A Druid of Her Own: An Immortal Highlander (Druid Series Book 4) by Mandy M. Roth

voice rode the air as if carried by nothing more than will. It demanded his full attention and his immediate action. She needed him.
    His nostrils flared. “My mate is in trouble.”
    Liam nodded. “As is my brother.”
    Kennard learned long ago to never question the twin bond his cousins had. They were headed back to Maggie’s in no time flat. He peeled into the gravel drive and fishtailed to a stop. He barely took enough time to assure his bike remained standing before running in the direction he had known Maggie’s home to be, but it wasn’t there. The foundation for a trailer was, but the trailer itself was missing. There was bent metal and trash scattered about.
    Not trash , he thought, as he ran forward. What was on the ground was the contents of Maggie’s home as if someone had shook them all out.
    “Kennard!” shouted Liam. Kennard’s heart was pounding so loudly and his adrenaline was so high that he could barely make out his cousin’s words as he turned, his eyes already adjusted to the darkness around them. Liam was there, cradling Maria to his chest, his eyes wide. He lifted one hand and pointed in the other direction.
    It took a fraction of a second for Kennard to register what he was seeing. Off, into the woods near Maggie’s home, was the remnants of the trailer. Bewilderment settled over him as he ran full force at it, trying to zero his hearing in on the home to hear other heartbeats. Something was clouding his senses, confusing them even.
    Dark magik.
    “Maggie! Cillian!”
    He leapt up, bounding over downed trees and landing on the bottom of the trailer, which was the top now with the way it had landed. There had been no storm. No noise that he’d heard to explain what he was seeing. The magik used to do this was old, powerful and evil, and still lingered. It grabbed at his feet, trying to take hold of him—to consume him. The evil sang the sweetest of songs to his dark side, luring it ever so perfectly, drawing him in, wanting him to join it. He wanted to. He wanted to submit and give in to what he’d spent so many centuries trying to fight. It would be easier. He could do as he pleased then.
    His wolf surged forward, pushing past the rune that kept it caged. His fingers lengthened as claws emerged from the tips and fur sprouted up on his hands and arms. He felt his mouth burning with a partial change as well. The wolf didn’t care what the dark power wanted—it wanted its mate.
    Maggie.
    Kennard gasped, trying to fight away the urge to give in to the evil. He knew one thing with absolute certainty—if he submitted to the lure, his mate would die.
    “No!” he roared, slashing at darkness, fighting through it. When the evil cleared around him he saw a mass of darkness near the other end of the trailer. He didn’t need to be told who was within the cloaked darkness.
    Athol.
    Liam was suddenly next to him, his sword in hand. Kennard tried to materialize his own sword but the evil still had enough of a grip on him that he wasn’t himself, and in partially shifted form, his magik never responded correctly.
    “What the bloody hell is that?” asked Liam as he took a fighting stance. He glanced at Kennard and did a double take. “Och, we’ve nae time for you to be losin’ control in such a manner. Get it together, cousin, yer woman’s life depends on it.”
    Kennard struggled, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Maggie’s scent struck him then, calming him, allowing him to gain control once more. The wolf stepped aside willingly, trusting the man to do what needed done. Kennard knew the wolf was close enough to help should it be required. He put out his hand, the fur and claws gone. With a fast draw on his natural power, he summoned forth his sword. It appeared in his hand and he gripped the hilt, his gaze narrowing on the black mass before him.
    He charged forward, his intent to run it through. Something deep within clicked and screamed at him to halt. He did and Liam slammed