Chapter Four
Kevan strolled into the beautiful sunny room overlooking the rear of the property. In the distance, a glimpse of the ocean flashed through the trees. A number of her sisters and cousins had already gathered, enjoying the breakfast buffet laid out, their conversation a familiar comfort. It felt good to be up and moving, clean and rested. Her bed had been amazingly comfortable.
“Good morning.” Greeting everyone, she felt surprisingly chipper, yet disappointed there was no sign of the men.
“So, how does everyone feel this fine day? I for one ache everywhere.” Words of agreement came back as Kevan noticed a couple of black eyes, numerous scrapes and cuts, and even a few splinted fingers on the ladies gathered around the table.
“How’s Raven this morning?” she asked Eve.
“Raven’s doing amazingly well this morning. There seems to be no sign of infection and the cut is healing nicely. I expect that she’ll be able to go home today.”
“Thank the gods,” Kevan told her. “If you hadn’t gotten here as fast as you did who knows …”
“Whoa, I have to give credit where credit is due. Rhiannon had it all under control by the time I got here. I really had no idea how to deal with what was happening, and all I did was stitch her up. The more I think about it, the more I thank the gods that Caleb brought you here, because if you had taken her to the hospital like you wanted to, we might be dealing with a very different situation today,” Eve admitted to Kevan. “It really makes me want to look for Daphne’s journals, you know, the ones that Gram told us about. I’m starting to wonder if they might have information that might help us.”
“Okay, what are you thinking, that maybe things aren’t the way that we have been told our whole life, that maybe the cairbare aren’t the bad guys we thought?” Kevan posed. “If that is the case, then why would Grandpa Joe blame them? He had to know that they would never have been responsible for hurting Grandma Daphne. They needed her, right?” Kevan brought up what all of them had been thinking. “That’s what Caleb said last night.”
“Look, we can second guess all we want, or we can try and discover the truth. I say we try and find the truth,” Kaitlyn chimed in. “Now before we badger Kevan anymore, she has to try this coffee! To die for!”
Kevan grinned at her twin, the self-proclaimed coffee addict. “I still wonder why Grandpa Joe was so sure that the cairbare were the guilty ones.”
“He’s not here to ask, so the best thing for us to do is listen to what the guys have to say and trust our instincts, but do we say anything to the parents?” Kaitlyn asked.
“Oh gods, are you crazy? Nothing will get them here faster than telling them that we are talking to cairbare, never mind that most of you got into a battle, and we slept here. Let’s wait and see what happens before we have to cross that bridge,” Eve exclaimed, and they all laughed, knowing she was totally right.
“Yes, I think that Mum and Aunt Brianne would stage an intervention if they thought for one moment that we were possibly getting involved with the cairbare.”
“I like the sound of the getting involved part, but who do you think would make the best couple?” Roderic teased, as he walked in to the room followed by several of the others. Suddenly the very large room seemed very confining. It was hard not to stare, for they were certainly testosterone filled, beautiful men.
“What?” Caleb questioned Kevan, when he caught her staring at him. Turning away the moment he caught her, she turned red, but as hard as she tried, her eyes repeatedly drew back to him.
“What?” he whispered at her again, “do I have something in my teeth?”
“Nothing ...” she stammered, trying to look anywhere other than at him. Caleb smiled as he watched her struggle for control, realizing with a growing sense of both pleasure and angst that he was having the same problem. It had been quite some time since he felt this exposed.
Kevan looked out the windows, and then let her eyes wander over the large breakfast/sunroom. It seemed the interior hadn’t aged since construction, time having no hold on the mansion. The Victorian origins, mixed with personal as well as modern touches, held the occupants with ease, almost motherly in its desire to please. The house was alive in its own right, and acknowledged Kevan’s appreciation with a perceptual sigh. Everyone in the room suddenly felt safe, even hugged.
“So what did you not want to tell us last night?” Brennan demanded as she strolled into the room, breaking the spell. The morning stragglers finished making themselves comfortable around the table after helping themselves to the breakfast buffet. Striding up to Kevan, Brennan grabbed her chin and stared at her eyes. “At least your eyes are back to normal.”
