“Aye,” said Deirdre in a whisper. “Please, Kian . . . make me yers.”
Kian couldn’t deny such a sweet request. He wanted nothing more than to give her what she was asking for, to sink himself inside her and share in her pleasure. He kissed her and dragged his hands all over her body, enjoying her warmth, feeling the swell of her curves under her clothes before he pushed up her tunic, exposing her body to his gaze.
Deirdre was outlined in the soft light of the torch, her skin glowing under the flames. He couldn’t resist the sight of her full breasts and he leaned closer to mouth at the soft skin, gasping as Deirdre’s hands threaded through his hair and tugged.
Though the room was secluded, it was far from private, but there was an exhilaration in the risk, in the chance that they would be caught. He doubted anyone would come near, but he did his best to keep himself quiet anyway, though Deirdre didn’t seem to have the same luck—or concern. Perhaps she was already too far gone to care and Kian couldn’t help but preen at the thought that he had managed to bring her to that point.
When she wrapped herself around him, arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, clinging to him like she wanted to pull him impossibly close, Kian smirked against her cheek and reached between them, her tunic falling back down to her thighs. His fingers found her opening and when he first touched her, she gasped, her hips mirroring the movements of his hand as he caressed her folds. As he found her most sensitive spot, rubbing slow, gentle circles against her, Deirdre buried her face in his neck with a moan, her lips pressing on his heated skin.
He loved those sounds she made for him, loved that he could make her sing like this. They made him ache, his manhood hardening until he had no choice but to rub up, trying to relieve some of the pressure. The more they did this, the more she seemed to open up to him, her shame diminishing with every orgasm he gave her, and Kian couldn’t wait for the day when she wouldn’t be ashamed of her desire at all, when she would take everything, she wanted from him.
“I want . . .” Deirdre said, but she didn’t finish her sentence. She lifted her head and Kian saw the collar on her cheeks, bright red even in the half-light of the room.
“What dae ye want?” Kian asked, leaning closer to kiss and bite at her neck, gently pinching the delicate skin between his teeth. He wanted her to say it, to let go of any embarrassment she was still holding. “Ye have tae tell me if ye want me tae give it tae ye.”
“Ye ken what I want,” Deirdre said. “Dinnae tease me.”
“I’m nae teasin’,” Kian said, though it was a lie, at least partly. He did want to tease her, but he also wanted her to tell him so that she could see it wasn’t that serious and certainly nothing that should bring her shame. “I only wish tae give ye precisely what ye want.”
No words came past Deirdre’s lips, but Kian was determined to do nothing more than kiss her and touch her gently, until she had no option but to ask for more. His hands worked her faster and though she still hesitated to speak, she whimpered, wetness dripping between her thighs.
“I want ye tae have me,” she said, cheeks burning. “Properly this time. I wish tae be yers.”
Groaning softly, Kian nodded and immediately abandoned his pretenses. After he hooked his arms under her thighs, he pulled them flush together, Deirdre sitting on the very edge of the table, her chest heaving with anticipation. When Kian’s hand returned between her legs, one of his fingers plunged inside her for the first time, ripping a broken moan out of her.
Knowing it was her first time, Kian moved slowly, exploring her body at his leisure and trying to make her relax and open up for him. She was beautiful like that, her thighs spread wide for him, her breasts bouncing, her nipples hardened in the chill of the room, poking against the fabric of her tunic. He loved the way her back arched for him, the way she took him inside her as if he belonged there. Now she was eager for it, pleas tumbling past her lips with every thrust of his fingers.
“Please, Kian,” Deirdre said, reaching for him, trying to pull him even closer. “I need ye.”
“Patience, love,” Kian said with a soft chuckle. “I dinnae wish tae hurt ye.”
Deirdre was having none of it, though, and she sat up, grabbing Kian by the back of her neck and pulling him into a bruising kiss. “I’m ready,” she said. “I said I need ye.”
Chuckling again, Kian shook his head, but he didn’t try to argue this time. He knew better than that. “As ye wish,” he said, pushing her back down on the table. “Ye’ll tell me if ye wish tae stop?”
Deirdre nodded, breathing heavily. Kian teased her a little more, playing with her breasts, her nipples, wanting to drive her crazy with lust. After he pushed up his tunic, Kian took his length in his hand and leaned closer. At the first press of his manhood against her, Kian wondered, for a moment, if he should have prepared her more, but then her folds parted for him and he finally entered her, his entire body trembling with the effort it took to move slowly.
It took a few shallow, careful thrusts before Kian could bury himself inside her, the soft drag of skin against skin tearing a groan out of him that he couldn’t stop no matter how much he tried. Deirdre’s back arched of the table when he was as deep as he could go inside her, her legs wrapping tightly around his waist. Her hands reached for his shoulders, holding onto him as he gave her thrust after thrust, pushing himself impossibly deep, as if he wanted them to become one.
Deirdre was a vice around him, tight and hot and velvety around him, her body pulling him deeper and deeper. His hands were bruising on her thighs, his fingers digging into her flesh while her nails scraped down his back, surely leaving marks behind.
“Yer so bonnie like this, moanin’ fer me,” Kian said, his voice low and rumbling in his chest. “I wish tae hear ye. Dinnae hold back.”
With every thrust of his hips, Kian brought himself closer and closer to the edge, heat curling in his stomach. He was chasing his release, but he wanted to bring Deirdre to the brink first, to feel her come apart around him. When he reached between their bodies once more, thumbing over her folds and dragging her wetness up to circle that spot again, her climax crashed over her almost instantly, tearing a scream of pleasure out of her.
