ChapterFifteen
“Counterclockwise, fool!” Deardha roared against the crystal, her breath fogging the glass.
Damn, the fool was weak and did not follow instructions well at all. The idiot couldn’t even read a basic grimoire. She tapped the crystal with a blackened nail as Gabriel stumbled in circles about the room.
What a pathetic failure. Deardha propped her chin in her hands and leaned her elbows against the pedestal. She was going to have to possess the imbecile’s body after all. Possession was always so unpleasant. She hadn’t possessed anyone since the thirteenth century and at least that had been a dear little child. Men were such filthy, piteous beasts when she took them over. Always obsessed with grabbing their cocks to make sure it still hung between their legs.
Deardha blew out an irritated sigh. It was the only way. Latharn appeared to be growing stronger now that his little bitch was on the soil of his homeland. Apparently, she should’ve taken into account his mystical abilities when she conjured his crystal cell. If only she’d foreseen his ability to travel the cosmos with his mind. No matter. She still would have him.
No man dare cast her aside, least of all Latharn MacKay. He would beg to return to her bed. She would force a pledge of his heart to her. And then he would die a delightful death of her choosing, one that involved something wondrously painful and excruciatingly slow.
ChapterSixteen
Her cell phone jarred her out of her head-jerking doze. Nessa scowled at the contraption as she pulled it from her pocket. With a bleary-eyed squint, she focused on the display, unable to identify the number demanding her immediate attention.
“Hello,” she snapped. Nessa rubbed her eyes as she held the phone to her ear. She shot Trish an angry glare as her head whacked against the window for at least the third time since they’d left the dig. If there were a single pothole anywhere in the road, Trish would always manage to plow right through the middle of it.
“Nessa?” Gabriel’s voice buzzed in her ear. He sounded uncertain he’d dialed the correct number.
“Oh, Gabriel. Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. It’s just that I’m in the process of having my teeth rattled out of my head as Trish explores every pothole in Scotland.”
Nessa thumped Trish’s shoulder and covered the mouthpiece of her phone. “Slow this damn thing down,” she hissed.
His rich laughter rumbled in her ear as Gabriel snorted his reply, “I’m not even going to ask ye what that means. I’m just relieved your anger isn’t directed at me.”
Nessa yawned and sat up straighter in the seat. Wiping the mist from her side of the windshield, she focused on the road ahead. If she remembered her landmarks, once they passed that last weathered cairn on the right it wasn’t much farther to the MacKays’ house. As she tried to rub the bleariness out of her eyes, Nessa gave up and decided to take the polite route for this conversation. “So, how are you feeling?”
His voice a bit strained, Gabriel was quick to reply, “I’m quite a bit better. I’ve been able to graduate from the crutches to a cane and my ribs are not paining me nearly as much. Ye would know that if ye would listen to your messages that I’ve been leaving every time I call.” A reproachful tone crept even deeper into his voice as Gabriel hurried to scold her even more. “And I canna believe ye have not stopped by the pub. ’Tis been almost three weeks since I’ve seen your lovely face.”
Nessa closed her eyes, clenching the phone tighter. She should not have answered it, especially when she didn’t recognize the number. She squelched the tendril of self-imposed guilt by rerunning Cordelia’s words through her head. She’d be damned if she’d become any man’s lapdog, even one as handsome as Gabriel Burns. She might be plain, but she had a lot going for her and she wasn’t afraid of being alone. If true love really existed, that would be great. But she wasn’t about to go fawning after any man, no matter how great he looked in a pair of tight-fitting jeans.
“Nessa? Are ye there?”
Gabriel’s voice interrupted her fuming and pulled her back into the conversation. “I’m here. Sorry. I guess we must have a bad signal here.” Nessa shrugged her shoulders at Trish as she scratched her nails on the phone in her own simulation of cellular interference.
“Promise me ye will be good enough to stop by the pub tomorrow and allow me to fix ye a bit of lunch.” His voice smooth and cajoling, Gabriel purred into her ear.
Too tired to argue, Nessa latched onto the next best thing she could think of; she decided to play the clueless female. “That’ll be great. Trish and I have to come into town to file some papers. We’ll stop by the pub on the way out and you can treat us both.”
Nessa grinned when Gabriel went silent. She knew he had intended for her to come alone. She closed her eyes, leaned back against the headrest, and waited for his reply.
“That’ll be grand. I’ll see the two of ye tomorrow and I’ll fix ye a fine repast.”
Nessa stifled a giggle. She was almost disappointed. Gabriel had recovered well. His voice held only the slightest tinge of frustration over a strong layer of determination.
“We’ll see you then.” Nessa clicked the phone shut and stuffed it back into her pocket. She reveled in an eye-watering yawn and then turned to face Trish’s expectant you-better-tell-me face. “What?”
“Okay. First, you’re so insecure you’re afraid to go out with this guy. Then you attempt a date with him and decide he’s okay but you’re not really interested. But you’re still kind of wishy-washy and could go either way. Now, although he doesn’t realize it yet, you’re cutting your ties to him by dragging along the old best friend. What gives with this guy?” Trish waited, one brow arched as she darted glances between the road and Nessa’s face.
Nessa rubbed her face with her hands, yawned again, and scrubbed her fingers through her hair until it stood on end. “Let’s just say I don’t think Gabriel is quite what he seems. I’ve rethought my first impression of the man and I think holding him at arm’s length isn’t such a bad idea right now.”
Trish shook her head. “Pass him on to me. I’ll hang onto him for you. I think he’s hot.”
Trish pulled the car into the gravel driveway around to the back of the building. “They said we could park here in the back. There’s a separate entrance to the room we’re going to rent.”
At the sight of the quaint structure with the weather-stained boards, Nessa attempted to stifle another jaw-cracking yawn. Pawing for the handle to open the car door, she noticed the starched white curtains freshly hung in the spotless windows. “I can’t believe Brodie came by and picked up all our stuff from the inn. They must’ve really been anxious to find someone for the room.” Sliding out of the car, Nessa stretched and rubbed her aching neck. She didn’t know how she would manage to stay awake tonight.
Trish turned the key in the lock and edged the door open with her shoulder. Swinging the door wide, she stood aside, motioning Nessa into the oversized room.
