Maya Banks - In Bed with a Highlander

He crushed her to him, his hand stroking her head, shaking and making a mess of her already unruly hair.

“Ewan,” she choked out. “Oh God, Ewan. Ewan.”

His lips found hers and he kissed her desperately, as if it were the last kiss they’d ever share. Their lips tangled and her tears slipped onto their tongues. She breathed him in, the last breath she wanted to take. She lived in this moment, reaching for everything she’d lost, for everything she wanted most.

“Shh, don’t cry, lass. You’re breaking my heart. We don’t have much time. I’ve got to take you from this place.”

His words penetrated the heavy grief surrounding her. She stared up at him, afraid to believe he was real, that he was there and not a figment of her dearest fantasies.

He picked her up from the bed and carried her toward the window. He leaned out and she clutched at his shoulders as she stared down at the dizzying distance between her sill and the ground.

“Listen to me, sweeting,” he said in a gentle voice. He brushed his lips over her temple and held her tightly against his chest. “We’re going down a rope from your window.”

She raised her head in alarm. “Ewan, I can’t! The babe. I’m too big and clumsy.”

He cupped her chin and stroked his fingers over her cheek as he stared down at her. “I’ll be with you every step of the way. I’m going to lower you down first. Alaric and Caelen wait for us at the bottom. If you fall, they’ll catch you. I need you to trust me.”

She reached up to touch his face, her love and faith soaring in her soul. “I’d fly if you asked me to.”

He kissed her hard and then lowered her to the floor. He wasted no time securing the rope around her foot so that it fit her like a stirrup. Then he strung the rope from her foot to her hands, looping it around her wrists and palms so she gripped it tight.

The other end he tied to his waist and he took position just inside the window.

“Step onto the sill, sweeting. Very carefully put your feet against the wall of the castle and keep them there so you don’t scrape against the st as I lower you. Try to remain upright.”

’Twas insanity, what he was asking her to do, and yet she climbed onto the ledge, holding on to his shoulders for dear life.

He grabbed the rope just inches from her hands and braced himself as she started to climb over. Inch by inch she lowered her foot until it scraped against the side of the stone wall.

“That’s it, lass. Go slow and be careful. I’ve got you. I won’t let you go.”

Sliding over the sill was the hardest thing she’d ever done. And then she simply let go. She spiraled downward, hitting her feet against the wall as she struggled to gain her footing. She threw back her head and saw Ewan fighting with all his strength to slow her descent. The rope had to burn his hands and yet he hung on.

She jammed both feet against the wall and gripped the rope with all her might. Halfway down she finally managed to control her descent by walking down the wall with her feet. When finally she neared the bottom, Alaric and Caelen reached up and grabbed her waist. They lowered her to the ground and quickly untied the rope so Ewan could pull it back up.

“How will he get down?” she whispered urgently.

They ignored her and stared upward, waiting for Ewan. Several long minutes later, she saw his dark figure coming down the rope, hand over hand, his feet against the wall as hers had been.

When he reached a safe distance, he dropped the rest of the way, landing with a soft thump beside her. She reached for his hands and, as she suspected, they were torn and raw. Her throat swelled and she kissed each palm, holding them reverently in her own hands.

“Let’s go,” Alaric hissed. “Gannon is waiting with the horses.”

They ducked and ran toward the stone skirt in the distance. Alaric tossed up another rope and the hook hit the stone ledge at the top with a clink . Wasting no time, Alaric scrambled up the wall and lay along the top, his hand extended down for Mairin.

Ewan hoisted her high over his head and urged her to reach for Alaric’s hand. Their fingers glanced off each other before Alaric finally captured her hand and slid his fingers down to grasp her wrist.

Ewan pushed upward and Alaric pulled her up with incredible strength.

“Grab onto the ledge and pull yourself over,” Alaric hissed.

As he swung her up, she lunged for the top of the wall and rolled up so she was head to head with Alaric.

“Listen to me,” Alaric said. “Sit up and straddle the wall. As quietly as you can, scoot back until you give Caelen enough room to scramble over. He’ll go down and then you’ll drop down next. I’ll stay up to help Ewan over. His hands are too damaged to climb up another rope.”

With some hesitation, she swung one leg over so she straddled the wall and quickly pushed herself back until there was enough space for Caelen to climb the wall.

Moments later, he swung over the top and then dropped down on the other side.

“Take my hand and I’ll lower you over the side. Listen for Caelen and when he tells you, let go. He’ll catch you,” Alaric instructed her.

Swallowing back her fear, she grasped Alaric’s hand and slid over the side. She dropped, her feet scraping the side of the wall to slow her momentum. Alaric caught her wrist and nearly pulled her arm from its socket.

“Let go,” Caelen called up. “I’ve got you, Mairin.”

She closed her eyes, kicked away from the wall, and let go of Alaric’s hand. She needn’t have worried. Caelen didn’t even stagger under her weight as he caught her against his chest. Still she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him with fierce gratitude for not allowing her to fall.

He gently pried her arms away from his neck and set her down on her feet. Her knees buckled and she clutched at his hand so she wouldn’t fall.

“You’re all right now,” Caelen said in a low, reassuring voice. He caught her to his side to steady her as they waited for Ewan and Alaric to descend.

Ewan dropped down first and Mairin threw herself into his arms. She hugged him so fiercely that he likely couldn’t draw breath, but she didn’t care. She was in his arms. He was taking her from Duncan Cameron.

“Come,” Alaric urged when he dropped to the ground.

“Gannon is waiting with the horses.”

They raced for the cover of the trees. Just inside the forest, Gannon stood with their horses and Ewan urged her toward his steed.

Alaric and Caelen swung into the saddles. Cormac was already astride his horse and Gannon mounted his. Ewan took to his saddle in one quick motion and then he simply reached down, plucked Mairin off the ground, and settled her in front of him.

She laid her head on Ewan’s chest and slipped her arm around his waist. Tears fell freely now, but she did nothing to distract him from his concentration. If Cameron discovered her gone, he would pursue with the might of his entire army, and Ewan would be slowed by bearing her with him.

Only when they were miles away did she turn her face upward. “Ewan?”

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Not now, sweeting. We’ll talk when we reach McCabe land. We aren’t stopping until we reach our border. Sleep now.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him how he thought she’d sleep now, but before they’d gone another mile, her exhaustion caught up with her. After so many nights of not sleeping for fear of what Duncan might do, she was now safe in her husband’s arms. She laid her head back on his broad chest and allowed the steady motion of the horse to lull her into sleep.

Ewan rode with one hand holding the reins, the other wrapped solidly around his wife. He set a grueling pace that his men were only too happy to keep. They would not stop to sleep or eat until they reached their border.