Dangerous Highlander

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

It took Lucan a moment to catch his breath. When he opened his eyes he found Cara staring at him, a soft, contented smile on her face. He had given her that look. He had been the one to pleasure her fully. A satisfied smile tilted his lips. He pulled out of her and rolled onto his back. She turned and curled against him, her head on his chest.

He wrapped an arm around her, needing to touch her. It scared him how much she meant to him. The thought of losing her sent him into a panic. He had tried to tell himself it was because he had been without a woman for so long, but he knew that for the lie it was.

“How long do you have before it’s your turn to stand guard?” Cara asked.

“A few hours yet.”

“Hmm.”

He glanced down at her and grinned. “Do you have something in mind?”

“Oh, aye. I do.”

He chuckled and kissed her forehead.

“Thank you for the window covering.”

“It will help keep out the cold. This way you can light as many candles as you need.”

“We need to save the candles.”

“Don’t worry over the candles. You light as many as you need.”

She turned his face to her and ran her thumb over his lips. “You’re a good man.”

He grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. “You wanted Galen here. Do you really think he can help?”

“You don’t trust him.” It wasn’t a question.

He shook his head. “I find it difficult to trust anyone.”

“You trusted me.”

“It was your eyes.”

“My eyes? What about them?”

“They’re stunning. I looked into them and was lost.” As soon as he said the words, he knew them for the truth they were.

She kissed his chest and smoothed her hand over his abdomen. “I believe Galen, Lucan. Give him a chance.”

“I am or he wouldna be here now.”

“What is it you don’t trust?”

“I find it hard to believe that so many Warriors escaped Deirdre. She’s too cunning for that.”

She shrugged against him. “I gather from listening to Galen that things have changed in Deirdre’s mountain. If she has imprisoned so many, then it is logical that they could escape. Especially if they’re Warriors.”

“And not be detected? I don’t know.”

“I don’t think we will know that until we realize how many Warriors there are. If Galen is right and there is a list, we could get an idea of the number.”

He wound a strand of her chestnut locks around his finger. “I’ve been thinking back to the tales of the Warriors I heard as a child. I used to not understand why they were repeated so often, but now I know it was because the storytellers wanted us to know what had happened.”

“But were too afraid to write it down in case it fell into the wrong hands.”

“Aye, I think so. No matter how hard I try to think, I cannot remember if we were ever told how many Celtic clans there were.”

She traced designs on his chest with her nails, lulling him. “Was it clans, as you’ve been told, or families? There were many clans, but with each clan there were several families, and each could have had a Warrior.”

Lucan stilled. “It could be something else to throw off anyone who sought to find the Warriors again. They would think it was one number . . .”

“When there were actually many more.”

“God’s blood, Cara. If it passed down to brothers like it did with us, we could be looking at any number of Warriors.”

She leaned up and kissed him. “You MacLeods are a rare breed. I cannot think of another family who would have three strong Warriors at the same time.”

“We were a feared clan,” he said as he rolled her onto her back. “Have you not heard the legends about us? There are no other Highlanders like a MacLeod. We’re loyal and some of the greatest lovers to ever walk the earth.”

Her hands wound around his neck. “Oh, aye, milord. I’ve seen for myself your skills as a lover.”

“I don’t know. I think I may need to give you more lessons.”

She laughed as he nuzzled her neck. “I think you might be right.”

A whistle echoed in the silence of the night. Lucan stilled and lifted his head to listen.

“What is it?” Cara asked.

“Fallon or Quinn saw something.”

Her eyes widened. “A Warrior?”

“Nay. It was a short, soft whistle. No danger, just an alert that something is out there. It could be nothing more than a boar or a wolf.”

She buried her head in his chest. “I wish we were in another time, Lucan. Some place where we could have a normal life.”

A place where he could marry her and watch her stomach swell with his child. He threaded his fingers in her thick, luxuriant hair. “Aye.”

Lucan turned onto his back and kept her against him. He opened his mind to memories long buried, memories of his father and mother. They would have liked Cara. Lucan’s mother especially would have enjoyed Cara’s spirit, while his father would have loved Cara’s bravery.

Lucan stared into the darkness, the light from the candle flickering on the wall while the fire gave a soft glow to the chamber. He wanted to stay there forever. No Deirdre, no Warriors, and no Druids. No ancient god inside him.

He allows you to protect Cara in ways you never could.

That was true. In that regard, Lucan liked having the god inside him.

No matter how much he and Cara wanted everything to fall away, it wasn’t going to. Deirdre would come. Cara was a Druid and needed to learn of their ways and of her magic. And he, well, he was going to find the spell that would bind his god once again.

