Lured to the Night (The Brotherhood Series Book 4) (6 page)

“Can we not try and talk to them?” Her heart thumped erratically in her chest. She did not have the strength to run anymore. “Surely they know I have nothing to do with the death of their livestock.”

“They will not listen, not when they think they have caught you in the act. I suspect the only thing preventing them from notifying the authorities is their respect for your father.” He grasped the edge of her cape and pulled it across her body for the temperature had plummeted. “I cannot protect you, not like this.”

They managed to shuffle back to the trees before the group of men in the field had time to react. As soon as they entered the forest, Lachlan put his firm hands around her waist and hauled her up over his shoulder.

She clung on to him, was forced to suppress a shriek.

“You’re too tired to run, but I can still move quickly with you like this.”

Despite the odd groan of discomfort, Isla did not protest. Lachlan held her tight against his body as he made the choice to leave the path and navigate through the trees. His quick, agile movements did not reflect the extra weight he carried. She tried to lift her head, but the speed in which he raced through the bracken made the task more difficult.

He kept the steady pace for more than a few minutes. “I can see the road up ahead,” he panted. “I’m going to set you down.”

As he eased her off his shoulder, she tried to ignore the feel of his hands on her body. He held her close until her feet were firmly on the ground, gripped her arms as she swayed. She imagined that the tiny lights darting before her eyes were a consequence of her dizziness. But she soon realised the men were still trailing behind them.

“Quick, Lachlan,” she shook her head to focus, “we must keep going.”

He took her hand once more. She should be used to the sensation by now: the faint flickers of desire that started in her palm, only to build in intensity as they rippled through her body. Even with her mind in such a frantic state, she could not help but feel overwhelmed by the power of attraction.

“We will soon be home.” His reassuring tone was all she needed to hear, and they continued on their way. “As soon as we leave the forest we will be but a few minutes from the castle.”

She glanced up at him, at his defiant gaze, his commanding jaw. His strength radiated from him like a brilliant light, dazzling her, drawing her closer. She had missed him terribly these last few years. Indeed, the feeling of hopelessness she had attributed to living with the horrifying affliction, she now knew to be a consequence of a broken heart.

Once on the road, she breathed a sigh of relief. The castle loomed large in the distance. The hulking grey shadow had ceased being a home. Now it felt more like a prison. Laughter rarely rang through the corridors as it had once done. Her harp sat alone and abandoned in a dusty corner, the heavenly strings never to be plucked again.

They were forced to stop at the iron gate leading to the bridge. Lachlan let go of her hand, his urgent fingers fumbling with the latch in a bid to gain entrance. The group of men followed closely behind, yelling for her to stay away from their homes, from their wives and children. Their words were like barbed arrows piercing her sensitive soul. Tears welled in her eyes, burning hot, stinging her skin as they trickled down her cold cheeks. She had never felt so alone, so utterly despised.

Nikolai was to blame.

She had lost everything — Lachlan’s love, her father, her humanity, everyone’s respect. Heart-wrenching pain turned to anger. She had the power and strength to stop them all dead in their tracks. If they wanted someone to fear, she had the ability to become their worst nightmare. She could bare her fangs, drain their blood.

As they hurried across the bridge, she contemplated stopping, marching towards them to hear their pathetic accusations. However, as she turned to look back over her shoulder, she saw them stop at the gate and wave their fists before striding away. Even so, she did not stop running until she entered the castle.

Slamming the large oak door shut, they pressed their backs against it and gulped numerous times to catch their breath.

“Now do you see … do you see how irrational they are?” Panic infused her tone. “If they continue to believe these lies I shall be forced to leave my home.”

“No.” Lachlan’s thunderous reply echoed through the hall. “Come the morning I will hunt every one of them down. Before the day is out, I will make sure they never speak ill of you again.”

Chapter 6

The ominous shadow of a castle drifted into view, the medieval fortification built at a time when the feudal system dictated society’s laws and customs.

Leo yanked down the carriage window and peered outside. “I hope this is the place we’re looking for. Another hour spent cramped in here, and I’ll struggle to walk for a week.”

Ivana smiled. “Well, you will insist on manoeuvring your body into awkward positions.” She had enjoyed the long and arduous journey immensely. Spending time alone with Leo without any distractions proved to be a rather fulfilling experience, in more ways than one.

He glanced back over his shoulder; the sinful smile playing on his lips caused her stomach to lurch. “It’s incredible how agile one can be in such a confined space.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the memory of their last passionate exchange. “When you say it like that you make me wish we still had a hundred miles to travel.”

“I’m afraid the muscles in my thighs would not stand the strain.” Leo winked. “Unless you have something else in mind.”

Ivana shook her head. “I’m sure you could tempt the Lord to sin, but we have other matters that require our attention.” Desperate to distract her wayward thoughts, she picked up the leather-bound book at her side and tugged on the piece of red ribbon she had used to mark the page. “Talliano wrote that Castle Craig lies on the banks of the River Earn. The locals said it is the only castle to be found on this road.”

“Then I shall tell Sylvester we intend to stop.” Leo hollered up to the coachman before closing the window and dropping back into the seat opposite. “Have you considered the possibility you might be mistaken? What if we’ve had a wasted journey?”

Ivana contemplated his words before shaking away any doubts. “I’m convinced the lady we seek lives here. The dreams are too real, Leo. When Nikolai died, and I regained my memories, somehow remnants of his thoughts found their way into my mind. Now that I am cured and can sleep again I cannot stop the flow of vivid images.” She had seen the vision of a woman with golden hair, sharp fangs and a thirst for blood. The similarities to her own colouring were too coincidental to ignore. She could not explain how or why, but she felt the woman’s sorrow. The sense of hopelessness was all consuming. Ivana had no choice but to find the mysterious lady and try to ease her pain. “I know you’re tired of hearing me say this, but fate draws me to her. I am convinced Nikolai turned her too.”

