18. Aurora
Aurora
I sat on the chaise in my room, gazing out the window as the light disappeared through the trees. The house was quiet, a stillness settling over everything—a calm before the storm. I considered calling Jade again to let her know what was happening. I was certain she had no idea Aunt Amara had sent Lyra to Kentucky. If she had, Jade and Evangeline would have told me.
The stories I had heard about the four brothers swirled in my mind, merging with everything Mac had revealed. I couldn’t help but wonder—was he telling the truth? The stories held so many similarities, ones I wanted to push from my mind. If he was an O’Cillian… I refused to finish the thought, resolving never to ask, never to know. A tremor went through my entire body. Our impending trip meant more time to explore my feelings for Mac—feelings I was struggling to ignore.
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts and failing. It was one thing to work closely with him; it was another to start falling for him. But even as I tried to convince myself otherwise, I couldn’t ignore the flutter of excitement in my chest whenever I thought about him. Just hours ago, I had sat here, my ankle too injured to walk on. Now, it was fully healed, vampire blood—Mac’s blood—coursing through my veins. I couldn’t deny that I felt better—my senses were on high alert. And having that part of Mac running through me filled an odd emptiness I’d never acknowledged before.
Still, I was a witch, drinking the blood of a vampire to heal and I wanted more. It had tasted so right. How many had done this before me? Was Lyra right that the coven would turn against me once they knew? I pushed down the urge to scream.
“ Aurora, ” snapped my mother’s voice. “ Aurora, calm. Find your power. You are the High Priestess Heir, the future of the coven. ”
My pounding heart slowed as I grasped onto her words, counting my breaths in and out, focusing on the pendant resting on my chest.
A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. “Come in,” I called, already knowing who it would be. Only Mac would have the courtesy to knock—Lyra would have barged in had she known which room was mine.
As the door creaked open, Mac stepped inside, the soft lamplight casting shadows on his face. My lips curled at the sight of him.
“Is everything set?” I asked, my heart calming further with him near me, his presence soothing my nerves.
He nodded. His voice was calm and steady. “Yes. Are you able to leave now?”
I glanced around the room. There was nothing of mine in here after I had packed it to run earlier. Thankfully, Mac hadn’t called me on the fact I didn’t have a book to read. “I can’t believe it was just this morning that we woke up in the woods.” My chest tightened. And only last night I had met him. How had he drawn me in so fast?
He smiled at me, a warm, genuine expression that made my heart skip a beat. “It was. And tomorrow, you’ll wake up in Ireland.”
I stood, preparing to head back downstairs to where my bag was packed. Mac stepped closer, the space dividing us shrinking. An energy crackled in the air around me.
His eyes searched mine. “Are you sure you’re okay with your cousin coming along?”
I sighed before clenching my jaw. Then it relaxed as I shook my head. “There’s no avoiding it. If that’s what Aunt Amara wants, then it’s what will happen.”
Mac laid a hand on my shoulder, his touch sending a tingle of warmth through me. “And you are the High Priestess Heir.” His voice was soft yet firm—supportive—reminding me of my position as he gazed into my eyes. My backbone straightened as I considered his words.
His hand darted back like he had crossed a forbidden line. He looked at it before allowing it to fall limply at his side. “I digress. If you need anything...” His smile held a warmth I felt in my stomach.
My heart fluttered, the pull between us growing stronger. Was this really happening? I offered him a small smile. “Thank you.” I held his eyes for a moment longer. I didn’t want to admit to him that he was right, that I needed to start stepping into my role. A familiar emptiness filled my core, the fear I would be the end of my coven heavy. How could the coven survive when I had no sister to be Regent?
I broke my gaze from his with a sigh. How could I step into my rightful place when I had already failed? “We should get going,” I whispered. Would I feel different if Mac were by my side?
He nodded, stepping back reluctantly. “Let’s go collect your cousin.”
He led the way down the stairs toward the foyer. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Lyra still brooding in the parlor. “Are you sure she’s down here?”
Mac nodded as we descended the stairs, a playfulness in his voice. “She hasn’t left the parlor. I think I might have scared her.”
I giggled softly. “You probably did. She has no idea you’re not a heartless vampire.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t tell her,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eye. Although it was only for a minute, it felt good to have a light-hearted exchange.
Lyra sat on the sofa in the parlor, studying the lineage. She looked up as we entered and nodded to the bag Mac set down next to him. “So we’re really going to the home of these murderous vampires?” she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.
