Highland Shift (Highland Destiny: 1) (39 page)

Elena kept paging through the menu, her mouth practically watering at all the options, she just couldn’t make up her mind. Glancing back over to the familiar back, she was surprised to see he was gone. She was even more surprised to recognize the person he’d been sitting with. Dr. Gabhran MacLachlan.

Before Elena had a chance to tell Lilly about the doctor, their server returned. Lilly was having the special, lamb chops, medium rare. Elena was still dithering and finally looked up at the server. “I can’t make up my mind. Do you have any other specials, maybe something not on the menu?”

****

Gabhran was deeply disturbed by the woman’s visit to his office. He’d been sufficiently concerned that he’d returned home and opened the vault, reassuring himself that the artifacts were still secured. He hadn’t visited the vault in a year and now he’d been there twice in two weeks. When he’d opened it the last time, he’d been irresistibly drawn to the Talisman of Cycles, an ancient pendent of gold and amber stone that seemed to pulse when he held it in his hand. He’d removed the talisman and slipped it around his neck, but whether as a protective ward or invocation, he wasn’t sure.

The talisman was one of several relics left to him by mysterious relatives, without explanation. On his thirtieth birthday, he’d received a letter from a previously unknown attorney, about previously unknown relatives, directing him to a previously unknown vault behind the bookcase in his study. He’d inherited his home in a similarly mysterious fashion when he’d turned twenty-five. It was one more thing that needed answering. Who was he really?

For the past week, he’d been wearing the Talisman under his shirt, thinking he might just show it to his new acquaintances on Beltane. He discovered that wearing the Talisman was unpleasant, that he was even more aware of the darkness he felt inside. When he’d stepped into the restaurant tonight, he could have sworn the pendant jumped against his skin.

He brooded over his drink. Just what had he gotten himself into, he wondered. The Beltane Feast was tomorrow night and he still wasn’t sure what his answer would be when asked to join the Order. He wished he could know more about it before the time to choose arrived.

What about the woman’s warning? “Guard yourself this Beltane.” Was that a coincidence? Could she know he was being recruited and tomorrow night was his deadline to choose? He’d left the office that night without consciously knowing his destination, yet his feet led him here, back to the restaurant where it had all started.

The
maître’d had recognized him as soon as he entered. He was called by name, ushered over to a booth and a single malt whisky arrived while he and the headwaiter were still making small talk.

“I hope you don’t mind. I ordered your drink when I saw you arrive, sir. If you would prefer something different tonight, I would be pleased to replace that with your pleasure.”

“Not at all, thank you, and thank you for remembering.”

Smiling rather smugly, the man gave way to the server, and went back to his station at the front door.

The server asked if he would like to see a menu, or if he would prefer the member’s special tonight. Gabhran knew he would order the member’s special as soon as it was offered, which troubled him. It was an irresistible urge and he realized it was part of the compulsion woven around this restaurant.

As soon as the server left his table, Liam approached and asked if he could join him for a drink. Liam was one of the two men who had explained the Order to him, and Gabhran was anxious to ask more questions. The men enjoyed a pleasant conversation over their cocktails, and neither revealed any new information to the other.

Once Gabhran’s food was served, Liam excused himself and exited the dining room. It was only then that Gabhran noticed the woman. Damn. He had come here tonight hoping to find more answers about the Order or maybe more about what they wanted from him. He’d been stone-walled by Liam, and now here was the woman from his office sitting in a booth across the restaurant. Had she been working with the Order all along? Maybe she’d been sent as a test, to see if he would reveal the Order. If so, he’d passed with flying colors, he thought.

She was sitting with an older woman, perhaps her mother, and kept paging through her menu. He continued to watch her as he ate his dinner, and although he was seated across the room, he clearly heard her dinner order,
“I can’t make up my mind. Do you have any other specials, maybe something not on the menu?”

Elena was sitting on the floor, unable to move her hands, and completely disoriented when she woke. She could hear men speaking nearby, and she wisely kept her head down and eyes closed until she could figure out what was happening. She was tied to something, maybe a pillar or a pole? The last thing she remembered was having dinner with Lilly.
Lilly! Where was Lilly?

“She’s caused us a lot of trouble;
why don’t I just get rid of her? Throw in a memory spell and dump her somewhere.”

A voice she would recognize anywhere said, “Patience, Liam. I wish to
have her here for the ceremony. You may kill her tonight, when her sacrifice will do us the most good. Kill them both.”

Dear God,
that was Worthington talking.

The men’s voices faded, a metal door clanged in the distance, and then silence. There was a scraping sound nearby, so Elena waited a few more minutes, trying to decide if she was alone. Cracking her eyelids infinitesimally, she peeked, trying to see if anyone was watching.
She was in a large, basement-like room, with high ceilings, exposed ductwork against brick walls, no windows, with a rectangular table at the far end.

Other than the table and the pole she felt pressing into her back, the room was completely empty. She twisted her head as far as she was able and could see Lilly. They were secured to the pole by rope, back-to-back, and both of them had their legs splayed out in front of them. Lilly’s head was slumped to the side. “Lilly? Can you hear me?”

Nothing. Either Lilly was still unconscious or…well, Elena didn’t want to think about what else might be making her quiet. She tried reaching out with her mind but she received no response in return.

Elena could sense nothing at all; her brain felt sluggish. Try as she might, she was unable to make her thoughts go where she wanted them to go. Her eyes started to glaze over; she was so tired. Her head sank to her chest, and she drifted between half-remembered thoughts and dreams. She was out a long time.

“Elena,” whispered Lilly. “Elena, wake up.”