Kian groaned as Deirdre squeezed around him. He grabbed her thighs and spread them open once more, burying himself inside her to the hilt and watching as she threw her head back in ecstasy. The few thrusts that followed were fast and erratic, until he stilled above her, spilling himself inside her as he moaned her name, his orgasm so intense that his knees barely held him.
For a few moments, they both remained still, breathing each other’s air, both basking in the afterglow. It was Kian who moved first, pulling himself back from Deirdre with some difficulty, everything inside him screaming at him to stay where he was, to keep her in his arms. He took her hand and pulled her up into a kiss, and Deirdre kissed him sweetly, her arms coming to wrap around his neck, smiling against his lips.
It had felt torturous to wait so long, but now the time had finally come. Rae was waiting for Líadan to appear in the chapel inside his castle. Everyone was already seated and waiting, and his brother stood at his side. He was nervous, and he kept taking deep breaths. Why was he so nervous?
“It’s normal tae feel like that,” Kai said at his shoulder in a whisper. “I was bloody nervous too. It is a big step, but it is the best as well. Ye are entwinin’ yer lives.”
Rae nodded, grateful for Kai’s strong hand on his shoulder. In the past month, Líadan had stayed with her own family but they’d returned a few days before, and Kai and Torion and Kaden had kept them apart. It had been a long time since they’d been together, and he was ready to be with her yet again. When the doors opened, a hush fell over the chapel, and the flames flickered in the candles.
And there she was. Kaden at her side, Líadan stepped forward toward him in the aisle down to the front of the church. He was sure a collective gasp erupted from the crowd as she entered. Rae put a hand to his chest as their eyes met. Líadan. His Líadan, forever and ever. Yet again, he was reminded of just what a goddess she was. She wore no veil, and her silver hair was plaited behind her head, dotted with flowers and tied with the blue ribbon he had bought her what felt like another life ago to him now. Her dress was a beautiful, brilliant blue, and it brought out her eyes. In her hands was clutched a bouquet of spring flowers. She wore a tartan of McLaren colors over her shoulder, and she was smiling just at him.
When their hands were finally put together, Rae’s mouth was dry, and he could only look at her, barely listening to the sounds of the minister as he began the ceremony. She was everything he had ever wanted. They spoke the words of their vows, and Rae realized that they did not make him feel bound or trapped in the least. They set him free. He had found the other half of himself, and now he was going to spend the rest of his life with her.
He uttered the words, “I dae,” with a big smile on his face.
“I now pronounce ye husband and wife. Ye may kiss the bride, Rae,” the minister said. Rae leaned forward, his hands reaching up to clasp her cheeks, and he kissed her.
It was soft and delicate, but when he pulled away, he saw the heat and hunger in her eyes just as he felt himself. There would be time later. When they turned to face the crowd, a cheer erupted from the people, and he wrapped his arm about her waist.
Whispering in her ear, he said, “A feast awaits us, wife. Shall we?”
“Aye, husband. So we shall.”
At the feast, they had been parted once more to talk to everyone who had come for the wedding. It was not only Clan McLaren but also many of Clan Stuart. Clan MacCallum had not been invited, and Rae found himself searching for Líadan again and again once he finished one conversation and went to another.
He bumped into Kaden just as he’d found her across the way, speaking to a group of ladies. Kaden reached out and shook his hand, a big grin on his face.
“Ye did well, lad. I am happy fer ye both. Ye will take care of her?” he asked.
“Like I would meself, Kaden.” He nodded to her. “Are those villagers from Clan Stuart?”
“Aye. Ever since all came out about the curse and the upcoming marriage, things have been different at home fer Líadan. She is no longer seen as a monster, and they have embraced her openly. It feels like the dark cloud that was over Clan Stuart is now gone. And here ye are, still alive.”
He chuckled, and Rae smiled. “Aye, still alive.” He had never believed that the curse existed but there had been an ever so tiny prickle of fear whenever either of them had stopped to think about it and the distance from each other had made that little more difficult. He glanced at Líadan again. “But now, I should go and speak tae me wife. We have been apart far too long fer me likin’.”
Kaden nodded again and winked. “Aye, of course. Go on then. We’ve tortured ye long enough.”
Rae practically dashed away and pushed through the crowd to find her. He reached out for her hand, taking its smooth softness into his own.
“Will ye come with me, lass?” he asked, and she nodded, making her goodbyes to the other young ladies.
“Aye.”
He pulled her away from the crowd and whispered, “I think it has been long enough, dae ye nae?”
“Aye,” she said with a giggle. “Far too long.”
***
They did not make it to what would be their room in the castle. They found an alcove instead, and she was the one to pull him in. The sounds of the feast were faded, and everyone was there, so she knew they wouldn’t be disturbed. Once she pulled him in, he pushed her against the wall, capturing her mouth with his.
“It has been far too long, me love,” he said as he kissed her jaw, tugging desperately at the shoulders of her gown.
“Aye, too long,” she said, pleasure rippling through her.
She had been aching for him for the past month and seeing him at the end of the aisle at the church had set her heart soaring as well as her body aching yet again. He had been so handsome in his kilt and boots, a dark jacket, and longer hair, his beard cut but still there. When he kissed her, she had nearly wished to jump atop him right then in the chapel in front of everyone.
She let out a little gasp when he freed one breast and then another, leaning down to flick his tongue across both nipples before taking one into his mouth, his green eyes watching her reaction. Her breath came in little pants, and she leaned back as he pleasured her other breast, making her wet, and making her fingers reach out to pull him closer to lift him higher so that their mouths could meet again.
