Charmed by His Love (23 page)

“It … I wouldn’t survive another heartbreak.”

“Of course you would, because you’re stronger than your fears.” Olivia leaned into her again. “I was scared to death to fall in love with Mac, but I was more scared of dying a lonely old widow without ever having experienced honest to God passion. Do you really want to hide in your safe little prison for the rest of your life just to protect yourself from something that
might
happen? Or do you want to shock the pants right off of Duncan the next time he steals a kiss by kissing him back?” She ducked down to look Peg in the eyes. “Because I’m here to tell you that experiencing honest to God passion with a man who makes your insides clench and your mouth go dry and your heart pound so hard you think you’re going to pass out is definitely worth the risk.”

Peg felt her lips twitch. “Oh man, you’ve got it bad, haven’t you?” She looked at the parking lot again. “But what if my passion kills him? I don’t think you can even understand what I mean, Olivia,” she said, looking at her. “You can’t imagine anything killing Mac because he’s so big and scary, just like that mythical god … what was his name? Hercules or Atlas or whichever one of them was holding up the world.”

Olivia suddenly paled and went very still, but then shook her head with a laugh. “Duncan MacKeage is big and scary, too. And he’s got shoulders that appear broad enough to hold up
your
world. Do you honestly believe that he’s going to die if you fall in love with him? Honestly and truly?”

“I wrote my family’s curse off as nothing more than freaky coincidences just like you did the other day, until I found myself standing in the middle of my kitchen listening to Billy’s boss tell me he was dead.”

Olivia darted what appeared to be an uncertain glance toward the men, then took hold of Peg’s hands. “Do you believe in magic?” she whispered. “I’m not talking about special delivery fairies,” she rushed on, giving Peg’s hands a squeeze. “I’m talking about earth-shaking, mountain-moving magic that can’t be explained. Have you ever thought about
that
kind of magic?”

Peg felt her lips twitch again. “Not since I found out Mom was Santa Claus.”

“Then if you don’t believe in magic, how can you believe in curses?”

Peg blinked in surprise.

“If one is real,” Olivia continued, “then wouldn’t they both have to be real?”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” Peg murmured, looking toward the Bottomless Sea. She looked back at Olivia. “Are you saying you think the earthquake last month was … magic? Not just some freaky act of nature?”

“I’m not saying anything,” Olivia muttered. “I’m just asking that if curses are real enough to actually kill people, then why wouldn’t magic—the good, benevolent kind—be just as real?” She squeezed her hands again. “That wasn’t a rhetorical question; tell me why you choose to believe you’re cursed but you can’t seem to believe Duncan could be … what was that word I used the other day? Charmed,” she said with a nod. “Why can’t Duncan be strong and powerful and charmed enough to beat your family curse?”

Peg was back to blinking at her.

Olivia nodded again. “I thought so; you can’t come up with one good reason, can you? That’s because if your family curse really does exist, then something with the power to break it must also exist.” Olivia folded her hands on her lap again and looked down at the men. “You want to know what real magic is, Peg? It’s finding love when you didn’t even know you were looking for it. It’s honest to God passion. And it’s joy and peace and contentment. It’s lying in bed with a big strong man, waiting to kiss him awake the moment dawn cracks so you can make him think you command the sun.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “But mostly, real magic is realizing you have the power to overcome anything, even the fear of having your heart broken again.”

Olivia stood up when she saw the kids running across the parking lot and looked down at Peg with a warm smile. “You’re made of the same stern stuff I am, Peg; which means there isn’t a man walking this earth who’s big and strong and scary enough to send either of us running.” She bent down to get her face right in Peg’s. “So the next time Duncan MacKeage steals a kiss, you either kiss the pants off him or punch him in the belly. And when I get back in two months,” she growled, the look in her eyes making Peg lean away, “if I find you still lying in Billy’s casket instead of Duncan’s bed, I swear I’m going to show you a whole other kind of magic that’s going to make your family curse look like a blessing.”

Peg ran trembling fingers through her hair when Olivia turned and headed to intercept the children as they ran toward the huge RV parked next to the lodge. Okay, then; she guessed she knew how her friend felt, now didn’t she? Peg looked at Duncan standing with his arms folded over his chest glaring at Mac, and damn if her insides didn’t suddenly clench and her mouth go dry and her heart start pounding so hard she thought she just might pass out.

