Highland Retribution: Ancient Echoes Series: Book Four

By Barbara Monahan

Tempers flare between the sexy MacClaire twins. Cormac can no longer ignore the steamy looks Lila gets from his twin. Rumors of her infidelity force the couple back to Boston, to distance themselves from the trouble in Rosestone. Cormac doesnt know his wife will soon stage her death, by taking a rare herbal mix. Shell be returned to Scotland for burial then revived by Dermott. But Dermotts grown tired of her and has no intentions of bringing her back in his life. Lila is now history, trapped forever in the world of the Fae. Will Dermott change his mind or leave his lover as hostage forever? Join the MacClaires in this exciting tale of sex, seduction, betrayal, and murder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504970709

Barbara Monahan

Barbara lives in Pennsylvania with her family. She is a retired nurse who now devotes most of her time to writing paranormal time travel—her passion.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Dermott MacClaire was a changed man. Life was good to him lately. Strong love for wife and daughter replaced a dark past filled with lies, treachery and deceit. The beaming father of a beautiful daughter and another child on the way, Dermott was looking forward to settling down with his family in modern day Aberdeen. It seemed a lifetime ago that he and his twin fought to the death. Those were chilling memories, best kept out of his consciousness for everyone's sake. It was the brutal result of Dermott being taken over by dark Unseelie outcasts from the Daoine Sidhe, which shared grounds the castle was built on.

Thus, a dark period of history was brought to a crashing end, never more to be repeated. That life was over now, and Dermott retained little or no memories of it. Now a loving father and devoted husband, he set his mind on correcting the evil he'd done in the past. Unfortunately, he would soon learn this was impossible.

CHAPTER ONE

ROSESTONE CASTLE... Present Day.

Kiera love, where are you? Sorcha yelled, traveling through the long castle halls. The sweet four year old was now the focus of her parent's attention, and that of the entire castle. She was the illegitimate child of Dermott's past relationship with Eileen, one of the castle's maids during that turbulent time in the seventeenth century. It was a steamy affair he still denies. There were those in the castle who felt differently, but it was much too dangerous to push the issue. Dermott still had power of his own, something neither his parents were aware of. It would stay that way, at least for the present.

His past relationship with Eileen was no secret, especially to other maids. She and Sorcha were both castle maids at that time, and developed a close friendship which would last into the future. She told Sorcha about the many precious jewels and costly trinkets he gave her, in exchange for steamy sexual favors that would make any whore blush. It was a difficult time for Sorcha, who in her heart was also in love with the handsome twin. Yet Dermott would do little to please the lovely beauty, other than fulfilling his intense sexual needs for a few hours before moving on to Eileen for the remainder of the night. No priceless gifts or sweet endearing words of love, just raw sex. It left her heartbroken and lonely. She grew tired of the pity the other maids showed her. Yet through it all, she kept it to herself in hopes things would eventually change.

Then came the news Eileen was pregnant. It was no surprise to the other maids, and Eileen suddenly found herself alone. She kept it from Dermott as long as she could, and began to refuse his advances half way through the pregnancy. She ate as little as possible in an attempt to hide her blossoming figure, and kept to her room toward the end. Unfortunately, this made things worse. Dermott took it as a direct insult, which wreaked havoc on his male ego and fueled his rage. Eventually, he stopped seeing Eileen altogether, focusing his attention on others who gladly accepted. But to her it was a blessing.

Sorcha and Eileen became close friends. In the end, it was only Sorcha who helped in Eileen's time of need. He had already killed off the only other maid who she was close to, and those remaining were too scared. They'd been terrorized by Dermott, who learned of Eileen's pregnancy by a loose tongue during a steamy night of sex with another maid. He threatened if anyone helped her, financially or otherwise, they would definitely lose their job and possibly their life. Sorcha was the only one with enough backbone to ignore his orders. She didn't care what he threatened, she would not ignore her friend in her time of need.

Then the day came. The birth was a painful breech. Luckily Sorcha had some experience in childbirth, having grown up in a remote section of the highlands where medical help was rare, if not nonexistent. Unfortunately, many women died because of it.

After hours of grueling labor, Eileen finally delivered a baby girl and named her Kiera. She was understandably exhausted, and Sorcha cared for the newborn while her friend slept for hours at a time. When Dermott learned he flew into a rage, tearing up half the kitchen until finally stopped by his father. He blamed his outrageous behavior on a sudden illness, never mentioning a thing about the birth. Looking back, Samantha claimed she knew nothing of the pregnancy, but that was questionable. That type of secret was almost impossible to keep in a castle as large as Rosestone, unless you were threatened with death.

