*Lorcan walked downstairs in the dark, naked. He had demon sense but also knew every inch of his house. The security system was up and working again. When he stepped into the moonlit lounge, he jumped.
“Jesus! What in bloody hell are you doing here again?” he asked the ghost of Angus MacIntire. The brief warding he’d done with the new doors and windows clearly didn’t work with spirits. “Is Fiona in trouble again?”
The spirit gaped, then recovered. “No. My beloved doesnae wish me to be near her.”
“What can I say, Angus?” Lorcan poured a drink. “She’s a headstrong woman. She doesn’t want most men near her.”
“Will she always be in peril when she’s linked to you?”
Lorcan shrugged. “She’s a witch. I suspect she’ll be in peril a lot of the time. I will protect her when I can.” He threw back the scotch and waited for the familiar burn.
“Do men of this century often couple with two women?” the Highlander’s spirit asked.
He was standing uncomfortably close and Lorcan couldn’t help looking at the deep sword slash that ran from throat to gut, nearly splitting the man in two.
“Some,” he replied. “If they’d admit it there probably aren’t many men who don’t fantasize about that. I imagine there were men in your time who spent time with two women.”
“Aye, perhaps with whores,” Angus replied.
Lorcan poured another drink. “So tell me about you and Fiona. In your memories, how did you meet her?”
“I dinnae remember. I only ken that wasn’t her name, that I love her and that she’s mine…she’d promised to be mine.” He sounded forlorn. “I think I put her in danger, too. Christ, I wish I could drink with ye.”
“I imagine you do.”
“Why do you sound English?” Angus scowled, trying to touch his sword again. “Are you a bloody Englishman?”
“No. I’m Irish. The women who raised me were English.”
“Are we truly in America?”
Lorcan nodded again. “Where are the rest of your men? How come they’re not with you now?”
He shrugged. “When angels and devils came for us, some went to the light and others to the darkness, but I dinnae want to leave Fiona. I went home hoping she’d come to me, but she wouldnae listen.”
“We hope to get you back to your home and your time,” Lorcan assured the melancholy spirit.
“So I can die?”
“Well, man, sorry but that’s already happened. Still, maybe we can get you to your correct time so you can go to wherever you’re destined to be after death.”
“That darkness was off-putting. I cannae say I was always a good man, but I do hope I’ll be going to heaven.”
“You’re a Christian then?” Lorcan asked.
“Och. Not even a verra good Christian, nae. Maybe I’ll be spending eternity with Satan.” The spirit’s spectral eyes looked afraid now. “Are you not a believer then?”
“Me?” Lorcan shook his head. “Even if I did believe it’s bloody certain I won’t be getting angel wings when I’m done here.”
“So you break the commandments regularly then?”
“Broken every fucking one, Angus.”
“You dinnae think if you repented now you’d be saved?”
“Well…I’m not giving up my present employment, which does demand that I kill sometimes. I’ve lied, stolen, fornicated, coveted, taken the Lord’s name in vain regularly, never knew my mother, dishonored my father—though he bloody deserved to be dishonored. Don’t know about the false idols or graven images, because I don’t have faith in any gods, even the ones I’ve seen, and Sunday’s just another day. What’ve I missed?”
Angus nodded. “You’ve about covered them all.”
“Then there’s the seven deadly sins. I’ve likely mastered those, too. Except for sloth. No one could accuse me of being lazy. And greed, well, that’s more to do with women and lust.”
“Have ye feelings for my beloved?”
That took him off guard, standing naked here in his lounge with a ghost in the moonlight.
“She’s my friend and we work together. Yeah, I like her and I covet her, lust for her…whatever, but she’s not my kind of woman.”
“I ken she wouldnae want to lie with you and another woman.”
Lorcan chuckled. “I believe you’re right about that. Now, I have to get some sleep. Good night, Angus.”
Angus’s spirit still looked perplexed, but he nodded and walked through the wall.
*
A persistent buzzing pulled Lorcan out of sleep. He groggily reached for his phone. “Dalton,” he groaned. “What bloody time is it?”
“Mr. Wright, you’re home then?”
Lorcan looked at his watch. It was 2:22 a.m. “Yeah, I’m home and wide awake now.” He reached for the scotch on his nightstand. “I’ll be there early like any morning of a time jump.”
“Is Ms. Maguire staying with you?”
