recapture that time, but it may never happen. Now you know what really happened, so can’t you just let it alone and move on?”

Her head snapped up. “No!” She couldn’t believe he would even suggest it. “I just can’t do that. I know in my heart that there has to be more. I can feel it.”

“Go back to sleep, Meg. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

Disappointed her dad didn’t understand, she nodded. “Sure, Dad, goodnight.”

Megan buried her face in her pillow and screamed with frustration. How can Dad not care about something so important to me? She knew sleep would be a long time coming. She tossed and turned as the questions plagued her tired mind. Her dream was so real. How could she dream of a place if she hadn’t been there? How and when were she and her mom separated?

No, she was sure she’d never left her mom. If her dad and uncle searched the area for days, how is it Bandit found her, when they couldn’t? As for the wolf with yellow-green eyes—those eyes she ran from for months in her dreams. Now she knew she should not have run. Those eyes were not there to hurt, but help her. What had she said? Something about being “like” them. What did that mean?

Certain her father had not told her everything, she tried to figure out what was missing. What is he hiding about that time? Why had he waited so long to tell me about being found so far from mom? So many unanswered questions, so many unknown facts, but one thing was certain. She had to remember.

She could hear her father pacing the floor in the next room muttering to himself. She didn’t know if the walls were that thin, or if her father didn’t realize his voice was so loud, but she could hear every word he said.

“How could she have been with Bernadette? We found her miles from Bern. They were together in the woods before Bernadette was kidnapped, but Megan had to have gotten away.”

Her father’s footfall stopped, and she held her breath.

“Dear God, if she was with her mother…”

Her heart jumped when the wall shook as if he slammed his fist on the dresser, and all but roared. “God, please tell me she didn’t witness any of that.”

Witness any of what? She knew he hadn’t told her everything. I’ll confront him about it in the morning.

Her eyelids grew heavy and, as sleep finally overtook her, Megan vaguely heard her father speak again.

“It’s Jim. I think Meg may be getting her memories back. You better get here quick. She says she was at the warehouse with Bern. There’s more, she says a wolf rescued her.”

Seamus O’Kelly paced in his cabin like a caged animal. The muscles in his legs and arms rippled as he stalked from one room to another. Feeling trapped, he flung open the door and strode into the night. His gaze searched in the darkness.

After all this time, seventeen years, she appeared in his life again. Only this time she was not the helpless little girl with strawberry-blond hair and eyes as blue as the lake, but a striking woman. She wore her hair the same, long and pulled back in a ponytail. Now those blue eyes were a drowning danger for unsuspecting onlookers. Her body—a body a man wanted to touch—with long legs that never seemed to end and curves he could only imagine exploring with both his hands and mouth.

He shook his head to clear his mind, wondering what the hell he was thinking. Why now, after all this time, have our paths crossed again? Does she remember how she got out of the warehouse that night? Does she know all that happened from the time their kidnappers brought her and her mother in?

The endless stream of questions flung him back in time. He lay in the cold, cramped cage, overwhelmed with dizziness and pain. It had been over a month, so he was almost immune to the smell. He needed to dispel the drugs from his system to do something about it.

At least he figured out how they gave the narcotics to him. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, but the weakness of hunger was less draining than the drugs in his body they hid in the food.

A tinge of his magic returned. Just a couple more days and he would be strong enough to get out of here. He cringed as the little girl three cages down wailed once again for her mum. Poor little thing, how could these bastards torture a child; did they have no consciences?

Suddenly his skin tingled and urgency coursed through him. He jumped to his feet, throwing himself against the door. On the second try, it burst open and he toppled to the ground. Strength he knew could not be his alone had him barreling from one cage to another yanking each door off its hinges.

Then he was in front of the little girl’s cage. Her eyes grew as big as saucers as he pulled her cage door open. At first, she cowered from him, but then visibly relaxed. “I want my mommy.”

When she climbed out of the cage, he grabbed her shirtsleeve with his teeth and tugged her toward the door. Once there he threw all his weight against it until it groaned and sprang open. He dragged her into the woods and nudged her under a bush; staring into her eyes, silently ordering her to be still and quiet.

He ran back toward the warehouse. Even from this distance, he could see the chaos as both animals and people clambered to get through the door. Before he reached it, the ground shook with such force it knocked him off his feet. A giant fireball erupted from the building. He lay there horrified as the smell of burnt flesh and fur wafted toward him in the smoke. “NOOOO, MOMMY. NOOOO!” The young girl’s painful cry brought him out of his stunned stupor and he charged back to the sobbing child.

It took days to get her home. As weak as she had become, he was not sure she would survive. He returned to check on her weeks later, once he gained enough power and strength to turn back into human form, only to find her family had left the area.

Those horrible events from his past faded, bringing no answers, just more questions.

Now, by luck or fate, she rented a cabin across the lake. The man with her was not one of them, unless he had the ability to mask his power well.

Wanting to distance himself from the questions, he decided a run in the woods would help clear his head. As he took off toward the trees, an enormous black wolf, with yellow-green eyes, replaced the raven-haired man.

Chapter Two

Megan woke to voices in the next room. She listened as she snuggled beneath the down comforter.

“She was screaming, ‘No! No! Mommy…No!’ when I woke her,” Megan heard her father say. “She said she was saved by a wolf and that it tried to go back to help Bernadette. The place exploded before the wolf could get there. That’s all she remembers.”

Another voice blurted out. “Bloody hell. How could she have been there during that time? Maybe that is why Bern did not turn and rip them apart. They must have used Megan to control her. But there is no way she could have traveled thirty miles in two days. She was just a wee bit of a thing.”

Megan strained to hear and place the other person’s voice.

“Just witnessing what went on in that warehouse could explain her memory loss. It still doesn’t explain the coma. The doctors never figured out the cause for that.”

“Well, it does give me something more to go on. The Garda never released much information about the warehouse, other than the fact that they found the remains of ten bodies and a dozen animals.

Unable to make out everything they were saying, she climbed out of bed. Grabbing her robe, she jammed her arms into the sleeves and went to the door.

“Dammit Jim, she will be turning twenty-five in less than three weeks. She needs to know what to expect.”

She eased the door open just a crack so she could make out their words better, but the conversation stopped. Puzzled, Megan ventured down the hall and into the great room. She found her father and her uncle, both holding cups of coffee looking out the window. She could see the tension in both of their stances.

“Uncle Donovan!”

Megan went flying across the room and into her uncle’s arms, barely giving him enough time to put his cup on the windowsill. He swung her around as though she were weightless, as he had since she was a child. Then he set her on her feet, an arm’s length away, to look at her. His eyes misted.

“Now tell me, how is my Little Bit?”

Megan always loved the way her uncle said her nickname with his thick Irish brogue. She could sit for hours and listen to him talk. Uncle Donovan always said her mother’s voice sounded almost the same as his, except ‘her voice was as soft as a dewy petal and as sweet as fresh honey’.

“I’m great.”

“You would not be telling your old uncle a wee fib, now would you?”

“No, I feel so happy here. It’s as if I belong in the open space instead of in the city. And don’t call yourself old. As far as I can tell, you never age.”

Laughter filled Donovan’s eyes. “Ah, now that would be me strong Irish blood. But enough about me, what is this your Da was telling me about a nightmare you had last night?”

Megan explained what she recalled from her dream. How she sensed if she could just remember that missing time, she would finally feel complete. As she spoke, tears trickled down her cheeks. Until her uncle put his arms around her, before sitting down and pulling her into his lap, she had not realized she was crying.

“Now, now Little Bit, I think things are starting to come to you. Give it time and do not push it. Surely, it will all come back soon. Maybe it is being here in this place that has started your memories returning. I know how much you loved your Mum when you were little. A great bit of your difficulty lies in not being able to even remember her. However, I can tell you she loved coming here, which may have a hand in why you feel closer to her here and why your memories are starting to emerge.”

Megan felt drained, but at the same time, excited. Maybe her Uncle Donovan was right. Maybe by immersing herself in one of her mother’s favorite places, she could finally find her lost memories. Her stomach let out a noisy grumble. She placed her hand over her stomach and gazed at the floor. Her hair fell over her face like a curtain and through it she glanced between her father and uncle. “Have you eaten yet?”

They both shook their heads.

“I’ll go make us some breakfast.”

“Meg, sweetheart, I’ll go make some bacon, eggs…and pancakes? You take your shower and get dressed. Then you and Donovan can go for a walk, while I go into town for some supplies.”

“That sounds great.” She jumped up, gave her dad a hug and kiss, and then trotted off down the hall to her room to get her clothes and take a shower.

During their walk after breakfast, Megan immersed herself in the beauty of the area. The trees towered tall and lush. Framed by the mountains behind and cradling the valley below, the trees looked as if they were stirring the clouds. A mixture of peace, tranquility, and comfort washed over her. She let it consume her, as she listened to the sounds of the forest. “Why do I feel like I belong here? I’ve lived in the city all my life. Yet, this seems much more like home to me.”

“Now, Little Bit, that is where you are wrong. You did not live in the city all your life. In fact, the first eight years of your life you lived in a cottage in the woods in northern Illinois. It was a very beautiful area with a stream, and many paths winding through much of it. You and your mum would take walks all the time.”

Megan felt puzzled. “Why’d we move? Where was that? Dad never said anything to me about living in the woods.”

“After your Mum died, your Da moved into the city to be close to you in the hospital. Once you were better, he just never wanted to go back. I told him he should take you back there, but he could never bring himself to return after all that happened.”

“I know he misses her a lot. He gets the saddest look anytime I ask him to talk about Mom or what happened to her. It breaks my heart to see it, but I have to figure this out. I feel so lost, and I know if I could just remember that day, the rest would fall into place. I would feel whole again.”

“Now, I believe you will be remembering more and more over the next few weeks. If you have any questions, you just come to me and I will answer everything I can. I know it tortures your Da to relive the memories when talking to you about any of it. He wishes you would just forget it and move on with your life.” Lifting his hand to ward off her objection, he continued, “And, I know you cannot do that.” Her uncle squeezed her shoulders.

“I will be staying here now until your birthday, so, please do not hesitate to come to me any time you like. You know, when you were young, we used to talk all the time, even when I was not with you in person.”

Megan halted, as though she slammed into a wall. Everything within her pointed to the fact she was on the verge of some recollection. Then, as abruptly as the moment came, it passed. She shook her head trying to clear it.

“What is it, Little Bit?”

“I’m not sure, it’s like I remembered laughing at something you said. But you weren’t even there and...oh, never mind, it doesn’t make any sense.”

“Now, Little Bit, just because something does not seem to make sense to you at the moment, do not be writing it off. Our mind is a wondrous thing and can do more than you could ever imagine.”

They continued walking in silence until they reached the lake. Megan scanned the beauty of the area.

“Little Bit, I am going to the cabin. I have a few things to do. Will you be coming back with me?”

“No. I think I’ll stay a while, enjoy the sun’s warmth, and relax.”

“Aye, then I will leave you to it.” He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. “I will tell Jim where you are so he will not worry.” Turning, he retraced his way back down the path.

She watched for a moment then climbed up on the ledge she had discovered and gazed out over the lake. Every time she sat here, a comfort, she had no explanation for, enveloped her.

From across the lake, Seamus watched as the red-haired man kissed the young woman on the cheek, then turned and headed back toward their cabin. A surge of uncontrolled anger roared through him, as his mouth snarled the word, “Mine!”

Where had that come from? He did not even know her. Yet, he felt a deep-rooted sense of ownership as if somehow she belonged to him. He rescued many people that night. Why was his tie to her so strong?

As he watched, the woman stretched out on the ledge like a kitten enjoying the warmth of the sun. She fascinated him. She seemed lost in herself without a care in the world. He must have remained frozen in position watching her for thirty minutes, but he just could not take his eyes off her. Suddenly she jumped up as if something bit her, something he could not see, but he reacted as she went toppling over the ledge.

Megan lay with her eyes closed enjoying the peacefulness surrounding her. She felt almost weightless, as if she were floating in the clouds. The breeze picked up, playing with the hair framing her face, and she began to feel like she was flying. She imagined she was an eagle soaring above the lake. She opened her eyes and for a split second, she thought she actually was looking down from above. It startled her so much that she jumped up too swiftly, slipped, and tumbled from the ledge.

Before she reached the ground, what felt like two bands of solid steel caught her. She looked up into the most stunning pair of jade-green eyes she had ever encountered. She could see the rolling hills of Ireland in them and his face was that of a god.

“Are you all right? Did something bite you? Did you hurt yourself?”

“Ah, no, I was daydreaming and something I thought I saw startled me. I jumped up and lost my balance. I’m sure I would have hurt myself if you hadn’t caught me. Thanks.” Then her eyebrows drew together in puzzlement. “Where’d you come from? How’d you get up the side of the ledge so fast?”

Her rescuer hesitated before he answered. “I was taking a walk and saw the ledge. It looked like a great place to relax for a while. I started to climb up just as you were tumbling down. I did not see you up there, or I would have made some noise to alert you of my presence.”

Megan studied him once again, from close proximity as he still had her in his arms. He looked as dangerous as he looked gorgeous. His hair was obsidian, long, and pulled back from his face much like the style all of her uncles wore. This man’s face was all lines and angles, and those eyes…ah…she could lose herself in them.

He lifted her back onto the ledge and took a seat beside her. He stretched his hand out and introduced himself. “Seamus O’Kelly. Glad to be of service.”

Megan extended her hand. The moment their fingers touched what felt like a jolt of electricity coursed up her arm. She snatched her hand back and rubbed it on her jeans, not caring if she looked strange. What was that all about? Composing herself, she said, “My name is Megan Tully, and thank you again for saving me from breaking my neck.”

“It was my pleasure, believe me.”

It amazed her that this gorgeous man, who had just saved her from a real hurt, spoke with the same accent as all of her uncles. He had to be from Ireland as well. How unusual that he would be here in the Rockies at the same time she and her family were. She looked into those gorgeous green eyes and asked, “Where are you from?”

“I was born in Ireland, but have lived here in the States for many years. I am on holidays, and I so enjoy this area. I used to come here often, but have not had much of a chance to in the last few years. How about yourself, are you here on holidays as well?”

“Yes, I’m here with my dad. I was here a lot as a kid, but this is the first time we’ve been back since my mom died.”

A painful look crossed his face as she mentioned her mother’s death. Strange. “We came out to celebrate my birthday. My one uncle always enjoys making a big production out of it.”

“So what age will this make you then?”

“Twenty-five.”

“A great day then, you must be excited.”

Megan shrugged. “It’s just another day, nothing special.”

She watched him draw back and suck in his breath.

“Lass, what do you mean nothing special? It is your twenty-fifth birthday. That is very special for a Tuatha.”

“A what? What are you talking about?”

Seamus stared at her, a strange look shadowing across his face. “Who is your guardian, and why has he not prepared you for your empowerment? What has happened to you since the kidnapping?”

Megan froze. How did this man know about that? It hit her that she was by herself, too far from the cabin for anyone to hear her if she screamed. Now she feared he might be one of the people who kidnapped her.

When she first saw this man, she thought he looked dangerous but at the time it only added to his gorgeous features. Now, she wondered if she should have jumped out of his arms and run for the cabin without looking back. Okay, Megan, just play dumb and watch for a chance to get away from him. “What are you talking about?”

He gave her another strange look, and then turned his back and stared out over the lake. She wondered what he was thinking about doing to her. She had to get out of here as fast as she could. Before she got a chance to move a muscle, he turned around again and disbelief etched in his face. “You really do not know, do you?”

Becoming agitated with the stupid questions he was asking, she all but yelled, “Know what…what are you talking about?”

For a few more minutes, Seamus stared at her before he got up and began to pace.

Megan watched him in apprehension. His behavior unnerved her, yet some of the things he said began to spark something just out of reach. His movements mesmerized her. He reminded her of a great jungle cat. His muscles rippled as he moved with grace and elegance. Yet, he looked ready to pounce on her in a single move.

Settling himself beside her again, he said, “Okay, let me try this. This is as short as I can make it. The Tuatha Dé Danann are a very powerful and magical people. We have been around since the dawn of time. Our children come into their power at the age of twenty-five and thirty depending on their sex. Up until that point they develop minimal powers such as telepathy and telekinesis.”

Megan held her hand up to stop him. “Wait! You're telling me I’m a Tu…whatever? I have no powers. I can’t talk to anyone by using my mind and I certainly can’t move objects without picking them up by hand. I think you’re mistaking me for somebody else.” That must be it. He had mixed her up with someone else. Yet, something kept nagging in the back of her mind. Something that was right there. She just couldn’t quite grasp it. Still—how did he know about her kidnapping?

“No, Megan I can feel your power. I know it was you...” He stopped speaking; his head went up, and he looked past her. Megan turned to look in the same direction as her father came into sight.

She turned back and asked, “How’d you know—” but he was gone. She stood and looked around, but to no avail. Where could he have gone so fast and why?

Jim came barreling up to the ledge Megan was standing on. Megan could tell by the scowl on her father’s face he was not happy with her. She hoped he hadn’t seen her talking to Seamus. He would go ballistic. He had always been so protective of her that it sometimes became overbearing. She knew he was afraid of losing her again, but there were times when she needed to be alone. Now was one of those times.

After talking to Seamus, she wanted a little time to mull over their conversation. Out here in the wilderness, she felt safe, and so much at home. She just wanted to spend some time without her father breathing down her neck.

“Meg, you know I don’t like you out on your own.”

“Dad, I’m twenty-four years old, for God’s sake. I think I can take care of myself. Besides, Uncle Donovan knew where I was, and obviously, so did you.” Her father appeared so taken aback by her reply that guilt flooded through her. “I’m sorry Dad. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just sometimes I need a little space.”

“No, Meg, I should be the one apologizing. It’s difficult to forget I almost lost you once.”

“I know, Dad, but I feel secure here. Somehow, I feel connected to this place. I can’t seem to explain it. But, I just think that here in the open is where I belong. It’s almost as if the area’s calling to me. That sounds kind of weird, doesn’t it?”

“To a stranger it might, but your mother said that all the time. So I guess I’ll have to get used to it again. She would come out to this exact spot, sit here for hours and gaze off at nothing. I never understood it. So weird, no, I guess it’s just the ‘call of the wild’ as your mom used to put it.”

Megan’s father amazed her by talking about her mother so easily. Usually when her name was mentioned, his face took on a devastated look. This time the memories seemed to comfort him instead. Megan climbed down from the ledge. “Come on Dad. Let’s go to the cabin.”

From across the lake, Seamus watched Megan. He could tell she was quite perplexed upon realizing he had departed. The man he had sensed came up to her looking irritated. He listened to their conversation, something he rarely did; the circumstances, he decided, warranted this breach in protocol.

He still had not figured out why he felt so protective and possessive of her. She was a gorgeous woman, there was no denying that, but that did not account for his overwhelming jealousy earlier when the red-haired man kissed her. Who was he anyway? There was something familiar about him, but Seamus couldn’t quite place him without a better look. When they came out of the woods, he had his arm around her. It took a lot of control not to go over and rip her out of his hold. Then he kissed her and Seamus’s vision went red.

Of course, there was that tiny fact that when Megan had touched him he felt as though the whole world came to a halt. He guessed it would be better to worry about that later. He had other things to deal with. This man, he now knew to be her father, was definitely not Tuatha. Maybe that answered why she knew nothing of her heritage. Why had the red-haired man not educated her? Well, someone needed to teach her the way of her people before she found out the hard way on her birthday. He could find no doubt in his mind that she would come into power on that day.

He needed to figure out how to prepare her since she obviously had no one else. Why had her mother not told her some of those things back when she was younger? More importantly, why is it she seemed not to have any of her adolescent powers? Perhaps she had no powers because only her mother was Tuatha. No, that was not possible; he could feel the power emanating from her even from here. Could the drugs they used during her captivity have caused her to lose her abilities? He had lost his for a time, so why not her? He had so many questions and very few answers.

He watched as Megan climbed down from the ledge and headed back toward her cabin. He turned and started into the woods, his walk stretching to a lope as he gave in to the need to run off his excess energy.

Chapter Three

Upon returning to the cabin, Megan sought out her uncle. She found him in the den absorbed in something on the computer. He didn’t seem to notice her at first, so she studied him. He had broad shoulders that tapered down to a trim waist, and long auburn hair, pulled back in a thong that emphasized his thin face, which was dominated by his misty, gray-blue eyes. She knew he stood about six-foot two and carried the same grace she noticed Seamus had when he walked, no…prowled. Yeah, that’s what Seamus and all her uncles did. They didn’t walk; they stalked around. It must be an Irish thing.

As if he felt her staring at him, he turned and gave her one of his lopsided smiles. “Did you enjoy yourself up on Spy Ledge?”

“Spy Ledge?”

“That is what your Mum and I used to call it. Because we could lay up there and no one could see us, but we could spy on them.”

Megan laughed at that. Somehow, she could almost see them as young children spying on others from the ledge. Knowing that also made her feel closer to her mom. “How often did you and Mom come here?”

“We used to come here quite often, at least once a year. Ah, too many years to count. This was a very special place for us. I still come here myself quite a bit.”

Her youthful-looking uncle seemed willing to share his feelings about her mother and Megan yearned to learn more, so she prodded him with a question. “What made it such a special place for Mom?”

“Your mum always liked open spaces. She always felt more at home in the wilderness. She could run free here whenever she felt like it. It was here she spent most of her birthdays.”

That reminded Megan of her conversation with Seamus. “Is there something special about my twenty-fifth birthday?”

If she had not been watching her uncle so closely when she asked the question, Megan might have missed Donovan stiffen just for a split second.

He stood and walked over to her, placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. “Now Little Bit, every one of your birthdays is special to me and you know that. This one you will be turning a quarter of a century old, so yes, it is very important.”

She looked deep into his steely-blue eyes, trying to discern his sincerity.

“Little Bit, you look as if you do not believe me, what happened when you were out on the ledge?”

“Two things, actually.”

Donovan’s body seemed to turn to stone as he studied her. He seemed to be holding his breath waiting for her reply. Why had he become so anxious? Megan walked over to the overstuffed leather chair and collapsed into it.

“I dreamt I was an eagle. When I opened my eyes, it seemed as if I was looking down through the eagle’s eyes. It startled me so much that I jumped up and stumbled off the ledge. A strange man caught me. It was weird, almost as if he materialized out of nowhere. Thank God he did, or I would have broken my neck or at least a few bones.”

The small smile that had come over Donovan’s face turned into a frown. “You say he just materialized there in time to save you? Who was he? What was he doing out there? Are you are all right? He did not try to hurt you, did he?”

Megan gave a quick laugh. Of course, he would think more of the fact that a stranger was out in the woods with her instead of that she was seeing things through the eyes of an eagle.

“He said he was climbing to the ledge when I jumped up and fell. No, he didn’t hurt me, but he insisted I was a ‘tuath something’.” Shaking her head she continued, “I can’t remember what he called it. He said I would ‘come into my power’ this birthday, or some such thing. And when I told him he was mistaken, he said he could already feel the power in me.”

Donovan’s expression intensified. He closed his eyes and cocked his head to the side as though listening to something or someone.

“What did he look like? Did he give you his name?” Donovan’s words were clipped. Tense.

The way her uncle was acting had her nerves jittering.

“He was about two or three inches taller than you. With raven black hair, pulled back and tied with a thong. His eyes were the deepest jade-green, I’ve ever seen.” She sighed. “He was quite strong; he didn’t even flinch when he caught me. He didn’t even get winded when he carried me back up to the ledge.” Pausing to think for a moment, she then finished. “Oh, he said his name was Seamus O’Kelly.”

“By the gods, is it possible? Can he be alive after all these years?” He gripped her arms. “I want you to stay inside with your father. Sean and Patrick will arrive shortly.”

Her heart slammed into her chest like a base drum. “Wait a minute. What’s going on? Who is this guy? And Sean and Patrick aren’t supposed to be here until next week.”

Donovan’s laugh held no mirth. “You are quite perceptive, Little Bit. Seamus is a very important person, and our families are very close. He went missing about three weeks before you and your mother. I will explain all of this to you when I get back. Now as for Sean and Patrick, I have summoned them and they will be here momentarily. So please, do as I ask, and do not leave this cabin.”

Donovan turned to go, but Megan stopped him when she said, “He knew I was kidnapped!”

He spun around, “Are you sure?”

“He asked me who my guardian was and why he hadn’t prepared me for my empower... something or other. He also wanted to know what had happened to me since the time I was kidnapped. Please, Uncle Donovan, tell me what’s going on.”

He did not get a chance. The door burst open and in charged her father along with her uncles, Sean and Patrick.

“What the hell is going on, Donovan? Why are Sean and Patrick here?” Her father’s worried countenance made Megan’s heart race. What was going on?

“I have no time to explain anything right now, Jim.” Donovan turned his head toward Sean. “Sean, stay with Megan and Jim and try to answer some of her questions until Patrick and I get back.”

Then he turned to Megan. “Little Bit, I promise I will sit down with you when I return and tell you everything I can. For now stay close to Sean and your Da.”

With that, he turned to Patrick and the two of them sprinted out the door.

Seamus careened out of the woods toward his cabin, coming to an abrupt halt as he heard, “Oh, to hell with you, how can you just sit there? We need to find the bastard and get some answers.”

He pulled his lips back to growl as the second man sucked in a breath and said, “Paddy, do not move a muscle.”

The first man started to turn as Seamus’s growl rumbled from his throat, giving him great satisfaction as the man froze.

He started to dematerialize as the second man said “Seamus, wait!”

Seamus shimmered back, only this time as a man. Staring at the two men in front of him he kept his features neutral as he glared at them. Every muscle coiled ready to attack. It took a few seconds before he recognized them. Still, he did not ease his stance. “Dono? Paddy?”

“Seamus, where have you been all of these years? We thought you were dead.”

“Thought or hoped?” Seamus let his stance grow more threatening.

Seamus watched as Donovan recoiled. They might have been friends for hundreds of years, but Seamus still didn’t know if he could trust him.

“Dammit to hell, man! What are you talking about? Why would I wish you dead?”

“Because someone has been feeding information about our people to some deplorable group so they have the ability to capture us, and I have no clue who it is.”

Seamus watched as Donovan’s mouth dropped open and looked as if someone sucker punched him.

Donovan stuttered and finally said, “And you think, I would do such a thing.”

“Someone had to have known me pretty well to know where I was that day.”

“Bloody hell, I have been your friend, no…closer to a brother, for three hundred years and you think I would turn you over to a bunch of butchers.”

Guilt washed over Seamus as he thought about the friendship he had with Donovan. They had been inseparable for most of their lives. His month in the bowels of hell and not knowing how this group was getting their information taught him to trust no one. But the memories of his earlier life washed over him like a balm. Then Donovan’s next question brought his hackles back up.

“Seamus, was it you who saved Megan after she was kidnapped?”

His face hardened as he bared his teeth and growled, “What do you know about her?”

“She is my niece.”

It hit him then—Donovan was the man he saw earlier with Megan.

“What! Whose daughter? Gods, do not tell me it was Bernadette.”

“Aye, it devastates me to say it was.”

Seamus fell to his knees and roared. “By the gods! I never saw her. The lass had been crying for her for days. Once I got Megan out, I went back. I just was not fast enough. I tried! Gods, I am so sorry.”

Even from where he was standing, Donavan must have felt Seamus’s anguish, because he said, “Seamus, we are not blaming you. We just want help filling in some of the details.”

After a few moments Seamus pulled himself together enough to say, “Then shall we go inside, and I will tell you what I can.”

It did not take long for Seamus to unward the cabin. The three of them went into the great room. Thoughts of that horrible night still playing in his head and now knowing Bernadette was the one he heard screaming, “Please don’t hurt my baby,” just about brought him to his knees again. To distract himself, Seamus walked into the kitchen and got them each a drink, instead of just producing some. Once back, he handed them each a bottle of Guinness and they sat.

It didn’t take long for the lump of lead in his stomach to become a boulder when Donovan started asking questions.

“Tell me how they managed to keep you, Seamus. I figured they used Megan to keep Bern there.”

Seamus took a deep breath as he shook his head. “They did not have to use the lass. They administered some type of drug to keep us in whatever form they caught us. When they captured me, I was running as my wolf. I cannot figure out how they knew it was me. I was with a pack, and none of the others went down. The only explanation I can find is one of our kind betrayed me. I can trust no one.”

Seamus drank long and deep before continuing. “They started torturing me from day one…”

He watched as Donovan stalked over to the window. He knew even the scenery couldn’t calm Donovan as he recanted more of his time in captivity. He could feel Patrick’s restlessness as well. When Seamus told them of Bernadette and Megan’s imprisonment, the air in the cabin pulsated with anger that threatened to blow it apart.

“They also implanted some type of tracking device in me. Over the years they have been able to keep coming after me. I have not found the device yet, so I cannot risk going back near our people. I saw many lost to those butchers in the blast. I am not willing to jeopardize any of my family. I am almost certain I killed most everyone connected with this group since I escaped. But until I know for sure and find out how they track me, I have to stay away from our people.”

“Why have you not at least contacted your family?”

A shudder ran though him. “That seems to be the one power I have not gained back. Even after all this time, I cannot communicate with any of the family telepathically. I have tried so many times over the years, but to no avail.”

Seamus got up and started to prowl around the room. When he faced Donovan again he said, “Now it is your turn. Tell me what happened after Megan’s return?”

Donovan explained. “When the Garda called Jim, we both went to the warehouse. The fire had not touched the room Bern was in so we could not figure out why she died. Granted they butchered her body, but she should have healed. That is one of the many mysteries we have not been able to solve. With all the trampling the Garda did at the scene and the fire itself, I could not find even the slightest trace of Megan. Two days later we found her in the woods close to the house. Now I assume that was as close as you would dare come in wolf form.”

Seamus stopped his pacing long enough to say, “When we got there, her dog came running out barking and snarling at me. It wanted to fight me for her. I thought it best not to let the lass witness any more bloodshed so I backed off. She was barely alert, but I did tell the dog to get her Da. That was when I took off.”

He hated reliving all of this again, but he knew Donovan needed to know the truth.

Donovan continued, “By the time Bandit brought Jim to her, she was unconscious. He rushed her to the hospital where she remained in a coma for five years. When she finally came to, she had no memory of her life before that day. She also had none of her childhood abilities.”

“Has she gotten any of her memories back?”

“She had a dream last night. I think, as her time gets closer, more will come. Since you told her about our people today, she will be having a tremendous rash of questions now. It could even facilitate her remembering.”

“Why have you not told her already? She needs to be prepared for her empowerment.”

“At first her father was afraid it would cause her damage to push her into remembering. He begged us not to say anything. As time went on, he still refused to allow it. Now he will have no choice.”

“She does not have much time. This should have been done years ago.”

“I know, but Jim is her father. I feared he would take her away where I would not be able to find her. Since the kidnapping, she has not been able to communicate in the way of our people.”

“She may never be able to, due to whatever drug those bastards used on us.”

“Seamus, I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose my ability to communicate telepathically. I would never have survived without it. I will tell you this, from here on out, we are going to be helping you. I am sure we will have a fair amount of others willing to help as well.”

“Dono, I thank you, but I also must caution you that these people are dangerous. I do not want to endanger any more of our people. We lost dozens in those weeks. Even though I have tracked down most of those bastards and destroyed any records I could find, I cannot be sure there were not some that never came to that facility so I never caught their scent. Then there is also the fact that we have a traitor among our people. I am not sure it is a good idea to let too many of our people even know I am around until we can discern who this person is.”

“Aye, I will keep that in mind, but you should not have had to shoulder all this on your own. We have been friends and family for centuries. You should have come to me somehow for help. This business of you and Megan not having your telepathic ability is serious. We need to bring our healers to work with both of you.”

“I do not know who the traitor is, so it might be best to just leave that be for a while. I am not willing to put anyone else in harm’s way.”

Seamus stopped in front of the window and looked out. After a few minutes he turned and said, “If I had known that the lass’s mother was Bernadette, I would have made it a point to somehow come to you. I am sure you now understand why I did not contact anyone. My biggest regret is that I did not get back in time to save Bern. I am so very sorry.”

“Seamus, I will be forever in your debt for saving my niece. Oh shite, speaking of which I am sure by now she is tormenting poor Sean with more questions than he will know how to answer. So I must take my leave, but we will get together again either tonight or tomorrow.”

Seamus laughed. After his brief encounter with Megan today he could easily envision her pestering the hell out of Sean. “Yes my friend, I will come over to your cabin in the morning. You will need this night to talk to Megan as I am sure I stirred up a hornet’s nest when I spoke to her this afternoon.”

“Aye, that you did.”

They said their good-byes. Donovan stopped before he and Patrick left. “One other thing. Would you like me to relay any message to your family? Maybe let them know you are alive? Since you have not been around in a while, I am sure you do not know that Noel mated with your sister Shannon. So it should not be difficult to let them all know you are fine.”

“Shannon and Noel? Well, I will be damned. I never thought that buggar would ever settle down, and to Shannon. I can bet she is keeping him on his toes. When did this happen?”

Pictures of his younger sister danced through his mind, her running like a gazelle through the woods with her sandy-blonde hair streaming down her back, then that fiery look that came into her gray eyes when she got angry. He remembered seeing that look in Shannon’s eyes many a time when she was around Noel. The Fates had quite a sense of humor. The memories faded as Seamus heard Donovan answer his question.

“Three years now. And aye, she is giving him a run for his money. They seem quite suited for each other, though, and are very happy.”

“And to your question, yes, that would be grand if you would pass on to my family that I am alive and well. However, you need to tell them they must still stay away for a while longer. At least until we can figure out if there are any of those bastards left.”

“Aye, as you wish.”

And then they were gone.

Seamus dropped to the chair, his chest tight with the guilt over failing to save Bernadette. Talking to Donovan and Patrick had brought that time flooding back. The smell, the pain, but worst were the screams as they tortured the others. His head pounded and sweat covered his body as he relived that time. Closing his eyes, he tried to erase the horrors of that month. He knew he would not be able to function if he didn’t.

Chapter Four

Megan paced back and forth through the great room for over two hours. Still there was no sign of Donovan and Patrick returning. She could see the sun shining outside. A handful of cottony clouds interrupted the azure sky. A breeze toyed with the leaves in the trees, beckoning her to come and play. Instead, she was stuck in the cabin all because of some idiot she stupidly mention to Donovan. He had acted as if she had consorted with the devil himself. Although to her, Seamus looked more like a god.

“Pet, would you please sit down before you wear a hole in the floorboards.” Sean shook his head.

Dejected, she complied, but within seconds she was back to pacing.

“You remind me of a lioness stalking back and forth in her cage. How do you and Patrick manage to keep up such a pace? If I moved as much as the two of you, I would drop dead.”

Megan smiled; she could not resist her uncle’s playful jabs, but the empty space outside the window drew her attention back to it.

“Where could they be all this time?”

“Not to worry, Pet, they have found Seamus and are talking to him as we speak.”

“How do you know for sure? What if he hurts them?”

“Megan, Seamus may have a few inches on them, but I can guarantee you if it came down to it, they could knock him flat.”

She really did not want anything to happen to Seamus either. For some reason, even though he looked dangerous, he intrigued her. She felt drawn to him. She had enjoyed his company, even if he sounded a bit unstable, with his talk of magic and power. Her Uncle Donovan seemed taken aback when she questioned him about what Seamus had called her “empowerment.” It was almost as if he did not know how to answer her. Well, if he ever got back, maybe she could get some answers.

Sean kept pretty tight-lipped except for stating that Seamus was a friend of the family that had disappeared shortly before Megan’s kidnapping. He must have been in his early teens when he went missing, because from the look of him he could not be more than five years older than her. Of course, she was coming to realize, guessing ages was not one of her strong points. She would swear her uncles were all in their thirties as well, but she knew they were all at least in their fifties. Her pacing came to a halt as Patrick and Donovan walked through the front door. She bombarded Donovan with questions.

Laughing Donovan said, “Slow down, Little Bit, you sound like a machine gun.”

Donovan’s words made little impact on Megan. She needed answers. “You have to tell me everything. I have a right to know what is going on.”

“Aye, and I will, but I cannot answer questions when you fire them off without taking a breath.”

At that point, Jim plowed into the room, looking a bit anxious himself. “Well, did you find the son of a bitch?”

Donovan looked over toward Jim and scowled. “We found him. I will ask you to refrain from calling Seamus names when you do not know anything about him.”

Her dad’s eyes blazed and his hands balled into fists. “Oh, so now you’re going to defend him because he is some long lost friend. Who, might I remind you, disappeared not long before Bern and recently accosted my daughter.”

“Wait one bloody minute, Jim; you do not know the whole story. First, he did not accost Megan. He happens to have saved her from a fall off the ledge. Second, you might like to know, before you go off half-cocked, he was the one who saved Megan that night, helped her escape, and brought her as close to the house as he dared in wolf form. Which I can guarantee you was quite a feat.”

Donovan’s stance made him look like a prizefighter posing to throw his first blow. “You would not have seen too many other people who would have put someone else’s needs above their own, especially after being caged and pumped full of drugs for over a month. Now, because of Seamus, we also know for a fact that Megan was taken with Bern.”

Megan’s breath caught. Wolf form? As she watched, her father turned deathly pale and sank into the chair behind him. Jim stammered, but finally whispered, “He was there?”

“Aye, and he gave us a great deal of information about the goings on of the place. It would seem that we have a traitor in our own ranks. Worse, it seems they had been doing experiments on us long before they captured Seamus or Bernadette.”

“How can you be sure he is not the one who has been giving away information? He hasn’t been seen or heard from in years.”

Megan wanted to jump into the fray. Her mind reeled with numerous questions as she listened, but neither her father nor her Uncle Donovan allowed an opening in their embroiled exchange.

“It seems they have created some drug that prevents us from changing form. It holds us virtually powerless and blocks our communication pathways. This left Seamus unable to talk to his family in the way of our people. He would not dare go to them either because this group also implanted a tracking device in him. I have contacted Shannon and Conor to do some research into it.”

As Megan listened to their conversation, other words started to fall into place. Wolf form, telepathic speaking, Tuatha De Danann, empowerment, and her uncle’s words this morning about her mother not changing and ripping them apart. Overwhelmed she stumbled into a chair, as her mind raced. She stared at her uncle in disbelief. Finding her voice she said, “Are you saying…is it true…that I’m not human?”

In the blink of an eye, everyone in the room focused their attention on her. Donovan moved toward her. Megan’s father jumped from his chair and ran to her. Her father knelt and took her hands in his. “No, Meg, of course you’re human. This has nothing to do with you.”

Donovan plopped down on the chair arm, reached around her shoulder, and yanked her toward him. "Jim. I have let you keep your blinders on too long. It stops now. It has kept Megan in the dark about her heritage. It is time she learned the truth."

Jim surged to his feet; his anger a palpable thing. The room tilted for a moment as her father spat out his words. “You don’t know for sure what abilities she has.” The disgust in his voice caused Megan to recoil. Her mouth as dry, as a cotton ball, she could not force out any words.

“I know you loved my sister dearly. You were as devastated at her loss as the rest of us. Therefore, I am going to let your attitude slide. However, I can no longer allow you to keep the truth from Megan. She will be coming into power in less than three weeks. It is time she learned who and what she is.”

“She is my daughter, and I forbid it.”

“Jim, I know you wanted to protect her all these years, but you cannot change the inevitable. You can no longer ignore what Megan is. You loved Bern not just as a woman, but also because of who she was. Megan is no different. She will always be your daughter. But Megan exudes power. Before the kidnapping, she exhibited her adolescent abilities. After talking to Seamus, I now know why she lost those powers.”

Jim sank back to the floor, his head in his hands and his shoulders slumped in defeat. He looked as if he had aged ten years in a matter of minutes. “I can’t lose her as well.” His words were barely a whisper.

Megan felt torn—she wanted to comfort her father, but she needed to know more.

Donovan’s voice changed, softened. “You will not be losing her, Jim. She will be the same person she is now with extra abilities, as you well know.”

Her father’s head jerked up; a spark of fight lit his eyes. “No, that’s not what I’m talking about. If she changes, they will come after her again. Look what they did to Bern. They butchered her for God’s sake.”

Megan gasped. The room around her darkened and her head felt disconnected from her body. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Donovan’s curse cut through the black curtain enveloping her.

A sharp, alcoholic smell accosted her nose. Through a long, dark tunnel, she saw Sean holding a brandy snifter with about an inch of golden-brown liquid in it.

“Drink this, Pet.”

With a shaking hand, she took the glass and gulped down the amber alcohol. The burn of it sliding down her throat caused her to choke and she had trouble catching her breath. Sean stood her up and walked her to her room. Like a living puppet, she followed his lead.

“Now, Pet, I want you to lie down for a wee bit. I promise I will wake you in about an hour or so and we will explain everything to you.” He helped her into her bed. She continued to shake and sob as he pulled the quilt over her. He sat on the bed and just held her as she cried until she quieted and eventually started to drift toward sleep. Sean’s footfalls echoed as he left the room and in a few moments she heard him say, “She is asleep, and thank the gods for it, after the two of you made a right bollocks of the whole bloody matter. I have never seen two bigger eejits in my entire life. You two acted as if she was not even in the same room. Then to blurt out about how Bern died in front of her like that. You never even told her that her mum was murdered did you Jim?”

She tried to comprehend her Uncle Sean’s words as sleep swept over her.

Megan dreamt, but there was nothing concrete she could grab hold of, except she kept seeing a big black wolf pushing her through the woods and snuggling up next to her to keep her warm when they rested. When she woke, her Uncle Sean was sitting, or rather half dozing, in the chair next to the bed.

“So you are awake, then?” He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he noticed her watching him.

Megan pushed herself into a sitting position against the headboard. “I’m not sure if I want to be. I’m hoping you’re going to tell me this is all a dream. And now that I am awake, you’ll say I’m really human and have no power whatsoever. Then you’ll say everything is just the same as it was before.”

“Ah, Pet, I wish I could. You are quite human by the way. Only, now you will have the great advantage of being able to wield magical powers. I am going to let Donovan tell you of your heritage. Once he has, you will find it is not as horrible as you might think at this moment.”

Megan thought about it for a while and then asked, “How was my mother killed? If she had these great powers, you all talk about, how come she couldn’t save herself?”

Sean’s face flushed red. “I am afraid that is one question in this entire business none of us can make heads or tails of. From what Seamus told Dono and Paddy, the people who kidnapped you both used some type of drug to stop Bern from changing and from communicating with us. Still, even with the injuries your mum sustained, she should not have died. That is the part that has all of us so baffled.”

Now that she had Sean talking about her mother, she was going to try to get as much from him as possible. “Can you tell me about her? Not the way Dad or even Uncle Donovan talks about her. I mean what she was like.” Megan was not sure Sean was going to tell her as he stared out the window. To her surprise he actually spoke.

“She was the most unique person you could ever want to know. She looked a lot like you, but with slightly darker hair and grayer eyes. She was always so happy in life. Nothing ever seemed to get her down. She made everyone laugh with her antics. She would joke and use her power to wreak havoc on the rest of us. Even as a child, she was the most mischievous little brat according to Donovan and Patrick. You know you were very much like her before the kidnapping.”

He continued to tell her about her mother. In total awe, she listened with fascination at his tales. He had her laughing so hard the rest of her uncles and her dad came into the room to make sure she was all right. After a while, they all began to contribute memories of their own, and before long, the whole group rocked the walls with laughter.

Megan’s sides hurt from laughing so hard. Tears ran down her face, only this time they were tears of joy. It was so nice to have everyone talking about her mom in such a loving and happy way.

Later they all went to the kitchen and had dinner, still talking of Bernadette’s and her brothers’ childhood days. This was a part of her mom’s life no one ever shared with her before. Joy filled her entire being. She felt much closer to the mother that she never knew or at least couldn’t remember. Even her dad seemed happy to be hearing all of it.

After dinner, Donovan came to her. He said it was time to go for a walk so he could tell her all about her heritage, and to give her some information on what to expect on her birthday. Her lip trembled and perspiration pooled in her armpits as she followed her uncle. After hearing so many wonderful things about her mom, she knew she needed to find out the rest. They ended up on Spy Ledge as Donovan explained about the Tuatha Dé Danann and what she could expect over the next few weeks and beyond.

By the time Donovan had finished, her mind reeled. How was it possible that she would be able to move from place to place with just a thought, or to envision an object and have it appear in her hand? She could become an animal at will and have powers beyond any she ever dreamed. It was hard to wrap her mind around it all.

“But how is it you can’t talk to me in my mind the way you talk to Sean and Patrick? You said I used to do that, and the other day I remembered, or at least had the sensation I had previously had conversations that way.”

“Oh you did, Little Bit. We used to talk all the time together that way. Up until the day you were kidnapped, my mind was all we needed to communicate with both your mum and you. The last thing I heard from Bern were the words ‘Run Megan,’ then my head filled with a blinding white-hot pain.”

Megan felt another memory trying to break through, but then it was gone.

Donovan continued, “From that point on, I could not contact either one of you. When I talked to Seamus, he explained they used some drug that somehow prevented us from communicating on that level. He is still not able to communicate telepathically himself, even after all these years. That is a very difficult thing for him; as we use this process frequently, when we want to communicate with one of our family members from a distance.”

“So, I may never be able to communicate telepathically?”

“To that question Megan, I have no clue. I have contacted our healers to see if they can come to some conclusion on that.”

