Knight's Legacy (33 page)

“Mind ye her injury!”

Roderic immediately stilled, gently caressing her bandage as he turned to the older man.

“Sir Raven.” A virulent anger flared in his eyes before he let out a roar and attacked, grasping the man's throat.

“You! You took her from me!”

“No! Roderic, stop! He helped me!”

Roderic felt Catherine holding him, pressing herself to his back.

“Aye, I took her, puppy. Do not raise your hand to me! I fear not your rage!” Sir Raven's eyes were a piercing blue, his outrage evident.

“You best do so, old man. Did I not owe you my life, you would feel the very blade of my sword. You come into my life as you please! You take my wife!”

“As I give her to you! She would not be yours at all were it not for me!”

Roderic sucked in his breath in shock. “What say you?”

“Roderic, please, it's true. Sir Raven sent me to take Brianna's place and be your bride. Don't be angry.”

Roderic dropped his hand, but continued to stare into the older man's blue eyes. “Then why did you take her from me?”

“To save her life from your enemy!”

“Who?” He turned to face her. “Give me the name of the one that hurt you!”

“Roderic, I will tell you soon. We can set a trap of our own. But please, you must not despise Sir Raven.”

“Hush! I need no mediator when I am the reason this one lives!” The older man faced Roderic. “Seek not your own haughty squabble with me, when there be vipers in your own keep! My loyalty need never be in question! I have fought for your shelter and peace — then, and now!”

Roderic's brown eyes were piercing, those of a warrior. “Then never take her from me! I want your vow on all you deem holy! Now and forever!”

Sir Raven, Merlin, the man of enigmatic power to travel over time, did not answer at once. He glanced at Cat. She nodded.

His blue eyes twinkled. “Aye, ye have it. If you gift this lady with respect for her strength and courage. Ye fathom not what she has given up for you. All she loves she has put aside and her spirit has no joy without you. Best you know this in grateful supplication.”

Roderic circled Cat. “I thought I would never again hear you speak those words. You love me, then, little warrior?”

Cat smiled at his salutation. They made no move to stop Sir Raven when he slipped away, going outside and closing the door.

“Aye, my lord, I love you. You are my breath, my light …” Her voice broke and she got no further.

Roderic kissed her with an ardent aggression, his tongue plunging into her mouth. Lifting her, he pushed her up against the wall.

Cat put her arms around his neck and met his desire with the heat of her own. He pulled at her gown, moving it up, and she wrapped her hands in his long hair and whimpered when she felt the warmth of his hands on her bare thighs.

Roderic kissed her breasts and teased the sensitive tips; the cloth of her gown became wet as he suckled. His tender thoroughness sent a flick of sensation from her belly to the wet heat between her legs, and Roderic stroked her there, then reached down to adjust his clothing only enough to free his erection.

“I want to be inside you,” he said hoarsely.

She lifted her legs, and held onto his shoulders. He teased her, entering her only an inch, then licked her bottom lip slowly as if she were not desperate for him.

“Roderic, please,” she gasped.

He slipped in another inch. “Is this what you want?”

She squirmed like a fish on a hook, her back moving on the wall behind her. Reaching down to grasp his hips in an attempt to pull him forward, her nails scratched his skin.

“Aye, scratch me, Catherine. It will gain you naught in spite of your begging. Tell me you will never leave me!”

She understood then the depth of his longing, his vulnerability. He was angry still for her leaving. Her body was on fire for him, but the affection she felt was stronger than her body's need. Cat would do anything to appease him.

“Forgive me,” she whispered. “I never meant to hurt you. I'll never leave you.” She caressed his face, his hair. “Never.”

Staring deeply into her eyes, he plunged inside her. Then he was still, buried to the hilt.

“Oh, God, you feel so good inside me,” she moaned.

He kept her impaled a long moment. His eyes narrowed as he breathed deeply and rapidly.

“I wish I could beat you!”

“I know,” she said.

He began to move then, no longer able to deny them both the paradise within their reach, and Cat welcomed his every thrust. She was soon plunged into a lake of fire, a physical boon to the senses that touched her soul. Her love was stronger than time, than death.

Roderic found his own release with a loud groan of possession, and he rested his forehead on the wall, his cheek next to hers.

When she had recovered enough to speak, he felt her smile. “I think you have gotten your wish to beat me, my lord. Next time, love, can you take the time to remove your breastplate?”

Roderic burst out in a rumble of laughter that shook them both.

God above, how I love her.

For the Lord loveth judgement, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

~Psalms 37:28

R
oderic made his way back to the castle alone. He longed to bring his wife back with him, but agreed with Sir Raven's plan to trap the traitor. The man Roderic thought to be friend, ally, and loyal to the King had betrayed them all.

Roderic was flayed by his conscience, he felt in a large way at fault for the attack on Catherine. Had Sir Raven not stolen her away, she would have been killed. Still, there were questions in his mind.

If the traitor was who Sir Raven had said, why was Catherine his prey instead of Roderic himself? Roderic would be loath to see and face the betrayer when he longed to kill him. But he agreed with Sir Raven's decree that to expose him now would be folly. He had to deal with Kincaid, and his charges, and must confront the threat in a way that would quell the possibility of war until the King arrived. Catherine had given him her pledge of love, and he was now infused with a new purpose. No longer apprehensive of Alexander's view of his marriage, he would take her away from Scotland if he must; she was truly his mate, his destiny. They would be together in spite of all hardship, for Sir Raven had chosen well.

