HauntedLaird (9 page)

“Let’s hope they guide themselves over a cliff and inta the
ravine long before they find their way out o’ the woods.” Travis brushed a kiss
across Fin’s brow as they reluctantly pulled apart from their hug. But before
he let go completely, Travis cupped Fin’s cock and balls through his jeans and
gave a gentle squeeze. “If we weren’t in charge o’ the safety o’ those two, I’d
make use o’ this quiet place and show you how much I’ve missed you.”

“I know. I’ve missed you too. But duty first, sex later,
lover.” Fin teased Travis’ lips with the tip of his tongue, then turned, bent
over and unzipped his tent to crawl in. “Here’s hoping your wish for Lonnie and
Timothy comes true and they end up at the bottom o’ a ravine somewhere. Wake me
in a couple hours for my watch.”

Travis slapped Fin’s bottom playfully. The look Fin shot him
was heat-filled and inviting but they both knew now wasn’t the time for lust.
“In that position, you strike a mighty inviting offer, but we have an
obligation ta fulfill first.”

Before Travis turned to walk away, Fin cupped Travis’ balls,
returning the loving caress, stopping him in his tracks. “When we get home,
I’ll hold you ta that.”

Travis leaned and met Fin in a passionate kiss. “You can
count on it, lover boy.”

* * * * *

Och.
This was hard to suffer through. Thinking
without the ability to act. It had nearly driven him over the edge yesterday
and had caused him to wake disoriented. He couldn’t let that happen again. His
mind hummed, buzzing with unstoppable thoughts. Over and over, two hundred
years of thoughts rushed through his head, making it ache. If this didn’t halt
soon, he’d wish he hadn’t been wakened to suffer this debilitating curse. Man
by night. Stone by day.

Insufferable damnation!

Padon tried to slow the whirlwind of ideas flashing through
his skull but failed. Faces. Places. Things he’d never see again because of the
length of time that had passed. MacGillivray’s hate cost him everything. A life
for a life. Once returned to Castle MacKinnon, he planned to find
MacGillivray’s descendant and end his plans to continue the devil’s work. Two
of his
brathairs
had been freed and quite possibly a third. That’s what
Jasper claimed. It was the only reason Jasper allowed anyone to find him now.
It was time the curse was broken. And when it was, hell would not be far enough
for MacGillivray’s soul.

The roar rattled around his brain but never escaped his
mouth. Nothing escaped. Nothing moved. Not a finger or a toe. He couldn’t even
stretch the tension from his back and shoulders. At least he’d thought to place
his hands in front of his kilt to help hide the condition of his shaft. It had
been hard and heavy for the voluptuous Lynn before he fell to the dastardly
magic of the daylight. He felt certain it remained that way as he stood locked
in this stone prison.

Aye. She was lovely. Sweet. Innocent in her ways and smart
as well. He liked the feel of her legs wrapped around his waist. The touch of
her breasts to his back as they’d traveled through the woods kept him aware of
the fact she was all woman. Perfectly proportioned for him. Her scent filled
his senses, bringing him a peaceful calm within his tomb, and his mind stayed
focused on her.

When he’d reached around to readjust her, he couldn’t force
his hands to release that finely shaped bottom. It pleased him that she hadn’t
seemed to mind, especially when he teased her with his thumbs.
Och
, how he
wished she had been naked and his fingers could have touched her softest
feminine spots. Heat from her kept his fingers warm and his thumbs active.
Several instances when his movements caused her to bounce, she’d released a
whispered moan. One he knew she tried to keep him from hearing, but it had made
him smile and if he could, he would be smiling right now, but this damn curse
refused to cooperate.

The memory of the taste of her mouth filled his thoughts and
he wished he were free to plunder that tender opening once again. He’d noted
how her eyes had darkened with desire, yet she’d blushed and pulled away. She
kissed like a practiced woman, which was something else he liked about her. He
sensed she knew what she wanted in a
leannan
—lover.

A
leannan
. Aye that would be nice to be for her. To
see those eyes darken a deeper shade of blue while he explored her body would
be a treat, a luxury he planned to enjoy time and time again, if she let him.
Padon focused on Lynn and what he’d do if he were free to make her moan his
name repeatedly in pleasure.