Dermott wasted no time banishing her and her child one freezing winter night. He humiliated her in front of all, telling her she was just another whore like the others. The entire situation became a source of deep embarrassment.

Eileen and her babe were forced to leave. She was even refused a horse and carriage, which made its way around the castle immediately. It was barbaric, yet no one said a word. They didn't want to end up in the same position.

She took her child and set out for Black Raven Castle in the middle of a blinding snowstorm. It was located miles from Rosestone, and was a wonder she made it alive.

Black Raven was her ancestral home, and the stronghold of the McDonough Clan. Her father, Callean McDonough was laird there and his word was law. At Black Raven they were accepted and loved. But it wouldn't end there. Callean swore revenge and quickly placed a hefty reward on the arrogant twin's head. He was an extremely wealthy man, money posed no problem.

Once a powerful Keeper of the Light, Callean was banished from the group for personal gain, pride and greed. There were also those who claimed he committed murder twice, but that was never proved. He was warned countless times, but refused to listen. As a result, he was stripped of most of his angelic powers and forbidden to communicate with others from the group.

McDonough now set his thoughts on revenge. Once a close friend of the MacClaires, he grew increasingly jealous of their close family and net worth. He had plans for the young MacClaire. Dermott would pay for the humiliation and cruelty done to his daughter. Callean himself would follow him into the twenty first century, if needed. Time travel was no obstacle for this fallen angel. There would be no escape.

CHAPTER TWO

Cormac MacClaire was now a grieving widower. He and his wife Lila made the decision to return to Boston and distance themselves from all the turmoil at Rosestone. Tension in the castle was building lately, leaving seemed the only logical thing. Lila was destined to be called back to the Fae, as Guardian of the thin veil which kept Seelies and Unseelies from destroying each other. She would be whisked from her husband's life forever. It was a disturbing thought and Cormac tried not to think about it. Dwelling on it was just making things worse.

But there were other reasons Cormac wanted to distance himself from Rosestone. Simmering tensions were building between the twins. Nothing obvious, just enough for close family members to notice. On the outside, they were two loving brothers who would now defend each other against any evil. Unfortunately, this was just a cover to keep the clan happy. Cormac was increasingly aware of the steamy looks his brother gave Lila. It had been going on for awhile now, and he could no longer ignore it. Dermott's increasingly inappropriate behavior was causing Cormac to question his wife's fidelity. She was a strong woman, quite able to rebuke any unwanted advances from her brother in law. It was solely because of her that Dermott was still alive. Yet a lingering doubt began to fill his mind. Did she want him to live for other reasons? Cormac tried to ignore it at first, but it was becoming too obvious. There was just one way to put an end to the disturbing situation. The next day they packed up and headed back to their little apartment in Boston. It was a stretch from the elegant castle he was brought up in, but there seemed little choice. It was leave, or the twins would end up tearing each other apart.

Time away from Rosestone was just what they needed. Lila openly confessed a sexual encounter with his brother before their wedding, claiming it was a one time thing. Cormac was stunned. He never dreamed it went that far. They talked it over, and she made it clear Dermott was the aggressor. In reality, it was Lila who had been pursuing him for several months via emails, steamy photos and sexy texts.

Dermott made quite a name for himself throughout Scotland. He was the rich, handsome son of a very well to do family with a background which was questionable, to say the least. Many in Scotland feared the MacClaires. The castle was shrouded in rumors of time travel and ancient warriors, said to have defended it throughout history. The problem was, these warriors still lived within her mysterious walls. Rosestone had been a crumbling ruin, brought back to life through an endless amount of money and fierce determination by a man with a questionable past.

But Dermott MacClaire was not your everyday bachelor. He possessed the ability to time travel, among others. He was a ruthless ladies man, and one was never enough. His sexual pursuits were always front page news on most tabloids, telling the world of his latest steamy affair. They also hinted of dark magic, and a temper which also made news. But this did little to scare off the many young ambitious women of the world. They went to great lengths to snare a catch like Dermott. Needless to say, the competition was fierce.

Lila O'Donnell was one of them. Beautiful and highly intelligent, she watched the eligible bachelor from a distance. Handsome, extremely rich and from a well to do family who just happened to own a magnificent castle, she set her eyes on her prize. Lila wasted no time entering the fierce competition for Dermott through his brother, who she met while on sabbatical in Scotland. In reality, Cormac was just a pawn to get to his more famous twin. Unfortunately he knew nothing of this, and believed their meeting at the university was a chance encounter. In reality, there was nothing chance about it. Unknown to both, there was another hand in this scenario, one working from behind the lines and keeping a low profile.

