Highland Legends 04 - Captive Highlander (17 page)

Brianna felt as shaky as a
newborn foal. Rannoch became more purposeful exploring her. She should not allow
it. “Rowan, I… I….” Somewhere he touched set her body on fire. She broke
off all protest. His touch became magic. Her head tossed back and forth on the
table. She strained beneath him eager for his next stroke. Rowan pressed harder
running his fingers in little circles over the heart of her.

A pressure built inside of her
body. She ached for more, but what? Suddenly something burst inside her. Her
whole body contracted repeatedly sending ripples of pleasure all the way to her
toes. She heard him start to grunt. Rannoch pulled away from her, exposed his
hard member, and jerked on it repeatedly until he spewed seed onto her thigh.
Quivering, he drew a linen handkerchief from his pocket and slowly wiped off
the sticky substance. When he finished, he kissed her right between the legs.

Rannoch ran his hands over her
wobbly legs. “I didna expect this,“ he told her.

“Nor I, Rowan,” she breathed.

“I think I proved you had no
reason to fear this small sampling of the joy we will find together.”

“Aye, so,” she agreed for she had
never felt anything that compared to the pleasure he had given her.

He smiled and pulled her up to a
sitting position. Her head rolled. “Let me help you.” He leaned down and picked
up her dress. Taking her arms, he moved them above her head so he could slip
her gown down over her. Rowan lifted her off the table and smoothed her skirt.
Once all was in place, he moved to tighten her laces until her passion-tender
breasts again peeked above her bodice.

Properly covered, she drew a deep
breath. “You made my body sing,” she said reaching up to run her hand across
his face. “Are you pleased with me?”

“Your innocence pleases me,” he
said. “I have lived too long in the company of whores.”

“Sorcha?”

He nodded. “It was all I could do
not to take you.” He kissed her swollen lips. “We should wed before we enjoy
this pleasure again.”

“What of Sorcha?” she asked,
almost afraid to hear his response.

“Sorcha is nothing but a
distraction. She plies me with magic potions to increase my desire and enhance
my pleasure.”

An alarm went off in Brianna’s
brain. Had he given her one of Sorcha’s potions, one that would assure she
enjoyed his touch? The wine…. No, it was her love for him that brought her
such bliss.

He brushed her hair out of her
face. “You look troubled.”

Brianna fumbled for something to
say. “When we are wed, will you still take Sorcha to your bed?” she finally
asked.

He smiled. “You want me all to
yourself?”

Brianna felt her face color with
a blush. She looked away and fought back tears. “It is my desire.” Her eyes met
his. “Can you leave off whores like Sorcha in favor of your wife?”

Letting out his breath slowly, he
ran his hand across her face. “If you will bend to my wildest desires, I would
consider it.” He kissed her forehead. “But you may find what I wish to do to
you offensive.”

“How so, Milord?” she asked.

“That is a discussion for our
wedding night, Brianna. I just tell you if you let me do as I choose, I wilna
need whores like Sorcha.” He smiled and licked his lips. “What think you of
that compromise? You seemed eager enough today.”

He had given her pleasure.
Surely, she could accommodate his desires in their marriage bed. Brianna stood
as straight as she could. “I find it agreeable, Milord.”

“So it is decided. You will be my
wife.”

“Aye, if today is any indication,
I canna fathom what you could want to do with me that could be so offensive I
would deny you your husband’s rights.”

“My innocent,” he said brushing
her lips with another kiss. “You have no idea.”

Chapter 22

Jamie made his way to Sorcha’s
tower. He would not reveal any clan secrets to his new paramour, but deep
inside he knew that if he had an opportunity to have her once again in his bed,
he would take it. As he entered the tower, he saw Sorcha standing at the narrow
window. Her red gown swirled around her soft curves. He couldn’t believe this
beautiful creature had taken him inside her and taught him so many things in
one all-too-short night. For now, he must leave off his lustful thoughts and
see to Katie. Sorcha turned to face him when he came up behind her.

“Jamie, I’m glad you’re here.”
She hugged him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before stepping back.
“Please come see your sister. I dinna ken how to help her. She just stares into
space.” Drawing a key from a pouch which hung on her belt, Sorcha unlocked the
door to the adjoining chamber.”

