“Not even I can see that. I can only hope.”
“Luc, I’m scared.”
Luc sat up and pulled her closer. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Pandora snuggled into him; the only person who’d doubted her involvement from the start and not believed in what others had. Luc had questioned Pandora mercilessly and had challenged everything she’d said. Then Luc stunned her with the truth of what had happened.
Since then, Pandora’s heart hadn’t belonged to anyone else but Luc. Their goals back then had been so many years in the future, they’d been a speck of dust. Now they were almost within reach. It was scary.
“You’ll not leave me?” Pandora whispered.
“Never. You’re stuck with me. Pandora, my love for you will never fade, and no matter what happens, I’ll always find you.”
“I love you, Luc,” Pandora said, kissing him.
Luc smiled against her lips. “Not as much as I love you.”
Chapter Fourteen.
Frederick
He was seething. Who did that bitch think she was talking to address him like that? Jess wasn’t worthy of licking Frederick’s boots. She sat there, all superior, thinking she was safe. Well, Jess Mayhew wasn’t. His uncle had called and said Mitchum had been his usual arrogant self and hadn’t even realised that this had been a ploy. They desired information on the woman Mitchum was obsessed with. Jess was insignificant, and it amused Frederick that his cousin had settled for a subpar female.
Did Jess really think her paltry skills in whatever ridiculous martial arts would work on him? Frederick would snap her like a twig. Jess would grasp her role, and that was ground beneath his boot.
When they moved on Mitchum, Jess Mayhew would be chained, beaten, and would learn her place, calling Frederick master.
An evil grin crossed Frederick’s lips; it was his due. Women, such as Jess, should understand the sacrifices the Sealgair Uilebheist made for them. They should be damn grateful men with traits similar to Frederick existed and not his pussy cousin. Mitchum disgusted him, turning his back on family, heritage, and duty. Frederick wondered how much influence the gimp, McDonald, had used on Mitchum to make him weak like him.
McDonald was a spineless freak as well. Frederick was sure that the accident McDonald had experienced could have been avoided if he’d been trained better. Hunters needed perfection, and neither McDonald nor Mitchum was that.
Frederick waited from his vantage point for McDonald. That fool would drive down this road shortly, and Frederick would be waiting. Today, they’d strike at his weak-ass cousin and let him know that, for all his tricks, Mitchum wouldn’t get away with his antics.
Diarmad
He planned to stay, but Mitch insisted he leave. It was for Diar’s own protection, and he understood that, but even so, Diar wanted to be involved. The two guys, Rhett and Leon, were obviously antagonistic. They lacked faith in him and Mitch, and Diar didn’t push because of that. Trust would come with time. After all, they had been hunted, and he and Mitch belonged to families that had committed unspeakable crimes against them.
Diar hit the end of the drive and pulled out. He intended to head home to Scotland. He hated being in England. At least in his Highland home, Diar knew the terrain and had escape routes planned. Nope, the quicker Diar returned, the better. While Sealgair Uilebheist were worldwide, there were more in the UK than anywhere else. That was because the Uile-bheistonce congregated in the United Kingdom. Not anymore. Sealgair Uilebheist believed they now resided in Australia or Europe.
However, those who had offspring, lamia, vampires, and ghouls, for example, kept the Sealgair Uilebheist busy. They’d hunt the children if they couldn’t get to the sires and dams. Diar steered around a sharp bend and heard a loud boom. It was unexpected, and Diar barely had time to react. On instinct, he yanked the steering wheel right and crossed the empty oncoming lane.
Diar’s car collided with the crash barrier as something impacted the boot in a flash.
The back of his vehicle exploded, lifted, and shunted forward. Diar cried out as he struggled for control, and then he tensed. The car was going to go over no matter what. Diar grabbed his phone and hit his emergency signal. The phone was torn away, and Diar could only hope the call placed.
Metal screamed as his vehicle punched a hole through the protective barrier and headed down the cliff. It crashed into a tree and wedged onto it.
The airbag deployed, smacking into his face, and Diar stabbed it to let the air out, and then blacked out.
Mitch
Mitch jumped when his phone squealed and then began a steady beeping.
“What’s that?” Rhett demanded.
“Diar’s emergency beacon. I need to go,” Mitch announced.
“This might be a trap; we’re staying,” Leon stated.
“Did I ask you?” Mitch snapped, heading for the door.
