Chapter 4

As the plane landed, my stomach lurched, and I felt the pressure in my ears. I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the sudden wave of nausea that washed over me. Beside me, Justice's hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with mine in a silent gesture of support and reassurance.

The wheels touched down on the runway, the plane's engines roaring as the brakes engaged. I gripped an armrest tightly, my knuckles turning white as the aircraft's force pushed me back into my seat.

"You okay?" Justice asked, his voice low and steady.

I nodded, taking a deep breath as the plane taxied toward the terminal. I rubbed my arm where my tattoo was on red alert. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just nervous, I guess."

"We've got this, Sawyer. You keep rubbing your arm where your rose tattoo is." He squeezed my hand gently. "But whatever Maci throws at us, we'll face it together."

I managed a small smile, drawing strength from his words and the warmth of his touch. He was right. We were a team, and we had each other's backs.

As the plane came to a stop and the seatbelt sign dinged off, I unbuckled my seatbelt and stood, my legs feeling slightly unsteady after the long flight. We were here, in Scotland, ready to face the challenges ahead.

We were here. Ready or not, Maci, here we come.

Damon stood, flashing us a mischievous grin, and donned an exaggerated Scottish brogue. "Ah, Scotland. Land of kilts, whiskey, and the only place where the monsters in the lochs might wave back at you instead of trying to eat your face off. Makes you miss the good old days of hunting regular monsters, doesn't it?"

Justice pulled his bag with our laptops from the overhead bin. He flung the strap over his shoulder, then stepped aside so I could slide in front of him. Excitement and dread spun around me as I followed passengers off the plane. It was strange to think I was no longer stepping on American soil.

The four of us made our way to the baggage claim, then we went through customs.

Justice checked his phone. "Our transportation is waiting. Come on, I'll show you where we can get it."

He led us through the busy airport to a waiting van with "McDuff Manor Exclusive Transport" emblazoned on its side.

"Justice, it's so good to see you." A man with red hair and a beard exited the van and shook his hand. The man turned to the rest of us and clapped his hands. "Welcome, welcome to Scotland. I'm Sean McDuff, owner and proprietor of McDuff Manor."

Justice introduced each of us. Sean took our bags and put them in the back of the van.

Damon settled into his seat, eyeing Sean McDuff with curiosity and suspicion. "You know him?" he asked, his voice rumbling with wariness. Then, with a sidelong glance that carried a hint of underlying tension, he added, "Because in my book, anyone who drives a van to a place like McDuff Manor either knows way more than they're letting on, or they're about to sell us the world's most bizarre timeshare."

Justice lowered his voice. "You don't have to worry about Sean. He's been vetted with us for a long time. McDuff Manor is a Paranormal Mercenary Corps safe house."

I nodded as relief and curiosity stirred inside me.

Sean glanced in the rearview mirror as he pulled away from the sidewalk. "Brody, Grady, and Scott are anxious to talk to you."

Justice frowned, his brow furrowing in concern. "About what?"

"They didn't share anything with me. They've been quite secretive."

The mention of secrecy sent a chill down my spine. That could mean a hundred million things in the paranormal world. I exchanged a glance with Damon, seeing my unease reflected in his eyes.

Lisa's eyes brightened. "Do they have news of Aurora or Morgan?"

Sean stared directly ahead. "I wouldn't know, lass."

She released a sad sigh and leaned against her seat, a stray tear falling down her cheek.

I glanced at Justice, noting the worry etched on his face. Damon placed a comforting hand on Lisa's shoulder, his usually playful expression replaced by a sober one.

"I'm sure they're all right." My tone lacked conviction. Deep down, I knew the longer Aurora and Morgan were missing, the more dangerous the situation could become.

No one contradicted me. Obviously, they had the same thoughts I did. I turned my attention to Edinburgh, its cobblestone streets and ancient buildings unfolding like a page from a storybook I had only dared to imagine. The gothic spires of St. Giles' Cathedral pierced the sky, while the imposing silhouette of Edinburgh Castle loomed over the city, a testament to its rich and sometimes bloody history.

The city's historic beauty was a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within me. As much as I wanted to lose myself exploring Edinburgh's winding alleys and hidden gems, I knew our mission had to take precedence. The fate of my father, of Aurora and Morgan, and possibly the entire world, hung in the balance.

I glanced at Justice, remembering his wistful expression when he spoke of Edinburgh's history. I saw why he wanted to indulge in its stories and secrets rather than being dragged into another dreaded mission. Yet, like the rest of us, he knew there was no escaping the responsibility of stopping Maci and her demons.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Justice followed my gaze.

"I can see why you like it here." My soft voice was filled with wonder. Edinburgh's blend of beauty, history, and mystery was enchanting. Despite the shadow of our mission hanging over us, I couldn't help but feel a connection to this place, a desire to explore its depths and perhaps, in its stories, find the strength we needed to face what lay ahead.

He glanced between my brother, Lisa, and I. "There's something you should know. The rumors of Scotland's magic are true. It's not only majestic but there are portals that can take you to the most beautiful place you've ever seen or your worst nightmare. You must keep your wits about you here."

As soon as he mentioned the possibility of magical portals, my skin prickled with anticipation and fear. The thought of entering a whole new world filled me with excitement but also left me feeling vulnerable and uncertain. What if I stepped into a portal that sent me to hell, where the Demons of Seven Deadly Sins dwelled?