Kissing her lips while he undressed her from her odd
clothing would be an exciting feat. The men’s trews would have to go. And that
loose shirt would be the next to follow. The clothing of today’s women was
strange, yet he found it provocative on Lynn. What type of undergarments did
the women of this new world wear? He’d only glimpsed them drying on a rock in
the cave, but had not examined them closely. He couldn’t wait to find out how
they felt while removing them from Lynn.

He remembered the weight of her breasts in his palms. The
size of her nipples intrigued him. They were perfect for him. With the right
amount of attention, he planned to caress them with his mouth, tongue, teeth
and fingertips until they were pointed peaks. His mouth ached to sample those
ample mounds of flesh and tease a moan from her lips.

Not stopping there, his mind’s eye wandered down her body,
kissing, licking and tasting every supple ounce of her flesh from her breasts
down her soft and pliant tummy to the treasure between her thighs. A pirate he
would be as he plundered her sweet nectar until she screamed his name and
convulsed in pleasure. He could only imagine how good her sheath would taste.
Taking his time to please her until she was ready to receive him had him
wishing for sundown.

Padon couldn’t stop the images rolling through his thoughts
even if he wanted to. Lynn’s beauty surrounded him, keeping him focused on her
and not the abysmal tomb of stone. The only stone he was interested in was the
solid-rock-hardness of his cock as he imagined it hovered at the entrance to
her heat.

He knew if he could feel right now, his cock and bawls would
be stiff and tight even without being encased in stone.

Padon appeared in her dreams, gorgeously naked, hard and
ready to please her. His kiss lit a fire in her belly. His fingertips twisted
and tugged her nipples in a series of rough and soft combinations, which zinged
need straight to her pussy. She really liked the fact he seemed to know her breasts
were a hub of nerves, when played with right, could cause her to have miniature
orgasms.

His lips, mouth and teeth were everywhere at once, guiding
her to the edge of ecstasy and keeping her teetering, aching to plunge into the
abyss of pleasure his touch promised. The lower he traveled the higher she
climbed. Tickling her navel with the tip of his tongue got her even wetter and
she couldn’t help but spread her legs, hoping he’d comply and fuck her.

Instead he kissed the insides of her thighs and slowly
worked his way into her heat. A long, gentle lick of her slit had her whining
for more. She locked her hands in his hair, keeping it out of his face as he
indulged. She wanted nothing to distract this talented man. Lick after lick, he
made her hotter. When his tongue speared her repeatedly at a rapid pace, her
orgasm hit like a tidal wave.

He lifted to kiss her and she suckled her flavor from his
lips. Their kiss deepened as he slowly pushed the head of his cock inside her.
More. She wanted more. Lifting her hips she took him in farther. She set the
pace. Slow then fast. Over and over, she met his pushes and ground against him,
taking every inch he had to offer. Full and tight was how he made her pussy
feel and she loved it.

Padon’s lips trailed to a nipple and tugged it hard between
his teeth. She arched her back and screamed his name as another orgasm ripped
her to the core.

“Padon!”

Lynn’s eyes opened at the sound of her voice. She sat
upright, breathing heavily. Wide-eyed, she stared at Padon’s statue and
wondered if he heard her scream his name. Did Travis and Fin hear her scream?
Oh lordy she hoped not.

She swung her legs over the side of the cot and took several
deep breaths to calm herself. She’d had some rather sensual dreams in her life
but nothing ever this hot and completely sexual.

On shaky legs, she stood and walked over to Padon’s statue.
Man, she surely hoped he hadn’t heard it. How would she explain calling him
when she knew he couldn’t come? Come? Had he come with her in her dream? She’d
woken before she knew the answer. Lynn burst out laughing. This was just plain
crazy. Sex with Padon, just the thought of it, had her wet and ready.

He’d called you his wee one. He said you were a treasure
to be savored slowly
, the little voice inside her head pointed out. Lynn
shivered from head to toe. No one had ever called her a wee one, not built the
way she was, plump and round in a full-figured, womanly way. She shook off the
idea that Padon found her attractive. Self-doubt reared its ugly head and weakened
her soul, trying to convince her it had to be a side effect of being cursed for
so long.

Typical man, he simply woke up horny.