“What do ye mean you can’t help me find out what’s going on?” Duncan asked as he glared at Mac. “You’re a damned ‘divine agent of human affairs’; it’s your job to help us poor, struggling mortals.”

“I gave my word not to use the magic for a while.”

“Gave it to whom?”

“My wife.”

Duncan snorted. “Tell Olivia her friend is in danger. I’m sure she remembers Peg Thompson, the woman whose problem she commanded me to fix—which I did.”

Mac shoved his hands in his pockets. “I also vowed to Providence that I would give the good people of Maine time to recover from my little … event.”

“So you turn an entire state upside down and then just disappear for a couple of months while the dust settles? Tell me, Oceanus; if you protect the drùidhs who protect the Trees of Life, then who in hell protects us from you?”

The wizard shot him a grin. “Whoever has the brain and brawn and skill—and courage—to take me on.”

“I believe you left out one important requirement, because whoever that idiot is would also need some powerful magic.”

“Have you even gone to visit your mountain?”

“How? Swim? Somebody shoved it on the other side of a damned fiord.”

Mac arched a brow. “I thought at the time you were making an unwise choice, but then I assumed there was a reason you wished to be off the beaten path.” He grinned again. “I guess you’re going to need a boat. I do believe my grandfather-in-law has boats to rent. Though come to think of it,” he said, his grin disappearing, “you could probably buy a yacht with what you’re charging me to build fourteen miles of road and five
timber
bridges.”

Duncan looked in the direction of Mac’s glance and saw Olivia herding Henry and Sophie up the stairs of the RV as Peg’s children stood waving at them, and Peg—Duncan frowned to see her sitting on the lodge steps, hugging herself as she stared at him. He looked back at Mac. “Talk to your wife about what I’m charging, as she’s the one insisting the road looks as if it’s been there since the beginning of time and that I seed its edges with wildflowers. And building timber bridges is an
art
.”

The wizard placed a hand on his shoulder. “Go visit your mountain, Duncan, and sit in silence and feel the power it wants to give you.” He shook his head. “There is one small thing standing in your way of claiming it, though. Well, maybe two things. First is your refusal to accept that you even have a calling, much less your willingness to own it.” Mac’s hand on his shoulder tightened when Duncan snorted. “And two,” the wizard continued, the look in his eyes making Duncan go very still, “the … instrument of that power is hidden somewhere on your mountain, but when you do find it I’m afraid you may not actually be able to reach it.”

“Christ, is there a reason ye can’t just come out and say what you’re trying to say and not speak in riddles?”

Mac shoved his hands in his pockets again. “Even I must follow the rules, MacKeage.” His grin returned. “But that
doesn’t mean I can’t bend them to give a couple of contrary mortals a nudge in the right direction. So back to your mountain; if you wish to claim your power, you’re going to have to bring along someone to help you. Say, someone with less broad shoulders and much smaller hands,” he said, looking toward the lodge steps.

Duncan stiffened again. “If she doesn’t think I’m crazy now, she sure as hell will when I ask her to please help me get … what? A staff? Amulet? Gemstone?” He snorted. “A bottomless satchel of bunny rabbits?”

“Your father found a way to ease your mother into the magic. Maybe you should ask Callum to help you with Peg.”

“Or maybe I’ll just ask
your
father to help me protect your resort while you’re off on vacation. I believe your buddies in Midnight Bay know how to reach Titus.”

“Good luck with that, my friend,” Mac said with a chuckle. “It was Dad’s idea to send you on this quest, claiming the kind of power you’re about to receive must be fought for to be appreciated.” He placed his hand on Duncan’s shoulder again. “It was my idea, however, that you not be able to do it
all by yourself
, by requiring you to ask a mere slip of a woman to help you claim your … prize.”

Duncan’s chest tightened to the point that all he could do was glare.

Mac gave his shoulder a hearty slap. “I’ll be back in two months, eager to drive my wife up our road so we can wave across the fiord at our new neighbors,” he said with a laugh, sprinting to the RV. “Godspeed, MacKeage.”

Duncan stood staring after him, wondering if he shouldn’t just climb in his pickup and run a gauntlet of road-stupid moose back to Pine Creek and stay there.

