When Irish Eyes Are Haunting: A Krewe of Hunters Novella by Heather Graham Page A

center of the tomb. Rocky quickly saw that they belonged to the Karney couple of myth and legend, Brianna and her beloved husband Declan, he who had throne himself at the enemy Sir Barry Martin in order to see that he died as his wife had.
    “Collum is here,” Father Flannery said quietly, pointing to the side of the vault.
    Cement covered the grave; a tombstone bearing his name had not yet been installed. But flowers strew the floor on the ground there and filled many vases set there as well. As he watched, Devin made the sign of the cross and lowered her head as if saying a little prayer for her uncle.
    Devin had grown up Catholic—but she’d also spent a great deal of time with her beloved Wiccan aunt in Salem. She was a spiritual person, a believer—they all were, more or less, in the Krewe. But he knew that she believed in one true tenet, and that was the fact that in her mind, all good men and women believed in decency and kindness and that religion didn’t matter. Yet, here, of course, she honored her uncle as he should have traditionally been honored.
    He lowered his own head. Father Flannery softly murmured a prayer.
    Something caused Rocky to look up—to look over at his wife.
    Her head was no longer bowed in prayer. She was staring wide-eyed and frowning at the back of the vault. She stood frozen and straight, and he was certain that she saw something there.
    Something that did not belong.
    He strained to see through the shadows.
    “Ah, and as the sayin’ goes, Collum,” Father Flannery murmured, “‘may ye have been in Heaven a half hour afore the Devil ever knew ye were dead!’ I know that to be true, for you were a fine man, my friend!”
    “Sorry, I am a man of God. But I am from County Cork,” Flannery added, perhaps believing that Rocky’s curious expression was for him.
    Devin spun around. “Of course. He was a very fine man,” she said.
    She turned and walked out of the vault.
    Rocky stared into the darkness at the far reaches of the large family tomb. But all he saw was darkness. He followed his wife into the light of the day.
     

Chapter 6
    They were heading out of the cemetery and up the great slope that led to the castle walls, with Father Flannery far behind them, when Rocky asked Devin, “What happened back there.”
    “Rocky, I don’t know!” Devin told him, her beautiful blue eyes meeting his with concern. “There was something there—some kind of a presence.”
    “A ghost?” he asked. “Perhaps Collum?”
    She shook her head. “No, it wasn’t like any ghost I’ve met before,” she said. “It was different; it was dark…like a shadow.” She hesitated a bit awkwardly. It was strange. They weren’t just both Krewe. They were husband and wife. They usually said whatever they were thinking—no matter how absurd it might sound to someone else.
    “I felt it—or saw it—before. Last night. It seemed to settle over the castle. Just a—a darkness. Like massive raven’s wings, or…a huge shadow,” she finished, shrugging and looking at him a bit lamely.
    “Darkness—like some kind of evil?” he asked. He hoped there was no skepticism in his voice. He knew what it was like when people doubted your judgment—or your sanity.
    She smiled. “No, not evil. Just—something different. And I almost felt as if the darkness…”
    “What?” he asked.
    “Wanted to touch me,” she said softly.
    A strange ripple of fear went through him. “You’re not a Karney,” he said gruffly. “But if you even begin to think that you might be in danger—”
    “Hey!” she protested. “I’m trained, experienced, and tough,” she reminded him. “I became part of the Krewe. But, it’s not like that. I mean, you said it yourself last night—we’ve never known a ghost to kill anyone. Ghosts linger to help the living or find justice or…in some instances, because they feel like they are an integral part of history. I didn’t feel that. Just…something