Mac nodded, his expression calm. “We need to leave if we’re to meet the jet on time. Please retrieve your belongings.”
Lyra rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, disappearing upstairs and returning a moment later with her duffel slung over her shoulder. “I wish I’d known we were going somewhere else. I would have packed differently.”
“Don’t worry,” Mac said, shaking his head. “You won’t need anything by the time we get where we’re going.”
“Why not?” I shifted my weight, hesitating as I worried about the fact I had just a few days’ worth of clothing, all of it suitable only for camping and exploring the cave.
“I’ll explain on the way,” he said, grasping his bag and turning on his heel. I grabbed my backpack from the hall tree before we walked into the cool night air. The cicadas croaked in the night, and the porch creaked under our footsteps as we walked the length of the house. Under a portico over the side drive was a sleek black sports car, more luxurious than any I’d seen.
I halted. “That’s yours?”
He shrugged, pushing a button, causing the trunk to pop open. “The Audi RS7? No one else seems to be here to drive it.” We each stowed our bags.
Mac walked to the front of the car and opened the passenger door, his movements smooth and practiced. “Aurora?” He smiled as he gestured into the vehicle.
“Thank you,” I said as I slipped inside, noting the unmistakable salty scent of Mac’s cologne mixed with the lavender that filled the air.
Lyra, standing by the back door, tilted her head. “What about me?”
“I figured you’d manage on your own without a vampire helping you,” Mac replied as he closed my door gently and walked around the front of the car.
I stifled a chuckle as Lyra huffed and rolled her eyes but climbed into the back seat. As she settled in, I noticed her squirm.
Mac slid behind the wheel and guided the car into the night. We pulled out of the long driveway and onto the winding backcountry roads, the tires humming against the pavement. The trees lining the road were a shadowy blur as we sped past them. Modern folk music with hints of Irish ties drifted from the speakers.
“What airport are we heading to?” I asked, my voice sounding much louder than I intended against the hush in the car.
“Louisville,” Mac answered. “It’s the closest major airport. From there, it’s a direct flight to Ireland.”
“What can you tell us about the O’Cillian family?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. “What was with the names of the hunters and the witches on the lineage?”
Mac smiled a bittersweet smile. “I’m not sure it is something you will like.” His words were measured, his statement almost a question, as though giving me time to back out of hearing the answer.
I stole a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye, one hand resting on the gearshift separating us, so close to my knee I could feel a tension emanating from his hand.
“I’d like to know.” I forced out the words.
“As you may have already guessed, the O’Cillian vampires, the Coven of the Blood, and the hunters are all related,” said Mac, glancing at me as he spoke.
I blinked rapidly, a lump immediately forming in my throat. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve already told you that Kieran was turned by the Dearg Dur in a fit of revenge. That triggered something in the family, possibly because Rauri O’Cillian’s mother was a witch.”
A realization snapped into place. “But that means…” I couldn’t finish.
Mac nodded. “So was Kieran O’Cillian until he was turned. When that happened, his three sisters formed the Coven of the Blood.”
“What about the hunters?” I asked.
“As each of Kieran’s sons turned to darkness, a brother would become a hunter. Rauri sent the hunters away to protect the family.”
“You’re lying,” Lyra said from the back seat.
“But how?” I could hear the disbelief in my own voice. I wanted to be angry, but I was too shocked. This seemed like something the coven would know. Was it something Amara would teach me during my training? Why hide it?
Lyra’s bitter voice floated between us. “If we’re all related, why doesn’t the coven remember? Why have we never heard this? Why are the O’Cillian’s just a myth to us?”
Mac shrugged. “Perhaps that is a question to save for Conall.”
“Who’s Conall?” snapped Lyra.
“The youngest of the O’Cillian brothers. He’s the one I’m taking you to meet.” Mac glanced at me. “Are you alright?”
I nodded, staring at the road ahead. “Just processing.”
“So why don’t we need any clothes?” asked Lyra, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Mac’s chuckle was low and amused, as though he couldn’t believe she would just continue questioning him after what he had shared. “Aine O’Cillian has a desire to make anyone who enters her home feel like they belong.”
“What does that mean?”
I didn’t even have to turn around to know confusion etched her brow as I heard the skepticism in her voice.
“Aine’s homes are fully stocked for any visitor. You need only bring yourself. Every year, her staff prepares each home, refreshing the wardrobes with new clothes in assorted sizes and styles. Anything you might want or need will be there. And if it isn’t, there are strict instructions for the staff to provide it before they are dismissed.”
“Dismissed?” I asked.