God dammit, he hadn’t done one thing to deserve this.

And dammit again, neither had Peg.

Duncan reclined on his elbow in front of the small campfire as he frowned down the hillside at Peg’s house, undecided if he liked what Alec was telling him or not. “Ye hired Peg’s mother and aunt to cook for us?” he repeated, sliding his gaze to Alec. “Before I gave my approval?”

“I tell ye, those two women can cook,” Alec said, looking to Robbie for support. “Tell him how I caught you licking your plate clean.”

Robbie shot Duncan a grin. “They definitely can cook. And they both seem to understand the number of calories a working man needs at the end of a day. I swear the steaks they served us were a pound and a half each. Sam Dalton ate two.”

Duncan snorted. “More like they understand how much butter to spread around a job interview to get hired. So,” he said, looking from one man to the other. “Is Peg’s mother anything like she is?”

“Ye mean smart and capable,” Alec drawled, “or sassy-mouthed trouble?”

“I mean, am I going to have to put mittens and blinders on my crew three times a day?” He shook his head. “I hadn’t planned on having females in camp.”

“I’m certain Jeanine and Bea can handle our crews,” Robbie said with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t be surprised to find a shotgun standing in the corner of your camp kitchen, along with a bottle of liquid gold.”

Alec sat up. “I thought I saw Bea dosing the beans with something, and I swear I tasted a hint of Scotch.” He looked at Duncan and grinned. “Ye suppose Peg told them you like a little nip in the morning?” He suddenly sobered. “I’m afraid there’s a bit of a problem with my hiring them, though. It seems Peg’s not all that pleased.”

It was Duncan’s turn to sit up. “Why?”

“I overheard her telling her mother that some people in town are targeting anyone who’s working on the resort road.”

“What else?” he asked when he saw Alec’s face darken. “Did Peg tell you what happened to her van?”

“She said it was taking a long, well-deserved nap. And she told me to tell you that if anyone gives her mom or aunt any trouble, she’s ripping up your agreement and chaining off the pit.”

“So she
was
threatened.” Duncan looked at Robbie. “Did ye find the van?”

Robbie shook his head. “Nay, I even drove several tote roads between here and Turtleback Station, and quietly asked around in both towns while keeping an eye out for the car that
brought her to Inglenook, but I couldn’t find any trace of the van using conventional methods.”

Duncan gazed into the fire. “And unconventional methods?” he asked quietly.

“Apparently this is a no-magic zone,” Robbie said just as quietly.

Duncan lifted his head in surprise. “Is that even possible?”

“I hadn’t thought so. But no matter what I tried, I couldn’t do a damned thing. Hell, I had to use a lighter to start our campfire tonight.” He canted his head. “It’s as if the energy I kept trying to call forth was—and apparently still is—sleeping. It’s here; I can definitely feel it, but I can’t seem to roust it.”

Duncan stiffened. “Do you think it’s just in this area, or everywhere?”

“I finally grew frustrated enough to call both Ian and Winter yesterday, and they’re not having any problems.” Robbie gestured toward the fiord. “It only seems to be around Bottomless.” He shrugged. “Maybe Mac turned it dormant.”

“But you’re a Guardian; you’re immune to a drùidh’s magic because it’s your job to protect us from them.”

“Mac’s a theurgist, not a drùidh,” Robbie thought to explain. “With Providence’s blessing thousands of years ago, Titus Oceanus built Atlantis on which to cultivate his Trees of Life to protect mankind from the warring gods. He then trained a handful of men to be drùidhs to protect the Trees he eventually scattered all over the world, only to realize he needed to install Guardians to safeguard the people from the drùidhs. Titus and Maximilian—and eventually Henry—are at the top of the hierarchy.” He shook his head. “Even de Gairn would be powerless here.”

“For Christ’s sakes, why would Mac turn off the magic and then walk away?”

Robbie’s deep gray eyes looked directly into Duncan’s. “I doubt he walked away without leaving some means to awaken it. Mind explaining to me why he suggested I tell you to go see your mountain
before
all hell breaks loose? And that you remember to bring along someone with less broad shoulders and smaller hands?”

“You have a mountain?” Alec asked in surprise. “Like Ian has TarStone now?”

Duncan dropped his head in his hands. “It appears so.”

“Which one?” Alec asked.