“I’m assuming Guinness for the men?” Cait asked.

  Both men nodded as they all took seats at the bar. Blake sat at the far end from Clare and it took everything in her power not to roll her eyes.

  “You’ll be needing a place to stay then?” Cait asked.

  “Aye, if that’s not too much trouble.”

  “My husband owns a lot of real estate in town. We’ve got a little bed and breakfast that we keep open for passersby, friends, people who’ve had too much to drink and the like. I’ll show it to you later on; you’re welcome to stay as long as needed. Any friend of Fiona’s and all… Though she didn’t say how you knew her?” Cait asked, her eyes zeroing in on Clare.

  Clare got a distinctly odd feeling, as though Cait was trying to pry at her mind.

  Cait’s eyes widened ever so slightly, and Clare realized that she was, in fact, reading her mind. Clare could feel the gentle tug of her intrusion.

  “Find what you were looking for?” Clare asked coldly, but instead of looking embarrassed, Cait threw her head back and laughed, her short mop of curls bouncing around her face.

  “What’s happening?” Seamus asked, looking between Clare and Cait.

  Cait slid Clare her cider. “That one’s on the house. Cousin.”

  “Sláinte,” Clare said, tipping her drink at Cait before sipping it. So this was another branch of the family Fiona had told her about – though she’d conveniently left out the fact that they seemed to have their own sort of powers.

  “I missed something,” Bianca decided and Cait beamed at her.

  “Since I’m assuming you’re all on the quest that my family and I recently learned about, I’ll be going ahead and telling you that I can read minds.”

  Bianca’s mouth fell open, but as always with her, the shock didn’t last long before the questions tumbled out.

  “Isn’t that awful when you have a full pub?”

  “Aye. I’ve learned to shield it,” Cait said as she topped of the pints of Guinness and slid them to the men.

  “So you can just turn it off and on?” Bianca asked.

  “Something like that,” Cait agreed and then waved her hand as the door opened and a group of men piled in.

  “Let me serve them and then we’ll be getting a hot meal and a good rest in for you before your climb tomorrow,” Cait said easily. She threw a look over her shoulder at Bianca. “And I probably have some hiking boots that will fit you.”

  “All right!” Bianca fist-pumped the air and Clare chuckled. Perhaps having cousins with extrasensory abilities would come in handy. It felt weird, this concept of having an extended family she didn’t know about. From being an only child with no cousins to finding out she was a part of something so much more – well, it was proving to be a very enlightening week.

  Cait hadn’t lied. Within the hour, the pub was packed with locals all wanting a hot meal and a pint after a day’s work. Judging from the conversations she overheard, work included everything from farming to the local market. Clare nursed her single cider and a glass of water while she ate a decidedly delicious beef stew and allowed the conversation to flow around her.

  Bianca nudged her.

  “Blake said to tell you we shouldn’t stay too late tonight. It’s harder to watch for, you know, in a pub environment. Plus, if they do follow us in here, we don’t want to bust up Cait’s pretty pub.”

  Clare nodded, though she was a little annoyed that Blake had used a game of telephone to pass the message down to her. She was about to signal Cait when someone blocked her view.

  A young man, probably a few years younger than her, with broad shoulders – from working the farm, presumably – sandy blonde hair, and laughing blue eyes smiled at her cheerfully.

  “Sure and that’s a pretty face I haven’t seen yet in this pub. The name’s Garrett,” he said, holding his hand out. Clare took it automatically, and was startled when Garrett brought her hand to his lips for a kiss.

  “Clare,” she said, snatching her hand back and trying not to blush.

  “You’re not from around here then?” Garrett asked, settling in for a chat, his eyes sizing her up appreciatively.

  “Blake’s getting angry,” Bianca hissed in her ear.

  That decided Clare. Turning her back completely, she smiled brightly at Garrett.

  “From Dublin, actually. Clifden originally though.”

  “Ah, a west coaster like myself then. Grow up in Clifden, or outside?”

