“And?” he snapped, impatient. “And then what?”
Sera smiled.
“You will order them to attack and kill all of Aiden’s men.” McCleod gasped, speechless. His frown turned into a scowl.
“I would never do such a thing,” he said, outraged. “Aiden trusts me. And I him. We are brothers, warriors-in-arms. They have always been good to me, and I to them. I would never harm them, would never break the warrior code. I will not do it. But ask for something else, and that you shall have.”
Now it was Sera’s turn to scowl.
“I only ask once—and I shall have whatever that thing is. You vowed. You cannot go back.” McCleod suddenly turned and stormed away, heading for the door.
Sera felt all the fury rise through her, the fury and strength not only of her, but also of Kyle, his blood now coursing through her veins. She felt stronger and more powerful than she ever had—and in a deeper rage than she knew possible.
In a single leap, she crossed the room, grabbed McCleod from behind, and slammed him down to the floor, pinning him in a deadly lock.
He squirmed beneath her, but he was unable to move an inch. Clearly, Sera, was far more powerful.
“You’ve been a vampire for a day,” Sera scowled, “while I have been one for millennia. In the vampire world, strength does not go by gender. It goes by age. And I’m far, far stronger than you will ever be.”
He finally stopped struggling, clearly defeated, broken.
“You will do what I wish of you.”
“I will,” he answered, barely getting the words out.
“You will kill Aiden’s people. Repeat it after me.”
“I will kill Aiden’s people,” he repeated, grunting, struggling to breath.
Sera smiled. Finally, she would have her revenge.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Caitlin and Caleb flew through the early morning over the Isle of Skye, heading east for the mainland of Scotland, right into the sun. As they flew, Caitlin looked down, and took in the extraordinary beauty of the Isle of Skye. It was one of the most magical places she had ever seen.
The ever-present mist hung over everything, and beneath it, she could see the hills and valleys, the green moss covering everything, the thousands of small lakes interspersing the landscape. All along the island’s perimeter were high, sharp cliffs, dropping hundreds of feet down to the ocean, and the beautiful foam of the waves crashing against the shore. The island was so remote, untouched, with no roads to speak of. It was truly a place for the brave.
Caitlin’s thoughts turned to Scarlet’s dream, her premonition that she would not return. Despite herself, Caitlin could not help feeling herself that Scarlet was right, that she would not return to this place. She knew it was crazy, but she took one long look at the island as if it would be her last. She had a persistent sense of foreboding and dread that she’d been unable to shake.
Leaving Scarlet behind had been hard. She had woken Polly, had deposited Scarlet and Ruth with them, and had made them promise to guard them with their lives. They had, and that had set Caitlin somewhat at ease. Caitlin knew there was nothing she should be worried about: surely Sam and Polly would never leave Scarlet unprotected—especially after they had messed up in England.
Not to mention, Scarlet was also in the safety of the castle, with Aiden’s men, and the King’s men, all around to protect her. Caitlin could not understand why she was so concerned.
As they flew over the strip of ocean separating the Isle of Skye from the mainland of Scotland, Caitlin, holding Caleb’s hand, reflected on the day and night before. Her wedding. The ceremony.
The reception. Her night with Caleb. Her dream. This morning….So much had happened so quickly.
As it was the morning after her wedding, she realized that this would be the traditional time for their honeymoon. And in a way, oddly, it was: the two of them were leaving, traveling, going on an adventure, just the two of them. And surely, wherever they went, they would be romantic places, a castle or a church, or some other ancient site. So in a way, this was an odd sort of honeymoon.
But in another way, their mission now had a much more serious and urgent feel to it. Ever since her dream, Caitlin felt the ticking of time, felt an urgency to find the fourth key, and to return to Scarlet. Caitlin’s heart pounded at the thought of what she might find. Would her father be there, waiting in Eilean Donan? Would the mission finally be finished? And if so, would it change her life forever? Would she be sent back to the future? Or back further into the past?
The morning sun rose high in the sky as they flew and flew. Eventually, they were over land again. Caitlin looked down and saw that the land here, in the Highlands of Scotland, was just as beautiful as it had been in Skye. Caleb held her hand and dived lower, and in the distance, Caitlin could already see the outline of where they were going.
It was impossible to miss. Eilean Donan. Even from here, from this great distance, Caitlin could see it was one of them most romantic and beautiful castles she had ever seen.
Caitlin reached down and felt her pocket and clutched the clue, the ancient, torn page that McCleod had given her, now rolled up in a scroll. As they approach the castle, she felt it throbbing in her hand, and she wondered if this place would yield the answer, provide the second half of the clue that could lead to the final key.
“Eilean Donan is a very sacred place,” Caleb said over the wind, as they dove lower, circling it.
“It has been home to vampires for thousands of years. The last I heard, it was home to the Red Coven. A very powerful and deadly coven, often inhospitable to outsiders—and rumored to be the guardians of a deep secret.”
They dove lower, and Caitlin took in the site of the castle from all sides. It was even more impressive up close. Built on a small island in the middle of a lake, Eilean Donan castle was accessible only by a long, stone footbridge, suspended over three small arches. The castle was set against green, rolling hills on every side, mountains in the distance, and the vast expanse of the lake surrounding it. It was a dramatic and romantic landscape, and the castle, already looking ancient, with parapets on multiple levels, blended perfectly into the countryside. A gentle mist hung over the lake, lit up in the sun, adding to the romance of it. Caitlin could already sense that it was a mysterious place, and that it held ancient secrets.
They circled again and again, debating where to land. Caitlin spotted dozens of vampire guards stationed, all dressed in long, blood-red cloaks. She wondered if they would have to battle them, but wanted to avoid a confrontation if they could.