“Speaking of Seamus, you said he was the one who saved me. Was he the wolf?”

“Yes, he was in wolf form when he was captured, and due to the drugs they used, he could not transform back. It was no easy task to save those that he did, you included.”

“I wish he could have saved Mom, too.”

“That we all do, but none more so than Seamus himself. He said he never saw her, only you. He knew her, so he would have done anything in his power to have saved her if he could have.”

“So he didn’t know who I was when we talked earlier. He did seem quite upset that I knew nothing about being a Tuatha Dé Danann or even what it meant.”

“His family ranks very high among our people, and he has very strong beliefs. He is right about the fact that I have neglected to explain all this to you years ago. However, I refused to go against your Da’s wishes. Your Da was so afraid that if we started explaining this it could cause some sort of problem for you. Being that you had none of your adolescent powers, I saw no harm in leaving you in ignorance until closer to your empowerment. Your Da always kept me informed as to any memories that started to surface. When you had your dream the other night, he called me. We thought it best I come here in case you started remembering more. However; unforeseeable to us all, you ran into Seamus, and…well, we made a mess of telling you the truth after.”

“I would like to see him again, so that I can thank him myself for saving me. Maybe, if we talk about my kidnapping, it might spark some more of my memories. Dad hates when I say that. But I have to find out what happened. That’s the only way I feel I will remember my life before I was kidnapped.”

I think you may be right about that, Little Bit. Seamus will be over tomorrow morning. I will make sure you get some time to talk to him alone.”

“Thanks. I’m beat. I want to go back to the cabin and go to bed.”

Seamus stepped out onto his porch, sending his senses out to check for any intruders that might be near. He found Megan and Donovan across the lake sitting on the same ledge they had shared earlier that day. Automatically, his mind drifted toward Megan. Why it was he could not stop his thoughts from reaching for her, he did not know. Since seeing her the other day, she was taking up too much of his thoughts. Her strawberry blond hair, the way it caught the sun like molten gold, took his breath away. Certain if it was not up in that ponytail it would cascade over her delicate shoulders then down to reach the small of her back. Her eyes were a magnificent blue that he was sure would go to cobalt if she were aroused. Her face, that of a queen, was as regal as any he had ever seen. When she had fallen into his arms this afternoon, it had taken all of his powers of control to keep from kissing her breathless, with her Cupid’s bow lips.

She did resemble her mother greatly. Why he did not notice it before he could not fathom. He had always felt Bernadette was one striking woman, though she had never affected him the way Megan did. He still was not sure how to deal with these new feelings. One thing for sure, he had to be very careful to keep himself in check whenever he was around her. Somehow, he needed to get her out of his head. There might be some of the kidnappers still alive. Until every last one was dead, he knew none of his people were safe.

As he walked along the lake, his mind once again shifted to Megan. She was such a breath of fresh air after all these years of self-imposed isolation. Could Megan be more than an attractive diversion for him? Could she be his mate? The realization shocked him—it could present some real problems. Not just to him, but also to his family and friends. He was sure that Donovan would not be pleased to find out his niece was destined to be Seamus’s mate. He grinned at the thought, but a shudder ran through his body when he figured none of them would have much of a choice, if the gods had fated her to be his.

It was well after midnight when he noticed that Donovan and Megan started back toward their cabin. It would be a good thing for him to get some sleep as well. Tomorrow will be a long day.

Chapter Five

The morning had dawned bright and clear, when Megan decided she could not sleep another wink. She looked at the clock by her bed and discovered she had slept only five hours; it was six-thirty in the morning. Usually she could sleep late and still feel as though she had not gotten enough rest, but not this morning. She awoke feeling invigorated, as if she had gotten the best night’s sleep in years.

She climbed out of bed and headed into the bathroom for a quick shower before she started breakfast. As she stepped out of the shower, she could smell coffee and bacon cooking. She threw on her robe and slippers. She should have known her Uncle Sean would have breakfast well underway by this time of the morning. She made her way to the kitchen to find her uncle cooking not just bacon, sausage and eggs, but steaks, ham, muffins and pancakes.

“Good grief, Uncle Sean. It looks like you’re cooking for an army.”

“No, just the six of us.”

“How’s there six of us? Who else is here?”

“Seamus will be joining us for breakfast.”

Oh God, here she was in a robe and slippers. “Then let me grab a cup of coffee and run back and get dressed.”

Megan definitely did not want Seamus to see her like this. She poured the coffee, put in some sugar and cream and hurried back to the bedroom. She surveyed what clothes she had in the closet. She was never fussy on how she dressed, but today she wanted to look special. She grabbed a pair of jeans and then hunted for something other than the plain T-shirts she favored. She found a kelly-green tank top with lace inset. She started to pull her hair up in a ponytail, but upon inspecting her reflection, Megan decided that it looked too childish so she left her hair down. Full makeup was out of the question since she hadn’t brought everything. She made due with some lip-gloss and eye shadow.

She decided against wearing shoes and padded barefoot into the kitchen. When she arrived, she noticed Seamus at the table along with Sean and Donovan. No one paid much attention to her except Seamus, who stared at her as if she was the breakfast, instead of the food in front of him. A forkful of steak hung in mid-air as he gazed open-mouthed at her.

Megan thought he looked dangerous yesterday; today he looked ten times more so. Even sitting, he seemed larger than life. His shoulders looked as if they could fill the doorway. His arms appeared to be as large as her thighs. She remembered those strong arms supporting her yesterday as she fell. He lifted her as if she were nothing but a feather. Oh, how she would like those massive arms around her now and those hands touching her in places she hadn’t been touched in quite some time.

Then he smiled at her, wide and wicked, as if he knew her thoughts. Her heart jumped and she could feel the flush running from her toes to her cheeks. There was kindness in that smile and darker, more intimate things as well. She felt such a pull that she wanted to run over and hug him and do a whole lot more. What is the matter with me? I’m almost twenty-five. I’ve been with men before, but no one made me feel the way I do now. Even after spending months getting to know them. Yet here I am practically falling over myself, over a complete stranger.

Seamus nearly dropped his knife and fork when Megan came into the room. She wore jeans that looked painted on. Her top may have covered her curves, but it seemed to emphasize them more. She had left her hair down, and he had been right about it coming to the small of her back. He could almost feel her silky locks running through his fingers. She wore no shoes on her beautifully shaped feet. Pink nail polish decorated her toes. He envisioned taking them in his mouth and suckling them. He became hard.

The air crackled with electricity and Seamus heard a rumbling growl. He turned his head toward Donovan and realized his friend was sensing Seamus’ rising testosterone. Without looking at Megan, Donovan told her to go and tell her father and Patrick that breakfast was ready.

Seamus stared at Donovan. He knew it was a challenge to do so, but he also knew that he and Megan would be mated and there was no one who could stand in the way of it. Donovan looked at him, with malice in his eyes, then cocked his head and looked toward the door where Megan had exited.

“You son-of-a-bitch, of all the women in the world, you had to find your mate in my niece.”

“It is not my idea and the timing could not be worse. I cannot afford the distraction, yet the Fates have deemed otherwise.”

“Aye, and I can tell you, Jim is not going to agree with this at all.”

“No, I am sure he will not, not that he or anyone can stop it.”

“True enough, but it is not going to be easy. She understands a bit of what will happen to her on her birthday, yet there is only so much I can explain to her. Much of what is going to happen she knew instinctively as a child, but those bastards stripped that from her along with all her memories. Now she has to deal with the Fates mating you two as well. This may be too much for her to handle at one time.”

“There are other ways to get her memories to return. We will have to try some of them over the next two weeks. It would make her empowerment much easier if she could remember what Bern had taught her.”

“I will talk to Jim and explain about the two of you. He might take it better coming from me, but I can guarantee it will be a fight all the same.”

“Aye, no father wants to see his babe leave the nest, and I am sure it will be even harder on him since he lost his wife and almost lost Megan as well. He does not seem to have a great understanding of the Tuatha.”

“You know as well as I, we do not let most know much of ourselves. Even though Bern married him, she did not give him more information than necessary about our people. I do know they loved each other as well as any of our own, but I do not think he understood all of her needs. He certainly does not understand anything about the empowerment, and he honestly believed that Megan might not have any powers at all and would never change. That was one of the reasons he never told her of her mother’s heritage and why he wanted me to hold off telling her anything. He believed if she did not know, then it would not happen. So yes, he knows very little about us.”

Just then, Megan, Jim, and Patrick walked in. They filled their plates and sat down to eat. Within seconds, Megan turned to Seamus and said, “I would like to see you in your wolf form.”

Everyone stopped dead. It was as if someone pushed a button and suspended time. No one moved or, for that matter, breathed.

Seamus glanced around the room, knowing this was one of the ways he thought might help her regain her memory—although he was not sure how the others would react. “Aye, if it is all right with your family. But we will have to go outside as wolves do not like closed in areas.”

Megan scowled at him. “For starters, it’s not up to my family. I’m the one who’s missing years of my life. And I’m the one who’s going to decide what I want or don’t want to do.” She spat out the words, leaving no doubt that she was determined to be in charge at this moment.

“It could be very traumatic for you,” her father pointed out. He looked none too happy about her going outside with Seamus, let alone in his wolf form.

She glared at her father and said through clenched teeth, “Dad, this is important to me and neither you nor anyone else is going to stop me from doing it. This might help me remember more. I’m going to try anything to help that process.”

Tension filled the air, but Jim conceded, “Fine, but you’re not going out there alone.”

Donovan said, “Jim, she has to do this on her own. Seamus, whether in human or wolf form, will not hurt her. You, on the other hand, could be perceived as a threat, so leave it be.”

Jim turned toward Donovan with a look that would stop most people dead in their tracks. “What do you mean? How could I possibly be a threat to my daughter?”

Unfazed by Jim’s look or the venom in his voice, Donovan said, “When we are in wolf form, we utilize our instincts more than our intellect. You are emanating so much suspicion and anger that Seamus would pick up on that instead of your protectiveness toward Megan. Therefore, you would come across as a threat to both Megan and him. His first instinct might be to attack you. If you are worried about trauma, think of what that could do to Megan.”

That deflected anymore of Jim’s arguments and he asked, “How come this situation gets more complicated every time I turn around?”

Donovan said, “It is just that there are many things you do not know about us. Jim, you know I would do nothing that would harm Megan. I know you do not know Seamus, but you have met many of his family members. He has just as much at stake in all of this as the rest of us, maybe more.”

“Fine.” Jim glared at Seamus, fire in his eyes. “But so help me God, you do anything to hurt my little girl and I will hunt you down and kill you.”

Knowing Jim had no idea just how powerful he was and not wanting to antagonize the man any further, Seamus said, “I guarantee to protect her with my life.”

They finished eating without any more snarly remarks. Megan seemed a bit on edge as she walked out of the cabin.

She turned toward Seamus and asked, “Why does everyone think they know what’s best for me? They’re always trying to run my life.”

Anxiety poured off Megan in waves. Trying to put her at ease he said, “It is just that they love you Megan. I do not think that anyone feels you are incapable of thinking for yourself. Sometimes, we all get a bit overprotective. When you have your own children and they grow up, you will more than likely forget yourself that they have grown into adults. I am sure part of it is also the fact that they almost lost you once.”

“But don’t they understand? I need to figure out what happened back then. Sometimes I feel like…it’s right there, ready for me to grasp, and then it just slips away before I can get a firm grip on it.”

He wanted her to remember her mother and the things she told Megan about her empowerment. It would make that day go so much easier for her if she could have her memories from her childhood. The one thing he hoped she would never remember was what had been done to her during her captivity.

“Megan, I will do anything I can to help you regain your memories. I told Donovan I had a few suggestions on how we could help you and, surprisingly, you asked for one of them without my suggesting it.”

Megan’s eyes lit up. “Do you really think this might help?”

“Our minds work in funny ways. We tend to block out things that caused us great trauma. Sometimes confronting those things head-on will break open those memories. The only thing that we need to be aware of is that they can also send us into a tailspin. I think that is the biggest reason your father is so reluctant to even talk about your past.” He watched as she digested his words.

Shaking her head, she said, “I don’t care what happens as long as I finally remember the first eight years of my life. I want to remember what my mother looked like and not from a picture. I want to remember the stories she told me firsthand and not from someone else trying to repeat them. If you can help me find those lost years, it would make me the happiest person in the world, and I’d be forever grateful.”

“I can give no guarantees on anything, Megan. I know very little of what happened before you were brought into that lab, or anything that happened after I left you in the woods by your home. I will tell you everything that happened from the time I got there, if you think that will help. But, I will warn you it is not a pretty story.” Even as he said the words, he knew he would never tell her many of the things that were done to him. He was sure she had similar things done to her. However, he could not bring himself to repeat some of the horrors he remembered.

“I want to get to the truth. My life’s been sugarcoated since I woke from my coma. After Uncle Donovan found you, he and Dad argued and I got more information in that short time than I got in all the previous years, put together. So please, just give me the truth no matter how gruesome.” She kicked at the grass.

“Let us first see how much my wolf form may help you remember on your own and then we can talk after.”

“Before you change, I have a couple of questions. Will you understand me if I talk to you in your wolf form?”

“It is still me, so yes.”

“May I touch you without getting attacked?”

“A ghrá, I would not attack you in any form, so you have nothing to worry about.” The Gaelic word for “my love” had slipped out of his mouth, the only true word in his statement. As for attacking her—well, he would love to attack her, just not the way she imagined. She should be leery of him with the things he had in mind to do to her body with not only his hands but his mouth as well.

She brought him back to the moment when she asked, “Does it hurt when you change?”

Seamus threw back his head and laughed at her question. Here she was worrying about his comfort when she should be thinking about what could happen if her memories came rushing back. Yes, his little Megan was one sensitive creature, who was worming her way into his heart. “No, it is a natural change for us, so there is no pain involved. Are you ready?”

Megan took a deep breath. Not knowing what to expect, excitement battled with her nervousness. Since she woke from her coma, no one mentioned she would someday be able to change from human form to wolf, bird, or anything until she had met Seamus. Now she was about to see just what would occur. She nodded. “Okay, then let’s do it.”

As she watched, Seamus started to shimmer and then within seconds a huge wolf stood in front of her. Her breath caught; her heart thudded against her chest. He was enormous. He was magnificent. His eyes, yes, those were the eyes she remembered from her dream. She knelt next to him, running her fingers through his thick coat. The texture was much different from anything she could remember, soft yet coarse. She placed her face in his scruff and continued stroking his thick fur.

As she brushed her cheek against him, she saw images of herself as a young child curled up in a cage crying as pain racked her body. She called for her mother over and over, but she never came. Then a big wolf bounded up and broke the cage lock. More pictures filled her mind, shoving those first images out of the way. Her gripping the wolf’s neck as he carried her on his back and then the wolf sleeping, his body curled up around her to keep her warm. The images overpowered her. Only when the wolf turned his face to hers and started licking her did she realizes tears trickled down her face.

Within seconds he shimmered back to a man and took her into his arms. He settled her on his lap, and rocked her, giving her the comfort she needed. Great sobs racked through her body and she cried her heart out.

“Now, now, a stór, {sweetheart}, just cry it out, as that is what you need.”

They sat there for about half an hour as he comforted her. Finally, as she got control of herself, she knew she should pull away from him, but she loathed giving up the security of his embrace.

“Well, a ghrá, would you like to tell me what you remember after seeing me in my wolf form?”

“I remember you kept me warm at night, and you carried me on your back when I was too tired to walk on my own. I saw the dream I had about getting out of the warehouse, but with more detail. I still don’t remember anything before that yet.”

“Well, at least you seem to be remembering more and more. Do not push it. That in itself was an awful lot to take in at one time. I promise I will help you in any way I can.”

Seamus’s kindness and understanding touched her heart. Granted he had been a close friend with her uncles for years, but she was virtually a stranger to him. “Why are you being so nice to me? First you save my life and now you are trying to help me regain my memory.”

“You are a Tuatha Dé Danann and we are a close people. I could sense your power even as a child. When I saw you two days ago, your power called to mine. I could not understand how you did not know about our people until I spoke to Dono and found out about your memory loss. It is of great importance that you learn as much as possible about our people before your birthday.”

“Is it this power thing that makes me feel so comfortable around you, even though I really don’t know you?”

“There is much to the fact that our magic calls to each other. It is not something that we have any control over. We will become closer as time goes on. Our power will start to have a more intense pull. We will want to spend more and more time with each other and begin to share many of the same thoughts.” Seamus brushed a lingering tear from her cheek. “One thing that usually happens between mates is that we will be able to speak to each other telepathically. Although, due to the drugs that were used on us when we were in the lab, that may never happen.”

Megan grabbed his wrist. “Wait a minute, wait just one blasted minute. What is this mate thing?”

Seamus turned red as Megan stared at him. He stammered when he did find his voice. “Ah…sorry, I keep forgetting that you do not know much of our people. You would feel and understand this if you had your memories. So let me see if I can explain it to you in easy terms. As you have been brought up as a non-Tuatha you would not know that our magic is what brings us together. We have no choice in our mates. The Fates choose them for us. As close an example I can give you is the marriage bond, but much stronger. We mate for life, and there is only one mate for each of us.”

How can this be happening?

Horrified, she jumped off Seamus’s lap and began to pace. “So you’re telling me I’ll be forced to marry you?”

“Let me ask you this. Have you ever been as attracted to another man as you are to me?”

“Who said I was attracted to you?” Megan stood poised with her hands on her hips.

Seamus didn’t answer her. He just looked at her and started laughing, which irritated her even more.

When he settled down he said, “Who are you trying to convince? I know you are as attracted to me as I am to you. Over the next weeks you will become even more so.”

Seamus reached his long arms out and took her hands into his. “Megan, we have no choice in this. So do not try to pretend otherwise, and most certainly, do not try to fight it, because that will only make things harder on both of us.”

Megan jerked her hands from his grasp and stepped back. She was having enough trouble getting used to the fact that she was some magical person she had only read of in Celtic folklore. She had no memory of anything. Now she was being told she was going to be married off and had no choice in the matter. What the hell was she going to do? To be truthful, she was attracted to Seamus, although she refused to admit it—especially to him. In spite of her attraction, she didn’t think she wanted to be stuck with anyone for the rest of her life without having a choice in the matter.

This was not fair. She had a mind of her own and had a right to choose whomever she wanted to marry herself. No one had a right to take that away from her. She looked down at him. Yes, he was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. And yes, she was attracted to him. He seemed sincere and believed in what he was saying. But, by God, she wasn’t going to let him rule her life without having a choice in the matter.

“No, I don’t believe that. You’ve no right to think, just because you say it’s so, I’m going along with it.”

“A chroí, {My Heart}, trust me on this, I know what I am talking about. Even if the timing stinks for both of us, we will have no choice in what will happen.”

“Yes, we do. I don’t care what you say. I have a choice, and I’ll do what I damn well please.” She turned and stomped off toward the cabin.

Seamus watched her stalk off with a smile on his face and laughter in his heart. By the gods, she was the most magnificent and headstrong creature he had ever encountered. And she was his little spitfire. He could not have asked for a more suitable mate if he had picked her out himself. The only thing that worried him was she believed what she was saying. She was in for one big letdown.

Chapter Six

Seamus sat in the clearing just outside the cabin’s front door and waited as Donovan marched over and towered over him.

“Well, Seamus, what did you say to Megan to get her knickers in such a twist? She came storming into the kitchen mumbling something about men being so full of themselves and thinking they had a right to run someone else’s life. Sparks practically shot from her eyes as she flew through the kitchen; I figured you must be the one that sent her into such a tailspin.”

Seamus pictured her blasting through the kitchen. Yes, his little spitfire had quite a temper on her. He had better watch himself when she came into power. “Aye.” Seamus sighed. “She went into a rage when I told her she was my mate. She believes she can go against The Fates and do as she damn well pleases. All I did was explain to her that she has no choice in the matter and she went off the deep end. I have to say she is going to keep me hopping.”

Donavan grinned and dropped down beside Seamus. “She has always been a bit headstrong and I will say she is not going to give you an inch. Now tell me what happened when she saw your wolf.”

“She saw herself in the cage they kept her in and my wolf getting her out. She remembered more details of the explosion and how she got home. She still does not remember anything before that so we might have to try some other things with her.” Seamus tore a handful of grass from its roots. “Although, I truly hope she never remembers some of the things those bastards did to us in the lab. She did remember crying from the pain. It is a shame she is only remembering the horrible things that happened so far.” He twisted the blades of grass, shredding them. “I am sure it will help for her to remember more of when her mum was alive and the good times they had together. We might try taking her back to the old house and the paths they walked when she was young.” He brushed the pieces of grass from his fingers.

“I am sure Jim will balk at us doing that, but I think you are right. I tried to get him to do it years ago, but he refused. I think he truly believes that getting her memories back is somehow going to hurt her. He is so overprotective of Megan, and we really need to go easy on him. Personally, I feel Megan is much stronger than Jim knows, but he is her Da and I have always tried to abide by his wishes.”

Shifting Donovan continued. “Unfortunately, I feel I have done a disservice to Megan. She does not know enough about our people, and I have done nothing to help her regain her lost years. However, at this point I feel we need to do everything possible to get her to remember, even if it is against Jim’s wishes. Although I do think he seems more receptive after last night’s discussion.”

Seamus laughed and turned his head to look across the meadow. “In any case, Megan will be the one to make that decision. I do not think she will let her Da or anyone else detour her from what she wants to do. And at the moment she is bound and determined to remember the years prior to the kidnapping.”

“Aye, she has always had a mind of her own and when she makes it up about something, she is as tenacious as a bulldog with a bone. I have to say I feel sorry for you, as she is going to fight you at every turn.” Donovan said with a grin on his lips.

“She might at that, but she is about to find out I can be just as stubborn as she.” Seamus rose and pushed the hair from his forehead. “I am sure we will find a way to work this out and she will get used to the idea eventually.”

“I hope you are right because I hate to see her fighting her nature and hurting herself just because she is too stubborn to let go of her pride.” Donovan clamped his hand on Seamus’s shoulder. “I do not envy your journey, my friend.”

Shaking with anger, Megan stalked into her room and slammed the door. How dare he think he can rule her life just because he saved her so many years ago? She paced her room as restless as a lioness in a cage trying to decide what she was going to do about it.

Before she had a chance to get anywhere with her decision there was a knock at the door. Expecting it to be Seamus, she flung the door open ready for another fight, only to come face to face with her Uncle Sean.

Sean’s eyes widened, and he took a step back. “What is it, Pet? You look like you could chew off my head and spit it out before I could say sorry for whatever indignities you think me guilty of.”

He made her laugh, and she loved him for it. “It’s not you; it’s that idiot, Seamus. Do you know what he told me?”

Megan had to give her uncle credit for trying to assume an innocent expression, as he asked her what Seamus had done, but the humor in his voice came through despite his best effort. She ignored his amusement and paced the room.

“The man had the nerve to try to tell me that I’m his mate. Can you believe it?” She paused from pacing and faced her uncle. “As if I would put up with such a thing and besides, I have only known him since yesterday for crying out loud. He even said I had no choice in the matter. Is he stupid or what?”

The guilty look decorating Sean’s face spoke louder than words.

Megan’s heart sank as silence echoed the room. “Uncle Sean, the look on your face makes me think you want to run as far from here as possible. Why are you standing there and not answering my question about that twit, Seamus?”

Exhaling he said, “Well, Pet, I really do not know what to say. This is between you and Seamus.”

Megan’s spirit plummeted farther. “What are you saying? What do you mean? Uncle Sean, please tell me he is lying.”

Sean dropped his gaze to his feet. “I am not sure I can say anything that is going to make you feel any better.”

“So, by saying nothing, are you telling me he’s right?”

“Well, in a matter of speaking, yes. Donovan and I noticed it when you walked into the kitchen this morning.”

“Dammit, Uncle Sean, how is this possible? I can’t believe this is happening to me. One day my life is easy going and the next it’s in an uproar. I don’t want to get married to anyone just yet.” She sank to the edge of the bed and pulled the pillow to her chest.

“I know the timing is bad, Pet, but when the magic chooses, we do not have a choice in the matter. I know this seems unfair, but you will find that it works out well in the end. I have seen this happen time and again. You will see that Seamus will treat you like a queen and you will find you will eventually be very glad you found each other.”

Not likely. He is way too arrogant for his own good. “Why now? Couldn’t The Fates wait till I got used to what I am before throwing something else at me?”

“If only life could be so simple. It never fails that during one crisis another will rear its head.” He shook his head.

Out of all her uncles only Noel was married. How was it, Sean, Donovan nor Patrick had no mates? “How come you’re not mated? You’re older than I am.”

“Age has nothing to do with finding our mates. It is just a matter of when the Fates decide to let us know who our mate is going to be.”

“It’s still not fair, and if he thinks he is going to start telling me what to do, he’s got a lot to learn.”

Sean laughed. “I will tell you one thing, Pet; I think that you are going to be just the ticket for him. He needs to be taken down a few pegs, and you are just the person to do it. My money is on you. Do not let him get away with anything,” Sean said with a gleam in his eye. “He was always one that thought what he said was gospel and very few ever stood up to him. Knowing you the way I do, you will give him a swift kick in the arse before you will bow down to his every whim.”

“I don’t want to bow to any of his whims. Uncle Sean, isn’t there anyway I can get out of this?”

“Megan, if there was any way at all that you could, I would be the first to help you. However, going against the Fates would be about the same as trying to stop a hurricane from coming ashore when it is fifty miles out. It just will not happen.”

“Well, I’m won’t make it easy for him,” Megan said.

Sean let out what might have been a chuckle, concealed as a cough. “Good for you.”

Megan stepped out onto the porch that evening to clear her head before she went to bed. She walked out into the clearing, lay down on the grass, and turned her face to the stars. The outdoors always relaxed her. The night was clear and crisp. An owl hooted from a nearby tree; another answered from a short distance away. Closing her eyes, she lay there and thought about the mother she could not remember. Her mind drifted.

Megan saw herself as young child, “Mommy, look at Bandit.” She laughed. “He keeps sticking his head in the water trying to catch that frog.” The dream went on and she laughed and giggled with her mother. The scene changed and she was a few years older. “Mommy, tell me about the first time you changed.”

“Ah, Little One, are you ever going to get tired of hearing that one?”

The vision continued and Megan saw the whole scene of the day she was kidnapped. When the man chasing her grabbed her Megan sat up with a start; a scream tore past her lips. Her heart pounded as if it would burst from her chest.

Within seconds, Donovan, Patrick, Sean, and Seamus stood around her. Each crouched, ready to attack.

Uncle Patrick spoke first. “Are you all right, what happened?” His tone reflecting his worry.

It took her a few minutes to regain her voice and clear her head enough to speak. “I must have fallen asleep; I remembered walking with my mother, as a young child. She looked so much like I do now. We walked down a path, bordered by a silver stream, and laughed at the antics of a young black pup, who bounced around as he chased a frog.

Then my dream changed and I was older. I sat on a rock as mom told me the story about her first change. Suddenly, she told me to be quiet and pulled me into the water. The dog started barking like crazy. We moved down the stream when mom gasped and fell to her knees; she pushed me and told me to run. In fact, she begged me to run. As I did, someone grabbed me from behind and that’s when I screamed. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare all of you.”

Then she stared from one to the other in puzzlement, “How’d you get here so fast?”

Seamus answered for all of them. “That is one of the many things we can do, a ghrá.”

Donavan’s gaze locked on to her as if he was searching for some answer, “Well, you are definitely getting more of your memory back. Are you sure you are all right then? Do you want to talk more about your dream?”

“Yes, I’m fine. It was just a shock to remember what happened that day.” Megan looked at her Uncle Donovan. “My mother looked so much like me, only with hair more your color and her eyes like all of you.” She took a breath and glanced at each of her uncles in turn, then back at Donovan. “Why are my eyes such a different color from the rest of you?”

Donovan shrugged. “The only thing I can figure is that your eye color is a throw back from your Da’s or our past.” But he continued to stare at her for a moment more with a strange look on his face. Then shook his head.

“I need some time to digest what I just learned. Can we talk more about it in the morning?”

Donovan gave her a nod of affirmation, “Fine, then we will leave you to your star-gazing.”

With that she watched her three uncles vanish. Seamus made no move to leave. Instead, he asked if she would mind some company.

Not sure being around him alone was a good idea, she was about to tell him no, when he sat next to her and touched her cheek with the back of his finger. Her cheek tingled as he slid his finger down to her jaw and lifted her face to look at him. It took every ounce of control for her not to lean into his hand. No matter how much she would have liked to she was not giving in without a fight.

“I know you do not like the idea of us being mated, but love, if you will just give us a chance I am sure you will not find it as repulsive as you think.”

“Seamus, it’s not like that. It’s just I can’t believe I don’t have choice, and I really don’t know you. How can I trust myself to make a rational decision about it?”

“Even though it is not our decision, I will try to make this transition as easy as possible for you. We will take it slow. I will not force you to do anything. We can just spend a bit of time getting to know each other, no pressure. We can go for a few walks and such. I can also use the time to teach you all about our people.”

A large weight lifted from her. “Thank you. That would make it easier for me. Will you tell me about your life, so I can get to know you better?”

“A ghrá, I will tell you anything you want to know. Although, it might take years to tell you my life history.”

Relief cascaded through her. He was being so easy-going about this. She found herself starting to relax a little. “That just might give me enough time to get used to the idea of being mated to you.”

He laughed at that, lying back on the ground. He pulled her down next to him, placing her head on his shoulder and his arm around her. She stiffened. “Relax, a mhúirnín, {my beloved}, I already promised to move slowly. We can be comfortable as we talk without you feeling threatened. Can we not?”

Megan wasn’t sure she could even begin to relax with him so close. As much as she hated to admit it though, she did feel very comfortable lying next to him.

“It’s disconcerting with you so close. It makes it hard to think.”

“I take that as a good sign. At least you are not totally indifferent to me.”

“You know. I think you have an ego as big as that lake out there.”

Seamus bellowed with laughter. Megan had to admit that she enjoyed his laugh. The easy banter felt comfortable; it seemed as if she had known him for all her life, instead of two days.

“Not quite, a ghrá, but it could use a bit of stroking now and then though.”

That she doubted very much. But she let it go and changed the subject. “You knew my uncles growing up, didn’t you? So tell me about your life.”

Seamus did just that, starting with when he was a boy and some of the trouble he and Donovan had gotten into growing up. It surprised her just how close her uncle and Seamus were. She asked him many questions about himself and not once did he hesitate to answer them. She laughed so hard at some of the stories, she wondered if she might have broken a rib. Before she knew it, the sky had started to lighten.

“I better get you back to the cabin before your father comes out with a shotgun. How about I let you catch a few hours sleep and then we can go for a walk in the woods? Maybe even have a picnic lunch.”

Megan thought a picnic was a terrific idea. She wasn’t able to remember the last time she had been on a picnic. “That sounds great.”

Seamus was up. He helped her to her feet before she could even think to move. They walked to the cabin hand in hand. Much to her surprise, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. A power washed over her, threatening to buckle her knees. Instead of following her instinct to pull away, she leaned into him and returned the kiss.

As she responded to him, he deepened the kiss. When he finally pulled back, she moaned in protest.

“You better get in there, or I will be breaking my promise and dragging you back out to the clearing without giving you a chance to say no.”

Megan wasn’t sure she would say no if he had picked her up and carried her back. That single kiss turned her on more than any before. She hadn’t dated many men, had sex with even fewer, but their kisses paled in comparison to Seamus’s.

“Thanks for the wonderful stories, and I have to admit the company was pretty good too. I’ll see you later.” With that, she turned, opened the door and slid inside before she changed her mind. In her room she flopped down onto the bed, smiling. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing to be mated to Seamus. He definitely seemed to enjoy my company. To be honest I’m beginning to like having him around. He’s not as bossy as he was the first time I met him. It didn’t take long before she dropped off to sleep with thoughts of Seamus in her head.

Seamus walked back to his own cabin. He could have transported himself over, but he needed the time to clear his head. He lost track of time when he was with Megan, which was not so bad, but while he was with her he had let his guard down, and he could not afford to do that. Anyone could have snuck up on them unnoticed, and that was something he would be better off keeping in mind.

He knew that members of the group that had kidnapped him might be out there somewhere. Letting his guard slip was not an option, no matter how distracting he found Megan. In fact, being that he was involved with Megan he needed to be more on guard that ever. These maniacs had kidnapped her once, and they would not hesitate to do it again.

Chapter Seven

Megan awoke to the smell of coffee, bacon, and the tantalizing aroma of warm maple syrup, she knew was for her uncle’s scrumptious buttermilk pancakes. When she looked at the clock on her nightstand, she saw she had only slept for four hours. Ah well, she was up now, so she might as well go in and have breakfast while she still had the chance to enjoy her Uncle Sean’s cooking. She went into the bathroom, took her shower, got dressed, and headed into the kitchen.

She stopped dead. There was Seamus sitting at the table—eating breakfast and joking with Donovan. As she walked in, he looked up and grinned at her, she could not help but grin back. Her stomach did a flip-flop and her knees went weak. No man should have a smile like that; it should be outlawed. The way just a look could affect her amazed her. She continued into the kitchen on wobbly knees. She filled a cup with coffee and reached for a plate. Seamus was there, handing her one, at the same time scooping some eggs, hash browns, and bacon on it for her. I could get used to this. She never had someone treat her as though she were the only person in the room. Now she was looking forward to their picnic later that day even more.

She sat when Seamus held out the chair next to his. Patrick and Sean gave her one of those ‘Look who’s being treated like royalty’ looks. She ducked her head, as she knew her face had turned a few shades of red.

Seamus leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Ignore them a ghrá, they’re just jealous. No one pulled out their chairs.”

All three of her uncles roared with laughter. Surprised by how Seamus got along so well with them, she wondered how he survived all those years alone. The banter around the table made it seem as if Seamus was part of the family.

Her light-hearted mood plummeted when her father walked in, looking none too pleased. “Well, isn’t this a cozy scene?”

Donavan looked up, grinned and said, “And a good morning to you, too. Did we not get enough sleep, or are you always in such a chipper mood when you get up?”

Scowling, Jim said, “Is this going to become a habit…this having everyone over for breakfast?”

Megan couldn’t believe her father’s animosity. “Dad! What is the matter with you?” Then she began to wonder if he knew she was out most of the night with Seamus and that was the reason for his foul mood. She had never seen him act so unsociable before.

“Nothing’s the matter with me. I just don’t feel we should forget the fact that we don’t know anything about what Seamus has been doing for the last seventeen years. Yet everyone seems to have forgotten that but me.”

Megan noticed Seamus’s look and admired his cool response.

“Jim, I am truly sorry you do not trust me, but that is not going to stop me from coming over here. As much as I would like you to feel comfortable with my being around, you are the only one who can do that.”

“I don’t want you around,” Jim said, as he stomped over to get a cup of coffee.

“That is a shame, because I intend to be around quite a bit,” Seamus said.

Smacking the cup down onto the counter so hard it shattered, Jim swung around and said, “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Donovan put his hand up in the air to stop anyone from saying another word. “Jim, I would like a word, if you would be so kind as to step outside.”

Not giving her father a chance to argue, Donovan wrapped his large hand around his arm and walked outside, forcing her dad to go with him. Her dad’s face retained its tight anger as he stumbled out the door.

Megan didn’t understand her father’s animosity toward Seamus and his rudeness mortified her. She turned to Seamus to apologize for her father’s actions.

As she opened her mouth, Seamus put his finger across her lips and said, “No, a stór, you will not apologize to me for your Da’s actions. It is not your doing so do not let it worry you.”

“It’s just…I’ve never seen him act this way.”

“He will get over it in time. For now, let us enjoy our breakfast.”

As the door slammed shut, Seamus eavesdropped on Donovan and Jim’s conversation. He was sure Patrick and Sean were doing the same by the look of disgust on their faces.

“What is your problem Jim?”

“My problem? I can’t believe your letting that man around your family without knowing what he’s been doing or where he’s been in the last seventeen years. Someone told those butchers about Bernadette and Megan, and I don’t want him near my daughter until I know it wasn’t him.”

“Seamus saved Megan and brought her home to us. If it were not for him, we might have lost them both. He was in that hell hole for over a month before they even brought Bern and Megan in.”

“You don’t know that for sure. How do you know what he told you wasn’t just some cover story to get Meg back so he can experiment on her?”

“Listen to what you are saying. Why would he need to experiment on our own species? He does not need to collect us to study us. Do you have any idea of just how powerful his family is? If the O’Kelly’s wanted to study their own kind, all they would have to do is ask for volunteers and they would be flooded with applicants.”

“So why didn’t he contact anyone after he escaped?”

Donovan continued. “He is a born leader, and he set out to destroy all documentation of us. He thinks these people have somehow placed some sort of tracking device in his body, and he refused to lead them to any of his family or friends. The other problem is that whatever drug they used on him during his captivity left him without the ability to communicate telepathically.”

“Are you sure he’s telling the truth about that?”

“Yes, Megan used to be able to communicate that way with me—until she was kidnapped. She has not since, so yes, I am sure, and besides, you know I have the ability to discern when someone is lying. Now, we have a few other things to discuss, so let us go back in the kitchen and have our breakfast in peace. Then you and I need to talk in private. And please, be a bit more cordial to Seamus.”

“I still don’t see why he has to be around all the time.”

“I will explain it to you after breakfast.”

They came back into the house. Seamus could still feel the animosity flowing off Jim. The rest of breakfast was more solemn then before Jim arrived, but at least there were no more outbursts.

When everyone finished, Megan and Seamus stayed and cleaned up while Jim and Donavan went into the den. Sean and Patrick disappeared outside.

“They always disappear when it’s time to clean up.” Megan grinned as her uncles ducked out of the house.

“Well, I promise I will always stay and help,” Seamus said.

“How about I cook and you clean up? That’s the part I hate the most.”

“If you wish, but once you come into power you can do either by just thinking it.”

Megan’s hands stilled as she thought about Seamus’s statement. Why was she spending the time washing up if all her uncles had to do was think it clean and it was? “So why don’t you just clean this mess up for me?”

Before she could blink, the kitchen was spotless, with the exception of the mug she had in her hand. The reality of it caused her hand to tremble. “You’re very…accommodating for a man who’s used to being on your own.”

“That is one thing you will learn about our people. We will do anything for our mates, short of letting them do something that will put them in harm’s way.”

Megan bristled. “So, if you felt I might get hurt by me doing something, would you try to stop me from doing it?”

“No, I would not try. I would stop you from doing it.”

Oh, you’re in big trouble now, bub. “And what would you do if I wouldn’t stop because I felt it wouldn’t hurt me?”

“Then a stór, I would say you will have one very large altercation on your hands.”

Megan didn’t know why, but she was ready for a fight. Maybe her father’s rudeness started it. Even though it should be her father she should be arguing with, she opted to antagonize Seamus. “You’re going to find I don’t like someone telling me what to do.”

“I will take that into consideration, but you will find I can be persuasive.”

Now her irritation escalated to burning anger directed at Seamus. Who the hell does he think he is? He has no right to tell me what I can or can’t do. “We’ll see about that.”

“I have always loved a challenge.”

“So I’m a challenge now?” Her anger ramped up a few more notches.

“Sweetheart, you have been a challenge since I first met you.”

“You arrogant so and so.” She gripped the mug so hard her knuckles hurt.

“Arrogant? I do not think telling you the truth is arrogant.”

“You’re digging yourself into a deep hole, Seamus. One you’re going to have trouble getting out of if you keep talking.”

“So are you telling me I better change the subject?”

If he didn’t, she’d likely smack him one and walk away telling him to go to hell. She didn’t care what the Fates said; she would not be his mate. “Now that might be a very good idea.” She turned her back on him and started washing the mug she still had in her hand, lest she throw it at him.

Instead of changing the subject, Seamus walked up behind her and trapped her between the sink and him, putting his arms on each side of her. She stopped dead, her hands still in the sudsy water. He was so close she could feel his breath on her hair. Her heart started beating double time, and she didn’t know what to do. He lifted one hand, pushed her hair from her neck and let his lips brush it instead. Her legs felt like jelly, so she grabbed the edge of the sink.

“Seamus! Please let me go.”

“What is it? You asked me to change the subject and I did. Do you not like what I am doing to you?”

He brushed another kiss on her neck. She felt as if she would melt on the spot. She was having trouble thinking. She knew if he did it again, she wouldn’t be able to think at all, not that she was sure she wanted to.

Yes, she loved what he was doing, but she was confused. She needed time to understand what was happening to her. Not for the first time in her life, did she wish she had her mother to talk to. Now her feeling of loss was greater than ever before.

“It’s not that I don’t enjoy what you are doing to me at this moment, it’s just… it’s confusing me, and I’m not sure how to deal with it.”

Seamus took a step back and let his arms drop. “I am so sorry, a ghrá. I keep forgetting all this new information and new sensations are bombarding you. I will try to be more considerate in the future.”

She was both relieved and sorry that his arms no longer surrounded her. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. All I’m asking is you let me catch my breath now and then. Sometimes all these sensations are overwhelming. It seems the closer I get to my birthday the stronger they get. When you’re around, they seem to be amplified.”

“I can only tell you that all you have to do is say the word and I will stop. The more I am around you, the stronger the pull to you is as well. I will give you all the time and space I can, but you must also understand this is no easier on me. I may know all there is to know about what is happening, but I have never experienced this kind of magical pull either. So if I come on too strong at times, please just tell me to back off and I will.”

“Thank you, now can we get things ready for the picnic you promised me last night?”

“Not to worry, I have already seen to all of it. Whenever you are ready to go, we can be off.”

Within the hour, they were ready to go. Seamus let her family know where they were going. He had everything planned out. He had found the perfect place, one that was private, but also one he knew would be safe just in case his pursuers could still find him. He and Donovan had worked out a plan if anyone other than them happened by. He was taking no chances with Megan; he had seen firsthand what those butchers could do to his people, and they had captured her once already. He was not going to let it happen again; especially now that he found out she was his mate.

“Where are we going?”

“A small area I found in one of my runs.”

Megan smiled. “Promise me you’ll tell me more about our people today.”

Her smile thrilled him. It was nice to see how relaxed Megan seemed to be. As he watched her, he wondered how much different she would be if she had never lost her mother. “I will tell you anything you want to know.”

“Great, what’s it like when you change form?”

“Did you not ask me that once already?”

She shook her head. “No, not how does it feel to change, but what is it like when you do. Say you are a wolf, do you still see and feel the same as you do in human form or is it different?”

“Ah, now I see where you are going with this. The best way to answer is to say yes and no.”

Megan smacked him on the arm. “Now that’s a lot of help.”

“Well, give me a chance to finish answering before you start beating me up for the Goddess sake,” he said, rubbing his arm as if she had actually hurt him.

Her “Sorry” did not sound like she meant it.

“It’s just no one seems to give me a straight answer sometimes.”

“Megan, a ghrá, I will always give you a straight answer, even if I know you will not like the answer I give. Is that fair enough for you?”

She thought about that for a second. “Yes, thank you. Now please explain your yes and no answer.”

“When I am in any form, I will take on that form’s persona, but I still keep my own persona so you get both at one time. Yet my instincts tend to lean toward the form I am in, such as in wolf form, I have a tendency to react to aggression with aggression instead of talking it out. It can be a bit disconcerting at first, but once you get used to it you will have no trouble at all.”

“So basically you can understand what’s happening, but you would react differently than if you were in human form.”

“Aye, that is exactly it.”

Chapter Eight

When they arrived at the place Seamus had picked out, the beauty of it captivated Megan. The mountains rose up behind the small meadow filled with grass and wild flowers. Beyond the meadow, the trees became so thick it looked as if night had fallen within the forest. Here and there, she could see outcroppings of rock formations. She could imagine herself running as a wolf—free of all boundaries, catching whiffs of rabbits, deer, and elk, and then bounding after them with not a care in the world. The beauty and the familiarity of it mesmerized her, so when Seamus touched her arm she jumped.

“Sorry a stór, I did not mean to frighten you.”

“It’s okay. This place is just so magnificent I got lost in its beauty. I almost feel like I’ve been here before, yet I don’t know when. When you touched me, it startled me.”

“Perhaps your mother brought you here when you were a child.”

Megan tried to conjure some memory of being here before to no avail. “That may be it. Maybe just sitting here will help bring more of my memories back.”

They found a spot and placed the blanket and food down on it. “Shall we relax a while or do you want to explore the area?” Seamus asked her.

It pleased her that Seamus let her make the decision in what she wanted to do next. “I think I would like to just sit and enjoy the view and the weather for a little while. After we have lunch, maybe we can explore some of those rock formations,” Megan said as she swept her hand toward the area she had gazed at earlier.

Seamus smiled. “As you wish.” Stretching out on the blanket with his ankles crossed, he closed his eyes.

Megan took the time to study him. He looked comfortable, as if he did this all the time. Yet she sensed he was as alert as if he had been sitting up looking around. Even looking as if he did not have a care in the world, she knew he was ready to pounce at the slightest disturbance. How anyone could do that she didn’t know, but she liked the fact he made her feel safe and comfortable with him.

Without opening his eyes, Seamus asked. “Are you just going to stare at me all day or are you going to join me?”

Even though she knew he was alert to his surroundings, it shocked her that he could tell she was gawking at him. “How do you know I’m staring at you? Your eyes are closed, I could be doing anything.”

He opened his eyes and looked at her with pure laughter. “Do you always deny things when you are caught in the act? You have much to learn about me, a stór. You are going to find out I am not about to let you get away with much.”

