Donna Grant - Untamed Highlander

Dunmore tossed Peter to the ground and smiled when he heard Peter wince and curl onto his side. “I’m just beginning, Peter. You’ve seen me beat others to death before. Doona think I’ll spare you.”

“What ye’ll do to me is nothing compared to what the others will do.”

Dunmore was growing tired of this. “What others? The Druids? They’re running for their lives, Peter. They doona have time to worry of your stinking flesh.”

“Nay. They keep watch on me.”

Dunmore motioned with his hand to tell the wyrran to take a look around and bring back anyone they found. If there was someone out there the wyrran would find them. Until then, he’d get what he needed from Peter.

An hour later Peter was dead. Dunmore cursed and kicked him in the gut. Peter had been so malnourished that with the first punch Dunmore had broken his ribs. No matter what Dunmore did to him or promised him, Peter would tell him nothing.

Dunmore growled his annoyance. He would not fail Deirdre, not now, not when she needed him.

The wyrran returned, their big yellow eyes watching him soberly. They were empty-handed as well. Peter had been terrified for nothing. And Dunmore didn’t have a location on a Druid.

He grabbed the reins to his horse and jumped onto his back. He didn’t have time to waste. He’d return to all the places where he’d found Druids before. There had to be one foolish enough to think they were safe.

As Dunmore rode away with the wyrran behind him, he never saw the falcon that watched from high in the trees.

*

Hayden bristled as he watched Ian and Isla enter the great hall deep in conversation. Once again Isla said something to make Ian chuckle, which only angered Hayden all the more.

He had been the one to awaken Isla’s passion. He had been the first one to taste her decadent body. Yet she had never tried to make him smile.

You never gave her reason to.

Hayden growled, hating his conscience at that moment.

“If looks could kill,” Camdyn mumbled from beside him.

Hayden glanced at the Warrior. “What’s that suppose to mean?”

“It means exactly what he said,” Malcolm said.

Hayden glared at the only mortal man at MacLeod Castle. He respected Malcolm for putting his life on the line for their cause, but he didn’t like anyone poking their nose in his business.

Duncan smiled, clearly enjoying Hayden’s distress. “Are you envious of my brother, Hayden? I didna think you could get away from that drough fast enough.”

“She has a name,” Hayden ground out.

Duncan snorted derisively. “What do you care?”

Hayden stood as Ian walked to his brother’s side. Hayden knew he couldn’t sit across from Ian and not punch him. He could smell Isla’s snow and wild pansy scent on Ian, and it sent Hayden’s blood to boiling.

He strode from the great hall and didn’t look back. He’d eat later once the evening meal was over. Besides, someone needed to keep watch over the castle.

Hayden settled himself on the battlements near one of the crumbling merlons and tried to clear his thoughts. Fallon had taken most of the guards off rotating duty, and the castle was down to just a few. Isla’s shield allowed them to do things other than stand watch.

He gazed at the sky with its vibrant colors of orange and bronze and purple as the sun descended. Pinpricks of light began to show in the darkening sky as the moon awoke and took her place in the heavens.

It was Hayden’s favorite time of day. The world was going to sleep while a different world began to awaken. There was a moment between when the sun set and night took over where everything was gray and quiet.

It was usually a peaceful time, but once again all Hayden could think about was Isla and the turmoil that was now his life.

How he could want someone so fiercely who was everything he hated? It didn’t seem right that fate should give him something like this when he was doing everything he could to stop evil from taking over the world.

Maybe it was his punishment for killing so many droughs . He hadn’t murdered them, though. He had given them a fair chance at defeating him, and with their magic, many had nearly succeeded. But it was his need for vengeance that drove him onward.

How many years had he walked Scotland searching for droughs ? He hadn’t ever stopped to wonder if they had families. All he had been concerned about was the evil inside them.

Looking back, he wondered if he’d done the right thing. What if he’d killed Isla on one of his many rampages? He’d never have known the feel of her lush body or enticing lips. His emotions wouldn’t be tied in knots right now either.

He turned and lifted his face to Isla’s tower. He’d see the light from her window whenever she lit the candle. He intended to have a few words with her.

If he hadn’t felt the obstruction of her hymen himself he’d think she’d been lying about being with other men. But he had pierced that barrier, had seen her blood with his own eyes.

You claimed her. She’s yours to do with as you please.

Hayden knew that wasn’t true, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to confront her, to lay claim to her body once more despite how wrong it was. He’d never had the need to take a woman regardless of the consequences, regardless of who she was. It alarmed him, but his hunger for her overshadowed everything else.

The castle door opened and drew his attention. He watched as Fallon, Lucan, and Quinn walked into the bailey. They stopped in the center and faced each other, their faces solemn and set.

“I’ll go hunting tomorrow,” Quinn said.

Fallon nodded. “Take Duncan with you. I think he may need a bit of time away.”

“I agree. His anger at what happened to Ian hasn’t diminished as I’d hoped it would. It’s only been a few days, but I’m worried.”

“Talk to him,” Lucan said. “Have Ian talk to him as well. The last thing we need is two Warriors on the edge.”

Fallon crossed his arms over his chest and shifted feet. “I agree that Hayden has always been a wee bit intense in battle, but we all are. Just because he became angry at Ian doesn’t mean anything.”

“It means a lot,” Quinn said, his voice sounding weary.

“Hayden’s problem is Isla. We all know that.” Lucan looked from Fallon to Quinn.

Fallon lifted a shoulder. “If Isla has her way, Hayden willna have a problem for long.”

“Ah, doona start,” Quinn said and ran a hand through his dark hair. “It’s all Marcail will talk about. She’s not happy we pledged to do as Isla asked. She thinks there has to be another way.”

“If there was another way, Isla would have found it,” Lucan pointed out.

Fallon held up a hand when Quinn began to speak. “You aren’t saying anything we didn’t say to Isla, Quinn. She asked for our pledge and we gave it. All we can do now is pray that Deirdre stays in her weakened state and that Logan and Galen find the artifact.”

“And that it somehow works to break Deirdre’s hold,” Quinn added.

Lucan sighed. “Aye. It’s no wonder Isla feels as if the odds are stacked against her. They are.”

“At least Ian is proving to be someone she can talk to,” Fallon said. “She needs someone she can lean on, even if she doesn’t realize that’s what she’s doing.”

“Marcail made a good choice.” Lucan smiled at his brothers.

Quinn turned back to the castle. “Speaking of my wife, she said Isla made more of those pastries. Marcail has a sweet tooth, it seems.”

Fallon slapped Quinn on the back as they started toward the castle steps. “You just want to make sure you have your share of pastries before Marcail eats them all.”