“Lass, lass…listen to me. I have told ye, I’m not a ghost. It isn’t safe here for ye here at night. Dinnae worry about yer contract. I’ll arrange for it to be altered and the estate can well afford to put ye up in town.”
She studied the place where I stood. In fact, she came so close all I could think of was her luscious lips…ripe and kissable.
She couldna see me, yet she stared right at me and asked, “Who are you?”
“Aye, then, sweet lass, ye would nae believe me if I told ye.”
“Well, here I am, believing already that you exist on some plane. So, what does that tell you? It tells you that I am open to an explanation. Let me be the judge if it is a rational explanation or not.”
“Rational, eh?” I said on a chuckle. “Does all of this seem rational to ye?”
“That depends on one’s perspective. You see, I am a supernatural, a witch in fact. Not only a witch, but an immortal witch that Auntie Elle is certain hails from another realm—meaning, I’m not human.” She put up her hand and waved it near the shield. “There is something between us, isn’t there?”
“Aye,” I said simply.
“Right, so, here I am telling you who I am and when I am done, I’ll want to know who you are. Deal?”
“Perhaps,” I answered.
“No, not perhaps. Deal?”
I sighed heavily. “Deal.”
“Okay, Auntie Elle did a search and it ended with my grandmother. No history before my grandmother. Don’t have a clue who my grandfather was and don’t know anything else about my forebears. Auntie Elle is a human witch, but she taught me all she could about White Magic, so here I am talking to someone I can’t see. Now it is your turn. Who are you?”
I chuckled. How could I help it? She was so matter of fact, and so easy to talk to. “Ye are very open about yerself.”
“Well, I’m talking to a ghost, so why not? Who ya gonna tell?” She wiggled her eyebrows and I laughed out loud and said, “I see.”
“Yeah, but I don’t. So answer my question or I am walking out of this conversation without another word,” she threatened.
Bloody hell, this lass has spirit.
“The wonder is that ye can hear me because a friend of mine installed a potent spell to prevent any supernatural from hearing or seeing anything past the shield that covers the transparent wall between our worlds.”
“A friend? Are you talking about a warlock friend? And what do you mean transparent shield between our worlds?” she asked, one brow up. And immediately answered herself, “Sure, of course. Your friend is Jeremy Ascot!” She paced a moment and came back to the wall between us and said, “You are in a different world? So, what is your business here at MacLeod…with me…and why is Jeremy helping you?”
“Och aye, but ye get right to the point, don’t ye? Perhaps yer a bit too inquisitive for yer own good,” I told her sharply. I saw it all now too clearly. The lass was brave and spirited. She would rush in to help us without concern for her own safety. I had to get her to leave because she was nae a match for Allora.
“Look, I was offered a job and accepted it in good faith. It turns out, however, the job was not offered in good faith, was it? It turns out the reason I was hired was because of my witchy powers. Well, I have to tell you right up front, you have a problem. Auntie Elle says I have not realized my full potential. My aunt is a mortal witch and was, she says, limited to her own mortal training. So, why don’t you start with the truth since I am being open with you? Who are you and exactly what do you think I can do to help you?”
“Right then, truth is it? Aye, I can see ye won’t settle for less. Jeremy has advised me against letting ye in so soon. He wanted
ye to get acclimated to MacLeod…feel comfortable and…”
“And what, trick me into your scheme?” She shook her pretty head and brushed her flame colored locks away from her face with an impatient gesture. Her sharp gaze seemed to look right into my eyes. It was unnerving.
“No, not trick ye, lass. We dinnae wish to frighten ye on yer first day,” I told her gently. “And now I’m thinking we made a mistake and ye shouldn’t be here…”
“Too late. I am here and now too curious to let go. So spill, and don’t worry about scaring me off. When I get frightened, I recover and take it on. So let’s get back to the facts. Who are you and why was I hired to come here?” She folded her arms across her exquisite breasts and damn, but her cherry lips screwed up and I wanted to take her in m’arms and kiss her luscious mouth.
“Here is the thing, lass, I will tell ye who I am and why we searched for ye. Aye, I will tell ye that and explain why we asked ye to coom here if ye will but leave tonight and go to the inn in town and stay there ‘til Jeremy can find ye a flat.”
“No, I am not going. I won’t even discuss this until you tell me now…everything I need to know and why you are afraid for me to stay here at night. You owe me that.”
“Aye, then, I do, and if I tell ye m’story…will ye leave?”
“I will consider it, depending on whether or not you give me all the facts. And don’t lie. I can tell when people give me an out and out lie. Lies scratch my witchy senses.”