“It will be fast this time,” he said, reaching down to grasp her skirts. “But tonight, I will take me time.”
“Good,” she said with a little giggle as he lifted her off her feet, her legs wrapping around his waist.
He had pressed her back against the cold stone, but she thought nothing of it. The warm, hard chest pressing her to the wall was warm enough. With his eyes on her, he slid a finger inside her, and she let out a shaky sigh. So long, far too long, and now, her body was even more responsive than usual.
“Now,” she said with a fast nod.
He fumbled with this kilt and then he was there at her entrance, his eyes still boring into hers. When he thrust into her, she arched up, her breath held. And then he grinned as she slid her hands over his shoulders.
He licked his lips. “I’ve missed ye, me love.”
“And I’ve missed ye.”
He didn’t stop looking at her as he thrust deeper into her, his hands clutching at her buttocks to keep her pressed where she was, taking him inside her. As her pleasure built, far faster than she expected, she called out his name, her fingers trying to grasp onto something. She pulled at his clothing and then it came.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back and stifled a scream as it swept through her body, filling her with love, warmth, and safety. Rae was her one true love, and there could never have been anyone else.
He thrust once more before he held her tight, trembling as he spent inside her. His kiss upon the skin of her shoulder was soft and sweet, and then he lifted his eyes to hers, kissing her once on the lips.
“God in Heaven, I missed ye. I hate me brothers fer what they did, but it did make it all the better.”
“Aye,” she said with a nod as he helped her to her feet, and she put her dress back in place. She hugged him. “I have dreamed of ye night after night and now, finally, it no longer has tae be a dream.”
“Nay,” he said, holding her tight. “Nay dream. And look at me now.”
She pulled back from him with a confused look. “I’m still alive.”
“Aye,” she said. “The curse is gone.”
He nudged a finger under her chin and kissed her again. “Ye look bonny, Ban-dia. I couldnae take me eyes of ye.”
“Well,” she said, grasping his hand. “Ye look very handsome too. Far too handsome fer yer own good.” He laughed as she pulled him out of the alcove and down the stairs.
“We need tae go back tae the feast. Yer family has been so good tae me that I dinnae want tae keep them waitin’.”
“Aye, I understand.”
He kept her close, however, as they entered. They found their whole family together, including Étaín, who seemed to be a little drunk, as well as Kaden, listening to Étaín as she giggled and sipped at her wine. Just as they arrived, Líadan overheard what Étaín was saying to him.
“The woman in the woods! Nae a spirit after all!” Étaín hiccupped, and Líadan’s eyes went wide.
“It was Líadan of course. In a cottage. With Rae.” Étaín winked, and everyone burst into laughter, and Líadan blushed so red, she could feel the heat burning her cheeks.
“Étaín!” she cried, turning to a grinning Rae, and she spotted Kaden, glancing at her with a lifted brow.
“So, I wasted bloody time searchin’ fer an injured woman when …”
“Aye, just so,” Rae said, not looking embarrassed at all. “We couldnae possibly tell ye, but it is good ye ken now.”
Étaín put a hand over her mouth. “Och, Líadan, I’m so sorry! It slipped out! Kaden mentioned it, and I—” there was another hiccup. “I shouldnae have said that!”
“Nay, so just be sure when ye have a secret of yer own, I will be tellin’ Kaden straight away.” Líadan crossed her arms, and Kaden laughed.
“Och, it is nothin’, Líadan,” Kaden said. “Ye are married now. Nothin’ can touch ye. But perhaps I had better put that cottage out there tae better use.”
“What better use than that?” Rae asked, getting an elbow in the ribs from Líadan.
Kai laughed. “Welcome tae the family, Líadan.” Pulling his wife close, he said, “it seems ye will fight right in. Too bad I dinnae have another brother fer Étaín.”
Líadan was still blushing, but her tension loosened. She turned to her sister.
“Aye, too bad.” She turned to Rae. “She would be very lucky tae have one, fer I must admit, tae have a McLaren is a gift, indeed.”
“Here, here!” Cecily cried, lifting her glass, and Adelaide did as well.
This time, it was Rae who looked surprised, but he lifted his glass as well. “Ye spoil me, Ban-dia.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear, “And I mean tae spoil ye, again and again and again and—”
Líadan pushed him away, a blush stealing over her cheeks again. But she gave him a bright smile. She was happy, safe, and free of the darkness of the past. And she had the best husband in the world. No curse could ever touch her again.
This is the story of Gillian, an adventurous English lady who finds herself captured by a mysterious and alluring Highlander. This Highlander will do whatever it takes to save his people from hunger, even abduct the daughter of his enemy. But life seldom goes as planned. What will happen when the Highlander starts falling for Gillian? And will her feelings or her logic prevail in this peculiar turn of events?
This is the story of Julia, an intelligent English lady who runs away to escape her woes and finds herself in the keep of an enticing Highlander. This Highlander, as handsome as he may be, has serious economic troubles, and only a miracle can save him. But perhaps one's answer is closer than he thinks. How will he help her face the past that is haunting her? And how will she save him?
This is the story of Gale, an adventurous English lady who runs away to escape her murderous mother and finds herself in the company of an alluring Highlander. There she is called to change her ways, and he helps her see the world from a different point of view. But her past is catching up with her. How will she elude her mother? And will this be the only obstacle in their relationship?
