First Thirst (Craving 1)

~ Five ~

OKAY, WHAT I NEEDED was some fresh air and exploring to clear my head. I slipped into my denim blazer and headed outdoors.

Walking always works to get my thoughts in order. Also, I had to take a moment to enjoy the end of an incredible day. The air was crisp and the breeze touched my face with the sweet smell of spring blooms.

Now, connecting with nature, my inner witch exploded with power and put matters into sharp perspective.

One—even humans don’t easily believe in coincidences like I was encountering. Witches don’t believe in them at all, and the fact that Jeremy Ascot was an immortal warlock and I was an immortal witch…that was a whopper coincidence.

I strolled over to the pasture fence and a chestnut mare lifted her pretty head and whinnied to me before she trotted over and nudged me for a pet. I rubbed her nose and said, “What do you think of all of this? Really weird, right? What does this warlock, Ascot, want with me? Do you know, and is MacLeod haunted?”

The mare made a sound and nodded her head.

“Aha, so, you agree, weird things going on and MacLeod is haunted.” I gave her a last pat and moved off.

I had to think. I remember Auntie Elle telling me a few times to be sharp and stay away from the darkness. I hadn’t thought too much of it at the time. What had she meant? I was going to put a call into her as soon as I had more information.

Ghosts? What do I know about ghosts? Auntie Elle had told me she came across a ghost in New Orleans once and helped the poor soul move on. She said he was able to communicate with her and tell her his unfinished business. She helped him get his closure and off he went. Was the MacLeod ghost trapped and needing someone to help him move on?

I wasn’t quite sure what the ghost had been trying to tell me, but I knew one thing. I hadn’t been afraid of it. No dark vibes there at all.

That brings me back to Ascot. Should I call him and confront him? Right now, he didn’t know I knew he was an immortal warlock. Should I put him in a position where he would have to admit it all and tell me why he offered me this job? I was sure the job was a ‘front’ for something…but what? Should I call him now? Should I wait ‘til tomorrow and ask him to meet with me in person?

I like facing things head-on.

So, there it was, my decision. I was going to call Jeremy Ascot and ask him what the hell was going on at MacLeod and why bring me here on the pretext of managing the estate.

I sighed right out loud. There goes my cushy job. Too good to be true.

I would soon be out of a home and a job, and I had so wanted to stay in Scotland.

Okay. Can’t do anything today, so just going to put it out of my head for the evening. What I wanted to do now was head for that beautiful barn right around the bend!

Horses and riding had seduced me at an early age.

Aunt Elle used to take me to the stables at Central Park and it didn’t take long before I was riding twice a week and in heaven when I was on a horse.

I made my way into the beautiful stone and polished oak stables and found an elderly baldish man who I guessed to be in his sixties. I liked him at once. Perhaps it was his twinkling faded blue eyes, or the big grin on his face as he stepped forward to greet me.

He told me his name was Jeff and within two minutes we were talking about our mutual love of horses.

“This place is spotless,” I cooed as I looked around.

“Aye, doing what I love makes it easy to do m’job. Also, I live in the loft above the stables, have done for nearly fifteen years, so down here is just an extension of m’home.”

“Oh, that is wonderful. You live on the grounds. I thought no one lived at MacLeod.” I had to stop myself from clapping my hands.

“Aye, but I stay indoors after dark…” he said quietly. “And ye should as well.”

I noticed then long nets of garlic at both ends of the stable aisle. I eyed him. “Garlic?”

“Aye.” He shrugged. “Can’t hurt.”

I laughed and decided to drop the subject. Everyone has their different fears.

He then introduced me to a gelding and said the horse was a gentle soul and could use with some exercise if I had a mind.

Oh yeah, I had a mind.