Chapter 24
Sleeping with Elodie had been everything Scott had thought it would be.
It was also something he knew he shouldn’t have done.
But he hadn’t been able to help himself. Even that morning, he’d had to have her. Hell, he’d been so wrapped up in her that he’d completely forgotten to use protection. What kind of wanker did that? Him, apparently.
Scott wiped a hand on the fogged mirror to see himself.
He stared into his reflection, knowing he was fucked.
He might have promised George that he would get Elodie to their organization one way or another, but now he felt sick.
Every way he looked at this, Elodie would think he’d used her.
Why hadn’t he talked to her before giving in to his desire?
“Fuck me,” he muttered and braced his hands on either side of the sink as he hung his head.
He wished that was all he had to occupy his thoughts, but there was also the mist, and a second murder on Skye. How much longer would it be before Rhona and Balladyn discovered who he really was? He didn’t imagine that they would be so welcoming when they found out. Maybe he should tell them.
It sounded like a sensible solution, but there was a good chance they would remove him from Skye. And that simply couldn’t happen. Not until Elodie had agreed to return to Edinburgh with him. Though that also hinged on her magic returning.
Scott squeezed his eyes closed. He sighed and straightened, but he didn’t look at the mirror this time. He changed into the clothes Filip had brought for him. Once he was dressed, Scott ran his fingers through his hair and went to find Elodie.
He found her sitting at the kitchen table. By the look on her pale face, Filip had filled her in on the latest slaying. His friend was gone, leaving him alone with Elodie. Scott listened for Filip, but it didn’t sound like he was in the cottage.
“He’s outside,” Elodie said. “He wanted to see if the mist had caused any new damage.”
Scott nodded. Where did he start? What did he do? He always knew what his next steps were. But that was before Elodie. She had disrupted his routine, his very way of thinking.
The sound of her chair scraping as she pushed it back drew his attention.
She stood before him and took his hand to place it on her stomach.
His gaze locked on their hands. He knew what she wanted.
Scott had never thought too far into the future.
Someone was waging a war on Druids. How could he think about a wife or kids when Druids were dying?
Yet the thought of a life growing inside Elodie, one the two of them might have created, made his throat close with emotion.
“If you can’t do it, tell me now,” she said.
He lifted his eyes to hers. “I—”
“There’s no more damage,” Filip said as he came back inside.
Elodie dropped Scott’s hand and turned to the sink to put away the dishes. Scott watched her, trying to think of something to say. He didn’t have time as Filip walked into the kitchen.
“Did you two hear me?” Filip asked.
Scott tried to look normal. “Aye. That’s good news.”
“Elodie told me we have the contract. I figured if we’re going to be around, we might as well get to work.”
Scott forced a smile. “My thoughts exactly.” He glanced at Elodie. When he turned back to Filip, his friend was frowning.
“What’s going on?” Filip mouthed, his pale gray eyes glancing in Elodie’s direction.
Scott shrugged. It wasn’t as if he would tell him.
Filip’s expression went flat. “You didna,” he mouthed.
Scott leaned his hands on the back of the chair. “Where do you want to start with the repairs?”
“With Elodie contacting Rhona,” Filip stated.
It might be the right thing to do, but Scott didn’t want the attention on himself or Filip. Rhona and Balladyn were already interested in them. Scott had warned them about the killings, but now he wondered if he’d made a mistake.
“I already did,” Elodie said, her back still to them.
As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door. Scott swung his head to Elodie. He wanted to talk to her alone first. He reached out and caught her hand.
“What?” she asked as she searched his face.
He parted his lips. He didn’t know what to say. How could he tell her that he had a bad feeling about Rhona’s arrival? His and Filip’s time on the island was quickly running out, and Scott hadn’t done anything he’d promised George.
“Scott?” she asked with a frown.
“We’re still going to try that thing later, right?” He was rather proud of himself for coming up with something to say.
She nodded, searching his face. “Yes.”
With that, she pulled out of his grasp and headed to the door.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Filip stated in a clipped whisper.
Scott couldn’t meet his gaze. “I didna plan it.”
“It’s done now.”
There was no more talking as Elodie led Rhona and Balladyn to the kitchen.
Scott straightened and found Balladyn’s red-rimmed silver eyes trained on him.
The Reaper had his long, black and silver hair pulled back at the base of his neck in a queue.
His stance was wide, his arms crossed over his chest. Scott knew that position.
He used it often when he didn’t trust someone.
“I wish you would’ve called last night,” Rhona said. “You can also say Balladyn’s name. He would hear you and bring me.”
Elodie leaned against the sink, as far from everyone as she could get. “There wasn’t exactly time to get to a phone. Next time, I’ll know what to do.”
Scott watched as Rhona’s green gaze landed on him. He didn’t move as he stared back at her. She didn’t trust him. Not that he blamed her. He was new to the island, and the murders had begun not long after his arrival.
“We did a little digging. Quite a few Druids have been killed,” Rhona said.
Filip grunted. “And another here last night.”
“Unfortunately.” Rhona sighed loudly. “Elodie, your second attack confirms that someone wants to hurt you. What happened fifteen years ago is a long time for someone to hold a grudge. Besides, they could’ve come after you anywhere. Why now?”
Elodie shrugged as she clasped her hands before her. “I wish I knew.”