The nasty snide voice of insecurity took over. Yes, they’d
kissed, touched and tasted one another. The sex in the waterfall was something
she’d never forget, just thinking about it made her insides tremble. Lynn
hugged herself, trying to soothe the sexual anxiety churning in her gut. Yes,
he turned her on beyond belief but once they got him home, that’s where it
would probably end. She had her life back in Texas. And he… He had a whole new
life to learn here and she doubted it would include her once he was back on
familiar ground at Castle MacKinnon with his family surrounding him.

Chapter Nine

The instant the sun disappeared Lynn sensed an electric
current in the air right before the stone cracked and Padon was freed. He shook
remnants of the dust and pebbles from himself before stepping forward, closing
the distance between them. Without a word, he took her in his arms and kissed
her tenderly.

“Ye were mi salvation,” he whispered but didn’t explain
because someone pounded on the door.

“Are you ready ta go?” Travis called. “We’ve got a good bit
o’ ground ta cover ta reach Fin’s grandpa’s house.”

“’Til later, mi wee one.” He brushed a quick kiss to her
forehead then stepped past her to open the door. “Aye. We be ready.”

His words tickled her to the core but confused her still the
same. His actions renewed her lust for him but how was
she
his
salvation? When he turned in the doorway and held his hand to her, she couldn’t
miss the intensity in his gaze. It gave her goose bumps just looking at him.
Strands of his hair hung in his eyes, giving him a bad-boy appeal. She took his
hand and they followed Travis and Fin.

Her nerves were on edge from lack of sleep. After that
magnificent dream, she spent the rest of the day pacing the cabin, going
outside only to relieve herself or to get a bit of fresh air. Every noise she
heard added to the edginess. On occasion, Travis or Fin dropped by to bring her
food and check on her and make sure she and Padon were safe. She wondered if
they too found it odd that nothing was seen or heard from Lonnie and Timothy.

Were those two lost in the woods? Had they taken off when
Jasper put a scare into Timothy? Something in her gut whispered
that
didn’t happen. Those two were unpredictable as far as she was concerned. And
unpredictable made them dangerous.

She didn’t like that once they cleared the woods it was open
terrain for the rest of the trek to the farmhouse. The full moon gave them
great visibility but also made them an easy target. It was obvious the men
didn’t like it either. Fin stayed on point and Travis brought up the rear.
Padon kept her close and never stopped scouting the area for any sign of possible
attack. With the three of them around her, she doubted anyone would make the
mistake of messing with them. But anything was possible.

A sigh of relief escaped when she first saw the MacIntyres’
farmhouse. A light was on in the rear of the house and Fin pointed out that it
was the kitchen.

“Grandpa likes ta sit in the kitchen, drinking his tea and
reading the local news before bed,” Fin explained as they closed the distance.
“He leaves it on for me when he knows I’m in the area.” He pointed at the sedan.
“He probably saw the car and thought Travis and I were off fishing or hunting.”

Fin opened the unlocked door and stepped inside. The others
followed. The kitchen was empty. But he came to a halt, pointing to the paper
on the floor by the chair and the cup of tea sitting untouched on the table.
When he tugged the knife from the sheath at his hip, Padon followed suit,
drawing his sword.

“It is no like grandpa ta leave a mess or a full cup,” Fin
whispered with a nod toward the table then switched off the light to make them
less visible to whoever was in the house.

Padon nodded then turned to Lynn, placing a finger to his
lips then motioning for her to stay put. Fear sliced through her. What was
going on? Was someone in the house who wasn’t supposed to be there? She stepped
backward until she leaned into the corner of the cabinets and the wall
containing the back door. The shadows swallowed her, at least that’s what she
hoped. Padon winked then took his place beside Fin and Travis at the door
leading into the front room.

“When we go through the door,” Fin whispered and nodded at
Travis, “you take the dining room ta the left.” He looked at Padon. “You take
the room ta the right and I’ll clear the hallway and entrance.”

The three of them glided through the door one at a time,
each slinking off in his appointed direction. A swinging door inside the
kitchen to the left slowly opened and a man snuck in. It had to be the dining
room where Travis had just entered through the hallway door. But whoever was
hiding there moved through the door and into the kitchen. As he maneuvered
toward the door that led to the hallway from the kitchen, it appeared to Lynn
as if he planned to attack them from behind. She couldn’t let that happen.

Frantically she looked around for a weapon. Grabbing the
only thing she saw, a cutting board, she quietly walked up behind him and
before he made a move, she whacked him on the head. He crumbled to his knees
and landed face-first in the doorway holding his head and whimpering.

