The Highlander’s Witch (10 page)

“When they died, my aunt came to live with us. She was very much different from my parents. More of a loner I suppose.” She quickly looked at Aiden. “Don’t get me wrong; she loved us, brought laughter back into our home, but she was . . .” She searched for the word and then just shrugged and looked back through the window. “just different, eccentric, I guess. Unless there was something to teach us, Aunt Gladys kept to herself and left Sarah and me to ourselves. So my sister and I did everything together. Even though she was four years older than me, we were inseparable.”

She shook her head as the memories flooded her mind.

“And then along came Doug. My aunt swore he and I made the perfect couple.” She laughed not seeing Aiden stiffen. “But it became very clear that we only made good friends and that it was he and Sarah who were really supposed to be together. Now they are married and expecting a baby.”

She drifted off.

“They have each other.”

Letting the curtain go, Skye crossed her arms and leaned a shoulder against the wall. “They have each other.” She shrugged through her agreement.

Aiden watched the flames from a torch play over her features in the now darkened alcove, seeing the resolve in her features that still didn’t cover the sadness.

Skye shrugged through the misplaced hurt. “You have to understand that I love them both and I am so very happy for them because they
are
meant to be together.”

When he came closer, she swallowed and looked away, nervous at the way her stomach twisted and her breasts tingled. She hurried on, covering her emotions with chatter.

“So, yes; I miss my family and I do, um, need to go home. Just—” She couldn’t think anymore, he was too close and the air had become so warm.

Skye might not have felt the coldness of the stones on her back as she cast him a quick glance but she did feel the heat that pooled between her thighs and spread up to her breasts that warmed her when she found she couldn’t look away.

He was a predator and she the prey and it excited her.

This man, who was so hard and tall, that could move with such stealth and grace with a voice that made her yearn to reach out for him while making her feel extremely feminine when he was so close, her breasts heavy and needy for his touch.

He placed a hand above her and her breath hitched as the smell of things earthy and primal invaded her lungs. He was going to kiss her and she knew she was going to let him.

His head lowered so slow, too slow.

All those years of craving to be touched centered on this man.

She could not wait.

Always thinking in the now, she fisted her hands into his shirt, pulling him to her as she moved to press her body to his.

Ecstasy coursed through her veins in molten waves as his mouth captured hers, a hand large and sure reached around her waist and pulled her in close as she willingly accepted his dominance.

Feeling the ache between her legs as her clit swelled in need, she pressed against his firm thigh.

She reveled in the control he had as his embrace heated her flesh, his mouth sliding from her lips to a neck she never knew was so sensitive. In the recesses of her mind, she knew this was different from any other attempt she had ever experienced with someone else.

Whereas before, she had enjoyed the touch of another and looked forward to finally having sex, this was a hunger for more. A need that took away all thought but the ones of his one hand at the small of her back and the other clenching her hair at the nape of her neck keeping her from moving away, something impossible to comprehend as she softly cried out when he gently bit her. Feeling his restraint to bite her harder made her rub her aching pelvis into the hard muscles of his thigh, seeking relief as his mouth slanted back up to her mouth and forced her to open for his tongue.

Aiden did not understand the lure of the woman in front of him but he trusted the instincts honed in battle, they had kept him and his men alive on too many occasions to doubt them now.

The need to have her, to place her before him naked so he could feast on her skin, and then make her a part of him gnawed at his gut even while sleeping. He woke up hard, his dreams filled with taking her hard, hearing her cries of passion as he rammed his staff into her wetness.

Now it was her unspoken fear of being unwanted, alone, that drove him to shelter her, to wipe away the sadness in her eyes and heart.

He drew near her like a hunter approaching his prey. He watched as her breath quickened causing her breasts to swell with each intake, her eyes darted everywhere as she pressed her back against the wall, but she didn’t try to run and that made his cock jerk in hunger.

Aiden felt his control slipping. The way she responded to his touch, submitting to his need to control, to take, and encouraged with her mews of pleasure and frustration for more made him want to push her, lift her skirt, and fuck her there against the wall.

Instead, he took a deep breath knowing now was neither the time nor the place.

Inhaling her light scent, he tilted her head up, placing a soft kiss at each corner of her mouth before slowly easing away.

His cock twitched at the glazed look in her eyes, the way her mouth slightly opened to allow needed air into her lungs, and how they curved down when he broke from the embrace.

He stood there forcing himself to remain apart from her but teasing himself by remaining close enough to feel her heat reaching out to him as he watched her eyes clear, then her mouth closed and she swallowed.

“Wow.”

He couldn’t help the grin at her dazed comment.

Watching her hand reach up to smooth over her lower lip, plump from his kisses, had Aiden gritting his teeth as he pushed away.

“Me mother requested ye to break yer fast with her an me sister.”

He turned and nodded for her to follow, grabbing the torch as he led the way back down the stairs the guard had previously brought her up.

Wow
was all she could think as she absently followed Aiden.

Never before had a kiss made her lose all thought. All previous kisses dulled in comparison.

She’d always been thinking about how the kiss was, how she should be kissing, where it would lead, and would her sister be popping up to ruin it all. This time she could only feel and need.