“She is a prisoner?”

Sorcha cast her eyes down then
met his gaze. “It is for her protection, Milord. In this state, it is hard to
say what she might do.”

“Perchance,” Jamie said. “I think
I should see Katie alone. She doesna trust you or Rannoch. Your presence may
hinder any conversation.”

“As you wish,” Sorcha said
abruptly. Turning, she walked back to the window.

Jamie entered the room, shut the
door, and bolted it from the inside. Katie sat on a bench near the fire with
her back to him. Her body was rigid. He moved up behind her and touched her
shoulders. Was it his imagination, or did she recoil? Leaning down, he
whispered in her ear. “Katie, it is Jamie. I’m here to help you.” He sat beside
her, took her hand in his, and gave it a squeeze. “I am alone.” With one
finger, he turned her head toward his face. Did she see him? He couldn’t tell.
“Are you still in there?”

Katie looked at her younger
brother. He seemed changed somehow, older, and less innocent. She looked over
her shoulder and surveyed the room. No one accompanied him. “Where is the Red
Witch?” she asked gazing into his eyes.

He grinned and hugged her to his
chest. “You are all right. Sorcha is in the other room. I wouldna allow her to
accompany me into your chamber.”

“This is not my chamber.”

Jamie held up his hand. “’Tis
your chamber until Sorcha cures you, or so I am told.”

“Rannoch imprisons me here with
his Red Witch. I wilna take her potions. Look what they did to father.” Katie
drew in her breath. “My folly has caused great injustice. Ian and many of his
clan have been murdered because of me.”

“We dinna ken if they are all
dead.”

Hot tears burned down her face.
“I saw them slaughtered,” she moaned. Jamie took her into his arms. She sobbed
into his shoulder. Wiping away tears with the back of her hand, she drew back
from him. “There was so much blood.”

“How far away were you? I canna
imagine they allowed you near the fight.”

“Ian left me behind a boulder and
I watched them all fight bravely until one by one there were slain. Ian was the
last to die. He met his maker right after his father and Erland.”

“I, for one, wilna believe they
are all dead until I see the bodies.”

“Why do you ask me to hope? I
told you what I witnessed.”

“Tessa believes Ian is alive.”

Katie ran her hands through her
unkempt hair. Her pulse pounded through her temples. Could it be? “Tessa, seer
of the Blackburn clan, if only I believed.” she said.

“Hold out hope until we ken she
is wrong. She sees much that none of us can explain.”

“I shall pray she is right about
this, but even if she is, Ian will never forgive me for causing the death of
his kinsmen.” She trembled at the thought. “I love him, Jamie. If Ian is alive,
he must be gravely wounded and there is no one to help him.”

“You dinna ken that, Katie. Did
Laird Innes send missives to the other clans to ask for their help?”

“Aye.”

“Some of them may have come and
found Ian.”

“I shall pray this it is so.”

Jamie put his arm around her.
“Why do you pretend to be distant from the world? Rannoch may free you from the
tower if you let Sorcha see you are well.”

She gave him a wry smile.
“Rannoch wilna free me. This is my prison and his Red Witch is my guard. When I
pretend not to hear or see they talk in front of me. They reveal things because
they think I canna hear them.”

“And so you will persist.”

“Until I find a way to kill
them,” Katie said with conviction. She saw her brother blanch.

“I didna see you as a murderer,
Katie.”

“After all I have seen and heard
I will have my revenge.” She rubbed her hand across her flat stomach. I pray
Ian’s seed took root. At least if I canna have him, I can raise his son or
daughter.”

Jamie’s eyes grew wide. “You let
him take you?”

Katie felt the color rising in
her face. “Aye, he asked me to marry him, but we havena spoken the vows.”

Jamie’s hand closed over hers. “I
hope you do carry his child and that the child’s father is alive to see its
birth.”

“Until we ken the truth, I will
persist in my farce. Perchance I can learn something that will help us escape
Rannoch.”

He kissed her cheek. “Have a
care, Katie. I wouldna lose you to this cause. It is better to live to fight
another day than to go into battle ill-prepared.” He rubbed his hand across her
belly. “You must eat and take care of yourself in case you are with child. Let
Sorcha see a slow improvement. If you were to engage her in conversation, you
might learn something useful,” he suggested.

