Highlander's Caress: Medieval Romance (The Fae Book 2) (6 page)

“Sit back where you should.” The air suddenly stilled and the sail went limp. Up ahead, fog swirled as they neared the Isle of Skye, although he couldn’t make out the land with the veiled mist thickening by the second.

“Everything within me demands I get even closer to you and there can be only one answer for such an intense emotion to take me.” She searched his gaze.

“Which would be?” They glided right into the fog and it smothered them.

“For you to be my chosen one, only for that to be so, you’d have to hold fae blood.”

“My father is Colin MacKenzie, my mother the late Cait MacLennan. Neither have ever held your Matheson fae blood.”

“Yet I am still drawn to you, which is the way of those who are mated.” The gold at the edge of her beautiful brown eyes glimmered bright. “Those who are soul bound wait for their chosen one, and if you are my mate as I believe you might be, then you must have been waiting for me too. Am I right? Have you found it difficult to dally with another? Are you the one I seek, Duncan MacKenzie?”

“Nay, and I never shall be.” He couldn’t allow her to believe they were mated. So too should his men believe a bond had formed between them, then his fae blood would be exposed. They cruised deeper into the ever-thickening fog and his men dunked their oars deep and rowed while next to him, Ella shivered within the chilly mist. He wrapped an arm around her back and drew her closer to his side. Aye, he couldn’t be her chosen one, because that would certainly let loose a slew of trouble he had no intention of allowing.

Sweet sensations flittered through Ella as Duncan wrapped an arm around her and tucked her closer to his side. The fog continued to thicken until she couldn’t see more than a few feet in any direction. Certainly his men on board weren’t visible anymore, only the splashing of their oars dunking into the water proved they remained close by. She rubbed her cheek against Duncan’s shoulder, snuck her fingers between the front ties of his black leather jerkin and traced over the hard muscles of his chest covered in a soft layer of fine white cotton. Aye, this man more than intrigued her. “Do you feel it?” she whispered to him.

“Ella, you need to cease touching me the way that you are.” He covered her hand with his and halted her movement.

“Something draws us closer together, and I’m no’ imagining it.”

“That something would be called your brother and your current search for him and Gavin MacDonald.” With the fog smothering them, he rose to his feet and tried to peer through it across the waves. “I sense we’re getting closer to Skye’s shoreline and I’ve no wish to sail into the rocks.”

“Go if you must. I understand.”

“I’ll return soon. Stay right here.” He strode into the soupy mist and disappeared.

Something sloshed over her shoulder and she wriggled around. Her skiff was tied to the stern only naught was visible other than the rope secured to it.

“’Tis about time my laird left you alone.” A hand clamped around her mouth then another around her leg. “Can you swim, lass? The shoreline is close, a mere few strokes away. I apologize, but I cannae have you compel us to our death, which will surely happen should you remain.” He tossed her overboard and she splashed into the darkened depths and went down.

Something scraped over her head. The hull of her skiff. Hands shoved up, she pushed against the underside and sank deeper and only once assured her boat had passed safely overhead did she kick free of Duncan’s fur and heave back up to the surface.

Stupid cloying fog, and stupid lost voice. She couldn’t even yell and alert those on board she’d gone over. Which of his men had thought to do her harm? Clearly whoever it was feared her fae skill and what she could do, just as so many did. She let out a long sigh, so not surprised. With only a few uttered words she could send a man to his death, not that she ever would. Never mind. She’d swim to shore and continue on with her mission regardless of Duncan and his men, her lost skiff too. She’d been caught in worse situations.

She rolled onto her back, scooped water at her sides and tried to get her bearings. The moon, a mere pinprick of light through the hazy gloom above, did naught to aid her or light her way. She rolled over and kicked in what better be the right direction.

With sure strokes, she swam at a good pace until a playful seal pup darted around and underneath her. The waters in these parts teemed with wildlife, which included some sea creatures she had no wish to meet, or become a tasty meal to. Goodness. The warrior had said the shoreline was close, a mere few strokes away. It clearly wasn’t.

With the cold water penetrating deep into her bones, she tried to kick harder but with each stroke her arms slapped heavier into the water and her legs, so chilled and numb, became no help at all.

Hot tears pressed behind her eyes and her greatest fear rose with striking force. Her death, and leaving Mama and Ethan to cope with the turmoil of their grief. That kind of heartache wasn’t something she’d ever allow them to go through, not after they’d already lost Papa. She had to make it to land, wherever that dratted land was. She floated, the waves washing over her and salt stinging her lips and cheeks. The tide moved her and waves crashed somewhere up ahead. Land. Finally. She’d almost made it.

