Page 85 of Dark Seduction

“Then yer a fool!” he cried, reading her thoughts. “Ye think to believe in me now, after what I did to ye?”

“I will always believe in you. You are the son of Brogan Mor,” she whispered.

“Fer how much longer?” he demanded, their gazes colliding.

“Forever,” she returned.

“Yer the most headstrong, foolish woman I have ever met,” he said, disbelieving. “Ye think to trust me? Royce be right. Yer a temptation I dinna need, and yer nay safe with me. He’ll take ye to Iona tomorrow.”

Claire’s eyes widened. They had planned to go to Iona together, to bring the page to the Brotherhood. However, those plans had been made before the events of last night. “What are you saying?”

“No Deamhan ever knowingly enters God’s place. Ye’ll be safe from Moray an’ his Deamhanain there.” His tone was cold, cruel. “If I turn Deamhan, ye’ll be safe from me.”

CLAIRE DIDN’T FOLLOW Malcolm inside. She turned, went over to the steps leading up to the ramparts and sat down hard. It was difficult to think, much less be rational now.

Malcolm was fighting terrible, dark urges. She wanted to fight them with him. But if evil was tempting him now—if she was tempting him—then maybe it was better that they put some distance between them for a while. Apparently, the abbey would be a very safe place for her to go. But this was a temporary solution at best. She couldn’t stay at the abbey forever.

She glanced toward the castle. How could she let Malcolm fight evil alone?

Last night, Moray had gained ground, but Malcolm had been the victor in that single battle. He had to triumph over the dark urges consuming him now. How could she hide at Iona and let him do so alone? His future was at stake, and so was his soul.

She thought of her vivid recall of that night in Brooklyn. The memory had been so graphic, it could have been happening then and there. But while she knew she had seen a demon’s face, she had not been able to imagine him.

He had said he would come back for her.

Fear slithered over her. Twenty years had passed, but to a demon who had lived for hundreds or thousands of years, that was like a second.

What had the demon wanted with her? And was it the same demon who’d murdered her mother?

Someone stepped out of the front door of the castle onto the landing above the stairs. “Claire?”

Claire jumped to her feet, facing Ironheart.

“Ye’ll miss the feast. Ye need t’ eat,” he said without inflection.

He was right. She crossed the bailey, entering the hall behind him. Then she hesitated. Everyone was at the dining table, the great room hushed. A woman was seated beside Aidan, taking Claire by surprise.

Ironheart gestured at a vacant chair as he sat. She smiled gratefully at the older Master, aware that the other three men were actually ignoring her. Claire took the empty chair next to Royce, across from the blond woman. A quick glance showed her the next Swedish supermodel, if the woman ever wished to time travel. She was beautiful and very young. Claire doubted she was even twenty. Since Aidan’s wife was deceased, she assumed this woman was his lover. Claire couldn’t help stealing a glance at Malcolm to see if he was checking out the woman, but he was not. She was relieved.

Aidan looked up. “Isabel, this is Lady Claire,” Aidan said in French. “She is my guest. Cherie, Lady Claire is from abroad.”

The blonde smiled warmly at her. “I am so pleased to meet you, Lady Claire. It has been lonely here with no other ladies present.”

Claire managed a slight smile back, thinking that her nights were likely not lonely. The young woman seemed besotted. Her French was stilted, and she had made a grammatical error. Although she wore a stunning gold necklace that looked as if it was set with sapphires, her leine was average in quality and a plain brooch pinned her brat. Claire decided she was from the lower ranks of the nobility. “Enchantée,” Claire returned. She glanced at Malcolm. He continued to ignore her but his plate was almost empty.

We need to finish our conversation, she told him silently.

His shoulder stiffened but he kept on eating.

Claire knew he’d heard her. She decided that the mind-reading thing was not such a bad deal after all. I mean it, she added for emphasis. Then she gave in to her heart. I want to help! I know I can. I am not going to Iona.

Malcolm threw his utensils on his plate, giving her an angry but incredulous stare. Claire thought he was going to storm from the table but he did not.

“Will you be at Awe for long?” Isabel asked pleasantly from across the table, preventing Claire from making a response.

Claire somehow focused on her. “I don’t think so,” Claire replied. She glanced at Malcolm, who had pushed his plate away. His face was hard, his gaze dangerously dark.

“Will you return to Dunroch?” Isabel smiled, making her beauty even more dazzling.