“Brennan,” Kevan pulled away from her.
“No Kevan, they don’t start talking, and quickly…” Brennan threatened.
“You’re very impatient, aren’t you?” Roderic teased when he saw the anger in her face.
“You better believe it. Especially when I feel like we are getting the run around. You promised us answers, and that’s the only reason why we’re still here, so get on with it,” Brennan spat at them, her hostility shining through.
“Oh, my gods, Brennan,” Kevan gasped at her sister. “Please forgive her; she was brought up in a barn.”
“It’s not a problem,” Caleb glared at Brennan, “for the moment.”
“So,” Roderic interrupted, “let me ask you a question.” He paused. “How much do you know about the cairbare?”
“Do you really want us to answer that?” Brennan snarked back.
“Thank you that answers’ my question. You really don’t know much about us except that we exist.” Roderic sighed, “Well, maybe I should start with a bit of history of the cairbare.”
“I can hardly wait for this,” Brennan stated sarcastically.
“Brennan, that’s enough,” Kevan scolded her, fed up with the attitude. “Either start acting your age or leave. I’m tired of the attitude; it’s getting really old, really fast.”
Brennan stared at her younger sister; her shock turning to anger showed on her face. “Fine!” she pouted.
“Are we ready?” Roderic questioned them, waiting for their nod. “Okay, I’ll give you an overview; unlike Marcus, I don’t think we need to know everything the first time,” he joked weakly, thinking about his friend lying in a bed upstairs, still so very ill, and nothing had helped so far.
“We’re listening,” Kevan informed Roderic as they settled back to hear to the history of the cairbare.
“Here we go. The Cairbare origins have been lost over the eons, but we have been around since the beginning of recorded history. For the most part, we have stayed out of the lives of mankind believing that it wasn’t really worth the time to get involved in the petty squabbles. Our race left humans alone for a long time, letting them evolve naturally until we discovered that some of the other Races had decided that they were superior to man, and man should be slaves or food.
“We may not have wanted to interfere in the world of man, but we could not stand by and allow the others to subjugate. Our very nature pretty much guaranteed cairbare domination over the others, and we stopped the enslavement of the human race.
“There’s been mistrust on all sides and fights still break out, rebellions have started and been quelled numerous times, but for the most part there has been a fragile peace.
“A few centuries back, a couple of the Races got tired of what they considered the cairbares’ high handedness. Their belief of their superiority over man fuelled a cult like group that grew in membership. They came up with an idea of trying to either take out the cairbare, or send us into a state of chaos so we’d focus on something other than what they were doing.
“That was when they attacked our prince Niall, trying to kill him, but a human saved him. That was your ancestor, Elizabeth. What none of your ancestors knew was we had knowledge about a family who would have great importance to the cairb
are. Not just for their healing powers, but for other attributes, talents really, that would act as a catalyst at some point in the future.
“We’ve had many friendships over the years, but none has lasted as long as the friendship between us. It was something that we had cherished until 85 years ago when Daphne was murdered. These last numbers of years have been harder than we can ever recall. Things have been happening that we don’t quite understand, and we have missed our oldest friends.”
Kevan looked to the men seated at the table. “That’s it?” she asked.
“It’s an overview. I could go into more detail if you would like, but we would be here for days, not just hours,” Roderic stated. “Elizabeth Fairbourne was the first of your ancestors to bestow the hand of friendship to us, and we would like to do the same thing with you.”
“You haven’t told us everything,” Brennan accused. “What about that thing about helping you in the future? What is all that about?” They watched as the men exchanged looks. “See,” Brennan exclaimed, “they aren’t telling us everything!”
“Fine,” Roderic growled at Brennan, who was starting to piss him off. “At a time when many families did not live very long, the Prince wanted to ensure that the family of our oldest and dearest friends would be around for a long time, so he consulted an oracle.”
“You’re joking, right?” Kevan sputtered. “You’re telling us that you believe all this bullshit about us being important to the cairbare because of something a fortune teller told you?”
