CHAPTER 22

Kris opened what she now thought of as the gun drawer, picked up the weapon, and pointed it at Marty. “Liam, move away from him.”

Kris was shocked that she could point a gun that was no doubt loaded with silver bullets at her brother, who just might be a shape-shifter, and neither her voice nor her hands shook.

Liam came to stand at her side. “Are ye daft?”

“You’re the one who investigated him.”

“I didnae find a shooting offense.”

“I did.” She decided to leave Edward out of it. “The places Marty’s traveled match a list of places where there have been murders that appear to be the work of a local legend.”

Her brother’s lips curved. “Loup-garou outside of Paris. Hyena shifter in Ethiopia. Giant in Tasmania.”

“Thardid Jimbo,” Kris said. “Was it you?”

“No.”

Kris lifted a brow. “You think I’ll just believe that and put away the gun?”

“Ye have not been much for the truth so far,” Liam agreed.

“Did I do a lot of shape-shifting when we were kids?” Marty asked.

“Just because you didn’t shift then doesn’t mean you aren’t doing it now. You could have been…” She paused, remembering what Edward had told her. “Injected. Cursed. Bitten.”

Dear God, had she really said that?

“Got anything silver?” Marty asked.

Kris glanced into the drawer. A box of bullets, but she didn’t want to put the gun down to open it. Instead, she pulled the Celtic cross from beneath her shirt and tossed it.

Marty snatched the icon out of the air with one hand. He didn’t catch fire. For an instant Kris was relieved, until she recalled something else the old man had said.

“Not all shifters react to silver. Sometimes it only pisses them off.”

“You’re right.” Marty threw the cross back, and Kris looped the chain over her head. “Now what?”

Kris had no idea.

“Listen, Squirt, I’m not a supernatural.”

“Then how do ye know so much about them?” Liam asked.

“I hunt them.”

Kris frowned. If Marty was a Jäger-Sucher, wouldn’t Edward have mentioned that?”

Liam snorted. “Sure ye do. And that’s why Interpol had a file on ye.”

“Personnel file,” Marty said.

“You work for Interpol?” Kris was almost as surprised by that as she’d been by Marty showing up here in the first place.

Marty reached for his pocket, and Kris lifted the gun. “My ID.” Slowly he pulled it out and threw it to her.

Sure enough. He was with Interpol. Kris set the gun back in the drawer, but she left the drawer open and her hand lingered nearby.

“Why didn’t they just tell us you worked for them?” Liam asked.

“I’m kind of a secret…” He rolled his hand as if searching for a word. “Consultant.”

“Why secret?” Kris asked.

“Investigating the paranormal.” He shrugged. “They don’t like to admit it exists.”

Neither did Kris.

“How did you end up doing that?”

“Remember all the fairy tales Mom used to read to us?”

“Yeah,” Kris said slowly, not sure where he was going or if she wanted to go there.

“I would complain that they were girlie, but you loved them, and, to be honest, so did I. I guess it makes sense that we both ended up in jobs where we chase things that most people believe are fairy tales. You debunking them and me…” He paused.

“What do ye do,” Liam murmured, “that has caused ye to turn up in all the places where people are dyin’?”

Kris felt a trickle of unease. If Marty had been chasing the legends, most likely studying their origins, finding out all he could about them, then he knew enough to imitate them.

“I’ve been traveling from kill site to kill site to investigate,” Marty answered. “But by the time I get there, the kills have stopped and there’s no trace of the creature. At least until I came here.”

“Nessie isn’t the killer,” Kris said.

Liam cast her a quick glance, but she ignored him.

“How you figure?” Marty asked.

“The Loch Ness Monster has avoided detection for centuries. They’ve brought sonar and radar and all kinds of ’ars, trying to catch a reading, a picture, some film. But they’ve got bupkes. The only way for her to stay hidden so well is for Nessie to possess human-level intelligence. And if she’s that damn smart, she’d keep the bodies as hidden as she is.”

Marty appeared intrigued. “If not Nessie, then what?”

“Someone’s been trying to pin the killings on her. Get her killed.”

Marty frowned. “Who’d kill Nessie?”

“You?”

“I don’t kill these things.”

“You said ‘hunt.’”

“As in ‘search for, track, investigate.’” He spread his hands. “All I do is find them.”

“And you let them keep on keepin’ on, piling up the bodies as they go?”

“Of course not. If the creature is harmful, we outsource the killing.”

“Let me guess,” Kris said. “You hire the Jäger-Suchers.”

Silence fell over the room. Marty broke it first. “I should have known. All those hoaxes. It was cover for being a hunter.”

“Me?” Kris laughed. “No.”