Mac nodded. “The family has a habit of giving the staff time off when they are occupying a home. It gives them more privacy.”
“For what?” The snarky question came from the back seat.
“Consuming blood.” Mac’s answer was nonchalant.
Blood! The word screamed in my head, but I pushed it down. What he said only made sense. I felt my chest expand as I concentrated on feeling the air in my chest.
Mac glanced at me as he maneuvered the car along the road, the headlights cutting through the darkness. Our eyes met, and I couldn’t help but feel the intensity between us. I half expected him to reach across the console and take my hand. Instead, he smiled—a smile that sent my heart into overdrive. I knew that at some point, I would have to confront what was happening between us, but for now, I couldn’t deny the way my heart sped up every time I caught his eye. But I couldn’t deny the darkness that consumed him, either.
The tale Mac had been telling sounded like pure fantasy, but what gnawed at me was how he knew all of it. I understood he had been alive for centuries, yet the depth of his knowledge about my family—about the O’Cillians—was unsettling. And the idea that we were inextricably linked to them was almost too much to process. Was that the true curse that had shadowed my family for generations? I wanted to deny it, but something in my heart told me every word was true. Not only that, not once as he had been speaking had my finger burned, warning me that he was compelling us to believe a story.
I had no time to dwell on it as we turned onto a road nearly hidden off the highway. A chain-link fence surrounded the massive open field in front of us, lights lining the concrete runways. Mac didn’t even slow, the car cruising through the gate as he waved at security with the practiced ease of someone who had done this a thousand times. The tires crunched along the roadway as he drove onto the tarmac, stopping at a waiting jet, the stairs open and ready for someone of importance. Insects darted around the white flood lights illuminating the area around the short red carpet leading to the stairs.
“What are—” I didn’t get the question fully out before Mac was at my door, opening it and offering me his hand. I took it as I stood from my seat, my legs cramped from the long drive. He left me there to open the door for Lyra, his chivalry getting the best of him. I stared at the white jet decorated with waves on the side. The tail was completely blue.
Or was it? My finger burned, the ring’s magic stripping something away although I couldn’t figure out what. The tail shimmered, most likely from the heat of the power units, but as it did, I swear I saw white emerge on the tail, a design taking shape. As quickly as it started, the feeling in my finger subsided, and the tail remained blue.
“Holy shit.” Lyra’s exclamation echoed the turmoil in my mind.
“Rory, are you ready?” asked Mac, his voice low.
I gazed up at him, unsure of what I expected to see. What I found was a look of warmth that steadied me, a comforting gaze that assured me I could trust him. What was the ring trying to warn me of? I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I think so.”
A striking woman with porcelain skin walked toward us as though on a mission, her crisp black pantsuit almost disappearing into the night. The white shirt blended with her milk-white features. “Good evening, sir,” she said, focusing on Mac.
“Hello, Dani.” His voice rang with familiarity and warmth. “The bags are in the trunk.”
She took the keys from his outstretched hand. “Right away, sir.”
I glanced at him, puzzled by the ease with which he commanded the situation. He caught my eye, smiled, and placed his hand on my back, guiding me toward the plane. Warmth flowed through my body at his touch, and I couldn’t bring myself to pull away. A breeze cooled the surrounding air that crackled with an unseen energy.
A man emerged from the jet’s entrance as we neared the carpet, deep lines etched into his brow. His dirty-blond hair was neatly swept to the side, and in his hand, he clutched a pilot’s cap, his knuckles white against the dark fabric. “Just the person I needed to see,” the man called out, his voice carrying a note of urgency. The steps creaked as he hurried down them toward us.
“Yes, Jacob?” Mac responded with a touch of impatience in his tone, his hand dropping from my back.
“Well, sir, as I filed our flight plan, I noticed something… odd.” Jacob hesitated, glancing between us with uncertainty in his eyes.
“Jacob, just say it,” Mac urged, his tone sharpening.
“Sir, Conall’s plane is on the ground in Cork.”
“To be expected. Thank you for confirming.”
“But, sir—”
“Jacob,” Mac’s voice softened, “you have your orders.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll finish the preparations.” Jacob’s face remained a mask of confusion as he turned and hurried back into the plane.
“Ladies, after you,” Mac said, gesturing to the stairs.
