Page 18 of The Seer

Fintan set the guitar aside and straightened. “Sure, and where did ya learn this?”

“Alastair Thorne is armed with an incredible arsenal of journals, and his son, Nash, has access to all sorts of artifacts at Thorne Industries. Nash is one of the most knowledgeable people I know, next to his cousin, Spring.”

Nash, Nash, Nash! Sure, and didn’t she sound infatuated?

Fintan took exception. “Are ya in love with the man, then? If so, I’m after tellin’ ya?—”

“Where the hell did that come from? Do you have a screw loose?” Fire burned in the grand eyes she rolled. “Nash is crazy about his wife.”

He zeroed in on what she didn’t say. “Yeah, but you’re not denyin’ it, are ya? People can love from afar.”

Like him.

She sent him a sharp glance, and Fintan’s stomach dropped when he remembered she could access his thoughts if he didn’t keep them locked behind a wall. Disillusionment or disappointment pulled her mouth down at the corners, and she looked away.

After carefully erecting a block, he considered his options. He could tell her the truth about his feelings, or he could let her believe he pined for another. The second was safer and would avoid entanglements, but he hated her haunted expression.

Still, Fintan remained quiet.

“You’re an idiot,” she growled. “Back to the necklace… Like I said, Bloodstone, as your ancestor was known, was the first Seer. It’s rumored that he traded part of his soul for the ability, but nothing exists in writing. For all I know, those tales were made up to scare his enemies. However, based on what I did find, he used his psychic visions to determine the outcome of battles. And healwayswon.”

Though Fintan had never heard of Bloodstone or the man’s history, instinct told him that Ardghal had done more than use his psychic ability to predict winners of war games. He’d bet his favorite instrument that Bloodstone the Badass had used his voice to lull enemies into a trance before he sicced his murderous Incubus on the lot of them. And if that was the case, why had Uncle Peter encouraged Fintan to find and wear the necklace? What magic did it hold?

As if the bleedin’ thing could access his thoughts, it warmed to the point of discomfort, and Fintan’s desire to remove it from his pocket was great. If Taryn weren’t present, he’d have done it, only to avoid having it so close to his person.

“What does a piece of jewelry have to do with the man himself?” he asked her.

“That’s just the thing. No one knows. But the ancient bloodstone was believed to have formed from the spilling of Christ’s blood. It’s said to provide protection and keep evil at bay.” Excitement shone in her eyes. “And now that I’ve given it more thought, and considering what you are, what if Ardghal’s stone was charmed? Maybe it kept his Siren locked away, and if that’s true, maybe it could do the same for you!”

“Aye, but not the Siren, I’m bettin’,” Fintan mused aloud. “The Incubus.”

Her brows snapped together, and she looked decidedly uneasy. “I’m not sure how that could happen. I mean, if like you said…” She swallowed as heat rose in her cheeks, causing a lovely glow to her smooth skin. “Like the, uh, the notes… your, uh, monster…”

He almost laughed at her uncomfortableness, hearing exactly where her thoughts had gone. “Monster? I’ve never had a woman call me cock?—”

She jumped up. “I’m done here.”

Fintan did laugh then.

“You’re a contrary prick, Fintan Sullivan,” she snapped. “One minute you’re growling and threatening to consume me, and the next?—”

“Not you,” he said sharply, climbing to his feet and approaching her. “Your power. And I’m the one consumed, Taryn-Taryn. Sure, and I thought I’d made it clear this thing inside me wants you. It nags me day and night, tauntin’ me. Tellin’ me to seduce you and have it all.”

He drew out the pendant and dangled it in front of her. The stone was oval-shaped inside a larger metal disc, and its color was a deep forest green with specks of red, orange, and copper. But the smaller center section leaned toward opaque, and it chilled Fintan to behold it. Many had claimed his eyes became a cloudy white during a vision.

As if enthralled, Taryn reached for the amulet. Electricity arched from the center and zapped the fingers she extended. With a pained yelp, she fell backward onto the sofa and thunked her head on the wooden back. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she sagged to one side.

“Jaysus! Taryn!”

Jumping into action, Fintan flung the necklace and dove for her, searching for a heartbeat. He thanked Anu when he found one.

“Jaysus,” he muttered again.

After easing her onto her side, he touched the wound, finding an egg-sized lump and pulling back a blood-coated hand.

“Fuck!”

A touch of his Tanzanite ring opened the line of communication between him and Jordan Brothers, but before he could do more than speak the man’s name, the ancestors rattled his cage, and he fell across Taryn.

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