HauntedLaird (5 page)

“We be fairing very well,” Jasper stated then smiled. His
eyes shone brighter than ever and Lynn sensed his happiness, but couldn’t help
but wonder if he’d spoken the truth of his heart. Jasper’s smile faded as he
met her gaze and shook his head, giving her the answer. He hadn’t. How he knew
her thoughts still amazed her but she ignored it and focused on the issue. He
needed to state his case if he were to rest in peace. This she felt strongly
about to the point she almost spoke, but the pleading distress in Jasper’s eyes
kept her mouth shut.

So she changed the subject and looked at Padon. “It’s almost
sunrise. The storm seems to be stopping so hopefully, tonight we can take you
home.”

“’Twill take more than a night ta reach Castle MacKinnon,”
he said, clearing the laughter from his throat. “Unless ye have fast horses
waiting for us, it be a long trek by foot.”

Excitement bloomed in Lynn’s chest as she remembered the car
she and Travis drove from Edinburgh and left at Fin’s grandfather’s farmhouse
when they’d started this trip to meet Jasper. All they had to do was reach that
car located about a mile from the base of the mountain and Padon stood a chance
at getting home more quickly.

Thinking of Travis, she said a silent prayer for his safety
and that the storm had caused Fin and his crew to flee the scene, especially since
she’d escaped. With any luck, karma would bite them in the ass and get them
back for what they’d done to her and Travis. Lynn tamped down the sudden need
for vengeance and focused on the mission at hand. Once Padon was safe, then
she’d pay a visit to the local authorities and tell them about the kidnapping,
leaving out the tiny detail about why she was camping in the first place. They
really didn’t need to know she was ghost hunting.

She gave Padon a lifted-eyebrow look as she teased him. “I
have something faster than a horse. But we still have to make it from here to a
farmhouse on the other side of the mountain in a night.”

Her heart sank, knowing it had taken her and Travis a full
day to reach the campsite where she’d been kidnapped. And it was at least
another half a day’s trek up the mountain while tied to the litter. If her
calculations were correct, there was no way they’d reach the car in the span of
a night. But a thought sprang to life. Maybe it had taken that long because she
and Travis were weighed down by the backpacks and her kidnappers were slowed
because they carried her. Without the added weight, she and Padon should be
able to travel faster. Before she could share this news, Padon stood.

A strange look crossed his face. He reached for his sword.
Holding it in both hands, he grimaced and a pain-riddled roar escaped. An
electric sizzle heated the air as Padon returned to stone.

Lynn’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened. Though she knew it
was supposed to happen, she still couldn’t believe it had. Right before her
eyes, the magic of the curse took away Padon’s freedom.

Chapter Five

Within hours of the storm’s passing, Travis was scouring the
mountainside in search of Lynn. He and Fin had tracked Lynn’s path until the
storm had become too fierce then took cover to wait it out. Everything they’d
found pointed to the fact she had gone over the edge into the ravine, but it
was unsafe to follow until the rain ended. As he descended, it didn’t look good
for the lass. What was left of her trail showed she’d slid quite a ways. Travis
couldn’t be sure if this was anywhere near where he had fallen months ago.
Though the images sporadically shot through his head, they didn’t give any
clues to the cave’s exact location. But he knew in his gut it had to be in this
general vicinity.

He’d been the first to go over the side, following the
brutal path of Lynn’s fall. He stood on a rock, giving him a chance to steady
himself and survey the area for any evidence of her. Below him there were no
further signs of her sliding all the way to the floor of the ravine. But the
rain could have washed them away. From what he could decipher, she seemed to
have simply vanished at this point. Looking up, he thought he saw something,
but from this angle it was difficult to see.

Shielding his eyes from the rising sun, he spotted the ledge
and telltale signs Lynn had ventured in that direction. He scaled up and over
until he managed to reach the ledge with the rope and Fin’s help. Peering over
the edge, he saw nothing. No Lynn and most of all no Jasper. But he knew he was
in the right place.