Marty lifted a brow at Liam.

“I dinnae even know what ye’re talkin’ about.”

Kris glanced at him. There was something more to that; she could hear it in his voice. Was he a hunter? He did disappear all the time, wandered around the loch, showed up whenever he was needed. He was either a Jäger-Sucher or a superhero. If he wasn’t a shape-shifter.

“Are you a serial killer?” Marty asked.

“Are you?” Liam returned.

“All right,” Kris interrupted, afraid they’d start shoving each other again. “Why do you think we’re dealing with a serial killer and not a super shape-shifter?”

“Maybe we are.” Marty shrugged. “In my experience shifter and serial killer are the same damn thing.”

Kris kept her gaze on Marty’s face. “But you don’t think we’re dealing with a super shifter, or you’d have contacted Edward the instant you got here and discovered the killings were still in progess.”

“Killer creatures don’t stop until someone makes them. But these did.”

“Because we aren’t dealing with killer creatures but a killer human. All the murders on the list might look like they’ve been committed by a supernatural creature but were in fact committed by an unnatural human.”

“How do you know that?” Marty’s gaze narrowed. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see the crime scenes. I’d have been told.”

Kris lifted her brows. “You have someone spying on me?”

”Not spying exactly. I’ve made sure you were safe, happy.” He took a deep breath. “At least until you came here.”

Kris wasn’t sure what to do with that information. Her brother hadn’t deserted her. Not completely. She still thought he could have sent her a card at Christmas.

“And how did ye end up here?” Liam asked. “Right when she did?”

Marty flicked Liam a quick glance, but when he answered he spoke to Kris: “Did you ever wonder why you were able to prove so many hoaxes?”

“Because they were hoaxes.”

“Not all of them. There were times I got there first, found the creature, and had it eliminated before you arrived. With no monster to find, a hoax is pretty easy to prove.”

“You were helping me?” she asked. And here she’d thought she was just damn good at her job.

“You kind of helped me. By keeping track of what you were working on, I had a place to start searching for supernaturals. You excel at sniffing them out.”

“Ye say ye were at these other places, yet she never saw ye. Why are we so lucky to be seein’ ye now?” Liam asked.

“Because you grabbed me by the throat and yanked me into the light.”

“You mean if Liam hadn’t caught you, you wouldn’t have…” Kris’s voice drifted off as hurt washed over her once more.

“He wouldnae have even said hello,” Liam finished.

“I couldn’t. This is dangerous, Kris. If any of them find out you’re my sister they will—”

“Knock me over the head and drag me into the loch,” she murmured. Had her relationship with Marty been behind the attacks? Did it even matter?

“No one will hurt her while I am here,” Liam said. “And I will be here. I wouldnae leave her to face danger alone.”

“I’m not leaving.” Marty’s jaw tightened. “Not until I’ve cleared this entire place of everything that doesn’t belong.”

“I’m not a complete incompetent,” Kris pointed out. “I am the one with the gun.”

“And how is that?” Marty’s curious brown gaze flicked around the cottage. “Where’s Edward?”

“Lately, he’s in here.” Kris tapped the computer. “He’ll suddenly be on the screen. I’m not sure how he does it. It’s not Skype or any kind of conference call that I’ve ever heard of. It’s like he’s in the computer.”

“Edward always has the best toys,” Marty muttered. “But if you aren’t a J-S agent, why are you talking to the old man at all?”

“He paid me to keep him in the loop. Says he’s shorthanded.”

Marty’s brow creased. “There’ve been rumors of a purge. Supernatural creatures banding together and hunting the hunters. Which is how I got pressed into service. The old man’s been sticking to the U.S. for the most part letting me and a few others deal with anything outside its borders. Even asking Interpol to handle certain problems.” He flicked a finger at the computer. “Like the ones on that list. But he keeps fighting back. Using all his resources.” Marty’s frown deepened. “And taking advantage of whatever and whoever he can.”

“He didn’t take advantage of me. I needed the money, and he needed the info.”

“You’re not a hunter, Kris. You’re a reporter. You could have been killed.”

“Aye,” Liam agreed, and he looked furious.

For an instant Kris wondered if he was furious with her. Be he shifter or guardian, she’d been feeding info to someone he would consider the enemy.

She wanted to ask him about the tattoo, about what he did, who he was. But she wasn’t going to do it in front of Marty. She owed Liam that much.

His gaze went to the window, which had begun to lighten, and when he glanced back his expression was torn.

“Liam?” She moved toward him, but he was already headed for the door.

“ ’Tis nearly dawn.” He laid his hand on the knob. “I’m late.” And then he was gone.