Oh Lord, and want.

Cannot
forget
want.

And she so wanted more!

Everything in her still tingled, from the vee between her thighs to the neck he had bitten on.

Wow
.

By the time they reached Anna’s bedchambers, Skye forced herself to stop behaving like a fool and push aside her erotic thoughts to mull over later.

She entered without looking at Aiden and smiled at the look of pleasure Anna had on her face when she entered.

“I be so glad ye came, Skye! Have some sweet bread an cream, it be delicious.”

The door remained open as Skye stepped forward to take the offering. Taking a bite of the bread coated heavily with cream, she closed her eyes in bliss.

“Mmmm, this is good!”

“Told ye.” Anna grinned.

It didn’t take long for Skye to realize this was a morning ritual between the two since Anna had started staying in bed most the day because of two previous miscarriages.

That brought back to reality the harshness of the time.

People here died of simple diseases, a cut untreated or a bad piece of meat, even childbirth.

“When are you due?”

Anna’s eyes got dreamy and she smiled sweetly as she soothed her extended belly with both hands. “The bairn should be here in two fortnights.”

A month. In her time, a baby could survive if born now.

“Och,” Elizabeth patted her daughter’s hand. “The baby will be just fine.”

Anna smiled at her mother but Skye could see the concern in both their eyes.

In her day, her powers were useless.

The possibilities of someone finding out, detained, analyzed, and then have the rest of her family put through the same only allowed for smaller healings so she wouldn’t draw unwanted attention.

Since those were always unfulfilling, the need to cure was something she always had to battle.

Her powers were a part of her and the need to use them was as strong as the need to breath. Taking anatomy and botanical classes had made it possible for her to help others, and when there was the added need of her abilities, she was able to do so while allowing the herbs to become the reason for a speedy recovery.

Skye became torn.

She wanted to go home desperately but knew she could ensure the safety of this baby if she remained, but to what cost? Would they be thankful or superstitious?

Moreover, did superstition equate to burning at the stake?

Even though she itched to touch Anna and find out what was going on with her body that she couldn’t seem to carry full term, she kept her hands on her lap and forced herself to join the conversation.

Elizabeth stood an hour later, prompting Skye to do the same.

“Come now, daughter. Tis time for ye to nap.”

“But me feet arna swollen an I feel wonderful.”

“I am sure ye do, but it still would be best. I am sure Skye will return to spend time with ye—after ye have rested.”

“I would love to.”

“Then tis settled; ye rest and Skye shall return later.”

As they were leaving, Anna called to Skye. “Please, go outside an tell me everthin ye see.”

“Deal.”

When the two women frowned, Skye chuckled. “I mean, sure.”

As Elizabeth and Skye left, Their guard followed them silently down the stairs behind them.

As they approached the front entrance, a woman stepped up to Elizabeth and curtsied, waiting for the woman’s attention.

Elizabeth handed Skye a shawl then told her to wait as she took the woman aside to speak with her.

Skye turned to the guard, taking in the long, curly, sun streaked brown hair.

“What is your name?” She asked in Gaelic, thinking about the man who watched her at night and wondering just how many good-looking men there could be in one place.

He frowned and looked at her curiously.

She smiled and asked again.

“Keir.”

“Thank you, Keir.”

He nodded and she turned back around as Elizabeth approached.

“We need to stop at the laundry, there seems to be a bit of trouble.”

Walking outside, Skye took her first breath of fresh air.

When Elizabeth saw her shiver at the cold, she laughed, “It will not be long until it begins to warm, just be thankful it hasn’t rained since yer arrival, a rare thing indeed it seems this year.”

They made their way around to the side of the keep where Skye saw large barrels with women washing and wringing clothes out, making her think of the washer and dryer in her home.

A stout woman approached and nodded in respect to Elizabeth before telling her of the troubles they were having with two of the girls sick and the children needing attendance since the mothers were constantly being interrupted by the ‘wee ones’.

When Elizabeth frowned in concern, Skye couldn’t help but volunteer.

“I can help with the children.”

At the look of worry on Elizabeth and distrust on the other woman’s face, Skye continued.

“I love kids and Keir will be around in case anything happens.”

After a brief amount of thought and a small nod from Keir, the other woman still looked unsure but nodded.

“Are ye sure, Skye?”

“Absolutely. How difficult could it be?”

Famous
last
words.

What did one do with a dozen children between the ages of four to nine?

“Duck, duck, goose!” She cried out to the surprise of the children running around her.

In very little time, she had them scattering straw on the ground and sitting in a circle as she slowly explained how to play the game and then demonstrated it, smiling in relief when they caught on quick.

She spent her time cheering them on, jumping up and down as one would leap up and run after the other.

When several older children came to watch, she took some of the more mature ones from the first game and showed them and the new group how to play
Red
light,
Green
light.

She kept an eye on the little ones while standing a couple yards in front of the group of older kids, turning her back as she yelled “Green light!” then waiting different amounts of time before spinning around right after she cried out “Red light!” and good naturedly booting the ones who got caught moving back to the beginning.