“Not a fortune teller, an oracle,” Roderic stated, letting them know that there was a difference.
“They’re the same thing,” Brennan snorted.
“No, they’re not,” Roderic told them calmly.
“What difference does it make?” Kevan asked them. “What did this oracle say?”
“The oracle told us that many of the descendants of Elizabeth would be important not only to the cairbare, but also to other Races of the world. The ‘10’ will change the course of the world.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Kevan questioned, “What ten?”
“We had no idea for a long time, but Marcus came up with something before he got sick.”
“Well, we are sitting here on pins and needles in suspense,” Brennan told them, rolling her eyes.
“You’re who the oracle told us about,” Caleb stated as he stared at Kevan.
“What, are you crazy? Why would I be the answer?” Kevan cried out, misunderstanding him.
“Not just you individually, you all together, you’re critical to the all the other races.”
“And you came to that conclusion, how?” Brennan questioned.
“I wish we could answer that, but Marcus was unable to explain his findings before he got sick. We’ll have to wait until he gets better and then we can ask,” Caleb explained. “We believe that you and your family will play an important part in the future.”
“You talk like you’re guessing at this,” Kevan questioned. “You’re the ones who talked to this oracle and got this information, so wouldn’t you know exactly what kind of role that we play in the future?”
“It’s not that easy,” Caleb admitted.
“Why not?” she asked him.
“It was an oracle.”
“So ...”
“You know how they are.”
“Yeah, we consult with them every week to get caught up on our horoscopes,” Kaitlyn chimed in, shaking her head. “Like get serious.”
“Kaitlyn,” Kevan hushed her sister. “We don’t know anything about oracles, so enlighten us.”
“Did you not learn anything while you were growing up? Did your family not tell you about the other Races? Did you not want to know about us?” Caleb questioned them.
“Where we grew up we didn’t see many of the other Races. When we did, our parents told people that we were talking about imaginary friends. When we got old enough, we learned not to tell people that the person standing next to them was not really a human, but a werewolf or a troll or even a demon. People tend to freak out about things like that, and nothing would have gotten us committed faster than telling anyone that we know about a race of immortal warriors that live among us.”
“That makes some sort of sense, I guess, but I would have thought you would have asked a lot more questions,” Caleb pushed.
“We tried, but our parents never wanted to talk about it, and after a while it just became part of our lives. Now your turn, you still haven’t explained about the oracle thing.”
“Yes, well, an oracle doesn’t tell you straight out what is what,” Caleb admitted to them.
“So what did this oracle tell you?”
“Basically a whole lot of stuff, that until you are actually living it, or looking back on it, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense,” Caleb tried to make them understand.
“They talk in riddles,” Kaitlyn piped up.
“Yes, that is exactly it,” Caleb thanked her. “Riddles you need to figure out.”
Kevan was about to ask another question when Catherine, Roderic’s assistant, walked into the room. She leaned over and whispered something into his ear. Giving her a look of surprise and nodding, he began to rise.
“Where are you going?” Brennan demanded, “You still haven’t explained anything.”
“Look, I’ve told you everything we have at this time.”
“That’s nothing. You claim you weren’t the ones behind Daphne’s murder. Prove it.”
“I don’t have to prove anything!” he roared at Brennan. “You have already decided that you aren’t going to believe one word I say, so what does it matter? Just take your sisters and go; nobody will stop you. We have things that we need to take care of and trying to deal with your inability to trust is just not that important at this point in time!” With that, he walked out of the room, leaving the rest watching each other warily.
“Rather touchy, isn’t he?” Brennan remarked with sarcasm dripping from her voice. Caleb lost it with her.
“Considering everything we’ve done to try and explain that we aren’t the animals you continue to try and paint us, I don’t blame him for giving up. You say that we’re murderers, but here you stand alive and well. You act as if we’re beneath you, but we’re the immortals, not you. You want us to spill all our secrets, secrets that have kept us alive for thousands of years, saying that if we don’t, you won’t trust us. Well, trust is a two way street. If you don’t want to trust us, nothing we say or tell you is going to change that. It’s your choice, and as Roderic told you, nobody will stop you from leaving.” Caleb pushed away from the table, looking to Kevan, the most reasonable of them.