Leo folded his arms across his chest. “I suspect the fact Talliano mentioned there is a mine located on this land makes the idea plausible.”

Ivana sat forward, her desire to discover the truth evident in her eager actions. “This is the place where Talliano found the haematite.” Indeed, a further search of the crypt had uncovered another hidden notebook. “If Nikolai turned me to protect the cure, then perhaps he turned the lady who lives here for a similar reason.”

“That is if the lady you mentioned does live here.”

Ivana flopped back into the seat. “In my dreams I have walked these lands. I have seen images of the lady with her clansmen in their Highland dress.” She sighed. “I just wish you would believe me.”

Leo crossed the carriage to sit at her side. “I would not have agreed to come all this way if I did not have faith in you.” He stroked her cheek. “We will find her, this mysterious lady you dream of at night. We will offer her the cure and then we will go and share our good fortune with my brothers.”

Ivana’s heart swelled with love for him. “I know you are impatient to tell them we are cured. I know you long to be reunited with them again, and I love you all the more for the sacrifice you have made to make me happy.”

“Making you happy is what I live for.” He gave a wicked grin. “And hearing your sweet sighs of pleasure, of course.”

She batted him on the arm, but her gaze drifted over his shoulder to the group of men entering the forest with their lanterns held aloft. “What do you think they’re doing out here at night?”

Leo followed her gaze, shuffled over to the window and stared out. “I have no idea.” He offered a shrug and an amused chuckle as he turned to face her. “It is probably a local hunting ritual or an ancient ceremony to assist with fertility. I’ve often found that those who live in remote areas have rather antiquated methods of doing things.”

“There is nothing wrong with tradition,” she said raising a disapproving brow. “Sometimes the old ways are the best. One can learn a great deal from previous generations.”

“Tell that to Herr Bruhn when he boasts about brewing his new beer. The old method produced a drink that is far too bitter and cloudy.”

The carriage came to an abrupt halt. With the excessive rocking and swaying it was evident Sylvester had climbed down from the box seat and that they had reached their destination. They heard the squeak of a rusty gate before their coachman climbed back atop his perch and guided the conveyance across the narrow bridge.

Ivana had expressed some reluctance in allowing Sylvester to accompany them on their trip. She’d wanted him to stay behind to care for the Bruhns, to guard their home. But her trusted servant had experienced the horrifying consequences of the blood affliction. Without the ability to compel another driver to keep their secret, should they find the woman who haunted her dreams, it had been imperative they bring Sylvester along.

They rattled through the stone gatehouse and into the bailey. The loud clattering would certainly alert the castle’s occupants of their arrival. As soon as the carriage rumbled to a halt, Leo opened the door and vaulted out.

“Good Lord, it feels wonderful to stretch my limbs.” He offered her his hand. “Allow me to assist you, my lady.”

She nodded, but rather than lower the steps his nimble fingers settled on her waist, and he lifted her down slowly until her feet touched the ground.

After a quick attempt to shake the creases out of her dress, Ivana glanced up at the dull grey facade. “If you had covered my eyes or put me into a deep sleep and brought me here, I would think I was home.”

Leo followed her gaze. “It does bear a striking resemblance to the castle in Bavaria. You said the woman in your dreams had golden hair. Perhaps these things are not coincidences. Like most men, it appears Nikolai had his preferences.”

Ivana shook her head. “Nikolai always had an ulterior motive for everything he did. I doubt hair colour and the place one rests their head had anything to do with it. Trust me. It is a coincidence.”

“Or it is fate.” Leo quirked a brow. “After all that has occurred, I think we both have some faith in that possibility.”

“Well, we will know the answer soon enough.” She glanced around the empty bailey, scanned the dark, dreary facade once more. The absence of light in any of the windows suggested no one was home. Then again, they could be expecting a storm and had consequently closed the shutters. “Do you not think it is odd that no one has marched out to question our right to be here? Or at the very least, attempted to establish if we have lost our way. In such a remote location, I suspect they rarely have visitors.”

Leo rubbed his chin. “The affliction can make one nervous of strangers. What would you do if faced with a similar situation?”

Ivana contemplated his question. Living with such a terrible secret often made one delusional, overly suspicious. A solitary existence was far preferable than risking discovery. “I would hide in the shadows, refuse to open the door, hope they would grow tired and leave.”

“Then we must assume the residents here feel the same way. Indeed, any reluctance to address us, only adds credence to your belief that we might have a sister living here.”

“A sister?” Her heart fluttered at the prospect. Despite drinking the cure, Ivana knew a part of her would always feel a kinship towards those suffering from the blood affliction. To come to the aid of another woman who shared her awful experiences, a woman Nikolai had branded in such a degrading way, would make the effort of struggling to replicate the cure worthwhile.

“I know it is rare for us to be able to read a person’s thoughts now,” Leo said, “but intuition tells me you might find what you’re looking for here.”

“What if she won’t open the door? How can we help her if she won’t let us inside?”

Leo straightened. “Then we shall just have to keep knocking until she does.”

After barely recovering from their hostile encounter in the village, Lachlan had left her in the Great Hall while he went to search for Douglas. His sole intention was to gain permission to stay the night at Castle Craig. Isla thought it a ridiculous notion on many levels. She was mistress of the castle. She was a married woman. Even if people did choose to slander her for improper behaviour, she was beyond caring. Nothing could be worse than the malicious gossip she had heard already. Besides, the baobhan sith were known for using their womanly wiles to prey on innocent men. Not that Lachlan could be considered innocent.