The Curse: Touch of Eternity (The Curse series) (16 page)

“You are an arse,” Payton started the conversation, as soon as Sam left the car. “What the hell was all that about?”

“Simple, I wanted a reaction. Unlike you, I feel fine when I’m close to Sam.”

“What? You don’t feel that awful burning, the tormenting pressure on your body?”

“Not at all. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have touched her, now would I?”

“I thought you wanted to see how high of a threshold you could stand.”

Sean shook his head.

“No, whatever it is you can feel, it seems to be something special between you and Sam, because I didn’t feel anything. I must admit, though, that her looking so much like Isobel Cameron did take me aback.”

“Crazy, isn’t it? How many generations must there be between Isobel and Sam?”

“I would guess at least ten. But are you really sure about the Cameron connection?”

“Yes, definitely. And I think that is exactly the point. There was a reason why she met me. I am convinced of it.”

“One thing’s for sure: you are clearly in love.”

“If you say so,” Payton mumbled.

“You don’t know this? You almost freaked out just because I made a few joking remarks to her.”

“A few remarks! You were hitting on her!”

“Well, she is quite lovely.”

“Yes, and she’s not for you!”

Then Sean turned more serious. “About the clan gathering tomorrow… I am not going to say anything about Sam, even though I believe that she may be a key to this puzzle. I like her, and she doesn’t seem to have any idea who we are. I don’t think she poses any danger.” His voice became much stronger now. “However, as a result of some tests I performed while you were eating your ice cream, I must demand that you end this affair.”

“What?” Payton said, glaring at his brother. “What kind of tests? And I can’t end it. Believe me, I wanted to, but it just isn’t possible!”

Sean pushed one of his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing that his arm was covered in a bandage.

“What is that?” Payton asked.

Sean held his arm out while hanging on to the steering wheel with his other hand.

“Unwrap it,” he said.

Wrinkling his forehead, Payton did as he was told and then drew in a quick breath.

“What have you done?” he whispered.

Sean shrugged. His lower arm was covered in deep, bloody cuts. The gauze was sticking to the crusty parts and fresh blood was still seeping out of the deepest wound.

“After I fell off my motorcycle, I realized that I didn’t heal as quickly as usual. Our self-healing ability has been compromised by the changing conditions.”

“You did this to yourself?”

“Like I said, a few tests. Sam is easing the curse… We are becoming more human.”

“Could you feel the pain?”

“Why do you think I made so many cuts? You were right. After such a long time without feeling anything, even pain is intoxicating.”

Payton struggled to make sense of it.

“We are becoming vulnerable, Payton. That is why you must end it!”

“Why? Do you want to carry on like this? You want to live through eternity like this? Without feelings? Without love?”

Payton thought he’d rather die than go on living like that, especially since he’d been shown so vividly what he’d been missing all these years. His hand was still burning from where he had touched Sam’s shoulders. No, he knew he couldn’t return to that darkness again, when he couldn’t feel at all.

“You can’t make a decision on your own that will put us all at risk,” Sean said quietly as he turned into their driveway and rolled slowly to a stop.

“Yes, I can… No one asked me if I wanted to have this life!”

Payton tore open the door. But instead of going inside, he jumped straight onto his Ducati and sped off.

Sean stayed in the car, puzzled. He understood Payton, but an oath bound him to the clan. If Payton didn’t show responsibility, well, Sean would have to step in himself. He
rolled down his sleeve and stroked the bandaged area carefully. He’d meant to test his theory with only a single cut. But when the silver blade had marked its bloody trace through his skin, a powerful sensation had flooded his brain. He’d pressed the blade into his arm again and again, devouring the pain.

Yes, just like Payton, he too had been starved.

T
ensely, Sean looked at the doorway. He was waiting for Payton. The room was filling up, and in a few minutes Cathal would formally greet the clan. Everyone was there. Seventeen men had been affected by the curse, and all of them were still the same ages they’d been 270 years before. As time went on, other people they’d been close to had gotten older and died, and this group had banded together so as not to be alone. But as the centuries ground on, the group gradually started to spread out. Cathal had let them go—under one condition. They still had to swear loyalty to him. Only a small core of them lived with him now, including his sister, Nathaira, and the three McLean brothers.

Sean’s eyes followed Blair, who was greeting a few men. But still no Payton. What was he going to do, he wondered, if Payton didn’t turn up? He let out his breath when he saw that he wouldn’t need to worry about that—Payton had walked into the hall. He was obviously stressed out. He made a beeline for the empty seat beside Sean, where he sat without even saying hello.

The group was settling in now. Chairs were pushed around as everyone found a place to sit. Nathaira, clad in a bloodred dress, stepped into the room. The coldness in her
eyes silenced the men. Holding her head high, she walked through the hall to the head of the long table. The seat next to her was still empty. Everyone waited without a word.

