“Ye broke yer promise to me, lass,” he said quietly.
“Time ran away from me…” I offered.
“Nae good enough. This cannae happen again. If her vamp doesn’t report in to her…soon, she will become suspicious.”
“And send another? I’m ready.”
“Or she may coom herself,” he grumbled. “Ye aren’t taking this seriously.”
“Oh,” I managed to restrain the snort, “I am taking it very seriously.”
“What kept ye so late this afternoon?” he asked. “Did ye meet someone who made ye lose track of time and promises…?”
“Are we getting personal?” I returned, my chin up.
“Am I?” he answered.
“I could ask you where you were when I first arrived here with Betsy, but I didn’t,” I shot back.
“I was helping Gregor over at the dam. He is an engineer working on a problem. Why would it matter?” he answered.
“It doesn’t. I am just saying, I give you space and privacy.”
“Nae, lass, why were ye so late?”
“I got hungry after shopping and there was this charming little place on the river. I took tea there and lingered longer than I should have. That’s all. Then there he was in the road with Betsy looking half-dead. I got out and slammed him with pain. Got her, got in the car and raced here. He was fast and met me here. Jeremy staked him and set him on fire…with some relish I might add.”
He heard me out and suddenly laughed. “Look at ye two—a team.”
“All three of us are a team. You are a part of this, Devin,” I said. “How old do you think this vamp was? He was able to influence Betsy while she was in her car. Not compel…but influence her to get out.”
“Aye, he had to be at least a hundred or more years…nae more than that or he wouldna have coom here so willy-nilly.”
The library door opened wide and Jeremy stomped into the room, finger in the air and blabbering one sentence after another, finishing with, “So we start tomorrow!”
“Er…uh…what?” I asked.
“Wards. Druid wards. We install them first thing around the immediate perimeter. It will stop everything…maybe even Allora, from getting past them.”
“It won’t stop Allora,” Devin said. “She has been invited, which bypasses any ward that could be installed at MacLeod…at least, that is what I have always understood.”
“Well, at least it will keep all other supernaturals out!” Jeremy said on a growl.
“Aye,” Devin said and turned to me. “Ye look tired, lass.”
“Yes, I think I’ll just go up and have a shower and turn in.” I turned to Jeremy. “I’m sure Mrs. Tunny left you something delicious to heat up in the fridge.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Right. I’ll catch a bite and then I have some paperwork to get through. Good-night, Bobbie.”
* * * * *
I waved myself off and headed for my room, noting out of the corner of my eye that Devin remained at the wall as I climbed the stairs.
“Go away,” I told him as I reached my bedroom door, opened it, and went inside.
“Now, why would ye be wanting me to go away? I’m on watch, and so I shall be after yer experience this evening,” he said in a voice that clearly indicated he would brook no argument.
I had my back to him. “You said you would honor my privacy. Now is that time.”