“Understand this, we’re not perfect. We’re not much different from man in that we’ve made mistakes, big ones, but we’ve always done all that we could to protect and cherish your family. I don’t care what you were told; we’re not the ones responsible for Daphne’s murder. We’ve missed your friendship, and rather than getting our hopes up with your return you should just leave, and we’ll survive like we always have.”
He strode out of the French doors, needing some fresh air to clear his head and calm his nerves. These women would try the patience of a saint.
Kevan turned, staring at Brennan. Seeing her smug smile, she exploded.
“You know Brennan, I love you, but quite honestly, right at this moment, I am so tired of your behavior. I’m an adult and I’m perfectly capable of making a decision regarding whether I want to hear what they have to say and make my own judgment. The way you’re acting is embarrassing; have you even for one moment considered that they might be telling the truth? I have; in the past 12 hours they’ve done nothing whatsoever to hurt us, to make us do their bidding, or any of the other horrible tales that we grew up on, so if you want to continue to act like an ass, do it someplace I don’t have to witness it.” Kevan stood up to walk away, only stopping when Brennan started screaming.
&
nbsp; “You’re talking about the way I’m acting! How about how you’re acting? Almost from the moment that I got here, you have been completely on their side, believing every word that’s come out of their mouths,” Brennan accused her. “Since when do you take someone else’s side over your family?”
“I can’t deal with you when you are like this,” Kevan snapped, storming out the French doors, heading in the same direction that Caleb had taken only moments earlier, and before long, she had him in her sight.
Sensing her presence, he stopped under one of the many trees that lined the gardens of Roderic’s estate. Kevan could feel him watching her approach, responding to his hungry eyes.
“You’re sister is a pain in the ass,” he blurted out. “Sorry I don’t mean to be rude.”
“Don’t,” Kevan told him, touching his arm, “don’t apologize; you’re right, she’s being a complete ass, and I just told her that, but she’s always been very protective of us, it’s just part of her make up.”
“Why is she so sure we’re lying?” Caleb questioned. “As far as I can recall, there was nothing that we found that told us who was responsible for Daphne’s murder, and believe me we searched.”
“I think the problem is she’s been stripped of her confidence. Brennan is not big on change; she loves her routine and you’ve disturbed it. She had it all figured out, cairbare bad, stay away, but after last night we suddenly have questions, a lot of questions, questions that we never thought that we would even be contemplating, and not just about whether you’re telling us the truth. I’m thinking how the hell did I know how to use a blade? Why did I see lightning INSIDE the bar? What’s the difference between a Healer and an MD? How old are you guys?”
“Questions we can handle, but just so you know, we’ll be tolerant for a while, but our tolerance will only last so long; Brennan’s ignorance will dry up the civilized consideration we have for her ways. We’ve never been known for our patience.” Kevan didn’t say a word, not really knowing what to say. “You’re awfully quiet,” he pointed out.
“Well, I don’t know what to say,” she told him, watching him closely as her heart pounded in her chest. Christ, she felt like a randy teenager.
“Then how about answering a question for me?”
“Okay.”
“Why were you at the club last night?”
Kevan smiled. “Well, that’s a bit embarrassing to admit,” she told him.
“And why’s that?” Caleb pushed her.
“It’s all your fault.”
“Oh and how is it my fault that you went to the club last night?” Caleb inquired, giving her a smile that sent pulses of desire through her already over-sensitive body.
“I was restless.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Kevan watched him for a moment, not sure that she wanted to admit the truth, but decided that she had nothing to lose.
“Since I first saw you walking out of the ocean a couple weeks ago, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind,” she admitted to him. “I talked my sisters and cousins into going to Sanctuary to try and get you out of my head.”
“So, what, you wanted to get drunk or laid?”