Rae McLaren never enjoyed sneaking. Even as children, he didn’t enjoy hide and seek as much as his brothers Torion and Kai had. He preferred games of performance and laughter, when he could put a smile on someone’s face. But that very night, he was going to freeze his bollocks off, to sneak out of his home, McLaren Castle, to meet someone out in the nearby woods. He didn’t want to, but he had to. And the other problem was, no one else could know about it.
“Shite,” he whispered into the dark passage when he tripped over something.
It was far too bloody dark, and he didn’t dare light a candle in case someone noticed him. He shuddered, though, trying to push away from his mind the memories of being captive a few years back. The jail cells have been dark as pitch most of the time until a guard would come to torture him or his brothers, bringing a light with them. All that constant darkness did things to a man, and he’d never quite gotten over the fear of it.
“Rae.” A soft voice punctured the dark, and a hand touched his arm.
He swore again, loudly and with fear, twisting around to see a young, pretty maid named Aimee. Her candle was so low, he’d hardly noticed it, but now he could see a bit of light on her face.
“Aye, lass?” he asked in his typical charming style, trying to act as though he wasn’t doing anything unusual, bumbling around in a passage, late at night, in the dark.
Aimee was his latest flirtation, and he enjoyed her company immensely and all her obvious physical advantages. Now was not the time for any sort of liaison, even though he could see a little hope in her eyes.
“I thought perhaps we might meet tonight. I followed ye, but ye didnae see me.” She gave him a shy smile, lowering her eyelashes just so and fluttering them in a way ladies often looked at him.
He laughed, trying to push aside the nervousness and urgency that clawed at him. He didn’t know what lay for him in the woods, but all he did know was that he needed to get there. Besides, he had no interest in spending longer outside in the cold winter air than he had to.
“Och, what a temptation that is, love, but I’m afraid I cannae. I am bloody tired tonight, and I have tae fetch somethin’ I left in the stable before bed.” He hooked a thumb to the door behind him. “I want tae only give ye the best, and tonight is just nae the night. I dae have a reputation tae uphold, ye ken.” He winked at her, and even in the dim light he could see her pretty blush.
“Although another night, I would be happy tae indulge.” He leaned forward, lifted her chin, and placed a soft kiss on her lovely lips.
“Rae,” she whined, holding onto his coat. “Ye have seemed so tense these last few days.”
Aye, because I got a bloody letter from Laird Rendell, askin’ tae meet him tonight in the woods. It is nay wonder I am on edge.
But he couldn’t say all that, and in response, he just smiled at her. Everything was always easier when he smiled. Women simpered, and hard men softened; disagreements were smoothed over with ease. He also didn’t have to remember the pain he experienced in the past, the loss of his father or the torture he and his brothers went through. He could simply laugh and smile, and try to forget all the bad things. It had worked for him mostly.
“Ye are right about that. Much tae dae, lass. In this castle with me brothers so lovelorn as they are, too busy pleasurin’ their wives tae dae their proper duties.”
Aimee gave him a seductive look, and she leaned up on her toes to whisper in his ear, “Aye, but we could be daein’ those same things, and perhaps that would relieve yer stress a bit. I ken that Laird Kai and Torion are the better for all that pleasurin’ ye speak of.”
Rae was feeling impatient, but he didn’t show it. He never showed it, especially not to someone he hardly knew. Well, he knew Aimee in one particular way, but that was the only way. He took her hand, and laid a kiss on the back of it, squeezing it gently.
“Ye are a saint, lass, and I swear I will take ye up on that offer another time.” This time, he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “A good night tae ye.”
He backed away then towards the door at the end of the passage, and she waved at him before he shut it. A big gust of winter wind rushed over him, and he wrapped his arms about himself, swearing loudly again.
It is enough tae freeze nae only me bollocks but also me stalk!
There was no time to think of that now. He had to get to the meeting place in the woods, and then hopefully he could figure out whatever Laird Rendell wanted from him. But knowing the man, and knowing what Rae had done to his family, he knew that it wouldn’t be good.
Perhaps I should have stayed me hand.
He had thought about that for months after the battle against Laird Rendell to rescue both Torion and his now wife Adelaide as well as her half-brother Cillian from the evil laird ‘s clutches. Rae had been trying to save his brother, so he killed Laird Rendell’s eldest son, and then he thought it would all be over. But then the letter came, and his fear was high.
The night was a quiet one. Being as cold as it was, Rae was certain nothing could live outside. The only sound was the crunching of the hard ground under his boots. He kept a hand on the hilt of his sword. He had to skirt around the edge of the castle and then rush to the stables, keeping to the walls so as to not alert any of the guards on the battlements about what he was doing.
The last thing I need is either Kai or Torion houndin’ me with their bloody questions. They might be busy pleasurin’ their wives, but they are never too busy tae get into me business.
Now at the edge of the trees, he took a breath before he stepped inside. Pulling out his sword, he held it tight in his hand, keeping it forward to protect himself from anyone who would rush out at him. It took him a minute to find the spot that Laird Rendell had mentioned. He only knew where it would be in dim light because he knew his land so well. He paused, his breath now making white curls into the air.
God, it’s bloody freezin’. At least the moon is high, so it is nae as dark as in the passage.
And then he gasped, his every muscle taut as he felt the ice-cold tip of a blade at his throat. “Drop yer weapons,” a voice said, and Rae stood stock still, and he dropped his sword to the ground with a thump.
He held up his hands and he asked, “Are ye here on Laird Rendell’s behalf?” He knew it was not the laird himself, for he didn’t recognize his voice.
“Aye. I am his advisor, Sutcliffe.”