CHAPTER THREE

Cormac woke early that morning, quietly leaving their bedroom to prepare a special breakfast. Today was their wedding anniversary, and he wanted to surprise her. After preparing her favorite dish, he placed fresh red roses on the elaborate silver serving tray. Next to it was a little black box with a breathtaking diamond band made especially for her, plus a heart wrenching card expressing his love. He wanted to be sure she knew how much he still loved her, despite everything.

He heard the rumors throughout the castle of her infidelity, but chose to ignore them. Then came the troubling call from Luthias. He warned of the conversations between Lila and his brother, and whispers of a plot to stage her own death. She would drink a secret potion to make the world believe she was dead. In reality, her spirit would live on, awaiting Dermott to waken her with a special antidote. They would then kill Cormac and Sorcha and claim the castle for their own. He informed Cormac she had the antidote with her, and was ready to take it. There would even be a note left behind written by Dermott, with instructions on which funeral home to call. He claimed to be a personal friend of the man who owned it. They thought of everything, except Luthias.

Cormac's heart filled with pain, and he hoped Luthias was wrong. Unfortunately, the shifter was spot on. They planned on killing him. Whether he was ready for the news or not, he would learn the ugly truth. Regret tugged at his heart. He pushed the heartbreaking thought from his mind. She could always change, he reasoned.

This was their anniversary, a time for celebrations. It seemed only yesterday they became man and wife in the lush gardens of his ancestral Scottish home. His mind drifted back to the beautiful event, filled with close friends and family members. He made sure all her relatives received complimentary plane tickets to and from Scotland. He would have it no other way. The trip was his gift, and he furnished each with a luxurious guest chamber in the castle's ancient west wing. They would be treated like royalty, and enjoy their stay at Rosestone as long as they desired. To most, it would be the trip of a lifetime, yet others would never return. Complaints of ghosts and apparitions drove them out, feeding the rumor Rosestone was indeed haunted with ancient spirits from the past. To Cormac, it was simply the result of over indulging in another kind of spirit. They were drunk, plain and simple. He bid them good bye, and refused to speak of it again. It was his home.

Dragging his thoughts back to the present, he picked up the tray and headed to the bedroom where he took a moment to watch her as she slept. Beautiful dark hair cascaded in long ringlets on the pillow. Her skin possessed a mysterious glow. To him, she seemed more beautiful than ever. Lila, he whispered, after carefully placing the tray on the night stand. No answer. He gently nudged her shoulder, still nothing. There was something wrong. His worst fears were realized when he pulled down the sheet... she wasn't breathing. Panic hit him as he shook her shoulders. Lila! he screamed, refusing to accept what he saw. Still nothing. No sign of life at all. His wife had passed during the night to the appointed place where she would sit throughout eternity. At first, he failed to notice the tiny empty bottle on the bedside stand.

No! he cried. It's too soon! He frantically attempted CPR, but it was useless. She was gone. Filled with unimaginable grief, he buried his face in the sheet and sobbed like a child. Tears covered his handsome face as reality set in. She was gone to him forever. No more would he hold her against his heart, or see her eyes light up when he walked in the room. He cried until the tears no longer came, then did the only thing left for him to do. He called his father.

Hours later, he received another call from Scotland. It was Luthias. He just learned of her death, through his father. He was heartbroken for the young man, yet knew there were some things Cormac needed to know. Again he explained about the potion, and asked if Cormac saw something odd like a flask or small bottle around the house. He told him he did. The bottle sat on the night table... empty. He told Cormac she would appear dead to those of this world. In reality, she was in a deep induced sleep, awakened only by a special antidote known to a select few. Dermott possessed that antidote, and his initial plan was to give it to her after she was shipped back to Rosestone, for burial.

But now it seems he changed his mind. He'd grown bored, and was out to better himself. He no longer wanted to bring her back, better things were on the horizon. His mind filled with memories of his latest steamy encounters, all rich and famous. Europe's young royalty begged his attention, and Lila was now just a fleeting memory. She had no title, and could offer him nothing in comparison to a future queen. Lila O'Donnell was now history.

Luthias informed him how he stumbled across them several times in the castle and overheard their plans. They plotted to have Lila drink the herbal potion, then have her shipped back to Rosestone where Dermott would revive her with the antidote. There was just one problem, they never expected to be discovered. He overheard them as they plotted one dark evening in the castle's secluded west wing hall. Shifting to a sleek black cat, he easily hid in the shadows without being seen. When the call came from Boston that she died, he took things in his own hands. He refused to let Cormac suffer for nothing.