Damon released a low whistle, his eyes taking on that glint they did whenever the talk turned to the things that lurked in the dark corners of the world. "Portals, huh? Scotland's full of surprises. One minute, you're enjoying a nice Scotch, and the next, you could be starring in your own personal horror movie. Great."

"How do we know if we stumble across a portal?" Fear crept into my tone.

Justice thought about it for a minute. "When you come upon a portal, everything wavers like you're drunk. The edges of your vision blur, then you spin around and land in another time, another place."

Damon quirked an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth despite the gravity of our discussion. "So, what you're saying is, there aren't exactly street signs pointing to these portals, huh? ‘Next stop: 14th century' or ‘Beware, your worst nightmare lies ahead?'"

We arrived at McDuff Manor as the sun began to break through the morning fog, casting ethereal light upon the ancient stone building. The faded stone edifice was two stories tall, exuding an air of timeless grace and a whisper of history in its walls. Lush, well-tended shrubbery adorned the front of the manor, along with hanging flower pots, their blooms adding splashes of color against the stone. The flowers swayed gently in the soft morning breeze.

"Here we are," Sean announced as he parked the van. "Home sweet home." A sense of pride colored his tone.

It was quaint, and I could hardly wait to see the inside.

The door opened, and Brody, Scott, and Grady, members of the Paranormal Mercenary Corps, came out. They reminded me of linebackers with their broad shoulders and towering frames, but I knew there was more to them than met the eye. All three had been part of an evil experiment from Sector Nine and had been given a dragon blood serum. It made them taller, stronger, and more muscular than ordinary men.

Luckily, the serum hadn't turned them into monsters.

Brody, the tallest of the three, had a rugged jawline, and his gray eyes held a past of haunted battles. Grady's eyes glinted with a mischievous spark, and his long hair flared over his shoulders as if he were a god. Scott, the quietest of the trio, had an air of calm intensity about him, like a coiled spring ready to unleash its power. His gaze was sharp and penetrating as if he could see into the heart of a person.

As they approached us, I smiled as relief and gratitude washed over me. I remembered the first time we fought together in the heart of Mystic Ridge Hospital. A demon had scratched me in a dream, leaving me poisoned, but Brody, Grady, and Scott, along with a priest, had helped us break the spell. They had stood by our side more than once, facing down the Demons of Greed with unwavering courage and determination. Now, they were willing to help us face this new threat.

Brody was the leader. He headed toward us, his face lit with a genuine smile as he greeted each of us individually. "Good to see you, all of you." I heard the relief in his tone.

Justice held his gaze. "News?"

Brody put his hands on his hips. "We've heard some troubling rumors stirring in the Highlands."

Justice frowned. "What kind of rumors?"

Brody's smile faded as he considered how to explain the situation. "It's the people in Glenraith," he began, the town's name causing a ripple of concern. "They've changed. Overnight, it seems like everyone's become…different. More arrogant, dismissive of others, even downright cruel in some cases."

Justice rubbed his chin. "Arrogant? Cruel? Sounds like more than bad moods."

Grady interjected, "It's more than that. It's like they did a one-eighty on their personalities."

Damon crossed his arms, leaning back as he processed Brody's and Grady's words, a skeptical arch to his eyebrow. "So, you're telling us the whole town woke up on the wrong side of the bed and decided to crank the jerk dial to eleven? That's not your everyday brand of grumpy."

"Exactly." Brody nodded. "Folks who were once humble and community-minded have become obsessed with their own status, power, or beauty. It's like their ego has been amplified, twisted into something unnatural. They're isolating themselves, claiming they're superior to their neighbors, even to their own families."

Lisa interjected, her brow furrowed in concern. "That doesn't sound like simple human vanity. It sounds more like possession."

Brody agreed grimly. "It's definitely demonic. There's also rumors of a dark presence moving in the shadows."

"Maci," I grumbled.

"We suspect that," Scott finally spoke. "Nothing for sure. People say it's large, but they don't know what it is. She's playing games."

"And people are disappearing," Brody added. "We plan to investigate tomorrow."

Damon ran a hand through his hair, frustration and resolve settling into his features as the pieces started to fit together. "Possession, dark presences, and now people are playing Houdini? Sounds like our kind of party." The sarcasm in his voice thinly veiled the underlying seriousness.

Goosebumps rolled over me. The last thing I wanted was to be scratched or marked by a demon. Or worse, be kidnapped by one.

Justice seemed to notice, and protectiveness flashed in his dark eyes. I wanted to believe him, but I was sleeping next to him on the plane, and those demons attacked me, leaving marks on my neck.

"We need to find out more about the demons and how they're choosing their targets," Justice insisted. "I have a contact in Edinburgh who might be able to help us. We'll start there."

I wanted to ask him who this contact was, but he and Brody headed up the stairs into the manor, talking in soft murmurs as if having a hushed argument.

Sean's face paled as he looked into the sky like he was afraid a monster was flying over our heads, but I didn't see anything.

He grabbed Lisa's and my luggage. "Follow me, please, everyone." Something in his tone hinted at danger in the air.

I nodded, pushing down my doubts and fears. We had a long road ahead of us, but with Justice, Damon, and the others by my side, I knew we would face whatever horrors lay in wait. For now, all we could do was take it one step at a time and hope we were strong enough to overcome the darkness threatening to consume us all.