Elena’s head shot up, and she bumped it sharply against the pole behind her. “Lilly, are you okay?” she whispered urgently.

“Aye, but I can’t get loose.”

“Me either
. Do you know where we are? Or how we got here?”

Sighing, Lilly said, “I think we were drugged at dinner. ‘Tis the last thing I remember, we had just finished eating and then that old codger of a waiter brought over a special dessert. I canna remember anything after we ate dessert.”

Dinner had been delicious and elegant, the service extraordinary. Elena had settled on the member’s special without even knowing what it was. Shortly after, the manager came by to visit with them, promising a meal they would never forget. It turned out that the member’s special had been angel hair pasta with shrimp and a salad. Although it was nothing she would have selected from the menu, when Elena tasted it, it was as though she had taken a bite of heaven. Try as she might, she couldn’t remember eating dessert.

What Elena did remember was waking earlier and hearing Worthington and Liam talking about killing them as part of a ceremony tonight. They needed help. She tried to reach out with her power again, but her thoughts jerked uncontrollably. Pick something familiar, she told herself.

“Lilly, I’m trying to make a projection of Faolan in front of you, tell me if you see it.”

“Nay,
lass, there’s nothing here,” Lilly said after a moment.

“Oh
, help,” Elena whispered quietly, “I can’t remember what he looks like.” She wanted to cry. She felt no more special, no more powerful than when she’d arrived in Scotland all those months ago.

“Lilly, I can’t control my thoughts. Whatever drug they gave us, it’s messing with my projection. Listen, we have to get away at all costs. If someone comes in, we better fake being unconsciousness but be ready for anything. We have to get free.”

Just then, the door opened and both women dropped their heads. A man walked over to the pole where they were tied and approached Lilly first.

He grabbed Lilly by her hair and yanked her head back violently, exposing her neck. He laughed at her sharp intake of breath.

“Do not try to fool me, you fucking old woman. I know you’re awake, I can smell your stench. You smell like the dying,” Liam said.

A sharp bite of a needle piercing her flesh was all the warning Lilly had, before the lethargic heat took control of her body again
.
He dropped her head and it lolled against her chest, and she was unconscious.

Liam moved to Elena, squatting next to her and resting on his powerful haunches. He stroked her cheek and whispered as though they were lovers engaged in an intimate moment. “Open your eyes and look at me, or I will kill the old woman.”

Elena opened her eyes and met the gaze of her would-be-killer. He removed a second syringe from his pocket, uncapped it, and then held it up for Elena to see. “I am just going to give you a wee bit of this, not enough to knock you out, like your friend here, just enough to protect me from the power of your thoughts.”

As he was speaking, he leaned forward and depressed the plunger on the syringe, and Elena had the sensation of warmth spreading through her veins. She was suddenly very glad he liked her and would take special care of her. She smiled at him, thinking he was a good-looking man. How had she not noticed before that he reminded her a bit of Marty?

“You are a very powerful woman, Elena MacFarland. When did that happen? You didna have such power when I met you in Fairth. Aye, there was a wee bit of interesting in you, but nothing like I sense now. Worthington told me what you did the last time he held you captive. Would that I could keep you for myself, but it’s not to be, for you have an important role to play here tonight.”

Elena felt bitter disappointment flood her, and then realized he was projecting his feelings into her. He wanted her to know how he felt, and without her shields, she was helpless to protect herself.

*

Liam found everything about Elena fascinating. He pushed his desired at her, easily overpowering the shields he felt her try to erect. He might not have a lot of choice in how things were going to work out, but he needed her to sense his desire, to taste his power.
“Tonight we’ll celebrate the Beltane, and the coming of the Druids. It’s the biggest night in the history of our order. We will regain all that was lost. You should be honored to be such an important part of the ceremony. The greater the sacrifice, the more pleased the gods, and the greater the reward.

“Once the order is rid of the unworthy, those
who remain will lay you upon the altar. There we will offer you to the gods, first through the flesh, then through the blood.” He substituted his lips for the blade of the knife he’d held against her throat. He inhaled her scent before sucking hard on her neck, tasting her. The minute his lips tasted her flesh he was overwhelmed with desire for her. Her power thrummed through him, hot and demanding in his veins. A fierce jealousy twisted inside and his hatred for the bastard that claimed her flared.

Liam threaded his fingers through her hair, and he pulled her head even further back. “Did you know a life force grows within you? I can feel it. You are carrying the wolf’s pup. This will add immeasurably to the power we will receive through your sacrifice. Or should I say sacrifices, since you will be giving your flesh in the mating ceremony before you give life force in the blood sacrifice. We will worship you. No woman has ever been the object of such desire, such reverence.” Again, he let his feelings of desire flood her.

“Fear not, sweet Elena. I shall work an enchantment for you before we begin. You will participate willingly and you will be pleasured many times by your sacrifice. I only wish I could keep you for myself.”

Although u
nable to speak, Liam could sense Elena’s terror, feel the horror grow, spreading a fear so palpable it threatened to strangle her.

“Don’t let the fear overwhelm you, Elena. Act afraid, so no one will know of the enchantment, but I will not let you suffer.”
Liam lowered her head to her chest by her hair, then leaning over her, Liam whispered the words to an ancient spell, and Elena slept. He would need to get her alone for a few minutes before the ceremony to work the second spell.

Liam smoothed her hair back from her face, “Would that I could keep you for myself,” he whispered again. He kissed the top of her head before walking slowly away.

A few minutes, or maybe it was hours later, Elena woke as the room started to fill with black robed figures. They entered slowly and the conversations were subdued as each person took a place around the room, forming a loose circle. Two men stood behind the table and laid out a book, a chalice, and a purple cloth.