When she bristled, he laughed out loud. “Oh, do not get you knickers in a twist. You know you were staring at me, so do not deny it. Come over here and get comfortable. I am not going to bite you.” He patted the ground next to him.

She wasn’t worried about him biting her as much as she was worried about what else might happen if she got too close to him. It wasn’t that she was afraid of him either, it was more she was afraid of the feelings she had toward him.

She walked over as if he had compelled her too, but instead of stretching out next to him, she sat, Indian-style and continued to stare at him. She wasn’t sure why she decided to make a big deal out of this, but she would be damned if she would let him get the better of her.

“So you are just going to sit there and stare then?”

“Yep.”

“If that makes you happy then go right ahead, although I am sure you would be much more comfortable right here, and so would I.” He tapped the ground next to him once again, not bothering to open his eyes.

After a while, Megan gave in, lay down on the blanket, closed her eyes, and let the sun warm her. It felt good to relax there and let her mind wander.

The next moment she was walking among the rocks as a young child with her mother. Her mother was holding her hand as they climbed.

“Little One, I want to show you a very special place I found when I was a young child.”

They walked through another rock formation and stopped in front of a solid rock wall. Her mother placed her hand against a small group of rocks to the side and spoke in a language Megan had heard many times.

“Remember these words Megan. They will release the ward and let you enter.”

The wall disappeared, revealing a small passageway, which opened up into a large cave. It was dark, but there was some source of light because she could see well enough to see the enormity of the cave. Moss covered the walls and strange pointed objects protruded from the ceiling. Megan pointed to them. “Mommy what are those things?”

Bernadette laughed. “Those are called stalactites, which grow in caves due to mineral deposits seeping in.”

They walked around as her mother explained more about the cave. Megan felt exhilarated as she explored the cave with her mother. Yet there was something else she could not grasp the meaning of. It was as if her mother was trying to tell her something, yet she could not quite comprehend it.

The scene disappeared, and she was once again lying on the blanket with Seamus next to her. She jerked up.

Seamus grabbed her. “What is it, a ghrá?”

“I was dreaming of my mother, and she was trying to tell me something, but I don’t understand what it means. All I know is it has something to do with a cave around here.”

Seamus looked thoughtful for a moment. “I have found no caves around here in my explorations. Most of the caves I have found are up there in the mountains,” he swept his hand toward a vast mountain range.

“No, we were here. I’m sure of it.” She gazed around her now beginning to doubt herself.

“Tell me about the dream.”

She told him about being young and walking through the outcroppings of rocks and the secret cave her mother showed her. “It was somewhere over that direction,” she said, pointing just left of the mountains themselves. The same place she had been looking at when they first arrived. “And it wasn’t very far.”

“Then, a ghrá, how about we eat and then go looking for this cave your mother showed you in your vision. I am sure there must be some reason for you remembering it now. Maybe we can locate it and it might be another way of bringing back more memories. It seems you are remembering more and more daily.”

“You’re probably right, but I also felt as if there was a sense of urgency in what my mother was trying to tell me. Not something from my past, but something I needed to do now.”

As they ate their picnic lunch, Megan's uneasiness increased. She knew they had to find this cave now. Explaining her feelings to Seamus, he raised his hand and everything from their picnic stood neatly stacked by a tree.

Megan led the way, but she felt as if someone else was guiding her through the outcropping. She knew where to turn and when to climb over. She kept going, yet with each step she took, she felt a greater sense of urgency to find her mother’s secret cave. Not knowing why, but knowing she must, she quickened her steps.

Seamus said nothing, keeping a firm grip on her hand, and letting her find the way. When they stood in front of the solid rock wall of her dream, Megan said, “This is it.” She placed her hand the way her mother had showed her in her dream and spoke the words she was told to remember.

The wall disappeared and she was about to step in, but Seamus placed his hand on her shoulder. “Megan, listen to me, something is off here, and I cannot place what it is. Wait just a moment and let me check this out, please?” Seamus disappeared into the darkness.

Megan was impatient to get into the cave, but she knew Seamus was right. Fingers of fear climbed up her spine. She moved forward, the darkness ahead less fearsome than the unknown behind her. Seamus appeared at the cave’s mouth before she could get far.

“The cave is fine. I want you to go in there and stay until either one of your uncles or I come to get you out. Promise me that no matter what you hear or feel you will not let anyone else know where you are.”

Her hands rested on her companion’s arms. She felt his muscles tighten as he became alert to the danger around them. “I promise I will stay put.”

“Good, now get in there, I am going to get our food and blanket and bring them to you in case you get cold or hungry.”

By the time she edged into the large part of the cave, Seamus was shimmering into existence in front of her.

He gave her the blanket and food basket and said, “When I went back for the food, I saw some men in the area. I cannot explain why I did not detect them, but I figure that is the wrongness we are feeling.” His brow furrowed with worry. “Megan, please stay in this cave until I come and get you. I am going to ward it after I close the wall back up so no one else will be able to come in through the entrance. ” Then he grabbed her, held her to him, and kissed her. “Be safe, and stay put, please.”

Before she could say a word, he was gone. She wasn’t sure she would ever get used to the way he could just pop in and out like that. She spread the blanket out and put the food basket on top of it.

She decided to explore the cave to give her something to do rather than worry. Just as in her dream, it was very dark yet there still seemed to be some sort of light source. Moss still covered the walls and stalactites hung from the ceiling.

As she walked around the cave, she noticed a smaller cave off to the side. It seemed much brighter, so she made her way in. In one area, there was what looked like a small altar upon which there were some stones, a bowl, and other things that she did not recognize. She walked over to the altar and sat in front of it. She could feel a faint source of energy coming from some of the strange artifacts. As she brought her hand toward them, the energy became more pronounced. If she moved her hand away, it became fainter. Not being sure what any of these things were for, she decided she would leave them alone until either Seamus or one of her uncles could look at them and explain their use. She went back out to the larger cave and lay down on the blanket to wait for Seamus to return.

Within moments she was sound asleep.

How had these men gotten this far without him sensing them? If it had not been for Megan’s dream of her mother, he would never have gotten her to safety before these men showed up. How were these people shielding themselves from him? If they could shield from him, was it possible they could shield themselves from Donovan, Sean, and Patrick as well?

He materialized in the form of a bird and perched in a tree just above the cabin. Everything was calm…too calm. He probed the cabin and sure enough, there were more people in there than should have been. He could only acquire a faint reading of Donovan and Sean’s energy, meaning they had to be unconscious. He sensed Jim and felt a great deal of anger coming from him. He was in the den with two more non-Tuatha.

As he scanned the cabin, he found four more individuals in various rooms. The only one he could not find was Patrick. Then a movement down by the lake caught his eye. Patrick was in wolf form loping toward the cabin.

Once again, he sent his senses out and found another person up on the hill with a rifle trained on Patrick. He willed himself to the man, grabbing him just in time to prevent Patrick from being shot. Instead, the dart hit the tree just above Patrick’s back. An instant later, Patrick was standing next to him as Seamus snapped the man’s neck.

“Bloody hell, what is going on?”

“It would seem we have company, and they do not want any of us conscious.”

Patrick grabbed Seamus’s arm, digging his fingers in as he asked, “Where is Megan?”

Removing Patrick’s fierce grip from his arm, he said, “Fortunately she had a dream about her mother and some secret cave. We found the cave just as I started sensing something was wrong. She is safe for the moment. I warded the cave so no one will be able to get to her, but we do have a bigger problem.”

Patrick’s squinted and his lips thinned, before he spoke. “And what could be bigger than the fact I did not sense this fellow and almost became vulture bait?”

“Oh, you would not have been dead, my friend, just incapacitated like Donovan and Sean. In addition, if my guess is right, they have now lost all telepathic communication. As much as I hate to put any more of our people in danger, we are going to need some help. There are six more in the cabin. Donovan and Sean are unconscious in the back of the cabin. I also think there may be a few more of these men up here as well.”

“How in the bloody hell did they get up here without us noticing?”

“If I had that answer, we would not be standing here talking. In fact we better get out of here before any more show up.” Seamus searched the area for more of the undetectable men.

“Who do you want me to contact in the family?”

“Contact Noel and tell him to have Shannon get in touch with my father, Brian and Colin. Tell Noel to contact Kevin and Conor. Have him tell Conor to stand by as we are going to need him to analyze the drug they used to knockout Sean and Dono. Make sure you tell them what is going on. I think the safest place for us to meet would be back in the cave, but I am not about to make that cave public knowledge. So how about we get over to my cabin and see if it is safe. I will pull the wards for a few minutes while everyone gathers and then ward us in so we have no unexpected guests until we figure out what we need to do.”

They materialized in a nearby tree as two eagles, sending out their senses to check for any danger. They picked up two more non-Tuatha men about fifty yards to the south of the cabin and a dead one outside in the bushes behind the back door. Seamus undid the wards, they materialized into the house, and then placed the wards back again.

“Guess your wards work pretty well,” Patrick said with a smirk.

Seamus almost laughed, “You would not have died from it the other day, but I can guarantee you would have been hurting greatly. But that proves that these men are not of our people.”

Shaking his head Patrick said. “Damn good thing Dono stopped me from trying to get in.”

“Yes, it was, now let me know when everyone is ready, and I will un-ward again. I do not want any of our people materializing out in the open. We do not know exactly how many more of these men there are up here.” Seamus peered out the window.

“They have a small army from the looks of it. How is it we did not sense them? Are you sure Megan is going to be safe in that cave by herself?”

“Paddy, the way you fire off questions, you sound just like her. First, I have no clue on how they were able to get up here without us sensing them. Second, Megan is safe for now. I do not plan on having her alone for long. I am going to have Da stay with her while the rest of us deal with this threat.”

Patrick tilted his head and said, “They are ready, so remove your wards, and I will let them know.”

Seamus did so and within seconds, six men materialized inside. As soon as they did, he protected the cabin once again. Seamus stood in the midst of two of his brothers, Colin and Brian, his father as well as Donovan’s three brothers, Noel, Kevin, and Conor. They stood in front of him, joy and appreciation on their faces.

Before Seamus could comment on the fact Conor was not supposed to be there, Noel said, “I know you said to have Conor stand by, but your Mum insisted you would need him.”

Seamus knew better than to argue with his mother’s insistence as she could sense things no one else could.

Each of them greeted him in turn, but it was his father who nearly brought Seamus to his knees. Unshed tears in his father’s eyes shimmered, as he wrapped his arms around Seamus, squeezing him until he thought he would pass out from lack of air.

“Why is it you did not let us know all this time that you were alive?” His father released his hug, dropping his arms to his sides.

Seamus could see hurt replace the tears in his father’s eyes. “For this exact reason, Da. I wanted no one else to get involved with these people. Because of my carelessness, Sean and Dono are unconscious and more than likely, they will not be able to communicate telepathically with their family again. These people are a great threat to us. Because I came around one of my best friends, his life is now in danger. On top of that, I have brought all of you into this as well. Sadly, there is no way I can deal with this on my own at the moment.”

His father took a step back, brought his hands to Seamus’s shoulders, and looked into his eyes. “You know we would give our lives for you. It should have been our decision to make.”

“Da, that is not the way. I could not put any of you in danger, yet, in the end that is exactly what I have done.”

“Your mum was sick for three years after we lost you because she could not get a pure reading on you. She kept insisting you were not dead, saying she would have seen if you were. She constantly tried to communicate with you as well as trying every means she possessed to scry for you to no avail. If it had not been for her getting pregnant again, I think I would have lost her, too. Before you ask, you have another sister who is now thirteen years of age. But enough for now, how are you planning to alleviate this threat?”

Grateful that his father understood that this situation must take priority he said, “First, I would like to take you to a cave where Megan is hidden away. I have to know that she is safe while we go after the rest of this group. If you have not heard already, I have found my mate, and she must be guarded at all cost. After I return, the rest of us are going to coordinate an assault on Donovan’s cabin, get him, Sean, and Jim out, and kill this entire group. We know of two others that are wandering around behind my cabin. I also saw a couple where Megan and I were before we went to the cave. Somehow, they are able to shield themselves from us until they are extremely close. This could be our biggest problem of all, because we do not know how many more of them are out there.”

His father nodded and said, “Let us get this over with so we can sit down and have a decent chat together.”

Seamus turned to his brother Colin. “Colin, as soon as we leave, ward the cabin. I will have Da let you know when I am on my way back, so you can let me back in.” Turning toward the rest he said, “No one is to leave until I return. We cannot afford having anyone else incapacitated. We need at least six of us to pull off the rescue and that is only if no one else has joined them. Anyone have a question?”

No one did. “Well then, let us get on with it. I should be back within twenty minutes. Colin, keep in constant contact with Da. That way you will know if anything has gone wrong. Paddy, you know the situation so start coordinating plans. We will firm them up when I get back.”

Turning once again toward his father he asked, “Ready?” At his father’s nod, they were gone.

Chapter Nine

Megan woke from another strange dream. Every time she closed her eyes lately, she remembered more about her earlier life, but in the last two dreams, it also seemed as if her mother was trying to communicate in the now as well. She looked at her watch and noticed that Seamus had been gone for well over an hour. What if something happened before he got to her uncles? No one knew where she was. Megan began thinking maybe she should try to make her way back to the cabin and find her uncles. Only her promise to Seamus about not leaving without him or her uncles stopped her. She decided she would give him another while. If he did not get back soon, though, she was going to get out of here and find out what was going on herself.

She started pacing the cave, which now felt more like a prison. Damn him for making her stay here without knowing what was happening. Once again, she started to feel the pull of the energy in the small cavern. She walked in and back over to the altar. She stared at some of the strange objects, again reaching her hand toward them. And like before the energy started increasing.

“STOP!”

She looked up to see Seamus standing next to another man. They were of a similar height, but the stranger had sandy hair and looked about fifteen years older than Seamus. She pulled her hand back as the other man strode over toward her. She scrambled to her feet, backing up.

Smiling Seamus said, “Megan, I would like you to meet my father.”

She let out a breath. “Mr. O’Kelly, it is so nice to meet you.” She extended her hand and at the same time gave Seamus a questioning look.

Instead of shaking her hand, Mr. O’Kelly grabbed it, pulling her to him in a hug. “It is so wonderful to meet you, my dear. And please call me Roarke, there is no reason to be formal with family.”

“Da, you will have plenty of time to talk to Megan later, for now she needs to know what is going on. Plus, I need to find out what all this is.” Indicating the altar and its contents he asked, “Megan where did all this come from, do you have any idea what it is?”

“No, after you left, I found it. I left it alone because I can feel energy from it. Then you were gone so long. I was trying to keep myself from breaking my promise so I came back in here to occupy myself. They must have belonged to my mom. I can feel her when I get close to them.”

“Aye, they would belong to her from the look of them. You will be able to use them once you have come into power, but I do not know what they would do to you before that, so please do not touch them just yet.”

Puzzling on his words, Megan said, “Fine, tell me what’s going on and why your father is here. You said you didn’t want to bring any of your family into danger.”

“It seems I have brought your family into danger, and now I have called upon my family as well as yours to see if we can mop up the mess.”

Fear engulfed her as her heart rate accelerated. “What do you mean? Who is in danger? What is happening?”

Seamus put his hands on her shoulders. “Slow down Megan. Just give me a second I will tell you what I know and then explain what we are going to do.”

She willed herself to keep quiet and waited for his explanation. She was not encouraged by the facts he presented to her.

“So these men can shield themselves from you. None of you are able to detect them until they are almost on top of you?”

“Aye, that is why we have to be extremely cautious. We cannot afford any more of us getting that drug they are using to bring us down. I was damn lucky I caught up with Paddy before he was hit as well. Things would have gotten quite messy if Paddy was not there to call the families. Not to mention I would have no clue to where they would have taken Donovan, Sean, your Da and Paddy, once they had captured Paddy. Now I need to get back and finish this. Da will stay with you and we will be in touch so you will know once we have accomplished our goal.”

Still nervous, she asked, “You’re sure my father’s okay?”

“Yes, a chroí, he was in the cabin, even though he is seething with anger, he seems to be quite conscious.”

“Why didn’t they drug my father as well?”

“That is one of the things I plan on finding out once we get in there. I must go now, I promise Da will answer as many of your questions as he can, anything he cannot I will once I get back.”

He came to her and kissed her with so much passion her knees wobbled. “Do as my father says at all times. He will keep you safe.”

“Please be careful yourself and get everyone out safe.”

“I will do my best.” With that, he was gone.

When Seamus got back to his cabin, he found everyone huddled around the table looking at a sketch Patrick had drawn of the other cabin. They all looked up as he walked over. When Patrick asked where Donovan and Sean were being held, Seamus grabbed the pen and marked where they had been when he had been at the cabin. Then he pointed out the position of each of the guards at the time he was there.

“We must go in as a group, but they cannot know we are there until each of us is behind one of them. We cannot give them a chance to get off even one shot at any of us.” They got down to planning the attack.

Just as they were ready to leave, Colin stopped them. “We have a bit of a problem, Mates.”

Both Patrick and Seamus said simultaneously, “What?”

“Da says there are three men wondering around the cave looking for a way in.”

Worry etched Patrick’s face as he asked, “How is it possible for them to know anyone is there or for that matter there is even anything there?”

“Megan! Dammit to hell and back. Why had I not thought of that? She was also in that lab.” He paced toward the window. “They placed a transponder in me when I was there and have tracked me down ever since. She must have had one placed in her as well. That means she has been tracked most of her life.” He stared out the window. His life for the last seventeen years came rushing back. All the times they came after him, the horror of never knowing when the next attack might be and then all the men he killed.

He was pulled from his stupor when Patrick said, “But why have they not attempted to take Megan before now?”

Seamus thought for a moment before answering. “They did not want her until she became of age. She would have no special powers until then. They are after her now because they know she will be turning twenty-five. Paddy, you and Noel go to your cabin to check on the situation. If whoever is in there has access to the tracking device they are using, they will know the minute I show up.”

He turned. “Colin, you will have to relay the information on one for them to me just before we leave. Also tell Da to reinforce the wards, add anything he can. Tell him we will get this done and be there as quickly as we can.”

Seamus glanced back to Patrick and Noel. “One other thing, be extra careful, if they can track both Megan and I, they know we are not together. So they will know I am here and may start bringing in extra manpower.”

With a nod, Patrick and Noel disappeared.

Colin cleared his throat. “Da thinks it might be a good idea to put the rest of our family and Dono’s on alert.”

“As much as I hate getting any more of us involved in this, I would have to admit he is probably right about getting them ready in the event we do need them.” Seamus wanted to hit something. Seventeen years chasing after these people only to have them keep coming. Why? How? Who was giving them information? He slammed his fist against the wall with such force the cabin shook.

“Tell him to work on that from his end until we get this situation finished. We will contact him as soon as we are ready.”

Megan sat on the blanket with Roarke as he explained what was going on the best he could. He froze, his head snapped up. Then he whispered, “It seems we have company as well. Stay as quiet as possible. ”

Megan’s heart pounded and sweat covered her body in an instant. Her lips trembled as she whispered back, “How do you know? How many of them? Can they find us? What are we going to do?”

Roarke’s shoulders shook, trying to suppress his laughter. “Megan, my dear child, you sound just like your mother and Patrick. I have never been able to figure out how either of them ever got a single question answered when they asked so many at one time.”

“Seamus and Uncle Donovan tell me that all the time as well. I’m sorry, I guess when I think of something I just start firing off questions without thinking how anyone will be able to answer them.”

“It is all right, Megan, to answer your questions, I can sense them. There are three at the moment. They are trying to find a way in, yet I do not know how they would even know we were in here. We are going to relax, go into the smaller cave and the boys will be here soon enough to help us out.”

A shiver ran down her spine. “How can you stay so calm when those men are out there? They could be some of the same men who kidnapped me and Seamus and killed my mother.” He placed his arm around her, drawing her to his side. “First off, getting upset is not going to solve our problem. The best thing we can do is get as far away from the cave entrance as we can and just wait for the lads to get here. Do not worry. I have quite a few tricks of my own should they do happen to get in.”

Feeling safer encompassed in Roarke’s protection Megan said, “I guess I sound like a baby, don’t I?”

“Megan, you have every reason to fear these people. From what Seamus said about what happened in that lab, it must have been terrifying for you.”

“I might agree if I could remember what had happened there.”

“You may not remember consciously, but I can guarantee subconsciously you remember it all. Now, shall we go into the smaller cave, so I can take a closer look at your mother’s things?” Roarke guided Megan toward the smaller cavern. Once again as she entered the other cavern, Megan felt drawn to the altar. Kneeling down beside it, she looked up to see Roarke watching her with his vivid emerald-green eyes.

“It would seem you can feel your mother’s powers even after all these years.”

“I’m not sure what I feel, but I can’t stay in here without wanting to get close to these things. Did you know my mom?” She watched as a smile crossed Roarke’s face.

“My child, your mother was like another daughter to me. Both our families were very close. She had such spirit, much like you do. She could be the most stubborn child when she felt she was right, yet at the same time, she would give you anything you asked for. Our little girl was full grown when Bernadette was born, so we had a tendency to spoil her a lot. She had every man in both our families wrapped around her little finger. As a young child, she was a mischievous little one. Even before she came of age, she showed extraordinary talents. When she came into power, she was phenomenal.”

He paused for a moment as if gathering his thoughts. “You know, I was a bit shocked when she mated with a non-Tuatha because she was so powerful. After meeting your father and seeing them together, especially after you were born, I knew it was right. It was as devastating losing her as it had been losing my own son. Now after so long to find that Seamus is still alive is just so incredible. Then to find out he is destined to be with you makes it all the better.”

Megan absorbed this new information and asked, “I’ve learned more about mom in the last few days than in the last twelve years. Thank you for sharing this information with me.”

Smiling at her, Roarke said, “It was my deepest pleasure. I loved your mother as if she were my own. I always enjoyed talking about her.” Then his expression changed. “She was very powerful Tuatha. To this day, I have not figured out how or why she died. Even with the injuries she sustained at the hands of those butchers, she should not have died. Something happened that none of us understand yet. Perhaps once your memory returns, you may be able to shed some light on the cause.”

The devastation in Roarke’s face as he spoke touched Megan’s heart. She wanted to help him. “Maybe that is why I can’t seem to let go of it. Let me ask you another question about her, if you don’t mind?”

“Child, you can ask me anything. If I have the ability to answer, I will.”

Pondering just how to phrase this question without sounding like a total nut case, Megan asked, “Is it possible she could be trying to tell me something or protect me even now?”

Megan watched Roarke contemplate what she had said. “As I said she was very powerful, yet I have never heard of such a thing before. Tell me why you feel that way.”

“This may sound strange, but when Seamus and I were having lunch I fell asleep or something and dreamt of this place. I was able to find it, almost as if she led me. It was as if Mom was trying to get me here before these people showed up. I had this strange sensation that Mom was trying to tell me I needed to get here so I would be safe. Does that make sense, or am I just reading more into it than there is?”

Roarke sat for a few minutes and Megan knew he was talking to someone. How she knew was a mystery, maybe she was beginning to get used to the way everyone around her did things. Either that, or her powers were becoming stronger as she got closer to her birthday as her uncle had said and she was beginning to understand better.

“No one has heard of any such thing happening before, but your mum was exceptionally powerful, so I would have to say anything was possible where she was concerned.” Roarke paused staring at her. Could he read the grief she tried to hold in check?

“I know it is difficult for you not to remember your mum. With all of us telling you so much about her, things will come back to you at some point soon.”

Looking up, trying to smile but failing, Megan said, “That’s just it, before this trip no one ever talked about her. Dad clammed up every time I mentioned Mom. I didn’t bother to ask anyone else because I thought I would get the same response.”

A smile blossomed on her face. “It makes me so happy to have everyone talking about her now. In fact, the other night Dad and my uncles told me some of the best stories of her, now you’ve added yours. With the few dreams I’ve had as well, she’s becoming much more real to me.”

Roarke sat next to Megan at the altar as they looked over her mother’s possessions. He pointed out the tools he was familiar with, explaining their uses, but even he was not quite sure of a few things. One of the ones he didn’t know, fascinated Megan the most. It was a triad of different colored onyx crystals in peculiar shapes.

Pointing to them, Roarke said, “Now these are very interesting pieces. You seem to be drawn to them. Both times I have seen you near them you have reached out like you needed to touch them.”

Megan’s hand hovered over the piece he spoke of she said, “They seem to almost call to me. Do you think it would be dangerous for me to touch them?”

Roarke took hold of her hand. “As I am not sure what they are for and therefore do not know what power they might possess, I would feel safer if you did not.”

Megan forced her hand back to her lap and sighed. “Okay, can you finish telling me what the rest of these things are for?”

Roarke proceeded to explain the rest of the items he knew.

Chapter Ten

Seamus missed his telepathic ability, but never as much as he did at this moment. Having to wait for Colin to relay everything made him want to rip someone to shreds. If he knew who his adversary was, he would act on his impulse without hesitation.

“Noel says everything is as it was when you were there earlier. No, wait there is another man walking up to the cabin. Damn, I guess Mum was right about needing Conor.”

“Has she ever been wrong when she predicts something?” His impatience grew even more as he wanted to get this over with so he could get back to Megan.

“Now he says the person, they figure to be the leader, is arguing with one of the men in the field about Megan not being able to do that. Something about blipping in and out. Hold on, let me contact Da.”

Seamus stalked back and forth across the room. “This is screwy. What in the bloody hell are they talking about?”

“Da says they went into the small cavern.”

”Tell Da to bring her back out the large cave for just a moment and then go right back in. See what Noel says they say about that.”

If Seamus’s suspicions were right, there was some type of shielding in the small cavern protecting Bernadette’s artifacts.

“Aye, Noel says they are complaining she was back for a bit, but disappeared again.”

“All right then. We know the one in with Jim is more than likely the leader. I will try to subdue him; maybe we can get some information about this group from him. More importantly we found a safe place for Megan and myself where we cannot be tracked. It is likely Dono and Sean are going to need it as well. Get the coordinates for us and let us finish this.” Seamus slammed a fist against the wall, rattling pictures hung there.

Moment later they had the coordinates and the information they needed. Without wasting time, Seamus and his friends infiltrated the cabin, killing six of the seven men without incident. As part of the plan, Seamus had knocked the seventh man unconscious.

Seamus listened as Patrick told Jim Megan was safe. He could feel waves of anger pulsing off Jim as Patrick loosened his bonds.

Jim jumped to his feet and whirled to face Patrick. “How could these men get in here without any of you knowing? You should have noticed them long before they arrived.”

Seamus recognized Jim’s anxiety. He had felt the same way before he knew Megan was safe.

“If it wasn’t for Seamus, they would have my daughter again. He even warned you about these people still being out there and yet you took no precautions. How is it he sensed them and you couldn’t? A lot of good you are if you can’t protect Megan any better than you did Bern.” Jim closed the distance between Patrick and him until he stood only inches away.

When Jim mentioned his sister’s name, Patrick’s face turned purple. “That is enough!”

Jim flinched and everyone else in the room froze. Patrick took a few breaths as he looked into Jim’s eyes. “Do not ever try to lay blame on any of us for what those butchers did to Bernadette. None of us tried harder than Donovan to locate her after she was kidnapped. We all felt her loss just as strongly as you.”

Jim had enough sense to look ashamed and then tried to apologize, but Patrick threw the ropes he held to the floor, turned and tromped away.

Seamus called the group together in the den. He took a deep breath. “Colin, you and Kevin see if we can figure out how these guys are shielding themselves from us. That will make it much easier to find and dispose of the rest. Once we do, we need a way to deactivate whatever they are using.” He turned to face Patrick. “Paddy, I want you and Jim working on their tracking system.” He glanced over to Conor. “Conor, get to work on this drug they are using. Gather some of our other healers, and see if you can get an antidote worked up. They all have darts in their guns, so it should give you a fair amount of the drug to work with.”

Seamus closed his eyes for a second to gather his thoughts.

“Noel, I am leaving you and Brian to see what you can get out of our not so friendly guest. Make sure there are always two of you with him and keep him secured. I am going over to check on Megan and Da. If you need me just relay it through him.” Seamus paused long enough to take in a deep breath. “Colin, let Da know I am on my way. Then ward this cabin as soon as I leave.”

Before Seamus could go, Jim approached him. “I want to apologize to you for being rude and mistrusting of you before. If Megan hadn’t been with you, they’d have her again, and I’m sure they would’ve been long gone. Thank you for saving her yet again.” Jim’s voice broke. “And now you’ve saved the rest of us.”

Knowing it could not have been easy for Jim to admit he had been wrong, Seamus smiled. “I appreciate you telling me this, but I cannot take the credit for her being safe. I did not sense them in the area either until it was almost too late. It was Megan. Just before lunch, she had a dream about Bernadette and herself going to some cave when she was young. She was anxious after the dream so we had lunch and went looking for the cave. Megan directed us there as if she had been there a hundred times. She said she felt her mum was trying to tell her how to get to it. So if you want my opinion on who saved all of us, I would have to say somehow or in some way it was Bern who gave us the warning that kept Megan safe.”

Jim’s eyes narrowed and his brow wrinkled. “I know Bern was a very powerful Tuatha, but how could she do that from the grave?”

“Jim, I know it sounds impossible, but that is the way it happened. I truly have no answer.” He glanced at his watch. “Now I would like to go check on Megan and my father, and then figure out how we can eliminate the rest of this threat. If you will work with Paddy on getting some type of handle on this tracking device, it will help us in keeping Megan safe.”

“I’ll do it right now. Tell my daughter I love her and to stay safe until I see her again. Which will be soon I hope.”

Seamus smiled at Jim’s genuine love and concern for his daughter. “I will tell her.”

Jim headed back to Patrick as Seamus disappeared.

When Seamus arrived, he found Roarke and Megan sitting beside the altar. Megan jumped up and ran over to him. Throwing her arms around him, she said, “Thank God you’re safe. Are my uncles okay? Did they hurt dad at all? Can I go see them? What about the men outside?”

Roarke and Seamus looked at each other over Megan’s head and burst out laughing. It was hard to do and be quiet at the same time, but nonetheless they accomplished it to the point of tears running down their faces.

Megan glanced from one to the other with a perplexed look. “What?” Disgust covered her face when she realized what she had done again. “Sorry, I guess I will never be able to break that habit.”

Still shaking with laughter, Seamus drew her farther into his embrace. “Megan, a ghrá, I hope you never lose that habit. You brighten my day even when you boggle my mind. And to answer your questions, I am, yes, no, not yet, and we are working on it.”

Stepping out of his arms, now laughing herself, Megan asked, “If I boggle your mind, how is it you answered each one of my questions in perfect order?”

“Ah, now that is even more mind-boggling, is it not?”

“You think you’re funny, don’t you?”

“Now where would you get a crazy idea like that?”

At that, Megan punched him in the arm. Seamus grabbed her, pulled her into his embrace once again and kissed her, not allowing her time to react. She melted into him and much of his tension faded away. His father’s energy disappeared as he left the small cavern to give them some privacy.

A short time later, Roarke entered the small cavern again, clearing his throat to attract Seamus’s attention.

“Seamus, I am sorry to interrupt you, but Brian just contacted me saying they need you back there right away. He told me to tell you that there are nine more men up here besides the seven at the cabin. Son, he said this is worse than you could have ever fathomed.”

“Bloody hell, how much worse can it be? They were able to get sixteen men up here and none of us knew they were there until they were on top of us. They drugged Sean and Paddy and they are tracking both Megan and me.”

He turned back to Megan, her muscles tensing beneath his fingers. “Megan, a ghrá, this does not sound very promising. I know you would like to be with your family, but I hope you will trust me and mine to keep you safe in the interim.”

She looked up into his eyes. “I’m scared to death right now, but yes, I do trust you and your family. Can you have one of my uncles come and see me as soon as possible? I know you’re all busy trying to get rid of the bad guys, but it would make me feel better if I could see one of them for just a few minutes.”

He admired the way she was trying her damnedest to keep from falling apart on them. “Let me see what the situation is. Then if we can spare one of them for a bit, I will have them pop over to reassure you.”

Megan reached up, putting her arms around Seamus’s neck, and kissed him. “Thank you.”

“Love, I will always try to do whatever you ask. You are my mate, my life, and you will find out as time goes on that I would move heaven and earth for you.” He held her for a few more seconds before letting her go. Turning to his father, he said, “Da, keep her safe along with yourself. Let Colin know I am on my way.” And he left.

When Seamus arrived back at the house, Brian was in the kitchen his hands covering his face.

“By the look of you, I would have to say the information you got was not good.”

Brian met his gaze. “Dammit, Seamus, this is a disaster. These people have technology beyond anything you or I could imagine. They can tell the difference between a Tuatha and a non-Tuatha. They can track anyone they have placed a microchip in, which is how they are tracking you and Megan. We do not know how to prevent it. They can render us useless with whatever drug they are using, not to mention they can shield themselves from us.”

Brian rubbed his hands over his face and let out a breath. “This guy knows what technology they have, but not much else. We are going to have to inform the king and high lords. Then put a team to go after them. You thought you brought most of them down over the last seventeen years, but you are wrong. They have been building faster than you could possibly have known.”

“Shite, all right we need to find out what else this guy knows and then see about getting rid of our immediate threat. After which, we can deal with going after the rest.”

They started for the den when they heard Donovan groan. They changed course going into the great room to find Donovan coming around. Even though Donovan was still very much out of it, Seamus laughed and said, “Welcome back to the land of the living, my friend.”

Donovan groaned. “I feel as if I was run down by a lorry.”

“Close enough, but not quite.”

Looking past Seamus, Donovan noticed Brian, “What the hell happened, and what is Brian doing here?”

“It seems we had company and none of us even noticed until they were on top of us. You and Sean were out for the count. I caught up with Paddy just in time, or he would have been drugged as well. We formulated the best plan for the situation. Unfortunately, Brian is not the only one here. I had to call in Noel, Kevin, Colin, Conor, Brian, and my father.”

Seamus watched Donovan as his mind began to work, “Where is Megan? Is she safe?”

“For the moment she is in some secret cave of Bernadette’s with my father. She is safe for now. We still have to deal with at least seven more men with guns and tracking devices out there. The hardest part of that is that they can shield from us unless they are very close.”

Brian put his hand on Seamus’s shoulder. “No, there are nine more.”

Seamus shook his head. “I killed the one that shot at Paddy and another tried to get into my cabin. So that leaves only seven.”

Donovan stared at Seamus and said, “Dammit to hell and back, you told me it was not safe for us to be around you, but did I listen? No. Instead, I went head on into this with you and now we have had to bring in more of our people, which is exactly what you were trying to avoid. Seamus, I am sorry for causing you more trouble than you needed.”

Brian answered before Seamus had a chance, “No, Dono, they did not come up here for Seamus. They sent sixteen men to get Megan and take her back.”

Donovan gasped. “What! How would they know anything about her?”

Brian continued, “Remember she was in that lab. It seems they had implanted a microchip in her as well. They have been monitoring her all her life. They know she comes into power in a few weeks, and they want her before she does.”

Seamus watched the blood drain from Donovan’s face. “Bloody hell, we have got to keep her safe. If they can track her, they know where she is and she has only your father to protect her. We need to get there immediately.”

Seamus placed his hand on Donovan’s shoulder. “Slow down Dono, they are not able to track her at the moment. Something in the cavern she is in is preventing them from being able to get a handle on where she is. She is scared and wants to see one of you, so if either you or Sean has the power to transport, I would like her to see one of you. If you do not, I will have Paddy do it. So before anything else shall we see if you can change?”

As he spoke, they heard Sean moan as he started to come around. They turned in unison.

Blinking a few times and shaking his head to clear it, Sean looked around. “What in the name of all that is holy happened? I feel like someone beat the living daylights out of me.” Suddenly he did a double take at Brian. “Bri, what in the blazes are you doing here?”

The look on Sean’s face and his question brought laughter from Donovan, Seamus, and Brian.

Sean scowled, and then it was as if a light bulb went on. “Some men burst into the cabin. I saw Dono go down, but before I could do a damn thing, something hit my thigh and everything went black. Where are Paddy and Megan? Are they all right? Is that why you are here Brian? Has something else happened? All of you stop looking at me and answer my question. Tell me what the hell is going on. Where is Megan?” He was roaring by the time he finished.

Seamus could not help himself; he doubled over laughing. Catching his breath, he looked at Donovan and said. “It must be a family trait.”

Donovan looked at Seamus as if he had two heads. When he realized what was so funny he laughed himself, then said, “I will never figure it out but you are right. We all have that tendency, do we not?”

Seamus, still laughing, said, “Aye, that you do.”

Sean growled. “Would someone mind telling me what in the blazes is going on?”

Brian filled him in and then both Donovan and Sean tried to change. Both failed.

Disappointed, Seamus said, “I was afraid of that. It might take you hours or even days before you will have any of your powers back. I have sent samples of the drug back with Conor so he and some of our healers can work to see if they can come up with an antidote.”

He looked between Donovan and Sean. “Another thing I would like to check out is how and when they implanted our tracking chips. Did they use the darts to implant them simultaneously when they drugged us? Or did they implant them afterwards?”

Seamus pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “Our friend in the other room has a tremendous amount of equipment. Colin was going to check into it while I was gone. I need to know what he has figured out.”

When they entered the den, Noel stalked in tiger form around a very unhappy man, while Colin sat behind the desk tinkering with one of the pieces of equipment set up on it. Colin’s grin spread from ear to ear. “I think I have found a way to jam the devices they are wearing, which is how they are shielding themselves. Each one of them carries one of these.” He held up a small object that looked like a beeper. “Kevin is gathering all of the ones we now have so I can see if we can block them remotely. If it works, we should be able to find the rest of them in no time.”

Seamus beamed at him. “Well done, Col. I knew between the two of you we would have a solution to this in short order. Once you two have finished here, we will deal with the rest of this group. Then I need both of you to help Jim and Paddy on the tracking device. We have to figure out what they are using and how to get rid of it.” Seamus picked up the device and examined it. “After you accomplish that, we need to find out more about the machine they have that can tell the difference between them and us. Therefore, you four will have your work cut out for you. How many of the GPS units do we have now?”

“We have two of them. Paddy and Jim have one. The other one is over here,” Colin said as he pointed to the far side of the desk.

Seamus walked over and picked up the GPS device, handing it to Colin. “I need to find out if Dono and Sean have a chip in them now. If they do, then we know how they are implanting them, since they bear no marks to indicate a separate entry wound into their bodies. Then, hopefully, Conor will be able to figure out how to get rid of them.”

Colin turned on the GPS. Three blips showed on the screen. Seamus sighed.

Donovan said, “Well, we now know that somehow the device is inserted with the drug through the darts. Now if we can just figure out how to get the bloody thing out, we will be in business.”

Jim and Patrick entered the room just then.

Patrick looked at Donovan and Sean and said, “Well, it is good to see you two up and about. How are you both feeling?”

Donovan said, “Like I have been drugged and beat to shit. I am sure we will be better in time. This drug is very potent. We should have been able to dispel it completely hours ago, yet I feel as if my head is still in a fog. Have you figured out anything on the tracking device?”

Patrick replied, “From what I can discern they use the drug to carry a small microchip which travels through the blood stream. It is going to be difficult to find out where it ends up. I would like to check and see if the modifications I have made to this GPS can pinpoint the chip in any of you. If I did it right and it works, then one of our healers will be able to remove them surgically.”

Seamus looked at Patrick in awe. “Damnation, you mean I have been running around with this in me for all these years and within a few hours you have figured out how to get it out?”

“Trust me, Seamus, if I did not have all their equipment there would have been no way of knowing any of this. As bad as this situation is at the moment, it is a blessing in disguise. Without this happening, we would have never known Megan even had a chip in her, and we might never have found out just how advanced these people are. We may have our work cut out for us at the moment, but now that we know so much about these guys we should be able to stop them better than we could have years ago.”

Gratitude flowed through his body and tears stung his eyes. To have his trusted friends and family around to share his burden meant more to him than he could ever express. That realization brought Megan to mind and reminded him he had promised to send one of her uncles to her. “Patrick, can you take a break from your work for a bit? Megan is a tad unnerved by all that is going on. She would like to see one of you. Since Dono and Sean are in no condition to go to her, I think it would be best for you to pop over and give her a little reassurance.”

“I can take as long as she needs. Give me the coordinates and someone contact your Da. Let him know I am on my way. When you figure out where the rest of these bastards are let me know. I will be ready to act.”

“Good. If we need anything we will contact you through my father.”

When Patrick left, Seamus scrutinized the man tied to the chair. His eyes spread wide open and sweat ran in rivulets down his face. Even strapped to the chair, the man shook. Seamus turned to Brian and asked why Noel was tiger instead of human.

Brian laughed. “As Noel told me I am a very devious man. Charles over there would not give us any information, so I decided it best to have Noel act like he was going to eat him. You would have died laughing. He answered every question I asked. In fact, I think he would have sung the National anthem in Gallic if he knew how.”

Shaking his head, Seamus started toward Charles. Brian was always the comedian in the family. He loved to do things in a big way.

“Well, Charles, now it is time to answer my questions.”

A brief moment of defiance flared in his eyes. “I’ve all ready answered all his questions,” he said, nodding toward Brian.

“Good, now you are going to answer mine.” Seamus wrapped his hand around the man’s neck and squeezed until Charles’s face turned red. When the man’s defiant expression turned to fear, Seamus released enough of the pressure to allow Charles to breath once more. “What is your full name?”

“Charles Thresher.” His voice trembled.

“Very good, who do you work for?”

His eyes followed Noel’s pacing as he replied. “Golden Enterprises.”

“And what exactly does Golden Enterprises do?”

More sweat beaded on his forehead, but the man hesitated. Seamus pressed harder against Charles’s windpipe for a moment then let up.

The man sucked in a lungful of air. “I don’t know. I was just hired to bring in the girl.”

“What do they want with her?”

“I don’t know.”

Seamus searched the man’s eyes before deciding he spoke the truth. “Then how about we try this one? Why is it we cannot detect you from a distance?”

Charles watched the tiger as he prowled around him. Sweat pouring like rivers from his body. “We have a small GPS tracker like the one over there on the desk, and we were given a small device that each of us were told we must have on at all times. I thought it might be so they could keep track of us, but maybe that is what is preventing you from detecting us.”

“How is it you can find one particular person?”

“I was told she has a small chip that was implanted in her as a young child.”

“So this is how you know where she is?” Seamus removed his hand.

“Yes, except we kept getting more than one blip on the GPS, and then they separated so I sent parties out, one after each indicator. Then the one disappeared, returned, and disappeared again. The other kept jumping all over. At one time the GPS showed one of the blips to be right outside the cabin.” Charles squirmed in the chair. “I was told the female couldn’t transport from one place to another like the rest of you yet. But then one of the blips completely disappeared, so I think the damn device is faulty.”

Seamus moved a couple of steps away. “How is it you know so much about the young woman?”

“They have a whole dossier on her. She has been under surveillance since she was a little girl. They told me we had to bring her in before the twenty-first. They said she didn’t have any power to do us any harm. We were told to watch out for her uncle because he might be with her. When we arrived, we found two powers in the house. There was another we were tracking that must have been in another form,” Charles paused, eyeing Noel again before he continued, “because he was running in the woods at a very fast pace. We also found the girl. I sent eight men after her, but they split into two sets of four because of the faulty GPS. Eight of us came here and I sent two of them to track the third one running in the woods.”

“How many men do you have up here?”

“The five with me and ten more out in the field. No, one of them came back here so it’s nine more in the field.”

Seamus let out a breath before he continued. “How many people do they need to bring in one person?”

“We didn’t know who else we might encounter up here. They said she might have some of her family with her, and I was taking no chances.”

“How is it you drugged two of our people, yet did not drug her father?”

“I have a device that can tell the difference between your kind and humans.”

Seamus nodded. Brian had mentioned that fact earlier, but it still boggled him. He brought his face directly in Charles line of sight. “Where did you get such technology?”

Charles pushed his head back against the headrest. “Golden Enterprises has been working on this stuff for about twenty years now.”

His gaze the slid toward Noel and he shuddered. “Could he at least turn back into a person now that I have answered your questions?”

Seamus grinned.

Chapter Eleven

As soon as Patrick arrived in the cave, Megan’s head jerked around. A smile split her face as she jumped up and ran to greet her uncle. She jumped into his arms. “Thank God you’re okay. How are Uncle Donovan and Uncle Sean?”

He twirled her around before he set her back on her feet. “They are awake, but a bit disheveled yet. If it had not been for Seamus, I would be in the same boat, not to mention you. I thank the gods he had taken you out on your picnic before those men arrived and brought you to this cave where you are safe. Is it true you think Bern’s directed you here?”

She nodded, “Does that sound like I’m crazy?”

“Ah, Megs. Not at all. My sister had great power. I would not put it past her to be able to somehow help you now.”

“Thanks. It really feels like she is trying to tell me something, but I don’t know what.”

He nodded. “If she saved you and the rest of us from these bastards, that is enough for me.”

“I’ve been so worried, and I’m scared out of my wits. What do these people want with us? Are they the same people who kidnapped mom and me and killed her?” Megan started pacing back and forth through the cavern.

“I hate to make you worry any more than you already are but, yes Megs, they are. And they are not fooling around or taking any chances. They knew you were here, and they sent sixteen men to kidnap you again. They have equipment that shields them from us until they are so close we do not even have time to react. These men are very dangerous, so I want you to do everything Roarke tells you to without question or hesitation. Will you promise me that?”