Cormac sat in his tiny living room, lost in thought. His mind was filled with bitter sweet memories of their life together, short as it had been. He remembered the many times he caught her flirting with his twin, but immediately dismissed it as simply ridiculous. Now he felt like a fool. How could he have missed the signs? She never loved him to begin with, but he was too much in love to notice. He cried fresh tears, more for himself this time. Tears and grief were now replaced with anger and thoughts of revenge. Lila was in the other room, awaiting an antidote which would never come. He would make sure of that, and have her embalmed immediately and buried soon after. She would never return.

He was jolted back to reality by the shrill sound of his cell. This time it was Sorcha, calling from an undisclosed area at the castle. Cormac, you must listen to me, she warned. Her voice was hushed and she sounded worried. Your brother's gone crazy. He's back to his old ways, perhaps worse. I spoke with Luthias this morning. He told me about their plans, and the antidote. Cormac, I saw where he put it, and took it. We can't have him bring her back. He's out to kill us both.

You need to be careful lass. If what you say is true, he's very dangerous. Does anyone else know?

Just Luthias. I've been confiding in him. He's the only one here I feel comfortable talking to. He's been very kind to me, and believes Dermott is homicidal and will kill anyone who stands in his way. Cormac, I'm scared to death and have to get out of here. If I don't, he'll kill me and my babe. She choked on her tears. I don't know what to do. She was clearly desperate.

Rage surged through his body. Why should she suffer? She was an innocent pawn in this deadly game. Listen, I'll be back in Scotland sometime tomorrow. I can't stay here any longer. Stash that antidote somewhere safe. Better yet, give it to Luthias. He'll take care of it. Make sure you stay as far away from Dermott as possible until I return, understand? Stay close to Luthias, he'll protect you.

Aye, she said between tears. Hurry Cormac, I miss you.

I miss you too lass. A sudden crash was heard on her end of the phone. Then a door slammed. Oh my God! she cried out. Cormac, he found me! No, Dermott don't!.... The phone disconnected.

Sorcha? Sorcha! He slammed the cell phone down on the table. If he hurt her.... His heart raced at what could have happened. Cormac MacClaire no longer had a brother, but an adversary he would kill.

CHAPTER FOUR

Kieron and Niall were on the first plane out of Scotland. The Boeing 767 landed on schedule at Logan International, and Kieron wasted no time flagging down a taxi. In a matters of minutes, they were at his door. The meeting was bittersweet, and Kieron's heart broke when he saw his son's face. Dark circles of fatigue formed under his otherwise beautiful blue eyes.

Did you notify the funeral home? he asked, standing in the bedroom doorway. He fought to control his own grief at seeing Lila's motionless body. Cormac simply nodded and pointed to a piece of paper on the bedside stand. It had a name and number scribbled on it. Kieron felt strange energy when he touched it. Dermott? Where did he get this? Cormac was too lost in his own emotions to be questioned. That would wait until later. He noticed the empty bottle, but said nothing.

A damn shame, Niall whispered, walking over to where she laid. He eyed the mysterious bottle. A sleeping aid? he asked, picking it up to examine it. His eyes shot up in surprise the second he touched the glass. He felt it immediately... the distortions of time and space embedded deep within the glass. This was from the Fae. It had been in contact with them, in one way or another. He felt something else, the presence of Dermott MacClaire. He touched it, whatever it was.

I don't know, he muttered. I hadn't noticed it before. He had no intentions of telling them about his previous calls from Luthias and Sorcha.

Did she have trouble sleeping? Niall asked, watching Cormac's body language.

No, not to my knowledge.

I see. He was not about to open Pandora's box at this time. So young and beautiful, you'd think they'd let her spend a little more time here before they dragged her away. It seems so cruel, especially since you've been married such a short time. He watched Cormac closely for any reaction, but there was none.

Niall reached down and took her hand. Immediately he knew she wasn't dead, but in some altered state. He held it gently as he began reciting ancient prayers for the passing of souls from this life to the next. Yet in his heart, Niall knew they were worthless. It would take more than prayers to bring her back.

I want her body flown to Scotland for burial at the castle, Cormac informed them. It prompted a cautious look from his father.