Travis landed with a thud inside the cave. He couldn’t
believe he actually stood here again. Untying the rope from around his waist,
he tugged on it, sending a signal to Fin. He leaned, gripping the wall of the
cave, and yelled, “I found the cave. Come on down.”

The rope disappeared. He knew it was a matter of time before
Fin made his way down the mountainside. He stood quiet, listening, hoping to
hear her voice. Dying embers from a fire simmered in a round stone pit. Someone
had been here or was possibly still here. Hope sprang to life that his friend
was alive. Slowly he moved deeper into the cave.

The pile of items Jasper had collected over the years sat to
the left just as he remembered. Hanging on a root that stuck out of the cave’s
wall was his leather flask. Travis lifted it, removed the cap and took a whiff.
His nose crinkled at the memory of that dastardly drink that tainted his luck.
He placed the cap back on and returned it to its proper place. When he turned,
his foot tangled in a deerskin blanket and he tripped and fell into the pile
with a loud crash.

So much for being quiet. He snorted as he untangled himself
from the mess and stood. Fin landed with catlike precision on the ledge with a
knife held tight in his hand. He shrugged as he met Travis’ curious gaze.

“I heard a noise and didn’t know what happened. You never
know what you might run into in here.” Fin grinned as he tucked his knife into
its sheath on his hip and untied the rope. But it was a good thing he still had
a hand on it when Jasper suddenly flashed into the cave.

Thrown off balance, Fin nearly toppled backward over the
ledge. Between his grip on the rope and Travis quickly running to his aide, he
managed to regain his footing. Travis tugged him close and gave him a quick
kiss to the tip of his nose. “Don’t scare me like that,” Travis stated as he
let him go once he knew Fin was safe. “Bad enough you had me believing you’d
gotten tangled up with that good-for-nothing pair.”

Fin’s wide-eyed gaze and sudden gaping jaw cut off his
babbling, letting Travis know exactly where Jasper stood in the cave. He turned
and came face-to-face with the being who’d haunted his dreams since that
fateful first meeting when Jasper gave him the task of finding a woman who
believed in the unbelievable and bringing her back here. That woman was Lynn.
He’d never thought to question why Jasper needed a “true believer” as he had
called it. Travis had simply followed orders out of fear. Not seeing Lynn, he
began to wonder why the ghost needed a flesh-and-blood woman and what had he
done with her if indeed she’d made it into this cave?

“Hello, Jasper,” Travis said in as even a tone as he could
muster and hoped his fear didn’t show in his voice. He desperately needed to
know if Lynn was safe. If not, he’d never forgive himself for bringing her into
this without first questioning Jasper’s motives more thoroughly. As it was,
she’d already been kidnapped and fallen into a ravine. She could even be lying
at the bottom somewhere bleeding to death for all he knew. He needed to make
this conversation with Jasper go smoothly and quickly, because if she wasn’t
here he needed to hop over the ledge and continue the search.

“Travis,” Jasper replied with a nod in Fin’s direction.
Suspicion filled his transparent features and his stance was one of caution.
“Who have ye brought along with ye?”

Travis introduced Fin. “This is my best friend and partner
in business and in life, Fin MacIntyre. We’re looking f—”

Before Travis could ask about Lynn, Fin cut him off. He
stepped beside Travis, took a knee and bowed his head. “Aye, sire. I be
eternally in awe o’ your service and pledge my allegiance to you.”

Dumbstruck, Travis leaned sideways, staring down at Fin as
if he’d lost his mind. They’d been friends since they were young and lovers for
years, but he knew nothing of this side of Fin. It took him by surprise to hear
Fin pledging his allegiance to someone, especially a ghost. He didn’t tear his
eyes away from Fin until Jasper spoke.

“MacIntyre.” He seemed to mull over the name for several
long seconds. “Mi
piuthar
married a MacIntyre. Be ye o’ her descent?”