However, the blade didn’t move. Rae was concerned that he had fallen into a trap stupidly, but what else was he supposed to do? He couldn’t tell his brothers about the letter. He was the one who had killed the man’s son anyway. He would have to suffer the consequences. Besides, it was not as if there was anyone waiting for him back at the castle, no lovely wife to warm his bed or his heart.
Nae that I have ever wanted more than a passin’ dalliance.
But in that moment, that idea of having someone who cared enough to wait back at home for him felt strangely important. He closed his eyes and remained standing still.
“So, will ye kill me now then?” he asked casually, even as a little fear fluttered his veins. “It might be best if ye’d get on with it because it is cold enough out here tae freeze a priest’s arse off.”
The advisor let out a small chuckle, but there was no mirth in it. “I could kill ye, I suppose. It would certainly help Laird Rendell get the revenge he’s been wantin’.”
Oh, so that was the truth of it. Rae could not say that he was surprised, but if the man had planned his revenge, why not kill him soon after the battle? Instead, he’d waited months.
“So?” He laughed this time, always trying to keep his cheery facade until the end. He would not show fear even if his throat was going to be slit that very night. “Are ye goin’ tae dae it, or nae?”
“Nae.” The man removed the blade, and then he pushed Rae forward, picking up his sword as he did so.
Rae could now see the man in the moonlight. He was about Laird Rendell’s same age, with dark hair and a dark beard. He wore dark clothes as well without a tartan or kilt in place. He held a dagger and Rae’s sword, and he was pointing them both at Rae.
“Listen tae me, lad, and listen closely. The laird wants revenge.”
“Aye, ye’ve said.” Rae’s one hand was on his hip, and the other was making a motion to encourage the man to speed up his story.
“After ye killed his heir, the laird was devastated. He hasnae been the same since, and I have seen the man. He is broken.”
Rae said nothing. He might have made another joke again, perhaps saying something like ‘good’, but he kept his mouth shut. Even if the man was their enemy and had overseen the tortures of him and his brothers and so many others, Rae could have stayed his hand and refrained from killing the man’s heir and eldest son in front of his eyes. It had not been the son’s fault. After he’d been captured and tortured, Rae had promised himself that he would never be like those men, full of evil and hatred and cruelty.
But perhaps I am after all.
“He wants payback for what ye did, and ye are goin’ tae help him get it.”
Rae put both hands on his hips now. He stared at the man. He considered fighting him. That would certainly make things easier for the moment, but he was certain that Laird Rendell would only exact a greater revenge, and it seemed the man was keen for something else, something that did not include losing his life.
“What if I say nay?”
The advisor chuckled again. “I wouldnae advise it.”
Rae rolled his eyes at the poor attempt to make a joke. “Tell me then. What is it?”
The advisor put an envelope into his hand, and he opened it, his blood chilling when he saw what it was. It was a lock of Kai’s long brown hair. He would know it anywhere for his brother’s hair had a distinct color.
“What are ye tellin’ me?” Rae asked, stuffing it into the envelope and closing it again, as if that could help him avoid the revenge that Laird Rendell wanted him to exact upon him.
“I am sayin’ that clearly ye can see how close we can get tae yer brothers and their wives if we wish tae.”
Rae took a breath, trying to calm his fear. He had so hoped that things were over, that they could focus on a beautiful future. “We could easily kill them as payback for what ye’ve done. It seems only fair. Ye take an heir from Laird Rendell, and he takes yer whole bloody family.”
Rae swallowed. “What does he want me tae dae so that doesnae happen?”
“That’s better. Wise lad, it seems.” The advisor began to motion with his two weapons as he spoke. “There is a young woman who has the greatest dowry in the Highlands. She is nae yet married, and Rendell wants ye tae pretend tae marry her, get the dowry, and it will go straight tae him. Or ye can marry her if ye like, he couldnae care less. But all the laird wants is the money.”
Rae frowned. “Why does he nae have his other son marry her? Surely that would be a far easier plan, and he could get the money that way. Why would he need me then?”
The advisor shook his head. “Nae possible. The lass is cursed, and it is rumored that something kills her fiancés just before their wedding day. So, he cannae risk his son’s life. Surely, ye ken the rumors about Líadan Stuart.”
Rae did know that name, and he had heard of her, if only in whispers, but he was still confused. “So, then if she kills me, how will ye get the money? Surely, she doesnae give the dowry tae each of these men and then kill them.”
The advisor threw him a dark look. “Ye are a warrior, and now that ye ken the secrets about her, ye will be sure tae stay alive for long enough for the dowry tae make it into Laird Rendell’s hand. Besides, ye are only attemptin’ tae marry her because of this and nae from some misguided desire which has clouded the others’ judgment. Once he gets the money, his revenge will be complete, and the laird will let ye live. If yer fiancée doesnae kill ye first.”
“What of this money? He is suddenly in need?”
“Aye. After the loss of so many of his men as well as his heir, and the loss of financial support from the other Earl of Seton yer sister-in-law’s brother killed, he needs the money tae build up what he has lost.” He pointed the sword at him again. “Ye dinnae need tae ken more. Ye will agree, or yer family will die. It is as simple as that.
Rae stood still for a few seconds as he thought about it. He had heard the rumors of her curse, but he had no belief in curses. He was not a Scotsman from a faraway village. He was a Laird ‘s son and had been given a proper education. He had no desire to wed, nor to be involved with Laird Rendell any more than he had to be. However, he could see no other choice. Clearly, they could get close to his family, and his brothers had only just found happiness and peace at long last. He refused to be the one to break that up.
“Fine then. Agreed. Now leave me be, so that I can go back inside.”
