Highland Tigress (Tiger Series) (10 page)

Cara froze as she caught sight of the magnificent creature. She was going too fast to stop and she ended up sliding before she stopped in front of him. He didn’t offer to harm her, but fear coursed through her at the sight of him. She heard Liam’s angry roar and knew he’d sensed her fear.

Darren quickly insinuated himself between Cara and his spy. He reassured Cara as best as he could before he instructed the wolf to change to his human form.

James stared at the sleek tiger and new it was Cara. At Darren’s insistence he changed and tried to reassure Cara that he was not there to harm her. He was cut off however when a huge enraged tiger raced from the forest. James barely escaped him before he pounced. Darren changed and spoke soothingly to the beast until it calmed and took the form of Liam McNeal.

“What In blazes were ye thinking? You brought Cara to a wolf? He would like nothing better than to capture her and hand her over to that beast Ramsey!”

“Nay Laird McNeal, that I would not do. I have saved her life several times and I seek to put and end to Ramsey and her torment. All I want is for you to help me.” James looked to Darren. “The time has come. He grows more evil with each passing moment. If we are to be rid of him we need to act.”

Darren nodded solemnly. “What do ye suppose we do?”

James gave Cara a sad look. “I think we will need a trap.”

“Nay!” Liam cried. “Ye’ll not be using my mate as bait! I’ve suffer through hell trying to find her. I’ll not have her in danger!”

Cara changed and placed her slim hand on Liam’s burley one. “Liam, ‘tis my life to risk. You risk yours enough in the protection of your…our people. If this will rid the world of Ramsey and his evil then I want to try. It’s a risk I am willing to take.”

Liam pulled Cara to him. He leaned his forehead against the top of her head and breathed in her clean scent. “Please, Cara, do not ask me to watch you put yerself in danger. I am not strong enough to do it. If something happened to ye I’d never forgive myself.”

“And if you die protecting me I will never forgive myself. If one more woman is forced to suffer and die the way Young Alice did and I do nothing to stop it…it will be my fault. If I can stop him I can save those women. Please, Liam. We have to try.” Cara then looked to Darren. “Darren, this is the right thing to do. If you are all near then he cannot harm me. I am stronger now too and I will protect myself.”

Darren nodded. “Liam, it is a good plan. She will be in little danger.”

Liam scowled. “What is your plan wolf?”

James cleared his throat. No one made him nervous. He’d stood toe to toe with some of the most powerful and evil men in his clan and never flinched, but Liam McNeal exuded a power that was far greater than any he’d ever encountered. He was, for the first time in his life, second guessing himself. “Laird McNeal, Ramsey is mad. He has sent half of his men to follow your horses. He made sure they were the men he least trusted, my men. He has only ten men with him now. He is extremely paranoid. Every whisper or laugh he thinks is directed at him. He is enraged more than not and he is always filled with an unquenchable lust. It would take very little to bring him here. He believes that Cara can cure his lust. He wants her above all else. He is becoming desperate. He will come for her and with so few with him you could kill him.”

“We could. Where do you stand in all of it then?”

“I will do anything you wish. My men will fight with me and you or if you are not sure of us we will go on to make sure no one escapes.”

“Nay.” Darren put in. “I think it would be best if your men held Cara. Perhaps the claim that she was found with the horses would convince him. Understand that if she is harmed though, that we will then kill every one of you.”

James nodded. He knew that if Cara was injured in any way that his life would end. He was willing to risk it if it meant destroying Ramsey.

Liam gave Cara an agonizing look. “I still do not want to risk it. You are my life Cara. If I lose you I will not survive it. I will not want to.”

They discussed when they would meet again and departed. Cara was afraid, but she tried to hide it. Liam however, knew and he shared her fear.

10

It was late the next morning when the plans were finished. Ramsey was close and they planned to spring their trap the very next night. They scouted the area and took their places shortly after the sun began to set. Cara was to travel a short distance with James and the wolves before they were to meet Ramsey and his troops. When the fight started James and his men were to protect Cara and keep her from harm. Cara watched James’ men carefully. If she was to be harmed it would be by one of them, but none seemed sinister to her. they all were powerful and seemed dedicated to the task that was set before them. James caught her eye and smiled warmly.

“Do not be afraid, Cara. These men will protect you with their lives as I will. None of us wish to see you harmed.”

Cara felt her fear lighten and she nodded. “What should I do?”

“Just stay calm.” He winked at her. “Your fear is needed Cara, but I don’t think it will be too hard to bring it about considering. It wouldn’t do for you to seem to comfortable though. You must be afraid. The scent will drive Ramsey mad. He will not be thinking clearly. I hope he will then make a mistake and we will be able to kill him.”

Cara shuddered. “Nay, fear will not be a problem. Can I trust you?”