“Aye,” Fin answered without looking up.

“Stand, sir. We must speak.”

When Fin complied, Travis opened his mouth but couldn’t form
any words. The sound of a woman clearing her throat had both him and Fin
looking toward the rear of the cave. Jasper simply floated to a collection of
several large rocks and took a seat. Relief washed over Travis as he ran to
greet Lynn with Fin right beside him.

“Lynn, lass, you’re all right.” He tugged her into a bear
hug then immediately started checking her for broken bones.

“Travis,” Lynn said with an embarrassed giggle as she
wiggled out of his reach. “Really, I’m fine. Honest. I’d tell you if I thought
anything was broken. I’m a bit bruised but not broken.” She flashed him a
smile, holding her hands up as if to prove her point.

He stepped back, giving her some room, though he wasn’t
completely convinced she wasn’t hurt. “That was a hell o’ a fall you took. You
sure?”

Lynn nodded fervently. “Jasper took care of me.” It was then
she caught sight of who was with Travis. “Fin? Travis, are you aware he was one
of the kidnappers?”

“Aye, he knows,” Fin answered. “I told you it was not as it
seemed. You just needed ta trust me.”

“Did you know this was going to happen ahead of time?” Lynn
glared, bewildered, at Travis. If he knew and did nothing about it, she
wouldn’t know whom to trust.

“Nay, I knew naught about it. I didn’t know he was involved
until he and I faced off in the woods when you escaped.” Travis absently
brushed the bruise on his cheek.

Fin apologized profusely for hitting him. “You came at me
like a wild man. I had ta get you ta calm down somehow so I could explain.”

“But why were you with those two in the first place?” Lynn
questioned, shaking her head. “I don’t understand. Why did you help them?”

“I had ta. They were my assignment,” Fin replied but didn’t
elaborate any further, leaving Lynn a bit perplexed. She noted the tender way
Travis touched Fin’s shoulder and he in turn placed his hand on Travis’, giving
him a look that spoke volumes about their connection. Neither had spoken of
their relationship during the tours but she’d sensed a strong, loving bond
between them. She cut a glance at Jasper. He watched them intently as if
jealous of their outward affection for one another.

“What happened to you at the campsite?” Lynn questioned
Travis. She had to know why he wasn’t there to help her fight off the
intruders.

“I went ta refill the canteens and get water for the tea
kettle for your morning tea.” Travis’ brow bunched and he gave Fin a playful
glare as he continued. “Someone snuck up behind me and clocked me on the back
o’ the head, knocking me out cold.”

“I had ta do it or those two would have beat the shite out
o’ you.” Fin defended his actions.

“I could have taken them,” Travis protested boldly.

“And I would’ve had ta fight you ta keep my cover with them.
I chose the lesser o’ two evils and tried ta protect that pretty face o’
yours,” Fin said, touching Travis’ cheek tenderly. “Unfortunately, you gave me
no choice in the woods.”

Travis nuzzled Fin’s hand and kept up the playful pretense
of anger, but Lynn read right through it. He wasn’t really angry, just teasing
Fin. “You gave me a hell o’ a headache.”

“I’ll make it up ta you later,” Fin replied with a wicked
grin that made Lynn blush from the meaning.

“You bet your sweet arse you will,” Travis jested lovingly
then turned to the ghost, who patiently sat waiting on the rock.

As if that was his cue, Fin moved to sit on the rock in
front of him. Travis and Lynn both took seats on available rocks.

“Thank you for taking care o’ Lynn,” Travis stated
sincerely.

“It was the honorable thing ta do.” Jasper sat taller on the
rock. His gaze dropped to Fin as he issued a commanding question. “How be it a
MacIntyre be in mi cave?”