I see. Kieron chose his words carefully before continuing. His son was far too exhausted to argue at this point, and he didn't want to make things worse. We'll have it no other way. She'll remain with the rest of us for eternity. Niall shot him a look of concern, as if wanting to say something. Instead, he decided otherwise and continued with his prayers.

Cormac struggled with stormy emotions. His father knew he was heartbroken, but there was something else troubling the young man. You need to rest, he urged. This must have been a terrible shock. Tell me, when did it happen?

He grabbed the box of tissues. I'm not exactly sure. Sometime during the night. There were no signs. Whenever it was, I never knew it. He reached over to the tray and handed his father the small velvet box. It was to be an anniversary surprise.

The ring was magnificent and Kieron knew he spent a small fortune on it. Beautiful, to say the least, he said, admiring the breathtaking stones.

Niall finished his prayers. Any sense it was coming? Again, he eyed the suspicious bottle.

No, nothing. If she knew anything, she never let on. His thoughts traveled back to Luthias's call. Slowly, his feelings of sadness and heartbreak turned to thoughts of revenge. He was being targeted by his wife and brother.

The sound of the doorbell interrupted the conversation. I'll get it, Niall said, heading to the door.

Bob Elliot, the short, heavy set man introduced himself, from Elliot's Funeral Home. He was a stocky balding man, somewhere in his early fifties. He wore an expensive black suit, his leather shoes were the best money could buy. He also had an abrupt attitude Niall picked up on immediately. He didn't like him from the start, and if necessary would tell him so. There was something evil about this guy, it seemed to hover over him like a dark cloud. He's Fae, yet that didn't make sense. This was the twenty first century. Niall McInnis had never developed a liking for that race, and never would. If this chance meeting had been anywhere else, he would have probably fried him and thought nothing of it. Instead, he minded his manners and watched. Have a seat, he instructed. It seems we have some business to discuss first.

Of course. He was intimidated by the height and obvious strength of these two men. Although he refused to admit it, Elliot was afraid. These were not your run of the mill men you could push around. He could feel his body beginning to tremble.

Cormac left the living room and sat on the bed where he buried his face in his hands and cried. My son's having a hard time with the death, Kieron explained. It was very unexpected. There was something very familiar about this man, yet he couldn't place him. It was a long time ago, in another time period. Kieron disliked him from the start.

Elliot tried to sound sincere as he conveyed his condolences. I'm sorry to hear that. My deepest sympathy. He placed his clipboard on the table and watched as Niall fumbled for something in his jeans pocket. When he caught the gleam of a knife tucked firmly under his belt, he wondered who he was dealing with. He took a good look at Niall and the muscled blonde who claimed he was Cormac's father. There was something very different about them, and Elliot suddenly wished he was elsewhere.

My son wishes to have her flown to Scotland, for burial at our home, Kieron informed him. He watched as the guy started to fidget.

Scotland? Elliot recently received new orders from Dermott, who had been working with him from the start. Things had changed, and he no longer wanted her returned to Scotland. He now had other orders for the body.

Is there a problem? We were told you already knew.

He shifted his weight nervously. Your son did mention it. It's just slightly irregular.

Niall's eyes held the slightest glint of irritation. Irregular?

Well... costly. It will be expensive to transfer the body. He wished this young man would decide to have her cremated, instead.

Cost is no issue, Kieron told him. I want everything done as I direct, is that perfectly clear?

Elliot hesitated, then felt a sudden bolt of raw fear hit his chest, as his eyes were directed toward Niall. He looked up at blue eyes studying him, waiting for an argument. It was a clear warning, and he knew it. These two were different, to say the least. Now, all he wanted was to get out alive. Yes sir. Just tell me your wishes, and they'll be done accordingly.

Cormac entered the living room. It was clear he had been crying. I want her embalmed, understood? I want it done immediately. Kieron's eyes shot up in surprise. Why was his son so determined to have it done immediately? He knew it was customary, so why the urgency?

That is a requirement by all airlines, sir, Elliot informed him. It will be performed in our facility. Any other instructions?

Yes. Once in Scotland, I want her taken directly to the specified address. There will be no other stops, is that clear?

Yes sir. He could feel Niall's eyes watching him... waiting. This one was trouble.

If there are no further questions, this conversation is over, Kieron announced, heading toward the door. He saw the two men waiting outside next to the gurney, then looked at Cormac. Are you ready son? he asked softly.

Cormac nodded his permission, then stepped closer to his father for strength. It was a habit he developed in childhood. His body was able to absorb angelic energy from him in times of stress. The three watched carefully as they rolled the gurney into the bedroom and prepared to transfer her body.

"Any particular funeral