Enemy Within (Moira Ashe Book 1)

She didn’t even need her memory to find this house anymore. As though reliving a moment in time, Moira marched along her path, letting blind repetition guide her as her mind wandered. She snapped back to attention as she spotted the woman outside the two-storey building. Moira let out a heavy sigh and banished her wayward thoughts as she sat down.

Sloane Moran spotted her and quickly crossed the street to sit beside her.

“Still wearing the same old coat?” Sloane asked.

“Still wearing the same old uniform?”

A playful smile crept onto Sloane’s face. “Hold on now. You get to choose what you wear. The only way I’m changing up is if I get a promotion, and there’s not much higher than captain.” She pulled at Moira’s coat. “Besides, I swear there’s less coat every time I see it. Maybe it’s time for a change, eh?”

She couldn’t disagree with Sloane. Running her hands down her garment, Moira felt all the abuse her coat had suffered from the bullet hole in the chest to the rough patch jobs of her youth and the smoothness of her more recent work. She had been through a lot with this coat, and she couldn’t bear to let it go.

Moira ignored the suggestion. “See anything?”

Sloane brushed a lock of her chestnut-coloured hair behind her ear as she responded. “And the same old questions, it would seem.” She turned her head to observe the house before them. “I have three men posted here, and we’ve seen nothing—not James Nolan, and definitely no monster.”

“Any word if Hugh will search him for bites?”

Sloane shook her head. “He won’t allow James’s privacy to be invaded like that unless James agrees to it himself.”

“Has he?”

“Nope.”

Moira sighed. Commander Murphy was a good leader, but he protected his guards a little too much for her liking. And in this instance, he was making her job almost impossible.

Sloane placed a hand on Moira’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, but I think this whole affair is a waste of time. We should be looking for Kelly William and not guarding Nolan—both of them were in that patrol. William is still unaccounted for, but I know Nolan is in that house. He even swears it was William.”

“Sure, but where is he hiding? The attacks are always patrols and always close to town.” Nothing about the situation felt right to her.

Sloane shrugged her shoulders. “All I know is that William hasn’t left that house. Honestly, I don’t know how you convinced the commander to post us here for this long.” Sloane stood from the bench. “If that’s all you needed, I have to get back to my post.”

Moira pulled a smaller version of the map she made out of her jacket. “Speaking of patrols, do you know the routes for tonight?”

Sloane raised an eyebrow as she crossed her arms. “Don’t you get that information from Flynn?”

Moira held the map out to her. “He’s preoccupied right now.”

Sloane opened the map and traced the routes out with her finger as Moira watched silently until she was done.

When Moira returned to the inn, Lincoln was already there, sitting at the bar talking with the bartender Bridget. She didn’t initially realize it was him due to his change of attire and his newly trimmed goatee.

Lincoln tucked his notebook into his new coat as he spotted her moving towards her usual spot and called her name. Moira stopped and turned. Lincoln waved her over to the bar, and Moira reluctantly complied.

Not all of Lincoln’s clothes were different. Only his boots and the silver locket he wore around his neck remained the same.

Moira sat at the bar with them. “How did it go with Quinn?”

Lincoln set his cup on the bar. “Good, but he’s not very happy with us.”

Bridget chimed in before Moira could talk. “And why shouldn’t he be?” She pointed at Lincoln. “That king of yours is just looking for a reason to have a go at us again, and your death would give him a good reason to.” She then turned and pointed at Moira. “And you’re helping him do it!”

Lincoln held up his hands. “I highly doubt my life is that valuable to the king.”

Moira responded. “No, they’re right. You came here under his orders with peaceful intentions. If you were to wind up dead it wouldn’t be good.”

Lincoln scoffed. “That’s absurd! I’ve been gone three weeks now. They could think me dead already and nothing has happened!”

The women exchanged glances but said nothing.

Lincoln continued. “Well, that’s not going to stop me going after the thing,” he gestured towards Moira, “with or without you.”

Bridget looked at Moira. “Well, I guess someone has to look after you then.”

Lincoln nodded his head. “That’s right.” He turned to Moira. “So, when do we get going?”

Moira got out of her seat. “We’re going now.”

Lincoln became excited as he stood and headed for the entrance.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Lincoln stopped and turned to see Moira standing in the doorframe leading to their rooms.

“We’re going to sleep. You do remember these things only come out at night, right?”

Lincoln sighed as he sauntered off to his room. Moira placed her hand on his slender chest, stopping him in the doorway as he passed.

“Rule number two: Don’t die.”

She patted Lincoln on the shoulder as he nodded and continued to his room.