Page 19 of Loched in Love

“It’s not that cool, and could you please, for the last time, put your fucking pants on,” Vlad snaps.

The women collectively shoot him glares, meanwhile Aubrey jabs him in the stomach. “Be nice,” she whispers.

I grin over the top of Elena’s head at Vlad and give him a wink.

By my calculations and the red burning in his eyes, I’ve only a few moments before the vampire loses his temper at my needling him.

“Perhaps I should just leave the pants off, aye? In case I get into a spot of trouble again,” I say, bouncing my brows and making light of the matter.

“I won’t argue, I mean what color is your tail anyway?” Aubrey asks.

“Even a hint of a tail and you’ll be asked to leave. I won’t have you destroying my home,” Vlad snaps.

His gaze is blood red, and sends a wave of triumph through me while gasps go up in the room.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Connor says.

“You can’t make him leave,” Aubrey announces her expression, one of shock.

“You don’t know how big he gets. It’s not safe,” Vlad continues, his eyes now a normal deep brown again.

“What the hell is going on?” Frank booms.

“Lachlan’s body has been having to do a bit of adjusting, that’s all,” Whitley says. Her tone is full of anger and directed fully at the end of the table toward Vlad.

I get the feeling she wouldn’t care if I did make the castle fall around Vlad.

“I need to get to Scotland,” I say, directing my gaze at Elena.

“Will that stop what’s happening to you?” Whitley asks.

“Aye it will, but I can’t make the journey on my own. Elena, I must ask something of you,” I find myself saying, holding my power in check in a vice grip.

She nods slowly, her gaze darting back to where Frank stands in the corner, and a slight slice of jealousy goes through my middle. Soon enough I’ll have her undivided attention, or so I tell myself.

“Okay?” she says, her gaze back on me.

I hold steady, my heart pitter-pattering with hope and more longing than I can contain, and I realize my hands are shaking.

If she’ll just come with me, perhaps I can make her fall in love with me on the way and some good will come of this.

Gods know I’d do anything to keep this woman happy, and I can only pray that once this is all over, she’ll want me just as much. “I know I told you where I’ve a spot for you to sample for your beetles, and it may be a lot to ask of you, but I need you to come with me to Scotland for another purpose. You landing in my moat broke the spell, but if you’ll come with me, it’ll break what’s left of it and I’ll be free. Can you do it?”

Elena Pierson

“We’re heading to Bucharest first, and after that you guys should have no trouble making it to Scotland in a few hours,” the redheaded woman named Bernadette says.

She pushes a glass of champagne in my hand before tipping her own down her throat, and the smile I’ve had on my face for the last hour starts to crack.

“Oh, okay. Awesome,” I say, unsure of how I’m supposed to react to having my vacation rearranged to fit in helping one stranded merman get home, but I very much would like to see the itinerary she’s obviously scrolling through on her laptop.

She grabs for another glass, and my facial expression must give my alarm away.

“Sorry, plane rides make me nervous,” Bernadette says in a way of apology, shooting a glare over at Frank Stein.

I take a cautious sip, letting the champagne bubbles float in my mouth as I work on remaining calm while turbulence makes the cabin sway as we fly. My stomach has been gurgling off and on since we left the castle, but mostly because I don’t actually know where we’re going.

As soon as I agreed to help, everyone jumped into action. The ladies immediately started ordering the men to get the jet ready, and didn’t really allow arguments about it either. Since my luggage was ready to go, it was nothing to get on the nearby plane and board in minutes.