  “On a farm,” Clare said, smiling at him.

  “A girl after me own heart,” Garrett said, tapping his palm on his chest. “Say, can I buy you a drink then?”

  Clare debated saying yes for a moment, but decided to decline. She was about to say so when a voice spoke for her.

  “The lady is finished drinking for the evening,” Blake said over her shoulder, his tone menacing.

  Even though she knew she’d been trying to goad him, Clare was astounded that he would be this rude. Turning, she frowned at him, but his eyes held Garrett’s.

  “Sure thing, though I think the lady can decide for herself. Am I right, lad?” Garrett said, baring his teeth in a hint of a smile.

  “I’m done. And not because he said so, but because I am done and we were about to leave. Nice to have met you, Garrett, but my friends and I must be going.”

  “Perhaps another time, then,” Garrett said, picking up her hand and pressing a kiss – to her palm this time, deliberately provoking Blake, who all but growled over her shoulder. As he slipped away into the crowd, Clare turned to glare at Blake.

  “He was being perfectly nice. I’m capable of turning down advances. I worked in a pub, remember?” Clare asked hotly, then brought her voice down when she noticed people glancing her way.

  Blake just looked past her shoulder and nodded, signaling Cait.

  “Ready to go?” Cait asked cheerfully.

  “Aye, we’re ready.” Blake spoke for them, though Clare stubbornly wanted to stay for another pint now.

  Cait’s eyes met Clare’s briefly. Amusement danced in them before she waved for them to follow her. Blake stayed one step behind Clare, nudging her through the crowd, as they made their way to the back door.

  Sure, now he wanted to walk with her, Clare thought, annoyance washing through her.

  They followed Cait from the pub, across a little courtyard, and over to a building next door. Cait unlocked the front door and led them up the stairs to a small hallway with two doors.

  “Two bedrooms only. But two double beds in each so girls and guys can sleep separately,” Cait said easily, unlocking both doors and then sliding a glance at the group. “Or, you know, however it is you want to divide it up.”

  “Cait, thank you for this. We really appreciate it,” Clare said.

  “A word?” Cait asked her.

  Clare nodded, glancing back at Blake, whose eyes burned into hers, before following Cait down the stairs.

  Stepping onto the front stoop, Cait closed the door behind them for privacy. “That man has it bad for you,” she said without preamble.

  “Blake?” Clare asked, and then rolled her eyes. “He says I’m a distraction.”

  “Of course you are. He’s mad for you,” Cait said, a smile on her face.

  “More like mad at me. He can’t get over the fact that I…” Clare debated how to frame what she wanted to say about the Domnua and then watched Cait’s eyes go wide.

  “Do I need to protect my family?” Cait whispered, having read everything she needed to know from Clare’s mind.

  “They’re not after you. Only me. And other Seekers.” Clare shrugged. “It would do them more harm than good to go after regular civilians. It would cause a panic. Make their lives more difficult. Though, if you’ve got the sight, it’s the silver-eyed ones you’re to be watching out for.”

  Cait nodded her thanks, her eyes serious.

  “You hike tomorrow night?”

  “Aye.”

  “Make things right with your man. You’re going to need his strength. Come to the pub for breakfast tomorrow. I’ll see if I can gather anything else to help you on your way.”

  “You’ve a kind heart, Cait. Thank you,” Clare said, impulsively reaching out and gathering Cait into a hug. She wasn’t much of a hugger, and judging by the way Cait tentatively hugged her back, Cait wasn’t either. But it felt right and it was nice to know an extended branch of her family.

  “When this is over, you’ll come back here and take a holiday. Grace’s Cove has some magickal spots,” Cait said, smiling up at her before slipping away to go back to the pub. Clare glanced around the now dark village with windows shining like bright beacons all the way up into the hills. Seeing nothing out of sorts, she climbed the stairs.

  Blake leaned on the wall next to an open doorway.

  “You’re in here.”

