“Why of course, dear. The fire is just terrible. Such a loss of property and they’ve still not found several of the occupants. I fear they’ve met a tragic end. Why do ye ask, Dr. Emma? Are ye all right?”
Moira’s sing-song voice buzzed in Emma’s ear. How could the older woman be so calm? The thing flying through those clouds looked like some evil winged lizard that the depths of hell had ejected. “Moira, look. Flying through those clouds on the right of the screen. Don’t you see it? What do you think that thing is?”
“See what, Dr. Emma? All I see is another one of those horrid fires. We seem to be plagued with a lot of them of late, but no one has the gumption to admit it’s the beast because they cannot find any substantial evidence to prove it.”
“Substantial evidence? How much more substantial evidence do they need? That’s it right there on the video, Moira! You were right. Your so-called beast is on television right now.”Dang!Ifonly she’d rented that recorder she’d seen in the shops. That creature was freaking unbelievable. “Can’t you see it, Moira? It’s that lizard thing hovering close to the top of the screen. Look! It just belched a big mouthful of fire all over that tanker truck. What channel are you watching?” Maybe that was the problem. Moira must be watching a different channel, and her viewpoint of the blaze was different. Emma clicked the info button on the remote. Channel seven flickered briefly at the bottom of the screen. “Turn your TV to channel seven.”
“We are watching channel seven, dear. It’s the only local news channel there is. We just saw that fire truck explode, but we didn’t see anything resembling your...what did ye call it? Ah yes. Flying lizard. We didn’t see anything like that. And besides, no mortal can see the beast I spoke of earlier, Dr. Emma. Only a stone guardian can detect such ancient evil, and I know ye canna be from any stone guardian clan. Why, yer no’ even from Scotland. Hello? Dr. Emma? Are ye feeling unwell, my dear? Perhaps ye are just over-tired from your trip.”
How was it that Moira didn’t see that fire-breathing monster? Emma blinked, squeezing both eyes tightly shut for a few seconds then slowly re-opened them. The thing was still there, lobbing fireballs at the crowd. How could Moira not see it? Come to think of it, the reporter was acting pretty nonchalant about the whole ordeal raging all around him as well. Was she losing her mind? Emma clicked off the TV. She couldn’t bear watching any more of the strange annihilation.
“Dr. Emma? Hello? Are ye there? Are ye certain ye are all right?”
“I’m fine, Moira. I guess…maybe I’m just a little tired. Sorry to have bothered you.” Emma clicked the button and tossed the phone onto the couch. What the hell was going on here? Grabbing her keys, she headed for the door. She must be more stressed out by everything than she thought. Maybe a driveaway from the waterwould calm her nerves and clear the hallucinations.
Chapter
Ten
His eyes flew open in immediate awareness. A tensed sense of apprehension surrounded him like armor. A chilling breeze blew across his skin, tickling his flesh with an electrifying warning. “Have ye awakened me again for a bit more of your wicked teasing or do ye mean to keep your word and release me this time?” Hesitating, almost afraid of what he would find, Torin lifted a hand to his face, relaxing a bit when rough bristles of unshaved skin scratched against his palm.Thank the gods.His spirit and body were reconnected.
“I have awakened ye because your task is finally upon ye, my lovely hard-headed fool.”Cailleach na Mointeach’striumphant chuckle danced through the muffled thunder grumbling across the hillside.
Torin shook the stiffness from his shoulders and stretched from the damp shadow of the stones, stepping into the glaring warmth of the blazing sunlight. Something still wasn’t right.Scowling at the ground, he turned and squinted up at the cloudless sky. “Then why do I not cast a shadow?”
“Wait,”Cailleachchortled across the rising wind. “Your awakening will be completed when the balance of your destiny arrives. Patience, my precious chieftain.”
A ripping grind shattered the stillness of the deserted hillside. Every sense alerted, every muscle tensed, Torin crouched and scanned the bleak horizon for the source. He had never heard such a monstrous wail screeching across his land. Had the portal released some newly spawned evil he had never battled?
A dust cloud surrounded a strange moving object. Some sort of wagon churned up the dry, dirt-packed lane without the aid of any animal. What strange sort of magic was this? Circular orbs beamed rays of light from the front of the beast, lighting the path it followed. The beacons originated from shining globes mounted atop the curving face of the body as though channeling the sun or some sort of white-hot flame. The flesh of the beast looked to be made of shields lashed together with invisible ropes.
Dropping closer to the ground, Torin studied the odd-looking creation.Mac an donais!The thing glinted with the color of freshly spilled blood. How had the monster captured such a vibrant shade for its hide? His warriors would have given their finest daggers for such a dye to stain their marks upon their shields. He edged back into the shadows of the stones as the strange red vision rolled its way up the gentle slope toward the circle of megaliths.