“I promise. Now why are they interested in me? How do they know I’m even here?”

“Well, I can only guess as to why, but when they kidnapped you they implanted a microchip in your body and can track you. They have been keeping a close eye on you ever since. They know you are about to come into your power, obviously, they are under some delusion that they can steal your magic.”

Megan stopped pacing. She threw her arms up in the air and let out a huffed breath. “Great, just friggen great, so does this mean I will have to be in hiding for the rest of my life? Why can’t they leave me alone? Isn’t it enough they killed my mother and took away half my life’s memories, but now they have to hunt me as if I were some type of animal? You know, five days ago I thought my life was normal, with the exception of losing Mom and being in a coma for years. Now my life has turned into a...I don’t know what. First, I find out I’m more than human, and then that I’m to be mated to someone I don’t even really know. Now some jerks are trying to kidnap me and use me for some experiment. When is this nightmare going to end?”

Megan’s temper spiked. Some of the things that had been on the altar now flew around the room, as if they were in a rage as well.

Roarke cleared his throat. “Megan my dear! I think you need to calm down just a wee bit before you knock one of us or yourself out.”

She looked at him and then around the room as he pointed to the flying objects. Her heart raced. “Am I doing that? How’s that possible?” As her anger subsided, the objects floated to the ground.

Megan watched the objects as they settled on the floor, then turned and looked at Patrick and Roarke whose eyes where huge as they stared at her.

Roarke spoke first. “I have never seen anything like this. True, most of our children can use telekinesis, but they have to be looking at an object in order to get it to move. I thought you had none of your childhood powers.”

Mystified, Megan said, “Are you sure I was doing that? I’ve never been able to move anything without first walking over to it and picking it up.”

Patrick said, “True, but you also did not know you could move anything without physically doing it. Now you know you should have been able to use your mind to do it, so maybe you should see if you can do it consciously.”

Megan looked at him and then at one of the objects on the floor. “How do I get it to move?”

Roarke replied, “Just look at the object. Call on your magic from within. Then call the object to you.”

Again, Megan looked at an object; putting her hand out toward it. At first, nothing happened, so she tried again. This time the object flew to her. She grabbed it and held it up; delighted she said, “Did you see that? I did it. Oh my God, this is fabulous.”

Patrick said, “You did great, Megs. We will have to try some other things and see just how strong your power is at this point.”

He gave her a few more tests, which took her only about two or three tries to perfect.

Then Roarke told Megan to turn her back on an object and picture it, willing it to herself.

She did as he asked but instead of the object flying through the air, it just appeared in her hand. Shocked by what had happened she whispered, “Was that supposed to happen?”

The silence in the cavern encased them all. Finally, Roarke spoke up. “I have never seen the likes of it. Not even years after someone came into power.”

Patrick stared at Megan, so pale she wondered if all the blood had drained from his body. Turning to Roarke he said, “Bern used to do that, but she was well over a hundred before she had perfected it. How is it possible for Megan to be doing it without having come into her powers yet?”

“What do you mean well over one hundred?” Megan’s whispered question drew Patrick’s attention back to her.

However, before anyone answered, Roarke and Patrick put their hands up to quiet her. Roarke whispered to Patrick, “How many are you picking up?”

“Five, maybe six, I cannot quite get a read,” Patrick whispered back.

“Dammit to hell and back, they must have picked up the energy Megan was putting off while we had her testing her skills. How could we have forgotten about them? I only hope they cannot get a fix on us, or we are going to be in big trouble.”

Megan’s exhilaration evaporated at their words. Once again she felt as if the world was closing in on her. A shudder raked her body as she sank to the ground. She knew by the look on Patrick’s face he was contacting his brothers. Her mind reeled. Who could he contact if the drugs they used on Uncle Donovan and Sean did the same thing to them it had done to Seamus and her?

As if Patrick sensed her turmoil, he sat next to her and whispered. “Take it easy Megs, I have contacted Noel and he will relay this information to Seamus and the rest of them. We will have reinforcement shortly.”

Seamus felt the energy in the room change as Noel went from tiger to man in seconds. Noel said, “We have another problem, mates. Paddy just contacted me and told me they have at least five, maybe six men wandering around outside the cave.”

“Son of a bitch.” Seamus turned to Colin and said, “How close are you to disabling their shielding Colin, because now would be a very good time to say you have perfected it.”

Colin’s head came up. “I am close, but it is still going to be a bit longer than a few seconds or minutes for that matter. What brought them snooping around again? Did Megan go back out into the main cave?”

Noel answered, “No, it seems she got extremely angry over the fact that her life had gone to hell over the last few days.”

Seamus laughed and asked, “What difference should that make?

Before Noel answered him, he walked over to Charles and knocked the man unconscious. “It would seem our Megan has started to get some of her adolescent powers, but in a much stronger fashion than most. She got so angry about these arses trying to kidnap her again and that they had planted a microchip in her it seems she started making things fly around the room.”

He let out a breath and shook his head. “Paddy and Roarke were so fascinated by what she had done they decided to test her a bit farther. They let themselves become so engrossed in her abilities they forgot about the danger. It took them a bit to notice our friends hanging about. My guess is the searchers are picking up the energy from Megan, but if they figure out she is in that cave they will blow a hole in it to find her. I would suggest that we hurry up and get them before they figure too much more out.”

Seamus turned to Colin. “How long before you can disable the shielding?”

Colin answered, “Give me five minutes and it should be ready to try. I cannot give you any guarantees, but I think it should work.”

Seamus went into military mode, bellowing orders to each person in the room.

“All right, now we have to attack the same way we did in here. We cannot allow them to even get one shot off at us, which means we will need to all materialize at the same time. Noel, get Kevin and have him bring Jim. Dono, since your powers have yet to return, you and Sean will have to stay here with Jim.”

“I want you each to have a gun. Do not think twice about using it on anyone trying to get in, or on Charles if he even attempts to move. Be extremely careful as you now have one of the microchips so they will know where you are. We know that there are still a few more of them somewhere around the cabin. I will ward this place with some of the heaviest wards I can, so do not, under any circumstance, leave and try to come back in.”

Kevin walked in along with Jim as Seamus finished going through their attack plan.

Nodding to the current arrivals, Seamus continued. “I think the best thing to do is for the rest of us to jump over to the cave, which will give us a better sense of where these guys are if Colin cannot disable their shielding devices. I feel we are running out of time.”

Donovan addressed the group readying themselves to leave. “Be careful. Do not take any unnecessary chances yourselves. We cannot afford to have any more of us with these microchips attached. Believe me none of you will like the effects of those drugs they are using.” He then looked at Seamus. “I do not know how you lived without your communication powers for so long. It has only been a few hours, and already I feel like someone cut off my right arm. Now get rid of the rest of these arses so I can see my niece.”

Seamus nodded, and they were gone.

Seconds after materializing within the cavern, Seamus pulled Megan into his arms. She did not struggle or balk at his show of affection, but instead melted into his embrace.

She looked past him and whispered in his ear. “When I asked to see one of my family, I didn’t mean for you to bring them all.”

He knew she was trying to alleviate some of the stress of the situation so he whispered back to her, “I thought you might enjoy the company and show us all your new tricks.”

With that, she smacked him on the shoulder, but he could tell she was much more relieved than she wanted to admit.

Both Kevin and Noel came up and hugged her, giving her a reassurance that this would all be over soon. Then Seamus introduced her to his brothers, Brian and Colin. Both hugged her as well and welcomed her to the family.

The strong sense of urgency pressed against his mind again, so Seamus got down to business, explaining what was going to happen and who was going to do what.

When finished, Seamus looked at Colin who nodded. Seamus walked over to him and Colin hit a button on a small box he held in his hand. Almost immediately, Seamus and Colin started cursing. When everyone looked over at them, Seamus explained, “Either they have brought in reinforcements or Charles was lying. There are a great deal more than six of them outside.”

Seamus paced back and forth before saying, “We will need to bring in more of our people.”

Noel piped up, “Before we do that, will you let me try something Shannon and I have been working on over the last few years? I might be able to knock out all of them in one sweep. It will not kill them, but maybe it will give us the upper hand without bringing in anyone else for now. I will have to warn you though, it might also knock out Dono, Sean, and Jim, as they will not be able to shield themselves from it.”

“Colin, contact Conor and have him get back to the cabin so we have one person standing when I am through. All the rest you will have to encircle Megan to shield her as well. Once I do this, we will need to work fast because we will have about fifteen minutes before the effects wear off.”

Seamus replied with a big grin on his face. “I can almost guarantee Dono is going to be quite pissed off at you. He is not going to like the fact that he is going to be knocked on his arse twice in one day. If you think you can do this and save us bringing in more of our people, I am willing to try it. So tell me exactly how this is going to work.”

Noel explained what he was going to do, and then he contacted Shannon to arrange for her to send him her powers. After Conor relayed a message through Noel that he had arrived and informed the men in the cabin of their plan, Seamus along with Brian, Colin, Kevin, Paddy, and Roarke encircled Megan. Seamus reassured her that she would be all right.

Even with his own shielding, Seamus could feel the effect of what Noel was doing. He shook his head to clear it, as did the rest of them. Megan sat on the cave’s floor in kind of a daze with her hands over her ears as if she was trying to block out a loud noise. Then she shook her own head.

When Noel’s process ended, Seamus said, “Well Noel, you said that it would hurt us a bit, and you were not kidding. Is everyone all right?” He looked pointedly at Megan who smiled and mouthed yes. Turning toward Noel, Seamus asked, “Did Conor let you know the effect on Dono, Sean, and Jim?”

“Aye, he said they are out cold.”

Seamus took a deep breath, “Then we need to get out there and finish off these bastards, so we can have a little peace.”

He sat down next to Megan pulling her into his embrace. “You still look a bit dazed. Stay seated for a short while before you try to move. We will finish this as quickly as possible and then I will be back to get you. Stay close to Da as he will be on alert for any danger.”

“You be careful.” Megan kissed his cheek.

“Aye, I will be.” And he was gone.

Chapter Twelve

Roarke helped Megan stand. He must have felt her legs tremble because he asked, “Are you sure you are all right, child?”

Smiling at his concern, she said, “Fine now, but I thought my head was going to explode while Noel sent out that energy.”

Roarke nodded. “To tell you the truth I felt similar. I feel sorry for anyone who cannot shield himself from that. It was a good thing we surrounded you with our shields. I must say, Megan, your family seems to carry a very strong line of magic. I have never seen some of the things I have seen here in the last few hours.”

“I wouldn’t know much about that. All of this seems pretty amazing to me. I do have one question I need to ask now that the dust has settled, so to speak.”

“Before you ask, let me explain a bit more to you about our people. Then I’ll tell you just how old I am.”

Megan panicked at Roarke’s anticipation of her question. “How’d you know what my question was? Can you read my mind?”

Laughing at her, he replied, “No my child, I cannot read your mind. I am very good at reading people themselves, so I can usually tell what they are going to ask long before they ever say it.”

Relieved Megan said, “Good, you scared me there for a second. I just don’t want anyone digging around in my brain without my knowledge or permission.”

Roarke smiled. “Not to worry, we are a magical people not psychic. Now just how much have you learned about the Tuatha from Donovan and Seamus?”

“I do know we can change shape, travel at will. I’ll come into power in a few weeks, oh, and I’m destined to be mated to Seamus.”

With that, Roarke threw back his head and laughed, which reminded Megan of how Seamus laughed. She had to admit that was one of the things she loved about him.

“You are not at all thrilled with that fact are you?”

“It’s not that I don’t like him or anything. It’s just I would like to make my own decision on who and when I marry and not be told this is the way it is and I have no choice.”

“That is one of the unfortunate facts of being Tuatha, although you will find that even without the choice you will be very happy with each other. This would not have been so hard on you, if you had been raised knowing all about your people instead of growing up and then being blind-sided with Seamus being your mate, at the same time you are just getting used to the fact that you are not what you thought you were all your life.”

Megan was amazed how insightful Roarke was toward her feelings. “Are you sure you’re not psychic? You seem to understand more than anyone how I’m feeling.”

“Megan, I do not have to be psychic to figure out you are distressed with all this new knowledge. Then having this group of whatever they are, chasing after you, well, anyone in his right mind would be a bit stressed out. I will tell you this: You are handling it better than average. To tell you the truth I think I would more than likely be babbling to myself by now.”

Megan could not help herself as she started laughing. When she finally caught her breath, she asked, “How is it, not five minutes ago I was feeling sorry for myself and now everything seems okay again?”

Roarke shrugged. “Life is made for enjoying, if we cannot laugh even in the worst of circumstances, why would we want to stay?”

Smiling, Megan said, “Thanks for making a horrible situation funny. Now I’d like to know more about the Tuatha. But my biggest question is just how old you are? And how old was my mom?”

“Fair enough. We are a race of very powerful and magical people. We have lived in Ireland for over five thousand years. There have been many mystical legends about us. Some of which are true, many, of course, being just folklore. As you know, our children come into power at the age of twenty-five for our females and thirty for our males. Prior to that time, they can telekinetically move objects and speak to each of our family members through mental telepathy. At their coming of age, they will be able to actually transform into any animal of their choosing and transport to any destination they wish. During that particular birthday, we must transport to Brú na Bóinne before midnight in order to complete the empowerment.”

Roarke glanced at her and she nodded for him to continue. “Brú na Bóinne is where we learn most of our heritage and strengthen our powers. It holds a great deal of magic and healing powers in itself, as you will experience firsthand soon. At that point in our lives, our aging process slows down to a crawl. For every three years we live our bodies will only age about a month, which gives us great longevity.”

Roarke stopped talking. At first Megan thought something else was amiss, but then she realized he was giving her a few minutes to digest what he had said.

He started once again. “We are very hard to kill, but not impossible. If we are seriously injured, all we have to do is transport ourselves to Brú na Bóinne and within hours, we would never know we had been injured in the first place. There are only a few things that can cause us to die, those being decapitation, total destruction of our bodies, or loss of a major organ. Fire will not kill us as long as we transport out of it before we burn too severely. Failure to transport to Brú na Bóinne by midnight of our empowerment birthday or for our females during childbirth are the only other causes of death in our species.”

Roarke was telling her what most people would think of as a fairy tale, only for her it was real life. It was so far from anything she could have ever imagined. She had to wonder why her father or her uncles, for that matter, had never told her the truth about herself long ago.

Roarke gave Megan some more time to digest the new information he had given her. Then he continued. “Now to answer your earlier question, I am seven hundred and twenty-five years old and your mother at the time of her death was two hundred and five.”

Megan sat in stunned silence. Roarke did not look much older than fifty. Her mother was almost two hundred when she gave birth to her. This was going to take some time to get used to.

“No, your father did not know how old your mother was or much of what I just told you. These are things only known to our people and must never be told to non-Tuatha.”

“How do you always know what I’m thinking?”

“After what I just told you, it would be logical that you would have to wonder that.”

“Okay, but why didn’t my uncles tell me?”

“It was your father’s wishes to wait to see if you would remember on your own. He also thought that being he was your father you might not have the magical part from your mother. He should have been more receptive to allowing your uncles to tell you the truth earlier, but I think he was afraid that you might regress back into a coma if you knew the truth. He does not know how strong you are. Now are there any other questions you might have that I can try to answer for you?”

“How old is Seamus?”

“He is almost three hundred.” Roarke answered.

Megan calculated his age. “So that makes him about thirty-seven body age wise. I guess I can live with that.”

Roarke laughed so hard tears ran down his face.

Seamus had been surprised how easy it had been to take care of the twenty men all passed out between the cave and the cabins. The five men that had been closest to the cave were dead when they had gotten to them. They had been bleeding from their noses and ears. Whatever Noel had done, it had been more than effective. Thank the Goddess they had shielded Megan. What would have happened to her if they had not, was anyone’s guess. Judging from these men…he mentally shook himself. That was one scenario he would rather not even consider.

Even Noel looked unnerved at seeing the effects of what he had done. In no time they disposed of the bodies. They found five more over by his cabin that were unconscious, killed them, and disposed of the bodies as well. Another five were by the O’Shea cabin, these they tied up at Conor’s insistence. He said he needed to have them to test out the removal of the microchips. They confiscated all weapons and other devices the men carried.

When they had everything under control, Seamus said, “Colin, Noel, and Paddy, you come with me to the cave.” To the rest he said, “You can safely return to the cabin; by now Sean, Dono, and Jim should be coming around. Kevin, ward the cabin once you are in and work on those tracking devices. Even though we are not detecting anyone around, I still do not trust our sensing abilities with all the strange technology this group has.”

When Seamus and the others arrived back in the cave they found Roarke and Megan testing her powers again. This time instead of trying to bring objects to her, Megan was trying to move from one place to another within the cavern. Much to his surprise, she was actually able to jump small distances.

In unison, Patrick and Noel said, “How can you be doing that when you have not come into power yet?”

It was the question Seamus had but could put no voice to.

Megan looked up, grinned, and the next second was standing beside them. “I don’t know how I’m doing this, but it’s great fun. Roarke suggested I try it after I was able to have things materialize in my hand.”

Seamus glanced at his father.

Roarke held his hands up and spoke, “She seems to be gaining power even before her birthday, which in itself is highly unusual, but what is the most fascinating is the fact that her magical aura is not even fluctuating during use. Normally, this does not occur until one reaches fifty to seventy-five years.”

“So what does this mean?” Seamus asked without taking his eyes off Megan.

“That I could not tell you, but one thing is for sure I want to be around on her birthday. If she already has this much power now, I am guessing that when she actually turns twenty-five she is going to be phenomenal. I only hope we can teach her how to control it over the next few weeks.”

Megan whipped her head around to Roarke and asked, “What do you mean?

Smiling at her, Roarke said, “Do not worry child. All I am saying is you have much more power than I have ever seen in my time.”

“Roarke, that’s not what I asked. What could happen?” Fear radiated off her in waves. Seamus could feel them.

“Megan, I truly do not know, as I have never experienced anyone with your kind of power before they become of age. You have learned much about focusing in just the few lessons we have worked on today. That is a major hurtle. If you keep practicing, I feel you will have no real problems during your empowerment.”

Seamus walked over to Megan and took her into his arms. He whispered to her, “Do not worry a ghrá, I will be with you. And so will all your family. None of us will let anything happen to you.”

“Thank you. This really frightens me. My whole life has been turned upside down. Of everything, this is the scariest. What if I can’t control my magic? Why can’t I just go back to living a normal life, as boring as it might have been? I don’t think I like this adventure at all.”

Smiling, Seamus said, “Trust me. I would like nothing better than to just live a normal life with no great adventure either as long as I have you in it. Hopefully, within the next few weeks everything will settle down and we can see if we can give you a boring life again.”

Laughing, Megan said, “Somehow I don’t think life is going to be boring around you.”

Seamus asked, “Is that a compliment or are you trying to tell me you do not want me in your life?”

“Actually, I’m telling you I’m kind of looking forward to having you in my life. As much of a pain in my ass as you are, I’m beginning to enjoy having you around.”

With that Seamus brought his mouth to hers, kissing her until she had to hold on to him for support. He broke the kiss, but still held her close, and then addressed the rest of the group. “Now what we need to do is secure this area from any more intrusions. I would like to ward the top of this mountain with a very strong spell, but for this I will need the four of you to help.”

Noel asked, “What do you need us to do? I know a great deal of spells but have never done one of this magnitude.”

Seamus shook his head, “From what I saw you do earlier, I would have to disagree. You have quite a bit of power. Anyway, we need to go to the most central location. Then I will need one of you to stand at true north, another south, and so on. We will invoke a circle spell of protection encompassing this portion of the mountain. You will each amplify the effects so the spread will be much greater. Anyone trying to enter with malice in his heart toward us, or any intent to cause us harm will be unable to cross the boundary. I will engage the wolves’ help in the unlikely event someone would somehow get that close. They will also act as an early warning system.”

They all agreed that it was a sound plan. Colon switched on his device to disable any shielding mechanisms remaining before they left the safety of the cave with Megan.

When they arrived at the clearing Seamus, Patrick, Noel, Roarke, and Colin immediately started setting up for the protection spell. Megan sat in the middle and watched with great interest. She had many questions on what they were doing but decided she would ask Seamus once everything was completed. Colin, Noel, Patrick, and Roarke went to stand forming a circle about twenty feet out.

Seamus started walking around them, speaking in a language Megan did not understand, yet sounded familiar, as he held an ornate knife pointed toward the ground. He walked the circle a second time sprinkling salt, then again with incense. Upon the fourth walk as he passed Roarke, Patrick, Noel and Colin, the candles each held sprang to life. Finally, he completed the circle sprinkling water. Almost at once, Megan could feel the energy around her change.

As Seamus walked to the center of the circle, still chanting, Megan could feel the energy growing stronger. She did not know the exact words he was saying yet somehow they came to her. The others were now also chanting in the same language. Megan stood, opening her arms to the heavens. As if someone was whispering to her, telling her the words to say, she also started to chant. The energy grew stronger and seemed to push out encompassing the mountaintop.

When the spell was complete, Seamus began opening the circle once more by walking the opposite direction around the circle extinguishing the candles as he went. He then walked a second time holding the knife he had started with. Once he finished Megan could feel the energy dissipate. Fascinated by the whole ritual but also intrigued that somehow she had participated as if she knew what she was doing—she wanted to ask how.

It seemed she was not the only one curious about how she knew what to say.

Roarke spoke first, “This is amazing! How is it you knew how to work a spell even though you have never been taught?”

Megan ran her hands up and down her arms as she said, “If I could tell you I’d be thrilled. It was as if someone was whispering the words to me in my mind. How is this possible? How am I doing the things I’m doing without understanding any of it?”

“Well, we will have to do a bit more investigating over the next few days. It is most interesting to see how quickly you are gaining your power even before your birthday. You will have to stay close to one of us at all times so we can help you if you get into any trouble.”

Megan gasped, “Could I do something that could hurt someone?”

Seamus was at her side in an instant. “Now a ghrá, do not get upset. Da is just voicing his concern over the fact that you seem to possess a great deal of power even before you come of age. We do not know what other things you can do yet and neither do you, nor do any of us want anything to happen that you do not know how to deal with. You have to remember you did not even know you possessed any of these powers a few days ago.”

That eased her fears a little, but she was still quite anxious over the fact they all seemed on edge.

Patrick walked over to Megan, put his arm around her and said, “Megan, your mother was very powerful as well, I am sure you have inherited some of her talents. Maybe she taught you some of this before you lost your memory. It is just locked away in your subconscious. Now as you are coming close to your birthday it is coming out without your conscious mind thinking about it.”

“I hope your right, because this really gives me the willies.”

Seamus looked at Patrick and gave him a nod. “The four of you pop on back to the cabin and make sure everything is settled there and let them know what we have done here. I will walk back with Megan. We will meet you there shortly.”

They all nodded and were gone.

Megan looked at Seamus; she was so unnerved by all the things that seemed to be happening to her over the last few days that she just wanted to sit down and cry her eyes out.

As if he knew her feelings, Seamus put his arm around her and pulled her close. She melted into him and held on for dear life.

“I know this seems so overwhelming to you at the moment. I cannot say it is going to all disappear, but I can promise that I will be here for you and so will the rest of your family.”

They started toward the cabin. Megan tried to sound strong but her voice came out in a whisper. “Why is this happening to me? How can I do all these strange things when just a few days ago I didn’t even know I was anything other than a normal human being?”

“Love, you were never just a ‘normal human being’, just because you did not know you had special talents did not mean you did not possess them. You have been a Tuatha all your life. As Paddy told you, this knowledge has always been there locked in your subconscious. The closer you get to your birthday the more this knowledge is coming to the forefront.”

“Maybe that’s true, but everyone, you included, keeps telling me that I shouldn’t be able to do many of the things I’m doing.”

Seamus squeezed her shoulders. “I cannot argue with you on that subject, but just because you seem to possess stronger power than most does not make it a bad thing. It may mean you are going to be much more powerful than most Tuatha.”

“But what happens if I do something that I shouldn’t and hurt someone?”

Seamus took Megan by the arms and held her away from him. “Megan, listen to me. You are not going to hurt someone by accident. You would have to deliberately make an effort to cause someone harm.”

“Are you sure? What if I made something fly through the air like I did in the cave?”

“Aye, there is no way you can harm any of us. You might knock someone out with flying objects, but it would not cause any permanent damage.”

She could tell he was trying hard not to laugh. “Seamus this isn’t funny, you didn’t see, when I got so upset in the cave, the way I made most of my mother’s crystals and things fly around the room.”

However, the more she thought about it, she could not control a giggle of her own.

“See, when you think about it, it quite funny. It would take an awful lot to hurt any of us. So just relax. We will not let things get out of hand.”

Megan could not seem to stop the giggling. In fact, she started laughing so hard she had tears running down her cheeks. She was not sure why it seemed so funny but for some reason the thought of her mother’s things spinning around the cave seemed hilarious. She noticed that Seamus had gotten very quiet and was watching her. The next thing she knew he pulled her into his arms and his mouth descended on hers.

Her knees went weak and she leaned into him. Her arms went up around his neck of their own accord, and she could not seem to catch her breath. His body was so hard, but at the same time, she felt so much comfort. When he pulled back, she felt bereaved.

“You need to get some sleep. Things will look different in the morning.”

When they arrived at the cabin, things were winding down for the evening. Sean put together his usual feast with help from Kevin due to the fact he could not use his powers to conjure up the food he needed to cook.

They all laughed and joked through the meal as if the day had produced nothing unusual. Seamus spent a considerable amount of time catching up on things with his family.

Megan said her goodnights and headed for her room, hoping to get some well-needed rest. Sleep eluded her for some time, though, as the occurrences of the past few days played in her head. She ended up falling asleep from sheer exhaustion.

Chapter Thirteen

Megan woke yet again to the aroma of breakfast. She looked at the clock, shocked to find it was after nine. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept in so late. Jumping out of bed, she ran to the bathroom to shower. Enjoying the tantalizing feel of the water cascading over her body, her mind drifted to Seamus, wondering what it would be like to have him here, running his hand over her, her body tightened in anticipation.

Chastising herself, she reached over and turned the water to cold, which took her breath, but got her mind back where it belonged. Hopping out of the shower, she dried off, brushed her teeth, and combed her hair.

Donning a towel, she returned to her room only to stop dead. There stood the man wet dreams were made from, tall, dark, and definitely dangerous. His eyes riveted on her as they changed from jade to forest green with yellow flecks swirling around, reminding her of his wolf form. In his hands, he carried two cups of coffee.

His mouth curved into a sinful grin as he said, “I thought you would enjoy some.” He handed her one of the cups, never taking his eyes off her.

Clutching the towel, blushing from head to toe, and not knowing what else to do, she accepted it. “Seamus, could you give me a minute here so I can dress?”

Shaking his head as if to clear it he said, “Sorry a mhúirnín, what did you say?”

Glaring at him, she said, “In case you haven’t noticed I am not dressed.”

“Oh, that I have most definitely noticed,” he said with a wicked smile.

“Well, we have a house full of people and I would like to eat.”

His infamous grin returned as he said, “So would I.”

Flustered, she sputtered. “Seamus I meant food and to do that I need clothes on, so if you would be so kind…”

Before she could finish the sentence, the towel disappeared from her hands. She stared down at herself—dumbfounded. She now wore a pair of white shorts and a gorgeous buttercup yellow tank with tiny buttons running down the front. .

Seamus walked to her. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he led her toward the kitchen and said, “Better?”

Still unable to speak, she nodded.

When they arrived in the kitchen, it was full. Once again, it looked as though there was a feast being served with everything from oatmeal to pancakes. Seamus sat her down and put a plate in front of her so full that it could have fed three. The conversation never abated as they ate. Everyone seemed so much more relaxed than they had been in the previous days, including her father. He was laughing and joking with Seamus’s family as if they had been friends for years.

Turning to Seamus, Megan whispered, “How long has my father known your family?”

Leaning down he whispered back, “They have known each other now for a good twenty-six or so years. They have almost as much catching up as I do, since they had not seen each other since your mum’s death.”

Soon after, everyone finished eating and started disappearing to take care of tasks regarding Golden Enterprises. As usual, Megan was left to clean up the mess. Seamus gave her a knowing look. Within seconds, the kitchen was spotless.

“And to think all these years I’ve been doing this the old-fashioned way,” Megan said with a chuckle.

With gleaming eyes, Seamus said, “Ah, but this leaves time for much more pleasant things. Since you do not have the drudge of cleaning would you like to go out by the lake and relax?”

Smiling she said, “You keep this up, and you will have me fat and lazy before I turn thirty.”

“Oh, I do not think so. I will give you plenty of exercise to keep you in shape,” Seamus said with raised eyebrows.

Megan could feel the heat rising in her body while she pictured the kind of exercise he had in mind.

Pulling her into his arms, he put his lips to her ear and whispered, “I can see your mind took a free fall into the gutter when I talked about exercise. Here I was thinking things like chopping wood, building fences, and mowing grass. What is it you had in mind, a stór?”

Laughing she said, “I know exactly what you had in mind and it was none of the above, so don’t you dare try to play all innocent with me.”

Ruefully changing the subject, he said, “Come on, we need to let Colin and Paddy know where we are going to be. You said yesterday you wanted to lead a boring life, so we can go down to the lake and do nothing.”

Going into the den, they found Colin and Patrick, heads bent over, tinkering with some electrical equipment. Jim and Kevin had more equipment doing the same. Seamus cleared his throat, bringing all four heads up. “It seems the four of you have everything under control here. Since you left the tedious job of cleaning the mess in the kitchen, and we slaved over it for so long, Megan and I are going down to the lake to relax. If you need anything, just give us a shout.”

When they turned and walked out the door, Megan’s shoulders were heaving as she tried not to laugh. Once outside she gave in. “I can’t believe you actually told them we slaved over the kitchen. Even funnier, they didn’t disagree. My God, Seamus, they hadn’t even left ten minutes earlier.”

“Aye, but you see that is the thing about those studious minds of theirs. They would not have known if we had been in the kitchen five minutes or five hours. They were so caught up in playing with their toys they never noticed how much time passed.”

They started walking in the direction of the lake when Seamus pulled her off the path into a stand of trees. Megan’s body went rigid, thinking there was another threat. Putting a finger to her lips, he pointed to a small clearing a few feet away.

When she looked to where he pointed, she saw a doe with its fawn, grazing. As they watched, a large buck came wandering in, followed by a complete herd. They stood there for the longest time watching them eat. Megan was mesmerized, and at the same time, intrigued over the fact they could be so close and not scare them away. Then Seamus led her back to the path.

When they were far enough away, Megan turned toward Seamus and asked, “How come they didn’t run? I’ve never been able to get that close to them before.”

“It is just another one of the many benefits of our magic. I shielded us so they would not even know we were there. We can enjoy nature without frightening them or becoming dinner.”

“It seems the more I’m around you the less I fear the magic of being a Tuatha. Thank you. When I first learned what I was, I was so upset about not being human. I’m understanding now it has tremendous benefits.”

“Megan, we are quite human. The only difference between us and the average person these days is that we have talents that most lost thousands of years ago. Years ago, all human beings had the same powers we do. Due to fears and prejudices, many started suppressing their talents. As the saying goes, ‘if you do not use it you will lose it’.” Megan paid little attention as Seamus placed his hand in hers and began walking.

“The Tuatha refused to allow the preaching that magic was evil or the work of the devil to stop them from their practice of it, as many others did. As time went by, those who did not practice started losing their abilities and then began to fear us. Today, we still retain all that we had from the beginning. We learned not to allow those who cannot wield magic to see it, as there still is a great fear of things that are out of the ordinary.”

Megan had been so absorbed in the story, Seamus was telling she didn’t notice they had already reached the lake until Seamus asked her if she would like to walk around or go up and relax on the ledge.

“Let’s walk some more and then we can stretch out on Spy Ledge.” At Seamus’s puzzled look, she said, “That is what Uncle Donovan said he and Mom used to call it when they were young, because they could hide up there and spy on people without being seen.”

They continued walking for about another half hour, turned around and started back. When they were almost there, Megan turned, walking backwards, and getting a few feet in front of Seamus. She looked at him. “I’ll race you to the ledge.” Twirling around, she took off at full speed.

Despite her lead, Seamus, in wolf form, raced past Megan and sat at the bottom of the ledge until she got there.

Shimmering back into human form he said, “Now what do I get as a prize for winning?”

Scowling, her hands on her hips, she said, “You get absolutely nothing you cheater.”

“Ah, Megan a ghrá, you asked me to race you back to the ledge. You never said it had to be in human form. You cannot renege on a challenge.”

Laughing she climbed up to the ledge. “I’m not reneging and you did cheat.”

Joining her, he pulled her into his arms and said, “In that case I will just have to take my prize.” His head descended and he kissed her.

She leaned into him, putting her arms around his waist, and just enjoyed. His arms tightened around her, and she knew she was a goner. She had been trying so hard for the last few days to fight her feelings and they only seemed to intensify the more she fought. It was at that moment she decided there was no more fighting. If this was going to happen to her no matter what she wanted, then she might as well enjoy herself to the fullest.

When she thought about it, she liked the way he looked, every tall, dark, and dangerous inch of him. He made her feel as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world. She loved the sound of his laughter, and when he looked at her, that certain way, she felt as if her body turned into molten lava.

He treated her with great respect, even if he was a bully about her safety, but what else could you expect from a man who was brought up with the concept that men were the stronger of the species. She would eventually show him she could take care of herself just fine. The more she thought about it the more she liked the idea of having Seamus as a lover. She angled her head so she could deepen the kiss, and then she was having trouble thinking at all.

Seamus was not sure what had just happened. He was sure she would let him kiss her for just a minute and then would become unsure and back off. Instead, this time she melted into him and the next thing he knew she deepened their kiss. He was not about to argue about it by any means, but he did not want her to regret it later. He knew she was vulnerable with all that she had been through in the last few days. He did not want to add any pressure to her, but this was almost too hard to resist. He managed to break the kiss and tried to catch his breath.

He pushed the words out of his mouth. “A ghrá, you are making it very hard on me to be chivalrous. If we do not stop this minute, I am not sure I will be able to.”

“If I wanted you to stop, I would tell you to.”

He saw the desire in her eyes and her smile looked as if she was a cat that had cornered the canary. “Are you sure? I want our first joining to be memorable, not something you will later regret...”

“Seamus, do me one favor.”

“A ghrá, I would do anything you ask.”

“Good. Shut up.”

That was all the encouragement he needed. He drew her back into his embrace. With a wave of his hand, he produced a feather comforter on the ground and lowered them both down. He wanted to touch her everywhere. He wanted to devour her naked body with his eyes and then his mouth. Goddess, he had been waiting for this for what seemed like his whole life.

He started undoing the tiny little buttons of her shirt. Even though he knew he could make their clothes disappear with a thought, he wanted to prolong the experience. His hands trembled. He was not sure if it was from anticipation, or if he was actually nervous.

He kissed her jaw, a spot just behind her ear and continued downward. Spreading her blouse, he kissed the top of her breast not covered by her lacy bra. She sighed and it was almost his undoing. Then her breath hitched as he closed his mouth over her nipple.

When she pulled his shirt from his pants, running her hands up his bare back, his muscles rippled under her touch. She drew her hands back down this time using her nails. He sucked in his breath. Did she realize how she was affecting him? She grabbed the end of his shirt to pull it over his head.

Seamus reluctantly moved away from Megan to allow her to pull off his shirt. As soon as she was done, he brought his hand back to Megan and pushed her shirt from her shoulders so he could touch more of her as well. Her skin was so flawless. The one thing that intrigued him the most was the dusting of freckles she had running across her shoulders.

He traced his fingers from her neck over her shoulders pulling down her bra straps as he kissed and ran his tongue across her freckles. He reached between her breasts, unfastened her bra and let it slide off. He looked down at her, drinking in the sight. Her breasts were perfect round globes, tipped with tight nipples. Brushing his fingertip over one, he watched her shiver as her nipple hardened even more. Once again, he lowered his head, teasing the hard little pebble with his mouth, while his hand went to her other breast.

Megan delved her fingers into his hair and strained her upper body toward his mouth as he tormented her. His other hand moved down to unsnap her shorts and then lower her zipper. When he touched her, she moaned and writhed beneath him.

He could not stand the barrier of clothes between them any longer and, not intending to stop what he was doing, he willed the rest of their clothes away as his mouth continued its assault down her body. Finally, he brought his mouth to her womanhood. He licked and suckled then pushed a finger into her channel, moving it in and out, as he suckled her clit. He was rewarded with her scream as she climaxed. The taste of her almost had him following her. He continued his assault, licking and probing and then he started working his way back up her body slowly, giving every inch attention.

The sensation was almost more than she could handle. How could he elicit such sensations from her with just a touch? Never had anyone been able to bring her to such a feverish pitch so quickly in all her life. One thing she knew for sure was she wanted to touch and taste him as well.

She ran her hands up his back. When he sucked in a breath, she reveled in the idea that she also could affect him. She could feel the hard length of him pressing against her stomach as she cradled him between her thighs.

She was mindless with desire as he worked his way down her body with his clever mouth, not to mention his fingers.

When the climax hit her, she screamed. Megan couldn’t seem to catch her breath after she flew off into a million directions. She had never experienced such an intense orgasm before, but now she wanted nothing more than to have Seamus inside her. He seemed to be worshiping her body as he moved back up it with both his hands and his mouth, leaving not an inch unclaimed. She was still panting as he covered her mouth once more.

“Seamus, please.”

“Anything, a chroí.” But just as he was about to plunge into her, they heard the first howl, followed by another and another.

Chapter Fourteen

“Bloody Hell, what do they have, a fecken army at their disposal?” As he spoke Seamus, sprung up, bringing Megan with him. He dressed them and had any evidence of what they had just been doing gone in seconds. “Come on a ghrá, I am not sure which would be a safer place to take you at this point as I have no way to get in touch with anyone else. I think we should head back to the cave. At least there they seem to lose track of us.”

Patrick materialized next to them as they turned toward the cave. “Seamus, we need to get Megan back to the cave. It seems we have more company heading up the mountain. There are at least another twenty-five of them. Here, each of you needs to clip one of these to your slacks. It is one of the devices Colin and I have tinkered with. We adjusted it to now scramble the signal from the microchips. So they will not be able to pick it up on their GPS scanners.” As he spoke, he handed each of them a device.

“Why in the bloody hell are they so anxious to get to us at this time?”

“I am not sure it is us. I really think they are trying to get to Megan before she comes into her power. From the look of it, they are determined to accomplish that task. The real question being why is Megan so important to them?”

Beside him, Megan sucked in a breath. Seamus put his arm around her and tucked her into his side. “Trust me, a ghrá, we are all here to protect you. They will have to kill me in order to get to you.”

As Seamus spoke, Megan seemed to grow paler and shrink into his side more.

With a shaky voice she said, “These people killed my mother and now they’re back to try to take me again. Every time you wipe out one group of them another shows up to replace them. How are you going to stop them? Am I going to be running like this for the rest of my life? I don’t want any of you hurt on account of me.”

Patrick spoke this time. “Megan, it is not just you that we have to be concerned with. These maniacs have been hunting and capturing our people for some time now. If they get hold of you and are somehow able to figure out how to get control of your power, it could be disastrous for all of us. They have such advanced technology that they may have found some way of doing just that.”

“You have more power than I have ever seen in one so young. Your Mum was quite powerful, but you are showing signs of surpassing even her powers. I do not care if every one of us is hurt or killed, but we must prevent this group from getting to you at any cost. Now before we go any further with this discussion we need to get to the cave.”

When they entered the cave, much to Megan’s amazement, it looked more like a home than a cave. There were sofas, tables, desks, and areas that were curtained off, which she assumed contained beds. “My God, this looks more like a model home than a cave stuck in the side of a mountain.”

Roarke answered her. “I must apologize for not giving you more comfort when we were here earlier, but I was so distracted by all that was happening, that my mind was more on that than comfort.”

Once everyone was in, Seamus placed wards on the cave to make sure no one would be able to enter or find any entrance to the cave if they got anywhere close.

Seamus turned to Colin. “Well, you have supplied yourself with quite an array of equipment.”

Without taking his eyes off the monitors, he answered, “I have at that. I have placed cameras all over this mountain so I can see anyone trying to get up here. If they have toys to stop me from sensing them, I will make damn sure I can see them.”

“Grand. Now, Col, what do you have on these guys?’

“They are having some trouble getting past the spell you placed on the mountain but it has not deterred them much. They know we are up here and are determined to get to us.”

Seamus rubbed the back of his neck. “Has Conor come up with anything on these blasted tracking devices or on how to get them out of us?”

“He is working on it as quickly as possible, but he ran into a bit of a snag. It seems if you try to take them out they inject some kind of fast acting poison into the blood stream and he is sure it will even affect us. Therefore, he is not too willing to try to take any of them out just yet. He is almost finished with an antidote on the ill effects of the drugs they are pumping us with so at least we will be able to ward off the effects of that a bit more quickly.”

“All right then, it is going to be dark here in less than twenty minutes. I think we should all eat and then get some rest. We should have a few of us take turns manning the monitors and the rest need to get some sleep.”

Nodding, Colin replied, “Fine. Kevin and I can take the first watch. Paddy and Sean, you and Brian will take third shift, and then Donovan and Da can take it after that. Hopefully by morning, Conor will have some good news for us, and we can get these bastards out of our hair once and for all.”

“Agreed. I want the four of us with the microchips to sleep in the inner cave. That way we can sleep without wearing the scramblers or worrying they will fall off.”

Seamus found Megan in the small cavern with her father and Donovan. He was not sure who was trying to console whom. He cleared his throat and they all looked up. “Sorry to disturb you, I just finished talking to Colin and we figure this is not going to be as easy as the last time. Since they have not breached the spell perimeter, I think it would be best if we rested and see what they come up with next. We have had a long hard day of it already.”

Jim got up, came over to Seamus, and asked if he could speak to him in private.

“Aye, we can take a walk and see what is beyond the large cavern.”

“Thank you.”

Had Jim guessed what he and Megan had been up to a short while before?

Once away from the group Jim turned to Seamus. When Jim thrust out his right hand, Seamus started to take a step back before he realized Jim intended to shake his hand. Seamus extended his own.

“I’m in your debt for keeping us all safe. I’m ashamed of my behavior when you first showed up. If it had not been for you…well, Megan might be a captive again.”

Running his fingers through his hair, Jim continued. “I feel very guilty about not listening to Donovan all those years ago and keeping Megan in the dark about her heritage and her mother. I’m sure you think it was very stupid and selfish of me, but I honestly thought that it might do more damage to her knowing the truth at first. Then the time never seemed to be right. Maybe, in a sense, you showing up and getting it out in the open was the best thing that could have happened.”

Seamus realized he had great admiration for Jim and the way he was handling this awful situation.

“I have to admit, at first I thought you were a damn fool for not telling her earlier. However, I cannot know how I would have reacted in your place. You have done a fine job of raising your daughter and no one, including me, has any right to judge you or your reasoning for the way you did it.”

“Seamus, I have always been so afraid of losing her again and now I am absolutely petrified. Not just with this Golden Enterprise group, but also with her changing.”

Jim looked as if he was going to cry.

“There is nothing for you to worry about when it comes to losing her once she comes into power, Jim. You are her father and she loves you very much. I do not think anything could change that. All fathers worry about their little girls growing up and you are no different.”

“I knew that someday she would grow up and leave to get married, but it just seems that I lost so much of her life when she was in the coma. I guess I was just trying to prolong the inevitable.”

“Jim, you need to stop feeling guilty for what you cannot change. The best advice I can give you is just keep loving her the way you do and things will be fine. We are all going to do everything we can to keep her safe for you.”

Jim ran his fingers through his hair. “You don’t know how much just talking to you has helped. Let me say thanks again for everything.”

“You are welcome, but there is one more thing I need to discuss with you, since I have you alone.”

“Does this have to do with what Donovan said about you and Megan being mates?”

“Aye, and I hope this is not going to become another problem.”

Jim let out a sigh. “I wish that you could wait on doing anything about that, but I understand that it’s impossible.”

“Jim, if there was any way to wait until this whole mess was over and give Megan more time to get used to everything else that she needs to come to terms with, I would. This situation we are facing now is so precarious, that personally, I feel it would be safer for her if we actually rushed things along more than even I would like.”

Jim again thrust his fingers through his hair. “Why? Wouldn’t it be better to wait until she gets used to the power? My God man, she’s not even twenty-five.”

Seamus cut him off. “Jim. Listen to me. I do not like doing this to her anymore than you want me to, but she has no telepathic ability, so she cannot communicate with any of our kind. If anything should happen and these bastards get her, at least if we have completed the Deasghnáth I will have the ability to find her no matter if she is drugged or not.”

At that, Jim became paler and leaned against the wall. He opened his mouth and closed it again. Finally, he looked into Seamus’s eyes. “Do...do you mean to tell me if Bernadette had been mated to one of your kind instead of me, that person could have found her and she might not have died?”

Guilt flooded Seamus as he realized that Jim did not realize what might have been able to save Bernadette. “Goddess, Jim, I’m sorry. I did not mean to make you feel guilt over Bern’s death. Bern married you because she loved you, and you have nothing to feel guilty about. In fact, I do not think anyone would have thought of that.”