“N...Not that, not drunk either. Dance, I wanted to dance you out of my head,” she explained. “It’s been a tough couple of months, all of us moving in together, we’ve been crazy busy at the shop, Myrna’s attack, now you guys everywhere we turn.”
Caleb stepped closer to her, fingers coming up and tracing down her cheek, staring into her eyes.
“Did you like what you saw?” he asked.
“What?” Kevan gasped, blushing as she recalled his image perfectly.
“You’re thinking about it right now, aren’t you?” Caleb chuckled as he continued to caress her face lightly with his fingers.
Kevan reached up and ran her fingers over the tattooed wrist, relying on peripheral vision. The heat that ran up her arm raised the fine hairs. Barely managing her composure, she continued their conversation,
“Did you know that I would be there?” she questioned him. “It’s almost too big of a coincidence. You were looking for us, weren’t you?”
“We have been searching for you for a long time,” he admitted to her, “and yes, I knew that someone would be there, not who exactly, just someone important.”
“How would you know that?” The mutual benefits of the caresses built the desire between them, making words hard to express.
“I just did,” he whispered.
“You know, as much as you don’t like the way Brennan pushes for answers, I understand it. You guys don’t like to give anything away, do you?”
“We’ve told you all that’s necessary,” Caleb told her.
Kevan stepped back, cooling the atmosphere, “All that you have deemed as necessary, but not all that you know, correct?”
“Why would you say that?”
“See, you’re doing it right now.”
“Doing what?”
“You’re evading my questions,” Kevan accused him.
“I am not evading your questions.”
“Oh, don’t act like the wounded party. You have that down to a science. What are you hiding?”
“Nothing, we’re hiding nothing!” Caleb tried to assure her.
“Of course you are; you know way more about this thing to do with my family than you are letting on. What is it?” Caleb looked away from her.
“See, you’re doing it again. You’re hiding something! What do you not want us to know? Fuck! You have no idea how much I hate bullshit run around! Great, now I’m swearing, shit!”
“Kevan, we really aren’t hiding anything. You’re just reading things into my actions to justify your own reactions. Now you had better get back inside before your sister accuses me of molesting you.”
“You’re just trying to get away from me. You do know something and you’re worried about me finding out what it is,” Kevan told him.
“No, that is not true!”
“Then why don’t you want me around?”
“You want the truth?”
“Of course;”
“The real truth?”
“Yes. Fuck, I hate games”
“I want you out of here, but not for the reason you are thinking.”
“Why then?”
“I told you why.”
“You didn’t tell me anything.” Kevan stared at him as he moved towards her, their bodies only a few inches apart from each other.
“I told you, I didn’t want your sister to accuse me of molesting you.”
“What?” Kevan’s entire body pulsed with hot need.
“It’d be better if you left now before something happens that you can’t take back,” he whispered in her ear.
Her entire body felt heavy with need, as his hands traced up and down her arms and back. His head bent so his lips were almost caressing hers, their breaths mingling together. Her heart pounded in anticipation, her tongue darting out, wetting her suddenly dry lips. A smile creased his mouth as his eyes devoured hers.
“If you stay out here I am going to do a lot more than just kiss you like I really want to,” he promised.
“Like what?” Kevan asked, needing to know his answer, silently willing him to lean in closer, and smiling as their lips touched ever so lightly. She reached up, cupping his cheeks as he gave a very gentle kiss, lips touching then pulling apart, with the promise of more to come.
“You’re a very beautiful woman Kevan Cameron. I would like nothing more than to strip you naked right this moment, and do anything I want to you, because you’d let me.” He stroked her lips with his teeth, sending the most intense shivers through her body. “You’re a temptation I have to resist.” He kissed her lips once more before stepping back from her, leaving her body pulsing with a desire and a need she never knew existed.
“Resist? My god, you’re arrogant. What about what I want?” she finished with a grab of his butt, al
lowing only a whisper of pressure to the front of his jeans.
“For the moment you’re safe from my arrogance,” he told her as he cupped her cheek, “but only for the moment.”
“Kevan!” she heard in the distance, as she watched his face, noting how quickly he shuttered his eyes, covering the desire that just seconds ago raged within them. “Kevan!” she heard again.
