Mac

1289 Words
The night air cooled the sweat running down my body as I ran. The light of the moon filtering through the thick leafy canopy above gave me at least a general sense of the trees and thick brush ahead of me. I ducked as I ran, trying to beat back the leaves and sharp branches over us with the top of my head. Anything to protect the small bundle I held against my chest. She squirmed restlessly, whimpering her discomfort with the nonstop bumping and jostling I was putting her through. I rubbed her back, trying to sooth her "Ssh, shh, shh. I know, baby, I know - hang on, sweetheart." The thin pink blanket I'd wrapped her in covered her, except for one tiny fist that gripped my shirt. I stumbled hard, swore, regained my balance. Abby cried out in fear. I swore under my breath, my legs and knees screaming their protest as I started to ascend the next ravine. I adjusted my grip on the baby, freeing one hand to help pull us up the rocks and fallen logs that littered the slope beneath us. "Rebecca, you good?" I called back over my shoulder. No answer. I hesitated, looking back just in time to see her collapse to her knees, bracing one hand against a tree trunk for support. "REBECCA!" In my rush to turn, I nearly sent both Abby and I toppling back down the embankment. Rebecca shook her head vehemently, her long dark hair stuck to her cheeks by sweat and tears. "Don't you dare!" she screamed."Brennan, GO!" Still, I hesitated. If not for Abby, I'd already be flying back down there to save her. Rebecca must've seen it in my face, because she took her hand from her side to reveal the deep wound she'd been hiding. Blood poured out, running down her jeans. I roared, rage and horror and grief flooding through my body in violent waves. "Becca! No-" "Please," she whispered, slipping down to the ground."You promised. Don't-don't let him take her." Snarls and crashing noises from the trees. I couldn't see them yet, but- Abby cried again from my arms. "f**k!" I snarled. I turned and put every bit of strength I had into scaling the ravine. I skittered and slipped down the other side, ignoring the slashes from broken branches. I ran deeper into the woods ahead, holding the crying baby close. Hardly aware that I was weeping myself. Voices. Bits and pieces inside my head, rolling through my mind like cue balls after a break. Becca's voice. And Abby's. (don't) (don't let him take her) (Mac) (Please stay) (Please) (oh God no) (MAC!) "MacDonald. Wake up, MacDonald." Deep brogue, speaking Gaelic. I grunted, rocking my head back. Lifting my eyelids took too much energy. My entire chest felt heavy, with a deep ache and burn near my sternum. I became vaguely aware that I couldn't lift my arms - they were pinned where they were, down my sides. Great. "MacDonald." "I heard you," I replied thickly. I hadn't spoken Gaelic in years, at least not until the other night in the bar- (Mac, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry) (Please stay with me) -but even as f****d up as I felt at the moment, the words rolled easily off my tongue. "f**k you, whoever you are." The voice chuckled. "Oh, we've met. But you've gotten old, Mac. So this is what twenty years does to a leath phór. What a pity." I coughed, groaning at the immediate resulting pain in my chest. f**k, that hurts. I finally managed to open my eyes. A chair has been placed a few feet in front of the one I was tied to. Sitting forward on it, resting his elbows casually on his knees, was a smiling man. Tall, strong. Dark blue eyes. Thick red beard, the same color as his long, thick hair. Dressed in a red flannel shirt, sleeves rolled back, jeans, and work boots. Looked like a well-built, blue-collar man. He was anything but. Fuck. I didn't even have time to hide my absolute shock. "Jesus fuckin Christ," I whispered. "It's you." He chuckled, leaning back a bit in his chair. "Not quite. Come now, MacDonald. Surely you can do better than that." "Laignech Faelad," I said hoarsely. "Also known as 'The Butcher'." Laignech smiled. "So you do remember me. I'm touched." "Get f****d," I retorted, wincing as I coughed again. "Aye, that's more like it," Laignech laughed, resting a boot on his knee. "You were always a fiery one, leath phór. I rather liked that about you, even then." Leath phór. Half-breed. "Yeah, well, I never much gave a flying f**k," I wheezed. "And I still managed to tear your butt boys a new asshole. Or have you forgotten about that." "Aye, you did at that," he acknowledged. "There some reason I ain't dead yet?" I growled. My neck and head hurt like a b***h, but I could look down enough to see the thick bandage partially hidden by the ripped flaps of my shirt. "Kinda defeats the purpose, giving first aid to an enemy with a knife stickin' out of his chest. I'd like the knife back, by the way." "Again with the sharp tongue. Anyways, be a waste to let you die just yet," Laignech said, smiling. "Not when you may still be of use to me." I closed my eyes briefly. Of course. "Where is she?" I asked. I kept my voice was calm, despite my thudding heart. Wouldn't have mattered - I knew without being reminded that the son of a b***h could hear it. "Is she hurt?" Laignech's grin was mischievous. "Who? Oh - my Abigail," he said casually. "She's doing fine. I've left her in good hands, I assure you." "She's not yours," I gritted out. "Aye, she is. She's always been, in point of fact," he said, c*****g his head. "All that you did, all that you lost. You only delayed the inevitable. "And at what cost, Mac? Was it worth it? Leaving your bràmair to bleed out, alone, in the middle of nowhere? Knowing you left her to die, while you ran?" "MotherFUCKER!" I roared, jerking hard against the ropes. It made my chest burn, but I barely felt it. "Easy, there," Laignech tsked. "Can't have you tearing open that gash. Abigail would be most displeased. "She's expectin' to see you still breathin, after all." "Where..is..she," I repeated, almost biting out each word between clenched teeth. "Does it matter? She'll be here sometime tomorrow," he assured me, standing up. "If you're not misbehavin', I might even let her come say hello." "I should've burned your fuckin ass when I had the chance," I snarled. " Aye," Laignech agreed. "You probly should have. But that was then. And this is now." He dropped to an easy crouch in front of me. I glared into his bemused eyes, my entire body nearly thrumming with helpless rage. "This is now," he repeated softly. His eyes suddenly blazed into flaming sapphires. It was a unique color, even amongst our kind. One I'd seen again and again over the years, in more nightmares than I cared to count. "And you will die this time, leath phór. But not before you watch me claim what you hold most precious, for mine own." Laignech leaned forward, making sure to speak close to my ear. I shut my eyes against what I knew would come next - the one secret that I'd tried for so long to protect. I froze, unable to speak or even breathe. When it finally came, it was like a death knell in my heart. "Her daughter," he whispered. "And yours."
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