Then it hit him. “Dammit to hell and back. Those bastards had to have known Bern mated a non-Tuatha before they took her, or yes, a Tuatha mate could have tracked her down. Who the hell is giving these people all this information about us?

Let us get back to the main cave. I need to discuss this with everyone else and I am also, with or without your consent, going to talk to Megan and get the Deasghnáth preformed as soon as it can be arranged.”

“Seamus, if this ritual can keep Megan safe, you have my blessing, and I agree, get it done NOW.”

They turned around and raced back to the main cave.

When they arrived, everyone was sitting at a large table, preparing to eat. They joined them and Seamus stated, “We most definitely have someone telling this person who runs Golden Enterprises about our people.”

Kevin looked up from his meal, “Can you be so sure he has not just gotten lucky in his earlier endeavors and has figured it out from there?”

Seamus and Jim both said together, “No!”

Seamus continued, “They had to have known Bern was mated to a non-Tuatha, or her mate would have tracked her down.”

At the collective gasp from around the table, Seamus knew that no one else had thought of that fact either. “So you see, there has to be someone that knows enough about our people to have known that Jim could not track her.”

Megan looked confused. “What do you mean? How could dad not being a Tuatha Dé Danann make any difference?”

Donovan explained. “It is very simple, Little Bit. Once our people have preformed the Deasghnáth, we know where our mate is at all times. Nothing would have been able to prevent one of us from finding your mother if she had been mated to one of our kind.”

Donovan then looked toward Jim, who had his head down and said, “Jim, do not do this to yourself. No one is blaming you for what happened to Bern. She chose you as her mate and loved you dearly. She would not want you to try to take any of the blame for this. The only ones that we can put fault on are the bastards at this Golden Enterprises and now the person who is feeding them information. I can guarantee you, when we find them their deaths will not come easily.”

When Jim brought his head up there was such fierceness in his eyes that Megan gasped.

“When you find them, I want to be there to exact my revenge for what they did to my family.”

Donovan nodded. “If it is possible, I will make sure you are there.”

They continued talking as they finished eating and then went to get some rest before morning.

Once they arrived in the cavern, Megan came up to Seamus and hugged him. “This is all so overwhelming. I don’t know how to help Dad. He is blaming himself for all that happened to Mom and me back then. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t have the abilities the rest of you have.”

“Megan, none of us blames him. Unfortunately, we all have a tendency to hold ourselves responsible even when we did everything we could.”

Megan looked at him. She knows I blame myself for not doing more.

“You did everything you could have done as well.”

Smashing his fist on the table, he asked, “Did I? If I had figured out they had been drugging our food sooner, maybe I could have gotten my strength back quicker. Maybe I could have saved your mum as well.”

Hugging him tighter, she said, “I wish that had happened, but who’s to say, if you had, maybe it would have worked out different and maybe it wouldn’t. You don’t know that for sure; none of us do.”

Seamus pulled her even closer to him and smiled. “You know, for someone so young you sure are smart.”

She beamed up at him, “Thanks.”

He sobered and said. “Now, there is something we need to discuss. Come, we need to go for a little walk.”

They headed down the same tunnel he and her father had ventured into earlier. He knew it was going to be much harder to convince Megan that the Deasghnáth must be preformed now. He had promised her he would take things slowly, and now he was going to have to explain that it was not possible to wait. He wished there was some other way to keep her safe, and give her time to get used to her power. But for the life of him, he could not figure one. He could feel Megan’s anxiety growing the further they walked. Moreover, he truly was not looking forward to her reaction when he told her. Once he felt they were far enough from the rest of the family he stopped.

He produced a big stuffed chair and he was sitting in it with Megan on his lap before she could object.

“Love, I know I promised to give you time to get used to being Tuatha before we did anything about the fact of us being mated, but we have run into a problem. These men seem so hell-bent on kidnapping you that it has all of us very concerned. If by some unforeseen happening they succeed, I want to be able to track you down.”

She pushed up and away from him and started pacing the floor. She reminded him of a caged animal striding back and forth. “Seamus, I’m not sure I can do that yet. I need time to get to know you better. I know that I’m ready to take you as a lover. It’s not fair that you’re asking me to go farther than that right now. I know you’re worried about these guys getting hold of me, but with so many of you around I can’t see that happening and I don’t want to be rushed into this. You promised me you would give me time.”

He knew his next words would cause her pain, and it was unfair of him, but he also knew if he did not use every advantage, he would not get her to agree. In addition, he knew that there was no way he was going to allow her any other choice. He was not about to lose her, not after he just found her. She may not understand that once The Fates decreed them mates, she would be his mate for life and if he lost her, he would live the rest of his life alone, something he was not willing to do. He would follow her to the next world as many mated Tuatha Dé Danann chose to do upon the death of their partners. Once the Deasghnáth was complete, he would be able to find her again even if she died and was reborn.

“I know, and I am sorry that I am going against my word, but I just do not want your family to go through what they did when your mum and you were kidnapped the first time. Not to mention I would go out of my mind, so I am going to ask you to allow us to go through the Deasghnáth now.”

He could see her struggling with it. She wanted to say no, but she also would not want to hurt her family. Thinking the best way to handle it now would be to let her mull it over for a few hours, he got up and crossed to her. “Megan, do me a favor and just think on it for a little while. If you want, go and talk to Sean or Donovan, maybe they can help you better decide.”

She looked at him then. “I know I sound like a whiner. I’m sorry, but I just don’t think I’m ready for all this right now.”

“Love, I am sorry to be dumping this on you now. I think you have every right to whine a bit. I, for one, think you are doing a remarkable job of keeping it together with everything you have had to deal with. If there was any way…any way at all, I could change it for you, I would. We should head back and get some rest. Talk to your Da, Sean or whomever, but please think good and hard about what I said. I have lived a long time, and now that I found you I do not want to lose you.”

He pulled her to him and held her close. He could hope that she would make the decision to agree to the Deasghnáth, but either way it was going to happen. He knew if he forced her, she might hate him for a very long time. Nevertheless, he also knew he had no choice if he were to keep her safe.

They headed back to the main cavern not saying anything more about the Deasghnáth.

Megan went over to find Sean and get his input on what he thought she should do. The whole thing felt like some kind of old-fashioned arranged marriage, and she resented it. Granted she did like being around Seamus, and he treated her like she was the greatest and only person in the world, but that did not mean that as soon as they were mated things would not change. She had seen too many of her friends go through lousy marriages because they did not take enough time to get to know their spouses. She did not want to have that happen to her. Especially since once she and Seamus performed this ceremony, there was no way to reverse it. She did not want to be stuck in a marriage that was awful, considering how long the Tuatha lived. That could mean a miserable couple of centuries, or longer, with no way out.

Chapter Fifteen

Once back in the main cavern, Seamus approached Colin to check on his progress. “Has anything changed?”

“No, they still have not been able to breach the spell, but they have not left either. Noel and Brian want to go down and see if they can find out what they are up to.”

Shaking his head, Seamus said, “I do not think it would be safe. You know they can detect us with their equipment.”

“We have thought of that and Noel thinks he might be able to knock some of it out from a distance and then they can get a bit closer.”

“I do not want anyone else getting captured or incapacitated by these bastards, but I do agree we need to find out what they are up to.”

“Aye, and they are the best ones to handle it. Da, also, wants to talk to you.”

“Thank you. I will go see what he needs and then get some rest. When they are ready to go, let me know and I will unward the cave and you can ward it after they leave.” Seamus said as he stifled a yawn. Then went to find his father

“Da, you needed to speak to me?”

“Aye, I have spoken with your mother and she has gotten in touch with the other clans. They will be assembling in about two hours and I am going to leave to speak to them. I hope that we can come up with some sort of plan on dealing with this group. We will also try to put together a way to ferret out this traitor of our people. I should be back by morning.”

“We will see you then. Give my love to Mum. Tell her I will see her as soon as we get this mess straightened out, and that I will be bringing my mate.”

Seamus watched as a smile brightened his father’s face. “That will please her greatly. She has been chafing at the bit to come here to see you. She always swore you were still alive, even when the rest of us had given up hope.” Roarke stood then, his eyes shimmering with unleashed tears, pulled his son into a fierce hug and whispered, “I’m sorry I gave up on you son.”

Seamus returned the hug, having trouble speaking through the lump in his throat. “Da, you know I could not bring these people anywhere near any of you. I wish I could have gotten in touch with you to let you know I was all right. I do not blame you for giving up and moving on with life. Seventeen years is a long time.”

“Aye, but I still should have listened to Fiona. Her sight had never failed us before.” Roarke hugged his son once more and went back to the work he was doing.

Seamus turned and walked into the small cavern to try to get some sleep.

Hearing a commotion, Seamus came running out of the smaller cavern. “What in the bloody hell is going on?”

The scene that met him took his breath away. Noel and Brian were covered in blood and he could see the bullet holes were not healing.

Noel, unable to stand from the pain of his wounds, slumped to the floor and told them, “These guys are now playing for keeps. They do not want us alive anymore as they are no longer firing tranquilizers.” Then he passed out.

Seamus turned to Brian to get more of the story. “What happened?”

Gritting his teeth, Brian explained, “When Noel set the storm on them, I felt an energy flux but thought it was his doing. When it was over and the men were cleaning up the mess we noticed some of them were missing. When I contacted Colin, he told us they were on top of us. They did not fire on us until we dropped our shield to come back here. How they knew exactly when we were vulnerable to attack is beyond me. Goddess, this is a mess. I may not be good with electronic gadgets, but this seems bigger, more like magic.”

Shannon, materializing in the cave, and was at Noel’s side without a word to the others. Within seconds, five other healers arrived. Two went immediately to Brian. The others joined Shannon.

Colin pulled Seamus off to the side. “Seamus, I cannot figure out what happened. Brian and Noel were about a mile from the Golden Boys’ camp. They were in owl form. First Noel set a family of bear onto the camp. It did not take long and they were hearing shouts and the sound of gunfire. Noel had put a shield around the bears to keep them safe as they invaded the campsite. He and Brian swooped in so they were just inside the spell boundary and watched the chaos the bears were creating. Noel thanked the bears and they took off.”

Colin rubbed the back of his neck. “Within seconds, the wind picked up and lightening ripped through the sky, illuminating the entire area as hail and rain pummeled the campsite. Five minutes later everything quieted, but the camp was a total mess. Not a tent was standing, nor a window left in any of the trucks parked there. They could see a few of the men on the ground and others moaning and limping as they came back into the camp. They all looked shell-shocked.” Colin took a deep breath.

Seamus put his hand on Colin’s shoulder and squeezed. “Keep going.”

“When Noel started his storm, there were twenty-five of these men in the campsite and when it ended ten of them were on our side of the perimeter. We did not even see them there until Brian contacted me saying something was off. How is it possible for them to have been able to breach the spell perimeter? To top that, us not seeing it on our equipment is unbelievable. Worse yet, none of us felt it.”

“Col, if I had an answer to how these people are doing anything, I would have solved this seventeen years ago. Every time I think I have the upper hand they pull something new.”

Seamus glanced over toward Noel.

“We need to do something and quick. If Brian and Noel had not been in transport at the time they were shot, I think these people would have killed them once they brought them down. I do not think we should just wait around until they come to us anymore,” Colin said as he clenched and unclenched his fists.

“I agree except for the fact that they are able to detect us and we cannot detect them. If we go out there, just how many of us will they get before we get them? We have to wait until Da gets back from the council to see what they want to do first, and then we can make plans.”

“Fair enough.”

They walked back over to where the healers examined Noel and Brian. Shannon looked up and said, “We need to get them to Brú na Bóinne. They should be healing by now and they are not. We are going to take Noel, as he is not coming around. Brian will be able to transport himself, but it is going to have to be quick as he is fading fast. I do not know what is going on, but I do not like this at all.” Shannon glared up at Seamus. “How are these people able to bring our people down this easily? For that matter, how in the hell can they even detect us?”

“Shannon, I do not know how they are accomplishing half the things they are doing. That is the reason I could not come home for the last seventeen years. Every time I turned around these people were coming after me and now I have involved all of you as well.”

She stood and put her arms around him and whispered. “I always knew you were alive, but neither Mum nor I could get a clear fix on you. You are our family, Seamus, and we are always going to be there for you. You should have come home and let us help. You have taken on this burden by yourself to protect our people, and it should have never been yours alone.”

Seamus hugged her back. “Thank you, sweets, but I had to try to do it, and now, looking back I think I made a grave mistake, because these madmen have had years more to develop even more lethal technology against us. But remember there is someone that is feeding them information, so be careful, please.”

“I will, and I will talk to you as soon as this is all over. Take care of yourself as well and as your mate.”

Shannon went over to stand with the healers around Noel. They each touched him, and in seconds, they were gone along with Brian.

When Seamus walked back into the smaller cavern, he found Megan tossing and murmuring in her sleep. He moved over and eased down to sit beside her on her bed.

“Mommy, make them stop, make them stop. They’re hurting me. Mommy, make them stop.”

Seamus leaned down and took Megan into his arms. “Megan, wake up. Come on, sweetheart, you are dreaming.”

Megan came awake with a start. She was shaking so profusely Seamus produced a heavy blanket around her and held her. As her shaking subsided, she looked at him and said, “Seamus, oh God!”

“Love, tell me what you were dreaming. You were calling for your mum and saying they were hurting you.”

Another shudder ran through her. “I was strapped to a table, and these men were cutting me and poking me with needles. It was horrible.”

“It is all right, a ghrá, you are safe now. It was only a dream.” He hoped he was right. If these mad men at Golden Enterprise ever got a hold of her again, that is exactly what they would be doing to her.

“No, that’s what they did to me when I was in the lab with my mother. I remember waking up after they kidnapped me. They had me in a room and they kept doing things to me to see if I would heal. They had all these probes stuck to my head while they were doing it. It hurt so much that all I could do was scream, and they did not care. Then afterwards they put me in that cage.”

“Shhh, a ghrá, you are not there now and I am not going to let them take you again. I will die first.”

Looking at him, tears swimming in her eyes, she asked, “Seamus, they did that to my mother as well, didn’t they?”

Not wanting to make things worse, but knowing he had no choice he said, “Love, I cannot say for sure, as I was not in the room, but I would have to say more than likely. I know they did it to me. I was in my wolf form and it was not pleasant.”

“How, how long were you there before you escaped?”

“Almost a month.”

“How did you stand it?”

“At times, it was not easy. With the way our bodies heal, I did not have much choice.”

“I think if I had to live through it again I would will myself to die.”

Goddess knows he wished many a time that he could have left his body. The only thing that kept him going was the fact that he was not going to let those people get away with what they had done to him or any of the others that were in that lab.

Megan’s eyes grew big and her breath caught. “Could that be how my mother died? She willed herself to go. Is that possible?”

“Megan, your mum was a very strong and powerful woman, so yes, she very well could have done so, but I do not think she would have left you there willingly. No, I think it had to be something else.”

“Then why did she die? Everyone says that the injuries she had should not have killed her.”

“A stór, I hope someday we can figure that out. For now I want you to relax and let your dream go.” He paused, “I hate to tell you any more to upset you, but we have another bit of a problem. It seems these men are using a new tactic to get to you. Noel and Brian went out to see if they could find out what was going on at their camp and during the storm that Noel produced some of the men breached our spell boundary. We do not know how they managed it either. Brian said he felt a tremendous amount of magical energy in the air, but Noel was expending quite a lot so he did not think anything of it until ten of the men appeared inside the spell perimeter.”

Gathering his thoughts he continued, “At any rate, they do not seem to want to capture any of us anymore because they shot at Noel and Brian at the exact moment they dropped their protective shields so they could transport back here. A few of the bullets hit them. Whatever this group is using, it is preventing our natural healing. Our healers, along with Shannon, have transported Noel and Brian to Brú na Bóinne to work on them there.”

Megan was having trouble breathing, let alone thinking. How could this group have the ability do so much damage to her people? Funny, in less than a week she was thinking of them as her people. Nevertheless, this was also her family, and in the last few days, she had seen three of her uncles hurt. Now she didn’t know if Noel or Brian were going to live. Why was this company so interested in her? Hadn’t they done enough to her years ago? Somehow, they had to stop these people. But how? She didn’t know the answer to that question.

“Seamus, what are we going to do? If they keep coming at us like this, it won’t be long before these creeps dwindle the rest of you down and finally get to me. I don’t want to see any of my family dead, nor yours, and after my dream I definitely don’t want to get back in these people’s clutches.”

Holding her tight, he said, “Well, I will tell you one thing. We are not about to give in to the bastards. We will figure out something, Megan. There has to be some way for us to eradicate these madmen.”

Letting out a loud breath, she said, “God, I’m scared.”

“To tell you the truth, so am I. I thought I had gotten rid of them over the last seventeen years. What I have done was give our enemy time to develop all sorts of new weapons to use on us. Looking back, I should have gone to my father and the council, but I was so afraid to bring these thugs anywhere my people. Now we have twice the mess on our hands. On top of that, these guys are determined to get their hands on you.”

“They’ve been keeping track of me all my life, so I don’t think it would have mattered what you did. These people would’ve evaded all of you anyway. They seem to be creating technology that can do a lot of damage to us. You said yourself, you tracked down everyone that had been in that lab, and so I don’t think bringing in your family years ago would have made a difference.”

Shrugging, he replied, “Perhaps you are right. We will never know for sure, will we?”

“At this point, I don’t think it matters.”

“A mhúirnín, have you thought about the Deasghnáth?”

“Yes, I’d rather have had time to get to know you better and come to terms with being a mythical being before we did this. With all that’s happening and now remembering what they did to me when I was a kid, as you said earlier, let’s go for it.”

Some of the tension seemed to slide out of his eyes as she gave into his wishes.

“Thank you, a mhúirnín. At least that will give all of us a little more peace of mind. I will promise you this, Megan, I will still let you get to know me in any way you deem necessary even though we have preformed the Deasghnáth.”

Nibbling her lower lip Megan asked, “When are we doing this? Will you please explain how it all works before we start?”

He held her and smiled. “Aye, I will not let you go into this blind, a stór. Now see if you can get a little more rest while I see how Noel and Brian are doing and then we will take some time to prepare you for the Deasghnáth.”

Megan nodded and laid back down as Seamus headed to the main cave. She was not sure she could get back to sleep or that she even wanted to. After her dream and worrying about agreeing to the ritual, she could not quiet her mind enough to sleep anyway.

Chapter Sixteen

Seamus materialized behind Colin and watched what was happening on the monitor screens. “Colin, have you spoken to Shannon and found out how Noel and Brian are faring?”

“Aye, they are healing, now that they are in Brú na Bóinne. Conor is running some tests on them and trying to discern what this group is using to cause their inability to heal. They should be back by morning.”

Seamus clinched his fists. “How is it these blaggards have so many devices that they are able to use against us? Their technology is far superior to anything I have ever encountered, but you have always been the one to tinker with electronics. Have you ever seen these kinds of advances?”

Colin glanced up at Seamus and then back to the monitors. “No, I have never seen the likes of it, but I hope they have run out now, or we will be in a world of hurt, not to mention the fact that these men are mad. If they are still kidnapping and experimenting on our people, it only seems to be here. Conor said that they could find no one that has gone missing in Ireland itself. Yet there are some reports of our people disappearing over here in the States.”

“If these people who own Golden Enterprises keep going at the rate they seem to be, it will be only a matter of time and you will be seeing it occurring at home as well.” Every muscle in his body ached at this moment. He arched his back and wished for a week’s sleep.

“That does seem to be the consensus. Da will be here within the hour, so I do not think you are going to get much of a chance at any sleep.” Colin patted Seamus’s shoulder and grinned.

“Not that I could anyway, with all the goings on at the moment. I am going in and see if I can clear my head for a bit though. When Da gets here let me know, or if these guys get anywhere close to here.” He pointed to the screen in front of Colin.

“Aye, I will do that. Now go in and close your eyes.”

When Seamus was alone, he sat in a chair, put his head back, and closed his eyes. This had to be one of the worst days since his kidnapping. How had he missed the person or persons behind this whole scheme? Then again, he did not know if they had ever made a personal appearance in the lab, but there should have been something in all the paperwork he had destroyed that would have led Seamus to them.

Whoever this is did not waste any time building an army to come after his people. The man also has to have some exceptional scientists to create the technology and the substances they have been using so far against them. Then there was the fact that someone must be giving him information on the Tuatha to be able to get this close to them. How were they able to breach his spell boundary? They had to have someone around who has a great deal of magical powers.

Seamus felt as though he had let his people down by allowing this to happen. Granted he did not know these people had such an elaborate enterprise or he would have gone to the council himself years ago.

How do we stop them? He could only hope his father would have some answers. Seamus felt an energy shift within the cave and he knew his father was back from the council meeting. And he was not alone. Pushing himself to his feet, he went into the main cave to greet them. As he walked up, he saw his father along with three other High Lords of his people. He knew they were here to discuss not only what should be done about Golden Enterprise, but they also wanted to see Megan as he was sure his father had told them of her extraordinary talents.

He greeted each in turn with a wrist-to-wrist handshake. Fáilte an Tiarna Uasal, Ó Nualáid Mac Mathúna, An Tiarna Uasal Diamuid Ó Néill, agus an Tiarna Uasal Quinlon Mac Suibhne.  Tá sé go maith chun tú a feiceáil tar éis na blianta go léir. {Welcome High Lord Nolen Mac Mohan, High Lord Dermot O’Neill, and High Lord Quinlon McSweeny. It is good to see you again after all these years.}

Greetings finished, Nolen, who was about fifty years Seamus’s senior, grabbed him in a bear hug and said, “Goddess, Seamus, it is so good to see you. We thought you were dead for so many years. Why did you not come to us as soon as you escaped?”

“To tell you the truth, A Tiarna Uasal, I was afraid to lead these bastards to any more of our people. In addition, we have a traitor in our brethren somewhere, as they know too much about us. I thought I could take care of the problem myself. As you can see, I made more of a mess of it than even I knew.”

It was Quinlon, who was close to one thousand years old, who answered him. “None of us are blaming you for the goings on here. In fact, from what I have heard you have done a remarkable job, thus far. We have never, in all of our existence, had to deal with such a situation as this.”

Looking perturbed, he continued, “I have made a few inquiries and found out one of my own grandnephews, his wife and daughter went missing sometime in the last fifty years. No one knew the exact time because my nephew in all his infinite wisdom cut himself off from the family when he left to go to the States. This seemed to have been common practice in some families over their displeasure of them leaving. We have set plans in motion to contact all families that migrated to find out how wide spread this problem is.”

Quinlon shook his head. “I do not think that bringing this to the council years ago would have made much of a difference, as many of us had our heads in the sand. We are here to see what we can do to help alleviate this problem. My only wish is that we would have known you were alive back then.”

“Well, A Tiarna Uasal, as I am sure my father informed you I am unable to communicate with anyone through telepathy since I was kidnapped.”

Dermot said, “Shall we dispense with the formalities?” He waved his hand to a grouping of chairs. “Let us have a seat and then we can continue.” Once seated, Dermot continued the conversation. “Now, we understand that Sean and Donovan O’Shea have also lost their ability to communicate telepathically since they were attacked.”

Seamus nodded. “It would seem so. Has anyone spoken to Noel or Brian, to know if they have been affected?”

Roarke tilted his head and then started cursing up one side and down the other. “Whatever these bastards are using it seems anytime they shoot one of us we lose our telepathic ability with everyone…but our mate. Therefore, Brian is now virtually as cut off from the rest of his family as you are. Fortunately, Noel is still able to communicate with Shannon, so he has an advantage over you four.”

Nolen spoke up then, “Speaking of mates, have you completed the Deasghnáth with yours? As we now know, that will give you both an advantage if for some reason this group gets hold of either of you.”

“Megan and I have been discussing it, and she has agreed. She was quite hesitant due to not having the knowledge of our people. We will need a few days to prepare as she knows very little of our customs.”

Quinlon spoke, shaking his head. “Yet another tragedy this group must be held accountable for.”

Seamus could feel Roarke vibrate with anger. “They have a great deal to be accountable for. He took my son from me for seventeen years, killed Bernadette, who was one of our strongest women and was like a daughter to me. But worse, they left Megan without a mother to guide her. They have declared war against our people and when we find them, we shall give them the very painful justice they rightfully deserve. We also must find the fealltóir {traitor} that has given them so much information about our people, for he also must be brought to justice, for the crime of divulging such information about us to a non-Tuatha. Our laws are very strict about that, and I have a great deal of trouble believing one of our own would do such a thing, but there is much evidence to the contrary.”

Seamus understood his father’s anger, even though it took him by surprise. His father had always been one that was calm in every situation. He now saw just what damage he had done by letting his father think he had been dead for so many years. He did the only thing he could do to help ease some of the suffering he had caused. He went to his father, knelt down, and hugged him. “Da, I am sorry for giving you this sorrow to deal with. I should have somehow come to you and let you know what was happening and that I was alive. I was not thinking of anything but keeping my family and our people safe. I now realize I also caused a great deal of pain to you in the process. Please forgive me for that miscalculation.”

Roarke, with admiration showing in his eyes, looked at Seamus, but it was Quinlon who spoke. “You have done nothing that should need to be forgiven. You acted as a great leader to our people. Another would have come to us immediately and, more than likely, brought disaster with them. You on the other hand tried to alleviate the problem. The unfortunate thing being your inability to communicate with us and let us know what was occurring. No one could have foreseen that these mad men were continually working on ways to overcome our magic. Now that we do understand the threat they are, we will be helping you in your quest to eliminate them. I also want you to spend some time with our healers to see if they can figure a way to unblock your telepathic channel.”

Seamus answered Quinlon with a nod, but his eyes never left his father’s face.

Roarke spoke then, “Son, Quinn is right. You have done no wrong. I am proud to have sired you. Yes, the loss of you years ago was devastating, but the joy of finding you alive has overshadowed that. Yet, I still want to see justice served to the people that have caused us all such anguish.”

With much relief, Seamus said, “I shall do my best to see that you get your wish on that.”

Megan dozed fitfully after Seamus left. She finally decided she needed to talk to someone about the mating ritual Seamus wanted to do. She knew it would give everyone around her peace of mind to know that he could find her if this group somehow took her again. However, she wanted more information about it before she went through it. Knowing Shannon would be with Noel at the moment, she decided she would talk to one of her uncles, although she hoped she could still talk to Shannon before everything was completed.

Just then, Donovan walked into the room looking as though he had just come from taking a shower. It made her wonder, once more, at the power she was about to possess.

Her uncle looked at her and smiled. “Little Bit, I can tell you have something on your mind.”

Smiling, she said, “Nothing ever gets past you does it?”

He laughed at that. “With that look on your face, I would have to be blind.”

“I wanted to talk to you, well I really wanted to talk to Shannon about the mating ritual, but I know she has her hands full with Uncle Noel at the moment. Do you know how Uncle Noel and Brian are? Are they going to be okay? When will they be…”

Donovan started to laugh which stopped her for a moment as she realized, with disgust, she was once again running her questions together.

“I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

Still chuckling Donovan replied, “Little Bit, that is one of the things we all love about you, but yes, you are. First off, Noel and Brian are coming along fine and should be here shortly. Second, Shannon will be coming with them so you will get your chance to talk to her. If I can wipe out some of that questioning look you had on your face when I came in, I will be happy to try until you can talk to Shannon.”

“That would help. I just feel like I’m getting pushed into this before I really have a chance to research anything.”

Donovan pulled up two chairs and sat on one and Megan sat on the other. “I am sure Seamus would give you all the time in the world if we were not faced with this crisis. He has never been one to insist someone do something unless that person was comfortable with it. Nevertheless, we have to be able to reach you if these bastards get hold of you again, especially before your empowerment day. You do know that you must go to Brú na Bóinne on that day or you will die. If you were to be kidnapped, he would be the only one who would be able to help you, but that is only as long as you complete the Deasghnáth. None of us is willing to let anything happen to you. I know we are all asking a lot of you, but I could not bear it if you were lost to us as your mother was.”

“I understand that, Uncle Donovan, what I want to know now is what it means to me personally once I go through the ritual.” Megan stretched her arms over her head.

“Well, that is easy. It is similar to a marriage except you are tied together, heart, body, mind, and spirit. You will be able to draw power from each other and know where each other are at all times, unless one blocks the other. You will be able to read each other’s thoughts and feel each other’s emotions. As I have not experienced this, I do think you should speak to Shannon about that part. From any one of my friends who share the bonding, they say it is the most wonderful part of our mating.”

“What would happen if we find out we’re not compatible? Is there any way to undo this once it’s complete?”

Shaking his head Donovan said, “When the Fates bring two people together, they are never incompatible, so you have no worry there. The only time I have ever seen a problem is when two people go against The Fates and do not mate or mate with someone other than their fated mate.”

“How do I know for sure that Seamus and I are fated mates and not some infatuation that will wear off in time?”

Donovan chuckled, “Trust me, Little Bit you two are definitely destined for one another. The reason you do not recognize it is because you do not have the experience of our people and that is my fault. I am sorry for letting you down in that area.”

“I understand why everyone thinks we have to do this now, but I still want to wait. I’m not sure I feel it’s the right thing for me to do.”

Donovan shifted in his chair and cleared his throat before he continued.

“Little Bit, this is going to sound cruel to you, but I will force you to do the Deasghnáth even if it is against your will. I love you so much that I am not willing to lose you because you do not know enough about yourself and your people.”

His words horrified Megan. “You would never do that! Would you?”

Determination crossed his face. “I am sorry to say, but we all agreed, including your father, that we need you protected any way we can, even from yourself. So yes, I am afraid I will, along with Sean, Patrick, Noel, and Kevin. We are willing to have you hate us for a while, in order to save you, if need be.”

Megan’s anger sprouted to the surface and she jumped out of the chair, clinching her fists.

“Megan, I only told you this to make you understand how strongly we feel about your safety. None of us would consider such a thing if Seamus had not been your true mate.”

“I don’t care if Seamus is my true mate or not. You still have no right to even consider trying to make such a decision for me. How could you? I’m way past being a child and no one, not even for love, has a right to tell me what I’ve got to do.”

Donovan continued talking as if she had said nothing, which infuriated her even more.

“I wanted you to know how we feel about this matter. Your father was so distraught over finding out that her mate could have tracked your mum if he had been Tuatha. We made him the promise to try to persuade you to complete the Deasghnáth, or we would force the issue, if necessary. Little Bit, I do not think you realize the anguish the loss of your mother and you had on any of us. It was by the luck of The Fates that we got you back. None of us will go through that again. Not if there is a way to prevent it.”

“So you are willing to make me do this against my will?”

His gray-blue eyes took on a stormy look as he said, “I hope it will not come to that, but that is the way it will be if you do not complete the Deasghnáth immediately. Do you understand what I am saying?”

“Yes, I understand perfectly.” Megan turned her back and stormed out of the area.

Megan was fuming. When she spotted Seamus sitting with his father and three other men, she marched up to them and let loose on Seamus. “Did you know that my uncles planned on forcing me to complete the mating ritual with you? Were you in on that planning? Do you think that because you are all men, you can bully a woman into doing something against her will? What gives you the right?” The whole time her voice kept getting higher and higher, and at the same time, things started flying around the room.

Megan paid no attention to the three other men sitting with Seamus and Roarke.

“Megan, a ghrá, would you please calm down and tell me what has you so upset before you knock yourself or someone else out.”

Megan was in such a rage at this point that Seamus’s words did not penetrate. “Don’t you dare take that innocent attitude with me.”

When a lamp slammed into the side of the protective circle Quinlon had placed around the group and crashed to the ground, Megan jumped. That was enough for her to see through the red haze of her anger. Seamus then pulled her into his arms, his touch helping to cool her temper also. When she looked around, she was astonished at the mess she had created. Only then, did she look around at the four witnesses to her tantrum. Her cheeks burned as a blush crept up her face.

“Megan, may I introduce you to three of our peoples’ High Lords. A Thiarnaí Uaisle Quinlon McSweeny, Dermot O’Neill, and Nolen MacMohan.” All three men rose. “Gentlemen, I would like you to meet my mate, Megan Tully.”

Seamus’s lips were compressed, but the corners turned up as if he were having a hard time not laughing. When Megan looked at his father, she could see he was having just about as much trouble.

Megan groaned and felt the heat of her blush rise from breast to brow. She wished the ground would open up and she could just slide into it. She had never been so embarrassed in her whole life.

At that point, Donovan rushed up, picking his way through the debris Megan had created in the wake of her anger. “May I apologize for my niece, since I seem to be the cause behind her rampage?”

Seamus looked from Megan to Donovan. “And what did you say to her that had her in such a snit with me?”

“I told her that her father and uncles had decided if she did not agree to going through the Deasghnáth, we were prepared to force the issue.”

Seamus started to laugh and so did his father, as well as Nolen, Dermot, and Quinlon. Megan stiffened in his arm, but it did not seem to help.

When they all got themselves under control, Quinlon spoke, looking directly at Megan. “Well, I must say, when you come fully into power, my dear, I will not want to be on the receiving side of your anger.” He then turned to look at Donovan with a twinkle in his eye that no one could dispute for anything other than laughter. “Donovan, you sent your niece into a rage over nothing, as she had already agreed to go through the Deasghnáth with Seamus.”

Megan was happy to see that Donovan was dumbfounded.

Before her uncle could say anything, Megan turned to Seamus and quietly asked, “Well, did you know what they were planning?”

“No, a ghrá, I had not talked to anyone but your father, to ask his permission to be your mate. We both came to the conclusion now would be the best time. After which, I spoke to you and let the decision be yours to make. I would have done everything possible to try to persuade you though.”

Megan looked up at Donovan, and he ducked his head.

She was still angry with him, but she decided it was best to let it go. “So now, Uncle Donovan, you know I made the decision already and you can tell the rest of the family. You can also tell them if they ever, and I mean ever, try to pull a stunt like that on me again I will disown everyone of them. You included.” She then threw his words back at him. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Donovan smiled. “Yes, my Little Bit, I understand you perfectly.”

With that, she turned back to the group of men and said, “I’m sorry for making a fool of myself in front of all of you.”

Roarke laughed and said, “Child, you are like a bright light in the darkness. You will always bring joy to our family and our people, but most of all you spice up my son’s life. He has always been a serious soul and with the last years of being alone, he can use your light to shine through him. For that, I will always be grateful. Now, do not worry about your little tantrum. I think you had every right to be upset.”

Megan, seeing the love and respect Roarke carried for his son, felt her fondness for him grow to newer heights. To have him as a father-in-law was something she knew she was going to like. The more she thought about it the more she was coming to accept the fact that she would be joining with Seamus. She knew in her heart that she was feeling the first stirrings of love for him. So maybe her Uncle Sean had been right when he said she would be happy it happened.

Quinlon waved in another chair for her. “I have to agree most definitely with Roarke, but I would like to talk to you about your ability to move objects when you get mad.”

The other two men nodded. They crowded in for a discussion on what Megan knew and what she could do. She felt comfortable around these men even though they were high ranking in the Tuatha, which surprised her. They treated her with the same respect that they showed Seamus.

Chapter Seventeen

Shannon, Noel, and Brian were back by morning. Impatience gnawed at Megan as she waited to get to her personal time with Shannon, but the needs of the group had to come first.

Tensions ran high during breakfast. Megan barely touched her food as Shannon argued against Noel trying his stunt again.

Quinlon said, “Shannon, I can go out with him and shield him while he is using his energy to incapacitate this group.”

Shannon glared at them and said, “That will work fine, but I am going with him as well.

“Shannon.”

Megan watched with amusement as Shannon ignored Noel’s interruption.

“He is not one hundred percent recovered, so if I am touching him, the combined power will be more efficient.” Shannon turned to look Noel in the eye. The look that passed between husband and wife was beyond Megan’s understanding. Was it because they were communicating telepathically, or was there something more connecting them? Whatever it was, Noel ceased to protest.

“I agree that our combined power is a good idea. If Quinlon will be able to shield both of us, I would very much like you to be with me.”

Megan was amazed to see her uncle so readily agree to put Shannon in any danger. It made her worry if he was still suffering a lot more from his injuries than he was admitting. Could Golden Enterprises be a greater threat than she had thought?

After breakfast, Shannon came to Megan.

“This would be a good time to have our discussion as we are waiting until midday to start our attack.”

Megan said, “Then let’s go to the smaller cavern. I have so many questions but I’m not sure where to begin.”

Megan waited long enough for them to sit in the armchairs before she bombarded Shannon with questions.

Shannon held her hand up laughing. “Meg, one question at a time, please.”

“Sorry, I always do that.”

“I understand it cannot be easy for you to have all this thrown at you in such a short time. So how about if I tell you everything I can and then if you have some questions afterwards I can try to answer them. I think it will make more sense to you that way.”

“That’d probably be the best way for me to understand what this whole mating thing is all about.”

“Good.” Shannon began. “When we are born, sometimes even before we are born, The Fates decide who will be our mate. They also decide the right time. Only then do we know. For example, Noel and I had been around each other for years before The Fates decided our time was right. There were times when we were younger we would fight like cats and dogs. I would even go as far as to say at one point I hated his guts. We had not seen each other in quite a few years. Then one day, I had gone over to help your grandmother to prepare for something. I cannot even recall what at this time. Noel came in and we knew, not to mention so did everyone else in the room.”

“How did you know? I mean how could you be sure that you and Noel were right for each other?” Megan leaned toward Shannon.

“If you had been brought up knowing your heritage and learning our ways, you would have known as easily as the rest of us. I can guarantee you that you and Seamus are mates.” Shannon grinned when Megan scowled and continued. “Now, the Deasghnáth itself is a festival of sorts. It is very similar to what you know as a wedding ceremony. There is dancing and the food, of course, is plentiful. When it comes time to say the Focail Deasghnátha though, you will do that in private.”

“Once the vows are said is there any way to undo them in case you’re all wrong and we aren’t mates?” Megan asked.

Shannon laughed. “No. Once the Focail Deasghnátha are said, there is no way to undo them. No one is ever unhappy when mated. Only one case exists to my knowledge, our Prince, Conall. But, he went against The Fates and mated to a woman that was not his true bond mate. He told me once he had no choice, but I know our King would never have forced or condoned such a union. I do know that Conall’s life was miserable after that. Strangely, he was murdered, about five years later.”

“So you actually knew him?”

“Yes, we all knew him. His mate was a horrible person. She was rude to all of us, and she treated Conall as though he was not worthy of her, when in truth, she was way below him in status and in character. She carried magic, but nothing like his. Of course, after they mated, her power was tremendous, although she lost that upon his death. But we are getting off the subject.”

Megan conceded, even though she was fascinated with the prince’s story. She would have liked to find out more. “True, so there’s no way out once the Fates decide and there’s no divorce once the ritual is preformed?” Megan held her breath.

“That is correct. However, when you mate with your true mate, Megan, there is nothing like it in the world. You will be able to know what the other is thinking. You will be able to share powers, which can be exhilarating. You can find your mate, no matter where he is, and when you make love, oh Goddess, you share each other’s experiences. I had sex before I mated, and I can tell you, once you mate you will never want to have sex with anyone but your mate, ever again.”

Megan let out her breath and shook her head. “That’s all fine and good, but I don’t want someone that always tries to tell me what to do. Your brother has that tendency, and I don’t like it. I have always been my own person and I don’t want to lose that.”

Shannon smiled. “Seamus has always been a bit overly protective, but he means well. There are plenty of ways to get around him. Noel is almost as bad, although he is learning. The one thing they sometimes forget is that we are as powerful as they are. Right now, Seamus is worried that this group knows to much about you. He has only had to worry about himself for so long, and since you do not have all your powers yet, he is going to overreact until you do. Once you come into power and he sees you can take care of yourself, he will ease up. Before my empowerment, he was very much the same way with me. Then he learned I could take care of myself and now I can draw on Noel’s power, so he will not have to worry ever again. After you two mate and you turn twenty-five, especially with the powers you are already exhibiting, he will ease up on you as well.”

“Can you be sure of that?”

“It will not make much difference if I am right or not, because you are very willful and strong. Seamus will do everything in his power to make you happy and trying to smother you will not. Therefore, he will not be able to do anything else but let you have your way. It is just another one of the many benefits of mating; we get everything we want.” Shannon wiggled her eyebrows.

Megan started laughing. “Did you say everything?”

With a snicker, Shannon said, “Oh yes, and I mean everything.”

“That could be beneficial, couldn’t it?”

“Megan, you will soon find out just how much so.”

Megan chewed on her thumbnail. “I do have a serious question though. I know I feel attracted to Seamus, but I don’t want to marry someone unless I’m in love with them.”

Shannon smiled. “That is not something you have to worry about. You will find that love will come in your relationship quickly. I think the reason you do not seem to know whether you are in love with him now is because you are still thinking like a non-Tuatha. Once you are with him in all ways, you are going to see you are both very much in love. I can tell you, as time passes, you will grow even deeper in love. And it will be a love no non-Tuatha will ever be able to experience.”

Shannon paused and tilted her head, and Megan knew she was talking to Noel.

“Megan, it is time for Noel and I to go deal with these men.”

“Thanks for everything and please be careful, I don’t want anything to happen to anyone else.”

Shannon reached for Megan and they embraced. “We will be shielded and watchful. I am in no mood to have to deal with any more of us hurt myself.”

They walked out together.

Noel, Seamus, and Quinlon were talking when Megan and Shannon came over. Noel turned to Quinlon. “Can you shield Shannon and I separately from yourself?”

“Yes, but why is that necessary?”

“Because once we send out the energy field you will be caught in it the same as the Golden Boys and without shielding of your own, I am not sure how it will affect you. When I did it the last time, everyone close to me felt it strongly. This time Shannon and I will be touching, so it should be much stronger. And with you that close and unprotected, I do not want to be responsible for causing you harm.”

“Fair enough, I will shield myself.”

Noel turned to Seamus. “Seamus?”

“Not to worry old friend, I have seen the effects of unprotected people and I do not intend to let anything happen to any of us left here.” Then Seamus called over to Colin, “Do you know where the Golden Boys are at this time?”

“Aye, they are all inside their camp.”

“All right then, I guess it is time. Quinlon, Noel and Shannon, stay safe, and may the Goddess be with you in this endeavor.” Seamus clasped Quinlon’s and Noel’s arms and hugged Shannon.

Seamus felt the power surge around his shielding and knew Noel and Shannon were performing their special trick. When the pressure receded, Seamus spoke to those in the cavern. “It is safe to join Noel and Shannon outside.”

Seconds later, Seamus, Colin, and Patrick materialized next to Noel’s team.

Colin looked at Noel and asked, “Are you all right? You look a tad gray.”

“Aye, just a bit dizzy from the power drain is all.”

Seamus asked, “Shall we head down then and see how you did?”

Quinlon turned toward the camp and said, “Stay shielded until we do a head count and know they are all out.”

With that, they all materialized inside the camp. Not a man was standing, but when they finished counting, they could only find twenty-four of their enemy.

Seamus gaze scanned the area again. “Colin, have Da check the monitors.” He could feel his blood pressure rising with each passing second.

“Da says there are only the twenty-four. No sign of anyone anywhere away from the group.”

The ground under everyone feet began to shake. “When will this bloody well end?”

Quinlon spun around. “Seamus. Control is what we need now.”

Seamus stemmed his anger and nodded.

Quinlon said, “I can shield two groups along with myself, that way you can use your power to start cleaning up the area.”

Seamus said, “Aye, that would be a good idea. Noel, you stay with Quinn and rest. Shannon you go with Paddy. Col and I will stay together.”

It did not take long to collect the equipment they wanted to keep and dispose of everything else so it looked as if no one had ever been there.

Seamus turned to Colin. “Check in with Da and see if the missing person has shown up.”

After checking with his father, Colin said. “No, he cannot locate him anywhere. I have to say this group seems to have the ability to do some strange things. We need to get back. I want to recheck to make sure there were twenty-five before Noel and Shannon came out, although I am sure there were. Then, I am going to go frame-by-frame and see when the one of them disappeared. It is as strange as last night’s occurrence.”

Seamus nodded. “That it is.”

After Seamus and the others had returned, Roarke accompanied one of the other High Lords to set a second spell inside Seamus’s protections. They had decided it might be needed to prevent any further disruptions before the Deasghnáth.

The next days passed in a blur, as Megan was trying to comprehend all that was happening around her. Her powers grew stronger with each passing day. She enjoying trying new things and found they came to her easier and easier. She practiced on focus and control, at Roarke’s insistence.

The Deasghnáth was quite an elaborate event, and it seemed that her whole family and Seamus’s were to attend. At Seamus’s request, they kept the number of other people to a minimum. He would allow the few High Lords that had been here earlier to attend. She was glad that they gave her as much time as they possibly could. Things seemed to have quieted down since they disposed of the last set of interlopers. She could only hope Golden Enterprises had given up.

Megan and Shannon had talked numerous times about the things that were to happen. Seamus had also explained much of it, delving deeper into the private part of the ceremony.

Her nervousness increased as the days passed. What if things didn’t work out the way everyone said they would? What will happen if we find out it was not the right match, since the only way to get out of the bond was by death? That sent shivers up her spine. No one else seemed to be concerned about that fact and Megan was having a difficult time understanding why.

When her dad came over to see if there was anything he could do to help her, she decided to talk to him about it. “Dad, what if I’m doing the wrong thing?”