“The Stuart Castle is nae far from here. Ye will go in one month tae offer yerself. The other fiancée only died a few months ago, and there needs tae be some time for it tae nae look suspicious afore ye arrive.”
Rae swallowed, what he was going to tell his brothers about his sudden departure. “Aye, I am agreed. Now give me me sword back.”
The man hesitated and Rae laughed. “What good would killin’ ye dae for me?”
The advisor then handed him his sword, and Rae didn’t look back as he ran out of the woods. He knew what he had to do, but he was left with a little uneasiness.
She couldnae really be cursed, could she?
Chapter One
One Month Later
Somewhere in the Highland woods
“Yer cursed.”
Líadan Stuart stood outside of a small wooden cottage. It was covered in moss and ivy, and if one were a little farther away, they would think the cottage was a part of the forest, not a home where a witch lived. But the door was open, and the woman with long dark hair was standing in front of her staring at Líadan with a keen eye as she took her in from head to toe. Líadan hadn’t even had a chance to speak before the witch claimed that she was cursed.
“Aye. Ye ken this even afore I’ve told ye.”
The older woman shrugged, her arms crossing over her large bosom. “It is the way.”
Líadan was nervous. So nervous, in fact, that she put her hands behind her back, afraid that the witch could see them shaking. She had heard of this woman from her young lady’s maid, Elspeth, who was keen to help her after the third death of her betrothed. There had been rumors of a witch not too far from Stuart Castle, and so Líadan had taken it upon herself to go and seek her out. She had traveled a long way in hopes that the curse could be broken. It was her last hope.
“Come in,” the witch said, passing to the side so that Líadan could step inside the cottage.
She jumped a little when the door closed behind her. Room was lit by a fire and a couple of candles, but it still felt dark and heavy. The scent of spicy sweetness in the air, and Líadan wondered if she made a mistake coming all that way. Was it wise to dabble in magic?
Aye, when this curse has kept me from a life that I wanted, one I have yearned for with all me heart.
She turned around to face the woman. “Sit there,” the supposed witch said, pointing along finger at a chair by the fire.
Líadan was grateful to sit close to the warmth. It was winter now, and it was so cold she could nearly feel her limbs freezing. She pulled her cloak tighter and sat down.
“I am—”
“I ken who ye are. There are nae many who dinnae.”
Líadan shut her mouth as the witch sat across from her. “Me name is Mara, and ye are Líadan Stuart, daughter tae the deceased Laird Stuart and sister tae the new one, with the telltale sign of beautiful long gray hair, even at yer young age. How old are ye, lass?”
“Twenty-four.” Her hands moved to touch the ends of her long hair, which reached below her breasts.
Besides the curse, it was the other thing she hated most about herself. Who had ever heard of a young woman with long, gray hair? She worried it made her look like a witch herself. However, that had not stopped her fiancés from asking her to marry them. But they had never been able to make it to the wedding day. A little coil of hopelessness circled in her chest. Would this be forever?
“Ye have come tae ask for help tae rid yerself of yer curse.”
Líadan folded her hands on her lap and nodded. “Aye. It has been far too long, and I cannae take it any longer.”
Her eyes were wet with tears, but she turned her face to the fire, hopeful that they would not fall. She had no wish to appear weak, but she had had enough of this curse, and she wanted her life back. She had no idea why this curse had been put upon her anyway.
Aye, ye dae. Ye were the one who stole yer mother’s life when ye were born. Ye took her beauty as well, so they say.
Mara settled into her seat, her hands gripping the arms of the chair, and Líadan could feel the woman’s eyes on her, studying her. The woman had long dark hair, but there was something both youthful and ancient about her. She wore thick, woolen clothing that covered a body of medium-build. Líadan had not known what to expect from a witch when she’d first laid eyes upon this one, but she wasn’t sure this was it. If she had to guess, Líadan would have been unable to decide Mara’s age.
“Tell me, lass. How did ye hear of me?”
“Surely ye ken the rumors,” Líadan said, only making Mara chuckle.
“Aye, of course. How could I nae? But I wonder who could have told ye where I lived.”
“Me lady’s maid. She is a good, kind girl, and she kens just how desperate I am for this curse tae be broken. She said if anyone could help me, it would be ye?”
Mara nodded once before she asked, “How many fiancés have there been before they’ve all been found dead?”
“Three.” She swallowed, turning to gaze at Mara again.
“And accordin’ tae the tales, they have all died the night before yer weddin’. Is that it?”
Líadan nodded, her mind flashing back to each moment when she heard that her latest fiancé was also found dead. “The first was killed by being thrown from his horse on the way tae me castle. The next was durin’ a sudden attack from an enemy afore he was set tae travel tae Stuart lands. And then the last was poisoned by his own kin so that his brother could take the lairdship.”
Mara slowly nodded, and desperate, Líadan said, “Surely, these could all be considered coincidences, nay? But people like tae claim that I am the one that has killed them or perhaps asked for them tae be killed. But it is nae me. I swear it!” She felt a few tears fall down her eyes, and she wiped one from her cheek as she continued. “I have wanted tae get married, tae help me clan as well as find a love that I can have in life. It makes nay sense for me tae be daein’ this tae anyone!”
She hadn’t realized how loud her voice had gotten until she saw Mara’s hands make a motion to quiet, and she shushed her in a soothing tone. The effect was strong, and Líadan felt her racing heart calm, and she sat back in her seat.
“I ken that me mother died in childbirth, but surely it cannae be me who stole her breath. I was only a child.” Her voice was small now, and all the fears she’d had about why she was the way she was came rolling back.
