Midnight Sacrifice by Melinda Leigh Page B

mattered more than his son. Modern medicine had no cure for the disease that waited in Evan’s genes. Nathan would follow in his uncle’s footsteps and try the old way. As his Druid ancestors had bargained with the gods to repel the Romans from the shores of Britain, he would make a deal for his and Evan’s futures. No sacrifice was too great.
    Nathan would walk through fire to save his son.
    He watched, mesmerized, as Evan snored. His son was as yet unaffected by the sickness. Once afflicted, sedatives and sleepingaids only worsened the condition. Nathan should know. In the beginning of his illness, his uncle had been prescribed every known tranquilizer. Nathan thanked the gods he’d had the foresight to accumulate the medication.
    How long would Evan be spared? Genetic testing had confirmed that his son carried the disease marker. It was only a matter of time.
    He reached into his pocket and withdrew a lighter. A spin of his thumb generated a small flame. He held the flame to his opposite forearm. Hot pain licked into him, a physical release for the agony trapped in his mind. The smell of singed hair and skin filled the space.
    A car door slammed. Nathan released the red button. The flame flickered out, and he withdrew from the room, carefully securing the lock. He moved to the shadow of the barn door and peered around the edge. His assistant was crossing the barnyard.
    Nathan walked out into the sun. Inactive for years, the old farm had been searched months ago, while Nathan and his son hid in his assistant’s basement. They’d moved here and set up headquarters after the manhunt had been abandoned. As long as the assistant didn’t lead anyone back to the farm, Nathan was free to pursue his goal. “You’re sure no one followed you?”
    “Of course.”
    Nathan turned his face to the sun and closed his eyes. Warmth rejuvenated his skin.
    “Danny Sullivan is back.”
    Fury rose in Nathan, as hot as the burn on his arm. “And?”
    “And he’s asking questions. He visited Mandy yesterday and again today. I’ve already reminded her to keep silent.”
    Nathan clenched a fist.
    This could not be.
    Come Beltane Eve, she was to be his May Queen, his flower bride, the pure one who signified strength, renewal, and growth.Once the Bel-fire had eradicated Nathan’s disease, he would tap into nature’s energy through Mandy. Like the Green Man, Nathan would die and be reborn youthful and healthy. He would have a brand-new life after the ceremony. He could begin again.
    With Mandy at his side.
    Evan would be spared. He would be the first member of the family to escape the curse. The three of them could be a family.
    Nathan had a beef with Danny Sullivan. It was his fault Mandy wasn’t at Nathan’s side right now.
    Mandy was his. No other man would touch her.
    “You’ve done well. She won’t say anything. Her brother is too precious to her.” Nathan always kept his affairs secret, a habit that had served him well over the years. The others had been married and just as determined to keep silent. Mandy had been harder to convince, but he was glad he had persevered. If people knew about their relationship, they might guess his plans. If anyone knew the extent of his love for Mandy, it would be all too obvious that he could never leave her. That couldn’t be.
    Plus, he had his assistant, but he might need another person in town to manipulate. He also couldn’t take the chance that the police would interrogate Mandy about him. He didn’t remember giving her too much real personal information, but he could have slipped in those more intimate moments. No question his memory was slipping.
    No one must know that he’d been intimate with Mandy, that he loved her beyond all else, save for his son. Too many variables would be unleashed with that knowledge, and Nathan’s plan didn’t allow for variables.
    Plus, he liked her knowing that he hadn’t forgotten about her. There’d been nights he’d hidden behind her house and