Jim looked at her and laughed. “Meg, darling, even I can feel the pull between you and Seamus. I know you are right for each other. He looks at you the same way I used to look at your mother. You may be too young for my liking to get married, but I can see that you’ll be happy once everything is said and done. I may not be Tuatha, but I have been around them enough to know when two of them are mates.”

Megan rested her head against her father’s shoulder and tried to will away her doubts as he continued to speak to her.

“I still see the love in your grandparent’s eyes when they look at each other. I remember seeing Shannon with Noel before the Fates decided they were mates. They used to act like they despised each other, and now it’s like someone put a love spell over them. So, no Meg, I don’t think that your union with Seamus is wrong.”

Megan relaxed into her father’s embrace.

“I wished for your sake the ritual could have waited for a while, but I understand this threat. I’m thankful you are taking it seriously and have agreed to this ritual.”

Tears filled Megan’s eyes as she hugged him. “Dad, I love you. Thank you for just being here.”

“Sweetheart, I love you so much, and I’ll always be grateful to have been part of your mother’s life. We ended up with a beautiful and loving daughter. By going through with this ritual, I’ll rest easy knowing you’ll be around for a long time.”

“I’ll always be around to share my life with you even when I mate to Seamus. I think he knows that and would never try to keep us apart.”

“No, he has a kind heart, and he would never do anything that would cause you pain. I know I misjudged him when I first met him. I let my fears run wild, but in the last few weeks, I’ve come to respect him a lot. I think he’ll make you very happy.”

“Thanks, Dad. You make me feel much better. I know everyone else thinks Seamus and I are meant for each other, but it makes me feel better knowing you do too. You aren’t a Tuatha and if you see it, then maybe I’m just scared.”

“That’s the understatement of the year. I’m sorry I didn’t have Donovan tell you about your heritage years ago, like he wanted. I guess I just felt if you never knew, you’d never get your powers. Pretty ignorant on my part, wasn’t it?”

“I could never ask for a better dad. You did what you thought was the best for me, and I’ll never believe that it would have made any difference. I don’t think I would have gotten my powers any sooner. I had a great life growing up with you.” Megan hugged Jim close.

“I came in here to see if I could ease your mind and, instead, you’ve eased mine. Your mother would have been very proud of you. Now I’m going to go see if anyone needs my help getting anything ready for the celebration.”

“Thanks again, Dad, you’ve helped more than you’ll ever know.”

After Jim left, Megan felt drained and decided a short nap might help. In moments, after stretching out, Megan was asleep.

Chapter Eighteen

Megan and her mother laughed as Bandit went running down the path chasing squirrels and birds that darted in and out between the trees. It was a cool fall day, and the ground was littered with colorful falling leaves. The sun dappled the ground as it came through the trees, making everything look luminous.

“I don’t ever want to go home. Can’t we stay here forever?”

Glancing over at her, Bernadette said, “Little One, you start school in less than a month, and you told me you loved going to school.”

“It’s so much fun exploring. They give us yucky homework. I want to stay here in the woods instead.”

“If you do not go to school, how will you become smart enough to be the teacher you want, when you grow up?”

Exhaling, Megan conceded, “I guess. It feels like school just ended and soon I’ve got to go back.”

“That is because you always try to pack so much into such a short time.”

Changing the subject, Megan went on, “Uncle Donovan said I could stay with him in Ireland till school starts. You said I can. I get to go right?”

Shaking her head, her mother said, “See what I mean? Aye, you know that your Da and I promised you that you could go.”

“Can we go explore your cave again?”

“Ah, Megan, my little one, you make me tired the way you bounce from one subject to the other. You remind me so much of Paddy.”

“Uncle Paddy says that’s cause we have ad-ven-tur-ous minds.”

“Your Uncle Paddy is such a bad influence on you. Aye, we can go to the cave. I want to show you something anyway.”

They hiked through a meadow and climbed over and around outcroppings of rocks. Megan would have missed the entrance if her mother had not stopped. Her mother said some words, and the entrance appeared. They walked into a large cave and to the side was another chamber that her mother led her into. There was a small stone altar with crystals and sculptures on it. Megan strolled over and started picking up many of the crystals. She loved the beautiful colors and shapes. A group of three carved crystals caught her eye. She picked them up and turned each around many times. “What are these for?”

“Those, Little One, are a very special set of onyx crystals. They are the holder of memories. Once you come into power, you will be able to activate them, but until then neither you nor anyone else will have any affect on them. If something should ever happen to me, you will have these to tell you the truth.”

“Can I take them home, can I, can I?”

“No, Little One, they must remain here. For no one else will be able to take them as long as they remain in this cave. No one but you can activate them or even touch them. If there is ever a need you will remember these special words, and at that time, you will activate the crystals.”

Megan woke with a start. She knew the dream she had was from years ago, but it was about this very cave they were in now. She also knew which crystals were the ones her mother had said were the holders of memories.

She jumped from the bed, ran to the altar, and picked up the crystals that had so fascinated her when she first arrived days ago. Roarke had been afraid to let her touch them even though she had been drawn so strongly to them. Now she knew why they meant so much. She held them, but for the life of her, she could not recall the words that would activate them. Thinking back on her dream she tried to remember everything her mother had said. ‘Once you come into power you will be able to activate them, but until then neither you nor anyone else will have any affect on them.’

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to wait until I turn twenty-five.”

“What will you have to wait until you turn twenty-five for?”

Megan jumped at Seamus’s voice.

“Sorry, a ghrá, I did not mean to alarm you.”

“That’s okay, I didn’t notice you come in.”

“And what may I ask had you in such deep thought?”

Megan proceeded to tell him about her dream and held out her hand to show him the crystals of memories. He reached out but as soon as his hand touched them, they vanished. Both Megan and Seamus gasped. Megan whispered, “Dear God, where’d they go?”

Looking around the room as if they might appear somewhere else, Seamus said, “I have no clue.”

Seamus removed his hand. The crystals reappeared as though they never left. He reached for them, and, once again, they disappeared. “I must say, I knew your mother had great power, but this beats all. How can she have spelled these so no one else could take them?” He paused and then said, “Put them down on the altar and let me try to touch them then.”

Megan did as he asked. He reached to pick them up only to have them evaporate once more. Megan laughed. “She told me that as long as they remained in the cave no one else but me would be able to touch them. I guess she meant that literally.”

“So, you will be able to activate them once you come of age?”

“I guess. That’s what I was talking about when you came in.”

“Did your Mum give you any indication as to what is in these crystals of memories?”

Megan concentrated so hard her brows wrinkled.

“No, all she said was that if anything ever happened to her, I would know the truth. It seems every time I dream of her she is trying to tell me something important, but I’ve yet to figure out what it is.”

“That is quite strange indeed. Perhaps you should talk to Dono and see if he knows anymore about these crystals. He may also be able to give you more insight into what your mum is trying to tell you.”

Megan smiled at Seamus. It seemed to her the more she was around him the more she enjoyed his company. He always said just what she needed to hear. Just looking at him now made her want to reach up and kiss him. So, going on instinct, she went up on her toes putting her arms around his neck. “Thank you.” And she pressed her lips to his.

That was all the encouragement he needed. He pulled her closer and took over the kiss. His hand came between their bodies and he found her breast and gently kneaded it. Her nipple hardened as he flicked his thumb over it. Her breath caught and as she opened her mouth to inhale, he took it as an invitation to explore her mouth with his tongue.

“That will be enough of that! For Goddess sake, you would think you two were a couple of teenagers. You will both have plenty of time for it after the Deasghnáth.”

They jumped apart as if a bolt of lightning struck them.

Seamus turned toward the voice ready to unleash his fury at being stopped again from making love to Megan He came up short at the sight of Sean almost doubled over with laughter. When he looked back at Megan’s face, he almost started laughing himself. She looked like a rabbit caught in headlights, but then her expression changed to one of fury. Seamus knew if he did laugh, he would also become the recipient of her anger. Unfortunately for Sean, he did not seem to notice.

Seamus watched as Megan glanced around the room, and he knew what she had in mind even before she acted. He debated about letting her clobber Sean with something or trying to prevent it. To hell with it, the little cus deserves what he gets. The next thing Seamus knew a clay pot careened across the room and hit Sean with enough force to knock him flat, as it broke into a million pieces.

Seamus turned back to Megan and they both dissolved into fits of laughter. As he caught his breath, Seamus said, “That should teach him not to mess with you in the future.”

Megan was still having trouble catching her own breath as Sean stood up, shook pieces of the pot from his clothing, and glared at her.

Seamus thought now would be a good time to intervene. “So, Sean, what is it that brought you in?”

Sean looked at Seamus, started to say something, stopped himself, and then said, “Aye, I came in to tell you that your Da wanted you, and I said I would get you since I needed to talk to Megan anyway. Now I am not so sure I want to speak to her at all.”

Megan put on her most innocent look, walked over to her uncle, and gave him a big hug. “Come on, Uncle Sean, it’s your own fault I smacked you with that pot, and you know it.”

“True enough, but you better behave yourself from now on.”

“Okay, I’ll try to be good.” She didn’t quite manage to keep the smirk from her lips. Seamus knew she would be a handful for the rest of his life.

“You do that now.” Sean could not hold back the laughter any longer. He threw his head back and roared. Megan joined him.

Seamus could see that they had both decided to let the little bit of anger they were carrying go, so he left them to it and went to see what his father needed.

Seamus found his father looking over Colin’s shoulder as they talked about something on the screen in front of them. He walked up and peered down. “Da, what is it you wanted to see me about?”

“Seamus. Good. You are here. I wanted you to take a look at this and see what you thought. Colin and I have been going over the images from the night Brian and Noel were shot. We noticed that the men that made it past the barrier came in here. Colin has enhanced the picture as much as possible. Take a look and tell me what you see.”

Seamus looked at the images on the screen more closely. In fact, he stared at it for some time. “There is someone else there. Whom? Can you get that part any clearer?”

Shaking his head, Roarke said, “That is what we have all seen, but no matter how Colin works it, the image will not come in any clearer. Whoever it is, they are purposely blurring themselves, and therefore, it has to be one of our people. Whoever it is was able to break through your spell and let those men in. Worse is whoever it is has a fair bit of power to be able to do both at the same time and figure out how to breach your spell.”

Seamus turned and smacked the cavern wall with his fist so hard a portion of it crumbled. “Bloody Hell.”

Roarke put his hand on Seamus’s arm. “Quinn has gone back to the council to inform them of our findings and find out how they want to proceed with this new development. As for us, I suggest we go ahead and complete the Deasghnáth immediately. If whoever is behind this is determined to get Megan, you have to be able to track her. Why any of our people would want her and to what end, none of us know at this point. So I hope she will not balk at doing it tonight.”

Pointing toward the screen Seamus said, “This changes everything. I am sure once I explain this new development to her she will not disagree with going ahead. Does any of her family know this yet? Last time one of them decided to tell her something, you know how that went, and I do not want any of them getting her back up again.”

“Aye, I do. However, it might be too late, Sean knows and I think he planned on telling her.”

“Shite, just what I need. Excuse me so I can see if I can head him off.” Seamus took off at a run toward the cavern.

After their laughter died, Sean hugged Megan. “I am very proud of you and the progress you are making in your control of your magic.”

“Thank you, but since you so rudely interrupted Seamus and me let me ask you something first before you tell me why you are here.”

“Go ahead, Pet, ask away.”

“Do you know anything about the crystals Mom placed here?”

“Aye, I do. Which one would you like an explanation on?”

Megan picked up the memory crystals and showed them to Sean.

Staring at them, Sean said, “I have never seen those before.” When he went to take them from Megan, they disappeared as soon as his hand touched them. Scowling at Megan, he asked, “What the hell? Is this some kind of joke you are trying to play on me?”

Megan shook her head. “They did the same thing when Seamus tried to take them.” Then she proceeded to tell him of the dream explaining what her mother had said about the crystals.

“Bern was amazing, I will give her that. If you would like, I will check with the rest of the family and see if anyone knows anything about this.”

“Thanks, that would be great. Now what did you want to talk to me about?” When she caught the look on Sean’s face, her stomach started to flip-flop. She looked away, gathered her thoughts, and whispered, “It’s not going to be something I want to hear, is it?

“No, Pet, it is not. It seems that we got a picture of the person who is helping these people try to kidnap you. It is definitely a Tuatha, and he was able to blur himself so we could not get a good look. At the same time, he was able to cut a hole in Seamus’s spell boundary and let in those men. Therefore, whoever it is, is powerful.”

Megan felt numb. Someone was selling out her people and now trying to kill more of her family to get to her. Numbness gave way to anger so strong that a vase careened into the cave wall, startling Sean into silence.

Getting her anger under control Megan said, “Sorry Uncle Sean, go ahead.”

“My concern is that they will somehow get to you before the Deasghnáth, so I wanted to see if you would consider doing this immediately. I do not want to be like Dono and try to order you to do anything, so I am going to beg you to do it. Pet, I lost my sister years ago to this group and almost lost you. Please consider this so I do not lose you again.”

Megan could tell Sean was having a hard time dealing with this and she understood his concern. She knew that a few days wouldn’t make much difference one way or the other so she thought it best not to argue.

“Uncle Sean, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep myself away from these people. I don’t want to stress anyone out and I’ve already resigned myself to mating Seamus. So, yes, I’ll do it whenever. I know you would never force me into doing something even if Uncle Donovan would. I also know Uncle Donovan wouldn’t have even tried to if he had not been so worried about this, so I’m trying very hard to forgive him. I’m glad you came to me instead of him.”

Sean smiled. “Dono does not know about this yet. I wanted to talk to you first, so he would not get on his high horse again. I am sure Seamus will try to tell you this as well once he finds out about it. Roarke is probably filling him in as we speak.”

“Well, I know he’ll try to reason with me about it. Maybe I should give him a hard time just for the fun of it.”

Sean started laughing. “I think you just like to see him squirm.”

“Well, it’s an awful lot of fun to see him try to persuade me when I say no to something.”

“You sound more and more like your mum every day. She was just as obstinate when she wanted to be, and I think she enjoyed making us all beg just to see how much she could get away with.”

Astonished, she asked, “Did she really make you guys beg her to do things?”

“Aye, all the time, and she was very good at catching us doing things we did not want Da and Mum to know about. She used them against us all the time. I think she just had a talent for getting her way and used any means possible to achieve her goals.”

Aghast, Megan asked, “Was she really that bad?”

“Aye, but it was all in fun. She did not have a mean bone in her body. She was one smart cookie and I loved her dearly, even if she was a brat at times, just like you are.” He said the last part with a grin and she knew he was trying to bait her, so she just ignored him.

“Well, I promise I’ll do what’s necessary to stay safe so you won’t have to worry, but I’m going to make Seamus squirm a little in the interim.”

With a glint in his eyes, Sean said, “You do that, Pet. I have always enjoyed seeing him work instead of having people just say yes to him. I think you are good for him, as he is for you. The Fates always know who belongs to whom. I do not know how they figured it out, but I have never seen a mismatch, ever.”

“Shannon told me about one. His name was Conall or something like that.”

“Aye, but he went against The Fates and mated with someone who was not his true mate.”

“Did you know him?”

“Not very well, I think Seamus and Dono did though. You might talk to either of them about him. All I know is he mated with this woman even though she was not his true mate and then a few years later he was murdered.”

It always amazed Megan that no matter what she asked her Uncle Sean, he never seemed to hedge on anything. He always gave her a straight answer no matter how insignificant the question might be. “Thanks for being such a great uncle. You never try to blow me off. You always answer all my questions when I need reassurance.”

Sadness crept into his eyes as he said, “I know that we all blew it by not telling you long ago about your heritage. Therefore, I am bound and determined to make it up to you. But I do have one bone to pick with you.”

Megan knew where he was heading and she was not going to try to explain why she threw the clay pot at him because it would make her mad all over again.

“Don’t even go there if you know what is good for you.”

Just then, Seamus came barreling in the room. Megan knew he had heard her last sentence when he looked at Sean and said, “Do not tell me you are trying to bully Megan into…”

She stopped him with a wave of her hand. “We’ll talk about it later. Right now I want some lunch. I don’t want discuss anything with either of you for a while.” She gave her uncle a pointed look letting him know he better keep his mouth shut so she could play with this for a while. Sean just smiled and said, “I have already eaten, so I will see you both later.” Then he left.

Seamus walked up to Megan, pulled her into his arm, kissed her, and then conjured up lunch for them. Megan smiled beneath their kiss. This is fun.

As they ate, Megan let Seamus stew over how he was going to try to get her to agree to do the ritual right away. She enjoyed watching him try to keep the conversation light. When she figured he suffered enough, she to let him off the hook. “So tell me what you were so fired up about when you practically flew into the room earlier.”

“I was hoping to ward off Sean trying to tell you what to do, but from the part of the conversation I caught I think I was a bit late.”

“Yes, I’d say you were a lot late.”

“Damn, why your uncles cannot just give you the facts and let you make your own decisions is beyond me. Do they not think you have the brains to be able to reason things out for yourself?”

Megan could not help but feel she and Seamus were going to make a great team as her Uncle Sean had said earlier. She could see that Seamus wanted her to make up her own mind, knowing she was astute enough to understand what needed doing.

She was beginning to wonder why she had ever been worried about their union in the first place. She now knew Seamus would never force his opinion on her and would value her opinions as well. The more time she spent with him, the more he made her feel as though he cherished her. If this was what being his mate was going to mean, she had no qualms about it at all. In fact, she did not think she had ever been around anyone who made her feel this wonderful about herself.

As much as she would have liked to see him try to convince her to go through with the ritual immediately, she decided she could not be cruel to him any longer. “Before we go any farther let me tell you Sean didn’t try to tell me to do anything. He actually did what you would have done. He gave me all the facts and asked me, no I take that back, he begged me to consider going through with the ritual now. So, before you try to undo something that doesn’t need undoing I’m going to tell you, yes, I’ll go ahead whenever you think we should do this.” Megan watched Seamus sag with relief.

“Thank the Goddesses. I was so worried that he would pull the same stunt Dono had with you a week ago.”

“I agree, because I’d have gotten angry and told all of you to forget it, even if it put me in danger. Although, you always explain things to me instead of trying to bully me, so maybe I would have given you a chance to try to change my mind.”

“Love, you are a very intelligent woman and I see no reason for you not to be able to figure things out for yourself. I know I came on pretty strong myself when we first met. Nevertheless, that was because I did not know you well enough. I can promise you this. I will always give you the choice in what you need to do. If I ever get a little overbearing sometimes, it will probably be because I am worried about something, or about you. All you have to do is let me know, and I will back off. I never want you to be unhappy about us being together.”

Seamus reached across the table and took Megan’s hand. “Having you around makes me feel whole and I do not ever want to feel anything less again. I never realized how much was missing in my life until I found you. So whatever it takes to make you happy and stay in my life, I will do.”

Megan couldn’t stop the tears that rushed from her eyes. She didn’t know how anyone could express a greater love for her than the way Seamus had in what he had said.

“Aw, a stór, do not cry. I did not mean to upset you.” He pushed his chair out, came around the table, and gathered her into his arms.

“You didn’t, in fact you made me feel wonderful. No one has ever made me feel more cherished.”

“You will always be cherished by me. There will never be anyone in my life that will mean as much to me as you.”

She sniffed and whispered, “If you don’t stop, you are going to have me flooding this whole cave in no time.”

Seamus took her in his arms and kissed her. She went boneless in his arms. He wanted nothing more than to take her to bed and make love to her until they both could not move. Unfortunately, they had more important things to consider.

Seamus had trouble thinking when he ended the kiss. “As much as I would love to continue what we are doing, we need to decide when to complete the Deasghnáth.”

“If it means we finally get to finish making love without interruption, then tonight isn’t soon enough.”

Seamus could not help but smile. It was almost as if she was reading his mind. “Then, shall we go and get the final preparations done so I can make love to you the way I have been wanting to since the day I saw you across the lake?”

Chapter Nineteen

The Deasghnáth commenced outside the caverns late that evening. Megan was astonished to see so many people, even all of her family. Everyone was dressed in outfits befitting royalty, including a full-length hooded cape that carried his or her family colors and crest. She dressed in a dark green one with the Tully crest. She wondered how they were able to produce such things so easily. Then again, when you could create everything out of thin air she figured her cloak could not be very hard.

She met all of Seamus’s family, a few she already knew, but many she didn’t. The one person Megan really enjoyed talking to was Seamus’s older sister, Bridget. Tall and slender like her mother, she had her father’s sandy hair and green eyes. Bridget was more than willing to tell all sorts of embarrassing stories about Seamus from when he was growing up. Funny, Megan had pegged Seamus to be more straight-laced, but after Bridget’s stories, she found him to be much more mischievous and fun loving. Megan hoped that once they eliminated the threat from Golden Enterprises he would be able to relax and have fun again.

Her father seemed overjoyed to be talking to the people he had not seen in so many years. It looked as though they were welcoming him with open arms. It gave Megan a lighthearted feeling to see her father so cheerful.

A hush fell over the crowd. When Megan looked up, she saw a stately woman and two men standing in purple cloaks, with the royal crest on them and an entourage of soldiers flanking them.

The elder of the two men, whom she assumed was the king himself, looked as though he was in his seventies, yet he stood tall and majestic, a good six-foot three. His hair was long, full, and white. His face, withered with age was decorated with many laugh lines, yet she could see some sadness in his eyes, eyes that were the deepest blue she had ever seen.

The younger man she assumed was his son, the prince. He looked very much like his father, but had blond hair and a more muscular build. His cobalt blue eyes seemed to take in every detail as he gazed out through the crowd.

Next to him stood the queen, Megan guessed. She stood almost a foot shorter than the two men; her hair was blond with streaks of gray. Her eyes, a violet blue, were riveting, but it was her face that caught Megan’s attention. The woman was filled with despair. Megan could read it as though it were written in words on the woman’s face.

Megan leaned into Seamus and whispered, “Why are the King, Queen, and Prince here?

“They always attend all Royal Deasghnáth, my father and your grandfather are high lords. The King must sanction all unions, though he could have done so by proxy being this is such a dangerous time. I am surprised he would put his family at such risk, especially the prince, since he has yet to come into power.”

“How old is he? He looks about twenty.”

“Actually he will be turning thirty in a few months. The King is quite protective of him since the murder of Conall twenty-six years ago.”

“That was his oldest son, the one that mated against The Fates and had a miserable time of it.”

“Aye, he was the king’s only other child. Dono, Paddy, Colin, and I used to be very close with Conall years back. Even your father used to be friends with him. He drifted away once he mated to Mallaidh. She did not want him around any of us. She was very jealous and controlling. Then four years after their mating, Conall was murdered. Since then, the King and Queen never let Devlyn out of their sight, due to the fact they never found Conall’s killers.

Megan looked up again to see both Roarke and her grandfather approach the king. They bowed and spoke to the king in hushed voices. She could tell they were speaking Gaelic, as she understood the language now. The king nodded and then he spoke to the crowd.

“I know you are all worried that we are here, but I have stationed guards around the perimeter so we shall not be disturbed. This is a great celebration and I would not miss it. Roarke O’Kelly’s first born son, to Liam O’Shea’s first grandchild. Seamus was a good friend to my son Conall along with Donovan and Patrick, Colin and James.” The King acknowledged each man as he said their name. “It would have taken an act of the Goddess herself for me to miss this. It is an honor to be able to preside over such a joyous occasion.”

A chorus of cheers rang out.

Seamus grabbed Megan’s hand and led her up to meet the royal family. She was apprehensive, having never been in the company of anyone so important and was not sure how to act. She was petrified she might make some horrific mistake and embarrass Seamus and their families.

Megan felt as though she was going to pass out from sheer fright. Much to her surprise the King reached down and drew her into a hug. “A chailín mo chroí, {my darling girl} I know you have not been around your people due to the tragedies that occurred when you were just a wee thing. ‘Tis a shame you missed out on so much, but your father is a good man and he was trying to keep you safe.”

This man seemed to pulse with power. His energy wrapped around her like a glove. She almost felt as if she was a young child, held by a grandparent’s loving arms. Lost in the feeling, she almost did not hear what the King was saying.

“From now on you will be able to be in both worlds and enjoy using your new-found powers. I have heard you have quite an abundance of power already. I am looking forward to you visiting me once you come into power.”

Shocked, Megan stuttered, “Thank you…uh…sir, I also look forward to that.” It surprised her that he would even ask such a thing, but more so, that she actually was looking forward to spending some time with him.

“Wonderful.” The King froze for a moment, staring at her. He shook his head and continued. “Well now, call me Ruairi as this is your night and I am just a guest, even if I have to do my royal duty.”

Megan’s eyes grew large, making the King bark with laughter. He looked at Seamus. “I can see you have not told her that I do not like this entire formal pretense.”

“Aye, you never have. I was not expecting you to attend, since this situation has become so volatile. I would not want your family in danger. Are you quite certain that it is safe for you to be here, especially for Prince Devlyn?”

“You know me better than that, Seamus. I would never put Devlyn in a situation that could be hazardous. Quinlon informed me of the situation and I have taken all precautions. We are well guarded and I will also be leaving a group of my soldiers once we depart, to make sure you are not disturbed during the completion of the Deasghnáth.”

Ruairi then turned and introduced Megan to the Queen and Prince. Much to Megan’s delight, they were also very informal in their attitudes, which put her in a more relaxed state.

Then the King spoke again, “Now let me do my kingly duty so that we may carry on with this wonderful celebration.”

Ruairi held up his hand and again there was silence. Megan and Seamus turned to each other and placed their left hands together.

Then Ruairi, placing a hand on each of their heads and said, “Is mor an onoir dom a bheith I gceannas AR an ocaid athasach seo.” {“It is my most honored duty to preside over this most joyous occasion.”} “I therefore give my consent that this couple, Seamus O’Kelly son of Roarke O’Kelly and Fiona O’Kelly nee MacKenna to Megan Tully daughter of James Tully and Bernadette Tully nee O’Shea, granddaughter of Liam O’Shea and Nuala O’Shea nee Flanagan. May the Goddess Danú look down upon this union with fondness and bless this couple with abundance in all ways. May you both live a long and happy life.”

The next thing Megan knew a ring, with Celtic Knots, adorned her ring finger. Seamus possessed a matching one on his. Then the King kissed each of them on their cheeks, and whispered, “Many blessings to you both.”

Once the King was finished, he bellowed out, “Let the celebration begin.”

Tables appeared covered in elegant linen, crystal goblets, china, and gold cutlery. Megan could hardly believe the amount of food served. Of course, after living with much of this group she should be used to it. The royal family sat at the head table along with her, Seamus, Roark, Fiona, Jim, Liam, and Nuala. Conversation was abundant, so much so, Megan could not keep up.

Once they finished eating, the tables disappeared and the dancing started. Megan was swept from one person to another. Her first dance was with Seamus. Then she danced with the King, the Prince, her father, her grandfather, then Roarke, followed by her uncles, and then she just lost track. By the time Seamus came back to her, she was ready to fall over with exhaustion.

It was then that Seamus announced they were leaving and thanked everyone for participating in the festivals. He proceeded to pick her up and carry her toward the cave.

Megan said, “Seamus, I think I can walk.”

“Megan, a ghrá, you must allow me to carry you as it is part of the ceremony.”

With that, cheers and cackles went up. Megan buried her head in Seamus’s chest. “This is so embarrassing,” she whispered. “Everyone knows exactly what we are going to be doing. I’m not sure I can go through with this, knowing everyone out there will be listening.”

“Love, do not worry so. Aye, everyone knows, but no one will be able to hear or see us. Even in a non-Tuatha marriage, everyone knows what the bride and groom will be doing.”

“Yeah, but it’s just so…I don’t know, out there, with this ceremony.”

Seamus could not help but laugh. He finished carrying her into their room and set her on her feet.

Megan looked around the room in astonishment at the transformation. There were candles everywhere, a huge draped canopy bed and soft music playing from God knew where. There were beautiful tapestries hanging on every wall. Instead of looking like a cave, it looked more like a castle. Champagne and glasses sat on a table along with fruit and other treats. “Seamus, this is beautiful. Who did this?” Megan stammered.

“I thought you would enjoy having our first night together as mates in this type of setting rather than just a plain cave the way it was earlier.”

“It is magnificent. Thank you.” She reached up and kissed him. Seamus pulled her into his arms and deepened the kiss. Megan melted into him, bringing her arms up around his neck. They were both breathing heavily when Seamus broke the kiss.

“I am not sure I can wait and do this the way I had planned. I wanted to take my time and cherish this moment, but Goddess you set me on fire.” With that, he brought his head back down and proceeded to claim her lips once again, all the time moving her closer to the bed. He picked her up and gently laid her on it, following her down and not once breaking the kiss. His hand came up between them finding her breast and caressed it. He made her clothes disappear.

He kissed his way down her neck and chest until his mouth closed over her pebbled nipple. From there he proceeded to the other breast, giving it equal time while his hand made its way down her body. When he pushed two fingers into her and used his thumb on her clit, she came apart. He continued his assault by following his hand once again with his mouth. When she climaxed for the second time, he lifted his head and gazed up her body.

“Goddess, you are magnificent.”

Megan was having trouble catching her breath when Seamus finally gave her a moment. As he gazed up at her, she realized he was still fully dressed. “I think you have way too many clothes on, while I lay here, with only the glow of my aftershocks to clothe me.”

“Ah, but such a beautiful glow it is.”

For the first time, Megan saw the mischievous glint in his eyes that his sister had mentioned earlier that night. She watched him as he once again plunged two fingers into her and his head went down and he suckled her clit. She came again with a scream. As her body shook with the aftershocks, she watched as his clothes disappeared and he climbed his way up her. Kissing her stomach then each breast, he worked his way up to claim her mouth. He eased his way into her body and stretched her to accommodate him. Once he was there, he retreated and plunged in once more, pushing himself up so that they only touched where their bodies joined.

He then used his knees to spread her legs out farther as he retreated again, and then plunged in once more, and said, “Look at me.”

Megan looked up into his eyes, which had turned to forest green with yellowish flecks. He looked back at her with such heat she felt scorched.

“Repeat the words after me, a ghrá.

She nodded and as he said it, he thrust into her. “Tugaim duit mo ghrá, mar a thugann tu domsa do ghrá.”

As she repeated it, he pulled back out, “I give you my love, as you give me yours.”

Again, he thrust into her and said, “Tugaim duit mo chorp, mar a thugann tu domsa do chorp.”

As he pulled back, again she repeated, “I give you my body, as you give me yours.”

Thrusting into her once more, he said, “Tugaim duit mo chroí, mar a thugann tu domsa do chroí.”

Megan repeated his words. “I give you my heart, as you give me yours.”

His breathing became uneven as he increased his speed. “Tugaim duit mo anam, mar a thugann tu domsa do anam.”

She repeated his words, rising to meet his every thrust. “I give you my soul, as you give me yours.”

“Tugaim duit mo bheatha, mar a thugann tu domsa do bheatha.”

“I give you my life, as you give me yours.”

As he said each phrase, he increased his speed more, so that he pistoned into her two or three times with each phrase. “Tugaim duit mo chumhacht, mar a thugann tu domsa do chumhacht.”

“I give you my power, as you give me yours,” she repeated back to him.

“Ceanglaím tu liomsa, mar a cheanglaím mé fhéin leatsa.”

“I bind you to me, as I bind myself to you.”

Almost breathless as he said, “Gach aon rud ata agamsa, is leatsa é, anois agus go síoraí.”

By the time she said the last phrase, she was panting so hard she could barely get it out. “All that is mine is yours for now through eternity.”

She screamed as her climax blasted into a thousand pieces and took her from the cave to the sky. She clung to Seamus as her anchor, and they fell back to earth.

When Megan finally came to herself, still breathing heavily, she could actually see energy zinging around the room. The room itself looked like a tornado had gone through it. The bottle of champagne and glasses were in pieces. The tapestries were off the walls and one of the chairs was trashed. “My God, what happened?”

Seamus was still staring around the room himself in astonishment when he heard his father in his head.

“Colin, what in Goddess’s name was that?”

“I have no clue, but I am going into check on Seamus and Megan.”

Upon hearing that, Seamus tried to answer his brother, “You come in here little brother and you are a dead man.”

“Seamus?”

“Aye, and stay where you are, we will be out in a few minutes.”

Seamus then turned to Megan and tried to speak to her telepathically. “Megan love, can you hear me?”

Megan gasped and stared at him.

“Ah.”

She was still staring at him with eyes that looked like dinner plates.

“Megan?”

Stuttering, she asked, “Did...did you just talk to me in my head?”

“Aye, that I did.”

“But, but how?”

“Now that is a question I cannot answer. I think it might be best if we went back outside for a few moments and talked to the others. It seems that they felt the power we sent off as well.”

Megan was still scanning the room and clinging to Seamus as if she were afraid to let him go. “I don’t want to. Look at the mess we created in here. I hope to God we didn’t do the same outside.”

“I am not entirely sure what just happened, but I can guarantee they felt something outside as well and somehow we have gained our telepathic ability back.”

“So this doesn’t happen at every ritual.”

Seamus laughed, “No, a ghrá, I can safely say in all the years I have attended different Deasghnátha never have I seen nor heard of such a thing happening before.”

Seamus eased Megan away from him and climbed out of the bed. As he stood, he proceeded to produce clothes and tidied up the room at the same time. “Come on, a ghrá, we better get out there before they all come barging in here.”

Seamus did not have to say anything else as Megan jumped out of the bed. Much to Seamus’s astonishment as she did, she produced her own clothes.

“Well now, it seems you have acquired a few new talents.”

She gave him a quizzical look, then realizing what he was talking about. She grinned, “I guess I did, didn’t I?”

He looked at her with pride in his eyes. “You never cease to amaze me, a ghrá.”

They turned and walked out into the night. Everyone was waiting for them, looking a bit shell-shocked. Colin was the first to speak. “Goddess in heaven what happened in there? The energy level on this mountain went up so high it almost knocked us all flat.”

Seamus answered Colin’s question. “It seems our coming together has created quite a phenomenon. I am not sure what happened myself, but I would have to say the energy we created ramped up and spread out. Better yet, I have now regained the ability to speak telepathically once again and so has Megan.”

As he said that, he turned to Megan and said, “Try to speak with Colin telepathically.”

She did but when Colin answered her Patrick’s mouth dropped open. “What the…”

Sean’s gasp pulled Seamus’s attention to him. The effect rippled through the rest of Megan’s family and then his own. What had happened? Seamus knew it was normal for a mate to be able to speak telepathically with the other’s immediate family, but now everyone in his family was able to communicate with each person in Megan’s family.

What shocked Seamus the most was that the King could hear them all as well.

Ruairi asked, “How is this possible?”

Seamus spoke up. “Ruairi, none of us have a clue to what just happened. Somehow, during our union, our powers seemed to ramp up to an unfathomable proportion and spill out. It not only completely cured Megan’s and my inability to speak telepathically, but also the rest of us who had been affected by the drugs. Top that with we can now all speak to each other, which as you know, is impossible. Why it occurred is another matter entirely. One I have no explanation for.”

Ruairi looked intrigued. “I have always known that both of your families had great powers, but this seems to go beyond that. I only know of one other Tuatha couple who had the kind of healing power that you two exhibit, and they died over a thousand years ago.”

Liam spoke, “Ruairi, we do not know if this was a onetime occurrence or if they will continue to show this kind of power. I think it would be best to wait until we are able to see if it can happen again. Right now we still are under the threat from this group and it would be best not to divide our attention until we can solve that problem first.”

Disappointment creased Ruairi’s face as he said, “Aye, it is just that this is a much more pleasant occurrence than the threat of this group. I will concede that it should be placed on the back burner for the time being.”

Seamus looked at everyone and said, “Since there does not seem to be any great need for Megan and I to be here, the fact remains this is still our Deasghnáth, so if you will all excuse us?”

He then took Megan’s hand and led her back to the cave and into their room. He left her by the bed; went over to a bottle of champagne and poured two glasses.

As he walked back toward Megan, he said, “Now, where were we before we were interrupted? Ah, yes, I remember now.”

Before Megan could say or do anything, she was standing naked in front of him.

“Now that is the most beautiful sight,” he said as he handed her one of the glasses.

“Why is it, you always seem to forget to remove your own clothing?” Megan said with a smile, as she proceeded to make his clothes disappear. “You shouldn’t be the only one that gets to admire the view.”

“Oh, I will let you look all you want, but I intend to do a whole lot more touching than looking myself.”

This was a side of Seamus she had never seen. He was so relaxed and playful. She was not sure if it was because he felt safe with the King’s guards around, or if it was that he now felt he had her safe because no matter what he could find her. Either way she knew she was content with the way things were working out.

Now that they had mated, she had to wonder why she had been so afraid of becoming Seamus’s mate in the first place. As she thought back to the actual ritual, she realized, it was as if they had become one, once they said the words. She felt as though she had found the other half of herself. Maybe that was why Seamus seemed so content as well. Then she lost all train of thought as Seamus did exactly what he had promised, a whole lot more touching.

Chapter Twenty

Megan woke the next morning in Seamus’s arms, feeling relaxed and well sated. They had made love three more times last night intermingled with naps, food, and champagne. She knew it would not be like this every night, but knowing there would be many, made her smile.

When she looked up, she met Seamus’s gaze. He grinned down at her with that mischievous look she was seeing more and more often. Before she knew it, she was pinned under him as he once again worshiped her with his mouth and hands as if she were a goddess.

“If you keep doing this, we will never get out of this bed.”

“That sounds like a fine idea to me. We can stay right here until your birthday.”

Megan could not help but laugh. “My birthday isn’t for two more days, and I’m sure someone will come looking for us before then.”

“Now, a chroí, I am sure no one will dare come in here and try to bother us. Everyone knows quite well that I would more than likely kill them if they did.”

“You would not.” Megan slapped one of his wandering hands as she chuckled. “As much as I would love to stay here for a few more hours, I really think I need a shower.”

The next thing she knew, Seamus was picking her up and walking into a shower that was as big as her whole bathroom in her apartment. He set her on her feet and proceeded to lather her body with lavender-fragranced soap. His hands traveled the length of her body, setting her nerve endings afire once more. They spent the next hour making love.

When they finally came back into the bedroom, Seamus conjured up a breakfast feast.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to having food just appear without spending time cooking it. As well as conjuring up whatever I feel like wearing. It’s so mind boggling.”

“Give it time. This is all new to you, but you will get used to it soon.”

“Why did Sean cook when he could have just made it materialize?”

“A few reasons. One, you did not know he could just produce food, and I think that would have been a bit of a shock to you. Two, he actually enjoys cooking. As far back as I can remember he used to dabble in it. That and of course his writing. You should ask Sean that question yourself as he may add to the answer.”

“I’ll do that later. I’ll say these last few weeks have been amazing, but also scary.” She thought about it for a minute and then proceeded. “Do you think we’ve gotten rid of the men from Golden Enterprises?”

For the first time since their ritual, Megan felt the fingers of fear creeping back into her mind. When Seamus answered her, she knew he spoke the truth because he did not try to withhold anything from her.

“A mhúirnín, I wish I could say everything is going to be fine and these men will never bother you again, but I have been dealing with them on and off now for to many years. They will not give up easily, and you need to be extra careful for the next two days. Please stay with one of us, at all times.” He leaned toward Megan.

“Once you come into power you will have a much better chance to be able to get away from them and none of us will have to worry as much. Until then you are vulnerable, and if they should capture you, your life will be in grave danger. You must, with no exception, be able to transport to Brú na Bóinne by midnight of your birthday. If you do not, your soul will leave your body to go there and you will die. The drug this group uses, as you know, prevents us from using most of our powers which would become a real problem if they managed to get to you before Saturday.”

Megan shuddered at the thought. She did not want to die now that she just found out what a great life she was going to be living. Then another thought came to her. “Seamus, if something happens to me now that we completed the ritual, what will happen to you?” She watched him closely, wanting to make sure he didn’t try to lie to her.

“We are now tied to each other for eternity. If one of us should die, the other, unless we have young children to raise, will not want to stay on this earth. Usually we will follow our mate to the otherworld.”

“Knowing there’s still a strong possibility the Golden Boys could get me and that I could very easily die, why didn’t you wait on the ritual until after my birthday? Why’d you put yourself in danger as well?” Megan began to chew her thumbnail.

“Megan, you are my mate. Even if I had not preformed the Deasghnáth with you, I would be miserable if something should happen to you; I would not want to live. Now at least I can find you if they do, by some extraordinary circumstance, abduct you. That gives us a great advantage as to keeping you alive and getting you to Brú na Bóinne.”

“What about your family, they just found you after thinking you dead for seventeen years and now they might lose you again.”

Seamus jerked as if he’d been shot. He glared at her, his eyes ablaze. “Do you not understand how much you mean to me? I have lived alone now for three hundred years. I do not want to live another day without you in my life. Yes, it would be hard on my family, but I would follow you to the otherworld knowing we would still be together.”

Megan sat stunned by Seamus’s words. How could anyone want to be with someone that much? Yet at the same time, she realized she felt much the same way about him. When had that happened? As she thought about it, she could not put her finger on the answer. All she knew was that somehow in the last few days she had actually fallen in love with him.

“A stór, you are being awfully quiet, what are you thinking?”

Startled, Megan looked up. She had almost forgotten Seamus was there, then without thinking said, “Sorry, I was just trying to figure out when I had fallen in love with you.” Her hand covered her mouth as she realized what she had blurted out. As she watched Seamus’s expression, she knew he loved her as well and she smiled.

Seamus stood, walked around the table to her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her boneless.

Waking to find Megan in his arms was the most gratifying feeling. After so many years of being alone, he felt whole. She was his other half and he thanked The Fates for her.

Seamus wanted nothing more than to keep her wrapped in his arms safe from the world until she could defend herself when she came into her powers, in another two days, but knew that was impossible.

Her breathy gasp, as he picked her up to take her into the shower, put his libido into overdrive. He took his time washing her beautiful body, which he explored every inch of last night, and did a bit more exploring while they showered. Once sated, he took her back into the cavern and gave her breakfast.

When she asked about the threat from Golden Enterprises, he wanted to wipe the fear from her eyes but also wanted her to keep her guard up, so he told her the truth. But her next question…he wasn’t sure he wanted to answer. She was watching him so intently he knew she would be able to tell if he even hedged on the answer.

He watched Megan as he answered. Her facial expressions went from disbelief to concern to something he couldn’t identify. She looked almost lost.

“A stór, you are being awfully quiet, what are you thinking?”

Her head snapped up and she said, “Sorry, I was just trying to figure out when I had fallen in love with you.”

Joy enveloped him like a misty rain. He knew that somewhere in the future she would eventually fall in love with him. However, to have her realize it this soon was almost too much to have asked for. He knew he must have the sappiest look on his face, but he did not care. After all this time, he found his mate and now she was admitting she loved him.

When he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, she melted into him. He wanted nothing more than to take her back to bed and show her just how much he loved her as well. Though he knew, they had to go out and make sure everything was secure. He was not going to let anything happen to her no matter what he had said earlier, he wanted to live in this world with her here for a long time—a very long time.

One minute Seamus was kissing her senseless and the next he was laughing his fool head off. “What’s so funny?”

Seamus was having trouble composing himself enough to tell her what struck him so uproarious. It took him a few more seconds before he said, “Colin just contacted me to tell me we had better come out as your Uncle Donovan is ready to come in here and defend your honor.” And he started laughing all over again.

Megan opened her mouth, closed it, and then tried again. She was floored that her uncle would even think such a thing let alone act or almost act on it.

“What Uncle Donovan needs to do is mind his own business. You’d think I was a teen the way he acts. For God’s sake, I think I am old enough to decide if I want to have sex and with whom. What does he think we were doing in here, playing chess? You would think the man lived in the dark ages and, besides, we just finished a ritual that makes us more than married, but married for eternity. What does he want me to live like, a nun, until I’m his age?”

Seamus had calmed down but started laughing all over again. When he finally caught his breath enough to able to speak, he said, “I think it might be more in the realm of him not really wanting to think about you, his young niece, doing anything of that nature at all.”

“Well, he can just go hang himself.”

“Still we need to get out there, come, a stór, let us go out so he can see I did not eat you like the big bad wolf I really am.”

That got Megan laughing enough that she had tears running down her face as they emerged from the room Seamus had set up for them.

When they came into the main cave, both their families were milling about. Donovan came flying up to them. “Thank the Goddess you finally decided to show yourselves. We need to figure out how it is that you both seemed to have cured our telepathic problems.”

Seamus looked at him and said, “Dono, if we knew what it was that caused it we would have told everyone last night. It was very intense during the Focail Deasghnátha and our energy levels escalated. The only thing I can figure is it was a spillover of the energy we both produced coming together.”

“That still does not explain what happened.”

“True enough, but I have no real answer for you.”

At this point most of the family had congregated around them, and it was Shannon who gave the best explanation. “The way I see it is Bernadette was a great healer and so are Conor and Liam in the O’Shea’s, so it is possible Megan may be carrying some strong healing powers. Mum, Bridget, and I also have strong healing powers, so Seamus must have some in him as well. We know, Seamus, that you are very powerful and from what we can see so far in Megan, she is going to be even more powerful than her mother. Therefore, it is quite possible that when you both came together, saying the Focail Deasghnátha, your energies blended and because of the strength of the sharing of those powers the energy just exploded.”

Roarke said, “Shannon, your explanation is the best I have heard from anyone. I think you have hit the nail on the head. You are a great healer, child, but you are also astute and have many other talents you have been exhibiting. It makes me proud to have sired such intelligent and powerful children.”