Travis reached in through the swinging door and flipped the
light switch. Padon stood over the moaning man, who rolled onto his back.
Timothy lay sprawled out at their feet.

“My head, oh my head,” Timothy whined.

Fin returned from searching the rest of the house. When he
saw Timothy on the floor, he dropped to one knee, fisted the front of his shirt
and jerked him upward. Sneering in his face, Fin demanded, “Where’s my
grandpa?”

“Lonnie has him,” Timothy gasped without letting go of his
head.

“Where?” Fin growled between clenched teeth.

“Not telling you.” Timothy groaned. “But you got ta give
Lonnie what you found in the cave if you want your grandfather back.”

Padon reached around Fin and dragged Timothy to his feet. He
slammed Timothy’s back against the doorjamb. The man dangled like a damp rag in
the wind. No matter how hard he stretched, his feet wouldn’t touch the ground
as Padon held him firmly in place with one hand while pressing the tip of the
sword to his throat.

“I believe
m’caraid
asked ye a question. Answer and
be spared disembowelment.”

“D-dis—” Timothy stuttered. “Disembowelment?”

From the look on his face, Lynn doubted he knew what the
word meant but feared Padon’s threat anyway. She studied Padon for a long few
seconds. Would he or wouldn’t he slit the man open and gut him like a fish? Not
a good thing to have to explain to the authorities. Not realizing she still
held the cutting board in her hand, she stepped closer. Timothy flinched at the
sight of her and she swallowed the smile. He feared her as well. Maybe she
could use this to their advantage.

“Timothy,” she said in an even-keeled tone. Lynn put her
best stern face on and stared directly at the shivering man. “Do you understand
how much trouble you already are in for kidnapping me?” He shook his head and
she believed he didn’t realize what might happen to him. “If I report you and
Lonnie to the police, you will go to jail. Now that the two of you have
committed another kidnapping that will be considered your second offense and
you’ll be sentenced to an even longer term.” She looked at Travis. “About how
long do you think the Scottish courts will give them for something like this?”

“At least twenty years,” Travis answered in a deadpan tone
without cracking a smile. “Maybe more considering they took an American hostage
and they damn near got her killed.”

“Hostage. Killed,” Timothy blurted. “We didn’t kill anyone.
She’s standing right there.”

Lynn adjusted the cutting board and Timothy leaned back
tight against the doorjamb and looked as if he wished he could run. “You’re
right. I’m not dead but you and your friend put my life in danger. I fell off a
cliff and rolled ass over teakettle into a deep ravine. I could have died and I
think that’ll make a valid impression on the court.” She shot a quick look at
Padon, who stood with a steady hand on the sword at Timothy’s throat and a look
of pure menace in his eyes. If she were on the wrong end of that sword, she’d
be scared to breathe.

She gave Timothy as hard a glare as she could muster and
hoped this worked. “If you want leniency for any of your actions, it would be
in your best interest to tell us where your partner is hiding.”

“He’ll kill me,” Timothy gasped.

“Death now,” Padon stated, gliding the tip of his sword
gently up Timothy’s neck to stop at his chin, “or later. Ye choose. At mi hand,
death shall be agonizingly painful. At thy hand o’ a friend, ye may stand a
chance o’ survival or a quick, less messy end if’n he be a true
cariad
.
Choose wisely.”

Fin hovered beside Timothy and added just the right
ingredients to the mix to tip the scale in their favor. “Think it through, Tim.
Who got their hands dirty the most taking her captive? We did. Who carried her
up the mountain? We did. Who did he drop over the side o’ a cliff into the
unknown o’ a cave? You. And who did he leave behind ta get beat up or killed
when we arrived?”

Lynn saw a bead of sweat trickle down the side of Timothy’s
face. It appeared as if he digested every word before saying, “Me. Lonnie left
me behind.”

“A true friend leaves no one behind to face a posse of
danger. He could’ve left a note for us, detailing what he wanted,” Travis piped
in.

Every ounce of color drained from Timothy’s face. On a
hoarse whisper he repeated, “He could’ve left a note. Instead he left me.”

Lynn cupped Timothy’s cheek. “Tell us where to find Fin’s
grandfather and I won’t tell the authorities you were a part of this.”