Lorcan sat straight up in bed for the back of his neck prickled as it always did when he knew something bad had or would happen.
“Fiona decided to stay in the cabin at LAMB’s headquarters.”
“You should come in now, Mr. Wright, for the cabin has disappeared and Ms. Maguire is nowhere to be found.”
“Fuck! Fuck!” Lorcan didn’t even say it under his breath. He punched the headboard. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
*
When he walked into Dewey’s lab a short time later, he saw the usual suspects: Dalton, Minerva, Dewey, Ringo and Kumar.
Then he noticed Rohese.
“Why the hell is he here?” he snarled. Although he was supposed to be going on the time journey, too. Feeling this worried he’d be intolerant of the elfae prince.
“He was apparently the last person to see Fiona,” Minerva said with her usual scowl.
He glared at his rival. “Did you say something to piss her off, Prince Rohese?”
The elfae narrowed his unusual light blue eyes. “Fiona Maguire was displeased about many things.”
“Did she tell you she was planning on taking off in the cabin?” Lorcan demanded.
“She did not, nor would she be likely to. Fiona Maguire only said she needed to rest because she was to travel through time at dawn.”
He looked as worried as Lorcan felt.
“Does this have something to do with the fight you two had?” Minerva asked Lorcan.
“I already told you we didn’t have a damn fight. When I left Fiona, we were on good terms.”
“We only have your word on that,” Minerva replied. “Perhaps something you did or said made her leave. Maybe you hurt her!”
Lorcan stiffened. “Why are you so bloody sure this has anything to do with me? If you actually believe I would hurt Fiona then your wolf instinct is severely fucked up.”
“Obviously your demon abilities aren’t exactly top notch either!” Minerva stepped closer to him. “Since you didn’t sense Fiona was planning to take the cabin and deviate from the mission.”
“This bickering won’t help locate Fiona Maguire!” Rohese said, stepping between them.
“Does anyone know where she might’ve gone?” Minerva asked. “Or do you think she could have left unintentionally or lost control of the cabin?”
Lorcan hadn’t thought of that. Fiona was prone to disappearing on her own when upset, but he doubted she’d take the cabin. She wasn’t thrilled about including and possibly endangering Darius and Arianna, but surely she wasn’t foolish enough to leave now, when they were about to embark on a mission.
To think she might be traveling through time, to different realms, with someone or something else controlling the cabin, was too disturbing.
Dalton cleared his throat. “I believe it was intentional.”
Minerva crossed her arms. “Care to explain why you think that, Henry?”
Dalton leaned on his cane, then finally sat on one of the chairs and squeezed the walking aid so tightly his knuckles turned white.
“Ms. Maguire came to see me regarding some personal business, which I’m not at liberty to fully discuss, but she wanted to make certain her affairs were in order.” He hesitated, then continued. “Now that I think about it, she might have been saying goodbye. She was deeply distressed about a personal matter with a friend, too.”
“What friend?” Lorcan asked. “She never mentioned it to me.”
“Does she discuss everything with you?” Minerva sniped. “Maybe she has friends or a boyfriend you don’t know about?”
“Fuck!” Lorcan curled his fists.
Rohese turned his unblinking gaze on him.
“Do you have a problem with my language, like our leader?” Lorcan asked.
Rohese shook his long golden locks. “The manner in which you speak does not offend me.” Then, to Lorcan’s shock, he continued via telepathy. “It is that you are as worried as me that surprises me, Lorcan Wright.”
Jesus, he didn’t even know the elfae prince had the ability.
“I saw a spirit’s presence as I was leaving,” Rohese added. “I heard what I believe were pipes from the land of the Scots.”
Lorcan took a step in Rohese’s direction. “You didn’t think maybe you should’ve checked that out or stayed with her to make sure she was okay?”
Rohese straightened to his full height, clearly prepared to defend himself, but at Minerva’s warning growl, he stepped down.
“It was the same male spirit I saw at your residence.” He sounded irked. “I believe he meant her no harm, for he appeared to care for Fiona Maguire. Besides, surely a spirit would not cause as much fretfulness as the beasts who came to her while she was in your home supposedly in your protective care.”
Minerva and Dalton both did a double take. The two young scientists and Kumar also stared, waiting to hear more.
“Beasts?” Dalton asked.
“She’s staying with you?” Minerva flared her nostrils. “At your home?”