I shook my head in disbelief as I climbed aboard, the shock drawing me away from any confusion over Mac’s strange conversation. We walked through a narrow hallway, shiny faux wood on our right with a chair tucked into a nook below it. On our left, a glass inlaid cabinet showed crystal glasses and dinnerware above a counter with a small sink in it. We emerged into an opulent cabin with soft brown leather chairs and woodwork matching the galley. In the front, on each side, were two chairs facing each other. The next section featured a bar with a television on the left and a table with two-person benches on each side on the right. Through a wide door, I could see a final section with a sofa on the left, but I could not make out what was hidden beyond the wall on the right.
“Make yourselves comfortable.” Mac’s voice floated down the hallway. “I’ll join you in a moment.”
His voice settled me. I searched for a burning in my finger, wondering if he was attempting to use compulsion, but there was none. I didn’t want to admit that he was the element of comfort that kept my heart from pounding in my chest. I took a seat in the first chair to the left, my back against the galley wall. Lyra sat diagonally to me in the second chair on the right.
“Who would’ve thought we’d be traveling like this?” she mused.
I shook my head. “Certainly not me.”
It was a rare moment of calm between us.
“Hey.” I knit my brows together, not wanting to admit I didn’t know what was happening. “Did you see anything odd about the tail of the plane?”
She shook her head. “No, just blue. Did the vampire blood affect your eyesight?” she jeered.
I laid my head back on the seat, keeping my eyes on her. Her eyes flitted about the plane.
“Are you nervous?” she asked, tilting her head.
“Nervous about what?”
She took a deep breath. “We’re going to meet one of the O’Cillians. You know, a vampire turned by his parents. One of the most evil families our coven has ever heard stories of. And we’re trusting another vampire to keep us safe. Doesn’t that worry you?”
I shook my head. It made little sense, but I wasn’t worried. Apprehensive, yes, but it felt like I was following the path I was always meant to travel. And he was with me. A warmth flowed through my chest. “Mac has done nothing but watch out for me. I don’t think he’d put us in danger now.” I strained to hear his voice, which I could just make out as he spoke to Jacob at the front of the plane. I wondered when he would join us, eager to have him near me.
“Excuse me,” said Dani as she walked past us, wheeling the bags from the trunk on a small cart. I watched as she maneuvered through the door, opening a door toward the tail of the plane.
Lyra’s voice interrupted my thoughts. “Do you think his story about the O’Cillians and the coven being related is true?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll have to talk to your mother once we get a chance. She might know something as the High Priestess Regent that she hasn’t shared with us.”
Lyra narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying my mother would hide something from the coven?”
“I’m saying there are things she hasn’t told everyone. As High Priestess Heir, she’s shared things with me that aren’t common knowledge.”
“Like what?”
I shook my head, searching for one that was innocuous. “Like the visions she has. Things that come to her which she doesn’t tell everyone.”
Lyra rolled her eyes. “She’d trust me with that before you.”
“You can believe what you want, Lyra. I’m just telling you what I know.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared into the darkness of the window, seeing nothing but a reflection, Lyra’s insecurity annoying me.
I covered my mouth to stifle a yawn as Mac stepped out from behind me. He was followed by another blond man in a dark suit. Mac had just inhaled to say something when Jacob stood beside me, his cap nowhere to be seen.
“Excuse me, sir, all our plans have been cleared. Are you ready to go?” Jacob asked.
Mac nodded. “Yes. Ladies, this is Paul, the first mate, and you met Jacob before boarding. Dani is putting our bags in storage, but you can get to them through the aft lavatory. Questions?”
Lyra flashed Mac a playful smile. “Just one. Why don’t you sit with me?” She pointed at the seat in front of her.
Mac raised his brow as his eyes met mine. I could tell we were both wondering what she was up to. “I think I’ll sit in the back and let the two of you talk,” he said.
Jacob smiled at us. “We’ll let you get all that worked out. Paul, let’s get in the sky.”
Mac nodded. “I’ll have Dani bring you both blood in a few hours.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Paul with a tip of his hat. “It was a pleasure meeting you both.” His eyes danced between Lyra and me.
I looked up at Mac, still standing in the aisle. “I’d love for you to sit with us,” I said. The words were soft, and I truly meant them. His presence was calming in a way it shouldn’t be, but I didn’t want him to leave me alone with Lyra again. I could see his hesitation as he tilted his head and studied me, then gave a small shrug and sat in the seat facing Lyra.
Paul’s voice came across the intercom. “Ready for takeoff. Dani, sit your beautiful ass down before I come back there and tie it down.”
Mac chuckled. Dani hadn’t reappeared, but I assumed she found somewhere to sit because a moment later, the plane rose into the sky.