“Aye. You must. If I tell you to do something you must not hesitate. There will be confusion. If I suspect that you are in danger I will need you to react immediately. Can you do that?”

James was shocked. He smiled at her blush brightened face. “You should try to change only a part of yourself. A little fur would provide heat and …concealment if you wish.”

For the nest hour Cara struggled to change only part of herself. At one point she sprouted a tail and another time her tongue lolled out of her mouth. Several times she thought she heard one of James’ men snigger at her. she cast a disgruntled look in the direction of the offending sound, but none of the men seemed to be laughing. Still she narrowed her eyes and allowed a low growl to escape her throat before she turned and began her experiment again.

It was dark when they stopped. James didn’t feel comfortable bringing Cara into camp. He spoke with his commander and instructed him to go ahead to Ramsey, in hopes the evil Laird would be so excited to have captured Cara that he would come to her.

After waiting an hour he finally heard the sound of hurried footsteps. Ramsey himself strode through the brush, followed closely by his guards, and directly to Cara. Before anyone could stop him he slapped her with enough force to send her sprawling in the grass.

“You whore! You were to be mine! Now you are just a dirty little whore to that cat!” he sneered and reached for her. He pulled her to her feet and pressed himself against her softness. He moaned and captured her mouth.

James stood stock still. He knew they could not attack until Cara was free of Ramsey, but it looked as if Ramsey would take her now where she stood. He closed his eyes and tried to think clearly. The smell of Cara’s fear was so strong that it was making it hard to think. He cleared his throat.

“My Laird. The others will be searching for her. we must move on.”

Ramsey narrowed his eyes on James. “Nay. Let them come. I have what I want now. No one will dare take her from me. You will travel at my side to protect us and then you will be her personal guard. We will be spending a lot of time to gather, the three of us.”

James tried to with hold the shutter that coursed through him, but at the smirk on Ramsey’s face he knew he had failed. Ramsey planned to defile them both then. No, James would not allow that monster to touch his person or that of Cara. He knew then what it would cost him to save Cara.

“I will travel with you, but I will not take part in what you have planned. I will not submit to your perverted whims.”

His statement had the desired effect. As soon as the words left his lips he saw the rage build in Ramsey’s eyes. Ramsey threw Cara at one of James’ men and lunged at James. Ramsey changed in the air before James could. James found himself on the ground with Ramsey’s teeth at his throat.

The glade erupted as soon as Cara was out of Ramsey’s grasp. Liam leapt to protect Cara until she could change. In moments most of Ramsey’s guards lay dead on the forest floor. Liam’s men were injured, but none were hurt badly. They counted the dead and realized that Ramsey was no where to be found. It was as if he’d vanished. One moment he was trying to kill James and the next he was simply gone.

“I will hurry home. Perhaps I will be able to claim my place as laird and we will atlases begin to heal the scars Ramsey has inflicted upon our people. Laird McNeal, I hope that we can put the past behind us now and focus on a future of peace.”

Liam nodded his dark head. “Peace between us has never been done, but I am willing to try it if we can. I hope we will have many years of peace between us.”

Liam then turned to his men. “Lads we must make for the castle. Ramsey is still out here somewhere and we must get Cara to safety.”

His smile was dazzling. “My Lady, I would like nothing more than to spend and evening sharing my tales of bravery, but it will have to wait until all is settled.”

Cara’s laughter bubbled from her and floated on the cool air. “Liam, I do love you,” she said and threw herself into his arms. He kissed her head and held her for a moment before he set her away from him.

“Lass, I’m sorry we could not rid you of that monster, but I vow that I will keep you safe.”

“I know you will, my darlin’ man. I know you will.”

The group changed and ran toward McNeal Castle and home. It took them only a day and a half to reach the gates. Cara felt apprehension grow with in her as she neared the place she would now call home. Questions plagued her as she walked slowly beside Liam. He probed her mind and tried to reassure her, but her brain would not accept his attempts to calm her.

Cara stopped. Were there women here who would hate her for taking Liam? Did he have lovers that would expect him to continue his amorous pursuits of them?”

Darren looked back at her. His black tipped orange coat gleamed in the sun. he stared at her a long moment before she felt the warmth of his laughter fill her mind. Liam hissed at him, but Darren only laughed harder until the great cat collapsed on the ground and rolled. The others soon followed suit and Cara could feel the mirth in the air as if it were solid. She turned to look at Liam and knew that if a tiger could scowl he would have been doing so.

“What is it?” She sent the question to him, but he shook his huge head and refused to answer her. she then sent the question to the others, hoping one of them would stop laughing long enough to answer her. the answer came from Euan.

“There are no lovers to worry over Cara. You do not yet understand the ways of our people.” He began to giggle again and Deaglan picked up where he left off.