Opinions and theories flew about the cave. After about an hour Megan asked Seamus, “Can we could go outside for a walk? I’ve been cooped up in this cave for over a week, and after being outside last night I want to enjoy the sun for a little while.”

Seamus said, “Everyone, if you will excuse us for a bit, Megan and I would like to go out and enjoy the sunshine for a time. It has been a very strenuous week and we would like to relax a while.”

Slipping on the device to scramble the microchip signal he took Megan’s hand and left the cave. Once outside he sent his senses out to check for any danger. Finding none, he turned to Megan, knowing how she had sensed the danger from the Golden Boys the first time, and said, “Do you sense anything out of the ordinary?”

Megan turned her head and listened. “No, everything seems normal.”

Good, then shall we take that walk you wanted?” He took her hand, and they started walking.

There was just the slightest hint of a breeze. It must have rained sometime during the morning hours. The air was fresh and the sun shining off the droplets of water on the leaves looked like tiny diamonds. Seamus could feel the excitement vibrating from Megan.

“God, I feel like I’ve been cooped up for the last year, instead of only a week. I truly hope we can spend time out here and not have to worry about anyone from Golden Enterprises.”

Seamus could understand how Megan was feeling. He always enjoyed being outdoors as well. “Let us enjoy it while we can and try not to be too concerned with that group. Although, please let me know if you get any uncomfortable feeling.”

They walked a while in silence before Seamus asked, “How would you like to go down by the lake for a while?”

Megan’s eyes lit up. “Can we go for a swim?”

Laughing, Seamus said, “I think the water is a bit cool for that, but if you wish to swim then that is what we will do.”

“The last time I was there, the water was really nice, and I don’t think it could have cooled down that much in just three weeks.”

As they neared the lake, Megan ran toward the water, donning a swimsuit as she did. Seamus watched as she dove in, acting more like a young child than an adult, splashing, taunting, and teasing him. Her enthusiasm was contagious, so he also changed and dove in. He snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, dragging her to him.

She yelped before she realized it was him. Playfully she said, “So now the big bad wolf has captured me.”

Growling, he said, “Oh, he has and the things he is going to do to you.”

Laughing, she turned in his arms wrapping her legs around his hips and kissing him. “Let’s just see if Little Red Riding Hood is up for it.” As she rubbed against his erection, with a gleam in her eye, she said, “I can tell said wolf is quite up for it, aren’t you?”

He did not give her a chance to say any more before her clothes were gone and he was inside her. “Love, when it comes to you, I am always up for it.” Then he showed her just what he meant.

With his hands on her hips he started to increase their speed as he kissed her senseless.

Megan arched her back each time he drove into her. When she came, he swallowed her scream as he joined her.

He carried her to the shore and up onto the ledge where she sat the first time he saw her. Producing a thick blanket, as he lay down with her still in his arms, and he started all over again.

Megan stopped Seamus’s exploration as she nudged him onto his back and straddled him. “My turn.” And she proceeded to do some of her own exploring.

Seamus would never get enough of her. He knew what it meant to be mated, but how did she crawl inside him so completely and take his heart? He felt as though he was finally whole, yet he had never known he was not until she came into his life. He had to admit The Fates knew what they were doing when they destined her to be his. Now if he could just keep her safe until she came into her own power. Then he lost his concentration, and all he could think of was what she was doing to him and, by the gods, it was wonderful.

Using a bit of magic along with his hand and mouth, he had them flying as they came. They lay in each other’s arms as their heart rates slowed and their breathing evened out.

When Megan could talk again, she said, “If we keep this up, we’re going to be dead within the week.”

Seamus laughed and said, “Ah, but what a way to go.”

Laughing herself, Megan whispered, “True, but I think we need to go back, it’s getting late and I need to put clothes on, because I think I’m beginning to sunburn in places I don’t even want to imagine.”

She was on her feet and he had her clothed before she could blink. “Now we would not want that, would we? I enjoy touching you way too much to not be able to stroke all those places.” He led her down from the ledge and they headed back to the caves.

Chapter Twenty-One

Megan stopped abruptly as they neared the cave and pulled Seamus off the path.

Going on alert, but finding nothing tangible, Seamus tensed. “What is it, love?”

“I’m not sure, but I just feel something’s wrong. Maybe I’m just too new at this and don’t have the hang of it yet, but I can’t seem to contact anyone.”

Seamus tried to contact Colin, then his father and a few others to no avail. “Neither can I communicate with anyone else. We need out of this area now.” Concern for his family almost crippled him, but at the moment, he knew his major worry was to keep Megan safe. “Concentrate on sending all your power to me. I am going to try to shield our presence.”

Seamus knew it was a daunting task trying to keep them concealed and at the same time trying to get them as far from the cave as possible. He tried contacting Shannon hoping she was home and not still in the cave. When she answered him, he was elated but knew something was wrong as she did not sound quite herself.

“Shannon what is it?”

“I have a blinding headache that started about five minutes ago and now I cannot contact Noel. I was about to transport to the cave when Mum screamed, holding her head. We have taken her to Brú na Bóinne. What is going on there?”

“I have no clue, but something is definitely off. Megan and I had gone down to the lake and on our way back she got the feeling something was not right. We cannot contact anyone who is in the cave. Do not try to transport in there until you can find out what has happened. Can you scry and see what going on?”

“Let me try and I will contact you soon. I will also get in touch with the King and see if he can give me some men and then we will be there. Keep Megan safe.”

“I am doing my best. Do not come here until you are sure it is safe. Keep in touch.”

While he talked to Shannon, he led Megan toward the trees, keeping them concealed from anyone that could be looking. “Megan, if you need to speak to me let’s keep it telepathic. I cannot sense anyone in the area, but Golden Enterprises seem to develop technology faster that we are able to detect it.”

“God Seamus, could they have killed everyone, is that possible?”

“A ghrá, do not jump to conclusions. We need to concentrate on getting you out of here. Shannon is going to deal with the rest.”

Seamus led her into a heavily wooded area. He knew she was as anxious about her family as he was about his, but both knew they had to keep moving if they wanted to get out of this. He kept trying to sense any of the men that might be in the area, but all he could find were the normal forest inhabitants.

He put a call out to the wolves in the area to see if they could tell him how best to keep moving and not run into any of these men. The wolves started giving him the information he needed. The Golden Enterprise’s men hemmed them in on all sides. How in the bloody hell have they gotten passed my spell barrier as well as Da’s and Quinn’s? From the wolves’ observations, there had to be at least twenty-five of them. He kept his communication up with the wolves as he skirted Megan and himself around some of them. “Megan, there is a wolf’s den about a mile north of here. There is a wolf pack there willing to allow us to join them in it. They are trying to be my eyes until we can reach the lair. Are you still able to keep sending your energy to me or are you beginning to feel too depleted?”

“I’m fine, are you sure we can get there before one of these men find us?”

Seamus knew she was frightened beyond belief. However, he could not be more proud of the way she was handling this. “I am certain they are not able to detect us with our combined power shielding us and the scrambler. If you start feeling as if you have to rest the energy flow, give me a little notice. I will be able to compensate for a while to give you a rest. I would prefer you not to push yourself too hard since you have just begun getting some of your powers and have not yet come into your full potential.”

“Can you contact Shannon again and find out what’s happening back in the cave?”

“I would prefer to wait until we get to the wolf den as it is very draining trying to do too many things at one time. She said she would contact me as soon as she knew what was going on.”

He could see Megan was beginning to tire in spite of her assurance otherwise. They did not have much further, and he knew their combined energy would be safer, but he did not want to over tire Megan. “I can feel you getting tired. A ghrá, I want you to be able to continue to keep the energy flow up a bit longer. So I am going to pick you up and carry you the rest of the way.” Knowing she was going to start to argue he continued, “Please, a stór, we only have a short bit left, but you will either end up cutting your energy flow to me or you may just drop and then I will have to carry you anyway. If that should happen I may not be able to shield us as well.”

“Fine, but I’m sure I’m okay.”

He picked her up and continued up the slope. When they made it to the wolf’s den, they had to climb in. Megan hesitated when she came face to face with a snarling wolf at the end of a short tunnel. Seamus soothed the animal and encouraged Megan to continue. The den was very compact, and they scooted back as far from the entrance as possible. The wolves then took up a sentinel position in the front of them.

“We should be safe here for now. Try to rest for a while. I can keep the shield going now by myself for a bit.” He could see her visibly relax. He was about to contact Shannon when she contacted him.

“Seamus, whatever you do, get as far away from the cave as possible. Everyone in there is out cold and there are about fifteen armed men with them. I do not know if they will make it if we cannot get to them soon. The King is giving me thirty of his men, so we will be going in shortly. Once we are able to get it secured, I will send some of the men out to give you a hand. The rest will stand guard while we transport. In the mean time, be careful.”

“Megan and I are shielded, and we are now in a wolf’s den north-northwest of the other cave. Just get them back to Brú na Bóinne as quickly as possible and then worry about us.”

“Keep safe my brother, and your mate as well.”

“You also, Shannon.”

“Seamus?” Megan drew his attention.

Seamus pulled her closer to him. “It will be all right, love. It will be all right. Now get some rest, I will watch over you.”

Sometime later Shannon contacted Seamus to let him know they had rescued everyone and she was now working with the kings men to eliminate the rest of Golden Enterprise’s men. Seamus watched Megan sleep, hating to wake her, but knowing she would want to know how everyone was, he leaned over and kissed her gently.

She stirred and then looked up at him through sleepy eyes. Within seconds, she was sitting up, wide-awake. “Did Shannon get to everyone? How are they? Is my Dad all right? Don’t just sit there. Tell me what is happening.”

Seamus could not help himself; he started laughing. “Megan a ghrá, give me a second. How do you expect me to answer you when you fire questions off like that?”

Looking sheepish, she said, “Sorry.”

Seamus composed himself and then realized they were speaking out loud. Putting his finger to his lips, he spoke to her telepathically. “We have to be careful, a stór. No more talking aloud. There are still twenty or so men looking for us. Now, your Da is going to be fine, although he was in bad shape. Shannon and some of our healers transported him to a hospital. He will most likely be there a few days, but is recovering quite well.”

“As for the rest of the family, they are all at Brú na Bóinne and will be up and about in no time. In the meantime, we figure the safest thing for us to do at the moment is to stay here and wait. I can keep our shielding going and we will be better here than trying to stay away from them. How do you feel about that?”

“It sounds like as good a plan as any.”

The next few hours passed uneventfully. Seamus noticed Megan squirming and asked, “What is it, a ghrá?”

“I’m just getting a little stiff sitting in the same position for so long. I’ll be fine.”

“Why don’t you lay down with your head on my lap for a while and try to get some more rest?”

She did and within a short time, she was asleep.

Megan woke with a start as she heard Shannon screaming in her head. “Seamus! Megan! Pull in your energy…They have some type of goggle device that is picking up on our energy!”

Nevertheless, it was too late. The blast that hit the wolf den was so strong Megan felt torn to pieces and then she felt no more.

Megan regained consciousness feeling as if a truck had run her down. She ached all over. When she tried to move she found she was strapped to a table. She tried pulling against the restraints to no avail. ‘Don’t panic. There has to be a way out of this. Seamus will find me. He told me once we were mated he would be able to no matter what.

She relaxed at that thought. Then she tried to contact him, “Seamus!” However, she felt nothing. Was he here as well? Maybe he was still unconscious. Give it a little time. Everything will be okay. Even as she tried to talk herself into relaxing, terror began to bubble up in her, almost choking her. Her gaze darted around the room frantically trying to find some reassurance that someone would help her. Instead, she saw sterile white walls and instruments that brought back horrible memories of being a child strapped to a table while someone cut and burned her. Then she remembered the sensation of her veins burning as substances where plunged into her body with needles. She could not hold back the scream as the memories assaulted her. Mercifully, the blackness once again over took her.

The next thing she knew a woman slapped her awake, saying, “You have been here for ten hours; that is enough sleep for now. I’ve a number of tests to run.”

Confused, Megan tried to scoot back from this woman but was unable to do so due to the restraints holding her to the table. Oh God, not a dream! Knowing now what this woman had in mind, fear assaulted her. She remembered what happened the last time she was in a place like this, and she tried desperately to get away from the woman. She tugged as hard as she could on the bonds holding her down, but accomplished nothing.

“Trust me, witch, those restraints will hold. You might as well just lay back and relax.” She smirked, “Or at least relax, until I get started.”

Terror once again choking her, she whispered, “Why are you doing this?”

The woman, giving her a look of total disgust, replied, “That’s what I get paid to do.”

Megan saw red. “You’re paid to torture and kill people, including innocent children?”

Her look hardened as she glared at Megan. “I conduct tests on things such as you. Don’t call yourselves people, you’re an abomination.”

Megan could hardly believe what she was hearing. How could anyone believe such garbage? “I’m just as human as you are.”

“You don’t even come close, but all your powers won’t save you. For the next several hours, I’m going to flay you, stab you, and poison you as well as many other things. By the time I’m finished, you’ll wish you were dead. But, death don’t come for your kind. I’ll give you some time to heal from your wounds, and then I’m going to start all over.”

In her mind, all Megan could do was scream for Seamus. He promised her he’d find her. Why hadn’t he come? If this woman was telling the truth, she’d already been there for ten hours.

As if reading her mind, the woman said, “If you think that boyfriend of yours is going to come save you, think again. They put enough poison in him to kill even your kind. He would have died nine and a half hours ago.”

“Noooo!” Yanking viciously against her restraints she yelled. “You bitch. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll kill you for that alone.” Anger welled up so hard she could feel her power gathering with it. Knowing this could be her only chance, she let it build.

Remembering what Roarke had told her about holding the power and letting it strengthen, and then focusing on her objective, she waited. As soon as she thought the power built enough, she focused all of it toward the tray of tools and let it go. The instruments flew toward the bitch all at once. Needles stabbed and the plungers went down as if someone had a thumb on them, scalpels sliced long cuts down her body. With a look of horror on her face and a silent scream, the woman was dead before she hit the floor.

The expenditure of such a great amount of energy left Megan panting with exhaustion. Knowing there had to be more people in the lab, she tried not to give into it. She had to get out of here, now. Once again, she tried gathering her energy to free herself from the straps, but it did not work.

Finally, summoning enough power, she brought a scalpel up from the floor and cut through the first leather strap. Having a hand free, she took the scalpel and cut the second wrist strap. Then sitting up, she reached to do her legs, her body protesting as she stretched downward, she started to cut the strap from her ankles.

Before she had time to free both her legs, two men rushed in, each grabbing one of her arms, while a third walked in more slowly with a syringe, which he plunged into her arm. Please somebody help me.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Seamus woke feeling groggy and sore. Both Shannon and Conor were leaning over him. Then remembering what had happened. “Megan?”

Shannon turned her head away. “They have her.”

As fear gripped him he asked, “How long?”

Her voice wavering, Shannon said. “You have been out cold for about eighteen hours.”

“Bloody Hell!” Dizziness assaulted him as he tried to push himself up.

Conor put his hands on his shoulders to stop him. “You cannot move yet; you need more time.”

“Conor, get away from me,” he growled. “I have to get to Megan.”

“You will not be doing her any good if you keel over. By the gods, man, you almost died. They filled you with enough poison to kill anyone of us. If Shannon had not been as close or had not known where you were, you would not have made it.”

Shannon turned to him then, tears falling freely down her cheeks. “I am so sorry, Seamus. I had to get you back here, so I could not follow Megan’s trail. Three of the King’s men went after her, but we lost contact with them. So far two have been found dead.”

Hating to see his sister cry and feeling the anguish palpitating off her body, he pulled her into his arms. “Easy Sis, no one is blaming you.”

Hugging him back, she told him, “Everyone is out looking for her. Goddess, Seamus, we did not know if you were going to live, and now they have Megan again, and we do not know if she is even alive.”

As Seamus comforted Shannon, he tried to contact Megan. Having no luck he asked. “Has everyone lost their telepathic ability again?”

Conor answered, “No, surprisingly, we can still communicate.”

At least that is one blessing. Has anyone tried to reach or heard from Megan?”

Shannon answered, though her words were muffled with her face against Seamus’s chest. “Many times with no luck. But then about eight hours ago, we all heard her scream ‘please someone help me’. None of us could get a clear indication of where she was before she was cut off. We have tried since then, but we are getting nothing.”

Seamus tried again to contact Megan without luck. His anxiety grew over the fact he was not feeling any energy tie to her at all. He knew Conor was right about needing a bit more time in Brú na Bóinne, as he was as weak as a kitten, but he was not sure if he had the luxury of time.

Conor tried to use logic on him. “Seamus, we are all worried over Megan, but if you do not take the time needed, you will not ever be able to detect her energy. If you wait an hour more, we will still have at least seven hours to find her. You have to be up to full strength in the event you need to transfer some of your energy to her. As weak as you still are, you will not even be able to connect your energies to track her.”

His anger flaring, Seamus turned on Conor. “What if they have given her the same poison they gave me?”

“Then my friend, it will not matter how soon you find her. My thought is that they gave you the dose they did so you would die and not be able to follow her. Once again proving this group knows too much about our people. As long as they did not load her up the same way they did you, her body will be able to fight it off in time. Our only true hope is for you to recover fully and then grab for her energy stream. I know she is your mate, but she also is my niece. I want you out there as fast as possible, but if you want to be able to find her, lay back and finish recovering, please.”

With a nod, Seamus laid back down. Relaxing was not something he could do though. He closed his eyes and started concentrating on Megan, calling to her.

Megan became aware of her surroundings again. She felt as though she had a ten-pound weight on her chest. When she looked down, she saw she was restrained differently than she had been earlier. This time they had her confined with heavy steel braces, two on each arm as well as one across her chest, accounting for the heavy feeling no doubt. Her legs were also banded, spread-eagle, and she was naked. Dread ate at her as she thought of what they might plan for her now.

“Ah, I see you’re awake. We underestimated your powers earlier, but we shall not do it again. I was surprised that with the drugs you had any power. But I guarantee this table you are on shall prevent you from using any magic again.”

Megan’s gaze whipped toward the voice to find a short, heavyset man with a balding head, beady brown eyes, bushy eyebrows, and jowls that flapped as he talked. He reminded her very much of an ugly dog. She would have laughed if she had not been so petrified.

“Who are you? What do you want with me?” She cursed herself for the quiver in her voice.

“All in good time. All in good time,” he said as he walked toward her. In his hand, he carried a device that looked much like an iPod. As he got closer, he started pressing buttons on it and Megan felt as if her life force was being sucked out of her. She gasped and he smiled. “Yes, I see my new little toy is effective. Tell me witch, what does it feel like?”

Not sure if she should tell him the truth or try to make him think his device was not doing what he planned, she went with the latter. “As if a thousand ants are climbing all over me.”

Scowling, he continued to play with the buttons. “That’s not right.”

Megan almost wanted to smile except the pain he was inflicting on her was almost unbearable. From his facial expression, she knew she had given him the correct answer. If she could hold out just a little longer and prevent herself from screaming out in agony, maybe he would become frustrated and turn it off thinking it wasn’t working.

In her mind, she screamed, “Seamus, help me,” and then she felt him. The relief was instantaneous. Then she remembered what the bitch had told her about the poison. “Are you dead?” She heard his laughter as it washed over her like a balm. “No, a ghrá, I am very much alive.”

“But they told me they gave you enough poison that you should have died in less than an hour of my capture. I couldn’t contact you, or feel you. I was so sure they had told me the truth.”

“They did what they had said. Fortunately, Shannon was close and got me to Brú na Bóinne in time. It has taken many hours for my recovery, but I have just about recuperated enough to get out of here, and then I will come for you.”

“Please hurry! This lunatic has some machine that is draining my energy. I’m not sure how much more I can take.”

“I will get there as soon as possible. I am going to contact some of the others now, and we will find you soon. I will try to keep sending a bit of my energy to you to keep you going.”

Relief poured over Megan with the knowledge Seamus was alive. She had forgotten about Mr. Ugly Dog, until he started talking to her again.

“It shows to be working, so you must be lying.”

Gathering as much strength as she could muster so she would not sound weak, she answered him. “Why would I lie? Tell me what it supposed to be doing, and I’ll tell you if it is.”

“Are you feeling weak?”

God she was, but said, “No, I feel fine, other than feeling like someone beat me up.”

He cursed and turned off the machine. “Well, I’ll have it tested, and then we’ll try again. I’ve a few other plans for you.”

Now that he had turned it off, she could feel her energy level increasing. All she could hope was Seamus and her uncles would get there before he had the machine tested. If he used it on her again, she was sure she would not survive for long.

Megan decided she needed to keep him talking, hoping it would distract him for a while. “You never told me who you are.”

“No, I didn’t, did I?

He walked over to an intercom system saying no more to her and spoke to someone. Within a few minutes, two men in white coats came in, wheeling a cart with instruments on it. She was not sure what they were for, but they didn’t look like toys. Megan tried to shrink away, which was impossible with the restraints holding her steadfast. Her fear level rocketed.

“What is it, a ghrá? What are they doing to you now?”

“Nothing yet, but from the instruments they just wheeled in here I can only imagine. Please hurry.”

“I am trying to get an idea as to where they have you, but I am not at full strength yet, so I am having a bit of a problem getting an exact location. Just as soon as I do, we will be there, I promise you.”

“Put in an intravenous line and draw some of her blood,” Ugly Dog barked at one of the attendants. Once accomplished, none too gently either, he took a syringe with a yellowish liquid in it, attached it to the line of the IV, and pushed down the plunger. Megan’s arm felt like it was on fire. She shrieked as the burning sensation blazed up her arm and into the rest of her body.

Seamus went to his knees as a burning pain ripped through his body. Hands grabbed him.

“Lay him back on the table. Dammit, Seamus, I told you it was too soon,” Conor chastised him.

Panting, and curling into himself, he hoarsely whispered, “’Tis not me, but Megan.”

“Get four of our best healers in here now!” Conor yelled to Shannon who rushed back into the room.

Shannon turned, running back out, and within seconds returned with Bridget, his mother Fiona, Liam, and another man Seamus did not know well.

Conor started instructing everyone as to what to do. “Seamus, we are going to try a healing spell. As we do I want you to send it to Megan. Whatever they are doing to Megan, you are getting the effects of it. That being the case, whatever we do to you should also help her.”

Roarke and Nuala materialized as Conor was talking. “Good, I need six of you to form an outer circle. The rest of you form the healing circle. Noel, stand with Shannon and thrust your energy to her.”

The room filled with candles as they started the chant. Seamus could feel the effects as the pain started to recede, and he sent it on to Megan.

Megan writhed in pain. She could not think, let alone speak. Whatever this man had put into her body burned like fire. She had never known agony like this.

The bastard who inflicted the pain leaned over her. His breath was repulsive. He made sure his face was in her field of vision. He sneered and said, “Don’t worry, it won’t kill you, but it will hurt like hell. Every time you do something, I don’t like, I will give you another shot of it. The effects will take about an hour to wear off, so if you’re smart you’ll behave yourself. Just so you know, you witch, that was for what you did to Debra. She worked hard and was a great piece of ass. Now I’m going to use you for that too, by the way. When I’m through with you, you’ll pray for your death, and you will have to keep praying because it will never come. I like the looks of you, so I’m going to enjoy you a lot.”

Megan tried to turn her head away from him, but he caught her chin and crushed his mouth against hers. She almost gagged.

When he finally released her, he said, “Yes, we’re going to have great fun, and there is not a damn thing you can do, now is there? This is just one of the perks the boss allows me.” Laughing, he turned and walked back over to the cart and picked up a scalpel. “Now, let’s see how you bleed.”

Megan began to hear chanting in her head and then felt the pain beginning to subside. Closing her eyes, she let her body began to relax. Then he was leaning over her once more.

“Let’s see. Shall I start with that pretty face of yours and work my way down or shall I start at the bottom and work my way up?” He then walked to the foot of the table and sliced into the bottom of her foot.

Tears rolled down her face as she tried to pull her foot away from him, but the restraints held it in place. She screamed in agony. “Why?”

“Why? You want to know why. I will tell you why, you witch. Because you are an abomination of human kind. You are monsters, the spawn of the devil himself. That’s why!” He was yelling by the time he finished.

Speechless, Megan stared at him.

The pain in his foot almost had Seamus coming off the table as he once again heard Megan scream in his head.

There was a collective gasp and when he looked, everyone was staring at his foot. Conor grabbed a towel, placing pressure on his foot with it. “By the Goddess, what the hell is going on?”

Keeping her eyes on Seamus, Shannon said, “It seems whatever they inflict on Megan, manifests in Seamus.”

Conor looked up. Seamus nodded and said, “I have to get to her now.”

“Can you follow her energy stream yet?” Donovan asked, his anxiety evident on his face.

“I almost had it just before they cut her, but every time they do something to her, it weakens me and I lose it again.”

Patrick, doing his normal pacing, said, “Dammit, we need to do something fast, from what is happening to you they are not holding back on their torture of her and the clock is ticking. We now have less than seven hours to get Megan back here. If they keep up this pace of torture, she will not last and you’ll be too weak to help get her out.”

Seamus could not agree more, especially when the next thing he knew a large gash ran the length of his leg and Megan was screaming in his head once more. The sense of distress he picked up from Megan alone was enough to debilitate him, even without the actual pain he also experienced.

Over the next three hours, Seamus had barely enough time to recuperate from one injury before another would appear. He could feel how weak Megan was becoming with each passing occurrence. Sending her so much energy was also weakening him.

Everyone in the room became restless. They were helpless to do anything but keep a healing chant going.

Then Noel leaned over Seamus. “Listen, you must cut your connection to Megan, at the rate this is going Megan will be out of time before we are even able to get to her. Seamus, if you do not, we are going to lose you both. Without you helping her, perhaps she will pass out and they may leave her alone long enough for you to get the strength to find her.”

Horror filled Seamus. “If I do that, she will be in agony. I cannot stand having her in that kind of pain.”

Determination hardened Noel’s face as he said, “Which would you prefer, helping ease her pain or getting her out of there?”

Knowing he had no choice, Seamus contacted Megan. “Megan, we cannot keep this up much longer. If I do not get stronger, I will not be able to find you in time. The only hope we have is for you to pass out, so they will leave you alone awhile. In order to for me to gain enough strength to find you, I am going to cut our connection, keeping a small stream between us to follow. Once I do this, I will not be able to send you any healing power nor ease the pain for you. A Mhúirnín, I love you with all my heart, and I hate doing this to you.”

“Seamus, please just do it. The pain’s bad, but I know you’re carrying the brunt of it for me. I’ll close myself off from the pain the best I can. I’ll act like I passed out even if I don’t. I love you too. Please hurry and find me.”

As he cut the connection, he heard Megan scream in agony just before he passed out.

When Seamus cut their connection Megan got the full force of the pain he had been carrying for her. She screamed in agony and mercifully passed out.

When she awoke, she was still in the same room and still restrained. But the room was empty. Breathing a sigh of relief that she did not have to deal with Ugly Dog for a while and could gain some more of her energy back, she tried to contact Seamus. When she got no reply, she panicked. Then she remembered he cut himself off from her. Not knowing just how long she had been out this time, she figured the best thing she could do was act like she was still unconscious.

Ugly Dog sauntered into the room. “Don’t pretend you aren’t awake, I already saw you on the monitor.” He lumbered over to her, putting his face in hers. “Now I think it’s time I got a little pleasure from you.” He pulled out the machine that looked like the iPod again. “It seems to be working okay. It should weaken you enough so I don’t have to fight you while I enjoy your body.” He tapped a few buttons and set it on the table next to her head.

Megan started feeling the drain on her energy. The bastard smiled as he groped her. Megan tried to fight him, but the energy drain was becoming too much. He opened his pants and climbed on the table with her. The last thing Megan saw before she once again descended into blackness was a huge wolf knocking him off her.

As soon as Seamus came around, he tried to get a reading on where Megan was. Everyone in the room was pacing at this point, but stopped dead as soon as Seamus said, “I have her.”

Patrick, Donovan, and Sean all asked in unison, “Where? We do not have much time.”

Noel said, “Shield as soon as you get there. We cannot afford to have any one of you incapacitated, especially in their lab.”

Seamus then said, “We need to go now. Her energy is fading.” Even as he spoke, he was shimmering out. The rest followed.

As Seamus materialized in a small room, what he saw almost made his knees buckle. An obese man sprawled on top of Megan trying to rape her. Seamus turned wolf and lunged. He tore out the man’s throat as he knocked him to the floor. Then he stood at Megan’s side.

Sean, Noel, Donovan, Patrick, Colin, and Brian were there and Seamus said, “Find the source of the energy drain, Megan said it looked like an iPod.” Colin found it next to Megan’s head and grabbed it, and played with the buttons to turn it off.

Sean and Donovan worked on the restraints with little luck. “Bloody hell, magic does not work on it. When Patrick found the mechanism to release it, Seamus picked Megan up into his arms and held her. “She is barely breathing.”

Shannon, Bridget, Fiona, Liam, and Conor materialized. “She needs to be in Brú na Bóinne now,” Conor said.

Noel said, “Take her, Seamus, we will clean up here.”

With that, Seamus, Megan and the healers were gone.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Within an hour of arriving at Brú na Bóinne, Megan’s breathing evened out, but she still had not come to. Seamus paced the room. Never in his life had fear gripped him as much as it had in the last day, knowing Megan was being tortured and not being able to get to her. As hard as it had been to cut himself off from her, Noel had been right. If he had waited, he would not have gotten to her in time. Whatever that machine was, it was definitely pulling Megan’s life-force from her. They had all felt it upon arriving. Colin had it now, and he and Patrick would tear it apart, find out how it works and how to combat its effect. How could this company produce such technology?

Seamus went back and sat next to Megan.

Conor came in. He examined her and said, “She could be coming around any time now, her vitals are fine and energy level is back up to normal. However, she will more than likely sleep until morning, after the ordeal she went through. You should also get some rest as well. You had a go of it yourself.”

“I am fine, once she wakes and knows she is safe then we can both rest. Have you heard anything from Donovan and the others on how things are going at the lab?”

Shaking his head, Conor said, “They are still there. They have transported seven more of our people so far. They are not in much better shape than Megan. In fact, most were so close to death I still do not know how they survived. They had cuts on them that look like they had been there for weeks. These bastards must have been testing some of the drug they used on the bullets they shot at Brian and Noel.

Slamming his fist down, Seamus spoke through gritted teeth, “Have they found the person behind this yet?”

“They have not found anyone yet, as far as I know, but they are checking everything out with a fine-tooth comb.”

“If I ever get my hands on that bastard, I can guarantee you his death is going to be slow and very, very painful. How he eluded me all these year is anyone’s guess. I can tell you one thing—my top priority from this point forward is to find him.”

“We are all in agreement with you there. And I would say there is going to be a long line of us working with you.”

Looking back at Megan, Seamus asked, “Should she not be coming around by now? She has been here for way over an hour.”

Glancing past Seamus, Conor said, “Give her time. She is both physically and mentally exhausted. In fact, maybe if you climbed up there with her and held her it would do you both good.”

“Aye, that sounds like a fine idea. Just having her close is a tremendous relief. If you get any news on the head of Golden Enterprises, let me know.”

“I promise you will be the first one I inform. Try and get a bit of rest yourself,” Conor said as he walked out of the room.

Seamus woke feeling much more relaxed and refreshed. Holding Megan at his side had given him great peace. She looked so young and fragile, yet he knew what a strong woman she was. He thanked the gods he had gotten to her in time. Because no matter how much of a fighter she might have been, if he had not gotten her back when he had, her soul would have left her body for the otherworld.

Leaning over, he kissed her and when he got no response, he tried telepathically. “Megan, a ghrá, it is time for you to wake up now.” Nothing. He could feel her energy, but it felt far away. A chill filled his body as he sat up pulling Megan with him. Holding her close, he called to Conor. “Conor get in here now. Something is not right with Megan.”

Within a second, although it seemed hours to Seamus, Conor materialized in the room along with Shannon and his mother.

Fiona spoke first. “Son, lay her down so we can examine her.”

Doing as his mother asked, Seamus felt part of himself being ripped away as his touch slipped from her. Anguish filled him as a sense of failure touched him to his soul. Could he have gotten her here too late to save her after all? Would the gods be that cruel to let him find his mate only to let her slip away?

As everyone bustled around Megan, Seamus paced the room like a tiger in a cage. Not being able to wait any longer he cried out, “Why has she not come around? You said everything was normal, yet I sense her a distance away.”

Conor, shaking his head, looked at Seamus. “I can find no reason for her not to awaken, but she has the same feel she had all those years ago. She is here, yet she is not.”

“What do we need to do? There must be something that will bring her back.”

Conor said, “The only thing we can do now is wait. When she was a child, Jim took her to a hospital, and they could find no cause for her coma-like state, yet she stayed in it for five years. We can only hope that with her being here in Brú na Bóinne she will come back to us sooner and with no memory loss.”

Seamus felt the vice surrounding his chest grow tighter. His breath labored. His soul cried out for Megan. He sank to the ground in a heap as he whispered. “Come back to me a chroí, for I cannot live without you.”

Shannon and Conor ran to him, helped him to his feet, and guided him back to the bed Megan was in, laying him down.

Megan woke to find herself in a grassy field next to a pond filled with fish as colourful as a rainbow. Birds sang as they flew from tree to tree. The breeze blowing through the leaves sounded almost like bells tinkling. Megan never in her life remembered seeing a place so exquisite; it seemed magical.

“Megan, my little one, you have grown into such a beautiful and powerful woman. You make me so proud.”

Startled by the voice, Megan turned to see a striking woman walking up to her. Her deep reddish hair cascaded over her shoulders in stark contrast to the flowing white gown she wore. The woman’s eyes were a piercing gray-blue that gave Megan such a feeling of recognition. “Mom?”

“Yes, little one, it is me.”

Not yet understanding what was going on, Megan whispered, “How? Am I dead now as well?”

Shaking her head, Bernadette said, “Oh no, you are just visiting as you did so many years ago.”

“I remember nothing from when I was young.”

Sorrow marred her mother’s elegant face. “I know, my little one, and I am sorry we could not allow you to remember back then. You were in such pain, and they had damaged your young mind so much, that we thought it best you did not remember any of it.”

“Why can’t I remember the years before I was kidnapped?”

“Unfortunately, even as a young child, you had a powerful mind and would not let us be selective. In order for you to forget your ordeal, the Sidhe had to suppress all your memories. Even before now, you started breaking them loose. You have great powers.”

“Why didn’t I just die back then?”

“It was not your time, nor is it now. Yet, you need time to heal from what they have once again tried to do to you, but more importantly, you must learn the truth. You are not who you always thought you were and there is someone you need to meet. Your full memories from your childhood and the time you spent here will be restored to you. Then there is the fact that you and your mate are meant for great things. The greatest of them is saving our people from a tremendous evil that has been trying to destroy us now for many years.”

Stunned, Megan stared at her mother.

Bernadette reached out her hand and said, “Come, we have much to discuss and there is a great deal you need to learn, but time is of the essence as I am sure you are also feeling the distress from your mate.”

Megan could feel Seamus’s anguish and his sense of failure at the possibility he did not find her in time. “I have to do something for him. He is torturing himself over me being unconscious.”

Smiling, her mother said, “Just open your heart and send him your love. He will feel it and he will know you are all right.”

Seamus felt a sense of peace come over him as if Megan were telling him she loved him and not to worry because she would be with him soon. His body relaxed and he felt he could breathe once more. He reached over, gathered her into his arm, and held onto her like a lifeline.

Fiona placed her hand on Seamus. Her insightful pale gray eyes meeting Seamus’s jade green ones over Megan’s head and said, “She is not lost to you my son. Just give her the time she needs to heal.”

Seamus acknowledged his mother insight and asked, “What have you seen?”

Smiling Fiona said, “I only received a glimpse of what is to come. All I can tell you at this moment is that Megan is ‘The Child of Prophecy’. She will be a force to reckon with and you are to be at her side. Together you will defeat this malevolence that has been creeping in for the last thirty years.”

Seamus could hardly believe what his mother was saying. As he looked around the room, he saw both Shannon and Conor staring at Fiona with dumbfounded looks.

“You will both understand it in time. I cannot give you any more information than I have at this moment. I can say Megan is going to awaken soon and will be able to explain it to us all then.”

Seamus asked, “But what is this great evil you are talking about?”

“I have felt it for many years now. It is like a blackness creeping along the ground getting closer every year.”

Shannon shook her head as if coming out a trance and asked, “Why have you never mentioned it before?”

Her mother sighed. “Simply because there was nothing that could be done about it, until the prophecy was fulfilled. The hardest thing was knowing you were a part of that prophecy. And when you were lost to us, it almost destroyed me. I thought somehow someone had successfully changed the prophecy, going against what I had seen at your birth.”

Seamus felt as if someone had just smacked him in the head. “You mean to tell me you have known about this for three hundred years and this is the first time you have mentioned it to me?”

Shaking her head, Fiona said, “You know better than to even ask such a thing. I could not tell anyone, as someone could inadvertently change what is to come.”

Feeling chastised, as he rightfully should, he said, “Sorry, Mum, I do know better. It is just a bit of a shock to know you have known of this for so long and had to keep it secret.”

“That is one of the burdens of being a seer.”

Seamus hugged his mother and said, “Thank you, Mum, for everything.”

Squeezing his shoulder, Fiona said, “We will leave you to rest with your Megan for a while.”

Conor, Shannon, and Fiona then turned and walked from the room.

When Seamus woke, again, he tried to rouse Megan, only to be disappointed once more. “Come on, Megan my sweet, it is time to come back to me.” She still lay as unmoving as she had hours before. Even with his mother’s words earlier Megan’s stillness scared him.

Donovan and Patrick, followed closely by Sean, Colin, and Brian took that moment to appear. Looking up, Seamus saw five grim faces and said, “I gather you did not find the head of Golden Enterprises?”

Donovan answered. “The man is as slippery as an eel. There is not a single thing in that lab that has given us even the slightest clue as to whom the man might be. No wonder you could not track him down over the years.”

Sean had walked over to see Megan. “Should she not be up and about by now?”

Heavyhearted, Seamus replied, “Aye, she should have hours ago. I can feel her energy, but her soul seems very far away.”

Sean looked from Seamus to Donovan and Patrick, “This should not be happening again. I could understand it when she was young and did not have her power. Now that she has come into power and is here in Brú na Bóinne, she should not be in this state.”

Donovan looked pained and said, “We cannot dictate how she or anyone else deals with what she went through. You saw what was happening to her through Seamus. You do not know how you would have reacted in the same circumstances. I am not looking forward to having to explain this to Jim.”

Seamus sucked in a breath. “Dammit to hell and back, I have been so wrapped up in all this I forgot to find out how Jim is doing. He was hurt pretty bad when they attacked you, was he not?”

“Aye, he had to go into surgery to remove three bullets. Shannon said it was touch and go, there for a bit, but he is recovering very well. He is still dopey from the drugs they are giving him for pain. I can only hope this news does not set him back in any way. It was very hard on him when Megan stayed in that coma, but at least he was able to be with her. If she does not come out of this soon, and he cannot see her, I do not know how it will affect him.”

Patrick spoke for the first time since he arrived. “It might be a good thing he is still on so much pain medication, as he has no real conception of time. Perhaps if we can make him believe he has been in the hospital for less time than he really has been, we can let him think she has not come into power yet and is still on the run. I hope that by the time he recovers more Megan will be back with us. Then we will not have to worry about him having any setbacks. I know Megan would be devastated if anything should happen to her father. If she does not return quickly enough, then we will have to explain it to him truthfully, but I can guarantee it is not going to be easy on him.”

“But what about Jim’s doctor?” Seamus asked

Paddy shrugged. “We will tell them Jim’s daughter is in another hospital, recovering. Which she is, sort of. We will convince Jim’s doctor it would be in his best interest to let Jim believe only a few hours have passed.”

“You are a devious man, Paddy O’Shea, but I could not agree with you more,” Sean said just as the rest of the families came waltzing in.

Liam then turned to Patrick and said with a gleam in his eye, “Your brother is right about you, Paddy my boy, but I must say I like the way you think.”

With that, everyone burst into laughter.

After catching his breath, Roarke said, “Well, now that we have settled that and since Fiona has told me she sees Megan waking soon enough, I think we should discuss this problem we have with Golden Enterprise while we all keep watch over our dear Megan.”

Time crawled. Both his family and the O’Shea’s stayed until well into the night. Finally, Conor told everyone Seamus needed his rest as well and they all departed. Shannon said she would check on Jim and would let Seamus know how he was in the morning.

Exhausted from the stress of everything that had happened in the last weeks, Seamus crawled into bed with Megan, speaking to her constantly with his mind as he held her until he slipped off to sleep himself.

As Megan walked with her mother through the enchanted land of the otherworld, she could understand why some would be happy to let go of life to be here. She, however, was not one of them. She wanted nothing more than to get back to Seamus and be held in his arms, as that was the only paradise she wanted now.

“Mom, what did you mean when you said that I’m supposed to be saving our people from evil?”

“I will explain it to you shortly. It will be a bit easier for you to comprehend if we wait until you have had your time in the place of understanding and knowledge. You would have gone there upon coming to Brú na Bóinne if you had arrived upon your own accord during your empowerment. Since that did not happen, I am going to take you there first and then we will finish this conversation.”

Megan blinked and found herself in a large room with inscriptions lining the walls. “How did we get here?”

“My little one, you have so much to learn. Take the time to walk the room and touch each wall of knowledge. After you have absorbed that, most of your questions will be answered for you. At that point, I will be able to give you any information you need.”

Megan did as her mother asked. When she touched the first wall, information flooded her mind. Walking to the next, she began to understand more of her people. She moved to the third and fourth wall. More and more knowledge bombarded her; it overwhelmed her. She sank to the floor giving herself the time to assimilate all she had learned.

When her mother touched her shoulder, she jumped. “We have little time left, and there are still things that you must be told.”

Nodding, Megan stood on shaky legs and followed her mother.

Next, they arrived in another room; this one had orbs spinning unaided in space. As Megan looked around, she was drawn to one in a far corner. She was ready to walk toward it when her mother said, “No, Megan, you must call it to you.”

Megan reached her hand out and the orb was instantly in her palm.

“Now we will need to leave this room before you try to activate it.”

Turning, they entered what reminded Megan of an elegant sitting room. Sitting, she proceeded to say the words to activate the orb. A flash of bright light encompassed the orb and traveled outward to include her, and within seconds, she had every memory from before she awoke from her coma seventeen years previously. Grabbing her head, she screamed from the shock.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The next day crawled as slowly as the one before. Pacing the room, Seamus wondered if his mate would ever regain consciousness. He had gained his full strength back and needed to have her with him. Once again, he talked to her, “Come back to me, a chroí, I need you.” Though he got no response verbally, his spirit eased as he felt a stirring of her energy. Yet, the dread he carried did not completely leave him.

When Donovan materialized at his side, he knew something was up by the look on his face. “What is it?”

“Jim is up and about and is asking for Megan. We cannot keep him in the dark as we originally hoped. It is almost as if he already knows something is amiss.”

“It does not surprise me as he does seem to be very in tune with Megan. It is a shame there is no way to bring him here, for it would ease him.”

“Aye, that it would. We can only hope Megan will awaken soon as it would not be good if this lasts as long as it did the last time.”

“If it even lasted one-tenth as long, I will lose my mind.”

“No matter what happens you must stay strong for her.”

“I know that she is going to come back to me soon, but as each day passes I am getting more restless.”

Before Donovan could say another word, Megan screamed and brought her hands to her head. Instantly, Conor, Fiona, and Shannon materialized beside her. Seamus collapsed on his knees with his head in his hands. A pair of strong hands gripped one arm and a moment later someone else took hold of his other arm. He looked up to see Donovan and Conor helping him to another bed. Donovan asked, “What is it, man?”

It took Seamus a few moments to catch his breath from the shock before he said, “Megan has somehow recovered her childhood memories quite swiftly, and it was a shock more than anything.”

Conor stared at Megan. “Now that is an interesting occurrence. I just cannot conceive how she could be in a coma and yet have complete mind activity to the point of triggering her memories. It should not be medically possible, but then neither is the fact that she is in a coma, so I would have to guess anything would be possible.”

Seamus looked around to each of them and then said, “She is not in a coma, nor was she back then. She is in the otherworld and having a conversation with her mother. I cannot comprehend what they were saying by any means, but she had her memories suppressed magically when she was a child and now she has recovered them. It would seem she was there the last time because she had been so young and the damage of what those bastards had done to her was so harsh the Sidhe suppressed her memories.”

Shannon turned to her mother and said, “Have you ever heard of such a thing? Is it possible to actually be in the Summerland and not be dead?”

Fiona smiled. “Never have I heard of such a thing, but with Megan it seems there are many things that occur out of the ordinary. She has more power than any of our people, or even lore has ever mentioned. If it is possible to go between both worlds it would be an extraordinary feat.” She then looked from Megan to Seamus and said, “If I am not mistaken the prophecy states something about walking in between both worlds. How that is possible, I do not know, but if you are getting the conversation straight, it would seem Megan has once again done the impossible.”

Shaking his head, Seamus said, “Aye, it would seem she is far beyond any of our people. What is being said is a bit muffled, but the gist of it is clear enough. I seem to have been mated to one exceptional woman. I can only hope we did not interpret the Fates’ wrong, when we figured Megan and I were meant to be together. If she were to be taken from me now, I would be lost forever.”