I glanced over at Mac and smiled. He pressed a button on his chair and turned it to face me. “That’s better,” he said with a smile. I caught a flash of anger on Lyra’s face.
I pressed my lips together while trying to ignore my cousin. “Is the entire flight crew—”
He nodded before I could finish the question. “Vampires. It’s safer that way. Jacob won’t fall asleep during the flight to Waterford.” He pointed at the button on my chair that would allow me to face him.
I smiled, turning my seat. Never had I thought I would be surrounded by his kind. I caught his eye and noticed nothing but comfort as we got closer to the O’Cillian home. How close was he to this family?
Lyra’s eyes drilled into the side of Mac’s head. “So what else can you tell us about the Coven of the Blood? Why don’t we remember any of this history?”
“I believe I asked you to discuss this with Conall.” Mac’s voice was like ice.
“And I’m asking you,” sneered Lyra.
Mac shook his head and sighed. “There was an incident.”
“What kind of incident?” I asked, knowing I was pushing but wanting to understand my history.
Mac’s eyes searched my face before he pursed his lips. He hesitated for a moment more, the silence deafening. “The coven attacked the O’Cillian sons.” His voice was harsh, as though he were remembering instead of reciting.
“So what?” Lyra pressed.
Mac ignored her. “The coven, in the 1850s, believed they could kill the O’Cillian brothers. They invited the family to Savannah, Georgia. The coven attempted a spell, but something went wrong. When it was over, the O’Cillian brothers were still alive, and the coven was decimated. Not a single one of them remembered the O’Cillians.”
“Our purpose has always been to maintain the balance,” I said. “We never wanted to kill a vampire until the hunters were unable to.”
“Are you sure?” Mac replied. “Think about it. Who is this vampire you’re trying to kill?”
I shrugged. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Exactly. If you knew who the unkillable vampire was, you wouldn’t need me to help you find him or the Cure. You would simply be able to team up with the hunters to get close enough to kill him.”
“How? Neither a witch nor a hunter are strong enough?” Lyra’s eyes flashed with anger.
“No, but a witch incapacitating the vampire long enough for a hunter to behead him would seem an easy solution. So, again, why can’t you find him?”
Mac’s stony expression told me all I needed to know about pressing the conversation. I wanted to ask what happened that caused the coven to act this way, but I didn’t want to push him. And it bothered me that he had a point about the vampire. All we knew was that he existed and an arrow didn’t kill him, as well as his increased influence in Charleston. Why didn’t we know more? Why couldn’t the Charleston witches even give us his name?
Maybe this entire trip was why the pendulum kept pointing at Mac as the next step in finding the Cure. I set my head back and closed my eyes after the long day. My head was starting to hurt from everything I had learned.
Mac’s voice was low. “It’s a long flight to Ireland. Why don’t the two of you get some sleep?” His eyes focused on me with concern.
I held his gaze for a moment, a small smile on my lips before I answered him. “I thought I was sleeping.” I glanced around at the chairs.
“Dani can make up the beds for you. These chairs are single beds, the table becomes a double, and in the back are a double from the couch and a single from two chairs you can’t quite see.”
My heart sped up, and a blush crept to my cheeks as I thought of sharing a bed with Mac behind the partition, laying in his arms all night. There was no way I was voicing that thought.
I glanced over at him. “Where would you like to sleep?” He had a coy smile on his face, making me wonder if he was toying with the same thought I was.
“We can sleep up here,” I said on a breath.
As if on cue, Dani appeared through the rear partition. “Would you like a drink before bed?”
Mac looked between Lyra and me. “Ladies, how about a nightcap?”
I shrugged. “A glass of bourbon would be excellent.”
“And for you, miss?” Dani asked Lyra.
“Is there Chardonnay?” Lyra asked.
“Of course,” Dani replied. “Sir, your usual?”
Mac nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
He waited for her to walk to the galley before he unhooked his seat belt and stood. “We should move to the table so Dani can prepare the beds.”
Lyra and I followed his instructions and changed our seats. This time, as he sat down, it was next to me. I saw Lyra’s face darken as he slid into the seat beside me. Dani followed him with a tray of drinks. I glanced at Mac’s drink, a strange reddish hue compared to what otherwise looked like an amber liquid like mine.
“Blood-laced bourbon?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Mac grinned. “Whiskey, but yes. I have to get my blood somehow. I doubt you’d like me to take it from you.”