  “Fine,” Clare said, breezing past him. She expected to see Bianca in the room. When she saw Blake’s bag instead, she whirled around – to find Blake slamming and locking the door.

  “I’m not sleeping in here with you,” Clare said, her hands on her hips.

  “Fine, sleep in the hallway then. I’m getting some rest,” Blake bit out.

  Clare’s mouth dropped open. Where was the kind man who had bared his heart to her the night before? Furious, she dug in her bag for a t-shirt and her makeup kit and headed to the bathroom tucked off the room.

  When she returned, Blake was already under the covers of his bed, his back turned to hers.

  Fine, Clare thought, slamming her bag down and making as much noise as she felt like. Climbing into bed, she flipped the light off, and turned her back on Blake.

  Staring at the wall, she promised herself she wouldn’t cry.

  And bit down on her lip when the first tear dropped anyway.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Blake stared at the moonlight spilling in from the single window on his side of the room. It was taking every ounce of his willpower not to slip into bed next to Clare and show her that everything she’d said about him just scratching an itch was a lie. They both knew there was more to it than that.

  So why was he sitting here sulking then?

  When he heard a muffled sniff from her bed, Blake sat straight up. Was she crying? He could deal with pretty much anything in this world – except tears from someone he loved. It went back to the days of Esther crying when she remembered his parents. Blake never wanted to see those he loved hurting.

  Blake curled his hands into fists as he stared at the wall and counted to ten. Maybe he was wrong.

  Another muffled sniff had him grinding his teeth.

  But he went to her – because he was helpless to resist her cries, helpless to withstand being separated from her, helpless to not be touching her when they were in the same room together.

  Clare stiffened when he lifted the covers and slid into the bed next to her, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her back to his chest. Neither said a word and Blake simply held her until her body relaxed and her cries softened. Stroking her arm, he soothed her with nonsense words until she finally lay pliant against him, curled into his body, their warmth and closeness soothing Blake’s soul, too.

  “I wasn’t going to let him buy me a drink,” Clare said finally.

  Blake laughed into her hair, inhaling her scent. “I wouldn’t have let him buy you a drink,” Blake said.

  “I can make my own decisions,” Clare bristled, but Blake just pulled her more tightly against his chest.

  “You’re mine, my love. It’s best you remember that,” Blake said, then laughed again when Clare tried to squirm from his arms.

  “You aren’t the boss of me,” Clare said hotly.

  “No, I’m not. But I am in love with you,” Blake said, and Clare went limp in his arms.

  They lay like that for a moment, both absorbing the truth of his words.

  “It hurt me… the way you acted. After the night we shared,” Clare said stiffly.

  “I know. I was embarrassed that you had to save me. My pride was wounded,” Blake said, nuzzling into her neck.

  “I can see that. I’m sorry I reacted the way I did,” Clare said, her words like balm to his wounded heart. “I was just trying to protect myself because I saw you pulling away from me. And I lashed back at you.”

  “Thank you,” Blake said, and though he desperately wanted to hear the words of love said back to him, he sensed that she wasn’t yet ready to say them.

  What was love if you couldn’t be understanding? Deciding not to push, telling himself it didn’t matter if she said ‘I love you’ back, he turned her so he could find her lips with his own.

  And poured his anguish and his heart into their lovemaking. Because even if she couldn’t say it with words, Blake could feel her love pulse from her with every touch. Every whisper. Every kiss.

  It had to be enough.

  For now.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Clare awoke to a naked man handing her a cup of steaming tea. She gulped as her eyes traveled up his muscular body all the way to his cheerful face.

  “Thank you,” Clare said, clearing her throat and sitting up against the headboard, pulling the sheet with her to keep her naked body covered. She blushed as she recalled her tears of the night before, the vulnerability, and the incredibly intimate lovemaking that had followed.

  She felt exposed in the light of day and buried her face in the steaming cup of tea.

  Blake studied her for a moment, while she sipped her tea and stared at the bed.

  “Feeling shy today?”

  Clare glanced up, surprised at how astute he was.

