The cross of ciaran series

 When a fifth century pagan priest is unearthed in Ireland fifteen hundred years after being entombed, archaeologist Caitlin O’Connell is convinced it’s the find of the century. The body is in perfect condition, right down to the intricate tattoos adorning the Celt’s skin. In fact, if scientific data hadn’t proved otherwise, she would swear he hadn’t been interred more than a few hours.
Eager to discover more about the mysterious Celt, Caitlin accompanies the body back to the New York museum where she’s employed, but before she has time to study him, the priest disappears without a trace. Rumors surrounding the event begin to circulate and result in the excavation’s benefactor pulling the plug on the entire expedition.

The rumors are not far off the mark though. After being buried alive for betraying his goddess and his priesthood in the dawning age of Christianity, Ciarán wakes to a strange new world. Alone and frightened in an unforgiving city, he stumbles upon the only thing familiar to him and seeks sanctuary within the church walls. With the help of the parish’s pastor, Father Mike, Ciarán slowly grows accustomed to his surroundings, though he’s plagued by dark dreams and the disturbing sensation that an evil from his past has followed him into the future. But a more immediate danger lurks on his doorstep.

Caitlin is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery concerning her missing Celt, and when she meets her Uncle Mike’s new handyman, Ciarán Donnelly, she’s convinced the handsome Irishman knows more about the theft than he’s letting on. Yet, even she can’t deny the attraction between them, simmering below the surface and blurring the lines between her personal and professional life. But will Ciarán’s secrets draw them together or shatter their future forever 

 Almost a year after waking to find himself in twentieth-century New York, fifth-century Celt Ciarán Donnelly has finally returned to his childhood home, but Ireland is nothing like he remembers it. The realization is overwhelming and taking a toll on his relationship with archaeologist Caitlin O’Connell as well. Keeping his secret from her has been no easy task. 

Due to some quick thinking on the part of her Uncle Mike, however, Ciarán has managed to conceal the fact that he and the Celt that mysteriously disappeared from a local museum the previous year are one in the same.
Ciarán intends on keeping it that way, at least for the time being. Right now, there is another more pressing issue. He longs to locate the grave of his fifth-century wife. Her only crime was daring to love him, a guardian of the goddess, and for that he can never forgive himself. Even more urgent, he needs to figure out a way to wake his brother, Aodhán, and free him from the Dublin museum, where he continues to exist in the same centuries’ long sleep Ciarán had. At least, Ciarán hopes he does.

Of course, things never go according to plan. When a serial killer starts stalking the countryside, Ciarán may be the only one who can stop him. To do so, however, he’ll need to risk his own life, as well as that of his brother, thus revealing his secret and exposing the truth. But can he even defeat such a ruthless monster? Only the Book of Carraig hold the answer, but first, Ciarán needs to find it. 

 Ciarán Donnelly is ready to leave his past behind and concentrate on his new life, but his past may not be finished with him. His dreams have returned with a vengeance, and this time they’re telling him Ruadhán, the long-dead priest who entombed him fifteen hundred years before, is threatening to kidnap his unborn twins. Of course, his dream interpretation leaves a lot to be desired, especially when it comes to those he loves.

As if the dreams are not bad enough, his anxiety over them is causing stress on his new marriage, which is the last thing Caitlin needs in her current condition. The twins are on the way, and everyone advises him the dreams stem from his own insecurities over becoming a father. After all, Ruadhán was the chief priest, a member of the high council, loyal to his goddess unto death. What are the chances he suffered the same fate as Ciarán and survived fifteen centuries?

The theory sounds reasonable, and he’s happy to accept it, until Aodhán comes across an empty tomb in the Hills of ár Sinsear that looks as though it may have been occupied at some point. Could Ruadhán have survived after all? And if so, where is he now? To complicate the issue, Aodhán stumbles across another piece of information that could alter the possible meaning of his brother’s dreams. But will Ciarán manage to put the pieces together before it’s too late, or will he lose his family to an ancient adversary?