Mystical Warrior by Janet Chapman Read Free Book Online

bike, isn’t it?” Trace asked when William shut off the engine.
    “Real men don’t get cold, Huntsman,” the Irishman said with a chuckle. But then he turned serious. “Ye haven’t seen Gabby, have you? She and Sarah were supposed to be tidying up the woods around my building site, but when I went to check on them not twenty minutes later, my sister had disappeared.”
    “You mean that sister?” Trace asked, pointing down the sidewalk.
    “Goddamn it,” William growled. “I should have known something was up when the girls volunteered to go pile brush along the driveway.” He shook his head even as he grinned. “Sarah made up some outrageous story that Gabby had gone to my cabin to make them both some hot chocolate.” He sighed. “My sister’s been here less than a month, and she’s already corrupted that sweet child.”
    Trace gave a laugh. “You want to blame anyone for corrupting Sarah, blame your wife. When Maddy was Sarah’s age, she could have given snipers lessons on sneaking around.”
    William sighed again. “Gabriella’s not supposed to associate with Fiona.”
    “Why in hell not?”
    “Because Kenzie believes Fiona will never find her backbone again if any of us help her.”
    “That’s bullshit, and you know it. Gabriella understands Fiona’s fears better than anyone. They both were brutalized by men, and they both got thrust into this century by your crazy drùidh buddy, Mac the Menace. Have you or Kenzie considered that maybe the two women can help each other?” He shook his head. “Because dumping Fiona on my doorstep and telling her to figure it out on her own sure as hell isn’t working.” He pointed at the bag of dog food in the back of his truck. “She bought a puppy today because she was afraid to say no to the man selling it.”
    William gazed down the sidewalk, watching the two women and the puppy disappear around a curve. “Maybe you’re right about them helping each other. For the most part, Gabby acts like any normal teenager, but some nights she wakes up screaming bloody murder. Maddy has tried talking with her, but the girl refuses to discuss anything about that day, saying she’s decided to pretend it never happened.” He looked back at Trace, his eyes filled with pain. “I don’t know how to help her,” he said thickly. “Maybe I should ask Fiona to befriend her.”
    “Or maybe you should just leave them both alone,” Trace suggested. He nodded down the sidewalk. “Neither of themneeded any prompting to get together today, and they both managed to survive their little adventure.”
    William looked appalled. “Ye expect me to ignore the fact that Gabriella snuck off? The brat left her cell phone with Sarah, along with instructions to say she was indisposed if I happened to call. I’ve spent the last four hours going out of my mind looking for her.”
    “Now you know to try Fiona’s cell phone the next time Gabriella goes missing,” Trace countered, chuckling at William’s thunderous scowl. “Or simply tell the girl she doesn’t have to sneak off in the first place, because you happened to notice she’s all grown up now and quite capable of making her own decisions.”
    “Do you have a sister?” William growled.
    “Quite happily, no. But I did spend many nights riding every back road in the county with my uncle Marvin, which taught me that it’s a lot easier if they tell you where they’re going than it is to find them if they don’t want to be found. Marvin finally gave up and suggested that if I ever have daughters just to hand them the car keys. He said they’ll live up to my expectations if they know I trust them, instead of putting all their energy into outfoxing me.”
    William visibly shuddered. “I don’t know if Mac thought he was doing me a favor or trying to kill me when he brought Gabby here. If I do survive her antics long enough to get her safely wed, I’m just going to have to suffer through it again with Sarah.” He