“There’s something strange about him,” Marty said.

“There’s something strange about you,” Kris returned, gaze still on the door.

*   *   *

Liam hurried to the loch, for the first time in a long time needing its peace, craving the solitude. If he’d stayed with Kris she’d have asked him things he could not answer.

He should never have let her see the brand, which marked him as it had marked the others—binding them together, proving their loyalty for life.

Why had he touched her? Why had he let her touch him?

Simple. He’d been unable to stop. From the first moment, he’d felt a connection. That he would love, then lose, her was inevitable. Liam supposed he deserved nothing less.

He should disappear. Lurk about. Remain in the darkness. It was what he did best.

However, he wouldn’t leave her alone. He’d sworn to protect her as he protected the loch. Nothing would harm her while he was here.

But, for both their sakes, he must never touch her again.

*   *   *

“What else do you want to know?” Marty asked.

Kris hesitated. They had a lot on their plate—serial killers, shifters, Jäger-Suchers, Interpol. Her issues with family could wait.

However, when she opened her mouth the questions spilled out. “Why did you leave?” Kris lowered her voice, afraid that if she didn’t it might break. “Why didn’t you come back?”

“You don’t realize how much you’re like…” Marty took a deep breath. “Mom.”

“But…” That made no sense. “I don’t look like her at all.”

And Kris often wished that she did. At least then she’d always see a bit of her mom whenever she looked into the mirror. As it was, sometimes Kris panicked when she tried to remember the exact shape of her mother’s face and couldn’t.

“Not looks, no, but nearly everything else. Your voice is the same. You move just like her. Your hands. Your walk. It’s eerie.” He shook his head. “It was too hard for me. Too hard for Dad.”

“Too hard,” she repeated. “So you just disappeared?”

“I can tell you I’m sorry, and I am, but it isn’t enough, and it never will be.”

Kris wasn’t sure what to do with this information. She’d thought she wasn’t “enough” for them to love. She’d worked and strived and pushed herself to become someone. But all the time she’d actually been too much.

Like Mom.

“Dad,” she began.

“I tried to get him to watch one of your shows. He broke down, walked out. I don’t think he’ll ever be able to visit or talk to you on the phone. Maybe a letter, or e-mail.”

Kris made a derisive sound. For the first time since her mother had died and her family had left, she didn’t mourn their loss. They’d walked out. They’d lost her. She wasn’t going to feel “less than” anymore. Because she wasn’t. She never had been.

“I wouldn’t blame you if you never wanted to speak to either one of us again,” Marty murmured.

Kris wouldn’t blame herself, either.

They’d been a family. They should have been there for each other—when they were needed and even when they weren’t. That was love. Not running away because something hurt too much.

“I understand,” Marty said when she didn’t answer. “But there’s one thing you need to know. This Liam—” He jerked his head at the door. “He doesn’t exist.”

Kris laughed. “Yeah, he’s a ghost.”

“A ghost? Well, maybe if you’re thinking spook…” He frowned. “But he’s Scottish, so I’m not sure what they call them here.”

Kris would have laughed again, except he appeared to be serious. “What the hell, Marty? You saw him. You shoved him. He’s solid. He’s real.”

For an instant Marty stared at her, obviously confused. “Of course he’s real.”

“Then what are you talking about?”

“There’s no record of him. No passport, no license. He’s off the grid. When you said ‘spook,’ I thought, CIA, yeah that would make sense. But being Scottish—”

“Hold on. I had the same problem when I got here. His name’s actually William. A lot of the locals call him Billy.”

“What does he do for a living?”

“He … uh…” Kris frowned. “Protects the loch.” Or the monster. Maybe both.

“Like a park ranger?”

“Sure,” Kris agreed.

Marty didn’t appear convinced.

“I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time now, Marty. I travel. I meet people. I make decisions on their characters. I trust Liam.”

Strangely, even though she knew Liam was lying, she did trust him. More than she’d ever trusted anyone else. And she didn’t know why.

“Okay.” Marty glanced at the window, which was still pretty dark. “I should let you rest.”

“You’re leaving?” Her voice sounded bereft, and she wanted to take the words back. Especially when Marty gently set his hand on her shoulder. She must have sounded pathetic.

“Just to The Clansman. I really can’t leave until I find out what’s going on here and get it taken care of. Man or monster? It’s gotta be one or the other.”

“Or both,” she murmured.

“Yeah. But until I know what needs killing, I won’t know who to call to kill it.”

“You won’t call Edward regardless?”

“Jäger-Suchers only kill monsters. They’re very picky about that.”

“So if we have a serial killer…” And Kris was almost certain they did. “You’ll just leave it to the locals?”