She had held onto this guilt for so long, she couldn’t remember a time without it. But now that she needed to marry to help the clan, she wanted it to be over. She wanted to be able to move on with her life.
“Aye, of course, lass.” Mara’s voice was calm, and it made Líadan remain calm as well. “But there is nay requirement for ye tae marry, is there?”
Líadan looked down at her hands, now glad that she could feel her fingers again after her time traveling out of doors. “Nay. Me laird brother, Kaden, tells me that I dinnae need tae. But as ye likely ken, our clan is one of the wealthiest in the Highlands. With that much money, we are open tae dangerous attacks, and I wish tae help me brother and sister tae be safe and happy. If I dinnae wed, then me sister Étaín will be forced tae dae so.” She shook her head. “She is younger, and I dinnae wish for yer tae have tae dae that.”
“I see.” Mara rose and poured a drink into two cups. She handed one to Líadan and sat down again. “It is only spiced wine,” she said with a slight chuckle as Líadan had looked into the cup with slight trepidation.
“Thank ye.”
She took a long sip and let out a large sigh. “There are two other men whom still wish tae marry me, and they will be comin’ tae see them tomorrow. I wish for this curse tae be lifted so that one of them could be me husband in truth. That I could finally have a normal life.”
Mara’s eyes narrowed. “I ken nae the use of a normal life, as ye say, but I understand yer frustration. Lookin’ at ye, I can tell that the curse is alive and well. A curse hangs on a person and only a refined few can see it’s vibrations.” She looked her up and down. “However, the curse can only be lifted in a specific way.”
“How?” Líadan nearly dropped the cup of wine in her shock. No one who had attempted to lift the curse before had ever mentioned that. They had always been so confident that they could remove it for good and in full. “There really is a way?”
“Aye. But I dinnae think that ye are goin’ tae like it.”
“It is better than empty promises from people who realize that they cannae remove the curse after all. What is it?”
Her hands tightened around the cup, and her blue eyes widened with hope.
Mara frowned a little. “I’m afraid that the curse is specific. The only way it can be broken is if ye find true love.”
All the wind came out of Líadan’s sails. “I could never hope for true love. Everyone is afraid of me. It is only the bravest as well as the most money-focused whom I can find for meself. And we hurry tae wed because of the curse. There is never enough time for me tae find true love!” She leaned back again, finishing off the wine and starting to worry that the curse could never be ended.
“Listen, lass. When ye find the right man, the curse can be broken, for there is a man, and he will be the one tae break it.”
She blinked at Mara, wondering if she should just leave and forget all this nonsense. “How will I ken who this man is? He could be anyone!”
“Well, he will be the man who willnae die.”
Mara was grinning, but Líadan was frustrated. “Well, then, I would marry him of course. But I dinnae see how true love has anythin’ tae dae with it.”
“The man who disnae die is meant for ye, so that is why the curse will be broken because he will be yer true love. Love is the only thing stronger than magic, for it is the greatest magic of all. People believe that the curse is because of the death of yer mother while givin’ birth tae ye, but it is the opposite.”
She shook her head with a soft smile. “With her dyin’ breath, yer mother placed this curse upon ye. She knew she was dyin’ and so she couldnae protect ye herself. She put this in the place so that only the man who is good enough for ye, lass, and who loves ye with everythin’ in him will be the one tae be yer husband.”
Líadan could feel the tears coming again, and the ache in her chest had only gotten stronger. But those words comforted her. For her whole life she had feared her mother had hated her because Líadan had been the one to kill her. But this turned everything on its head.
“I see.”
“Here is another clue. Only the person ready tae die for yer sake willnae die by the curse. When ye find a man who is willin’ tae die for ye, then ye’ll ken that he is the right one. Nay curse would be strong enough tae stop that love.”
While she thought, Mara poured her more wine, Líadan felt an odd flicker of hope. Perhaps there could be someone after all. She wondered if after all her waiting she could finally feel the true love of a man, feel his touch, and his kiss before it is too late.
“Thank ye, Mara. Ye have given me what nay one else could.”
The pipers began to play, and Payton turned, with Dugald at his side, his heartbeat thrumming in his chest as he waited for Kayla to appear. The doors to the chapel were still firmly shut and he took the opportunity to look at his brother and sister.
Taveon and Arya sat in the front pew looking at him, both smiling ridiculously. He could still remember the letters he had received when he had told them he was to be married. Taveon was perhaps the most shocked, surprised he had found any one woman he wanted to commit to. Arya, on the other hand, had written in her letter about how she had always known he would marry someday, he just had to find the right one.
Arya had met Kayla the night before as well, and the two got along so well, that Arya had come to him at the end of the evening, eager to talk about her.
“She suits ye well,” she had whispered happily. “Aye, she has a good heart, yet is regal tae look at, and even has that same sense of distance ye sometimes carry. Yet when ye hear her speak of something that matters tae her, there is passion there. Aye, ye are well matched indeed.”
That we are.
Payton held onto this thought as the chapel door opened.
Laird Mackenzie strode in with Kayla on his arm, and behind them, Sofia walked in, holding onto a fresh bunch of heather from the moors.
Payton only had eyes for Kayla, however. Dressed in a dark blue tartan gown, it was draped with the shoulder strips of both of their clans that would now be united in an alliance. The clan badge also pinned these shoulder strips in place.
Her eyes found his and she smiled, so happily that all the tension and darkness that had kept them apart didn’t seem to matter anymore. Just like Jonathan was now nothing but a memory.
