Moon Cursed Read Online Free Page A

stayin’? I didnae see a car.”
    “Loch Side Cottage.”
    “Ah, the Cameron place. Then ye havenae far to go. I’ll walk ye.”
    “No need.” She picked up her video camera, thrilled it hadn’t gotten trampled in the commotion.
    Or stolen by the ghost.
    Kris coughed to stifle the inappropriate laughter that threatened to burst free.
    “What kind of man would I be if I let a woman walk about in the night all alone?”
    “Don’t you have to…” Kris waved vaguely at the castle. “Watch things?”
    In the glare of the flashlight, his lips curved. “Urquhart has stood since the sixth century. I doubt it’ll disappear if I glance away.”
    Unlike the man who’d kissed her.
    “You’re sure you didn’t see anyone?” she asked.
    “You’re sure ye did?” He stared at the deep, dark sky. “The night plays tricks.”
    If all that had happened was that she’d seen a shadow, Kris would agree. But the night wasn’t such a trickster that it conjured solid, handsome men, who spoke with a brogue and kissed with their tongues.
    “I’m Alan Mac,” he continued. “Chief constable of Drumnadrochit.”
    Kris blinked. “Not the watchman?”
    “There is a watchman.” Alan Mac looked away. “But it’s not me.”
    Kris followed his gaze, but she didn’t see a watchman anywhere. She supposed there were a lot of nooks and crannies. He could be anywhere.
    “What’s the head cop doing here if there’s a guard on duty?”
    “Taking a stroll.”
    Kris found that hard to believe. Then again, did she want to accuse the “head cop” of lying? And really, why would he?
    “I didnae catch your name.”
    “Kris.” She held out her hand. “Kris Daniels.”
    His fingers were as cold as the breeze, and she started. “Sorry.” He rubbed his palm on his pants. “Me blood’s always been a wee bit thin. It’s pleased I am to meet ye.” He indicated the stairway. “And now, if ye’d be so kind as to get off the tower.”
    “Sure.” Kris went down the stairs, grateful for the constable’s flashlight, which showed her the way.
    Once on solid ground, he insisted on seeing her to the cottage. Nothing she said would dissuade him.
    As they walked along, Kris searched for a question, any question, to break the eerie stillness. “Does the watchman run across a lot of trespassers at night?”
    “Ach, no. No reason to come way out here in the dark.”
    “But…” Kris glanced at the water. “The loch. The…” She had a hard time getting the foolish word out, but she managed. “Monster.”
    “Nessie?” He shook his head. “No one ever sees her at night.”
    Kris thought back on what she’d read. Certainly the majority of the sightings occurred in the middle of the day, but that only made sense. Midday meant the light was at its brightest, reflecting off the murky loch and creating mirages. It was also the time when the most people were out and about. The more humans in the area, the more tall tales would be told. Still—
    “I know there’ve been sightings at night,” she insisted.
    “Sure there are. Just look at the place.” Alan Mac waved a huge hand at the lapping waves. “Wouldn’t ye be seein’ things if ye were out there in the dark?”
    Kris narrowed her eyes. “I did see a man.”
    “I didnae say you didn’t,” he said calmly.
    Kris decided to let the whole question of the man she’d kissed in Urquhart Castle fade away. She’d seen him. Alan Mac hadn’t. End of story.
    For now.
    “Wait.” Kris stopped, and the constable did, too. “In 1999, Nessie was spotted on land for the first time since 1963. And it was at night!” she finished with a triumphant poke in the direction of his broad chest.
    He lifted his flashlight from the road ahead to a spot just above her belly button, then contemplated her in the upward spray of yellow light. “Ye seem to know a lot about the monster.”
    Whoops.
    For an instant her mind blanked. She had a lie in place for situations like this, but for the life of