A wave crashed and she got washed up onto a cluster of rocks. Heaving to her feet, she stumbled to keep herself upright. Over the slickness, she clambered then staggered onto a pebbly beach. Shudders raked through her. Keep moving. She had to find shelter, mayhap within those trees swaying so very close. She walked and wobbled, black spots dancing before her eyes. Only a few more steps.

* * * *

Pain slammed through Duncan’s chest and he stumbled to his knees at the bow where he maintained a lookout for the rocks bordering Skye’s coastline. ’Twas as if someone had taken a sword and thrust it straight through his chest. He patted his heart to make sure no one had, the erratic beat burning and making him gasp for air.

“Duncan?” Hamish hauled him up by the arm. “Are you all right?”

“I—I—” Ella’s face wavered before his eyes, as if the pain wasn’t his, but hers. He lurched through the fog to the end of the galley and searched for her. Hell. Where was she? “Ella!” He bellowed her name. “Damn it, Ella. Answer me!”

Only the slapping of the waves against the sides of his vessel broke the silence.

“All eyes on the water,” he yelled to his men. “Ella’s gone overboard.”

The wind lifted, sent tendrils of the hazy mist swirling, enough that he caught sight of the rocks bordering Skye’s craggy shoreline. He turned the rudder and sent them directly toward land where the surf washed into the bay. They crested a wave, the hull scraping the sandy sea floor and as it did, he bounded over the side along with a score of his men. He searched the crashing waves where they came into shore, his heartbeat a raging mess, his men right beside him as they searched as well.

“There!” From the bow, Hamish pointed toward the darkened tree line.

Ella lay sprawled on the grassy verge and he bounded through the surf and sprinted across, dropped down beside her and tipped her back over onto her back. Her hair lay tangled around her face, her skin ashen and her lips an icy blue with barely a whisper of breath moving from her mouth. She was cold. Too cold. “Bring me as many blankets as you can and get a fire lit,” he yelled to Ivor, the closest of his men running toward him.

“Will do.” Ivor skidded in the sand, turned back and raced to the galley being hauled the last few feet into shore.

Gently, he scooped Ella up and carried her toward a more sheltered area under the trees while his men saw to the fire. Sticks caught alight and flames soared as they built the heat. Hamish tossed several logs onto the crackling blaze and Duncan laid Ella down as close as he dared to the flames, wrapped her tight in his arms and rubbed her back. “Wake up, Ella.”

“I’ve got what you need.” Ivor bounded back, spread blankets and furs over him and Ella and tucked them tight. “Does she breathe?”

“Aye, but barely.” He had no choice left to him and underneath the layers piled over him, he tugged Ella’s wet clothing off, her riding boots, tunic and breeches. She likely wouldn’t appreciate that he’d done so, but sharing his body warmth with her right now was imperative. Even his men understood that, wouldn’t question his decision to strip her and do so. She was under his protection and he wouldn’t fail her now, or at least not again as he’d just done.

Once he’d stripped them both, he stuck her frozen fingers between them and clamped his legs either side of her legs. Skin against skin, he warmed her as best as he could, the heat of the fire penetrating through the blankets and warming them further.

Hamish wrung out their wet clothes and tossed them over the branches of the closet tree before handing him a skin. “’Tis whiskey. Make sure she gets some of it down.”

“She needs more than whiskey.” He lifted the skin to Ella’s lips and dribbled a little of it into her mouth. She gagged but got some down and he took a swig himself, then nodded at his man. “It might be a long night.”

“I’ll keep the fire burning, as well as ensure our men patrol this area. This is MacDonald land and we’ll need to take every precaution while seeking shelter on it.”

“Mayhap Gavin and his men too were forced to seek shelter as we have.” None could sail far in such a heavy fog.

“I’ll remain alert for a vision, will send out some teams to search the coastline immediately.” Hamish disappeared within the foggy haze, his men dispersing as well although a small guard remained near his beached galley to watch over them.

“Ella, open your eyes for me, please.” He tucked the covers over their heads to keep the warmth fully inside, the fire’s light penetrating through with a reddish-orange glow. She released the softest sigh against his chest then wriggled closer. “That’s it, seek the warmth you need from me. I’ll always offer it.”

“You arenae dressed and neither am I,” she grizzled, her husky words barely audible but easing the tightness within his chest all the same.

“That’s right, my grumpy one. Keep talking to me.”