Katie wiped back another tear
from her cheek. “How did my little brother suddenly get so wise?” she asked.

“Will you do as I ask and begin a
slow recovery?”

“Aye.”

“Good, I will tell Sorcha you
seem a bit better and might be able to eat something.” He kissed her again then
rose and walked to the door. “I will come to visit every day so we can compare
what each of us has learned.” With that, he left the room.

Katie inhaled sharply. Could her
lover be alive? Would he come for her and ease the terrible ache in her chest?
If only Tessa was right.

In the late afternoon, Ian and
Ross reached the entrance to the cave that led into Duntaigh Castle. They had
been riding for hours, first through the murky night then keeping to the woods
when the sun rose. Ian felt sure no one had spotted them.

Ross gazed up at the magnificent
structure perched above them on a sheer rock outcropping. “A fine keep,” he
commented.

“Aye and I pray my love is safe
inside those stone battlements.”

“What will you do alone?” Ross
questioned. “I should stay and help you.”

“That is not the plan, Ross. You
must return to Jared and lead him to this place if I am unable to return.” Ian
gave him a grin. “Although I fully intend to rescue Katie and be at your side
when we come to rout this bastard.”

Ross laughed. “I am sure of it.
You are hard to kill, Ian. Many have tried and failed. Something inherited, no
doubt.”

“Aye,” Ian agreed, tears welling
in his eyes. “Let us pray my father continues to be stubborn and refuses to
succumb to his injuries.”

“Lady Asilinn wilna allow him to
die, Milord, and we all ken she always has her way. If anyone can help him
cheat death, it is your sister.”

“You’re right. Asilinn will
perform her magic and he will survive. ‘Tis what I must believe.” Ian
straightened. “Dismount and let me show you the entrance to the cave.”

Ross obliged and they entered the
ink-black cave. Ian grabbed one of the torches from the wall bracket and struck
his flint to give them light. Shadows danced across the walls as they walked
ever upward. At each junction of tunnels, Ian showed Ross what route to take.
Finally, they reached the entrance to the dungeon passageway. Ian stopped and
turned to Ross. “Beyond this door is the dungeon level of the castle. It is a
little used area. I was the only prisoner in this section. You should be able
to surprise them with an attack from here.”

“Shall we go in?” Ross asked.

“I must go alone. Rannoch might
have someone else in the cell block.” Ian’s mind flew to Katie. If only her
rescue could be as easy as plucking her from the chamber not far beyond the
secret door, but he didn’t think Rannoch would keep her here. Looking back at
Ross, he smiled. “I will use stealth. Can you find your way back?”

“Aye, but I dinna like it.”

“Katie’s kin will help me. I pray
they will ken where Rannoch is keeping her.”

Ross sighed. “I will keep to the
plan, Ian, but have a care. I have grown used to your ugly face.”

Ian grabbed Ross’s shoulder. “Go
with God and find your way safely back to Jared.”

Nodding, Ross took off the way
they had come. Ian leaned back against the cold stone wall of the passage. His
body ached. Every time he closed his eyes visions of the battle rose up to
torture him. There would be no time to rest until he once again held Katie in
his arms. Ian had to free her before Rannoch hurt her.

Opening the door to the dungeon,
Ian made his way cautiously up the hallway and into the cell block that had
been his home. The stale air brought back memories of his meetings with Katie
in the dank and dirty cell. He felt her anger when he fired her temper, her
hesitance to believe him, and the desire that flowed through her when they
kissed. He shook his head to stop the images. If Rannoch had taken her or hurt
her, there would be nowhere for him to hide. Ian would tear him limb from limb.

His old cell sat empty. He could
not see any other prisoners in the entire cell block. Carefully he made his way
to the passage that would take him above stairs. Tessa would help him find
Katie, if he could just make it to her chamber without detection. The girl
reminded him of Asilinn. Tessa seemed wise beyond her years because of her
incredible gift. If Ian had not experienced it with his own sister, he would
doubt Tessa’s powers. Living with Asilinn gave no room for doubt. There was
more to God and man than any earthly being could grasp. God granted a special few
peeks into the future. Asilinn and Tessa had this ability.