“What magic is this?” Torin muttered to theCailleach. Clenching the roughened edge of his beloved obelisk, he edged closer to the stone. The coolness of the block transmitted security; the chiseled surface of the great spire scrubbed his fingertips an abrasive welcome. Lifting his face to the wind, irritation burned in his chest when all that met his question was silence. “Aye, so ye’ve left me to fend for myself? Well, sobe it. I am not afraid.” Sucking in a deep breath, he closed his hand around his amulet. The old sense of power surged through his veins. He was still the one. Stone guardian chieftain. As the wielder of the sacred magic, he’d kept the beasts from this world for centuries. A flicker of doubt whispered in his ear. He tossed his head and clenched the necklace tighter. He didn’t fear what lay ahead. He just liked knowing what he faced.
The growling mystery rolled to a stop within a few yards of his precious stone gateways. A cloud of dust swirled around the body of the thing, shielding its innards from view. Still clutching the edge of the center stone, Torin peered closer at the strange sight. The wind picked up, whistling through the obelisks dotting the barren hillside. The call of the stones answering the wind drowned the roaring apprehension pounding in his head.
One side of the contraption opened as though spreading a great crimson wing, and a woman emerged from the belly of the beast.
“Almighty Brid,” Torin breathed. His hand dropped from the amulet around his neck and clenched the familiar haft of the dirk strapped to his thigh. What the hell had theCailleachsent him?
Her long tanned legs stretched from a revealing pair of short dark trews. The tempting expanse of skin disappearing up into the tiny bit of cloth awakened his groin; reminding him he lived and breathed. Flaming red hair framed her upturned face. Stubborn curls fought against some sort of tie. Her tresses shone more brilliantly than any sunset and cascaded down her back to curl just above her narrow waist. A full bosom strained against the thin white material stretched across her chest. Torin sent up a chant for heavy rain. Surely, when wet, her tunic would disappear and bless him with a clearer view. Then he noticed it and a shudder of realization shook through him as dread chased all thoughts of anything else from him. A stone guardian’s amulet, identical to his, dangled from her graceful neck.
“Ye have awakened me from my penance just to meet another guardian? This is the one ye wish for me to join? The last time I stirred from this accursed sleep, ye had allowed Arach to send the guardians on their way to the next time. Ye made me believe all my clan had passed beyond the veils.” Had she truly brought some of his clan back across? Hadn’t she said she’d sheltered a select few? “What is it ye ask of me now,Cailleach? I have slept too long to remain chieftain and lead a clan. I do not belong in this world.”
Nothing but unbearable silence met his question. Torin snorted, pounding his fist against the cold jagged edge of the nearest stone. “And what good is an old chieftain who can no longer guide his clan? How could I possibly protect my people in a time I know nothing about?” Torin cast a bitter glance up at the sky, knowing full well the connivingCailleachheard every word he said.
Cailleach’scackling laughter finally danced across the breeze yanking through his hair. “Ye remain my chieftain because I deem it so. Ye will serve me well in this time—even better than ye did in the past. It is true I sent our gifted clan to the next place, but I couldna bear to strip my blessed land of them all. I kept a few within this world, kept them unaware of the powers they possess to protect them. They’ve remained scattered about the earth, hidden for just such a time as now. I need ye, Torin. Ye must awaken the lass to her gifts, and the two of ye work as one. This world is rife with escaped chaos.” The wind whistled a sorrowful moan between the stone spires. “I erred, Torin. I ne’er shouldha chosen Arach for the cleansing. The demon has tormented this humanity long enough. It will take the full strength and magic of two powerful stone guardians to purge the beast from this land and restore balance for the path of renewal.”
Torin tensed as the fiery-haired woman moved closer. He pressed tighter against the cool, solid security of his trustedstone obelisk. “I bested Arach once before,Cailleach. I do not need the help of another. Let me do this task alone and then send me back to my blessed oblivion. My soul still aches with the loss of my wife, and the very look of this strange woman stirs the memory of my precious Eilean.”
“No.” Thunder clapped sharply from beyond the ridge. Flashes of distant lightning flickered across the gray swirling clouds gathering just beyond the hillside. “Arach has grown stronger while ye slept. The powers of a single guardian can no longer best the beast. Ye will do this, Torin. Ye will share your strength and knowledge with this untrained woman, and ye will have no peace in your existence until ye do as I command.”
Chapter
Eleven
Good gosh.What the crap had she been thinking? Why in the world did she ever believe she’d remember how to drive a stick shift? Emma yanked harder on the stubborn gearshift until it finally jerked down in the general direction of the gear she needed. The engine whined an angry protest while her sister’s voice teased inside her head. “If you can’t find’m, grind’m.”