“Uh—” Marty glanced toward the door as if he wanted to be anywhere but there. “There are certain cases where I call in someone who eliminates the problem without any need for legal mumbo jumbo.”

“I’m not following.”

“No long-drawn-out trials. No extradition hang-ups. Bad guy just—” Marty wrapped his hands around his own throat and made a choking sound.

Kris’s mouth dropped open. “You hire a contract killer?”

“Problem solver,” he corrected, dropping his arms. “One call, that’s all.”

Kris wasn’t sure what to say. Whoever was killing women in Drumnadrochit had probably been killing people in other countries. And if he or she was even caught, the chances of the killer meeting a lethal end were slim with all the countries involved. But was it right to execute someone without a trial?

Before she’d come here, Kris would have answered that question with an unequivocal “no.” Now she wasn’t so sure.

“First I need ironclad proof,” Marty said quietly. “I’ll get it. One way or the other.”

“Okay.” Kris nodded. “Okay.”

“If it’s your … friend, I’ll still call.”

“Friend?” Kris echoed.

“Lover.” Marty’s lip curled. “God, I hate thinking that about my little sister, but I guess you’re all grown-up.”

“You think Liam is a serial killer?”

“He thought I was one.”

“You just said he doesn’t have a passport. How could he have left here and gone to all those other places?”

“You just said I was looking under the wrong name.” He glanced at the door through which Liam had disappeared. “I’ve got a bad feeling.…”

Kris did, too, but not about Liam’s passport. She didn’t believe Liam was a serial killer. However, he was up to something. She only hoped it wasn’t something that was going to get him killed.

“I spent some time at the Inverness Library,” Marty continued.

“Good for you,” Kris said, still thinking about Liam. And that tattoo.

“I’ve been trying to decide what legend the killer is imitating.” Kris forgot about the tattoo. “I found an obscure story in a really old book.”

His voice became more animated, as did his face. He obviously loved researching fairy tales as much as she’d once enjoyed listening to them.

“Didn’t find the account anywhere else,” he continued, “which is strange, because usually they get repeated and repeated until they become the basis for a lot of local boogeyman tales. For instance, you’d think that folks along the loch would use the threat of Nessie to warn kids away from the water.”

“‘If you go too close, the monster will get you,’” Kris said, and wiggled her fingers in the universal sign for “scary.”

“Exactly. But I couldn’t find anything like that, and considering the story I uncovered, I should have.”

“What’s the story?”

He motioned for them to sit and, when they had, continued. “Once upon a time, there was a kelpie.” Kris sat up straight, and her brother’s eyes widened. “You’ve heard this?”

“I’ve heard about kelpies, but nothing specific.”

“According to the librarian, every body of water in Scotland and Ireland has a kelpie legend. Which again makes me wonder why they aren’t telling one here.”

“Because it’s all Nessie all the time?”

“Or because they’re hiding something.”

“For a gazillion years?”

“You’d be surprised. The legend I read equates kelpie with Each Uisge.”

“Supernatural water horse.”

He nodded. “The beautiful horse would lure the unsuspecting onto its back to swim across the water; then for kicks and giggles it would become a fish, a frog, an eel, the very water around them. In over their heads, and most unable to swim in those days, the victims would drown. But the Loch Ness kelpie was different.”

“Different how?”

“It was a gorgeous human that lounged along the banks of the loch, where it seduced unsuspecting victims, then lured them into the water—”

“Where it drowned them for kicks and giggles.”

“Pretty much,” Marty agreed.

“Man? Woman?”

“Didn’t say. But I’m thinking man because of the curse.”

“Well, this just gets better and better,” Kris muttered.

“The kelpie seduced and killed the daughter of a very powerful witch, who then cursed it to swim the loch as a monster for all eternity.”

“You’re thinking man because of the curse, but doesn’t Nessie indicate female?”

“Nessie came from the newspapers, not the legend. In a 1933 London Times the monster was referred to as MacNess, which has definite masculine connotations.”

“All the recent victims have been women,” Kris murmured, then had a nasty thought. “Were they raped?”

“I got a look at the reports. No signs of intercourse—consensual or otherwise—which was a big red flag that we’re dealing with the same traveling killer.” At Kris’s curious expression, he continued, “There’s always one thing that doesn’t fit the monster profile. And if an actual kelpie seduced its victims, then drowned them…”

“There’d be evidence of sex before death.”

“Bingo,” Marty said.

Silence settled between them. Kris let her mind mull what her brother had said. She’d have kept mulling—he’d said a lot—but then Marty broke the silence.

“There’s one more thing.”

“What?”

“Know any witches?”