The old time traveler paced outside the tiny cottage, unable to abide the confinement of the dwelling. Cat fretted inwardly about Glyniss, she should have returned from the keep. Roderic had been gone for over an hour. Sir Raven suddenly entered the cottage, and spoke rapidly to Cat.

“There is an army moving in the distance. 'Tis large. I must go and assess the threat. Stay inside and open this door to no one save your husband.”

With that he was gone, briskly and silently. Cat barred the door in the cottage, and picked up her sword. Long minutes passed while she paced back and forth. The waiting was maddening, yet she knew she must stay. Roderic would come to her when he could.

With no warning she saw a broadax burst through the door. It plunged down again and again. Cat gripped her sword more tightly. The enemy made a hole in the heavy door, and splintered through. She watched with dread as someone reached in to lift the bar from the door.

There was no other way out of the cottage. The door opened with a loud crash and Cameron stood before her but a second before he attacked.

Cat tried to duck the blow, and though his fist missed her cheek, it landed heavily on her shoulder. Falling down to her knees, she scrambled away, and he clutched her skirt to pull her toward him. She kicked his chest, and struck him on the temple with the flat of her sword, and Cameron lunged up to grip the handle, pulling it away. Cat felt as if he had torn her arm from its socket. He wrapped his fist in her hair, dragging her closer.

Cat's mind raced as she planned a defensive move at his groin, aimed her foot, and kicked out. Cameron moved quickly, and the blow fell on his thigh instead. Suddenly, she saw Glyniss, charging Cameron like a lion, snatching his hair to rear him back. He reached behind him, grabbed her gown and shoved her to the floor.

“Sir Roderic will kill ye for this, ye viper,” Glyniss hissed. Like an angry cat, she spit in his face while he lay his entire weight on her body to hold her down. He grabbed two rawhide strips hanging from his belt and tied her hands together. She tried to bite him.

Cat saw her chance and attacked from behind. She kicked him hard near his kidneys, and he groaned, but did not release Glyniss. Turning, he held Glyniss before him, her face white, his hand clutching her throat. She struggled, yanking at his meaty wrist, trying to break his hold to breathe.

“Leave her be! It's me you want, isn't it? You can't face Roderic, so you seek to hurt his woman!”

“Aye,” he shouted. Standing, he threw Glyniss to the floor the way a child would throw a rag doll, then stepped over her.

Glyniss groaned when her head hit the stone. Her body went limp and very still. Cat hoped it was an effort to trick Cameron, rather than a true injury.

“Why? Why do you want to kill me?”

“Not only kill, but savor it, make it slow, watch ye suffer, all the more will he feel it! Because he loves ye, lass. And I dinnae seek merely to kill him, I want to destroy him. He cares for ye, so that be his failing; no wise mon will show his weakness to an enemy! And, aye, despise him I do. Alexander would put him above us! Above me!” He slashed his arm to his chest.

Cat backed away, trying to circle him, holding her gown out of her way with one hand. He picked up his sword, and she took a defensive stance.

“You're like a spoiled little boy! You hate him because he's everything you're not!”

Amused by her efforts to keep him at bay, he smiled. “Ah, so now ye fear me. ‘Twas not so long ago ye begged so prettily to save me a beating. Ye pleaded with him, your lovely eyes full of compassion for his mercy. Yet ye see, lass, he has none.”

“He does! He lessened the punishment!”

“Aye, and is thought benevolent by all these Scots who serve him. The renegades who seek a pat on the head from the King who put an English traitor above us. I prefer Mackay, one who kills or pillages with no self righteous cloak of integrity!”

He brought down his heavy sword, and Cat dodged it gracefully, turning a full circle around the small table. Then Cameron lunged, and she ducked under his arm. He knocked her to her knees, and she saw a chance to do him damage. She doubled up the fist of her right hand and hit him in the crotch with all her strength.

The big man roared in rage, and buckled, falling down hard, clutching his genitals. Cat scrambled to get away from him, but he reached out and grabbed a handful of her long hair. She screamed when he slammed her face down on the floor. Wrapping his hand tightly in her hair, he pulled her head back and rested all his weight on her.

“Get off me, you bastard!” Cat reached behind her with one hand, and grabbed for his face. She raked her nails down his forehead, and aimed for his eyes.

Panting, he strove to catch his breath, and caught her hand. He grunted when she elbowed him. “Ah, what a fighter ye be!”

He rolled off Cat when her movement again punished his groin, and she scrambled up. Using several self-defense moves, she kicked him in the leg and chest, and pushed a wooden chair on top of him, then ran for the door.

“I'll kill her!”

As she turned to look at him, she stilled completely, for he stood over Glyniss, his sword to her throat. She lay silent, her eyes closed, yet Cat could see she was still breathing.

“Don't run, or I will kill her!”

“No! I will do as you say! Just leave her be!”

Holding the sword in place, he smiled, and beckoned Cat with a brief gesture of his free hand.

“Come to me!”

Roderic spoke to Gavin as soon as he arrived at the keep. “Bring Cameron to me. I must speak with him.”