  “A bit,” she admitted.

  “I’ve just the cure for that,” Blake said, taking the cup of tea from her gently and placing it on the bedside stand before yanking the sheet off of her too quickly for her to grab it.

  “Blake!” Clare squealed, covering her ladybits with her hands.

  “Never hide yourself from me,” Blake said and pounced.

  Later, Clare had trouble wiping the smile from her face as she used the postage-stamp sized shower and went through her morning routine. Even though she knew they had to conquer a mountain – quite literally – this evening, she felt like she’d personally already conquered a pretty big one.

  Her eyes met her reflection in the mirror as she swept on the barest hint of makeup. If she was being honest with herself, she hadn’t totally conquered the mountain.

  Because she was still holding back those three little words and their very huge impact. Glaring at herself in the mirror, she ran a comb through her damp hair and wondered why it was so hard to admit to him her feelings. Was it too soon? Was there a perfect time frame of when it was okay to tell someone you loved them? Or what if it wasn’t love? What if it was just the high-stress situation and they were reacting in the most natural way to the stress of it all?

  Questions churned through her brain, but one thing she was certain about was that she did feel a bit guilty about not telling him how she felt. Idly, she wondered if telling him that she cared for him would cut it.

  She laughed as she imagined just how well that would fly.

  She’d already learned her lesson about male egos yesterday. It was best not to poke the beast, Clare thought as she left the bathroom and smiled at Blake, who was sitting on the bed.

  “I would’ve joined you in the shower, but…” Blake said.

  “I know. It’s tiny,” Clare said with another smile. She tucked her dirty clothes and toiletry bag in her duffel.

  “Bianca and Seamus already walked over to the pub. We’re all set to go. If you’re ready, that is,” Blake said, smiling gently at her. Today he wore fitted black jeans, a plaid shirt under a wool sweater, and his leather jacket. He was so handsome it was almost painful for Clare; a part of her wanted to stay there and undress him all over again.

  “Aye, I’m ready. Though, if I were to admit it, which I’m not, I would say that I’m nervous about later,” Clare said, rubbing the aquamarine ring on her finger.

  “That’s a good thing. Nerves give you an edge. I’d be worried if you weren’t nervous,” Blake said, rising and putting his arm around her shoulder. As they left the room, Clare marveled at how easy he was with her – with touching her and just being comfortable with her. Even though she hadn’t said she loved him.

  Clare wondered if he was giving her the gift of time. Or the space that he had once requested of her.

  Either way, she was grateful that the awkwardness of yesterday had eased, and in the wan light of the grey January morning, they made their way to the pub at ease with each other.

  “Cait got us supplies!” Bianca exclaimed as soon as they entered the pub. The three of them stood by a table where a few packs were laid out.

  “Good morning to you too,” Clare said, flashing them a smile. Cait ran her gaze over the two of them, then nodded, sending a quick wink of understanding to Clare.

  “Just some basics for climbing a mountain at night in January. Some grips for your boots, as there is shale up top and that can get slippery. Headlamps, some backup flashlights, emergency warming blankets, first aid kits, and some food rations and water.”

  “That’s… incredible,” Clare decided, looking down at everything.

  “I certainly wouldn’t be doing my part if I let you go up there unassisted, now would I?” Cait shook her head.

  “I’m happy to reimburse you,” Blake began, but Cait waved at him.

  “You’re family. Now, I’ve got Patrick cooking up a full Irish in the kitchen. You’ll be wanting to get a head start today, so you’ll get at least halfway up in the light,” Cait said as Clare looked at her team.

  Her team. Warmth filled her heart as she looked at them all – so willing to put their lives on the line to find this mythological stone.

  “Do you think that’s a good idea? Get a head start during the day?”

  “Makes sense to me,” Bianca said cheerfully as she picked up a headlamp and adjusted it to her head. Clare felt dread fill her as she looked at her easygoing friend, who had no magickal powers at all, and suddenly felt horrible about bringing her on this mission.

 

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