“I think the wards the two of you added stopped the mist,” Scott told Rhona and Balladyn.
Rhona’s eyes brightened. “That’s good to know.”
“It’d be better to know who’s controlling the mist and killing Druids,” Balladyn stated.
Scott agreed. “Filip and I are doing repairs for Elodie. We’ll make sure one of us is with her at all times.”
“Or she could come with us,” Balladyn said.
Scott immediately became defensive, glaring at Balladyn. He realized his mistake the moment the Reaper smiled.
Elodie looked around the room until she came to Rhona. “I told Scott yesterday, but the rest of you should know. I…I don’t have magic anymore.”
Scott hated the tremble in her voice. He knew that had been difficult for Elodie to say. He wished she had waited until after she’d tried her magic again, but she must have had her reasons for revealing it now.
“For how long?” Rhona asked softly.
Elodie swallowed loudly but held her chin up. “It happened shortly after I left Skye.”
“Others leave Skye and don’t lose their magic,” Balladyn said. “Why did you?”
Elodie shrugged. “I don’t know. I just happened”
Rhona walked around the table and came to stand in front of Elodie. She took Elodie’s hands in hers. “We’ll figure out what happened. You’re one of us. You’ll always be one of us.”
“I don’t have magic,” Elodie argued.
“You did once. There’s a reason it’s gone. And there might be a way to get it back.”
Elodie gave her a watery smile. Scott wanted to go to Elodie and draw her into his arms, but Balladyn’s gaze kept him in place.
The Reaper knew that something was going on between them.
It wasn’t as if Scott were trying to hide it.
Or was he? Once more, he thought about the fact that they hadn’t used protection.
“What do we do now?” Filip asked.
Rhona released Elodie’s hands and faced everyone. “I’d like information on the Druid murders in Edinburgh. Is there a pattern? Just mies? Droughs? Male? Female only? Anything that could link the killings?”
“Nothing,” Filip answered. “We’ve been trying to find a connection between them.”
Balladyn’s brow lifted. “We?”
“Aye,” Filip murmured and glanced at Scott.
The Reaper’s gaze returned to him. Scott drew in a breath. There was no way Balladyn and Rhona would leave without answers. How much should he tell them? “There has always been a gathering of Druids in Edinburgh. We try to stick together in most large cities.”
“If they know there are others around,” Rhona said.
Filip nodded. “Druids usually know how to look for others. It isna like Skye, where most everyone already knows about magic, even if they don’t know who is a Druid and who isna.”
“How do they know where to look? What do they look for?” Balladyn pressed.
Scott glanced at Elodie. “We keep a lookout for anyone who exhibits magic. One of us approaches them and determines if they’re mie or drough.”
“And you are?”
Scott bristled at Balladyn’s question. He stared into the Reaper’s unusual eyes. “Mie, of course.”
“Of course,” Balladyn mimicked.
Rhona shot Balladyn a look before turning to Scott. “What happens if the Druids don’t wish to join your group?”
“Then they go their own way. We simply let them know we’re there,” Scott answered. “There are droughs around. No’ many. A few stick together, but the others are loners.”
“They doona trust each other,” Filip added.
Rhona tilted her head to the side. “Who do you answer to?”
“Georgina Miller. Though we call her George. Her family has lived in Edinburgh for years.” Scott hoped that was all they would ask. Anything more would be delving into information he wasn’t ready to share with Elodie.
Rhona looked between Scott and Filip. “Does your group have a name?”
“Nay,” Filip answered.
She cut her green gaze to Scott. “I’ll find out eventually. But keep your secret for now. What I really want to know is…do you have any guesses on who is committing the murders?”
“If we knew, we’d go after them,” Scott answered.
Balladyn dropped his arms to his sides. “The two of you could be the murderers.”
“I wouldna kill my own brother!” Filip shouted and lunged at Balladyn.
Scott caught Filip in time and pushed him back. “Easy,” he told Filip. “It was a valid question.”
“The hell it was,” Filip stated, his voice dripping with outrage.
Once Scott knew that Filip wouldn’t try to attack Balladyn again, he turned to the Reaper. “Our friends have been killed. We want answers. If we were the killers, would I really tell you what was happening in Edinburgh and other places?”
“You can’t deny it’s a coincidence,” Rhona said.
Scott nodded grudgingly. “Aye. It is.”
“Why did you really come to Skye?” Balladyn asked.
Scott fought not to look at Elodie. He felt her gaze on him, but she hadn’t said anything.
“To settle my brother’s affairs,” Filip answered.
Rhona’s eyes were steady as she focused on Filip. “Do you plan to remain on Skye?”
“Nay,” he replied.
Balladyn grunted. “Just long enough to work on Elodie’s home, aye?”
Bloody hell. Scott knew they were getting backed into a corner.
“Kevin was close to Elodie,” Filip said. “When I saw how people treated her at the pub the other evening, I knew my brother wouldna have stood by and done nothing. I learned she was repairing the cottage, so I offered to give a quote. I’m doing this in my brother’s name.”
Rhona issued a single nod. “Please understand that these questions have to be asked. Our people are being killed, and I want answers. We will stop whoever is responsible.”
Scott knew they would. Just as soon as Elodie got her magic back, and he brought her to Edinburgh.