Dani let out a light chuckle. A small shiver went through my spine. I wondered if Mac could feel the movement of my seat as I clenched my thighs, unable to deny the tingle between them that turned to dampness. Other than my dream, the thought of his fangs sinking into me hadn’t crossed my mind until now, but suddenly, the thought of an intimate kiss followed by a sharp pain was all I could think about. I lifted my glass to my lips, pushing the thought away.
We sipped our drinks in silence until Dani appeared at the table. “The beds are ready. Do you need anything else?”
Mac looked up at her. His eyes seemed bloodshot, his irises more gray than they had been a few minutes prior. “No, thank you. Ensure that you each have enough blood. Do you have enough for the daylight?”
“Yes, we do, sir.”
“That will be all. You may retire.”
“Thank you. Good night.”
My eyelids grew heavier with each passing sip, and I found it hard to keep them open.
“Rory, you need sleep.” Mac’s voice was soft as he laid his hand on my arm. “I’ll go to my room so the two of you can be more comfortable.”
I would be more comfortable in his arms, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. Not with Lyra glaring at me.
“Come.” He stood and held out his hands. I took one of them and allowed him to guide me to a bed made of the chairs where we first sat. “Get some sleep. You’ll need to be well rested for tomorrow.”
He must have used his vampiric speed to leave because he disappeared, and the partition between us was closed. I took off my pants and slid between the sheets. The lights in the cabin dimmed. As I fell asleep, I heard Lyra getting into her bed.
When I awoke the following morning, I looked out the window and realized the plane was in a hangar. I put on my pants and nudged Lyra.
“Hey, we’re here,” I said, looking around. The partition was open, and Mac was nowhere to be seen.
Before I could search for him, Dani appeared.
“Ah, you’re awake. Mac has gone out to talk to Conall,” she said.
“Conall O’Cillian?” I narrowed my eyes.
Dani nodded. “He came to pick you up.”
“Great,” Lyra muttered, rolling her eyes. “Another vampire.”
I saw Dani shrink a bit and shook my head. “Lyra, this is why we’re here. Be polite.”
I left Lyra dressing and walked through the galley. A silver flask with random black lines decorating the front sat on the counter. My ring burned as I walked by. I glanced around, trying to locate the magic. I caught the flask out of the corner of my eye, but this time, it looked different. The lines now formed a design, a unique Celtic heart, topped with antlers and a seal head. I looked at the flask from the front for a better view, and it disappeared.
Turning my head to the side, I saw it again. What was the design, and why couldn’t I see it when I looked at it straight on?
I pushed the worrying development to the back of my mind. I would have to ask Aunt Amara about it later.
As I exited the plane, Mac’s back was to me as he spoke with a man who bore a striking resemblance to him. They had the same cheekbones and broad shoulders. The man’s shaggy brown hair fell just past his ears. He gestured toward me with his chin, causing Mac to turn.
“Aurora, it’s so good to see you awake. How did you sleep?”
I smiled. “Quite well for being in the air.”
The hangar door stood open behind the man, the crisp air blowing in from outside driving a chill through me. Beyond the tarmac, a field of emerald grass stretched as far as I could see. Something in the air even felt different. The thought of being in Ireland made me shiver with excitement. “I can’t believe we’re here,” I mumbled. “This is all such a dream.”
“Have you ever been to Ireland before?” asked Mac.
I shook my head. “Sometimes I feel like I’ve barely been outside of Savannah.”
His grin widened. “It is a striking place. I cannot wait to experience it with you.” He held my gaze with his. He reached forward, his fingers brushing my forearm. “I’m sorry. I completely forgot myself.”
He stepped aside, revealing the man he had been speaking with. “This is Conall O’Cillian.”
Conall stood a few inches shorter than Mac, his smile exuding a similar charm. A playful light danced in his blue eyes—the same ocean-blue color as Mac’s. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, looking ready for a day at the pubs. This was the last man I would picture as a bloodthirsty, maniacal, evil vampire.
“Aurora, it’s lovely to meet you.” He took my hand, lifting it to his lips in an old-fashioned gesture that made me blush despite myself. “I can see why Mac is so taken with you.”
My cheeks heated further at his implication as I looked down, unsure how to respond. I glanced at Mac, holding my breath, wondering what he would say.
Mac, however, simply smiled, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than usual before he turned back to Conall.
“We should collect her cousin and get to the manor. We have much to discuss.”
I looked between the two of them as Mac turned toward the plane. I pushed their resemblance out of my mind. They are both from here. Of course there will be similarities. I couldn’t deny I was falling for a vampire, but there was no way in hell that vampire was an O’Cillian.