“I’m no’ your grumpy one.” She moaned again then rubbed her cold nose across his chest. “Well, actually I might be grumpy at the moment, and how on earth are you so warm when that water was so dreadfully cold?”

“’Twas no’ cold for me, no’ when I train daily in the sea.” He swam several miles at the break of dawn each day, no matter the season. “A number of my men have left to search the coastline for Gavin. If he and Ethan are here, we’ll find them.”

“Dinnae let any of them hurt Ethan.”

“None of my men would ever harm one of the fae. You can be assured of that.” He caressed down her back, stroked over her smooth bottom and pulled her even closer against him.

“You are getting rather familiar with me, Duncan MacKenzie.” She snuck one hand out from between them and swatted his backside. “You need to cease touching me where you’ve no right to touch me, unless I say you can.”

“For now, I’ll touch you wherever I please.” Such relief poured through him, her grumpiness soothing him beyond belief. “Put your hand back between us. I’ve no wish for you to lose your fingers due to the cold.”

“My fingers are perfectly fine where they are.” Still, she did as he’d commanded her and snuck her hand back between them. With her nose buried in his neck, she nipped his flesh.

His cock twitched and hardened, his blood pounding and his need for her rising so swiftly.

“I can feel you,” she breathed raggedly. “And I mean that part of you prodding into me.”

“That prodding is an expected reaction when a man is forced to hold a woman so close while wearing naught. Ignore my arousal.”

“How do I ignore that? You’ve a rather large, well, it’s rather large by the feel of it.” She wriggled some more, her squirms only making him harden further.

“Staying still might help.” Gritting his teeth, he kissed the top of her head. “Please.”

“I’m starting to feel quite hot.” Within the darkness of the covers, she looked into his eyes, the fire’s glow which penetrated through lighting the gold sparks gleaming within the heavenly shade of brown. “Push the covers back a little, please.”

“I’ll decide when you’re hot enough.”

“Have you ever been aroused this way with another lass afore?” She arched a brow. “Be honest with me, because those who are mated can barely tolerate the touch of another and the feel of you against me is rather thrilling, no matter my growling.”

“Damn it, Ella. We arenae mated.”

“So you say, but so I disagree. I’ve never felt such a deep desire for another as I do for you, although for you to be my mate would mean you’re hiding your fae blood from me. I also did no’ fall into the water. Someone tossed me overboard, right before apologizing for having to do so. One of your men fears that I might compel you all to your death.”

“There isnae a man on board my galley who’d toss an innocent lass into the sea.”

“Yet someone did.” She cupped his cheeks in her hands and murmured, “Many of our fae-blooded kind are soul bound to another, and when we come of age and find our chosen one, we join together in all ways, the silken strands between our souls fully weaving together into one. ’Tis a bond we desire, hope with all our heart is gifted to us. I can sense that bond taking form right now between us.”

“There is no bond forming, no matter how much you wish for it.”

“The odd marriage has taken place between our clans over the years. Are you certain you dinnae hold even a trace of fae blood, that it does no’ flow within your father or mother’s line somehow?”

“Beyond certain.”

“Then mayhap you’re unaware of that fae blood.” She touched one finger to his lower lip, swept it from corner to corner with a soft sigh escaping her lips. “Could I ask a request of you?”

“That depends on what it might be.”

“Would you kiss me?”

* * * *

Never in Ella’s life had her heart beat this fast, or her desire risen to such a staggering need. Surely she wasn’t the only one feeling these incredibly new and wonderful emotions. “I want you to kiss me, to know what it’s like to share the same breath as you.”

“You truly are an annoyance, one I wish I’d never laid eyes upon, whether you compelled that of me or no’.”

Fierce need rushed through her and she pushed him onto his back and scrambled on top. “There is something growing between us and you must give it a chance to take a firm hold. Damn well kiss me now, or else I’ll kiss you.”

“Are you always this demanding?”

“I am this night.” She leaned closer, her lips a mere breath away from his as she whispered, “Surely one kiss willnae hurt you.”

“How about you kiss me instead?”

“Agreed.” She would get the truth out of him somehow, but for now, she would allow the ties between them to continue to strengthen and deepen, for him to see that none could halt the mated bond when it took form, not him, and certainly not her. She licked his lower lip, wanted so much more, and she took. She kissed him, their mouths joined and his breath mingling so sweetly with hers. Clearly one kiss wouldn’t be enough. She delved deeper, urged his lips farther apart and kissed him with all the fierce need roaring to full and vibrant life within her.