wanted to hear about the Scottish legends that might have led to the tale of Nessie. She’d discovered that hoaxers often followed local legends. Perhaps to more easily convince the residents that the hoax was the truth or perhaps because they had no imaginations of their own.
“The Ceirean. Sea monster so large it ate seven whales.”
That had possibilities.
“The Fear Liath,” he continued. “An unseen presence that causes feelings of unease.”
Kris glanced over her shoulder, suddenly doused with an increasingly familiar sense of unease.
Dougal laughed. “Not real, remember? Besides, the Fear Liath haunts the mountains, not the seas.”
“What are those?” Kris indicated the towering hills.
“Good point. I’d considered leaving that one out of the display, but maybe I won’t. One of the main sections will be myths and legends that could actually be Nessie.”
Bingo! Kris thought, and leaned in.
“The kelpie has always been a front-runner,” Dougal continued, warming to his subject. “Here they call it Each-Uisge, a supernatural water horse. Transforms into a human and walks upon the earth. Lures the unsuspecting into the water, where they drown.”
“Nessie’s not a horse.” Although there had been several reports of the monster with a mane.
“Neither is a water horse. They’re massive. With tails that resemble the tail of a snake instead of horse and much shorter legs.”
“What about a guivre ?”
Dougal considered this, brow furrowing. “A guivre is a French myth. Dragon-like creature that prowled medieval France. I’ve seen drawings. It resembles Nessie, except for the wings and breathing fire.” He sat up straighter, too. “They have horns, which a lot of Nessie sightings describe.”
“And which most experts have pointed out resemble the autumn horns of a red deer.”
“Aye,” Dougal said absently, Foghorn Leghorn resemblance firmly in place. “But they inhabit bodies of water and Scotland is a short trip from France.”
“Especially if you have wings,” Kris pointed out.
Dougal glanced at her, amusement brimming in his lovely gray eyes. It felt so good to be able to say what she thought instead of prevaricating so she wouldn’t have to lie.
“ Guivres are said to be very aggressive,” he continued. “They attack humans.”
“And if they were real,” Kris said, “I’d be worried.”
His amusement deepened. “I just meant that I wasn’t sure if I should add the guivre to my display on possible legends that created Nessie. She isn’t violent.” His gaze returned to the loch, where the water remained as smooth as glass.
“See anything?”
When Dougal didn’t answer, Kris turned to look at him and he kissed her.
As kisses went, it wasn’t half-bad. His lips were firm but soft. His goatee tickled just a bit. Kris didn’t pull away, curious if perhaps the air in Scotland, or the water, would make her react to any kiss the way she’d reacted to Liam Grant’s.
No such luck. While the kiss was pleasant, it left her uninterested in anything more. She certainly wasn’t possessed by the urge to get naked with Dougal right here and now.
Should she be glad about that or sad?
A huge splash erupted, as if something had been dropped into the water. Like a piano.
Or a very large tail.
Kris and Dougal broke apart, Kris reaching for her camera as both of them glanced toward the loch.
But nothing was there.
CHAPTER 9
“Sorry about that,” Dougal said again as he dropped off Kris in front of her cottage. “It was just the…” He waved his hand toward the loch, where the moon reflected brilliant silver across a gently rolling surface.
“Don’t worry about it.” Kris got out of the car, lifting her hand when Dougal would have followed. “As kisses go, it was nice.”
He winced. “Nice isn’t exactly what a guy’s hoping for.”
“Better than disgusting.”
Dougal laughed, and she felt better. She’d been afraid his kissing her, and her
“The Ceirean. Sea monster so large it ate seven whales.”
That had possibilities.
“The Fear Liath,” he continued. “An unseen presence that causes feelings of unease.”
Kris glanced over her shoulder, suddenly doused with an increasingly familiar sense of unease.
Dougal laughed. “Not real, remember? Besides, the Fear Liath haunts the mountains, not the seas.”
“What are those?” Kris indicated the towering hills.
“Good point. I’d considered leaving that one out of the display, but maybe I won’t. One of the main sections will be myths and legends that could actually be Nessie.”
Bingo! Kris thought, and leaned in.
“The kelpie has always been a front-runner,” Dougal continued, warming to his subject. “Here they call it Each-Uisge, a supernatural water horse. Transforms into a human and walks upon the earth. Lures the unsuspecting into the water, where they drown.”
“Nessie’s not a horse.” Although there had been several reports of the monster with a mane.
“Neither is a water horse. They’re massive. With tails that resemble the tail of a snake instead of horse and much shorter legs.”
“What about a guivre ?”
Dougal considered this, brow furrowing. “A guivre is a French myth. Dragon-like creature that prowled medieval France. I’ve seen drawings. It resembles Nessie, except for the wings and breathing fire.” He sat up straighter, too. “They have horns, which a lot of Nessie sightings describe.”
“And which most experts have pointed out resemble the autumn horns of a red deer.”
“Aye,” Dougal said absently, Foghorn Leghorn resemblance firmly in place. “But they inhabit bodies of water and Scotland is a short trip from France.”
“Especially if you have wings,” Kris pointed out.
Dougal glanced at her, amusement brimming in his lovely gray eyes. It felt so good to be able to say what she thought instead of prevaricating so she wouldn’t have to lie.
“ Guivres are said to be very aggressive,” he continued. “They attack humans.”
“And if they were real,” Kris said, “I’d be worried.”
His amusement deepened. “I just meant that I wasn’t sure if I should add the guivre to my display on possible legends that created Nessie. She isn’t violent.” His gaze returned to the loch, where the water remained as smooth as glass.
“See anything?”
When Dougal didn’t answer, Kris turned to look at him and he kissed her.
As kisses went, it wasn’t half-bad. His lips were firm but soft. His goatee tickled just a bit. Kris didn’t pull away, curious if perhaps the air in Scotland, or the water, would make her react to any kiss the way she’d reacted to Liam Grant’s.
No such luck. While the kiss was pleasant, it left her uninterested in anything more. She certainly wasn’t possessed by the urge to get naked with Dougal right here and now.
Should she be glad about that or sad?
A huge splash erupted, as if something had been dropped into the water. Like a piano.
Or a very large tail.
Kris and Dougal broke apart, Kris reaching for her camera as both of them glanced toward the loch.
But nothing was there.
CHAPTER 9
“Sorry about that,” Dougal said again as he dropped off Kris in front of her cottage. “It was just the…” He waved his hand toward the loch, where the moon reflected brilliant silver across a gently rolling surface.
“Don’t worry about it.” Kris got out of the car, lifting her hand when Dougal would have followed. “As kisses go, it was nice.”
He winced. “Nice isn’t exactly what a guy’s hoping for.”
“Better than disgusting.”
Dougal laughed, and she felt better. She’d been afraid his kissing her, and her
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