Falling for Angels - Hazel Hunter Page 0,19

neednae visit the village,” Eideard said to Regina. “With the calpa sneaking onto the island ’twillnae be safe.”

“I’m not scared of the shape-shifters, Eddie,” she countered. “I need to shop.”

He made a casual gesture. “You’ve all you want here, lass.”

I bit back a groan. Reggie might look like an adorable little brunette version of the battery bunny, but lurking inside her was a slumbering volcano—and Eideard was prodding it.

“You think I wanted this rash from wearing wool?” She extended her spotty arms. “And the stuff you call soap, yeah, I adore washing that slime out of my hair. But those furs you piled on our bed are the best thing ever. I just love walking around smelling like dog.”

Eideard scowled. “’Tisnae the fur of–”

Coco got to them before I could. “I have a spare linen gown I can lend you.”

“You’re a foot taller than me,” Regina told her flatly.

The weapons master grimaced. “Aye, and much shapelier.”

“I’m not curvy enough now?” The tumbler threw out her arms. “I can’t go to the village, I have to put up with this rash, I smell like dog, and you’re drooling over her.”

“’Tisnae dog fur,” Eideard bellowed.

“Don’t you yell at me,” Regina said, stamping her foot. “Who do you think you are, you oversized lecherous…” She went still. “Everybody run.”

Her druid power kicked in a second later, and she burst into flames. So did all the wood and everything else flammable around her. Fortunately, Coco shoved Eideard out of the way as she flipped over Reg.

“Andrea,” I shouted, but our team doc was already running into the hall. She used her heat-drawing power to snuff out the fires instantly.

Eideard coughed as he threw his tartan around Regina, who was now standing naked in a smoldering pile of burned wool.

“Thanks, Eddie. Way to go, Doc. Sorry, Coach.” She kicked the ashen remains of her skirts. “Can I still borrow that gown, Coco?”

Once we cleaned up the worst of the mess I had a long talk with Regina and Eideard about anger management, and then went to get some fresh air. Since we’d doubled the patrols around the island Gill had been joining them daily to share the duty; he was that kind of laird. That left me in charge of Dun Dorchas and the clan while he was gone, and I knew I wasn’t doing a very good job. When he saw the condition of the great hall I’d have to explain, and he’d be even more worried.

I walked around the stronghold’s outer walls as I brooded, and stopped as I saw Gill and a half-dozen riders heading toward the stables. Might as well face the music, I thought, and sprinted over to meet them. That was when I saw Jaime, Conor and Lacey sprawled unconscious in the herd pen, with the half-calpa stallion we’d captured standing over them.

“Hey, Velvet.” I walked up slowly, glancing at the three bodies until I saw they were all still breathing. “You remember me, right?”

The stallion rushed at the fence, shifting into human form as he did, and yanked me up and over into the pen.

“Demons,” Velvet said, and then shifted back into horse form.

Next thing I knew I was in Gill’s arms, and his men were chasing the stallion back from us. “Thank God.”

He held me tightly, pressing my face into his broad shoulder. “Come, we must hurry.”

“I need to tell you about a fire,” I said as I followed him into the stables. I glanced back to see his men still trying to lasso Velvet. “They should really get Conor and the girls out of there first.”

“They shall.” Gill swung me up and over his shoulder. “You’re what I came for.”

Hanging upside down made me chuckle, until I looked down.

“I’m so glad you did,” I lied as he carried me up the ladder to the hayloft. “Since you started patrolling we hardly have any time together. By the way, Kendric says the druids figured out how to stop the calpa from attacking us.”

Gill put me down on my feet, and kissed the top of my head. “Tell me.”

“Have to show you.” I turned his back toward the loft window, and took a few steps back. “Like this.”

Running at him and slamming my body into his knocked him through the open window. He grabbed at me as he fell, but I wrenched free. I watched him land on his back, but before he could get up Velvet reared over him.

“My son,” Gill said. “You belong with us.”

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