At the thought of Jonathan, Payton looked away briefly. On his side of the pews, he saw Robert the Bruce, his smile half hidden by a dark beard. He’d talked extensively that morning prior to the wedding of the pride he had in having such loyal men in Scotland.
I will be loyal tae ye. Always.
The fact Payton was now fighting for a cause he believed in meant everything to him. He would hold to it, no matter what challenge came his way.
As they reached him, Payton took Kayla’s hand within his own. Laird Mackenzie stepped forward, lowering his voice to be heard beneath the pipers’ music that emanated from the back of the chapel.
“Take good care of her. I say that, even as I ken ye will.” He winked, jovially. “I have seen enough of ye this last month, melaird, tae ken that I am giving her tae the most protective of men.”
“Ye have me word, melaird. I’d sooner see me blood drawn than let any harm come tae her.”
“Payton.” She squeezed his hand, in a reprimanding way. “I thought ye would have enough scars by now.”
He laughed with her, as did Laird Mackenzie, before they turned to face the priest.
“Dearly beloved,” he called as the pipers’ music faded. “We are gathered here today in the sight of God tae join together this man and this woman.”
As the priest went through the formalities, Payton could not take his eyes off Kayla. He watched her, even as she stared ahead, her expression intent. It was plain how seriously she took this commitment, mouthing some of the words along with the priest, and Payton thanked his lucky stars to have found her at all.
When it came time to say his own vows, he spoke them gladly, knowing he would keep to every single promise that he made her.
“Tae have and tae hold, from this day forward, fer better fer worse, fer richer fer poorer, fer fairer or fouler, in sickness and in health, tae love and tae cherish, till death us depart, according to God’s holy ordinance. And thereto, I plight thee me troth.”
When he was done, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, his eyes only focusing on her smile.
***
“What dae ye say?” Payton whispered to Kayla as they came off the dance floor. “We could begin our celebrations a little early?”
“We are already celebrating.” She pointed at the dancers around them. Nearby, Taveon was dancing with his wife Hannah, as Arya and her husband Gillebride were drinking and talking together in a corner with some other guests. Even Sofia had taken to the dance floor with Dugald, to Payton’s surprise.
“Nae that kind of celebrating, Kayla,” he whispered playfully, drawing a hand around her waist and pulling her a little to the side of the feasting room.
“Oh,” she murmured, a great smile spreading across her face as they moved.
Like him, she checked across the room, but everyone seemed too lost in their own merriment to possibly notice where they were going. It was late after all, and her father and Robert the Bruce had already retired after many a shared drink.
They left the room quickly. Rather than sneaking up to Kayla’s chamber, as Payton had done countless times these last couple of weeks, he took her to his own chamber instead. Inside, the fire was roaring, already awaiting them, and the furs from the bed had been moved. Yet the air was cold, so Payton drew Kayla toward where those furs had been laid out like rugs in front of the fire instead.
“This will be the spot where I first take ye as me wife,” he murmured hungrily in her ear, not quite kissing her as she reached for his clothes and beneath the kilt, trying to take hold of him. Her teasing touch had a guttural tone escaping his lips. “Mine at last, completely.”
“I have been that fer some time,” she reminded him with a giggle. “Even when I defied ye, pretended I didnae want ye…” She sighed, tipping her head back. “I always did.”
“Aye, but now, we are joined in law too,” he said playfully. “And ye vowed tae obey me orders.”
She tipped her head back and laughed.
“Well, we both ken I willnae always obey yer orders, but maybe here.” She stepped back from him tauntingly, gesturing to the bedchamber. “I will obey a few of them.”
Such an arousal rose within him, he wanted to take here there and then. But he would not rush it tonight. No, tonight, he would take his time.
“Take off yer gown.”
She offered a defiant smile, but all the same, lifted her hands to the laces and began to undo the dress. He removed his own clothes too.
“And the stockings.” He pointed at the stockings that rose halfway up her thighs, held in place by laces. Slowly, she pushed them down, revealing more and more of her skin. “Lie down.” He gestured to the furs, and she did so, lying on her back, writhing against the warm furs.
Oh, how he wanted her, to take her completely and entwine their bodies together, but he was determined to make her reach her climax many times that night. Slowly, he knelt before her, then took her legs and parted them, kissing his way down her body until he hovered over the damp curls between her legs. She shuddered with clear anticipation, wanting him, as he paused and looked up at her.
As he stared at those eyes in the firelight, something struck him. There had been a time where he thought this life would never be his, that he would never be loved. He was too scarred, both inside and out, and what woman would want to put up with all of that? Yet Kayla loved him as he was.
Thank God indeed I found her.
Then he lowered his lips to her center, determined to show her all night long, just how grateful he was for her love, and how much he loved her in return.
This is the story of Gillian, an adventurous English lady who finds herself captured by a mysterious and alluring Highlander. This Highlander will do whatever it takes to save his people from hunger, even abduct the daughter of his enemy. But life seldom goes as planned. What will happen when the Highlander starts falling for Gillian? And will her feelings or her logic prevail in this peculiar turn of events?
This is the story of Julia, an intelligent English lady who runs away to escape her woes and finds herself in the keep of an enticing Highlander. This Highlander, as handsome as he may be, has serious economic troubles, and only a miracle can save him. But perhaps one's answer is closer than he thinks. How will he help her face the past that is haunting her? And how will she save him?
This is the story of Gale, an adventurous English lady who runs away to escape her murderous mother and finds herself in the company of an alluring Highlander. There she is called to change her ways, and he helps her see the world from a different point of view. But her past is catching up with her. How will she elude her mother? And will this be the only obstacle in their relationship?