Timothy swallowed hard and his head bobbed like a dashboard
doll’s. “Aye. I’ll tell you what you want ta know.”

* * * * *

After much discussion, the strategy had been agreed upon and
their path set in motion. Timothy explained that Fin’s grandfather and Lonnie
were picked up by several members of this new group they joined run by someone
named Brother Leod and taken to Edinburgh. Padon insisted they rescue Fin’s grandfather
before returning him home. Fin’s grandfather was in danger. Padon’s homecoming
could wait until the elder was safe.

The three of them had been careful not to explain to Timothy
what had been found in the cave. They made him think it was an object of great
value and not a MacKinnon statue. Padon thought it odd that this Brother Leod,
this supposed leader of their group, would not choose wiser men for his
brigade. Timothy never clued in, even with how Padon was dressed, that he was
the object in question. Travis claimed him to be his cousin and Timothy simply
accepted it. Padon shook his head. Either Timothy was truly not bright or plain
scared witless by his current situation.

A glance to the stars and he knew which direction was home.
Turning north, he stared long and hard as if he could conjure the image of the
castle in front of his eyes if he concentrated. Two hundred years had passed.
What were a few more days? He sighed.

It startled him to see Travis and Fin shove Timothy into the
belly of some sort of odd-shaped beast. Then they climbed into the front
compartment of it. It roared to life and its eyes opened, shooting out bright
beams of light. In a split second, his hand found his sword and prepared to
attack, but seeing the men inside unharmed as they waved made him hesitate and
drop his hand to his side.

“That’s Fin’s car,” Lynn stated as if that was supposed to
soothe him, but it didn’t.

He’d listened earlier when Fin explained that he drove to
the farm with Lonnie and Timothy then tracked them into the woods. The how
they’d gotten there hadn’t sunk in until now.

He swallowed his confusion and the multitude of questions
barreling through his brain. So many new things surrounded him. The inside of
the house with its magical overhead lights, its running water in something
called a sink and a stove that heated without wood for a fire. So much to learn
his head hurt from the effort.

He followed Lynn as she walked away from the object that
confined the men. When she stopped at a smaller, yet similar, beast and opened
its side, his gut knotted. Was she getting in this thing? Did she expect him to
as well? From the look of it, she did. Padon dug deep, hoping not to show his
disdain for this new object.

Her touch to his arm soothed some of his angst as she smiled
up at him. If this petite beauty had no fear of this metal beast then he would
trust her instincts and do as she did in order to overcome this minor obstacle
in his pathway home.

The gentle rub she gave his wrist made him smile as her soft
twang floated to his ears. Concern filled her words. “Are you okay? There’s so
much that has changed since you’ve been cursed. I’m willing to help you learn
about some of the things you need to live in this world. Beginning with this.”
She pointed to the metal beast as she continued. “It’s a car. We use it to
travel instead of a flesh-and-blood horse. Consider it a mechanical horse that
takes you places at greater speeds than a real horse.”

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Lynn, if ye
say this me-chan-ical,” he stumbled over the word as he spoke, “horse be safe
then it be as ye say. I trust ye, mi wee one.”

Her face flushed with color as she wiggled her hand from
his. The spark of fire in her gaze even though she blushed from his words made
him even more curious to learn her every nuance. When she moved, he couldn’t
help but watch her.

“You need to take off your sword to fit in the seat.” She
opened the rear door of this beast and held her hands out for him to pass it to
her.

There was no hesitation as he slipped it over his head but
he didn’t give it to her. A grin brightened his face. “Mi wee one, mi sword be
very heavy.”

She cocked her head to the side and he liked the cute
arched-eyebrow look she shot him. It appeared his wee one had a playful nature.
“How heavy could it be?”

He laid it in her open hands without releasing it
completely. Both of her hands automatically lowered as she tried to hold it
steady. A surprised laugh escaped as she agreed. “No wonder your arms are so
big. This thing is solid.”

He brushed a kiss across her brow then leaned in and placed
the sword where she indicated. She shut the door and showed him to the front
seat. Lynn bent over and pushed the seat as far away from the front of the car
as possible. Padon couldn’t pull his eyes away from the delectable roundness of
her bottom. His palms ached to fondle its softness. When she straightened and
turned it was all he could do not to show the guilt of his thoughts upon his
face.