Donna Grant: Midnight's Surrender

“Then tell me of your past. All of it,” she urged.

While they ate, he told her of his family and how his mother had been the most wonderful woman he knew. He told her of entering the military and having an outstanding career. It had been his intention to continue with the military when his mother died.

“I was lost after that. I got out of the military and fell in with a rough crowd. It wasna until two years later that Jason Wallace found me.”

“Who is Jason Wallace?”

“A drough . He unbound my god, and I found myself working for him. His power was immense. I saw him kill indiscriminately, and he made it clear that if I tried to leave he would kill me.”

Rennie pushed aside her empty bowl. “Did you stay for fear of being killed?”

“That and Aisley. She was Jason’s cousin, but he had tortured her when she tried to leave. She was also drough , but Jason had the help of the Devil to increase his magic. No one stood a chance against him.”

“So you helped Aisley,” Rennie said. “You must have cared for her.”

Dale finished his wine and gently set aside the glass. “I did, though I knew she didna feel the same. Jason wanted to rule the world, Rennie. He was in a war with the Warriors and Druids of MacLeod Castle.”

“A war?” she asked with a shudder. “The Warriors and Druids banded together?”

“They were husbands and wives. Each Warrior had taken a Druid as his own, and the combination of all of them was enough to keep Jason from winning. But Jason wouldna relent. They led us into a trap several months ago with beings called the selmyr.”

“What are they?”

“They are ancient creatures that were accidentally released and who fed off of magic—namely Druids.”

Rennie sat back, her eyes wide. “Where are they now?”

“Gone. But during the battle they were attacking us. I forfeited my life so Aisley could have hers.”

Rennie raised a dark brow. “Your life doesn’t look so forfeited now,” she said with a grin.

“I should’ve died that day. I wanted to die.”

Rennie swallowed hard. The sincerity shining in Dale’s eyes told her he had wanted to die that day. “But you didn’t.”

“Nay. I should have. All the bite marks left me too weak to do anything. I lost consciousness, fully expecting to die, but I didna.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I did terrible things for Jason. I killed for him.”

She slowly leaned back in her chair. “Did you willingly kill? Did you enjoy it?”

“Nay.”

“You did what you had to do in order to survive.”

He grunted and poured more wine into his glass. “That’s ballocks. There will come a time I’ll have to pay for all I’ve done.”

“I don’t think you’re evil, Dale. I think you got dealt a bad situation and managed to get through it. During that time you tried to protect Aisley, willingly sacrificing yourself for her. If you were a bad person, would you seek out an isle to hide on? No. You’d be out there finding another drough to work with.”

When he didn’t answer, she grabbed both bowls and stood. Her mother had told her Warriors had been created to fight for Briton, but then the gods had taken over. Yet her aunt had cautioned her that it was never wise to deem everything good or evil, because it could come back to bite you.

They were words Rennie had lived by, and it was what kept her from throwing Dale out of her house as soon as he’d told her what he was. Now she was glad she hadn’t, because she was coming to see the man he was.

It took her little time to clean the kitchen, and when she turned around, Dale was standing next to the fridge, leaning against it as he observed her with hooded eyes.

Many years had passed since she had seen desire, but she recognized it in his eyes now. And it sent her heart pounding and her blood heating.

“What’s your magic, Druid?” he asked softly.

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t have anything really.”

“A Druid with no special magic. That only occurs when the magic is weak, and yours, lass, is anything but.”

Though she knew she shouldn’t, she found herself asking, “What does my magic feel like?”

“Incandescent bliss. Irresistibly piercing. Enticingly brilliant.” He straightened, his dark eyes holding hers. “Seductively compelling.”

No one had ever spoken to her that way, and it left Rennie reeling. She was adrift in a sea of need and desire she couldn’t navigate. And the only thing she could hold onto was … Dale.

“Even that doesna truly describe what the feel of your magic does to me. I can no’ get enough of it—or you.”

His voice had gone low, the timbre making chills race over her skin it was so erotic, but it was nothing compared to the fire in his eyes.

She knew he was waiting on her. He told her of his desire, now he was leaving it up to her to decide what she wanted. Rennie wanted him, but would the past repeat itself? Dale didn’t seem to care about the visions.

The one he’d seen had kept him at her house, but she didn’t think that’s why he remained now. At least she prayed that wasn’t the reason.

As much as she wanted to go to him, did she have the courage? Could she put the past behind her and move on in the hope the past didn’t repeat itself?

“Do you feel the passion between us, Druid? Or are you afraid of giving in to it?”

“Yes and … yes.”

One side of his mouth lifted in a devastating smile. “You’ve been in my dreams for months. I couldna see your face or hear your voice, but I knew your magic. Your magic led me here, to you. I doona know why, and right now, I doona care.”

Rennie’s mouth went dry. Her body was screaming for her to take the few steps separating them and wrap her arms around him while her mind was reminding her of the disaster of the last relationship she’d tried to have.

Indecision kept her rooted, but it was the disappointment in Dale’s eyes she saw right before he turned away that propelled her forward. Rennie hurried to him and put her hand on his shoulder to turn him.

As she did, she pressed her mouth to his. In the next instant, he had her against the wall, his hard body blocking her in. His kiss was intense and wild.

And she loved every second of it.

He broke away, his breathing as ragged as her own. Dale looked into her eyes with his face close to hers. “Tell me you want this. Tell me you want me.”

“I want you,” Rennie said and pulled his head back down for another kiss.

Their passion was explosive, sizzling. Scorching. It was an inferno raging out of control now that the flames had been fanned.

Buttons flew, fabric ripped as they frantically fought to remove the other’s clothes. They couldn’t get to each other fast enough.

Rennie moaned when he reached between them and cupped her breast before rolling her nipple between his fingers. Her fingers delved into his short, dark hair as he kissed down her throat.

He lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he smiled at her. “Which way to your room?”

“Down the hall to the left.”

He strode from the kitchen and made his way to her room. There she unwound her legs, and he slowly lowered her until she was standing.

“It’s been a long time for me,” she hedged, suddenly uncertain of what to do.

“Your body knows.”

Rennie lowered her gaze to stare at the thick sinew of his chest and arms. Unable to help herself, she caressed her hands over his warm flesh, amazed at the strength beneath her palms that could be unleashed with barely a thought. “Does it?”

He leaned close until his mouth was near her ear. “Aye, lass,” he whispered.