Fiona came up to Seamus, hugged him, and said, “No, my son, I saw you were to be mated to a great woman even as I carried you in my womb. It was a difficult thing for me when everyone insisted you were dead, because I knew you had a very important part in dealing with a great evil that is trying to infest our people and your mate was one of great power that will be important in conquering it. I never saw you being taken from us, yet it was hard when we could not contact you. I, even at one time, almost gave up hope. So do not worry about Megan not being meant for you, for the gods have deemed it so. Of that I am sure.”

Conor checked Megan out because she once again lay as still as death.

Then Seamus spoke to them all, “We might as well all try to get a little more rest as I think she will not come back to us for a little while yet. As for what needs to be told to Jim, maybe it would be best if I went to him and explained what I know.”

Donovan nodded and said, “That might be best. I will go with you, and we will try to ease him the best we can.”

Seamus smiled. “Aye, it would be smart for you to be there as well as I am sure Jim will be upset with me for not keeping her safe as I had promised to do.”

“Dammit, Seamus, if you had not been mated to her we would never have been able to find her at all. So do not try to take the blame for it,” Donovan said as he stalked over to Seamus. “You could have died trying to keep her safe and almost did. None of us did a very good job of it when they attacked us in the cave. If you had not taken her for that walk she would have been taken from the lot of us.”

“You are forgetting, Dono, she was the one who felt something was amiss as we returned to the cave.”

“Aye, but you were the one who got her out of there once you knew something was wrong and kept her safe for hours after that. You almost died trying to protect her and in the end found her and brought her home.”

Fiona spoke up and said, “You two go talk to Jim while I stay and watch over Megan. If anything happens I will contact you at once.”

Seamus went to Megan. “I have to go speak with your Da and ease his mind. I will be back soon.” He bent and kissed her.

He walked back to Donovan and with a nod, both Seamus and Donovan disappeared.

Megan awoke lying on the sofa with her head in her mother’s lap.

Looking down at her, Bernadette said, “I am sure that was a bit disconcerting for you. How are you feeling now?”

Shaking her head, Megan said, “Overwhelmed to say the least, but it’s nice to be able to remember all the things we did together when you were alive. I wish I could forget what they did to us in that warehouse. How could anyone do that and live with themselves?”

“These people have no conscience, little one, and the worst thing is that the person behind them is one of our own.”

Megan’s breath left her in a whoosh. “Who? Do I know this person?”

“No, you do not, but you will know of her soon, and you have a great undertaking in order to stop her. She is a very evil woman who lusts for power. All this will be explained to you in great detail soon. First, though, you will need to meet some of the others and Conall is anxious to see you.”

Megan thought for a moment and said, “I remember him from the last time. He played with me back then.” Then she could feel her eyes widen as she realized who Conall was. “He’s the prince isn’t he? The one who died just before you and dad married.”

“Aye, he is the prince, but he is much more. Come. That is yet another thing that has to be explained.”

Megan, not sure what to make of her mother’s vagueness, got up and walked out of the halls of knowledge.

When she arrived outside, Megan blinked at the brightness. Standing on the steps, as if waiting for them, was a man with long blond hair who stood about six-foot three from Megan’s estimate. Just from his regal stance, even though his back was to her, Megan knew he had to be the prince. When he turned to look at them, her breath caught. Looking into his eyes was like looking into a mirror. How could he have my eyes? No, I must be imagining things.

Then he smiled as if knowing her thoughts.

Bernadette spoke first. “Let us go somewhere that is comfortable to talk.”

Within seconds, they sat on a balcony overlooking the sea. Megan stared as the waves crashed over the rocks, trying to make sense of the thoughts that were running around in her head. After some time, Megan turned to her mother and Conall and asked, “I know all about true mates and the bonds between them and the impossibility of infidelity between them, so how could I have your eyes when you were already mated to another?”

Conall answered without hesitation. “I was forced into mating Mallaidh, even though she was not my true mate, when she threatened to kill my mother while she was pregnant with Devlyn. Mallaidh was already into her evil doings back then. She had a drug to prevent my mother from going to Brú na Bóinne upon delivery which would have killed both my mother and her unborn son. I knew Mallaidh would use it. She had some of her people in the castle long before my mother became pregnant, and I had no choice but to give her what she wanted as I did not know who she had working for her.”

“One day, not long after I was mated, I was visiting Seamus when his mother came up to me and told me she needed to talk to me in private. She told me she had seen great evil enveloping our people that would carry with it great destruction. Then she told me of a child born of the king’s family and the O’Shea’s that would be of great importance in crushing the evil bleeding into our people.”

Megan shifted in her chair. Conall paused until she settled back again.

“At the time, I thought that the person would be mated to my brother as I was already mated. Therefore, I informed my father he must keep my brother safe at all cost. Not being able to explain myself to him for fear Mallaidh would find out, my father made me that promise on faith alone. During the next three years, I was able to keep Mallaidh from becoming with child, as I knew that was one of her goals. She wanted to be queen. If she were the mother of my child and I became king that would be exactly what she would have been. Even if I was no longer around.”

A look passed between her mother and Conall that Megan could not interpret.

Conall continued, “I had known Bernadette for years and never knew she was my true mate. Then one day, when I was out having a drink with James, she came in and we both knew the truth. Unfortunately, there was no way to undo the bonding I was committed to. Bernadette and I met in secret for almost a year before Bernadette became with child. I then remembered Fiona’s prophecy. Knowing just how important you were to our people, we knew we had to do everything to keep you safe. After great discussion, we went to James and spoke to him. He agreed, since he had been half in love with your mother for months by then. Then I erased any memory he had of me being around Bernadette.”

Conall stopped talking. Megan just stared at him, not knowing what to say or even what to think. Jim was not her father?

Then, her mother told her the rest of the story. “I know this is hard for you to understand. When I became pregnant with you, we did the only thing we could to keep all of us safe. James thinks you are his daughter, and this must always be. I did grow to love James very much during the time we had together, even if it was nothing like the love I have for Conall. So I ask that you keep this part from him, as it would likely kill him to know the truth, but you will have to tell Seamus, my family and the King.”

Megan could do no more than nod. The ability to speak had abandoned her in the light of this new twist in her lineage.

“Unfortunately, Mallaidh must know of the prophecy and I think that is why she came after us. She could not kill either of us outright due to the repercussions, but she wanted to make sure there were no O’Shea women around to complete the prophecy. You were never supposed to have made it out of that lab alive the first time, but thanks to Seamus, you did.”

Bernadette put an arm around Megan and hugged her close before continuing. “Mallaidh kept very close tabs on you, biding her time knowing she would be given a second chance to kill you by preventing you from going to Brú na Bóinne upon your birthday and once again, she failed. She may leave you alone now, since you are mated to Seamus. I do not think she has figured out you are Conall’s daughter, but if she ever does she will come after you herself. She is very powerful as she has perfected a way of stealing powers from others now, so you will still need to be very careful.”

Then Megan asked, “Why did she come after you if she knew you were mated?”

“Because James would only live a normal life span, and then I would be free to mate again. I would say, she was taking no chances.”

Looking from her mother to her real father, Megan once again spoke. “My mind is working overtime trying to process all this. I have so many questions all jumbled together. If it’s okay, I’d like a little time alone.”

Bernadette answered, “You may take as much time as you need, but there still is much you have to learn and we do not want you to stay here any longer than necessary.”

Conall and Bernadette disappeared, leaving Megan alone to work through her thoughts.

When Seamus and Donovan arrived back, the whole family was sitting around talking. Sean looked up and said, “How did Jim take the news?”

Donovan answered, “He took it hard, but was happy that she was here and being cared for. I could tell he was worried she would be in the coma again for many years and he would not be able to visit. Seamus reassured him that she was not in a coma and felt she would be back with us soon.”

Seamus had gone to Megan’s side and was whispering to her in Gaelic, telling her to hurry back as both he and her father needed her.

He then turned to Fiona and asked how Megan had been while they were gone.

Fiona told him she was quiet for the most part, but a few times she had whimpered and thrashed around a bit. “I could not catch anything she was murmuring, but at one time it sounded like mallai or mathair, so I assumed she was talking to or about her mother.”

Concern washed over him. “Why would she get agitated talking to or about her mum? No, I have a bad feeling she is learning something she does not like. And more so something none of us are going to like.”

Donovan came over and looked down at his niece. Looking up to Seamus, he said, “Aye, I think you are right. She does seem a bit anxious about something. And until she comes out of this, we have no clue to what it could be, unless you are getting more from her.”

“I wish I could. It is almost as if she has somehow blocked me out. I can feel her energy but cannot get much of her thoughts.”

“You are old enough to do such a thing, but she is much too young to have such a power.”

Fiona started to laugh. “You all seem to forget Megan possesses powers way beyond any we have ever encountered.”

“Truer words have never been spoken.”

With a gasp all heads turned, as the King swept over to Megan’s side.

“How is she fairing? I cannot believe they snatched her away once again with all of you there to protect her along with my own guards. It is hard to believe these mere mortals would have such ability.”

Seamus answered him. “These mere mortals, as you so gallantly put it, have technology none of us have ever seen the likes of. They have been going at it for over twenty years from what I can gather. If we cannot get to the heart of it and find the head of this organization, I fear we are going to have some even more difficult times ahead. We also must find this traitor.”

The King looked tired as he let out a breath. “Aye, I truly wish Conall was here with us. I feel much too old to deal with all of this now. He should never have died and should have taken my place by now, and Devlyn is much too young. So it looks as though once again I have to call on powers that should have long ago left me.”

Fiona spoke then, although she was looking off in the distance, not focused. “Mo Rí, {My King} a great darkness has been trying to destroy your people now for some time. Beware of someone who lives within your household and has been deceiving you for many years. Protect your mate and child by bringing them here. Tell no one else, other than these two families. You and yours are in grave danger. Waste no time. You will not deal with this situation alone, as you will have much help from your son’s child. She carries more power than you could have ever imagined. All will be revealed to you soon.”

As everyone stared at her, she kept looking straight ahead and then collapsed. Seamus grabbed her before she hit the ground, carried her to one of the beds and laid her down.

It took the King a few minutes to get his voice. “What does she mean we are in danger? Whom was she referring to when she said my son’s child? My son has no child. Whom is she talking about? What in the Goddess’s name is going on?”

Seamus looked up and said, “I have no clue, give her a few minutes and I am sure she will be able to tell us herself.”

Bridget spoke, “She will not know what she meant. I have only seen her do that twice before and she could not remember even what was said let alone what was meant. She was in a trance as she spoke and therefore will not even remember the incident itself.”

Roarke materialized at his mate’s side. “What did she say?” He asked as he bent down to check on Fiona.

When Seamus told him what Fiona had said, Roarke turned to the room and said, “Seamus, you, Colin, Noel and Donovan go with the King and get his family here now. I can guarantee when Fiona says something during a trance and you do not heed it in all haste, it will be too late. Do as she says and tell no one. GO!”

Without another word, Seamus, Colin Noel, and Donovan surrounded the King and they were gone.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Megan trekked up and down the beach, then went back to the balcony and sat a little longer replaying every bit of information she had received. The man she knew all those years to be her dad, was not her father at all, yet she could think of him no other way. She was the daughter of the prince and granddaughter to the King. How could this be, worse yet, how was she going to keep this from her dad once she told everyone else?

She had to make them all promise to never tell her dad the truth, before she told them anything. That solved, she went on to the next problem, her real father’s mate. Somehow, she had to let the King know he was living with the traitor of his people, and a deadly one to boot. She had to be careful there as she did not know just who Mallaidh had working for her in the castle.

Good God, how was the King going to react to all this? Would he even believe her? How did she get him to understand and keep the royal family safe? God, her life had gone from mundane to nuts in a matter of weeks. She would do anything to have boring back again. She told herself to stop wallowing in self-pity, buck up, and get some answers to the thousands of questions now running around in her head.

She then called to her mother.

Both Bernadette and Conall materialized in front of her. For the next few hours, they talked; answering her many questions and explaining different things to her.

Conall then got up and said, “I will leave you two for a while, but will see you before you leave.” With that, he took Megan in his arms and kissed her. “I have never been more proud than to know you are my daughter.” And he was gone.

Megan felt such a sense of love that tears trickled down her cheeks.

Then her mother stood, holding out her hand, and said, “Come. Let us walk as I am sure you still have many unanswered questions.”

Four days had passed, and Megan still showed no signs of regaining consciousness. Seamus felt as if he was going out of his mind. Even keeping busy with going back and forth keeping Jim updated on Megan’s progress, talking with both his and Megan’s families and dealing with the royal family did not help. He knew he was going to be in trouble if she did not come back soon. He had not gotten any sleep now for the last three days and eating was out of the question. He had become so restless and crabby that everyone was beginning to shy away from him. When Donovan came into the room, he turned and growled at him.

Putting both hands in front of him, Donovan said, “Easy, Seamus, you will do Megan no good if you do not settle down.”

Rubbing his hand over his face, trying hard to get himself under some control, Seamus said, “I do not know what to do, I feel as if I am going insane. If she does not come back to me soon, I do not know what will happen.”

“Perhaps a run in the woods would help to relieve some of your tension. This is rough on all of us, but for you, being her mate, it must be one hundred times worse.”

“Maybe that would be a good idea, would you keep me company?”

“Aye, and I think we should bring Colin and Paddy with us. Safety in numbers is best until we know more about this threat your mum has been fretting about.”

He no sooner finished his words than Colin and Patrick were at their sides.

Colin turned to Seamus and said, “Mum is on her way in to watch over Megan for you. She said she would call us if anything changed.”

Seamus was still more than a bit agitated but knew Donovan was right and a good run would ease him. As soon as his mother arrived, they all disappeared, leaving Fiona with Megan.

Megan strolled with her mother and asked her many questions she needed answered, but one she did not know how to ask. Yet, she knew it was the one she most needed an answer to. Finally gathering the courage she needed, she said, “I’m not sure how to put this, but I need to know. When you died, everyone said you shouldn’t have, because your injuries were not life threatening to us. Did you just will yourself to leave, or is there something no one knows about that can kill us?”

Bernadette turned to Megan, shock covering her face. “Little one, do you really think I would have left you under my own power? No, my darling, I fought with my last breath to stay with you, but in the end I was given no choice. Think back to that day, before they kidnapped us. Do you remember the conversation we had before I started telling you about my first change again?”

Megan thought for a moment and then sucked in a breath. “You were pregnant.”

“Aye, I was three months along, carrying Jim’s child, and I was going to tell him that evening. You had been ecstatic about having a baby brother. My only worry was then everyone would then know James was not your father.”

Megan’s heart pounded and tears leaked from her eyes. “They took the baby didn’t they? That is why you died. Damn them, not only did Dad lose you, but also his own son.”

“Aye, and you lost your mother and brother. These people have no conscience to be able to do the things they are doing, and now the time has come when you are old enough to fulfill your destiny. You will be the one that will stop them.”

No sooner did her mother finish those words than her father materialized next to her. With him stood two women, one was a beautiful, tall woman with long flowing raven hair and dressed in a silvery-black gown. In her hand, she carried a jeweled sword that made Megan think of an ancient warrior.

The other woman kept changing before her eyes. She mesmerized Megan. Looking at her, Megan could almost become lost and yet she gave Megan a great sense of peace. When she spoke to her, Megan hung on every word. “I, Danú, the mother of The Tuatha Dé Danann, beseech you to restore balance unto my people. In all their years, there has never been darkness such as this to come upon them. You shall lead the battle to defeat this darkness.”

Then the woman with the sword spoke to Megan. “You have much to do when you return to our people. I, Mórrígan, goddess of battle, shall bestow upon you even greater powers to defeat your enemy. She has created an army of fearful people who will go to great lengths to destroy The Tuatha Dé Danann. This undertaking shall not be an easy task and shall take many years to accomplish. Nevertheless, with my help you shall be triumphant. You may call upon me at anytime. I will hear you and guide you through, by any means necessary.”

She reached out and touched Megan’s head with the sword. A white glow started from the hilt of the sword and encompassed Megan. The light grew brighter and brighter to the point Megan could see nothing else, and then, just as suddenly, it was gone. Blinking, Megan looked around, but only her mother and father now stood in front of her.

As Megan’s legs gave out, she sat. “What just happened? Who were they?” She asked with a shaky breath.

Conall smiled and said, “You have met the goddesses Danú and Mórrígan. It seems you have just become a champion for The Mórrígan herself. No greater honor could have been given to anyone.”

Her father stepped up to her and helped her to her feet. Giving her another hug and kiss, he said, “We shall be watching over you. Take my love with you and carry it always.”

Then her mother put her arms around her and whispered, “It is time for you to return to your family. I love you, little one, and only wish I could have been with you as you grew, but remember I will always be with you here.” She placed her hand over Megan’s heart. “Now follow the sound of your mate’s voice as he is desperate to have you back.”

Just before the dawn, a brilliant light encompassed Megan’s body. As Seamus watched, it began glowing brighter and brighter. Within seconds, it looked as though the sun was enveloping the room. It did not take long before everyone awoke and stood watching. Then it was gone.

Seamus ran over and grabbed Megan into his arms calling to her, speaking in Gaelic and English, telling her to come back to him, as he could not live without her. When her eyes fluttered open, there was a collective sigh of relief.

Seamus was speechless with the sense of exhilaration that went through him. She was back, his mate, his love, his Megan. All he could do was stare at her, and thank the gods she was back with him.

Everyone started talking at once. Asking how she was feeling. Did she remember everything before her coma? Did she know who they were?

Megan started laughing. “Fine, yes and yes. Now you all are starting to sound like me. For crying out loud, I have only been out of it for a few hours, not years.”

Fiona came up to her and Seamus. “Let me check her out and then we will leave you both alone. When she is ready she can tell everyone the news she has brought with her from the otherworld.”

Megan gasped. “How did you know?”

Smiling, Fiona said, “Child, you know I have the gift of sight, but it was Seamus who let us know where you were. I know you have much news that you have brought back with you even if I do not know what that news is. When you are ready you will share it with us.”

Seamus could barely breathe as Megan spoke to their relatives. He needed to hold her, touch her.

“You must get the King and his family out of the castle as it’s not safe.”

Fiona replied, “It is already done child. He is safe.”

Megan glanced around the room and then her gaze locked on Seamus. “I’ll explain everything later. I need time with my mate, I’ve been feeling his anxiousness for hours.”

They all gave her a hug in turn and left. Donovan was the last to leave and told them he would go over and give Jim the good news and tell him she would be by to see him in a few hours.

Megan thanked him and he left.

Turning to Seamus, she jumped into his arms. “God, I missed you. I can’t believe that being away from you for less than a day feels like months.” She claimed his mouth.

Kissing her back, it was as though he could not get enough of her. When he finally came up for air, he said, “Megan you were not gone for only a few hours, you have been in a coma state for five of the most agonizing days of my life. I felt as if I were going insane without you. When that light encompassed you, I was sure you were leaving me for good. I do not ever want to go through that again as long as I live.”

Gasping, Megan said, “That’s not possible. I know I wasn’t even there a full day. The sun was just beginning to set when I left.”

“Trust me, a ghrá; time obviously does not pass the same here as it does in the otherworld because we have had a full five days while you were there. Even your father has nearly recovered enough from his injuries to go home since you have been gone. Now we can figure all this out in a while, right now I need to make love to you to give my spirit peace and to know you are really here with me.”

“I would like nothing better.” And as Megan spoke, she made their clothing disappear.

His eyes gazed slowly over her from head to toe. When he looked once again into her eyes, his eyes had gone forest green with yellow specks pulsating in them. He had her in his arms and them both on the bed before she could blink. He was devouring her with his hands and mouth, as he murmured to her in Gaelic.

He brought her to her first climax and then he was in her bringing her yet to another.

When they lay spent in each other’s arms, he said, “If I ever have to be away from you for even a few hours again you might as well just put me into the ground. These last five days have been worse on me than the month I spent being tortured could have ever been.”

“I’m sorry I caused you pain. I really thought I was only gone for about ten hours. Now that I think about it, last time it was for a few weeks, yet it was actually five years of my life.”

“So are you going to tell me what happened when you were in the otherworld?”

“I’ve got tons to tell you. Some of it is almost unbelievable. I need to tell everyone together. There are two things I have to do first before I tell everyone.”

Wiggling his eyebrows at her, he asked, “Could one of those be making love to me once more?”

Laughing, she smacked him across the chest. “Is that all you ever have on your mind?”

Giving her an innocent look, he said, “Well, you have deprived me for what seems like a lifetime.” His hands started bringing her into a heated frenzy once more.

Once both their needs were satisfied, Seamus said, “Now since that was not one of the two things you had in mind, what is it you must do?”

Curled up next to him, sated and refreshed, Megan let out a sigh and said, “I need to go see Dad, and then back to the cave and get my mom’s memory crystals.”

“Well, then a ghrá, let us get to it, so I can spend some more time with you alone and show you just how much I appreciate you coming back to me.”

“Any more appreciation and I’m not going to be able to walk for a week.”

She could see a mischievous look come into his eyes as he said, “Oh, trust me. You will not need to walk, for what I have in mind.”

She could not suppress a giggle. “Seamus, you rogue, that’s all you ever think of.”

“At this moment love, looking at you, I could have no other thoughts.”

Laughing, Megan got up and they both dressed. Within seconds, they were at the hospital visiting her father.

Jim’s relief was evident when he started to cry. “Megan, I’ve been so worried you’d stay in another coma like the last time.” Megan could tell her dad was reluctant to ask the questions by the way he ran his hands through his hair. He cleared his throat. “Are your memories okay?”

Smiling, Megan went to Jim and hugged him. “My memory’s fine, Dad, I have all my memories even the ones from my childhood.”

He stared at her. “How’s that possible?”

“Well, it seems both times I really wasn’t in a coma, but in the otherworld. After the kidnapping, I was so distraught, the Sidhe tried to suppress the memory of it, I was too strong even then, so they had to suppress all my memory.”

“My God, how could they do that to you? Didn’t they know it would devastate you?”

“They knew it would be difficult, but the alternative was worse. Mom said I was pretty broken.”

Jim sucked in a breath. “You saw your mother?”

“Yes, Dad, she’s so beautiful. I’m so happy I can now remember her. The best part is remembering all the good times the three of us had together. She told me to tell you she loved you. She said she wanted you to know you did a great job raising me and that you should be very proud.”

By the time she finished, they were both hugging one another and crying tears of joy and sorrow. Then he asked the one question Megan had been wishing he would not think to ask.

“Megan, did she tell you how she died?”

Megan stiffened in her father’s arms. Megan felt Seamus tense and waited for his question.

“What is it, a stór? Is this something he should not know?”

“No. It’s something that’s going to devastate him, but he has a right to know.”

Megan straightened from her father and said, “There is no easy way to tell you this, so I am going to say it straight out. She was pregnant with your son, my brother. They took the fetus, she couldn’t transport herself and the baby to Brú na Bóinne because of the drug they used to stop her from transporting, and they died.”

As her father sobbed, Megan put her arms around him and cried with him, telling him how sorry she was.

“Megan that is not possible, our women can only give birth once every fifty years.”

Her mate’s surprise could endanger the rest of the truth Megan needed to keep from her father. She had to stop him from saying anything. “Please, Seamus, don’t say anymore. I’ll explain everything later, just trust me, Dad can’t know about this.”

Although she could tell he was still puzzled, Seamus refrained from mentioning any more about the baby as they talked for a while longer. When they had to leave, Seamus told Jim they would be back tomorrow to take him home. Saying their goodbyes, they left.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Seamus and Megan materialized in the cave, picking up the crystals of memories. Seamus could not wait any longer and asked, “Now that we are alone, can you explain to me how your mother became pregnant again when you were only eight? I know she had great powers, but not even she could go against the laws of nature. The only possible way for that to happen is...”

Megan cut him off. “Seamus, my dad must never know. Promise me.”

“Megan, I promise.”

“Thank you. You know, it’s amazing, all these years I thought I was just a run of the mill person. Then my whole life changed, and I find out I’m someone very special. Now I find out I’m not just special, but part of a prophecy. How’s that for a real kick in the ass?”

Puzzled, Seamus asked, “Megan what are you talking about? What does the prophecy have to do with your mother’s pregnancy?”

“Sorry. I forgot you haven’t heard this yet. I guess the easiest way would be for you to share my thoughts. Just enter my mind, it’ll make it quicker.”

Floored that she would offer such a thing, Seamus said, “Are you sure you want to do that, Megan, as once it is done you can never shut me out again.”

Smiling, Megan said, “Seamus you’re my true mate. I’ve no secrets from you. Your energy is already part of me along with your heart, soul, body, and love. Why not finish it with giving you access to my mind as well?”

Seamus walked over to her, taking her into his arms. “That is the one thing I did not ask of you, as I thought you would feel invaded. I wanted to give you time to understand our people better. I always thought you would allow it down the road, but for you to do it so soon is more than proof of trust, but also of love. If you will accept it, I will also give you the same offer.”

“Seamus, you don’t have to offer that just because I have.”

“Hush, I did not offer it to you the night of the Deasghnáth, because I thought you would be afraid that if you could read my mind, I could also read yours. I thought it best to wait, so now I am offering.”

They touched, closing their eyes and saying the words allowing each other into their minds.

For Seamus, he felt as though he was drowning in all that had happened to her in the short time she was in the otherworld. He was in total awe of the fact that she had met with both The Goddesses Danú and Mórrígan. However, when he found out who her true father was and the prophecy she was to fulfill, he was overwhelmed.

Megan grabbed Seamus’s arm, “We need to leave now.” She pulled them into the small cavern where she picked up her mother’s memory crystals and they dematerialized.

Megan’s heart raced when they materialized back at Brú na Bóinne. She willed her breathing to slow as she spoke, “Mallaidh’s people are still determined to recapture me. I wonder if Mom was wrong about her knowing I’m the one who can bring her down.”

“Perhaps she is just trying to make sure there are no O’Shea women left to fulfill the prophecy.”

“If that’s so, I can hope Shannon does not get pregnant for a while. If Mallaidh thinks there’s even a remote chance Shannon will have a girl, she’ll come after her as well.”

Seamus stiffened. “I had not thought of the possibility that Shannon could be in any danger.”

“Seamus, we’re all in danger. We need to figure out is why she went after you. Is there any chance she may know more of the prophecy than your mother?”

“Perhaps we need to talk to Mum and see if she can give us some insight to that.”

“Before we do, I want to see what the crystals of memory hold. Then I’ll talk to everyone else and tell them about Mallaidh.” As Megan said this, she put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a triad of stones she had retrieved from the cavern. One was black onyx, another a brown and white onyx and a third was a red onyx. Each carved with Celtic knots and swirls. Lifting her hand up with the stones flat in her palm, she recited the words that would activate them. . They lifted from her palm and started spinning. As they rotated faster and faster, it was almost as if they became one and then they began to take the shape of a holographic movie.

As they watched, first her Mother and then Conall appeared, confirming the things she had learned while in the otherworld. When they finished, Megan went to put her hand out to recall the crystals when another figure appeared.

Megan recognized the Goddess Danú as she spoke to them. “You have the power to bring them both here to tell it all, then not one would doubt your word. Once you have gathered all your family use the crystals and call your parents forth.”

Then she was gone and the crystals dropped to the ground. Seamus and Megan stood, their eyes transfixed to the area where Danú had stood.

Donovan came in and cleared his throat, bringing them back out of their stupor. “What is it? You both look as though you saw a ghost.”

Seamus answered. “Not a ghost, Dono, a goddess.”

Eyeing them both suspiciously, Donovan said, “And what have you two been drinking?”

“Nothing my friend, now what did you need?”

Shaking his head as if trying to clear his thoughts, Donovan said, “Aye, we wanted to know if you two would like to join us for supper in the great hall. We are all anxious to hear of Megan’s adventure in the otherworld and of her news.”

Bending down to retrieve the crystals Megan said, “Yeah, I think it’s time you all heard the news I have. I can guarantee, Uncle Donovan, it’s going to shock the hell out of you.” She chuckled.

The three of them walked through the passageways to the great hall. When they arrived, all her family, Seamus’s family, and the royal family were waiting for them. They ate and had what Megan would consider normal conversations. She could feel her own tension climbing as the meal came to a close.

Once the dinner was over, Ruairi turned to Megan and said, “I know you have much to discuss with your family so we will leave you to it.”

Unsure how to address the King, Megan stammered, “Sir…if you’ll please stay, what I have to say also includes your family.”

Ruairi laughed, “Megan, child, you do not have to address me any other way but by my name. Now you have my curiosity up, so please proceed.”

All eyes in the room turned toward her and her anxiety level went up.

Seamus put his hand on her arm and spoke telepathically. “Everyone is going to be shocked at first, as I was, but it will not be as bad as you think.”

“I hope you’re right. This news is going to devastate some of them. Before a few weeks ago, a lot of them didn’t even know me.”

“Remember every last one of them are family now, including Ruairi,” Seamus said.

When everyone got quiet, Megan knew it was time to start. Clearing her throat, she said, “First I need you all to agree to keep one secret from my dad.”

Once she witnessed a nod of consent from each person in the room she continued. “You all need to know…why my mom died. She was three months pregnant with my baby brother when those butchers kidnapped us.”

A collective gasp went through the room. The silence was almost deafening as her words sunk in. “Yes, my dad’s not my biological father, and that’s the one you can’t tell him.”

It was Ruairi who then asked, “That being the case child, do you know who your father is?”

“Yes, sir, and that’s the shocker. So instead of me telling any of you, it’ll easier if I let them,” she said as she pulled the memory crystals from her pocket. Instead of just activating them this time, she also called her parents to join them in the now.

As previously, the crystals started spinning, lifting from her palm. As they rotated faster and faster, they began to take the shape of a holographic movie once more. Only this time, her mother and father were standing together holding hands.

As Megan watched the faces of her family, she saw disbelief, devastation, excitement, awe, and questions. In all of them she saw tears. Her heart went out the most to Ruairi and Aine, as she watched tears course down their cheeks. Ruairi’s mouth moved to form the word “how?” and his eyes riveted on Conall.

Conall spoke. “I am sure this comes as quite a shock to all of you, but more so to you, Father. I am sorry you all had to live with this deception for so long, but it was necessary to protect Megan from Mallaidh. She is the one who has been behind all the kidnappings and killings of our people. She has many working with her, so you must be careful, as all of you are now in danger from her wrath.”

Megan could feel Ruairi’s fury and despair as he spoke with his son.

“I asked you this once before and you told me it had to be. Will you answer now why you mated with Mallaidh against both The Fates and me?”

“I had no choice as Mother was with child and Mallaidh threatened to use some drug to prevent her from going to Brú na Bóinne upon delivery. I knew she had infiltrated the castle already, and she would have done as she threatened. She wanted power and to be queen. I was able to prevent her from becoming with child herself through magic, because I knew she would have killed Devlyn after his birth and then gone after you and Mother.”

A wailing sob came from Aine, and Ruairi hugged her trying to comfort her, at the same time Conall turned to her, love showing in his eyes. “Do not blame yourself mathair, she had this planned for many years.”

Megan could see shock paint every face in the room.

Then Ruairi looked back up and asked, “Did she murder you?”

“No, that was at my own hand, once I realized Bernadette was pregnant with my child and upon remembering what Fiona had told me years before. The safest course was to leave.”

Ruairi turned toward Fiona and said, “Tell me this prophecy.”

All eyes focused on Fiona, as she said, “The prophecy states that a darkness shall penetrate our realm. Only a child produced from the loins of the families of the king of our people and of the Tribes of Kilkenny, whose ancestral homeland was Kerry, will have the ability to thwart the darkness from spreading. This child shall be the instrument in bringing the light that shall destroy the darkness. It is also said that the first-born son of the family the Tribes of Meath shall stand at her side in this battle. One other part of the prophecy states the child shall have the ability to go between both worlds. That was one part I did not understand,” Fiona gazed toward Megan and finished, “Until now.”

When Bernadette spoke again, everyone’s attention went back to her and Conall. “We knew what would happen if Mallaidh found out I was carrying Conall’s child. James was the only one we could trust. He knew about Conall and I for the year we had been seeing each other and kept our secret. We knew our child was the child of the prophecy.”

“We talked to him first and he agreed to marry me and raise my child as his own, saying he had been in love with me for some time anyway. Once we explained about the prophecy, he decided he wanted to have his memories manipulated in order to prevent anyone from being able to find out about Megan from him.”

Donovan then asked, “How is it I was not able to sense this untruth about Megan from you? Also, if Mallaidh did not know about Megan, why did she come after you both?”

Bernadette answered. “We think Mallaidh knew of the prophecy, so she was trying to prevent any O’Shea women from mating with an O’Nihill. She set her people on us to get rid of us, but she had to be careful, as she could not afford anyone finding out she was behind it. Thanks to Seamus, she has failed to destroy her true opponent twice and now that Megan has her full power, and much more, Mallaidh’s days are numbered. Although, as Megan knows, it is not going to be an easy battle. It will take many years as well. As for not sensing the untruth, I had Conall manipulate my memories, knowing you would be able to tell I was not telling the truth and to prevent anyone from learning of our daughter. Once I became pregnant again, my memories returned and I knew I would have to confide in the family. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to do so.”

They continued talking and answering questions well into the night. Megan was beginning to feel signs of weakening when Seamus pushed his energy into her so they could continue until everyone was satisfied. Finally, she could feel even his energy abating and Megan urged Seamus to halt the session.

Seamus said, “I know we all could continue conversing through the night, but unfortunately, it is taking a toll on both Megan and myself so we are going to have to let the door between our worlds to close.”

They all said their goodbyes and Megan stood. She swayed, and Seamus steadied her. She reached her hand out, called the crystals to her, and closed the doorway.

Megan then turned, looked at her family, smiled, and said, “I know this as much a shock to all of you as it was for me. Personally, I think I am too young and inexperienced to be leading a battle against someone as old and powerful as Mallaidh. Unfortunately, I don’t have a choice. I hope all of you will help and guide me through this. Before I left the otherworld, I had the privilege to meet the Goddesses Danú and Mórrígan, and they gave me some great gifts, one of which you just saw. You’re about to see two more.”

Turning to Colin, she asked, “Do you still have those machines that detect the tracking chips?”

Colin replied, “Aye, do you want them now?”

“Please.” She no sooner got the words out than both Colin and Conor were gone. She then turned to Seamus and said, “Now we know why she wanted you, too. She was hedging her bets. She had to have somehow set explosives that night to get rid of all three of us at once.”

Turning back to their family she said, “We need to assume she now knows who I am. She is going to try anything to get to me, and I think she is going to try to use each and every one of you to do it.”

When Colin and Conor reappeared with the equipment she asked for, she asked Colin to turn his on, so she could see everyone who had one of the microchips implanted in them.

When Colin did, seven bleeps came on the screen. “What the…?”

Megan then asked, “Conor, would you use your machine to pinpoint where the microchip is in Seamus’s body?”

When Conor ran the machine up and down Seamus, he found a microchip in Seamus’s left hip. Megan then placed her hand over the area and when she took it away she had the chip in her hand. Placing the chip on the table she went to Noel, Brian, Donovan, and Sean, repeating the procedure and then to herself.

With the machine Colin had, they followed the last beep and ended up in front of Devlyn. Then Megan said, “I’m not surprised she somehow placed a microchip in you, she probably planned to have you abducted too.” Then with Conor’s help, they located Devlyn’s microchip and Megan removed it.

Next Megan said, “Now if you will all form a circle around me, I’m going to perform my last task for the night.”

When everyone did as she asked, she stood in the middle with Seamus. He was in her mind and knew what the next step was. Together, they worked a spell then cast it out encompassing them all.

When she finished, Donovan asked what she had done. Megan said, “You’ll now all be able to transport anywhere undetected, like a ghost.”

She glanced around the room. “Now, I’m calling it a night. See you all tomorrow so we can secure my grandfather’s castle.”

Epilogue

Megan woke in Seamus’s arms, as she had for the last few weeks. Her life had settled down into what to the outside would look like a normal everyday existence. It was easy to believe everything that had happened had been no more than a dream. Unfortunately, it was far from a dream. She and her family would soon be engaged in a battle for their lives and that of all Tuatha’s.

However, for now she was going to enjoy every moment of peace she could accomplish. Even in her wildest dreams, she never imagined she would be so in love with someone, as she was with the man lying at her side. Her heart soared every time she thought about it. That part of her life was like a fairytale come true.

She had quit her job, subleased her apartment, and was now living in a beautiful home outside of Dublin. Her father was still living in his place in Chicago, where she visited him at least two or three times a week. His work kept him quite busy, so she did not overly worry about him. Her grandfather’s castle was now secure. Her uncles had gone back to their normal routines for a few weeks with the exception of Patrick who had been spending an exorbitant amount of time with the small obsidian wolf he rescued from Golden Enterprise’s labs.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Seamus sleepily whispered, “I do not think I will ever get enough of you no matter how long we live.”

Megan shifted and snuggled closer to Seamus whose hands were now making a slow, but methodical exploration of her body. He had a way of making her body hum as it went up in flames. “If you ever do, just let me know, I am sure I can do something that will peak your interest all over again,” Megan said with a grin as she pushed Seamus onto his back and straddled him, slowly taking him into her body, inch by glorious inch.

A shudder ran through him, as he watched Megan start to ride him. She looked like a goddess as she threw her head back, arching her back while she began to increase her speed. His one hand reached up to cup her firm breast as his other dove into the triangular mass of curls where they were joined, finding her nub, rubbing and manipulating it.

“Look at me, a ghrá. I want to see your eyes when you come.” Without hesitation, she obeyed. Her eyes were cobalt. They started to glaze over, and she cried out when her climax overtook her. He reached up, bringing her down to him, kissed her, and then he had her underneath him. She climaxed a second time before the first ever abated, and this time he came with her. They lay there for the longest time letting their breathing settle. He thanked the Goddesses for the wonderful gift they had given him in her. She was his world, his everything.

“One of these days we are going to break into a million pieces with such force we will never come back into our bodies. We’ll float around for eternity that way,” Megan whispered.

“If I have to go, that would be the perfect way,” Seamus replied, chuckling.

GLOSSARY

A Chroí (ah hree) My Heart

A Ghrá (ah hraw) My Love

A Rún (ah ruin) My Dear

A Stór (ah store) My Darling or My Sweetheart

A Mhuirnín (ah wer-neen) My Beloved

A Thiarnaí Uaisle High Lords

Banríon Queen

Brú na Bóinne (broo-na-boyne) The place the Tuatha Dé Danann go to heal and learn of their heritage.

Deasghnáth Ritual

Danú (DAH-noo) The Goddess Danú, Mother of the Tuatha Dé Danann

Mathair Mother

Morrígan (MOHR-ee-gan) Great Queen, Irish goddess of war.

Mallaidh (MAL-ee) Her name means “bitter.”

Prionsa Prince

Rí King

Sidhe (Shee) Are a supernatural race, quite distinct from humankind. They dwell underground in the hills or mounds that dot the Irish landscape.

Summerland This is where the dead reside.

Tuatha Dé Danann (tOO'uthu d~ dä'nän) The children of the Goddess Danú. An ancient Celtic People that at the age of thirty (males), and twenty-five (females) come into their magical power. At that point the aging process slows to one month for every three years of life. They can travel and bring something to them at a thought. They can turn into any animal of their choosing. They are very hard to kill, but it is not impossible.

Ritual Words

“Tugaim duit mo ghrá, mar a thugann tu domsa do ghrá”

“I give you my love, as you give me yours.”

“Tugaim duit mo chorp, mar a thugann tu domsa do chorp”

“I give you my body, as you give me yours.”

“Tugaim duit mo chroí, mar a thugann tu domsa do chroí”

“I give you my heart, as you give me yours.”

“Tugaim duit mo anam, mar a thugann tu domsa do anam”

“I give you my soul, as you give me yours.”

“Tugaim duit mo bheatha, mar a thugann tu domsa do bheatha”

“I give you my life, as you give me yours.”

“Tugaim duit mo chumhacht, mar a thugann tu domsa do humhacht”

“I give you my power, as you give me yours.”

“Ceanglaím tu liomsa, mar a cheanglaím mé fhéin leatsa”

“I bind you to me, as I bind myself to you.”

“Gach aon rud ata agamsa, is leatsa é, anois agus go síoraí”

“All that is mine is yours for now through eternity.”

“Is mor an onoir dom a bheith I gceannas AR an ocaid athasach seo. Tugaim cead go gceanglofar Le cheile an lanuin seo, Seamus Ó Ceallaigh, mac Le Ruairc Ó Ceallaigh agus Feona In Cheallaigh, nee Mac Cionaioth, Le Megan Tully, inion Le Seamus Tully agus Bernadette Tully, nee Ó Séaghdha, garinion Le Liam Ó Séaghdra agus Nuala In She, nee In Fhlanagáin. Impim AR an Bandia Danu an lanuin seo a bheannu I ngach bealach, ionnas go mbedh saibhreas agus sonas acu go buan. At suil agam go mbeidh saol fada agus sonasach agaibh beirt.”

“It is my most honored duty to preside over this most joyous occasion. I therefore give my consent that this couple, Seamus O’Kelly son of Roarke O’Kelly and Fiona O’Kelly nee MacKenna to Megan Tully daughter of James Tully and Bernadette Tully nee O’Shea, granddaughter of Liam O’Shea and Nuala O’Shea nee Flanagan. May the Goddess Danú look down upon this union with fondness and bless this couple with abundance in all ways. May you both live a long and happy life.”

Coming Soon the next book in

The Daughter of Prophecy Novel

STOLEN MAGIC

Turn the page for a sneak preview.

Chapter One

The smell hit him first—blood, sweat, and waste. Cages lined the wall crammed with animals and people. Rage flooded through Patrick O’Shea like lava. No one should endure such conditions. This is inexcusable. The stories Seamus told him about his captivity never prepared him for this. The tortured and degraded state of his people, The Tuatha Dé Danann, unleashed his fury. The walls pulsed, cracks formed and plaster fell from the ceiling. It took all his strength to contain his power, in order to prevent the building’s collapse. Trembling from the effort, he realized he never before lost control of his powers. Why was this situation causing him to do so now?

Patrick reached the first cage; his stomach churned, trying to eliminate the dinner eaten hours earlier. A small obsidian wolf with gashes covering her body and blood encrusted fur, laid curled in a ball. His telepathic thoughts could not reach her mind, so he squatted in front of the cage and spoke words of comfort in Gaelic.

Straining to lift her head, the wolf’s eyes glared at him and she trembled. As he released the lock on the cage, a low growl emerged from deep within her throat and her hackles shot up. Dragging her body to a crouched position, she backed into the corner as far as she could and snarled, even as shudder after shudder raked her body.

“Easy girl, I am here to get you out and take you to safety. Your wounds need tending. We need to get you to Brú na Bóinne.” As he spoke, the wolf’s body convulsed once more and she collapsed.

“Dono, Colin, Conor, I have found some of our people. They are all in horrific condition. Conor, we need healers here without delay. Our people must be transported to Brú na Bóinne immediately.”

Both Donovan and Colin materialized at his side. As they went from cage to cage checking the others, Donovan said, “Bloody hell, I do not see how any of them could possibly make it, or how they even lasted this long. I can only hope some of them are going to pull through. Where the hell are Conor and our healers?”

The words no sooner left his mouth, when Conor, Bridget, Fiona, Shannon, and Liam arrived.

“By the gods, how could anyone do such a thing to another human being?” Shannon asked. Turning, she grabbed a bucket and heaved her stomach’s contents.

“We need to take them one at a time.” Conor turned to Patrick with horror and revulsion in his eyes. “You will need to guard the others. There may still be more of our enemy lurking about. Keep your shield up as we have no clue what other tricks they may have up their sleeves.”

They arrived at this wretched place just in time to save his niece, Megan from sure death. As a Tuatha Dé Danann, coming into her powers, Megan needed to transport to Brú na Bóinne by midnight of her twenty-fifth birthday. These bastards kidnapped her and, even though they only had her twenty-four hours, inflicted horrifying atrocities upon her.

Donovan wrenched Patrick from his thoughts when he said, “Aye, although we have only found four, including the one Seamus killed when we first arrived. I agree; keep your shield up.” He turned toward Conor and asked, “How is Megan; is she going to make it?”

Conor answered, “Her breathing and heart rate are back to normal although she is still sleeping. I suspect she will remain so for a good few hours before she is fully recovered.”

Patrick once again knelt down by the little black wolf’s cage. He glanced up as Fiona walked over. “She is in desperate shape, but still she tried to fight when I first found her.”

Putting her hand on his shoulder, Fiona said, “Open the cage, and get her out. We will take her first.”

The healers surrounded Patrick as he lifted the small wolf from the cage, holding her as if she were as precious as gold and as fragile as china. When Patrick started to hand her to Conor, she whimpered.

Conor shook his head. “Keep her close to you and transport with us. She seems to feel safe with you, and I do not want to traumatize her any more than she already is.”

Each placed a hand on her and they all dematerialized. Within seconds, they reappeared in Brú na Bóinne.

“Place her over on that bed so we can examine her. We have little time as we need to get the rest of them here.”

With great care, Patrick laid the wolf down on the bed Conor had indicated. Running his hand through her fur, he cleaned away the blood and mats. Bending down he whispered to her. “You are safe now. No one here will hurt you. Just rest, recover, and I will see you later.” With that, he was gone.