When the door opened a short time later, Cathal strode in wearing his chieftain’s robes. But even without the robes, Cathal was impressive. A born leader—proud, strong, and used to ordering people around. He took his place behind his chair and nodded to his attendants in respect. He raised his full glass and started his speech:

“Friends, companions, and family. It has been a long time since we last met and it feels good to know that you still answer to my call. Our meeting today is for a good reason: my sister fears for our safety. But we will come to that in a moment. Let us first raise our glasses. To our community, our clan, and our loyalty to one another.
Slàinte mhath!
”

Everyone raised their glasses and drank to their leader.

When things had quieted down again, Cathal asked Sean to rise and tell of his experience with the motorcycle crash. Murmurs went around the room, with the men frowning and looking at each other questioningly. It was undoubtedly hard for them to comprehend what they were hearing.

Then it was Nathaira’s turn. Like a sorceress about to cast a spell, she solemnly placed a large leather book on the table in front of her. She started to read in a clear voice, seemingly oblivious to those around her.

“A curse’s power may never change, as the cursed are not to have a chance to escape their destiny. But should the destiny change and its determination be fulfilled, then all of nature’s powers may combine and free the cursed hearts at last. The cursed souls can then lightly and freely leave their old life behind them.”

Nathaira looked up at the men, standing mute for several moments. Then she shut the book and said, in a much louder voice, “Do you understand? Do you know what this means? We are all going to die!”

Everyone started to talk at once. Cathal banged his fist on the table and yelled, “Quiet! Listen. Everyone will get his chance to say something, but only later!”

Slowly, the questions ebbed, and the impatient, scared eyes turned to the only woman in the room. Nathaira took a deep breath before she spoke.

“If we want to save ourselves, we must find out what is strong enough to weaken the curse. Sean’s accident showed us that we are now no longer invincible. We must take care now and be alert. And we must prevent the curse from being broken. I don’t want to die. And who knows what will happen? We could just start to get older now, or we may just disintegrate into ashes on the spot. We simply don’t know. But you,” she looked urgently at the group, “you must find the cause of this change—and destroy it!”

Everyone seemed to agree with Nathaira. Angry faces looked around. Sean observed that Payton sat rigid with fear. Sean knew exactly what was going on in his brother’s head: he wasn’t fearful for himself, but for Sam. Still, he had a responsibility toward the others. So he got up and started to speak.

“Men, calm down. I don’t think we are all going to drop dead tomorrow. There is probably some explanation, and I have no doubt that things will be fine.”

Nathaira cast him a dubious look.

“What?” she snarled. “Were you not listening? And since when have you become an expert on curses?”

“I think the fact that I have been cursed for nearly three centuries qualifies me just as much as your books.” Sean was waiting for Payton to speak out, but when he was sure he wasn’t going to get any help from him, he continued. “I believe I know the cause of what happened.”

The room went dead quiet. Cathal and Nathaira jumped up, and Blair glared across the table. But before even one of them could say or do anything, Payton stood up, grabbed Sean, and threw him to the ground. He bent close to Sean’s ear and dangerously rasped, “
Bas mallaichte
, Sean,
sguir
!”

A few men took hold of Payton and shoved him back onto his chair. Sean was brought to the head of the table, to Cathal, who demanded, “Well, what do you mean? Say what you know!”

Others echoed him just as vociferously.

“There is a girl who seems to be a Cameron descendant,” says Sean. “But I think it’s a coincidence that she is here, and she is only here in Scotland for a short time. She hasn’t any idea of her ancestry, and she certainly doesn’t know who we are. She is definitely not a danger to us.”

Again, chaos broke loose. Cathal silenced the room with an upraised hand. He stood menacingly close to Sean.

“It is not for you to decide what is safe. Tell us this girl’s name!”

Payton leapt to his feet. “No, Sean, don’t do it! They will kill her!”

All eyes turned to Payton.

Blair grabbed his little brother by the shirt and said, “What do you know about this?”

“The question is, what has this got to do with you,” Payton said. “She is no danger to you.”

Sean spoke out in support. “I don’t think it’s a big risk. Let’s wait and see what happens when she leaves Scotland. We can always act then, if we need to. The last thing we want to do is be rash and draw attention to ourselves.”

Cathal nodded his approval. “We shall think about what we heard today and give it proper consideration. Payton, Sean, you are not to leave the castle.”

He nodded to two of his men, who grabbed the brothers by their arms.

“For the sake of peace, of course I will stay here,” says Sean. “Just like Payton. You can call off your dogs!”

After a moment, Cathal nodded again, and the two soldiers stepped back.

“Yes then, we’ll wait and see. But should the situation change, then Payton, God be with you if I find out you have gone against me.”

With that, the meeting was over. Slowly the crowd dissolved, and each and every one of them left.

Payton went to his room to think about what he should do. He was under observation, and most definitely didn’t want to lead anyone to Sam. But he had to see her. He knew he’d find a way to slip away unnoticed in the next few days.