Page 62 of Resurrecting the Witch
And judging by the way she perused him I knew one thing more than anything else in that moment.
She was going to fuck Rory.
The only question was when, and whether he would live long enough to fulfill her wish.
“Did you say Orla?” Patrick ignored Lennox’s blatant interest in the other fae. He gripped my hand in his and we approached Rory together. All of us, Dominic, Lennox, Patrick, Grom, Drew, myself, and now that I was fully alert, I saw Merrick, Matteo, and Massimo here as well, forming a semi-circle around Rory.
“Yes. And yes, before ya ask, she’s the same bitch as yer precious Lady Orla, mate,” Rory started. “It’s a long feckin’ story, but to sum it up, I was sent here by Orla to get ya back for her, Patty. She was the one who woke ya up on Samhain last year.”
No one spoke and instead gave him room to keep going.
“She has my sister, Kady. And she knew I’d do anything to save her, so she gave me this assignment. Infiltrate the HOMES, break down the wards, and let her forces come in to claim Patrick.”
“What a cunt,” Patrick muttered.
Lennox slapped Patrick upside the head. “That is NOT your word, dude.”
“You already know it’s not the same thing for you Americans that it is for us.” Lennox only glared at him, so Patrick shrugged and continued. “She was always a right twat, but this is a whole new level.”
“But why are you telling us?” Dom asked.
Rory grinned in a way that showed all of us how truly unhinged he was. He had been acting this entire time, playing us to think he was just a grumpy, reclusive ass when he was really doing goddess knew what. “I’m telling ya because I don’t take kindly to anyone takin’ what’s mine.” He growled, legitimately growled, and it echoed across the cave walls, showing everyone how much he meant his words.
Lennox muttered something under her breath that sounded like “gotdamnhecangrowlatmeanytime” but I couldn’t be sure.
“And Kady ismine. My blood. My sister. And the only family I have left.” He cleared his throat, the emotions getting the better of him. “The only way I knew I could kill Orla, and get Kady back, was for the legendary Ó Cuinn coven to intervene. She sent me to the very people who could ensure her destruction.”
“And why would we agree to help you?” Dom asked.
“Yeah, and why didn’t you tell us about this? You kidnapped my best fucking friend,stronzo.” Drew paused, considering his next words for a moment. “And you stole Mamma’s tomatoes.”
Lennox gasped. “Not the tomatoes.”
“Right?” Drew shook his head. “And you just expect us to take you at your word before some psycho shows up that we know wants to kill Patrick? How is she even getting here?”
“I mean, I was kind of bankin’ on you lot helping Patrick get his revenge on the female who raised him from the dead and also has his brothers.” Patrick stiffened at the mention of his blood brothers. “Also, the whole kidnapping innocent females thing, but if that isn’t enough.” Rory shrugged while he muttered as if we were an annoyance. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him.
“If there is truly a female being held by this Lady Orla, your sister or not, then you have my sword to bring her home, brother.” Grom walked across the semi-circle and put his hand on Rory’s shoulder. “I only wish we’d known sooner so we could have had her home already.”
Rory couldn’t hide the relief he felt at Grom’s words, knowing he had at least an orc to back him up against Orla. “She’s coming after the Ó Cuinn coven regardless. She even told me she almost decimated the whole island five years ago. She wants Patrick, but she wants to end this entire operation.”
The entire cavern froze at his words.
“What did you just say about five years ago?” I managed to ask and took a step toward him. Patrick put his hand on my shoulder. I thought he was going to hold me back, but I realized he was only offering comfort, letting me take control of this situation.
“It’s not important right now,” Rory said. I gave him my ‘bitch, try me’ face, and he changed his tune. “Fine, she talked a bit about another witch she’d befriended at one time to get to yer island, but it didn’t go to plan and that’s all she said about it.”
My mother. Of fucking course she had something to do with this new round of bullshit on my island. Lennox grabbed my hand with a squeeze while Drew stepped up to the other. Both lent me their strength in the same way Patrick squeezed my shoulder before I stood in front of Rory.
“I have a plan. We can take Orla out, eliminate the threat, and save my sister all at the same time.”
I looked at Patrick, and he nodded. I made eye contact with each of my other closest friends. I knew Guillermo wouldn’t have come with everyone knowing there was a possible threat. He was in Haven Pass setting up the Samhain Festival and trying to keep this under wraps from the other residents.
I didn’t trust easily, but I could trust a small group of people and lean on them to help me with decisions. It didn’t feel as hard this time as it had in the past. Everyone here had the island’s best interest at heart.
I nodded toward Rory last.
“We’re listening.”