He would live a normal life with Cara.

Not likely to happen and you know it.

Lucan squeezed his eyes closed. It frightened him, this unquenchable hunger he had for Cara. Quinn had nearly gone insane when he lost his wife and son. Lucan knew that if Cara was taken from him, he would go daft.

He hadn’t realized until Cara was in his life how desolate it had been. She had brought a burst of being, of joy, into his days.

He looked down to find her sleeping, her breathing slow and even. There never seemed to be enough time for the two of them, at least not yet. Lucan was going to make sure Deirdre left Cara alone.

The fire had died down to embers when Lucan slowly moved his arm out from underneath Cara. She sighed in her sleep and rolled to her other side. He didn’t want to leave her, but it was his turn to take watch.

He dressed, then built the fire back up and lit a second candle in case the first went out. As he stared down at Cara he wondered at the fierce protectiveness she brought out in him, not to mention the jealousy that had sparked when he had seen her talking to Galen in the forest.

The need to make her his in all ways drummed in his mind. Yet he was a Warrior. How could he take her as his wife? A life with him would be dangerous and hard, not the kind of life he wanted for Cara.

His name was whispered from the other side of the door. When he glanced over his shoulder he found Quinn poking his head inside the chamber.

With one final look at Cara, Lucan turned on his heel and left the chamber. He closed the door behind him, ignoring Quinn’s frown.

“You’re only going to make yourself hurt worse,” Quinn said.

Lucan continued down the corridor to the great hall. Galen sat in one of the chairs, a leg draped over the arm and his eyes closed.

“Did you hear me?”

Lucan stopped and faced Quinn. “I heard you, but I’m not going to answer. This is my affair, Brother.”

“Nay, it’s not. It’s all of ours.”

“Enough, Quinn.”

“What if you get her with child?” Quinn asked. “Have you thought of that? What will it be? Mortal, or a monster like us? You always think of everything, Lucan, but now you aren’t thinking at all. At least not with your head.”

“Leave it,” Lucan growled, the need to smash Quinn’s face overwhelming. “Cara is mine.”

Quinn watched his brother stalk from the castle. He hadn’t meant to say anything, but when he had seen Lucan staring down at Cara with such desire it had sparked something awful and vengeful inside Quinn.

“Why, Quinn?”

He turned at Fallon’s voice to find his eldest brother in the doorway of the kitchen, his hands braced on either side of the entrance. How could Quinn begin to explain what had come over him? No one would understand, least of all Fallon.

Fallon walked into the great hall to stand before him. “Lucan has found some happiness. If Cara gets with child, we will deal with it. Leave him be.”

“I’ll try.”

“What is it exactly that bothers you about Lucan and Cara? Is it the fact Lucan has found some peace?”

Quinn shook his head. “Of course not.”

“Then what is it?” Fallon demanded.

Quinn turned away, not ready to confess what had been plaguing him for decades.

“Quinn. Answer me. It’s jealousy over Lucan finding a woman, isn’t it? Just admit it.”

Quinn clenched his hands. He looked down to find his skin black, rage burning in his chest. His claws cut into his palms. He welcomed the pain, for it was a reminder of what he was.

And what he had lost.

“Don’t ignore me.”

Quinn spun around and lashed out. Fallon jumped backward before Quinn’s claws could sink into his flesh.

“You want to know what’s wrong?” Quinn bellowed. “I can’t remember her, Fallon. I can’t recall her face or the taste of her kiss. I no longer recall the shade of my son’s eyes or the sound of his laugh.”

Quinn let out a breath as shame poured through him. The least he could do was remember his wife and son, but even that had been taken from him.

“You cannot blame yourself for that,” Fallon said, and placed a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “Time heals us so we may face the future.”

Quinn took a step back. There was so much more going on than the fact that he couldn’t remember his wife’s face, but he had told Fallon too much already. The rest, well, the rest would stay a secret.

“You’re right, of course,” Quinn said.

He hoped that was the end of the conversation. He didn’t want to talk of it again. His chest ached from his admission. When he turned to leave, Quinn saw Galen had risen and stood by the chair watching them.

How could he have forgotten their guest? Quinn cursed himself. Galen shouldn’t have heard any of the exchange with Fallon. Quinn waited for Galen to say something and, when he didn’t, walked from the castle. There would be no rest for Quinn this night.

He had already served his watch, but he would take up post on one of the towers anyway. Beneath the stars, hidden in the dark. That was his peace, his salvation.