“Someone’s calling you,” he told her reluctantly.
“I heard. It’s my sister, Kaitlyn.”
“You should answer. Don’t want to worry her.”
“Are you sure?” Kevan asked him, not wanting to stop what was happening between them.
“No I’m not, but we had better,” Kevan nodded. “I’m here, Kaitlyn!” she yelled to let her know where she was, but her eyes never left Caleb’s.
Kaitlyn found them still standing only a few feet apart watching each other.
“Everything okay here?” Kaitlyn questioned her twin sister, observing the looks passing between Kevan and Caleb.
“Yeah, everything is just fine,” Caleb told Kaitlyn. “Ladies, I will see you later.” He turned and walked back towards the house, glancing over his shoulder once before they lost sight of him. Kaitlyn looked at her mesmerized sister.
“Did I interrupt anything?” she wanted to know.
“No, nothing,” Kevan assured her.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, why would you think otherwise?” Kevan asked, not making eye contact, knowing that her twin would see the truth in an instant.
“Oh my gods, you are such a bad liar, it’s not even funny. The two of you have enough sparks flying between you to start not only a fire, but a whole goddamn freaking forest fire,” Kaitlyn laughed. “So, is he a good kisser?”
“What?” she tried to bluff her way out of it, “We didn’t kiss.”
“Don’t lie to your sister, Kevan. I know you kissed, I can see it on your face.”
“Kaitlyn, I’m really starting to think that you’re losing it.”
“No, no I’m not, but I think you are,” Kaitlyn started giggling. “Oh my gods, you like him, really like him, don’t you?”
“What? No,” she looked into Kaitlyn’s face, unable to lie. “Oh gods, what am I going to do?” Kevan cried, rubbing her arms. “That man stirs feelings within me unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.” She shook her head, “And if you tell anyone, I will do something dastardly to your beloved t-shirts collection.”
“Oh my dear sister, when have I ever …” Kevan gave her twin a look. “Okay, don’t answer that, but a word of warning: you know that if Brennan gets even a hint of the chemistry boiling between you two, she’ll go all ballistic on your ass, and lock you up till the next century.”
“Believe me, I know how Brennan would react, or more likely overreact,” Kevan sighed. “She would castrate Caleb with a pair of pruning shears, or any one of those guys if she thought that they were looking at us crossed-eyed.
“Oh, I think that is only a small part of what she would do to you if she figures out what is happening between you two.”
“Nothing is happening between us,” Kevan whispered, even though she knew it was a lie.
“Kevan, don’t lie to me or to yourself. Chemistry is chemistry, and that’s what you two have in spades.”
“Oh gods, what am I going to do, Kait?”
“My dear sister, if I have to tell you what you have to do, we really need to talk about your past dating history.”
“Would you knock it off, this isn’t a joking matter. Why the hell does the first guy I have been attracted to in forever, have to be one that’s off limits?” Kevan wailed.
“Like I said, you have chemistry in spades, so go for it.”
“You’re so not helping, sister dear.”
“You’re thinking too much; you can’t fight chemistry so enjoy it while you can and deal with the fallout afterwards.”
“Fallout? We are talking nuclear fallout if Mum and Aunt Brianne found out that I have a thing for a cairbare, not to mention what Dad and Uncle Gavin would do. Forget Brennan, she’s a puppy dog compared to them.”
“Well, you have to make a decision, don’t you? Do you live your life the way they want, or do you live your life the way you want?”
“It’s so easy for you, isn’t it?”
“Easy? You’re my sister and I want you to be happy. I’m trying to look at this from both sides, but I know you well enough to tell you that if you don’t admit that you like this guy, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. As I said before, chemistry is chemistry, and that you have in spades.”
“Yes, I heard you the first time,” Kevan shook her head.
“Spades ...” Kaitlyn laughed, holding her hands up, shaking them to empathize what she was saying.
Kevan took off, heading for the house with Kaitlyn following right behind her, laughing and shouting, “In spades,” at her twin’s back.