Lured to the Night (The Brotherhood 4)

Douglas sat forward and rubbed his hands together in front of the fire. “I’ve met the scholar ye speak of, but I doubt Nikolai had the ability to overpower him.”

Leo inhaled loudly. “You’ve met him? You’ve met Talliano? How can that be?”

“Talliano? I cannae recall his name. He came here with Nikolai some fifteen years ago, said they were interested in the history of the area, and we had nae reason to be suspicious of their motives.”

Leo shuffled to the edge of his seat, a heavy frown marring his brow. “What makes you think Nikolai lacked the skill necessary to compel his friend? You have witnessed the way he manipulated Isla. He used his mind magic to force her to marry him.”

Douglas gave a frustrated wave. “Aye, but ye need to be infected in order to have the ability to play with people’s heads. Nikolai was nae suffering with it when he came here the first time.”

Ivana’s head shot up in surprise. “But you must be mistaken. The most vital ingredient in the elixir is haematite. That is surely the reason they came here. According to Talliano’s notebook, your mine is rich in iron. Why would they need to find a cure if Nikolai was not suffering from the affliction?”

Lachlan glanced at Isla whose mouth hung open as she followed the exchange. Neither of them had any memory of these visitors from beyond their shore.

Douglas appeared somewhat confused. “At the time we didnae think anything of it, just thought all those from foreign lands had strange habits. But now, after all that’s happened to Isla, I know the scholar was the one suffering from the affliction.”

Both Leo and Ivana jumped to their feet.

“Talliano was a creature of—” Leo gulped as he struggled to contain his surprise. “Talliano was a creature of the night?” He dragged his hand down his face. “You are certain of this?”

Douglas craned his neck to look up at the marquess. “Aye, I remember the man hid in the shadows mostly. He only came out of his room at night. Nikolai was his student, or so he’d had us believe.”

The guests stared at each other with an odd look of wonder and confusion before dropping into their seats. Lachlan suspected that the apprentice, Nikolai, must have contracted the disease from his tutor.

“Isla mentioned they took fragments of rock from the mine.” Lachlan addressed the group, although it was Isla who captured his attention. She appeared a little agitated, struggled to sit still in the chair. After all that had occurred this evening, he could hardly blame her for feeling disturbed. “They took water from the well near the cairn, which one would assume was to be another ingredient in the healing potion.”

“The Picts are an ancient people who lived on these lands over a thousand years ago. They often placed their burial grounds next to springs … or wells.” Isla clutched her stomach as she spoke. The small grimace playing at the corners of her mouth suggested she was in pain. “The wells are said to … to have been blessed. The flow of holy water worked to heal the spirit, to cleanse the soul.”

While the marquess appeared interested in Isla’s explanation, his wife seemed more concerned with Isla’s restlessness. “When did you last quench your thirst?” Ivana’s brows were drawn together, almost meeting in the middle. “You are not well.”

Lachlan focused on Isla’s mouth, noted how long it took her to form a word. “I … I need to take sustenance. That is all.” She patted at the beads of perspiration forming on her brow.

Douglas stood. “I’ll go and find Malmuirie. Do ye want to take it in yer chamber?”

“You may drink in front of us,” Ivana said. “We understand the need to sate the craving.”

Isla bit down on her bottom lip, glanced at him briefly beneath hooded lids. “I … I shall find somewhere quiet—”

“You do not need to hide away from me, Isla.” Lachlan was not sure what to expect when she drank blood. Perhaps it was naive of him to assume she drank it like wine: the odd soothing sip from an elegant glass. Either way, he sought the truth. Either way, he wanted to show his support for her plight. “Drink here with us if you would prefer.”

Isla’s wary gaze drifted over him before settling on Douglas. “Perhaps we should all have some refreshment.”

Douglas raised his chin. “Aye, I cannae speak for everyone but I’m in need of more than a dram of whisky,” he said as he marched off without offering the guests a choice of beverage.

Whilst they waited for Douglas to return, Lachlan decided to address the numerous questions plaguing his thoughts. From the look of concentration on Isla’s face, he suspected the need to satisfy her thirst must be overwhelming. And perhaps listening to their conversation might work to distract her mind.

“So if Talliano had success with his research, I assume he took the cure.”

Ivana’s expression darkened. “Nikolai killed Talliano.” Upon hearing Lachlan’s gasp, she added, “Nikolai took the cure. I used my infected blood to turn him again at his behest.”

Lachlan shook his head. “Why would he want you to do that?”

“For the skills we spoke about,” Leo said. “We believe his motivation for coming back here stems from a need to replicate the cure. Nikolai was a man who liked to prepare for every eventuality. He wished to have the freedom to walk in the sunlight. Yet he knew that having the power to manipulate minds was equally as important.”

Ivana gave a weak smile. “We will never fully know or understand his intentions. Indeed, his life was and still is somewhat of a mystery.”

“His daily habits are of no consequence to me.” He could hear the trace of bitterness in his tone. “Does the cure pose any risk to one’s health when consumed?”

Not all potions and medicines brought the required results. He had seen many advertisements offering herbal remedies and ointments for all sorts of ailments. Most of them consisted of at least one unusual ingredient: red coral marine plant, ground goat’s horn, a crab’s blackened claw. A cure to cleanse the blood made of iron ore and holy water sounded just as ludicrous.