“Your younger sister, Marianna, married Finnies MacIntyre in
1747.” He paused as if he was waiting for Jasper to acknowledge that as fact.
When Jasper nodded, he continued. “I am a direct descendant of their union. He
was my great-great-great-great-grandfather, whom I was named after. As such, I
am a member o’ the society o’ clans who came together ta protect the fallen
MacKinnon brothers.”

“I know o’ the society.” Jasper nodded. “I gave mi riddle ta
Akira, but shared the answer with no one. How be it ye have found mi?”

Lynn noted the genuine look of respect in Fin’s eyes. He
stared directly at the ghost as he spoke to him as if Jasper sat there in flesh
and blood and wasn’t really dead.

“From what Grandpa and I have gathered, your sister was a
wise woman. She knew about the oath you took and when you were struck down in
your prime, gored by a wild boar, she listened ta you talking in a fevered
state before you died. She wrote down every word and prayed it had ta do with
the location o’ the MacKinnon you guarded. You spoke o’ a cave and hunting, but
gave no sure direction ta it.” Fin took a breath then nodded toward Travis.

“During our last camping trip, Travis disappeared in a severely
inebriated state and somehow ended up here. Not exactly sure how—and he
couldn’t remember the details—he’d found what I’d been searching for, for
years.” Fin met Travis’ stunned look and explained before Travis could ask. “I
told you I found you confused and wandering the woods, muttering about a ghost,
a cave and a mission. Once you sobered completely, you clammed up and didn’t
say another word. So I waited, hoping you’d lead me here.”

“Why didn’t you just ask me? We could’ve found it together.
Instead, you teamed with those two losers over me?” Travis sputtered. Pain
showed on his face and Lynn guessed Fin’s actions cut him deep.

Fin turned to Travis. Lynn heard the sincerity in his tone
as he spoke. “I didn’t team with them. I was assigned ta keep tabs on them.
Unfortunately, those two are descendants o’ another clan that swore the oath.
But those two don’t abide by it. They’re out for money and have gone ta the
dark side.”

“The dark side?” Lynn questioned.

“MacGillivray,” Jasper and Fin said in unison. Jasper’s
haunted tone gave the word an eerie, ominous sound. Lynn gasped. Travis and Fin
each took one of her hands as a show of comfort and support.

Fin nodded as he returned his gaze to Jasper. “There’s a
descendant o’ MacGillivray’s on the loose and he’s after the Book o’ Shadows.
From what I’ve gotten out o’ Lonnie and Timothy, he controls some sort o’
magical power that scares those two witless. Which isn’t hard, considering they
don’t have a wit between them.”

He chuckled and Travis snorted a laugh.

“For centuries, Marianne’s information was passed down ta
the next MacIntyre in line with the hope the cure would one day come ta save
the MacKinnons,” Fin stated in a matter-of-fact way. “That day is here, sire.
We don’t have much time before MacGillivray’s idiots find us. I need ta know
where the statue is so we can help protect him and quite possibly save him.”

Jasper stood. Sadness clearly thickened his words. “Aye.
That day is here. Follow me.” He floated toward the dimly lit tunnel at the
rear of the cave.

When Fin got up, Travis and Lynn did too, but Travis gently
grabbed Fin’s arm, turning Fin to face him. “If this is handed down from
generation ta generation, how is it your Grandfather Ole Man Thicket knows o’
it? He’s the only living grandfather I know ya have.”

Fin grinned. “Thicket is his first name. MacIntyre be his
last. Some drunken fool started calling him Ole Man Thicket years ago and he
just never bothered ta correct him. After that, everyone used it and his real
last name seemed ta be forgotten.”

Travis laughed, shaking his head.
That
he could
believe. Even he never thought it odd that Fin’s father’s father was called
Thicket, when the last name of everyone else in the family was MacIntyre.

They followed Jasper until he led them directly to the
frozen MacKinnon brother.

“Lynn released him but ’tis only half a freedom. Ye must
wait until the fall o’ night ta begin the journey,” Jasper stated. His words
resonated on the cave walls, reinforcing the somberness of his tone.