“It wasn’t a secret,” Lorcan replied.
“The beasts?” Dalton repeated.
He’d hoped Dalton would let it go but no such luck. “Vampires, I told you, Dalton.” Lorcan let out his breath. “I did ask you if Xavier was in his cell. I neglected to say it was Xavier and his coven at my house, and a werewolf pack, too.”
Minerva snorted. “Xavier is locked in our cells. We already discussed that and I assured you of the fact. I know you checked with the guard. The security cameras show you looking in on him, too. Do you need to come see for yourself again?”
“Maybe Xavier has a clone, then,” Lorcan shouted, “because I saw two of him when we were on our last assignment, too.”
Minerva lifted her chin, smug. “Or maybe you simply drank too much and were mistaken.”
Lorcan’s heart was pounding. He curled and uncurled his fists.
I can’t lose my cool. I have to find Fiona.
He took a deep breath. “Well the vampire at my house was an ancient with a hooked scar on his chin. I didn’t drink so much that I imagined the broken doors and windows at my place. Or the local werewolf pack that came to assist us.”
He stared at Minerva. The wolf pack leader was her cousin, Trevor, and Minerva was aware they’d saved his son. He and Fiona were the only ones at LAMB who knew that. Everyone had secrets.
“I saw the damage, too.” Rohese nodded.
“Did you see the MBs?” Minerva asked.
“No,” Rohese admitted, “but I smelled them and saw black vampire blood.”
“But someone must’ve let them in,” Dewey said. “The vampires…not the werewolves because lupine canines don’t need an invitation.”
Lorcan peered at Rohese. He had a feeling he thought something was amiss, too.
“Does anyone know where Fiona went?” Lorcan asked. “Or to what time period?”
“It’s Scotland,” Dewey replied and gestured to the map on the screen.
“But the cabin bounced around through time to nearly every major battle in documented Scottish history,” Ringo added. “Then it just kind of disappeared off our radar.” He lowered his head looking sheepish.
“That’s bloody perfect!” Lorcan exclaimed. “Well, fuck it, I’m going after her.”
Rohese stood. “I will accompany you, Lorcan Wright.”
“Why do you think you’ll be able to find her?” Minerva asked incredulously. “You plan to sail through time with no set course indefinitely?”
“I have this tartan.” Lorcan held it up. “If the spirit of Angus MacIntire is with her I’m banking on this leading me to him, therefore to her.”
“Leading us to her,” Rohese reminded him.
Lorcan shrugged. It couldn’t hurt to have a magical elfae with him, he supposed.
“Is the golden-haired prince cleared for time travel?” Lorcan asked.
Minerva nodded. “He’s already been through time when he assisted with your last mission and recently a short time jump with Jaycee.”
“She’s not coming with us!” Lorcan and Rohese said together.
“Of course not.” Dalton shook his head. “She’s not ready for an assignment of this degree.”
“Nor has she ever been cleared for time travel.” Kumar sounded suspicious and looked at Minerva who’d just admitted Jaycee had traveled through time.
Minerva narrowed her eyes. “Are you certain you two can work together?”
Was she changing the subject so they wouldn’t focus on Jaycee going on a time jump without Dalton’s permission or proper clearance?
Fiona said she believed Jaycee was sleeping with Minerva, too. Had Minerva ignored protocol because of their relationship?
Lorcan held out his hands. “I suppose Prince Rohese and I will have to work together.”
“For Fiona Maguire, I will work with the demon.”
“Half-demon!” Lorcan groused. “Okay, Goldilocks, you ready?”
“I would request you not refer to me by that absurd moniker.”
“Or what?” Lorcan stepped toward Rohese, who touched his sword’s hilt.
“Do we need to send someone else with you to keep the peace?” Dalton asked.
“No, we’ll be fucking fine alone,” Lorcan said though he might like to take the opportunity to blacken those odd blue eyes.
Rohese scowled but nodded. His bow glowed.
A magical bow couldn’t hurt either.
Maybe the scene from the history book Fiona found would play out, but no, it couldn’t. Arianna and Darius wouldn’t be with them.
“I’ll go get the portal ready,” Ringo said. “It’ll only take a few minutes. I had it on standby in case that rickety old cabin didn’t take off.”
Lorcan glanced at the empty area where the cabin had been. He bloody wished it hadn’t taken off and that Fiona was still here.